Stockport Council hosted its annual Meet The Buyer event at the Town Hall on Tuesday. With over 200 people attending throughout the day, there were many people networking with exhibitors and also with specific buying and procurement teams from across Stockport based businesses.
Around 400 appointments took place throughout the day with 14 purchasing teams.
Local businesses made 10 minute ‘pitches’ to a range of buyers acting on behalf of Stockport’s leading businesses and public sector organisations including MAN Diesel & Turbo, Solutions SK, Stockport College, Stockport Council, Stockport Homes, Benchmark Building Supplies, Boroughcare, Life Leisure, and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. New companies this year were Robinsons Brewery, Equity Housing, FT Finley & Co, and Hurst Accountants.
Adrian Maddock, General Manager of Logistics at MAN Diesel & Turbo, said: “The event gives local suppliers the opportunity to present themselves to our company. We expect all suppliers to be competitive but if all bids are equally good, we would support local businesses in the borough.”
Martin Higgins of Woodford Plumbing and Heating added: “This is the first Meet the Buyer I’ve attended. It’s a great initiative as it’s given me the opportunity to promote my business direct to Purchasing Teams who have a specific requirement for my services. As a local business it’s encouraging to know that so many large organisations are keen to work with local suppliers”.
Latest figures reveal that 55% of goods and services Stockport Council and related organisations, including Solutions SK and Stockport Homes, procured in 2011/12 were purchased from Stockport businesses. The value of this business amounted to an impressive £66 million.
Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “Supporting and encouraging Stockport businesses to prosper has always been a key priority for Stockport Council. Meet the Buyer is an excellent opportunity for smaller businesses to get past the gatekeeper and talk to those in a position to buy their products or services. Through these events we hope to increase even further the proportion of goods and services procured from Stockport businesses which will help boost the local economy.”Stockport has a diverse range of business services and not one sector dominates. The event saw cutting edge industry and technology, environmental, engineering to marketing suppliers.
With many people making new contacts and identifying opportunities – the borough is vibrant and the business community is positive, busy and looking to further make its mark in the northwest as an ideal businesss destination.