Warrington-based Christeyns Food Hygiene has taken its specialist flammables unit out of mothballs and prepared it for operation in just three days.
Unit 2 at the company’s Winwick Quay, Warrington base was originally set up to produce Phago’rub Gel and solution products but closed in September 2019.
Senior Chemist, Mike Taylor, said: “The unit was shut down as we prepared for alternative supply from our sister production facility in France. However, with hand disinfection products in such short supply, we wanted to do all we could to get the unit up and running again.”
The Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency were notified of the re-opening and COMAH documentation was prepared to update relevant risk assessments and emergency procedures. Christeyns Food Hygiene also had their alcohol licences upgraded by HMRC as a priority case.
A full equipment check followed: electrics, weighing and extraction systems were re-tested, flooring re-sealed and a full clean carried out. New procedures were put in place for the production of the five litre packs, with capacity for up to 1200 litres per batch.
Mike continued: “On a normal shift day, we can produce two batches, so up to 2400 litres of hand gel or solution and we have secured future deliveries of all the key ingredients so as to ensure continued production, and where possible, extend production shifts.”
Phago’rub is a range of highly active products, containing pure raw materials and components such as a blend of skin conditioning agents to ensure they achieve frequent use and hypoallergenic status, and are suitable for medical use.
The finished goods are being distributed using Christeyns’ fleet of vehicles as well as via distribution partners, covering the whole of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The firm continues to produce its water-based, non-microbiological Hand Soap and Mousse as well as Sanisafe M, which is microbiologically active and dispensed via modern foam units.
