Make UK hold London conference to reinforce manufacturers’ Brexit preparations

The first event took place in London on 21 October and the second event will take place in Manchester on 23 October. Attendees to both events will benefit from the UK’s leading customs and migration experts providing the latest insight and practical guidance on Brexit directly to British manufacturers.

The conference comes at a time when Make UK members require urgent clarity on the implications of Brexit on their day-to-day operations, particularly in the context of a potential no-deal Brexit. A recent poll conducted by Make UK found that, in the past two years, almost two-thirds of companies in the manufacturing sector have seen their profit margins suffer as a result of Brexit. Further to this, half of those surveyed noted that EU customer and supplier attitudes towards their businesses had worsened.

More than 250 senior leaders from the manufacturing industry are expected to attend across the two events, where they will be provided with practical knowledge on likely new rules on export and import and personnel requirements, in addition to receiving expert advice to prepare them in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Key customs topics that will be covered include overviews of the likely new import and export processes, and explanations of trader responsibilities, and tariff classifications and measures. The personnel requirements session will cover all the key information required for employing EU citizens.

Keynote speakers at the conference will include Keith Robe, Managing Director at Cusdec and Tim Thomas, Director of Labour Market & Skills Policy at Make UK.

Hilary Douglas, Head of Corporate Affairs at Make UK, comments: “With just over a week until the UK is scheduled to leave the EU, it is vital for jobs and the economy that manufacturers do all that they can to prepare for every eventuality. To this end, both workshops will focus on ensuring that manufacturing leaders have the practical knowledge to ensure that export and imports remain as frictionless as possible. Hearing from two of the UK’s leading experts on customs and migration, delegates will also be supported to identify the key possible cost saving measures that can enable manufacturers to make the most of post-Brexit opportunities.”