Fentex
Fentex is the UK's largest spill control manufacturer, producing over 200 spill kit types, absorbents, drain protection, biosecurity products, and industrial wipes from recycled materials. Products sell exclusively through ~900 UK and Ireland distributors serving industrial, construction, agricultural, and healthcare sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersWarboys, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Fentex does
Fentex Limited is a UK-based spill control product manufacturer founded in 1998 and headquartered in Warboys, Cambridgeshire, that designs, manufactures, and packages spill control, environmental containment, and biosecurity products for sale through a network of approximately 900 independent distributors across the UK and Ireland. The company's product portfolio exceeds 200 spill kit variants and includes absorbent pads, rolls, cushions, and socks; loose absorbents (EVO LW30 recycled wood fibre, EVO DRI recycled gypsum granules); drip trays, spill pallets, and IBC bunds; drain protection systems; and proprietary branded solutions such as SpillTrapper®, SpillTector®, InstaBund®, VirusTrapper® Mats, ViraWipe® disinfectant wipes, DrainProTector, and spillpod®. Fentex operates two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS), an industrial wet wipes manufacturer established in 2019 in an 11,000 sq ft Cambridgeshire facility, and Gostelows, a bespoke vinyl bags and leather goods manufacturer founded in 1926 in Hull and acquired in February 2019.
Fentex's product technology centres on recycled-material absorbent systems and proprietary multi-layer constructions. The EVO Recycled® range uses 85% recycled cotton fibre with high-loft construction that delivers higher oil absorbency and retention than polypropylene equivalents, alongside 100% recycled gypsum granules and 100% recycled wood fibre absorbents. SpillTector® and SpillTrapper® employ multi-layer sorbent laminates combining hydrophobic and oleophilic layers with EVO burst cotton fibre, while DrainProTector's third-generation design retains up to 22 kg of sediment and protects 95% of roadside drains. ViraWipe® formulations are tested to EN 14476 (antiviral), EN 1276 (antibacterial), and EN 14348 (antifungal) standards. Fentex processes approximately 884 tonnes of recycled material annually and eliminated clip-top bag packaging from 1 January 2024, projected to prevent approximately 1.4 tonnes of plastic waste per year. Manufacturing operates across a 42,000 sq ft Warboys headquarters, an 11,000 sq ft FWS wet wipes facility in Cambridgeshire, and a Gostelows site in Hull.
Fentex sells exclusively through its independent distributor network and does not sell directly to end customers; pricing is not publicly disclosed. End-customer segments span industrial and manufacturing, construction, agriculture and food processing, oil and gas, healthcare and laboratory, vehicle and transport, transport hubs/quarantine, and janitorial/facility management. The company's positioning rests on being the largest spill control manufacturer in Britain, products engineered for UK regulatory compliance (Pollution Prevention Guidelines PPG26, ISO 14001, Oil Storage Regulations, Considerate Constructors Scheme), British manufacturing with shorter lead times than overseas competitors, and a sustainability-oriented recycled-material portfolio under the EVO Recycled® sub-brand.
Fentex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fentex
- Legal name
- Fentex Limited
- Website
- https://fentex.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fentex is the UK's largest spill control manufacturer, producing over 200 spill kit types, absorbents, drain protection, biosecurity products, and industrial wipes from recycled materials. Products sell exclusively through ~900 UK and Ireland distributors serving industrial, construction, agricultural, and healthcare sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fentex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Spill Control Products
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spill Control & Containment Equipment (Absorbents, Berms, Spill Kits) (IMAHALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wet Wipes & Flushable Wipes (Nonwoven-based) (IMAMAGAC)
Keywords
Where Fentex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Warboys
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Fentex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spill Control Product Sales: Fentex designs, manufactures, and packages a comprehensive range of spill control products and sells them exclusively through a network of independent distributors in the UK and internationally.
- EVO Recycled® Product Range: Sale of environmentally friendly spill control products made from recycled or sustainable materials, including absorbent pads, rolls, socks, spill kits, drip trays, and spill pallets.
- Fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS) Industrial Wipes: Manufacturing and supply of industrial wet wipes including antiviral disinfectant wipes, under the Fentex Wiper Solutions division established in 2019.
- Gostelows Bespoke Products: Vinyl bags, leather goods, and bespoke products for industrial distributors, including Fentex vinyl Spill Kit bags, Leak Diverter kits, and drain filters. Gostelows acquired in 2019.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Distributor pricing through network of ~900 UK and Ireland distributors |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Fentex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fentex designs, manufactures, and packages a comprehensive range of spill control and environmental containment products in the UK, including spill kits, absorbents, loose absorbents, drain protection, secondary containment bunds, biosecurity mats, and industrial disinfectant wipes. All products are sold exclusively through a network of approximately 900 independent distributors across the UK and Ireland, with export enquiries also accepted. The company operates three divisions: Fentex (spill control), Fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS, industrial wet wipes), and Gostelows (bespoke vinyl bags and leather goods).
Product overview
Fentex is the UK's largest spill control product manufacturer, offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 200 spill control products designed, manufactured, and packaged in the UK. The core product line includes Spill Kits, Absorbents (pads, rolls, cushions, socks), and Loose Absorbents for emergency spill response across various liquid types. The company provides specialized containment solutions including SpillTrapper® and SpillTector® mats for vehicles/plant, InstaBund® portable bunds, and comprehensive drip tray/bund/pallet containment. Additional offerings include Drain Protection products (DrainProTector, drain covers, booms), spillpod® dispensing units, Leak Diverters for roof management, and waste segregation via Tidy Sack. The EVO Recycled® sub-brand offers eco-friendly alternatives manufactured from 85-100% recycled materials. The company also operates Fentex Wiper Solutions (industrial wet wipes) and acquired Gostelows (vinyl/leather bags). Products are distributed through a network of independent distributors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EVO Recycled®: Environmentally friendly spill control product range made from recycled or sustainable materials including 85% recycled absorbents and 100% recycled packaging.
- Fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS)
- Gostelows
- SpillTrapper®
- SpillTector®
- InstaBund®
- VirusTrapper®
- ViraWipe®
- DrainProTector
- spillpod®
Products and services
- Spill Kits
- Absorbents
- Loose Absorbents
- SpillTrapper®
- SpillTector®
- DrainProTector
- Tidy Sack
- Booms
- InstaBund®
- spillpod®
- Leak Diverter
- Containment (Drip Trays, Bunds, Pallets)
- Drain Protection
- ViraWipe® Bird Flu Wipes
- VirusTrapper® Mats
- EVO Recycled® Range
- Fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS) Industrial Wipes
- Gostelows Bespoke Vinyl Bags and Leather Goods
Quantifiable outcome
- SpillTector® products are 10% bigger than popular Plant Nappy® equivalents with greater absorbency
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Fentex
Customer profileSegments8 records
Ideal customer profiles8 records
Fentex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature11 records
Fentex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Gostelows Bespoke Vinyl Bags and Leather GoodscoreIn February 2019, Fentex acquired Gostelows, a bespoke vinyl bags and leather goods manufacturer founded in Hull in 1926. Gostelows produces the entire range of Fentex vinyl Spill Kit bags and holdalls, Leak Diverter kits, and drain filters. As part of the Fentex family, Gostelows benefits from increased UK distribution and administrative support together with substantial investment in manufacturing and new product development.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Fentex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SpillTech: US manufacturer of spill containment and absorbent products including pads, rolls, socks, booms, and spill kits. Directly competes with Fentex in industrial spill response SKUs.
- Justrite Safety Group: Global provider of safety, storage, and spill containment products including ENPAC spill pallets, drip trays, and bunded workfloors. Overlaps directly with Fentex's containment and spill response product lines.
- Brady Corporation: US-headquartered global manufacturer of identification, safety, and spill control products, including absorbent pads, spill kits, and containment solutions. Directly comparable to Fentex across core spill control SKUs, with a broader global distribution footprint.
- ENPAC: Manufacturer of spill containment products including poly spill pallets, IBC bunds, and drip trays (now part of Justrite). Directly comparable to Fentex's containment and drip tray range.
- New Pig Corporation: US-based specialist manufacturer of spill control products including absorbent mats, socks, pillows, spill kits, and containment products. Closely comparable product mix to Fentex's core absorbents and spill kit business.
- Oil-Dri Corporation of America: US manufacturer of absorbent products, including granular absorbents (similar to Fentex's EVO DRI gypsum granules and LW30 wood fibre) and cat litter / industrial absorbents. Comparable on loose absorbent side of Fentex's range.
Broad incumbents
- 3M: Diversified global manufacturer with a broad safety and industrial consumables portfolio that includes absorbent products, spill kits, and PPE. Not a spill-control specialist but competes in overlapping categories and has far greater scale and R&D resources than Fentex.
- Kimberly-Clark Professional: Industrial division of Kimberly-Clark producing wipers, wipes, and cleaning supplies for industrial and institutional markets. Directly comparable to Fentex's FWS industrial wet wipes business and broader janitorial/facility management segment.
Emerging players
- Tolco Corporation: Smaller US manufacturer of spill containment and oil-only absorbent products including drain covers, spill kits, and absorbent pads. Niche overlap with Fentex's spill kits and drain protection categories.
Regional players
- Green Stuff Absorbent: UK-based manufacturer of recycled, plant-based oil and fuel absorbents. Directly comparable to Fentex's EVO Recycled® line and competes in the same UK distributor channel.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fentex social profiles
Digital presenceFentex compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Fentex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fentex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Fentex subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Fentex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fentex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fentex
What does Fentex do?
Fentex designs, manufactures, and packages a comprehensive range of spill control and environmental containment products in the UK, including spill kits, absorbents, loose absorbents, drain protection, secondary containment bunds, biosecurity mats, and industrial disinfectant wipes. All products are sold exclusively through a network of approximately 900 independent distributors across the UK and Ireland, with export enquiries also accepted. The company operates three divisions: Fentex (spill control), Fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS, industrial wet wipes), and Gostelows (bespoke vinyl bags and leather goods).
Is Fentex a public or private company?
Fentex is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fentex founded?
Fentex was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fentex based?
Fentex is headquartered in Warboys, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Fentex make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Spill Control Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are EVO Recycled® Product Range, fentex Wiper Solutions (FWS) Industrial Wipes and gostelows Bespoke Products.
Who are Fentex's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SpillTech, Justrite Safety Group, Brady Corporation, ENPAC, New Pig Corporation and Oil-Dri Corporation of America. Broad incumbents are 3M and Kimberly-Clark Professional. Tolco Corporation is listed as an emerging player. Green Stuff Absorbent is listed as a regional player.
Does Fentex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fentex.
What industry is Fentex in?
Fentex's product category is Industrial Spill Control Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHALAK, Spill Control & Containment Equipment (Absorbents, Berms, Spill Kits), with a secondary code of IMAMAGAC, Wet Wipes & Flushable Wipes (Nonwoven-based). Its NAICS code is 32561 and its SIC code is 3080.