‘Fantastic’ firms take part in Warwickshire Expo

Taking place at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre on March 21 and 22, the event - organised by the county council - aimed to showcase the range of companies based in the county.

More than 50 organisations from a variety of sectors took part - including automotive manufacturing, digital gaming, energy and retail, as well as training providers and educational institutions, among them Coventry and Warwick universities.

Jaguar Land Rover, the event’s official sponsor, invited children to take part in a schools challenge, during which they guided remote-controlled 4x4 vehicles around an off-road track.

Visitors could also view a large solar panel from Southam-based Alumet, a Land Rover Defender vehicle featuring products made by manufacturer Mantec and the latest games from Rare Games on a Xbox Kinect system, among many other exhibits.

Games company Codemasters gave people a first glimpse of the sequel to their Bafta award-winning game Grid, which is yet to be released, and Mask-arade gave many keen children the chance to have their photo taken with life-size imitations of the boy-band One Direction.

The event also included a programme of seminars for youngsters and adults.

Monica Fogarty, the county council’s strategic director of communities, said: “The Warwickshire Expo is designed to support business growth in the county.

“We’re delighted that 500 young people from local schools had the opportunity to meet some of the county’s leading businesses, no doubt providing them with invaluable experience to help plan for their future in the knowledge that a wide range of fantastic employment opportunities are available on their doorstop.”