African Cleaning Review Jan/Feb '15 issue

PROMOTING PROFESSIONAL HYGIENE AND CLEANING

January/February 2015 | R43.50 (incl. VAT)

Cleaning the Gautrain system Interview with Nilfisk-Advance GM Service delivery vs discounts Smart laundry solution for SMMEs

Webse Websearch

Africa’s hygiene, cleaning, maintenance, pest control, laundry and facility maintenance services publication is distributed to: end users, building service contractors, multi-service providers and key institutional sectors including government, healthcare, education, retail centres, hospitality, food processing and general manufacturing industries.

CleantexPulire is Africa’s highly specialised international trade exhibition focusing on the latest in cleaning technology, industrial cleaning, hygiene- & laundry-solutions, sanitation & professional cleaning, pest- waste-, environmental- & washroom-hygiene management.

www.africancleaningreview.co.za

www.cleantex.co.za

Concept Clean Africa specialises in the total cleaning and sanitation of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air conditioning) equipment, distributing EnviroCon™ and Oxine A.D.; an EPA-registered sanitiser and deodoriser for air handling systems including deep cleaning of kitchen extraction systems.

With 30+ years of world class product innovation and service, Costa Lambrianos Group is the industry name you can rely on. Through strong international ties, a dedication to quality, innovation and service, we have established ourselves as leaders for the washroom and hygiene industry with a wide range of market leading products.

www.conceptcleanafrica.co.za

www.clgroup.co.za

Easy Chem Cleaning supplies a full range of your day-to-day household products that can be found at all supermarkets, as well as the more specialised industrial products to clean workshops, service the motor industry, hotels, shopping centres, casinos and newly developed complexes. A full range of hygiene equiment and services are available.

We are importers and distributors of agricultural & industrial pumps, high pressure cleaners and agricultural sprayers. We provide quality products as well as good service, and we also service and repair.

www.easychem.co.za

www.jaytrade.co.za

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Looking for an alternative way to create awareness of your website and simultaneously direct additional traffic to the site? Now you can showcase a picture of your homepage including a brief overview of the company in the Websearch section of African Cleaning Review. For more information or a quotation email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za

Matco is well established as a world class rubber and entrance mat manufacturer and supplier of flooring related products that promote safety and hygiene, while providing the opportunity of marketing your brand.

The National Contract Cleaners Assocation’s (NCCA) mission is to provide leadership to the industry by striving to create a professional environment through facilitating and co-ordinating industry activities, providing quality services, maintaining a national platform and influencing the environment to achieve the desired benefits for its members and the community as a whole.

www.matco.co.za

www.ncca.co.za

Neledzi Cleaning Services strives for the utmost quality and value added services and related products.

Our clients are able to focus on their core business practices while we oversee their cleaning service needs.

Cleaning is an essential activity, 365 days a year. Numatic manufactures an extensive range of commercial and industrial cleaning equipment to the highest British standards that also comply with SABS specifications.

www.neledzicleaning.co.za

www.numatic.co.za

Prime Cleaning Suppliers provides locally-produced products and services. We adhere strictly to the applicable standards set out by various industry bodies and government organisations.

The hands-on approach and continual training process adopted by Red Alert TSS ensures a consistently high standard of health and sanitation proven in the market place. The Cleaning Division services major blue chip clients countrywide by providing specialised cleaning services.

www.primecs.co.za

www.redalert.co.za

contents JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 VoL 16 No. 1 Nilfisk-Advance poised for African growth

It is vital to realise that it is not a case of WAP being merged into Industroclean or Industroclean being merged into WAP. The reality is rather that these two great businesses merged to form a new company, which is now known as Nilfisk-Advance (Pty) Ltd. The combination of values, brands, people and foundations laid over many years, has now prepared an even stronger foundation for the emergence of a new market leader that incorporates the WAP and Industroclean brands. Read more about the emergence of a new brand on page 12.

opinion

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Industry News

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The ISSA’s Keith Baker looks at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for professional cleaning and hygiene in 2015

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Increase in minimum wage for cleaning sector Open day to showcase new SpaceVac products Tailored solutions to reduce costs related to water usage New recognition programme for US housekeeping professionals Cleanest municipality in Gauteng Diversey Care President to address industry at CleantexPulire 2015

Features

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Keeping the Gautrain system clean Pest control – Warding off pests in healthcare facilities Pest control – When to use the correct chemical resistant gloves

Interview

Outsourcing to increase globally – report Service delivery ‘more important than discounts’

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Newly appointed Nilfisk-Advance GM Gavin Herold talks about restructuring and highlights his vision for the future

Educational

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FM Review

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People and Events

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New Products

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Host’s Geoffrey R Greeley retires Numatic’s 2014 product launch MaPa celebrates 15 years of continued growth and staff dedication Prime Cleaning Suppliers raises over R100 k for charity

Improved CIP and bottle washing cleaning performance Kränzle 599 Hire version True deep cycle AGM battery technology New wet floor drying concept

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in African Cleaning Review, e-squared publications and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright of all material published in African Cleaning Review remains with e-squared publications and its agents.

March/April issue: • Washroom hygiene • Hospitality cleaning May/June issue: • Catering and food hygiene • Chemicals (dispensing systems) Jul/Aug issue: • Contract cleaning • Hand hygiene • CleantexPulire 2015 exhibition preview and catalogue Sept/oct issue: • Hygiene in healthcare • Outdoor cleaning systems • CleantexPulire 2015 exhibition review Nov/Dec issue: • Hard floor care • Matting systems

Diarise the dates

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Inside the ‘World’s most sustainable office building’

All editorial contributions can be sent to the editor who reserves the right to publish editorial based on the strength of its content. No articles or photographs may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publishers.

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Laundry Review

Smart laundry solution for SMMEs Restora programme reduces costs for healthcare laundries

African Cleaning Review is aimed at end-users, contractors and suppliers of products and services to Africa’s Cleaning, Hygiene, Maintenance, Pest Control and Facility Management Services industries.

It is published every other month by: e-squared publications.

Tel: +27 (0) 11 238 7848 or +27 (0) 72 611 1959 Fax: +27 (0) 86 672 4794 PO Box 1976, Halfway House, 1685, South Africa email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Website: www.africancleaningreview.co.za Editor/Publisher: Johann van Vuuren +27 (0) 11 238 7848 email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Features: Teresa Settas +27 (0) 11 238 7848 email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Advertising: +27 (0) 11 238 7848 email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Administration and Accounts: Nandé Jacobs email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za

10th Edition of CleantexPulire 28–30 July 2015 Gallagher Convention Centre Midrand, Johannesburg

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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from the editor

opinion

Great expectations As we start a new year it always presents an ideal opportunity to reflect on the past and cast our minds ahead in order to explore how

Milestone industry event imminent

we can build on past experience in order to streamline future business operations. This article by the ISSA’s director of EMEA Services, Keith Baker looks at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the

With the publication of our first issue of the New Year I want to use this platform to wish all African Cleaning Review subscribers and advertisers a wonderful 2015 filled with prosperity and new opportunities for growth. The features list for the remainder of the year appears in the contents section of the magazine and as usual, I want to encourage everybody involved in the various sectors of professional cleaning and hygiene to participate in these features, but also to keep us informed regarding news, product developments and launches. This magazine remains committed to offering readers a well-balanced mixture of industry news, people and event updates, new product releases, case studies, Association news, features and face-to-face interviews with key industry players.

