Still looking for suppliers the traditional way?

The best suppliers are often identified long before procurement starts. By engaging the supplier market early, project owners gain access to new capabilities, valuable industry insight and potential partners that can strengthen project execution and reduce risk.

As projects become larger, more complex and increasingly technology-driven, finding the right suppliers has become a strategic challenge. Waiting until a project reaches the procurement phase may mean missing valuable opportunities for innovation, collaboration and risk reduction.

The companies that move fastest are often those that engage the supplier market early.

Building stronger projects through early engagement

Whether you are bringing a new subsea technology to market, developing an offshore wind project, scaling a CCUS initiative or preparing a hydrogen value chain, one question remains the same: Do you know which suppliers can help you succeed?

Many organisations know their existing supply chain well. Fewer have a structured approach for identifying emerging capabilities, innovative technologies and new industrial partners before project execution begins.

This is where supplier engagement can create significant value.

More than a supplier day

At GCE Ocean Technology, we view supplier days as much more than events. They are a structured process for connecting industry needs with relevant supplier capabilities.

The goal is to:

• Identify the right companies early
• Create direct dialogue between project owners and suppliers
• Discover innovative solutions
• Reduce project risk
• Accelerate project development

For suppliers, these engagements provide valuable insight into future opportunities and upcoming industry needs. For project owners, they provide access to expertise and capabilities that may otherwise remain outside their existing network.

Through the one-on-one meetings, we had the opportunity to meet relevant players from Western Norway with expertise in offshore and maritime industries—exactly the kind of experience we need to realize our technology, Mari Bjørnø, Manager Strategy & Business Development at Wind Catching Systems

Why industry leaders are Increasingly looking beyond traditional networks

The energy transition is creating entirely new value chains. The suppliers you need tomorrow may not be the same suppliers you worked with yesterday.

Some of the most relevant companies may come from adjacent sectors, different regions or technologies that are only now entering the market.

Finding those companies requires more than a supplier database. It requires access to an innovation ecosystem.

With more than 100 members and partners spanning industry, research, entrepreneurs, investors and public stakeholders, GCE Ocean Technology is uniquely positioned to help identify relevant capabilities and connect the right organisations around new opportunities.

Turning opportunities into projects

The strongest industrial projects are rarely built by a single company. They are created through collaboration across value chains.

For project owners, supplier engagement offers an opportunity to strengthen execution plans, identify innovation opportunities and build future partnerships. For suppliers, it creates visibility into emerging markets and access to projects at an earlier stage. For the industry as a whole, it contributes to stronger regional value creation and increased competitiveness.

Looking for suppliers? Or looking for solutions?

Perhaps the more important question is not whether you have found suppliers. It is whether you have found the right partners to help solve your challenges.

If you are planning a major project and would like to engage suppliers before procurement begins, GCE Ocean Technology can help identify relevant capabilities, facilitate dialogue and connect your project with the right industry partners at the right time.

For project owners and technology developers, supplier days provide an effective way to explore the market, identify potential partners and strengthen projects before formal procurement starts.

Interested in exploring a tailored supplier day? Contact GCE Ocean Technology to discuss how we can connect your project with the right capabilities at the right time.