MALMÖ, SWEDEN -- Many workers in the construction industry are exposed to concrete dust, which contains silica. The dust can damage the respiratory tracts, and awareness of the negative health effects has led to progressively lower thresholds and more stringent work environment rules throughout the world. Powerful industrial vacuum cleaners have become standard to protect personnel against dust and a Swedish innovation is playing an important role in this. Based in Malmö, Sweden, Paxxo has developed one of the most important components in achieving a dust-free work environment. Lately, the rules and regulations for this industry require dust-free handling to protect the workers and contractors can be fined for not implementing the necessary protection. In the U.S., the OSHA standard (29 CFR 1926.1153) requires employers to limit worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica and to take other steps to protect workers. Paxxo’s Longopac system is the solution for this requirement.
“Our bag system has become standard for industrial vacuum cleaners and is used by over 40 manufacturers across the world such as Husqvarna,” said sHenrik Péters, Paxxo’s CEO. “The dust is collected in a closed bag system, which is sealed without needing to be opened. Our bags are combined with powerful vacuum cleaners and HEPA filters, so that grinding wood or concrete floors and other dust-generating jobs can now be carried out totally dust-free.”
With Paxxo’s solution, the vacuum cleaner is loaded with a folded 75 feet (23 meters) bag cassette. With a few simple movements, a bag can be replaced in a smooth and environmentally friendly way. Since the bags are sealed at exactly the same size as the waste, there is no unnecessary waste of plastic. In fact, this system saves up to 70% of the plastic compared with other bags, which are currently used in the construction industry. The concrete dust makes the bags very heavy, which requires the material to be extremely thin and strong.
“We like to call Paxxo the invisible people’s best friend,” said Christina Jellnor, sales and marketing manager at Paxxo. “People whose jobs involve grinding, drilling or demolition are seldom seen, and their work is dirty and thankless. Our commitment to helping make their working days a little better by improving their work environment is a major motivator for us.”
Demand from users of industrial vacuum cleaners is so high that Paxxo is investing $5 million USD in expanding its facility in Sweden.
”This is the greatest investment in the company’s history,” added Péters. “It will give us substantially greater production capacity and provides space for further expansion for many years to come. We are seeing increased demand in many segments, but most of all in dealing with dust.”
The company was founded in Sweden in 1980 and has been active in U.S. since early 1990s, with a sales office in Georgia. Paxxo is also a world-leader in the municipal segment, with the company’s system in use in 35,000 sewage treatment plants around the world. The company’s products are sold via certified partners. For more information, visit www.paxxo.com.
