Record breaking business deals totalling more than £300,000 were generated by firms in the first six weeks following last year’s Stansted ‘Meet the Buyers’ event.

The £323,000 made is a 50 per cent increase on the 2012 gathering.

Follow up research conducted after Meet the Buyers 2013 also estimates that over £1.5 million of new contracts will be generated by firms in the East of England from the money-spinning event, which is £25,000 up on the amount following Meet the Buyers 2012.

Chris Wiggan, Stansted Airport’s head of public affairs and sustainability, said: “These are incredible figures which clearly demonstrate that ‘Meet the Buyers’ is a valuable business and networking event for both buyers and suppliers from across the East of England.

“With a growing international airport on the doorstep and a thriving entrepreneurial spirit, this region has a lot to offer UK Plc and is at the heart of driving forward economic growth and opportunities and this is where ‘Meet the Buyers’ really comes into its own.”

Technology firm Green Duck Ltd, a supplier from Bury St Edmunds, said ‘Meet the Buyers’ helped them win a £1,000 training contract, while sign maker, IRS Girod from Swaffham in Norfolk, came away with several leads and a deal worth £100,000.

Seasoned attendee Terry Farthing, from Stansted based Airport Lettings, won two contracts with suppliers and declared that it was “without doubt the most profitable day we have ever had at any Meet the Buyers”.

Meet the Buyers was held on October 3 and run by BE Group and Marketing Kenetics. Two hundred and thirty three delegates from 199 companies were engaged in the programme, which included two pre-event workshops and the flagship Meet the Buyers event. The next Meet the Buyers get together will be held in October 2014.

For more information, visit stanstedmtb.co.uk