ISDN: In JV with German company to sell topline disinfectant products in Asia

Will disinfectants spewing out in mist form become a common sight? That at least is an objective of ISDN Holdings, a leading industrial automation firm, through a new joint venture with German company ERST Project GmbH to bring state-of-the-art disinfectant products to Asia. Water-based disinfectant WATERLIQ has immediate disinfecting capabilities.The products are suitable for use in hotels, residences, workplaces, restaurants, public transport, government offices, hospitals, clinics, airports. They use proven, environmentally-friendly technology, said Singapore-listed ISDN. Established in Singapore, the JV company, ERST Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, is 51% owned by ISDN with ERST holding 49%.

ERST recently developed two products – WATERLIQ and ERSTOTIZER.

According to microbiological laboratory test reports, these products significantly and safely reduce infections via aerosol transmission and human-to-human transmission through cross contamination, and are hence useful against the highly virulent coronavirus.

They satisfy the three efficacy criteria set by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s policy on enveloped, large non-enveloped, and small non-enveloped viruses, said ISDN.

The new JV has already begun developing additional systems based on WATERLIQ and ERSTOTIZER. These include a Disinfecting Gantry to help contain and manage the spread of the COVID-19 virus. By using the WATERLIQ to apply mist on persons passing through the gantry, the system can achieve immediate disinfecting effect as the fine droplets of WATERLIQ can instantly kill 99.9% of pathogens. The gantry can be deployed at entrances and exits at local clusters and quarantine locations. It could eventually be rolled out as part of the new normal in many locations as governments ease up on their lockdowns. ERST will oversee development of the gantry and additional product development, as well as the supply chains for the JV.

ISDN will leverage its large network of distribution and regional relationships to bring the JV products to market in the Asia Pacific region through market development, vertical solutions, and channel sales.

ISDN is also creating a B2C market segment through social media and e-commerce platform in the region.

This JV project exemplifies ISDN’s efforts to use its industrial expertise to grow its commercial capabilities as well as contribute world-class solutions to combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia, particularly the containment of second-wave infection and post-pandemic health and safety as economies prepare to re-open.

The global surface disinfectant market is projected to reach over USD 600 million by 2022, with Asia Pacific as the fastest growing region, according to India & US-based market research and consulting company Grand View Research.

Mr Teo Cher Koon (photo), ISDN’s MD and President, said, “To help contain the spread of COVID-19 and expand our business, the Group has been actively scouting for creative solutions. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with ERST to offer advanced and environmentally friendly disinfectant products usable in a broad range of applications to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asia Pacific region. "As a start, some product samples have already been supplied to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. With those products, tests are already being carried out in local hospitals and lab tests conducted to prove the effectiveness of our disinfectants against Coronaviruses, H1N1 virus and Poliovirus.”