THE north's second biggest council Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon is spearheading a major business delegation to India this week, with 11 businesses seeking to secure and grow export links and trade to the subcontinent.
The move is part of a series of outward-focused business initiatives designed by the Council as part of its commitment to drive business growth and opportunity for local businesses against its target of creating 8,000 new jobs in the borough by 2026.
The companies, which include Long Meadow Cider, OBE Waste & Agri Engineering, Linwoods, Glen Dimplex and Kestrel Foods, span a variety of industry sectors and will visit Chennai in eastern India over five days as part of a delegation focused on building new trade links, export and sourcing opportunities.
The delegation will also be exploring opportunities to encourage inward investment from India to the ABC region as part of the programme.
Last year, ABC Council supported an 18-strong company mission to Britain as part of its Export to GB Programme, while a separate export mission to North America is planned later this year
Lord mayor Alderman Gareth Wilson, said: “Developing a thriving local economy which supports inward investment, stimulates start-ups and new business growth is our key priority.
“Great Britain and India represent two outstanding areas of growth and export exploration and we are delighted to support more than 30 forward-thinking local businesses keen to tap into these new pipeline opportunities, further develop existing relationships and source new income streams.”
In addition to delivering direct trade missions, ABC Council also supports businesses in developing targeted export action plans, delivering business mentoring programmes, workshops and sales prospecting advice.
Councillor Joe Nelson, chair of Council’s economic development and regeneration committee, said: “We are proactively developing and delivering initiatives which directly enable local companies to be responsive and adaptable to today’s changing economic landscape, and ready to seek, create and secure valuable opportunities.”
