COUNCIL NEWS
Cumberland (NSW)
And their push has been supported by the NSW Government.
The council hosted an Investment NSW workshop on Tuesday at Granville to help local businesses on how to find overseas markets.
Council says that 7-8% of its exports are for overseas. The manufacturing sector dominates the export sector with $5.39 billion in, or nearly 44% of exports, domestically and internationally.
It says the figures serve to highlight their well-established food processing, machinery, and advanced manufacturing base.
Cumberland Mayor Ola Hamed praised the purpose of the workshop in helping local businesses to thrive.
“Cumberland is home to many innovative and driven entrepreneurs eager to scale their operations globally.
“It’s vital they have access to the knowledge and resources needed to thrive on the international stage,” she says.
“This workshop … provided essential insights and practical tools to empower our businesses to explore new international markets and grow beyond our borders,” Cr Hamed says.
“Initiatives like this not only empower individual businesses but strengthen our local economy and create long-term opportunities for growth and job creation.”
The session was led by Helen Chen, a senior export adviser at Investment NSW who offered practical advice on how to assess export readiness, identify suitable global markets and develop strong export strategies.
Su Zhang, the CEO of Cumberland-based Star Combo Pharma, shared her story about preparing her company to export health and natural beauty products overseas.
The workshop covered export topics such as market research, protecting intellectual property and access to finance.
Investment NSW’s Trade and International Executive Director Karla Lampe says that helping more businesses to export (particularly small and medium enterprises or SMEs) is key to the state’s Trade and Investment Strategy.
“While SMEs are vital to the NSW economy, only a small percent currently export due to challenges such as time constraints, costs, and regulatory complexities,” she explains.
“Our workshops are designed to overcome these barriers, equipping businesses with the tools and expertise needed to achieve their international growth goals.”
