Novice exporters should make the countries of northern Europe like Holland, Denmark and Ireland their first choice, top exporter Iain Dale has advised York business bosses.

Mr Dale, former chairman of Dale Electric, which sold massive generators world-wide is now a member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's business panel and an "ambassador for British Business."

He told an export conference at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York, that it was more realistic for the first-time exporter to choose countries where duties were minimal, and business culture and ethics were similar to our own.

He said: "It would be crazy, for example, for a first-time exporter to choose a complex market like Indonesia, a basically tribal, culturally diverse market, a truly alien market for European exporters.

"Or India which is bureaucratic and deeply corrupt. Or Vietnam, full of unfulfilled promise, but without the clout or economic purity to make solid progress."

At the conference, organised by the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York as well as York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and the East Coast Export Group, Mr Dale also issued a warning. It was vital for small firms to branch out in export markets and they could tap into a lot of help available.

"If you remain a predominantly British business, you will spend your time defending your territory against overseas firms who see a vigorous UK market as ideal territory for their expansion. Export to their markets and reverse the roles," he said.

He added that the temptation to resist exporting was strong, but wrong. The pound was at an uncompetitive level, making it hard for the British exporter to succeed and business was good in Britain.

He reminded delegates how quickly times could change, but it would be too late to start when weaker times were with us. "Now is the time to lay down plans to open up new markets," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.