Ontex and Henkel announced an agreement on March 18, 2026 to advance the European rollout of Orizon, a smart incontinence-care system for long-term care. Ontex developed the system in collaboration with caregivers. The partnership combines its hygiene-product manufacturing experience with Henkel's expertise in printed electronics and implementing digital hygiene systems.
Henkel's conductive, graphite-based ink is printed on the outside of the absorbent product as part of a sensor. A reusable clip attached to that element detects moisture and the wearer's position, sending the information to an app or web interface. Care teams can view residents' status without entering every room and use moisture information to decide when a change is needed. The companies say this can reduce routine checks, unnecessary changes and night-time disturbances. Their announcement reports potential average savings of around eight working hours per resident per month and reductions in material consumption of up to 20%. It also notes that leakage-related clothing changes, washing, cleaning and bedding replacement can require at least 30 minutes of work.