Universal Smart Cards Limited, a smart card and NFC technology firm, based at the Kingfisher Business Centre, Rawtenstall were chosen to attend the launch of easyJet’s business flights from Manchester to Moscow.

This followed a recent Trade Mission to Moscow, for which Universal Smart Cards was one of a handful UK companies selected to attend the trip through their membership of the International Trade Club with East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce. The trip was co-organised by easyJet to coincide with their inaugural flight from Gatwick to Moscow, making easyJet the second UK airline to fly to Russia’s capital. Building on this, easyJet has now launched a direct flight from Manchester to Moscow, enabling North West businesses convenient access to one of the world’s key emerging markets.

Universal Smart Cards is keen to work with the Winter 2014 Games in Sochi on their ticketing and access control systems thanks to their experience of supplying technology to the London Olympics.  Paul May, Business Manager at USC said “During the trade mission I learned about the support available to help British businesses and have had subsequent meetings with North West UK Trade and Investment. We identified three viable target market areas for our products and have commissioned some further market research to help develop the opportunities. I've even enrolled on an evening class in Russian to help break the ice in future business meetings. So the easyJet Manchester flight will prove really useful and much easier than travelling to Moscow via London.”