Dromore company harvests major deal for Australian farms

Dromore-based UPU Industries has won a £250,000 contract from Australia for its unique plastic packaging used in harvesting baled crops, Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, has announced.

The deal is to provide UPU’s Netwrap packaging product to a major distributor in Melbourne who supplies farm contractors throughout Australia.

Sir Reg said the breakthrough by UPU Industries into one of the biggest global markets was particularly important for the company as it produces seasonal products and dealing with Australia therefore reducing dependency upon the Northern Hemisphere markets.

He added: "It is a further demonstration of the company's aggressive approach to business growth through exports and innovation in production. This approach was also recognised last week when UPU Industries was awarded the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.

"Progressive companies such as UPU recognise that even in today's particularly difficult economic environment there are significant business opportunities in most international markets.”

Michael Lorimer, UPU's Head of Sales and Marketing, said: "We are very excited by the level of interest in our products and the scale of the business opportunity in Australia and New Zealand. This contract will provide a springboard for growth in this immensely important marketplace.

"Discussions which contributed to this deal, our first from Australia, began during the Trade International trade mission there a year ago. The mission to Australia and New Zealand, for example, was a cost-effective way of making worthwhile contacts, which enabled us to identify a suitable distributor.

"A recent trade mission to Iceland also enabled us to double our business there.”

Based at Europe's most technologically advanced plastics manufacturing factory in Dromore, County Down, UPU now exports over half of its annual output of netwrap products and baler twine to customers in 23 countries. (MB)