Life Science Review Award (Biotech Edition)
Copptech Driving Innovation with Antimicrobial Technology
Copptech is spreading innovation from Chile by taking an active role in creating greater global awareness of the country’s biotech expertise. The leading biotech company has developed over 30 formulations based on its patented antimicrobial technology to effectively eliminate ≥99.9 of bacteria, viruses, termites, and other pathogenic microorganisms. The technology can be added to a variety of materials, including textiles, plastics, and paints, to create a protective barrier between infectious sources and users.
Before making its original technology available for commercial use, Copptech thoroughly studied the properties of copper and the role of antimicrobial applications in improving well-being across different industries.
“Our solutions start with challenging conventional thinking. Then we get pragmatic about understanding real-world factors like supply chain, cost, and ease of implementation to come up with our solutions so that we can make it easy for our partners to innovate in their industries,” says Barbara Silberberg, cofounder and head of Latam at Copptech.
“We explored industry-specific supply chains and took multiple factors into account, like the ingredients required, costs involved, manufacturing processes, and the most suited form.”
For instance, to prevent the premature destruction of wooden panels caused by bacteria and fungi, traditional additives can be replaced with Copptech’s antimicrobial technology. This protects the panels from termite infestation, providing tangible benefits for the end user.
Copptech’s natural and people-safe ingredients increase product durability and reduce odor. Available in a variety of formats, including masterbatch, powder, liquid, and coatings, they can be incorporated across a wide spectrum of existing manufacturing processes.
Unlike its competitors that adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, Copptech develops bespoke formulas that fit client needs. The focus has always been on starting development efforts from the outside in, identifying challenges, and then using those challenges as catalysts for innovation.
“The majority of our competitors have a solution that has proven effective for certain problems. We work the other way around. We look for problems that people think cannot be solved and deliver effective solutions backed by science and research,” says Silberberg.
Distinguished by its deep scientific expertise, Copptech’s R&D team adheres to rigorous scientific and regulatory standards, internally and in collaboration with educational institutions. The combination of its new R&D hub in the U.K., commitment to addressing real human challenges, and broad understanding across industries enables the company to streamline commercial implementation for its clients, allowing them to bring novel products to market without significant process changes or capital expenses.
Copptech’s vast expertise also enables it to act as a ‘science partner’ for Latin American clients during new product development. By anticipating their requirements during international expansion, it provides solutions with the potential to scale without further change or development. It has also been expanding its operations to the U.S. Case in point, American insole manufacturer and OEM supplier Purra Performance leverages the Copptech Antimicrobial Technology for its footwear and sporting products.
This ability to help clients expand into new markets was demonstrated when Bash, a reputed Chilean physical security solution provider, decided to launch a padlock product line for use in highly unhygienic environments like locker rooms, gyms, and workplaces. Copptech worked with the client to develop an antimicrobial coating that eliminates 99.9 percent of bacteria in two hours. A decade after launching this new product line, Bash has captured over 10 percent of the padlock market share in Chile and enhanced customer experience by ensuring the locks they use offer protection against bacteria.
Copptech is determined to use its scientific expertise to bring new products to market that benefit the planet. The company aims to make a positive impact at home in Chile and around the world by tackling challenges like food waste, transforming the packaging industry, setting higher standards in the construction sector with more durable building materials, and transforming the textile industry withantimicrobial clothing.
