Showcase North East event spells out success

Showcase North East which took place last week saw 600 attendees, 800 conversations taking place and over 160 exhibitors, showcasing all the opportunities available to businesses from regional, nation wide and international.

The day began with a welcome from Paul Scully MP, Minister for Small Business Consumers and Labour Markets, and Dr Martin McGurk from Innovate UK and with a more regional slant, Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership spoke about how supply chains are crucial to the North East and how the LEP are supporting businesses.

The ambitious agenda was jam packed with an impressive line-up of speakers from Atom Bank, Equinor, RWE, HS2, Department for International Trade, Leonardo and Department for Business Energy and Strategy to name a few!

The event came to fruition after a partnership between, Supply Chain North East, a £6.7m programme that sees four key partners joining forces to work with over 800 businesses between 2018-2021 supporting businesses to identify opportunities in new and existing markets, delivered by RTC North and Innovate UK EDGE, a key part of the Innovate UK agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth.

Managing director of RTC North, Jamie Ollivere commented: “From digital transformation and AI to electric vehicles, wind energy and decarbonisation, there are some exciting opportunities out there for small companies to win new business and be at the forefront of innovation.

“The virtual event was meant to provide just a taste of this, and I’d like thank all our speakers who gave up their time. The interaction around the event shows there is a great willingness to put last year behind us, collaborate and move forward.”

Alan Whittaker, programme manager of Supply Chain North East who had the idea back in December last year for the showcase added:

“The event and the willingness of the speakers from various sectors and business support organisations to be involved was encouraging and beyond my expectations. The purpose of the event was to showcase supply chain and innovation opportunities and best practice across a range of recognised sectors.”

“Additionally, it offered organisations which attended the opportunity to access the sector sessions, network and showcase their own products and/or services via a virtual exhibition stand From the feedback received the event certainly delivered this and more.

“The great line up of speakers raised awareness for business across the North East and Tees Valley LEP regions to be involved in supply chains for major UK infrastructure projects.

Companies were also offered the opportunity to exhibit their products and services through setting up their own virtual exhibition stands.”

For more information on Supply Chain visit https://www.supplychainnortheast.co.uk/

For companies looking for innovation support visit https://www.innovateukedge.ukri.org/