BPF Warns of Materials Shortages

Published 31st March 2015

The British Plastics Federation has warned the whole plastics supply chain that plastics processors are currently facing shortages of key materials.

The BPF's Director-General Philip Law, speaking on behalf of the BPF's large processor community, said that he was receiving an increasing volume of messages indicating that processors are being damaged through not being able to secure  the polymer they need.

'There has been a spate of force-majeure declarations,he said, reminiscent of 2010.  It certainly appears that some processors, of particularly LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE, are on allocation.  This threatens their ability to fulfill contracts.  It is important for their customers to recognise that they have genuine difficulties.  This is not just a UK issue it certainly affects France, Germany and Italy. 

Plastics materials, he said were essential components of crucial food supply, mobility, healthcare and defence applications.  The prevalence of just in time delivery systems means rapid disruption to a supply chain if a plastics processor cannot deliver.  Plastics materials are a prized national resource which should be nurtured and fostered.'

ENDS

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Notes for editors
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.