How we helped a West Yorkshire based business with their international expansion

For businesses like Paxman, a Huddersfield-based MedTech company, selling products and services globally has been instrumental to their growth, reaching more patients around the world and changing lives along the way.

The medical device is used by patients to minimise hair loss during chemotherapy. The company was born out of a husband’s desire to prevent his wife, Sue, from suffering through the trauma of chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

Wiht our support, the business is manufacturing and supplying the Paxman Scalp Cooling System (PSCS) to over 60 markets internationally with offices in Canada, Germany, Sweden and the USA as well as regional managers in France, India, Spain and Singapore.

Richard Paxman OBE, CEO at Paxman comments:

Exporting is a core driver of our business success, accounting for 90% of our operations, with the USA representing half of our total business.

I am deeply passionate about international trade and firmly believe that exporting is a powerful strategy for business growth and enhanced productivity. Our global vision is to make our technology accessible to everyone, regardless of location, background, or financial situation.

My advice for successful international growth is to work on building strong relationships. Understanding your target market, its people, cultural nuances, regulatory landscape and payment systems is essential. Organisations like the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Chamber International, our combined authority (WYCA), trade bodies such as Medilink and ABHI as well as Innovate UK have helped us along the way, so making use of the vast business support landscape is crucial. Collaborating with the right partner at the right time can accelerate your growth.

My final piece of advice for other businesses looking to grow internationally: in our team, we often say: #ToGrowWeMustFly, so the most effective way to gain insight into a new target country is by visiting in person and starting to connect with people."