Laboratorios Authex in Marratxí manufactures Tot Herba sustainable natural cosmetics and Flor de Ametler perfumes. But since the coronavirus crisis started, instead of using its stock of alcohol for perfumes, its being used to manufacture hand sanitising gel.
Miguel Ángel Benito, who owns the company says that, on March 19, he informed the Government Delegation that the company could manufacture a 70% alcoholic lotion with glycerin and essential oils for hand cleaning at its Camí de Can Frontera facilities in Pont d’Inca.
Aina Calvo, the former Mayoress of Palma, contacted the laboratories to facilitate links between the Health Authorities, State Security Forces and other public services and to confirm that Laboratorios Authex would be manufacturing the disinfectant gels.
“Our first priority is to donate the gels to the Personnel at the Health Centres, secondly, to the Security Forces and, thirdly, to all of the other Professionals at risk, these are the criteria we follow when we make donations,” says Benito.
Miguel Ángel Benito says his company has already made urgent deliveries of 500 units containing 100 grams each and promised that production will continue.
"We are working really hard and as long as we have a single drop of alcohol we will continue to produce gel for those in the community who urgently need it," he said.
The initiative has prompted others in the Chemistry Sector to help and Benito says "they are willing to use all the alcohol they have for the same cause so we will facilitate the registrations."
Laboratorios Authex is a small company deeply rooted in Marratxí and its facilities are under pressure to comply with all European standards to manufacture these gels.
Packaging
As a gesture of solidarity the packaging for the products comes from the two places that have suffered most because of coronavirus.
"The packaging comes from China and Italy because the only factory in Majorca closed down two years ago," says Miguel Ángel Benito.