Fine chemicals company based between Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds eyes future growth after takeover by US company Ascensus

A producer of fine chemicals with an already well-established global reputation is looking to future growth and expansion after it was acquired by a US-based company.

Wychem, based next to the A1307 in Stradishall, between Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds, celebrated its 50th birthday in 2018, and last December it was bought by Ascensus, a speciality chemicals company.

Although the name Wychem has been retained in the marketplace, the company’s newly-extended premises now bears the name of Ascensus, and currently sells about 65 per cent of its products to the pharmaceutical industry and 25 per cent to the electronics market, as well as dealing with other areas such as veterinary.

The extension at the Stradishall site was completed in February, explained director of operations Ben Cowling, in which Ascensus made investments for a brand new temperature-controlled general warehouse, office space, a conference room, maintenance facilities and four big tanks used for effluent treatment.

Ben added: “The warehousing gives us three times the capacity we had previously. It was around a £3.5m spend on this, all told.

“We have now pulled every non-manufacturing bit out of the original site, the idea, and what we are looking at now is for potential expansion and to see how we can grow the business.”

The company has seen a record turnover this year, as it had for the two preceding years, explained Ben.

Turnover increased by 14 per cent from 2021 to 22. It rose by almost 12.5 per cent the year before that. It is now about 40 to 50 per cent above what it has historically been down the years.

The firm’s biggest problem, said Ben, is finding operators that have the required industry experience or a degree in chemistry, or the equivalent.

There are currently 26 employees at the plant, with two vacancies, but it is hoped that staffing will rise to 30 next year.

Of the acquisition, he added: “What is good is that we will be able to introduce Ascensus to clients that we had that they were not dealing with and vice versa.

“You might use our (Wychem) start materials but also a catalyst from Strem Chemicals (also owned by Ascensus) and materials from the other sites, at Elma and Evans City, to offer a more one-stop shop.”