1930

The family foundation

William's father and brother also joined the company and, with an expanding workforce and extra premises, began manufacturing liquid soaps, powders, and disinfectants. Two small retail shops were opened but, soon after, it was decided to manufacture solely for industrial and professional users, solidifying this business model for the future.

1939

Solutions for real world problems

Strong progress was made despite competition from the rise of large chemical organisations. While expanding the range of chemical products to suit the needs of our customers, the company adapted in many ways including providing gas mask holders for school children to carry their gas masks with them conveniently, imprinted with the words, “Take me with you wherever you go.”

1945

The war years and after

The laboratory and production area were mostly destroyed by bombing raids early in the Second World War. The company struggled due to war-time restrictions on materials needed for production but ultimately survived, largely thanks to supplying the United States Air Force airbases across Europe and North Africa, including Burtonwood, the largest in the United Kingdom.

A permanent pass held by Derek Evans to these airbases allowed us to supply disinfectants, sweeping compounds, and even a jet-turbine take-off fluid which was requested after several fighter planes crashed on take-off. Soap bars and disinfectants were also exported to the camps set up on the European mainland for displaced personnel and refugees.

1953

A modern company takes shape

The move to Chadwick Road, Eccles, where we would remain for thirty-five years, a title change to W.C. Evans & Co. (Eccles) Ltd., and the creation of the first iodine-based disinfectant, Vanodine, all reflected the growing nature of the company. The name Vanodine comes from the joining of Evans and iodine, which shows the integral part such raw materials played in the company’s products and history.

1967

Fighting disease

We were at the forefront in the battle to fight the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak with the newly formulated 'FAM' product. Government laboratories found that this product killed the virus in under fifteen seconds, with an improved kill rate, whereas the previously used disinfectant took over two hours. Demands were made on television, radio, and newspapers to change a UK law regarding which ingredients could be used in disinfectants allowed FAM to be distributed to effectively fight foot-and-mouth across the country.

1969

Far corners of the earth (and beyond)

Industrial-use hygiene products made up seventy percent of the business at this time, with the other thirty percent for livestock-protection detergents and disinfectants. Our chemists and microbiologists focus their attention on any issues that need their expertise. From common hospital diseases to moko disease in bananas, and trout egg disinfection, these are just some of the areas we delivered our research on, not to mention disinfecting moon dust.

1981

Walton Summit

After outgrowing Chadwick Road, we updated our name to Evans Vanodine International Ltd and moved to a purpose-built factory at Walton Summit, with further expansion yet to come. Showing our commitment to research and development in an increasingly competitive and regulated industry, extensive microbiology and quality control laboratories were built.

1989

The Evans fleet

What had started out as a single hand cart in the early 1920s had grown into a fleet of goods vehicles, allowing us to operate our own distribution. In 2010 it was decided that to fully concentrate on research and manufacturing, distribution would be outsourced to handle growing sales in the UK and worldwide.

1992

Scientific innovation

In 1992, the microbiology laboratory was the first UK non-governmental laboratory to be awarded a National Accreditation (UKAS) for disinfectant testing and has maintained its accreditation to the present day.

2003

Worldwide manufacture

The Saudi Arabian-based company Reza was the first company to begin manufacturing Evans products under licence. This greatly increased the visibility of the Evans Knight. In the next fifteen years companies in China, South Africa, Jordan, Israel, and Colombia were also granted licences to manufacture Evans products to our strict quality control procedures, allowing for shorter lead times and greater manufacturing capability.