Company promotes 'buy local'

Uckfield telecommunications company Abtec Communications celebrates its tenth anniversary next month and plans to do it in style.

Customers, suppliers and business contacts will be invited for technology demonstrations at the company’s new High Street offices, and then to a networking party at the Luna Restaurant.

Part owner Louise Beard is upbeat in the face of the current recession and believes that if local businesses work together they will win through the difficult times.

Louise whose husband Anthonystarted the business is promoting the message Buy Local Business to Business during the anniversary celebrations.

She says it is not all doom and gloom and everybody should do what they can to support the local economy. She hopes other businesses will pledge their support to the buy local concept.

Backing has already come from Uckfield Chamber of Commerce president Francis Wallace who said the organisation would definitely support the cause.

‘It does strike a chord because one of our aims is to enable members to gain more business from working with one another and buying locally.’

Sussex Enterprise and Business Link are also being represented at the events. Louise said: ‘We have not changed a thing since the “recession” started and I genuinely believe the situation is not as bad as the media would have us believe. No one seems to report on the good things happening and it is about time we started looking at the positives.

‘We regularly speak to our customers and ask how they are getting on and the vast majority say they are doing well. We also know that some are struggling of course, and we are doing our bit to help where we can.’

Louise is a great believer in supporting businesses locally. ‘Everything you see here has been bought locally, from the vehicles we lease to the pens on my desk. There are huge advantages for all of us in sourcing our goods and services from local suppliers. We don’t want to see any more empty shops in town, let’s keep our money and jobs local.’

Abtec Communications was founded by Louise’s husband Anthony in 1999. She remembers that he started with a rusty second-hand van and hardly any tools. After working hard on his own for four years as a contractor he decided to take the plunge and started offering solutions to local businesses direct and now employs 14 staff and has reached a turnover of nearly £2 million.

Last summer Abtec moved to new, larger, offices, at 95-99 High Street, Uckfield, and the latest telecoms technology will be demonstrated there over two days on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 10, and the morning of Wednesday March 11. Major suppliers LG-Nortel, Gamma Telecom, Griffin Internet and O2/Blackberry will be there.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 10, there will be a networking party at Luna and Louise will be reinforcing the Buy Local Business to Business message. She hopes guests will make a pledge to support the concept and see whether they can help neighbouring businesses. The event will also aim to raise money for charity with a prize draw taking place.