Home » Business » Michel transformed his factory to produce hydroalcoholic gel in the midst of the crisis: it has become a real sector

Michel transformed his factory to produce hydroalcoholic gel in the midst of the crisis: it has become a real sector

At the height of the coronavirus crisis, the Federal Public Health Service asked companies to manufacture hydroalcoholic gel to support the effort against the coronavirus. Some companies have partly converted, to the point of having found a viable economic model. Today, some sectors could even create jobs.

One of our teams went to the Codibel company in Seneffe. She was able to observe the manufacturing process put in place. Tanks of 1,500 liters previously used to make beauty products for hair are now used to prepare hydroalcoholic gel. For example, water, alcohol and certain perfumes are mixed there for a very precise result. “It should not stick, evaporate quite easily, and contain the required minimum of 70% alcohol, of course.“, explains Henry Duroisin, production manager for Codibel.

We do the quality control on each batch that is made by us

At the heart of the crisis, the number of companies manufacturing this product would have tripled in Belgium to meet the demands of hospitals. On the site we visited, we have already manufactured 150 tonnes of gel, or 10 tonnes per week. The requests are still there but more considered. “Qualitative research takes over. We now have more questions on the irritant nature or not of the products. Whether they are really well gelled or not“, indicates Michel Knops, CEO of Codibel.

Because for each production, the company checks the properties of the gel. Standards established in collaboration with the SPF Santé. This guarantee makes it possible to protect you a priori from brands of lower quality, sometimes from other countries. “We do the quality control on every batch that is made in our house. Quality control consists of checking the PH, checking the viscosity, and the alcoholic degrees, of course.“, specifies Suzanne Knops, quality manager for Codibel.

Towards new jobs?

In this company, which initially specialized in cosmetics, it was finally decided to continue manufacturing gel. The sector which now represents 30% of the activity. It could even increase. “We are resolutely taking a long-term perspective. We really want this to become an important part of our production. At the moment we only work with one shift (editor’s note: work session). If it was necessary, for reasons of quantity, to create a second shift, we must imagine that it would represent 6 or 7 job creations“, confides Michel Knops.

The company currently only produces for Belgium. Its sales are intended for other private companies but also for public structures.

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