Custom-built “Iguana” makes skin care product from hoki skins
A Waikato company has designed a new machine to mass produce a natural skin care range made from fish skins to meet growing international demand for the product. Custom-built by Stafford Engineering Ltd, the electrospinning machine nicknamed “The Iguana” manufactures ActivLayr, a skin care product made by West Auckland nanofibre producer Revolution Fibres. With more than 9000 components, and at 7m long, it is one of the largest machines of its kind in the world. Revolution Fibres Operations Manager Brent Tucker says while the company has been producing nanofibre for almost a decade, the Iguana enables a greatly increased production capacity to meet demand for ActivLayr both locally and internationally. “The Iguana is a fantastic collaboration between the best Kiwi minds from the science and engineering worlds. It allows Revolution Fibres to increase production to meet demand, but it also means we can grow the production of ActivLayr in New Zealand.” Roger Evans, Stafford co-founder, says most of its clients know what they want to produce but don’t have the expertise or capability to build it themselves. “That’s where we come in. For us a machine is a machine and in the case of Revolution Fibres, they had a very good idea of what they wanted. “The design of the Iguana is a collaboration of Revolution Fibres’ knowledge and requirements, and our engineering expertise to ensure the equipment performs and functions the way it should and produces the best possible outcome.” The nanofibre manufacturing process starts with fishing company Sanford supplying hoki skins, from which pure collagen is extracted. Using the process of electrospinning in the Iguana, Revolution Fibres transforms the collagen into nanofibre. During the electrospinning process natural ingredients such as kiwifruit and grapes, and hyaluronic acid (an ingredient to help the skin retain moisture), are infused to create […]