Robot Company Scores Overseas

From Merlin Systems Wiki

ROBOTIC FOOTBALL COMPANY SCORES OVERSEAS

A Plymouth company which designs and creates autonomous robots, including robotic football teams, has signed a major distribution deal with a leading South Korean technology firm.

Having established itself in the UK and some European countries, Merlin Systems Corporation (Merlin) was eager to adopt a focused international trade strategy to expand overseas.

Nathan Hartwell, sales & marketing manager of Merlin explains: "The company was already exporting worldwide, having started in Eastern Europe, but was only operating on a reactive basis, responding to web-based enquiries. We recognised that we needed to focus our marketing efforts internationally and develop a clearer direction to our exports."

Merlin approached UK Trade & Investment for assistance and working on the advice of Chris Knight, international trade adviser at business link Devon and Cornwall, signed up for the Passport to Export initiative in August 04. Under this scheme, the company received extensive training in various aspects of export, conducted valuable market research and received funding for research visits to South Korea. As a result, in February 05 the company signed the 1st & only official UK distributorship with Initium to sell its Bluetooth communications solutions.

Nathan further added: "The advice and help we received from UK Trade & Investment supported us from the very first day and the knowledge base we have been able to tap into has been fantastic. The international trade advisor at the business link and his colleagues overseas helped us to overcome problems that are unique to certain countries and regions.

“The Passport scheme gave us the opportunity to capture that global potential and drive it forward on our own terms and in a clear and focused direction.”