European Union

One of the main objectives of the EU-funded Project “Support to the Development of Business Capacity of Ukrainian SMEs – International Dimension” is to help companies to establish business links with EU companies. The project helps small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to find potential customers, investors and other partners. An important step in this process is to become familiar with EU market developments and business opportunities.

A workshop on “Marketing Strategies in Time of the Global Financial and Economic Crisis – Recommendations for Small and Medium Machinery and Equipment Companies” was held on Wednesday, 25 March, 2009, in Kharkiv, at the National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic institute”, for 13 SME owners/managers from machinery & equipment companies of the Project.

Olga Trofymova, Project Coordinator in Kharkiv oblast said: “The companies are very interested in the Project. All companies expressed interest in developing their strategic and international marketing plans”.

The workshop focused on:

• enhancing knowledge of machinery & equipment markets in the EU, in particular actual market requirements and trade channels;

• providing participants with practical advice on how to run business in time of global financial and economic crisis;

• explaining the content and providing practical advice on how to develop company strategic and marketing plans to establish business in EU market;

• providing tools for export planning.

Bernard Harrington, Expert in Machinery & Equipment Industry (UK) and Juergen Mendritzki, Investment Promotion Expert (Germany) were key speakers at the workshop.

Bernard Harrington said: “The Kharkiv machinery & equipment manufacturers have sufficient engineering skills and production capacity to enter the EU market, but need to learn how to comply with EU standards and improve their marketing capabilities”.

The workshop brought together 18 participants: owners/managers of selected machinery & equipment companies and the project team.

The participants became familiar with EU market developments and business opportunities, learned how to combat effects of global economic and financial crisis, received recommendations on how to improve their effectiveness, and gained new skills in preparing strategic and marketing plans.

Participants expressed their appreciation for the workshops.

The event for SME managers from the machinery & equipment sector is planned as an inward mission that will take place at the International Investment & Business Forum for Machinery & Equipment Industry organised during the INTERTOOL Trade Fair (31 March – 3 April 2009) – an international exhibition for tools and equipment. The Forum will be held at the Conference Room of the International Exhibition Center in Kyiv, 15 Brovarsky Prospect, metro “Livoberezhna”, from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm.

For further information, please contact:

Ken Nachbar, Team Leader

Email: ken.nachbar@sme-int.com.ua

Nataliya Martynenko, Communication Expert

Email: nataliya.martynenko@sme-int.com.ua

EU Funded Project

"Support to the Development of Business Capacity of Ukrainian SME – International Dimension"

9/11 Arsenalna Street, room 614

01011, Kyiv, Ukraine

Tel (044)229-6183

Fax (044)229-8527