NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — April 16, 2020 — ViaClean Technologies — a biotech company that develops, manufactures and markets environmentally responsible solutions that protect life’s surfaces — today announced that the City School District of New Rochelle, the public school district located in New Rochelle, N.Y., treated all of its schools and facilities with the Company’s BIOPROTECTUs™ System that disinfects all surfaces and provides long term antimicrobial protection from problematic germs, including bacteria, molds and viruses.  The announcement was made today by Jim Young, chairman and managing director of ViaClean Technologies.

“We are gratified that the City School District of New Rochelle has chosen to disinfect and protect its city’s school facilities with the BIOPROTECTUs System to ensure the safety and well-being of its students, teachers, custodial services team and their facilities,” said Jim Young, chairman and managing director of ViaClean Technologies. “We look forward to continued support to the City School District of New Rochelle in its ongoing commitment to protect its 11 schools from germs, bacteria and viruses. We are confident that the BIOPROTECTUs System is the most effective technology and process available.”

“The City School District of New Rochelle is committed to the safety, health and well-being of all our occupants,” said Keith Watkins, assistant director of Facilities for Custodial Services at City School District of New Rochelle. “We are taking the necessary steps to prevent the spread of harmful germs and bacteria, further enhancing what we’re already doing to safeguard our students, staff and community. Being able to treat the surfaces and the air as a system will be very beneficial and something our students deserve.”

The BIOPROTECTUs System by ViaClean Technologies, encompasses an array of EPA registered and FDA compliant technologies that disinfect surfaces and spaces as well as provide long-term antimicrobial protection. An essential component in the BIOPROTECTUs System is BIOPROTECT — a water-based antimicrobial product that when applied to both porous and non-porous surfaces, creates a highly durable protective shield that provides long-term antimicrobial protection that inhibits and prevents the growth and spread of problematic bacteria, fungi, algae, mold and viruses. Extensive laboratory testing has established and corroborated that the BIOPROTECTUs System quickly eliminates and provides long-term eradication and suppression of germs and microorganisms. Additional testing has begun, under the auspices of the world renowned Global Virus Network, at two of the organization’s Centers of Excellence, to confirm the efficacy of BIOPROTECT on SARS-CoV-2.

The New Rochelle School District has approximately 11,000 students in 11 school buildings totaling more than 1.5 million square feet. Following its initial application, the City School District of New Rochelle will reapply the BIOPROTECTUs System every 90 days in order to continuously safeguard the schools, and its students and teachers, from harmful germs. The initial application included all interior spaces, exterior door hardware and playground structures. This will support and work in conjunction with additional preventative measures that the District has already taken, including disinfecting all schools three times per week with PurTabs and Protexus applicators.

“Years of research, invention, development and commercial trials and sales have culminated in a series of patents and regulatory approvals that bring the BIOPROTECTUs System to the forefront of solving the full range of microbiological problems,” said Dr. Curtis White chief technology officer of ViaClean Technologies. “This is a system that provides quick kill and long-term control of microorganisms on products and on surfaces and meets sustainability and environmentally responsible guideline principles.”

Posted April 16, 2020

Source: ViaClean Technologies LLC

BEVERLY, Mass. — April 16, 2020 — Sciessent, a U.S.-based global provider of antimicrobial (AM) solutions based on controlled delivery, is working with a cooperative consortium of major apparel manufacturers that are dedicating production line capacity to meet the U.S. need for masks during the COVID-19 outbreak. Leading manufacturers within this consortium are incorporating Sciessent’s Agion® antimicrobial solution into masks designed for use in healthcare facilities. The Agion treatment incorporated into masks is modeled after the FDA, EU and Canadian cleared Nexera surgical respirator, that relies on Agion Antimicrobial performance to make FDA cleared claims to inactivate viruses by 99.99 percent in 5 minutes and kill 99.99 percent of bacteria in one hour.

Sciessent is providing chemistry to the  consortium to produce 700 million face masks. The mills involved in U.S. production of the Agion-treated masks include long term partners of Sciessent and Parkdale Inc., American Apparel, Volunteer Knits, Beverly Knits, Sanmar and Carolina Cotton.

