Member Article

Could this be Yorkshire’s first post-Brexit European trade deal?

The first trading partnership between a Yorkshire and an EU company in the aftermath of Brexit may soon come to fruition thanks to Normanton-based Proton Group.

Senior staff from German cleaning products manufacturer, Calvatis GmbH, Ladenburg, flew to West Yorkshire at the end of last month to start exploratory talks about setting up a joint enterprise with Normanton-based Proton Group.

If successful, the talks could see Calvatis GmbH, which manufactures cleaning, and disinfection products and hygiene management systems for industrial use, establish a trading base in Yorkshire.

In return Proton Group, which supplies a wide range of specialist hygiene items for cleaning and disinfecting all types of draught dispensing equipment, would gain a trading platform in Germany.

Proton Group managing director, Murray Angus, a Chamber International export ambassador, said: “Calvatis has a network of trading partners in Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and South Africa and, as they do not have a UK presence, approached us with a view to forming a trade partnership, so they may establish a market in the UK for their products and offer a trading platform for us in Germany.

“We are already active in Europe in but recognise there is a lot more potential for us there. As we have a reputation for the production and supply of high-quality products, Calvatis’ approach was not a surprise, even though we knew them before this.

“This is evidence that, in spite of the Brexit vote, UK-EU trade, can continue, hopefully as close to before as possible.

The attitude of our two businesses is that it is ‘business as usual’. If the UK continues to supply products and services which are of value to other countries, I cannot see why Brexit should have a major impact.“

Speaking from Germany, Calvatis GmbH export sales director, Hans Graumans, who visited Proton Group with his managing partner, Thomas Mohr, added: “The UK is an important country where our key customers have their production plants and, when we want to supply these key customers, we need to have also access to the UK market.

“The UK Brexit vote was a surprise, and will give some extra hurdles, but we still believe in trade possibilities with the UK as we have partners in other countries with difficult circumstances for trading.

“We would never let an issue such as the UK’s Brexit vote get in the way of trading with UK companies. Businesses need to solve these problems another way. The only issue for us is the fall in pound sterling.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →