Welcome to BDF..the home of the Guardian range of hospital theatre products. ..................manufacturer of dental floss.
................contract manufacturer of single use hospital theatre drape and gowning products.
Please take the time to browse our site.
We hope you enjoy our site.

 

BDF: A brief history...

We have been manufacturing dental floss and single use gown and draping systems for over 20 years. From starting in a small factory in Galashiels in 1979 we now extend to 7300m2 of factory space, employ over 160 people and export over 50% of our production to countries as far as Chile and India.

In 1983 we relocated to Ayrshire, in the south west of Scotland, and our two main production sites are in Girvan and Patna.

We started as contract manufacturers of dental floss and in 1986 began the development of non-woven conversion for the growing market of single use gown and draping systems.

In the late nineties we then took the further step of using our comprehensive design and manufacturing skills to launch directly into the hospital market place our own range of non-woven systems under the 'Guardian'brand.

As costs and the market place have dictated we have developed further sub contract manufacturing relationships with companies in both Bulgaria and the Czech Republic who supply us with products to our design and quality standards to supplement the growing output from our own UK based manufacturing units.

Core Activities...

Medical textiles
The conversion of flexible materials, mainly non-wovens and plastic films, into coverings for staff, patients and machinery in the hospital theatre context.

BDF has sheeting, cutting, fenestrating, glueing (hot and cold), welding and fully automatic folding machines.

In addition there is sterile bag sealing machinery including 3 Multivac bag forming machines.

A product development team that turns customerÕs ideas and scribbles into main stream products.

Dental floss
The coating and winding of man made fibres into dental floss and tape products and if required packed into dispensers and fully packaged.

Coatings can be applied from simple wax formulations through to such ingredients as fluoride and triclosan.

Winding machinery which can wind on various core diameters from 5m to at least 200m bobbins.

Semi automatic blister packing machine and labelling facilities are available.

A range of dispensers can be provided.

 

Mission...

Mission Statement
BDF exists to provide products which assist in maintaining the health of the public.

Our products help to provide a barrier to the transmission of infection in operating theatres and other areas where either patients or carers are exposed to potentially damaging or irritating pathogens or chemical compounds. Dental floss and related dental products assist in the programme of preventative dental health care.

BDF manufactures and markets its own range of products under the Guardian brand, and also assists the international healthcare industry by undertaking contract manufacture of protective products for other companies. Our primary objective is total customer satisfaction through the safe use of our products.

We appreciate the financial constraints facing healthcare providers and will make every effort to ensure the lowest possible prices for our products providing that economy is consistent with quality.

We will react to our customers' needs by manufacturing products to their exact requirements and delivering on time.

Whilst striving for economy and flexibility, we will retain reasonable profits to ensure the long-term survival of the company, to pay reasonable wages, to provide safe working conditions for our staff, to invest in new plant and machinery and to ensure our continuing competitiveness and service to our customers.

Quality Policy
It is the established objective of the company to provide its customers with products and services which comply in all respects with their agreed requirements and which integrate with their stated expectations and needs.

The company implements its quality objectives through the operation of a quality management system in compliance with ISO 9001 : 2000 and industry sector requirements. The quality system includes quality management objectives, policies, an organisation chart and procedures associated with all relevant company processes. The effective operation of the quality system throughout the company requires the exercise of individual responsibility by each employee and sub-contractor.

Top management is committed to a policy of continuous improvement which relates to the personnel, materials, equipment and systems employed within the company. This policy is integrated with the operation of the quality system and applies to internal processes as well as external services.

As part of this quality policy, top management has delegated the responsibility and authority to develop, co-ordinate and monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the company quality system to the QA Manager.

 

ACCREDITATIONS...

In 1997, BDF Ltd successfully achieved registration of its quality management system in accordance with the requirements of:

1. ISO 9001:2000

2. BS EN 46001:1997

3. 93/42/EEC Medical Devices Directive and is therefore entitled to use the CE 0473 Marking on its sterile medical devices.

During April 2003, the company was audited against the requirements of the new standard BS EN ISO 9001:2000 with successful results and expects to be fully accredited by July 2003.

 

Latest news....

