As a parent, there are few things despised more than opening a child’s smelly sports equipment bag after it has been sitting around for a week. Walter Mann was a dad who had been there, and was tired of worrying about his family’s exposure to germs from handling dirty clothing and equipment.
Since Mann understood the risks his family faced from germs lurking on his son’s lacrosse gear and his daughter’s soccer and equestrian gear, he wanted to find a way to protect them, and to eradicate the equipment’s residual odor caused by decomposing bacteria.
Mann learned that traditional methods of disinfecting and sanitizing don’t always eliminate viruses and bacteria as well as they should. He began researching alternatives to liquid chemical disinfectants, and discovered that the most effective solution was created by securely controlling ozone concentration and humidity in a contained environment for 30 minutes. In this environment, the optimal kill rates of 99.99% for viruses+ and 99.9% for bacteria* are reached. At the time, little knowledge of a reliable system like this existed. Mann saw an opportunity to fill this product gap in the market place.
Mann got to work on the design and prototype for the ZONO in his garage. He enlisted the help of his family on weekends to put together the first cabinet. From there, he continued to improve the efficiency and efficacy of the cabinet through independent laboratory testing, and developed a business plan to enter the marketplace with his unique product.
The mechanical engineer’s efforts have paid off. Since 2009, the ZONO has acquired many notable customers and is being utilized by the US Military, NASA, NFL Teams, colleges, museums, and a multitude of daycares and early learning centers. More than 1000 companies and organizations across the country have discovered the benefits of the ZONO.
When the ZONO is integrated into a business’s cleaning protocols, expensive and harmful chemicals can often be eliminated. Additionally, items that are difficult to clean effectively, such as sports gear, stuffed animals, electronics, and other items not suitable for cleaning with water or liquids can be treated in a ZONO cycle that eliminates pathogens at kill rates meeting the CDC’s definition of disinfecting and sanitizing.
Since Mann always desires to deliver quality and consistency in his product, the ZONO undergoes continued rigorous testing, design, and technological updates. Mann delivers peace of mind to his customers knowing that with the ZONO, surface viruses and bacteria are being eliminated in a manner that is simple, safe, and sustainable for the environment.
