Island-based company Strix is hoping to do more business in China.

The company, which is based in Forrest House, Ronaldsway and has a factory in Ramsey, is best known for its work in the design, manufacture and supply of kettle safety controls.

Now it has launched what it calls ’HaloPure’ technology water purification and disinfection solution within the livestock farming industry in China.

The HaloPure technology, bought from HaloSource in March 2019, not only treats raw incoming water, but also maintains a continuing sanitised environment throughout the water line, which is a ’perfect’ application for industries reliant on long-distance water lines with significant bacteria contamination such as livestock farming.

In China, more than 15 billion poultry and pigs are farmed annually.

The total market is estimated at £555m, with Strix focusing on the higher end, automated farms worth about £55m, which have been growing rapidly.

The HaloPure filtration contains a porous, highly cross-linked polymeric brominated resin with a high surface area which firstly eliminates any microorganisms in the water and then releases hypobromous acid to maintain microbial control which, in turn, prevents pathogenic microorganisms from reproducing.

Current alternative solutions within livestock farming rely on an ultra-filtration membrane technology which provides single use filtration but no ongoing measure to control water microbial build up.

Strix has been conducting live testing in China for the past 12 months, with system enhancement and performance improvements due to be completed by the end of the year.

The board is encouraged by these results and full commercial roll-out is anticipated this autumn.

The HaloPure technology is being developed in a number of their new applications.

Not only was Strix able to use this technology during the Covid-19 pandemic as a disinfecting mist, killing any viruses or bacteria on the clothes of employees entering its factories, but this technology has also been identified for use in numerous other healthcare and dentistry applications.

Strix has recently appointed one of the leading medical product manufacturers in China as an exclusive distributor within the dentistry market in the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and trials are currently being undertaken in selected hospitals.

Mark Bartlett, the chief executive officer of Strix, said: ’The board is delighted with the progress of the HaloPure technology following the successful integration of HaloSource assets into Strix which it purchased in March 2019.

’The technology played a key role for the company’s business during the height of the pandemic and now it is being adopted in numerous industries that require a water purification and disinfection solution.

’It offers a unique, real time solution of safe and effective disinfection of water to many industries.

’The livestock farming industry in the People’s Republic of China is clearly a considerable market opportunity in addition to the healthcare and dentistry industries. The technology is well positioned to respond to an anticipated policy in China, which will require regulated water for use in all livestock farms, hospitals and clinics.

’Following the strategic expansion into new markets, Strix continues to focus its business beyond kettle controls and capturing the medium-term opportunities by entering into commercial agreements which will drive future profitability. We look forward to updating the market on the development of this technology as well as other new products in the coming months.’