Covered Spring 2022

COVERED Spring 2022

BCF launch anti-greenwashing campaign Also inside: Government to rethink UK REACH Raw material prices show new high PaintCare makes national media coatings.org.uk

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Contents Editorial

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REACHing for a solution

04

Raw material prices hit new high

05

New year brings new regulatory challenges

06

Regulatory team responsibilities

07

Road to Net Zero

08

BCF tackles greenwash in decorative paints

09

Coatings Care data breaks records once again

10

RSC campaign leads to focus on PaintCare

12

BCF Awards 2022

13

BCF Annual Conference 2022

14

BCF’s Young Leader of the Year Natalie Hood

16

BCF posts record-breaking 600 jobs in the coatings industry in 2021

18

New members

20

Upcoming events and meetings

22

BCF staff update

22

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British Coatings Federation Limited Spectra House, Westwood Way Westwood Business Park Coventry, CV4 8HS Email: info@bcf.co.uk Website: coatings.org.uk Telephone: 02476 935 390 Registered in England 745398

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Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication, and the statements contained herein are believed to be correct, the publishers and the promoters will not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies.

Reproduction of any part of this publication without permission is strictly forbidden.

BCF make no recommendation in respect of any of the advertisers, and no recommendation may be implied by way of the presence of their advertisements.

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Editorial

By Tom Bowtell Chief Executive Officer of the BCF Welcome to the first edition of Covered in 2022. I’m so impressed with how members continue to take the latest challenges thrown at them in their stride, and continue to produce 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 alltime high. More information on raw material price trends on page 5.

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. See page 4 for more on this.

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 2050 Net Zero Roadmap 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.

With consumers becoming increasingly more inclined to make more sustainably conscious purchases, I’m pleased to say we have now launched our ‘Green Claims Guide for Decorative Paints’ to help level the playing field. We have been recording increasing numbers of news articles around the subject of ‘eco-paints’, as well as reports from our members in the decorative paints industry of emerging companies making unsubstantiated claims. Our guide aims to tackle such misleading claims, which you can read more about on page 9.

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@bcf.co.uk.

The Omicron wave of Covid-19 led to significant absences in member companies in January, but at time of writing case numbers do seem to be falling dramatically. 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 revealed on page 14, and our 2022 Awards entries now open (see page 13), with the ceremony in October. We’ve also got the BCF charity 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.

Tom Bowtell Chief Executive Officer

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REACHing for a solution The proposal for a revised registration process from Defra consists of two parts: 1) the Substance Hazard Information Profile (‘SHIP’) and 2) a risk assessment (incorporating exposure and use work).

On the 6th of December last year, it was announced that Defra was now open to exploring a new model for registrations under UK REACH. This change in direction was widely welcomed by industry. The BCF and other associations have been calling for changes to the registration requirements since UK REACH was introduced. We have successfully made the case that the registration process as it stands would have been very costly and burdensome, while not bringing about any additional protection or benefit for human health or the environment. The process also presented a particular challenge for our members as former downstream users (now importers under UK REACH), as they generally don’t have experience of the registration process under EU REACH, and due to their position in the supply chain it can be more challenging to obtain the information required.

As part of this commitment to review alternative approaches to registration, Defra also announced that the registration deadline would be extended. This is to allow time for the discussions on the registration to take place without the added complication of the first deadline looming so soon. It has been suggested that the first deadline would be pushed back from October 2023 to October 2025. However, it’s important to note that the government plans to consult on the extension plans before the legislation is updated. It is the BCF’s understanding that the consultation is a legal requirement and that it is essentially a formality.

In response to industry concerns about the need for certainty surrounding the registration timelines, Defra officials have consistently stated that an extension will take place regardless of the outcome of the consultation. It has been confirmed that, in the very least, the deadline would be extended to make up for any time taken up over the next few months while the discussions on registration are ongoing.

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The initial proposal shared by Defra does not go into detail about the data or information requirements, as this is yet to be determined. The BCF is involved in a Working Group with Defra concerning the review process and Defra and HSE are currently keen to consult with experts in registration and risk assessment.

All this is welcome progress. However, there is still concern about new registrations not eligible to have been notified under either the grandfathering or DUIN processes. As things stand, in order for a GBbased company to import a substance (or substance within a mixture) for the first time, they need to go through the UK REACH registration process currently in law. For ‘existing’ substances, i.e. substances that were already registered in EU REACH before the end of the transition period, there is a process called ‘New Registration Existing Substance’ (NRES). This allows some information to be deferred until the extended registration deadline (similar to the DUIN process). However, an Article 26 Inquiry is required to be submitted, and registration fees must be paid before import can take place. The Article 26 Inquiry is not simply a paper exercise, analytical data must be provided. Obtaining the analytical data may be costly and take several months. This also presents an additional complication for many of our members who are importing mixtures rather than substances. We are actively taking this issue up with Defra and hope that this obvious and immediate problem will also be listened to and acted upon by Government.

Overall, we are optimistic there is now a clear opportunity to reduce the burden of the original approach to registration under UK REACH. We are committed to ensuring that the particular concerns of our members and former downstream users more generally are presented to government during this review process as new procedures are drawn up, and will keep members updated throughout.

