BPF Member Surveys

BPF Energy Supply Survey (Published 31 August 2022)
 

• The survey was completed by 126 firms, the majority of which were moulders/specialist processors and packaging companies
• 62% of firms are on fixed term contracts, of which two thirds run out in the months of September or October
• Nearly half of the firms who are on fixed term contracts will be out of contract by the end of this year
• 60% of firms buy through a broker/consultant and 37% direct from a supplier (EDF, E.ON etc etc)
• 92% of companies had seen price rises passed on to them (mainly from raw material companies)
• New contracts are still being negotiated and rates varied widely with many companies stating their energy prices were going up 3 fold (the average given being a 2.3 times increase)
• 82% of firms think that the recent rises in energy prices may have a detrimental effect on their ongoing business survival
• 90% of firms had taken recent steps to improve energy efficiency (turning idle machines off, installing LED lights and investigating/installing solar panels being the top 3)
• 34% of firms had heard of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) and 3% had applied
• 46% had heard of the Energy Intensive Industries (EII) exemption scheme with the majority of companies believing the scheme should be amended so that it became a tiered system

BPF Covid-19 Monitor  (Published July 2021)

• 71% of firms have people absent as a result of Covid-19  (with an average of 8% of staff off)
• 60% of firms have people off as a direct result of being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid-19 app (with an average of 7% of staff off)
• 53% of firms are currently on reduced production.  The most common reason (given by 60% of firms) is staff absenteeism as a result of Covid-19)
• 60% of member firms think they will permanently change their work from home policy as a result of Covid-19
• In total since the start of the pandemic 1 in 5 member firms completely stopped production as a result of Covid-19

BPF Material Shortages Survey April 2021 (Published 21 April 2021)

• 97% of firms reported problems sourcing polymer
• 61% of firms have had to reduce production as a direct result of the shortages
• 57% of firms are predicting the shortages will last beyond Q2 2021
• 41% of firms have machines idle as a result of the shortages
• 32% have looked to source recycled material as a direct result of the shortages
• 16% have reduced headcount/overall hours as a result of the shortages

BPF Brexit Readiness Survey (Published 7 December 2020)

• Typically, the larger companies are significantly better prepared than smaller companies
• Industry sees the Northern Ireland protocol as its least prepared area 
• 86% of respondents have an EORI number, with a further 11% in the process
• 35% have completed the UK Gov’s Brexit Readiness Actions, with a further 49% in the process
• 70% have plans to stockpile product/material, up from 49% in summer 2020
• Those without plans to stockpile noted issues in supply and negative impacts from COVID-19 as restricting them
• 63% have had negative impacts occur due to COVID-19

BPF COVID 19 Supply Chain Monitor Third Edition (Published 4 June 2020)

• 1% of members sites currently shut down
• Companies predicting an average salves vs budget at 21% down 
• 17% of staff currently furloughed (down from 23% in April)
• 10% of companies having issues sourcing material

BPF Apprentice Survey 2019 (Published 25 June 2020)

• Approximately 90% of respondents currently take on apprentices
• Over a third of all apprentices are recruited between the ages of 18-20
• Over half the apprentices recorded are in an engineering role 
• Level 4 and 5 apprentices make up 14% of apprentices currently undertaking courses 

Survey on Plastics Businesses Trading Internationally During and Post COVID-19 (Published 11 May 2020)

• 50% of companies thought Covid-19 would result in a 'large decrease' in exports in the next year
• 62% of firms thought they would do no trade shows in the next year

BPF COVID-19 Supply Chain Monitor Second Edition (Published 24 April 2020)

• 92% of companies can meet demand
• On average 22.6% of staff are on 'furlough' and 4.5% are self isolating
• 58% of companies having difficulty sourcing face masks
• 38% of companies having difficulty sourcing polymer

BPF COVID-19 Supply Chain Monitor First Edition (Published 7 April 2020)

• 21% of companies had sites shut down due to COVID-19
• Average capacity was 58% (normally capacity reported via BPF's Business Conditions Survey is 75-80%)
• 88% of companies can meet demand
• On average 9.38% of staff were self isolating and 4% could not work due to school closures

Effects of Coronavirus on the UK Plastics Industry (Published 20 March 2020)

• 57% of companies reported COvid-19 has affected their supply chains
• 54% of companies reportedc Covid-19 had reduced staff's ability to work
• 85% of companies had staff permitted to work from home
• 34% of companies had stock pilled raw material as a result of Covid-19

• 52% of companies are 'quite prepared'for Brexit and 19% of companies were 'very prepared' 
• 34% of companies think a trade deal with the EU is 'likely' or very likely', 40% think its 'unlikely' or 'very unlikely'
• 93% of business think Europe will be as important for trade after Brexit as before

• Only 4% of members thought the best outcome for Brexit would be to leave with no deal
• 80% of members have used the Gov.uk website to get advice on Brexit
• 54$ of members thought changes to customs and VAT would have a 'high impact' or 'fairly high impact' on their business

• 63% of companies expected Brexit to cause significant disruption to the supply chain
• 88% of companies were concerned or very concerned that Brexit would cause border delays
• 42% of companies expected to loose business as a result of Brexit 
• 7% of companies expected to ultimately gain business as a result of Brexit       

• On averrage 15% of staff were non-UK EU workers
• On average 48% of temporary staff were non-UK EU workers

• 54% of Respondents had at least one board member who was an apprentice
• 78% of Respondents recognised a gap between current training offered and what employers want 
• 83% respondents saw short courses as a valuable means of narrowing the skills gap

BPF Covid-19 Monitor 

• 71% of firms have people absent as a result of Covid-19  (with an average of 8% of staff off)
• 60% of firms have people off as a direct result of being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid-19 app (with an average of 7% of staff off)
• 53% of firms are currently on reduced production.  The most common reason (given by 60% of firms) is staff absenteeism as a result of Covid-19)
• 60% of member firms think they will permanently change their work from home policy as a result of Covid-19
• In total since the start of the pandemic 1 in 5 member firms completely stopped production as a result of Covid-19

BPF Material Shortages Survey April 2021

• 97% of firms reported problems sourcing polymer
• 61% of firms have had to reduce production as a direct result of the shortages
• 57% of firms are predicting the shortages will last beyond Q2 2021
• 41% of firms have machines idle as a result of the shortages
• 32% have looked to source recycled material as a direct result of the shortages
• 16% have reduced headcount/overall hours as a result of the shortages

BPF Brexit Readiness Survey 

• Typically, the larger companies are significantly better prepared than smaller companies
• Industry sees the Northern Ireland protocol as its least prepared area 
• 86% of respondents have an EORI number, with a further 11% in the process
• 35% have completed the UK Gov’s Brexit Readiness Actions, with a further 49% in the process
• 70% have plans to stockpile product/material, up from 49% in summer 2020
• Those without plans to stockpile noted issues in supply and negative impacts from COVID-19 as restricting them
• 63% have had negative impacts occur due to COVID-19

BPF COVID 19 Supply Chain Monitor Third Edition 

• 1% of members sites currently shut down
• Companies predicting an average salves vs budget at 21% down 
• 17% of staff currently furloughed (down from 23% in April)
• 10% of companies having issues sourcing material

BPF Apprentice Survey 2019 

• Approximately 90% of respondents currently take on apprentices.
• Over a third of all apprentices are recruited between the ages of 18-20.
• Over half the apprentices recorded are in an engineering role 
• Level 4 and 5 apprentices make up 14% of apprentices currently undertaking courses.