Back in January, student Vicky Caruthers wrote to BDF with an unusual request Ð she wanted to use our dental floss to create works of art!

This is what she did with it.

Dear Mr McKerchar

As promised here are some photos of the work I made using the dental floss you donated to me.

I had a lot of interest because of the dental floss and I was even interviewed by Grampian TV News for a feature on the Degree Show.

I let people know who had given me the floss and had a sign of your company name up at my show. I am very sorry I did not send you an invitation to the show.

I graduated last week with a 1st Class Hons degree in Constructed textiles. I am starting a Postgraduate Diploma in textiles at Goldsmiths College, London in September.

Thank you once again for your kind donation.

Vicky Caruthers

BDF will be exhibiting at the following exhibitions this year:

NATN, Harrogate - 6/7/8 October 2003
ISSM, St Andrews - 24/25/26 November 2003
Medica, Dusseldorf - 19/20/21/22/23 November 2003

We will post further details nearer the times.

BDF is founder member of MDIS - Medical Devices in Scotland. We would recommend you visit their web site at www.mdis.org

BDF is introducing, for its contract customers, a new email based service which will notify a selected list of contacts on a regular basis a description of all the new products which have been developed at BDF over that period.

BDF have recognised that having developed a growing number of products that particular contract customers have requested that they could also be suited to being offered to our entire contract customer base.

It is intended the email will be short and of a standard style where it can be printed and perhaps kept in a file for easy reference.

If, in the next few weeks (through July and August), you do not receive the email but feel it would be of benefit to you please complete the contacts section and we will add your details to the emailing list.

 

What is Guardian...

Guardian is the brand name given to the range of single use gown and draping systems that we provide directly to the UK Healthcare market.

We have developed a range of products which we feel incorporates a lot of the experience we have gained as a contractual manufacturer and at price levels which do not reflect high multi-national company overheads.

We do not compromise on quality and have the Department of Health registration for the Manufacture of Sterile Devices, Registration Number: RO631/SP.

We can offer both "pre-sterilised" and "for sterilisation" products to suit all hospital systems and our flexible approach in design, use of materials, and packaging gives a good fit for the customer in benefit versus cost analysis.

We offer a 48 hour delivery service within our normal quotations and an emergency next day service can be arranged.

We have representatives covering the whole of the UK who are trained to develop systems and products which suit you. We understand that customers are not all the same and have different problems and needs.

Everyone would like a Guardian angel - hopefully we can be yours in this important area of supply.

 

Why Disposable?

Fact - Single-use products offer barrier protection which is far superior to that of conventional theatre linen.

A human being may shed up to 10,000 bacteria per minute. Ironically, this means the operating theatre staff can be a significant threat to the patient undergoing a surgical procedure. Approximately 5% of patients will develop a hospital-related, nosocomial infection.

Increasingly, healthcare professionals are also concerned about infection spreading in the OPPOSITE direction, from patient to practitioner. If there is a sufficient number of infectious agents present and an appropriate port of entry, AIDS, hepatitis, and other viruses can be spread to healthcare staff who come in contact with patients' body fluids. Concerns over these diseases is driving a transformation in healthcare practices.

These concerns underscore the importance of choosing drapes and gowns which thoroughly protect both the patient and the surgical staff.

Gowns made from woven, 140 count cotton muslin were the standard for many years. These gowns are subject to liquid strike-through, therefore rendering in most part the sterile surface non-sterile as particles are driven to the surface of the linen drape or gown carried in fluid by capillary action. These same particles or skin cell fragments, which range from 5 to 60 micrometers, could easily slip between the threads of 140 count linen, carrying contaminants to a patients open wound, either directly or via the surgeons gloves.

The performance of single-use items makes a critical difference in the quality of patient care. When impervious gowns are worn, airborne bacteria count in the operating room can be reduced by 40 to 90 percent over a reusable linen system, greatly reducing the risk to the patient. In 1987, Duke University USA, published a study comparing the wound infection rates between a non-woven drape and gown system versus a reusable linen system. Over 2000 surgical procedures were tracked over a 21 month period. The researchers concluded that patients were 2 1/2 times more likely to develop a post operative wound infection when the reusable linen system was used.

