Research into Antimicrobials Pays off
1 Oct 2004
Continuing growth in infection and death from the hospital super bug methycillin resistant staphylococcus aureus - or - MRSA - has boosted sales of Addmaster's Biomaster MRSA combatant masterbatch to past those of 2003 in only the first half of the year.
The statistics surrounding MRSA are worrying. Infections have gone up sixfold in the past decade and are expected to double in the next six years, and each year in the UK there is a 30 per cent year on year increase in deaths caused by the bacterium.
The NHS is reported to be spending £1 billion a year on the problem which puts the pressure on hospitals to find a solution. One of the solutions is the use of adequate biocides in the hospital environment, but the health service is naturally cautious about the use of such materials without sufficient long term proof that they are effective and otherwise harmless. This is where Addmaster feels it has scored, by adding antimicrobial additives to its research programme some four years ago - including research into anti-MRSA additives and now seeing the results of that continuous research reaping acceptances. The approvals from the NHS have brought applications in products in use in more than 50 hospitals and Addmaster reckons it will have sold 100 tonnes of antimicrobial products by the end of the year.
Recent adoptions are by a paper producer that is incorporating Biomaster to reduce the development of bacteria on the surface of files and stationery and a flooring manufacturer which is about to launch a biocidal hospital flooring product. Addmaster has also recently developed a high heat stable grade tat can be used in products that need to be autoclaved.
Other applications include soluble laundry films, textiles, furniture and medical equipment such as beds and trollies. In fact any item that comes into contact with patients and is portable is being looked on as a potential application.
Biomaster is based on inorganic chemistry which Addmaster says offers superior performance over additives based on organic chemistry in terms of heat stability, lower migration, anti-wash characteristics and all-round anti-algal and anti-fungal properties. Addmaster testing has shown the masterbatch to bring up to 99.99% reduction in MRSA and other gram positive/negative bacteria, fungi, moulds and algae.
The masterbatch can be used in most engineering materials with a let down rate of just 1%
Biomaster is a registered trademark of Addmaster, based in Stafford UK. Addmaster is Europe's leading supplier of performance additives for a wide range of applications and industries. By working in partnership with its customers and focussing on research and development, highly innovative additives have been created and successfully introduced into many manufacturing environments. Addmaster's advanced products are being used by many of the world's industry leaders in the plastics, paper, paint, textile and coating industries.
Addmaster, founded in the year 2000, sees its major objective as capitalising on the lack of innovation which exists in these industry sectors, and has won many business awards for innovations in product development and marketing.
The statistics surrounding MRSA are worrying. Infections have gone up sixfold in the past decade and are expected to double in the next six years, and each year in the UK there is a 30 per cent year on year increase in deaths caused by the bacterium.
The NHS is reported to be spending £1 billion a year on the problem which puts the pressure on hospitals to find a solution. One of the solutions is the use of adequate biocides in the hospital environment, but the health service is naturally cautious about the use of such materials without sufficient long term proof that they are effective and otherwise harmless. This is where Addmaster feels it has scored, by adding antimicrobial additives to its research programme some four years ago - including research into anti-MRSA additives and now seeing the results of that continuous research reaping acceptances. The approvals from the NHS have brought applications in products in use in more than 50 hospitals and Addmaster reckons it will have sold 100 tonnes of antimicrobial products by the end of the year.
Recent adoptions are by a paper producer that is incorporating Biomaster to reduce the development of bacteria on the surface of files and stationery and a flooring manufacturer which is about to launch a biocidal hospital flooring product. Addmaster has also recently developed a high heat stable grade tat can be used in products that need to be autoclaved.
Other applications include soluble laundry films, textiles, furniture and medical equipment such as beds and trollies. In fact any item that comes into contact with patients and is portable is being looked on as a potential application.
Biomaster is based on inorganic chemistry which Addmaster says offers superior performance over additives based on organic chemistry in terms of heat stability, lower migration, anti-wash characteristics and all-round anti-algal and anti-fungal properties. Addmaster testing has shown the masterbatch to bring up to 99.99% reduction in MRSA and other gram positive/negative bacteria, fungi, moulds and algae.
The masterbatch can be used in most engineering materials with a let down rate of just 1%
Source - British Plastic & Rubber, October 2004
Biomaster is a registered trademark of Addmaster, based in Stafford UK. Addmaster is Europe's leading supplier of performance additives for a wide range of applications and industries. By working in partnership with its customers and focussing on research and development, highly innovative additives have been created and successfully introduced into many manufacturing environments. Addmaster's advanced products are being used by many of the world's industry leaders in the plastics, paper, paint, textile and coating industries.
Addmaster, founded in the year 2000, sees its major objective as capitalising on the lack of innovation which exists in these industry sectors, and has won many business awards for innovations in product development and marketing.
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