HKMB Hong Kong Means Business

Hong Kong Means Business Hong Kong Means Business
  • Login / Register

Languages

  • EN
  • 繁
  • 简
  • Events
  • My Feed
  • Contact HKTDC
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe

Section Menu

  • multimedia
  • market spotlight
  • first person
  • Venture Hong Kong
  • heads-up
  • inside china
  • life & style
  • hktdc research

Languages

  • EN
  • 繁
  • 简
  • HKTDC.com |
  • About HKTDC |
  • My HKTDC |
  • Login / Register |

HKTDC.com About HKTDC My HKTDC

Login Register

Hong Kong Means Business

Section Menu

  • multimedia
  • market spotlight
  • first person
  • Venture Hong Kong
  • heads-up
  • inside china
  • life & style
  • hktdc research

https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X0AKKA2

life & style
SAVE FOR LATER
SHARE / SEND

"Scan QR Code" in WeChat and tap "..." to share.

Innovative technology keeps bacteria at bay

As demand for PPE jumps, a Hong Kong firm develops a plastic film that shrugs off germs.

29 May 2020

A scramble for medical personal protective equipment (PPE) has been a hallmark of the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide as supplies have quickly run short. Many manufacturers have successively invested in ramping up or commencing production of various types of protective gear. A wide range of products advertised as having anti-microbial properties are on the market, with innovative technologies being used to develop face-mask storage sleeves, protective films and reusable masks to help fight the epidemic.

Among these is a Hong Kong-developed germ-repellent technology that works on plastic surfaces and can be applied to a range of PPE. Developed by Ka Shui International Holdings, the microbeFENCE® technology stems from the company’s 2015-launched collaborative research with the government’s Nano and Advanced Materials Institute.

Award winner

a Shui International Holdings’ laboratory can be used for testing
Ka Shui International Holdings’ laboratory can be used for testing

"Plastic sterilisation technology has a long history but repelling bacteria is a new concept," said company CEO Godfrey Leung (main picture). "It prevents bacteria from attaching to plastic surfaces through repulsion and thus reduces bacterial growth."

Explaining the difference between germ repulsion and sterilisation, Mr Leung said traditional anti-microbial products often use bactericides, such as silver ions and Triclosan, which are released steadily into the air to kill bacteria on surfaces. However, these chemicals may contaminate food and enter the human body, or result in resistant bacterial strains, sparking controversy over safety. On the other hand, MicrobeFENCE® prevents bacteria from sticking on surfaces without killing them, he said.

Supported by the Enterprise Support Scheme under the government’s Innovation and Technology Fund, Ka Shui established a laboratory in Hong Kong in 2018 to develop bacteria-repellent formulae. Experiments, production and testing were all conducted in Hong Kong.

The technology has won many accolades worldwide, including the Gold Medal at both the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva and Chinese International Invention Award in 2017. It was also patented in the United States in 2018. Ka Shui and international standards organisation ASTM are jointly establishing a standard for testing bacteria-repellent plastics, which is expected to be officially released by the end of this year.

Hygienic, environmentally friendly

photo
The germ-repellent plastic made using the company’s patented technology, which is widely applied. In addition to mask cases and button protection films, the material is suitable for food packaging, baby products, medical products and hygiene products

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, with face masks in short supply and being reused, Ka Shui applied the bacteria-repellent technology to epidemic-prevention products, such as the INNOKA bacteria-repellent mask case.

"Our mask cases are made using our patented germ-repellent plastic technology and have the US Food and Drug Administration food-grade certification. They do not contain heavy metals, fungicides, bisphenol A or other harmful substances, and can be used safely," Mr Leung said.

The plastic surfaces repel as much as 99.8% of bacteria, according to the company. Rinsing the case with clean water is all that is needed after use, making the material environmentally friendly and capable of long-term protection. As a result, the case does not contaminate the masks kept inside.

Mr Leung said the mask case market is competitive, meaning price needed to be attractive in addition to offering high quality. At present, the mask cases are promoted through online sales channels and almost 10,000 units have been sold in less than a month since their launch. The products will later be sold at physical stores in Hong Kong.

