To support the development of a robust regional supply chain in West Yorkshire, RTC North recently hosted a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event in partnership with Adderstone Living – the social housing division of Adderstone Group.

The event aimed to help address the UK's housing crisis by engaging with SMEs in the construction sector to develop a robust supply chain aligned with Adderstone Living's commitment to corporate social responsibility and community investment.

Adderstone Living, established in 2020, focuses on delivering affordable housing solutions across the North of England. Their approach involves sourcing land, developing designs, securing planning permissions, and delivering schemes in partnership with local authorities or housing associations.

However, as a company primarily operating in the North-East, expanding into the West Yorkshire market presented unique challenges. Expanding their roots into a new region required building trust and establishing relationships with local contractors, which can take considerable time.

Compounding the challenge, the current market has seen many SME contractors and developers face financial difficulties, making it even more crucial to demonstrate stability and reliability. With groundworks for a new scheme scheduled to begin in October, time was of the essence to develop a reliable regional supply chain.

This is where the Meet the Buyer event proved to be invaluable. By facilitating conversations with multiple potential partners in a single day, the event enabled Adderstone Living to make meaningful connections that would have otherwise taken months to organise.

This exposure not only helped establish trust but also positioned Adderstone Living as a credible and attractive partner for SMEs in the region.

In attendance at this event was one of those potential partners, looking for collaboration opportunities was Palmer Barnes Limited, Wakefield -based company specialising in floor and wall tiling. For Palmer Barnes, finding the right opportunities with larger developers like Adderstone Living is often a significant challenge.

The event provided a unique chance to meet directly with Adderstone’s purchasing team and commercial manager, fostering a personal connection and allowing them to showcase their expertise in a meaningful way. A 1-2-1 meeting during the event gave Palmer Barnes the platform to discuss how their services aligned with Adderstone Living’s needs.

The impact of the event was immediate. Adderstone Living issued opportunities to price two jobs to companies in attendance, with more anticipated post-Christmas.

For Palmer Barnes Limited, this led to a tender offer worth £10,000, a significant step towards future collaborations. Beyond these immediate outcomes, the event also bolstered Adderstone Living’s confidence in understanding regional pricing variations, expanded their supply chain, and opened new opportunities in the green economy, further aligning with their sustainability goals.

Debbie Hope, New Business Director at Adderstone Living comments: “These Meet the Buyer events are incredibly beneficial both for smaller companies and suppliers to find relevant opportunities, but also for us as developers to discover talented local businesses who share our ethos and can contribute to our ambitious plans. The connections we made at this event have already started to bear fruit, and we’re excited about the potential for long-term partnerships.”

Giving input based on their own experience, Dean Palmer, Managing Director and Owner at Palmer Barnes added: “Attending the Meet the Buyer event was a fantastic opportunity to introduce our business to a key player in the housing sector like Adderstone Living. The event allowed us to showcase our expertise, and receiving a tender so quickly after was beyond our expectations. It’s a small step, but we believe it could open doors to larger collaborations in the future.”

RTC North will continue to host and support important events like this, closing supply chain gaps and connecting companies to bolster business relations across the North of England.