Ballymena company opens door to business in Turkey

Aerosubs, based in the town’s Wakehurst Industrial Estate, has supplied a consignment of emergency doors to Temsa in Adana, a major bus builder and a leading industrial group in Turkey.

Aerosubs, which employs 15 people, received marketing advice and support in identifying the new business through an Invest NI backed export development programme.

The export breakthrough was announced by David Andrews, Managing Director of Aerosubs, and welcomed by Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director.

Commenting on the deal, Mr Andrews said: “We had been seeking to expand our business beyond the UK and Ireland and had carried out some initial market research with help from Invest NI.

“A number of potential customers in bus building were pinpointed in Turkey including Temsa. We met Temsa managers at a major exhibition in Belgium and started a dialogue which led to an offer of business.

“Temsa required emergency doors urgently for a contract in Europe and asked if we could design, manufacture and deliver an initial batch within two weeks. This was just before the Christmas period, so we pulled out all the stops and delivered the doors on time and to the agreed price.

“As a result, we are now talking to the company about further business. They were impressed by the quality of the doors, our ability to deliver on time and our overall commitment to work with them on additional projects in Europe,” said Mr Andrews.

“Our business has been built on being customer focused. We offer a bespoke design and manufacturing service geared to the specific requirements of individual clients.

“Invest NI’s support helped us to access support from Paul Harding of Melton Marketing who’s experience in Turkey was beneficial. He provided essential information about the Turkish market and how best to do business successfully and profitably there,” he added.

Dr Kell said: “Aerosubs has made excellent use of our mentoring support and is now positioned to win further export business in Turkey and other parts of Europe. It is demonstrating an impressive determination to win business abroad and has approached the Turkish market in particular in a structured manner.

“The strength of the company’s commitment to succeed in Europe is seen clearly in the positive and highly flexible way it responded to the exacting challenge set by the customer,” she said.