British licensing professionals are reporting a good trading year to date, with more than two-thirds experiencing growth over the previous 12 months, according to a recent International Licensing Merchandisers’ Association U.K. survey conducted at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Nearly half (43.4 percent) of respondents expect that at year’s end their companies’ licensing business in 2013 will have shown at least 7 percent growth against their 2012 results. Additionally, more than 75 percent expect their international business to grow in 2014.

LIMA reports that the responses were consistent between licensors/agents and licensees, indicating good news for the whole business.

Headed in to 2014, U.K. licensing professionals are expecting strong export performance, with more than 75 percent of all respondents saying that they expect their international business to grow in 2014. Europe in general is the area in which most companies forecast growth, but other territories including Asia, the U.S., China and Japan all figure strongly.

“On the eve of Brand Licensing Europe, this is a tremendously encouraging survey,” says Kelvyn Gardner, managing director, LIMA U.K. “Not only are licensing businesses forecasting growth next year, but they are already reporting strong increases in 2013, up to 7 percent growth in many cases over 2012. It’s also great news that the majority of this growth is coming from exports. We have carefully noted our respondents cry for ‘new blood’ in the industry, and for more focus on licensing for everyone, not just kids, and we will re-double our efforts to carry the licensing message to U.K. companies of all kinds.”