Customs Cleared ready to help other businesses after LCE support

Customs brokerage company Customs Cleared has launched with the help of Warwickshire County Council’s Local Community and Enterprise Fund, delivered by Coventry & Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust. Customs Cleared owner Amar Tiwana explains how much the business support helped…

"We would have never been able to set up the business without the LCE funding...we are immensely grateful to Warwickshire County Council for making this fund available.”

Meet the client…

Customs Cleared is a customs brokerage company aimed at SMEs. It assists small businesses with customs declarations for goods imported and exported worldwide. The company also offers guidance on quotas, specialist licences such as (animal, food etc.) and a specialist vehicle import scheme NOVA Imports.

How will your business help the local community?

Local businesses will be able to receive specialised support which is essential, especially with ongoing import and export documentation issues caused by UK leaving the EU. “Trading with the EU is more complex than before, as more extensive due diligence requirements are leaving small businesses struggling to match the expectations," said Amar. "The Customs Department is unable to support smaller businesses to this extent...that’s where we will come in and solve this issue.”

Why did you choose the Local Community and Enterprise Fund (LCE)?

“Becoming a customs brokerage requires various certificates and licenses which are costly. We have tried to access finances through a local bank, unfortunately, we have been declined and required alternative funding. That’s when I found out about CWRT and applied for the Local Community and Enterprise Fund which is provided by Warwickshire County Council. It presented a brilliant option and has covered a large part of start-up costs.”

How is your business doing since the launch?

"We have officially started trading and have taken instructions for NOVA imports, Manufacturing Imports (extrusion). We are also negotiating with Chinese housewares manufacturers who are looking to import to the UK. We have built a strong pipeline and the future is looking bright."

Conclusion

Helping businesses expand their market is essential for their success during these financially unpredictable times.

“We are very pleased to start supporting businesses with their journey," said Amar," and we would have never been able to set up the business without the LCE funding. We are immensely grateful to Warwickshire County Council for making this fund available.”

Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy & Place, Cllr Martin Watson, said: “The Local Community & Enterprise Fund, a key strand of WCC’s Warwickshire Recovery Investment Fund, is designed to support small and micro-businesses with their growth plans and I am delighted that Customs Cleared have found that input so valuable. With this support they are now better-placed to in turn help other businesses in Warwickshire so the benefit is shared.”

To learn more about the LCE Fund, please visit: www.cwrt.uk.com/wrif-lce-fund

* To find out what other support is available to your business, please call CWLEP Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747