Sea-Chem Limited

Convened by the United Nations at the start of the 1990s, the Rio Earth Summit marked not only the emergence of the modern ecological and environmental movements on the international stage, but also the beginning of Sea-Chem’s story. The Rio Declaration pledged, amongst other things, that the 180 governments in attendance would begin to investigate new, organic alternatives to the toxic or hazardous chemical products that were being used across industry at that time. Following Rio, the 'Environmental Technology' sector sprang up almost overnight, and the massive drive towards innovation and sustainability in industry began.

Seaweed – long celebrated for its health and agricultural applications by coastal communities the world over – immediately attracted attention as one natural, sustainable resource with possible industrial applications. Across Europe, chemists and biologists began to investigate the science behind these age-old practices - and soon developed an appreciation for the unique blend of micronutrients and biosurfactants contained within certain species of seaweed. European scientists began to refine these basic raw materials into various organic products, including new solutions for the bioremediation of contaminated soil and industrial/process cleaning - as well as digging deeper into the science behind seaweed's traditional horticultural role. Sea-Chem's product lines would eventually develop out of their efforts.

Sea-Chem Limited was founded in a barn in the Shropshire countryside in 2007 after its owners bought up the rights to several of the most exciting seaweed products developed since the Rio Earth Summit. Working alongside experienced biochemists, they carried out the final testing of these products and began the process of taking them to market. Since that time Sea-Chem's portfolio of products has struck a chord with a variety of business, and the general public at large. The company has also been able to refine its ranges and in some cases add new complimentary products to them. For example, our BioBoost bacterial products help to fortify our seaweed solutions for contaminated land and wastewater, creating novel approaches to tackling age-old problems.

Since its inception, Sea-Chem developed rapidly, establishing a reputation as an innovative and reliable supplier of environmental solutions. Within the brownfield remediation industry, its Sea Power 101 and BioBoost product have proved incredibly popular and successful, helping to redefine the boundaries in terms of what can be bioremediated and on what timescale. Added to this is an increasing demand for greener products from right across the economy. In 2012, Sea-Chem set up various eCommerce channels to begin selling their products direct to homeowners and small businesses. The Shropshire Seaweed brand of garden products and outdoor cleaners proved particularly successful, as did their septic tank treatments. As a result of the evolving nature of the business, Sea-Chem were forced to leave their idyllic farmyard base and relocate to a larger and more accesible industrial unit in nearby Telford. Looking forward, the business is now well placed to continue its rapid expansion in both online and offline markets, and in turn to help deliver green solutions to homes and businesses, across the United Kingdom and beyond.