BPF steps towards Asia

Delegations of senior industrialists from China and Vietnam presented the British Plastics Federation (BPF) with significant business development opportunities for the UK plastics industry in consecutive meetings held in London this Monday.

In a meeting with the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF), BPF Director-General, Peter Davis was handed a shopping list of 54 items required on a substantial scale by Chinese businesses. These included requirements for tens of thousands of tonnes of several raw materials manufactured in the UK and in which national manufacturers have important global positions.

Mr Zhao Jun Gui, Vice Chairman of the CPCIF, said that despite high domestic production capacity, China lacked the resources to manufacture raw materials; there is a need for a re-structuring of the Chinese Chemicals industry and a need to be mindful of the rise of the Middle East.

He said ‘China wants to focus on investment and technical co-operation, reform of state owned enterprise and the development of high-end products to meet the demand for high value goods.’

Peter Davis said that the Chinese procurement requirements would be forwarded to BPF members and added: “The Chinese are looking for UK partners to collaborate in Engineering Plastics, Polyurethane and Additives.”

Meanwhile, Philip Law, the BPF’s Public & Industrial Affairs Director, presented a picture of the UK’s plastics industry’s strengths to a visiting delegation of plastics industry leaders from Vietnam.

Professor Phan Dang Tuat, Director General for Industrial Strategy at the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, revealed to the BPF that he was working on a personal initiative of his Prime Minister to set up and develop an industrial zone on the Red River Delta close to Hanoi. This is to focus on the production of components and accessories for the lively domestic motorcycle trade.

He added that attractive fiscal arrangements would be offered to investing
companies starting with a tax-free status for the first five years. He was specifically looking for BPF co-operation.

Philip Law said that the BPF is looking to exploit its presence in Vietnam on the back of a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Vietnamese Plastics Association in March. “Motorcycles make Vietnam tick and over 20 million are now registered,” he said. “This is due to a dearth of public transport and income levels which don’t stretch to owning a car. Front-rank UK Moulders and Compounders should give Vietnam serious consideration.”

Picture: The BPF team greets VietnamesePlastics Industry strategists from Hanoi.


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For all media enquiries, BPF logos and images, please contact Rita Ogole, Senior Public Affairs Executive on 0207 457 5043 or email [email protected]


Notes to Editor

The British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers.