ENTHUSIASM spread quickly for Scotland's first host venture at
Europartenariat, the business event which is all about forging links
between firms which may not otherwise have a chance to meet.
Applications included over 50 companies representing Tayside and Fife.
Another large group came forward from Grampian Region, 42 firms
nominated by Grampian Enterprise, placing them second only to Glasgow
Development Agency's 71.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise has nine firms attending. There are
three from the Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise area. Two
Orkney companies are travelling to take part.
Twenty were put forward by Enterprise Ayrshire, a total of 21 have
been selected by Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise. Lanarkshire has 33
companies taking part.
The business appointment meetings arranged as requested through the
Europartenariat computer amount to many hundreds of opportunities for
the generation of new orders for the Scottish firms taking part -- an
opportunity to publicise what they have to offer in a totally business
climate where they can meet foreign representatives who are equally keen
to discover if they can do business.
One small Glasgow firm which invested in sending a representative out
to Lille for the last Europartenariat experienced what can happen. In
two days and 12 appointments there was an immediate result of six
positive inquiries and leads to other possible European interest in
their products.
The pressure among Scottish firms to take part resulted in the setting
up of a reserve list of companies ready to take up any last-minute space
which might become available because of cancellations.
In sheer value for money terms, they see the SECC event as very
special. The plane-loads of West European business visitors coming in
are to be joined by large numbers from the United States and Canada, the
Mediterranean-rim companies, and Eastern Europe.
But pressure and popularity can bring problems. It was necessary to
group Scottish companies for purposes of company profiles and possible
proposals for co-operation, the organisers have had to sub-divide their
listings into 12 grouped sectors as a matter of practical convenience.
The sectors will be Building Materials and Products; Chemicals,
Pharmaceuticals, Plastics, Composites and Biotechnology; Commercial
Services and Training; Electrical and Electronic, Optical and
Opto-Electronic Engineering; Food, Drink and Agricultural Products;
Machinery, Vehicles and Equipment; Other Manufactured Products; Paper,
Card, Printing and Publishing, Wood and Furniture; Precision
Engineering; Software; Technical Services, Research and Development;
Textiles and Clothing.
Each of the Scottish companies spells out exactly what it does then
indicates the type of relationship it seeks with visiting companies,
whether in terms of joint venture or licensing agreements, services, the
possible development of new products or other ways of development.
A great deal will be going on under that SECC roof.
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