Brexit brings business boost for Belgrade Polymer Products

A Wellingborough-based plastics manufacturing company says the decision for the UK to exit the European Union has resulted in a boost for business.

Belgrade Polymer Products says it has invested in new staff and equipment to meet demand following an increase in orders after the outcome of the referendum vote last June and the consequent devaluation of the pound.

At the beginning of 2017 the company secured a “four-fold” rise in orders for its range of polypropylene (PP) and LDPE pail liners from a long-standing European customer.

“As a result of Brexit and the devaluation of sterling, it’s become more advantageous for UK businesses to secure sales from Europe. Recent negotiations with our European customer have yielded an increase from around 100,000 to 500,000 liners per annum,” commented Patrick Burke, General Manager at Belgrade.

In order to cope with the increase in production, the company is maximising existing capacity by running extra shifts alongside investment in a new polymer blender.

“Of course, it’s not just Brexit. But I believe it’s helped to give us an audience, which has increased and given us the prospect of selling the added-value concept and to close these sales opportunities, certainly in Western Europe,” Burke continued.

“Our customer likes the fact that we are more responsive and says the reason why they buy from us is because our quality, service and communication are better.”

Concluding, Burke added: “Ultimately, doing business is about developing the customer relationship and common objectives or interests. I think business people tend to lose that and become too focussed on numbers and not the relationship. In today’s challenging marketplace, I think both are equally important.”