Soft furnishings for aircrafts successfully tested against SARS-CoV-2
UK-based MGR Foamtex Ltd, manufacturer of advanced passenger upholstery systems for premium cabin seating, has announced that its advanced antimicrobial MGRSafeWall product protection system has been successfully tested against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, using Addmaster’s Biomaster antimicrobial technology.
Addmaster Holdings has since 8 January 2021 been a wholly owned subsidiary of Sweden-based Polygiene AB.
Polygiene CEO Ulrika Björk said: “The aircraft and airline industries are actively working to adapt to the new normal when flying will be frequent again. MGR Foamtex is one of several new partners supplying antimicrobial materials for aircraft seats, upholstery and interiors to make the cabin as safe as possible. This is an area where Polygiene’s and Addmaster's antimicrobial solutions will add value and work as a second line of defence in addition to regular cleaning, and we anticipate an increased demand for this kind of functionality going forward.”
Laboratory testing to ISO 18184 protocols using MGRSafeWall and real aircraft cabin products has demonstrated efficacy of 96.8% against SARS-CoV-2. In addition to the viral testing, MGRSafeWall has also shown excellent behaviour in flammability, abrasion and resistance to cleaning agent tests.
MGR Foamtex MD Jon Rose added: “This is truly exciting news for all of us in the industry. It is a real game-changer as we believe that this is the first time that real aircraft cabin materials have been tested with actual SARS-CoV-2. MGRSafeWall really is a great product for the current environment and will also keep giving value in the future.”
MGR Foamtex first partnered with Addmaster for the use of Biomaster antimicrobial technology in its new MGRSafeWall product range in August 2020.
Surfaces treated with Biomaster technology are proven to reduce the microbial load and the opportunities for cross contamination and provide an important second line of defence in addition to regular cleaning protocols.
The active antimicrobial agent is built into the product during the manufacturing process, so the product protection is effective 24/7 for the useful lifetime of the item.