West Midlands hosts Mentor delegation

A delegation from the city of Mentor, Ohio, visited the West Midlands and met up with Chamber members from the medical sector.

The delegation was primarily in the UK to attend the Med-Tech Innovation Expo at the NEC as a guest of partner organisation Medilink Midlands, but met up with Chamber members at a reception at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham.

The city of Mentor is a manufacturing, healthcare, and retail economic hub just east of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and the visit is one of several a delegation from the city has conducted over the last five years, resulting in bilateral visits of companies from the US to the Birmingham area, and vice versa on inbound trade missions hosted in the US.

Kevin Malecek, director for economic development and international trade at Mentor, said: “The city of Mentor provides a soft-landing concierge-based approach to UK companies looking for business possibilities in the United States, particularly, but not limited to the healthcare and aerospace sectors, while also actively exploring partnership relationships with cities and organisations in the Midlands. ”

Several Midlands-based companies have visited Mentor in the last few years, with a number now actively doing business in the area. Manufacturing costs are low, the region has a stable and experienced workforce, and the local government is committed to ensuring the continued economic success of the city.

Pictured back (left to right): Kevin Filipiak, Kevin Malecek (both city of Mentor); Jim Bourne (Chamber) GBCC); Ray Kirchner (Mentor); Rick Alphonso (RCS Logistics); Lloyd Broad (Birmingham City Council). And front (left to right): Andy Hipgrave and Mandy Haque (both Chamber)