CBI Confederation of British Industry : Nifco and the EU

From our factories in Teesside, Nifco UK produces 'functional plastic components' for cars - everything from cup holders to cooling systems. These are then sold to manufacturers across the world. Over the last ten years, the company has grown rapidly, expanding from a business with 180 team members in 2004 to more than 560 in 2015.

Nifco's growth is supported directly and indirectly by the UK's EU membership. Over the last few years, we have benefited from more than £5million of Regional Growth Fund support, which has helped us build new factories here in Teesside. Our new facilities mean we are more efficient and productive, and they help to us attract and retain the best skilled people. That allows us to continue to grow.

Our growth wouldn't have been possible without our customers - including Ford, Honda, Jaguar Landrover, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall Opel - and the investment they make in the UK. EU membership removes tariffs and makes trade easier. Freedom of movement makes finding skilled employees easier. These factors help our customers bring their businesses to the UK, where we have forged strong relationships with them. We believe that easy access to buying and selling throughout the EU is one of the reasons that the UK continues to be an attractive place for businesses to invest.

Nifco fully supports the UK being part of the European Union. Our business relies on efficient and unimpaired access to the EU for trade - and looking beyond our own interests, we believe it would be detrimental to other European Union members if the UK left. We are all linked to each other in Europe in many ways, but that means we are in a strong position to influence the terms of our relationship with the EU. As long as we remain part of it, we can keep making it something which makes us stronger. Being a full member of the EU is something we think is necessary if UK businesses are to see the maximum benefits it can bring.

Ultimately, whether in its current guise or with improved membership terms, the European Union is an absolute positive for Nifco, for the UK and for European business as a whole.

• Other business case studies covering how the UK being in the EU impacts them can be found here
• If you would like to contribute a case study on behalf of your business, or talk about any other aspect of our work in this area, please get in touch