In this issue we take a closer look at cleaning the high speed Gautrain rail system, interview the new Nilfisk-Advance General Manager regarding his vision for the company, explore the service delivery versus discounts issue and discover a smart new laundry solution for SMME’s.

Of course a very important event this year is the one international trade exhibition in Africa for all sectors of the professional cleaning industry, CleantexPulire, set to take place in Johannesburg South Africa from 28–30 July. This year’s event will mark the milestone 10th edition of this industry exhibition, established in 1998 to build a platform for African cleaning professionals to congregate, showcase the latest product innovations, network and create new business opportunities. Diarise these dates to ensure you don’t miss out on the best the industry has to offer. We look forward to welcoming you to this professional showcase for cleaning and hygiene.

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

professional cleaning and hygiene industry in 2015.

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reasured downtime relaxing with family and friends over the Christmas holidays, and the dawn of a New Year, often leads to renewed optimism and greater resolve for the year ahead. Coupled with a clearer sense of purpose and self worth, this surely is the best time to mentally throw off whatever shackles have held us back before, and challenge ourselves to design and realise the life that we want – whether that be in a professional capacity or on a personal level.

The challenge that I would extend to the professional cleaning industry is to make 2015 the year when we are truly proud of our industry and the value that we bring both to our immediate communities and stakeholders, as well as the wider world. I recently chaired a working group in London with some of the brightest minds in our industry discussing this exact topic and it was a day well spent. We met, and will continue to work together, with the common goal of changing the perception of the industry. Let’s remember too that this perception needs to be changed both from the outside and within the sector itself.

As we move into the New Year, what is the current state of our industry and what are we missing? Certainly there is a lack of awareness regarding the value of clean, and cleaning is all too often seen as a commodity

and something that is easy to cut or scale back – which in turn leads to increased pressure to do more with less. Conversely, and simultaneously, occupant health and preventing infection is a hot button, and it is here that we really do make a difference if we have methods to quantify the value we provide, as well as the tools to communicate that true value to the right decision makers.

To achieve this we need to define the value to decision makers of cleaning services, and demonstrate how budget reductions can create unintended consequences that will negatively impact the revenues that they generate from those buildings. To do this we must calculate the financial return on investment of improved cleanliness and find ways to maintain costs without cutting corners. Here ISSA’s Value of Clean calculator is a very useful tool.

Workplace wellness Let’s also be more upfront in examining how investments in hygiene improve occupant wellness and increase employee productivity.

Few things speak louder to a responsible business owner or operator than lost financial opportunity, productivity and colleagues’ safety and wellbeing. Research by KimberlyClark Professional* has tested and concluded that hygiene interventions

opinion could reduce the probability of infection for the common cold and influenza by approximately 80 percent, reduce the number of surfaces in a building contaminated by viruses by 62 percent, and reduce absenteeism by as much as 46 percent.

In a study of 400 managers and employees conducted by HLW International LLP, employees’ productivity levels were also found to be heavily influenced by the cleanliness of the office in which they worked. This study found that cleaning has a very real and measurable value, specifically reporting a 5 percent productivity gain. For building service contractors therefore, I see a real opportunity to enhance client relationships in 2015 and beyond by promoting workplace wellness and employee productivity.

Improving standards To successfully communicate and build on the value of clean, we certainly need schemes such

as CIMS, the consensus-based management standard, which aims to improve the professionalism of cleaning service providers and offer a clear way for a contract cleaning company to differentiate itself from its competition. We also need to develop the skills of our people at all levels and functions in the industry. Nowhere is this a more pressing issue than in the training of the sales teams (be they distributor, manufacturer or service provider) who are at the sharp edge, communicating the value that their company or products – and indeed the industry as a whole – bring to the customer.

I believe that it has been a widely held view that the industry would benefit from professional sales training specific to the cleaning and hygiene sector. I am therefore pleased to confirm that ISSA is now at an advanced stage in developing a UK training programme that will meet this need in 2015.

Keith Baker

All these initiatives, and many more besides, will help elevate the value and professionalism of our industry. Let’s make 2015 the year that we extend our expertise; the one where we build deeper trust with our customers, and the one where we win over the public and restore pride to this great industry.

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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industry news Increase in minimum wage for cleaning sector

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he minimum wage for South Africa’s contract cleaning sector has risen from R15.66 to R16.98 per hour in metropolitan and local council areas, according to a statement from the labour department. Another noteworthy amendment is that if a cleaner is employed for fewer than six hours on any day then the minimum payment for that day should be six hours.

“The new minimum wage will be binding with effect from 6 January 2015 to 30 November 2015,” Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant’s spokesperson Mokgadi Pela said in a statement.

The metropoles include the cities of Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Nelson Mandela Bay. The councils include Emfuleni, Merafong, Mogale City, Metsimaholo,

Randfontein, Stellenbosch, and Westonaria.

According to Pela the minimum wage rate in rural areas increased to R15.47 per hour, from R14.19 in 2013/14.

Pela said in semi-urban areas rates would be prescribed by the KwaZuluNatal Contract Cleaning Bargaining Council; however the exact figure was not immediately available.

Open day to showcase new SpaceVac products

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paceVac Technologies SA (Pty) Ltd, who launched in South Africa during November 2014, has announced the opening of its first showroom in Cape Town.

The 450 sq ft premises will incorporate SpaceVac South Africa’s head office, administration centre, warehouse, showroom, demonstration and training area.

Lee Drewery, Managing Director of SpaceVac SA said: “We are now totally equipped and ready to conquer the market. We have stock and a list of demonstrations to make in several major cities. Also we have completed our first product deliveries that resulted from our launch event.”

The new generation SpaceVac high reach cleaning and inspection system is operated from ground level and is equipped with a close circuit TV camera mounted on the cleaning head. It is said to offer greater suction power and can reach up to four storeys in height. The carbon fibre tubes make it much lighter

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

Lee Drewery in the new SpaceVac SA showroom.

than similar equipment. The SpaceVac is powered by a world leading Nilfisk Alto vacuum and the poles feature a patented locking system that ensure no reduction in diameter at the joints, thus eliminating tube blockages SpaceVac’s trade open day for contract cleaning professionals, property owners and FM/Building

managers is set to take place on Wednesday 4 March 2015 at the company’s showroom situated at Prime Park, Mocke Road, Diep River, Cape Town, Units C12 and C13.

In order to attend the open day or for more information contact Lee Drewery at: info@space-vac.co.za

industry news Tailored solutions to reduce costs related to water usage

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n alliance between Hydrance, a specialist water treatment company and chemical manufacturer Branson Chemicals, has been established with the objective to create tailored solutions, to reduce costs through water, fuel and electricity savings related to water usage in the processing, food and beverage manufacturing and general industries.

According to Hydrance, water treatment is a major concern in South Africa. Standards in this field are inconsistent and there is a huge need for the transfer of skills and expertise and a commitment to improving service.

Hydrance has extensive experience in the supply of products and control systems for treating raw/feed water/ make-up water, boiler water, waste water, cooling water (both open and closed circuits) and specialty dispersants and

Consolidating the alliance agreement from left to right are: Gary Moses and Stewart Wasserfal of Hydrance with Eric Brown and Gerald Brown of Branson Chemicals.

on-line/off-line CIP products. Industries serviced range from mining, tobacco, air conditioning, pharmaceutical, mineral processing, paper, and the full gambit of food and beverage-related industries.

