Alchatek Blog

For hand sanitizers, the CDC website recommends a >60% ethanol, or >70% isopropyl version in healthcare settings. However, the CDC is only one agency. Comparatively speaking, the FDA will adhere to their own claims as to what is acceptable in healthcare, food processing, home use etc. And within each of these segments, there will be different approvals for different uses. For instance, a poultry plant will require specific claims to the efficacy to kill salmonella. The resulting EPA claim registration will be different for the chemical used to clean a cleaver to butcher a chicken compared to a surface on which the chickens are stored. In addition to this, the same product may have registered claims to kill 99.9% salmonella in 60 seconds, while another producer had the same claim, for the same chemical, approved with a 90-second kill claim. These could be different products at the retail level. Also, EPA approval does not constitute FDA approval, and vice versa. It’s easy to see that agency regulations can be very confusing.

Further to this, a Covid-19 kill claim does not exist. At the moment, the EPA claim that best encapsulates this effectiveness is against ‘emerging viral pathogens.’ So, if you see Covid-19 on any label, it is not authorized, however, some (very few) producers may be approved to make off-label claims.

How Do You Know What is Compliant?

The FDA has honored the WHO recommendations which Alchemy-Spetec used to officially set up our Labeler Code, and resulting National Drug Code. Deviating from this formula is not authorized. Is it possible to supply 70% IPA grade to meet the ‘CDC Healthcare’ recommendation, but we would no longer be FDA-compliant and could not use our registered NDC number on the packaging. Simply put, if sanitizers do not have an NDC number on their product, then they are not FDA-compliant. If they make Covid kill claims on the label, they are not EPA compliant. To further complicate things, there are benzalkonium chloride-based sanitizers that are not alcohol at all, yet have EPA sanitizer claims, but may not meet CDC or FDA regulations.

Hand Sanitizer is FDA Controlled

The most recognizable brands are not immune to this confusion. A quick Google search on inaccurate coronavirus kill claims will provide ample detail on some of the consumer confusion caused when an FDA-regulated company makes EPA-regulated claims. The FDA does not have any list of sanitizers that kill coronavirus. Again, this is an EPA-regulated claim for ‘emerging viral pathogens’, and more commonly used in disinfectants.

What is the Best Hand Sanitizer Formula?

All consumers want the safest, most-stringent formula on the market. WHO / FDA released the approved formulas in direct-response to Covid-19 to provide the safest formula to ensure protection against emerging pathogens. While many sanitizer products are available in the market with various alcohol concentrations and active ingredients, Alchemy-Spetec strongly recommends seeking the WHO / FDA mandated level, which is 75% IPA, found in our sanitizer. What we can say is that our current version meets the FDA / WHO regulations (although more stringent), exceeds the CDC Healthcare requirements, is manufactured and packaged at an FDA approved establishment, and is accompanied by a registered National Drug Code ID. Products that are <75%IPA, or <80% ethanol version, do not meet FDA / WHO requirements. Benzalkonium chloride versions, do not meet CDC or FDA / WHO requirements. Coronavirus kill claims on label are not EPA compliant. In this period of scarcity, Alchemy-Spetec has chosen to adhere to the FDA-regulated formula to ensure the safest and best-performing sanitizer product to all consumers.

Want to buy Alchemy-Spetec Hand Sanitizer?

The INJECTR Series single cartridge houses grout and accelerator in two separate interior compartments. The grout and accelerator are thoroughly blended when injected through the static mixer. This cartridge is compatible with standard caulk guns. Spetec PUR F400 and Spetec PUR HighFoamer are currently available in this format.

Spetec PUR F400

• Concrete crack leaks
• Pipe penetration leaks
• Hairline cold joint leaks

Spetec PUR HighFoamer

• Gushing leak control
• Void fill in wet conditions
• Semi-rigid tolerates movement

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec Leak Seal products?

Seawalls are built to create a strong and stable barrier between a body of water and adjacent land, but why do they fail over time? Here are three common factors that can damage a seawall.

Soil Erosion

Incoming tide water pushes against a seawall and through cracks, joints, and defects. Over time soil erosion can occur on the inside of the wall. When the tide falls, water flows out and this erodes the soil, thereby weakening the structure. Soil erosion will begin to form small sinkholes in the corners of the inside section of a seawall. During periods of heavy rainfall, this problem worsens, and the deterioration process speeds up. Sinkholes are one of the earliest signs of trouble for a seawall.

Clogged Vents and Weep Holes

Constructing vents and weep holes in the seawall to allow the water behind it to drain and pass through is good practice in order to prevent pressure build-up. Unfortunately, when debris forms and blocks these holes, the channel for water passage seizes to exist. This can then cause the pressure build-up to occur. After some time, the pressure can crack the seawall and the water may find other flow passages causing unwanted soil erosion. 

