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Andersen Products has been providing the life science industries with Ethylene Oxide sterilisation solutions since 1956. Today, we have more than 6,000 active users worldwide! Ethylene Oxide has been in use as a biocide for more than a century. Andersen Products allows users to benefit from this highly effective sterilant either in house or through sterilisation services.
Andersen Products was founded in 1956 by Dr Harold Andersen, then a surgeon at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, to produce his range of innovative, bilumenal nasogastric tubes and wound drains. The need to sterilise these tubes lead to the development of a range of Ethylene Oxide (EtO) sterilisers.
Over the years, the range of tubes & drains offered has increased, and the EtO sterilisers have developed to meet ever more stringent standards for effectiveness and safety. Today Andersen sterilisers continue to meet the needs of medical device manufacturers, hospitals, clinics, dentists, and veterinarians worldwide.
Today the Andersen Group of companies, still owned and run by Dr Andersen, employs over 150 people worldwide.
Our customers include a diverse group of over 6,000 healthcare-related facilities around the world, such as hospitals, day surgery centres, dentists, veterinary clinics, research and clinical laboratories, as well as medical device manufacturers. Andersen conducts business with customers in every continent, from mobile field hospitals in developing countries to the most sophisticated tertiary care institutions on the planet.
Andersen’s continual research and product development ensures that our state-of-the-art systems deliver high levels of sterility assurance through a safe, efficient and highly reliable process. Andersen Ethylene Oxide sterilisation cycles are also extremely gentle. The 30 °C EOGas™ cycle successfully sterilises medicated stents, whilst preserving the biological activity of the drug coating.
Andersen Products is now the only company offering Ethylene Oxide sterilisation cycle times as low as 3 hours. Aeration in the cabinet reduces residual EtO levels, so even a flexible endoscope can be in use again in 3½ hours.
Health Science Park, the group's North Carolina headquarters, houses our manufacturing, quality assurance laboratory, R&D offices. The plant is EPA and FDA registered, and OSHA compliant, as well as being ISO 13485 and ISO 9000 certified for the manufacture of our sterilisers, and for the manufacture and sterilisation of our range of tubes and drains.
H.W. Andersen Products Ltd in Clacton, UK handles the sales, distribution and support for the entire product range throughout Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.
The history and usage of ethylene oxide may surprise those who're unaware.
EtO was first use in the early 20th century for the sterilisation of spices. During World War II, it was successfully tested to decontaminate objects exposed to biological warfare agents.
With over 5.8 billion pounds produced yearly, ethylene oxide is now used primarily to make ethylene glycol, the key ingredient in antifreeze as well as plastics used for building materials and bottles.
Ethylene oxide has also long been used to sterilise medical instruments. Medical device manufacturers report EtO is used to sterilise 70% of their medical devices around the globe. These devices are used worldwide to save lives and promote health. In fact, for many devices, EtO continues to remain as one of the most effective ways to sterilise all parts of the equipment. This is due to the ability of ethylene oxide to reach deep in crevices and otherwise difficult to sterilise areas without damage.