Open for business

Tapping into the trillion dollar Gulf

A GROUP of Gold Coast businesses are heading to the Middle East for a trade mission that will coincide with the V8 Supercars Desert 400 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama.
Directors of companies involved in education, communications and health sectors will be part of the tour, which will be headed by TradeStart Bundall.
The trade mission is expected to open doors and build opportunities and give local businesses an insight into the potential of the Middle East market. They will meet potential partners, distributors, and other industry contacts.
Senior trade commissioner at Austrade, Michael Kavanagh, has worked in export marketing for the past 30 years and has lived in the Middle East for the past decade.
He has just accepted a four-year posting to Saudi Arabia in a senior trade role and says the Middle East is in the midst of an unprecedented era of prosperity where 1400 major construction projects valued at more than $US1 trillion are underway.
Around 200,000 high quality, private sector jobs will be on offer as the region faces its own skills crisis.
“The Middle East is hemorrhaging money and looking for places to spend it,” he says.
“It’s time to start talking in trillions of dollars. The countries of the region have moved from regular annual deficits to strong surplus positions, and the region can now create value through productivity rather than by distributing wealth earned from a depleting reserve.”
Kavanagh says significant changes fuelled by large petro-dollar inflows have created enormous opportunities for suppliers of raw materials and goods and services.
Local MP Steven Ciobo says TradeStart is creating real benefits for local business in international markets. The program has assisted more than 1600 businesses achieve export sales worth more than $645 million since 2002-03.
“This is a unique opportunity for Gold Coast businesses to put their products and services on the international stage with the help of the Australian Government,” he says.
“Gold Coast businesses have world-class capabilities in a range of sectors including marine, aviation, biotechnology, creative industries, education research and training, environmental industries, health and medical, information and communications technology, and manufacturing.
“I am delighted staff at the new TradeStart Office at Bundall have invested the time and research to organise such a well planned trip to the Middle East so more local businesses can promote their capabilities worldwide.”
TradeStart export advisors will provide a package of free export coaching services which includes information and advice about exporting, along with more detailed services such as mentoring and information about export opportunities in overseas markets.
Companies which have already jumped on board include Gold Coast Tafe, MacMed Healthcare and Simptel Communications, which all hoping to expand by exploring export opportunities in the region.
MacMed Healthcare managing director Martin Thomas is hoping to break into the health sector in the UAE with an innovative pressure reduction mattress, bringing some comfort to long-term hospital patients.
“There is a lot of possibility for our product in the Middle East,” says Thomas, who has partnered with Dunlop to manufacture the product.
“It is essential to work with a local partner, and I will be meeting with prospective partners during this trip.
“There is a great opportunity for Australian companies in that part of the world where there is an increased awareness in healthcare.”