more Welsh Sainsbury is looking for the next tranche of companies to join its supplier development programme in Wales. Trade development manager for Wales and the South West Rachael Turner said Sainsbury was targeting smaller companies. Under the scheme, suppliers selected by Sainsbury will go through a five to six-month programme part-funded by the Welsh Development Agency, in which Sainsbury will offer technical support and expertise to help companies secure regional or national listings. Eight of the suppliers that completed the first programme have substantially increased their business with Sainsbury's since they joined, with their sales to the multiple on course to approach £8m by September 2002, a rise of 84% since the start of the programme in May 2001. Overall, business with Welsh suppliers is substantially up on last year, said Turner. "In 2001, we did £128m of business with suppliers in Wales, 33% up on the previous year. And 2002 is looking equally good." Sainsbury is also looking at ways to address the logistical challenges represented by dealing with smaller companies on a regional basis. Some suppliers in the first development programme have grouped together to deliver goods to Sainsbury's RDCs on the same truck, said Turner. {{NEWS }}

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