Branson Chemicals is an established developer and manufacturer of chemicals and cleaning programmes for the food and beverage, dairy and institutional and hospitality industries. The company will be responsible for the blending and manufacturing of the Hydrance range of products as well as warehousing and distribution.

“The pooling of expertise of two highly experienced companies and the

exchange of knowledge will strengthen capabilities to solve related problems for clients. Branson will further gain through Hydrance’s partnership with Watericon, a company specialising in all aspects of water treatment related equipment, including dosing and control, filtration equipment as well as full-package treatment plants. In addition, the association with a world leader in high performance chemical solutions for the industrial water treatment and desalination industries will strengthen Branson’s position in the African market,” commented Branson’s Gerald Brown.

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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industry news New recognition programme for US housekeeping professionals

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he International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA) and Kimberly-Clark Professional* have announced the launch of the Heart of Hospitality programme, aimed at providing executive housekeepers with the tools and resources to educate, empower and recognise housekeeping staff.

As the cornerstone of the programme, an annual Heart of Hospitality Award will be given to recognise exceptional housekeepers who enhance the hotel guest experience.

Studies have shown that 66 percent of Americans are willing to spend an average of 13 percent more with businesses that provide excellent

customer service. On the other hand, 82 percent of consumers have stopped doing business with a company because of a negative experience.

“Housekeepers are the heart of a hotel, but they don’t always receive the recognition they deserve,” says Mary Remson, IEHA executive director.

“With the Heart of Hospitality Award, we are looking to change that by putting a programme in place to honour the critical role of housekeepers in ensuring guest satisfaction.”

Ronnie Phillips, PhD, hospitality segment leader, Kimberly-Clark Professional*, adds: “We understand the important role that housekeepers play not only in helping ensure the

health and wellbeing of guests and employees, but also in driving repeat guests and hotel brand loyalty.”

The inaugural Heart of Hospitality Award was launched in January 2015 and housekeeping executives will be able to submit nominations until July 2015, with winners recognised at the IEHA 49th Annual Conference & Convention in November this year.

The Heart of Hospitality Programme will also include a variety of educational resources and recognition tools, such as a housekeeping guide, inspirational posters and recognition cards, to empower housekeeping executives and their colleagues to own the guest experience.

Cleanest municipality in Gauteng

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he title of the cleanest municipality in Gauteng was awarded to Ekurhuleni Municipality during a Bontle ke Botho (BkB) awards ceremony hosted by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Ekurhuleni beat the neighbouring

municipalities of Tshwane and City of Joburg for the prize that carries a ticket to represent the province at the Greenest Municipality Competition, organised by the National Department of Environmental Affairs, an award previously won by Ekurhuleni.

The BkB award established in

2002 is aimed at encouraging sustainable environmental practices in communities at school, ward and municipal levels. Projects are judged within the following five themes: water conservation, energy efficiency, waste management, sustainable agriculture and greening.

Diversey Care President to address industry at CleantexPulire 2015

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ealed Air Diversey Care President Dr Ilham Kadri has been confirmed as the keynote speaker at the landmark 10th edition of Africa’s professional cleaning and hygiene exhibition, CleantexPulire 2015.

Dr Kadri has, during her twenty years working experience, held a variety of global roles in Business Leadership, Strategic Planning, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, M&A and Research and Development in public and private companies such as Shell Chemicals-Basell, UCB-Cytec, Huntsman, and Rohm Haas-Dow.

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

She qualified as a chemical engineer, has a master’s degree in physics and chemistry and holds a doctorate in Polymers/Reactive Extrusion. Dr Kadri is committed to mentoring young women and promoting female leadership in the field of science, engineering and business. She created WIN chapters at Dow Chemicals and Diversey Care and is an executive sponsor of Sealed Air’s corporate WIN. She founded “The Hygieia Network TM” in 2014, with other women leaders to combat illiteracy and to foster a curriculum and job prestige in the cleaning industry.

The keynote address will kick off a highly Dr Ilham Kadri knowledgeable and stimulating seminar programme aimed at addressing various topical issues, trends and new developments within the professional cleaning industry.

The seminar will be held during the CleantexPulire 2015 exhibition at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Johannesburg from 28–30 July 2015.

For more information visit: www.cleantex.co.za

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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feature transport cleaning

Keeping the Gautrain system clean African Cleaning Review visited the Gautrain Operational Control Centre (OCC) that acts as the electronic nerve centre for the entire Gautrain system to speak to the Bombela Operating Company Executive (Maintenance) Denis Tassin regarding cleaning operations at its facilities. From the OCC all train movements are monitored and controlled as are all communications, power, signaling, security surveillance, automated ticketing, public addresses, passenger information displays and other key station and tunnel equipment.

Denis Tassin

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autrain, an initiative of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), is a state-of-the-art rapid rail network. The rail connection comprises two links, namely a link between the capital Pretoria and Johannesburg and a link between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. Apart from the three terminal stations on these two links, seven other stations are linked by approximately 80 kilometres of rail along the route.

The Bombela Operating Company (BOC) was appointed by the Bombela Concession Company for the Operation and Maintenance of the Gautrain system.

BOC is a subsidiary of RATP Dev. – the operation and maintenance arm of the French company RATP, which brings with it extensive knowledge and expertise gained in the operation of multi-modal public transport networks both in Paris and around the world.

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

The Gautrain system has 24 train sets, each consisting of four cars, which is equivalent to 96 rail cars designed to run at an operational speed of 160 kilometres per hour.

Of the 96 rail cars, ten are specially customised for use on the airport link, and contain additional features such as extra luggage space and wider seats.

The other 86 rail cars are designed for commuter services. The rail system, runs seven days a week and 365 days a year, transporting between 55 000 to 60 000 commuters per day from Mondays to Fridays.

As part of the ongoing maintenance programme, cleaning of the trains, stations, platform and buses, fall under the maintenance division of

Bombela and to perform this service a cleaning contractor is appointed.

Another part of the ongoing cleaning process is to keep the exterior of the trains clean. This task is performed by Bombela staff and therefore does not form part of the appointed cleaning contractor’s duties. The dedicated train washing dock is situated at the OCC operates very much like a car wash system where the train is driven through the washbay at a speed of plus-minus 4 km per hour during which it is cleaned on the outside by means of the rotating brushes.

Cleaning at night Currently we employ 90 cleaners working two shift periods to service

feature transport cleaning

all stations from Park Station in Johannesburg to Hatfield in Pretoria, as well as the train depot. Cleaning and maintenance effectively starts at 22h00 when the stations close and finishes at around 04h00 the next morning. During this period, preventative cleaning is performed as the platforms are too busy during the day and there are also safety issues to consider with trains running at regular intervals. Vacuuming, wiping and window cleaning form a major part of the interior train cleaning process.

We have implemented a scorecard and penalty system whereby all stations and trains leaving the depot are checked against the scorecard for general cleanliness.

Day cleaning Cleaning of the offices, washrooms, public areas and technical corridors is normally performed during the day. The cleaning of technical rooms remains the responsibility of the maintenance staff because there could be some safety risks involved. Cleaning in the majority of areas is relatively simple as there are almost no carpets to clean, just mostly hard surfaces.

During the day our great advantage is that security patrol the trains and stations to ensure food and drink is not consumed in any of these areas.