Raw material prices hit new high Raw material prices continued to increase rapidly in recent months with the latest figures for December 2021 showing prices ending the year 18% higher according to the ONS index of input prices for our sector of paints and printing inks.

Already by June 2021 prices were up 10% but by the end of the year the rate of change had almost doubled making it the fastest increase since the second half of 2008.

A major contributory factor has been the huge increase in oil prices which were up 70% in 2021 on average with more recent figures published today (17 February) showing Brent spot prices at $94 per barrel being up a further $20 since the end of December 2021.

In addition, surging energy prices have piled further pressure on manufacturers with more increases expected later in the year as contracts come up for re-negotiation at much higher prices. However, there is some better news here compared with a few weeks ago as gas prices have come off the peak levels seen just before Christmas.

However, as we head further into 2022 there are few signs of respite for raw material prices with availability and supply constraints due to the pandemic still adding further to purchasing managers worries. On top of this, a turn for the worse in the Ukraine standoff could see more turmoil in international commodity prices.

Paint and coatings manufacturers are having to contend with particularly high prices in some areas with certain important materials more than doubling in price over the last year.

Some of the biggest price hikes in December were again in solvents but with resins & related materials, pigments, extenders and packaging all reporting further increases.

For solvents, some prices were more than double the level of December 2020 including N-Butanol, N-Butyl Acetate and MIBK. Big increasers of more than 70% were also seen for Methoxy Propyl Acetate and Isobutanol.

Elsewhere, all other solvents in our

basket (apart from IPA 99%) were up by between 30% and 60% on a year ago.

In resins & related materials, Solution Epoxy Resin prices were 135% higher than a year ago and at £4,065 per tonne are now easily double the average level seen in 2020.

For pigments, increases of about 20% on a year ago were seen for Ti02, Pigment Violet 23 and Pigment Green 7, but with other increases more modest. On a more positive note, some organic pigments showed decreases compared with November - for example, Pigment Black 7 prices fell 14% in December 2021 compared with the previous month.

Packaging prices were again up sharply with many items on which we can report showing double digit price increases. Prices for drums were typically up 25% to 30% with increases of 15% to 20% being seen for other containers commonly used by manufacturers.

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New year brings new regulatory challenges As well as what might be termed strategic or planned lobbying, we often end up campaigning on issues when they emerge at short notice with little or no warning. Two such issues have cropped up in the first few weeks of 2022.

GBL/BDO The first seems to primarily affect our printing ink members. The Government is seeking to reclassify the substances GBL and BDO under the misuse of chemicals act. The ramifications of the changes would mean that not just handlers and users of the drugs in their raw form would require a licence, so would downstream users of mixtures and products containing GBL and BDO. So, in theory, every business using printing ink containing GBL would require a licence to hold the product. To obtain a licence company staff would need to be DBS checked and secure storage facilities installed on premises.

BCF has been working with other organisations to make clear to the Home Office just how much of an impact their legislation, as currently drafted, would have on legitimate businesses, especially

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where the likelihood of GBL being extracted from products seems extremely remote. At the time of going to press, we are hoping to help the Home Office redraft their regulations in a way that still meets their aim of reducing the misuse of drugs, but will limit the number of companies caught up by the changes, including users of mixtures and, hopefully, also extend the timeframe for obtaining licences for those that would still need one.

Poison Centres The second issue is regarding whether GB has now adopted Annex VIII of CLP which would require compulsory Poison Centre Notifications. Throughout the run up to Brexit we were consistently told that GB would not be introducing Annex VIII and only voluntary submissions of SDSs to the UK Poison Centre in Birmingham were required. However, a few weeks ago, companies started being told these voluntary submissions were not enough and that apparently Annex VIII had been carried over into GB law after all! The situation is still unclear – the UK Government website and the HSE website still advise that voluntary SDSs are all that is required, and the NPIS industry section advises that the page is ‘under review’. However, we will be doing what we can firstly to clarify what is going on and then, if necessary, to try and ensure the reversion to what was originally intended.

Regulatory team responsibilities

As many of you are aware, our Regulatory Affairs Manager Emily Bradley has been taking maternity leave from January, which has resulted in her responsibilities being temporarily handed to new and existing members of the regulatory team, coordinated by Ciara Dempsey, Regulatory Affairs Manager. There has been a new addition in James Highcock, who many of you are already familiar with. James has a wealth of experience and knowledge from an extensive career in the coatings industry and will be providing support as a consultant to the regulatory team. James was previously Chair of our CLP Panel and we look forward to welcoming him back as part of the BCF team. Wayne Smith will be taking on more responsibility in his role as a consultant during this time and in addition to this, Ciara Dempsey and David Park will also be taking on additional responsibilities.

Wayne Smith Regulatory Affairs Consultant Industrial and Powder Coatings Council & Vehicle Refinish (IPCC & VR) Carriage of Dangerous Goods Panel (CDGP) Marine Coatings Group (MCG) Operations Management Group (OMG) Safety Advisory Panel and Environment Panel (SAP/EP) Industrial Wood Coatings Group (IWCG)

James Highcock Regulatory Affairs Consultant

Ciara Dempsey Regulatory Affairs Manager

Global Chemicals Group (GCG)

Aerospace & Defence Group (AF)

Associate Technical Committee (ATC)

Decorative Coatings Council (DCC)

High Performance Coatings Group (HPC)

Decorative Coatings Technical Committee (DCTC)

PCUKI (Protective Coatings for UK Infrastructure)

Printing Inks Council (PIC)

Classification, Labelling & Packaging Panel (CLPP)

Printing Inks Technical Committee (PITC) Wallcoverings Sector Council (WSC)

Industrial and Powder Coatings Council & Vehicle Refinish (IPCC & VR)

Global Chemicals Group (GCG)

Industrial Wood Coatings Group (IWCG)

Classification, Labelling & Packaging Panel (CLPP)

David Park Public Affairs Manager

David’s responsibilities: • Public Affairs & Communications Committee • Sustainability Committee • Brexit Interest Group • Support to other committees where relevant

Sam Simplay Regulatory Affairs Executive Sam will be supporting the team across all different committee groups when needed.

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Road to Net Zero In October last year, the BCF Board pledged that the coatings industry will reach Net Zero by 2050.

We know that will be a demanding process but felt it important to take a lead in declaring that ambition for the sector.

The Board also agreed that a detailed Net Zero Roadmap will be created over the course of 2022 and that work commenced in January with a meeting of a Net Zero Working Group (an offshoot of our Sustainability Committee).

There were 72 participants at that (virtual) meeting demonstrating the extent of interest in the road to Net Zero across the BCF membership. Discussion focussed on potential content, in particular how to gather appropriate baseline data. Based on initial feedback, and sticking to the travel analogy, the Roadmap will include:

Baseline

A timeline for when to arrive at the destination – we have pledged to 2050 at the latest for the sector as a whole.

Roadmap development Highlight stopovers or waypoints along the route – this could include broad goals or tighter KPIs to be aimed for at dates before 2050.

TBC

2021

2022

2030

2035

A roadside assistant ‘emergency service’ to help those who get stuck on the way – with BCF looking to offer support to those who are struggling to make progress.

Net Zero achieved

2040

2050

A starting location and endpoint – the destination is Net Zero but what is the baseline emissions data for the sector?

Net Zero pledge

A recognition different members may need to travel by different routes at different speeds, both due to size but also sectoral differences.

Target of 75% leftover paint recycled Provide clear signposts to help members reach those waypoints and endpoint – suggestions and resources on how to collect data or cut emissions, case studies, links to government grants, and other relevant guidance.

BCF ‘Roadside assistance’ We will also want to stress how coatings are often part of a sustainable solution in themselves – extending the life-cycles of various infrastructure and products.

Currently, we anticipate the document being developed in two phases. Phase one will focus on collecting industry-wide Scope 1 (emissions directly generated by manufacturing operations) and Scope 2 (emissions from purchased energy) data from across the membership, with a baseline year set in either 2018 or 2019 (to avoid a baseline in a Covid-interrupted year).

Phase two will then build in Scope 3 data, (although if some companies are in a position to provide it earlier as part of phase one they can do so). This is because Scope 3 emissions are those generated from our sector’s value chain and are therefore indirect and harder to measure and control. However, as Scope 3 emissions are likely to constitute the bulk of emissions it is vital they are measured and addressed, through conversations and negotiations with suppliers and customers, if Net Zero is to be truly reached.

We will look to consult with members about data collection asap and will be sharing regular updates on the creation of the Roadmap throughout the year.

To get involved or for more information, please contact David Park at: david.park@bcf.co.uk.

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BCF tackles greenwash in decorative paints BCF have launched a new online guide, ‘Green Claims Guide for Decorative Paints’, to tackle the rising number of green claims emerging in the decorative paints industry.

According to the UK Government’s website, green claims (sometimes called ‘environmental claims’ or ‘eco-friendly claims’) are ‘claims that show how a product, service, brand or business provides a benefit or is less harmful to the environment’.

In an ever more competitive marketplace, the makers of decorative paints often rely on unique selling points to make their products stand out.

Some companies, however, may be misleading consumers with unsubstantiated green claims about their products. A recent international analysis of websites conducted by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that 40% of green claims made online could be misleading.

sustainably conscious purchases, BCF are recording increasing numbers of news articles around the subject of ‘eco-paints’, as well as reports from our members in the decorative paints industry of emerging companies making unsubstantiated claims.

Such claims, if unproven, can be damaging to the decorative paints industry’s reputation, as well as misleading consumers.”

BCF’s green claims guide breaks down the definitions of some of the most commonly used phrases and buzzwords when marketing decorative paints to consumers.

The aim is to create a level playing field within the industry, ensure businesses are complying with the law and that consumers are not being misled.

‘Non-Toxic’, ‘Natural’, ‘Vegan’, ‘Child and Pet-safe’, Eco-friendly’ and ‘Organic’ – these are just some of the claims that businesses are using to market decorative paint products to consumers. The BCF, the UK’s Trade Association representing decorative paint manufacturers, are urging consumers to consult BCF’s guide when faced with claims in order to validate them.

