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Wax Lyrical to invest £1m in expanding production facility
Wax Lyrical, the UK’s largest home fragrance company, has been commended by the UK government on its agility during the Covid-19 crisis and, following a successful quarter, is set to proceed with expansion plans.
In March this year, the Cumbria-based firm transformed its home fragrance business to enable the production of hand and surface sanitiser. Within 10 days from planning to production, the first delivery was made to the NHS, providing much needed products to local hospitals, care homes and pharmacies. In the three months of production, more than 1 million units have been distributed to trusts, health authorities and retail.
This month, the brand has received national recognition for its response to the pandemic and was listed among 80 UK businesses in the government’s international marketing campaign, ‘GREAT Inspirations’ delivered by the GREAT Britain campaign.
Wax Lyrical is to invest around £1m in the development of a personal care plant annexed to its existing site in Cumbria / Picture: Wax Lyrical
In spring 2021, Wax Lyrical will be entering the personal care sector and will be launching hand wash and lotion, and body wash and lotion. This new product range is a natural evolution for the team of fragrance experts who have been monitoring the personal care sector for some time with the intention of launching its own range.
In addition to the news of personal care collections set to feature alongside its candles, reed diffusers and other home fragrances, the brand has also committed to continuing to produce its 70% alcohol hand sanitiser and 65% alcohol surface spray and is predicting continued demand for the product.
Following the brand’s recent success, Wax Lyrical’s parent company Portmeirion Group is investing approximately £1m in the development of a personal care plant annexed to its existing site in Cumbria, which is due to be completed by early 2021. The investment and extended facilities at the Cumbria factory will be used to support growth of personal care manufacturing operations.
Wax Lyrical CEO, Jacqui Gale, said: “Whilst this wasn’t how we expected to mark 40 years in business, it has been monumental nonetheless. There’s been a great sense of pride from the whole team to be able to support the country at this time. The extension to our site in Cumbria reflects the ambition for the brand which is exporting British-made home fragrances globally, with new territories in the pipeline for 2021.”