Yorkshire engineering process firm believes Brexit delay is detrimental to manufacturing

Normanton-based pyrometallurgical process engineering company Inprotec says that the delay of Brexit is having ‘negative’ impact on manufacturing.

Speaking at a recent Brexit Roundtable discussion hosted by Wakefield Council, business leaders said that the extension to Brexit would further impact their business.

However, at the same time the UK leaving without an agreement would not be in their interest and would create even more economic uncertainty.

Attending the meeting was Chris Oldroyd, managing director of Normanton-based, Inprotec.

He said: “Manufacturers are largely concerned with the effect of Brexit on administration, cost and the timeliness of movement of materials into the UK, and goods out of the UK, as well as the potential for a reduced workforce.

“There are other concerns which need to be addressed around the processing of goods containing valuable and scarce materials. Products of high technology and new energy are increasing massively and they are all dependent on these materials.”

Chris added: “We have very few facilities in the UK which are able to return these materials into elemental form and back into the economic cycle.

“Recycling companies crush, size and carry out some material sorting, but the really valuable materials are shipped to Europe or further for processing.

“This is not going to be economically viable post-Brexit, and other materials, such as Lithium are not safe to ship over water.”

He went on to say that the UK has become more self-sufficient in recycling valuable materials, but an additional issue needs to be addressed in the form of waste such as plastic.

“Transporting plastics overseas for other countries to process is not going to be viable due to additional costs and the fact that other countries will no longer accept these wastes.

“The UK needs to address the plastic recycling issue locally, so the raw materials are not transported, and therefore gain value from the recycling, the most obvious of which would be by returning the plastics back to its hydro-carbon form. Technology exists which allows this process and it needs to be taken advantage of.”

Corporate director for economic growth and regeneration, Tom Stannard said that the council could advise on various funds that were available to help fortify businesses for the new trading era.