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Steri Spray
Showers that prevent legionnaires disease
Business description
Steri-Spray offers a range of patented showers that prevent legionnaires disease. Steri-Spray showers use ultraviolet light at a low voltage to keep the shower head itself free from water borne bacteria, whilst also treating incoming water to kill off any bacteria before the water flows through the unit. With three designs available, Steri-Spray can be used with any existing shower installation and the cost of the unit will be competitive with standard shower products.
A shower unit that protects the user from contracting legionnaires disease, a potentially life-saving invention, at a price similar to a standard shower unit. The Steri-Spray is great news for facilities managers in sectors such as healthcare, leisure and education, for whom preventing legionnaires disease is currently a key health and safety issue.
Pitcher
Ian Helmore
Series 5 episode 6
Investors
Deborah Meaden
Theo Paphitis
£’s invested
£145,000
% stake in business
20%
Deborah’s reasons for investing
I could see straight away the applications for the product and I believed from personal experience that there was a need it for in the leisure sector. I also knew that I had a contact in the NHS so I felt that I might be able to add value getting the product to market.
What’s happened since they appeared in the Den?
Since appearing on Dragons Den the final product designs have been completed and tested. The expensive injection moulding tools required to make the end products have been made and the electronic circuitry has been designed and manufactured. All of the patent, trademark and design right processes required to ensure the product is fully protected from infringement, including the American patent, have been paid for and granted. Finally, the products have passed the world’s most stringent and recognised water testing standard and are now ready for market. They are due to be launched in the UK this summer.
In addition to the showers, other ‘spin-off’ products have also been developed including the Steri -Cleanse. Steri-Cleanse is designed to deal with the issue of cross contamination of MRSA via showers in hospitals. It is a sterile, single use, disposable and bio-degradable attachment that plugs onto the outlets of Steri-Spray showers to prevent cross contamination and still deliver sterile water.
Latest update from Ian
It has taken some eight months longer than I expected to get the products ready for market (although Deborah and Theo both suggested it would!) but we are now ready to go head to head with the commercial shower manufacturers. Our products offer the added advantage of having our innovative technology built in, at a cost that’s competitive with standard showers.
Without Deborah and Theos investment I would not have been able to continue with the Steri-Spray project any longer, the patent fees were financially crippling me and I simply didn’t have any more money to invest in getting the product to market. Of course, in addition to the investment we also get the benefit of Deborah and Theos business acumen and contacts, which is going to be invaluable over the coming months as we launch the products.
After all of this time and effort, it's great to see the showers now starting to be installed and used!
Contact details
01462 491 005
Steri-Spray Ltd, PO Box 271, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 5WU
