is via Health and Safety Executive (HSE) biocides. We are now out of the ‘emergency approval‘ phase, and the derogations for supply should be dropped to allow our industry to supply regulated products only; however, the market is still swamped with products making inflated and unsubstantiated claims.
These issues with raw materials and unregulated products are not unique to Evans, they are being faced by all manufacturers, but having in-house laboratories has enabled us to adapt quickly. Our R&D department has been able to rapidly qualify alternative raw materials or, where this hasn’t been possible, reformulate products entirely. Their focus changed from developing new products for the future, to keeping the business running day to day.
Safe Zone Plus, our virucidal disinfectant (and an essential COVID-19 product), has definitely kept our procurement team busy sourcing its much in demand raw materials, to ensure continuity of product availability. We have also been in the fortunate position of being able to upgrade the efficacy claims on our super concentrate disinfectants, EC4 Sanitiser and EC9 Washroom, from bactericidal to virucidal. Along with Est-eem and Protect, all four products now pass EN 16777 surface test, in addition to EN 14476 suspension test, giving users double the assurance against enveloped viruses, including Coronavirus.
As is the case with all our products, ensuring they comply with regulations, and maintain their European EN test standards, is crucial to Evans. This task has been made somewhat easier, and quicker, by having our own UKAS accredited microbiology laboratory, which is approved to test the efficacy of disinfectants using European standard test methods to substantiate claims.
Whilst our livestock protection and food processing divisions may not have been obvious contenders under the COVID-19 spotlight, they played a vital role for us and for the
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country. Whilst the demand for hospitality-related products stalled when that sector all but closed down, our agricultural and food process disinfectants kept farms and processing plants, and their workers, infection-free so they could continue to provide us with food.
Furthermore, our expertise in navigating through two foot and mouth crises and, more recently, an African swine fever outbreak, therefore means we are well versed in adapting our manufacturing procedures in response to industry and customer demands.
Despite all these challenges and changes in working practices from ‘the norm’, we have strived to improve our company for the better. We have recently developed a ‘Continuous Improvement’ team who are working closely with The Manufacturing Institute to help us improve and grow our business for the future.
We have also achieved accreditation with The Planet Mark for the second year running, recognising our pledge to reducing our carbon footprint and our commitment to a sustainable future for generations to come, despite the industry in which we work.
Throughout all of this, our entire workforce has been outstanding in their adaptability and commitment to working around the clock to manufacture and despatch orders. Special procedures and disinfection protocols have been put in place to safeguard staff and respect government guidelines, undertaking a COVID-19 secure audit and case study with The Compliance People.
Working from home, where possible, was implemented and split shifts introduced in the laboratories, which needed to remain open. Whilst most staff at Evans Vanodine were not able to at stay home, we are proud to say we were able to help our customers, and theirs, to stay safe and save lives.
www.evansvanodine.co.uk COVER STORY | 23
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