Possibly the most used consumer product claim is ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’ which are often made as broad statements with no scientific proof to back them up. As descriptors for paint products, these words, often misappropriated from the food industry, are too vague to adequately describe paint. These buzzwords may attract attention of consumers but are meaningless and often signal little but greenwash.

BCF Chief Executive Officer Tom Bowtell commented, “With consumers becoming increasingly more inclined to make more

Another key greenwashing issue the industry faces is ‘Zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)’. BCF takes the position that the use of

the terms ‘Zero-VOC’ and ‘VOCfree’ are false claims and should not be used in the paint industry.

BCF members have now adopted the use of the statement ‘TRACE’ VOC to improve communication to consumers highlighting which products have the lowest levels of VOCs. As the license holders of the industry-wide standard VOC Globe scheme, BCF are promoting the new ‘TRACE’ globe in the coming months as an alternative to ‘Zero VOCs’.

To help businesses understand how to communicate their green credentials while reducing the risk of misleading shoppers, the CMA have published the Green Claims Code. This focuses on 6 principles which are based on existing consumer law and make clear that businesses ‘must not omit or hide important information’ and ‘must consider the full life cycle of the product’.

BCF’s new guide aligns with the CMA’s Green Claims Code and welcomes the increased initiative being taken by UK regulators.

It is likely that more action will be brought against those not complying with the CMA’s Green Claims Code, ASA’s Advertising Codes and applicable consumer protection legislation.

Our guide can be viewed at: coatings.org.uk/greenclaims Covered Spring 2022 09

Coatings Care data breaks records once again BCF’s Coatings Care Programme aims to drive improvements and efficiency in the paint and coatings industry by monitoring progress in selective key performance indicators. It tracks a range of important measures in health and safety, environmental performance, energy consumption and waste management, amongst others.

As a result, the project meets two important objectives by helping BCF member companies to achieve better outcomes in their own results and also by demonstrating that the industry cares about the wider safety and environmental impact of its operations.

The project has been running annually since 1996 and the charts below show a quick update on some of the key movements over this time.

Accident rates at all time low The figure for injuries show very strong progress over the last 24 years with injuries per 100,000 man hours now at the lowest level since the project started. With 100,000 man hours equating to roughly one working life, injuries are now at the lowest level on record. Looking at the individual sectors of decorative paints, industrial coatings and printing inks, injuries are down in all three sectors compared with 5 years ago.

Record low energy usage There has been a significant fall in energy use over the years. Back in 1996 energy consumption was 650 kWh’s per tonne of production but this is now down to just under 200 kWh’s per tonne of production.

More recently, the year 2020 is affected by the surge in less energy intensive decorative paints and the sharp fall back in sales of industrial coatings caused by the Covid-19 pandemic but longer term the trend is firmly downwards.

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Waste and recycling Waste levels were reduced sharply in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since then, the scope for further improvements has been more limited but even so for 2020 waste per tonne of production was still lower than in the previous year.

At 29 kg per tonne, waste is now less than half the 1996 level.

1996

2020

Record recycling rates In terms of waste disposal, there have also been significant improvements - landfill is now down to just 6% of all waste with recycling now accounting for 71% of total waste disposal.

Solvent usage Solvents purchased by the industry showed a slight increase in 2020 but longer term the trend has improved sharply over the last few years.

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RSC campaign leads to focus on PaintCare

BCF’s PaintCare scheme featured in national media

The New Year brought with it the launch of a Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) report: Polymers in liquid formulations: opportunities for a sustainable future. The document highlighted the problem of decorative paint – some 55 million litres - that is left-over from DIY jobs each year, and the difficulty that currently exists in recycling or re-using it.

The RSC report gained national print and broadcast media coverage. It was also accompanied by a social media campaign, called #Paintstashers, which called on people to lobby the UK’s local and national governments to take three actions: • • •

do more to support to paint recycling initiatives to reduce wastage of reusable paints; make it easier for consumers to recycle paints no matter where they live; directly invest in research programmes for sustainable alternatives for polymers in liquid formulations.

The campaign included an ‘ask’ for people to write to their local MP about the issue, asking the Government to take action, which hundreds duly did, resulting in written questions being asked in Parliament.

Of course, this is a problem the coatings sector has been aware of for years and which it has been 12 Covered Spring 2022

seeking to address through our own PaintCare scheme. We had discussed the issue with the RSC, most recently last year and, indeed, their report included some of the PaintCare research findings. BCF has also been discussing our developing plans for PaintCare with government officials for the past few years, so we were pleased that when replying to the media coverage and parliamentary questions on the RSC report, Defra referenced the BCF and the industry’s voluntary initiative in the form of PaintCare.

2022 was always planned to be a year where we really pushed PaintCare ahead. In fact, in October last year, the BCF Board felt able to pledge the amount of paint reused or remanufactured would rise from just 2% today to 75% by 2030, delivered through the PaintCare scheme. We have carried out detailed consumer research which shows high levels of support for our approach and received very positive backing from retailers and other stakeholders.

