African Cleaning Review JanFeb '22 issue

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January/February 2022

Hygiene • Cleaning • Pest Control • Laundry • Facility Management Services

In this issue: Commercial cleaning opportunities Partnering with the NCCA Restaurant cleaning during COVID-19

CLEANLINESS FOR HEALTH Celebrating 23 years since inception

Hygiene has never been more important than now!

The ever-increasing demand to meet international standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the workplace during a global pandemic, linked to the constant need to upgrade and improve cleaning systems and hygiene regimes across multiple industry sectors to facilitate a healthy environment for employees and customers, will endure. Therefore, Cleantex Africa remains the ultimate platform to source workplace hygiene solutions.

HYGIENE AND CLEANING SOLUTIONS EXHIBITION | JOHANNESBURG For more information email: nande@cleantex.co.za | www.cleantex.co.za

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Cleantex Africa is the premier event in Africa dedicated to the professional cleaning, hygiene, laundry, pest control and facility management industries. The next edition of this expo takes place from 12–14 October 2022 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Goldshield SA offers the market an advanced, scientifically formulated antimicrobial solution featuring unique molecular bonding technology to protect against harmful bacteria and viruses for up to 90 days, using technology that not only cleans and disinfects any surface but also protects it from microbes that land on the treated surface once it is dry, reducing the risk of cross-infection.

www.cleantex.co.za

www.goldshieldsa.co.za

Kränzle is a high-pressure cleaning equipment specialist. The success of the product range is largely a result of the importance attached to the research and development department at Kränzle Germany.

Our Cape Town factory gives us the ability to manufacture custom-made systems ‘in-house’.

Neledzi Cleaning Services strives to provide 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.

www.kranzle.co.za

www.neledzicleaning.co.za

Numatic International SA is the sole importer of Numatic machines, cleaning equipment and vacuum systems. Numatic is committed to ensuring that users of our machines receive the best service available.

Prime Cleaning Suppliers is a leading South African cleaning-solutions supplier, established in 1996.

Prime Cleaning Suppliers has spent a number of years building strong brands, adhering to applicable standards and reinforcing their commitment to customers. Prime Cleaning Suppliers also represents the following brands: Aquarius, Kleenex, Scott, Wetrok, Wypall and Rubbermaid Commercial Products.

www.numatic.co.za

www.primecs.co.za

contents JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 VOL 23 NO. 1 Cover story When it comes to your restaurant’s cleanliness, expectations are higher than ever. It’s time to take a closer look at how to keep objects clean and disinfected in order to keep your customers safe. Of all the areas affected by COVID-19, the food industry has probably been hit the hardest.

Keeping a restaurant clean during normal times can be challenging, and the COVID-19 pandemic makes it that much more of a minefield. However, by staying up to date on regulations, regularly reviewing and revising practices and upping our game, we can navigate this challenging situation. Read the full story on page 24.

Opinion • Legal concerns around mandatory vaccines in the SA workplace • GCE: Contract cleaning industry trends and challenges

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Industry News

AfricanCleaningReview

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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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.

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Planned features for 2022 Feature sections in every issue: • Laundry and dry cleaning review • Facilities management review March/April issue: Editorial deadline 11 February • Digital and smart solutions • High pressure cleaning May/June issue: Editorial deadline 15 April • Hard floorcare cleaning solutions • Hand hygiene

• Commercial cleaning – Pandemic is a golden opportunity for commercial cleaning to shape its future • Contract cleaning – The value in partnering with an established industry body • Food industry hygiene – Restaurant cleanliness during COVID-19

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FM Review

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September/October issue: Editorial deadline 19 August • Sustainability in cleaning • Washroom hygiene

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November/December issue: Editorial deadline 14 October • Hospitality cleaning solutions • Retail cleaning solutions

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• Top 5 facilities management trends in 2022

Laundry Review • Smart software and RFID for optimised process management and transparency

Editorial

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@AfricanCleanMag african-cleaning-review

