News / Chew Magna
Quarter-century legacy of a family-run soap maker with plans for expansion
Like many enduring business legacies, The Somerset Toiletry Company began with a spark of inspiration and a mission.
Husband-and-wife duo, Roger and Sakina Buoy, wanted to bring high-end toiletry products to wider public at affordable prices.
Their backgrounds were contrasting: Roger an entrepreneur and Sakina an aromatherapy expert. Roger was well-known among business circles and founded the educational and entertainment software developer, Mindscape. Sakina garnered exposure and experience on aromatherapy with travels around the world.
Clutton, a village that sits on the eastern edge of Chew Valley, close to the Cam Brook river, is perhaps the ideal home for a business that produces soaps and bath products with ethereal aromas.
The company now has a vast range of soaps, body wash, bath salts and candles which come in in-house designed packaging. Over the years the company has won several prestigious awards for business and design, including the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
The new factory facility of The Somerset Toiletry Company was recently opened by metro mayor Dan Norris – photo: WECA
Sadly, Roger passed away in 2016 but Sakina carried the collective business vision for years to come with an increasing emphasis on sustainability.
On April 23, the family-run £14m firm opened its new factory site, up the road from its previous Hallatrow-based facility. The bigger premise is set to double its production with the introduction of a second soap machine.
The facility also marries the factory and warehouse for the first time in its history, with soap production moved from Portugal to Hallatrow during the pandemic to decrease the company’s carbon footprint.
Sakina said: “Our 25th year in business is proving to be a very special one for all of us here at The Somerset Toiletry Company. With our ’25 for 25′ initiative we are engaging with extraordinary local and national charities.
“Alongside this, the expansion of our production capabilities offers an exciting new chapter in our manufacturing journey.”
On the opening of the new facility, metro mayor Dan Norris said: “The soap and other body products they sell are top-quality, and they’re animal-friendly, and environmentally-friendly too. Here’s to the next 25 years.”
The Somerset Toiletry Company has a range of soaps, body wash, bath salts and candles which come in in-house designed packaging – photo: The Somerset Toiletry Company
Main photo: The Somerset Toiletry Company
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