Northamptonshire fragrance house working hard to meet demand for hand sanitisers

A Northamptonshire-based fragrance house is working hard to meet increased demand for hand sanitisers while perfume sales have nose-dived thanks to the coronavirus crisis.

CPL Aromas sells fragrances to a wide range of customers included perfumers and manufacturers of household cleaning products such as disinfectants and sanitisers.

The international firm, which has a base in Brixworth, has seen a sharp decline in the perfume side of the business with many of those companies closing down.

But the domestic sector is growing as more people want to keep clean - although chief operating officer Nick Pickthall admitted it is hard with a skeleton staff and a global crisis.

"In recent weeks, sales of fragrances being sold to cleaning products and sanitising products have really gone up," he said.

"So we're trying to keep up with demand at a time when we all need these products."

CPL Aromas' factory remains operational as a member of the cleaning products supply chain, Mr Pickthall said.

Those who can work from home are doing so and onsite staff are working with managers to be two metres apart at all times, which the boss admitted can be difficult in a factory.

Mr Pickthall said many of their customers, such as Next, have closed which is putting a strain on the firm but they are working with manufacturers to show them how to make hand sanitisers and other cleaning products instead of perfumes.

He added that they are also working with a special needs school near Milton Keynes to provide free hand sanitiser gels.

"We're trying to do everything we can for the community and for manufacturers to produce these products and look after our staff," he said.