The firm has also launched a protection film for equipment with multiple users, such as control buttons and touch keys in lifts and on building intercoms, password lock keys, door handles and flush switches. Since such heavily used devices have high cross-infection risks, copper ions are added to the bacteria-repellent plastic for sterilisation effect. The film surface can achieve a 99.8% bacteria-repellent and sterilisation efficacy with water cleaning alone, dispensing with the need for frequent disinfection. The film is made from environmentally friendly and wear-resistant plastic, which is suitable for touch buttons.

Mr Leung said the firm will roll out next month an eco-friendly germ-repellent-plastic reusable mask, equipped with a replaceable, environmentally friendly filter with a bacterial filtration efficiency of over 98%. When discarded, the filter continues sterilising for 24 hours, reducing environmental contamination.

Expanding market

Germ-repellent products are available for objects in homes, offices and public places
Germ-repellent products are available for objects in homes, offices and public places

Mr Leung said the company aims to expand into the Mainland China and US markets for its germ-repellent-plastic products by introducing a series of items shortly to help fight the pandemic. For the long term, it is looking to work with partners to extend its product range to such items as medical and healthcare equipment, covers for phones and electrical appliances, kitchenware, pet food utensils and make-up tools.


The group has cooperated with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for many years and participated actively in various exhibitions for business expansion. It plans to take part in the Summer Virtual Expo on the HKTDC’s online marketplace, hktdc.com Sourcing, in June.

"I believe that through the Summer Virtual Expo we will be able to find more international business opportunities and potential partners, and to promote new products that use the microbeFENCE® technology," Mr Leung said.

Related link
Ka Shui International Holdings

BACK TO TOP ^
CONTENT PROVIDED BY
    Topics:
  • Medical Supplies & Medicine,
  • Health & Beauty,
  • Hong Kong,
  • MedTech,
  • health
  • Medical Supplies & Medicine
  • Health & Beauty
  • Hong Kong
Home

Article Topics

ARTICLE TOPICS

MEDICAL SUPPLIES...24721
HEALTH & BEAUTY24616
HONG KONG36026
MEDTECH141964
HEALTH80159

ARTICLE TOPICS

MEDICAL SUPPLIES & MEDICINE24721
HEALTH & BEAUTY24616
HONG KONG36026
MEDTECH141964
HEALTH80159

Innovation terms banner block

interest_article

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

16 August 2022

Visitors flock to August fairs

05 August 2022

August fairs bring it home

21 July 2022

GBA Supports Marketing of Drugs and Registration of Medical Devices from Hong Kong and Macao

21 July 2022

China Updates Declaration Requirements for Imported Cosmetics

Related Events

RELATED EVENTS

4 - 7 September 2022

The 61st China (Guangzhou) International Beauty Expo - Autumn 2022

14 September 2022

ASEAN Navigator Webinar Series 2022 – Exploring Manufacturing Partnerships and Business Opportunities in Vietnam in the wake of Covid-19

27 September 2022

ASEAN Navigator Webinar Series 2022 – Business & Investment Opportunities in Thailand

9 - 11 November 2022

HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair 2022
FIND AN EVENT

Social Share

FOLLOW US

GET WEEKLY UPDATES

newpaper-img

GET OUR WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATES

banner-img


I acknowledge that the above information may be used by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for incorporation in all or any of its database for direct marketing or business matching purpose (and may therefore become available to the public within and/or outside of Hong Kong for use by them), and for any other purposes as stated in the Privacy Policy Statement; I confirm that I have the consent and the authority of each individual named in this form to release their personal data for the purposes stated herein.


*For non-EU/EEA customers, please skip this box which is solely for EU/EEA customers as required by the relevant data protection law in the EU.

THANK YOU

Thank you for registering.

SHARE THIS STORY

EMAIL
LINKEDIN
WeChat
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
WHATSAPP

ID: HKTDCofficial

Don't have an account?

Create An Account

successfully added on your preferences.