Market leaders join forces to develop an antimicrobial coating for shopping trolleys and in-store equipment

Supermarket shopping is a vital lifeline for most of us. With the outbreak of the pandemic the two companies embarked on a rapid development programme to develop solutions that could be tested and implemented quickly, to give additional antimicrobial protection to the retail environment. 

This consisted of laboratory trials, followed by in-store trials to test the effectiveness of the product in real time use. Following extensive testing and approvals, the new Wanzl Shield Master, powered by Biomaster, is now available and being implemented rapidly across the Wanzl supply platforms.

Wanzl Shield Master can be applied to products such as trolley handles within the manufacturing process, providing inbuilt Biomaster antimicrobial technology protection for the life of the product, or it can be added to durable ceramic-based coatings, which can be retrospectively applied to products already in service.

This new technology is currently being rolled out by Asda, who are adding it into trolley handles and various other in-store equipment handled by customers. It can also be added to other surfaces such as touch screens, conveyor belts and card readers. 

Wanzl is currently working with other retailers who are also launching with the new technology soon.

Marc Radforth, Sales and Marketing Director of Wanzl UK & Ireland, commented: “We are very proud to be actively supporting our clients to offer their customers consumers the most hygienic shopping experience available.

Our partnership with Biomaster is a critical step; enabling us to apply proven antimicrobial technology to the equipment that consumers frequently interact with as part of their shopping experience.”

Paul Morris, Founder and CEO of Addmaster and the creator of Biomaster antimicrobial technology, added: “As the retail world adapts to the new demands and concerns of consumers, it has to provide an environment that is as safe as possible to encourage people back into stores.

Our relationship with a market leader such as Wanzl is crucial to getting the technology adopted quickly so that it reaches as many people as possible.”

We have a similar relationship with the airline industry where Biomaster technology is used to protect surfaces inside the cabin. Wanzl Shield Master has also recently been applied to the luggage trolley handles at Birmingham airport.”

*Please note that Addmaster was acquired by the Polygiene Group AB in January 2021, so all news articles prior to that date will still be branded as Addmaster.