Ultimately, the RSC report gave us a timely opportunity to highlight our commitment to PaintCare – in the media and in Parliament – as a good example of how voluntary, industry-led schemes can be brought to bear on important environmental issues.

So we wrote to all 650

MPs letting them know that if they had received correspondence from constituents about the RSC campaign they should be aware how our sector was being proactive in this area. We summarised our plans for PaintCare to them and offered to meet or provide more information. We also contacted any MPs who asked questions with an additional communication to make sure they knew industry was already taking action. We now have a few meetings set up as a result of this activity and, hopefully, will recruit some Parliamentary supporters for the PaintCare initiative.

We must deliver this voluntary scheme as the best way: • to reduce the environmental impact of leftover paint by recycling more, • to build a sustainable paint remanufacturing industry, • to create jobs and grow the opportunity for social enterprises working in the area.

We will work with the RSC to lobby government to support PaintCare, the voluntary industry-led national blueprint for a circular economy in paint.

We plan that after further discussions within the BCF membership, with stakeholders and, of course, with Defra, we will be able to start rolling out the scheme in 2023.

Cat Hyde co-founder of Seagulls Reuse and Linda Barker Picture: RSC

BCF Awards 2022 Thursday 13th October Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club

Many thanks to our sponsors, BioCote, Fenton Packaging, Stort Chemicals, Synthomer, BASF, and The Paint Foundation, who make the event possible. Thanks also to all our independent award judges.

This year’s award categories are as follows:

Sustainable Innovation Award 2022

Excellence in Training Award 2022

The Sustainable Innovation Award recognises and celebrates commitment to the BCF Sustainability Policy through the launch of innovative and sustainable products, processes or services.

The BCF Excellence in Training Award is presented for a company initiative rather than individual (which is recognised through the Student of the Year Award). Now in its fifth year, entries for both BCF training and non BCF initiatives will be considered.

Customer Service Award 2022 Sponsored by:

BCF’s Customer Service Award recognises the growing importance of customer service as a differentiator in the paints, coatings, inks and wallcovering industries.

Young Leader of the Year Award 2022 Sponsored by:

Now in its fifth year, the BCF’s Young Leader of the Year Award will recognise an exceptional individual under the age of 35 working within a BCF member company who has proved to be an effective, innovative and impactful leader.

Corporate Social Responsibility 2022 The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award will be given to a BCF member company which, in the opinion of the judges, has clearly demonstrated an outstanding and successful charity or CSR campaign across any aspect of social responsibility.

Marketing Campaign of the Year 2022 The Marketing Campaign of the Year will be awarded to a BCF member company that has produced and delivered an innovative and effective marketing campaign that clearly meets organisational goals.

Apprentice of the Year 2022 Sponsored by:

Apprentice of the Year will be awarded to an apprentice currently employed at a BCF member company who best demonstrates how they’ve used their apprenticeship to achieve great personal and professional development. The judges will also consider how the apprentice has added value to the workplace and to the industry through their hard work and dedication.

Student of the Year 2022 Sponsored by:

This award is presented to the CTI student who, in the opinion of the tutors of BCF’s Coatings Training Institute, has consistently demonstrated the highest level of understanding and achieved outstanding scores in examinations and practical work when completing their training modules. There is no entry process for these awards.

Diversity and Inclusion Award 2022 Sponsored by:

The Diversity and Inclusion Award will be awarded to a BCF member company that best demonstrates an effective programme across a broad range of diversity and inclusion elements.

Coatings Care Overall Best Performer Award 2022 The Coatings Care Overall Best Performer Award is presented to the company that has demonstrated best in class performance across a range of key performance indicators, including VOC emissions, energy consumption, waste and recycling, and accident and incident statistics.

Coatings Care Progress Award 2022 Sponsored by:

The Coatings Care Progress Award is presented to the company that has made the most significant year on year improvement in its performance on the same health, safety and environmental criteria as above.

Our 2022 Awards entries are now open. To enter, please visit: coatings.org.uk/ awards2022

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BCF Annual Conference 2022

Wednesday 25th May, The Belfry, West Midlands Lead sponsor: Sponsored by:

Our packages:

The venue: We are pleased to announce that our 2022 Annual Conference will be hosted at The Belfry Hotel & Resort, an award-winning hotel which is located just off the M42 in the West Midlands.

Our guests will experience all the services the resort has to offer, from the iconic greens and stunning restaurants to their sumptuous bedrooms and relaxing spa and leisure club.

Find out more about our venue at: www.thebelfry.com

Our all-inclusive packages include four star accommodation, all day Conference and associated documentation, refreshments and lunch during the day, a place at the dinner in the evening including great entertainment, plus breakfast on the following morning and use of the hotel spa. In the event of postponement of the event due to Covid, we will carry forward bookings to the new date, or give refunds if the new date isn’t convenient.

Find out more and book online at: www.coatings.org.uk/conference2022.

If you would like to discuss your booking options, please contact lorraine.beard@bcf.co.uk.

Package

Member price (exc accommodation)

Member price (inc accommodation)

Package 1: There is a special offer for each BCF Full member company to have one heavily discounted place at the 2022 Conference.