Publishing Editor: Johann van Vuuren +27 (0) 11 238 7848 or +27 (0) 72 611 1959 Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Advertising: +27 (0) 11 238 7848 or +27 (0) 72 611 1959 Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Operations and Accounts: Nandé Jacobs Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za

• Arxada acquisition expands presence into food and beverage market • South African cleaning start-up expands into Africa • Long-standing technology returns in fight against COVID-19 • Circular economy for wipes • Southern Africa’s first carbon registry opens door to reward SMMEs for going green • Sappi SA dissolving pulp facilities complete Higg FSLM self-assessment • Amsterdam show return set to celebrate best of cleaning innovation

Features

African Cleaning Review is aimed at end users, contractors and suppliers of products and services to Africa’s Cleaning, Hygiene, Maintenance, Laundry, 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 PO Box 1976, Halfway House, 1685, South Africa Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Website: www.africancleaningreview.co.za

• Tork: True colours of efficiency and hygiene • Werner Pumps: Wastewater and sewerage system maintenance solutions

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People and Events

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July/August issue: Editorial deadline 17 June • Healthcare cleaning and hygiene • Wipes and wiping solutions

Published by:

Official publication and media partner of:

• Professional cleaning trends for 2022 • With members fully engaged, an association thrives • Visiting the world’s most advanced cleaning show

African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

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from the editor Welcome to the first 2022 issue of African Cleaning Review The January/February issue is always distinctive as it is published together with the annual Buyer’s Guide, a comprehensive reference guide to the Who’s Who in the professional cleaning sector, listed together with a thorough introduction to their unique product and service offering. Both are now accessible throughout the year via our website and social media platforms.

This issue highlights legal concerns around mandatory vaccines in the SA workplace, opportunities that will shape the future of commercial cleaning, restaurant cleanliness during a pandemic and a preview of what will be on show this May at the world’s foremost cleaning show in Amsterdam.

Also, Cleantex Africa is scheduled to take place from 12–14 October, please diarise the dates and note that the SAPCA CLEANTEX Summit (12–13 October) will be co-located this year to offer educational seminars alongside the exhibition.

Digital readership and interest in the magazine’s content continues to grow, both locally and across Africa, which reflects an increasing awareness of the importance that the sectors covered herein play in the workplace.

Hence the magazine has to continue evolving, guided by industry feedback.

Therefore we wish to remind the industry to play an active part in maintaining hygiene awareness by continuing to submit news, new product information and other developments to boost a greater understanding.

Enjoy the read. #StaySafe and #VaccinateToSaveSouthAfrica

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opinion

Legal concerns around mandatory vaccines in the SA workplace Government is working hard to reach its target of vaccinating 67 percent of the country’s population by the end of this year. Many local companies have also instituted vaccine mandates for employees who want to return to the office. According to the SAcoronavirus.co.za portal, the opinion by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) seems to be that employee rights cannot be limited should they refuse to be vaccinated.

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owever, this viewpoint is strongly criticised by legal and other experts in the field, with some arguing that the SAHRC has missed the difference between contagion (the current pandemic) and infectious disease (such as that caused by HIV),” says Ian McAlister, MD of human resource consulting firm CRS Technologies.

Gazetting directions In June, the employment and labour minister gazetted a directive on Covid-19 vaccination in certain workplaces. It stipulates that employers are required to produce reasonable resolutions so that all parties are accommodated should employees refuse Covid-19 vaccinations on medical and constitutional grounds.

Much of this comes down to employees needing to treat each other with mutual respect despite their (often polarising) views on the vaccine. But fundamental to this gazetted directive are essential considerations when it comes to public health imperatives, employees’ constitutional rights and efficient business operations.

The directive (in Section 3 of the Gazette) says that employers must undertake a risk assessment to determine whether they intend to “make vaccination mandatory”.

Furthermore, this must be done in

accordance with sections 8 and 9 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 85 of 1993 (OHSA), meaning that companies must identify those employees who need to be vaccinated by “virtue of the risk of transmission through their work or their risk for severe COVID-19 disease or death due to their age or comorbidities”.

