From Idea to Market Leader in Water Disinfection

Part 3: The Pandemic as a Turning Point – from Crisis Management to Expansion

In the spring of 2020, the world faced a situation few of us had ever experienced. Covid-19 spread rapidly and affected everything from work life to daily routines. Healthcare, elderly care, and businesses confronted entirely new challenges—not least a shortage of basic hygiene products.

In the midst of this, Sweden ran out of “hand sanitizer.” Authorities urged the public to use hand sanitizer, but Anolytech reacted immediately. Within the industry, the correct term is hand disinfection—and the difference is more than just words. After dialogue with the responsible authorities, public communication across the country was adjusted.

Anolytech’s technology is fundamentally developed for water disinfection, but the pH-optimized hypochlorous acid AnoDes—at the right concentration—works equally well for hand and surface disinfection. When it became clear that the situation was acute, Anolytech offered the Municipality of Ystad a supply of hand disinfection for free distribution. When the municipality declined, the company decided to act on its own.

Instead, they opened the doors to a pop-up location where anyone could collect hand disinfection—completely free of charge. In just seven days, 89,000 liters were distributed in Ystad. People traveled from all over Sweden, Stefan Fischlein appeared on Nyhetsmorgon, and the media reported extensively on the initiative. The event was clear proof of how quickly Anolytech’s technology and organization could pivot when it truly mattered.

But the pandemic wasn’t the only trial. In 2021, the global semiconductor shortage hit, turning electronic components into a bottleneck and limiting machine production. The crisis forced more robust production planning, a diversified supply chain, and sharper priorities.

At the same time, the pandemic had made many people aware of how vulnerable society is to bacteria and viruses. The media attention around Anolytech attracted investors—and with them, new opportunities.

In September 2021, Sandra Lindström took over as CEO after nearly two years as Head of Marketing. Her mandate was clear: take Anolytech to the next level. Founder Stefan Fischlein—an inventor at heart—was given the opportunity to focus on business development and expansion.

Under Sandra’s leadership, concrete steps followed. Together with Latour as a new shareholder, the ownership structure was made more flexible, and new employees were recruited to meet growing demand in Sweden and Norway. This became the starting point for a new journey—an expansion that continues to this day. With fresh initiatives into several new sectors, such as real estate and maritime, Anolytech has grown to 26 employees and continues to gain market share both in Sweden and internationally.