It’s always interesting to scan the globe and see what ideas and innovations are taking place outside of Australia. Here are a couple of products we noticed from an inventive company in Sweden; we hope this interpretation (or rather Google’s translation) from Swedish to English does them justice. The company Jafo (www.jafo.eu) is well-known in the drainage systems market in the Scandinavian region.

STEADY ON THE SLAB
This position fitting is a simple but effective holding frame assembly that keeps the drain and pipe in correct position prior to and during the concrete pour. The system suits all drains of 150-200mm or 220mm flange. It is easily assembled and saves time later in correcting layout work after the pour.

RAT ATTACK!
I doubt there is an Australian plumber who hasn’t come across rats when they are working in drainage systems. Rodents are by no means pleasant and they are known for their threat to health.

Jafo claim their Rat-Exx solution is an effective stop against rats in sewers. It feeds-in electromagnetic pulses to pipe systems that discourage rats entering the sewerage system.

In Sweden there are four different rodents: brown rat, house mouse and the small and large forest mouse that are known for entering buildings and which can affect building occupants in a number of ways.

Such rodents are a threat to health and damage property by gnawing electrical wires, flowing pipe systems, floor drains and sewer systems.

Common brown rats are skilled at digging as well as being good swimmers on the surface and underwater. And they only need a 20mm hole in order to enter a cavity or pipe.

Jafo Rat-Exx works by introducing electromagnetic pulses through the sewers by attaching the device into horizontal service lines in the basement or ground floor. They claim their product provides 100% rat-free results.

NO EXCUSES
This smart looking sink-urinal fixture was developed by a Latvian designer named Kaspars Jursons. Not only does it save water, it also leaves little excuse for blokes to say they forgot to wash their hands on the way out of the toilet.

After having a wiz, you wash your hands in the sink on the top of the urinal and the same water that’s running is also used to flush. The tap is electronically operated. The units are starting to be sold in Norway, Germany and a number of other European countries.