The black swan event has disrupted the business opportunity of the hospitality sector drastically. To survive in current crisis, every player of the industry rolled out its safety guidelines and new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to instill a sense of security in guest’s mind. To help the industry under these unprecedented times, O2Cure rolls out an air-purifier that has been successfully tested by CCMB-CSIR virology lab in India for reduction of SARS-CoV 2 by 97.48 per cent and by Innovation Bio-Analysis lab in USA for reduction of SARS-CoV-2 virus by 99 per cent from air and surfaces. Their products also prevent from other air contaminants like bacteria, viruses, germs, gases, particles, dust, pollen, and other hazardous pathogens.
To further understand the company’s vision for the hospitality sector, BW HOTELIER speaks with Kartik Singh, Founder of O2Cure, where he mentioned, “When we talk about V-shape recovery, the bottom V is the hospitality sector.”
“The main idea behind getting into this sector was to help them to invite guests with precautions. With this technology, the guests can have a sense of security that even if they take off the mask, are at a six-meter distance, and a person sneezes or coughs, they are taken care of,” he added.
He explained that he wanted to enter into the right segment with the right giant and that’s when he pitched the product to ITC Ltd. “ITC has their own microbiologist on board and their own testing parameters. They tested our product for four months and directly spoke with ICMR, the government virology doctors about hydrogen peroxide and its use and effectiveness. And after that we finally got a breakthrough,” he further elaborated.
The O2Cure air-purifiers are currently installed at ITC Maurya in New Delhi and the founder of the company informed that they will be providing its services to all ITC hotels. The cost of the air-purifier depends on the model of air-purifier. A 2,000 square feet room with central air-conditioning costs about rupees 75,000 that takes care of complete indoor space. The device lasts upto 30,000 hours (upto three to three and a half years) and post that the O2Cure team gets in touch with its clients for service that is chargeable at 40 per cent of the original cost.
Listing the major clients of the company, Singhal said, “In hospitality sector, ITC is the pioneer right now but we're in discussions with different other groups for different products with the same technology. Other than that Google, Microsoft and Amazon are our international customers using the product all over the world.”
O2Cure has also strategically collaborated with Bollywood actor, entrepreneur & fitness enthusiast, Suniel Shetty who lists mask, sanitizer and O2Cure as his three essentials that he carries everywhere. Excited about the association with O2Cure, Suniel Shetty commented, “I felt a sense of security & honesty when I came across O2Cure products. Unlike other air purifier brands in the market, these products are really helpful in not only controlling airborne diseases but also neutralising the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) upto 99 per cent.”
“Also, team O2 Cure’s motivation and commitment towards providing the society with a solution to fight the deadly virus, was inspiring. Their special expertise & focus on R&D has today enabled them to offer solutions such as these, designed to offer us the much needed sense of security as our lives move back to normalcy. I am pretty hopeful that this collaboration will lead to changing people’s life for good and bringing a sense of safety around their environment,” he added.
Talking about entering into the travel segment, Singhal informed that talks are going on with the concerned people. “There are some authorities who are evaluating it and some have accepted it,” he stated.
The 32-year old Zeco Aircon Ltd, parent company of O2 Cure, provides central air conditioners for the hospitality industry. With four factories in India, the company has been giving air conditioning solutions to many hotels in the country. O2Cure carries forward over 3 decades of work in R&D by Zeco Aircon in air management systems and the use of advanced testing equipment’s enables them to meet the growing need for air filtration solutions for both corporate & individual consumers.
The brand is also planning to introduce a new product line in the market that will focus on countering all types of air pollutants from indoor & outdoor air and surfaces. The future growth expected by O2Cure is a 20-25 per cent year-on-year growth in terms of revenue which is in light to the demand witnessed for their current product line. O2 Cure products and technology focus on neutralising viruses, bacteria, PM levels, microbial, thereby reducing cross-contamination and making indoor air healthier to breathe.