Spinning out onto the uk market, a revolutionary energy-efficient and cost-saving spinning air hand dryer is set to have a massive impact on the commercial washrooms sector… Revolution is in the air W ith claims to be the World’s greenest, quietest and fastest hand dryer to the commercial washroom sector, SAVortex has launched The Vortex Hand Dryer – a patent- protected spinning air hand dryer which uses no heating elements, saving energy and dries hands in just 10 seconds. Syed Ahmed is the founder, chief executive and driving force behind SAVortex Limited. Having hit the headlines by reaching the final five in Series 2 of BBC TV’s ‘The Apprentice’, Syed Ahmed may be a familiar face to many – but few are aware of the real story behind his success. Having initially financed the project from the start he has brought together a highly respected management team including experienced engineers and innovative designers who have invented this revolutionary new technique to heat air efficiently using absolute minimal energy. Working with fellow director, Chief Technology Officer Peter Williams, a distinguished electrical and mechanical engineer who specialises in energy efficiency and air flow dynamics, it is the first product launched by the company in a portfolio of design and engineering excellence. “My main objectives were to found a company that could produce innovative British-designed products and moreover be efficient in the workplace, sustainable and economical in today’s environment by reducing energy costs and saving on electricity,” comments Ahmed. The Vortex Hand Dryer has three unique capabilities: • Spinning air technology The technique of heating air without the need of commonly used, environmentally unfriendly and uneconomical electrical heating elements that consume huge amounts of energy. It is a unique patented spinning air technology, where its motion gently breaks water on the surface of hands more quickly rather than blasting our hands, delivering low-cost, fast, quieter drying. This spinning technique creates a ‘curve’ of warm air, similar to how an aeroplane wing curves up at its end in flight, that naturally feels warmer due to the wraparound effect. • Regenerative heat recovery The regenerative heating technique complements the spinning air from the nozzle by better air mixing and conserving energy – it uses minimum energy by recovering and reusing heat that’s used whilst drying; saving money as well as reducing the impact on the environment and producing the industry’s lowest heat emissions. Not only will this Key benefits: • Power Consumption : 900W only, lowest carbon footprint; • Quieter and Faster : 10-second drying time; • Longer lasting (5 x life cycle); • Antibacterial coating and more hygienic; • Compelling cost savings : 97% cost savings against paper towels; • Protected IP – granted patents; • Space-saving sink mounting and dripless floor; • Easy installation. reduce electricity costs, increasing over-all carbon efficiency; the Vortex is the lowest carbon footprint dryer in its class. • IP54 design classification The Vortex Hand Dryer is unique in that it is the only electrical hand dryer to have been granted IP54 design classification, which means that it can be mounted directly above a sink avoiding water droplets from hands being splashed onto a washroom floor and removing the risk of users slipping. The Vortex Hand Dryer can quite literally be showered itself, which opens up a whole host of new installation opportunities in the health, hygiene and food- processing industries. It enables the technique of heating air efficiently, using the principles of thermodynamics to reduce energy consumption. SAVortex dryers use a proprietary digital brushless technology, compressing and spinning air to produce heat. This removes the need for unreliable, uneconomical and environmentally unfriendly heating elements; delivering long life, industry-beating power drying at 10 seconds drying time and excellent hygiene – and all at a massively reduced energy consumption of sub 1kW (only 900W) with dramatically lowered maintenance costs. It’s not just hot air… this is sound advice With exposure to over 90dB carrying a risk to your hearing, noise levels was a serious consideration when developing this product. The Vortex is the quietest in its range operating from 80dB; quieter than some hand dryers operating at 90 or 100dB. At 90dB the sound energy is ten times that of 80dB and at 100dB it’s 100 times! The difference is the same as that between a dial tone on your phone and an underground train at 200 yards! Just imagine a whole row of other manufacturers’ dryers operating well over 80dB and what that could do to you and your employees’ hearing. Honours all round Although just entering the electrical hand dryer market, Ahmed has every reason to be confident of securing orders and making a real impact having just scooped a Best Business Award for Best New Product and, most recently, been shortlisted for the sustain’ Magazine Awards under the most competitive category of Product of the Year. “I am delighted that we’ve won our very first award,” says Ahmed. “This is an important milestone for the company and proves that our hard work and effort is beginning to pay off. The fact that we have been shortlisted for the prestigious sustain’ magazine award for Product of the Year is just a really exciting time for us. To be recognised by sustain’ magazine is a real honour.” To learn more about The Vortex Hand Dryer visit www.savortex.com or call 0207 847 4091. The sustain’ Awards 2010 take place on 2 March at Chelsea FC, Stamford Bridge, London. For further info www.sustainmagazine.com PAGE 1 SUSTAIN’ v10 i06 Pictured: Founder and CEO of SAVortex, Syed Ahmed, with the revolutionary Vortex Hand Dryer.