birch chemicals

What birch chemicals does

Singleton Birch Limited, trading in part as Birch Chemicals, is a UK-based lime and specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1820 and headquartered at Melton Ross Quarries in Barnetby, North Lincolnshire. The company operates an integrated production complex spanning chalk quarrying, calcination kilns, processing facilities, silos, and an on-site 1.5MW anaerobic digestion plant that generates 95% of its electricity needs from agricultural feedstock supplied under long-term contracts. Its product portfolio divides into four operating streams: (1) commodity and specialty calcium/lime products (quicklime, hydrated lime, chalk, natural hydraulic lime, Aqualime liquid lime, and Biolime biocide) serving steel making, construction, water treatment, and agriculture; (2) Birch Chemicals specialty additives — notably the Innovox moisture-control desiccant, Innovoh cure activator for FKM fluoroelastomers, and Masterox masterbatch range — for rubber, plastics, and powder coating customers globally; (3) Birch Solutions technical services and equipment for anaerobic digestion and water utilities; and (4) Minsterport silo equipment and the MySilo remote telemetry platform. The company holds ISO 50001, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 certifications, alongside EN459, EN12518, and FEMAS product certifications.

Singleton Birch generates revenue primarily through one-time direct sales of industrial chemicals priced by volume and specification, supplemented by professional services revenue from silo monitoring, AD plant optimization, and waste management contracts. The go-to-market combines a direct sales force of market specialists serving enterprise accounts (including British Steel for steel making flux) with a global distributor network for Birch Chemicals specialty products — Behn Meyer in Southeast Asia, Bombay Chemicals in India, Delta Colours in South Africa, and Safic-Alcan as the largest European partner. Marketing relies on industry trade shows (India Rubber Expo, K-show Düsseldorf), membership in the Mineral Products Association and Agricultural Lime Association, and an enterprise website. The company was acquired by Mississippi Lime Company (MLC), an HBM Holdings portfolio company, in September 2022 and now operates as MLC's UK subsidiary under continuing Singleton Birch branding and management, with Blake Dell appointed in June 2024 as VP for corporate development, strategy and UK operations following CEO Richard Stansfield's retirement after 35 years.

Strategic direction is anchored in sustainability-driven differentiation rather than volume expansion. Singleton Birch has partnered with Origen (Oxford University spin-out) to develop oxy-fuel calciner kilns targeting zero-carbon lime production, and in June 2025 joined a Centrica-led consortium with parent MLC to develop hydrogen-fuel lime manufacturing. The company has invested £600,000 in new R&D laboratories, £300,000 in a Central Control Room and Data Centre, and significant capital in a new hydrated lime facility, signaling capacity expansion into higher-margin specialty products alongside decarbonization capability buildout. Geographic reach spans the UK home market plus distribution across Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, South Africa, and Europe, with the Birch Chemicals division serving rubber and plastics customers in automotive and aerospace supply chains worldwide.

Name

birch chemicals

Legal name

Singleton Birch Limited

Website

https://birchchemicals.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1820

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Birch Chemicals (Singleton Birch) is a UK-based lime and specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1820, producing calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and proprietary additives such as Innovox and Innovoh for the rubber, plastics, steel, water treatment, construction, and agriculture industries, now operating as a subsidiary of Mississippi Lime Company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lime and Calcium-Based Chemicals

NAICS

Lime Manufacturing (32741), Lime Manufacturing (327410), Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing (3274)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural Lime (Calcitic & Dolomitic) (AFABADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAA), Softening & Demineralization (Lime Softening, Ion Exchange) (EUANABAE)

Keywords

• Industrial lime production
• Calcium hydroxide manufacturing
• Rubber chemical additives
• Anaerobic digestion solutions
• Specialty mineral products

Headquarters

HQ city

Barnetby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Calcium/Lime Products: Sale of calcium-based products including quicklime, hydrated lime, chalk (calcium carbonate), natural hydraulic lime, Aqualime liquid lime, and Biolime biocide products for agricultural, construction, water treatment, and industrial applications.
2. Birch Chemicals Specialty Products: Sale of specialty chemical products including Innovox moisture control desiccants and Innovoh cure additives for rubber, plastics and coatings industries. Products sold globally through distribution partners.
3. Silo Services and Equipment: Remote silo monitoring (MySilo), consultancy, installation, and health and safety services for bulk product storage. Services include smart logistics and planning optimization.
4. Birch Solutions - Anaerobic Digestion Services: Services and solutions for renewable energy, water treatment and waste management industries. Business unit operates in AD plant optimization and maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Singleton Birch manufactures and sells calcium-based products including quicklime, hydrated lime, chalk, natural hydraulic lime, liquid lime (Aqualime), and biocide (Biolime) for industries such as steel, construction, water treatment, and agriculture. The Birch Chemicals division supplies specialty calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide products — notably Innovox moisture control desiccants and Innovoh cure additives — to the rubber, plastics, and powder coating industries globally through a network of distribution partners.

