At heart, we are a manufacturer of quality commercial dishwashing machines but over many decades, we’ve evolved services to support the more specific needs of our customers.
Our commercial cleaning division, Zexa Clean is known for manufacturing high performance cleaning products aimed at the hospitality and care industry. With an established reputation for quality chemicals that “Clean fast, clean safe”, the Covid-19 pandemic made them the ‘go-to’ for local, reliable supply of outbreak prevention products.
Now a leading Australian manufacturer of an extensive range of disinfectants, cleaners, hand & surface sanitisers and soaps, Zexa recently achieved ARTG listing for our Surface Sanitiser, Hospital Grade Surface Spray Disinfectant.
You may not know the story of the switch from manufacturing dishwashing machines at our Caves Beach factory to manufacturing bulk hand sanitiser at the onset of the COVID outbreak. For Sirron, it came down to thinking quick and utilising contacts to pivot the business within days. This was just Part 1 of the journey!
Managing Director, Greg Gates, credits the team and his network for enabling the change that led to the development of a staggering 230 new products into 5 large supply chains.
Here’s an excerpt from a recent press release on the journey:
“In March 2020, we were watching what was happening in other parts of the world and at first our main concern was the impact it would have on our employees and livelihoods. Then we became aware of the critical shortage of hand sanitiser and knew it would affect everyone in Australia and we just wanted to help.”
“We already had the small mixing and filling plant that we made our other chemicals in. We dismantled one of the dishwasher production lines and turned it into a multi-filling production line,” Mr Gates said.
As the overseas supply chain broke down, Australia faced shortages of the soaps, disinfectants and sanitisers that were crucial for cleaning and hygiene. “The phone just kept ringing”, said Mr Gates. “The supply chain was dry, no-one could get the products they needed. Every day, people were asking what we could make and how soon!”
At this point, a decision was made to prioritise rapid development and supply wherever demand took it. Mr Gates described the effort involved as “massive”.
“We had to commercialise formulations, source scarce ingredients and packaging, develop safety data documents, understand lawful labelling and claims, organise product testing and assemble a team and external partners to manufacture large orders quickly”, he said.
“We’ve now built a track record as reliable, nimble local suppliers of customised products across all categories. If something needs cleaning, sanitising, disinfecting, deodorising – we can make something that does it fast and does it safely”, said Mr Gates.
“Now, more than ever, we need products that provide convenient hygiene assurance for the workplace, home and community”, said Mr Gates. “We have worked tirelessly over the last 18 months to develop a product proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 but low toxicity and low irritant”, he said.
And this is the journey – Part 2 and we are sure there is much to come.
“My team and I are very excited to launch our lab-tested, ARTG listed Surface Sanitiser Hospital Grade Disinfectant into the market place. It’s fatal to germs but still gentle on everyone and everything else”.
Grab a cuppa and watch a short video on the team and the journey – CLICK HERE
About the ARTG listed product
Zexa Surface Sanitiser Hospital Grade Surface Spray Disinfectant is a ready to use product effective against SARS-CoV-2 when tested under clean conditions.
Tested as effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa & Salmonella choleraesuis (AOAC 961.02 test) & against S. aureus, E.coli, P. aeruginosa & P.vulgaris when tested under dirty conditions.
Hard surface disinfectant. Not to be used on medical devices or therapeutic goods.
Advantages:
- Tested and verified as a hospital-grade disinfectant
- ARTG listed (Aust L:373257)
- Proven to kill COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)
- Non-toxic, Ethanol free – no overwhelming, strong alcohol fumes
- Fragrance free – non irritating to sensitive noses
- Ready to use – no need to dilute
- Made in Australia, 100% Australian owned
- Simply spray on surfaces to kill germs, leave to air dry, no wiping necessary
- Suitable for use on porous and non-porous high touchpoint surfaces
- Provides hygiene assurance for customers, clients and staff
Areas of Use:
Most common surfaces in homes and workplaces
Office Environments: Doors, reception areas, waiting rooms, furniture, bathrooms & kitchens
Transport: Buses, trains, boats, vehicles, taxis
Health Services: Nursing homes, health & aged care facilities
Hospitality: Kitchens, front of house, furniture, bathrooms
Childcare and schools: Kitchens, bathrooms, hard surfaces, desks & chairs, toys
Gyms: Equipment, bathrooms, common touchpoint surfaces
Beauty: Hairdressing salons, barbers, beauty salons, treatment rooms
Kitchens: Safe for use on food processing equipment and food preparation surfaces
Optometrists: Use to disinfect high touchpoint surfaces, gentle on eyewear
Sport & Recreation Centres: Bathrooms & high touchpoint surfaces
Is there a performance difference between Alcohol Free and Alcohol based products?
The standard to call a product a sanitiser or disinfectant does not rely on it containing alcohol. It is a performance based exercise – it must kill certain pathogens (germs) within a certain time frame no matter what the ingredients are.
There’s an emerging complaint about the side effects of alcohol based products on skin and surfaces and many of the lower quality products are very harsh and have a very offensive smell! There’s also the safety aspect to consider, with the alcohol being more toxic when ingested and unsuitable for used around open flames such as BBQs.
Some people are unable to be around alcohol based products for health or environmental reasons.
We undertook the journey to ARTG listing to give our community the assurance that it actually killed COVID – and now the jury has returned it’s verdict!