Businesses can secure a saving when purchasing capital equipment abroad

The cost of purchasing and maintaining capital equipment is a significant challenge for many businesses. In an effort to source the best products on the market at the most competitive prices, many companies have begun to look abroad. While importing capital equipment is not without its challenges, it can be beneficial and cost savings can be made.

There are, however, many factors to consider. The first is the value of sterling against the euro which immediately has an impact on the relative cost of any machinery being imported. Sterling has risen by more than 15 per cent against the euro in the past 12 months. Think about this: simply due to exchange rate shifts, you are immediately making a hefty saving on any import compared to this time last year.

There are also legal and technical issues to think about when importing machinery. Does the equipment meet EU and UK health and safety standards? If equipment is brought into the UK from a destination where safety standards are not as stringent as in the UK, work will need to be carried out to ensure that it can legally be operated here.

VAT issues are another key consideration. To take the example of a tractor – an increasingly popular import - under current guidelines, no VAT duty is due in the EU provided you can prove: the vehicle is more than six months old; it has more than 6,000km on the clock; VAT was paid on the original purchase. If these can’t be proved, the vehicle will be classed as ‘new’ and VAT will be due again on the import. Take professional advice if in doubt.

There are various avenues for sourcing machinery abroad. Online resources are widely available, a good example being www.machineryzone.eu. A mammoth site, it lists tens of thousands of items of equipment and commercial vehicles.

In terms of prices, it’s difficult to make general observations about such a vast market. For example, my own research and anecdotal evidence suggests used tractors can be sourced at hugely attractive prices in France, Germany and Holland. But you need to thoroughly research the market yourself - and remember; if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Shipping is a critical issue. While the more industrious among you might be tempted to head overseas to pick up your own product, others need to take care to source a competent shipping agent in order to ensure your machinery arrives in accordance with international importation laws. Can you be sure your agent will handle your product with care? Shop around and ask for testimonials if necessary.

One final point worth mentioning is alluded to earlier: exchange rates. In theory, now is a good time to be importing from the Continent given sterling’s rate against the euro. But be mindful that exchange rates are volatile right now and a sharp shift in rates between agreeing a deal and making payment could alter the price you pay significantly. Take professional advice if you have any concerns.

For further information go to www.SmartCurrencyBusiness.com or call 0207 898 0500.

Sporting chance for Sterling as Eurozone continues to look uncertain

Spain’s football team has been crowned one of the most successful national sides of all time, following consecutive Euro Championship victories. Meanwhile, off the pitch, its banks – along with those of neighbouring southern European states – are struggling through a perilous and relentless losing streak, putting pressure on the euro.

The recent EU Summit should bring some short-term relief to Europe's struggling banks. European leaders have finally agreed on the creation of a joint bank supervision scheme – to be effective by the end of the year - and the ability of bailout funds to bypass national governments and go direct to struggling European banks. These developments are no silver bullet to the underlying Eurozone debt crisis, but rather a first step in creating an environment that could support efforts of the worst hit countries to begin the fragile process of reigniting economic growth. 

The next EU Summit is in October, when the next step in implementation of measures to aid euro nations will be confirmed - as we all know, the Eurozone needs surgery, not a constant stream of Band-Aids. Until then, it is expected that Sterling will retain its three-year high against the euro. We’re hosting the Olympics this month too – the feel good factor from this, combined with the short-term boost to local UK businesses could be a shot in the arm for Sterling. Something worth bearing in mind when timing any upcoming international payments.

Businesses with profit margins affected by market fluctuations can eliminate the risk of buying currency by calling Smart Currency Business on 020 7898 0500 for more information or visit www.smartcurrencybusiness.com to find out how much you can save.

Ten top tips for businesses making international payments

Carl Hasty, head trader with Smart Currency Exchange offers ten tips for businesses looking to make international payments.

Do your homework

There are now a wide range of options for making payments abroad. First and foremost, then, do your homework. Consider your requirements: do you need to make a few one-off payments? Or do you make regular payments to particular suppliers? For regular payments, a specialist foreign exchange (FX) supplier is the most cost effective option.

Look beyond banks

Banks were once the mainstream option for making international payments. However, technological and regulatory change has opened up the FX market. Many of the newer solutions compare favourably to banks – offering lower fees, more competitive exchange rates and better service.

Beware hidden charges

The two costs to consider when making payments abroad are fees and exchange rates. With some companies you need to be wary of hidden charges which can mask the true cost of a transaction. In terms of exchange rates, some providers might advertise ‘commission-free’ payments but then hike the exchange rate they offer. Look carefully at the small print whoever you use.

