Composites UK is delighted to announce that Bufa Composites UK’s Managing Director, Eddie Putwain, has been elected as the new Chairman of its Material Suppliers Sub-Group (MSG). Eddie replaces Polynt UK’s Martin Wright in this role, who steps down after 10 years.
The Material Suppliers Sub-Group was formed so that both suppliers and users of resins and fibre have a forum where they can exchange ideas on the future trends of raw materials and be made aware of current and future UK and European legislation, with which the industry will have to comply to remain legal. It has around 30 members, who are all part of the wider Composites UK membership. The group covers REACH, packaging and any environmental concerns, which are or will be imposed on the industry.
Martin Wright said: “In my 10 years chairing the Composites UK Material Suppliers Sub-Group I have seen huge changes both in Composites UK and the Group but also in our industry. I took over, from the sadly missed Rupert Creed, a small meeting of 4-5 people; now group meetings are often in double figures.
“Throughout this time, the supply of vital raw materials has grown in importance with every year. Where previously we had considered a periodic short-term European shortage of one product; we are now dealing with global shortages and supply chain restrictions. The importance of long-term sustainability has increased as our industry considers not only bio-sourced intermediates but a move towards a supply chain that is once again more local and less global. In the UK we see increasing legislation controlling the substances that we use and a much-reduced manual workforce: both factors pushing our sector towards more automation and new production techniques. Brexit has bought its own special set of challenges; especially for the resin and glass sectors with no basic intermediate product currently produced here, a situation I very much hope to see change for the better in the future.
“As the world faces another period of extreme instability it is encouraging to see the optimistic forecasts for the composite sector; with our close involvement in lightweight transport, wind and solar energy generation and our contribution to the construction of carbon neutral housing ready for the next century. I will very much miss the group and my close links to the UK market but look forward to my new, European challenges and am very comfortable to leave the group in the safe hands of Eddie, ably supported as always by Sue and the Composites UK team.”
Eddie Putwain has over 30 years of experience in the UK composites industry, starting as a Site Manager for DSM/Euroresins in 1999 before leaving the company in 2017 having served as Managing Director since 2010. Eddie then moved to BUFA Composites UK as Regional Business Manager with experience in Northern Europe and the UK. He has been Managing Director for Bufa’s UK operation since 2020.
Eddie said: “The Composites UK Material Suppliers Sub-Group is an independent and trusted conduit of independent market information which proves invaluable to its members. Particularly in the last turbulent years, the continuity of this service extended to our members and the wider industry, providing tangible insights into the developing market, its threats, opportunities and challenges. Our intention is to continue to consolidate and further build this role in assisting our members within the UK composites market and I look forward to working with the sub-group to make this happen.”
Dr. Sue Halliwell, Operations Manager at Composites UK concludes: “We would like to thank Martin for his contribution as Chairman of the MSG over the last decade. He has worked hard to shape the group into what it is today – a valuable forum for the companies within it to have their say. We are excited to have Eddie at the helm going forward into 2023, himself having been a member of the group for many years.”
Companies wishing to be part of the Material Suppliers Sub-Group must first be members of Composites UK. The fee to join the MSG is £150+VAT on top of the annual Composites UK membership cost which varies depending upon size of company.
Website: www.compositesuk.co.uk/industry-support/sub-groups/material-suppliers-sub-group