Deb Canada
Occupational Skin Hygiene Specialists

Deb Canada has been recognized as a leader in the development of innovative foaming technology, skin cleansers, protective and conditioning creams, showering and bathing products, and patented dispensing systems for all occupational skin hygiene markets.  As the company approaches its 40th anniversary, it’s goal is to be “the world’s leading away-from-home skin-care-system company.”

“By focusing on the development of high quality skin hygiene products and dispensers, we can provide a system that is tailored to suit your exact requirements,” said Marvin Mauer, assistant general manager of Deb Canada.

Deb was founded in 1969 by Audley Bowdler (A.B.) Williamson. Upon returning from the First World War to a family-owned, horse-drawn haulage business for the Nottingham Silk Trade, Williamson was convinced that motorized transport was the way of the future. It didn’t take long for the horses to turn into trucks. Working with motor vehicles provided Williamson with a familiarity with the business of motor mechanics, which would come in handy in later years.

After studying as a chemist, Williamson set-up the “Deb” Company in Belper, England. The name originated from “debutante” to signify that both the company and its products were new and innovative to the market.

The first product Deb produced was a mild detergent called Deb Silkware Protection which was used to help protect and cleanse silk stockings.

The arrival of the Second World War resulted in silk being utilized for parachutes instead of stockings. Then, following the war, the Americans introduced nylons which destroyed the silk stocking market entirely.

By 1947 a new use was identified for the silk protector and the formula was revamped. That was the birth of Swarfega – the famous green gel which would become the world’s first hand cleanser. The name comes from ‘Swarf’ being an old engineering term for oil and grease, and ‘ega’ as in eager to remove.

The company crossed international waters into Canada in 1969 and was originally known as MDM Swarfega and shortly thereafter, Deb Swarfega Ltd.

A.B.’s son Nic purchased the Deb business in the 1980s and expanded both the company group and product line to compete successfully at an international level.

Today, the company employs 56 full- and part-time staff. When the company first opened its doors for business, Deb’s facility in Waterford, Ont., was a small, metal-clad, one-storey garage. Almost 40 years later, the Canadian headquarters consists of a two-storey office complex, coupled with a 65,000 sq. foot manufacturing and warehousing facility.

The Deb Group, of which Deb Canada is a member, now manufactures not only in England and Canada, but the United States, Australia and France as well. Deb products are also distributed through wholly-owned subsidiaries on the European continent. The Deb Group has 21 operating subsidiaries in 16 countries, manufacturing skin care systems and products in eight manufacturing units spread across five countries. The current group came into being in 2004 as a result of the private equity backed buy-out of the previous holding company.

Located in Brantford, Ont., Deb Dispensing Ltd. (formerly Flotech) was formed in 1990 to provide dispensing systems specifically for the Deb range of products. Dispensers are designed and manufactured by highly-trained personnel using the highest quality raw materials. Deb dispensers can be found throughout industrial, jansan, healthcare, educational and recreational sectors.

Also in Brantford, Deb Worldwide Healthcare (formerly Ethena) was formed in 2004 to manufacture reliable, world class quality healthcare products that comply with current and future regulatory requirements for Canada, Europe, Australia and the United States. They also provide customized product development, technical and regulatory affairs support to Deb Group companies as needed – specifically healthcare type products.

“Stategic partnerships have been achieved with 3M, in the U.S. healthcare market, as well as Reckitt Benckiser – ‘Global innovation leader in household products’ to market Deb’s alcohol foam formulation worldwide in consumer markets,” Mauer said. “This formulation will be launched in the North American market under the Lysol® brand.”

Starting out with a short list of product offerings, Deb today provides a wide range of innovative products including various protective and re-conditioning creams (sunscreen); foaming products with the company’s patented SmartFOAM™ technology (Debonaire and Aromatherapy foaming skin cleansers, and Microsan foaming alcohol hand rubs); the world’s first non-aerosol foaming hand sanitizers; patented heavy duty cleansers and related dispensing systems, many incorporating BioCote®  antibacterial technology.

Deb Canada is a supplier of choice for organizations who value employee and customer well-being. The company has attained this position by providing innovative skin care products and services to its customer base on a regular basis.

“Customer satisfaction is key to the company’s success,” Mauer said. “We believe the quality of our service gives Deb a competitive advantage. People are our most important resource. Our customer focus is an aligned, whole-organization approach to constantly and consistently meet customer requirements and perceptions while operating as efficiently as possible.”

All Deb employees are aware of their role in maintaining valued relationships with customers. Reliability, a key factor to customer satisfaction, is promoted by meeting/exceeding deadlines and answering questions with honesty in a timely manner.
Innovation is promoted within the company’s customer service department with a customer relations program, distributor satisfaction surveys, a comprehensive complaint report database and the Customer Service Level being a key performance indicator tracked monthly.

“Throughout our company, what really helps differentiate us is that we like what we do,” Mauer said. “We generate ‘sizzle’ in our marketplace, we stick to our plans and keep our promises; and we embrace Best Practice.”

Additionally, the company has adopted Social Marketing which is the application of marketing technologies developed in the commercial sector as a solution to social problems where the bottom line is behaviour change. According the Mauer, the concept involves the analysis, planning execution and evaluation of programs designed to “influence the voluntary behaviour of target audiences to improve their personal welfare and that of society.”

Deb Canada has developed unique partnerships with major organizations such as the Calgary Health Region and Bayer Corporation in order to develop a strategy to change the behaviour of individuals with regards to Hand Hygiene.

“These partnerships have exceeded all efforts we could have done internally through traditional advertising and promotions,” Mauer said.

In keeping with the Social Marketing concept, Deb offers a variety of educational materials such as booklets, posters, instructional stickers, and safety and hygiene training for all employees.

Deb Canada is committed to taking every practical measure to ensure that its products are of the highest quality.  To achieve this, the company has strict controls on each stage of the process, regular maintenance and calibration of each instrument, and by following in-house and other specifications controlled by regulatory authorities. In keeping with this business philosophy, the company has adopted a policy of operating a coordinated Quality System which conforms to the requirements of ISO 9001:2000.
As Deb approaches its 40th anniversary, the company has become the “Single Source for Skin Care” as well as an industry leader in occupational skin hygiene.
For more information on the company product array and educational services, visit Deb Canada’s web site at www.debcanada.com.