Our Newest Data Set: Trade Data

Our newest data set—trade data—launched earlier this year, and it’s already making an impact. Our customers can now see the import and trade activities of over 302k companies, which, when linked with the rest of our data, offers an unprecedented view of private UK business activities. 

So, how does it work? In this article, we’ll show you what trade data we have, how it works, and what it could mean for your business. If you’re an existing Beauhurst subscriber, this is a helpful guide for how to use the data. And if you’re not (yet) a customer of ours, you’ll get an insight into what our data can offer you. 

Understanding the data

Our import and export data set comes directly from HMRC, which publishes its trade data every month. Our data covers trades from 2016 to the present day—so if you want to see the trading history of a business, it’s right there for you. 

So, where can you find the data on our platform? It’s easily accessible through Advanced Search—you can search by import, export, what was traded or the date of the trade.

When you’re looking at a company profile, there is a new ‘Commodity Trade’ tab which will show you their trading history. From here, you can access more detailed information. 

How can you use this data?

1. Growth Signals

Much like our eight high-growth triggers, trade data can act as a growth signal. If a company is increasing its distinct exports monthly, it’s likely growing as a business. Equally, if it’s increasing its number of imports, then it could well be facing higher demand. And if those imports are product assets like machinery, a company could be ramping up its supply capabilities. So, you can see how trade data can indicate the growth of a business.

2. Research

This data set can also be a great tool for analysing a company’s operations—which is brilliant if you’re trying to work out just what a company does. For example, if you’re wondering whether a company is expanding or reducing its international presence, you can just have a quick scan through its imports and exports over time, and you’ve got your answer. And if you’re trying to identify a company’s core focus, you can also look at the commodities they are trading most frequently—and trust us, it gets really specific…

3. Business opportunities

Using our trade data can also help you to identify potential new exporters. Found a company that has recently raised funds for global expansion but isn’t exporting yet? Well, that’s your cue—you can go help them unlock their full export potential.

You can also use this data to zero in on relevant industries. Whether you care about the 15k companies that have traded vegetables in the last six years or the three companies that exported brussels sprouts in April 2022, our search tools will help you find companies that mean something to you.

What next?

With trade data under your belt, you can now get an even better insight into companies, sectors and regions Whether you want to perform a market analysis of companies that export versus those that don’t, or compile a list of companies that export in your sector and region, our platform can help you. So, start exploring! There are so many untapped opportunities out there to discover. 

Not a subscriber yet? Fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch to show you around the platform.