Transcript

BOB HOCKENHULL:
Mittelstand are medium-sized companies. It's these not large multinationals credited with creating Germany's economic success. Our government believes a similar model here could boost the UK economy by 50 billion pounds.
MAN 1:
Germany's been concentrating on this for probably 60 years, so we can't do it overnight. But if you look at, for instance, the proportion of German companies that export, export outside the EU, it is much higher than the UK.
MAN 2:
We drive long-term strategies, and that gives us the flexibility to try out something that doesn't seem to give the return right away, but long term is a very fruitful opportunity.
BOB HOCKENHULL:
F. Ball, near Leeke, an example of what the government wants. It makes adhesive flooring, is still family run, has invested millions in machinery, but kept the 130-strong workforce.
MAN 3:
I think it's investing in the people, which is one of the most vital things to ensure that you have the buy-in from everybody, to ensure that the customer can get what he wants.
BOB HOCKENHULL:
Today's Mittelstand Conference is taking place at JCB, which, of course, was once a medium-sized company itself. One delegate had a warning, though.
MAN 4:
Don't try to copy the German model because a copy can never be as good as the original. But look at it, and take the best out of it.
BOB HOCKENHULL:
It's estimated Britain would have a quarter of a million extra jobs if mid-sized companies had grown at the same rate as Germany's. Bob Hockenhull, BBC Midlands Today, Staffordshire.