Blaenau Gwent-based antimicrobial specialist SteriTouch has launched two new standalone brands following its move to larger premises in Ebbw Vale.

The firm launched the performance additive brands to service specific emerging markets.

SteriTouch moved from its Abertillery facility in 2017, to expand its R&D and production capabilities by opening a larger factory on Rassau Industrial Estate, Ebbw Vale.

It has since come up with the two new brands - SCOPIC and Konduct.

Facilities at the new site in Ebbw Vale include tensile, impact and environmental testing, along with metal detection equipment. Research and development work is carried out in-house, including moulding and extrusion.

With this in-house technical expertise, many complex material issues can be overcome, such as UV stability and brittleness.

The SCOPIC brand provides metal and X-Ray detectable qualities to plastics and rubber products. Metal and X-Ray detectable products are used widely throughout the food and pharmaceutical industries, where any detached fragments can be identified should they reach the production line.

With in-house production and testing facilities onsite, SteriTouch has been able to develop a unique offering, including the development of combined antimicrobial/detectable compounds not seen before. These were designed for hygienic environments where both foreign body and bacterial contamination could be an issue.

The second new product is branded Konduct, which represents a range of performance additives for thermal management challenges.

Applications which could previously only use metal due to its conductive and heat dissipative properties, can now be manufactured from lightweight plastic using the Konduct solution. Any product with a tendency to overheat, such as LED lighting, motor housings and electronic components can benefit from using a thermally conductive polymer compound.

Chris Vince, R&D manager at SteriTouch said: “These brands create new possibilities and will allow us to access exciting new markets. With the equipment we have now, we have the capability to fully support customers on a technical level, which puts us in a unique position in this industry.”