2001 was a good year for increased CEA membership. Overall companies joined as a result of our Manufacturing Excellence programme. Despite the usual pressures of company failures or amalgamations, the CEA is confidently predicting further membership growth in 2002. The target is to increase membership by 15%. Existing members can help by recommending membership to their suppliers or other business contacts.

British Business in Saudi Arabia - British companies wishing to do business in Saudi Arabia can now, for a small annual fee, add their contact details to a database on www.sbtd.co.uk. Full contact information, a description of the company’s activities and web site links are included as part of the fee. Additional opportunities are available for the display of company brochures. E-mail: info@sbtd.co.uk - Web: www.sbtd.co.uk. The Saudi British Trade web site has been sponsored by Trade Partners UK.

Smaller Businesses are Missing Out on Unclaimed Grants - Millions of pounds of grant money that could be accessed by smaller businesses goes unclaimed each year. While this is partly because of rules and regulations - it is also because not enough businesses know what they could claim. J4B is a web-publishing company whose web site provides information on, and access to, grants from local, national and European government. Other useful sources of information are Business Links. For further information, visit the following: www.j4b.co.uk and www.businesslink.org.

Service Excellence Awards - are open to all organisations, large and small. If you think you’re already pretty hot when it comes to delivering on your promises, this is the acid test. Each entrant receives a tailored diagnosis. The five main award categories are: Business to Business, Retail and Consumer Services, Financial Services, Manufacturing/Engineering, Public Services. There are awards for each category, plus one for the best overall organisation. An entry fee of £95 +VAT is payable. Closing date: 22 March 2002. Apply online www.serviceexcellenceawards.com. For further information contact Tony Locke - Tel: +44 (0)1908 212613 - tony.locke@unisys.com.

Newsline Advertising - CEA members can advertise FREE in Newsline (non-members are charged a nominal rate). New members have the opportunity to introduce their company to other members. Newsline now has a circulation of 1,500 and is sent, among others, to all CEA members, all HMG Overseas Posts, UK Business Links, named DTI contacts and related trade associations - SO - send your press releases or company news to Kim Fitzpatrick (kim@admin.co.uk) without delay.

UK Online for Business - produce a number of free e-commerce publications Their latest booklets are: Broadband and Doing International Business Online. Other publications in the series are:

• Doing Business Online
• E-commerce, How Trading Online Can Work For You
• E-commerce and the Law
• Networking
• E-security
• Application Service Providers - ASP
• Video and Data Conferencing
• Mobile Communications and E-mail

The above can be downloaded, or free booklets ordered, via www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk - Tel: +44 (0)845 715 2000.

Partnership Sourcing Ltd - is a not-for-profit company set up by the CBI and the DTI to help UK companies understand and implement the process of partnering and supply chain benchmarking. PSL provides presentations, workshops, self-help booklets, hands-on guidance (eg partner selection, partnership formation and relationship management) and commissions research. Partnership sourcing, is a commitment by both customers and suppliers, regardless of size, to a long-term relationship based on clear mutually-agreed objectives to strive for world-class capability and competitiveness. Further information can be found on: www.pslcbi.com.

Fit for the Future - is the National Best Practice Campaign led by the CBI. Through its network of partner organisations it encourages the sharing of knowledge between businesses of all kinds and across all sectors to improve their performance. The campaign has developed a framework of best practice characteristics to help all businesses find the support they need to continuously improve:

Tel: +44 (0)870 600 2513 - Fax: +44 (0)20 7497 2596 - www.fitforthefuture.org.uk