THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
The President’s report
“One of the key themes of BCF’s work that I’d like to champion and
grow under my presidency is improving our visibility and attractiveness
to the next generation of talent for our sector.”
This work started back in 2017, when BCF attended Manchester
and Warwick University careers fairs. As a former student at
University of Warwick, it was great to go back there 20 years
later and tell students about my career, and more importantly
about the broad range of skilled and well-paid jobs in our sector.
Of course, University of Warwick is only a stone’s throw from
Spectra House, BCF’s fantastic new office. In early 2019 we
hosted 25 chemistry graduates and MSc students, where eight
BCF members explained the opportunities available in the sector.
It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of the students, and several
work experience placements and internships were set up as a
result of the event. More importantly, we know that a cohort
of highly talented chemistry students from one of the UK’s best
universities for chemistry are now aware of, and interested in, a
career in our sector, which makes me really proud.
We now have to replicate this effort across the country. BCF’s
new Coatings Careers Hub will go a long way to helping us
present ourselves to the outside world with all vacancies from
member companies, from work experience to permanent roles,
advertised on our new industry portal. I do urge members
to use the Careers Hub, and advertise opportunities there,
otherwise the efforts of the marketing team will have been
wasted.
In 2019, BCF will also be launching a Coatings Ambassadors
programme, to help prepare those in the industry keen to
work with local schools to promote our sector and the career
opportunities available. This is a BCF led initiative, in collaboration
with the Paint Research Association (PRA) and the Royal Society
of Chemistry’s Surface Coatings Special Interest Group, with
support from Cogent Skills. I’d encourage members to go on
the training to become a Coatings Ambassador. Ultimately it will
benefit every member if we all do our part.
Meanwhile, the farce of the Brexit process has been going on
around us, and we spent much of the first quarter of 2019
preparing for a no deal outcome, with an estimated £150-£300
million in working capital tied up in additional inventory of raw
materials and finished coatings and inks across the UK. This
also led to shortages and price increases, on top of the 6.5%
price inflation we faced in 2018. Tariffs alone would have cost
us another £150m, and reduced the competitiveness of our
£1 billion of exports from the UK of coatings, printing inks and
wallcoverings, had we had a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
BCF ANNUAL HANDBOOK 2019/20
It was great to hear our
CEO talking on national
radio in January this year
about the challenges
and risks a no deal Brexit would bring to our sector. The
complexities of our chemical regulations, so deeply integrated in
the European Chemicals Agency and REACH, make our situation
far worse than many other parts of manufacturing.
The BCF wrote to all MPs in December 2018, urging them to
avoid no deal, and support the PM’s deal, which was defeated
so comprehensively in January, then twice more in February and
March. We now have an extension until the end of October,
which at least removes the immediate no deal threat.
Trading is tough for all of us just now with raw material price
inflation, very limited growth and all the Brexit concerns.
The team at BCF continue to do a fantastic job to defend our
interests on Brexit – but there is so much more below the
surface. Be it substance related issues, such as titanium dioxide
(TiO 2 ), biocides, photoinitiators, Azodicarbonamide ( ADCA)
or Bisphenol A (BPA), or broader issues such as air quality, the
circular economy, microplastics or poison centre legislation, we
know the BCF team gives its all to fight our corner.
Membership continues to grow, and the Federation now has a
new office in Coventry that hosts all our meetings. There are
six new team members, who joined since the move, and I know
having worked with them all that they have fit in really well,
and helped take BCF to the next level of member support and
service.
We have an association to be proud of – which is also
recognised by wider stakeholders, and demonstrated by BCF
being crowned UK Trade Association of the Year in 2018, making
it two years in a row. In addition, we won the Good Governance
and Publication of the Year awards. Looking forward to another
great year with the BCF!
David Beckford, BCF President and Managing Director,
Pronto Industrial Paints
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