WITH the county's strong tradition of international trade, this year's new category of the Hampshire business Awards always looked set to reveal some great companies doing fascinating work across the globe.

Mark Price, regional corporate director at The Royal Bank of Scotland takes a look at the three companies in the running to take the honours in the first International Trade Award.

BAA Southampton Airport

You could be forgiven for thinking that Southampton Airport was shortlisted as a finalist for its phenomenal growth, thanks to an expansion in international routes - and to a certain extent you would be right.

With a staggering 266 per cent increase in international passengers in the twelve months to March 2004, ten new routes launched since 2003 and an ongoing programme which investigates new routes all the time, international trade has played a leading role in helping it become the country's fastest growing airport.

However, what the airport has also been particularly active in doing - and what impressed the judging panel so much - was the work to market both Southampton and Hampshire as a destination for tourists.

Mark said: "The company has demonstrated a truly international approach and a real commitment to the economic development of the whole of the county, as well as the business itself."

Point Source

Point Source was set up 13 years ago by managing director David Pointer, who risked everything to start his business from his spare room.

From such humble beginnings, the company now designs, manufactures and sells its leading-edge fibre-optic and laser products to biotechnology, semiconductor and scientific metrology clients around the world from a base in Hamble.

The company has seen a substantial increase in international trade over the last two years, with 95 per cent of the company's products now exported to Europe, USA and Japan, and this inspiring growth gained it a place in this year's final.

Point Source's achievements in the USA were of particular interest to the judges, as sales there have doubled over the last two years.

Mark said: "It was interesting to see that the type of product which Point Source has sold in America is one which is already very successfully produced over there - very much a case of beating the home market at its own game!"

Scott Wilson

With 3,600 employees in a total of 80 countries across theglobe, Basingstoke-based consultant Scott Wilson is a truly international business.

Providing a range of integrated planning, management, engineering and environmental services in the built and natural environments, the company operates in a unique and diverse range of markets and has recently won major new projects in Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, Greece, Thailand, Albania, Bulgaria, China, India, Ukraine, Lithuania, Uganda, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Iraq.

The company has made great strides in the Chinese market, with projects such as the Zhoushan Bridge in Shanghai and the fourth rail harbour crossing of Hong Kong Harbour won recently. As a result, staff numbers in China grew by 40 per cent last year and permanent offices are now established in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzen, Tianjin and Hong Kong.

Scott Wilson ensures its staff working in new markets are multilingual, know the culture and encourages them to get involved in community projects, particularly in developing countries where staff use their skills to contribute to projects designed to help relieve poverty and distress.

Mark Price comments: "Scott Wilson is never afraid to be first into a new market, and has developed real skill in identifying them."

The winner will be announced at an awards dinner at Challenge Business, Ocean Village on September 16. Call 023 8020 2051 for ticket details.