£60 (+ VAT)

£199 (+ VAT)

£385 (+ VAT)

£499 (+ VAT)

£435 (+ VAT)

£549 (+ VAT)

Package 2: Early bird BCF Annual Conference (until 13th April)

Package 3: Standard BCF Annual Conference

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Keynote speaker: Claire Lomas MBE British campaigner, fundraiser and former event rider

A freak accident left Claire Lomas paralysed from the chest down, but she was determined not to give up. She made worldwide headlines in 2012 when completing the London Marathon in a pioneering robotic suit taking 17 days, and lit the Paralympic cauldron for London 2012.

Claire speaks about the split second that changed her life, and candidly describes the darkest times. She emphasises the importance of openly talking about our mental health, seeking expert help when needed, providing strong support networks and maintaining a resilient mindset and a ‘never give up’ attitude – mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of.

Conference speakers: Government Minister, (TBC)

The Government’s approach to manufacturing and the chemicals sector

Arved Lüth, CEO, :Response The global coatings industry’s sustainability credentials

Senior member of the Bank of England

Steve Collinge, Insight Retail Group The future of DIY in a post-Covid world

Economic outlook for the UK economy

Tom Bowtell, CEO, BCF

Verity Davidge, MAKE UK

BCF review and outlook for the year

The road to net zero in UK manufacturing

Paint recycling and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility panel

Chaired by Steve Snaith, BCF PaintCare consultant

Cat Hyde, Seagulls

Lee Cole, Paint 360

Mike Baxter, Berry

Robert Fell, MPMA

Lee Wearing, Valpak

Vicky Cooper, 360 Environmental

Evening entertainment: Mrs. Barbara Nice is a much-loved headline act throughout Britain – Mother of Five from Stockport she believes in bargains and getting the most out of life. Ergonomically correct she doesn`t drive and travels the country by National Express coach –her husband knows nothing of her burgeoning comedy career –he thinks she`s either at Bingo or dog sitting. As seen on Britain’s Got Talent, Coronation Street, That Peter Kay Thing, Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere amongst others. Barbara Nice got her own Radio 2 series in 2017.

Book by 13th April to benefit from the early bird rate: coatings.org.uk/conference2022 Covered Spring 2022 15

BCF’s Young Leader of the Year - Natalie Hood BCF’s Young Leader of the Year 2021 Award winner Natalie tells more about her career in the coatings industry.

Tell us about the role you have at Jotun: As the “Operational Efficiency Manager”, I work across all areas of operations on improvement projects and training. Currently, a key part of this is engaging operators in all our improvements, they are the most important part in our improvement initiative, known as the ‘Journey to excellence’. I have also recently spent time covering the role of “Finished Goods Warehouse Manager” which supported my development and gave me a whole different view of operations!

Explain your background and how your career has progressed so far: My degree is in Computer Information Systems which is a combination of computer systems and business. I started at Jotun in 2013 in a HR role, this was a

“I like to get to know people on a personal level and feel working together as a team then comes more naturally. I believe you need to get the team on the same page with everything you do and the easiest way to do this is communicating!”

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graduate role where I spent time in different departments, but in 2017 an opportunity arose for a role in operations. My role has developed over the past few years, and I am now part of the operations management team and involved in various projects across the whole operation. I still get the opportunity to use knowledge from my degree as I frequently work with developing digital solutions to support efficiency.

How would you describe your leadership style?

My leadership is based around open and honest communication.

I like to get to know people on a personal level and feel working

together as a team then comes more naturally.

I believe you need to get the team on the same page with everything you do and the easiest way to do this is communicating! When everyone knows what they are

“I was very humbled when I first found out I had been nominated for the award, and completely overwhelmed on the night!”

trying to achieve, why, and what part they play as an individual, getting any task done becomes significantly easier!

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome to date?

When I first joined operations we didn’t have the same focus on improvements as now, and many previous improvement projects had fallen by the wayside. As such, there wasn’t a huge appetite for more improvement work so we had to start again with getting engagement from the teams. With the support of a few key colleagues we started to make progress. The more people we got on board, we made more improvements and saw more benefits, this in turn started the momentum to get more and more people on board.

What is your biggest career achievement to date?

Designing and leading what we call our ‘Journey to excellence’ programme, the umbrella name for all our continuous improvement projects. A lot of work went into the preparation to launch this initiative but the real achievement is how the rest of operations got involved.

I initially asked for volunteers who would be willing to go above and beyond their everyday role to support our journey, and more than 25% of operations volunteered on the first day. I’ve since shared information with other Jotun sites to support them in implementing something similar.

How did it feel to be nominated by your colleagues and to then win the BCF Young Leader of the Year Award in October?

I was very humbled when I first found out I had been nominated for the award, and completely overwhelmed on the night! Some colleagues videoed my section of the awards ceremony and I am very glad they did as I needed to watch it back later, I really didn’t really take any of it in at the time! Having all the support with me on the night and celebrating with others when I returned makes me very proud to work at Jotun with fantastic, supportive colleagues.

What are your aspirations for your future career in the industry?

