Ingersoll Rand Unveils New Door Hardware Made From Antimicrobial Copper

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Aug 12, 2013, 04:00 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ingersoll Rand has launched a new range of door hardware products made with CuVerro® bactericidal copper alloys that have been proven to reduce bacteria* that cause healthcare-associated infections. The global industrial giant made the announcement of its new ActivClean™ portfolio recently at the 2013 American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) Conference and Exposition in Atlanta and now joins a rapidly-growing list of companies marketing products that feature the powerful antimicrobial properties of copper.

The new ActivClean™ range of door hardware includes locks, push-pull latches, exit devices, pull handles and push plates expressly designed for use in hospitals, medical offices and other healthcare facilities. The use of antimicrobial surfaces in these settings has proved to be a much-needed tool in the ongoing fight against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

"Clinical trials have now proven that copper surfaces can reduce HAIs in the Intensive Care Unit by as much as 58 percent," said Dr. Harold Michels, Senior Vice President of the Copper Development Association (CDA). "This new line of hardware is a great step in the right direction when it comes to patient safety."

The arrival of ActivClean™ opens a promising new market for Ingersoll Rand, whose widely-diversified product offerings include locks, credentials, exit devices, door closers and other hardware from well-known brands like Schlage, aptiQ, Von Duprin and Steelcraft.

"With CuVerro® touch surfaces, ActivClean™ hardware products can proactively protect patients and staff from infectious bacteria*," a spokesperson for Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies said. "CuVerro antimicrobial copper alloys have been proven to continuously kill more than 99.9 percent of bacteria within just two hours of contact."

Working with Ingersoll Rand is an equally important step for CuVerro®, according to the company's Business Development Director, Peter Gude. "We're very excited for the opportunity to partner with a company of their stature and capabilities," Gude says. 'We hope this is just the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship between Ingersoll Rand and CuVerro® as both companies move forward in the healthcare field."

CuVerro® is an Olin Brass company—an industry leader in providing EPA-registered Antimicrobial Copper surfaces for product manufacturers serving healthcare, education, hospitality, and other select industries. Olin Brass is wholly owned by GBC Metals, Inc.

For more information, and to view Antimicrobial Copper products offered by companies around the world, visit the Product Directory on www.antimicrobialcopper.com.

About the Copper Development Association
The Copper Development Association Inc. is the market development, engineering and information services arm of the copper industry, chartered to enhance and expand markets for copper and its alloys in North America. Learn more on our blog. Follow us on Twitter.

About Antimicrobial Copper
*Laboratory testing shows that, when cleaned regularly, Antimicrobial Copper surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of the following bacteria within 2 hours of exposure: MRSA, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7. Antimicrobial Copper surfaces are a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices and have been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but do not necessarily prevent cross contamination; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices. Specific product claims related to clinical trial results and reducing HAIs are not approved by US EPA. CuVerro® is a signature family of EPA-registered Antimicrobial Copper alloys offered by one of several EPA-registered bulk alloy suppliers.

EPA approval for public health claims. In the U.S., after many years of research, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered more than 400 copper based alloys, such as brass and bronze, as public health antimicrobial products. Antimicrobial Copper is the only class of solid touch surfaces registered by the EPA to continuously kill bacteria that cause infections and pose a risk to human health.

Copper is the active, microbe killing ingredient. Antimicrobial Copper isn't just pure copper. It's shorthand for a host of copper based metals (or alloys) that can go head-to-head with stainless steel in terms of strength, durability and aesthetics. In addition to their antimicrobial properties, copper alloys are: