University partnership uncovers international business opportunities

25 October 2017

A company which provides software solutions to the food service and hospitality industry is exploring new business opportunities in America with the help of 海角直播.

Trade Interchange Marketing Executive Lucy Burgon, 海角直播'Business Innovation Manager Gilly Hall, Jessica Bates, Trade Interchange Managing Director Mike Edmunds and Emily Baldwin.

The University is also helping Stockton-based Trade Interchange to grow its graduate talent, including developing staff through degree apprenticeships. Trade Interchange鈥檚 ARCUS庐 supplier management platform enables its clients to address the challenges of managing a large supplier base.

It is specifically designed and developed to address supplier and contractual risk, supplier performance management and eSourcing.

Trade Interchange works with a number of major brands in the UK, including Domino鈥檚, Brakes, Sodexo, PizzaExpress and Whitbread, and is keen to expand its customer base into North America.

Through the Innovate Tees Valley initiative, Trade Interchange worked with business innovation staff at the University to prepare a funding bid to Innovate UK. The company is seeking to research the American food service and hospitality market and look at how the ARCUS庐 platform might need to be adapted to comply with US legislation.

The four month project involved desk-based research and analysis of the US food industry, followed up by two visits to America.

The company is also working with the University-led Enterprise Europe Network to identify potential trading partners.

Co-Founder and Managing Director Mike Edmunds said: 'Working with the University has been extremely positive.

'As a result of the work we鈥檝e done we鈥檝e now got a much better understanding of how the US market works and what its drivers are.

'We鈥檙e in a position to step up our work in America at the back end of this year and have developed a number of relationships with potential customers in America.

It is fantastic that we can rely upon the University for support for our ongoing research projects, but equally the University plays a key role in our recruitment process.

Trade Interchange Co-Founder and Managing Director Mike Edmunds

'It is fantastic that we can rely upon the University for support for our ongoing research projects, but equally the University plays a key role in our recruitment process.'

Trade Interchange works closely with the University鈥檚 School of Computing, Media & the Arts and supports its annual final year graduate showcase, ExpoTees.

Several of the company鈥檚 staff are 海角直播 alumni, including Jessica Bates, who took up her role as a graduate developer in June.

The company has also enrolled Emily Baldwin on the Digital and Technology Solutions (Web Engineering) degree apprenticeship and she will work for the company at the same time as studying for her degree.

Marketing Executive, Lucy Burgon, added: 'We have a really positive relationship with the University and the School of Computing, Media & the Arts.

'They have listened to us and to what we need and really helped us to fulfil our goals.'

Innovate Tees Valley is a European-funded innovation supernetwork led by the University and delivered in partnership with NEPIC, the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) and DigitalCity.

Laura Woods, Director of The Forge, 海角直播鈥檚 Business Hub, said: 'We鈥檙e delighted to be working in so many ways with Trade Interchange.

'This is a great example of the business relationships we aim to foster, developing strong links and understanding, and providing joined-up support from across the University. As we help businesses like Trade Interchange to innovate and grow, we鈥檙e also helping our own students and graduates to build worthwhile careers in the region.'