“While this might seem to not make the vaccine mandatory, it puts the onus on the employer to recognise its responsibilities under the OHSA,” says McAlister. “Some legal experts believe that it could be argued that, backed by scientific evidence and the rights of all people to a safe environment, it would be ‘reasonable and justifiable’ to compel workers in certain workplaces to take a vaccine.”

Human rights The National Health Act No. 61 of 2003 (NHA) also refers to the importance of considering the rights of “the people of South Africa to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being”.

Therefore, in terms of the NHA, employees need to understand the implications and risks of refusing the vaccine where they are exposed to the risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission. They also need to understand that they may be compelled to take the vaccine to reduce the threat of a serious risk to public health.

opinion Successful vaccination programmes could play a critical role in establishing relative normality and the enjoyment of civil liberties.

There could be a safe return to normal life and a gradual reopening of the economy in key sectors such as tourism, food, retail, entertainment and travel.

“However, vaccine hesitancy due to distrust in the government, politicisation of the processes, the slowness in getting the vaccination rollout off the ground, reinfections despite being vaccinated, and dismal communication strategies to the public, has played a substantive role in decreased uptake.

And while there is still a significant legal debate going on around vaccine mandate, there needs to be a balance between individual rights and the public good,” concludes McAlister.

Association position At time of publication, the National

Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA) as the voice of the industry advised that the body will not be putting a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and testing policy in place for the workplace. The association’s position is that each individual company should do so, dependent on company requirements.

African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

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industry news Arxada acquisition expands presence into food and beverage market

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rxada AG, a global leader in speciality chemicals, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Enviro Tech Chemical Services, Inc. (Enviro Tech), effective 22 December 2021. Enviro Tech is a category-leading manufacturer of proprietary and high-efficacy antimicrobial and biocidal products.

The acquisition represents the second strategic deal by Arxada, formerly known as Lonza Specialty Ingredients (LSI), in its first six months as an independent company. Arxada is owned by private equity funds Bain Capital and Cinven.

Enviro Tech brings a marketleading and innovative antimicrobial and biocides platform with a broad IP portfolio. It has robust and complementary distribution channels

and deep customer relationships across a range of highly attractive end-markets with strong growth prospects.

The acquisition will create a new, complementary business line in Arxada’s Microbial Control Solutions (MCS) business. It will have a focus on peracetic acid (PAA) bromines and speciality products, notably for the food and beverage, agriculture, and wastewater treatment segments.

Arxada will benefit from Enviro Tech’s leadership in innovation and strong focus on speciality formulations, as well as its unique, highly effective solutions. Enviro Tech’s capabilities in PAA, an environmentally sustainable alternative to chlorine, will be highly complementary to Arxada’s existing chemistries for the hygiene market. This will serve as a strong basis for future

growth across the food and beverage end-market.

Commenting on the acquisition, Marc Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of Arxada, said: “The acquisition of Enviro Tech is another important and strategic deal for Arxada as we extend our position within the microbial control industry. Enviro Tech brings direct access to the US$6 billion food and beverage hygiene market and adds capabilities in sustainable and highly complementary chemistries. This is our second strategic transaction in our first six months as an independent company and further reinforces our commitment to adding new products and endmarkets to our growing Microbial Control Solutions portfolio”.

For more information visit: www.arxada.com

South African cleaning start-up expands into Africa

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weepSouth, a South African start-up, has announced that it is expanding its operations across the African continent. The company, headed by CEO Aisha Pandor, was formed in 2014 by Pandor and her husband Alen Ribic. It is an online platform where clients can hire home-

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

cleaning service providers.

Within seven years, the company has grown from a start-up to becoming South Africa’s largest on-demand home-cleaning services company. In 2020 SweepSouth launched its home-cleaning services model in Kenya. During September they started operations in Nigeria, and plans are afoot to expand further into Africa. According to the company, the expansion comes at an exciting time for it as customers emerge from the rigours of lockdown in a springcleaning mood.

