Great Trade Drive On North America

Chronicle (Levin), 13 April 1949, Page 5

Great Trade Drive On North America

Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, April 12. A great trade' drive to capture- a bigger sliare of the North American markets for British products, was announced by Mr. Wilson, President ot the Board of Trade, in the Commons last night. Its object is to raise the i-ate of exports to Canada and United States from the 194S figure of £136,000,000 to £1.80,000,000 by 1950. This is intended as a step towards balancing accounts with North America by tne time iMarshall aid runs out. Mr. Wilson said the Government realised that the North American market was the most difticult market in the world, with fierce eompetition from home industries and buyers who could pick and choose, but it was equally a market of great opportunities and offered one of the greatest challenges in history to the merchant adventuring spirit of British traders who would receive the fullest Government assistanee in solving their production difiiculties. If necessary there would be open favouritism and outright diserimination between a firm which was exporting to North America and one which was not. A "battle plan" was already in/ operation, Mr. Wilson said. The United States had been divided into four regions, each covered by a superintending trade consul based on New York, New Orleans, Chicago and San Fi-ancisco. These consuls would be supported by experienced business men in each region acting as trade advisers. The factors that would count were price, quality and service. New and even very unorthodox selling methods would have to be used and the Government would weleome suggestions from all quarters, IMr. Wilson added.