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Nastiest Household Chore Now Easy Thanks to Bemis®

New collection of toilet seats addresses growing trend toward quicker, simpler cleaning and more hygienic bathroom products

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. (May 23, 2008) - It’s not every day that a revolutionary idea is fueled by revulsion. Fortunately for Bemis Manufacturing Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of toilet seats, it simply goes with the territory.

Bemis is creating worldwide chatter with its three newest products: XCITE!™, Easy•Clean & Change™ (formerly known as Easy•Clean™) , and DuraGuard®.

Get XCITE!d

The company’s latest innovation is a sleek but extraordinary hinge that under close observation is a sophisticated germ and grime barrier. As the name implies, XCITE! is intended to get consumers - who would otherwise dread toilet cleaning duty - excited about the job ahead.

Instead of the usual two hinges attaching the seat to the bowl, XCITE! has a single, continuous hinge base, making cleaning the seat and toilet as easy as a single swipe-no more nooks or crannies to contend with. The wider mount and the introduction of biscuit joinery technology also enhance the seat’s stability.

Bemis uses a new technology that joins two similar polymers, making the hinge pliable yet extremely durable. And by covering the often unsightly gap between the hinges where bacteria can grow, Bemis’ unique hinge not only addresses cleanliness, but also makes the view from above easy on the eyes.

“Homeowners don’t want to sacrifice style for function. They want beautiful products that are easy to maintain without a lot of hassle,” says Senior Channel Manager, Bob Davis. “Of all the attributes that make the XCITE! hinge intriguing, the fact that it’s so simple to clean will most impress consumers. It’s the kind of convenience consumers are now demanding.”

The company’s new XCITE! hinge offers more than a new product introduction – it also creates a new category of toilet seats that match consumers’ desire for quick-cleaning solutions and a more hygienic environment.

“People no longer dedicate entire afternoons to clean,” Davis says. “We as consumers are on a quest to clean effectively but do it efficiently and quickly-to clean in a single swipe between appointments. We want our personal environments to be hygienic. And, through it all, bathrooms remain among our least favorite cleaning chores, especially toilets, seats and that inaccessible valley of filth between the hinges.”

Products addressing the easy cleaning category are trends that won’t go away any time soon. Demand for cleaning wipes, for example - both consumer and industrial - is expected to increase 6.5 percent annually to $8 billion in 2011, according to a 2007 study.

Leading the Easy-Clean Charge

XCITE! joins Bemis’ previous technological breakthrough, Easy•Clean & Change™ (formerly known as Easy•Clean™) in this new easy-cleaning toilet seat category. The company first introduced Easy•Clean & Change™ in 2000. The seat simply pops on and off with just a “twist of the hinge,” allowing consumers to quickly remove the seat for easy cleaning. Easy•Clean & Change has since been expanded into additional product lines. And according to Channel Manager, Melissa Glancey, consumer response has been incredible.

“It’s among our best selling seats,” says Glancey, referring to Bemis toilet seats that feature Easy•Clean & Change. “Like many breakthrough products, we approached the challenge of creating a new clean-friendly seat based on what consumers wanted. We knew the easiest way to clean a toilet seat and bowl would be with the seat off. But, with all the hardware to unscrew, who would ever remove a seat every time they cleaned?”

In realizing that consumers today are changing the look of their bathrooms more regularly, Bemis adapted its Easy•Clean & Change to accommodate different colors, styles and patterns. “We know the toilet is the focal point of the bathroom,” says Glancey. “Since the mounting bolts stay in place, there’s no reason to install new hardware with the Easy•Clean & Change. It’s now possible for consumers to make quick, simple replacements when needed.”

Antimicrobial Technology Soon to Follow

To further ‘up the ante’ on cleanliness, Bemis offers another technology important to consumers. DuraGuard®, an antimicrobial that helps inhibit the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria that forms on surfaces, will soon be introduced in a number of the company’s residential toilet seats. Bemis has been successfully using DuraGuard® for nearly 20 years in a variety of commercial toilet seats and the hyper-hygienic trend now makes this technology right for this new market.

“The demand for cleaner, more environmentally friendly and hygienic products is only going to grow, especially in our own homes,” says Glancey. “With our new category of toilet seats, we’re simply giving consumers better cleaning and hygienic solutions for what has commonly been a dirty job. Who knows what will come next – perhaps, a truly self-cleaning toilet seat. Or, better yet, entire homes that are self cleaning. We can only hope.”

Product Information

Toilet seats featuring the Easy•Clean & Change hinge are available in both round and elongated sizes in an array of styles and colors by the following Bemis brands: Church®, Mayfair®, Westport®, Olsonite® and Bemis®. The XCITE! hinge is currently available in round and elongated sizes in white by the following Bemis brands: Church®, Mayfair®, Westport®, Olsonite® and Bemis®. For a list of retailers or wholesalers in your area that carry these seats, visit BemisMfg.com