A call to look closer to home
A Wearside manufacturing firm is urging companies to keep it local as Brexit uncertainty deepens.
Washington-based Omega Plastics says now is the best time to move production back to the UK.
The firm believes relocating can reduce costs on logistics, material supply and packaging, and at the same time adding an element of reassurance for the customer that a product is being made in the United Kingdom.
It also means firms will be less impacted by any currency fluctuations if the UK falls out of the European Union without a deal.
Operations director Julian Jamieson said the time was ripe for firms to refocus on doing business close to home: “The world of manufacturing is all about quality, costs and time,” he said.
“The trick is to find a healthy balance between all three. What we offer at Omega Plastics is a good quality product that can be shipped anywhere in the world. But in these current times of uncertainty when UK companies are being more cautious, then why not look closer to home when placing your next order?
“We have always prided ourselves at Omega Plastics in coming up with the best solutions and delivering the goods. We will explore every avenue of design and technology to produce what the client wants.
“Once a job has been booked, a team is assigned to create and monitor the production every step of the way. Reshoring doesn’t have to be a chore.”
Omega Plastics employs more than 150 staff across three regional sites, including two factory units in Blyth and Hartlepool.
It specialises in high-volume production, and has a range of products including automotive parts from engine covers to seat and fuel system components; large panels for white goods; Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) covers; large structural components used in aerospace; and items for the construction industry (loft hatches, ventilation grills and drain covers).
The company’s clients include household names such as Aston Martin, Jaguar Landrover, Nissan and Honda.