Wednesday February 27, 2019
We are all in the same boat where Brexit is concerned. There is little clarity at present on how events are going to play out and until recently, the leave date was the only certainty. We now planning for an event with an unknown outcome. That said, we at J C Atkinson started making preparations in October 2018.
What have we done and how have we prepared?
We audited our supply chain and spoke with our key suppliers. Whilst no one has a crystal ball, all are motivated to take prudent precautions to ensure continuity of supply should their supply chain, European or otherwise, be disrupted. The consensus of opinion is that the real threat is about the delay of product deliveries caused by non-compliant paperwork for goods which are already in transit.It is very likely that paperwork for goods will have to be re-assigned or amended to fall into the new and chosen regulatory regime. It is this issue which is causing the uncertainty and will inevitable cause delay.
The current established practice is that Customs Authorities collect duties by declarations on paperwork directly form importers, exporters or specialist freight forwarding companies. Borders and Customs Authorities already deal with duties from Non-EU Countries and operate under WTO rules, which is the no-deal default and is already an established practice. However, there is still a massive task at hand, as goods which may already been assigned might have to be amended and re-assigned and any dues or duties collected. In theory, the Government can do this without delay at the ports as it is a paperwork exercise. It is questionable whether or not our EU neighbours will cooperate, and this is what could cause the delays in our ports. For instance, our imported coffins and memorial products from India and Bangladesh fall into this category and currently are imported using WTO rules.
Wholesale Products
Alternative Coffins and Memorial Goods: We import from eight non-EU countries at present. Stock has been increased by 30% and we have pulled forward our April and May deliveries into January, February and March.
Manufactured Products
Many of the components are made within the UK. Some however are not; for instance, the chipboard is made in the UK, but the veneer which is laminated on to it is American Oak. Likewise, the wood-effect (foil) papers are German or Japanese but are laminated in Huddersfield. Our ASAP lining sheets are made in Norway, a non-EU country, and are imported with duty applied already. Our coffin furniture comes from Ireland. However, we have spoken to our all suppliers and have been reassured that they have taken steps to mitigate against delays.
Price Stability
We have increased stock in wholesale goods, which is a buffer. We have also forward bought currency to increase our resilience. However, we cannot guarantee that prices will remain unchanged during this period. That said, we can assure you that we do not have any plans to increase prices.
In summary
We have carried out all the necessary due-diligence and put in place, with cost, what we can.
If you have any questions
Please do not hesitate to contact us on brexit@jcatkinson.co.uk and we will try to help with your query.
Kind regards
Julian M Atkinson
Managing Director
JC Atkinson and Son Limited.
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Testimonials
As a Funeral Directors who strives to offer the very best quality products available, we chose to use Atkinson’s Reflections range when it comes to picture coffins. Incorporating personal memories of the deceased that Jamie and the Reflections team have designed specifically for that individual family.
- Daniel from D.B.DevallsJust to let you know how elegant the Walnut Tree Oval coffin looked this morning - it caught everyone's eye, plenty of comments and none of the pallbearers had seen one like it. It really did look smart. The book for the name details is beautiful, really impressive.
- White Rose Modern FuneralsJust want to say a massive thank you to you & your team for this coffin, we along with the Humanist celebrant, crematorium staff, family and friends thought it was absolutely brilliant, on route to the crematorium there were people on the street taking photos of the coffin and EVERYONE had a big stupid smile on their faces.
- McKenzie and Millar - FuneralcareEveryone commented on how unusual the coffin was. Usually people are too scared to go up to the coffin at a funeral, but everyone went up to see and spent time looking at the photos that were displayed on the coffin. It made is so much easier to be close to dad
- Diane (on behalf of Poetic Endings Funeral Directors)Mum loved the outdoors and nature. She was very environmentally conscious. When we looked at your Eco friendly coffins we knew we’d be able to find something perfect for mum. It made such a sad time a little easier as we know she would have loved it.
- Mr & Mrs SingletonI loved the design on the picture coffin, it really captured my mother’s hobbies. She loved bowls, and to have the bowling green on was a wonderful way to say goodbye.
- Janice DohertyWe wanted to say goodbye to our sister Helen, but in something that was more than just ‘a box’. The different choices that were available in all styles was fascinating. We chose a beautiful American-style Casket and also got a separate keepsake in her memory.
- Carl & Becky Taylor