Ask about final costs

Look for transparency and openness from your FX provider. A reputable FX provider should happily tell you the final cost of your transaction after charges and exchange rates are taken into account, enabling you to make an informed decision.

In whose interests?

Our own FX traders are not paid commission – meaning they always have the client’s best interests at heart. This, for us, provides a safety net for the client, yet it is surprising given the scrutiny the financial services sector has been under of late that more firms don’t take our approach. Whichever FX supplier you choose, it is worth asking how their traders are paid.

Comparing rates

The UK has the most crowded FX brokering market in the EU. But how do you compare the exchange rates of various brokers? A number of useful comparison websites have set up to help with this - www.fxcompared.com is clear and easy to use.

Don’t forget security

Ensure your FX company is FSA authorised. Also satisfy yourself you are dealing with a reputable player. Ask for testimonials and find out how long the company has been in operation. Currency exchange businesses don’t have to be authorised by the FSA unless they are trading more than three million euros a month – meaning if there is a problem, you won’t be guaranteed full protection.

Service is key

We believe your FX and international payments provider should be doing more for you than simply providing competitive rates. They should work with your business to understand its goals and keep it up to date with events in FX markets – by doing so, your business could save thousands of pounds each year.

Timing is everything

We always inform clients when the exchange rate for the currency they are transacting in appears good – and offer them the choice to ‘buy in’ currency for future payments using a forward contract. Businesses save a fortune by getting the timing right; again, this is something a quality currency partner should help with.

Be careful!

FX markets are volatile right now, reflecting uncertainty in the global economy. Ask your FX supplier about hedging techniques which can help protect against wild fluctuations in exchange rates. They should be ready to explain about the principles of hedging – and how they apply to your business requirements - in a clear and easy to understand manner.

For more information about FX, please see www.smartcurrencybusiness.com and download our free Outlook. Alternatively call us to discuss your requirements on +44 (0)207 898 0500.

Spain’s euro woes highlight wider opportunities for UK importers

From a financial and economic perspective, these are interesting, difficult times for Spain. I’ve mentioned in previous articles about the danger that the markets might begin to pick off weaker Euro zone countries one by one, and such a scenario appears to playing out.

Spain’s banks are now in the process of being bailed out by the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM) which comes as no surprise to those who saw how recklessly Spain’s banking sector behaved when buying into the Spanish property boom. Where this will end is anybody’s guess given that, firstly, the property market represents an alarming percentage of Spain’s GDP and, secondly, the current bailouts assume no further deterioration in the value of the existing loans on Spanish bank books. If asset – property - prices keep falling, one would assume more support will be needed to prevent the banks becoming insolvent.

Concerns about Spain are reflected in Spanish 10-Year government bond yields which have been knocking on the door of seven per cent of late. So how is all of this impacting on the value of the euro which, in turn, affects costs for those importing products from Spain and the rest of the Euro zone?

In relative terms, Spanish products have actually been getting less expensive for UK importers. For the past month, UK sterling v the euro has hovered around the 1.24 to 1.25 mark, the euro having weakened considerably during 2012. This is a good time to be importing from the Euro zone, for sure.

Even so, it’s still vital to have a currency strategy in place as the recent bailout of Spain won’t be the end of matters where the Euro zone crisis is concerned. Austria's finance minister Maria Fekter recently said that Italy might also require financial help soon due to its high borrowing costs. She also added that Euro zone rescue funds, which have been stretched by supporting Greece, Portugal, Ireland and Spain, could be insufficient to cope with Italy as well.

In theory, this, the dreaded ‘contagion’ scenario, should send the euro tanking even further against supposed safer havens such as UK sterling and the US dollar. But the reason for a currency strategy is this: where currencies are concerned, there are no sure-fire safe havens right now. Consider this: at the same time as Spanish banks are being bailed out, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in the US has recently issued its annual long-term budget outlook report. The 2012 numbers see the CBO estimate that US federal debt will rise to 70 per cent of GDP by the end of the year. This is the highest percentage since World War II. So, while the euro might not look very attractive right now, you wouldn’t want to be putting too much faith in the US dollar either.

The message in all of this is simple: hedge your bets as further currency volatility is inevitable. Snap up some euros around that aforementioned 1.25 mark and purchase Spanish products at what will be, for UK importers, the most competitive prices for more than three years. But build in some scope for further euro purchases later in the year. All other things being equal, we’d expect the euro to deteriorate even further.

At Smart Currency Exchange, we update our views on the euro/sterling exchange rate on a daily basis. We also produce on a monthly basis our “Outlook” report which pulls together our thoughts and those of the mainstream banks on where to next for exchange rates. Download your copy now at www.SmartCurrencyBusiness.com or call us on 0845 638 0571 (or +44 (0)207 898 0541) to discuss your situation.