The Pingry School and CuVerro® strive for excellence in fighting bacteria

May 5, 2015 | By Business Wire News

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.

The Pingry School is the first K through 12 school in the U.S. to install Black Iron Strength fitness equipment with CuVerro copper alloy solid surface handles. CuVerro, a bactericidal copper touch surface that kills 99.9 percent of bacteria* within two hours of contact is EPA-registered.

Black Iron Strength dumbbell set made with CuVerro bactericidal copper surfaces. (Photo: Business Wire)

“At The Pingry School, ‘excellence and honor’ is a mantra in everything we do, and the approach to athletics and strength training is no different,” says Coach Douglas Scott, C.S.C.S, a Physical Education teacher and Head Strength and Conditioning coach for the past 16 years. “It’s integral to what we bring to our student-athletes.”

With the need to replace worn-out equipment in the school’s state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facility, Coach Scott researched extensively. “It’s my job to find the best equipment for our students and keep them as safe as possible,” says Scott. In choosing Black Iron Strength equipment the superior quality was a plus, while the CuVerro solid surface bactericidal properties was key and a big differentiator in the decision. Because CuVerrois a solid copper alloy, its properties never wash out or wear away and have been proven effective 24/7—continuously killing infectious bacteria*.

Coach Scott noted that, with the range of commitments student-athletes face, from staying up late studying to meeting demanding schedules, their immune systems are often compromised. “Although we have antimicrobial wipes and clean the facility every night, you don’t normally clean dumbbell handles consistently. Dumbbells and pulley systems are a very high traffic and high-touch area,” Coach Scott says. “MRSA and bacterial infections can be common in exercise facilities. Whatever we can do beyond our normal cleaning system to lower the risk of students’ contact with bacteria is worth the investment.”

The Pingry School installed a complete set of dumbbells, as well as barbells and pulley handle attachments. Representing communities across New Jersey and Pennsylvania with a 150-year history of high academic and athletic standards, the school enrolls approximately 1,080 students from diverse backgrounds. More than 80 percent of upper School students participate in sports across boys and girls teams.

“Reaction to the CuVerro copper bactericidal weights has been very positive,” says Coach Scott. He added the high-end look and CuVerro minimizing bacteria risks really appeals to students immersed in “the science of things.”

About CuVerro

CuVerro® is manufactured by GBC Metals, LLC, doing business as Olin Brass, a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Brass and Copper, Inc. which is a subsidiary of Global Brass and Copper Holdings, Inc., the leading manufacturer and distributor of copper, copper-alloy and bactericidal copper sheet, strip, plate, foil, rod, ingot and fabricated components in North America and one of the largest in the world. GBC Metals engages in the melting, casting, rolling, drawing, extruding and stamping of specialized copper and copper alloys finished products from scrap, cathode and other refined metals. (OB-0028-1505)

About Black Iron Strength

Black Iron Strength® products are sold by Grace Premier Fitness and Wellness Products, Inc., the leading worldwide distributor for the US Patented CuLEAN® antimicrobial copper touch points on the Black Iron Strength® free weight equipment handles and touch surfaces featuring the CuVerro® bactericidal copper components. For more information about Black Iron Strength® products, email Tom Grace, President of Black Iron Strength®, at tom@gracefitness.com, visit www.blackironstrength.com, or call 1-360-574-6524.

*Laboratory testing shows that, when cleaned regularly, CuVerro surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of the following bacteria within 2 hours of exposure: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli O157:H7, and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE).The use of CuVerro® bactericidal copper products is a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices, including those practices related to cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces. This surface has been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but it does not necessarily prevent cross contamination.