Town councillors given a behind-the-scenes tour by Mold manufacturer

Two Mold Town councillors have been given a ‘fascinating’ insight into the operations of a Flintshire-based chemicals manufacturer.

Cllr Sarah Taylor and Cllr Tina Claydon were briefed on the processes at the Alyn Works site on Denbigh Road, Mold, which houses Synthite and TS Resins.

Synthite’s main product is formaldehyde, a basic building block of the chemical industry, which is used in some building materials and household products, such as flooring, furniture, and fabric.

Operating from Alyn Works since the 1950s, Synthite currently employs approximately 125 people, with a further 30 working for TS Resins.

It was the first tour since the pandemic, and Cllr Taylor, who attended the last visit in 2019, was thrilled to be given another in-depth viewing of the site.

The former mayor of Mold said: “It’s interesting to see the levels of expertise that are required.

“Synthite is a major employer in the Mold area, offering good quality jobs, and it’s great to see that a local business is still clearly thriving after all this time.”

On the differences between her two tours, which were three-and-a-half-years apart, Cllr Taylor continued: “I definitely saw some impressive developments during my visit, such as updated equipment for new processes.

“We also had an opportunity to discover parts of the site we hadn’t seen before.

“It’s fascinating and it’s certainly not something you see every day, but it’s great being able to learn.”

Cllr Claydon, whose Mold West ward encompasses Synthite, said: “It’s my first time visiting, and I appreciated being able to take a walk around and gain a better understanding of the work that takes place.

“I was particularly interested to learn about the processes and energy use, including the work on recycling some waste products such as steam.”

Synthite director and operations manager Keith Polden, who has been with the company for nearly two decades, added: “The councillors had a full site tour to familiarise them with our procedures and to help their knowledge of what Synthite and TS Resins are all about.

“It was wonderful to be able to impart some knowledge and both of them asked some pertinent questions that showed a genuine interest and desire to understand what happens onsite.”