PaintSafe is a long‑standing initiative developed by the British Coatings Federation (BCF) in partnership with organisations including the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Painting and Decorating Association, and the Scottish Decorators’ Federation. Its purpose is simple but vital: to promote the safe use, handling, and transportation of paints and coatings to protect people and the environment.

The PaintSafe hub brings together practical, accessible guidance across a wide range of topics, helping both consumers and professionals understand the risks associated with different types of coatings and how to manage them responsibly.

Explore the full PaintSafe resource hub: https://coatings.org.uk/page/PaintSafe

Key Safety Topics Covered by PaintSafe

1. Working Safely With Isocyanates

Isocyanates, commonly found in some industrial and vehicle refinish coatings, can cause respiratory sensitisation and asthma if inhaled. PaintSafe provides detailed guidance on:

• Identifying isocyanate‑containing products
• Using proper extraction and filtration systems
• Wearing appropriate PPE and air‑fed respiratory protection
• Keeping bystanders at a safe distance
• Ensuring workers are trained and aware of the risks

These measures are essential because exposure is entirely preventable when correct controls are in place.

2. Controlling Lead Exposure in Older Buildings

Although modern decorative paints no longer contain added lead, older buildings may still have legacy coatings. PaintSafe outlines how to:

• Identify potential lead‑containing surfaces
• Use wet‑sanding or chemical stripping to minimise dust
• Dispose of contaminated materials safely
• Use appropriate respiratory protection
• Prevent contamination of clothing, skin, and surrounding areas
  

This guidance is crucial for decorators, renovators, and DIYers working on pre‑1990s properties.

3. Safe Use of Antifouling Paints

For boat owners and marine professionals, PaintSafe includes environmental best‑practice advice developed with The Green Blue and the Yacht Harbour Association. Topics include:

• Preventing contamination of water and soil
• Collecting and disposing of waste responsibly
• Protecting marine ecosystems while maintaining vessel performance

4. General Consumer Guidance

PaintSafe also supports DIY users with advice on:

• Preparing surfaces safely
• Reading and understanding paint labels
• Storing paints securely
• Avoiding unnecessary waste
• Cleaning brushes and rollers efficiently

Many topics include downloadable PDF leaflets, ideal for sharing with teams, customers, or trainees.

Supporting Safe Online Sales and Transport of Paints

Alongside safe use, BCF also provides guidance for businesses selling or shipping paints online through the PaintSafe Online Sales resource.

This guidance helps sellers understand:

• Their role in the supply chain (distributor, importer, or user)
• Labelling and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements
• Advertising rules for hazardous products
• Restrictions on selling “professional use only” products
• Transport regulations for dangerous goods
• Carrier limitations (e.g., Royal Mail restrictions on flammable paints)
• Packaging requirements for safe delivery

For any business selling coatings online, from vehicle refinish paints to industrial coatings, this guidance is essential for legal compliance and customer safety.

Read the full PaintSafe Online Sales guidance:  https://coatings.org.uk/page/PaintSafeOnlineSales

The BCF continues to expand the PaintSafe programme, with new guidance being developed to address emerging topics and evolving regulations. Whether you’re a professional decorator, a coatings supplier, or a DIY enthusiast, PaintSafe is a trusted resource to help you work safely, protect your health, and minimise environmental impact.

The Government has now published its response to the consultation on the UK REACH Alternative Transitional Registration Model (ATRm). It has decided to take forward the ATRm largely as set out in the consultation, with the exception that the proposed enhanced use and exposure data requirements will not be introduced. This represents additional progress, but BCF believes there is still more to be done to ensure the system is proportionate, workable, and cost-effective.
 
Background

When UK REACH was first introduced, the original registration model was estimated to cost industry around £2 billion, largely due to the duplication of existing EU REACH registrations. Industry, including the BCF, pushed back strongly on this approach, and that engagement directly led to the development of the Alternative Transitional Registration Model (ATRm), representing a significant step forward from the original UK REACH proposals. Those amended proposals were estimated to likely cost industry somewhere around a reduced, but still substantial, £1 billion. The BCF did not support the introduction of enhanced use and exposure data requirements beyond those required under EU REACH, and we therefore welcome the Government’s decision not to proceed with these in its latest set of proposals, which are estimated at around £600 million cost to industry.

Other outcomes from the consultation response included:

Hazard data: Hazard data requirements will remain minimal, as proposed in the consultation. In most cases, registrants will be able to rely on hazard information provided by their supplier.

Use and exposure data: Although the consultation proposed enhanced use and exposure data requirements, the Government has concluded that use and exposure information will remain as originally set out in UK REACH, aligning with the same level of requirements as under EU REACH.

Chemical Safety Assessment (CSA) / Chemical Safety Report (CSR): The legal requirement to prepare a CSA/CSR for substances registered at 10 tonnes per year or above is unchanged. The ATRm does not introduce new or additional CSA/CSR obligations, although regulators will retain powers to request further information where necessary.

Joint registrations and data sharing: Joint registration and data sharing mechanisms will continue to apply broadly in line with the existing UK REACH framework. No new mandatory requirements have been introduced.

BCF View on Consultation Outcome

The direction of travel represents a welcome improvement on the original ATRm proposals, particularly through the removal of the proposed enhanced use and exposure information requirements and reflected in the latest cost estimates.

However, in recent months, through the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and elsewhere, Defra has indicated that it intends to align much more closely with the EU on other core elements of REACH, particularly in relation to the identification of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) and substance restrictions. This inevitably raises questions about the purpose of UK REACH registration data: if the UK largely mirrors EU REACH regulatory decisions, it is unclear why duplicative registration data requirements are now necessary at all. What is that data going to be used for if the UK is not going to be making its own decisions?

The BCF has long argued in favour of a Swiss type approach, under which substances registered under EU REACH would be recognised as registered under UK REACH. To date, Defra has rejected this approach on the grounds of the “no data, no market” principle. Yet, this now seems a negative approach, creating lots of administration and data for no obvious additional net gain in human or environmental health and safety. It is illogical to move towards a Swiss approach for some elements of chemical regulations but not for registrations.

Next Steps

We believe that Defra is now planning to press ahead with legislation following the ATRm response and that there will be a further consultation on that later this year, possibly before the summer. And, following a decision made by Government last year, legislation will now set in law the first UK REACH registration deadline in October 2029. There will be one-year gaps between the three registration deadlines.

However, for the reasons set out above, BCF and others in industry will continue to press Defra to think again about the need for separate UK registrations for transitional substances now it has pledged to align with the EU in the vast majority of cases. At the end of the day, a reduction on the overall estimated cost to business would have been welcome if there remained a clear reason for collecting data, which is no longer the case. As such, the £600 million cost estimate of the new proposals now represents a pure administrative burden for no extra gain and all against a backdrop of rising energy, labour and raw material costs for companies in the chemicals sector, at a time that sector has never been struggling more. We hope the Government – which is pledged to reduce red tape and to boost growth – will listen to the practical case we are making.

World Paint and Coatings Week (WPCW) exists to change that. Running this year from 23–27th March, the Week is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the value of our industry and reach a wider audience than ever before.

For 2026, the theme is: ‘Paint and Coatings Touch Everything to Power Our World’.

Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing stories and insights that show exactly how.

Day 1: Essentiality
Coatings quietly perform vital work every day. They protect infrastructure, improve functionality, enhance appearance, and enable manufacturing. From the buildings we live in to the devices we use and the spaces we move through, coatings help make the world safer, more durable, and more enjoyable.

Day 2: Sustainability
Coatings technologies are central to the transition to a greener future. They protect wind turbines and solar panels, improve energy efficiency, and reduce fuel consumption. Inks and coatings on packaging extend shelf life and reduce food waste. And by restoring and refreshing older items, coatings help us reuse more and throw away less.

Day 3: Economy
The UK coatings sector is worth £4bn annually, with nearly £1bn in exports. But its impact stretches far beyond its own footprint. Coatings support thousands of jobs, underpin major supply chains, and contribute to the performance of industries from construction to automotive to aerospace. They are a quiet but powerful engine of the UK economy.

Day 4: Liveability
Paints and inks bring colour, personality, and wellbeing into our homes and workplaces. They help us express ourselves and create spaces that feel good to be in. They also help us communicate clearly and safely – from road markings and signage to printed books and essential information on packaging.

Day 5: Innovation and Careers
Coatings is an industry built on innovation. Formulations evolve constantly to improve performance and sustainability, and the science behind them is increasingly cutting edge. That makes it an exciting place to build a career. Opportunities span far beyond the lab – from marketing and logistics to digitalisation, sustainability, materials science, and more.

