Founded at Imperial College in London in 1958, leading educational equipment supplier, Feedback, now does more than 85% of its business overseas. But, despite the organisation’s established international success, Bryan Williams, Overseas Sales Manager, is still an enthusiastic member of TVET UK. He says: ‘TVET UK is well connected to influential people and organisations worldwide. It does not necessarily take us into new markets like it does for others but it does provide a different approach.’

Feedback provides lab sized equipment for engineering students worldwide to get hands-on experience, and to apply the principles of engineering.

Feedback’s latest success through TVET UK came completely out of the blue, and has opened up a brand new business stream. The company provides lab sized equipment for engineering students worldwide to get hands-on experience, and to apply the principles of engineering. The team drives demo vehicles from Southern Portugal to the Arctic Circle, taking equipment to their customers rather than expecting them to travel long distances to exhibitions. When TVET UK hosted a Nigerian governmental delegation in the UK, part of their itinerary was to visit Brighton and Hove Community College and the Feedback team were invited to bring along the demo van.

Brian was quite surprised at the reaction: ‘The bus sparked a great deal of interest among the guests, who were representing the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association and the government’s Industrial Training Fund Project team, and I thought they might be interested in some of the equipment for their projects. However, it turned out that they wanted a fully stocked bus of their own to use as a classroom for remote colleges back home! That was definitely a first for us – and hopefully the first of many.’

‘We are currently kitting out the bus ready for shipping at the end of the month. That wouldn’t have happened without Nigerian government ministers being there. We get a lot of enquiries and have a very good agent in the area, but through Alan McArthur of TVET UK we got through to the right people at the right time wanting the right product. Also, as a member of TVET UK, we are not just selling equipment in isolation.’

‘We’re now networking with organisations who may not have thought to talk to each other in the past, but which are now recognising synergy and developing complementary offers. Normally equipment suppliers would join a project later in the day, but TVET UK is able to link with high level decision makers who are interested in the complete package – from setting up policy and curriculum development to delivering courses and providing facilities and equipment. Now we are able to work in partnership with other suppliers and service providers on turnkey projects. Who knows where that bus might take us next!’