£57m-turnover biocide manufacturer back in the black

A MANUFACTURER and distributor of biocides based in Castleford is back in the black after a year of tightening its belt.

Arch UK Biocides pre-tax profits for the year came to £1.49m, compared to a loss of £3.47m the year before.

Total sales for the year to 31 December 2015 reached £57.7m, down marginally on last year when turnover reached £59.6m.

It said it had been striving to optimise its global supply chain costs and “administrative burden” as well as keeping tight management control on overheads.

It has also started to bring outsourced activities in house, leading to an increase in output from 27,000 tonnes to 27,600 tonnes this year.

Arch UK Biocides, based on Wheldon Road in Castleford, is part of the Lonza group of companies. It employs 127 at the site.

Lonza Castleford – formally part of Arch Chemicals Inc. – houses a major R&D centre for the timber preservation and fire retardant customers. It is also home to the centralized supply chain and finance functions as well as sales and marketing functions