Essential Coatings

Coatings are all around us. They are everywhere. In fact, you could say that coatings is the most looked at industry in the world. Some are highly visible. Others often go unnoticed and are sometimes unappreciated. But the reality is, wherever they are and whatever their function, they are critical to the UK economy and play an important role in everyday life. In fact, when you start to recognise the huge number of ways in which coatings are used, you have to ask yourself: could you even imagine the world without coatings?

Find out more about Essential Coatings by reading our new report here.

Coatings – decorative paints, industrial and powder coatings, printing inks, and wallcoverings - contribute to the world around us through essential uses in industry across a whole host of different sectors. They enable us to live better, safer, and more comfortable lives, as well as assist the drive towards a more sustainable world, for instance with a direct role in enhancing the life-cycle of products and improving energy efficiency, as well as in supporting the development of green energy infrastructure.

And, of course, there is a bottom line – the coatings sector makes a huge contribution to the UK in financial and economic terms. It is a £4 billion industry, directly employing 14,000 people: and it is a net exporter. But its impact is far wider, with industries downstream – from health to aerospace – worth around £300 billion GDP per annum relying on coatings products in some way or another, and over 300,000 people working directly with coatings every day.

The coatings sector here in the UK is world-leading, both in terms of current performance and innovation. We are a success story.

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Coatings are...

ESSENTIAL

Coatings are everywhere, in and on almost everything, and critical to the functioning of daily lives.

LIVEABLE

Coatings enrich and enhance the beauty of the world around us.

SUSTAINABLE

Coatings prolong the life of goods, vehicles and infrastructure, as well as prevent food waste.

VALUABLE

The coatings sector is a UK manufacturing success story. It contributes £4 billion directly to UK GDP and creates 14,000 jobs.

Paint & Ink in the World Around Us

Many thanks to The Association of Paint and Printing Ink Manufacturers (VVVF) in the Netherlands for creating and sharing their 'Paint & Ink in the World Around Us' campaign. The interactive map below shows in a clear way what paint and ink do in our society: from road paint and antibacterial coatings to sustainable protection of buildings. Click on recognisable places on the interactive map, such as a hospital, a road or a bridge, and discover the role of paint or ink there.