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Case Study - Agil
Located: Reading, Berkshire
Contacts: Mike Rogers, Commercial Director – Tel: 0118 981 3333 or Murray Hyden, Managing Director
Turnover: £5.25 million
Number of Employees: Ten
Primary nature of Business:
Agil’s primary business is the manufacture and sale of a complete range of specialized ingredients and biotechnological products for the international animal feed industry. Agil is one of Britain’s leading specialised agricultural companies.
The company recently introduced products associated with disinfecting animal drinking water and products to control insect infestation in poultry houses and stored grain. All products, wherever possible, are naturally based and environmentally friendly solutions to problems faced by the animal feed milling industry and animal producer.
The company operates in a highly regulated market and has to respond to rapidly changing legislation facing feed manufacturers and animal producers throughout the world. Agil invests heavily in research and development resources and continually strives to meet these challenges.
Agil ensures that its range of products conform to all the latest biotechnical and quality standards. The company also offers advice and information on all aspects of feed production and usage to customers and distributors worldwide.
Export Markets:
Through an international network of distributors, Agil exports to 50 markets worldwide excluding North America; sub-Sahara Africa and Russia. Asia is one of the Agil’s main export markets and includes Australasia and the Indian sub-continent. In the future, Agil are also keen to penetrate the Chinese market.
Exported Turnover:
Export counts for approximately 94% of Agil’s turnover. Agil converted quickly from a largely UK focused business in the 1980’s, to one focused on international markets. All products are exported but not necessarily to all sales territories.
Impact of the export opportunity on the business:
The relative decline in the UK of animal production in favour of lower cost producers abroad made it vital for Agil to pursue export markets. There were also significant opportunities to make a recognizable impact on territories where the standards of feed hygiene and animal husbandry are generally lower.
Benefits of using e-Cert eXpress:
The management of export certificates can be a time intensive business. The efficient and accurate completion and authentication of export certificates is vital for businesses like Agil’s where such a high proportion of their business comes from overseas.
It is essential that an efficient service is delivered in order to ensure the documentation provided is not only in compliance with any requirements but received in time to meet shipping schedules or timescales imposed by the Banks to clear the goods with the relevant documents.
Agil uses the British Chambers of Commerce e-Cert eXpress service to help streamline this process. It allows Agil to complete the required paperwork online and receive authentication from their local Chamber directly without the delay of posting paper copies. It can take only minutes to complete, send and receive authentication for an export certificate. In addition, key information is stored allowing repeat certificates to be created without the need for repetitive form filling.
e-Cert Fits Clarks Shoes Perfectly
Shoe giant Clarks International is the latest convert to e-Cert, the British Chambers of Commerce's new web-based EC Certificates of Origin service.
Accustomed to posting application forms to its local Chamber in Bristol in order to obtain the necessary Certificates of Origin, Clarks has been able to achieve significant time savings by completing the documentation on-line.
Karen Oaten, responsible for Export Documentation at Clarks, comments: "It saves a lot of time and helps to make the Certificate of Origin look professional. It is an easy system to use on a day to day basis and is very straightforward to teach someone else."
Doug Searle, who was responsible for switching to e-Cert concludes: "This kind of service supports the ever-developing role of the Chambers of Commerce and its drive to provide customers with the best service. For this, we at Clarks are extremely grateful as we are able to pass this efficiency on to our customers"
Clarks celebrated earlier this year after winning the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category. The award recognised the exceptional progress the company has made in promoting its footwear across the world. Clarks is ranked number one non-sports shoe brand in the world, with products in over 150 countries.
Karen Oaten, Clarks, Somerset
"We are a small business and our offices are within 2 miles of our Chamber. ...We cannot afford for a member of staff to be out of the office going to the Chamber. ...We now apply at 3.00 pm knowing that the document will be with us by 9.00 am the next day."
Ferrymoss Ltd, London
"It is an extremely quick and efficient way of communicating between our two companies. ...It saves both time and subsequently costs."
Inco Alloys International Welding Products, Birmingham
"Completing Certificate of Origin online is quick and easy, and eliminates potential typing errors. The whole process of obtaining a Certificate of Origin is speeded up immensely. I recommend other exporters try this service and experience the benefits."
Kalamazoo Security Print Ltd, Birmingham
"We are now able to despatch goods on the same day that they are called off from production saving at least 2 days. We airfreight our goods and time is of the essence, delays could result in considerable storage charges in customs at the destination. E-Cert has given flexibility, speed and efficiency"
Pittards plc, Yeovil
Holset Engineering - Chamber Management Services, Bradford
"Many thanks for your help. This is an urgent Vehicle Off Road consignment which has now been sent - much to our customers surprise! They are very impressed that we were able to get a consignment out with such a short turn around time with certified documents."
Gazelle Transport Service - North East Chamber of Commerce
"The ease of use of this new version has worked out very well for us The certificates are returned and printed off by us within the same day timescale as we do not have to send our drivers over to collect the documentation."
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce & Industry
I have just done our 1st eXpress document and I think it is blooming brilliant.
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