Security industry's ‘Meet the Buyers' event a resounding success, reports BSIA

The event offers a chance for companies to showcase products and services to overseas security buyers

This year's well-attended Meet the Buyers event held at IFSEC 2010 was a great success securing a record number of meetings between UK companies and overseas buyers, says the British Security Industry Association (BSIA).

The event is organised by the BSIA in partnership with UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) and International Trade Promotion Centre and has been running at IFSEC for four years. It works on a 'speed networking' basis offering one-to-one introductory meetings for UK companies to present their products and services to overseas security buyers.

Caroline Strickley, BSIA Export Services Executive who is responsible for the co-ordination of Meet the Buyers, comments: "Over the years Meet the Buyers has introduced UK businesses to more than 1,200 overseas buyers, which has resulted in almost £10 million worth of predicted sales. It is an extremely popular event with IFSEC UK exhibitors and BSIA members and this year's success reflects just that."

"A record-breaking 722 meetings were arranged for this year's Meet the Buyers, which saw 125 overseas buyers and commercial officers attend from countries as diverse as Bosnia, Iraq and Tanzania. This impressive number of meetings demonstrates how highly the event is regarded by UK companies and overseas buyers. As well as welcoming new faces this year we also saw many companies and buyers who return year on year without fail because Meet the Buyers offers such a valuable business opportunity."

The event is organised by the BSIA in partnership with UKTI Defence and Security Organisation and International Trade Promotion Centre

At the event, Andrew Knights, Managing Director of Selectamark Plc, commented: "I have been coming to Meet the Buyers for all of the years that it has been running. The event is an effective way of seeing potential customers from a number of different countries and serves as a great way to get your name out there to an international audience and make contact with a range of buyers."

Alma Kadunic, UKTI Trade and Investment Manager at the British Embassy, Sarajevo, added: "It is my first time at Meet the Buyers and I was not sure what to expect. However, it far exceeds my expectations. Through the event I have managed to make many contacts that we will be developing further. UK goods and services are known for their quality, which is something that is very important so making the contact with UK businesses, is essential. Meet the Buyers is a fantastic way to do this and the meetings I had were productive."

To learn more about the BSIA's Export Council and Meet the Buyers, visit this link.