Tipp firm aims to beat Covid-19 with its walk through temperature scanner for workplaces

Pictured above: Horan Automation & Robotics walk through temperature scanner 

A Co. Tipperary company has received a lot of enquiries from companies interested in acquiring its new walk through temperature scanner to test their employees as a Covid-19 prevention measure. 

Drangan based Horan Automation & Robotics is expecting the delivery of its first walk through temperature scanner to its workshop this Friday (June 5). 

The firm's Commercial Director Emma Lacy says they received eight enquiries within half an hour of first advertising the scanner.  Interest in the product has so far mainly come from manufacturing and food companies, who want to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak among their staff. 

Horan Automation & Robotics has decided to supply the temperature scanners to the Irish market in the wake of the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol advising employers to implement temperature testing of their workforces in line with public health advice. The World Health Organisation has also advised the checking of workers' temperatures daily so that anyone with fever doesn't come into work and possibly transmit the disease to colleagues. 

“The current market situation has been difficult for everyone. We are no different.  We have continued to support our customers and team as best we can,” Ms Lacey told The Nationalist. 

“We wanted to use our resources and network to help fight the COVID-19 crisis as far as possible, so we decided to look into sourcing temperature scanners.”

The company that primarily designs and manufactures automated machinery for the pharmaceutical, food and manufacturing industries, is importing the temperature scanners from a manufacturer it closely works with in China.  

Ms Lacy describes the walk through temperature scanners as the “first line of defence against the virus breaking out in a work environment”. 

 “The walk through scanners allow for a faster method of screening.  Detection time is less than one second,” she explained. 

“If the temperature of the person being tested exceeds the set warning temperature, a light or sound alarm can be set, allowing for an efficient method of monitoring people entering the building and making it easy to ensure anyone displaying a high body temperature does not gain access to  ensure the safety of other people inside. 

“The result of the temperature scan is displayed on a LED screen on the scanner, which also allows for people to monitor their own results and track changes in their body temperature to become more COVID-19 conscious.” 

Ms Lacy points out they  are selling the scanners at  €3500, which is half the recommended retail price,  to help businesses get back up and running after the Covid-19 lockdown. 

“We see this as our way of contributing to the economic recovery.”  

Horan Automation &  Robotics has fortunately been able to remain operational throughout the Covid-19 pandemic as it was deemed an essential service allowing its  customers providing essential supplies to pharmaceutical and medical industries to  continue to work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Indeed, Horan Automation's engineers have played a key role in the manufacture of Covid-19 testing kits for hospital and test centres throughout the country. 

In March, the company deployed half of its engineering team to one of their pharmaceutical customers based in Limerick to work on installing a new line in manufacturing Covid-19 testing kits.

“Through the help of Horan Automation, they been able to manufacture COVID-19 testing kits for hospitals and test centers throughout the country,”  Ms  Lacy explains.   

“Being on the list of essential services meant we quickly had to focus our team on why we are essential, to provide crucial support to our customers.  

“Without this support those customers couldn’t meet manufacturing demand for food, medicine or medical supplies.

“In March, we were working day to day and I was well aware  we were asking a lot from our engineers who were understandably feeling uncertain and nervous about the potential risks of carrying on work. 

“I must commend each and every one of them. They have worked tirelessly and continue to do so.  I am proud to say we have a team of hard working and selfless staff planing an integral role in  contributing to the health and wellbeing of the masses,” she added.