The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has created a special committee to address the industry’s needs in the wake of the vote to leave the European Union (EU).
As well as setting up what it called a ‘Europe taskforce’, the trade body has also compiled a four-point plan for government to help safeguard the plastics industry following the Brexit referendum.
In an advance copy seen by PRW, the document stressed the industry needed ‘free access to the single market’, ‘access to skills’, with emphasis on apprentices, engineers and technicians, ‘maintaining and developing legislation compatible with the EU’ and ‘support for innovation and overseas business development’.
The BPF has used figures previously referred to in PRW that around 18,000 people, 10.6% of the plastic industry’s 170,000 strong workforce, are non-UK citizens from the EU.
In addition, 65% of plastic and plastic parts exported by the UK go to EU countries and 69% of imported plastic and plastic parts come from the EU. Moreover, the UK plastics industry is heavily reliant on imported raw materials and 80% is sourced from the EU, the BPF said.
The federation’s document also called for increased support for innovation and funding for overseas business development, as well as incentives for reshoring,
In all, 69 members responded to an August survey issued by the BPF which quizzed them about their key concerns.
Meanwhile, Plastribution managing director Mike Boswell has been appointed chairman of the BPF’s Europe task force, which contains eight directors of the federation’s member firms.
Boswell told PRW: “We are looking to make sure our voice is heard. We will also be working with other trade bodies to give a co-ordinated approach to government.”
He will give a presentation ‘Business beyond Brexit: Future relations between the UK and European polymer sectors’, on 20 October at this year’s K Show in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Ahead of his talk, Boswell added: “The EU is highly significant to the UK plastics sector both as a market for manufactured product but also as a source of plastic raw materials.
“It is essential that the UK has an orderly exit from the European Union for the health of our important sector.
“I am pleased to be both chair of the BPF’s Brexit committee and for this opportunity at Europe’s leading plastics event to put forward some of the key topics on access to the single market, access to skills, maintaining and developing legislation compatible with the EU and support for innovation and overseas business development.”
