A WILMSLOW firm has been named an 'export champion' for 2016.

EM & I Limited, based in Pembroke House on Altrincham Road, was announced as one of the new partners by the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) at a ceremony this week.

Export Champions are a group of business leaders in the north west tasked with raising the profile of exporting throughout the region, helping others to develop opportunities and fulfil their global potential.

The 2016 intake comprises 26 new companies, from a games developer based in Cheshire to a Cumbrian LED manufacturer, taking the total number of Export Champions to 85.

These companies range in size and span an array of sectors, but all share a willingness to offer encouragement and peer to peer support to fledgling exporters.

Among those joining the ranks is EM&I Limited, an industry leading providing asset integrity, inspection and specialised repair and maintenance services to the oil, gas and energy industries.

The new Export Champions were welcomed at a dinner hosted at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

The event featured a panel discussion with Clive Drinkwater, North West regional director for UKTI, and longstanding Export Champions Glen Cooper of ATG Access Ltd and Graham James of Flexcrete Technologies Ltd, who both reflected on the benefits exporting can bring.

Clive Drinkwater said: “Since its launch in 2013 the Export Champions programme has been a huge success, and the companies who have taken part have done a brilliant job of bringing to life the support UKTI can offer businesses looking to export.

“Export Champions are an integral part of our strategy, and those involved are businesses who inspire and motivate those inexperienced in international trade, both by promoting the benefits of export through their own success and by sharing knowledge and experience. British goods and services are wanted around the world and we need more exporters in the North West and throughout Britain to meet this demand.

“I am thrilled that EM&I Limited is now an Export Champion and look forward to working with them in the coming year. With the International Festival for Business taking place in June this is an incredibly exciting time for business in the region, and with so many companies spreading the word about the value of exporting there will be a wealth of inspiration for businesses looking to make their mark on the global stage."