Vuplast: Cakovec-made Biohazard Bags Help Croatian and EU Hospitals

Lauren Simmonds

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes on the 19th of October, 2020, For more than 40 years, Vuplast has been producing and processing plastics, and during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, their degradable “biohazard” bag has been popular. It is made of 100% recyclable material, which decomposes when washed, without negative effects on the washing machine, and is used by hospitals, kindergartens and homes for the elderly.

“It feels wonderful when you’re an entrepreneur and get one such recognition. We hope that they will recognise our positive business strategy “, said Ivan Marcius, head of business logistics at Vuplast.

Degradable and not harmful to the environment

“So far, we ‘ve used more than 50 tonnes of recycled plastic that stood as waste and used it to fight the spread of the pandemic. By combining recycled PE-LD material and water-soluble PVA material, we’ve devised a way that damp clothing, bedding and textiles in general can be placed in such a bag, and it’s safe to close it, too. We sell a set/box containing 100 yellow bags with a press for washing contaminated clothes, two red bags with a press for disposing of the rest of the yellow bags after the washing process because it can be used for further recycling, 102 laces for closing yellow and red bags, the confirmation of the disinfection of the product and the packaging process and instructions for use. They’re strong and provide excellent insulation and are much more resistant to mechanical and chemical damage compared to 100% soluble washable bags. They can withstand up to 10 kilograms of textiles with proper handling, while for comparison, about 100 kilograms can be placed in 100% soluble PVA bags,” explained Vuplast’s Marcius. The project, which they themselves coordinated and led, employed 35 people during the largest orders.

Vuplast is also engaged in research in collaboration with their partner institutes and laboratories where they want to scientifically prove that 100% soluble PVA bags are more harmful to the environment. “When hospitals use our bags, we can recycle them after washing. When using a 100% soluble PVA washing bag, melt the complete bag and drain the material into the drain. We’re the only manufacturer of such products and everyone feels safe when they use our bags. This was recognised by European hospitals and laundries that turned to our bags. We worked day and night to deliver our products to everyone,” pointed out Marcius.

Their clients here in Croatia are mainly food companies, the pharmaceutical industry, utilities and hospitals. He says that he will earn more than last year, and this year they didn’t ask for incentives and support for preserving jobs. The company also distributes toilet paper, sheets, kitchen towels, napkins and soaps, as well as producing PVC wrappers, folders, binders and liners. It currently has four employees, and new job positions are planned.

”It’s important that we have work to do”

Vuplast has customers all over the EU, and they recently exported bags for washing contaminated clothes to Switzerland. Them being chosen as the best entrepreneurial story will help them, the host added, to further market this product. They will apply for the Increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources in manufacturing industries project in order to reconstruct their existing storage and production facilities and invest in the construction of a solar power plant that would be sufficient for their production.

”We’ll also build new production facilities where we’ll have the highest hygiene standards so that we can make further progress in packaging and production for large pharmaceutical companies. We’re also planning a small logistics distribution centre for our products. It’s important that we have a job and that our workers are satisfied,” concluded Vuplast’s Ivan Marcius.

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