As you are aware, any form of eating and drinking is forbidden inside the station and the trains; it is a policy that we strictly enforce. Security guards

also keep a viligant eye on wastage and spills that may take place in order to act swiftly by informing cleaners of specific problem areas. For us it is not just about cleaning or the quality of cleaning but rather the prevention of waste. We have a very stringent system in place whereby commuters are fined when seen eating or drinking within the stations or trains.

Area of operation If we use the Sandton station as an example, you are looking at a 1 500 square metre platform area for the station and the car park area of 15 000 square metres to keep clean.

Cleaning service contracts extend for a period of five years typically with a renewal clause.

Challenges or areas that need special attention Dust control is a major issue for us, especially at Park Station because it is situated at the end of the tunnel, deep underground. Although we have a ventilation system in place, it is not adequate enough in controlling the settlement of dust. It accumulates in the technical rooms because these are not cleaned as regularly as the public areas due to the recommended scheduled maintenance plan. BOC is currently studying a solution to enhance the dust management.

Cleaning at height for example outside windows is performed by outside contractors and we are in the process of assessing the cleaning intervals as this is currently performed on an ad hoc basis.

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feature transport cleaning Environmental issues We prefer to work with a contractor that is ISO9001 and ISO14001 compliant and do request monthly reports pertaining to their environmental waste disposal.

However we do not prescribe to the cleaning contractor in terms of materials, chemicals and equipment used on site, but we do approve these.

Safety and training Key training performed is safety induction while certain individuals undergo PIC (Person In Charge) training, because we have a work permit system in place. If you want to work in a certain area, you need to submit a request utilising a web based system on a daily basis. So for cleaning it is the same, but in some cases they might need to work within proximity of the 25 kV overheads, which means that cleaning will only be done during the night, after the shutdown of the traction power.

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

There is always a person in charge of requesting work permit requests and this person is responsible for health and safety issues. Usually this task is performed by a supervisor who is on site at all times. This effectively means that for each and every shift there is at least one supervisor who is the PIC on site and they need to report for refresher training every two years.

Another area where specific training is required is in the cleaning of the terrazzo tiles. These are heavy traffic tiles treated with a sealant in an effort to protect it from food and drink spillages. However as we do not allow food or drink in these areas it serves less of a purpose, nevertheless it has left the tiles with a rough surface and commuters’ suitcases tend to leave marks on the tiles. This has proved to be quite a challenge for the cleaning contractor as they did not understand the complexities in cleaning the terrazzo tiles. We then arranged for a specific training session with the terrazzo tile supplier to impart more

knowledge regarding proper cleaning processes.

Having said that, we have since decided to change the way of cleaning the terrazzo tiles whereby we are now using a buffing machine rather than re-applying sealant, which has also proved to be more cost efficient despite the risk of staining the tiles. We implemented the cleaning procedure at the Midrand station and we expect to expand it to the other stations as well.

Importance of cleaning Cleaning our facilities and the trains is vitally important, because it is the first aspect commuters note if not up to standard. From an operational configuration, it is usually not something you would present first when you prepare your bid, but it is something that is very important in the overall picture. It is crucial to benchmark the service to be able to gauge service levels and continiously improve on previous performances.

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interview

WAP Industroclean merger Gavin Herold

Nilfisk-Advance poised for African growth

Managing premises, staff and general identity

With the WAP and Industroclean merger now firmly in place it is important to understand how the ‘new’ company encompassing the previous WAP and Industroclean businesses will formally position itself in the professional cleaning and consumer marketplace. African Cleaning Review therefore visited newly appointed Nilfisk-Advance General Manager Gavin Herold in order to obtain a clearer picture of how the company will be restructured and to explore his vision for the future.

Operating from two premises situated in the East and the West of Johannesburg is not ideal from a staffing, operation, management, service and production perspective, therefore a single premises is the answer. In order to establish a new centrally located Nilfisk-Advance head office, we are planning a purpose built premises that will house the company’s various divisions under one roof.

People are critically important to this business and I have to emphasise that without the staff from both entities, there would not have been a new business. Therefore it is crucially important that the staff are taken care of during the integration process.

Equally important is the location of a new head office premises to accommodate everybody, and to also suit our customers and distribution model. It is envisaged that a new premises will become a reality by the end of 2015, thereby creating a new home and identity for Nilfisk-Advance (Pty) Ltd.

overview It is vital to realise that it is not a case of WAP being merged into Industroclean or Industroclean being merged into WAP. The reality is rather that these two great businesses merged to form a new company, which is now known as Nilfisk-Advance (Pty) Ltd. The combination of values, brands, people and foundations laid over many years, has now prepared an even stronger foundation for the emergence of a new market leader that incorporates the WAP and Industroclean brands.

In going forward, we will continuously educate our clients to change their mindset and perception of two separate companies to that of one international entity, encompassing major and established brands including, Nilfisk, Viper, Chicopee 3M, Host, Unger, Filmop, Rubbermaid and Vileda.

Another major advantage of the merger is the added ability to offer national representation through an extensive network of branches, staffed by experts ready to provide innovative and cost effective solutions for every cleaning application.

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equipment manufacturer, the company recognised the strengths of the two local entities in providing clients with customised cleaning solutions and this company ethos will definitely form the basis of future development.

Basket of products We have fantastic partnerships with leading and innovative brands in the marketplace and will continually look for innovation. I want to state that we are still committed to these partnerships. As we now have become a merged entity, the knowledge will be shared. There may be customers in the traditional WAP business that will benefit from the Industroclean system offering and vice versa with traditional Industroclean customers. There may be other products added to the basket; it will depend on what the new company identifies in the marketplace and what the market requires. Our product portfolio has always enabled us to provide a total solution. We are indeed very proud of the comprehensive range of products that we offer to different market sectors and we definitely do not want to dilute these brands.

Primary business going forward Nilfisk-Advance conducted extensive research in South Africa prior to identifying both businesses and their respective market penetration – in line with their global strategy. They soon realised that the root of these businesses’ success in the market are the valuable relationships with clients and ability to offer a solutionsbased service. We are not a one-stop janitorial supply company, we are a solutions-based company that prides itself on our ability to put a system together for cleaning needs, specifically for application in the South African market. Although Nilfisk-Advance is globally regarded as a leading cleaning

Challenges and opportunities An immediate challenge is to ensure that we communicate to the marketplace the facts about what has transpired, and the excitement of what customers now have access to. The onus rests upon us to get the message across as quick as possible, to as many as possible, and at the same time not let the market lose the confidence that they have had in both entities with the change.

The brands have not disappeared; we have literally become a stronger and bigger force with a more comprehensive product offering, more knowledge and a bigger footprint.

interview On the opportunity side, opportunities are endless. If you look at the two entities, the history, the markets reached and the enormous potential it offers, Nilfisk-Advance (Pty) Ltd is set to be the customers’ preferred choice.

With this merger, we have the capacity to provide great service, have effective response time, more stockholding, a comprehensive product range, and a bigger market reach because of a much larger sales force. The opportunities for Nilfisk-Advance in South Africa and subSaharan Africa are vast.

Role in the contract-cleaning sector Globally, Nilfisk-Advance, aims to be the preferred supplier to the contract cleaning industry: from a knowledge point of view; from a product offering point of view; from a support point of view – this market is absolutely critical to us. It is one of the key markets in the business and we would like to grow this sector through additional product lines and additional people. I would like to add that in Europe, Nilfisk-Advance

deems the contract cleaning sector as a key market and it will be no different here.

