The trade association is part of a consortium led by the Food & Drink Federation that has received funding from BEIS for Brexit Readiness activities.
The CPI is also working with other related associations including BPIF Cartons, the Paper Industry Technology Association and the Sheet Plant Association to achieve widespread dissemination of the materials.
“We want as many people as possible to engage with this,” explained director general Andrew Large.
It has announced two free events, on 22 October at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, and on 24 October at the University of Bolton Stadium in Bolton, to help attendees consider the risks of a no deal Brexit. There will be speakers from CPI, BEIS and TLT Solicitors and a panel discussion on handling the management challenges of No Deal.
Places are limited, with CPI asking potential attendees to contact them as soon as possible via email on cpi@paper.org.uk.
Large said the association had been running Brexit preparedness seminars for individual members for at least 18 months: “It’s a business continuity problem and we have business continuity problems all the time. The potential impact of a No Deal Brexit can be managed in the same way,” he said.
“We can point you at some risks and say ‘do these risks apply to you?’ Issues such as trade and logistics for people selling in Europe, or if you use imported materials like inks or machinery spares, will there be tariffs? What happens, for example, if you are printing leaflets for a company that exports Beef to Europe?” he added.
“Some people are very much on top of it, but the protracted nature of the process and the great degree of uncertainty around it have led people to procrastinate.”
It is expected that one of the events will be broadcast via Facebook Live and available to watch online afterwards.
As well as the Brexit Readiness activities the CPI will also make advice available via a YouTube video and downloadable materials.
At the time of writing the UK was set to leave the EU on 31 October.
CPI’s membership includes paper and board manufacturers and converters, as well as corrugated packaging producers, soft tissue makers and firms that collect paper for recycling. It represents an industry with an aggregate turnover of £11.5bn and 56,000 direct employees, with a further 86,000 indirect employees.
