8.

0 Operations

8.1 Location and Facilities

8.1.2 Location
The current location of our office and factory is in Batu Maung, Penang where we produce
our product. The area of our company is 9,000 square feet and the monthly rental for the
space is RM6,000. There are free parking spaces available around the property for workers
with own transportation and also a 5-minute distance walk from the nearest bus station
providing public transportation for other workers.

8.1.3 Building Plan

8.1.4 Office Plan
8.1.5 Facilities
Building facilities include parking around the property for workers, customers or visitors.
There is also washroom specially for production workers, and customers or visitors and
separated according to gender. Besides that, there is separate loading bays for unloading
materials from suppliers for productions and loading finish products for distribution. Lockers
room specially for production workers so they can keep their personal belongings in the
lockers and change into adequate protective clothing for their own safety. There is also
emergency exits around the building that leads directly outside. Building facilities such as
maintenance of building life-safety and security alarm systems, and systems such as heating,
ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical and lighting are also present.

Facilities needed in manufacturing of our product are separate storage rooms for
chemicals and dry materials as chemicals may be harmful if not stored correctly or handled
correctly. The chemical storage room must always be locked, and only authorized personnel
are allowed to enter or when permission is given by authorized personnel. A number of
factors will influence the selection of materials and equipment for the storage of liquid
sodium chlorite because extreme heat and cold can affect sodium chlorite solutions, thus
proper temperatures are maintained in storage areas. Storage temperatures do not exceed
or 212 °F, (100°C). The storage area is not exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light. It is
fire resistant and have an effective sprinkler system and good ventilation. Hydrochloric acid
in the chemical storage room is also stored away from sources of moisture and kept away
from any incompatible materials such as oxidizing agents, organic materials, metals and
alkalis because hydrochloric acid has the ability to corrode metallic surfaces. There is an
isolated room for the process of activating zeolite as it involves an acid activator and the
process will release gas, thus the room is isolated and has good ventilation. There is also
storage room for finished products before they are loaded and distributed, and also for
workers to keep track of the quantity. There is also other facilities such as room for
machinery to produce materials needed and room for packaging. The quality assurance
room is to ensure that each batch of products produced are of good quality, including safe to
use and meet the mandatory product safety requirements as required by The Consumer
Protection Act 1999. CCTV or surveillance camera are installed and used to monitor the
manufacturing process and also to ensure the safety of production workers.

As for office facilities, all workers according to their departments gets their workspace with
desk, chair and a laptop provided. Managers in each department get their own isolated
rooms to work in whereas the CEO of our company gets a bigger room. Conference room is
for scheduled meetings or any important matters to discuss or announce. There is also
collaborative room where each department gets to hold meetings to discuss minor matters.
There is break room for workers to have their break and also a kitchen for workers to make
coffee or any drinks and food. Our office toilets are only for workers and separated
according to gender. There is also a room for visitors or customers to wait at and a front
desk in the lobby with a receptionist.
8.2 Production
Our production system operates from 8am to 5pm on weekdays and can produce up to
5,000 units per day. Our production system shall strive to attain service excellence in
addition to manufacturing safe, quality products. This shall be undertaken through the
engagement of modern production techniques using up-to-date assembly technology. This
will also result in low production costs being attained by the company. We also intend to
ensure that the suppliers we engage are committed and reliable so as not to let down the
final consumer in terms of the quality of the product and time of delivery.

8.2.1 Technology
The impregnation step starts by dehydrating natural zeolite crystals until they have
moisture content substantially below their initial moisture content (preferably until their
moisture content is about 5%). Then, the dehydrated zeolites crystals are immersed in an
aqueous solution of sodium chlorite. Zeolites have regular openings in them of fixed size
thus, the impregnation step traps sodium chlorite molecules in the zeolite and eliminating
unwanted molecules. Zeolites used are manufactured in very precise and uniform sizes to
suit a particular application; in other words, they're made a certain size to trap sodium
chlorite molecules inside them.

Activation is when an acid at low temperature (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit) is used to

activate the sodium chlorite-impregnated zeolite crystals by spraying the acid onto the
zeolite crystals which activate the ingredients and result in release of gaseous chlorine
dioxide.
Substances of organic nature in bacterial cells react with chlorine dioxide, causing several
cellular processes to be interrupted. Chlorine dioxide reacts directly with amino acids and
the RNA in the bacterial cell. Chlorine dioxide attacks the cell structure or the acids inside
the cell. The production of proteins is prevented. Chlorine dioxide affects the cell membrane
by changing membrane proteins and fats and by prevention of inhalation. When bacteria are
eliminated, the cell wall is penetrated by chlorine dioxide. As for viruses, they are eliminated
in a different way. Chlorine dioxide reacts with peptone, a water-soluble substance that
originates from hydrolysis of proteins to amino acids. Chlorine dioxide kills viruses by
prevention of protein formation. Chlorine dioxide is more effective against viruses than
chlorine or ozone. In short, the low concentration of chlorine dioxide gas released from our
product has no detrimental effects on human health. It can protect a person wearing it from
virus, bacteria and fungi attack within 1-meter circle from the product.

