Lancashire firms want urgent action over exports following Brexit

Mick Mayor, chief executive of Team Leyland International, said the recent ratification of the free trade agreement between the UK and the European Union was “a relief”, but would not solve the bigger issues for British businesses.

A recent study by the British Chambers of Commerce showed 41 per cent of the almost 3,000 businesses survey reported a decrease in export sales, while only 20 per cent reported an increase.

Team Leyland International is sponsoring the Global Business of the Year category at this year’s Be Inspired Business Awards, The BIBAs.

Mr Mayor said: “The reality is that the changes within the agreement have been operational now for almost four months.

“It is now vital that both the UK and EU work together to alleviate the significant disruption and difficulty which many firms continue to report, especially with additional changes still to come.

“Without further support for businesses the effects of the deal will weigh on UK economic prospects for some time to come.

“The UK and the EU must now get back around the table and continue talks so they can build upon the arrangements set out in the agreement to deliver long-term improvements to the flow of trade between them.”

Another BCC study earlier this year found that 49 per cent of exporters reported difficulties adapting to changes to trade in goods rules.

The BIBAs closed for applications at the end of April with just over 650 entries received from business of all sectors and sizes from across Lancashire

Each entry has now been eligibility checked and will now be tested against a unique bench-marking criteria to select the Lancashire businesses which go through the interview stages of The BIBAs.

The criteria was developed for The BIBAs by Lancaster University Management School to benchmark the entries on an international level.

It follows a research project that aligned the BIBAs award judging infrastructure with America’s top business awards, The Stevie’s, the European Business Awards and the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise here in the UK.

For further details and to apply, visit www.thebibas.co.uk.

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