Local businesses are invited to take part in workshops and meet with Icelandic businesses during an inward trade mission with a focus on food and drink in May.
Businesses from Iceland will visit the Humber region from 8-11 May 2012 for the event organised by Hull City Council and the North East Lincolnshire Council backed Grimsby Trade Corridor Group in collaboration with other UK and Icelandic partners.
The visit will see a range of activities on 9 and 10 May including workshops, pre-arranged one-to-one meetings, and dinner receptions. In addition, the visit will also coincide with the unveiling of the Voyage monument to lost Seafarers from Hull and Iceland.
Although the event has focus of increasing the volumes of food products traded between the two countries, other sectors are also encouraged to become involved with the aim to strengthen the existing trade ties between the two regions by reinforcing relationships and establishing new ones.
The Humber economy is particularly strong within the sectors of industry listed below, but any business can get in touch to see what opportunities there are: Seafood, Food and Drink Specialities, Renewable Energy, General Manufacturing, Marine Services and Technologies, Chemical Industries, Ports and Logistics, Healthcare, Digital and ICT.
Businesses need to register for the event for one to one meetings by 22 April 2012 and request the one-to-one meetings by April 30. Businesses from any sector can get in touch to see what opportunities there may be by calling Phil Hall from Hull City Council on 01482 612167 or David Robinson from North East Lincolnshire Council on 01472 324605.
Each participant will be asked to produce a short company profile which will be inserted into the event catalogue. Meetings will then be requested based on this catalogue.
Businesses can register to take part at http://www.ee-yorkshire.com/yf/events/register.asp?eventid=687
Mark Jones, Hull City Council’s Head of Economic Regeneration said: “The development of international trade is a key focus for the Humber LEP and Hull is keen to further develop its relationship with cities such as Reykjavik for bilateral trade.
“We have a special and historic relationship with Iceland and the inward mission is a direct response to the high profile visit last September from the city with the Lord Mayor, Alan Johnson MP and other representatives.
“We hope businesses from across the region will get involved to further strengthen the region’s trade links with Iceland. The event will allow businesses to reinforce existing relationships or establish new ones to the benefit of both economies.”
Simon Dwyer from the Grimsby Trade Corridor Group said: “The aim of this mission is to strengthen and build on the unique ties between the two regions based on many years successful trading in seafood products.
“We now want to leverage the multi-million pound seafood trade links by exporting local goods to Iceland in the hundreds of containers that arrive loaded with seafood and leave the Humber empty each week. We’re also keen to develop the export of services and know-how as well as nurture academic links. This is a great opportunity for businesses and other stakeholders to meet face to face.
“Our region has a significant port and seafood sector offering and the Icelandic economy is displaying excellent rates of growth so there are some mutually beneficial links to be made.”