UK Chemical Industry says “we must get Brexit right” to build on growth

Leaders from the UK chemical industry have expressed the need to get the terms of Brexit right in order to be able to build on the growth seen in the last year.

Speaking at its business conference and dinner last week, senior figures within the Chemicals Industry Association (CIA) highlighted the resilience of the industry despite the uncertainties surrounding Brexit.

“We have our challenges with Brexit and the rest but we won’t sit around waiting for things to happen to us. This is an industry that has always made its own future and will continue to do so,” said Tom Crotty, CIA President.

During the events the industry addressed key Brexit priorities of tariffs, non-tariff barriers, regulatory consistency and continued access to skills, echoing the wider business community call throughout Europe for a transition period with no change to secure the best possible Brexit deal.

Looking beyond EU exit, the key role the industry can play in delivering a successful industrial strategy for the UK through the tremendous potential for innovation and decarbonisation, sustaining and creating high quality jobs for people in all parts of the country, was also discussed.

“In this past year we have seen significant growth in chemical production by businesses right across the UK. Now we must make sure we get Brexit right and build on that growth, with investment in our country becoming a regular and on-going occurrence,” commented CIA Chief Executive, Steve Elliott.