“Economies are starting to recover, but we also know that we have a really great product that demonstrably improves life for both customers and home-cleaning service providers,” said Pandor.

She said Kenya and Nigeria were

obvious choices, representing big-market regions with a high growth opportunity, ever-increasing internet penetration and digital literacy, and the potential for positive impact on employment, education and economic growth via smart, scalable technology solutions.

“Kenya appealed to us because it felt like an in-between in terms of culture, market segment and dynamics, and also smartphone and internet penetration.

And Nigeria is a really exciting new venture that we hope will serve as a base for further expansion into the West African region.”

“If you want to truly make a difference in your region, find a pain point for your potential customers and solve it. And when you’ve done that, find the next one. You’ll soon make an impact,” she said.

12–14 October 2022

industry news Long-standing technology returns in fight against COVID-19

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ecades-old technology is being brought back in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.

Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light has been used extensively as a disinfectant for more than 40 years. Following research proving its effectiveness in inactivating the COVID-19 virus, the latest in UV-C lighting technology has been installed

at Dunedin Hospital in what’s believed to be a New Zealand first according to a recent Inclean NZ report.

According to infectious disease physician Dr Brendan Arnold, who directed the installation, the first set of 20 Philips UV-C upper air disinfection units have been installed in the emergency department and respiratory ward to help prepare the hospital to receive COVID-positive patients.

“UV-C lights offer an efficient, costeffective solution for improving the air disinfection, particularly when you are working with ageing infrastructure,” he said.

“They are very easy to retrofit compared with the work required to improve mechanical ventilation systems.”

UV-C lamps are one of a range of technologies SDHB is implementing to improve air disinfection in clinical areas that will be required to manage COVID-19. Wall-mounted units now direct UV-C light across the ceiling space in an emergency department observation unit as well as in five fourbedded rooms in the respiratory ward at Dunedin Hospital.

The UV-C light neutralises the virus in the air at the top of the room while the normal hospital ventilation system circulates the air, exposing the virus to the UV-C. Staff can continue to work safely underneath.

Dr Arnold said that more than 1,500 hospitals in South Africa use the technology for the control of tuberculosis, and it has also recently been shown to be highly effective against coronavirus.

New Zealand country leader for Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), Chris Morris, said that laboratory research has shown that Philips UV-C disinfection upper air wall mount luminaires inactivated 99.99 percent of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 disease, in the air of a room within 10 minutes. At 20 minutes, the virus was below detectable levels.

“This indicates that, in most indoors situations, upper air UV-C can remove pathogens including SARS-Cov-2 from the air with greater efficacy than natural or mechanical ventilation,” said Morris.

Circular economy for wipes

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nfection Protection Products – Sani-touch, manufacturers of Saniwipes trolley and hand sanitising wipes, recently announced a collaboration with Africa’s largest retailer, the Shoprite Group, to recycle wipes from its 1,328 supermarkets nationwide.

Sani-touch is the manufacturer of the very first trolley wipes introduced to the South African market in 2006.

Marketing Director Annette Devenish explains that around the world the consumer wipe market is booming, primarily driven by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We identified the issue of plastic in wipes some time ago and recognised that the pandemic would intensify the situation, which is why we have been working on a solution,” she says.

Wipes have traditionally been manufactured from synthetic fibres,

which are not easily compostable or recyclable. Sani-touch’s trolley wipes, however, have always been manufactured using either biodegradable wet strength paper or locally produced 100 percent recyclable polypropylene.

“A growing concern with the increased demand for trolley wipes is whether our recyclable polypropylene wipes are actually being recycled,” she says. Having established that used Sani-touch trolley wipes are safe to handle once they have dried, due to their unique soap and disinfectant solution, the company ran a pilot study with recyclers in Cape Town and Johannesburg to recycle its wipes and investigate the establishment of a circular economy for the wipes.

