Tidyco, a Derby-based supplier to the international rail industry for more than 40 years, reported a 94% surge in export sales for the period August 2017 to February 2018, following an increased focus on e-commerce and the development of its on-line platform (www.tidyco.co.uk).

The company, which has been supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT), supplies a wide variety of hydraulic components, pneumatic solutions, valves, couplings, connections and assemblies world-wide.

Tidyco expanded the warehousing, inventory and goods outwards sections of its premises in April 2017, and it has created seven new jobs since then.

Tidyco’s on-line store has seen a 50% increase in transactions in the last six months, driven by strong demand in both domestic and international markets.

Barry Aldridge (pictured right), head of marketing at Tidyco, said: “We’ve been amazed by the opportunities that selling on-line has presented. We are now at the point of reaching as many customers overseas as here in the UK, and our focus is on maintaining our prominence in both markets.

“We have more than 300,000 hydraulic and pneumatic parts listed on our on-line store, and the DIT has supported us when undertaking complex transactions.

“We’ve also attended lots of DIT events, training workshops and digital expos to boost our skills and knowledge of on-line platforms.”

Ian Harrison, director of exports at the DIT, said: “As Tidyco has already established a strong presence in Derby, exporting presented a great opportunity to push for further business growth. On-line market-places are making it much easier for small businesses to sell their goods to customers overseas.

“At the same time, there is a huge demand for British products, which gives UK businesses a competitive advantage.”