Hand Dryer Industry Is Building A Worldwide Association

During the last years there has been a lot of discussion whether electric hand drying is hygienic or not. Myths and various stories are being told on TV, in newspapers, magazines and on the web while the technology is on the rise. More and more public facilities, shopping center, restaurants, gyms and stores installed them at their toilets. Companies from the electric hand dryer industry now got together building a worldwide association, called the electric Handdryer Association (eHA). In this series of interviews eHA founding members talk about their plans and why electric hand drying will be the system of the future.

Question: You and your company are about to found the electric hand dryer association together with other big players from the hand dryer industry. What is your motivation?

Susanne Friis Eden: Although we as manufacturers of electric hand dryers are competitors, we feel that it’s important to raise our voices and talk about the increasing problem with CO2 emissions and consumption of paper. United we stand stronger in this respect. We believe that we all have a moral obligation to engage in fighting the environmental challenges.

Question: Is there any visible trend in your main sales market or country where the use of electric hand dryers has raised? Which sectors are offering the strongest growth prospects?

Susanne Friis Eden: Today people are increasingly conscious of good hygiene and elegant interior in public toilets. We see a trend towards more and more customers focusing not only of function but also on design. On top of that an electric hand dryer is a far more economic choice than paper and reduces cleaning.

Question: There are allegations that electric hand dryers are not hygienic? What do you say about it?

Susanne Friis Eden: Our studies show the opposite; a conventional electrical hand dryer heats the air to a temperature at which bacteria cannot survive. Thus, the air striking your hands will contain less bacteria than the air you breathe in. Unfortunately, we have seen some reports that twist the information and thus public some results we cannot recognize.

Question: Your message is: Electric hand drying is the system of the future. Why?

Susanne Friis Eden: Our agenda is to create an awareness of the overuse of paper and the increasing CO2 emissions. An electrical hand dryer is in our opinion the most economical and nature-friendly way to dry your hands.

You want to know more about the electric Handdryer Association and how to become a member? Contact us by mail@handdryerassociation.org or phone +49 30 20 21 58 04.