World Trade Centre (WTC) Hull & Humber will be officially launched by the European Commissioner for External Trade, Peter Mandelson, on Friday 7th September at 11.45 am at One Humber Quays, Hull.

The second of its kind in the UK and the only World Trade Centre covering north and central England, Hull & Humber will be a hub for developing, promoting and facilitating international trade and inward investment. It will act as the primary entrance point for trade and investment enquiries into the UK through the global World Trade Centre Network.

Hull and the wider Humber region are in the process of major regeneration. Led by an investment plan of over £1.5bn, the city is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation. WTC will act as a catalyst for both physical and economic regeneration, attracting trade and investment into the region.

Hull & Humber has already demonstrated significant success in four key sectors which are experiencing growth worldwide: ports and logistics, healthcare, renewable energy and shared services.

Hull & Humber Ports is the fastest growing ports complex in the UK and is the fourth largest port in Northern Europe with more than 40,000 shipping movements every year making it an ideal location for a WTC. Hull & Humber logistics companies ship directly to more than 50 countries with over 170 shipping lines operating regularly, 130 within the EU.

Hull has a diverse economic base with blue-chip firms in the region already operating globally. Reckitt Benckiser, Smith & Nephew and Seven Seas are among the healthcare companies contributing to the multi-billion pound healthcare sector in Hull.

Hull & Humber's existing energy framework also means it is ideally placed to capitalise on the growth in the renewable energy market, which is one of Europe's fastest growing sectors. Leading global brands in the energy industry already have plants in Hull & Humber, including BP, Conoco Phillips, and Total.

In the shared services sector, Hull & Humber has a strong presence through organisations such as Comet and Kingston Communications, who provide outsourced shared service centres for a number of national clients.

Peter Mandelson, European Union Trade Commissioner said, "The opening of this WTC is an exciting development for Hull & Humber- its inception reflects the area's inherent entrepreneurial spirit, building on a history of successful trade over the centuries. Today Hull is capitalising on the opportunity to grow its economic base through ports and logistics and the healthcare industry, as well as developing renewable energy and environmental technologies.

"The WTC is very much focused on fostering trade, specifically with the EU - the most important export market for this region, accounting for 58% of total exports. This new initiative will strengthen Hull & Humber's direct contacts and trading links with a community of some 500 million people, a hugely influential economic market - influence that is essential when dealing with other economic powers such as China, the United States, Russia or India."

Councillor Andy Sloan, Portfolio Holder for the Economy at Hull City Council, said, "Our key economic objective is growth in higher value-added, internationally competitive sectors. It's a fact that the most successful cities and regions of the UK in terms of GVA growth rates are those whose economies are most open to trade and most actively compete in international markets.

"The WTC Hull and Humber is an important piece of our development jigsaw and affords local and regional businesses across Yorkshire the opportunity to more fully exploit the economic opportunity afforded by Hull's natural economic geography and historic links as a European trading city."

Jo Barnes, Economic Development Director at Hull Citybuild and Chair of the WTC Hull & Humber Partnership Board, said, "The launch of the WTC Hull & Humber is a key milestone in the economic regeneration of Hull.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to consolidate Hull & Humber's position as a key place to do business in the UK and Europe and by closely engaging with local businesses we hope that this central point of access will encourage companies in our region to reach out to new international markets."

The WTC Hull & Humber will be a cornerstone in the new Humber Quays waterfront and international trade and business district and a driver for the economic growth of Hull in the future.

Businesses can find out more about the services on offer at WTC Hull & Humber at: www.wtchull.com

ENDS

For more information contact:
Anna Davidson
ING Media
Phone: 020 7392 1940
Mobile: 07894 462 403
Email: anna@ing-media.com

Notes to editors:

- World Trade Centres Association is a global organisation, with headquarters in New York, formed with the purpose of enhancing world trade. There are currently302 World Trade Centres in the world serving 750,000 companies, but only two operating in the UK, Hull & Humber and Belfast, Ireland.

- World Trade Centre Hull and Humber is funded through Yorkshire Forward and Hull City Council, with support from UK Trade and Investment and the University of Hull. The intention is that it will work towards a commercially sustainable position, through selling services.

- Its partners include:
- Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce
- Hull Citybuild, Hull City Council
- Humber Economic Partnership
- UK Trade Investment, University of Hull
- Yorkshire and Humber Centre for International Business Education and Research
- Yorkshire Forward.

- Its services include:
- Acting as the first point of contact for all trade and investment enquiries
- Providing leadership for the promotion of trade and investment
- Organising trade missions to explore new markets and receive delegations
- Providing current information on products and services in the city region; perform customised trade research; and offer contacts, leads and referrals
- Offering practical international trade courses
- Taking a leading role in hosting trade-oriented events, and have year-round display space for local products and services
- Providing a one-stop-shop for information and trade links
- Providing 'front of house' facilities for companies to do business in high quality surroundings
- Providing a 'front door' for overseas companies to do business in the UK.