In the following years export business continued to improve, though on a low profit level: in spite of the severe competition from tariff-protected countries it was essential to fill shops affected by the slump at home. Business expanded particularly in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. A million-pound order for traction equipment for South Africa, secured in 1922 by P. S. Turner against American and continental competition, brought the value of exports to half the total business done by the Company. Branch offices were opened in New Zealand with S. A. Joyce, in the Argentine with G. Harlow, and in Brazil and the far east.

In 1923 new representatives were appointed—A. L. Ohison in South Africa, and others in India, China, and Japan. Ohison, who is still directing operations in Johannesburg, came to Trafford Park from the Brush Company and from 1917 was in charge of marine business, particularly geared turbines. In South Africa he has been very successful in carrying on du Pasquier's work in the electric winder field, some sixty-seven winders having been installed during his first ten years, and a further hundred and sixty later.

It was C. S. Richards who, with Hilton's support, made the first approaches after the war to the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Richards had been acting manager in Moscow before the 1917 revolution, escaping in time to join the British intelligence staff at Murmansk, and he and A. A. Simon (manager of continental sales) had a wide personal knowledge and understanding of the country and were confident of the stability of the new republic. As a result, within a very few years the Company—unassisted by Government credits—had established close trading relations with the Soviet authorities, a step that was never regretted. By 1924 large contracts were in hand, and orders, mainly for heavy plant, to a total value of some £5,000,000 were carried out in the period between the wars. M-V turbogenerators of a capacity approaching 1,000,000 kW were installed, and the Company's name became more than ever a household word in Russia.

For some years until the British grid got under way, almost all the main technical developments were inspired by the needs of export markets, and all the largest plant made went abroad, destinations ranging from South Africa to Japan, New South Wales to Chile. A Brazilian contract of 1926—for electrifying the Oeste de Minas Railway—was unusual in that the resident engineer had first to build houses and a church, the priest's blessing being necessary to ensure that work began under favourable auspices. The same engineer is said to have backed up an unconventional request by a story of two men who were chased by a bull, one taking refuge up a tree and the other in a cave; the latter made repeated sallies, only to be chased back, and when his friend called out "Why don't you stay in the cave?" the reply was "You don't know local conditions!" There was a bear in the cave.