BREXIT
close proximity – such as meat and poultry processing and packing plants – have been hugely impacted by rapid spread of the virus, is likely to lead to increased investment in automation.
than routing through warehouses in the UK and paying the onward tariffs, which again creates increased costs. For UK machine builders and systems
integrators, however, the situation is quite different. Although all of the paperwork and associated costs related to the importing of components is just the same, because the vision components generally constitute a comparatively small proportion of the total project cost, there will be only a marginal impact on overall costs. In addition, since the production of the system will have a significant element of UK design, development and manufacture, their contribution to the total price is likely to be sufficient to satisfy the rules of origin for zero tariffs.
Certification Te beginning of the year saw the introduction of the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) and UKNI marks in the UK. UKNI marking will supplement, but not replace, CE marking for products in the Northern Ireland market; while, in Great Britain, the UKCA mark is required for all new products that would previously have required the CE mark. CE marking continues to be recognised in the UK for existing products until the end of 2021. Although a large proportion of vision components sold in the UK are imported, their manufacturers will presumably decide whether or not to UKCA mark their products based on individual volume sales. Tis could lead to a reduction in the choice of vision components available in the UK.
www.imveurope.com | @imveurope UK machine builders and systems
integrators will, of course, need to implement UKCA certification for UK sales, while maintaining CE certification for sales into the EU. Te same will apply for OEMs who make use of vision in their products.
Looking at the wider picture A major benefit of the deal is that much of UK manufacturing, including the automotive industry, can continue without major trade barriers. For example, Nissan has not only said that its Sunderland plant is secure for the long-term as a result of the deal, but has also decided to localise the manufacture of the 62kWh battery in Sunderland, so that all products qualify for tariff-free export to the EU. Currently, the batteries in its Leaf electric cars are imported from Japan. A lot of industries were looking to move
to higher levels of automation incorporating vision systems and robotics at the beginning of 2020 before the pandemic took hold. While many projects have been delayed, these will be reinstated as the vaccination programme helps economies reopen. Te vision industry offers an extensive range of established and versatile technology that can be readily adapted to meet emerging requirements. Another important factor from Brexit is the end of free movement, which means that there will be a shortage of the low-cost labour used extensively in many sectors, especially food, beverage and agriculture. Tat, combined with the fact that many industries that have people working in
Help from UKIVA Te biggest immediate challenge for the vision industry resulting from the trade deal is understanding and implementing the new rules and regulations. UKIVA is part of the Processing and Packaging Manufacturing Association (PPMA) group, and UKIVA members have benefited from the wide range of support offered by PPMA on these issues. Te PPMA sits on the council of Export
Partners UK to help fly the flag for British exporters, and is actively engaged with the UK government’s department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) and Make UK (the manufacturers’ organisation), to represent the interests of members who move goods in and out of the UK. Te PPMA members’ information library
is a valuable tool for sourcing relevant business information to help members make informed decisions. It provides access to hundreds of documents and associated government and industry links to provide advice on importing and exporting, conformity assessment and access to business support templates. Also, the PPMA has issued six e-business updates to help bring some clarity post-Brexit and post- Brexit transition period.
Te new normal Tis phrase is generally used in the context of the pandemic but is equally applicable to the post-Brexit era. Te layers of complexity arising from the deal will inevitably bring some real pain points for the vision industry in the short term, but it won’t be long before these processes become the new normal for doing business with the EU. Tese early disruptions should be outweighed by the increased opportunities for machine vision through significant need for automation. O
Neil Sandhu, from Sick UK, is the incoming UKIVA chairman, while Allan Anderson, from ClearView Imaging, is the outgoing chairman
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 IMAGING AND MACHINE VISION EUROPE 9
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