SPONSORED CONTENT – I-Construct

Since its creation, I-Construct has supported over 300 members of the construction industry in the South East to access the connections, mentorship and financial support needed to meet sector challenges and grow sustainably. In the autumn of 2022, I-Construct is taking the opportunities to its members through a series of roadshows across Kent, Essex and East Sussex, where it will also promote the next phase of its support – a new supply-chain collaboration platform.

Supply-chain Collaboration Platform

I-Construct will be discussing its new supply-chain collaboration platform, which will help businesses develop local and regional supply chains around major construction projects. By creating and maintaining their information on the platform, members can, in one place, easily keep up to date with business development opportunities. The platform will also be used by the major projects themselves, along with tier-one and tier-two developers and contractors, to build relationships with local suppliers.

Construction supply-chain companies need to understand their clients, what procurement processes they use, what the key contract award criteria is, and the other companies or sectors with which they may need to collaborate. From a client perspective, working with local suppliers on these projects is vital as it creates local jobs, provides better value and adds to the overall social and environmental benefits of any investment. The new I-Construct supply-chain collaboration platform aims to directly strengthen and develop these essential local and regional supply chains in Kent, Essex and East Sussex.

In-person Roadshows throughout Kent and Essex

The I-Construct roadshows are a series of four unique events taking place across Kent, Essex and East Sussex from September until November, with the aim of helping construction industry professionals better access the market, get involved with major projects, connect to the supply chain and develop their business networks. The roadshows will also include speakers from tier-one contractors, who will discuss the most pressing issues in the sector, as well as outlining current opportunities throughout Kent, Essex and East Sussex.

The first roadshow of the series took place on 21st September in Maidstone, Kent, with subsequent events set for 28th September in Braintree, 19th October in Orsett, and 9th November in Tunbridge Wells. Interested parties can sign up for the event, free of charge, on I-Construct’s website: https://i-construct.org.uk/

Building Resilient Businesses through the I-Construct Network

I-Construct’s mission is to unite like-minded businesses and client organisations in an active, forward-thinking community. The I-Construct network functions both on and offline, assisting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to:

• Win new work by connecting them with major projects, client groups and potential supply chain partners
• Improve their competitiveness and procurement readiness
• Evolve their businesses through technology and innovation
• Make time and space for business development strategy and planning.

Anita Thornberry, Haven Gateway Partnership Executive Director, said:

“We’re excited about the positive effect our roadshow events will have on SMEs and the supply chain in Kent and Essex. As well as offering an opportunity for face-to-face relationship building, we will be raising awareness of our new supply-chain collaboration platform, and I would encourage any business or individual wanting to get involved in major projects in the Kent, Essex and East Sussex areas to attend the free events, sign up to I-Construct, and stay informed.”

Get Involved

I-Construct is currently free to join – the programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) until the end of the year. Complete our form and we’ll be in touch to confirm your membership: www.i-construct.org.uk/#involved

Any questions? Let us know and we’ll be happy to help: i-construct@haven-gateway.org

Information about I-Construct

I-Construct is led by Haven Gateway Partnership and delivered with support from project partners Braintree District Council, BRE (Building Research Establishment), Colchester Institute, and Daedalus Environmental. It is part-funded through the ERDF, with match funding for the Innovation Hub provided by Braintree District Council.

The project is receiving up to £3,702,311 of funding from the England ERDF programme as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth programme (2014-2020). The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and, in London, the intermediate body, the Greater London Authority) is the managing authority for ERDF.

Established by the EU, the ERDF helps local areas to stimulate their economic development by investing in projects that will support innovation, businesses, and create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.