Don Whitley Scientific appoint Chamber International

Scientific technology exporter benefits from Letters of Credit service 

A manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of equipment and services to the microbiology and tissue culture industries worldwide is among the latest to benefit from Chamber International’s letter of  credit service.

Don Whitley Scientific, Shipley,  which exports a range of modified atmosphere workstations; a spiral plater; and equipment for rapidly detecting bacteria, yeasts and moulds, appointed Chamber International to handle its exports under  documentary credits at the start of 2013.

Letters of Credit, which reflect the overseas customers’ method of payment and other key elements of the sale, underpin the commercial transaction and help ensure that exporters get paid.

Don Whitley warehouse and logistics manager, Steve Parry, says: “Letters of Credit are important. Our products are basically built to order with a purchase price from a few thousand pounds to tens of thousands.

“We use letters of credit in countries which are traditionally difficult to trade with or because the end-user insists on using them. Overseas sales are made via intermediaries so having letters of credit helps to guarantee we get paid for the equipment supplied.

“Obviously we would prefer people to pay on proforma but, when that is not possible, letters of credit have helped us maintain a healthy export side of the business in what has been, over the last few years, a difficult economic period. We used to use an international freight company for this service but find the process easier at Chamber International and the staff very efficient.”

Don Whitley makes and supplies a range of equipment and services to the microbiology and tissue culture industries worldwide - primarily for use in hospitals, public health laboratories, food testing organisations, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions.

The company’s Whitley Workstation range of anaerobic and hypoxic cabinets enable scientists to grow bacteria or culture cells for medical or research purposes.

Chamber International documentary credits manager, Roy Broadhead,  says: “Don Whitley has been exporting for 25 years and, as a highly-regarded  local manufacturer, we’ve been pleased to handle nine significant overseas orders for the company in the last 12 months”

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