Product overview

Singleton Birch (formerly Birch Chemicals) is a UK-based lime and chemical specialties company offering a diversified portfolio of calcium-based products and technical services. The core products include agricultural lime (Woldlime™), quicklime variants (Burnt Lime 40®, Granulime®, Finelime 2®, Microlime 90®, Biolime®, Microflo™), hydrated lime products (Ultralime®, Ultralime HS®, Ultralime 90®), liquid lime (Aqualime®), and biocide (Biolime® H90). The Birch Chemicals division supplies specialty calcium products to the rubber and plastics markets, including Innovox® moisture control desiccants (market-leading for rubber), Innovoh® cure additives for FKM fluoroelastomers, Masterox® masterbatch range, Birchset® cure stabilisers, and BirchSorb® sorbent products. Birch Solutions provides anaerobic digestion equipment and services. Minsterport offers silo equipment and monitoring services including the MySilo 24/7 remote monitoring platform. The company also distributes Natural Hydraulic Lime products in partnership with SECILTEK. Additional products include aggregates, ammonia, carbon, and urea.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Innovox®: World's #1 moisture control solution for rubber industry; calcium oxide desiccant eliminating porosity, visible specks and surface blisters in rubber and polymer compounds
• Innovoh®
• Masterox®
• Birchset®
• BirchSorb®
• Aqualime®
• Biolime®
• Woldlime™
• Ultralime®
• Burnt Lime 40®
• Granulime®
• Finelime 2®
• Microlime 90®
• MySilo

Products and services

• Burnt Lime 40 White lump calcium oxide product made by crushing and screening quicklime. Used as flux in steel making and sugar refining industries. Conforms to EN459 Building Lime standard.
• Granulime White granular calcium oxide product made by crushing and screening quicklime. Used for drying, stabilising and modification of soils, and sewage sludge treatment. Conforms to EN459 Building Lime.
• Microlime 90 Fine white calcium oxide powder made by pulverising and air classifying quicklime. Used in flue gas systems, aerated concrete block manufacture, traditional mortars, and animal feed. Conforms to EN12518 Drinking Water Standard and EN459 Building Lime.
• Biolime 90 Fine white calcium oxide powder made by crushing and screening quicklime. Specifically developed for sludge treatment applications.
• Ultralime Fine white calcium hydroxide powder made by the reaction of quicklime with water. Conforms to EN459 Building Lime and EN12518 Drinking Water Standard. Used for water and effluent treatment, mortars, pH correction, and acid neutralisation.
• Ultralime HS Fine white calcium hydroxide powder with higher specific surface area, developed for flue gas treatment applications. Conforms to EN12518 Drinking Water Standard.
• Aqualime Liquid lime — aqueous suspension of calcium hydroxide. Conforms to EN12518 Drinking Water Standard and FEMAS. Used for effluent/sewage sludge treatment and as source of calcium.
• Biolime H90 Biocide Hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) specially made for agriculture and approved biocide. Creates stable alkali environment which inhibits bacterial growth, improves biosecurity, and reduces odours. Used for dairy/cattle, sheep, poultry/game, and pig applications.
• Woldlime Agricultural lime (calcium carbonate/chalk) product used as a soil amendment to improve pH levels, crop yields, and livestock health. Typical Neutralising Values vary between 48-54% NV.
• Natural Hydraulic Lime Natural hydraulic lime products including NHL 2, NHL 3.5, and NHL 5 for various construction applications. Distributed in partnership with SECILTEK.
• Innovox World's #1 moisture control for rubber. Ultrafine calcium oxide desiccant that eliminates porosity, visible specks, and surface blisters in rubber and polymer compounds. Used in EPDM rubber products for automotive and aerospace applications.
• Innovoh Microfine calcium hydroxide cure additive and activator for FKM fluoroelastomers. Improves performance and consistency of FKM compounds with high purity and high surface area. Used in automotive seals and hoses, EV vehicles, high-performance seals and joints.
• Masterox Masterbatch Range Calcium oxide products for plastic applications, supplied as a masterbatch range for plastic compounding.
• Birchset Cure Stabilisers Cure stabiliser products for the rubber and plastics industry.
• BirchSorb Domestic Sorbent product for domestic spill absorption applications.
• BirchSorb Commercial Sorbent product for commercial spill absorption applications.
• AD Equipment Equipment and solutions for anaerobic digestion plants, provided through the Birch Solutions division.
• MySilo Remote Monitoring Platform 24/7 remote silo monitoring platform providing real-time feedback on silo stock and asset data for inventory visibility, delivery planning, and logistics optimisation.
• Silo Services Expert process management and control instrumentation advice, support, and consultancy for silo forecasting, planning, and management solutions. Includes remote silo services, consultancy, health and safety services, and smart logistics planning.
• Waste Management Waste management services for industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% renewable low-carbon electricity generated vs. total electricity use
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CentricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2025Singleton Birch, MLC and Centrica reached a funding milestone for producing low-carbon lime using hydrogen. Partnership focused on decarbonising lime production processes.
• Origen (Oxford University spin-out)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2020Partnership to develop new kilns based on oxy-fuel calciner technology as a route to zero carbon lime production. Origen is a mineral-based climate technology startup focused on carbon dioxide removal. Blake Dell serves on Origen's board of directors.
• Planet Biogas GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman technology provider with over 300 AD facilities to their name. Provided key technology components for Singleton Birch's 1.5MW anaerobic digestion facility.
• Torn ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrivate construction firm based in Kirton Lindsey carried out civil engineering works and design for the anaerobic digestion plant.
• North Lincs Energy GrowerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsortium of four local farmers supplying energy crops on a long-term contract for the anaerobic digestion facility feedstock (maize, grass, manures, slurry, sugar beet).
• Behn MeyercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialist supplier and distribution partner for Birch Chemicals throughout Asia including Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Behn Meyer serves polymers, rubbers, plastics and performance chemicals industries.
• Delta ColourscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Birch Chemicals in South Africa with experience in plastics, coatings, and rubber industries. Based in Franschhoek with operations in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
• Bombay Chemicals (BomChem)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndian distributor for Birch Chemicals products. Hosted Birch Chemicals at India Rubber Expo 2019 in Mumbai.
• Safic-AlcancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading worldwide supplier in the rubber sector and biggest distribution partner for Birch Chemicals in Europe. Sophie Bertrand is Business Development Director for Rubber.
• Kite (packaging supplier)minorOthersPackaging supplier working with Birch Chemicals to reduce plastic usage by 6.8 tonnes every year through stretch wrap audit and new Robopac wrapping machines.
• SECILTEKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese company founded in 1891, one of the oldest Natural Hydraulic Lime plants in the world. SECILTEK produces NHL products formulated with Natural Hydraulic Lime and natural renewable raw materials. Singleton Birch distributes SECILTEK products including NHL 2, NHL 3.5, NHL 5 and various restoration mortars.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mississippi Lime Company: Parent company and direct peer operating the largest lime facility in the Americas. Comparable as a fully integrated quicklime/hydrated lime producer with overlapping end-markets in steel, water treatment, and industrial chemicals. Singleton Birch is now part of MLC's platform.

