In a segment that aired on BBC News at Ten on Friday (9 August), Clifton Packaging sales director Zed Sheikh said: “We went through this pre-March, and now between March and October we have had a lot of unstable uncertainty and the cloudy sky is upon us again.

“We can’t move forward, and we can’t move back. We are static and stuck in a rut.”

Sheikh had earlier appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake up to Money show in April, after the UK and EU agreed a six-month ‘Brextension’, or flexible extension of Brexit until 31 October. At the time he described the situation to PrintWeek as “total uncertainty and the blind leading the blind”.

Alex White, managing director of cutting systems manufacturer Blackman & White, spoke to Channel 5 in late July about his views on what the appointment of new Prime Minister Boris Johnson means for the Brexit process.

He told the broadcaster's evening news programme that there needs to be more positivity around the whole Brexit process.

“For the long-term, I can see some significant advantages in being separated from the EU, making partnerships with other countries and looking towards a future with some of the emerging economies in the commonwealth.

“Brexit is an emotive subject at the moment, but pragmatically a line in the sand needs to be drawn on 31 October. A definite decision and a date are needed to give everybody the opportunity to get on and make plans to achieve the best possible outcome for the economy.

“The chances for a second referendum are slight and would only cause uncertainty for another three years – embracing the process to get the best possible outcome is only logical.”

Blackman & White said it was brought to the attention of Channel 5 producers due to its experience as a significant exporter of its products around the world and importer of components for its machines from various overseas markets.