Meet the Buyer business networking event

West Sussex County Council has re-iterated its commitment to creating a strong and diverse local economy by supporting the area’s biggest annual sales event.

The 13th Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyers will be held on Thursday, July 10 at the Arora Hotel, Crawley. The event brings together local small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with prospective ‘buyers’ who are looking to procure the specific goods and services they offer.

It is designed to benefit local businesses, saving them time and money by bringing potential customers with a current business need under one roof for one day, and giving them a platform to showcase the local supply chains available in West Sussex.

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Through a series of pre-booked one-to-one meetings, businesses can gain direct access to the decision makers from 35 leading regional buyers including Nestlé, Gatwick Airport, Thales UK, Siemens and the Ministry of Defence.

West Sussex County Council will be attending the event as a buyer in an effort to meet local suppliers. Representatives from Trading Standards, the Business Information Library Service, and Economic Development also will be on hand offering information and advice to businesses.

Louise Goldsmith, Leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “We are proud to once again be sponsoring Meet the Buyer, alongside our partners. We’re also looking forward to being at the event as a buyer ourselves; it’s a great chance for us to talk to a range of high quality local businesses that we may not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet.

“A vibrant local economy is key to a strong future for West Sussex, and that means supporting local business and encouraging others to do business within the county. We want to lead by example and source local suppliers where possible, whilst still obtaining the best possible value for West Sussex residents.”

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The event is looking to build on last year’s success, which saw more than 1,000 meetings take place, and post-event sales of £3m for contracts ranging from £500 to £1.4m, providing something for every sized SME.

Meeting appointments are still available. Full details of how to book, as well as the ‘Buyers Catalogue’, which includes details of the contracts on offer, can be found at www.gatwickdiamondmtb.co.uk

Meet the Buyer is organised by Gatwick Airport, West Sussex County Council, Horsham District Council, Crawley Borough Council and the Gatwick Diamond Initiative.