INTRODUCTION
The President’s report
When we woke up on 24 th June
2016, we all knew that something
significant had happened.
Two nights before, we were together
with the BCF community at our
Annual Conference in Manchester, and
I’d just taken over the Presidency. I
was apprehensive to be taking over
from John Falder of HMG Paints, who
was such a fantastic President for the
Federation, but the big issue of the
day was the EU referendum. Now I’m
finding out just how important the
BCF is, as they continue to engage with
government officials to work out the
best deal for the coatings industry in the
Brexit negotiations now Article 50 has
been triggered.
There are many different views about
Brexit and our place isn’t to have a
political position on the matter, but
rather to make the case for business as
the terms of separation from the EU
are negotiated by officials and Ministers
in Theresa May’s government. Business
is resilient, and we will adapt to the
conditions in front of us. However,
through our strong lobbying team at the
BCF, we can also help shape the trading
landscape for UK manufacturing, and
especially for the coatings, paints, printing
inks and wallcoverings businesses we
represent.
Meetings have been held with senior
government ministers including Mark
Garnier MP, the Trade Minister in the
Department for International Trade
(DIT), and officials from the Department
for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy (BEIS), the Department of
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) and the Department for Exiting
the EU (DExEU). After a meeting
with DExEU in late 2016, the BCF led
the Alliance of Chemical Associations
(ACA - 11 chemical related associations
representing 1,200 companies) to
evidence of cancer in workers in TiO 2 or
paint factories, and once in a liquid, TiO 2
dust cannot be inhaled by the public
but the ‘causes cancer’ label will still
have to be applied to the paint if TiO 2 is
classified.
produce a detailed survey with members
in early 2017, highlighting the risks and
opportunities for the chemicals sector
(see page 13 for details of the results)
which was discussed with government in
detail in March.
The other major issue which affects all
BCF members is the French proposal
to classify Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 )
as a carcinogenic substance (by dust
inhalation). This is another example
where proactive action from the BCF
has been, and will continue to be, critical
for our future.
It is hard to imagine making paint
without TiO 2 as it is such an essential
ingredient in paints, coatings, inks and
wallpaper, and our industry is by far the
largest user of TiO 2 globally (60% of all
TiO 2 ends up in our products).
It is therefore appropriate that we are
leading the cross industry lobbying in
the UK on this, and earlier in 2017
BCF’s CEO Tom Bowtell and his team
led a delegation to Whitehall to meet
with government officials to outline the
potential economic impact of losing TiO 2
and to present the industry’s view on
the weaknesses in the scientific evidence
behind the French proposal.
We all hope the European Chemicals
Agency (ECHA) makes the right decision
in Helsinki this Autumn, as there is no
In November 2016, the BCF team
secured a debate in the House of
Commons about making better use of
leftover decorative paint, and I was very
impressed how Angela Smith MP (MP
for Sherwin-Williams in Sheffield) made
the case that government should help
create a market for remanufact ured
paint by including it in Green Public
Procurement rules. The Minister’s
response was disappointing, but dialogue
with her office is continuing. Personally,
given I represent a major decorative
paint manufacturer, I would very much
like to see the PaintCare initiative, which
has got off to an excellent start, move
to the next level under my Presidency.
Funding the social sector, and finding
commercial markets for remanufactured
paint are some of the major blocks, as
is the overriding cost pressure on local
authorities, which can sometimes hinder
the development of new initiatives to
drive change and innovation - even if
they reduce costs.
The BCF is in great shape, with a
constant flow of new members, almost
no resignations and record high levels of
satisfaction from members. Despite the
challenging issues facing us, our industry
continues to prosper, and to no small
part we owe that to our Federation.
Vincent O’Sullivan, BCF President
and Business Unit Director, PPG
Architectural Coatings UK and Ireland
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