Blackburn Chemicals Invests £14m in Advanced UK Facility
Blackburn Chemicals Limited, a specialist chemicals manufacturer producing foam control solutions across a range of industries, has unveiled a new £14 million self-funded facility in Blackburn, Lancashire. This state-of-the-art plant is now the most advanced powder defoamer chemical facility in the world.
The expansion is expected to provide a significant boost to the local economy through job creation and staff development. It also strengthens the UK manufacturing sector, with the site enabling a six-fold increase in production capacity.
Currently employing 90 people, Blackburn Chemicals has sales teams across Europe and Asia. The new development will allow for further local recruitment and opportunities to upskill existing staff.
Operating at full capacity, the solar-powered site – equipped with 545 solar panels generating approximately 400,000 kWh annually – will increase output from 2,000 tonnes to 7,000 tonnes per year. A new fully automated system, developed with the expertise of on-site chemists, will also speed up the time it takes to bring new products from laboratory to market.
Founded in 1972 by George Lamb, Blackburn Chemicals remains a family-run business and has grown into a major supplier for several core industries. These include paper manufacturing – supplying two of Europe’s largest paper mills – and pulp processing, where it is the third largest UK exporter to Brazil in that market. The company also serves the food production, surface coatings and construction chemicals sectors. Over 80% of the company’s business is international.
John Covill, Managing Director of Blackburn Chemicals, commented:
“We are a unique business, in that a lot of industries need our product. The expansion will enable us to significantly increase our output, serve our UK and global customers more efficiently and respond faster to industry demands – all while being firmly rooted in Blackburn.”
He added:
“I am incredibly proud to be a part of this level of investment and innovation. The expansion is not just about production capacity it is about futureproofing our operations, supporting the local as well as national economy and maintaining our position as a global leader in high-performance foam control solutions.”
For further information, visit bbchem.co.uk
