The Touch LESS tool
The impact of Covid-19 and the nationwide lockdown has had a severe impact on small businesses. However, for agile entrepreneurs, the forced closing of their primary business could be seen as an opportunity to create additional revenue and help in the fight against the spread of the virus.
Like many other South Africans, entrepreneur Brendan Tinsley’s business ground to an abrupt and complete halt with the announcement of the lockdown and revenue dried up with it. Tinsley operated a small carpentry business building custom furniture and manufacturing and supplying products to the hospitality, corporate gifting and events industries.
The small business owner quickly realised that a new revenue stream would need to be developed and identified a need for products to help contain the virus and stop its spread, which led to the development of the Touch LESS concept.
Made from Birch plywood the hook-and-push tool allows users to minimise direct skin contact with high traffic surfaces such as doors, shopping trolleys and baskets, shelved products, speed point machines and parking pay stations.
Tinsley developed a few basic handmade prototypes in his home garage before returning to his manufacturing studio to develop and refine the Touch LESS to a final product.
The tool aims to minimise the potential risk of contracting and spreading Covid-19 as well as other harmful germs and bacteria and could also potentially reduce the need to regularly change personal protective equipment such as gloves.