African expansion This is a key project for us during 2015 and we already have specific plans in place. We are working hand-in-hand with our colleagues in Denmark to establish Nilfisk-Advance representation throughout Africa and to streamline the appointment of dealerships. We will embark on an active drive to grow Nilfisk-Advance across the rest of Africa.

Business to the north of our borders offer huge growth potential, we have implemented a plan in this regard and it is now a matter of executing this.

Local assembly and custom cleaning equipment manufacturing Local assembly and the manufacturing of customised cleaning equipment is a crucial part of the business and will remain so under Nilfisk-Advance.

The WAP business built its name by manufacturing non-standard cleaning

equipment with specialised applications across many industries. These are incredibly good products that have stood the test of time, we have identified areas of growth and we will expand the product range to cover a larger market.

Consumer market offering The consumer equipment range is a business on its own. Considering the large Nilfisk-Advance consumer range, we are working closely with Denmark in order to identify opportunities and areas of growth to strengthen our product offering. I also think that from a brand point of view, it is one of the areas where we can educate and inform the general consumer with reference to the vast Nilfisk-Advance offering of quality products. The Nilfisk-Advance consumer range has proved to be very successful in Europe and we look forward to growing this important part of the business locally. It will just be a matter of time before you will see considerably more Nilfisk-Advance products on the shelves.

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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CHEMICAL CONVERTORS DPS

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

CHEMICAL CONVERTORS DPS

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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educational outsourcing

outsourcing to increase globally in coming years – Report Businesses are entering a new era in the way they are resourced and organised. The ‘open workforce’ has arrived, and it has dramatic implications for every aspect of business – particularly in terms of outsourcing, according to a new report from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

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ased on a programme of indepth interviews and a survey of over 1 100 senior executives from around the world, the report reveals than one in four respondents reported that contractors, outsourced service providers, temporary staff and freelancers make up greater than half of their organisation’s total workforce today and that the shift in resourcing from employees to external resources is set to accelerate over the next five years.

Outlining the emergence of the open workforce, the report investigates the new structures and principles that tomorrow’s market leaders will use to govern the open organisation of the future.

The US and Canada were first to embrace the open workforce, but companies in every region are beginning to move in this direction.

Companies in Asia Pacific predict they will move rapidly over the next five years to increase their use of external talent.

The report says that high-performing companies are using the open workforce to deliver competitive advantage and that there is a strong correlation between companies that identify themselves as outperforming their peers, and those that have been quick to embrace the opportunities created by the open workforce. High performers are both more likely to be using external talent, and also more

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likely to have the tools, strategies and frameworks in place to leverage these complex structures more effectively.

External talent makes up more than half the workforce for over a quarter of organisations. They need to rethink how decisions get made.

It is clear from the report that today’s complex and highly distributed organisations need a new framework to govern decision making. In particular, they are finding it difficult to strike the right balance between control and empowerment, with 62 percent of respondents indicating that their organisations are either struggling to get the balance right or feel that they have got it wrong.

Performance management has become harder yet more critical.

Companies urgently need new tools to help them manage performance across today’s networks of employees and collaborators. That gets harder when you rely on people who don’t formally report to you. Nearly a third of respondents indicated that their companies lacked a clear line of sight over the cost and performance of their external talent. Organisations need a new approach to performance management to ensure that they are mobilising all their resources effectively.

New risks need to be managed, warns the report, saying that the open workforce exposes companies to risks that few have fully understood. In the survey, companies show concern

over information leaks, whether because of cyber security issues or intellectual property theft. Less obvious – but equally challenging – are the reputational risks that arise when vital tasks are performed by people and partner organisations that do not necessarily share the organisation’s values or targets for quality.

The report reveals that corporate structures will be transformed and that the companies of the future will be increasingly open, agile, innovative, collaborative, automated and digitised.

It warns that this new breed of company will require leadership that can unite a dynamically shifting, loosely affiliated network of talent around a coherent corporate vision and set of values.

“The opportunity is huge,” say the report writers. “The open workforce allows companies to reduce costs but it also unlocks a whole range of opportunities. With open innovation strategies, we see companies increasingly collaborating with suppliers, customers and other business partners to deliver new products and services. The open workforce can also give companies much greater agility, so they can redeploy resources and augment their capabilities with unprecedented speed.”

The report can be downloaded at: www.cgma.org

educational service delivery

Service delivery ‘more important than discounts’

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n an era when companies are fighting over prices and reward mechanisms, many businesses are ignoring what the customer really wants, according to Nico de Nysschen, Ovations Groups’ practice lead for service delivery.

According to business consulting firm Lee Resources, 91 percent of unhappy customers will not willingly do business with you again. The number one reason for their unhappiness is service delivery. “Service delivery has become a hotly debated topic in South Africa, and we have seen frequent examples where customers have taken to airing their frustrations on public forums,” said De Nysschen.

“There are numerous reasons companies fail to meet their service level agreements (SLAs) and it has a lot to do with the principles of the business in question.”

Many SMMEs are often under pressure and driven to find money to pay the bills – and service usually falls down the priority list in the process.

Even larger corporates sometimes lack effective customer experience management systems to find out where their processes are failing and what the customer’s needs really are.

“Competitiveness isn’t a battle that is fought in the price and product offering realms anymore. Realistically, there’s not much separating most companies from each other in terms of those factors,” according to De Nysschen.

“The real differentiator is quickly becoming customer-centricity. The companies that put the customer experience at the top of the priority list are making the mark. Businesses that are wowing with superior service levels are finding their customers are more likely to return over and over again.”

Keep the discount, give me the service There is a common tendency to focus on discounts and rewards as a way to appease customers, when the solution should be to improve the customer service, in his view. “Companies need to begin investing in their service delivery processes, such as service desks and call centres, and being able to address and attend to all customer concerns and questions,” said De Nysschen.

“When a well-designed service is being rendered and supported by a well-transitioned process, the marginal propensity levels are raised and the customers are left satisfied, too. It’s a win-win for all parties.”

News24.com

laundry review

Restora programme reduces costs for healthcare laundries

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Smart laundry solution for SMMEs

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lectrolux Professional recently unveiled the new myPRO smart laundry solution for small businesses, featuring a three times longer lifetime and 50 percent increase in speed due to its professional programmes: The new Electrolux myPRO laundry solution is regarded as the answer for small business.

Slow programmes and inadequate laundry results are everyday obstacles when domestic machines are utilised to meet business needs. On the other hand, not all businesses have a need for highly advanced professional solutions. With its new myPRO washer and dryer Electrolux Professional launches an unprecedented product generation that will serve small enterprises in particular, thereby filling the gap between domestic and professional solutions. “myPRO provides a sustainable and reliable investment with higher durability, greater flexibility and best-in-class quality results on a sensible budget,” commented Esther Staskiewicz, Vice President of Global Marketing at Electrolux Professional.

“There are a number of good reasons for SMMEs to choose myPRO” adds Francesco Maso, Head of Category Laundry at Electrolux Professional. “myPRO has a professional core because during product development we have focused deeply on longevity, speed and quality and green principles as it significantly saves water, energy and money.”

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When compared to conventional domestic machines the advantages are outstanding: • Three times longer lifetime due to more durable construction, featuring professional components.

