AIREDALE Chemical has appointed a new market manager to help diversify and strengthen its product offering.

The company, based in Airedale Mills on Skipton Road, Cross Hills, has taken on Elaine O’Neill to focus specifically on surfactants.

She joins the chemical company with a wealth of surfactant experience having worked in the past for Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry, McIntyre, and more recently Libra Speciality Chemicals.

Elaine’s new position will entail technical and commercial support for the Airedale Chemical sales team on surfactant-based products, advising on applications of surfactants, sourcing new suppliers and implementing new supply deals.

Elaine said: “The surfactants market is a buoyant and growing area that Airedale Chemical is actively looking to expand into.

“We already offer several surfactants but over the coming months I will be expanding our portfolio into home, industrial and institutional cleaning, personal care and industrial markets.

“My long term plans also include new products for the personal care market. I forecast a lot of potential in this and the home care industry, so I’ll be looking at ways to make the most of those opportunities by building strong relationships with trusted and innovative suppliers.”

Elaine holds a Master of Science degree in Analytical Chemistry from Liverpool John Moores University.

Elaine’s passion for chemistry began at a young age with a school trip to ICI, including a tour of the labs.

She said: “My interest was piqued and my first job was at a geochemical analysis laboratory in Caleb Brett in St Helens, Merseyside. I’m truly excited by the prospect of expanding Airedale Chemicals’s portfolio of surfactant products and nurturing new supplier relationships.”

Airedale Chemical currently supplies its own range of surfactant products, Airsurf, which are used in the manufacture of industrial cleaning solutions, personal care, household cleaning detergents and automotive cleaning agents.