Silver Defender, a new company established in 2020, has developed antimicrobial protected films that are ideally suited for today’s working environments. The company’s films and tapes can be utilized for door handles, hand rails, elevator buttons, credit card machines, shopping carts, touchscreens and more. For label and package printers, these films provide an opportunity to expand into new business areas, especially as more people return to offices during the pandemic.

“Label and narrow web companies can provide longer-term cleanliness and create customized, branded products to cover surfaces, creating an opportunity for promotion and cleaner spaces,” explains Zeynep Ekemen, managing partner of Silver Defender. “Businesses anywhere in the world can benefit from our products. They react to pressure and touch, enabling longer lasting cleanliness as compared to the use of sprays or wipes.”

Silver Defender’s technology is activated by light, air pressure and touch. The proprietary designs contain an antimicrobial agent that protects the film from bacteria, mold, mildew and fungi. Silver ions react with and affect multiple sites in bacterial cells on the exterior, keeping it clean.

Demand for these films has come from every market segment imaginable, with interest particularly high in urban environments where businesses are looking to create better cleaning efficiencies in high-traffic spaces. Recently, Silver Defender received a grant on behalf of the Office of Export Promotion within the New Jersey Department of State and the Business Action Center for the first ever grant for a domestic and/or international billboard in London.

“This year taught us to be hyper-vigilant about germs, touching and distancing,” says Ekemen. “As the country continues to navigate best practices for cleaning amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the Delta variant, we at Silver Defender hope to help bring a sense of normalcy back to everyday life. Businesses and consumers can enjoy some peace of mind and sense of safety where Silver Defender’s effective and innovative products are used.”

As consumers shift their attention to health and wellness, Silver Defender is anticipating strong growth in the future. “The new normal has shifted our awareness around the world,” adds Ekemen. “We’re paying more attention to the spaces we move through, the air we share, the surfaces we touch. Thinking about our every interaction with the world around us naturally changes the way we think about cleanliness for ourselves and each other. Before the onset of COVID-19 and now, Silver Defender has held one goal: to help others in their quest for cleanliness. Our antimicrobial tapes, available in various sizes, can cover any surface. Ideally our products are a tool to help alleviate some of the stresses of high traffic touchpoints – like doorhandles, credit card machines, you name it – making the world a little cleaner, one surface at a time.”

Silver Defender has also placed a strong emphasis on customer service, especially as brands and corporations begin to navigate uncharted waters. Even though many companies have instituted work from home policies, employees will start being welcomed back at some point in the near future – with a greater sense of awareness to cleanliness and best practices. In an office environment, these films and tapes can help promote a better work atmosphere. The company is committed to showcasing how its products can help office spaces of the future.

“Silver Defender has always had an outstanding commitment to service,” remarks Ekemen. “My background in real estate informed our approach, in part. Every client and business has a unique set of needs, but in 2020 we were unified by a communal problem that we were already solving. Our job was, and is, to show our clients how they can best protect and clean their spaces. They need service that is led by both empathy and ease of use for a complex problem.”