Solent: UKTI decisive in export of flood-barrier to US

Floodstop, which is taking the flood-defence market by storm, and is already successfully in use throughout the UK and parts of Europe, is now also being exported to and manufactured in the US.

Floodstop has been enthusiastically received in the US. Fluvial Innovations began exporting to distributors in 2010 but it soon became clear that direct export to the US was not the most efficient way of servicing this market and Floodstop is now manufactured under licence in the US, where demand for the product continues to grow.

The product continues to be manufactured in the UK for distribution to the domestic market and export to France, Austria and Poland where Floodstop is used as the primary flood defence for large assets including the Warsaw Underground.  It is also distributed in Australia.

Simon Phelps (32) designed, developed and patented the flood defence barrier, Floodstop, in 2006, during his final year at Bournemouth University. The product is manufactured by his company Fluvial Innovations, of which the University remain a shareholder.

The unique, patented, design fills a gap within the market for a functional and rapidly-deployable flood barrier. It works by filling with the rising flood water in such a way that the combination of the water and the weighted connections of the assembled barrier will always be denser than the flood water. 

Phelps credits his success in launching Floodstop overseas to the support he received from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. 

After an initial launch to the UK market in which he was supported by Bournemouth University, Phelps approached UKTI in 2008 for advice on how to begin exporting Floodstop. 

Through UKTI, Phelps and his team were given access to experts in international business, opportunities for peer learning and networking, training and education in international business and support in the creation of an export strategy, including market screening. Phelps also took part in two UKTI led visits, to the US and Australia, to research markets, make contacts and develop markets.

Phelps, founder and director of Fluvial Innovations, said: “I could not be more delighted with the support that I’ve received from UKTI. We continue to work closely with the team at UKTI to look for new opportunities for export. For example we are currently investigating routes into the German market.  We are a small company, but with the help of UKTI, have been able to reach out to markets that just would not have been open to us on our own. It’s been an invaluable resource and support.”  

Nigel Crowe, international trade adviser, UKTI, said: “We are delighted to have been able to support Simon and play a part in the growth and development of this innovative young company." 

Fluvial Innovations has grown on average 25% year-on-year since launch, and over the past year it has seen a sales growth of 40%.

Floodstop was named Most Innovative Product of The Year 2009 at the Emergency Planners Society’s Awards and was a Winner of Climate Week in the Best Climate Ready Initiative 2013.