A SUCCESSFUL Sussex business welcomed a royal visitor on Monday.

Burgess Hill’s Bio-Productions, an industrial cleaning manufacturer with an award-winning record for producing environmentally responsible products for customers across the globe, welcomed Princess Anne for a tour of its state-of-the-art facility.

Founded in 1986, the company has led the way in developing greener alternatives to harsh chemical compounds, including, most recently, an alcohol-free hand sanitising gel to combat Covid-19.

The Princess Royal was shown how proprietary formulas, developed in its Burgess Hill laboratory, use naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes to help sectors including healthcare and hospitality meet the heightened challenge for cleanliness posed by the pandemic.

She also heard how, as Covid-19 swept across Europe, the company pulled out all the stops to meet a surge in demand from customers looking to protect their workforce and clients with biocidal products shown to be more effective at combatting viruses.

At the same time, it was coping with changes to the way its own workforce operated while also facing supply chain challenges.

Managing director Angela Gill, who helped lead a management buyout of the company in 2014 with co-directors Phil Karn and Avonia Bridge, paid tribute to the way staff responded under difficult circumstances over the past six months and introduced the Princess Royal to some of its key members – including Miah, the spaniel, who helped to keep spirits up.

The Princess Royal unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit after concluding a comprehensive tour of the company, including production lines, lab, warehousing and administration departments.

Angela Gill said: “It was an incredible privilege to welcome Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal to Bio-Productions. It was an historic moment for our company and a day of huge pride for everyone who has been involved in its growth. Every single member of staff took pride in the moment.”