Kiilto fights coronavirus - new partnerships to respond to increased demand
Production of Kiilto DAX Mild soap at the Krämfabriken production plant in Borlänge has started. Thanks to the new collaboration between Kiilto and Svenska Krämfabriken, the Swedish healthcare sector has received a long-awaited supplement of soap. In June, Krämfabriken will also start producing hand sanitizer for Kiilto.
Due to the Corona epidemic, the need for soap and hand disinfectant is enormous. Kiilto currently produces soap and disinfectant around the clock in its factory in Assens, Denmark to meet the increased demand, but at present it is not enough. It is important that the healthcare sector, in particular, receives all the soap and disinfectant products that it needs, which is why Kiilto has worked intensively with several solutions in different locations in Sweden to increase capacity.
The cooperation between Kiilto and Krämfabriken started when the Government Offices, via the trade organization IKEM, asked the Krämfabriken to switch its production to hand sanitizer. The cream factory contacted Kiilto, and together it was concluded that the most effective way was to start producing soap. Then it rolled on.
Bottles and pumps were purchased, Kiilto shared recipes, mixing instructions and arranged for transport. The cream factory dedicated its own production line, with the capacity to manufacture 18 tons of Kiilto DAX Mild soap per day. The cream factory went up from two to three shifts, which was possible thanks to the fact that the officials at the production plant in Borlänge jumped into production.
Two weeks later, on Wednesday, April 8, the first soap delivery was ready.
“What has been required is for everyone involved to give everything in terms of energy, time and knowledge. This is no way to maximize profits in the short term. It’s about providing Swedish healthcare with the necessary products,” said Patrik Hene, KiiltoClean AB’s country manager in Sweden.
The cream factory’s CEO Johan Mattsson is very proud. He explained, “Kiilto was a natural partner and DAX is a respected brand.” He is pleased that Krämfabriken is involved in ensuring the needed care. “We have been called by hospitals on both weekends and late evenings. It was so amazing to be able to send 20 pallets of hand soap directly to Karolinska today and two pallets to Falu Laser - with one day's notice. Together with Kiilto we have been able to do that,” said Johan Mattsson.
Patrik Hene at the Krämfabrikens production plant in Borlänge, Dalarna, where hair care products, skin creams and makeup are usually manufactured. Today, soap is also being produced.
Increased production of hand disinfectant
In addition to soap, the healthcare sector needs hand disinfectant. In order to meet demand, Kiilto has initiated two other new collaborations. The company, Paragon, in Vallentuna (in the Stockholm region) fills bottles with DAX Hand disinfectant. Paragon delivers 100,000 bottles (of 500 mL) per week.
The second collaboration is with Inpac, a company that usually fills small bottles for The Absolut Company.
“We asked them if they could fill DAX hands-free in the bottles instead of Absolut Vodka for a period of time and they wanted to,” said Patrik Hene.
From Inpac 50,000 bottles (of 500 mL) are delivered per week.
The hand disinfectant packaged at Paragon and Inpac come from Kiilto’s production plant in Hankasalmi, Finland. There, Kiilto changed its production to facilitate the production of hand disinfectants. Normally, the Hankasalmi factory manufactures household cleaning products. The hand spirit from Finland is transported to Sweden by ferry, packed in 920-liter IBC (international bulk container) packaging.
Patrik Hene thanks everyone who helped increase the production of both soap and hand disinfectant. “Everyone involved, led by Kiilto’s Lars Ryding, has gone above and beyond and achieved results in record time. It’s an amazing feeling. We know that both soap and hand disinfection are absolutely critical to healthcare.”
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