Taking the Message to Parliament
On Tuesday 24th March, we will host a Parliamentary reception to share the importance of coatings directly with MPs and policymakers. Updates from the event will be shared later in the week.

Join the Conversation
Follow us on LinkedIn and help champion the importance of our industry using #WorldPaintAndCoatingsWeek.

You can also explore resources, stories, and updates throughout the week on the WPCW section of our website.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2026, we sat down with Lisa Figueira‑Cartwright of AkzoNobel, the BCF's 2025 Apprentice of the Year, to talk about her apprenticeship journey, what the experience meant to her, and how it has shaped her career. 

What apprenticeship did you complete, and what motivated you to choose an apprenticeship in the coatings industry?

I completed the Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship. When the opportunity to join the apprenticeship arose, I had recently moved into the Distribution Side of the AkzoNobel Business. I was now in a role which is very sales focused and while I had done sales in prior roles, they were much more transactional, and my new role called for consultative skills. I saw the apprenticeship as an opportunity to enhance my toolbox and learn new skills I could use in this role as well as share with my team so we could all be the best we could be. On a personal level, I didn’t get the opportunity to go to university, something I always wish I had done but life had its own plans. The apprenticeship was an opportunity for me to prove to myself that I was capable of higher learning.

How did it feel to be named BCF Apprentice of the Year?

Being named BCF Apprentice of the Year was an absolute honour and one of the proudest moments of my career. It felt almost like an out of body experience, something I never imagined when I first began my apprenticeship. When I sent out on my apprenticeship journey, my goal was simply to challenge myself, learn new skills and prove that I was capable. I never imagined I would be able to be nominated as Apprentice of the Year.

Throughout the whole nomination process I was just so grateful each time I moved to next step. I thoroughly enjoyed the interview with the judges; they were so welcoming and supportive that the experience alone felt like an achievement. Even being invited to the event was a shock, the idea of standing in a room filled with industry leaders felt surreal.

When my name was called, I was completely lost for words. Hearing the judges’ kind comments was incredibly emotional, and in that moment, I felt a deep sense of validation, not only for the time and effort I poured into the apprenticeship, but also for the personal journey behind it.

What’s one achievement from your apprenticeship that you’re especially proud of?

One achievement I’m especially proud of is how much my confidence and capability grew throughout the programme. The apprenticeship pushed me to step outside my comfort zone, whether that was applying new consultative sales techniques in real situations or approaching challenges with a more strategic mindset. I could feel myself developing month by month and seeing that growth reflected in the quality of my work was incredibly rewarding.

What makes it even more meaningful is that the skills I gained didn’t just benefit me, they helped me better support my team and strengthen the relationships I have with our customers. Knowing that my development has had a positive impact beyond my own role is something I’m proud of.

How has your apprenticeship helped shape your career so far?

The apprenticeship has had a significant impact on my career so far, helping me develop many of the skills and confidence I have today and use in my current role with my customers and team members, to help develop and expand my customers businesses as well as sharing my knowledge to better my team and our internal business. 

Looking forward, the apprenticeship cohort opened my eyes to wider parts of the industry and I’m currently exploring my next steps within the industry as I continue my development.

What do you enjoy most about working in the coatings sector?

I enjoy how varied the sector and each role is. In my current role, no two days looks alike, and each customer had their individual needs and challenges requiring different approaches. Our sector is ever growing and evolving, with new technologies, sustainability initiatives and better solutions. I love that I get to be a part of bringing these new advances to customers. 

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting an apprenticeship?

My advice to anyone thinking about taking on an apprenticeship is to go for it… If you’re on your development journey, find an apprenticeship that aligns to you and your needs. Be prepared for high and lows throughout but know it will all be worth it. There is so much an apprenticeship has to offer outside of the core topic, it helps boost confidence, instill better time management, boost networking skills and so much more. The journey is what you make it, no matter how old or how qualified you are there is so much more we can learn and grow. 

If Lisa’s story has inspired you to explore your own apprenticeship journey, there’s a whole world of opportunity waiting in the coatings industry. Visit the BCF's Coatings Careers Hub to discover apprenticeship pathways, industry insights, and real stories from people building their careers in this dynamic sector.

Although lead-based pigments were largely phased out of decorative paints in the UK in the 1960s, there remains a possibility that some older homes - especially those redecorated in later decades - may conceal layers of legacy lead paint. Indeed, limited supplies of some decorative paints containing lead may have persisted in supply chains up to the 1990s.

At the BCF, we take this issue seriously. If you’re planning to redecorate, especially in an older property, we strongly encourage you to consult our lead-paint advice located on the PaintSafe page of our website. Testing before you begin can help prevent disturbing hidden lead layers, and if lead is confirmed, our guidance explains the safest approaches, including over-coating or supervised removal.

Whether you’re a homeowner or a professional decorator, you can download guidance and read FAQs online or request hard-copy leaflets by contacting us via info@bcf.co.uk.

Looking ahead, the BCF will continue to work closely with its members, public health bodies, and the decorating community to help spread reliable, practical guidance on this important issue. We welcome the Government’s study and remain committed to supporting homeowners and professionals in reducing any risks associated with legacy lead paint.

In October 2024,  the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment published a report that examined the sources of microplastic emissions in the environment. The report explicitly refutes the claims that paints are the main source of microplastics in the environment. The main sources of microplastics cited were tyre wear, pre-production plastic pellets, macroplastics, packaging, and textiles. Indeed, it says of the EA report that:

“Even though these emission estimates are relatively high, paint is not the largest source of microplastics, as was reported by the recent impact assessment study by the European Commission.’ (para 3.3 p50).

However, it is also fair to note that same Dutch report goes onto say:

‘Not many other studies have reported on paint so far, and it is recommended to look further into the release due to wear and maintenance in order to better understand paint microplastic distribution in air, soil and water.’ (para 3.3 p50).

The BCF agrees that more research is needed to accurately quantify the contribution of paint to microplastic pollution, and there is a role for industry to play in sponsoring that research.   

This was also the conclusion of the World Coatings Council’s literature review on 36 documents on paint and coatings-related microplastics.  What was consistent about the vast majority of reports reviewed was that they employ a range of different assumptions and methodologies regarding paint degradation and removal practices and are not based on scientific research. You can read the WCC review here.

What is industry doing to address the microplastics issue?

Even if paint is not the number one cause of microplastic pollution, the coatings industry recognises there is always more that can be done to reduce its actual contribution. Paint manufacturers are committed to continuous improvement in the sustainability of its products. Large sums are invested every year to carry out research and development into more environmentally friendly ingredients or to ensure enhanced wear resistance to reduce the amount of degradation from coated surfaces. 

We acknowledge that it is inevitable that the wear and tear of paints – from ships and boats, bridges, exterior building paints and road marking paints – could lead to some leaching of these chipped or degraded paints into the environment. This is known as ‘secondary’ microplastic release. 

To help limit the impact of secondary microplastics,  the BCF leads on several industry-led initiatives and campaigns to help consumers and tradespeople dispose of paint appropriately. For example, the BCF has produced a video guide with suggestions of how to reduce the loss of paint from cleaning brushes and rollers. It also runs a Safe Antifouling campaign in collaboration with Green Blue, the Royal Yachting Association, British Marine and the Yacht Harbour Association. 'Protect, Collect & Dispose,' is focused on environmental best practice when boat owners antifouling their own boats. You can learn more about safe antifouling here.

Do the paint industry intentionally add microplastics to paint?

Most paints do not include intentionally added microplastics in their formulas. It is usually only in cases where specialist characteristics are required from an industrial coating - for example to provide greater durability and scratch resistance, or create anti-slip or skid properties – that microplastics would be intentionally added. This represents a very small amount of paint produced globally.

Positive benefits of coatings to the environment

Finally, it is worth noting that coatings themselves offer a substantial contribution to greater worldwide sustainability. Paints, coatings and printing inks play a fundamental role in saving resources: they have a huge range of integral sustainable applications, including improving the longevity of buildings and bridges and extending the life of essential items like food or drink. 

But it goes beyond that. Coatings technology is increasingly at the cutting edge of sustainable innovation, pioneering the creation of some of the products that enable and support our national journey to reaching Net Zero. They are used to coat wind turbines and solar panels as well as used in the advanced batteries the automotive industry is relying on in the future. 
 
Crucially, coatings also contribute to energy conservation directly through, for instance, reflective technologies for buildings. On vehicles, the more lightweight the coatings, the less energy consumption is required. In the case of marine paints, without anti-fouling coatings keeping hulls clear of barnacles and other debris, the world’s shipping fleet would use 40% more fuel.  On top of this, anti-fouling coatings also stop the spread of invasive species between our oceans. You can read more about these essential uses of coatings in the BCF report here. 