“We’re honored to be a part of this extraordinary effort to help meet the needs of this global challenge. Some models of Agion-treated masks are reusable and effective up to fifteen wash warm, tumble dry high cycles before discarding,” said Paul Ford, CEO, Sciessent. “The Sciessent team is committed to helping both healthcare device manufacturers and those from other sectors who are retooling to produce PPE, to get up and running with a proven effective, FDA cleared antimicrobial solution.”

Sciessent’s ability to partner with manufacturers through the FDA review process is key to those companies’ successful increase of their production of the types of masks currently in short supply during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Sciessent Healthcare, Technical and Regulatory team effectively and quickly turns around answers to safety, efficacy and labeling questions posed by the FDA.

The Agion® Antimicrobial is presently registered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a preservative and bacteriostatic agent for use in treated articles under 40 CFR 152.25a. The information presented herein is not intended to support or endorse public health claims for treated articles. The Agion Antimicrobial is also used in medical devices under the Food and Drug Administration; those medical device claims are based on safety and efficacy testing and are limited to those approved by FDA.  In the EU, the Agion Antimicrobial is used in medical devices under the Medical Device Directive: those medical device claims are based on safety and efficacy testing and are limited to those approved by the designated Competent Authorities and/or Notified Bodies.

Posted April 16, 2020

Source: Sciessent

WINTERTHUR, Switzerland — April 16, 2020 — In relation to participation in the Annual General Meeting on April 16, 2020, the board of directors of Rieter Holding Ltd. arranged exclusively written or electronic voting and the granting of power of attorney to the independent proxy. In taking this approach, the board of directors relied on Article 6a, lit. b of Ordinance 2 of the Swiss Federal Council (Measures to Combat the Coronavirus of March 16, 2020). Physical participation by the shareholders was therefore not possible. The Annual General Meeting was held on the premises of Rieter Holding Ltd. at the company’s headquarters in Winterthur.

At the Annual General Meeting of Rieter Holding Ltd. on April 16, 2020, the independent proxy represented a total of 2,025 shareholders who hold 64.3 percent of the share capital.

A dividend of 4.50 Swiss francs per share was agreed. The shareholders approved the proposed maximum total amounts of the remuneration of the members of the board of directors and of the Group Executive Committee for fiscal year 2021.

The Chairman of the Board Bernhard Jucker and members of the board of directors, This E. Schneider, Michael Pieper, Hans-Peter Schwald, Peter Spuhler, Roger Baillod, Carl Illi and Luc Tack were confirmed for an additional one-year term of office.

Furthermore, Schneider, Schwald and Jucker, the members of the Remuneration Committee who were standing for election, were also each re-elected for a one-year term of office.

Shareholders also adopted all other motions proposed by the board of directors, namely approval of the annual report, the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements for 2019, and formal approval of the actions of the members of the board of directors and those of the Group Executive Committee in the year under review. In addition, the authorized capital was extended for a further two years.

COVID-19

At present, it is not possible to predict how the global COVID-19 pandemic will affect Rieter’s sales and earnings in the first and second half of 2020, and thus also for 2020 as a whole.

Rieter therefore refrains from providing an outlook for financial year 2020 and will issue the relevant information as part of the semi-annual report on July 16, 2020.

The company has taken the necessary measures to protect employees and to meet commitments to customers as far as possible.

Thanks to long-standing customer relationships, a focus on innovation, global positioning and the company’s financial stability, Rieter will successfully overcome the challenges.

Posted April 16, 2020

Source: Rieter

BALLY, Pa. — April 15, 2020 — Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), an industry designer, developer, and manufacturer of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics, announces it is manufacturing urgently needed narrow woven structural tapes and elastics for use in a range of medical items required for the current COVID-19 emergency. The tapes and elastics are used by manufacturers of facemasks, face shields, gowns, other personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical patient soft goods, as well as patient slings, wheelchair harnesses, braces, and respiratory equipment.

BRM offers ¼- to ½-inch woven tapes and webbing in natural polyester and elastic. Latex free options are available, as well as material with 100 percent elastic stretch. Also available are ¼-inch to ¾-inch nylon grosgrain binding tapes used in medical tie applications and special designs where Velcro is utilized for closure.

BRM manufactures medical items in a certified clean room to ensure cleanliness and quality and maintains the rigorous ISO 13485:2016 certification for the design and manufacture of medical devices. Additionally, medical textiles engineers, and prototype weavers, and braiders at BRM work on a confidential basis to protect the intellectual property of customers.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM)