Two Devon-based entrepreneurs have developed a touch-free sanitising station which they say ‘reduces the consumption of single-use plastic bottles and messy alcohol gels’, with the support of HSBC UK funding.
Rob Searle and John Ellacott at Ezisan have developed a ‘unique’ orb-shaped electronic sanitising unit which deploys an ultra-fine, ‘semi-dry’ alcohol-free ‘mist’ for use on both hands and small objects, to help combat viruses and bacteria. Intended to reduce the ecological impact of traditional sanitising stations ‘by dramatically reducing the reliance on single-use plastic bottles’, it also removes the need for paper towels to absorb messy drips, excess liquid, and resulting slip hazards. The disinfectant stations are designed to quickly and conveniently sanitise hands and small objects such as mobile phones, credit cards, and keys, to reduce the impact of cross-contamination and resulting sickness in the workplace or public areas. The developers says laboratory testing of the company’s fluid indicated that it kills 99.99% of enveloped viruses upon contact.
HSBC UK funding has enabled the entrepreneurs to purchase the production tools required to ‘finesse’ the station and increase manufacturing capacity ahead of its official launch this month. Following an intensive three-year development process and successful customer trials, Ezisan is releasing eight models to suit differing customer requirements, with prices starting at £500. The company said: “Customers will see a rapid return on their investment due to the low operation costs per application, compared with other gel or liquid based solutions.”
Ezisan is setting its sights on global expansion across large offices and the healthcare, hospitality, facilities management, and business sectors, from its Devon manufacturing base. Rob Searle and John Ellacott, founding directors, added: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have worked tirelessly to address the concerns associated with messy ‘wet’ or gel-based sanitising solutions, and the steep increase in single-use plastics often associated with this. Launching Ezisan is the result of three years of product development and refinement, and we believe the system is likely to be a significant market disrupter in coming years. Throughout this process, HSBC UK has been understanding of our vision, and we are now in a strong position to officially enter the market with a British-built and designed product thanks to the bank’s support.”
Ezisan uses a ‘semi-dry sanitising spray mist’. Users simply place their hands into the mist, rub them together, and turn them over, which ‘effectively sanitises the majority of bacteria, viruses and other germ’s.
Key features include:
- Automatic, non-touch operation;
- Silent operation;
- ‘Very low’ power consumption;
- ‘Easy to maintain and service’.
