Ebbw Vale antimicrobial brand SteriTouch has been added to new umbrella company Radical Materials, following diversification of the company’s products.

SteriTouch started in 2003, supplying antimicrobial additives based on silver.

When products such as swimming pool matting, decorative paints and earphones are manufactured using a SteriTouch additive, they become protected against bacteria and mould growth for life.

The company’s reputation for technical excellence has grown over the past 15 years, resulting in partnerships with many household names, including Sennheiser, Mothercare and World Dryer, all of which have used the SteriTouch brand on their products.

Continuous growth has seen the company move premises three times, most recently in 2017 with a £500,000 investment in an industrial unit in Ebbw Vale.

With modern offices for its growing staff, the new facility has enabled expansion of manufacturing capabilities and the development of a mechanical and environmental testing laboratory.

New products in other sectors have recently been introduced, such as detectable solutions for plastics in food processing, and conductive polymers for thermal management to replace traditional metal parts.

It became clear that while SteriTouch was an ideal brand for the antimicrobial sector, it was becoming restrictive as a company name.

Nick Corlett, director of SteriTouch, said: "Our focus has always been on delivering the best possible solution for every application, which led many of our customers to approach us with projects falling outside our established expertise, such as detectable materials or functional modifiers.

"As this aspect of the business grew and we invested heavily in the development of bespoke solutions, it became very evident that the SteriTouch name was no longer an accurate representation of the products and services we provide.

"While SteriTouch remains a crucial element within our portfolio, the decision to change to a name with a broader, less restrictive scope was an easy one. Choosing the name itself proved somewhat less straightforward, but we feel that Radical Materials is an appropriate reflection of our strategy and aspiration for the next 15 years."

The brands SteriTouch, SCOPIC and Konduct will now feature under the Radical Materials banner.