With the paper napkin and tissue industry accounting for a huge market value across the globe, Gant Innovations has created an efficient, effective solution to a long term problem within the paper napkin and tissues industry. Just how can you get the things to stay on your knee?
Tissues and Hygiene is a huge global industry, with the market value of this sector in the UK rising steadily from 2011 to 2016 year on year. Market data analyst group Statista puts the market value of Tissues and Hygiene at some €5 billion this year, just in the UK alone. And Gant Innovations stands out in this very important sector as a company offering a standard of excellence and innovation that deserves the recognition the rapidly-growing business is experiencing.
NEW INVENTION
Gant stands out particularly because of a new invention the company has launched that puts napkins where they should be, and keeps them there – and this invention has seen growth outwards from simple napkins to a huge range of uses and applications. As with all seemingly simple innovations, there’s a flash of inspiration and genius behind the concept, and we caught up with Gant’s CEO Gail Shaw to find out more about it.
“In August 2009, I had what can only be described as a light bulb moment. I was watching the TV, at which time I saw men tucking their paper napkins into their shirt collars to protect their suits from lunch spillage, and a lady spreading the napkin across her chest and tucking it into her bra straps. Having watched this awkwardness, and the inappropriate method of keeping a paper napkin in place, it made me think how much cleaner and easier it would be to have a napkin which you could just open and have it stick to you.”
WORKING WITH AN EXISTING GLOBAL BRAND
After extensive testing, Gant Innovations has developed an adhesive paper napkin that stays on the lap or on the shirt when eating. Ensuring that they wanted to guarantee the best quality and efficacy of the product, Gant worked with global adhesive giant to develop and use an adhesive that had as little impact on the original product as possible. Working with a company of this calibre obviously not only offers assurance that the product has been well-researched, but having the ISO Certification gives the quality assurance and peace of mind that our products can adhere to skin or clothing.
Following a two-year development process, the GANTIK™ product was launched, and since then the company’s patent attorney has increased its coverage of products to now include dental bibs, children’s bibs, medical drapes, and care / nursing bibs to name but a few.
“My research actually took in excess of six years,” explains Gail, “initially to find if any such product had ever been manufactured, and then to find a suitable adhesive for this concept. We found that patent applications had been submitted over 20 years previously, but had never reached the manufacturing stage owing to the cost. Each patent that had previously been submitted had silicone strips covering the adhesive which would have to be removed prior to use, not only creating more waste, but far more costly for production, as the silicone was more expensive than the paper napkin. I wanted an adhesive that could be applied as a thin line along the edge of the paper napkin which would not create any further weight or interfere with the packaging parameters.”
FORMULATION FOR SUCCESS
After years of negotiating, trials and testing, one of the largest adhesive manufacturers worldwide has formulated an adhesive for Gant Innovations which can be applied to the napkin during the manufacturing process and activates when napkin is opened for use. The GANTIK™ product was launched at the Barcelona trade fair in the spring of 2015 at which time not only the product but the concept was viewed by a number of different industries.
The adhesive napkin is a far more preferable and hygienic method of use, as it prevents them from constantly falling on the floor or floating away under the chair in front on an airline or train etc. They are suitable for use, at home, in a children’s nursery, in a care home, in hospitals and so on. There is no need for tape or reinforcement as the napkin adhesive activates when it’s opened for the first time and is able to be removed and re-used. The product has undergone all the necessary testing as per health glucophage and safety, aging, extreme temperature and weight control. This has no effect on the current packaging parameters either.
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW APPLICATIONS
Owing to the extensive uses on which this hygienic GANTIK™ concept can be used, Gant Innovations is now licensing its GANTIK™ technology and application method to a number of countries in different markets, particularly the medical and dental sector as it is far more hygienic, and easy to use with no cross contamination.
“In addition to dental and medical, Gant is in discussions with companies operating in a variety of market sectors,” explains Gail, “including nursing homes, janitorial product, tissues, children’s bibs, automotive and precision engineering wipes, to name only a few! Gant Innovations has worldwide patents on both the concept and the method of this technology and application, and every day we are discovering more uses for the patent within areas we had not previously considered. It’s all very exciting and we finally feel we are reaping the rewards of many years of hard work.”
GANT FACTS
- This is the first adhesive paper napkin manufactured without silicone tape or reinforcement
- There is no drop in napkin productivity when this addition is applied
- The adhesive is formulated exclusively for Gant Innovations by a world renowned adhesive manufacturer
- In a survey 75% of respondents said the napkin was ‘excellent’
- Consumers said they would be prepared to pay 33% more for napkins if they had adhesive
- 59% said they would definitely buy adhesive napkins
- The above represents a volume category growth of 13%
- Cost effective in the dental, medical and care home sectors
Gant Innovations would like to invite all interested companies worldwide to license their
GANTIK™ concept.
