Clorox Co. is beefing up its supply of Pine-Sol household cleaner to battle the coronavirus pandemic, contracting with a Canadian company to manufacture and fill 12 million bottles a year.
Chemical maker and packager Dimachem Inc. of Windsor, Ontario, said it will modify its facility, add blow molding equipment and create a new line to produce the bottles. The expansion is expected to create 14 jobs. The employee-owned company now has a staff of about 40.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency specifically approved the original Pine-Sol multisurface cleaner-disinfectant as a coronavirus killer in September. Health Canada also has approved the cleaner for that purpose. Clorox said test results from a third-party laboratory showed Pine-Sol can kill the virus on hard, nonporous surfaces within 10 minutes.
Local media reported the company plans to invest C$4 million (US$3.2 million) in the Pine-Sol project. In addition, the Ontario government said it is investing almost C$850,000 (US$679,000) in the expansion through the Ontario Together Fund. The government created the ongoing, C$50 million (US$40 million) fund to ensure the province won't have to rely on overseas suppliers for safety products.
Dimachem has supplied industrial chemicals and cleaning products mainly to the automotive and agricultural markets, but it "quickly pivoted to producing hand sanitizers and disinfectants during the pandemic," according to a news release from the province.
Clorox Co. of Canada is based in Brampton, Ontario. The parent, Clorox Co. in Oakland, Calif., produces everything from Fresh Step cat litter to Hidden Valley salad dressing to personal care lines such as Burt's Bees. Its other home care products include Formula 409, Tilex, Liquid-Plumr and S.O.S brands.