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[August 2000]
Showcase 2001 set for seven days in the city
The new Millennium Showcase 2001 will be held for the fifth time next year in the King's Hall, Civic Centre, Stoke-on-Trent. Showcase 2001 is set to run for the whole of the seven days of the Stoke Show - from Wednesday 31 January 2001 to Tuesday 6 February 2001 - and the Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce, Patricia Hewitt, MP for Leicester West, has already confirmed her agreement to open the event on the first day.
A number of new features are being explored for Showcase 2001 and once again the Association for Ceramic Training and Development (ACTD) will be organising the event, assisted by a Steering Committee comprising representatives from previous exhibitors and local bodies.
Director of ACTD, Keith Marsh, has confirmed that some funding is already in place for the Showcase 2001 from the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands and Staffordshire Business Link, but other sponsors are being sought.
"This is a very important time for the future of small businesses in the ceramic industry," said Mr Marsh, "and this Show is the best opportunity to make sales and obtain new customers and retail outlets. The 4 million worth of business written during and after previous shows is confirmation of the event's success.
"We hope to be able to announce shortly some new features for next year's Showcase and we are confident that with the support of the small ceramic companies, 2001 will once again bring new business into the area."
Contact has already been made with most of the 50 companies who participated in this year's Showcase which resulted in order worth 450,000 being taken during the event and promises of 750,000 on-going later business. In addition, the Stoke Show companies - Royal Doulton, Wedgwood, Spode and Royal Worcester - will again be helping the small companies by mailing the Showcase information to their database of over 3,000 customers and including the King's Hall on the bus route travelling between their show sites.
ENDS