A Suffolk plating firm which works for customers from around the world has prepared itself for Brexit by gaining key industry accreditations.
MP Eastern of Lowestoft - which provides anodising and plating services to customers who manufacture or supply parts for industries including oil and gas, renewable energy, subsea engineering, military and defence, as well as automotive and motorsport - was helped by Felistowe compliance consultancy Vartan to gain its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status and Inward Processing (IP) authorisation.
The company had been incurring costs on non-European Union goods imported for coating then returned to the customer.
MORE - Bungay brewery counts cost of poor mobile signal and frustratingly slow broadbandMP Eastern boss Richard Guise said they had tried to solve the customs situation on their own, but struggled with conflicting information online.
"Our global reputation means we're anodising, plating, coating or electroplating products and components for customers all over the world. We've been paying significant sums every month to HM Customs for importing these products but knew there was an anomaly in the system as they were coming to us for finishing and then heading straight out of the UK again."
Vartan worked with the company over five months. MP's new IP status means it can obtain relief from customs duty and import VAT on goods from outside the EU to be processed.
Vartan founder Miles Vartan said: "Having secured AEO 'C' accreditation and IP authorisation, we've negated the need for MP Eastern to pay unnecessary customs charges."
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