While antifouling does a great job of keeping our hulls clean, and even has some environmental benefits such as improving fuel efficiency and preventing the spread of invasive non-native species, it is toxic to aquatic life. Most antifouls are copper or zinc-based. Some of the compounds found in these antifouls can accumulate in marine organisms and can find their way into marine wildlife further up the food chain.

The majority of copper in antifouling enters the marine environment through leaching. However, concentrated amounts do enter the marine environment during the removal of antifouling paint, which occurs mostly by water blasting or mechanical scraping, and can form concentrated deposits on land and in the waters around our marinas, clubs, and centres.

All boat owners can play a vital role in minimising the risk to marine life from being inadvertently affected by antifoul, particularly during the maintenance stage of the process. It is hoped that the ‘Protect, Collect, Dispose’ campaign will raise awareness that remnants, such as copper scrapings and paint dust, travelling into the local sea and entering water courses during maintenance can be easily avoided if simple actions are taken by the boat owner.

There are of course, many benefits of applying antifoul paint and some of them are environmental. A hull which has been kept clean by antifoul for instance, reduces the drag on a boat and therefore improves the boat’s fuel efficiency. Another environmental advantage is that antifoul can reduce the inadvertent transportation of invasive marine species from one area to another – a biodiversity issue which can cause major disruption to our ecosystem. A well-maintained antifoul coating also preserves a boat’s hull and increases the longevity of the vessel.

What is the ‘Protect, Collect, Dispose’ campaign all about?

Building on the successful, award-winning DIY Safe Antifouling programme launched in 2017, the British Coatings Federation (BCF), The Green Blue (RYA), British Marine and The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) are once again running the ‘Protect, Collect & Dispose’ campaign, focused on environmental best practice when antifouling yachts and boats.

The initiative sets out environmental best practice and is intended for DIY antifouling as well as for marinas and boatyards who offer professional antifouling services. 

Just by following these simple steps boaters can significantly reduce boat users’ impact on the environment while antifouling.

Protect
The first step is to ‘Protect,’ lay down a tarpaulin or groundsheet before starting work on your boat. This inexpensive act can make a huge difference to the local wildlife. Not only does the tarpaulin protect the surface directly under the boat from paint drips or spills, but it also acts as an effective instrument to collect and dispose of loose debris and scrapings from the boat.
Remember to protect yourself with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and work in a well-ventilated area to prevent inhalation of paint fumes and dust and to avoid paint coming into contact with your eyes, mouth, skin and clothing.

Collect
This brings us onto the second step of the process, ‘Collect.’ The tarpaulin should make it easier to collect large remnants but using an industrial vacuum-cleaner linked to the paint scraper will minimise the amount of loose paint flakes and dust. Wet sanding will also help to prevent dry dust from escaping into the environment. Any water used when pressure washing the boat should also be collected, this can be achieved using portable bunding or a filtered washdown facility provided by some marinas, boatyards or harbours.

Dispose
The final step is to efficiently ‘Dispose’ of antifouling waste. Always ensure that all hazardous waste such as paint pots, disposable gloves and paint scrapings are disposed of in hazardous waste bins. Don’t forget that Personal Protective Equipment, which should always be worn, may also need disposing of.

There are of course, many benefits of applying antifoul paint, including a decrease in drag and less propeller restraint which results in fuel efficiency and lower emissions; in addition, antifoul paint reduces the transfer of invasive species.  However, if all boat owners follow the best environmental practice described this will result in a greater overall positive impact to safeguard our waters.

Get involved and support the campaign

Across the campaign week, 21-25th October, the bodies associated with the environmental awareness initiative will be sharing handy tips on their social media pages and websites detailing how you can make your antifouling as sustainable as possible.
Don’t forget to follow The Green Blue, BCF, British Marine and TYHA on social media, LinkedIn and X and use #ProtectCollectDispose.

All boat owners can play a vital role in minimising the risk to marine life from being inadvertently affected by antifoul. You can help by sharing campaign posts on social media, and by downloading posters and infographics from The Green Blue/BCF websites and displaying them at your local club.

We need your help to secure the continued use of DIY antifouling paints!

Ensuring the safe use of antifouling paints in a DIY/boat-owner scenario continues to be a major focus for antifouling paint manufacturers, the manufacturers are keen to understand the existing awareness of the hazards of antifouling paint, as well as the use of personal protective equipment and measures taken to prevent release of the paint during application and use. As such users of antifouling paints are requested to complete a short survey.

Boatyard managers/owners

DIY Applicators

Professional Applicators

Chandlers

ENDS 

By David Park, BCF Public Affairs Manager

Three weeks have passed since the UK General Election. It delivered a stonking majority for Keir Starmer’s Labour Party and a record low number of seats for Rishi Sunak’s outgoing Conservative Party. It was one of those election results that the UK’s first-past-the-post election system delivers every generation or so – truly decisive and enabling of change. But what might that change look like, at least from a business and coatings sector point of view?

Despite the size of the majority – 181 once you take account of the non-voting speaker and deputies and the Sinn Fein members who will not take their seats – the watchwords of the new Government are ‘caution’ and ‘stability.’ Starmer was careful to be moderate in opposition, to clamp down hard, indeed to be ruthless, on backbenchers and candidates who strayed from what the public might deem to be moderate (look at Corbyn’s expulsion from the Party), and produced a manifesto delivered largely in a whisper, lest any proposals offend. The message that emerged from last week’s King’s Speech, was that Starmer would govern in the same cautious manner, looking to provide stability and certainty, especially for business, over the coming years.

Yes – there are likely to be some radical measures. The new programme for Government raises its voice from a whisper to a shout about how this Government will introduce the biggest upgrade of workers rights in a generation, together with increases to the National Minimum Wage; it boasts that the UK rail network will be slowly nationalised as franchises come to an end; and the press has been briefed that the constitutional settlement will change with hereditary Peers finally being ejected from the House of Lords, more devolved powers given to regional ‘Metro’ Mayors and, probably, at some point, in the fullness of time, votes for 16 year olds. All red meat to Labour party members and a large portion of the backbenches.

And that is, perhaps, needed to offset the more moderate agenda across the rest of Government. There is little money available to spend for the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. It is inevitable taxes will have to rise (as the surely would have had to if the Conservatives had won too) but Labour ruled out a whole range of ways of doing this during the election: Incomes Tax, National Insurance, VAT, Corporation Tax – all were said to be left alone. If they stick to those pledges – resisting the temptation to say that ‘the books are in a much worse state’ now they have seen them, that means other streams will have to be explored – Capital Gains? Various duties? The Treasury are probably revising on the Gordon Brown playbook of the late 90’s and early 2000’s when the then Chancellor fiddled with lots of smaller measures to raise relatively large sums of money. A lot of these are likely to affect businesses. (Incidentally, there are over 500 PFI contracts from the Brown era due to end next year: what will the new Government do about them?). 

Anyway, let’s focus in on what it looks like the new Government means for the coatings sector. At the end of 2023 we published a short manifesto for the sector which contained a list of 5 broad policy asks. 

1. A proportionate, clear, and consistent regulatory environment for chemicals.
2. An industrial strategy to support manufacturing.
3. Support for businesses to make the transition to a more sustainable UK.
4. Long-term focus on skills and training.
5. Improving post-Brexit trade.

How does the new Government’s approach stack up against those asks?

The previous Government’s consultation on a new proposal for UK REACH was allowed to continue over the election period. However, during the election, Rachel Reeves, in particular, was vocal in saying that Labour would seek to align the UK more closely with the EU in this area, indeed, to seek a ‘bespoke deal’ on chemicals. This implies that the work done to-date to develop a UK REACH system may be discarded. This may not necessarily be a bad thing – as long as we still end up with a model that is proportionate and workable. However, it will likely mean yet more delays and uncertainty for the near future. Clarifying and shaping what is going to happen in this area is key over the coming months.

Labour had committed to an industrial strategy in Opposition and the King’s Speech included reference to setting up an Industrial Strategy Council. BCF broadly welcomes this move – we felt that the last Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Plan was too narrowly drawn and not truly strategy in terms of addressing key issues affecting the sector. There is little detail as to how the Council and Strategy will work, however, and we will want to feed in as much as possible to the development process. We all know coatings are essential to the UK economy and manufacturing and we need to ensure that any Strategy recognises that.

Helping business transition to a more sustainable UK is likely to be linked to Government proposals for pump-priming private investment into green infrastructure. It’s new ‘National Wealth Fund’ and nationally run ‘Great British Energy’ company will be at the heart of this. It would be good to see more specific grants and support, especially for SMEs, for things like carbon emission reporting, and we shall have to see whether this kind of direct financial support becomes available. Likewise, the Government’s plans for a new body, Skills England, need to be fleshed out. We know the much-complained-about Apprenticeship Levy will be reformed into something more flexible – something we specifically asked for – but will, again, need to work with Government to develop a more sustainable successor.

