INOX, an engineering company that designs and manufactures decorative hardware and door locks, is now producing an antimicrobial coating for its line of stainless steel products, including commercial and residential door levers and pulls, deadbolts, panic devices and push/pull plates at its plant in Sacramento, California.

According to a company spokesperson, INOX MicroArmor Antimicrobial Coating is a powder coating infused with antimicrobial technology that is applied during the hardware’s manufacturing process and works to inhibit the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria, mold and mildew by up to 99.9%.

“In light of the current ongoing health crisis, it was incredibly important to us to focus our research and development on products that can help lessen the spread of harmful bacteria and to make them available to hospitals and healthcare facilities as soon as possible,” said Qianyan Cheng, INOX Co-Founder and Vice President of Product Development.

“INOX MicroArmor Antimicrobial Coating contains silver ions that attach themselves to a microbe’s cellular enzyme to inhibit the growth of the microbe, reducing the spread of bacteria, fungi and mold,” a spokesperson explained. “ During the manufacturing process, the powder coating is applied to an INOX product and the silver ions within the coating integrate with the product itself. This enables the hardware to have 24/7, around-the-clock protection that does not wash off or wear away and remains effective in reducing the growth and spread of bacteria.”