A NORTH-EAST pewter giftware company is about to break into the export mar- ket.

Kevin Mason Castings, of Gateshead, is being helped by Trade Partners UK with "Your Passport to Export Success" programme.

The company has been manufacturing fine pewter products for more than ten years and is hoping the Passport programme will help expand its business into the US, the Bahamas and Cuba to reduce its reliance on the UK market and seasonal sales trends.

Trade Partners UK, part of British Trade International, is the lead Government organisation providing trade support services for UK companies trading overseas.

Kevin Mason, owner of Kevin Mason Castings, said: "Many of the gift shops we supply rely heavily on tourism and as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis and the September 11 terrorist attacks last year the company really suffered - some months sales were down 70 per cent on the previous year.

"I needed to break my reliance on the home market and I also wanted to take some of the seasonality out of the business."

John Doolan, international trade advisor at Business Link Tyne and Wear, said: "Passport offers an individually-tailored package of support to companies which are looking to export for the first time or who wish to break into new markets.

"Mr Mason felt Passport could help his firm access new markets and safeguard the future of the company."

Kevin started out making pewter model cars for Ferrari owners' and Bugatti owners' clubs, but his main business is now in general pewter giftware such as clocks, boxes and picture frames.