Founded in 1935, the Cornelius Group distributes industrial chemicals to a broad range of industries, as well as supplying ecologically sensitive ingredients for health and personal care products, such as toothpastes, moisturisers and make-up. It supplies leading global consumer brands and its key overseas markets are the US and Germany. Last year it established a subsidiary, Cornelius Polska, in Poland. Managing director David Brown anticipates continued growth in Poland, Germany and France, which have strong cosmetics industries, and also from Japan. International sales grew 26% a year from £5.3m in 2010 to £8.5m in 2012.