• Up to 50 percent faster due to professional programmes.

• The unique Electrolux SpeedCare drum offers boundless results every time.

• It offers a warranty for professional use.

Tough stains on tablecloths, high outsourcing costs, getting bed linen washed, dried and replaced in time – all of these are everyday issues for small hotels, bed and breakfasts and restaurants when domestic washers and dryers often cannot meet the demand and standard required. myPRO frees up more time to spend on what is at the heart of hospitality – increasing the holiday experience for satisfied and trusting guests.

When it comes to washing mops and cloths for office cleaning, domestic machines often will not be up to the task for facility management companies due to the lack of professional programmes. myPRO is a reliable solution to comfortably meet all requirements.

Likewise for sports clubs, ensuring clothes and towels are clean and fresh in time is not always that simple. Stubborn grass, dirt and sweat stains are often more than ordinary household appliances can handle. Therefore, myPRO not only guarantees clean shirts and dresses, but also ensures that proud club members are satisfied and well cared for.

colab has introduced the Restora programme particularly aimed at healthcare laundries. The programme uses a patentpending formula to remove medical adhesives from linen during the wash process, thus enabling healthcare laundries to reclaim linen that would have previously been discarded due to adhesive stains, thereby extending linen life and reducing replacement costs.

Tests show that the Restora programme can help healthcare laundries reclaim up to 99 percent of adhesive-stained linen.

“Medical adhesive stains are difficult to remove and present one of the costliest challenges for healthcare laundries,” says Michael Johannsen, Senior Vice President of Global Textile Care at Ecolab.

“We developed the Restora programme to help healthcare laundries remove adhesives and prevent stains that lead to linen reprocessing and replacement.”

The Restora programme – said to be the first of its kind in commercial laundry – uses a proprietary blend of solvents and surfactants to dissolve medical adhesives, including heart monitor pads and the residue it leaves behind.

The formula is tough on adhesives but gentle on linen, therefore it will not harm specialised healthcare fabrics, and it works within a normal wash process.

For more information visit: www.ecolab.com/restora

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feature pest control

Warding off pests Keeping pests at bay is a daunting challenge for hospitals and other healthcare environments such as doctors’ surgeries and care homes. By their very nature, they are designed to be open buildings with many exit points. They are easy accessible for people and unfortunately easy for pests to access too, explains the British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

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ake a hospital, it usually comprises a sprawling campus with buildings, new and old, often connected by purpose-built corridors. The new buildings may have some pest proofing measures built in, whereas the old ones will be short on these refinements.

Often all that is protecting a patient from the dried (and fresh) bird droppings on the wide stone window ledge of the old building they occupy, is a thin pane of glass. Once opened it creates a health risk. For a person with a robust constitution, there’s little if any risk from these droppings. However, for a person with a weakened immune system it means breathing in unhealthy air simply by opening the window.

“Pests carry diseases,” says Richard Moseley, BPCA Technical Manager. “A patient with an open wound for example will be vulnerable to the seemingly innocuous fly. With many hospitals struggling to maintain cleaning standards in the face of cutbacks, despite an increase in patient numbers, it’s imperative that a pest prevention policy is in place.”

Some pests can positively thrive in hospital and healthcare environments.

Take bed bugs for instance, says Richard.

“They are fast becoming the bane of a cleaner’s life and are proving to be a challenge for the onsite maintenance teams too. What happens if the problem is ignored? It spreads. A ward or a room infested with bed bugs will escalate as staff and visitors move across the building. The bed bug infestation is not normally contained to the rooms at

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either side of the infested bedroom as is usually the case in hotels. It’s much more challenging to tackle, because many areas are affected with no clear pattern of infestation. Early treatment is essential to prevent this insidious spread.”

pest risk hotspots in your buildings and grounds ensure that any pest outbreak is contained.

• For the same reasons, give your pest control provider the freedom to speak to your housekeeping and catering

With many hospitals struggling to maintain cleaning standards... it’s imperative that a pest prevention policy is in place.

Pest control pointers For the hospital or healthcare establishment considering how best to approach their pest prevention and pest management strategy the BPCA offers the following pointers: • Invest in pest consultancy – do not treat pest control as a commodity to be bought in haste only after an outbreak has occurred. Be proactive.

Seek professional expert advice. In doing so you will significantly reduce the risk of pest infestations. Make sure that pest control is included in your budget.

• Ensure that a qualified technician, one with relevant experience, surveys each building. A good surveyor will know the types of pests that pose a problem, where they are most likely to take hold and how they can be effectively prevented or managed.

• Introduce your maintenance teams to your pest control partner so that best practice can be shared and agreed. A combination of early detection training and making your team aware of the

teams. Simple measures such as installing the latest fly killers, for example can ensure your kitchen is virtually fly free.

• Make sure that your suppliers work with an industry-association approved pest control provider. Pay close attention to supplies, checking for signs of any pests before accepting these.

• Look upon your pest control provider as a trusted expert. Give as much unrestricted access as possible so that weak spots in your building and any lapses in best practice can be identified enabling corrective action to be taken swiftly. Your pest control provider knows where to look and will spot any early tell-tale signs that all is not well.

“A robust pest control and pest prevention strategy, underpinned with thorough site surveys has to be the preferred alternative to fighting outbreaks on a regular basis,” concludes Richard.

This is an abridged version of the original article published by the BPCA.

feature pest control

When to use the correct chemicalresistant gloves The labels of certain pesticides used by pest control operators specify that the user should wear “chemicalresistant” gloves when handling the product. However, considering that there are several types of chemicalresistant gloves on the market, how do you make an informed choice? The Pest Management Academy offers a few pointers to shed light on the subject.

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irstly you need to know what type of formulation you are using. For instance, if you are using products such as dry pesticides (e.g. dust, granule, pellets and the majority of baits) or water based pesticides (e.g. wetting powder, soluble powder, dry flowable, certain solutions and micro-encapsulate) then any synthetic or rubber glove is considered chemical resistant, provided it is unlined and features sealed seams.

However if you are using a liquid pesticide that is not water based (emulsifiable concentrate, ultra-low volume and low volume concentrate, flowable, aerosol, invert emulsion), then you need extra protection from the solvents contained in the product. If the label does not specify the type of chemical resistant gloves, then your choice should be based on the solvent ingredients contained in the pesticide… which are not always listed. These formulations usually contain solvents such as xylene, petroleum distillates or alcohol.

Listed below are some of the most common chemically resistant gloves:

offers poor resistance to benzene but good resistance to xylene.

Butyl gloves:

PVC gloves:

Manufactured from synthetic rubber, which is especially suited for use with esters and ketones; however it offers poor protection against hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents. It will resist oxidation and abrasion and will remain flexible at low temperatures.

Manufactured from polyvinyl chloride polymer and offers good resistance to most acids, fats and petroleum hydrocarbons. It also offers good abrasion resistance.

Neoprene gloves: Manufactured from synthetic rubber offers medium chemical resistance, good pliability, finger dexterity, heat resistance and moderate tear resistance.

Viton® gloves: Manufactured from fluoro-elastomer material that offers exceptional chemical resistance to chlorinated and aromatic solvents. Very flexible but with minimal resistance to cuts and abrasions.

