ClearTrace has specialised in infection prevention and control (IPC) treatment and deep cleaning of areas at risk of infection for over 10 years. Founder Adam Murfitt, a graduate of Lancaster, first approached the university when he decided to expand his offering in response to client demand. Adam attended the Lancashire Forum and managed to access funding for market research with the global leading management school.

“We are not shy about the fact that we do a lot of work with Lancaster University and many of our clients are pleased to hear it. The knowledge at the university and the skill set is second to none and I think for a local firm to be able to tap into that gives you a real advantage.”

The positive experience of working with the management school led ClearTrace to connect with the university’s new Health Innovation Campus, where they decided to co-locate earlier this year.

Now, housed in Health Innovation One along with Lancaster University’s Medical School and Division of Health Research, ClearTrace plan to partner with university academics to research IPC and to push technologies far beyond normal cleaning.

“The pandemic has resulted in a huge increase in interest and innovative approaches to infection prevention and there is great scope to carry out collaborative research with the university in this area.”

“The IPC cleaning chemicals, methods and products are, overall, based on unchallenged beliefs. As an example, the NHS, while a great organisation, is very slow to change and new product adverse and as such is now one of our only customers that resist a non-alcohol hand sanitiser. By working together we can change the perception of IPC cleaning for the better and have a massive impact on infection control.”

ClearTrace are fast becoming one of the leading IPC companies in the UK, supplying the NHS, the home office and numerous independent bodies. ClearTrace’s alcohol-free hand sanitiser is a new product they developed in response to the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19. This is one of just 3 alcohol-free hand sanitisers that has been proven to effectively combat COVID-19.

ClearTrace are also looking at other research avenues in the fight against COVID-19 and with the support of university experts want to explore the role that UV-C lights could play in preventing the spread of the virus.

“A relatively new product to the IPC industry is UV-C lights. While the manufactures of the equipment have their own test data none exist for real world usage. As provider of high quality and innovative medical cleaning products and systems we would look to carry out research with both the NHS and Lancaster University to find out the real-world ability of the various systems and the technology in general. We also want to look at the cleaning process itself as most companies and organisations are working from data and research decades old.”

To gain insight into how other companies were managing through the crisis ClearTrace registered for the COVID-19 Response Programme, a business support opportunity set up by the Health Innovation Campus and the Management School.

“The programme was interesting because most firms who participated had been negatively hit by Covid-19. For us, by the nature of our industry the pandemic positively impacted business. We secured a contract cleaning the ambulances that transported patients to and from the Nightingale Hospital, this was worth almost half a year's turn over in just one month.”

“I attended because our audience base has understandably widened significantly to now include schools and offices and factories. In order to know how best we can serve these clients I thought it would be valuable to hear about the challenges other organisations are facing and to find out how we can support them to operate in the safest way possible.”

“The insight the programme offered has led us to develop a rapid response cleaning team for emergency situations where organisations require prompt decontamination of premises.”

Adam went on to say “My expectations for the programme were high, and the experience was really valuable. I’d be surprised if there was a workshop at the university that I wouldn’t be satisfied with. By the nature of the people who attend university events you’re undoubtedly going to learn something useful.”

Health Innovation business support is fully-funded through the European Regional Development Fund and available to Lancashire-based SMEs (eligibility criteria applies). To find out more about upcoming opportunities and how to sign up visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/health-innovation/businessor emailbusiness.healthinnovation@lancaster.ac.uk