Beamsville, Ontario-based Clean Works Medical and Pure Life Machinery have received a $2 million investment from the province of Ontario to help manufacture a device that sanitizes personal protective equipment (PPE).
The provincial funding comes from the $50 million Ontario Together Fund, which was launched in April to help businesses provide solutions or retool their operations in order to manufacture essential medical supplies and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Ontario Together Fund will enable us to scale up our production and triple our capacity.”
With the new funding, Clean Works Medical will scale up the production of the Clean Flow Healthcare Mini, a portable disinfectant device that was developed using Clean Works’ existing technology that sanitizes fruits and vegetables. Clean Works will use the investment to tool up a new manufacturing facility in the Niagara region, retrain staff, and hire 19 new employees.
“We are ecstatic that the Ontario government has selected Clean Works Medical and Pure Life Machinery as recipients of the Ontario Together Fund,” said Mark VanderVeen, president of Clean Works. “The Ontario Together Fund will enable us to scale up our production and triple our capacity. Our innovative disinfection devices will ensure those on the frontlines have clean PPE to continue the fight against COVID-19.”
In 2012, Clean Works became a joint venture between Moyer’s Apple Products and Court Holdings Ltd. Clean Works Medical pivoted at the onset of the pandemic and received approval from Health Canada to bring its technology to front-line healthcare workers.
Through partnerships with the University of Guelph and McMaster University, Clean Works retooled to manufacture these medical devices, and is currently servicing 45 healthcare institutions across Canada.
Clean Works Medical’s technology uses UV light, hydrogen peroxide, and ozone to decontaminate surfaces. The company claims its PPE disinfectant device can kill 99.99 percent of COVID-19-infected matter on materials and surfaces, and that it can decontaminate up to 800 N95 masks per hour.
Since its launch, the Ontario Together web portal has received more than 28,000 submissions. More than 18,000 emergency supplies leads have been converted into $775 million in purchases of supplies and equipment, including 29 million gowns, 177 million gloves, 144 million masks and over 14 million face shields.
“By making targeted investments and supporting these homegrown innovative trailblazers, we are not only supporting our economic recovery, we are also making sure we are ready with the necessary PPE and equipment should the need arise in the future,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford at Tuesday press briefing.
Image source Clean Works.
