Slough Council is urging local businesses to support the British Airport Authority's ‘Meet the buyers' event at London Heathrow. The annual event will be staged on 26 and 27 November this year, giving local companies the opportunity of sales meetings with up to 60 key buyers of local goods and services. Over the last 10 years, the Meet the buyers event has generated £70m of income for businesses in the region, and it is seen as offering an cost-effective way of generating new leads and customers. Rafiq Chohan, assistant director, economic development and inclusion for Slough, said: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses in Slough to take. Heathrow Airport provides a lot of procurement opportunities and local companies are able to meet with Heathrow purchasers and supply their goods and services to them.' The event reverses the traditional exhibition format, so it is the buyers rather than suppliers, who have stands. Suppliers are given a list of all the goods and services offered by local companies, along with their detailed purchasing requirements, and then arrange their own sales appointments.