Global exports are helping a Bradford speciality chemical company to expand after 144 years in business.

The Stephenson Group, based in Listerhills Road, has seen its overseas sales grow by 66 per cent in the last three years. The firm, which also has a site at Brookfoot in Horsforth, has major markets in Europe, North America, the Middle East and the Far East. During last 12 months, company representatives have made 120 overseas trips - including to South America and Australia.

The group has grown by around 30 per cent in the last three years and seen its sales rise by 16 per cent to in excess of £12 million. The company has created 14 new jobs in last 12 months due, in part, to continuing growth in export sales and now has more than 100 employees split between the two sites.

The firm is doing so well that it was recently judged one of the best firms in the UK when it won the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The company produces speciality chemicals for the textile, paper and rubber industries, with the addition of soap bases for the toiletries and cosmetics markets launched within the last two years.

It is made up of five divisions. They are Stephenson Speciality Soap Bases, Stephenson Thompson Textile Chemicals, Stephenson Process Chemicals, Stephenson Recycling Chemicals and Prosil.

The firm's international sales of paper recycling products have risen from £1.2 million in 1997, to £2.1 million in 1999 allowing up to 2.5 million tonnes of waste paper to be recycled - saving 7.5 million trees.

The firm has developed a top three market position world-wide in providing speciality chemicals for the de-inking of waste paper.

The Personal Care Division, supplying many household name cosmetic companies, has increased export sales from £98,000 in its first year to £1.5 million last year.

The firm's group managing director is Richard Bentley whose son, Jamie, has become head of the Personal Care Division of the business. He is the fifth generation of the Bentley family to work for the firm.

Richard Bentley said: "Over the last three years we have invested over £1.5 million in plant and equipment and the entire company is registered to the quality standard ISO 9001 which underpins our culture of quality and adherence to strict specification.

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