Chemex International

What Chemex International does

Chemex International is a UK-based manufacturer and franchisor of cleaning, hygiene, and infection control chemicals and systems, operating since approximately 1984 under the legal entity Chemex Franchising Limited. The company develops proprietary cleaning formulations including flagship products such as FAD Green-Shield (a quat-free plant-based sanitizer tested to BSEN1276 and BSEN14476 standards), FAD food-safe degreaser, Bacticlean XTRA, Enduro Hand Sanitiser, Antibak Foodsafe tablets, and a portfolio of roughly 27 SKUs spanning sanitizers, dishwash, laundry, automotive, and biological cleaning categories. Products are independently certified to European EN standards (EN1276, EN13697, EN14476, EN13727, EN1650) and the franchisor holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, GDPR compliance, and SafeContractor accreditation.

The business model is a UK-wide franchise network of independent local expert owner-operators who deliver consultative B2B sales, free site surveys, equipment installation (dosing systems, dispensers), product supply, and COSHH/health-and-safety training to end customers. Franchisees purchase products from Chemex and resell into their territories, generating revenue for the franchisor through product sales and franchise-related fees; the company does not publicly disclose pricing. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based, calibrated to customer volume, sector, and compliance requirements, with monthly billing typical.

Chemex serves multiple verticals with primary focus on Healthcare & Ambulance Services (NHS, NWAS, St John Ambulance), Catering & Hospitality (Mandarin Oriental, The Fat Duck Group, Franco's Restaurant), and Food Manufacturing & Processing, plus secondary verticals in Care Homes, Nurseries & Education, Sports & Leisure, and Automotive. Marquee customers include G4S PTS, Churchill Contract Services, and JCB Golf & Country Club. The company employs 11-50 staff at the corporate level, is privately held with no institutional or PE investment disclosed, and operates exclusively within the United Kingdom across roughly a dozen named franchise territories spanning Hertfordshire, East Anglia, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Crewe, Durham, Hartlepool, Blackpool & Preston, Evesham, Hereford & Gloucestershire, and Ipswich.

Name

Chemex International

Legal name

Chemex Franchising Limited

Website

https://chemexuk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chemex International is a UK-based manufacturer and franchisor of proprietary cleaning, hygiene, and infection control chemicals, distributed through a national franchise network of local experts serving B2B customers across healthcare, hospitality, food manufacturing, and other regulated sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Cleaning Products

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259), Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Hard Surface & Multi-Purpose Cleaners (All-purpose, Floor, Bathroom, Kitchen) (CRADAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Household Cleaners (Glass, Oven/Grill, Toilet, Descalers, Disinfectants) (CRADAKAH), Food & Beverage Process & CIP/Sanitation Chemicals (IMAEAJAK)

Keywords

• Commercial cleaning products
• Infection control solutions
• Hygiene chemicals manufacturing
• Industrial cleaning supplies
• Cleaning franchise services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cleaning Product Sales: Sale of proprietary cleaning chemicals, sanitisers, disinfectants, and related cleaning products to B2B customers across various industries including healthcare, hospitality, food manufacturing, and education.
2. Franchise Model: Chemex operates as a franchising company with local expert franchisees who pay franchise fees and operate independently in designated territories. Franchisees purchase products from Chemex and resell to end customers.
3. Training and Compliance Services: Revenue from providing COSHH training, health and safety training, product training, and compliance support services to clients.
4. Equipment Installation and Maintenance: Site surveys, equipment installation (dosing equipment, dispensers), and maintenance services provided as part of comprehensive cleaning solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chemex International manufactures and supplies proprietary cleaning chemicals, sanitisers, disinfectants, and infection control products for B2B customers across UK industries including healthcare, hospitality, food manufacturing, care homes, and automotive. The company operates through a franchise network of local experts who provide site surveys, product recommendations, equipment installation, and ongoing training and compliance support.

