For many industrial companies, going international is the natural way to stop depending on a local market that has become too small and to put to work production capacity that can deliver more.
The intention is clear. What usually fails is the how.
In practice, internationalisation almost always happens by accident: a trade fair, a contact that turns up, a one-off order from another country. Sometimes it goes well and encourages you to continue, but it rarely builds a stable presence.
The difference between exporting occasionally and selling abroad in a sustained way lies in the method.
What does it mean to internationalise an industrial SME?
Internationalising an industrial SME means opening up foreign markets in a planned and sustained way: choosing where to sell based on sound criteria, validating that real demand exists before investing, and entering with an ongoing presence and follow-up. It is not about exporting a one-off order when it comes along, but about building a stable commercial operation in the markets that fit your product.
That distinction, between opportunistic selling and planned presence, is what separates the companies that export for a year and give up from those that consolidate customers abroad.
The state of internationalisation among Spanish companies
The data paints a useful contrast. According to Spain's Secretary of State for Trade, in 2024 the country had 45,931 regular exporters, those that export four years in a row, a figure that grew by 4.8% on the previous year.
The important nuance is concentration: regular exporters account for around 96% of total exports. In other words, exporting on an ad hoc basis barely moves the needle; what sustains foreign business is consistency. That is precisely the leap many industrial SMEs find hard to make.
The good news is that this leap comes with support. Public programmes such as ICEX Next accompany first-time exporters with advisory services and grants of up to 24,000 euros over two years, and a good share of the participating companies (around a third) come from the industrial and technology sectors.
The goal is customers, not countries
The most common mistake is to frame going international as a geographical goal: "we want to sell in Germany". Instead of framing it in commercial terms: "we want customers of this profile, wherever there is real demand for what we do".
It may seem a subtle nuance, but it changes everything. The country is a means; the customer is the end. As soon as you think this way, the market stops being chosen on intuition or fashion and starts being chosen based on where the real opportunities for your product or service actually are.
Step 1: choose the market wisely
Before spending a single euro, it pays to put several markets on the table and compare them with data. It is worth looking at how much demand there is for your type of product, what competition you will face, what entry barriers exist, what cultural and logistical distance is involved, and how it fits with the references you already have.
The best market is not the biggest one, but the one where your company is most likely to close customers within a reasonable timeframe.
Step 2: validate before investing heavily
With a market prioritised, the prudent move is not to build structure, but to check that the hunch holds up.
Validating first saves you the most expensive mistake of all: opening a subsidiary or hiring someone for a destination that simply does not respond. A limited commercial sounding, with real sales conversations, says far more than any market report about whether there is a fit.
Step 3: enter with presence, not by remote control
Trying to sell abroad at a distance, with no one on the ground and no follow-up, usually ends in wasted effort. Market entry takes hold when someone knows the destination's business culture, gives continuity to contacts and keeps activity going month after month.
Presence does not mean opening an office; it means sustaining a real commercial operation in that market, supported by a system that records every contact and prevents opportunities from going cold because of the distance.
How long will it take to sell?
It is the question every management team asks, and it deserves an honest answer: it depends on the product or service, on the sector's buying cycle and on how prepared the company is to export.
What we can say for certain is that this is a long-distance race. The first solid results come after months of consistent activity, not after a single trade fair. Accepting that timeframe from the outset avoids the most frustrating outcome: throwing in the towel just before the work starts to bear fruit.
Is the team ready?
Internationalisation demands capabilities and talent that are not always available in-house: languages, market knowledge, a method for prospecting abroad.
Strengthening the team, through training or specialised external support, is part of starting well. Without that capability, even the most ambitious plan ends up as nothing more than a nice presentation.
Common mistakes when going international
Export projects that fail tend to repeat the same errors:
- Choosing a market because it is fashionable. Going where everyone else goes, not where your product fits.
- Investing before validating. Building structure or hiring without having confirmed that real demand exists.
- Selling by remote control. Expecting results with no one on the ground giving continuity to contacts.
- Mistaking a trade fair for a strategy. An event generates contacts; sustained presence turns them into customers.
- Giving up too soon. Abandoning after a few months, just when the consistent work was starting to mature.
Frequently asked questions about internationalisation
Where should an industrial SME that wants to export start?
By choosing the market on sound criteria, not on intuition. Several destinations are compared by demand, competition and barriers, one is prioritised, and it is validated through real sales conversations before investing in structure.
Is there support available for internationalising an SME?
Yes. Public programmes such as ICEX Next offer advisory services and subsidise part of internationalisation costs, up to a maximum of 24,000 euros over two years, aimed especially at first-time exporters.
How long does it take to sell abroad?
It is a long-distance race. The first solid results come after months of consistent activity, not after a one-off trade fair. The timeframe depends on the product, the sector's buying cycle and the company's readiness.
Do you need to open an office in the destination country?
Not necessarily. Presence does not mean an office, but sustaining a real commercial operation in the market: someone who knows the business culture, gives continuity to contacts and keeps activity going month after month.
In short
Internationalising an industrial SME is not about diving into a market, but about choosing it wisely, validating demand before investing and entering with presence and method. With the focus on winning customers and realistic expectations on timing, going international stops being a gamble and becomes a process that can be managed.
At INIOS we support industrial companies in market selection, demand validation and commercial execution in the destination market. If you are considering the leap, get in touch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
