UKTI held its second Chemicals Industry Conference in Harrogate.
It is one year since Janet Tingle, UKTI Strategic Trade Team’s Head of Aerospace, Chemicals and Engineering, announced the priority now placed on chemicals for UKTI and the commissioning of a recommendation report to identify key chemical sub-sectors where significant business could be won by UK companies.
The one-day conference in Harrogate aimed to update industry on the findings of the report and to consult further with industry to move forward with sub-sector campaigns.
The initial plenary session outlined UKTI’s strategic trade objectives as well as existing and new services to assist UK exporters on an individual basis. A series of six workshops followed in which delegates could give their views on future support. BIS, UKTI & CIA International Trade Strategy represented two workshops with comments sought on the overarching strategy and recommendations. Pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, cosmetics and personal care each had a sub-sector workshop where more in-depth industry opinion was elicited. A practical HMRC workshop gave delegates the opportunity to resolve any current issues surrounding customs procedures and as Industrial Biotechnology also featured in the UKTI strategy document the conference was completed by an upbeat presentation to all from Yvonne Armitage, Biosciences KTN, setting the scene for IB as a means of gaining competitive advantage.