“We realised that waste recyclers want products that are guaranteed

Sani-touch’s Annette Devenish with Shoprite Group’s Sustainability Manager Sanjeev Raghubir.

continues >>

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industry news to contain 100 percent polypropylene as these are easy to recycle. The challenge, however, was to ensure that other brands of wipes are not discarded with Sani-touch’s Saniwipes as there is no knowing what they consist of.”

Sani-touch’s solution has been to convert all its recyclable wipes to an easily identifiable green colour in order to distinguish them from competitors.

It also converted the Saniwipe bucket, including the catches and even the stickers on the buckets, to 100 percent polypropylene so that they too can be recycled.

The Shoprite Group, which includes 1,328 Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets nationwide, is partnering with Sani-touch on its sustainability journey and will ensure that used Saniwipes are sent for recycling rather than being thrown away and ending up in landfills.

Recycling companies have been appointed to recycle the material into pallets, which are then returned to Infection Protection Products for use in their factories and warehouses, replacing traditional wooden pallets and, in the process, creating a circular economy.

“Ultimately, this is about creating demand for upcycled products such as the plastic pallets in order to ensure a circular economy. An added benefit is that by growing the circular economy we’re also creating jobs,” says Devenish, adding that the system works because the used wipes are collected at scale and are recyclable.

Shoprite Group’s Sustainability Manager Sanjeev Raghubir says, “With small changes to the way we do things, we can ensure that single-use products such as wipes don’t only offer excellent infection protection but can also be environmentally neutral”.

Southern Africa’s first carbon registry opens door to reward SMMEs for going green

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or the first time, Southern Africa will have a green toolbox to offer small firms extra rewards for cutting pollution. The initiative, which forms part of a move to establish the region’s first carbon register, was showcased to delegates at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

“We are on the cusp of opening access to a regional solution for carbon markets, which will allow all Southern African SMMEs access to extra rewards for cutting their carbon footprint,” said Marc Tison, Senior Vice President of SEEDX10.

SEEDX10 is tapping into an already established global carbon market solution through a global partnership, to enable the Southern African Carbon Register to operate seamlessly across the region without any need for additional regulatory approvals. A carbon register is a mechanism that rewards businesses and organisations for creating carbon credits – these have a value and, through the register, are tradeable around the world.

The credits are awarded for green projects and initiatives that reduce emissions and can be sold to willing buyers to offset their own carbon footprint. The buyers of carbon credits are large emitters of carbon like Eskom and large corporates, and worldwide

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demand is expected to spiral as countries scramble to make the carbon savings that were pledged at COP26, by making the penalties for emissions higher and higher – using mechanisms such as carbon taxes.

“This new carbon register will enable SMMEs in Southern Africa and its neighbours to trade voluntary carbon credits – within their own territory, between territories and globally, in compliance with all sections of the Paris Agreement,” said Tison.

“The aim is to create a new source of carbon credits from the Southern Africa region as global demand for these shoots up. Without access to a carbon register, SMMEs cannot participate in the global carbon market. This will unlock a new, exciting and alternative form of funding for SMMEs to assist them to build and scale their businesses.” With offices already established in the USA, SEEDX10 is launching a carbon register for Southern Africa – with a unique offering.

“Our global location is key as it provides us with easier access to global capital markets and new trading markets for our clients who have products developed in the region that have global export potential,” explained Tison. “Small firms cannot at present easily benefit financially from their carbon-slashing initiatives.”

Marc Tison “We offer the chance of aggregating the achievements of a cluster of SMMEs to give them the combined critical mass to enter – and to directly benefit financially – from the carbontrading environment.

“Meanwhile, we believe we are launching a unique offering to SMMEs – we will be providing financial incentives to SMMEs who register their green projects through a link-up with Global Impact Holdings (GIH), an established and credible venturecapital provider.” GIH is a fast-growing venture capital player in SA, with a focus on supporting small businesses and making a positive impact on the economy.

The Carbon Registry business, with internet presence already established at www.sacxr.com, will be incorporated in Botswana, where SADC’s head office is located.

