BUFFALO, N.Y. —
With flu season in full effect right now, and concerns around the globe about the number of COVID-19 cases being reported, people are now focused on cleanliness. Perhaps, more so than in recent years.
One Buffalo company is seeing a surge in requests from distributors around the world for a disinfectant they produce that is effective against COVID-19 on surfaces.
Safetec has been creating hand sanitizers and disinfectants for the last 28 years.
"Safetec is a manufacturer of infection control and first aid products," said Heidi Daly, marketing manager with Safetec. "We have products that range in a variety of markets such as hospitals, government institutions, industrial facilities, also retail."
Their Kensington Avenue manufacturing facility is seeing an influx of business due to the flu season and the coronavirus situation.
"It has been an increase in demand in all different areas, with finding raw materials, with finding our different vendors, making sure that we're able to find and source those products, the way that we normally would, but now things are heightened," said Daly, "So we're working and trying our best to make sure that we're satisfying our customers."
Safetec manufactures a product called Sani-Zide-Pro-1 that is effective against the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus after only a minute. The disinfectant can be used on non-porous surfaces.
Coincidentally, the product hit the market this past fall before there were concerns over coronavirus.
The ammonia and alcohol-based sanitizer meets the EPA’s policy for Effectiveness Against Emerging Viral Pathogens. Sani-Zide Pro 1 is part of a diverse catalog of products that Safetec sells to the infectious disease prevention market.
"We're making sure that we have the right products that our customers are asking for, whether it be hand hygiene products, or surface disinfectants or bodily fluids spill kits," said Daly. "There's a variety of different needs, but with the coronavirus approach in the US that has caused a huge concern."
While Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday that the state is able to produce hand sanitizer for schools, jails, government agencies if price-gouging continues, Safetec’s product is facing a spike in global demand. The company has over 600 distributors around the globe, many of them are at the epicenter of the coronavirus situation.
"Recently we've partnered with companies in Asia and also Australia," said Daly.
Many of Safetec's distributors sell director to consumers on their websites.
The company says it's ready for continued demand for their products, putting Buffalo on the map as the world fights against infectious disease.