Member Article

World’s first antimicrobial bear comes ‘home’

A giant bear sculpture which formed part of Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s The Big Sleuth initiative during the summer has returned ‘home’ to Stafford.

‘Bear Necessities’ has taken pride of place in the reception area of Addmaster, the market leading supplier of technically innovative additives which is based on Staffordshire Technology Park.

Addmaster was one of nearly 100 sponsors of the bears which provided a major attraction on the streets of Birmingham and the surrounding areas over the summer for The Big Sleuth, a community initiative designed to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

The bears went up for auction at the end of the 10 week-campaign, raising more than £250,000 in total, with Addmaster securing its own bear despite stiff competition.

Karl Shaw, marketing manager at Addmaster, said: “We were delighted to play a part in raising money for a fantastic cause.

“Bear Necessities now provides a big talking point for visitors to our office as it is the world’s first antimicrobial public artwork.”

Bear Necessities, which was designed and brought to life by artist Anne-Marie Byrne, has a unique coating featuring Biomaster antimicrobial product protection to make it the first sculpture in the UK to have a truly hygienic finish.

In order to create a first of its kind, Biomaster technology was incorporated into the Easy On + coating by Urban Hygiene to coat the 165cm-tall bear.

Biomaster inhibits the growth of bacteria so that when microbes come into contact with a surface protected by the technology, they can’t grow, produce energy or replicate and therefore they die.

The protection works 24/7 and doesn’t wear off or affect the basic colour or surface finish of any product to which it is added.

Biomaster can be easily added to products and surfaces in high risk areas to provide antimicrobial product protection and is used in a wide range of applications from medical equipment and washroom products to kitchen products and flooring.

Urban Hygiene have now made Biomaster a permanent addition to their Easy On + coating which is widely used in hospitals.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Stuart .