Innovation enables The Sanitaryware Supplies Company to flourish during the pandemic
Chesterfield’s Sanitaryware Supplies Company has seen an upturn in sales during the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to an innovative hygiene solution which has helped in the fight against the virus.
The foot-operated hand sanitising station came about because the company was selling wall mounted one-litre sanitiser dispensers online, but were asked on a few occasions if it could provide a bulk product which could dispense both gel and foaming soap from larger containers.
Designers then took the product a step further by creating a “no touch solution” for use in both indoor and outdoor settings.
The unit is operated by pressing a pedal at the front, which in turn dispenses liquid gel or foaming soap gel (at the choice of the customer) through an aluminium nozzle. All parts used on the units are supplied from local companies.
The design of the new sanitising station also means fewer changes of the liquid and a lockable unit which prevents the theft of hand washing gel.
Andy Dukelow, director at The Sanitaryware Supplies Company said: “As far as we are aware it is the only foot-operated dispenser on the market which can offer both types of dispensing (gel and foam). Also we have the only unit which is fully enclosed and lockable and can dispense 5,10 or 20 litre bulk-fill containers.”
The first sales of the new sanitising station were individual units to schools, factories and restaurants, followed by a national soap and gel manufacturer who wanted to take them into their portfolio to offer alongside their liquids.
Andy added: “We have since supplied them to schools, Amazon warehouses, cleaning companies, rail workshops amongst others and recently Chesterfield Football Club as a trial site for stadia.
“We have had good feedback from them and have already had enquiries for future units into local football clubs once crowds are allowed back in. In total we have sold over 150 units to date, starting in August 2020.
“We think that once we are out of lockdown, the sales will once again increase as we already have an enquiry for 500 units pending for another national company.
Sales of the new foot-operated sanitising stations, along with other projects such as new ‘Dado panels’ which are used on the inside of rail carriages, enabled the firm to achieve sales over and above those achieved in the same period of 2019 by 40%.
Andy said: “As part of our hygiene and handwashing portfolio we have supplied a large number of hygiene disposal units and scrub up troughs to the NHS, care homes and health centres as they increased their Covid compliance.
“We have also supplied washroom air fresheners to schools, where under new guidance all schools should ensure pupils wash their hands before entering.”
The Sanitaryware Supplies Company supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
