UK-Irish trade relations were central to Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2019, as up to 750 visitors, exhibitors, manufacturers and business owners met at the manufacturing supply trade exhibition event at LIT, Moylish Campus, which was also attended by representatives of the British Government.
For the first time in its three-year history, the event hosted by UK trade association, the GTMA, and Limerick Institute of Technology, was attended by Catherine Page, chargée d’affaires, British Embassy, Dublin and representatives from the embassy’s Department of International Trade.
Page said: “The British Embassy is delighted to be supporting Manufacturing Solutions in Limerick today. We see it as critically important to connect companies in the manufacturing sector to support engineering, medtech and aerospace companies and we are confident that great business will ensue from today.”
Local suppliers and manufacturers also took part in up to 190 sit down one-to-one meetings with larger companies such as Stryker Medical, Cook Medical, Ascent Aerospace, Bombardier and Aughinish Alumina in the inaugural Meet the Manufacture event.
Speaking about this year’s trade show GTMA chief executive officer, Julia Moore said: “Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2019 opened up new possibilities within the supply chain to customers and suppliers from both Ireland and the UK, advancing stronger trading relationships between both.
“Every year we see new ideas, new technologies, materials and processes on display, allowing us to share knowledge as well as do business during the event. It certainly highlights the innovation of skills of our SME engineering community, who need to be responsive, fast, flexible and have the ability to innovate as well as to be competitive in a global market.”
Representatives of the British Government visited all exhibitions and met with business owners in a bid to further enhance trade between both countries.
Speaking at Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2019, Shirley McCay, director of Trade and Investment Ireland, Department of International Trade, British Embassy, Dublin said: “We at the Department of International Trade are really excited to be working in partnership with the GMTA, PTMA and Limerick Institute of Technology to help develop trade between our two countries. We are here to help Irish companies access the UK market and also here to introduce UK companies to opportunities in Ireland.”
