NETWORK+GETWORK AIMS FOR 150 COMPANIES & £3M OF BUSINESS

The new, two-year, phase of InterTradeIreland’s Network+Getwork programme aims to help 150 companies across the island generate more than £3m worth of business, it was announced today.



The programme, which gives small businesses North and South the opportunity to win contracts with some of the island’s biggest procurement organisations, has already helped 900 small companies generate more than £1.6m of new business.



Network+Getwork is jointly delivered on behalf of InterTradeIreland by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dublin Chamber of Commerce.  This year, regional chambers in Newry, Derry, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Cork are also lending their support.



Launching the programme, Liam Nellis, InterTradeIreland's chief executive, said: ' We will be giving SMEs the chance to attend networking events where they can meet face-to-face with decision-makers from large - often global- organisations. Previous companies have included Eircom, Diageo Ireland, Seagate and Dublin City Council.



'This is a unique and invaluable opportunity, one which will open doors for small comapnies hoping to expand their business throughout the island of Ireland, while at the same time enabling them to build beneficial business relationships with other comapnies in their sector.'



Ann McGregor, chief executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, said Network+Getwork was an efficient way to strengthen cross-border trade and the Chambers looked forward to hearing from companies wanting to take advantage of a fantastic opportunity.



She added: “Network+Getwork offers an opportunity for the Chambers of Commerce on the island of Ireland to work closely with one another for the mutual benefit of both large purchasers and small suppliers.



“It’s a win-win situation – as well as directly pitching for new contracts, SMEs are offered practical professional advice on ways to improve their business and signposting to other organisations offering assistance, while large companies are provided with an extremely cost-effective way to widen their supplier base and increase competitiveness.”



The programme is aimed at all SMEs, Chamber members or not, seeking to riase their game in relation to the requirements and expectations of large buying companies, city administrators and multinational companies.



There will be opportunities for small companies servicing and supplying a wide range of sectors, such as tradeable services, food, tourism retail, construction, engineering and environmental.



To register your interest in taking part in the Network+Getwork programme of events, please contact Eamonn Cavlan of NICCI on 028 9024 4113 (048 from Ireland)  . For more information visit www.networkandgetwork.com