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Smith Electric Vehicles Honoured in Exporter Awards

Smith Electric Vehicles has been honoured for growing exports of its market-leading electric vans and trucks.

In the depths of the global economic downturn, Smith Electric grew exports from 2% of total sales in 2008 to 14.6% of company sales in 2009. The achievements of Sales and Marketing Director, Kevin Harkin, were recognised as he won the New Exporter category at the North East Exporter of the Year Awards 2010.

Kevin Harkin said: "This award acknowledges the hard work and achievement of the team at Smith Electric Vehicles.
"We are at the forefront of an emerging and rapidly growing market. Electric vehicles represent a fantastic export opportunity for Smith Electric and for the North East region, so we look forward to building on our early success in the years to come."

Smith Electric Vehicles produces the Smith Edison and Smith Newton electric commercial vehicles at its Vigo Centre facility in Washington, Tyne & Wear. Both vehicles have lithium-ion battery packs that deliver a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge.

Based on the Ford Transit, the Smith Edison was launched in April 2007 and remains the world's best-selling electric light commercial vehicle. The Smith Newton was launched in 2006 and is now the best-selling electric truck in the world.

Prior to joining Smith Electric Vehicles in 2005, Kevin Harkin had spent his entire career working in the UK fleet management sector – he had no previous experience of export markets. But in 2009, a year when Smith Electric's total sales declined by 40%, Kevin registered a 462% increase in exports.

Kevin has established Smith Electric distributors in France, Ireland, Southern China, Hong Kong and the Benelux region, providing new routes to market, plus invaluable local knowledge and contacts. He is in the process of establishing further dealers in other developed countries across Europe and Scandinavia.

Kevin also led the company's first drive into North America, where it has since established a separate entity, Smith Electric Vehicles US Corporation. Smith US has already received more than $40m in Federal grants to aid its growth and its Kansas City headquarters was visited last week by President Barak Obama.

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