Natural Disasters

If you live in an area that is susceptible to hurricanes, a seawall will very likely take some damage during hurricane season. The powerful winds erode soil from the back of the seawall to create sinkholes and voids. A lot of this damage can be prevented by reinforcing a seawall for the hurricane season.

Polyurethane Seawall Repair

You can greatly extend the life of a seawall by reinforcing or repairing it with semi-rigid hydrophobic polyurethane foams that react with moisture in the soil and expand to fill voids while they permeate sandy soil to form a solid, strong, watertight mass.

Want more information on Seawall Repair?

Alchemy-Spetec is pleased welcome Colt Hullander! Colt will join us as the new Director of Technical Services – Geotech Division, supporting Alchemy-Spetec customers on a wide variety of polyurethane jobs, from slab lifting to soil stabilization and seawall repair. He brings a decade of geotech experience to the team.

Colt put in many years as a project manager for Stable Soils of Florida where he oversaw polyurethane rig assembly and chemical grout installation projects. After that he briefly worked for Alchemy-Spetec as a Tech Services Rep for about a year. Colt then amicably moved on to Ramjack South Florida to become a Project Manager for their Seawall Division. We are happy to welcome him back in this new role.

Alchemy-Spetec VP of Sales & Business Development Jim Spiegel is excited about the ways in which this hire will benefit the market: “Colt brings many years of invaluable field experience with expertise in a wide range of equipment, products, and techniques. His field experience coupled with his technical acumen for equipment improvements will undoubtedly offer our Geotech customers another industry-leading resource. As most grouting contractors agree, there is no substitute for field experience, and Colt has no shortage of it.”

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Major water infiltration in precast manholes often occurs at the pipe penetrations. Failure to seal these leaks quickly could lead to the loss of thousands of dollars. It can also suck in soils and fine particlesThis process creates voids outside the manhole. With time, these voids grow larger and become sinkholes.

The typical method of sealing manhole pipe penetrations is using cementitious grout. This method may be effective at first, but you'll eventually notice cracks and infiltration again because it can't withstand the slightest movement of the pipe.

We recommend you use a combination of Spetec PUR GT380 and AP Oakum. The GT380 is a highly flexible polyurethane grout that allows movement between the pipe and manhole. Combine it with the AP Oakum which is an oil-free dry jute rope, and you can take care of large and irregular-shaped defects.

The installation steps are as follows:

1. Clean the surfaces on which you want to apply the Oakum. Wet them down if necessary, so they can react with the resin.
2. Cut the oakum into appropriate lengths if necessary.
3. Place oakum in a clean container (5 gallon/18.9 liter pail or plastic bag) and saturate with resin. Give time for the resin to soak into the oakum.
4. Using gloved hands, pull a section of oakum through a loose set to squeeze out excess resin.
5. (Optional Step) Dip the oakum in a pail of water to begin the reaction process of the resin. Soon, the resin will expand.
6. Pack oakum into leaking defect around the pipe using a screwdriver, wooden dowel, or other mechanical device sized appropriately for the joint, crack, or defect.
7. After the resin has cured, you may inject additional resin via a grout needle directly through the oakum or by drilling holes through the concrete behind the oakum.
8. Leave the material to cure overnight before attempting to trim the excess foam.

With the Spetec PUR GT380 and AP Oakum combination, your work will last up to 50 years - way longer than it would if you used hydraulic cement.

Want more info on Spetec PUR GT380?

What happens when a joint in a precast manhole begins to leak? The answer is it may as well be leaking money.

About $22k could be lost yearly because of any ONE manhole leak at the rate of 10 gallons per minute. In the U.S, there are approximately 20 million manholes, and many of them have OVER 10 gallons of infiltration a minute. You can imagine the potential loss.

Generally, manholes leak because of either movement and settlement after installation or just plain bad installation. A leak can happen at any time. Thankfully, Alchemy-Spetec offers a quick and effective solution to this problem.

You can seal precast manhole joints using Spetec PUR GT380. It is a hydrophilic polyurethane material that cures to form a gel or a foam. Because it's a single-component material, you can install it easily without the need for mixing. It can easily penetrate joints before it eventually cures into place, thanks to its low viscosity.

Installation is simple.  There are only four steps:

1. Drill holes. Typically, four per barrel joint.
2. Flush the holes.
3. Install your injection port.
4. Inject the resin.

With Spetec PUR GT380, you can have confidence in your work because this is a durable, long term sealing solution that holds up against the harsh sewer environment.  And your clients will be delighted to stop losing money from leaking manhole joints.

Want more info on Spetec PUR GT380?

In this post, we’re profiling Spetec PUR GT380. This hydrophilic polyurethane gel injection resin is your best option for shutting off water leaks in concrete, brickwork, and sewers where movement may occur. You can also use Spetec PUR GT380 for curtain grouting behind tunnels, concrete, and sheet piling. Due to the product’s low viscosity, you can also use it to cut off water leaks in a variety of foundations, including diaphragm walls, piling sheets and secant piles.

