EU TRADE

Laura Lockley Purchasing and Systems Manager Invent Interior Solutions

Praise for ChamberCustoms

Businesses being helped by ChamberCustoms, introduced to help exporters with customs brokerage and freight clearance after the UK’s departure from the EU, are heaping praise upon the service.

The HMRC-compliant service, which focuses on quality, is run by qualified customs brokers, Ioanna Orfanidi and Adelina Paduraru, who have gained prestigious national qualifications after extensive training. The number of UK customs declarations is expected to increase by almost 500 per cent to 255m annually from 2021 with 202,081 UK businesses having to complete customs declarations for the first time. ChamberCustoms is facing strong national demand as the UK has an estimated 45,000 shortfall in customs agents and those that do exist have reached full capacity. Among businesses supported by the service are Keighley-based, Invent Interior Solutions. Purchasing and Systems Manager, Laura Lockley, said: “Our Chamber International customs broker has been invaluable in keeping our supply chain running smoothly from the start of 2021. “We were given lots of options to help us get the best out of our vendors and meet the import criteria as well as guidance and information to help us build our own knowledge.” Meanwhile, Managing Director of Caro Systems, near Barnsley, Roger Wood, commented: “We recently started using ChamberCustoms and are really pleased with the support you’re giving us. Our requests have been handled professionally, everything is clearly explained and runs smoothly. We know we’re now in safe hands. “We’re new to the customs declarations requirement for our shipments and you have patiently taken us through all the stages and helped us meet deadlines for deliveries to our customers. Thank you for the professional way you are supporting us at this challenging time” Finance Manager at Bradford chemicals company, Wilkinsons and Scott, Anne Heeley, said: “Thank you for your help with clearing customs for us, the goods arrived safe and well! “I really appreciate your help, especially your patience, hopefully I will have a better understanding of the procedure next time and will be able to provide you with all the relevant information. I look forward to working with you again. Thanks again for a first class service.” The event, attended by businesses from the food and drink and manufacturing sectors, discussed assistance with HMRC special customs procedures, including customs warehousing, inward/outward processing relief and temporary admission; Customs Freight Simplified Procedures (CFSP), commodity coding, classification, origin, Incoterms© and documentation reviews, supply chain optimisation and full trading profile reviews. Ioanna Orfanidi said:

“We want to make businesses aware that our service is different from others because it focuses on compliance and offers businesses a high level of personal service.”