On Thursday 24 September, businesses across the country will celebrate National Manufacturing Day, an opportunity to shine a spotlight on businesses who are a manufacturer in the UK, the people behind it and the expertise, innovation and skills that keep British industry moving.
For Polyvine, this year’s National Manufacturing Day feels particularly special, as 2026 marks our 40th year as a British manufacturer.
Since Polyvine was founded in 1986, we have researched, developed and manufactured our specialist water-based varnishes, coatings and decorative finishes here in the UK. Today, our head office, manufacturing facility and laboratory remain together at our site in Cheddar, Somerset.
Being a UK manufacturer means much more to us than simply putting “Made in Britain” on the bottle.
It means being close to our products, close to our customers and, importantly, being here when they need us.
When you choose a Polyvine product, you’re not simply buying a tin or bottle of varnish. Behind it is a team of people who understand the product, how it has been formulated, how it is manufactured and how it should perform in real-world applications.
Keeping our research, development, technical expertise and manufacturing in the UK enables our teams to work closely together. Feedback from professional decorators, stockists, flooring specialists, joiners, sprayers and other customers can be shared directly with the people who understand our formulations and manufacture our products.
It also means that when a customer needs advice, there is a real team at the end of the phone.
Specialist coatings can raise specialist questions. Can a particular varnish be used over a certain paint? Which product is best for a high-traffic wooden floor? What preparation is required? Which application method should be used? How many coats are needed? What could have caused an unexpected finish?
Sometimes the answer can be found on a datasheet. Sometimes you simply need to speak to someone who knows the products.
At Polyvine, our technical expertise is based at our Somerset headquarters, alongside our manufacturing operation.
Our in-house laboratory is responsible for research and development and can support the wider Polyvine team with technical enquiries, specialist applications and product questions.
That connection between customer, sales team, laboratory and manufacturing is an important part of the service we offer as a British manufacturer.
Good customer service shouldn’t disappear once a product has left the factory. Our head office sales team is available to help with product enquiries, ordering, stock availability and general advice. And if your question is particularly technical, we can draw on the knowledge of our laboratory and technical team too.
We work with everyone from professional decorators and specialist contractors to merchants, distributors and end users, so we know that questions can range from a straightforward product recommendation to advice about an unusual substrate or demanding project.
If you’re unsure, ask us.
We would much rather help you choose and apply the right product from the outset.
You can contact Polyvine on 01934 740305, email info@polyvine.co.uk, or get in touch through the contact form on our website.
Of course, we know that sometimes you need an answer immediately, particularly when you’re on site, or in-store helping a customer.
That’s why we have developed an extensive Technical area on the Polyvine website, bringing together useful product information and advice in one place.
Here you can find:
Our Technical Help Sheets go beyond basic product specifications and explore some of the questions professionals encounter in real applications, from varnish testing and sheen levels to brush, roller and spray application, UV protection, drying, wood moisture content and potential causes of varnish failure.
The aim is simple: to give our customers the information they need to get the best possible performance from our products.
Remember, if you can’t find the answer you need online, our team is only a phone call or email away.
In our 40th anniversary year, we’re also extremely proud to be official Made in Britain members.
The Made in Britain mark provides recognition for businesses that manufacture here in the UK and, for Polyvine, it represents something that has been central to our business since the very beginning.
For four decades, we have remained an independently owned, family-run British manufacturer.
From our original foundations in 1986 to today’s range of specialist water-based varnishes, wood oils, coatings and decorative products, research, development and manufacturing have remained here in Britain.
That gives us control over product formulation, manufacturing standards, quality and innovation – but it also keeps the knowledge behind our products within the business.
Four decades of experience cannot be condensed into a label or a datasheet. It exists within the people who develop, manufacture, test, sell and support our products every day.
National Manufacturing Day is a chance to celebrate the scale and diversity of manufacturing taking place across the UK. For us, it is also an opportunity to say how proud we are to still be part of it.
Polyvine has changed considerably since 1986, but our commitment to developing and manufacturing specialist products in Britain, and supporting the people who use them, remains the same.
As we look towards our next 40 years, we will continue investing in UK research, product development and manufacturing, while providing the technical knowledge and personal service our customers have come to expect.
Whether you’re choosing the right Polyvine product, planning a specialist application or troubleshooting a project, we’re here to help.
Visit our Technical area for Technical Data Sheets, MSDS, laboratory certificates, FAQs, help sheets and application advice.
Or speak directly to the Polyvine team:
Call: 01934 740305
Email: info@polyvine.co.uk
Polyvine: The Trade Varnish Experts. Proudly researched, developed and manufactured in Britain since 1986.
Polyvine products are stocked at all good decorators’ merchants across the UK. Search our directory to find your nearest stockist.
