Bigley, a mechanical engineer who has spent the past 21 years in metal packaging, much of it with Metalbox (subsequently CMB) has been on the BAMA Committee since 2002 and was elected vice-chairman in June 2004. Currently general manager of Impress's Specialities Division, he also chairs the BAMA Commercial and Planning Committee.
He takes over as BAMA chairman with much of the London head office team's time currently occupied with planning and organising the FEA International Aerosol Congress and Exhibition, Aerosols 2007 (Packaging Today - September 2006), which BAMA is hosting in Manchester from 18-20 September next year. The association says the event, which will also see the first ever International Aerosol Awards presented, is the first ever global aerosols conference, and Bigley recognises a successful Congress will significantly boost BAMA's own profile: “The FEA event is held at different international venues every year, and we aim to make Aerosols 2007 the best yet,” he explains. “We are taking as our theme sustainable development, which is indeed at the heart of all BAMA's current activities.”
Among the extremely varied speaker themes in the three main subject areas - Environmental, Social and Economic, will be indoor air quality, VOCs, the health risks of consumer products, the EU's forthcoming REACH Directive, corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, volatile substance abuse, graffiti, the social history of packaging, guarding against terrorism, aerosol industry growth prospects worldwide, global harmonisation, global retailing trends and shopping experiences, transferring a successful brand to a new region, RFID development in retailing, innovation in formulation and packaging, designing for the elderly and supply chain management. BAMA says over 70% of exhibition space is already sold out and interest in the Congress is “high”. (For more details visit www.aerosols2007.co.uk or T: +44 (0)20 7828 5111)
Bigley adds: “While the aerosol industry and issues like CFCs used to have a not terribly environmentally friendly image, we would stress that now not only is aerosol manufacture extremely strictly controlled, but that aerosols benefit us all hugely in our daily lives. The industry has also been very proactive environmentally; in the past 20 years, for example, 15% has been taken out of the typical metal content of a can.”
Bigley says BAMA has also worked extremely hard, with other UK associations, to encourage more UK local authorities to recycle aerosol cans; the percentage recycling has risen from 7% four years ago to 76% today. He adds: “We work extensively with retailers and brand owners on aerosol issues, and particularly educating the public and, in September, persuaded John Lewis and Marks & Spencer to begin introducing point-of-sale information which encourages consumers to recycle.”
Other priorities identified as key over coming months include advising members of the implications of the EU's REACH directive and re-launching the BAMA Standard, which deals mainly with health and safety in the workplace and good aerosol manufacturing / storage practice. Bigley elaborates: “I believe that of our 70 current members, many of the larger companies are reasonably well prepared, but we must ensure even smaller member firms gear up to ensure all the chemicals they are using will comply.
“We are also keen to stress the aerosol sector's self-regulating strengths; issue 3 of the BAMA Standard, which we plan to launch at Aerosols 2007, being a prime example. We aim to show retailers aerosol manufacturers are a responsible bunch and, while the Standard is not yet compulsory for BAMA membership, will be encouraging as many members as possible to get accredited.”
The UK is now second only to the US in world aerosol production. Based on 2005 figures, the UK sector also fills 28% of all aerosols produced in Europe, with at least 50% of the 1.2bn allocated for export. Says Bigley: "The UK aerosol industry is generally in fairly good shape but there is no room complacency. In 20 years in metal packaging I have seen increasing retailer and brand owner pressure not just for innovation from aerosol producers but equally for cost reductions in all areas of manufacture and supply and shorter and shorter lead times.
“Much has already been undertaken in areas like lightweighting and spoilage reduction, but there is always room for improvement. BAMA's staff possesses some of Europe's top technical expertise, and we hope we will continue to be seen as an excellent source of technical advice and help. My goal is to ensure we continue to be proactive in all we do, an approach I am proud to say we are already well-known for.”
