York is on a mission to get 15 per cent of the city’s businesses trading internationally by 2016.

The latest statistics revealed only seven per cent of business were exporting, so the challenge has well and truly been set to more than double the figure in just two years.

The city is far from sitting still in meeting that challenge, with a host of activities and groups set up to establish and develop old and new relationships around the world.

City of York Council is working with a number of public and private organisations to ensure a strong programme of activity and support, with varied events to meet a range of business needs around export and working internationally.

The authority has had a presence at exhibitions in Chicago, New York and Shanghai, and is working with the University of York on a city twinning with Nanking, the capital of Jiangsu province in southern China.

York’s connections with Nanjing consisting of civic, business, health and university collaborations, which continue to develop following a successful visit from a senior delegation from Nanjing in December last year.

The University of York is also behind links with Sao Paulo in Brazil, which has similar strengths in medical technologies and bio-renewables, particularly in the role of electronics and digital technologies in developing new healthcare technology.

This year will see York play a part in the International Festival of Business centred around the arrival of the Tour de France in Yorkshire.

Part of the largest business event in the world in 2014, there will be a variety of business events focused on trade and investment around the region in the lead up to the Tour de France, harnessing the global profile of the event in the region.

There will be events at the National Railway Museum, with a likely focus around bioscience and rail, as part of a collective regional approach, taking in other sectors such as financial and professional services, health innovation and manufacturing.

As part of its bid to drive export, public and private sector representatives have joined forces to create York Export Forum, which has been meeting for nearly two years now with a purpose of providing a regular space for businesses based locally who are exporting, or interested in starting, to come together.

In an informal environment, it aims to provide opportunities to learn from leaders in the field and one another, explore possible collaborations, and get connected with the breadth of support available.

On the education front, York has a series of Student International Business Projects. Through working with the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and universities across the region, York is facilitating business placements for postgraduate international students which helps firms to utilise students’ unique insight into their own countries’ culture and businesses, and undertake bespoke research.

One business in York which has furthered its offering with help from international students is accountancy firm Garbutt & Elliott, which has launched its China Desk to capitalise on what bosses have described as the best ever potential for Chinese investment into the UK.

With China currently investing about $78 billion per annum overseas, 33 per cent of which came to Europe, and specifically $8 billion coming to the UK, Garbutt & Elliott has worked with students from the University of York to offer services aimed at Chinese investors, with dedicated sections on its website and literature produced in Mandarin.

And there is a wider opportunity for York’s professional industries to export their services.

Rachel Goddard, chairwoman of York Professionals Group, said: “British professional and legal services are highly regarded globally and reduced regulation combined with digital technology provides a whole host of opportunities for export.

“York Professionals fully supports all initiatives in the city to help businesses to export.

“There is often a psychological barrier to exporting and a perception that it is difficult when in fact with the right support it can be an excellent way of developing new markets.”

Recognising businesses that do well in export has become one of the key focuses of The Press Business Awards, with its award Dare to Export, celebrating the achievements of local firms that are trading internationally.

The award for 2013 went to Sheppee International, which supplies innovative machinery for the glass container industry, and now exports 95 per cent of its turnover, which last year was £8.5 million, around the globe.

In a bid to boost things further, the company has recently set up an office in China to take advantage of the expanding markets in China, Indonesia and Thailand.

Sheppee also recently began supplying the Australian market and is now eyeing the massive potential of the American market.