A Cornish company which creates 3D tours for industries including education, transportation and health has established itself in the US market with support from the Department for International Trade (DIT) as part of the drive to level up businesses in the region.
Penzance-based Ocean 3D expects to generate sales of £1 million to the US over the next five years, with exports now accounting for 39% of the company’s total revenue.
Ocean 3D based in Penzance was established in 2018 by Chris Wood and Rosalind Osborne after they identified a gap in the market for organisations to produce 3D tours to help people who suffer with autism and other mental health conditions. The tours allow people to experience spaces before visiting them, thereby reducing anxiety surrounding navigation or accessibility.
With DIT’s support, the company has signed its first deal with an airport in Texas this year. DIT has provided market research support and has given the company the opportunity to attend a virtual trade mission to the US as part of DIT’s Tech 4 Good programme.
“DIT has helped to get us in touch with the right people to get presidential exemptions lifted while ensuring we have the right paperwork,” said Wood.
“DIT is now supporting us to identify regions of the US where we should be focusing our efforts through providing useful market data.”
The US is the UK’s largest single trading partner, with total trade reaching over £196 billion in 2020, and over 1.4 million people in the UK working for US companies.
Paul Shand, head of trade for DIT in the south west, said: “Trade will play an important role in getting our economy back on track and Ocean 3D is a great example of how companies can look to lucrative overseas markets to boost their sales whilst creating more jobs.”
