How we do business
Business Profile:
Qualkem Ltd today markets itself under it’s trademark Qualkem brands. Supplying into the Portable Toilet, Leisure, Music, Dental, Veterinary, Facilities and Healthcare sectors. This is all done through market leading wholesalers and distributors. We have seven main sub brands; Destrol, 40shot, Proshot Silver, Proshot Red, b# Brass, 7shot and Electrosan.
The business is lead by Ivan Anketell Clifford as MD along with his wife Rachael as the other main director. The other members of the management team are Ian Hill, Sales and Marketing Manager, Tom Hancock Purchasing and QMS and Wayne Dale Production along with 10 to 12 additional office and shop floor staff.
For 50 years Qualkem products have been a manufacturing business in Cheshire England. As a sustainable company we endeavour to support local suppliers and where possible all our raw materials are UK sourced.
Mission Statement:
Qualkem, the turn to chemical supplier fostering partnerships and adding value
Business Outline
Qualkem Ltd is a 2nd generation family business and has traded for over 50 years. The business has formulated, manufactured and supplied a diverse range of innovative industry leading products to many sectors. These include well-known brands like Mercedes-Benz, Rowenta, Portakabin Rentokil-Initial and more.
Qualkem Ltd was originally founded by Robert Frazer and Doug Holt, ex-Wellcome Foundation employees as Repclif Chemical Services Ltd. The Company has survived several economic downturns over the decades, and now amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the Company has had to be agile.
Despite the present difficult trading position, the Company continues to sustainably grow. Rolling out a robust business change strategy that has seen a wholehearted shift from private labelled products to own branded products. This all sits under the trademarked Qualkem brands.
In January 2020, Ivan and Rachael Anketell-Clifford formally took over the business and now are in a stronger position to deliver their personal initiatives, including working more closely with charities.
The Business Ethos
Although only a small SME, employing 15 employees, in recent years the Company has encouraged and implemented several Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, namely:
- Works ethically and equally with our suppliers and customers;
- Voluntarily committed to reduce reliance on dangerous chemicals (toxic, highly flammables, carcinogen) used in product formulation, both to minimise staff exposure during handling and improve the factory working environment;
- Actively recruit youth and often those from an underprivileged background or suffering mental health;
- Supported by over 100 years of senior management life experience, the Company operates a nurturing, individually tailored, in-house support programme, with the end-goal of first and foremost developing employees into financially healthy, secure and independent members of society with a strong sense of self-worth;
- Instilling a family and team building culture, the Company encourages all staff involvement in special projects, for example, our new Electrosan Video and soon to be built Outdoor Retreat.
The Missing Pieces
Now that we have our own house in order, underpinned by a robust ISO 9001 certified quality system, the Company is keen to develop our CSR initiatives into the wider community and give a little back. The Company prides itself on building strong relationships and fostering partnerships and has now linked up with the national children’s charity Barnardo’s to help vulnerable children in the UK.
We have already been involved in some local charity work. Since the Covid-19 outbreak the Company has been in a privileged position of remaining operational. In fact, even though most of our mainstay product lines dried up, sales still increased by 250% on the back of Electrosan Skin & Surface Anti-Viral Spray.
With this increase we felt we should give something back first to the local community which we did in the form of a gift box of sanitiser, chocolates and biscuits delivered to all the Quality Care Commission approved Carehomes in Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach as well as the Donna Louise Hospice to support there workers who were getting little or no support from the government. Our next step is to try to help children feel safe in this Pandemic especially when they try to go back in the School environment.
