Biocel marks 50 years in manufacturing in Little Island

MANUFACTURING company Biocel in Little Island, Cork, is celebrating 50 years in business. As the company looks to the past, it also has a firm eye on the future, in particular, the expansion into international markets in Continental Europe and Asia, adding to its successful Irish and UK portfolio.

Biocel has invested more than €1 million to upgrade and develop their onsite facilities and technology.

Founded by brewing chemist and former international racing cyclist Karl McCarthy for the supply of products to the Irish brewing and dairying industries in the 1960s, the family business has grown to become one of the largest indigenous chemical manufacturing companies in Ireland.

Biocel manufactures a wide range of products and supplies high quality, cost effective and specialist chemical formulations to many industries, including brewing and beverage, distilling, dairying, agriculture, catering and food processing, laundries, construction, water treatment, and pharmaceutical.

Clients include Diageo, Irish Distillers Pernod-Ricard, Dairygold and public sector hospitals and many others. The research and development team at Biocel specialise in the formulation of products to customer’s specific needs.

The company is one of the leaders in the area of product development, technical service, engineering back up, and customer care, including speed of delivery and emergency response.

Dr Karl McCarthy from Biocel said: “As we celebrate this important milestone, we also have a firm eye on future growth to ensure another successful 50 years in business. We have invested significantly in upgrading our facilities and technology to ensure that we remain an industry leader.

“It has taken many years to build the skills and infrastructure to become a trusted supplier to many of Ireland’s and the UK’s leading producers and we now look forward to expanding into overseas markets in Continental Europe and Asia.”

From its humble beginnings in a single building, Biocel now operates from a 22-acre site at Rockgrove Industrial Estate, Little Island.