Local, small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) will get a chance to meet with the airport’s biggest suppliers at the first ever Heathrow Business Summit held in Northern Ireland, in Belfast on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.
In collaboration with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Summit will help businesses take advantage of the work being spread across the UK both now and during construction of a new runway at Heathrow and its associated infrastructure. Businesses will have the opportunity to network and trade with each other, connect with the airport’s supply chain and meet with Invest NI to explore exporting opportunities. They will also be able to meet with local colleges to discuss skills and recruitment needs.
The Heathrow Business Summit in Northern Ireland will be the fifth stop in what is set to be Heathrow’s biggest regional supply chain tour in its history. The Heathrow Business Summit 2018 tour schedule will feature summits in Taunton, Colchester, Tees Valley, Manchester, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Doncaster and Birmingham, in addition to the flagship Business Summit event held at the airport.
Heathrow Expansion Director Emma Gilthorpe, said: “UK businesses of all sizes stand on the brink of a huge opportunity for growth at home and overseas, as Heathrow prepares for expansion – a project set to create tens of thousands of jobs, double the number of regional connections and unlock up to 40 new international routes. We are looking to give more Northern Ireland businesses the confidence and the ability to make the most of working with our major suppliers by opening up access to our supply-chain at events such as the Heathrow Business Summit.”
Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Ann McGregor, said: “Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry is delighted to be working with Heathrow to deliver the airport’s first ever Business Summit for Northern Ireland. The event will offer local SMEs the opportunity to connect and trade face-to-face with Heathrow’s supply chain, forging links with some of the UK’s largest organisations and obtaining insight into their procurement processes.
“We encourage businesses to express their interest as soon as possible so we can match them to the requirements outlined by the supply chain companies. Attendees will also have an opportunity to meet with a range of exhibitor partners focused on supporting businesses to connect and build trading relationships, including NI Chamber, Invest Northern Ireland and Local Councils.”
Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA, said: “Businesses in Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to seek a host of opportunities as a result of this summit being held in Belfast. Northern Ireland is on the map as a great place to do business, boasting of a skilled work ready workforce. There is a lot to be proud of. To increase our connectivity and boost investment between the UK different regions it will be important to build a forward thinking, innovative economy. This event will allow businesses a chance to engage and network. I look forward to seeing the delivery of Heathrow expansion plans come to fruition, which will boost trading opportunities for NI across the UK and further through the Heathrow global hub.”
Heathrow continues to move forward with its plans to deliver expansion – a national infrastructure project set to create tens of thousands of jobs across the country, and deliver tens of billions of pounds of economic benefits. Engaging with a wider supply chain is key to achieving those ambitions and will help to ensure Heathrow delivers a legacy of increased construction productivity for future generations.
Connectivity is also critical to the Northern Ireland’s prosperity; there are currently nine flights a day between Heathrow and Belfast City Airport, supporting sustainable economic growth in the region.
The Belfast City route is also Heathrow’s busiest for domestic cargo, with over 270,000 kg of high-value Northern Irish exports travelling through Heathrow on their way to clients around the world.
Beyond this already thriving connection, Heathrow expansion will create the opportunity to not only strengthen existing links, but create new connections into Northern Ireland. Londonderry, for example, is named on Flybe’s indicative route map, showing new routes they would look to operate from an expanded Heathrow.
