Several local companies in construction and building services are being assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to meet key international buyers at a major exhibition in Great Britain.

With Invest NI, the companies are taking part in the new BEST - Building Environment Solutions and Technologies, exhibition at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, from 18-20 October.

Invest NI has organised meetings for the companies with potential customers visiting the show from the UK and other parts of Europe.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director, said: "BEST is a new show for the construction industry and is now the only UK event to focus on issues such as innovation and excellence across the entire built environment; from education to healthcare, and residential to commercial property.

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"We decided to organise a Northern Ireland presence as the event is new and different, and therefore likely to attract more trade visitors, as well as concentrating on innovation - a key Invest NI theme.

"The exhibition is focused on providing real business opportunities. It's about developing procurement relationships, connecting manufacturers and service suppliers with those who actively purchase construction products and materials," she said.

"Invitations have been issued by the organisers to key influencers of product specification and procurement from across the industry, those who hold the budgets, clients, contractors and specifiers, that our companies will want to meet and discuss business with.

"Among those invited will be key decision makers from local authorities, schools, academies, universities and the retail sector," she said, noting that they will also be organising a visit by local companies to the Budma International Construction Fair at Poznan, Poland in February.

The NI companies at the BEST Exhibition in Birmingham are Blackbourne, Antrim – mechanical and electrical engineering; BrookventAir, Dunmurry - ventilation systems; Craftstone, Banbridge - architectural products;

Kingspan Water, Portadown - rainwater harvesting systems; McAvoy Off-site, Dungannon - modular construction; SipFit, Warrenpoint - solar panels and

Tobermore Concrete, Tobermore - paving and wall products.

(BMcC/GK)