A trade office at the NEC in Solihull which encourages foreign investment and also helps West Midlands companies to export has won the backing of Advantage West Midlands to continue working until at least 2010.
The International Trade Promotions Centre located in the Atrium was launched in 2002 to work with the NEC Group and regional and overseas exhibitors attending shows at what is Europe's busiest exhibition complex. AWM is pumping in £300,000 of funding.
The office is a partnership venture funded by UK Trade & Investment, Birmingham Chamber, Locate in Birmingham and AWM.
The four-strong team at the office is responsible for contacting West Midlands exhibitors to offer UKTI support for export opportunities, contact overseas exhibitors at selected NEC shows to provide potential inward investment leads, and also to promote the region as a destination for business and investment.
Now, the office will be able to continue working to attract foreign investment which, it is claimed, has seen more than 8,500 jobs created and more than 10,000 safeguarded over the last two years.
Alan Roden, Advantage West Midlands European inward investment manager, said: "Exhibitions and events at the NEC each year attract around four million visitors so there is a tremendous opportunity to reach both domestic and foreign businesses.
"Advantage West Midlands, Locate in Birmingham and our other regional inward investment partners are constantly working to attract more foreign investment into the West Midlands.
"The office is in a great physical location to engage with event delegates and its focus enables the region to generate trade and investment opportunities that otherwise would simply be missed.
"It also has a key role to play in our promotion of the West Midlands as a region and it will continue to be a cost effective means of reaching companies worldwide to make a difference to the economic development of the region."
Helen Grice, ITPC manager, said: "Being able to represent four of the West Midlands' key business organisations at Europe's busiest exhibition centre puts us in a special position in which to interact with companies from all over the world.
"We look forward to continuing this partnership and helping to strengthen the UK economy through intern ational trade and investment."
Mike Loftus, head of Locate in Birmingham, said: "The centre is important in promoting Birmingham as an international business destination.
"They provide a real gateway for Locate in Birmingham to access international business visitors to the city, enabling us to showcase the opportunities within the city that prides itself on being open for business."
