This morning the team and I visited Harold Wood manufacturer, Silverhook, after receiving an invitation by dynamic Chief Executive, John Iszatt, to discuss exporting.
Silverhook has been running in the constituency for over fifty years, eventually becoming a manufacturing plant for the blending and bottling of many chemical products. Since the Brexit vote, John advised that the company has enjoyed a huge increase in business. Always a small exporter, Silverhook now has major contracts and orders to countries as diverse as Nigeria, Korea, Lebanon and Iraq. Meanwhile, in the UK the firm has a full order book and has even managed to move some out-filling back from China to the UK.
John wanted to make clear that at ground level, many SMEs are doing very well and alongside a tour of the business, we had a long discussion about Brexit, my work on the International Trade committee, the customs union and negative lobbying from big business. It was a fascinating visit which left us all feeling uplifted.