Staff at a Sandbach man's company will be hoping England get through their semi-final match tonight (Wednesday) as they could be in line for a £100 gift.

Forward-thinking Ian Appleton, who's celebrating two decades of running the UK's leading wax formulating company, Kerax Ltd, has already gifted his staff a £100 Morrisons gift voucher to celebrate the 20 year milestone.

On top of that, Ian, a big England and football fan, has promised another £100 to each member of staff on his payroll if England win the World Cup.

He said: "I am a dedicated lifelong England support who can remember 1966. We were on holiday in Skegness and listened to the final on the radio.

"Reaching a 20 year milestone for the business is a big deal and I wanted to thank staff for their support over the years.

"The World Cup thing is me having a moment of wishful thinking and if we will on the 19th I will be very very happy to mark the occasion with a gift from me."

It's 20 years ago that since Ian bought Chorley-based Kerax Ltd, transforming the company into a global exporter, employing nearly 80 people and serving industries worldwide.

The company's journey began exactly 20 years ago in a Manchester law office, when the current owner, Ian Appleton, risked everything to acquire the failing site.

"Twenty years ago, I placed every single chip I had firmly on Kerax. Not a single person in the industry thought it was a good idea, but we thought differently," said Ian.

"Today, our success belongs to the entire business. We have gone from a site facing closure to becoming the leading wax formulator in the country, recognised globally for our reputation.

"Our success is built on family values—knowing our staff, our customers, and our suppliers. Without relationships, we are nothing.

"I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and we have the right leadership and vision in place for the next chapter."

Kerax also marked a rare manufacturing milestone: in every single year of the current ownership, every employee has received either a pay increase, a bonus, or both.

With strong leadership and a clear vision for the future, the company looks ahead to its next chapter of global growth.

Would you like to know more about Sandbach?

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Sandbach Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

Please consider following Sandbach Nub News on Facebook or X (Twitter)

We also have a weekly newsletter with the TOP FIVE stories of the week - sign up here