Finally, on improving trade, the Government has made clear it wants to create an improved trading relationship with the EU. How much exactly will be on offer we cannot be sure, but we know, as per the Chancellor’s comments above, that it is planned to try to weave in greater alignment on chemical regulations. We need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, though, where new trade deals outside the EU are being finalised or already implemented.

Alongside policies, personnel make all the difference. What do the PM’s new Ministerial appointments mean for us? We have continuity in the key Secretaries of State at Defra, Steve Reed, and at Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds. Both are good political operators who know their briefs. The Shadow Business Minister for Industry, which included chemicals, Sarah Jones, has also kept her job, which again is good in terms of stability. Frustratingly, Ruth Jones, the former Shadow Defra Minister who had responsibility for Chemicals, Waste and Recycling etc, did not get given a job in Government. So, we lose a fair bit of institutional memory on those key issues. Instead, Emma Hardy MP will take on the brief in addition to her other duties on e.g. sewage, flooding etc. We shall also be dealing with her Defra colleague, Mary Creagh MP, on recycling and waste issues like EPR: she is a former Shadow Secretary for State for Environment and Chair of the Commons Environmental Audit Committee, and so has a wealth of experience: we look forward to getting to know her. Stephen Timms is Employment Minister at DWP who will have responsibility for HSE and other parts of chemical regulation. He has experience in Government from the Blair/Brown era and is another good appointment.

So, next steps for BCF? We need to hit the ground running to engage with and brief the various new Ministers and to feed into consultations, formally and informally, on the various key policy areas, some of which are highlighted about. It will also be important for us to broaden knowledge of BCF and the coatings sector amongst the new intake of MPs. Across the 244 BCF members sites and offices, 174 now have a new MP. It would be great for as many members as possible to meet with them to explain just how important their businesses are to the local constituency and how essential the coatings sector is to the UK economy and wider society. BCF can help you do that if needed. There is a good opportunity for us, as a sector, to see some of the policy changes we need are made but also, once they are implemented, for a period of calm stability to properly adapt after a sustained period of fluidity and uncertainty for nearly a decade.

With the General Election now underway, BCF has decided to refresh its call for whoever forms the next Government to deliver in the following five areas:

1. A proportionate, clear, and consistent regulatory environment for chemicals.
2. An industrial strategy to support manufacturing.
3. Support for businesses to make the transition to a more sustainable UK.
4. Long-term focus on skills and training.
5. Improving post-Brexit trade.

Please do download and share the full manifesto which includes more details on each of those asks.

By Belle Lake, Membership & Technical Executive and BCF's Mental Health First Aider

With the shortest day behind us, it's typical to experience the effects of changing seasons and weather. When the weather becomes colder or warmer, you could see a decline in your mood or energy and detect alterations in your sleeping or eating routines. Incorporating natural light into your daily routine during the winter has been found to have a significant impact on increasing serotonin levels and overcoming the winter blues. Every February, we celebrate Time to Talk Day, an annual event that encourages open conversations about mental health in the workplace and beyond. Having a discussion about mental health can be challenging and is often viewed negatively, but it can have a profound impact on someone's life. Talking to your colleagues or reaching out to a Mental Health First Aider are both effective ways to safeguard your mental well-being.

The British Coatings Federation employs various methods to promote mental well-being within the team. Belle, our Mental Health First Aider, regularly distributes a seasonal newsletter focused on Employee Health & Wellbeing. This informative communication includes details on employee benefits, upcoming team social events and bike rides, as well as tips for maintaining good mental health. In addition to her other responsibilities, Belle has planned a lunch focused on well-being for the staff. This event encourages them to pause their work and come together to eat, play games, and chat with their colleagues about non-work related topics. By participating in teambuilding activities, the BCF team has strengthened their relationships and fostered a stronger sense of trust within the office environment. As the Christmas season approached, BCF made the Help@Hand app available to all employees, offering unlimited mental health resources and a 24/7 helpline for emotional and practical aid.

The younger generations in the UK, especially women and individuals from BAME or LGBTQIA+ communities, are most frequently diagnosed with anxiety, stress, and depression, which are three of the most prevalent mental health disorders. Yet, that is not the entirety of the situation; men are facing a surge in mental health challenges, despite being less inclined to openly address them. A worrying trend is the rise of reported cases where our work is being hindered by our well-being. In 2024, it should not be tolerated for individuals to feel unable to openly address their mental health. It’s time to talk.

The pandemic, economic pressures, and social issues have led to a rise in mental health concerns. But there is hope. Taking small steps can contribute to positive mental well-being and lead to a happier and healthier 2024. Make exercise part of your routine. Research shows exercise can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. For individuals who are struggling with low energy and motivation, consider starting slow with a 5-minute daily walk. This is a good way to get your body moving and it’s easy to slowly increase the activity level as confidence builds. Use meditation to reduce stress. Studies suggest meditation can help with stress and anxiety.  Around 62% of adults don’t talk about their stress because they don’t want to burden others. If you’re struggling to talk about your stress, mindfulness meditation can be an easy strategy to add to your routine. Ask for help. Mental health challenges increase the urge to isolate but this will only worsen these feelings in the long-term. Don’t be ashamed or feel guilty about asking for help. Talking about your feelings can be a great way to understand and address the root cause.

By Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive Officer of the BCF

New Year is a time to look back and a time to plan ahead: reflect and resolve. What are the opportunities waiting to be seized, and what are the challenges to be overcome? 

2024 has the potential to be a good one for the UK Coatings Sector and for the British Coatings Federation. A number of plot lines are coming towards a resolution and plans are in place to build not just over the coming year, but beyond. There are a whole host of individual events and policies which could be discussed, but here are some of the key macro events and issues to watch out for. 

UK chemicals policy and regulation
Finally, three years after leaving the EU and with the original transitional registration model consigned to the dustbin, we shall see some firm proposals for UK REACH. This follows sustained lobbying from industry, including the BCF in the vanguard, to come up with a system that was more proportionate and cost-effective but still maintains high standards of protection for human health and safety and the environment. There are two public consultations expected in Q1 of 2024. The first, on UK REACH fee levels, should come later this month. It will be followed, more significantly, by a more detailed consultation on the form of the ATRm in late February or maybe March. It will be important for BCF to engage with members ahead of responding to the consultation, so please keep an eye out for communications on this issue. We are also expecting to see the publication of the UK’s own chemicals strategy at some point this year.

UK General Election
What happens with the results of the REACH consultations is not clear, however, as we may have change in Government by the end of the year. Whether the election will be held in May (options seem to be being kept open) or possibly October to allow more time for polls to shift remains unclear though. A major part of BCF’s work will be to continue to build relationships with Parliamentarians, both in the current parliament and the future one. We will build on our communications strategy and work harder to explain to policy-makers and key political stakeholders just what the coatings sector is and why it is so important to the economy. Building those relationships is important as the more people know about us as an industry the easier it should be to argue our case on key policy issues like UK REACH. 

European Parliament Election 
Importantly, there are also elections taking place for the European Parliament this year too. Most BCF members are exporters and the EU is our major trading partner, meaning what happens in the EU affects most of our members in the UK too. It looks like changes to EU REACH have been delayed until after the EU elections, although there are no major changes expected from what has been proposed so far. But the next EU Parliamentary term will also see the further development of regulations on chemicals including significant and potentially damaging new rules on font sizes on packaging, more legislation around sustainability and the environment, and on consumer rights and online sales, all of which will almost certainly impact on the UK in some way, shape or form. BCF continues to work closely with our sister European Trade Association, CEPE, on all these points.

Worldwide factors
And then there are the factors outside of domestic control. We are already seeing tensions in the Red Sea affecting container traffic through the Suez Canal. Shares in shipping companies have started to rise as increased shipping costs are forecast in the near future. Whilst this probably will not be as bad as during the Covid pandemic it is a cost companies could do without, just as many other price factors were starting to stabilise. Indeed, the ongoing wars in Ukraine and in Gaza may see renewed pressures on energy prices and these, in turn, could be disrupted still further depending upon the outcome of the US Presidential Election in November. 

Economic Forecasts
Whilst 2023 was not a great year in terms of the economy, it turned out better than forecast, with no technical recession. The predictions for 2024 seem to imply flatline growth across the year before things start to improve from 2025 and beyond. This is true in terms of GDP growth but also in sales and optimism data from Make UK when looking at the domestic manufacturing base. There is an early UK Budget being held on 6th March although a single fiscal event seems unlikely to change the economic outlook on its own. Some policy stability is much needed to smooth things over, although with so many electoral and external factors converging this year, it seems increasingly unlikely that policy stability is what we will end up with.

