BCF Awards celebrates the best and brightest in the coatings industry

The winners of the British Coatings Federation (BCF) Awards 2017 were announced on 23 November at the annual BCF Awards in Cheshire, across eight categories showcasing brilliance in the coatings industry.

2017 saw the addition of two new awards, the first of which for Young Leader of the Year was won by Alison Henshaw from Fine Décor Wallcoverings.

The second new award for Corporate Social Responsibility saw HMG Paints honoured as the SME winner for their ‘Paint the Town Green’ campaign and PPG Architectural Coatings in the multi-national category for their Community Engagement Programme.

HMG Paints picked up a second Award, with apprentice Darren James winning the Coatings Training Institute Student of the Year.

Also with two wins was AkzoNobel, who picked up the Customer Service Award with a programme that has proved to deliver impressive business improvements; and the Sustainable Innovation Award for their new factory in Ashington, their most sustainable plant ever.

The Sustainable Innovation category saw an uptake in entries in 2017, also awarding a winner for Sustainable Innovation Supplier, which went to BYK-Gardner Q.C. Instruments, for the company’s industry standard instruments designed to simplify digital approval in the automotive industry.

The Excellence in Training award was won by Fujichem Sonneborn, who impressed the judges the most with their overarching approach to training that focuses on competence over completion.

Finally, the most long-standing award, the Coatings Care Overall Best Performer Award went to Crown Paints in Hull, and the Coatings Care Progress Award to the Tor Coatings site in Chester-le-Street.

Tom Bowtell, BCF Chief Executive said, "In amongst the challenges that the industry faces, it is fantastic to take the opportunity to take a step back and see how the coatings industry continues to deliver outstanding performance across so many aspects of the business.”

BCF Awards 2017 Winners

Sustainable Innovation Award – Sponsored by Veolia

Winner – AkzoNobel Decorative Paints UK – Ashington – AkzoNobel’s Most Sustainable Plant Ever

Sustainable Innovation Supplier Award – Sponsored by Veolia

Winner – BYK-Gardner Q.C. Instruments – True Digital Masters

Customer Service Award – Sponsored by BMS

Highly commended – Fujichem Sonneborn Ltd – Servicing its Customers on a Shared Path to Success!

Winner – AkzoNobel – Transformation of a Paints Business

Excellence in Training Award – Sponsored by Cogent Skills

Highly commended – AkzoNobel Dulux Academy – The Home Of Painting & Decorating Excellence

Highly commended – Ricoh UK Products LTD – Customer Advanced Waveform Training

Winner – Fujichem Sonneborn Ltd – Training with a Purpose, Training for the Future

Young Leader of the Year Award – Sponsored by Fenton Packaging

Winner – Fine Décor Wallcoverings Ltd – Alison Henshaw

Corporate Social Responsibility Award

Highly commended – Paint 360 Limited – Ticking the Right Boxes

Winner – HMG Paints Ltd – Paint the Town Green Campaign

Winner – PPG (Architectural Coatings UK & Ireland) – Community Engagement Programme

Student of the Year Award – Sponsored by Synthomer

Winner – Darren James – HMG Paints

Coatings Care Progress Award

Winner – Tor Coatings, Chester-le-Street

Coatings Care Overall Best Performer Award

Winner – Crown Paints, Hull