WESTBIZ - YOUR REPRESENTATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

WESTBIZ is not an import-export agency, and we do not deal with the importing of goods into the UK or the obtaining of import licences. But if you want a representative in the United Kingdom who will receive enquiries for you, or will approach companies on your behalf, or who you can use to find details about business opportunities, then we can provide this service.

When one of your company's representatives is at a trade fair, he can pass on our details as being your partner and representative in the UK (but not your agent). You can also use us as your 'point of contact' when you communicate with companies in either the UK or Western Europe so that we will receive enquiries and pass them on to you. In this way you will have many of the benefits of having a base in the UK, but at a significantly lower cost.

REPRESENTING YOUR BUSINESS IN THE UK

Do you want us to represent you in the UK? We can act as your presence or your representative office here in the UK, (but we are not an import-export agency). If you have received a trade enquiry from a company in the UK or Western Europe, or if you want to follow up a contact or enquiry which you received at an international trade exhibition which you attended, and want someone to deal with this and to contact the company on your behalf, we can do this for you.

SAFETY IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE

If you are planning to enter into a contract with a British or West European company, but are not sure about the honesty of the people who you will be doing business with, we can conduct enquiries in advance and prepare a report about that company. For example, we will find out who the directors are, where the company has its place of business, and whether the company is financially stable. If it has a lot of debts, then maybe it will be a high risk to do business with it because it may not be able to pay for your products or services after you have delivered them. We can also advise on how to use letters of credit provided by banks to protect your contract and to make sure that you are paid as soon as you have exported your products.

BUSINESS EFFICIENCY AND PROFITABILITY

Perhaps your problem is that your company has good products, but is unable to trade at a profit. What options may be available to you? We will work with you to develop a business strategy which may help to improve your company's efficiency and profitability. If you provide us with details of your products, your markets, levels of turnover (how many sales you make), and other important financial factors, then we will try to identify ways to improve your company's business performance. Matters we will look at will include the following;

- Existing levels of sales in foreign markets, and whether these can be improved,

- Existing levels of debt, and whether these can be renegotiated (although we do not raise capital on behalf of clients),

- Company profile and image in foreign markets, and whether these can be improved,

- Efficiency of existing business assets such as equipment and machinery,

- Relations with existing customers, and whether these can improved,

In some circumstances we will be willing to be the 'know how' joint venture partner for a Romanian client, helping it to design and put into action its new business strategies.

JOINT VENTURES

If a Romanian company is looking for a joint venture partner, perhaps in the UK or maybe in Western Europe generally, we can work with the client to identify possible suitable partners. If we are asked to do so, we can also approach the candidates to enquire whether any of them would be interested in some form of co-operation with our Romanian client. We will conduct all appropriate investigations in advance to be sure that the selected companies have sufficient skills and resources to make them suitable joint venture partners for our Romanian client, based upon the criteria which the client will have given to us.

If required, we will manage all stages of the formation of the joint venture, bringing in banks and law firms if and when this becomes necessary.

In certain circumstances we will be willing to participate in a joint venture as a Romanian client's 'know-how' partner. We will bring to the arrangement a diverse range of business and marketing skills which we will use to assist the Romanian client to improve its foreign business or to develop its business strategy. We will do this before the client progresses to enter into a larger joint venture project with a UK or West European company which is active in its own industrial, manufacturing or technology sector.

MARKETING

We will identify suitable trade magazines in the UK or Western Europe in which a Romanian client may be able to advertise its products. We will ensure that the text is properly translated, and if required, we will place our own contact details in the advertisement so that we deal with all enquiries which result from the advertisement. We will pass on to our Romanian client all of the contact details of those companies which contact us in connection with the advertisement. We can also provide these companies with product brochures, including details of prices.

We can produce high quality marketing materials such as brochures and catalogues for Romanian clients, written in English. If we are asked to do so, we can distribute these to companies which may be possible customers.