LOCAL firms are urged to go international at a government-backed roadshow next week.

The event at the Kassam stadium on October 6 is part of a Kick Start Your Export Success tour run by the Department for International Trade.

It aims to give companies useful information and practical help about selling products or services overseas.

It will include one-on-one sessions with international trade advisors and a chance to meet other Oxfordshire companies to hear about their export experiences.

There will also be experts from Google, the Intellectual Property Office and Barclays Bank talking about benefits of exporting and tips to overcome challenges.

Other topics include reaching new customers online and finance.

Similar events, as part of a wider Exporting is Great campaign, will be held in Maidstone, Woking and Southampton between now and the first week of November.

Osney Mead-based Lambdatek, which re-sells computer and electronics equipment, won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise last year for growing sales to the EU by more than 600 per cent in four years.

The firm, which stocks 100,000 lines of computers, mobile phones, cameras and other electronics, has a £20m turnover - half of which comes from European sales.

Its biggest markets are France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece and is encouraging other companies to seriously look at exporting.

Founder and chief executive Dr Thomas Felici said: “We are an online shop, so being part of the EU allows us to have French, Spanish and Italian areas of our website.

“From a local person’s point of view, we appear to be exactly like one of their own websites.

“There are no barriers to trading and products can come from all over Europe.”

Dr Felici added: “It takes a positive, can-do attitude and you need to know you have something here in the UK that Europeans need.

“It’s fun to trade with Europe because it opens all sorts of possibilities.”

Carbon Black Systems in Bicester, which makes super-lightweight wheelchairs using F1 technology, is aiming to increase exports.

It plans to set up distribution networks in the USA, Asia, the Middle East and Europe and was one of just five firms chosen for a UK Trade & Investment three-day business trip to Brazil, during the recent Paralympics.

It will also present to delegates at an international trade fair in Dusseldorf and be part of another government-backed delegation to India in November.

Carbon Black Systems chairman Paul Lettice said: "Exports will be a significant part of our sales plan for the next three years.

"I would strongly recommend any Oxfordshire companies looking to grow their exports to get in touch with the South East team at the Department for International Trade to understand what opportunities and support they can help with."

To register for Kick Start Your Export Success, see kickstartyourexportsuccess.eventbrite.com or exportingisgreat.gov.uk