Summary
- Profile Type
- Business Offer
- POD Reference
- BOGB20240104013
- Term of Validity
- 4 January 2024 - 3 January 2026
- Company's Country
- United Kingdom
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement
- Targeted Countries
- Poland
- Vietnam
- Brazil
- Ukraine
- Singapore
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General information
- Short Summary
- The business is a small business founded in the UK operating to provide displaced and low-income communities with an accessible, off-grid washing solution. Their strategy is to identify a small number of export markets to test the viability of their solution in various target markets. They are actively seeking potential partners to support them in conducting initial market pilots, as well as facilitating manufacturing and distribution.
- Full Description
-
The business is dedicated to designing, developing and distributing low-cost, manual washing machines to provide displaced and low-income people with an alternative to hand washing clothes. Their machines are low cost affordable, manually powered, use less water than handwashing and save energy. Their newest model is Divya 1.6.5.
The business has already established distribution links in India, Uganda, Kenya, and the United States. They are in search of a collaborator in Europe who can assist in distributing their machines to regions with limited access to electricity and water, including refugee camps, with a specific focus on empowering women. After a successful pilot project and initial distribution, their long-term goal is to identify a local manufacturing partner to develop and produce off-grid washing machines in the region.
The business would like to identify a range of distributors and manufacturers:
- experienced in exporting goods and international shipping,
- Ideally located close to a major port,
- ISO accredited,
- Experience working with certification labs and getting products certified,
- High ethical, environmental and safety values and standards (CSR audits from international customers/bodies useful as evidence). - Advantages and Innovations
- A portable off-grid washing machine designed to operate without electricity, perfectly suited for regions with limited access to power, like rural areas and refugee camps. This innovative machine not only conserves energy but also minimises water consumption compared to the traditional washing machines available in the market.
- Technical Specification or Expertise Sought
-
The business is seeking potential partners who meet the following criteria:
-Experienced in exporting goods and international shipping.
-Ability to make high quality, low cost user friendly products.
-Able to produce initial volumes of washing machines: 1,000 units per month.
-Experience of design collaboration with international customers.
-Experience developing and manufacturing medium to large plastic products, those which use the following manufacturing techniques:
• Rotational moulding.
• Extrusion blow moulding.
• Injection moulding.
• Thermoforming.
• Metal Fabrication and Precision machine components - Stage of Development
- Already on the market
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Goal 5: Gender Equality
- Goal 1: No Poverty
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequality
- IPR status
- IPR applied but not yet granted
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
- The business strategy involves identifying partners to facilitate machine distribution. After the successful pilot distribution phase, they plan to establish local manufacturing facilities with the help of identified partners to increase production capacity and potentially work towards the development of semi-automatic or fully automatic machines. The distribution of machines is expected to be assisted by partners who are already working in distribution.
- Type and Size of Partner
- SME 50 - 249
- R&D Institution
- Other
- SME 11-49
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 03010 - Household Goods & Appliances
- Market keywords
- 09008004 - Other utilities and related firms
- 07004003 - Home furnishing and housewares
- Targeted countries
- Poland
- Vietnam
- Brazil
- Ukraine
- Singapore