BFPA (Mar 09)
Exhibitor No. 1: These words are a direct quote from a regular participant on the BFPA overseas exhibition pavilions. A company whose exports now account for 60 per cent of turnover, business which originated from Hannover 2003. Having dipped its toe in the water, the company then went on to show at PTC Asia (Shanghai) and MDA India (Bangalore). Indeed, while the rest were struggling with the recession in the UK, the participants on the 2008 MDA India group were taking every possible step to generate new business.
Exhibitor No. 2: Another BFPA member, completely unprompted, has also mentioned that a significant order from China had helped to offset the UK climate. Again, this was entirely as a result of attending the PTC Asia exhibition.
Exhibitor No. 3: At a recent meeting for Hannover exhibitors, a keen supporter of the show indicated that it had only attended its first show because the BFPA assisted the company greatly.
By joining the BFPA group, exhibitors are assisted throughout, with introductions to relevant trade bodies whenever possible, advice on travel and cultural issues. Grant support is also available to qualifying companies.
For further information on BFPA pavilions at overseas exhibitions, please contact veronica@bfpa.co.uk. Direct Tel: 01608 647901.
Sign up for Government contracts
Small firms are being urged to sign up to the Government’s Supply.2gov.uk website and to take advantage of the thousands of government contracts available. More than 123,000 companies across the country have already signed up to the website, which provides an up-to-the-minute database of Government contracts for small businesses wishing to supply to the public sector.
Suppliers who have signed up to the site receive advice on how best to access Government contracts and a free daily email alert notifying them of new opportunities that are relevant to their business. Secretary of State Lord Mandelson said: “Every year the Government spends many billions of pounds on public sector contracts. It is vital that we actively help small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs) take advantage of these business opportunities. In the current economic climate this is more important than ever. The supply.2gov.uk website is a crucial tool for this. SMEs often have smaller overheads, local knowledge and great flexibility. Often they can offer the public sector better value for money than big business.”
Contract information in a business’s chosen location is available free of charge, and upgrades beyond the first chosen ‘free’ location can be purchased. For further information or to register for the service for free, please visit www.supply2.gov.uk
Now for something completely different
With the UK media intent on destroying any confidence and the current interest in the film Slumdog Millionaire, this seems a particularly good time to divert to the great work carried out by Mr A P Jayakumar, President of the Fluid Power Society of India in his own time.
Whilst attending overseas exhibitions, the BFPA creates essential links with sister Fluid Power Associations worldwide. However, Ian Morris and Veronica Willard report that when they attended the MDA India exhibition in Bangalore in December, encountering Mr Jayakumar and his good deeds was indeed humbling.
Sri Panduranga Vishnu Sahasranama Mandali is a charitable organisation devoted to “spreading a touch of humaneness among the masses”. Their selfless work includes: conducting free health and blood donation camps; free distribution of books to deprived students; providing free clothing to poor people; providing food to slum dwellers; assisting poor recuperating patients in hospitals; and conducting plantation programmes.
The BFPA wishes them well. The website for the Fluid Power Society of India is www.fluidpowersocietyofindia.org.
Welcome new members
The BFPA is delighted to welcome the following new members:
Associate
Activant Solutions Ltd of Binley, West Midlands
Website: www.activant.co.uk
[this subhead must be in red] BFPDA
Northwest Hydraulics Ltd of Eccles
Tel: 0161 211 0864
Please contact membership manager, Martin Kingsbury to enquire how membership of BFPA/BFPDA can help you. Tel: 01608 647900. E-mail: martin@bfpa.co.uk
Events
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Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week
05 - 06 June, 2024
NEC, Birmingham -
HILLHEAD 2024
25 June, 2024, 9:00 - 27 June, 2024, 16:00
Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire UK