Awaab Ishak died in 2020, eight days after his second birthday, as a direct result of black mould in the flat he lived in.

A coroner has said the death of an “engaging, lively, endearing” two-year-old from prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s flat should be a “defining moment” for the UK’s housing sector.

When I read the dreadfully sad headline and coroner’s comment I wondered, that whilst this is clearly a defining moment for the housing sector to get it’s act in order, do we also need to reconsider the current approach for evaluating and rejecting effective anti-bacterial agents used in a number of different household items including coatings?

Why do I say that? The current approach basically bans the use of any biocidal product that has demonstrated certain hazards. However, the purpose of a biocide is to stop bugs from growing so it seems very logical that they could have hazards. So surely the issue is managing the risk of their use, rather than simply banning them because of a theoretical risk that could come from their use at a much higher concentration?   

The consequences of the current approach of dramatically reducing or totally removing preservatives and antimicrobials from paints and coatings, particularly, but also consumer products generally, and the inevitable consequences of this have not been thought through.
It is, of course obvious, if you reduce drastically or remove completely some part of a product it will not be there and it will, equally obviously, no longer do what it did. 

Nobody would seriously suggest in the interests of weight reduction/fuel saving that it would make sense to remove seat belts and airbags from cars, the safety benefits there are well understood and valued. 

 Yet one of the safety features of paints & coatings in both storage and use is: preservatives and biocides are subject to progressive and aggressive reductions both in diversity and amount, seemingly without it being acknowledged that if you remove antimicrobials there will be more microbial growth.

Modern water-based coatings display many if not all of the characteristics of a food/carbon source for a range of microbes. The only defence against these is to add some form of antimicrobial treatment, I do not think it is wise and sensible to remove these safeguards without something that is equally effective in its place.

Once applied a paint film containing biocide at reasonable in can preservative levels will exhibit mould suppression for a considerable time. With the rare but real risk of death from mould spores in buildings anything that helps reduce the spore burden should be welcomed not abolished.

I recognise that biocides need to be used with care and sparingly, but that is already the case with paints, to reduce them more is not just a stock/shelf-life matter.

To commemorate Bike Week 100, Cycling UK's 100th annual Bike Week, Tom cycled the 100km route for BCF's 2023 Charity Cycle, taking place on Friday 23rd June.

I set off last sunny Saturday morning to check out the new BCF routes for this year’s charity bike ride. It’s the third one we’ve organised, and I think this new route is the best so far. Definitely avoiding more main roads than before, and miles of winding, quiet country lanes through the rolling, and generally gentle hills of this part of Warwickshire.  Let’s hope we get a day like this on 23rd June!

Note the colours I’m using in this guide won’t relate to the actual signage on the day – all the arrows will be the same colour, but we will have signs and marshals at the route splits.  The three routes start and end together, which I hope makes sense as you read this!

35km /51km / 100km

Mile 0 / Mile 0 / Mile 0

All three routes leave the BCF office in the same way – turning left into the trading estate, and you’ll be sent down a small off road cut through to get out onto the main road.  Take care when turning right out of here – a BCF marshal should be there to help. 

Mile 3  / Mile 3 / Mile 3

We get to our first point of interest as we cross the HS2 works.  You’ll see that things have progressed quite a lot in the last few years. Swampy and the trees are sadly long gone. 

Mile 7.5  / Mile 7.5 / Mile 7.5

This is the first route split – the short route turns left, and the medium and long route turn right. There will be a marshal here, to help make sure you go the right way!

Mile 13 / Mile 13

Our two longer routes cross the M40 here, and head into Shakespeare country. 

Mile 14 / Mile 14

Just beyond the motorway is the first of two water stations, and it’s also the route split.  Our volunteers will help make sure those doing the long route turn right, and the medium route left. 

Mile 23

Well what a surprise it was to stumble across a brewery! Seriously, this was a surprise to me, even though I had planned the route, so I had a to take a photo. The brewery (Purity) will be open, but it might be a little bit early for a beer. There might well be a loo here which is worth bearing in mind.  It’s on a farm, in some of the prettiest parts of the course.

Mile 33

You’ll certainly know you’re in Shakespeare Country as you get to the village of Wilmcote, famous for being the birthplace and home of Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden.  The first thing you’ll see is her face on the Green King pub sign.  The route will turn right here, past her house, but there is a village shop a few yards beyond the turn which is worth the detour if you are running low on water or provisions. We don’t have another water stop until the 50 mile mark.

Mile 36

If you missed the shop in Wilmcote, there is another one just three miles further up the road in Snitterfield.  The phone box had a rather fancy knitted crown on top of it, so I took a picture, but of course it might not be there by the end of June.

The shop is actually just off the route. As you cycle up from the phone box, the route is going to turn left, and just beyond this on the right you should be able to see the village shop.

Mile 39

North Lindsey is another pretty village, which also has a community pub called the New Inn – which back in 2016 it was the first community pub in Warwickshire.  This might be another opportunity for a loo stop, although I didn’t check it out.

Mile 17 / Mile 47 

So our two longer routes meet each other in the village of Lowsonford, where there is a defibrillator in a phone box, which is rather appropriate given this is our chosen charity partner again for the ride. Our members have donated paint for over 750 converted phone boxes now, which is fantastic. The route then crosses the Stratford and Avon canal.

Mile 10 / Mile 20 / Mile 50

Just before Mousley End, our three routes all come back together for the last 12 miles of the route, where you’ll find the second of our two water stations.  Two miles on you’ll come across one of the most unspoilt and fantastic pubs I know in the country, called The Case is Altered. Run by the same landlady (Jackie) for 30 years, and it will take you back in time.  If you get a chance, do stop for a drink and a loo stop. It has some outside seating, with both sun and shade.

Mile 18 / Mile 28 / Mile 58

Our final point of interest is the ruin of the former medieval fortress, Kenilworth castle. In the 1560s, Elizabeth I gave the castle to her favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. He converted it into a great house for her entertainment, embellished the park and laid out a garden for her private use. P.S. I don’t think that either the castle or bike in this photo are for sale! The route then crosses back over HS2, and back down the alley back onto Westwood Business Park and the home of the BCF and you’ll be able to rest!!

If you'd like to join us on the 2023 Charity Cycle on Friday 23rd June, please visit: coatings.org.uk/page/RideWarwickshire2023

By Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive Officer of the BCF

Spring feels like it is finally about to come as we head into the Easter weekend, and I wanted to update members on two major issues – UK REACH and PaintCare.

Behind the scenes, we continue to keep our advocacy efforts focused on UK REACH, which was flagged up in our recent survey as one of the major threats to the sector in the future.  I met with DEFRA’s Chemicals Minister, Rebecca Pow MP at the end of March, where I put over the sector’s concerns on where UK chemical regulations are heading.  I encouraged her to build on the Windsor Agreement achieved in Northern Ireland, to get closer and more pragmatic cooperation with the EU on chemicals management.  We want a system that is sovereign, protects human health and allows for innovation and investment in manufacturing in the UK.  I feel the Government will over time take a more pragmatic approach, but we only have a few months to influence this.  Do rest assured that we will keep this as our number one issue. 

I’m excited that we are getting closer with our PaintCare plans – now into the final push to get members and retailers to sign up to the PaintCare prospectus, which we are about to publish to our Decorative Coatings members for consultation in April.  The 80-page document outlines in detail how PaintCare will work, and we really are at the Go/No Go decision point.  I hope we have the courage and ambition to go ahead with PaintCare, and I wanted to thank Steve Snaith for the huge amount of work he has put into the project.

I’ll finish with a couple of plugs – you’ve got until early May to finalise your entries for this year’s BCF awards - we have a new award in our Race to Net Zero category, and up to five awards will have dedicated SME entry categories, provided we get enough SME entries. This is to help make a more level playing field, given SMEs cannot always compete with the resources of the major global players.

We are also close to last orders for ticket sales for our Conference on May 25th, and we’ve now got over 60 riders signed up for our charity bike ride on June 23rd – there is still time to sign up!  Enjoy the long Easter weekend – we could all do with a break!

By Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive Officer of the BCF

There was a report published earlier this year that claimed that paint is the largest source of microplastic leakage into our oceans – more than car tyre dust, plastic pellets and fibres from textiles put together.  This led to a lot of raised eyebrows in our sector, given that most reports we’d previously seen estimated paint’s contribution to microplastics pollution to be between 10 and 20%.  Clearly our sector does have an impact, but is paint really a bigger problem than car tyre dust and textiles?

