Orange Region - Supply Directory Project

The latest step in Orange City Council’s bid to create a new online supply directory unfolds this week with the staging of a workshop for local businesses.

With NSW Government support, the council is building a new online directory which would let local businesses who are currently buying and selling products and services outside the Orange region, to get in touch with potential suppliers who are closer to home.

So far 140 businesses have completed an online survey which is being used to establish the directory, and 50 businesses have signed up for the workshop which will hear the first details of the new opportunities to arise from the project.

Orange City Council Employment and Economic Development Committee chair, Cr Jeff Whitton, believes there is huge potential for the new ‘Supply Directory’ to help local business grow.

“It became clear early on there was potential for local businesses to take advantage of freight-sharing,” Cr Jeff Whitton said. “There are businesses which have empty-back-loads routinely coming back from Sydney. There’s a new app which let these contacts be made simply.

“These the kinds of topics that will be highlighted at the free workshop on Thursday.”

“As well there’ll be a number interesting guest presenters who’ll be sharing their success stories. It will be a great networking opportunity.”

The free workshop will offer breakfast and barista-made coffee. Speakers include :

• Wayne Diemar the project director of Hunter net,
• Ian Hudson the regional Manager of the Industry Capability Network and
• Tom Cavangh the Founder-Owner of the Channel 40 freight management app.

The workshop will be facilitated by Business HQ’s Bruce Buchannan and introduced by Mayor John Davis.

The workshop will held at the Hotel Canobolas on Thursday 27 July from 7.30 to 9.30 am

Online booking through www.eventbrite.com.au

WORKSHOP : Final preparations are under way for a business workshop on Thursday (L.to r.) speaker Ian Hudson, Cr Jeff Whitton, Chamber of Commerce Exec Officer Alicia McDonell and Business HQ’s Bruce Buchanan.

Dozens of Orange businesses have started sharing information to participate in a confidential online survey.

The survey is aimed at gathering information about the main products and services of the business to identify advantages to be gained from industries working together to optimise their supply chain.

So far more than seventy Orange business have completed the survey.

Mark Thompson, Managing Director with Orange Precision Metalcraft* (OPM) is urging local businesses to look at the survey.

“OPM routinely transports tonnes of materials to Orange for the stainless steel fabrication part of our businesses. It’s a possibility that there are other local business in the same boat with their products and that we could look at options like sharing transport costs or getting a better price for bigger qualities of steel.”

OPPORTUNITIES : OPM Managing Director Mark Thompson.

When OPM delivers new equipment to a customer anywhere in the state, Mark Thompson said, the delivery truck often comes back to Orange without a load.

“If this directory helps businesses in the Orange region to save money by some simple co-operation, then that’s a good thing,” Mark Thompson said. “It took only minutes when I filled out the online survey. I’m looking forward to seeing the end result.”

Online surveys will be distributed during May and June 2017, and may be followed up with face-to-face meetings with certain businesses. If your business would like to participate in the survey, you can access it online.

Orange City Council Employment and Economic Development Committee chair, Cr Jeff Whitton, believes there is huge potential for the new ‘Supply Directory’ to help local business grow.

“Keeping it local makes so much sense when it comes to buying the goods and services you need to run your business,” Cr Jeff Whitton said.

“The new directory aims to conveniently deliver information that can match businesses where there may be common needs for goods and services. It might be coordination of transport and other logistical elements.”

“This is a great opportunity for businesses to buy and sell their products and services more cost effectively locally, or cooperatively with other local businesses” Cr Jeff Whitton said.

The 'Supply Directory' project is being jointly funded by Orange City Council and the NSW Department of Industry under the Murray Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Program (Energise Enterprise Fund).

As part of the project Orange City Council will also host workshops during June/July to facilitate introductions between businesses identified as potentially having common needs.

“The overall aim is to create efficiencies in supply chain management, and promote growth in jobs and wealth for the greater Orange region,” Jeff Whitton said.

Further information about the project: Supply Directory Project Manager, Kellie Pickering 6393 8279

Or email: kpickering@orange.nsw.gov.au

*Orange Precision Metalcraft was founded in 1974 and has established a reputation as a supplier of high quality industrial products. Orange Precision Metalcraft are involved in all aspects of metalwork fabrication, from inception through to finished product, and is currently employing 35 staff at its Orange factory.

ONLINE DIRECTORY : Managing Director Mark Thompson and Cr Jeff Whitton want local businesses to join in the directory project.

Orange City Council has launched a new project aimed at matching business-to-business opportunities to encourage purchasing from regional suppliers and drive growth in local jobs.

We would like to invite you to participate in this confidential online survey aimed at gathering information about the main products and services your business buys and sells. We anticipate the survey will only take around 10 minutes to complete.

The main outcome of the project is the creation of a publicly available, online business directory for the region. The directory will have information for businesses to identify where there may be common needs in respect of supply and production of products and services, and/or coordination of transport and other logistical elements. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times.

All information collected, including the identity of businesses providing information, will remain confidential at an individual business level, and will be used solely for the purposes of this project, unless specific permission is sought from you in advance in consideration of potential business introductions.

Council anticipates there will be opportunities for local businesses to buy and/or sell their products and services more cost effectively locally, or in a cooperative manner with other local businesses.

Depending on responses to the survey, Council may contact you to request a follow-up discussion where we have identified opportunities for your business with regards to the following areas:

• Increased awareness of businesses operating within the Orange region and related networking opportunities;
• Potential to realise economies of scale and cooperative purchasing power;
• Opportunities to add value to products and services to fill supply gaps in the region;
• Identification of common transport needs and current barriers to trade in the region.
• Those businesses who complete the survey will be provided with, at a minimum, a summary report of the findings from this survey. There will be some publicly available reports but these will not identify respondents.

Council is also planning to host workshops during June and July 2017, depending on supply chain relationships identified as a result of the survey responses. These workshops will facilitate introductions between businesses identified as potentially having common needs, with the overall aim of creating efficiencies in supply chain management, and promoting growth in jobs and wealth for the greater Orange region.

This project is being jointly funded by Orange City Council and the NSW Department of Industry under the Murray Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Programme (Energise Enterprise Fund) and is expected to deliver significant benefits to local businesses.

If you have any questions or comments on the survey, please contact:

Kellie Pickering

Supply Directory Project Manager

Orange City Council

Phone: (02) 6393 8279

Email: kpickering@orange.nsw.gov.au