With the shadow of a no deal Bruit still hanging over Irish and UK industry, Soltec is one Irish based manufacturer that is fully prepared for a no deal scenario and is confident it will be able to deliver the same levels of product quality, service and value, whatever the outcome. 

Michael Corcoran, Managing Director of Soltec says, “We are all hoping that some kind of Brexit agreement will be reached, but at the same time there is a great deal of uncertainty, so it makes sense to prepare for the worst. We have been planning our post Brexit operating strategy for many months and as such we are fully prepared for every eventuality.”

As Michael points out the dangers of a no deal Brexit are no longer just speculation, but in a few short weeks could be all too real. He comments, “If there is no deal, then duties and tariffs would immediately be applied and we believe this could put up the price of UK sourced solvent and thinners by as much as 40%. There would also be disruption to supply with much longer and unpredictable lead times on UK imported product.”

As Ireland only paint thinners manufacturing operation, Soltec would be one of the few companies in the Irish refinish sector that could guarantee continuous supply and stable pricing. Michael says, “We have invested over €500,000 in our manufacturing facilities in recent years so we can offer 100% Irish made products. We have also worked hard to make sure that when it comes to items such as raw materials and packaging we are not reliant on UK based suppliers. This means that whatever happens we can keep supplying our customers with what they need.”

As well as the supply of thinners and solvent, the other major part of the Soltec business is in hazardous waste disposal and recycling for bodyshop and garages and Michael and his team have also applied the same level of preparation and planning here. He comments, “We have been able to secure deals with specialist waste processing operations outside of the UK so that we can continue to offer customers the same level of service and maintain the highest environmental standards.” Michael concludes, “A no deal Brexit is something that no one in Irish business wants, but it is a real possibility. We are fully prepared and believe through careful planning we can also help our customers through the uncertainty.”