Businesses unite as North East Lincolnshire's first economic connections event declared a big success

SCORES of businesses from across the economic spectrum in North East Lincolnshire came together for Grimsby’s first ever Industrial Connections NEL event.

Organised by the Economy and Funding team at North East Lincolnshire Council, the day-long exhibition event was held at Grimsby Auditorium. The day attracted more than 200 people with 115 businesses and organisations attending from manufacturing, engineering, chemicals & process, energy & renewables, ports & logistics, and food manufacturing/processing.

The event also welcomed a delegation from South Norway. The visitors, guests of Future Humber in collaboration with Seafox Management Consultants, were exploring the offshore wind development and renewable energy ecosystem across the Humber and called in for the afternoon session.

Hosted by regional business expert David Laister, Industrial Connections NEL aims to be a catalyst in getting conversations started and helping industrial businesses to better understand who their industry neighbours are and explore what opportunities there could be for working together.

Exhibitors included C.E.F. – the national electrical products wholesaler with a base on Grimsby’s West Marsh Industrial Estate.

Account Manager Daniel Evardson said: “The event has been very beneficial, with some good connections made. We need more things like this, and I can see this growing in the years ahead.”

His words were echoed by Martin Taylor, General Manager of AMS Global Group. Based in Thorne near Doncaster, and Scotland, AMS is a safety equipment supplier serving a variety of industries including offshore renewables and Humber Bank refineries.

“For us this has been very useful, giving us the opportunity to make contact with a lot of businesses we were not aware of,” he said.

RWE and Orsted, along with the operations and maintenance centre of excellence Catapult, were among the offshore organisations to have a presence too. And the variety of exhibitors was evident, with one stand taken by Grimsby’s new Horizon Youth Zone.

Under the umbrella of the national youth movement OnSide, this new multi-million-pound centre is set to open later this year in the renovated West Haven Maltings and Migar House buildings alongside the River Freshney in Grimsby Town Centre.

“Awareness of what we are doing with Horizon is now growing and it is great to have people coming over and asking what is happening and what we are doing. We are here today to show the importance of investing in the future of young people in this town,” explained Horizon’s Senior Philanthropist Manager Fiona Wright.

Earlier in the day speakers had including the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson and the authority’s outgoing Chief Executive Rob Walsh who is taking early retirement in May, after a career in local government spanning more than three decades.

The final speaker in the afternoon was Mark Webb, the Managing Director of E-Factor Group Ltd – the support organisation for local businesses, which now has approaching 400 members.

Speaking of the local business community, Mark stressed how such organisations were ‘critical to our future’. With 4,575 SMEs in North East Lincolnshire - 170 of them being in the small manufacturing sector - he urged everyone to recognise their importance.

Turning to the manufacturing sector, he advocated collaboration as a key factor to overcome obstacles and grasp new opportunity – speaking with ‘one voice’’ about the quality and service offered locally is key, he said.

With constant change, including the green revolution and AI, being an opportunity as well as a challenge, he added: “The key thing for us all is that we stay ahead of the curve. Sometimes it is hard to find that curve, but by doing so this area will have an opportunity to thrive and grow.”

For more information on business opportunities across North East Lincolnshire go to investnel.co.uk or please email enquiries@investnel.co.uk

North East Lincolnshire Council would like to thank the following exhibitors: OLG, RWE, CR Electrical Contractor Services, ABP, The Humber Offshore Wind Cluster, Technica, Invica Industries, JemBuild, Lenzing, Wood, CEF, Port of Grimsby East, Blackrow Group, Humber Industrial Cluster Plan, Greater Lincolnshire Careers Hub, Horizon Youth Zone, ORE Catapult, the 2025 Group, F.E.S, Mariner Packaging, M J Wilson Group, Grimsby Community Energy, E Factor, Roxby Training Solutions, Olympus Welding & Industrial Supplies, AMS Global, AGI Global Logistics, Technical Absorbents, Prohas, Investment Hub NEL.

*As reported, the new Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, (GLCCA) has opened applications for its new Economic Advisory Panel – requiring business leaders from across the county to provide insight and influence into business growth. For more details go to Businesses playing their part – Greater Lincolnshire CCA