A CROSS Hills company is showing consistent growth as part of a boom in the chemicals industry.

Airedale Chemical, based in Skipton Road, is currently benefitting from being the only producer in the UK of a popular disinfectant.

Demand for peracetic acid, known as PAA, is escalating across Europe and is fuelling the growth of Airedale Chemical.

About 70,000 tonnes of PAA is currently being consumed in the European market, poised to grow in worth to £260 million in the next decade, with the global market rising by £798 million by 2027.

Airedale Chemical’s sales figures are reflecting this surge in demand, with the amount of PAA by the company increasing by 50 per cent in the past three years.

Chris Chadwick, managing director of Airedale Chemical, said: “The peracetic acid market has been accelerating for the past decade and shows no signs of slowing down in the near future.

“We have long since identified this product as holding massive growth potential so we tirelessly pursued the European Chemicals Agency’s approval to continue manufacturing and have even invested in storage and transportation facilities. It’s such a versatile product there’s little wonder it is boosting sales figures across Europe. As the GDP of EU countries continues to grow, so will the demand for industrial products such as PAA.”

One of the biggest consumers of peracetic acid in Europe is Germany, which Mr Chadwick said is a key country for Airedale Chemical’s growth strategy.

He added: “The Government’s recent ten-point plan to grow UK industry is a great start and we hope this focus on manufacturing, along with our own growth strategy, will boost the company even further and we will continue to enjoy rocketing sales figures for peracetic acid, as well as our other industrial products.”

The value of PAA used as a disinfectant is predicted to grow from the current figure of £55 million to £78 million next year.

The chemical has been used since the 1950s as a cleanser and disinfectant in the food industry to remove bacteria and fungi from fruit and vegetables and to disinfect water used to rinse food.

It is also used to disinfect medical supplies and water in cooling towers. PAA is also quickly developing as a product used as a steriliser and oxidant.

Airedale’s biggest market sector is the dairy and farming industry, where PAA is used to disinfect parlours and clean livestock holding areas and transport.

This makes up almost one third of the company’s customer base.