Stansted Airport is helping provide a picture of export trade in the East of England.
The Barometer surveys more than 2,000 businesses about their international trading over the past three months and their expectations for the quarter ahead.
The report by the UK’s largest airports group and Stansted owner MAG and The Growing Together Alliance of business groups shows the region weathered the global trade storm well in Q2 [the second quarter of the year] despite growth softening amid a climate of geopolitical tensions.
Stansted Airport transports over 220,000 tonnes of goods worldwide each year
The Barometer shows 49% of East of England exporters increased sales to existing markets between April and July, down from 58% in Q1, while 37% entered a new market in Q2, compared with 45% in Q1.
In the East of England, the United States was the most popular existing market (23%), followed by Germany (8%), Australia (8%) and France (6%). Benin and China were next (4% each), followed by Argentina (3%), Canada (2%), Switzerland (2%) and Austria (2%).
The US was also the top new market for the region’s exporters (19%), followed by Germany (8%), Australia (7%) and Belgium (6%). Brazil and China were next (4% each), followed by France (4%), Greece (4%), Argentina (3%) and Switzerland (3%).
Stansted Airport is a cargo export hub for the Far East and the USA
There was a slight reduction in the number of businesses reporting export growth compared to Q1, reflecting the broader challenges in global trade and geopolitical uncertainty, but exporters remain active in key global markets.
Around three-quarters of UK businesses are based within two hours of one of MAG’s airports at Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands.
Stansted managing director Gareth Powell said: “Businesses across the East of England play a vital role in driving our regional economy and showcasing the UK on a global stage. It’s encouraging to see so many exporters growing despite international uncertainty.
“At London Stansted, our exciting transformation programme and plans to grow to 51 million passengers a year will help local businesses access more markets, connect to more customers, and continue expanding globally.”
The Growing Together Alliance brings together business groups from across the UK regions, including Cambridge Ahead, among others.
Dan Thorp, chief executive of Cambridge Ahead, said: “These figures underline the truly global nature of the East of England economy and highlight the importance of the UK’s international trading relationships. Nowhere is this more evident than in Cambridge, where a world-leading innovation economy thrives on global connections provided by airports such as London Stansted.”
At a national level, more than half of UK exporters (54%) increased sales to existing markets in Q2, despite ongoing global challenges, although this was down from 63% in Q1.