IN some office buildings, the atmosphere is drier than the Sahara Desert. It can lead to "sick building syndrome", leading to stinging eyes, sore throats and headaches. Humi-Tech Services Limited, of Pier Road Industrial Estate, Gillingham, can solve these problems. The company is among the entrants for this year's Medway Small Business Awards. "All types of industry need humidification," said Richard Johnson, one of the partners. "If staff are constantly off sick because of the effects of a dry atmosphere, it can be very expensive. "Educating businesses about humidity is an important part of our marketing strategy. We recently installed a system at the Financial Services Authority offices in London which pumps out 360 kilograms of water an hour, showing the size of the problem." Humi-Tech is different from most other companies in its industry, in that it's not tied down to using specific products or manufacturers. This gives the company the flexibility to select the most suitable system. The company's services cover an extremely varied range of environments, from steam rooms in health clubs, to operating theatres. "We've recently undertaken some major maintenance contracts for big national newspapers in London," said Colin Outram, the other partner in the firm. In the last year the company has doubled its turnover, as more businesses learn the importance of avoiding "sick building syndrome".

Medway Small Business Awards is sponsored by Medway Today and the Kent Messenger, LloydsTSB bank, Medway Chamber of Commerce and Medway council. An application form appears weekly in Medway Today or can be obtained from Chatham reference library or Medway Chamber of Commerce. Entrants must be in the Medway area,have a turnover of less than £3 million, and have been in business for at least a year before the closing date of the competiton, July 31.