Our network development skills have built and established business links in the UK and internationally. We have completed projects in Europe, the Caucuses and China, and more challenging areas such as Iraq and the Middle East. Our model of professional work has been built on the process of building systemised processes into operationally effective products and tools. This in combination with the traditional outputs of consultancy companies of books, manuals, training packages etc differentiates us from the crowd. Our service does not imply a “one-way-best” approach; instead it consists of optional modules of knowledge and repertories of analytical tools that change as the needs and best practice changes.
Upper Quartile partners draw upon an extensive network of contacts in several business sectors and in business support fields ranging from venture capital funding to public relations and communications specialists.
Project Examples
China OEMs
Since 2005, Chinese companies have continued to swiftly evolve in terms of structure, market knowledge and ownership. Although still a low cost manufacturer with huge home market potential, legislation, language and brand development among other things requires that Chinese 2nd and 3rd tier manufacturers look at alternative strategic options other than an indigenous and regional market penetration strategy.
In the autumn of 2005, Electronics Scotland, supported by Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire's Electronics Team and Scottish Development International, initiated a mission to China to research the opportunities between Scottish based companies and Chinese electronics OEMs interested in entering the European market from a Scottish/UK base.
Upper Quartile won a competitive tender to support the efforts of Scottish Enterprise in maximising this potential and used our extensive international network available to build a consortia and undertake some independant pre-bid research. The contact with Chinese companies provided strong evidential need for support in tackling the potentially lucrative European market which the Chinese see as collectively offering more sales opportunity than the US.
Between June 2007 and May 2008 Upper Quartile coordinated a project to establish the capacity and potential for a grouping of Scottish companies to supply marketing, retail distribution and sales of telecoms products (through retailers based in the Netherlands) to Chinese companies in Europe. This work was completed by building a consortia of European companies to offer fully vertical retail and supply services to Chinese manufacturers of electronic and telecom products including the identification of Chinese manufacturers and negotiating initial sales arrangements (See www.distributionpartners.co.uk) with 5 of the original 12 companies contacted seeking to continue involvement and one company bidding for work directly. The project was an excellent example of knowledge transfer and network building internationally.
Technical Textiles
Commissioned to determine the scope and needs of this growing sector; the analysis uncovered over 45 Scottish based companies in diverse areas from medical heart valves to parts for aircraft. The sector has high growth rates contrary to all other traditional textile companies. Upper Quartile proposed that the sector be better integrated by using quarterly sector meetings to network and uncover mutual business issues. Companies were attracted to attend by arranging keynote speakers from major customers such as the MoD and Airbus. The Technical Textile networking was further strengthened by arranging Learning Journeys which were held to research centres, Universities and potential customers. This project was re-commissioned and was run by Upper Quartile for two years, which finally involved setting up a Chairman and committee structure.
Bonar Floors
Upper Quartile were asked to support the Internationalisation of Bonar Floors in Central Europe – with sales of over £200 million and a series of market development plans that had evolved over the years there was a clear need to structure and formalise the sales, distribution and marketing of the Group. The markets were all Central European and Upper Quartile was approached directly due to the in-depth understanding of the markets we have through having the Partners and Directors having lived in Central Europe for 10 years. The tasks completed included:
- Establish a sales operation in the Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary and Poland – including the initial market assessment to identify market potential with a series of shadow purchases to allow full understanding of the scale and depth of the competition; the translation of sales / PoS material including the development of 4 mirror web sites in the 3 languages of the target countries and staff recruitment
- Identification of potential acquisition targets
- Location identification and cost estimates for establishing a manufacturing operation of 150 staff and 20,500 m2
