The DIT (Department for International Trade) has launched a new initiative providing free sessions to help companies based in the region extend their reach into new overseas areas.

The West Bromwich Building Society has secured a new group financial director due to the pending retirement of its current financial director, while the Tipton and Coseley Building Society has appointed a new operations executive just weeks after recruiting a new risk and compliance executive.

An opportunity to meet fellow contractors on the Black Country Framework Contract for Minor Works

A Highways Minor Works supplier event is being held on Wednesday 23 November in Smethwick. The purpose of the event is for local businesses to network with fellow contractors on the Black Country Framework Contract for Minor Works and to meet new supply chain businesses from the Black Country.

Wednesbury soft drinks manufacturer, Purity Soft Drinks, has announced a “very strong” financial performance in its latest annual results. Purity Soft Drinks makes premium soft drinks and specialises in juices and juice drinks packaged in modern and innovative packaging formats, PET, premium glass, and a new pouch system. Its brands include JuiceBurst and Firefly.

Sandwell Mayor, Councillor Julie Webb with left to right Jinhua Municipal People’s Government Mayor, Ji Junmin; Managing Director of A&M EDM, Mark Wingfield and Sandwell Council Leader, Councillor Steve Eling with delegation members.

For the second year running, Sandwell Council has welcomed a delegation of Chinese officials, in order to forge international friendship and business links.

The party from the city of Jinhua in the Zhejiang province located in eastern China visited the premises of precision engineering specialists A&M EDM in Middlemore Road, Smethwick.

DK RewindsA Sandwell firm that provides parts and undertakes repairs to London Underground trains has received a visit from the city of London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, Val Shawcross.

Select Lifestyles, a supported living agency based in Oldbury, is set to open a new centre in a former NHS care trust property in West Bromwich. Planning permission has already been granted to convert the property into seven self-contained flats. Work should start later this year, with the first phase being complete and ready to open in Spring 2017.

Smethwick-based A&M EDM precision engineers is celebrating the selection of two of its apprentices as finalists in the EEF Midland region apprentice of the year award by the manufacturers’ organisation.

The latest series of the Channel 4 show Car SOS will be filmed at a garage unit in Oldbury. Fuzz Townshend, one of the presenters of the show and former drummer with Black Country indie band Pop Will Eat Itself, along with his business partner Dave Tassell, runs To-Ta Classics, a classic car maintenance and restoration business.