Keeping public transport clean with antiviral surface protection

The HÜBNER Group is now offering AIRDAL’s antiviral surface protection product for all relevant areas in local transport vehicles.

Working together to stop the viral spread in buses and trains, the HÜBNER Group has entered into a cooperation agreement with AIRDAL for the distribution of the AIRDAL antiviral surface protection products in the mobility sector.

“Regional transit companies are encountering major challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” explains Helge Förster, General Manager of the HÜBNER Group and responsible for the company’s mobility business segment. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, passenger numbers have been below the levels of last year – even though buses and trains have not been identified as a particular source of infection spread. We have been looking for solutions to support our customers in the current difficult period – and with AIRDAL we have found one.”

As a leading supplier for the mobility industry, HÜBNER is now offering AIRDAL’s antiviral surface protection product (Coating) for all relevant areas in local transport vehicles.

“We are very pleased to have found a strong partner in the bus and rail market who we can work together with to offer our products in this market segment,” comments Marice Sevecke, Head of Business Development Airdal-Retail. The product makes it impossible for viruses or bacteria to survive on holding bars, in seating areas, in the vehicle entrances and gangways and in the driver’s cockpit – everywhere that persons have direct skin contact with surfaces in the vehicles.

Tim Dortans, Head of Bus Service at HÜBNER, said: “In providing this protection, AIRDAL works entirely through its physical properties: After application, an ultra-thin protective film made of amorphous glass is formed on the surface. Ultra-miniature barbs in this film destroy the cell wall of viruses and bacteria. Pathogens are eliminated in this way and cannot be spread further. The advantages: The treated surfaces don’t need to be cleaned and disinfected so frequently – while still achieving the same level of infection protection. After just a short period following application, the quantity of microorganisms on surfaces is reduced by approximately 99.9 per cent, as shown in independent testing. And this effect is achieved without any negative impact on the coated materials.

Cost savings in cleaning and disinfection

The invisible surface protection remains effective for up to 12 months after application. With this long-lasting protection, vehicles don’t need to be disinfected so frequently – which allows for local transit companies to save on costs. In addition, the surface protection can make for a new feeling of safety for passengers,” points out Christoph Steinbach, Head of Sales After Sales & Service for railway vehicles. The application of AIRDAL is simple and easy, as Christoph explains: “After a pre-cleaning, AIRDAL can simply be applied to surfaces without any additional preparation. Two persons can thus disinfect an entire vehicle in a short period of time.”

On surfaces where AIRDAL has been applied, an additional chemical disinfection is not necessary. These surfaces should simply be cleaned at the regular intervals.

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