The Liverpool business that has boomed post-Brexit and through pandemic

With a shortage of HGV drivers and tougher post-Brexit immigration rules having an impact on the number of European Union citizens seeking work within the UK, many industries are seeing an impact. However, for one Liverpool company at least, leaving the EU has impacted them positively.

Liverpool-based logistics company Brunswick International has even opened a new HQ to deal with extra demand for its services post-Brexit.

Managing director Steve Crane says he has been able to increase the number of staff by 400% and business has increased 10 to 15 fold since the UK left the EU.

The business has moved from its former Kirkdale base where it had operated from for over twenty years to move to a state of the art 50,000 sq.ft warehouse on Triumph Business Park.

The new premises, which also includes 15,000 sq.ft of external storage space, follows a surge in demand from growing numbers of domestic and international clients.

The new base includes more storage bays and temperature controlling facilities which will allow Brunswick to widen the products it imports and exports.

Brunswick has also been granted a Customs Bond facility, which will allow businesses to store their goods with the advantage of delaying the payment of custom duties until the goods are released.

The pandemic has also created a big backlog of drivers taking their HGV test.

The shortages have hit both retailers and restaurant chains on a National level.

Nando’s had to shut 50 restaurants across the UK because of a chicken shortage with branches in Liverpool, Speke, Warrington and Southport.

McDonald’s also cited supply chain issues as the reason why milkshakes were not available on their menus.

A Government spokeswoman said: "We recently announced a package of measures to help tackle the HGV driver shortage, including plans to streamline the process for new drivers to gain their HGV licence and to increase the number of driving tests able to be conducted.

"However, most of the solutions are likely to be driven by industry, with progress already being made in testing and hiring, and a big push towards improving pay, working conditions and diversity.

"We want to see employers make long-term investments in the UK domestic workforce instead of relying on labour from abroad and our Plan for Jobs is helping people across the country retrain, build new skills and get back into work."