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industry news Sappi SA dissolving pulp facilities complete Higg FSLM self-assessment

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appi Ltd., a leading producer of dissolving pulp sold under the brand name Verve, announced that it has completed a self-assessment of the Higg Facility Social and Labour Module (FSLM) at its Ngodwana and Saiccor Mills in South Africa.

The self-assessment results were very positive and highlight Sappi’s commitment to maintaining a high level of social and labour practices.

Ngodwana and Saiccor Mills produce dissolving pulp under the Verve brand, that is used primarily in the textile and hygiene product industries.

Developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Higg FSLM is part of a suite of tools that enables

manufacturing facilities within the textile value chain to measure themselves against a standard set of criteria in the areas of recruitment and hiring, working hours, wages and benefits, worker treatment, worker involvement, health and safety, termination and management systems.

According to Mohamed Mansoor, Executive Vice President for Sappi Pulp, “Verve is taking bold action supporting the call for collective action to improve the transparency and traceability of the supply chain that we serve. Using a common language through industry benchmarking, like the Higg FSLM, plays a key role in identifying priority focus areas and driving accountability.

I am encouraged by the selfassessment results, which continue to highlight Verve as a fibre of choice and look forward to our operations participating in the verification audit next year”.

Sappi invites interested stakeholders to connect via the Higg platform to view the detailed results. To learn more about Sappi’s dissolving pulp business, visit www.sappi.com

Do you need cleaning products or services? The 2022 African Cleaning Review Buyer’s Guide offers comprehensive workplace hygiene solutions. Visit www.africancleaningreview.co.za

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

industry news Amsterdam show return set to celebrate best of cleaning innovation

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he Interclean Amsterdam 2022 exhibition will take place from 10–13 May 2022 at RAI Amsterdam in the form of a faceto-face event that will shape the professional cleaning and hygiene industry for years to come.

Following its remarkable success in 2018, Interclean Amsterdam finally returns to the Dutch capital in 2022 for another edition of the world’s most advanced cleaning and hygiene show. Attracting more than 35,000 professionals from across 143 countries, the 2018 event was a truly international affair. The 2022 show will be no different, bringing the industry together to celebrate the best of cleaning innovation.

Since the 2018 show, a lot has changed. We have seen an increase in the rightful focus, respect and appreciation the cleaning and hygiene industries receive, alongside the continuing rapid pace of innovation.

When the exhibition opens its doors to attendees this year, these major themes will head up the agenda: operational efficiency, health & hygiene, technological developments, sustainability for facilities and organisations.

Robotics is not a new segment for the show, but the recent advances made by manufacturers have been rapid and breathtaking. It’s an area of cleaning innovation that businesses really need to stay up to date with.

Where automated cleaning machines were once an exciting but expensive solution, but with greater adoption across multiple industries, they are swiftly becoming a viable option for many different commercial environments and industries. The Robot Arena will offer attendees not just the opportunity to see the latest robots in action, but to gain a practical, first-hand demonstration of the new generation of robots.

COVID-19 continues to create new challenges and requires new ways of working across industries and new higher demands will continue. While working arrangements continue to develop, and the competition increases, better working conditions that include healthy environments and the latest technology are an essential part of the new recruitment landscape. Ergonomic equipment, cobotic partnerships and exoskeleton support equipment now feature alongside more traditional methods of cleaning as part of a modern cleaning employment model.

Returning to the show this year will be the Zero Waste Lab and Facility Inspiration event. This will show delegates exactly how to improve their waste management practices for a greener, cleaner future. With less than

ten years to avert climate catastrophe, cleaning providers are already working hard to adopt sustainable ways of working – from waste management to green cleaning. The circular economy, responsible products and resource management will be common threads linking many of the innovations on display. Also making its return to the show is the Healthcare Cleaning Forum, taking place on Thursday 12 May. The 2022 edition will continue important conversations around healthcare cleaning and infection prevention – organised together with top experts including Prof. Didier Pittet, Alexandra Peters, Prof. Martin Kiernan and Prof. Pierre Parneix.

