Research into hand dryer rental urges service companies to consider lifecycle longevity to avoid increased costs

A review into the hand dryer rental market by Airdri, the responsible provider of sustainable hand drying systems, reveals that the lifecycle of some hand drying systems may not last the full period of a typical contract. This is often the case when a dryer is in high daily use and can result in reduced revenue for the washroom hygiene services company.

Hand dryers are typically rented by washroom hygiene service companies over a three year contract. The longer a dryer’s life, the better the return on investment for the service company. If the dryer needs to be replaced because the motor’s brushes have become worn (typical when in high daily use) or parts need servicing during the contract period, the cost of the asset to the rental company is increased.

Recognising the need for systems with durable motor technology, Airdri has developed the The Classic+ MkII which, from a cost point of view, has a lifespan which is six times longer than other fast dry hand dryers. Activation testing revealed the life cycle of this new model can provide the washroom services industry with significant commercial advantage, lasting up to six years even when activated up to 650 times a day.

High usage dryers are typically activated between 300-500 times a day.  Based on a typical vacuum motor dryer, Airdri tested various hand dryer models and found that, depending upon the level of activation, a dryer would last as follows:

• 650 activations – 0.81 years
• 500 activations – 1.32 years
• 400 activations – 1.32 years
• 300 activations – 1.75 years

This means that a dryer rented for a three year period would have to be replaced two or three times, considerably increasing the cost of the initial asset. In addition the labour cost of servicing or replacing the dryers must also be taken into consideration.

Trudi Osborne, Marketing Communications Manager of Airdri Ltd said: “When service companies provide hand dryers for rental, they need to be aware of the life expectancy of different models, so that they can make informed purchasing decisions and don’t have to face the additional cost of replacing dryers during a contract’s life.

“Other factors including noise levels need to be considered too.  There are a number of high speed, energy efficient hand dryers on the market but some are very noisy.  Up to 19 of Airdri’s new Classic+ Mkll hand dryers can be in use simultaneously before reaching the equivalent decibel level of some other models in the same category. Our new dryer is the first in the high speed hand dryer category to be awarded the Quiet Mark.”

The Quiet Mark is an international mark of approval from the UK Noise Abatement Society which encourages worldwide companies to include noise reduction when developing the design of machines and appliances used in everyday life.

Noisy appliances are not only a nuisance but, according to the World Health Organisation, excessive noise can seriously harm human health, affecting concentration, disrupting recreation, inducing stress and causing cardiovascular harm.

The Classic+ Mkll hand dryer is now also on the Carbon Trust’s ECA Energy Technology Product List. The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme is a key part of the Government’s programme to manage climate change. It provides businesses with enhanced tax relief for investments in equipment that meets published energy-saving criteria, recently updated to include a new technology area for High Speed Hand Air Dryers.