BPF Form Team to Fight Recession

BPF President says European Plastics Associations must help companies threatened by recession

On 26th November the British Plastics Federation held a reception for its 75th Anniversary in the EuPC Centre in Brussels. Present were senior figures from European Plastics Associations and Commission officials.

The reception was held to mark the BPF’s close co-operation over the decades with Commission officials, MEPs and industry colleagues to promote and defend plastics.

BPF President Calum Forsyth in his speech said, “The BPF greatly values our close co-operation with EuPC and Plastics Europe” and thanked EuPC for sponsoring the reception. The BPF was a founding EuPC member nineteen years ago.

Looming Recession

Mr Forsyth said, “Our plastics companies across Europe are facing very difficult times as recession looms....  We have to make our politicians and legislators aware of the problems and propose remedies. Increases in taxation and regulation on companies should be strongly opposed and innovation one of our great strengths encouraged.

I hope all the associations present today will work together to find a way through this difficult period and prepare their companies for the upturn when it comes.

With the fall in the value of sterling and an economic slowdown in Europe now is the time to seek out export opportunities.  In the UK alone our industry earns £4.5bn a year from direct exports.  The BPF is also leading the UK plastics industry’s export drive with a call to ‘Go Global’.  In December it is taking firms to the PlastEurasia show in Turkey and next year to Arabplast, Plastindia, Chinaplas and Plastpol.”

Mr Forsyth spoke of the BPF’s strength in being, ‘One Voice’ for the whole UK industry.  He commented, “Our membership embraces the whole industry from polymer producers to recyclers.  This model has worked well for us for many decades and with so many serious challenges facing the Plastics industry it is vital we all work together in unity of purpose however we are structured.”

ENDS . . .

For further information on this press release, please contact Philip Batten, British Plastics Federation, 6 Bath Place, Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3JE, tel 020 7457 5000, fax 020 7457 5045, email: [email protected]

Notes for editors
1)     British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers.