This week’s 8th annual Meet the Buyer event, a Stockport council run initiative providing opportunities for local procurement, attracted 12 procurement teams looking for local suppliers, invited exhibitors – including Marketing Stockport – and over 200 registered visitors.
Councillor Iain Roberts, Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration at Stockport Council, welcomed visitors, exhibitors and the procurement teams and commented:
“Stockport Council has always been very keen that they and other public sector organisations purchase more goods and services from locally based businesses which is why since 2008 we’ve been organising Meet the Buyer events.
“I know from attending previous ones that many local companies find the event to be of great benefit to themselves and ultimately the local economy”.
Councillor Iain Roberts visited Marketing Stockport and Stockport Business Awards
Pictured above from left to right: Richard Higginson, Director of Marketing Stockport;
Councillor Roberts; Helen White, Director of Marketing Stockport and Ben Poland from
Stockport Business Awards
In 2012/13, 60% of goods and services procured from the Council and its related organisations, such as Solutions SK and Stockport Homes, were purchased from businesses in Stockport, equating to an impressive £71 million, a figure that has increased year on year.
The 12 Purchasing Teams participating included Stockport Council, MAN Diesel & Turbo UK Ltd, Stockport College, Solutions SK, Stockport Homes, CDL and Carillion who represented the new Stockport Strategic Property Partnership which is responsible for the management of the Council’s property portfolio.
Mr Roberts continued:
“Each year we organise these events we are always impressed with the huge response that we get – we have over 200 businesses attending today’s event and 400 appointments taking place. Where else can a company get the opportunity to meet several public and private sector buyers who are looking to procure the type of products they supply? Setting up meetings with like these would normally take months to arrange, here today it can all be covered in a matter of minutes! “
To help local businesses develop the right skills to take up local procurement opportunities – completing the relevant documentation and producing award winning tender submissions can be an onerous and scary task – the council also organised a free seminar delivered by Malcolm Gallagher who has extensive expertise in helping firms win contracts through his deep understanding of public procurement and supply chain bidding.
Councillor Roberts concluded by saying:
“Supporting and encouraging businesses to develop has always been a key priority for Stockport Council and there’s a lot of support avaialble from partner organisations which is why we’ve invited them here today as part of the diaplsy area. So please do take some time before or after your appointments to visit the stands and also to network with other businesses.”