Festival expo creates real buzz about the Black Country

It hosted the Black Country Chamber of Commerce's business expo, which proved to be one of the busiest events so far in the Black Country Business Festival programme with hundreds pouring through the door.

More than 70 businesses were exhibiting at the three-hour event, which was sponsored by BMW dealers Rybrook Wolverhampton, who ran a business cards draw for a chance to win the use of one of its cars for a weekend.

Black Country Chamber of Commerce chief executive Corin Crane said: "The expo went really well. There was a real buzz about the business scene here."

Mr Crane said he had been delighted with the response to the festival both locally and nationally.

"It has been genuinely breathtaking. I have been to a dozen events myself and it has been generating almost universally good publicity. We have had calls from London and Manchester wanting to find out about the Black Country Business Festival.

"Everyone is talking about the Black Country – the festival has been even better than we imagined,"he enthused.

The expo also offered the chance to introduce the chamber's new president Julie Cunningham, wholesale finance director of Willenhall's A F Blakemore and Sons, who made a honorary life membership presentation to former president Mike Dell, of NDM Partners.

"My ambition is for the Black Country Chamber to be the leading chamber in the UK," she told delegates.

She said the expo had been a fantastic showcase for chamber members and the turnout had been brilliant.

Among those taking part in a chamber expo for the first time was Dudley-based Black Country T-shirts.

Director Steve Pitts said it had been a great way to make contact with businesses across the region and encourage them to get involved with this summer's Black Country Festival as sponsors or by putting on their own events.

Family-owned C.Net Industrial Solutions, of Smethwick, which employs four, was displaying its range of equipment protection products.

Managing director Bob Charlton said taking part had been a great way to get experience of exhibiting and make contacts.

Other companies exhibiting included Bilston's Nant, which was getting the message out about its water safety and Legionella control systems; vending machine and water cooler business Coinadrink, of Walsall and law firm Thursfields, which has offices in Halesowen and Sedgley, which ran a competition to win a fourball at Penn Golf Club.

Thursfields business development manager Dani James said: "It has been a great event for us. It has been a chance to meet lots of local businesses and promote our services."

The expo was also an opportunity to get the message out about the great range of places to stage business and corporate events of all sizes within the Black Country. Exhibitors included Wolverhampton Racecourse, Darlaston's Old Bank Business Centre, Monmore Green Stadium and The Mount Hotel, Wolverhampton.

Following the expo, the chamber hosted a lunch at Grand Station in Sun Street, including a debate on Brexit topics including international trade and rights of EU workers.