Big network event returns to the south

The second Hampshire Meet The Buyer event, which takes place at the Marriott Hotel on May 22, is sponsored and supported by the University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council.

Last year, the planned meeting brought together major corporate companies, SMEs and start-ups.

It allows professionals to speak directly with corporate company buyers and network with other businesses.

Companies booked to attend include motor giant Uber, which will speak on transport and autonomous vehicles.

Speakers will advise delegates on key areas they can utilise to aid business growth.

Event organiser Becky Lodge is also the founder of monthly networking meet-up, Little Kanga.

Becky said: ‘Hampshire Meet The Buyer successfully connects the supply chain. Big corporates have contracts to award, start-ups need contracts from SMEs and SMEs need contracts from those big corporates.

‘When you put them together you see the true value of partnerships and collaborations.’

This year, the event is focusing on the property and construction, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), power and manufacturing and waste removal sectors, to name a few.

In February, the group held a VIP launch to teach businesses more about the upcoming event.

More than 100 businesses attended the launch, where some firms showcased their success stories from 2017.

This included Fareham-based TJ Waste, who won an open rolling contract worth in excess of £300,000 from construction, refurbishment and facilities management specialist Mountjoy.

The contract came after TJ Waste representatives met Mountjoy at the first HMTB.

TJ’s sales manager Simon Dunsford said: ‘I was able to demonstrate our competitive edge through direct conversations with people we do not meet at other business events,’

Contract manager at Mountjoy, Paul Deluchi, said: ‘Attending HMTB allowed us to engage with local suppliers and learn about new initiatives, a key area for us in our Social Value and Sustainability plan.’