BCF Welcomes Government’s Industrial Strategy Green Paper

The British Coatings Federation has welcomed the release of the Government's Industrial Strategy Green Paper. The group has always advocated for a long-term and comprehensive UK industrial policy, with industry participating in its creation. The recommendations described in today's Green Paper serve as the foundation for delivering on that ambition.

The entire strategy focuses on expanding on previously recognized strengths, which include eight growth-driven sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services.

The strategy emphasizes the need of implementing policies for subsectors that rely on growth-driving industries. Including "Foundational" sectors, which supply essential inputs and infrastructure for our growth-driven industries. It 'identifies the necessity of robust supply chain links across sectors, since assisting upstream sectors may increase downstream sector productivity.'

This is a clear recognition that if the government wants to attract more investment from companies in fields such as aerospace, automotive, life sciences, or green energy, it must also ensure a strong domestic manufacturing supply chain of 'enabling sectors' such as coatings, without which those other industries will fail. This addition surpasses the previous government's Advanced Manufacturing Plan and is a great move.

BCF also appreciates the awareness that the Strategy requires a larger 'pro-business climate' to be effective. According to the Green Paper, this is achieved by favorable policies on 'people and skills, innovation, energy and infrastructure, the regulatory environment, crowding in investment, and international relationships and commerce.'

BCF agrees with all of those points, notably the creation of an appropriate regulatory framework. The coatings sector, and all those in the broader Chemicals Industry, must finally deliver a solution to chemical regulation that creates an ambitious and proportionate regulatory environment in which UK businesses can compete as world leaders, including a quick resolution to UK REACH.

Tom Bowtell, CEO of BCF, said, “We welcome the publication of the green paper and the vision for a holistic and long-term UK industrial strategy. In particular, we are pleased to see the recognition of the importance of ‘foundational’ sectors – such as coatings – in the strategy. It is also pleasing to see a joined-up approach with references to a need for a pro-business regulatory environment. This latter is fundamental to those businesses working in the chemicals sector and where we need to see, finally, workable and proportionate post-Brexit regulatory regimes put in place, especially for UK REACH.”

“BCF looks forward to responding to the consultation, and talking with government, to set out how the coatings sector can help deliver on the positive plans for a strong and growing domestic UK manufacturing base. We already have a positive story to tell but with the right policies we can, collectively – government and industry working together – make British manufacturing an even greater success.”

Source: British Coatings Federation