Developed to create cleaner, healthier environments everywhere

This summer sees the launch of three new Crown Trade Steracryl decorative coatings which will dramatically extend the scope and application of this long established hygiene range. With its new scrubbable anti bacterial and mould inhibiting products Crown Trade is offering healthcare and housing providers new ways to create healthier environments and at the same time extend their maintenance schedules. Brand Manager Debbie Orr reports....

You don’t need to work in the healthcare sector to know about so called ‘Superbugs’. Outbreaks of ‘hospital acquired infections’ involving MRSA, Streptococcus, Klebsiella and other illness-causing bacteria are rife and never far from the media headlines. Every health trust in the land is waging a war against harmful micro-organisms and seeking new, more effective ways to prevent the spread of infection in order to keep their patients, staff and visitors safe. It’s also common knowledge that trusts are constantly under pressure to cut their operating costs and make savings in every area, including the maintenance budget.

We wanted to help healthcare providers on both fronts and set out to develop a range of high performance anti bacterial coatings that would not only play a critical role in the infection control programme, but which would also significantly extend the interval between redecoration cycles and therefore help to deliver long term cost savings.

There are a number of different ways to create anti bacterial paint, including the use of controversial organic antimicrobial agents such as Triclosan. We chose to use a well established, proven technology that has been recognised for centuries as a completely safe yet highly effective means of reducing the growth of harmful organisms.

Accordingly, new Crown Trade Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt and Durable Acrylic Eggshell both incorporate SteriTouch® antimicrobial additives which employ the natural sterilising properties of silver. These same silver ion additives are also used to provide anti bacterial protection in mattresses, textiles, wall cladding panels, furniture surfaces, flooring, curtains, door handles, bandages and surgical equipment. All SteriTouch® additives have comprehensive approvals, including FDA and EFSA for food contact and provide excellent levels of protection while remaining safe for even the most sensitive applications.  

All variants of the Steracryl Anti Bacterial range have been independently tested for anti bacterial efficacy using the internationally recognised JIS Z 2801:2000/ISO 22196:2007 method. In addition, we have undertaken our own field trials at NHS facilities to test the durability, scrubbability and appearance retention of these products in a variety of healthcare settings. Both the Scrubbable Matt and Durable Acrylic Eggshell products have been proven to extend redecoration cycles, enabling cash-strapped health trusts to stretch their maintenance budgets further.

Like Crown Trade Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt, Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt and Durable Acrylic Eggshell coatings are intrinsically stain resistant and boast a Class 1 Scrub rating. Indeed when ‘scrub tested’ according to ISO 11998, Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt lost less than 5 microns of film thickness after 200 cycles, representing a 400% increase in resistance to wet scrubbing compared to conventional vinyl matt.

Our two new hygienic coatings are now available in a White and Pastel colour range in a 5 litre pack size. Although they will be specified predominantly in healthcare environments, their anti bacterial properties and tough and durable finishes also make them ideally suited for use in all sorts of food preparation areas where hygiene is a top priority and where regular and rigorous cleaning of surfaces is required.   

Crown Trade Steracryl Mould Inhibiting Matt will already be known to many of you as a highly effective way to prevent the spread of organic growth, especially in areas subject to condensation. Indeed it is the most widely specified mould inhibiting decorative coating in the UK. Whilst it has many applications in the commercial market it is perhaps most frequently used in social housing refurb programmes to bring kitchens and bathrooms up to Decent Homes standards and in ‘voids’ which may be without adequate heat and ventilation for long periods of time.

Mould growth doesn’t just disfigure interior walls and ceilings. If left unchecked, it can lead to respiratory problems for those who have to live with it. By preventing the spread of the spores, Steracryl doesn’t just improve aesthetic appearances; it also helps to create a healthier environment.

To complement Steracryl Mould Inhibiting Matt and offer an additional hardwearing, high opacity finish for challenging areas, we’ve introduced Crown Trade Mould Inhibiting Durable Acrylic Eggshell. Suitable for broadwall areas and wooden trim, this highly durable washable finish is available in a White and Pastel colour range in a 5 litre pack size.

Both Steracryl Mould Inhibiting products contain fungicide which maintains decorated surfaces by inhibiting the development of mould growth on the paint film. Fungal testing has been carried out to British Standard test procedure BS3900:G6