CW Q&A: British Coatings Federation’s President Jane Ryder

Coatings World Editor Kerry Pianoforte interviewed Jane Ryder, the newly elected president of the British Coatings Federation.

Q. As newly elected President of the BCF, what are your main goals and objectives?

Ryder: The BCF is already one of the best‑run trade associations in the UK, as reflected in being named UK Trade Association of the Year in 2026. So, my presidency is not about revolution, but about building on strong foundations and continuing the excellent work led by Sharon Harte – while driving continuous improvement across the organisation.

A key focus for me will be progressing our industry-leading paint recycling programme, PaintCare. While there are still some regulatory challenges to navigate, I’m confident we’ll make it happen.

Q. What do you think are the most important issues impacting the British coatings industry? 

Ryder: Right now, geopolitical instability—particularly the conflict in the Middle East—is having a tangible impact on the paints and coatings sector. We’ve seen significant raw material cost inflation, especially in solvents, where prices have risen by 30–50%.

More broadly, the knock-on effects are likely to weigh on consumer confidence and spending, as households face higher energy, fuel and food costs. This will likely reduce demand for paint and coatings, adding further strain on the industry at an already challenging time.

Q.  What specific regulations are you advocating for reform?

Ryder: UK REACH remains the single biggest regulatory challenge for our members, with an estimated £60 million cost impact for registrations over the next six years. While we’ve already worked hard to help reduce the originally projected costs by around £200 million, the priority now must be to avoid adding any further expense.

In addition, the Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations have introduced more than £10 million in additional costs for the UK coatings industry. As we move forward with our PaintCare scheme, it will be essential to ensure that paint packaging is treated fairly within the framework, and that costs do not continue to increase.

Q. What changes/improvements do you think need to be made to advance the industry?

Ryder: We need to see the UK Government develop a regulatory framework that protects the natural environment, while supporting trade and growth for UK manufacturers.

Greater alignment with the EU—particularly on frameworks such as REACH, CLP and BPR—would provide much-needed consistency and reduce complexity for businesses operating across borders. At the same time, we must look to remove unnecessary regulatory burdens that are holding back innovation and investment in the UK.

Q.  Tell me about Paintcare UK and its recycling goals.

Ryder: We’ve seen the success of paint recycling programmes in countries such as Canada, the US and Australia, and our ambition is to deliver a similar solution here in the UK—while also going a step further by including the collection of empty paint packaging.

Today, only around 2% of leftover decorative paint is recycled in the UK. Through PaintCare, we have set an ambitious target to increase this to 75% by 2031. Achieving this will require setting up more than 2,000 collection points nationwide, across both local authority household waste sites and retail outlets.

There are still a few hurdles to get PaintCare over the line, and the current economic climate certainly doesn’t help, but I’m optimistic with the positive results of the trial we are currently running that we’ll get there!

 BCF CEO Tom Bowtell with incoming BCF President Jane Ryder at BCF’s Parliamentary Reception.

Jane Ryder, Vice President & General Manager of Sherwin-Williams Consumer Brands Group Europe, was recently elected President of the British Coatings Federation, and will serve for a two-year term. Ryder has more than 20 years of experience at Sherwin-Williams, having joined with the acquisition of The Valspar Corporation in 2017. During her tenure, she has held various sales and marketing leadership roles. In 2007, she relocated to North America to manage the global aerosol portfolio, before returning to the UK in 2012 as Marketing Director to lead the implementation of the Valspar brand into the UK market. Following the Valspar acquisition, Ryder took responsibility for all Sherwin-Williams brands in Europe including Ronseal, Purdy and Geocel. In March 2022, she was promoted to the position of Vice President & General Manager for the Consumer Brands Group in Europe. She oversees the EMEAl region, leading a team that spans both DIY and professional channels.