Telford’s potential as an ideal base for new investment in the building and construction sector has been promoted at Interbuild – one of the industry’s largest annual exhibitions and trade shows.

Investment specialists from Transforming Telford, the economic development company for the area, joined forces with Advantage West Midlands to promote the region as a location for building-technologies companies.

More than 32,000 people attended the event, at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, including top contractors such as Carillion, McAlpine and Balfour Beatty, as well as 16 of the nation’s top 20 builders’ merchants such as Travis Perkins and Jewson.

It is the second year that Transforming Telford has supported Advantage West Midlands at the show, and they returned in optimistic mood.

“Advantage West Midlands made a large number of very useful contacts during the course of the show, including a significant number of overseas companies considering the region as a base for their operations,”said Mark Shaw, business projects manager, Advantage West Midlands.

Bryn Jones, who is leading the development of the building technology sector for Transforming Telford, said: “We are delighted to have been able to offer our support to AWM’s inward investment team and to have the opportunity to promote Telford as a prime location for construction companies.

“Telford offers many benefits to construction companies – it is home to the Centre of Vocational Excellence for Construction, which delivers specialist skills in sectors such as carpentry, joinery, brickwork, and plastering; and has excellent supply chain opportunities with local companies supplying fixings, raw materials, and other second-tier products.

“The supply of skilled labour is always an issue in the construction sector, and we were able to highlight not only Telford’s central location, but the fact that there is a potential catchment of over 326,000 people within 30 minutes.”

Transforming Telford also help to run the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club, which offers networking support, shares best practice and provides a forum for lobbying on important issues facing the sector.

l To find out more about SCEC contact Bryn Jones on 01952 567567 or visit www.shropshirecec.co.uk