MALMÖ, Sweden — Polygiene, Malmö, Sweden, has acquired UK-based Addmaster Holdings Limited, supplier of high-performance additives to the plastics, textile, paper, paints and coatings industries. The purchase makes Polygiene a comprehensive supplier of antimicrobial solutions for both soft and hard surfaces. At an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held at the end of 2020, the company voted in favor of Polygiene’s acquisition of Addmaster Holdings Limited for purchase price of SEK 374 million.

“It’s great to have the backing of the EGM. We can now focus on merging the two companies and getting the organization established. The acquisition will allow us to offer the market a comprehensive solution of antimicrobial functions for both soft surfaces such as textiles and hard surfaces such as floors, handles, kitchen and bathroom fittings in public spaces. This reduces the need for washing and cleaning, therefore lessens our environmental impact,” said Ulrika Björk, CEO of Polygiene. The company was established following the 2004 SARS pandemic through a spin-off from the Perstorp Group.

Of Polygiene’s antimicrobial and odor management products ViralOff, BioStatic and OdorCrunch, the former, launched in the spring, has performed the best. According to an ISO standard, it is over 99% effective at breaking down viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID-19, within two hours.

“Our vision is to fundamentally transform the industry, partly by encouraging consumers to change their behavior and wash less, and partly by getting the industry to adopt our functions and by doing so be part of building an eco-friendly society with an approach to consumption that is more sustainable in the long term. The market is vast and is expected to grow from $10 billion to $20 billion over the next five years on a global scale. We want to be an important and active player in this development, and we hope the industry will come on board, particularly now that our offering is even more extensive.”

Paul Morris, founder of Addmaster, added, “It’s a very exciting time being part of bringing together two major players in the antimicrobial industry and creating a powerhouse capable of dominating the industry by being the provider of all solutions for all applications. Utilizing the brand power of companies, will significantly enhance the value proposition of antimicrobial protection to our clients, when the public are so educated in the need for hygienic protection and demand is so high.”