8.2.2 Production Process

Firstly, dehydrated natural zeolite crystals below their initial moisture content are
impregnated with an aqueous solution of sodium chlorite. The impregnated zeolite crystals
will then be transported to the isolated activation room where hydrochloric acid will be used
to spray on the zeolite crystals. The zeolite crystals will be activated when the sodium
chlorite molecules impregnated in the zeolite crystals react with the hydrochloric acid.

Every 10 grams of zeolite crystals will then be packaged in separate blue mini air badges
that has 8 small holes where the chlorine dioxide gas is released. The final step is packaging
the mini air badge into aluminum packaging. The package also includes a neck strap where
it can be attached to the mini packet to be worn around the neck. The packaging process is
done immediately because chlorine dioxide gas is released as soon as it is activated, so the
aluminum outer pack prevents the outgassing of chlorine dioxide.

8.2.3 Quality Control Measures

Virus Shut Out produced will have quality check to ensure the product is safe to use and
meet the mandatory product safety requirements. It is also to ensure that the concentration
of the chlorine dioxide gas is low and is not harmful to humans. This will be carried out in the
quality assurance room where one product from each batch will be checked thoroughly.
8.3 Materials
8.3.1 Materials Used
i) Natural Zeolite
Zeolites are three-dimensional, microporous, crystalline solids with well-defined structures
that contain aluminum, silicon, and oxygen in their regular framework.
Zeolites has open, cage-like, "framework" structure and it can trap other molecules inside it.
Zeolites have regular openings in them of fixed size, which let small molecules pass straight
through but trap larger ones. Zeolites can be manufactured in very precise and uniform sizes
(typically from about 1μm to 1mm) to suit a particular application; in other words, they're
made a certain size to trap molecules of a certain (smaller) size inside them.

ii) Aqueous Solution of Sodium Chlorite

Sodium chlorite solutions are clear to slightly yellow in appearance, have a slight chlorine
odor, and are available in different grades and concentrations ranging from 7.5% to 37% by
weight. The most widely used solution products contain 25% active sodium chlorite. Sodium
chlorite solutions are classified as corrosive and can cause skin and eye irritation or burns. It
is harmful if swallowed.

iii) Hydrochloric Acid

Hydrochloric acid is the aqueous (water-based) solution of hydrogen chloride gas. It is a
strong acid, the major component of gastric acid and of wide industrial use. As a highly
corrosive liquid, hydrochloric acid should be handled only with appropriate safety
precautions.
8.3.2 Supplier & Cost of Materials Used
We are committed to fair terms of trade and promotion of local businesses; thus, we intend
to engage local suppliers. Materials are sourced from local communal and commercial
farmers avoiding intermediaries so as to minimize costs, ultimately benefiting the final
consumer. The major advantages of doing so being higher margins, faster payments and
lower risks of payment default. Through the use of economies of scale, we aim to maintain
low input and production costs. We also intend to establish good rapport with all our
suppliers and hence long mutually beneficial business relationships.

i) Natural Zeolite
Supplier: Molly Chemical Ground Sdn. Bhd.
Location: Ca205, Jalan Batu Kawa, Batu Kawah New Towship, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak,
Malaysia.
Cost: RM200/ton

ii) Aqueous Solution of Sodium Chlorite

Supplier: Malay-Sino Chemical Industries Sdn. Bhd.
Location: 4 ½ Miles, Jalan Lahat, 30200 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Cost: RM120/gallon

iii) Hydrochloric Acid

Supplier: Malay-Sino Chemical Industries Sdn. Bhd.
Location: 4 ½ Miles, Jalan Lahat, 30200 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Cost: RM80/gallon

8.4 Feasibility
In one set of experiments, a suspension of Staphylococcus aureus, bacteriophage MS2,
and bacteriophage ΦX174 were released into an exposure chamber. When chlorine dioxide
gas at 0.01 or 0.02 parts per million was present in the chamber, the numbers of surviving
microbes in the air were markedly reduced after 120 min. The reductions were markedly
greater than the natural reductions of the microbes in the chamber. These results strongly
support the potential use of chlorine dioxide gas at a non-toxic level and show that chlorine
dioxide gas effectively kills viruses, bacteria and fungi.