For more information visit the Pest Management

Nitrile gloves: Manufactured from synthetic rubber and is regarded as a good general duty glove offering chemical and abrasion resistance and good finger dexterity. It also protects against oils, greases, petroleum products, certain acids and caustics. It

Academy at: www.pestmanagementacademy.com Pest Management Academy courses are AgriSETA accredited and accepted by the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for registration as a pest control operator.

facilities management review

Inside the ‘world’s most sustainable office building’ The most sustainable office building in the world features a building automation system (BAS) installed by a member of the InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance, an international alliance of independent building automation contractors.

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he Edge office building in Amsterdam was awarded an Outstanding rating with the highest recorded BREEAM score of 98.36 percent and is now known as the most sustainable office building in the world. BREEAM is the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method for buildings and is the leading environmental rating system for buildings in Europe.

HC RT, an independent system integrator based in Purmerend, in the Netherlands, completed the building automation and systems integration work for The Edge, including an innovative connected lighting system, which contributes to the sustainability of the building.

Located in the Zuidas business district, The Edge contains 40 041 square metres on 13 floors arranged in a U-shape around an expansive atrium. One of the most important of the many sustainable features of this multi-tenant office building is the Philips Ethernet-powered LED connected lighting system (CLS).

“The innovative CLS technology not only saves energy, but also provides information about how the building is used in order to increase its efficiency,” said Jacob Jansen, Managing Director, HC RT. “The Edge is the first building to use this system and our team rose to the challenge of integrating the CLS to all the systems in the building in order to create a seamless experience for occupants.”

The CLS contains more than 6 000 fixtures and uses the building’s lighting infrastructure for more than

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just illumination. Every second fixture is equipped with a multi-sensor that measures movement, light, temperature, and infrared. Each fixture is uniquely identified and seamlessly integrated into the IT network of the building.

As a result, when an office floor is empty, for example, the system can switch all the lighting off and set ventilation to a minimum. When someone arrives in an office space, the CLS automatically provides 300 lux of illumination and adjusts the ventilation to the desired level. The CLS offers employees the ability to individually regulate the climate and lighting in their workspaces through a smartphone application. The app also enables occupants to view and monitor their sustainable behavior.

In addition, the CLS gathers comprehensive data, processes it with analytics software, and presents the information to the facility manager on a dashboard. Real time and historical information about the building’s usage is available through the dashboard, enabling the facility staff to precisely monitor and manage every facet of The Edge.

“As one of the most technologically advanced smart buildings in the world, The Edge demonstrates what is possible to achieve with integrated BAS technology. Furthermore, it is no surprise that a member of InsideIQ was responsible for making the integration possible,” said Paul Strohm, president of the InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance. “InsideIQ member firms are local leaders in the use of advanced

building technology and share best practices within the organisation so our customers have access to the latest technology and BAS expertise available.”

The building’s developers, OVG Real Estate, note that The Edge is completely carbon-neutral. To achieve this, solar panels are located on the southern façade and on the roof, rainwater is collected and reused, and an aquifer thermal energy storage system provides heating and cooling for the building.

The solar panels generate electricity to power cell phones and laptops using wireless charging stations and even recharge electric cars. The combination of all the sustainability measures in the building results in a significant reduction in energy use and utility costs and contributed to the facility’s high BREEAM score.

InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance is an organisation comprising of independent commercial building and facility automation companies representing common automation and security system platforms. The member firms across North America, Europe and Australia share best practices among more than 5 200 employees at over 110 locations.

Members specialise in the design and implementation of facilities and process control systems, systems integration, enterprise security systems, facilities maintenance services, energy services, and the representation of other valueadded products and services.

For more information, visit: www.insideiq.org

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people and events Host’s Geoffrey R Greeley retires Following 39 years of service to the cleaning industry, Geoff Greeley, Vice President, strategic support for US based Racine Industries, the manufacturer of the Host Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System, announced his retirement.

Geoff is well known to many in South Africa as he visited the country regularly as part of training sessions hosted by Industroclean, now NilfiskAdvance SA. He was also responsible for the running of Racine Industries’ Host School Carpet Cleaning College, which provides technical instruction in care, cleaning and total maintenance programming for commercial and residential carpeting.

Geoff joined Racine Industries in 1975 and was promoted to director of

the Host School in 1981 where he has over the years refined the company’s basic training course, in addition to developing a course on speciality cleaning techniques and sales and marketing for cleaning professionals.

He developed a sales training course for distributors and has authored the school’s Complete Guide to Carpet Cleaning and Maintenance for the Professional, first published in 1998 – it is now in its 11th edition. Since 1978 there have been 1 545 Host Schools with a total attendance of 23 516 people.

The School, under Geoff’s direction, has also expanded nationally to metro sites around the US and internationally, where Host is represented in more than 60 countries. Geoff has spoken

Geoff Greeley

to a huge number of floor covering associations, and presented training programmes for various fibre manufacturers and carpet mills.

Numatic 2014 product launch Numatic South Africa introduced a range of new and improved products and equipment during a November 2014 launch held at the company’s premises in Midrand, Johannesburg. Issues such as energy efficiency, airflow and noise ratings plus new features were explained and skilfully demonstrated by Numatic staff. The launch was attended by Numatic distributors and clients and featured a wide range of products and equipment, from mopping systems to ride-on auto scrubbers, to vacuums and janitorial trolleys. Guest were welcomed to the colourful occasion by Dewald Botha (GM) and Janine Botha (Sales and Marketing Manager).

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people and events

Celebrating continued growth and staff dedication Specialist cleaning equipment manufacturer and distributor MaPa Cleaning Technologies celebrated the company’s 15-year anniversary at a function held on 12 December 2014.

African Cleaning Review attended the event held at MaPa’s new custom built premises located in Route 21 Corporate Park, Irene just outside Pretoria.

The occasion presented an opportunity to reflect on the company’s past and humble beginnings and also to bestow long service awards to committed and deserving members of staff that played a major role in the success achieved

by MaPa over a relatively short period.

Managing Director Chris Dahl, in his speech to staff and clients, gave an overview of where it all started for the family business and highlighted the era of more than a decade leading up to the opening of their brand new premises.

“My memory takes me back some 16 plus years ago, when sitting on the sofa at home giving thought to a name for the new company we envisaged.

Incidentally, the company was named after our two sons Matthew and Paul, actively involved in the business, since its inception. Over the years, as we grew into the successful company I believe we are today, we have created many jobs for people who now form the backbone of our organisation, some of whom have been with us for many years. Today, we also present long service awards to these members of staff whose dedication and commitment

to success allowed them to grow with the company. A good example of this drive and commitment is Bongani Maphukatha, who joined us as one of our first employees as a workshop assistant. Today Bongani forms part of our workshop management team and he has without doubt been instrumental in our success.”

Chris cast his mind back to the early days where it all started for MaPa with very little start-up capital and a single Opel Corsa LDV. “At the time we were lucky enough to be able to rent office space from a company that still remains a customer today. The premises consisted of a 16 square metre office adjoined by about 25 square metres of workshop space. A major break occurred when we were presented with the opportunity to take on the Portotecnica Agency in South Africa.

I regard this as being the turning point in our history and, through the good faith of one person at this Italian cleaning equipment company, we were able to realise something we never thought possible in the form of a container filled with top quality machines arriving on our doorstep, without a single cent having been laid out.

Today Portotecnica is linked to a group consisting of IPC Portotecnica, IPC Soteco, IPC Euromop and IPC Gansow, with whom we enjoy an incredible working relationship and a selection of these quality products are currently on display in our showroom.”

