Businesses take off with Heathrow expansion

Hundreds of local, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) last week kick-started the process for procuring work with Heathrow’s biggest suppliers ahead of contracts being released for the airport’s expansion programme.

The 23rd flagship Heathrow Business Summit welcomed nearly 300 local SMEs to the Park Inn hotel, marking the end of a year-long tour consisting of 11 such gatherings across the UK.

The summits have a 20-year history of enabling SMEs to meet face-to-face with some of the airport’s largest suppliers and connect them to new contracts and advice, as well as supply chain and exporting opportunities.

This year, more than 800 SMEs have attended one of the UK summits, resulting in over 2,000 engagements aimed at giving SMEs a chance to cement relationships and forge new connections with some of the UK’s largest suppliers.

Airport officials say maintaining this strong partnership with local businesses will help to ensure Heathrow expansion provides tens of thousands of new jobs and apprenticeships for local people.

“This once-in-a-generation project will also inject billions of economic benefits into local communities while ensuring expansion is in line with strict mitigation and environmental commitments,” a statement added.

www.heathrow.com

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Chris Pocock, Uxbridge

These SMEs could be wasting their time. Both the Conservative and Labour manifestos contain similar warning language about Heathrow expansion, requiring HAL to meet noise and emissions targets that are apparently stricter than Davies/NPS. They also expect HAL to shoulder much more of the burden for passenger access improvements than it has offered. The Planning Enquiry will consider; the Third Runway is not a given.