A business organisation has reported a record month for exports from the South West, despite the national economy shrinking.
Business West processed a record number of export documents in July 2019, demonstrating what it calls the strength and resilience of South West businesses, despite the gloomy national economic outlook.
On average, Business West, which is a member of the British Chambers of Commerce, certified 125 European Certificates of Origin each day during July.
European Certificates of Origin are used by exporters to prove the origin of their goods, their weight and country of destination.
Business West – which represents more than 21,000 businesses in Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire - is one of 53 accredited 海角视频 chambers authorised to certify Certificates of Origin on behalf of exporters.
Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and Cornwall Chamber of Commerce also issue the certificates.
In addition to the nearly 2,300 plus Certificates of Origin certified in the month of July, Business West also issued over 150 ATA Carnets in the same period.
Carnets are known as a “passport for goods”, meaning that performers and salespeople can transport their goods and equipment across borders temporarily without paying import duties and taxes.
Most Read
News of a bumper period for South West exporters came as the 海角视频 suffered its first fall in GDP in six and a half years.
Between April and June the economy shrank 0.2%. Another quarter of negative growth would tip the 海角视频 into its first recession since the financial crisis.
Phil Smith, managing director at Business West said: “Despite the 海角视频 economy teetering on the edge of a recession, South West businesses keep on trading with the world.
“This is reflected by that fact that our 19-strong export documentation team processed more export documents in the last 30 days than ever before.
“As the largest chamber in the 海角视频, not only are we one of the 海角视频's leading providers of export document, we are also a bellwether for the economic health of this region.”
South West firms have exported an astonishing £21.6billion in goods during the past year despite the global economy being “challenging”, official figures show.
South West export stories
In June 2019, Government data showed South West firms had exported £21.6billion in goods during the past year.
Don’t miss
HMRC data revealed that as well as overseas demand for goods from the South West being at a record high, the region had recorded four consecutive years of growth in goods exports.
The Department for International Trade said the overseas sales success was “despite an increasingly challenging global economic environment” and stressed that the world continues to demand British goods from regions across the country.
HMRC data showed goods exports from the South West in the 2018/19 financial year grew by 4% to a record high of £21.6billion.
Goods exports from the South West have now grown for four consecutive years, the joint highest in the country.
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: - LinkedIn: - Facebook:
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click .
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page
As well as increased demand for goods from the South West, the number of businesses from the region exporting goods abroad had also shot up.
In the first quarter of 2019, a total of 8,352 South West-based businesses exported abroad - 162 more than during the same period in the previous year.
A growing contributor to the increased demand for goods from the South West was the spiralling demand from Latin America and Caribbean, where exports grew in the 2018/19 financial year by 13.5% to £269million.