Making sure Mid & East Antrim businesses are prepared for Brexit

Well, a major advertising and information campaign has been launched to make sure manufacturers in Northern Ireland are prepared as the UK gets ready to leave the EU.

Manufacturing NI, an extensive membership organisation representing the manufacturing sector here, has launched the campaign in partnership with Ulster University (UU).

It will signpost manufacturing businesses to a new website and learning portal with all the relevant information they need to prepare for Brexit. The website is www.mnisupplychain.com. The campaign has produced 10 sectoral guides and an innovative e-learning series, ‘Get Supply Chain Ready for Brexit’. This campaign will have information on everything from workforce issues and importing and exporting goods, to UK and EU regulations and supply chain issues. The sectoral guides reflect the layout of the Northern Irish manufacturing sector and include information for companies working across a number of key sectors.

Mary Meehan from Manufacturing NI said: “Leaving the EU, deal or no-deal, will have a massive impact on our local manufacturing industry. Firms here need to be confident that they are prepared for every eventuality which may crop up. This campaign with Ulster University will ensure manufacturers have all the information they need to mitigate against the impacts of Brexit and to help keep their businesses running as smoothly as possible. The manufacturing sector is the bedrock of the Northern Irish economy, directly and indirectly supporting over 214,000 jobs, accounting for almost two-thirds of all Northern Irish exports and making up one-third of the entire Northern Irish economy. Given our importance to the regional economy, we cannot allow ourselves to be unprepared for Brexit. This campaign and the sectoral guides provide support and guidance to manufacturing firms across Northern Ireland and will provide clarity in an otherwise uncertain landscape.”

Dr Trevor Cadden, Senior Lecturer in Operations Management from University of Ulster said: Many companies are hugely concerned about the current Brexit uncertainty and how difficult it will be to navigate a changing landscape. A lot of businesses in Northern Ireland lack the skills and resources to prepare for Brexit, so we trust that this unique set of easy accessible online supply chain resources will help guide them in the right direction.”

NI manufacturing companies will also receive campaign packs via email containing sector-specific information to help them prepare.