NATIONAL INNOFINLAND PRIZE 2005

Oy Granula Ab, Kotka: Safer sunscreen by special dispersions

Oy Granula Ab is a business that specialises in new sunscreen technology. The company manufactures and develops custom-made GranLux® intermediate products that give protection from the UV radiation from the sun for the cosmetics industry.

The innovation is based on the use of corpuscular filters in sunscreen and skin care products as the element protecting from UV radiation. Examples of this kind of filters include nano-crystalline titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

In the method patented in 1993 these intractable materials are brought into an easy-to-use intermediate form. The method was developed by Ph.D. Thomas Ahlnäs.

Unlike in the conventional sunscreen technology, the effect of the corpuscular UV filters is based in their ability to reflect UV radiation. They do not decompose or undergo chemical changes on the surface of the skin, nor are they absorbed into the system. The essential benefit provided by the use of GranLux® products is the ability of these to also protect from UVA radiation. This is a prerequisite for safe sunscreen products – as it has been found that even UVA radiation, which has longer wavelength than UVB radiation, causes skin cancer.

The UV radiation, which is increasing by the action of ozone depletion in the atmosphere, and the continuously rising number of skin cancer cases present serious challenges to public health everywhere. Oy Granula Ab endeavours, for its part, to respond to these challenges.

Oy Granula Ab was established in 1997 and has its place of business in Kotka. The company markets its products through a world-wide distributor network. In 2004, the company had a turnover of €1.43M.

Oy Granula Ab Ltd., Rautatienkatu 2, FI-48100 Kotka, Finland
Managing Director Paul Saris
Tel. +358 (0)5 2105200, fax: +358 (0)5 2105225
paul.saris@granula.com
www.granula.com