Fact - The comfort and performance of single-use drapes and gowns is superior to reusable linen.

While protection for patient and staff is primary in choosing surgical drapes and gowns, you know that comfort and convenience are also important. The protective garments worn by surgical staff need to be as comfortable as possible, because heat stress can cause mental and emotional stress that lead to mistakes.

While the traditional linen was very "breathable", many of the new generation reusable fabrics are not because of the tight weave, fluid resistant coatings and multiple layers used. Breathability is measured by testing the amount of which can pass through a square foot of fabric in a given time. Only about 5 cubic feet of air per minute can pass through several of the newest reusable fabrics.

This flow is far too low to maintain comfort and far below the 50-70 cubic feet per minute rating given to the leading brands of non-woven drape and gown fabric.

Another important factor in assessing comfort is moisture vapour transmission. Non-woven gowns and drapes generally have rates of moisture vapour transmission which are higher than the tightly woven reusable products.

Other features are built into non-woven single-use products which serve both convenience and patient protection. Single-use drapes streamline the task of draping the patient. Many are designed for specific procedures, and feature elastic fenestrations, impervious reinforcements, built-in Incise adhesive and fluid control pouches. These features are not available with reusable linen, which offer only free draping and limited procedure specific drapes. Single-use products reduce set-up time and do a better job of covering the operative site with less material. Their fluid control pouches help contain fluids, meaning that personnel are not required to handle fluid saturated linen, thereby reducing staff's exposure to fluid-borne contaminants.

Fact - When all the costs of usage are considered, single-use products are more cost efficient than reusables.

Product price estimates for reusable drapes and gowns are sometimes lower than for single-use products. But as we all know, purchase is only one of the associated costs of a drape and gown system. The costs of handling, inventory control, inspection, repair, reprocessing and disposal also must be considered.

By comparing the operating room linen system with that of the alternative single-use system we can easily locate where savings are going to be made i.e. porterage, repair, labour etc.

It must also be remembered that the shear complexities of the linen system require that for every item of linen in the operating room there are another nine in the system to support it. Other costs that are rarely talked about are the LOSS rates of linen, these in some large hospitals amount to several thousand dollars per year. The linen system itself is made up of a series of processes linked by inspection and it has been known for items of linen to move round the system without ever being used.

Fact - Neither single-use products nor reusables have a clear advantage in terms of environmental impact.

Increasingly, customers are basing their purchasing decision on their perception of a products environmental friendliness. Those who are considering surgical drapes and gowns are no exception. On the face of it, reusables may seem preferable because they limit the solid waste sent to landfills or incinerators. However, the situation is not that simple because reusables have a very definite impact on the environment through air pollution and water pollution.

These impacts became clear when the two materials are compared on a system basis. While single-use products obviously contribute to solid waste, the laundering of reusables consumes water and chemicals, creates detergent waste water, uses a great deal of energy and contributes to air pollution. These hidden effects of reusables must be considered when evaluating their environmental impact.

A November 1990 study by Franklin Associates compared all the environmental impacts associated with reusables and disposable baby nappies, a similar situation to that of drapes and gowns. Analysing the environmental effects of production, packaging, use, treatment and disposal, the study found that the reusable system:

A March 1990 study prepared by Arthur D Little on the same topic concluded that "the specific human, health, environmental and economic advantages of disposable products would appear to outweigh the more limited advantages of the reusable . materials".
An independent study is planned which will compare the life cycles of reusable and single-use drape and gown systems. This report will determine each system's cradle-to-grave impact on resource use, energy consumption and contribution to the waste stream.

Fact - Only single-use products are consistent in performance, because they undergo a strict quality assurance regimen and are never reused.

We have already looked closely at the superior barrier properties of single-use non-wovens, these qualities having been well documented over the years. There is however a rarely considered topic of Manufacturing standards. As sales professionals in the healthcare market, we have always been aware of two standards, i.e. one for hospital manufacturing units and the proper and right clinical standards for industry. It is sometimes overlooked that the standards for industrial production of medical devices is regulated under GMP regulations. (Good Manufacturing Practice) A point certainly worth discussion with todays healthcare professionals with regard to drapes and gowns made from non-wovens.

After being placed in service, reusable drape and gown performance rapidly becomes unpredictable because their barrier properties degrade with each laundering. As they are worn and then swollen and shrunk repeatedly in the laundering process, the threads begin to loosen, permanently altering their ability to protect patients and staff.

Some reusable manufacturers claim that 75 washings are required before breakdown becomes a problem. However, in 1990, independent tests by E.I. du pont de Nemours & Co. showed that a rapid decline in barrier protection can be expected through the first 25 washings even when the reusable product is laundered to manufacturers specifications.

After they leave the manufacturer, reusables may never again be subjected to GMP type inspection for barrier protection throughout their lifecycle. At no time in its lifecycle is a reusable linen drape or gown fluidproof.

In contrast every single-use item the hospital receive has undergone comprehensive inspection as a new product. Furthermore, all critical-use non-woven items are given lot numbers which permit tracking of products. Such tracking is nearly impossible after reusables enter service and the laundry cycle.

As manufacturers of non-woven drapes and gowns BDF Ltd. maintain comprehensive quality assurance programs, featuring:

Because of these measures, you can assure the prospective customer that every single-use non-woven product that they receive will deliver consistently high performance. The same cannot be said of reprocessed linen drapes and gowns.

 

Where is Guardian Used

As of today, June 2003, we have 293 UK hospitals buying from us, from Exeter to the Western Isles.

 

What is Floss?

Floss is essentially a single strand fibre used for cleaning between the spaces in your teeth where traditional brushing does not easily reach.

The fibres are usually made from man made materials such as nylon, PTFE and polypropylene.

In order to ease the insertion of the floss between tighter fitting teeth wax has been used as a coating and over time the sophistication of these coatings has been developed to encompass flavours, fluoride and other chemicals and materials, which can bring added benefits.

Floss is primarily designed to clean away the plaque deposits that build up on your teeth each day and especially just below the gum line.

Flossing needs particular care as this is a sensitive part of your mouth and care must be taken not to push the fibre too far into the gum area. To gain the maximum benefit floss should be used daily.

Floss does have other perceived benefits in removing debris stuck between your teeth and also a cosmetic action in cleaning stains from the tooth surface.

 

Floss development

BDF can offer a full development service in meeting your particular needs for types of floss products.

All BDF require is a brief description of the type of floss/tape that you might want to promote and we can offer a full turn key service to fully packaged and own branded product.

BDF also supply bulk, ready wound floss bobbins if the customer wishes to undertake the final packaging.

BDF send floss to all parts of the world from as far as apart as Chile and India.

Please use the contact section on the site to forward questions or requests for product samples.

 

What we manufacture...

BDF offers, in some respects, a unique service in designing and developing products to the customerÕs requirements.

Holding stocks of spun laced, wet laid, SMS, laminated materials, BDF are in a position to offer products made from any of the generic non woven fabrics presently available in the market place. Most fabrics are available in both blue and green colour.

The development department needs only a sketch with dimensions or a sample to start the process.

BDF also supply a considerable number of generic drape styles matching leading branded products which can be especially effective for CPT manufacturers if they wish to lower their cost base.

BDF can supply the products in a bulk non-sterile format or sterilised ready for use. Co-labelling can be accommodated for sterile product ranges. Sterilisation by ethylene oxide or gamma can be provided.

BDF are flexible in their minimum order requirements.

 

Who we do it for

BDF has some 45 contract customers stretching from the USA right round to New Zealand. BDF are supplying a growing number of CPT manufacturers who are looking for generic, supplied non sterile, drapes which can meet their customerÕs specific needs and BDF see this as a strategic area for growth. By using their own extensive manufacturing facilities and contractors in Czech Republic, Bulgaria and China a rapid but cost effective service can be provided.

Full Contact Details...

BDF Ltd
Grangestone
GIRVAN
Ayrshire
Scotland
KA26 9PL

General Tel: +44(0) 1465 714848
General Fax: +44(0) 1465 713857
Guardian Sales Helpline:+44(0) 1465 716716
Guardian sales Fax: +44(0) 1465 714438
Floss enquiries: +44(0) 1465 716711
Email: sales@bdf.ltd.uk