Product overview

Chemex International is a UK-based manufacturer and innovator of cleaning, hygiene, and infection control systems and products, with over 40 years of experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of approximately 27+ distinct cleaning products organised into several categories: (1) Core sanitiser/degreaser products including FAD and FAD Green-Shield as flagship all-purpose cleaners; (2) Bactericidal products including Bacticlean and Bacticlean XTRA for hard surface sanitisation; (3) Heavy-duty cleaners including Smoke Clean, Optimum C, and Powerkleen for industrial and kitchen applications; (4) Specialty products including Citrus Toilet Cleaner, Dash-it, Hazeaway, and Reflexion Sapphire; (5) Laundry products including Kleenfresh Max, Kleenfresh Premier, Kleenfresh Ultra, and Laundry Powders; (6) Dishwashing products including One Up Premier, Machine Wash, Rinse Aid, and Destainer; (7) Hand hygiene including Enduro Hand Sanitiser; (8) Wipes including ABC Wipes and Bactiwipes; (9) Biological products including Bio GD Multistrain E+; and (10) Disinfectants including Chlorine Tablets and Antibak Foodsafe. The products are complemented by professional services including health and safety training, COSHH and product training, compliance support, site surveys and installations, and bespoke solutions. The company operates through a franchise network of local experts across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FAD (Food Area Degreaser) Multipurpose degreaser and sanitiser that removes fats, grease, and grime from hard surfaces for food-safe kitchen and catering environments.
• FAD Green-Shield Plant-based, environmentally friendly all-purpose cleaner and sanitiser that kills 99.999% of bacteria without rinsing, suitable for healthcare, food preparation, and commercial kitchens.
• Bacticlean Bactericidal cleaner and sanitiser formulated for hard surfaces, removing fats, dirt, grease and grime with a long-lasting fragrance.
• Bacticlean XTRA Enhanced bactericidal cleaner and sanitiser proven effective against MRSA, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus hirae; removes water spot marks and prevents scale.
• Smoke Clean Heavy-duty carbon and grease remover designed for ovens, hobs, canopies, grills, and commercial kitchen equipment.
• Optimum C Heavy-duty multipurpose cleaner and degreaser for walls, floors and equipment, leaving a hygienic finish.
• Powerkleen Industrial-strength cleaner for tiles, vinyl, concrete and PVC in commercial outfits, food processing areas, restaurants, bars and kitchens.
• Citrus Toilet Cleaner Specialist toilet bowl cleaner using hydrochloric and phosphoric acids to break down and remove organic matter on vertical surfaces.
• One Up Premier Premium hand dishwashing detergent with foam boosters for commercial kitchens and businesses with large volumes of hand wash-only items.
• Enduro Hand Sanitiser Quick-drying hand sanitiser effective against 99.999% of bacteria, drying within seconds with up to four hours of residual barrier protection.
• DB100 Highly versatile multipurpose cleaner for floors, walls, tiles, doors, hard work surfaces, fabric and carpets as a spot cleaner.
• Superplus Powerful vehicle exterior grime remover formulated with non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants, gentle on paintwork and decals.
• Dash-it Silicone-free dressing for car dashboards, vinyl and leather seats, and door trims, leaving a semi-gloss 'as new' finish.
• Hazeaway De-icer and traffic film remover for windscreens and locks using alcohols, glycols, and wetting agents, with frost protection down to -6C.
• Machine Wash Economical multipurpose detergent for commercial dishwash and glasswash machines that breaks down grease, starch, and proteins.
• Chlorine Tablets Active chlorine disinfectant in tablet form (NaDCC) providing a complete biocidal spectrum including HIV, Hepatitis B, Herpes viruses, and MRSA.
• Kleenfresh Max Biodegradable high-performance liquid laundry detergent with 35% actives and polyphosphates for maximum washing performance across all laundry applications.
• Kleenfresh Premier Phosphate-free, fully biodegradable liquid laundry detergent with 30% actives content, suitable for all water types including hard water.
• Kleenfresh Ultra Neutral laundry detergent combining biological and non-biological biodegradable liquid detergents for all laundry applications.
• Laundry Powders Biological and non-biological laundry powders for on-premises laundry, with biological variant using natural enzymes that break down organic soiling at lower temperatures.
• Bio GD Multistrain E+ Biological grease and odour control product that removes and prevents drain blockages, eliminates odours, and replaces hazardous drain chemicals.
• ABC Wipes Alcohol-based hand and surface sanitising wipes that provide instant disinfection, evaporating rapidly with no residue; single use to prevent cross-contamination.
• Rinse Aid Non-corrosive rinsing agent for commercial dishwash and glasswash cycles that delivers a streak-free finish on glass and crockery without manual drying.
