Engineering and manufacturing businesses will be able to talk to buyers face to face at EMCON on September 14, thanks to the introduction of a Meet the Buyer programme at the event.

Delivered by UMi, the Meet The Buyer programme will connect suppliers with major buyers from North East England and beyond via pre-arranged appointments.

It will give engineering and manufacturing businesses the chance to reach buyers directly with their products and services.

In turn, buyers who register for the programme can strengthen their supply chains, discover new expertise and talent, and learn more about the innovative solutions offered by North East England’s vibrant engineering and manufacturing community.

Businesses who register as suppliers will be provided with details of buyers’ requirements and needs ahead of EMCON, to enable them to make informed decisions when booking appointments.

UMi has delivered Meet the Buyer events across the UK and these events have a proven track record of generating new business for attending SMEs. One of its annual Meet the Buyer events, which UMi delivers for a major airport group in the UK, has generated as much as £28 million of contract wins in the last 10 years, allowing local businesses to reap the benefits of major projects taking place in their region.

Meet the Buyer at EMCON is being sponsored by associate partner Westray Recruitment Group.

Ailsa Anderson, Director of Development at EMN, said: “We’re excited to be holding a Meet the Buyer programme at EMCON for the first time in a few years – and it’s fantastic to have UMi on board to deliver this.

“Meet the Buyer will enhance the EMCON experience even further and provide a valuable platform through which suppliers and buyers can meet, have those all important conversations, and discuss challenges and solutions.

“It’s more important than ever to localise your supply chain and reduce travel led carbon emissions so we’re pleased to support this by highlighting the excellent engineering and manufacturing skills and capabilities that buyers have on their doorstep in North East England!”

Paul Clark, Head of Commercial Services at UMi, added: “We are really excited to bring a Meet the Buyer element to EMCON 2023, and we are certain that local SMEs will make the most of the opportunities on offer to them.”

This year’s EMCON event will include a large-scale exhibition and networking area, a Skills Zone to encourage connections between education providers and students, a Made Smarter Zone backed by Made Smarter Adoption North East, and a Healthcare Zone supported by Academic Health Science Network North East and Cumbria.

The event is supported by a range of sponsors, including Gold Sponsors Manchester Metrology, B2B Injection Moulding Ltd and Business Durham, Silver Sponsors SMS Tech, Decerna, Made Smarter, CMYK and Torishima, and Bronze Sponsors Polymer Compounders and Cirrus Environmental Solutions Ltd.

Buyers taking part in the Meet the Buyer programme will be announced soon.

Appointments will run from 9am to 4pm.

If you’d like to register as a supplier for the EMCON Meet the Buyer programme, click here.

If you’d like to register as a buyer for the EMCON Meet the Buyer programme, click here.