Al Sayed, Managing Director at MYDIS: A Range of Non-Alcoholic Sanitisers

MYDIS is a range of non-alcoholic sanitisers and disinfection products manufactured in the UK. It is a British family-run company based in Essex with engineers across all regions of the UK, and founded by a team with over twenty years of experience in the disinfection industry.

Our range is proven to kill coronaviruses in 60 seconds – twice as fast as the regulatory standard – and is used across the services, leisure, hospitality, manufacturing and medical sectors. Our products include the Portal, an automated walk-in booth, and fogging machines, that both emit a fine mist of vapourised sanitising solution.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

My team and I have been working in commercial and industrial sanitation and disinfection for over twenty years. We do a lot of work in Dubai, where the preference is a non-alcoholic solution. We realised there was a need for safe and effective solutions that could be used in commercial premises to disinfect workspaces and venues, particularly those with high footfall or where a lot of people might be coming and going – such as factories and warehouses. We wanted to continue offering non-alcoholic sanitiser.

It is kinder and gentler on the skin, making it more suitable for people with skin conditions like eczema, as well as children and older people who have more fragile skin. In addition, it’s better suited for settings like schools, family homes where there might be fireplaces or other hazards, and people who avoid alcohol for personal or religious reasons.

So, in 2019 we began using our chemicals and disinfection experience combined with our tech expertise, to develop our marquee products like the Portal and the fogger. The line was ready to launch shortly before the pandemic took over. While there’s no doubt the virus has had dreadful effects on communities across the UK – and the world – we’re proud to pioneer a safe, gentle but extremely effective product that helps keep businesses and their staff safe, offering peace of mind during this difficult time.

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

First thing’s first, make sure there’s a need for the product or service you want to provide. It should really make a difference in people’s lives or add value in some way. Once you’ve identified that, work on a strategy for bringing it to market and stress test it to figure out any flaws or areas for improvement. It’s also a really great time to run your plans by a few people and see what comments you get – a mentor, colleague, family member or a friend might offer a different perspective or suggest a few tweaks that can really help improve your offering.

Finally, once you’ve laid all of that groundwork, it’s time to get started. Be laser-focused on your strategy and work on it with passion. Passion is the fuel to your success, the drive that keeps you going as you work on getting things off the ground.

What can we hope to see from MYDIS in the future?

We’re continuing to develop our range of products, with an increasing focus on bio-security.

We’ve just released a new Portal, which is equipped with security technology. It includes a body temperature gauge and facial recognition software that can detect whether a user is wearing a face mask or covering, prompting users to wear one if they aren’t already. The Portal can lock barriers, preventing individuals with a high temperature or who aren’t wearing a face mask from entering the venue. It’s also compatible with the NHS Track and Trace app. We’re looking forward to rolling this out at venues across the UK.