There are not that many smaller independent British manufacturers that are continuing to thrive and compete effectively in the worldwide market. The number of flourishing independent British paintmakers is even fewer, especially one that operates successfully in a number of market sectors, that challenges the multinationals on product quality and technical performance, and that takes the lead on many environmental, community and business initiatives. But there is at least one. It is a family-owned business that has demonstrated a consistent record of growth, that boasts three production plants in the UK and a national market presence through its agents and distributors, and has developed a network of associate companies and distribution agencies across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The company in question? It’s HMG Paints of Manchester. A well-known paint producer and brand name that has been established almost 75 years and is still keen to innovate and diversify. What other company provides acrylic paints for rocketships, antifoulings for customs boats, powder coatings for electronics manufacturers, wood coatings for furniture makers, high build topcoats for bus and coach builders, weatherproof finishes for lighthouses, adhesives for museums, flexible paints for hot air balloons, biocidal paints for hygiene applications and much more besides?

What’s more, the company has now launched a streamlined local paint supply network, under the HMG Select brand, which allows small and medium sizes trade users to enjoy more or less the same service levels and product choice, as its major customers.

A privately-owned company, HMG Paints has its administrative and manufacturing base at the Riverside Works in Manchester’s Collyhurst, a short distance from the city centre, where it employs upwards of 200 people. It is a family firm in every sense of the word, the Falders having wholly owned the company since 1930, when grandfather Herbert bought out the shares from Marcel Guest, and several generations of other local families are numbered among its staff. Brian Falder, who joined the H Marcel Guest unofficially in 1942 and formally in 1945, ran the company for forty years, before semi-retiring as Chairman and handing over the reins to sons John and Stephen, both science graduates, who are MD and Marketing Director respectively. The family firm describes itself as passionate about paint, still taking pride in noting landmarks, vehicles and products that are protected and enhanced by HMG surface coatings - and that even extends to holiday trips, since attractions at EuroDisney, rollercoasters at Blackpool, and superyachts in the Mediterranean and Florida are all treated with HMG paint.

Although HMG maintains strong links with its past, through rituals like serving tea and toast at its early morning staff meetings, the company is not afraid to embrace modern production and information technology and continually develops innovative new products for important niche markets, like its Slippy Bottom antifouling, Byotrol antimicrobial paint and Roadover highway repair system.

This innovative approach, coupled with the capacity to formulate bespoke products to meet individual consumer specifications, are particular hallmarks of HMG. So too are an unrivalled choice of over 50,000 colours across 70 different paint systems and the increasingly singular willingness to stipulate no minimum quantity - literally, if you want only one tin you can have it, usually overnight or a little longer for custom-made finishes. It even has its own in-house aerosol packaging facility, for producing touch-up spray cans across a whole range of decorative and high performance coatings.

Strong management, outstanding product performance, good lead times and a degree of friendly, personal service that’s relatively unusual these days, have enabled HMG Paints to build significant brand share in a number of market sectors, notably heavy vehicles, marine, furniture, civil engineering and construction, light industry, speciality finishes and powder coatings. The name HMG is synonymous with high quality finishing and re-finishing systems amongst UK bus and coach builders, for example, with a track record of market involvement dating back many decades. The company boasts one of the biggest transport coatings ranges available, covering everything from anti-corrosive primers and flexible paints for plastics, through to a choice of 2-pack acrylic and single pack polyurethanes and alkyd topcoats. Its success in meeting the exacting performance and colour matching demands of the bus and coach industry recently encouraged HMG to establish a dedicated Transport Coatings division, additionally targeting OEMs and bodyshops handling commercial vehicles, vans and heavy plant, at the same time building a nationwide distribution network through specialist CV factors.

Marine is another sector where HMG has made its mark, both in Europe and through its US subsidiary in South Carolina. Its innovative and quirkily-named Slippy Bottom antifouling paint has won a strong international following amongst the boating set, proving its worth in the cold coastal waters around Britain and the warmer climes of Florida, South Africa and the Med. HMG topside finishes like Acrythane XSC acrylic urethane, Coma Berenice marine varnish, Crystalseal deck and locker protection, and Propodec microporous decorative coatings also contribute toward a strong market presence.