I would love to progress in Jotun and support other Jotun sites in their improvements. I find it really beneficial how the different Jotun sites all work together and share ideas and best practice, and I would love to be a part of that.

“Stay determined and learn from everyone around you!”

Regardless of role, I would also like to support other young women in manufacturing. Women bring different perspectives, experiences and skills to the workplace and but are still underrepresented in our industry.

Finally, what advice would you give to other aspiring young leaders in the sector?

Stay determined and learn from everyone around you! There is a lot

of information out there on various leadership styles, and there are also a lot of opinions regarding “what a good leader looks like”, but at the end of the day you need to find your style and find a way to lead that fits naturally with who you are.

We are grateful to Natalie for taking the time to talk about her experiences and aspirations for the future.

Entries for the 2022 Young Leader of the Year Award are now open. To enter, please visit: coatings.org.uk/ awards2022 Covered Spring 2022 17

BCF posts recordbreaking 600 jobs in the coatings industry in 2021 The British Coatings Federation are pleased to announce that a record-breaking 600 jobs were posted on our Coatings Careers Hub jobs board in 2021. The jobs board is a service BCF provides to members, who can advertise any UK vacancies free of charge.

With National Apprenticeship Week 2022 having taken place in February, BCF are keen to continue our efforts this year to help our members and the industry to recruit the next generation of talent into a career in the coatings industry, tying into this year’s theme for National Apprenticeship Week of ‘Build the Future’.

The Coatings Careers Hub brings together career opportunities at member companies of the BCF which includes permanent and temporary vacancies, sandwich and summer placements for students, graduate schemes, and apprenticeships. The hub also showcases our Coatings Ambassadors programme, and other services including career transition coaching, jobs board and BCF’s Apprenticeship Service.

BCF’s Apprenticeship Service is on hand to meet the specific development and employment needs of paints, inks and wallcoverings companies. BCF’s Apprenticeships Service is purpose built by the Apprenticeship Management Group (AMG). As an Apprentice Training Agency (ATA), the AMG can employ apprentices

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on behalf of BCF members.

The AMG are specialists in recruitment with a dedicated team which works solely in the sector, this is combined with a comprehensive understanding for candidates who will meet and exceed your expectations and thrive in your businesses.

In the coming months, we will also be running our next Coatings Ambassadors programme workshop, which is open to all BCF members. The BCF partners with the Surface Coatings Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry and PRA to show the younger generation the many benefits of working in coatings and create a national network of ambassadors for the coatings industry. The training, delivered by Cogent Skills, is designed to equip these ambassadors with the skills and materials to run their own sessions at schools and universities. Once completed, the workshop gives participants not only the Coatings Ambassador certification, but also STEM Learning Ambassador certification too.

To further help members take advantage of technical apprenticeships, BCF’s Apprenticeship Service has teamed up with Tiro, a leading

trainer provider for science and technology apprenticeships. Tiro’s level 3 Laboratory Technician and Science Manufacturing Technician apprenticeships will both utilise the Coatings Training Institute as the knowledge element of the apprenticeship. The Coatings Training Institute, the world’s leading distance learning training school for the coatings industry, is suitable for anyone who needs to know more about coatings technology. This includes people right across the supply chain, including those involved directly in coatings formulation and manufacture, suppliers to the industry, users of coatings products or those who work in a related industry.

To find out more about our training and careers initiatives, please visit coatingscareershub.com and thecoatingsinstitute.com. If you are a BCF member and have a vacancy you’d like us to share on our jobs board, please send details to amy.white@bcf.co.uk or jo.oneill@bcf.co.uk.

Be part of the

Protect, Collect & Dispose Antifouling Initiative Protect, Collect & Dispose Week 14th-18th March

Environmental Best Practice Protect the environment

• Choose the right paint & work in a well-ventilated area • Protect the ground and surrounding area • Minimise paint dust by wet sanding

Collect paint debris

• Place tarpaulins under the vessel • Use an industrial vacuum-cleaner linked to the paint scraper • Capture old paint with ‘paste-and-peel’ techniques

Dispose of waste

• Clean up and dispose of all hazardous waste correctly

Antifouling paint and dust is hazardous

For more information, please visit: www.thegreenblue.org.uk www.tyha.co.uk www.safeantifouling.com

Please address any comments or questions to info@bcf.co.uk To order leaflets, please also contact info@bcf.co.uk

Don’t forget Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

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New members

We are proud to announce that despite a challenging year, the BCF has achieved 100% retention of its Full members. If you would like to find out more about the opportunities available to our members, or how we have supported them through the coronavirus crisis and Brexit, please contact Ali Brown at: alison.brown@bcf.co.uk.

Full members

Britannia Paints Ltd Britannia Paints is a family company run by directors David Johnstone (MD) and Stephen Johnstone, brothers who draw upon a paint-manufacturing tradition that stretches back to 1890, when their great grandfather James founded Johnstone’s Paints.

