Construction companies from around the North East are being invited to a free Constructionline Meet the Buyer event in Sedgefield this September to find out about upcoming contracts in the area.

More than 400 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the North East and nearly 20 local clients have signed up to attend the event, including Kier Services and Sir Robert McAlpine. Highways England, Newcastle City Council and Gateshead NHS Trust are among the list of exhibitors hoping to make connections with the region's suppliers.


The procurement and supply chain management company is to host the event at the Best Western Hardwick Hall Hotel in Sedgefield on 10 September, from 8.30am until 2pm.


Constructionline says it will provide small businesses with valuable introductions to procurement teams from large construction service buyers in the region. The event will also see decision-makers from the organisations give presentations about forthcoming opportunities, as well as providing attendees with advice on how they can bid for tenders.


This is the latest of Constructionline’s 10 Meet the Buyer events scheduled for 2015.


Aaron Good, client relationship manager for the North East at Constructionline, said: "It can be quite costly for contractors to build up supply chains for projects and there's a growing impetus on large buyers to offer as much opportunity to local suppliers as possible.


"To help them achieve this cost-effectively, Constructionline events like this help major contractors create quality supply chains by providing them with a platform on which to engage with SMEs local to where their work is based. For North East based subcontractors, it's a chance to find out about work they might otherwise not have been able to access. It's a win-win situation."


In 2014, the events hosted 3,500 suppliers and 220 buyers in total, for works from minor projects valued at £30,000 to some of the UK's largest framework agreements.


Suppliers do not have to be a Constructionline member to attend. For more information or to register your interest, visit: www.constructionline.co.uk/events.