Beginner’s Guide on Starting an Antimicrobial Business in Singapore

When the COVID-19 storm took the world in late 2019, plenty of measures were taken to break the pandemic chain. A heavy emphasis was placed on social distancing and hygiene practices as a part of the measures. Now, more than ever before, protecting ourselves and others to slow down the spread of the virus has become immensely crucial. If you have plans on setting up an antimicrobial business in Singapore, your time has come.

Antimicrobial businesses have always been in business. However, this particular sector is experiencing a boost in business since the virus wave started two years ago. Many parties, such as schools, universities, cinemas, laboratories, etc., are hiring many cleaners to disinfect their facilities thoroughly. Given how these antimicrobial businesses have access to heavy-duty cleaning technologies and products, the services provided by these businesses have become a necessity to the public.

Setting up an antimicrobial business in Singapore is an excellent idea for a potential business. This article will cover how to begin an antimicrobial business, including its industry practice, business registration, licenses, and permits. Plus, we’ll also spill the secrets on finding quality and credible help to start your business. For more information, do read the guide to company registration in Singapore here.

 

What Is an Antimicrobial Business?

An antimicrobial business offers sanitization services that kill harmful microbes such as viruses, bacterias, and fungi. Antimicrobials destroy a hospitable environment for these microbes by preventing their growth or killing them at a cellular level. These ill-causing microbes are known as pathogens and can cause severe damage to our bodies. For example, you will need to combat viruses with antivirus and bacterias with anti-bacterial antimicrobial agents.

Typically, an antimicrobial business offers various services, including decontamination, control microbial contamination, mold removal, disinfecting, swabbing and testing, etc. Additionally, antimicrobial services also deploy emergency teams to sterilize facilities if there is an outbreak to contain it swiftly.

Currently, the demand for antimicrobial business is on the rise. With the ongoing pandemic, constant sanitization is needed to ensure hygiene is up to standards, especially in public areas. Antimicrobial services are essential to protect the people when standard cleaning methods fail. Seeing how an antimicrobial business is in a niche of its own, breaking into this business might be slightly complex. Nevertheless, with assistance from a corporate service provider, you can get it set up in no time!

 

Breaking Into an Antimicrobial Business

Every business in Singapore needs to be officially registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). As the regulatory body, ACRA is responsible for overlooking the business entities and corporate service providers in Singapore. The fee for registering your company is relatively affordable, at 300 dollars.

At this point, you should decide on several important aspects of your business, such as what type of business structure you are going for, the name of your company, and a registered business address. Generally, there are three types of business structures in Singapore, namely, Sole-Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Partnership (LP), and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). Most business owners choose LLP due to its reduced liability exposure. However, do keep in mind that every business is different. Hence, you will need to do your research and list the pros and cons before deciding on one. To find out more on what type of business structure to choose, see here.

As for the name of your company, pick something original and creative. Don’t forget to check whether or not another business has trademarked the name you have chosen. Checking the availability of your company name is crucial as you can be penalized for using a trademarked name. There are plenty of business-name-checker tools available for free online. Lastly, you will need a registered business address for mail receiving purposes. Legally, you are required to register a physical address; home addresses will do; however, several conditions have to be met. See here for more.

 

What Licences Will You Need?

Operating an antimicrobial business means that you might be handling several hazardous chemicals. According to the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA), you will need to obtain the Hazardous Substances Licence Control, and the Hazardous Substances Permit Control. Acquiring the License Control requires you to fulfill several conditions, such as passing the Management of Hazardous Substances Course conducted by Singapore Environment Institute (SEI), possessing a technical diploma, and proving that you store the hazardous substances safely.

As for the latter Permit Control, several conditions apply, including reading, understanding, and declaring that you fully comprehend the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) and its Regulations. The licenses and permits require a fee that you can pay through electronic payments. You can pay the Pollution Control Department (PCD) through eNets Debit, eNets Credit, or Interbank GIRO. For more guidelines on managing, storing, and transporting hazardous chemicals, you can read here.

Applying for licenses and permits may take a while. Therefore, when applying, make sure to be precise when you fill up your application. If you’d rather have someone else handle the registration process, you can look into Singapore company incorporation.

 

Let Us Help You

Starting an antimicrobial business in Singapore can be lucrative. If you do not know where to begin or if the process of setting up a business overwhelms you, try engaging with a reliable corporate service provider. Utilizing the help of professionals in setting up a business can save your money, time, and energy in the long run. Instead of spending hours going over your business registration process and the formalities needed, you can opt to hand it to an expert in the field, like us.

We are 3E Accounting – ready to provide you with the most comprehensive, one-stop business solutions. Established globally, we have over a decade of experience and witnessed the most complex problems in the business industry. 3E Accounting is composed of multidisciplinary professionals who will assist you in any part of your entrepreneurial journey. Ready to begin your journey in the antimicrobial business in Singapore? Then contact 3E Accounting today!