Maritime sector trade body Mersey Maritime is to host a Dragons’ Den style event with one of the world’s most famous shipyards, Cammell Laird.

The two-hour innovation event will build upon the success of a similar event held earlier this year with port operator Peel Ports Group and aims to bring small, innovative businesses together with key decision makers in order to strengthen local supply chains.

A range of SMEs with a product, service or innovative approach they believe would add value to Cammell Laird’s business portfolio have applied to Mersey Maritime for the opportunity to pitch to senior Cammell Laird directors, including Chief Executive John Syvret CBE.

Although renowned as a world-famous shipyard with an illustrious history, Cammell Laird today has interests spanning not only ship building, repair and conversion, but also energy and civil nuclear. The yard is currently building NERC’s £150million polar research vessel the Sir David Attenborough [of Boaty McBoatface fame], which is due to be launched in 2018.

The Innovation event, which takes place at the Maritime Knowledge Hub on 14th July between 9.30am and 11.30am, aims to cut through the cold-call process by bringing the right people together in an environment that can boost business opportunities.

Businesses with an offer that is of interest to the panel will be potentially fast-tracked onto the company’s supplier list, enabling them to compete for existing or future business.

  

Chris Shirling-Rooke

Chris Shirling-Rooke, Chief Executive of Mersey Maritime, said: “We are fortunate to work with many innovative businesses through our business support programme, New Markets 2.

“By their very nature, many of these innovators are small businesses with no direct access to senior decision makers in large companies. The beauty of working as a cluster is that Mersey Maritime can bring the two sides together and help make magic happen.”

Events like the Cammell Laird innovation panel are part of Mersey Maritime’s ‘MiHub’ programme, a series of regular events and workshops throughout the year that allow SMEs to learn about and benefit from regional supply chain opportunities. The MiHub programme is supported by the European Regional Development Fund’s New Markets 2 project, which Mersey Maritime is currently delivering to fast-growth SMEs.

Source: Mersey Maritime