Ready to export? Top 10 tips for UK engineering companies entering global markets
UK engineering businesses exploring international growth face a range of legal, regulatory, and commercial challenges.
This article outlines our core guidance for UK engineering companies preparing to expand internationally. It highlights the importance of assessing export readiness, understanding regulatory and compliance requirements in target markets, and securing the right intellectual property protection before scaling abroad.
We also emphasise choosing an effective market entry strategy and building strong local partnerships to support long term growth. Combined, these insights provide engineering businesses with a clear framework for approaching global expansion in a structured and lower risk way.
Find out below what our top 10 tips would be for engineering companies looking to enter the global market.
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1. Check your export readiness
Before approaching overseas buyers, assess internal capacity, supply chain stability, pricing models, and international demand. Establishing a structured export plan makes decision making easier and investor friendly.
2. Understand local regulations & standards
Export success depends on compliance. Identify product certifications, engineering standards, safety requirements, labelling & packaging requirements and environmental rules that apply in your target markets. Our lawyers can support with regulatory mapping and low risk market entry planning.
3. Protect your band overseas
Your brand is one of your most valuable assets.
- Register trademarks in export destinations
- Actively monitor for counterfeit products
- Update licensing and distribution agreements to protect your reputation globally
4. Protect your innovations before you go global
Innovations travel fast, sometimes faster than your business.
- Secure patents in key jurisdictions
- Check whether you have freedom to operate in the countries you are planning to export to
- Consider acquiring a license for patents that may otherwise block you
5. Protect your designs internationally
The appearance of your product is how your customers recognise you.
- Secure registered designs in export destinations
- Actively monitor for counterfeit products
6. Understand international tax & customs requirements
Import duties, VAT rules, export classifications, and transfer pricing can significantly alter your commercial model. Getting the right advice early prevents costly surprises.
7. Build local partnerships
Use and appoint agents, distributors, or joint ventures to gain immediate market access, local knowledge, and established networks in export markets. Try to ensure your commercial agreements are subject to English law, not the local law in your export market. Our contract experts can advise you on all these arrangements.
8. Choose the right market entry strategy
Options include direct export, the appointment of distributors, sales agents, forming a joint venture and opening an overseas branch or subsidiary. Each route has different legal, tax, and operational implications. Selecting the right structure is key to sustainable growth.
9. Create a compliance file
Keep essential documents in one place - certifications, import/export registrations, contracts, IP records, and data policies - to streamline audits and partner checks.
10. Handle data safely across borders
When exporting, check whether any customer, employee, or device data will move outside the UK. Make sure the right safeguards (like approved transfer mechanisms and clear data sharing terms) are in place to stay compliant with UK GDPR.
How our lawyers can help
We advise engineering businesses of all sizes on the legal, commercial, and regulatory steps needed for successful international expansion. If your organisation is planning to enter new markets or strengthen its global strategy, our specialists are here to help.
To find out how we can help you, get in touch with Commercial Partner, Iain Bowler or Commercial Executive Assistant Jenson Golds.
The content of this page is a summary of the law in force at the date of publication and is not exhaustive, nor does it contain definitive advice. Specialist legal advice should be sought in relation to any queries that may arise.
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