Southend’s first ever Business Show marks an important moment for the city’s business community, bringing together businesses, residents and partners for a day focused on connection, collaboration and future growth.
From established employers and manufacturers through to start-ups, independent retailers and growing service businesses, the city has quietly built a diverse and resilient business community over many years.
Now, for the first time, there is an event designed to bring that community together under one roof.
On 17 September 2026, Southend will host Southend’s First Ever Business Show, creating a platform for businesses, residents and partners to connect, collaborate and explore opportunities for growth.
Formara Print & Marketing is proud to support the event as an official sponsor.
But this goes beyond sponsorship.
Events like this matter because they create something that digital channels alone cannot replicate - real conversations, local relationships and moments that turn introductions into opportunities.
More Than an Exhibition, A Signal of Confidence in Southend
Launching a first-of-its-kind business event sends an important message.
It says that Southend believes in investment.
It says the city values entrepreneurship.
And it recognises that sustainable economic growth happens when organisations are given spaces to meet, exchange ideas and build partnerships.
Business shows have long played a role in regional growth across the UK. They provide visibility for local organisations, encourage knowledge sharing and create opportunities that often continue long after the exhibition stands are packed away.
For Southend, this event has the potential to become an important annual milestone.
Where Print Still Plays an Important Role
In a world of digital campaigns, social feeds and AI-generated content, it would be easy to assume physical marketing has become less important.
The opposite is often true.
Live events remind us that physical experiences still matter.
Printed materials remain one of the few channels that people can hold, revisit and take away with them after the day ends.
Whether it is:
- Event signage and branding
- Visitor guides and agendas
- Brochures and leave-behinds
- Direct mail invitations
- Branded merchandise
- Printed conversation starters
Print helps transform an event from something people attend into something they remember.
When paired with digital channels, it becomes even more effective, extending reach before the event and reinforcing engagement afterwards.
That is one of the reasons events continue to invest in physical experiences.
Building Connections That Last Beyond One Day
Business events are not measured purely by footfall.
They are measured by what happens next.
- New partnerships.
- Supplier relationships.
- Local collaborations.
Ideas exchanged over coffee that become real projects six months later.
For local businesses, attending an event like this is not simply about exhibiting.
It is about becoming visible and being part of the wider conversation shaping Southend’s future.
Supporting Something Bigger Than Ourselves
Formara has been part of the local business community for more than five decades and understands the value of investing in local connections.
Supporting Southend’s first ever Business Show felt like an opportunity to back something bigger than a single event.
It is a chance to support local ambition and help create a platform where businesses across Southend can thrive together.
Credit should also go to everyone helping bring the event to life, including the team at Karen Hodgkins and Councillor Matt Dent at Southend-on-Sea City Council for helping drive an initiative that could become a landmark moment for the city’s business community.
Recognition also goes to the sponsors and supporters contributing to the event for backing Southend’s first ever Business Show to help make it a success, including Muddy Wood Projects Ltd, Surgical Holdings, BTMK Solicitors, Dedman Gray Property Consultants, Azets, and Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre for where the event will be held.
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Read the original announcement from The Echo article covering Southend’s first-ever Business Show
We look forward to seeing you there
Southend’s first Business Show represents more than a date in the diary.
It represents confidence, collaboration and a belief that local business communities become stronger when people come together.
We are excited to support it.
We hope to see Southend show what it can do.
Southend Business Show 2026
17 September 2026, Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
Businesses, residents and partners are invited to attend and be part of Southend’s first major business showcase.
