Former BCF President David Beckford joins CEPE Board

David Beckford, Managing Director of Pronto Paints, an industrial coatings manufacturer based in South Yorkshire in the UK, has been voted onto the CEPE (European coatings association) Board of Directors. 

David is a serving member of the British Coatings Federation’s board (since 2011) and was BCF President from 2018 to 2020. He received almost unanimous support from the CEPE membership, with 2,673 votes in favour, 3 abstentions and 0 votes against. The result was announced by CEPE President, Roald Johannsen (Vice President, PPG Automotive Coatings EMEA) at the CEPE General Assembly in Madrid on 30th September 2022.

“It is fantastic to continue to have representation from the UK on the CEPE board, and from an SME company. We welcome David to the board and wish him every success.”, concluded Mr Johannsen.  

“Given the interconnected supply chains, and significant overlap of membership, the UK paint industry continues to have an excellent relationship with the European coatings association, CEPE, and I’m delighted David has stepped up to represent the UK.”, commented Tom Bowtell, CEO of the BCF.

“It is an honour to serve on the European coatings association’s board, and I’m really looking forward to contributing to the important work we have ahead of us to continue to influence chemical regulations in the EU and UK and to promote the positive contribution of the coatings sector to society. I want to champion the voice of the smaller companies, as well as be the link between BCF and CEPE on the challenging topic of Brexit.”, Beckford commented.

The UK had been represented on the CEPE Board of Directors by BCF Board member Geoff Mackrill, owner of Teal and Mackrill Paints in Hull, who has retired from the board after serving his full six-year term.  He was given a much-deserved round of applause by the audience at the General Assembly in Madrid for his efforts to represent the interests of the UK members but more generally for the needs of smaller paint and ink companies on the CEPE board.  

Source : BCF

Image : Left to right – David Beckford, Pronto Paints; Geoff Mackrill, Teal and Mackrill; Roald Johannsen, CEPE President and PPG