A STOKESLEY company was one of 60 firms which this week joined a five-day trade mission to boost trade with Central and Eastern Europe.

Neue Schule Ltd specialises in the design and manufacture of horse bits. Sarfraz Mian, chief executive, said their products were being enthusiastically taken up by riders around the world. “Nearly 50 per cent of our business is now to export markets,” he said, “Eastern Europe is a very exciting growth area.

“This visit provides an excellent opportunity to meet potential distributors, undertake discussions and understand key commercial aspects of entering the markets.”

Premier Products (Export) Ltd, of Billingham which exports health, rehabilitation and bed mobility products also joined the trip.

It was led by Trade Minister Lord Livingston who opened new British Business Centres in Slovakia and Hungary. One opened in Poland last year and more will shortly open in the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovenia.

Lord Livingston said: “These are dynamic and exciting growth markets. British firms have doubled trade exports to Eastern and Central European countries in the last ten years, but there is so much more we can achieve. By 2020, I want to double exports to this region.”