Advantages of Spetec PUR GT380

• Highly flexible and ideally suited for structures with high probability for settlement or movement.
• One component hydrophilic polyurethane resin, additional mechanical water shut-off through expansion after curing.
• Versatile form, adjustable with the amount of water added. Can cure to a rubbery foam (200 to 500% water) or a stable polyurethane gel (500 to 700% water).

We advise pairing the resin with the following accessories: a Spetec Pump Cleaner, AP Soak 130, Oakum, mechanical ports, and a single component electric injection pump.

Want more information on Spetec PUR GT380?

On Episode 8 of The Injection Connection, Jim sits down with Matt Chittick and Travis Germick, co-owners of Lift It Rite, LLC, a residential slab-lifting business servicing the Greater Atlanta and surrounding markets. Matt and Travis offer valuable insights on how to start a lifting business, production considerations, and the under-appreciated value of showing up with a smile - and perhaps a hamburglar costume!  (Jim Spiegel is Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and a Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute.)

Listen to the episode in its entirety below, or check it out on TheInjectionConnection.com and the following platforms:

• Spotify
• iTunes/Apple Podcasts
• SoundCloud
• TuneIn
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube

Want info on Alchemy-Spetec slab lifting products & applications?

We are thrilled to welcome Richard Cunningham as a part of our team! Richard will join us as the new Operations Manager, overseeing the company’s production process, quality control, and facilities maintenance. He brings 23 years of facility management and environmental safety experience.

Richard began his operations management career with Ardrox, working his way up to the position of East Coast Regional manager, overseeing four facilities in the U.S. and Canada. He was also a plant manager for Brenntag Mid-South, Inc. in Tennessee where he oversaw storage capability optimization for barges, rails, and tankers. He was later promoted to the Atlanta location, where he managed multiple facilities in Georgia. Richard holds an A.S. in Business from Newbury College in Boston, is Lean-certified, and has helped multiple facilities achieve multiple-year OSHA, ISO, EHS, and HACCP certifications.

Most impressively, Richard is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Richard joins the growing list of Alchemy-Spetec employees who have proudly served our country.

Alchemy-Spetec President and CEO Stephen C. Barton is excited about bringing on a skilled expert to optimize the company’s operations: “Richard’s sharp eye for quality control, safety, and production planning will help us as we continue to expand sales across the country. With Richard at the helm, I am confident that our operations are in good hands.”

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?

This article is an excerpt from Episode 7 of Alchemy-Spetec's podcast The Injection Connection, featuring concrete lifting marketing expert Ann Thaxton of ConcreteTitans.com. The Injection Connection is hosted by Jim Spiegel: Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute. (If you'd rather listen, an audio version of this exchange is posted at the bottom of the article.)

Jim Spiegel: As you know in the industry it's very expensive to get into this, just on the equipment side of things. You're looking at 50, 60, 70, even more - $100,000 perhaps depending on your rig setup.  So, one of the questions we get all the time is – “Okay, I'm going to invest in this equipment. What are you going to do for me and how do I get leads?” That's probably the number one question. For the customers that buy the equipment, their biggest problem we see as far as their success is their lack of marketing or advertising strategy. Say I'm Joe the builder and I want to get into this, and my first question is, “How do I start? Where do I even start with marketing, advertising and lead capture?”  Could you talk us through what solutions you may offer on that and any information on monthly budgets?

Ann Thaxton: We've found throughout the industry that for cost per lead, your cheapest cost per lead is digital advertising. Your most expensive cost per lead is TV. And everything else falls in between. Your average cost per lead with digital advertising runs between $40 and $50 per lead. TV runs around $200 to $250 per lead. Direct Mail runs about $150 per lead. Ideally, if you were a more mature company, you would do all of those because studies show that it takes anywhere between 12 and 18 touch points for somebody to convert to become a customer. If you're just starting out in the business, your cheapest cost per lead is digital advertising. But I wouldn't just stop there. If you have time on your hands and if you are able to, then print up some door hangers and hang them up around neighborhoods where you know they have some problems with their concrete. If you level concrete in one neighborhood, you hang door hangers on both sides of that house and across the street for sure. And you ask your customer if they would please refer people to you because referrals are really the gold standard here. Referrals are “free” cost per lead. So, once you get really mature as a company, you get so many referrals that it just becomes gravy on top. But to start out, I would think that you would do a lot of that pounding the pavement type of work to get your name out and then do some lead advertising. And I have different levels of service. From the start, from the starting service up to 4+ rig companies. And for a budget to start out, you can spend less than a thousand a month.

Visit ConcreteTitans.com for more info on Ann Thaxton's marketing services.

Want some marketing tips from Alchemy-Spetec?