Broad incumbents

• Carmeuse: Belgian-headquartered global lime and limestone producer with operations across Europe, North America, and Africa. Direct competitor in steel-making flux, water treatment lime, and construction applications, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Imerys: French-listed specialty mineral producer with operations in performance minerals, including calcium-based additives for rubber, plastics, and coatings. Comparable in specialty mineral additives though broader in scope than Singleton Birch's rubber/plastics franchise.
• Graymont: Canadian-headquartered lime producer with significant North American and Asia-Pacific operations. Comparable in steel, environmental, and industrial lime segments; competes with Singleton Birch specialty products in select rubber/plastics applications.
• Lhoist Group: Privately-held Belgian multinational producing lime, dolime, and mineral-based solutions for steel, construction, environment, and agriculture. Most direct competitor in European hydrated/quicklime markets with comparable product breadth.
• Tarmac (CRH plc): UK-based construction materials and lime producer owned by CRH. Overlaps in quicklime for steel, building lime, and aggregates across UK construction markets, but is part of a much larger diversified building materials portfolio.
• Sibelco: Belgian industrial minerals company producing specialty fillers, calcium carbonates, and processed minerals. Competes in some rubber, plastics, and coatings applications where Singleton Birch's Masterox and Birchset products are positioned.

Others

• Safic-Alcan: French-headquartered specialty chemical distributor that is Birch Chemicals' largest European distribution partner for rubber applications. They distribute competing rubber additives alongside Singleton Birch products, making them an adjacent distributor/peer in the rubber specialty chemicals value chain.

Emerging players

• RHI Magnesita: Global refractories producer serving steel, cement, and glass industries. Overlaps with Singleton Birch in industrial mineral supply to steel-making customers and increasingly in decarbonization pathways for high-temperature industrial processes.

Regional players

• Breedon Group: UK-listed construction materials group producing aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete, and lime products. Overlaps with Singleton Birch in UK building/construction lime supply and aggregates, but primarily a domestic UK operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BirchChemicalFormulations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/singleton-birch
• Xx.com/birch_chemicals

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about birch chemicals