Britannia Paints is a member of these leading professional bodies: The Confederation of Roofing Contractors (CORC) The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) and The Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA). Manufacture takes place in Middlewich near Manchester. ISO 9001:2008 accredited. Our in-house technical team always pleased to provide expert help and advice. www.britanniapaints.co.uk

Smith & Rodger Smith & Rodger are the oldest independent family run manufacturer of paints in the UK. Established in 1877 this fourth-generation company continue to invest in research and developments across all sectors and recently brought two new high-performance products to the painting and decorating sector in the form of ‘Blockade’ and ‘Rock top’. www.smithandrodger.co.uk

Remmers UK Ltd Remmers UK Ltd are a subsidiary of Remmers GmbH providing Industrial Wood Finishes to the UK. Established in 1949, Remmers is an independent family business and is the specialist for manufacturing chemical construction products, wood paints and varnishes as well as industrial coatings works with around 1,500 highly qualified specialists, over 400 problem-solving product systems and decades of expertise in the most important fields of competence in the industry. www.remmers.co.uk 20 Covered Spring 2022

Associate members

Nordmann U.K Ltd With its headquarters in Crawley, Nordmann UK Ltd. distributes specialty chemicals to manufacturers in the UK and Irish markets. We supply specialty chemicals for use in all coating’s applications. Nordmann supplies complex challenging products and offers a wide range of: • additives with diverse functions and properties • colorants (pigments, pigment preparations and dyes) • binding agents • fillers • special solvents for raw materials Nordmann UK Ltd. is part of Nordmann, a leading international chemical distribution company with subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and North America. www.nordmann.global

TWI Ltd Descended from the British Welding Research Association (BWRA), TWI has grown into one of the foremost independent research and technology organisations. TWI provides its industrial clients with a range of services related to coatings and surface engineering. These services include guidance on coating formulation and selection, application and performance assessment including accelerated ageing. We have a wide range of facilities to evaluate the mechanical, chemical and electromagnetic characteristics of surfaces and coatings to allow assessment of fitness-for-purpose. The TWI team has many decades of experience of evaluating and developing coatings with a particular expertise in repellent/non-wetting/anti-soiling functionality. www.twi-global.com

UK Direct Business Solutions We cover all aspects of Sustainability for businesses, offering a full spectrum service making businesses as costeffective and carbon-neutral as possible. We have a full range of energy generation technology available. M&T systems, Carbon Footprinting, VAT/CCL validation, DEC, EPC, TM44, Desktop and Water Audits. Future NetZero, ESOS Stage 3, CCA, Eii and legislative reductions. account management and Key Account and Project Manager for larger clients. We procure over £500 million of energy annually. www.dbsne.com Covered Spring 2022 21

Upcoming events and meetings All BCF meeting are now face-to-face but a dial-in option will be available.

March 01 15 16 23 29 30 31

April

Webinar: ‘A new era for R&D tax credits: adapting your business to avoid penalties’ from Markel, BCF partner Joint Industrial & Powder Coatings Council & Vehicle Refinish Group Aerospace and Defence Coatings Group Joint Printing Inks Council and Printing Inks Technical Committee Trade Credit webinar from Verlingue, BCF Insurance Partner Classification, Labelling & Packaging Panel Royal Society Of Chemistry Surface Coatings Group - New Methods For Coating Characterisation

06 07 13

High Performance Coatings Group and Protective Coatings for UK Infrastructure Decorative Coatings Technical Committee Joint CEPE & BCF Marine Coatings Group

May 05 12 19 24 24 24 25

Aerospace and Defence Committee & MOD Wallcoverings Sector Council Associate Technical Committee Decorative Coatings Council Annual General Meeting Board of Directors meeting BCF Annual Conference and Industry Dinner 2022

BCF staff update Sam Simplay Regulatory Affairs Executive We would like to welcome Sam Simplay, our new Regulatory Affairs Executive, who joined the BCF in January. Sam graduated from university in 2021 with a degree in Chemistry. He then completed an internship where he was involved in the quality control department before joining BCF as the new Regulatory Affairs Executive. In his free time, he enjoys playing badminton and spending time with friends and family. He looks forward to working with members and providing regulatory support. You can get in touch with Sam at samreen.simplay@bcf.co.uk.

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WHY CHOOSE AN APPRENTICESHIP?

COATINGS CAREERS HUB

Industry relevant qualifications that will incorporate BCF Product Knowledge Modules

A single point solution for the recruitment, employment and upskilling of your Apprentices

Integrating work and education in a cost-effective way to invest in your future

BCF’s Apprenticeship Service is brought to you by:

www.coatingscareershub.com

Supported by:

Visit stand 112

The A-Z of Surface, Paint & Coatings Technology FREE to attend

EXHIBITION INDUSTRY INSIGHT SURFACING SCIENCE TECHFOCUS THE CUTTING EDGE @SurfexLtd

Organised by:

Supported by:

24 Covered Spring 2022

7-8 June

2022

SurfexLtd

Coventry Building Society Arena

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Study with the world’s leading distance learning training school for the coatings industry

Why choose The Coatings Training Institute?

• Self-study, when and where you want it • Bite-sized learning at your own pace • Comprehensive support from qualified tutors • Online and written assessments • Taster versions available to download before you buy

For more information visit www.thecoatingsinstitute.com