Member Article

Midlands packaging specialists unveil Brexit-ready action plan

AS the countdown to Brexit gathers pace, a Midlands packaging specialist has unveiled an action plan to minimise any disruption to its customers.

allpack Packaging, based at Aldridge, near Walsall, has written to its national and international client bases with a reassurance that it is “Brexit ready”.

With fewer than 60 days until the UK is set to leave the European Union, the company has launched a raft of wide-ranging initiatives to minimise the risk of any breakdown in supply.

These are spearheaded by using the extra warehouse capacity it created off-site earlier this year to increase stock levels in the run-up to Brexit on March 29, particularly goods imported from Its European and Far East suppliers.

In parallel to this, it is offering customers a pre-Brexit financial incentive which will enable customers to take advantage of a discount on the advance products they purchase.

Other measures include:

• ensuring suppliers have agreements in place with smaller UK ports in the event of major ones getting congested or blocked • applying for an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) licence to minimise the threat of delays when allpack containers arrive at customs • sourcing goods from countries where the lowest tariffs apply should there be any changes to import charges • monitoring foreign currency exchange rates and using more than one provider, to reduce the potential impact of fluctuations on product costs

“Many of the packages delivered to doors up and down the country every day, as well as overseas, start life in our warehouses,” said Jim Clarke, founder and Chairman of the family business, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

“With more than 5,000 product lines available for fast delivery nationwide, it’s vital that we adopt every possible safeguard to maintain service levels.

“As part of our action plan, we have also written to all our key suppliers and transport carriers asking for their own Brexit plan to ensure there is no interruption of supply to us.

“All our customers can be reassured that we are taking whatever steps we can to protect our supply and operations throughout the Brexit transit period.

“We are actively working with many of them to discuss their forecasted requirements, providing guidance on usage and suggested amounts if needed.”

The company, which has grown into a team of 50, prides itself on the diversity of its workforce.

Thanks to the home grown skills of this team, it have expanded from a few hundred products and a handful of staff, into one of the UK’s leading names in packaging supplies and bespoke solutions.

To protect these skills, allpack is assisting those of a non-UK nationality in making the necessary legislative applications to remain in the UK post-Brexit

Its manufacturing capability and capacity means that each year it can supply over 10,000 tonnes of film, 600 million square m of tape and 100,000 kilometres of strapping – enough to go around the world two and a half times.

It counts household names such as Dunelm, Travis Perkins, Wickes, Mazda and Volvo among its growing portfolio of blue chip clients.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by richard chew .