THE business communities of the North-East and North Yorkshire are vibrant and progressive, constantly vigilant for new opportunities.

The proliferation of entrepreneurial activity is testament to a dedicated drive for excellence.

Today's Business Echo supplement mirrors that push for success.

From today, The Northern Echo will carry a 16-page, colourful guide to the great and the good of the region's economic activity on a fortnightly basis - that's an extra 12 editions a year.

For the newspaper's business department, it represents an improved platform from which to deliver all the daily news.

A sizeable portion of the publication will remain dedicated to up-to-the-minute business news.

Commercial property news, appointments and comprehensive shares coverage keep their place, as does executive vehicle test drives from our motoring editor Nigel Burton.

To all this, we add a personal finance section offering information and advice as well as an easy-to-use guide on the latest bank accounts, personal loan rates and mortgages.

I would like to draw your attention to other features in this edition of Business Echo.

The topic on everyone's lips this week is likely to be the Budget. The Chancellor opted for tomorrow as the day to set out his vision for the nation's economic development over the coming year.

We have compiled a full-page pre-Budget special. A range of economists, analysts and financial experts give their views on what Gordon Brown will have up his sleeve.

Our full-colour centre spread focuses on the value of the export industry. With war in Iraq threatening the UK economy, it is more vital than ever that we find new and diverse outlets to improve the overall economy of our area.

It is important to remember that this is a truly regional platform, I would go so far as to say it is the only truly regional platform in the North-East.

The Northern Echo readership geographically covers one of the largest regional newspaper areas in the country. It is the best selling regional morning newspaper in the North-East - outstripping its nearest rival by more than 15,000 copies a day.

If you are a business looking to get your name out to the wider community, there can be no finer place to be profiled.

Business Echo is for the North-East and North Yorkshire business communities. But it is also there for people in North-East and North Yorkshire communities who have a general interest in business.

Enjoy it, it's everyone's business!