Monmouth-based export business Milking Solutions is celebrating 21 years in business this year.  

Milking Solutions manufactures high-quality milking equipment and spare parts, delivering a speedy service to a network of customers worldwide from Monmouth. The company also supplies a comprehensive range of vital products needed to run a milking parlour, focusing on British brands such as Gascoigne Melotte and Fullwood.  

This week, Welsh Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Catherine Fookes, visited the company and spoke with CEO Kevin Graham to learn about the origins of the business and the challenges it has faced to get this far.  

Established in 2003, the company grew steadily to a place where it now employs 15 staff members, celebrates a £2m turnover, and exports to more than 35 countries worldwide. However, the years leading up to and after Brexit forced this exporting business to face huge barriers, as 66% of its customers were from the European Union. 

CEO Kevin Graham said, "During Brexit, the message from the Conservative Government to export businesses was "go find new business outside the EU". It was going to be impossible to swap the level of EU business with new business elsewhere. It was an incredibly challenging and stressful time for us."

The fantastic team at Milking Solutions turned this business around after Brexit, and throughout the pandemic, the Ukraine war and now the Middle East. At this very moment, Milking Solutions' most significant order yet has been re-routed to circumnavigate the Cape of Good Hope and the African continent due to the Red Sea crisis.   

Mr Graham said, "I arrived in Monmouth 35 years ago with nothing. I have been in business and employed some great people who have built the business up from the ground in Monmouth, where I love to live. Progress was good until Brexit. The challenges the team faced importing and exporting through the Tories' fighting and wrangling over the Brexit deal was the worst thing that could have happened to us. We are lucky that we are now financially sound, but many other businesses are currently facing huge energy bills and costly outgoings due to inflation."  

Catherine Fookes added, "I had a fascinating tour of this successful family-run business and learned how Kevin has built it up over the past twenty years. Despite facing numerous challenges, including the disastrous Brexit deal, the pandemic, and current issues around shipping in the Red Sea, he and his team have managed to steer the business towards success. It was great to talk about how the Labour Party can help businesses like Kevin's in the future, with our focus on economic growth, giving Britain energy security and reducing trade barriers with the EU. I'm proud to have his support. "