As 2023 at Scott Bader gathers pace, we recently caught up with CEO, Dr Kevin Matthews, to discuss our focus for 2023 and the companies progress towards its strategic goals 🎙️⬇️

We are all facing challenges with costs and energy usage. What proactive measures is Scott Bader taking to ensure it can continue to supply its customers?

Supply challenges have been with us all over the last three years. Throughout this time, we have worked tirelessly with our suppliers and customers to maintain supply. To further strengthen our supply chains, we have invested in strategic stock holdings as well as manufacturing assets in North America and Asia. Looking forward we are optimistic, with energy markets stabilising and China changing its stance on the management of COVID, that global supply chains will begin to return to a more stable operating norm. However, the last three years have taught us all the fragility of extended supply lines and Scott Bader is actively working to manufacture more of its products in local markets to improve both service and reliability.

What is Scott Bader’s focus for 2023?

2023 is another important year in Scott Bader’s transformational journey. We will build on the acquisitions in India (2022) and Australia (2020) and the toll manufacturing partners established in China (2021-2022). We have a regional footprint now established and the objective is to fully engage the dynamic Asian markets bringing our best-in-class products to markets and customers looking to upgrade the performance of their own products.

In North America we are on track with the build-out of our first US manufacturing facility in Mocksville, North Carolina and expect to have materials being manufactured for customer qualifications by the end of Q2. Likewise in Canada the new Crestabond manufacturing asset is already playing a significant role in the global supply of these high-performance structural adhesives.

In 2022, Europe was impacted significantly by the war in Ukraine and has experienced market shrinkage. We are optimistic that in 2023, Europe will recover, especially in the area of renewables where we have exciting product lines for wind energy, solar panels and battery packs.

What was the key to Scott Bader’s recent Gold award from Investors in People?

We were very pleased to be recognised with the renewal of our Gold, Investors in People Award. Two of the key foundations that supported the award were:

• Communications: The extensive range of communication opportunities that maintain high levels of interaction between the management team and all Scott Bader colleagues. The ‘Connect with….’  series facilitating two-way communication through a webinar, the executive team communication cascade and the role of the Members’ Board enhanced through the constitutional review.
• Learning and Development at all levels of the organisation, whether linked to specific training courses, leadership development or on the job training, was recognised.

As an employee owned business we are acutely conscious of our dependence on capable, motivated and value-driven colleagues. We continue to ask a lot of our teams as we work on the transformation projects as well as continuing to operate our business in the face of significant headwinds.

2023 is a key year in the delivery of a number of significant projects and the success of these will depend fundamentally on the diligence and determination of all our colleagues.