Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The FTA has worked closely with government over the past three years to develop new trading processes for the UK’s businesses to use after Brexit, but the Yellowhammer document shows that there is still much that could go wrong and still has to be done to keep Britain trading effectively.
The logistics specialists said that many of the details may seem trivial but are actually crucial to the successful protection and continuation of the UK’s supply chain, and industry needs key decisions to be made urgently to keep imports and exports moving efficiently. Businesses can only prepare for and implement new processes once and still need confirmation of what they are to adopt in the way of new practices, while still maintaining existing trading relationships and keeping costs down.
“We are still very concerned by the risk that fuel supplies could be impacted, considering this would affect the movement of goods both domestically and internationally – at no point in the past three years of negotiations has any indication of this nature been made to us or our 18,000 members by government.”
“The logistics industry is at the heart of the UK’s economy, impacting every individual and business. The report shows that there is still significant detail to be clarified if Britain is to keep trading efficiently after Brexit. Leaving the logistics industry still waiting for detail on trading arrangements after Brexit is to hinder the very businesses that will be relied upon to keep Britain trading through a costly and difficult No Deal Brexit.”
Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc.
The FTA says that it speaks to the Government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers.