Through its flexible manufacturing operations in Belfast, a strategically-sited divisional office in the industrial Midlands and an exclusive UK distributorship arrangement with Govesan of Madrid, HMG is also highly active in the powder coatings market. The company is already reaping the rewards of growing demand in the industrial finishing sector, where powder coatings offer a number of operational advantages over liquid paints, whilst the availability of UV-cured low bake powders has opened up this solvent-free technology to heat sensitive applications like electronics, automotive parts and ABS plastics. Through its links with Govesan, world leaders in UV technology, HMG is always able to keep its customers abreast of current technological developments.

Powder coatings are additionally applicable to furniture and allied industries, for whom HMG has developed a complete choice of wood paints and finishes, including compliant acid catalysed lacquers, user-friendly precat systems, high performance 2-pack polyurethanes and water-borne coatings. Recent industry-oriented developments include acid cat lacquers with a coconut resin additive to eliminate the familiar burnt plastic odour, a water-white lacquer without a tinge of yellowing, ‘fliptone’ finishes that change shades according to angle of view, and fluorescent paints for the latest ‘hot’ furniture colours.

HMG Paints is also renowned for speciality products and the application of standard products to specialist applications. Its high gloss Acrythane adorns Starchaser rockets, the largest non-government rocketships to be built and flown in Europe, and incredibly helps them attain higher altitudes. Its flexible Flexithane coating was used to paint the giant spinnaker on the yacht Save The Children, when it competed in the round-the-world BT Global Challenge race, as well as embellishing the largest tie ever made, created for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. HMG has teamed up with W H Screeton Associates to manufacture and market Retroflect, a unique solar reflective coating for all types of roofing; it separately developed a two-pack highway repair system, Roadover, that helps local authorities cut costs on rebedding kerbstones, reinstating gully gratings and other minor road repairs; while its unique Plastikote PVC94 has opened up a niche market for refurbishing plastisol architectural cladding, PVC roofing and lorry side curtains. It even makes high temperature-resistant paint for coloured light bulbs!

As befits a go-ahead paint manufacturing company operating near to a bustling city centre location, HMG Paints has devoted considerable attention and investment to environmental, community and corporate social responsibility issues. The company has regenerated its own riverside site, planting thousands of broad-leaved trees and linking it to the Red Rose Forest woodland project, and encourages local schools to use it as a learning resource. It was also among the first paintmakers to produce a formal Environment Policy Document, outlining strict procedures for disposing of and recycling materials used in the manufacturing process, as well as an associated Code of Practice on Waste. Such initiatives gained HMG the highly respected Coatings Care Award, presented by the BCF, in recognition of conspicuous progress in health, safety and environmental performance.

Thus the firm was mortified to discover earlier this year that a rogue waste disposal contractor, trading under virtually the same name as a trusted supplier and even using that company’s brochure, disposed of hazardous waste illegally. Thankfully, HMG’s track record on environmental initiatives and an otherwise flawless history of waste disposal enabled it to escape with a relatively minor £2000 fine at the subsequent court case, but it has naturally re-strengthened its vigilance and vetting procedures. Furthermore, its eco-friendly credentials were subsequently confirmed when HMG Paints was awarded a distinguished North West Business Environment award, in a scheme sponsored by the CBI and Royal Bank of Scotland.

In line with the company’s policy of involving itself closely with the business and local communities, HMG family board members, notably younger son Stephen, play active roles on various industry, governmental and charitable bodies, including the CBI, British Manufacturers’ Proskills Council, British Coatings Federation, Red Rose Forest Trust and the Prince’s Trust, as well as appearing regularly on radio and TV, often using these platforms to promote the environmental role of surface coatings in protecting and preserving scarce materials. The Collyhurst works was filmed by the DTI as a model for Corporate Social Responsibility (it was also the initial setting and title inspiration for ITV’s Prime Suspect); Stephen is a member of the Cabinet Office’s Better Regulation Task Force; while representatives of HMG Paints recently attended No11 Downing Street, for the launch of the Chancellor’s Corporate Challenge agenda on volunteering and giving. All of which indicates that the UK paint industry does have a voice at the very heart of government, provided by one of its smaller, most fiercely independent manufacturers.

Further enquiries to:

HMG Paints
Riverside Works
Collyhurst Road
Manchester
M40 7RU
Telephone 0161 205 7631
email sales@hmgpaint.com

Press Contact David Gent Creative
Tel 01706 220388
Fax 01706 215849
email david@davidgent.com