Over the past six months we have been constantly reviewing our continuity plans to address the possible disruption arising from the end of the Brexit transition period and the UK’s departure from the European Union.

Our preparations have included, amongst other things, holding significantly higher stock levels of raw materials and laboratory consumables, including sampling bottles many of which we import from the European Union.

However, as I am sure that you are aware from the news reports, there have been several issues affecting the flow of goods into and out of the UK over the Christmas and New Year period due to a combination of the requirements for additional export paperwork, combined with cross-channel travel restrictions implemented as a result of the COVID -19 pandemic and a general shortage of available road haulage capacity willing to bring goods into the UK. These delays have meant that we are relying upon those additional stocks and have been unable to replenish our stock levels as frequently as we would wish.

We have been in contact with our European supplier and have been assured that all the export administration has been completed and hauliers have been engaged to allow our next consignment of bottles will be shipped to the UK at the end of this week.

We remain confident that our Brexit preparations will enable us to maintain continuity of service and are also confident that the actions we have implemented will resolve our supply problem in the coming weeks. However, as a contingency we are writing to ask for your co-operation and understanding in the following areas:

We would ask you, so far as possible, not to place orders for sample bottles beyond your immediate sampling requirements

Where large orders for sample bottles have been placed, we have asked our customer service to contact the client to confirm that the bottle order is genuinely required.

If you are aware of any significant upturn in future activity which will lead to you requiring additional stock, could you please let us know immediately.

These actions will help to ensure that we are able to meet the service requirements of all our clients through what is hopefully a short period of disruption.

If you have any immediate queries, please contact your Account Manager or our Client Services Teams at Coventry and Hawarden.

Christopher Caird

Group Quality and Compliance Manager + Brexit Preparations Lead

ALS Environmental UK & Ireland