Minister added to Global Manufacturing Festival line-up

20th February 2012

Jeremy Browne MP, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is the latest guest speaker to be announced for the Global Manufacturing Festival.

Liberal Democrat Mr Browne, who has also been Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has worked in the private sector in finance and global communications. He will speak to more than 400 delegates at the festival's convention and trade show which will take place in Sheffield on March 22. Lee Hopley chief economist at EEF has also been added to the list of speakers which already includes Ric Parker from Rolls-Royce, Dr. Alan McLelland from NAMTEC, Alan Cumming of EDF Energy, Andrew Peters from Siemens Drive Technologies, Sir Chris O'Donnell former CEO The all-day event will also include presentations from local companies Sheffield Forgemasters International and JRI Orthopaedics Ltd. of Smith & Nephew and Professor Keith Ridgway CBE Executive Dean of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Institute. Key themes at the convention will cover the three critical areas of UK strategy and support, new markets and opportunities, and technology and commercialisation. In addition to the speakers, discussions are being held with potential delegations from a number of countries to support the long-term business relationships the Sheffield Chamber and city are building with companies in the Ukraine, China, France, Brazil, Columbia, Rwanda, India and the USA. The Global Manufacturing Festival will take place in Sheffield for the second consecutive year and run over two days from March 21-22 with a range of activities taking place. The festival is being organised by the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Marketing Sheffield. Headline sponsors include Nabarro LLP, NatWest, University of Sheffield and Siemens Plc. Richard Wright, executive director of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said: -We are very keen to see the convention provide a global market place for high-end manufacturers. We want to highlight the international opportunities available to businesses in the UK and how they can exploit them to support sustainable growth. -Our International Trade Centre (SYITC) has been working with UKTI to attract buyers from key countries around the world, which will ensure the festival can be a platform for business to be done. -Sheffield City Region has a unique USP in that it has more specialist materials companies here than anywhere else in the UK and in many regions of Europe. All of the UK's export led supply chains source engineering materials from here. -We need to ensure the world, and particularly the developing countries, know of our strengths so they come here to do business. The festival will provide an ideal opportunity to showcase the expertise available in the UK with Sheffield City Region at the heart of its operations. Event sponsors for the convention and trade show include UK Trade and Investment, Sheffield Hallam University, HGF Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, Sheffield Forgemasters, EEF and Creative Sheffield. Anyone wishing to attend can purchase a ticket from £99 + VAT. Around 40 per cent of tickets for the convention and trade show have been taken up and organisers are expecting demand to remain high. For more information or purchase tickets visit www.globalmanufacturingfestival.com or follow on twitter @GMFSheffield.