Merseyside PR firm Polaris Media expands with new USA company
Polaris Media, the award winning Merseyside maritime and engineering specialist PR firm, is expanding its offering to exporters with the launch of a new company in the United States.
Polaris Media America LLC is headquartered in the Chicagoland town of Lake Forest, Illinois on Lake Michigan. It is being led by Polaris MD Ben Pinnington who founded Polaris on Merseyside in 2011.
ADDING VALUE TO EXPORTERS
“We’re expanding here in the United States to offer our exporter clients something new – a transatlantic trade bridge,” said Pinnington. “Exporters are looking for the best advisers not locally or even nationally but wherever they are in the world. We recognize that to compete in this new digital era Polaris has to innovate and offer more value. Launching here in America with a new company with new networks is one way we can do that.
“The world is changing, and America and transatlantic trade offer more security, certainty and opportunity. America is pro-business with a massive maritime and engineering exporter base. PR and marketing is also changing and becoming more digital and global in reach.”
Pinnington, a married 48-year-old father of two, said the expansion builds on company success being named Global Performance Company of the Year at the Mersey Maritime Industry Awards in 2022 with more than 60pc of Polaris’ turnover now driven by exports. Polaris has a team of ten specialist writers, designers, social media professionals and consultants.
WARM WELCOME
“I would like to thank both Lake County Partners and World Business Chicago for making us very welcome here in the ‘City of Broad Shoulders’,” he said. “Chicago is perfectly located at the heart of the United States. It is the economic powerhouse of the Midwest and Great Lakes region with ease of access to the St Lawrence Seaway and the storied US inland waterway network. From here we can promote our networks in both the U.S. and European markets supported by our team in the U.S. and U.K. I would also like to thank all our friends and clients in the U.K. and in particular Liverpool. Polaris has grown out of the Merseyside maritime cluster and we are grateful for all the support we receive.”
Kyle Schulz, EVP of economic development agency World Business Chicago, said: "We applaud Polaris Media for their decision to establish their U.S. company in the Chicagoland region. This reinforces the Chicagoland region’s stature as a strategic hub for business, leveraging its robust transportation and logistics infrastructure, as well as its rich legacy and flourishing emerging industries. By fostering collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors, we are confident that Polaris Media's presence will further enhance innovation, job creation, and the overall economic well-being of our residents."
Kevin Considine, president and CEO of economic development agency Lake County Partners said: “As the second biggest exporting county in the entire state, Lake County is the perfect home for Polaris Media. The area is a major destination for international trade and foreign investment, with export revenue topping $7 billion and accounting for 13% of the state’s total export values. Growing companies are leveraging Lake County’s talent and infrastructure to go global, and we are thrilled to add Polaris’ services to the many resources available to them.”
TOUR
Polaris will be exhibiting or attending events in the UK and U.S. this summer and fall promoting the new transatlantic service and Pinnington’s Amazon best selling book: Making Waves: PR strategies to transform your maritime business. Dates include Marine Money New York City, the Great Lakes Ports Association Conference in Chicago, The Mersey Maritime Exchange in Liverpool, the International Propeller Club annual conference in South Carolina and Work Boat New Orleans.
News
From Blueprints to Legacy: Babcock engineers and former apprentices reunite at iconic bridge they helped to build
Babcock engineers and former apprentices reunite at the Royal Academy of Engineering for National Engineering Day to view Kelly Anna’s statue to see…
Become a member
We promote the interests of UK based companies in the international market place and to governments
Join US See the BenefitsNewsletter Signup
Keep up to date with all the latest news and events with our regular newsletter delivered straight to your email box.
Sign Up NowWorkboat Working Group Annual Seminar
SMI is pleased to announce details of the SMI WWG Annual Seminar. Drawing from our online sessions and progress across the WWG workstreams, this seminar will focus on developing growth and prospects...SMI Annual Dinner 2024
The Society of Maritime Industries Annual Dinner will be held on Thursday 28th November 2024 at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, 30 Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8JB.Sea Asia 2025
Sea Asia, a premier maritime conference and exhibition and Asia's Anchor Maritime and Offshore Event, will return to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore March 2025. SMI is organising and managing...Ocean Business 2025
Ocean Business 2025 is the global meeting place for ocean science and technology professionals. Companies have the opportunity to connect with thousands of the industry’s brightest minds,...IMDEX Asia 2025
As Asia's leading naval and maritime defence event, IMDEX Asia has mustered the world’s naval elite and the finest fleets of maritime innovations. SMI will be organising and...Nor-Shipping 2025
Nor-Shipping is an important meeting place for companies from across the entire maritime value chain and from around the globe. SMI will be organising and managing a UK Group Pavilion at...Seawork 2025
Seawork is Europe’s largest annual commercial marine and workboat exhibition, bringing together over 7,600 industry professionals, 10,500 items of equipment and services, together with over 70...DSEI 2025
Held at the easy to access ExCel exhibition centre every two years SMI has secured space in DSEI’s Naval Zone to support member companies. The Naval Zone at DSEI is an interactive...KORMARINE 2025
KORMARINE is the largest and most prestigious marine trade exhibition, fully supported by the world’s biggest Shipbuilders in Korea as well as leading international shipowners and offshore...Indo Pacific 2025
Attracting industry professionals from around Australia, the region and the world, Indo Pacific 2025 will see key players from the maritime and naval defence communities come together for three days...Europort 2025
Europort, organised in the world port city of Rotterdam, is the international maritime meeting place for innovative technology and complex shipbuilding. With an average of 25,000 professional...Marintec China 2025
Launched for over 40 years, Marintec China has become renowned as one of the most authoritative B2B platform for the International Maritime Industry. The 2023 edition of this biennial event...Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2026
APM (Asia Pacific Maritime) is the premier exhibition and conference in Asia showcasing a complete overview of the vessel sectors services and solutions, technology, vessel equipment, supplies, and...Member Zone
If your company is a member of the Society of Maritime Industries a number of resources are available for which a log-in is required.
LoginResources
Access a wide range of documents, consultations and newsletters which we feel will aid your business activities.
Become a member
We promote the interests of UK based companies in the international market place and to governments
Join Us See the BenefitsNewsletter Signup
Keep up to date with all the latest news and events with our regular newsletter delivered straight to your email box.
Sign Up NowMarine Autonomy Challenge (MAChallenge)
This exciting biennial challenge is open to teams of students studying at UK universities.
Learn more