This new report claimed paint creates 58% of the world’s microplastics – it was a study funded by the European Commission, called Plastic Paint by Swiss based environmental NGO Environmental Action. So, is this report credible?

Well, it is somewhat timely that the World Coatings Council’s Secretariat, the American Coatings Association (ACA), has recently published a Literature Review aimed at establishing the state of the science and available data on microplastics generated by paints and coatings.

The ACA literature search identified and analysed 36 key documents, to produce a summary of the current scientific state of knowledge on paints and coatings related microplastics.  The short conclusion is that there is simply no real data quantifying the contribution of paint to microplastics pollution.  Many of these reports therefore employ a range of assumptions regarding paint degradation rates and removal practices in order to estimate the contribution of paint.  With the exception of the EA report referred to above, the range of paint’s contribution to microplastics pollution is actually estimated to be between 9.6% and 21%.

CEPE, the European Paint Association, has written to the European Commission to explain the many flaws in the assumptions made in the EA report, which the authors themselves admit is an outlier in terms of its conclusions in positioning the size of the impact of paint compared to other sources of microplastics.  It is of course critical that conclusions in publication and discussion apportioning responsibility on any industry be based on scientifically substantiated data and rigorous real-world study.

However, we cannot hide from the fact that we are part of the problem, and the European Commission has the paint industry in its sights when looking at future regulations to control microplastic leakage.

It is a fact that road marking and anti-fouling coatings will end up in the marine environment. To some extent other exterior coatings will too, as will a small percentage of decorative paint when paint brushes and rollers are washed in water. There are things we can do as consumers to reduce the water used in this process and the amount of paint that goes down the drain.  We are currently working on a new video to get this message across to the public. The same is true when people re-paint their boats, and BCF have a campaign to educate boat owners called the Protect, Collect and Dispose Antifouling Initiative. One of the aims of the campaign is to work to prevent the release of paint flakes when sanding into the marine environment.

Going back to the Literature Review conducted by World Coatings Council, it is clear there is limited knowledge on the source, environmental contribution, environmental and human health risks, and impact in wastewater from paint-related microplastics.  If we are to defend ourselves, we need to build credible data on what impact we are having.  I am pleased to say that CEPE are currently working on several studies for both masonry paint and anti-fouling paint.

In conclusion, paint isn’t the largest contributor of microplastics in the marine environment, but we do have some impact, so should not be complacent.  In my role as the current President of the World Coatings Council, I will be ensuring we get the right messages out there so we can better defend ourselves.

You can read more about BCF’s view of the topic of microplastics in paint via the FAQ section of BCF’s new website, which also links to the World Coatings Council paper - it includes a lot more detail than I could cover here.

By Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive Officer of the BCF

I’m so impressed with how members have responded to all the challenges thrown at them in the last 12 months, and despite many difficulties have continued to produce and deliver high quality paints, coatings, printing inks and wallcoverings for UK and export customers. 

The raw material crisis, which our industry has battled with throughout 2021 is not abating, and despite lower demand in some coatings segments, supply availability is still restricted, and prices are at an all-time high. We have recently published an information note on raw material price trends which you can find at BCF Information note - Raw material prices January 2022 - British Coatings Federation Ltd (site-ym.com)

We know from member feedback that the Brexit impact has pretty much all been downside, and the bad news is that the biggest negative impact we fear hasn’t even started to hit us yet. I’m talking about UK REACH of course, and the BCF has been leading supply chain efforts to try to get Defra to recognise our concerns.

I’m thrilled to let you know that we had a really significant breakthrough just before Christmas, with Defra agreeing to review their approach to UK REACH, accepting that the expected enormous burden on industry over the next seven years (estimated at over £1 billion) would be disproportionate and would make UK manufacturing uncompetitive. 

As a result, UK REACH deadlines have now been extended by two years, and we are looking forward to engaging positively in the coming year with Government, industry colleagues and others to find a more workable solution to regulating chemicals safely and proportionately in the UK. You can read the full press release from Defra on this at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deadline-for-uk-reach-to-be-extended.

2022 will see us build on the BCF members’ Net Zero carbon emissions pledge made last October, through an important piece of work to complete the Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050 for the sector. In addition to this, we need to make progress with PaintCare – the scheme that will deliver our ambitious target of achieving growth from 2% today to 75% of leftover decorative paint being re-used, recycled or re-manufactured by 2030. 

We also want to continue to build on our careers work, with another course of Coatings Ambassador training, and continued promotion of the BCF’s Coatings Careers Hub, which we encourage members to take advantage of. If you are looking to promote vacancies or participate in filming, get in touch with our team at info[at]bcf.co.uk. 

The Omicron wave of Covid-19 led to significant absences in member companies in January, but at time of writing we seem to be over the peak, but we cannot be complacent.  With the dropping of all restrictions, we hope 2022 will be a much better year, at least from a Covid-19 point of view.  On that note, in terms of getting back to normal, our Conference returns to its usual May slot, with the programme literally hot off the press and our 2022 Awards entries will open in March, with the ceremony in October.  We’ve also got the BCF sponsored bike ride to look forward to in July, so it’s time to get training!

BCF membership is stronger than ever, and for the first in my tenure as CEO, we have achieved a 100% retention rate for our 150 full member companies in 2022.

As always, please do get in touch with any comments, thoughts or feedback on how we can improve our service to you, and thanks again for your continued support.

ENDS 

I began my career in the coatings industry in the early 1990s, when most of the UK paint industry was UK owned and much more fragmented.  I was working for AkzoNobel from the Netherlands, who had acquired Sandtex and Permoglaze in the late 1980s, then MacPhersons and Crown Paints in the early 1990s and International Paints in 1998.   Around the same time Ronseal was bought by Sherwin Williams from the USA, who later bought Leighs Paints in 2011.  Johnstones and Leyland paint brands are part of the American paint company PPG, who bought the SigmaKalon paint business in 2008.  The biggest acquisition came in 2008, when AkzoNobel acquired Dulux from ICI, which ended the UK’s representation in the top 25 list of Europe’s top paint manufacturers.

In 2011, Crown Paints was bought by Danish company Hempel, who in May this year acquired Farrow and Ball from an American retail company.  Axalta also acquired Spencer Coatings, a UK protective and industrial coatings manufacturer in 2017.

Three out of four paint cans sold in the UK are made here, and the UK is a net exporter of coatings, with exports running at over £1 billion.  The paint industry still has a very strong UK manufacturing base, and from all the acquisitions mentioned above, I cannot think of one that led to less UK manufacturing.  Granted there has been consolidation of sites in some cases, but this has also led to higher levels of productivity. We estimate that whilst approximately 50% of the British Coatings Federation membership is UK owned, more than 90% of the £4bln turnover of the industry comes from the multi-nationals. 

We have seen significant foreign direct investment in the UK coatings industry, with several key investments in the last five years, despite the concerns the industry rightly has over future chemical regulations in the UK post Brexit.

For example, AkzoNobel invested £100m in a state-of-the-art factory in Ashington, Northumberland for their Dulux brand, which opened in 2017, and a further £27m at the Felling site in Gateshead, where the International Paints brand has its global headquarters.  PPG have had a multi-million investment in their manufacturing facility in Batley, Yorkshire, which was recently visited by the Prime Minister ahead of the by-election there, and Crown Paints announced a £5m investment in upgrading facilities at its Hull site in February this year.  The paint industry can certainly say it’s playing its part in the levelling up agenda, and it is encouraging to see new investments in the post Brexit period.

We also shouldn’t forget the innovation and adaptability of the UK’s SMEs coatings companies, who have established their own niches to ensure their futures – be it in technology, customer service or simply being more fleet of foot and adaptable to market needs.

For me, the most important test is that the global coatings companies continue to invest in the UK, supporting UK manufacturing and UK jobs.  From what we’ve seen so far, the industry is passing the test, but we need the UK Government to also play its part, by creating a regulatory landscape that stimulates, rather than inhibits chemical manufacturing sectors like coatings. 

Resilience firstly in reacting to Covid: keeping production going; keeping staff employed and adapting work practices to keep them safe; and playing their part in helping make products used in the response to the virus and by taking a lead in their communities. However, while the overall picture was not as bad as for other industries, we know some members were hit harder than others – decorative paint sales continue to soar as lockdown Britain’s enforced love affair with DIY carries on into the third, and hopefully last ever national lockdown, whilst industrial paints and printing inks suffer as other industries reeled under the economic contraction, not least aerospace and automotive.

But also, secondly, resilience in preparing for the UK’s new trading relationship with the EU, against a backdrop of delay to decisions and uncertainty of outcome. We know from participation in our various Brexit webinars, in our committee meetings, and from regular communications with members just how much time and resource has been put into making sure the coatings industry is ready to deal with all the new rules and regulations.

