BCF 2026 Annual Conference Highlights Collaboration  

The British Coatings Federation (BCF) 2026 Annual Conference brought senior figures from across the UK coatings industry together around a clear message: collaboration across the supply chain is essential to tackling the sector’s biggest challenges. 

From raw materials and chemicals to sustainability, packaging, cybersecurity and leadership, the program showed how joined-up thinking will be critical to the industry’s future success.

Held on Thursday, 4th June, at Whittlebury Park in Towcester, the conference brought together expert speakers from across the coatings value chain and beyond, underlining BCF’s role in convening the conversations and partnerships needed to address shared challenges. 

Speakers explored how businesses can respond collectively to market pressure, regulatory change, sustainability demands, supply disruption, digital risk and the need for strong leadership.

Commenting after the event, BCF CEO Tom Bowtell said: “A strong theme running through this year’s conference was the importance of collaboration. The challenges facing our industry, whether around supply chains, sustainability, regulation, digital risk or future growth, cannot be tackled in isolation. BCF’s role is to bring the industry together, connect different parts of the sector, and lead collaborative action on the issues that matter most.”

The conference opened with remarks from BCF President Jane Ryder, before turning to the wider market and political context shaping the sector. 

Dan Murad of ChemQuest shared insight into global coatings industry performance, forecasts, and the drivers likely to influence future growth, while David Park’s political update helped delegates better understand the evolving UK political landscape and consider how BCF is navigating this to effectively communicate with decision-makers.

Mais Haddadin and Jane Smith of FGENexantECA explored the future of the European chemicals supply chain and the balance between growth and sustainability. 

Reg Adams of Artikol then provided a primer on TiO2 for the coatings industry, before Sam Reeve of Resource Futures discussed circularity for packaging in the UK.

In the afternoon, delegates heard from keynote speaker Guillermo Christensen on good cybersecurity and AI governance, offering a timely perspective on risk, resilience and responsible innovation as digital technologies become more embedded in business operations.

The final keynote came from Dee Caffari, whose talk, ‘Going against the tide’, closed the main speaker program with reflections on endurance, leadership and navigating uncertainty.

BCF CEO Tom Bowtell also reviewed the year and outlined the future challenges facing the sector, before BCF President Jane Ryder closed the conference. 

During the evening, a charity raffle was held to fundraise for BCF’s charity partner, The Myton Hospices, raising over £2,000.