Finishing - July-August 2020

6 NEWS www.finishingmagazine.co.uk
BCF’s essential coatings and inks campaign highlights industry
involvement in fight against coronavirus
Many shades of grey
The latest powder usage figures from Vertik-Al reveal that shades of
grey dominated its powder coating lines in the 11 months to April
2020. Of the top 10 colours most used, five were a tonal variation of
grey, with Anthracite Grey leading the charge with almost 20% share.
In fact, the powder coater’s top 10 comprises only neutral tones,
with the five remaining colours a variation on this theme - Jet Black,
Signal Black, Heritage Black, HIPCA White and Pure White.
Vertik-Al director, John Park-Davies believes that this neutral
dominance is down to their versatility; providing a blank canvas. “For
many years white has been the principal finish for window and door
products, while black and a uniform grey accounted for the majority of
roofline products.
“As tastes and trends have evolved, designers and homeowners
have embraced the entire neutral colour palette, seeking hues that
don’t compete with other colours but can easily be layered with
stronger tones, both inside and out. Our powder usage is proof of
this, with greys and blacks prevailing.”
Vertik-Al also crunched the numbers on finish usage and matt
dominates at 83.91%, followed by satin, gloss and then finally, metallic.
In combining colour and finish, variations of grey in a matt finish
obliterate the competition with 20 entries in Vertik-Al’s top 50. In fact,
Anthracite Grey is the only grey to feature in both a matt and satin
finish.
The powder usage data has also supported a rising interest in
bolder, more extraordinary colour and finish combinations. Anodic
Pewter, White Aluminium and Gold Metallic all rank in the top 50,
featuring in metallic finishes.
Vertik-Al uses around 400 colours regularly and can access over
3500. By working with global powder companies, including
AkzoNobel, Synthapulvin, Axalta, IGP etc. the company can respond
to the most elaborate of requests, coating aluminium to complement
all manner of products, and architectural styles and features.
Order books are down
The latest Supply Chain Trends Survey from the Chemical Business
Association (CBA) shows a major decline in order books and current
sales as well as the industry’s forecast for employment turning
negative.
Peter Newport, CBA’s chief executive, said, “This Survey shows the
impact of the Covid-19 pandemic with order books and current sales
showing more than a 60% negative swing since our last survey in
March. Worryingly, trends in employment have turned negative for
the first time since we started running these surveys eight years ago.”
“Emerging from the Covid-19 lock-down, an imminent and severe
economic downturn, plus the increasing likelihood of a No Deal Brexit
represents a perfect storm for the UK’s chemical supply chain and are
beginning to be reflected in our survey,” he added.
British Coatings Federation (BCF) has launched a new
#essentialcoatings and #essentialinks campaign to highlight the
critical role the coatings and printing inks sectors play in the UK
economy and, in particular, as part of the nation’s response to the
coronavirus pandemic.
At any given time, coatings have a vital role to play in a modern
economy, however, above and beyond this, over the past few
months the sector has played an increasing role in the nation’s
response to coronavirus. BCF members have been playing their part
supplying key coatings and inks used in products and components
for items such as ventilators, hospital beds and trollies, sneeze
guards for checkout counters, oxygen cylinders, hospital isolation
units, and also in meeting the increased demand for food and
pharmaceutical packaging.
In addition, BCF members have also demonstrated a strong
communitarian role. They have been using their facilities to switch
production to now much-needed products for the NHS and local
communities, like hand-sanitiser and PPE, as well as helping out in
their local areas more generally.
The new #essentialcoatings and #essentialinks campaign serves to
showcase the essential functions of coatings and inks in the fight
against the coronavirus with a dedicated webpage featuring BCF
member case studies along with a social media campaign to
promote the efforts. Visit www.coatings.org.uk/essential for more
information.
Tom Bowtell, CEO of the British Coatings Federation said: “The
coatings industry is playing its part in the ongoing fight against
coronavirus, supplying the vital goods and components others in
critical frontline sectors need. I am proud of the way in which our
members have contributed and our #essentialcoatings and
#essentialinks campaign helps make clear to a wider audience what
they have been doing.
“However, while we are all rightly focussed on the response to
coronavirus at the present time, we also want to make sure that the
industry’s wider, historical and ongoing contribution to our economy
gets the recognition it deserves. So our campaign will continue, over
the course of the year, to highlight the diverse and important ways
in which coatings and inks help UK industry and consumers day in,
day out. From the health sector to defence and from automotive to
any number of home and office applications, coatings and inks are
essential products.”
New sales manager
BOFA International, a global
leader in portable fume and dust
extraction systems, has
appointed Tom Reimann as sales
manager - International to help
drive the company’s continued
plans for growth in overseas
markets.
Tom joins BOFA with more
than 20 years’ experience in
international sales and global
business development for
advanced technology
businesses – and although his
customer engagement of late
has been via video
conferencing because of
COVID-19 lockdowns, he’s
looking forward to getting on
the road when conditions allow.
Finishing – July/August 2020