With the steadfast philosophy that a company is only as good as the products and the services it provides, MaPa soon became a key supplier in the competitive car wash and high pressure cleaning systems market.

“The move to this new facility ushers in a new era for us, a new way of doing business, and in many respects it adds a brand new dimension to the way that we operate,” concluded Chris.

Chris Dahl addressing staff and clients

Paul Dahl handing over long service awards to MaPa staff

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people and events Prime raises over R100 k to make a difference Prime Cleaning Suppliers organised a fantastic charity day at their offices in Montague Gardens, Cape Town on Saturday 1 November. The company facilitated the raising of significant pledges as well as donations to Velokhaya/The Life Cycling Academy.

The day brought forth smiles and full tummies including a handful of bicycles, equipment and cash being raised for the Academy to the value of more than R100 k, resulting in a memory that will truly echo out for many years to come.

The Khayalitsha-based cycling academy has achieved remarkable success and uses a range of education-based cycling programmes to give children from disadvantaged communities the skills and opportunities needed to lead successful lives.

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A quick visit to their website (www. velokhaya.com) reflects their passion and the real difference that they have made and continue to make in the lives of those attached to the programme. They have produced a number of talented cyclists who

have gone on to do well in local and international events.

The aim of the partnership with Velokhaya is to help develop a team of multi-sport athletes as well as foster event management skills amongst their members.

new products Improved CIP and bottle washing cleaning performance The range consists of three products and is supplied in 25, 200 and 1 000 litre containers.

Stabimax 350 eliminates caked-on soils as well as hard-to-remove labels and can be added to the concentrated 40 percent caustic lye or directly into the bottle washing machine.

The product contains surfactant and sequesterants. An added advantage is that caustic carry-over is reduced as the rinsing process is improved.

Stabimax 350 is added to the lye at the rate of 3 to 6 litres per 100 litres.

A new range of additives said to dramatically improve cleaning performance of caustic soda solutions used in CIP and bottle washing in dairy-, brewery- and food-processing plants has been introduced by Branson Chemicals.

Stabimax BW is a multi-purpose additive for bottle washing and CIP applications, and improves cleaning action on glass and polycarbonate bottles, beer tanks, kettles and fermentation tanks, and is also

highly effective for cleaning RO/ UF membranes. Scale and mineral deposit build-up is prevented, even in hard water conditions. This product does not contain phosphates and the formula is biodegradable to ensure environmental friendliness.

Stabimax Ferro is a specifically formulated additive for sodium hydroxide solutions to remove rust and mineral deposits on returnable PET and glass beverage bottles. It is also efficient in killing off mould spores, insect eggs and larvae.

Highly effective in all water hardness condition, Stabimax Ferro helps minimise scale build-up in all types of bottle washers.

For more information visit: www.bransonchemicals.co.za

Kränzle 599 Hire version The Kränzle 599 Hire version has proven itself to be one of the preferred machines for use in the equipment hire industry.

When used in a commercial cleaning environment high pressure machines featuring moulded plastic covers begin to look old and tired quite quickly. In contrast the stainless steel frame of the Kränzle 599 Hire version overcomes this by creating a more compact machine that offers more protection when transported, features two handles for easy loading and rubber belting on the base for protection and slip reduction.

It is supplied standard with a 10 metre steel double-braided high pressure hose, Starlet gun and Dirtkiller rotating nozzle lance with stainless steel nozzle protector that assists for scraping off paint and protecting the life of nozzle housing.

The angled swatch plate drive allows the machine to be easily adapted to change water flows and is available in two models supplying 10 litres at 150 bar or 11 litres per minute at 140 bar.

The inline filter ensures particlefree water supply to the pump that features a forged brass pump head

and pressure gauge, with ceramic coated pistons, stainless steel valves and a dry-run safety feature.

The low revolution motor running at 1 400 rpm ensures a longer working life while Kränzle South Africa guarantees the availability of spares for a minimum of 10 years.

For more information contact: rod@kranzle.co.za

Reach your target market cost-effectively!

Advertise in African Cleaning Review – your direct link to end-users, building service contractors, key institutional sectors including government, healthcare, education and retail centres, hospitality, food processing and general manufacturing.

The source of workplace hygiene solutions Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Website: www.africancleaningreview.co.za

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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new products True deep cycle AGM battery technology Reliant™ AGM with C-Max Technology™, said to be the industry’s first true deep-cycle AGM battery, is now available from Trojan Battery Co., LLC, the world’s leading manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries. Reliant™ AGM maximises sustained performance and increases total energy output to meet demanding deep-cycling requirements in a wide range of market applications.

Reliant™ AGM is manufactured in the US at Trojan’s newest production facility, and applications including aerial work platform, floor cleaning, golf, material handling, recreation, renewable energy, and remote telecom will benefit from its true deep-cycle design. Reliant™ AGM is also designed to power equipment used in locations where regulatory mandates require use of non-spillable batteries such as airports, healthcare facilities, shopping centres, educational institutions, etc.

“Trojan’s Reliant™ AGM is specifically engineered for deepcycling applications, unlike most AGM batteries on the market today, which are designed for dual-purpose or standby applications, such as UPS backup,” said Dave Godber, Trojan Battery’s Executive

Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Trojan batteries provide power for a wide variety of applications that require deep-cycle battery performance, including aerial work platform, floor cleaning equipment, golf and utility vehicles, marine/RV, material handling, oil/gas and renewable energy.

For more information on Trojan Battery Co. visit: www.trojanbattery.com

Key product features and benefits •

•

•

• •

roprietary Paste Formula – Paste features elements designed to address the P unique needs of deep-cycle applications to maximise sustained performance and increase total energy.

Unique Separator Composition – Thick design ensures high compression for effective contact between glass mat and plates, which protects against stratification for extended battery life.

Plastic Polymer Case Design – Distinct plastic polymer case formula with reinforced case end walls increases durability and provides higher battery cell compression to ensure reliable performance.

Maximum Flame Arrestors – Features one flame arrestor for each cell for maximum safety.

US Manufacturing Excellence – Trojan’s advanced technology, premium components, exacting quality standards, dual-sided pasting process and superior manufacturing techniques, delivers consistent battery quality and reliability in deep-cycle AGM applications.

New wet floor drying concept The day-to-day work programme at any cleaning site e.g. office blocks, shopping centres or public areas will include spot mopping due to spillage.

Also when floor areas are wet, damp or damp mopped, it poses a direct risk to any cleaning company, their clients and the general public. The faster a floor can be dried, the smaller the risk of slips and falls. Various tools are currently being used by cleaners to dry mopped floors including cardboard boxes, broken wet floor signs and the like. These tools and methods are not efficient and portray an unprofessional image.

The ability to dry mop areas faster and more effeciently enables cleaners

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

to cover multiple areas in far less time.

The FloorFan concept was specifically developed to assist cleaners in drying mopped areas more effeciently. The FloorFan is designed to generate maximum down force, which ensures a mopped surface is dried at an accelerated speed. The FloorFan is manufactured from a light weight material and features a comfortable grip. Under controlled tests the FloorFan proved that wet mopped areas can now be cleaned 50 percent faster while presenting a more professional image and increasing productivity.

For more information contact: leonard@floorfan.co.za

African Cleaning Review January/February 2015

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