Paul Morris, founder & CEO of Addmaster (UK) Ltd, has joined a new team set up to encourage and inspire local businesses to export internationally.

As part of the Department for International Trade’s new ‘Midlands Engine Export Champions Programme’, Paul becomes one of 28 high profile business leaders from across the region who will offer their expertise and advice to inspire companies to export and support existing exporters looking to expand into new markets.

The 28 Export Champions span a wide range of sectors and services. Business leaders from these companies will provide peer to peer support and help others to fulfil their global market potential.

Paul says: “It was an honour to be asked to be an Export Champion for the Midlands. It's something I’m very passionate about and for a long time I have wanted a platform to discuss and praise the support of UKTI and the Chamber of Commerce.

UK products are highly desired across the globe and I want to take the fear out of exporting for companies considering it for the first time, to show them how simple it can be and in some cases, even more straightforward than domestic sales ”

Paul saw a gap in the market for innovative additive technology in 2000. Seventeen years on, his Stafford-based business is Europe’s leading producer of performance additives, distributing products from sixteen bases across the globe. Addmaster offers a revolutionary technical resource centre for plastics, paint, paper, textiles and coatings. Their famed Biomaster antimicrobial additive is incorporated into thousands of products worldwide, winning awards for its innovation.

Speaking at the Summit in Birmingham, International Trade Minister Mark Garnier said: We want to use the momentum of the Midlands Engine to drive this region’s exports to new heights and I am delighted to announce the launch of these new champions. 28 experienced exporters based in the Midlands will work to inspire others to either export for the first time or to export more.

My department is helping even more companies in the region explore opportunities on the global market and through this Programme local business will truly benefit from a range of expert advice from local business leaders.

Over 27,000 businesses across the Midlands Engine exported nearly £40 billion worth of products to over 100 countries in 2015 and the Midlands is responsible for 24% of England’s manufacturing output with particular strengths in automotive, motorsport, aerospace and rail.

The creation of the Midlands Engine Export Champions Programme follows the launch of the government’s Midlands Engine Strategy, published during Chancellor Philip Hammond’s recent visit to the region.