Over £2.6 billion of opportunities has been advertised on a new business website for organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire.
FinditinCW, which was launched just eight weeks ago by Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub, has already publicised over 50 public and private sector contracts.
The brand new FinditinCW site was commissioned by the CWLEP Growth Hub and combines the expert knowledge of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and local authorities to offer invaluable support to businesses of all sizes. The platform was designed to connect local firms with supply chain opportunities and enable businesses to promote their products and services to local businesses.
Since the launch, over 650 businesses have registered and built an online profile to receive instant opportunity alerts, with more and more signing up every day.
Craig Humphrey, managing director of CWLEP Growth Hub, believes FinditinCW has a vital part to play in the Covid-19 recovery in the area.
He said: “The response to this business network has been staggering and underlines the need for such a service.
“We are pleased to have had hundreds of businesses signed-up already to the platform which shows people are finding value in being part of it.
“The numbers of businesses who are registering is increasing week-by-week and the amount of time people are spending on average on the site has risen by 500 per cent.
“We’re encouraging more organisations and businesses to post their procurement opportunities so an introductory incentive has recently been launched and businesses will benefit from free advertising worth over £140 when they upload their opportunities to the site.
“In normal circumstances the FinditCW platform would be a really useful tool in highlighting the opportunities available to SMEs but coming out of this pandemic, it will prove to be a crucial element of our roadmap to recovery by underpinning our strategic framework as we reset the economy.”
FinditinCW recently held its first webinar, with HS2 Ltd and Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV JV), which attracted over 80 businesses and highlighted that 400,000 supply chain contract opportunities will be created for businesses during HS2’s Phase One project in the West Midlands, with around two thirds available to SMEs.
Finditin will continue to work closely with HS2 Ltd and local SMEs so that they can make the most of the upcoming opportunities and help them become ‘tender ready’ when bidding for the work packages.
In addition, there are more exciting website developments coming soon, with new areas dedicated to recruitment.
Craig added that the additions to the website would help those made redundant during the Coronavirus pandemic to find a new job.
“The buy-in from local authorities, district and borough councils, and companies behind large developments and events taking place in the region to post supply chain opportunities has been excellent,” he said.
“We will be adding other services in the future because we’re planning Meet the Buyer events so that people have the opportunity to pitch their services to buyers.
“We’re also looking to work with recruitment providers to help with filling vacancies and helping people who have been made redundant as well as apprentices whose apprenticeships have ended because of the Coronavirus.
“We want to make it a B2B community rather than just an opportunities platform.”