Raju T. Jethwani, the Chairman of Eurostar Group, speaks to Arabian Reseller about how his company is combating the slowdown due to COVID-19 and diversifying into new areas of business
Tell us about Eurostar’s plans to combat the COVID-19 situation?
Eurostar always innovates and embraces new technology horizons even during the challenging times in the history of mankind. Our B2B Business cycle is on the long term and mostly infra related which has a very consistent pattern of operations.
Has the company diversified into other areas of business?
Eurostar currently is consolidating its business lines and now with energy efficiency and management, telecom and utilities, and infra-related products. We also offer multimedia products such as hotel TV, pay TV catering to the hospitality and community living sector, personal care division and 3PL logistics are the focused business the group is pursuing apart from the newly launched Anti Epidemic Equipment Division.
You recently announced that you will start offering products in the sanitization business. Can you share more details?
We have launched Sanitisation Tunnels, Thermal Scanner Face Recognition Devices, UV Blaster, Escalator Handrail UV light, UV Disinfection Trolley for Airports and Hyper/Supermarkets.
According to you, when will the regional market bounce back after the hardships faced during COVID-19?
The markets will take time to reach post-COVID Levels, most probably by mid-2021. However, it all depends on the various governments equipping themselves with the vaccine for COVID and implementing preventive measures to regain business confidences.
Why are products and solutions such as sanitization tunnels, UV sanitization solutions and so on necessary?
An essential step in reopening businesses, offices, schools, and so on, during the COVID-19 outbreak is incorporating new technologies and new products that can make the public feel safer and confident to get back and go about their routines till the time a cure is found. Continuous disinfection of the premises becomes a necessity in such a situation and apart from the usual cleaning and disinfecting methods that were already in place, new technologies such as sanitization tunnels , UVC sterilizers, and so on, are being deployed.
The solutions used to disinfect the surfaces and air which are the common places of transmission of the virus. It should be kept in mind that these solutions are to be incorporate in addition to the existing practices of social distancing, masks, and hand sanitizers, which are not to be ignored.
What are your thoughts on UV-C sterilizers?
Of all the technologies to combat the pandemic UVC sterilizers of various types have been found to be the most effective. Germicidal UVC light has been around for several decades and the most commonly known are the ones used to sterilize the equipment in salons. With outbreak UVC has found a renewed and more wider acceptance as its well know and proven fact that UVC light at bandwidths of 200 to 280nm.
It can deactivate various pathogens including bacterias and viruses. Tests in labs have shown to effectively deactivate the earlier known coronaviruses such as MERS, SARS, and so on. And off late, it has been established to be effective against the COVID-19. Various UVC light sterilizers like handheld wands, UVC boxes, UVC towers, UVC trolley and baggage disinfection tunnels, chambers, UVC disinfection robots, UVC lighting fixtures, and so on, are being introduced in the market. As direct exposure to UVC light is dangerous for humans these are used in unoccupied places and under supervision of trained manpower.
