Among those who agreed to work with the company were hospitals and nursing homes, where infection control is of paramount importance. The original AB-Plus system was tested in a number of high-pressure and high-risk environments, independently, including operation and transplant rooms, along with paediatric and oncology departments.
Filmop quickly discovered that the anti-bacterial materials they had used were not quite up to the required standard, often losing their anti-bacterial properties quicker than predicted. The company returned to the drawing board and researched alternative production methods and materials which had far longer life-spans. The result was a new, improved trolley, with anti-bacterial properties which last its entire life.
“The method we had developed involved injecting certain materials into the plastic, which provided it with its anti-bacterial power,” said Paolo. “The design and ergonomics of the trolley were perfect, however we learnt that the anti-bacterial power of the materials we used had a life-span, and in the case of the materials we were using, that stood at around three to five years.
“After that period, the entire trolley system would lose its unique benefi ts and become just another trolley, albeit a very well designed and reliable one. Three to fi ve years is a decent amount of time, but we were convinced we could do better. We set about researching new methods and materials which would provide protection for the entire life cycle of the product.
“A further two years of research, scrutiny and intensive testing got us to where we are now, and we are excited to offer the AB-Plus to our customers across the world. We wanted to make sure it was the fi rst of its kind. It works in perfect harmony with our unique top- down mop system, which itself has worldwide patents. All of the system’s replacement parts are also treated in the same way, with the same methods, so they can be replaced with equally effective bespoke parts which don’t disrupt the trolley’s operation or purpose.”
The Results The new system has been now tested to all relevant standards, including ISO 20743-2007 and ISO 22196-2011, and shows an average reduction of 99.9% in bacteria within 20 minutes of use. The numbers certainly stack up. The AB-Plus
system is indicative of the ‘whole process’ approach on which Filmop has built its reputation. Since it was founded, the company has been at the forefront of innovation and advancements within the industrial cleaning sector.
From its 30,000ft2 headquarters
in Padova, Italy, the company researches, develops, manufactures and distributes a range of specialist products, designed to improve cleaning techniques and raise overall standards in the industry. It was started in the early 1970's by Roberto Zorzo, who remains company president to this day, and Filmop remains a family company too; Roberto’s brother Bruno joined the company shortly after it was formed. Now, the next generation are involved in its day-to-day operations, which include exporting their products to 80 countries and managing its branches in France and the USA. The AB-Plus trolley system will be distributed in the UK exclusively by Jigsaw Cleaning Systems.
Brian Boll, Systems Director at Jigsaw Cleaning Systems, said: “We are proud to have such a close working relationship with Filmop. Its products are genuinely innovative, and as a company they have been tremendous to work with. The AB-Plus trolley system is truly game-changing. Filmop has worked hard to research, develop and bring to the market an exciting new product which will complement and support the cleaning industry’s efforts to reduce the spread of harmful bacteria.
“Cross contamination is something which can never truly be eradicated, but advancements in cleaning technology, like the AB-Plus system, help raise acceptable standards, and offer us greater control over the spread of infection.”
www.cleanleanhealthcare.org
twitter.com/TomoCleaning
HEALTHCARE & HOSPITAL HYGIENE | 37
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78
