Indian chemical executives impressed by North East
October 2011
Delegates on their visit to The Wilton Centre
Wilton Centre companies developed their contacts with India when a team of senior Indian executives visited the region.
The NEPIC/Indian Chemical Council (ICC) mission enabled eight Indian chemical company leaders to meet 110 executives in Northumberland, Tyneside and Teesside as an integral part of a collaboration to cement relationships between the Indian and UK chemical industries.
The party spent a full day of their stay on a coach tour of 50 chemical companies, including those at Wilton, Seaton Carew, Seal Sands, Billingham, Haverton Hill and Middlesbrough.
Their journey included a visit to The Wilton Centre where they enjoyed presentations on infrastructure, utilities and the new Tees Valley Enterprise Zone. Delegates were addressed by Nigel Perry, CEO of the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), and taken round CPI’s innovation facilities for industrial biotechnology and sustainable processing technologies.
On the final day of their visit, the Indians visited Teesside University where Pro Vice Chancellor Cliff Hardcastle and Professor Paul Shelton gave a talk about the teaching of Engineering and Science before the party was given a tour of the University Chemical Engineering Department.
In the afternoon, the delegation met 35 companies at a Meet the Buyer Event created by NEPIC at The Wilton Centre. Phil Hollowood, NEPIC’s India specialist, explained how, through NEPIC and ICC, companies could more quickly access new business opportunities.
A farewell dinner at Wynyard Hall with owner Sir John Hall, MPs Ian Swales and Ian Wright and several Teesside industry colleagues rounded off a successful week.
Indian mission leader Yogesh Kotari, Vice President of ICC and Chairman and Managing Director of Alkyl Amines Chemical LTD, said that an emotional tie had been developed towards North East England by those on the mission.
* Several North East companies are joining NEPIC on its return Mission to India hosted by ICC in the New Year.