“Every challenge is an opportunity”
Dave Gray spoke to Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK Managing Director Nigel Flowers about his new role as Vice-President of the British Plastics Federation.
Congratulations on your recent election to the post of VP at the BPF. How does it feel to be selected for this important role?
The British Plastics Federation has a very long history of representing and promoting the UK plastics industry, and against a backdrop of the current supply chain, economic and environmental issues the industry faces, now more than ever the industry needs a strong voice. The federation has always been that voice, an advocate for change in our industry and it is an honour to now be part of that as VP.
What does the role entail?
The primary role is to support our president, Karen Drinkwater, in the work that she is doing to support the reduction of carbon emissions in the sector and to ensure that the voice of the many SMEs in our industry is heard.
How can you leverage your expertise at the BPF?
I have had the privilege of serving as member of the PMMDA committee for many years, as well as experience of managing and developing safety standards for our sector both under CEN/CENLEC and ISO. I hope that this breadth of experience will be of use to the BPF and to the plastics industry in general.
How do you hope to influence the direction of travel at the BPF? What are the priorities, as you see them?
As in any trade association, the agenda is driven by the members. However, topics close to my heart are: education and skills (to ensure the longevity of the sector, especially inspiring young people to choose a career in our industry); health and safety (continuing to ensure that the UK has voice in future development of standards that affect our industry and, more importantly, to ensure that we work to improve health and safety in the workplace, through initiatives such as SIMPLC, for example); and supporting the industry to improve productivity (by this I mean increasing the level of automation and robotics, digitalisation and sharing best practice).
What are the biggest challenges faced by BPF members today?
Clearly, the industry faces challenges, the most significant of which relate to sustainability and productivity or how can we do more with less. Here, the BPF plays a key role as the link between industry, government, and consumers.
And how about the opportunities?
To borrow a phrase, “every challenge is an opportunity” and the BPF has been working to support companies as they manage change. For example, we are planning to release a Carbon Reporting tool in 2022 to help companies measure and manage their carbon footprint. The BPF also played a key role in developing the first PAS standard for pellet loss, which complements the Operation Clean Sweep initiative, which is run by the BPF in the UK. There are real opportunities out there, often with multiple benefits. For example, increasing productivity and reducing energy lead to a more sustainable future and an increase in profitability. Despite all of the challenges, the industry has a very bright future and as companies manage change, the BPF will be right alongside.