• Destainer Super-concentrated stabilised sodium hypochlorite stain remover for cutlery, crockery, cups, and coffee machines.
• Bactiwipes Alcohol-free bactericidal sanitising wipes proven to kill 99.999% of bacteria and prevent the spread of coronavirus; single use to prevent cross-contamination.
• Antibak Foodsafe High-level broad spectrum sanitiser in tablet form, chlorine-free, biodegradable, non-toxic, and non-irritant; independently tested to EN14476, EN1276, EN13727, and EN1650.
• Reflexion Sapphire Non-abrasive premium glass cleaner that delivers a streak-free finish and cuts through grease and grime.
• Health and Safety Training Training service for client staff covering health and safety, cost control, and effective cleaning processes, delivered as part of the Chemex solution.
• COSHH and Product Training COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and product-specific training to ensure proper usage and regulatory compliance for client staff.
• Compliance Support Compliance advisory service backed by a dedicated compliance team working with regulatory bodies to help clients maintain regulatory requirements.
• Site Surveys and Installations On-site surveys and installation of dosing equipment and dispensers, delivered by local franchisee experts as part of the cleaning solution.
• Chemex Franchise Opportunity Franchise programme allowing independent owner-operators to operate Chemex-branded cleaning businesses in designated UK territories, purchasing products from Chemex and reselling to local B2B customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Kills 99.999% of bacteria in 30 seconds (FAD Green-Shield)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Alcumus SafeContractorcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading accreditation scheme recognising rigorous health and safety standards. Chemex achieved SafeContractor accreditation to demonstrate uniform safety standards across the business, enhance ability to win new contracts, and demonstrate commitment to insurers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Diversey (Solenis): Provider of hygiene, cleaning, and infection prevention products and services for foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, and facility management. Closely comparable in vertical mix and product categories to Chemex, with similar BSEN-validated cleaning and disinfectant chemistry.
• SC Johnson Professional: Commercial and institutional cleaning brand portfolio (including Deb and SC Johnson Professional lines) targeting facility management, healthcare, and industrial users. Direct overlap in surface cleaners, sanitisers, and hand hygiene with Chemex's range.
• Reckitt Benckiser: Owner of Dettol, Lysol, and other disinfectant/sanitiser brands used across household, healthcare, and institutional settings. Competes in the same cleaning and infection control chemistry space as Chemex, particularly around hospital-grade disinfectants.
• Rentokil Initial: UK-headquartered hygiene and pest control services provider with significant presence in commercial washroom hygiene, sanitiser supply, and infection control services. Comparable in the UK B2B hygiene services niche and overlapping customer set with Chemex franchisees.
• Bunzl plc: UK-listed distribution and supply chain specialist serving cleaning, hygiene, and foodservice customers with branded and private-label chemicals. Overlaps with Chemex in product categories and UK B2B customer base, but operates at distribution scale rather than proprietary formulation.
• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions serving healthcare, hospitality, and food processing customers. Direct overlap with Chemex's commercial cleaning chemicals and services portfolio, but at vastly larger scale and global reach.

Direct peers

• Evans Vanodine: UK manufacturer of professional cleaning and disinfection chemicals (Evans Vanodine range) sold to cleaning contractors, healthcare, and hospitality end-users. Comparable product portfolio, EN certifications, and UK B2B distribution model to Chemex.
• Dr. Schnell Chemie: German manufacturer of professional cleaning, disinfection, and hygiene products for healthcare, hospitality, food service, and facility management. Comparable in customer verticals, EN-certified chemistry, and B2B distribution model.
• Clean Shield (UK franchise cleaning chemical brand): UK-based competitor operating a similar franchise-based distribution model for professional cleaning chemicals, sanitisers, and detergents across hospitality, healthcare, and facility management segments. Closest direct business-model peer to Chemex.
• Sutter Professional: Italian-based manufacturer of professional cleaning chemicals (degreasers, disinfectants, sanitisers) sold across Europe to hospitality, healthcare, and FM customers. Closely matches Chemex in product mix, customer verticals, and regulatory focus on EN-standard efficacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChemexInternational
• Xx.com/chemexhygiene
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemexinternationallimited

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Chemex International