100 years of innovation
1920-1930
In the early 1920’s, Ephraim Louis Jackson, a London entrepreneur and amateur chemist could see a universal need for indoor sanitation and he invented and patented a unique design of toilet for use indoors with special chemicals to kill diseases and prevent foul odours. His business flourished and in 1924 he decided to found a company to concentrate on marketing these products.
Taking his initials E.L and the first three letters of sanitation he called his company ELSAN. Jackson’s forecasts for the future proved correct and his company quickly became the largest manufacturer of non-mains toilets in the UK.
In the last days of Empire these new facilities were in great demand in the colonys and Elsan began distributing to India, Africa and also to the United States, where Jackson took out his first patent as early as 1928.
1930-1945
Ever the visionary, Jackson saw troubled times ahead and in the early 1930’s he sold out to his largest competitor, the traditional plumbing specialist, Sanitas, who had seen Elsan as a potential rival. This gave Elsan the financial backing for continued growth.
As standards of living improved a chemical toilet became a “must have “ accessory providing odour free indoors sanitation to the many homes not connected to a mains sewage system.
By this time Elsan had become the generic name for the chemical toilet and sewage disposal points at sites and marinas which are still referred to as “Elsan points” to this day.
1945-1970
From 1945 the country began to invest heavily in better housing for all and mains sanitation with indoor toilets became the expected standard.
Economic growth also saw increasing incomes and many families could now afford their first motor car.
In 1947 Sam Alper developed caravans light enough to be towed by cars and founded Sprite Caravans in 1949.
For Elsan, the decline in the domestic market was replaced by growth in this new sector and during the 1960’s and 70s caravanning became a fashionable leisure pursuit.
1970-2000
Sanitas was acquired by LRC, the London Rubber Company a conglomerate that owned over 200 operating companies.
During the 1970s Elsan’s business was undergoing seismic change with the shift in its market from domestic products to leisure products. At the end of the decade LRC decided Elsan required great investment and put the company up for sale.
In 1981 Elsan was purchased by its current owners to become a family business again after 50 years.
With investment in new generation chemical products and light weight plastic toilets for caravans and motorhomes the business began to thrive again and in 1996 Elsan moved into large, custom built, state-of-the-art premises in Uckfield, East Sussex.
2000-Today
By now, Elsan Blue, the only toilet fluid to pass the stringent British Standard test, has become a byword for excellence and Elsan is becoming indispensable in many other areas too.
The growth of air travel has led Elsan to develop specialist products for passenger aircraft under the SkyKem name.
Elsan is also supplying the canal and marine boating industries which continue to grow in line with increased prosperity and leisure time.
From outdoor wedding venues to building sites, Elsan supplies the toilet hire industry throughout the country. And Elsan has also developed special chemicals for use in touring coaches and by rail operators.
After 100 years of innovation Elsan will continue to introduce ground breaking new products such as Elsan Organic, a natural toilet deodorant that is both highly effective and completely safe for septic tanks and Elsan Anti-freeze that is safe to protect your drinking water system during winter storage.
