JEDDAH: A trade mission comprised of seven companies from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is currently in the Kingdom to develop business contacts with local companies and increase trade between Saudi Arabia and the UK. Networking reception for about sixty guests was held Saturday at the British Consulate-General in Jeddah. Another one is set in Riyadh at the British Embassy. The trade delegation is in the Kingdom until March 10. Kate Rudd, the British Consul-General, welcomed the delegates to the Jeddah reception. Edward Ogilvie, the Chairman of the British Business Group was also present. Annabel Rogden, who manages the World Trade Team of the LCCI, and the leader of the mission, said: "We particularly help small- and medium-size companies and the trade mission is a sample of the practical help we give to companies who accompany us on this visit. These ones are all small companies and except for one, they are new to the Saudi market. Our job is to facilitate meetings with organizations that they wouldn't otherwise be able to meet such as the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, SAGIA and the Saudi Binladin Group." Robert Carr, managing director of Tudor Export Ltd., said: "I am selling photographic film and paper. We sell several containers loads from the UK to Africa and the Middle East each month." He said the company's light sensitive paper is still around 3 times less expensive than the newer dry alternatives such as inkjet and dye sublimation products. Katiane Crus, CEO of RedEarth Investments real estate consultancy company, said "we are here looking for Saudis to invest in a project in Brazil that we are representing. It is in the oil town Macaé and is one of the fastest growing cities in Brazil." She added that there are more than 600 companies from abroad based there and they need people who want to invest in developing properties for commercial and industrial projects. "We have lots of Arabs investing there at the moment," she noted. Bashir Vhora, sales executive, Gentec Energy Plc, said "we already have branches in Riyadh and Jeddah with Abunayyan Trading Company. Our business has been running for 20 years and we have been dealing with them for 10 years now. Gentec Energy is an engineering, procurement and construction contractor.
