About us

We have moved to new, larger premises and our new contact details are:

JennyChem House
Sort Mill Road
Mid Kent Business Park
Snodland
Kent
ME6 5UA

Telephone: 01634 245666
Facsimile: 01634 245777
email: jenny@jennychem.com
website: www.jennychem.com

Jennychem have been producing cleaning products for the bus and coach market for 25 years. The MD and face of the company, with her beaming smile adorning all of their adverts, is Jenny Callen. B&CB visited the firm's headquarters in Snodland, Kent, to meet not only the face, but also the brains behind the operation.  Jenny has not always worked in transport cleaning. When she finished her A-Ievels she went into accounting with Lloyds of London. Realising this was not the career for her, she instead decided to work with her father's cleaning chemical company, which manufactured products for the dairy and bakery industries. Her plan was to manufacture products for a different sector to her dad and after much research into whether there was a market for it, chose the transport industry. Her dad, Mike Crouch, is an industrial chemist and provided the formulae for Jenny's products, as well as generally helping her set the business up. She also attended courses to further sharpen her business skills.

At the time the Thatcher regime was running the Enterprise scheme, which gave the young entrepreneur a year long £40 a week grant to get her business off the ground. With the help of that funding, the company began to expand at quite a rate, seeing Jenny distribute her cleaning products locally in Kent. The growth soon required premises of her own and subsequently a factory in Rochester was acquired. Further expansion came when the company began running the now famous advertising campaign, which resulted in her products being sold even further afield. Jenny said, 'From then on, we just grew and grew and grew.'  One of the more recent developments was moving into a new site in Snodland in 2007, after outgrowing their old facility. This, for the first time, saw Jennychem's factory and offices based in the same location, which is much more conducive for communication between the two sections. Advertising is very important for the company and Jenny has made full use of her new plot by placing a large, eye-catching Jennychem display on a patch of grass at the building's rear, where her land faces a main road.

Another advantage of the new facility is its location next door to the courier company they use. This means faster response times for clients, as their close proximity means even an order taken at 17.00 can reach a customer the next day. Jennychem offer two response times, either 24 or 48 hours. When the company first occupied the site, there was more than enough room, but they have since started to fill the building out and increasing demand for their products has necessitated the installation of an additional chemical mixer.

One-stop-shop

From this new site, Jennychem produce a full range of Traffic Film Removers (TFR) and other bus and coach cleaning solutions, for use both outside and in vehicles. They also supply the hardware, from pressure washers to brushes, mops and scrapers. Even work wear and janitorial solutions for depots and offices are offered. These extra items, outside of the firm's own cleaning solutions, were added to the company's catalogue at customer request. The aim, says Jenny, is to provide a one-stop-shop for all transport cleaning needs. The 17 staff behind this one-stop-shop are well trained and are encouraged to be polite and always listen to customers. It is a family business in which employees include Jenny's brother as well as her semi-retired father.

Holidays are arranged so that nobody is away during the period from mid-September to December as this is when work becomes particularly intense as operators stock up on cleaning products in preparation for winter weather. It is not just cleaning products that sell well at this time; another popular item in the colder months is BlueStar De-Icer. One of Jennychem's best selling items is the TFR Ultra concentrated pressure wash additive. The solution is designed to be powerful, yet kind to paintwork, and the company advertises its ability to deliver a shiny, streak-free finish. As well as being biodegradable, Jennychem call it the 'greenest' TFR on the market. Instead of the Nitrilotriacetic Acid (NTA) traditionally used in TFRs, which Mike tells us is carcinogenic, the manufacturer has sourced an alternative from Sweden. They have an exclusive supply of this substance.

Jenny said the use of this NTA replacement is something that sets their products apart from competitors who still utilise the more carcinogenic and non-eco-friendly substances. Since NTA was replaced, customers have told her that they no longer experience any discomfort if they accidentally inhale the TFR during, for example, under chassis washing.

Another of their products is Snowstorm TFR Maxi Mousse, which when used with a foam lance or other foam system, produces thick, clingy foam. Its density increases the contact time, which effectively removes more ingrained grime, as well as leaving a wax shine. For those buying their first batch of Snowstorm, the company offers a 600mm stainless steel Super Foam Lance with a quick release fitting for £39 (usual price: £110) or a 1,200mm version for £45 (usually £125).

The cleaning solution application gear is stocked at Jennychem's premises. Jennychem look upon pressure washers as dispensers for their chemical and thus gives major discounts. They stock an impressive range of hot and cold steam cleaning machines from leading makes such as Portotechnica, C1eanwell & Karcher. The stainless steel steam version is one of their best sellers. Apart from foaming lances, a vast array of other hardware is offered.

For brush washing machines and brush washing, Jennychem manufacture
the Brushwash Super, a highly active shampoo that is thin enough to be 'sucked up' by the wash system, yet is still active enough to cut through grime.

Of their own TFR formula, two to three tanks are mixed a day, which equates to roughly 3,500 litres per batch, about 50 barrels. Another 30 to 40 barrels a day are produced of their brush wash and other products. Everything made at their plant goes through rigorous quality control, with samples kept for analysis. Good batch traceability is also maintained.

Constantly developing

The cleaning solutions are continuously updated, with Jennychem's sales representatives constantly keeping in touch with their clients' thoughts, opinions and requirements for PCV washing. Since the company began, the main products' formulae have been improved six times, always in an effort to satisfy customer demand.

Constantly updating their solutions has ensured the company has stayed competitive in the market. Their products are some of the richest and most concentrated available in terms of the amount of water softener, rinsing agent, foaming agent and other cleaning chemicals they contain.

Members of the sales team each carry a refract meter, which is used to measure the composition of cleaning fluids on a microscopic level. Jenny says, 'When we show people our products on a microscopic scale, they're usually surprised to find they have so much more cleaning agent in them, sometimes twice or three times as much as whatever it is they are currently using. This is a real selling point for us and it's what separates our TFRs and chemicals from others. Also, our products are a lot nicer to use, with less caustic substances in. Once they try us, they often become a full customer.'

Jennychem strive to stay competitive price wise too, regularly offering special deals. There is often an exclusive offer in place and similar deals are expected for the future.

Looking ahead

In the coming months and years, Jennychem wish to advance their presence in other industries by producing a tailor made brochure for bus and coach cleaning equipment. Jenny says, 'We have done them for other areas we supply to, like valeting companies, but we haven't done one for buses and coaches yet. It's something we are planning to do and something to look out for.'

The foreseeable future will see the company stay in their current site. 'We are here for the long term. I am actually buying the building,' said Jenny. Recent growth has seen the company's yard used for storage, but this is set to change. On the day I met her, Jenny was in discussions with builders about having a mezzanine floor built in the factory to provide extra storage space.

Back to the present, Jennychem are looking forward to a steady rise out of the negative effects of the recession. Last year, for the first time in the company's history, turnover slipped. Jenny attributes 2009's 9% downturn in profits to the effects the harsh economic climate had on her customers, who simply could not spend as much or even went out of business.

However, this year is looking promising and Jennychem still benefit from a strong customer base, some of which have used Jenny's products for the full 24 years. Our sector is an
important one for Jenny, providing her with a significant amount of custom.

As Jennychem approaches the quarter of a century mark, the commitment to customer service and constantly updating the quality of the products should ensure their position at the forefront of the PCV cleaning industry.

Log onto www.jennychem.com for product listings.

Jennychem can be contacted on 01634 245666.