The British Coatings Federation (BCF) (Coventry, England) recently announced the debut of a new social media campaign to highlight the critical role the coatings and printing inks sectors play in the U.K. economy and as part of the nation’s response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The BCF claims that the new campaign—which utilizes the hashtags #essentialcoatings and #essentialinks—is designed to showcase the essential functions of coatings and inks in the fight against COVID-19. BCF also announced that it has created a dedicated webpage featuring BCF member case studies and an explanatory factsheet detailing the industry’s economic impact.
‘The coatings industry is playing its part in the ongoing fight against coronavirus, supplying the vital goods and components others in the critical frontline sectors need,” says Tom Bowtoll, chief executive officer for the BCF. “I am proud of the way in which our members have contributed and our #essentialcoatings and #essentialinks helps make clear to a wider audience what they have been doing.”
According to the BCF, the U.K. coatings industry—paints, coatings, printing inks, and toner supplies—directly contributes an annual amount of £4 billion ($4,901,686,989.65) to the local economy. Moreover, the sector has played an increasing role in COVID-19 relief: BCF members have supplied key coatings and inks used in products and components such as ventilators, hospital beds and trollies, and food and pharmaceutical packaging.
In addition, BCF members have used their facilities to switch production to much-needed products such as hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment. Says Bowtoll, “we 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.”
Source: BCF, www.coatings.org.uk.