Colorado Company Meritech Doubles Automatic Hand Washing Machine Production During Pandemic
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - More than a year into the pandemic, one Colorado company is seeing their business skyrocket because they specialize in making a machine that does just one thing: washes your hands for you. Hiring and production has increased to meet the demand.
"These are automated hand hygiene systems, or they're called clean tech systems. They fully wash and sanitize your hands in 12 seconds," said Paul Barnhill, the Meritech Chief of Technology. "Once you put your hands in the system automatically turns on for the first 2 seconds it gives you a potable water rinse, then it's going to mix Meritech's proprietary hygiene solution with the water to wash and sanitize your hands, then it gives you a potable rinse all in 12 seconds."
The company was founded in the 1990s as a solution to improve hygiene at hospitals. Now because of COVID-19, schools, restaurants, even airports are installing the devices.
"A year and a half ago restaurants were looking more for the back of the house for their employees to make sure their hands are clean. After the pandemic that transitioned to the front of the house for the patrons coming in to feel more comfortable coming into an establishment," said Meritech VP of Sales and Marketing Will Eaton.
More business has meant more hiring at the company's headquarters in Golden.
"Over 200% growth. We tripled the size of our sales team. We had to redesign our manufacturing floor to be able to add more workstations to keep up with the demand," said Eaton.
The manufacturing staff has doubled and so has the space they work in to make sure they can stay properly distanced during the pandemic. The company is hoping to take human error out of handwashing, and they believe an emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene will remain for years to come.
"Automation really removes human error," Eaton said. "Today, the message is pretty loud and clear, people completely understand how important hygiene is."
