A SPECIALIST metalwork fluids company based in Suffolk, which already exports more than 85% of its output, has broken into another major overseas market – Russia.

Master Chemical Europe Ltd, based at Needham Market, supplies a wide range of customers, from independent subcontracting metalworking machine shops to global aerospace manufacturers.

And now, with the help of UK Trade & Investment, the Government’s export and inward investment arm, the company is poised for further growth following the appointment of a distributor in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.

“Finding a compatible partner to become our distributor in the Yekaterinburg region would have been virtually impossible for us without the work done by UKTI,” said Ruth Lucas, operations director at Master Chemical.

“There will already be many competitors supplying products in that market. However we can offer customers a quality, global brand, manufactured to current regulations using modern chemistry.

“The Russian Aerospace and Automotive industries want to compete in a global market place and to do this they need products from quality suppliers with product approvals.

“Russia is a complicated market, the logistics of moving products into Russia and transporting them across this vast country can be very trying, but we are determined and prepared to spend the time to develop this market and with UK Trade & Investment’s help we now have more of a chance.”

Jim Fanshawe, International Trade Advisor for UKTI, said: “Russia is a complicated market to do business in but it also has vast opportunities if you are prepared to put in the effort, which Master Chemical are.”

He added: “This is a great example of a UK company reaping the rewards from investing the necessary time and resource into their overseas activity.”