BCF Reports Renewed Confidence in the Coatings Industry, Despite Brexit
LEATHERHEAD, England - Confidence levels in the coatings industry have returned to those last seen in 2016, as the latest statistics from the British Coatings Federation (BCF) show a renewed optimism, with companies showcasing a more positive outlook for paints, coatings and printing ink sales for the year ahead.
The BCF's Business Confidence Survey asked coatings companies about their 2018 forecasts on future sales, employment and investment in comparison with 2017. Some improvements were seen in expectations for gross profit margins following the tough run of results seen in recent years, while the outlook for UK sales was also more upbeat with just over 80% of firms predicting an improvement in 2018. But the BCF warns this could be the calm before the storm.