Both of those issues – Covid and Brexit – will continue to hamper business well into 2021. Despite the rolling out of vaccines across the country, it seems likely we will be in some form of lockdown until Easter, and maybe continue to have restrictions in place for even longer. Bailouts from government will help mitigate the worst effects to the economy but members operating in the industrial and printing ink sectors will be likely still feeling negative effects for some time.

Likewise, although the UK has left the EU and the transition period has ended, Brexit will still be a 2021 issue. There will no doubt be a period of teething problems to overcome as industry adapts to the new rules and regulations, not least at the ports and in dealing with customs in the short-term, and in the medium term through dealing with chemicals regulations both in the UK and as a ‘third country’ exporting to the EU. Once things settle down, and we can plan ahead with a little more certainty, companies will have to evaluate the impact of those rules on their business. At the same time, there will be continued FTA negotiations with the USA, Australia and New Zealand, as well as other countries we have recently signed continuity agreements with.  We have to look for and benefit from trading and regulatory opportunities from leaving the EU, otherwise it will only have been a damage limitation exercise.

2021 is likely to also be a year focused heavily on the environment. The UK presidency of the UN Climate Change Conference – COP26 - delayed from last year, will take place in Glasgow in November. The Government will want to place itself as a world-leader in all things green ahead of that and we can expect a raft of announcements and legislation on environmental policies. The introduction of a carbon tax of some kind is almost a certainty and this is something we at BCF will keep a close eye on – along with other business organisations. We all want to play our part in improving the environment, and a key area where BCF hopes it can add value is helping to solve the challenge of how to improve the environmental impact on leftover decorative paint, 98% of which is landfilled or incinerated. We have a vision to radically improve this, through our voluntary PaintCare initiative.  However, with business hurting from Covid and Brexit, and already having to cope with new green taxes like that on plastic packaging, we need to make sure solutions are proportionate for the times.

Here at BCF we will continue to provide many events and resources online although we hope – as I am sure everyone else does – that we might be able to see each other in person again, at least in the Autumn. Our lobbying efforts will be heavily focused on the UK’s transition from the EU, not least around seeking amendments to UK REACH to reduce the anticipated costs to business of the new scheme. As always, we are here to provide regulatory support to BCF members, and to generally promote the industry within Government, Parliament and the wider public.

The impact of Covid and a full lockdown over spring and early summer impacted everyone in BCF membership, as you all struggled to keep up with new rules and regulations, to maintain production or cope with reduced demand and, of course, to keep employees as safe as possible. It took some time to get to grips with the new ‘normal’ but, overall, members seem to have weathered the storm better than many other industries.

It is true that some have been hit harder than others: those in the industrial coatings and printing ink sector have been impacted the most, as other parts of the manufacturing sector – such as auto and aero – were brought to a standstill for several months, and printed newspaper circulations significantly reduced. Conversely, decorative retail paints and also wallcoverings, after an initial slowdown in March, have seen demand soar as people were stuck at home with little to do, and flush with cash reclaimed from cancelled holidays abroad, took to DIY to pass the time.

We were just starting to see an uptick across other areas, with industrial coatings picking up as manufacturing accelerated and decorative trade paint sales returning to the previous year’s volumes thanks to increased construction activity. And now we have been hit with a second nationwide lockdown in England. While members are in a much better position than they were in March to understand the rules and make the necessary adjustments, we recognise that many will be negatively impacted yet again in the run up to Christmas and perhaps into the New Year.

And of course, in the background, the clock continues to tick down loudly and ominously on Brexit. The UK leaves the transition period on 1^st January and we know our members are stepping up their preparations to comply with new UK rules, as well as adhere to existing EU regulations from the perspective of a ‘third country’ if they wish to continue to export there. In addition, many EU suppliers are having to get to grips with the new UK regimes and we understand members are looking to mitigate negative effects on their supply chains in the early days of 2021. As I write this we still don’t know the outcome of the FTA negotiations but hope that we will see a deal done, removing the prospects of tariffs, if little else, from the list of concerns many members have.

BCF has put a lot of our resources into assisting members with both Covid response and Brexit preparations over the past year. We continue to be available to members and offer whatever support we can to help ease the burden on you as much as we can. Please do get in touch if you have any queries or concerns and we will always do what we can to assist.

By Tom Bowtell, CEO 

Coatings, printing inks and wallcoverings are critical to UK manufacturing and construction,and sales are generally impacted by GDP movements, so you can imagine it's been a bumpy ride over the past few months.

Starting more broadly with UK manufacturing, Make UK’s latest numbers report 77% of manufacturers having used the furlough scheme, with over 50% planning redundancies in the next 6 months.  41% of MakeUK members think the recovery will take more than 12 months, a view echoed by BCF members.

Looking closer to home, there have definitely been winners and losers in our sector : the growth in DIY with so many furloughed staff means that retail paint and woodcare have done well since May, when most outlets had reopened.  Printing inks for food packaging were also in greater demand, with everyonebuying more food at home through lockdown.

Sales of industrial coatings dropped by 35% in April, 37% in Maybut improved in June, albeit a further 6% below June 2019.  Professional decorators and construction coatings have also been badly hit; 50% down in April, 20% in May but June’s numbers were the same as 2019, which is encouraging.  Printing inks for newspapers have seen a 70% drop in output; this crisis has brought forward the switch to digital by several years. Wallcoverings sales were down 8% in Q2 2020, but flat year to date after a strong first quarter.

When you add everything up, UK paints and coatings sales were up over 45% in June, and now 4% up year to date. This is all driven by retail and woodcare growth, with industrial coatings still struggling.  One has to say this is a huge improvement on April and May, and much better than we were expecting when forecastingat the peak of Covid-19back in April.  However, I doubt such high levels will be sustained as more people return to work.

Looking to the future, the results from our confidence survey were releasedin mid-July.  36 companies took part, most were small companies. Half were industrial players, 9 were decorative and8 were printing ink companies.  Overall, confidence has plummeted.  The index is down to 37 from an average of 71.  Even when companies were worrying about a no deal Brexit, the lowest point was 58.

Members were asked about their forecasts for the second half of the year, and the results are very much dependent on which sector you are in.  66% of decorative coatings companies expect growth, whereas 95% of industrial companies predict lower sales.  Smaller companies appear to be hardest hit, with 76% of smaller companies expecting sales to drop versus58% of medium sized companies.

Most BCF members think it will take at least 18 months or a year beyond that to get back to where the sector was pre-Covid-19. 6% of respondents don’t think the sector will ever get back to where it was.  The BCF’s view is that it will be a long, slow recovery.  One positive thing from our survey are the employment forecasts - 47% of companies said there would be no change in headcount and 33% of companies felt that the decrease in staff numbers would be small. 

Forecasts on the global impact of Covid-19 on the coatings industry across the world show a forecast 2.3% volume drop in 2020.  Latin America and North America will be hardest hit.  Asia got into the crisis first and out of it quickest and will be the least affected.  In Europe there is a 2.3% decline; but the company by company impact really depends on which sector you major in.  

The outlook for the future will depend on GDP growth, and with unemployment numbers expected to rocket up after October, we have a tough period ahead of us.  However, when the economy recovers, the coatings and inks sector will also rebound.  

In my first week I attended an online training session which aims to create a network of Coatings Ambassadors. The programme was created in partnership with the Surface Coatings Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the PRA and delivered by Cogent Skills. It was brilliant to engage with people from a multitude of organisations and in a wide range of roles. Having ran this as an online session, there were attendees from across the UK as well as Brazil and the USA, showing the potential to create a worldwide network.

Coming from a different sector, it was interesting to see how the programme can make a real difference to the industry. There is a shortage of skilled staff and an ageing workforce, so it’s important that we encourage the next generation to understand the opportunities and potential available. In support of this, the BCF created the Coatings Careers Hub, which is an online forum showing vacancies and careers resources. If you would like to find out more about the Coatings Careers Hub, click here.

Following this training session, I’m looking forward to putting the skills I learnt into practice once schools are officially open again. In terms of my role at the BCF, it’s been great to hit the ground running and learn more about the industry.

EU Free Trade Negotiations

Whilst assisting members with their response to the coronavirus has been a priority over the past couple of months, it has not been to the exclusion of other crucial areas of policy. In particular, the clock is ticking on the Brexit transition period. Michael Gove announced on Friday that the UK had formally told the EU it would not seek an exemption, a decision that has been accepted by the EU. This means that unless the UK and EU can negotiate a Free Trade Agreement by the end of the year we could still end up with the worrying and costly prospect of a no-deal Brexit. So, it will be no surprise that this is the other major topic we have been prioritising in our public affairs work.

Last week’s news that the UK Government is planning a ‘light touch’ customs regime on imports in the immediate post-transition period, due to the impact of coronavirus on business, is welcome to some extent. However, on the other hand it is a recognition of how badly new customs measures could affect the flow of trade. Worryingly, reports from both the EU and UK camps signified very little progress had been made again in the June round of negotiations. Efforts are now being stepped up to try to achieve a breakthrough. Boris Johnson is due to speak today to the Presidents of the European Council, Commission and Parliament and there will be a more intensive round of talks over the month of July. Katya Adler of the BBC has a good summary of the situation here.

Ultimately, as with the wider business community, we want to see a comprehensive FTA put in place, one that is free of tariffs and that minimises added bureaucracy and cost to industry in other ways, be it through Rules of Origin or delays at customs and borders. We continue to speak with Government – including Ministers to officials – as well as with and through business groups such as the CBI and Make UK to press our case as firmly as we can.

Future Regulation of Chemicals

Critically, we want to see high regulatory standards maintained in the chemicals sector and want as close co-operation as possible between the EU and UK on chemicals regulation in future. We still believe those goals on regulation could best be achieved by the UK remaining part of ECHA, although the UK Government seems to have ruled that option out.

In terms of alternatives, the CIA and Cefic have published a joint position paper calling for the FTA to include an agreement for high-levels of co-operation and data-sharing between Defra and HSE in the UK and ECHA in the EU. This would not be a panacea and would still mean a separate UK REACH regime would be adopted. However, the aim would be to avoid the need for all substances in the EU REACH database to be re-registered in the duplicate UK REACH system, with all the costs that would entail for users up- and down-stream across both the UK and EU. The estimated financial costs to UK and European businesses of not achieving some sort of compromise in this area vary but a figure of at least £1 billion in fees alone, over two years, seems a reasonable and conservative estimate at this time, taking into account the number of substances involved and the UK Government’s decision to replicate the EU substance registration costs for any UK REACH system. If the cost of sourcing raw materials in the UK goes up because of these UK REACH costs, it’s going to impact all our members and make the UK a less competitive manufacturing base, leading to the potential loss of production to other plants in the EU.  

As such, we are supporting the CIA and Cefic proposal on data-sharing and regulatory co-operation and are liaising with CEPE to try and build wider support in Europe for this potential outcome. However, we remain open to other ways of securing a high-level of future co-operation as long they achieve the aims of high standards, close alignment with EU regulations, and minimal added bureaucracy and cost to industry.

We will, over the coming weeks, be stepping up our engagement with MPs whose constituencies are home to members’ factories and facilities to gain their support for these principles and to get them, in turn, to place more pressure on the Government to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the FTA negotiations.

In the space of a few weeks, like many others, our industry is in a state of turmoil.  Market demand is disappearing for many members and everyone is grappling to understand the wide range of support offered by the government, whilst trying to keep operations open and staff safe.  

We are now having weekly emergency Coronavirus calls with our Board of Directors, to review the situation and to understand how member companies are adapting, and where we should be prioritising our efforts to support members at this time of crisis. We will, of course, share decisions and output from the calls with the wider membership.

There is a lot of reference by the government of ‘essential’ businesses and confusion surrounding what is considered essential. We are working on a lobbying paper to establish paint, coatings, and printing inks as “essential” to the UK through the next more restrictive phase of lockdown that may well be coming, so facilities can stay open.    BCF members supply a vast array of supplies into many parts of the UK’s critical infrastructure, and we’ve put together a fact sheet to highlight these. You can view that here. 

Three other key lobbying areas have emerged.  Our printing inks members are suffering severe shortages of ethanol, which is going to impact the food packaging supply chain very shortly if we don’t get some action. We have escalated this to the highest level in BEIS and Defra.  We’ve also recommended some changes to the Government’s furlough scheme to help members rotate staff rather than pick winners and losers.  Finally, we’ve asked the government to consider a regulatory pause, particularly for biocides in water-based products, due to hit members in May.

All BCF council and committee meetings due to take place in the coming months will be going ahead as conference calls.  This includes the Board of Directors and Annual General Meeting due to take place in May.  We will write to the councils and committees with the call details for these meetings shortly.

We announced last week our decision to reschedule our Annual Conference and Industry Dinner, which was due to take place on Thursday 21st May, to now take place on Tuesday 6^th October 2020.  

With our world becoming more digital almost overnight, we have put together guidance on teleconferencing, with some tips on how to keep your meetings going digitally. 

We continue to send out updated communication with support available to members from government, and to ask about supply chain concerns members have.  To access the latest UK government response and information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) follow https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

BCF staff will be working from home until the government advises otherwise, and are available to contact on their usual office or mobile phones.  Like all businesses, we are evaluating the various scenarios for our own sustainability through this period and will be sharing the outcome of this with the BCF Board and later, the wider membership. 

As always, my door is (at least metaphorically for now!) open and I am really happy to talk to members about any individual concerns.  My office phone line still works, so do get in touch.

Keeping the economy going

Last week the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, told the House of Commons: “where people absolutely cannot work from home, they can still go to work. Indeed, it is important that they do so in order to keep the country running.”

And yesterday the Business Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, has felt the need to enter the fray, writing in the Daily Telegraph that businesses which do not fall under the categories Boris Johnson has chosen to shut, have every right to stay open, saying “We still need houses built and deliveries made.” He went on to state that government needed to make sure the damage coronavirus is doing to the economy is “minimised.”

But not business as usual

There are few who would argue with the need to keep the economy functioning during this crisis, and government has introduced steps – like access to finance and deferment of taxes – designed to help companies do just that.

However, no one can pretend that we are anywhere near ‘business as usual’ either. All businesses are having to adapt to unprecedented circumstances.

Like others, BCF members are taking measures to follow government guidance to support and protect their employees over this period. They have made sure all staff who can work from home do so and, for those who cannot and still come into the workplace, they follow PHE guidance on social distancing, handwashing, and other health and safety measures.

Members are also having to manage increased sickness absence, as staff find themselves taken ill and having to self-isolate. Moreover, depending on the precise sector they work in, they are having to deal with raw material shortages or price rises, drops in orders from customers, and difficult decisions about whether to ‘furlough’ staff.

Coatings key in tackling coronavirus response

And yet, despite the setbacks and uncertainty, our coatings sector is proving to be resilient and, indeed, to be playing a crucial part helping to tackle the country’s coronavirus response.

Top Gear once made an episode where they asked all UK manufacturers of ‘vehicles’ to send a sample of their product to The Mall in London. The presenters were amazed when they turned up to discover the whole Mall was full - from Buckingham Palace to Horseguards Road – with everything from Formula One cars to ice cream vans, JCBs to Nissans, and from buses and taxis to cherry pickers and tractors. They had not expected such an array of auto manufacturing to still be taking place in the UK.

In our conversations with members over the past couple of weeks, the same picture has begun to emerge – of the sheer breadth, depth and variety of products made the coatings industry for its customers. And amongst this smorgasbord of British manufacturing there are so many goods and products that are essential to the coronavirus response, and to generally help keep the country going during the pandemic.

The following is just a small sample of how our members are ‘playing their bit,’ with their coatings going to help customers:

• Supply key materials for ventilators;
• Produce equipment for hospitals, including beds and trollies to bins and medical waste containers;
• Manufacture isolation units for hospitals across the country;
• Make new “sneeze and cough” screens for supermarket checkouts to protect staff;
• Refurbish oxygen cylinders to increase the supply to NHS;
• Make packaging for food, pharmaceutical and other key goods, helping produce stay safe and fresh for consumers.
• Provide temporary sleeper units and showers for the NHS;
• Build new machinery to help with food production and picking;
• Create coatings classified as medical devices, including products like liquid plasters;
• Keep logistics operations in full swing, from airports to warehouses, including packing cases and linemarkings;
• Create temporary car parks so staff can get parked closer to hospitals;

Our members are also contributing in other ways, where they can. Some members have started to produce hand sanitiser in varying quantities, sometimes provided free to their local communities.

Coatings - an essential industry

The coatings industry is a vital and irreplaceable part of our country’s economy and is also playing a clear and important role in the ongoing global fight against coronavirus. As the UK Government considers whether to strengthen the existing ‘lockdown’ criteria, BCF will be continuing to make the case for our industry to be deemed essential should more businesses be required to shut their doors.

Whilst not all of our members will want to, or sometimes be able to, continue production into the future - at least not at 100% - collectively we want to make sure our sector at least has the opportunity to carrying on playing its role in the fight against coronavirus. To do that it needs to stay operational so as to supply the vital goods and components others in critical frontline sectors need.