BCF warns of raw materials shortages

Moira McMillan, British Coatings Federation CEO, has warned of the likelihood of coatings price rises as a result of ongoing shortages in a range of key raw materials including precursor materials for epoxy resins, a number of solvents, including xylene, acetone and ethyl acetate and also zinc dust, which is used in protective paints.

Members have alerted the BCF to significant price rises for a range of raw materials, due to a global supply shortfall. The federation believes that this situation is likely to continue for some time and therefore, although manufacturers will be able to hold prices while current stocks last, future price increases appear to be inevitable.

BCF members have specifically raised three concerns: firstly, the price rises themselves – which can be as much as 25 per cent for epoxy resins and even reach 100 per cent for zinc dust, secondly a lack of availability of certain materials at any price, thirdly the apparently inequitable distribution of the limited supplies which are available.

Paul Maton, technical manager, Resin Surfaces Ltd., commented: ‘Over the past couple of years the coatings industry has seen the massive demand from China put unsustainable pressure on the supply of raw materials, this, together with other factors including instability of supply, has created world shortages which are affecting all UK manufacturers to some degree.’