Businesses To Network At 'Meet The Buyer' Event In Belfast

An industry supply-chain 'Meet the Buyer' event is scheduled to take place next month in Belfast.

Some of NI's top firms will join Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and Bank of Ireland UK at the event in Belfast's Crowne Plaza Hotel on 07 November.

Businesses will have a chance to meet with over 20 Buyers, including marine fit out specialists, MJM Group, bespoke joinery company Mivan and specialist architectural glass company, Topglass. Other Buyers include Andras House; Bank of Ireland Group; CAF Rail; Coca Cola HBC; Mount Charles; Neueda; NI Water; NIE Networks; Ryobi and Seagate – with further names to be added.

The event forms part of the NI Chamber and Bank of Ireland UK cross-border 'Connecting for Growth' programme. It will allow businesses to make a pitch to these buyers whilst networking and developing links with each other through a number of activities including speed networking.

Naoimh McConville, Director at MJM Group, said: "We are delighted to support NI Chamber's Connecting for Growth Meet the Buyer event. It is essential for us to have a steady, reliable supply chain to support us in carrying out our work, not only in the UK and Ireland but across the world. We are hoping to meet potential new suppliers and reaffirm existing relationship during this event.

"We are looking for supply chain to support our marine work in MJM Group and Mivan, our high end land based work in Mivan and Topglass and right across our property portfolio in MJM Prime. If anyone is interested in becoming part of our supply chain we would encourage them to come along to the event."

Sandra Scannell, Head of Business Services at NI Chamber, said: "We are delighted to have secured the support of key buyers from across Northern Ireland to meet with suppliers at what is our largest Meet the Buyer event to date in its five year history.

"The event is open to any business that has a product or service our buyers are interested in purchasing. There is no restriction on size, sector or support already received through the public sector. The programme is about creating sales opportunities, building networks and facilitating growth."

Paul McClurg, Head of Business Banking Belfast at Bank of Ireland UK, concluded: "Working closely with businesses to help drive growth is what we are about and we are excited to continue enabling businesses to seize opportunities through the Connecting for Growth Programme.

"We have big ambitions to beat 2017's success by aiming to attract over 150 participants for over 100 one to one meetings, to win new business and build new commercial relationships."

(LM/CM)