Debrecen4U
October 21, 2026
Record Attendance at Sixth Northern Great Plain Regional Supplier Forum in Debrecen
More than 400 businesses registered to build business relationships with the procurement managers of 20 major companies operating in the region. The 2026 event was jointly organised by EDC Debrecen and the Hajdú-Bihar County Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
More than a thousand meetings, numerous requests for quotations and dozens of supplier contracts have resulted from previous editions of the Northern Great Plain Regional Supplier Forum. Some participants have become regular attendees. “I’ve been to almost every Supplier Forum. I think it’s a very useful and worthwhile initiative, and we’ve only benefited from it. We can meet the managers of factories and businesses relocating to Debrecen directly, which makes things much easier for us,” said Sándor Zilai, Managing Director of GEWISS GUARD Kft.
Trans-Sped Kft, a Hungarian-owned company providing comprehensive logistics services, took part in the forum for the first time this year. “I can make a number of new contacts here who are outside my own professional field but I can pass their business cards or introductory emails on to the relevant people who can get in touch with them, allowing supply and demand to meet,” explained Gábor Németi, Senior Sales Executive.
An online supplier database is also helping businesses establish new commercial relationships. The number of local small and medium-sized enterprises listed in the database has grown from an initial 280 to 374. “We are working to make it as easy and efficient as possible for the two sides to connect. That is the purpose of our annual Supplier Forum and our wider supplier programme. We have been building our supplier database for years and since last year it has been available online to everyone. We also run programmes designed to help small businesses develop,” highlighted Zoltán Pécskay, Managing Director of EDC Debrecen Nonprofit Kft., who also gave Médiacentrum Debrecen an in-depth interview at the event.
Between 2021 and 2025, industrial output in Hajdú-Bihar County rose from HUF 1,163 billion to more than HUF 2,000 billion, representing growth of 75 per cent. Industrial output in Debrecen also increased significantly over the past year, partly due to the start of production at BMW’s new plant. Mayor László Papp emphasised that the key question was how local small and medium-sized enterprises could also benefit from this growth. “We need to understand that SMEs can truly seize opportunities with major market players only if they are able to enter this world, understand the need for development and connect with the advanced technological processes that characterise the manufacturing operations of these large companies,” the mayor said.
The morning’s professional programme was complemented by face-to-face business meetings between procurement representatives from major companies and representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises. This year’s forum attracted more registrations than ever before, with around 400 businesses signing up from across Hungary.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
