British manufacturer establishes Dutch subsidiary

The company continues to manufacture from its Devon factory but will import products into the EU via its subsidiary, absorbing the time and cost associated with lengthy liability paperwork.

Mantracourt Electronics, which is headquartered in the UK, specialises in cost-effective test and measurement products for a variety of industry segments, like automotive, construction, industrial processing, and civil engineering. European customers in these sectors will soon be able to buy from Mantracourt through a local distribution presence, reducing the time and costs associated with new import protocols.

“By incorporating a Dutch subsidiary, we can hold stock in the Netherlands and take on the importer’s liabilities that many of our European customers face,” explains Robert Badcock, Managing Director of Mantracourt. “Before Brexit, there was no import paperwork, product liability or duty incumbent to the purchaser. However, now the product liability that is inherent to the manufacturer, such as VAT and duties costs, is also passed on to the purchaser.

“To add to the complexity, these liabilities are different for each of the 27 EU member states, who all have different import laws on payable VAT. Due to the additional admin costs associated with buying British, European electronics customers face delays in receiving their orders, and suffer economically as a result. Our Dutch entity will enable customers on the continent to receive their order quickly, ensuring their own operations can run as smoothly as possible.”

Mantracourt is a previous recipient of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade and, as part of its strategy to streamline product imports into Europe, recently hired a new sales and marketing manager, Matthew Youngs. Youngs previously worked as export manager for a company in the tool and machinery industry and is well placed to offer the necessary support to Mantracourt’s European customers.

With this Dutch subsidiary, the process of purchasing from a British manufacturer will be made easy, efficient, and cost-effective. It will also give the company an avenue to expand business and increase company visibility across the continent, something Youngs will be responsible for overseeing in his new role.