Multi-million pound contracts up for grabs at airport business event
• VIP aircraft hangar transformed into city style trading hall for Meet the Buyers 2014
• Firms with buying requirements totalling £500 million pounds
• 200 businesses from the East of England attending 
A super-sleek VIP aircraft hangar at Stansted Airport has been transformed into a city style trading hall today as hundreds of businesses bid for contracts worth millions of pounds.
London Stansted Meet the Buyers 2014 is linking suppliers and entrepreneurs based near the airport with companies that have an estimated buying power for good and services of £500 million pounds. For the first time, the event is being held at Inflite’s VIP business aviation hangar to accommodate the growing success of the day.
Hosting a business breakfast to kick off proceedings, Andrew Harrison, Stansted Airport's Managing Director, said:
“We know that an airport can create significant economic benefits for many people and businesses close to it, both directly and indirectly. We also recognise that Stansted Airport is part of a vibrant local community and it is only right that the community shares in the economic benefits of having an international airport on its doorstep. That is why we’re committed to working with local businesses wherever possible and we want everyone to share in the airport’s success and benefit from this new and exciting chapter in Stansted’s history. “
Also speaking at the breakfast was Cllr Penny Channer, Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Growth at Essex County Council, who said:
“Essex is a gateway to the UK and a great place to do business. Events like Meet the Buyers give local businesses from Essex and the wider region a fantastic opportunity to gain new business and grow.”
Companies attending include Carillion, Galiford Try, UK Power Networks, Essex & Suffolk Water, Uttlesford and East Herts District Councils and Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk County Councils.
Dave Pearse from Essex and Suffolk Water said: “It’s one of the best Meet the Buyers I’ve been too. The venue has a real wow factor and the quality of the contacts made were absolutely outstanding.”
Perrie Dunnett from Signus Communications, he said: “Our favourite part of the event was the networking. We met people we can both work with and work alongside. I called a company on the networking board; we had a 20 minute chat and now have a follow up meeting in the pipeline to discuss future work.”
Paul Ballard from Mitsubishi Electric said: “As first time suppliers we’ve really enjoyed the day. We had nine meetings booked but managed to see 12 on the day. The contacts we’ve made have the potential to lead to six figure contracts.”
Rob Stefanovic from Omniserv said: “The venue is fantastic and we met a number of suppliers we’re working with as a result of last year’s event, and a lot of new suppliers that we are interested in working with in the future.”
Last year the event generated £1.8 million in new sales and business opportunities for local and regional companies proving that Meet the Buyers is an invaluable networking event for local businesses.
Stansted Airport is the biggest single site employer in the East with over 10,000 people working for nearly 200 on-airport companies. Not only does the airport offer more than 150 international connections that are vital for growth in UK trade and investment, it also handles thousands of tonnes of cargo helping to connect SMEs with the global marketplace.
Meet the Buyers is organised by Stansted Airport and run by Business and Enterprise Group and Bishop’s Stortford based Marketing Kinetics.
