Member Article

Synthite has the right formula for 100 years in business

An “innovative” chemicals manufacturer is celebrating its centenary year.

Mold-based Synthite has commemorated 100 years since its formation with a ceremony at its Alyn Works site on Denbigh Road.

A special dinner to celebrate the landmark anniversary was also held at the Plas Hafod hotel in Gwernymynydd, near Mold, with 130 employees and guests in attendance, including representatives of all three of Synthite subsidiary companies.

Founded in 1920 in West Bromwich, Synthite was initially set up as a resins company before manufacturing formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a basic building block of the chemical industry and is used in the manufacture of a vast array of everyday goods,ranging from furniture, floorboards and interior trim for motor vehicles.

In 1928, Synthite became a member of the Charles Tennant Group – a conglomeration of companies that manufacture and/or supply chemicals to industry, now known as Tennants Consolidated Ltd.

Production of formaldehyde began in Mold in 1950 and would become the home of all Synthite’s production operations from 1991.

The company now employs 125 people at the Denbigh Road location and liaises closely with the local community as well as making charitable donations to charities in North East Wales annually.

Kevin Jones, Synthite managing director, said: “I think we’ve been successful as we’ve moved with the times as a business.

“We’ve been an innovative company and become a major player in formaldehyde in the UK.”

Among those in attendance at the celebration dinner was Tennants Consolidated group chairman Paul Alexander, who paid tribute to Synthite’s success.

He said: “Synthite’s broad range of products and the willingness and ability of its people to adapt to changing business demands have been key to its longevity and ongoing success.

“The company is an excellent fit in Tennants’ portfolio and has been since joining the group in 1928.

“I am confident Synthite will continue to be an industry leader moving forward into its next 100 years.”

As a major North East Wales company, Synthite liaises with schools and charities in the area. In the last three years, the chemicals manufacturer has made charitable donations to Nightingale House Hospice and North East Wales Mind.

It also stages an annual science prize, rewarding students from local high schools for their academic achievement.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .