Fred Conforti has taken a significant financial position in Otres LLC, headquartered in Lisle, Illinois. Mr. Conforti is the former president and CEO of Pittway Systems Technology Group -- one of several companies in the Pittway Corporation portfolio that was swallowed up earlier this year in an acquisition of Pittway assets by Honeywell. Additionally, King Harris, formerly the chief executive officer of Pittway Corporation has accepted an appointment to the Otres Board of Directors.
Mr. Conforti, who is now the majority shareholder in Otres as well as chief executive officer, announced the company has re-introduced its Otres brand toothbrush and kitchen sponge activated oxygen sanitizers. The re-launch at the 2001 International Housewares Show follows completion of successful third-party testing on the long-term reliability of the company’s break-through germ killing technology for the kitchen and bathroom. “The show provided Otres with a strong kick-off for the 2001 selling season. We received orders from key retailers and we are now in the process of shipping product,” Conforti said.
Mr. Conforti is widely renowned throughout the hardware and home center industry for his work over 20 years to establish and build the First Alert home safety products brand as well as the residential smoke alarm category while he was president of First Alert/BRK Electronics (1970 to 1992) – now a division of Sunbeam Corporation.
Considerable buzz about Otres was generated last year during the 2000 International Housewares Show in Chicago. The sanitizer appliances were featured in national media coverage that highlighted “the most innovative new product ideas” exhibited at the annual industry convention.
Otres had originally planned to ship both products last summer. This strategy was delayed, say company executives, in favor of submitting the devices for additional reliability and efficacy tests completed last September. According to the company, the Otres Toothbrush Sanitizer and Otres Kitchen Sponge Sanitizer can destroy 99.9 percent of bacteria including E. coli, salmonella, listeria, streptococci and staphylococci by concentrating activated oxygen in a small chamber where the ozone will come into contact with the germs on sponges and toothbrushes.
“These products meet a growing consumer need for effective and safe ways to better control bacterial contamination in the home,” said Conforti. “The two major household breeding grounds for germs are the kitchen and bathroom, which prompted us to focus our product development efforts in these areas,” he said. In 1998, consumers spent over $540 million to buy antibacterial soaps, hand cleaners and dishwashing liquids alone.
Conforti reported that activated oxygen is used by many municipal water utilities and bottled water manufacturers to purify water supplies because of its documented ability to effectively eliminate organisms without the bad taste and harshness of chemicals such as chlorine.
He said the company is currently shipping sanitizers to True Value, Bed Bath and Beyond, and QVC, where they will be featured on February13th. Otres has ramped up manufacturing to meet escalating orders and is working to expand distribution nationally through its sales network. The Otres Kitchen Sponge Sanitizer and Toothbrush Sanitizer are available at a suggested retail price of $49.99 and $54.99.
More information on Otres, their sanitizing appliances and technology can be obtained on-line at www.otres.com.
