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Body Central

September 10, 2010 by · Comments Off on Body Central 

Body Central, That develops software for companies selling products by phone or Internet, or through direct mail, has gained a foothold in the United States.

The company, Crane Street, Salisbury, develops order management, storage and purchase of software systems.

Clients include crew clothing, Lakeland and LK Bennett and management systems of hundreds of millions of pounds in transactions.

The general director Pierre D’Arbost wanted to expand into the United States and went to the government organization UK Trade & Investment.

“In the UK, our systems are seen as best of breed and I was sure I could use this as a platform to successfully launch in the U.S.,” he said.

Graham Symonds, an international trade adviser for UKTI South West, the company signed up to its Passport program, which provides support for emerging exporters such as access to seminars on international trade, market visits and funding for travel to countries destination.

MNP received funding to attend a trade fair in Chicago, and later obtained a major contract for its range of software solutions to the Central Agency – a U.S. clothing company with 180 stores in 21 states.

Mr. D’Arbost said: “The Central Council contract is a real turning point for MNP and we are delighted to have been able to successfully break into the competitive U.S. market with an important agreement.

“The help, support, funding and advice we received from Graham and the UKTI team has played a decisive role in obtaining this new client and gave us the knowledge they need to enter the U.S. with confidence.

“We have now established an office in the U.S. to help boost our market penetration forward and are now actively looking for our next project of the U.S. while continuing to serve the UK domestic sales.”

Mr Symonds said: “It was clear from my initial discussions with MNP its product had real potential for success in the U.S. market and this victory is important evidence of this.”

* Mr. D’Arbost has earned a place in the U.S. UKTI Marketing Scholarship Programme, organized by the North American unit of UKTI and the British Consulate General in Chicago.

It offers UK marketing executives the opportunity to attend the Executive Program at the Graduate School of Management Kellogg in Illinois and undertake a short business attachment.

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