David Beckford, managing director of Pronto Paints, an industrial coatings manufacturer based in South Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, has been voted onto the CEPE (European coatings association) board of directors. Beckford 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 favor, three abstentions, and zero votes against. The result was announced by CEPE president, Roald Johannsen, vice president, PPG Automotive Coatings EMEA, at the CEPE General Assembly in Madrid September 30, 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 Johannsen. 

“Given the interconnected supply chains, and significant overlap of membership, the U.K. 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 U.K.,” said Tom Bowtell, CEO of the BCF.

“It is an honor 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 U.K., 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 said.

The United Kingdom 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 round of applause by the audience at the general assembly in Madrid for his efforts to represent the interests of the U.K. members, but more generally for the needs of smaller paint and ink companies on the CEPE board.

For more information, visit: www.coatings.org.uk.