Following the June referendum and our Government’s insistence that ‘Brexit means Brexit’, Herga Technology is taking a positive stance towards the future. As part of the Variohm Holdings Group, the UK manufacturer employs 85 staff in its Bury St Edmunds facility – designing and producing footswitches, hand controls and sensing solutions for industrial and medical applications.  

With sterling now at significantly lower levels against all major currencies, Herga’s export book has been expanding – even in the short time since the referendum – with USA, and European customers taking full advantage of lower component purchasing costs. With the US$ trading substantially higher than £’s sterling and that trend seemingly set to continue, British exports for manufactured products that are sourced in the UK are set to thrive. As a major supplier to major medical equipment OEMs which are dominant in the USA and Germany, Herga’s sterling adjusted costs and its international distribution support network will appeal.

UK-based OEM’s that have relied on purchasing switching components from overseas are also finding Herga’s pricing appealing. The stronger currencies have risen by an average of 10% since Brexit and that coupled with US$ linked fuel costs for long-distance shipping has meant that many UK manufacturers are being squeezed, and are turning to UK-sourcing to regain their margins.

Demonstrating its optimism through investment, a recent Brexit-initiated decision for Herga included a £60k investment in production mould tooling for a new footswitch that was to be placed with a Far East supplier but was awarded instead to a UK company. Whilst costs were an important consideration, the much faster delivery and local service and support from the UK supplier were driving factors. Significant investment in plant, equipment and business systems improvements have continued since Herga Technology’s acquisition by the Variohm Holdings Group in 2013.

But Herga’s optimism is not just about the pound. The indications are that Post-Brexit, the UK can begin to redress its imbalance between the service and manufacturing industries. British manufactured high-technology equipment is sought after world-wide and can gain substantially if future conditions, outside the EU permit.

“Herga Technology’s optimism is clear”, explains Managing Director, Roy Moffatt. “We have continued to invest in people and equipment but also have made substantial business performance and systems changes that have made Herga a much greater force in the global market for footswitches and hand controls. Our recent ISO 13485:2012 medical quality management system accreditation and ISO 9001:2015 status is another example of our commitment to the future.”

Herga Technology
Northern Way
Bury St. Edmunds
Suffolk IP32 6NN
UK

Tel: +44 (0)1284 701422 or +44 (0) 1327 351004

Website: www.herga.com