Surface World May 2020 Surface World May 2020 | Page 19

INDUSTRY NEWS Ethanol from the company's own production The family-owned company in Offingen has already been producing ethanol as an important and increasingly scarce raw material for the disinfectant market. The ethanol is processed into an ultra-high-purity product in special distillation columns. Bastian continued “In 2017/18 we invested in two new distillation columns for processing halogen-free solvents such as ethanol. This has given us significant benefits to prepare for the current situation and has enabled us to achieve this high product capacity for disinfectants of 40,000 litres per week within a very rapid timeframe.” Thanks to state-of-the art technology employed in the new distillation columns, ethanol can be processed to an exceptionally high quality. The distillate achieves 99.9% of the quality of “virgin” material and can therefore also be used in hygienically sensitive areas such as the wider pharmaceutical industries. In line with the company’s principal philosophy of recycling and the ultimate goal of ongoing sustainability when compared to the production of virgin material, ethanol distillates offer significant advantages in the quest to reduce carbon footprint and further improve environmental accreditations. The core Richard Geiss philosophy has always been to embrace progressive manufacturing techniques in the preparation of a wide range of solvent species distillates in order to offer true sustainability with the emphasis on environmental protection. The new ready-to-use disinfectant is generally transported in 20 litre canisters and, accordingly, Richard Geiss GmbH has acquired an additional filling plant in order to meet the demand. Canisters are sent to the Günzburg district office via the company's own vehicle fleet, which then distributes the hand disinfectant to the appropriate locations. In addition to hospitals and clinics, the focus is also on retirement homes and other care facilities in the district. Bastian continued “of course, we also supply other counties in Swabia and Bavaria depending on where there is an urgent need.” About Richard Geiss GmbH: Based in Offingen in the Günzburg district of southern Germany Richard Geiss GmbH is one of the leading specialists in Europe for the processing of solvents. The company supplies solvents for industrial surface cleaning, for textile cleaning and for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Richard Geiss GmbH has an approved processing capacity of 50,000 tonnes of solvents per year which are processed into high-purity distillates. The company is certificated according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and as a waste processing centre in order to complete the supply loop. Richard Geiss GmbH employs approximately 100 people in Offingen and remains a family owned company founded in 1959 by Richard Geiss. It is now run by Bastian Geiss and his sister Nathalie Geiss-Zinner as third generation directors. Richard Geiss GmbH is represented in the UK by Geiss UK Ltd. Contact: Glenn Greenlees Telephone: [phone] Visit: www.geiss.co.uk NEW High voltage Holiday Detector Detects holidays, pinholes and other discontinuities using pulse DC n n n n n Lightweight, ergonomic design reduces operator fatigue Regulated pulse DC voltage output — ±5% accuracy Industry-standard connectors and adaptors for compatibility with nearly all existing electrodes Voltage calculator feature — choose one of 11 international standards, and input the coating thickness to automatically calculate the required test voltage Removable smart lithium-ion batteries provide long-lasting power Choose from a wide range of rolling spring and wire brush electrodes — custom sizes available Optional handheld wand accessory converts the detector into a wand configuration ideal for testing hardto-reach areas DFT Instruments UK LTD 16A Long Drive, Meadway, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2PN t: 01442 879494 www.dftinstruments.co.uk e: [email protected]