Interclean Amsterdam 2022 will take place from 10–13 May at RAI Amsterdam. In order to be part of the official Southern African delegation, contact Steve Braham via email: steve@swbagencies. co.za and guarantee your presence at the cleaning industry’s defining show.

SAVE THE DATE

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opinion GCE

Contract cleaning industry trends and challenges

Greg Venter

By Greg Venter

The contract cleaning industry plays an important role in job creation in South Africa. Almost 100,000 people are employed by approximately 1,500 contract cleaning companies. These companies provide services for numerous industries ranging from commercial, education, and healthcare to the mining and industrial sectors.

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rends in the cleaning industry change continuously as the needs of modern businesses evolve.

It is essential for contract cleaning companies to stay up to date with these trends and adapt their practices to accommodate the unique demands of their customers.

Today, however, cleaning companies are increasingly more focused on cleaning to create healthier indoor environments.

In addition to increased public focus, there are a variety of regulatory agencies and standards that impact contract cleaning companies. In order to remain compliant with the rules,

In the past, many cleaning companies were contracted mainly for appearance. Today, however, cleaning companies are increasingly more focused on cleaning to create healthier indoor environments.

Healthier indoor environments are one of the most defining trends in the cleaning industry today, driven by increased public awareness over health.

In the past, many cleaning companies were contracted mainly for appearance.

cleaning companies rely on technology, products, and procedures that meet the stipulated health and safety standards.

These factors are the determiner for facilities moving towards greener, environmentally friendly products that

don’t leave behind chemical residues that impact air quality.

The future of companies is increasingly gearing towards sustainability. Sustainability is not only developing eco-friendly products and technologies, but more of a deeply rooted concept in corporate culture and identity. Companies like IPC contribute annually to minimising electricity usage and maximising the use of recycled plastics with their Black is Green™ technology used in the production of their vacuum cleaners.

With the modern marketplace introducing new competition practically daily, more businesses across all industries are looking for ways to simplify their processes and cut costs.

For this reason, many companies consolidate the number of vendors they utilise, including those used for various cleaning services. One vendor means one point of contact and one invoice.

Join the NCCA as a member organisation The National Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA) is one of the largest Employer Associations for the cleaning industry in Southern Africa and is registered with the Department of Labour in terms of the Labour Relations Act. In South Africa, there are an estimated 1,500 registered contract cleaning companies employing in excess of 100,000 cleaners. The NCCA currently has the lion’s share with 928 contract cleaning members who employ a staggering 97,320 cleaners around the country. We further have the support of 50 Associate members. These are members who are suppliers to the industry. Whilst the NCCA is a voluntary Association it has become the watchdog of the industry to ensure that the cleaners employed by its members are not exploited. Member companies with cleaners need to have a compliance audit in order to qualify for a membership certificate which proclaims their compliance with all statutory requirements applicable to the contract cleaning industry’s Sectoral Determination or, in the case of the KZN province, their Bargaining Council. Start-up cleaning companies are provided with, among other documents, guidance on fundamentals and estimating and tendering; labour costings; COID requirements, Occupational Health and Safety guidelines and the Provident Fund rules. More and more companies and government departments now demand a proof of registration with the NCCA when putting out tenders and/or contracts. Contact the nearest Branch to register as a member of the NCCA today!

IMPORTANT NOTICE – WE DO NOT OPERATE THROUGH AGENTS – BEWARE OF FRAUDSTERS

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For more information visit www.ncca.co.za

opinion GCE This makes it essential for cleaning companies to provide value-added services, such as expanding service offerings, providing specialised training, or investing in new technologies to improve quality and efficiency.

provide clean, safe work environments, and move towards green cleaning, drives towards growth.

Looking at productivity and budget, the cleaning industry has seen a major shift in customer expectations. The trend

The trend of cleaning for health forces professional cleaning companies to be more thorough in their processes to provide more effective services.

The biggest threat to the industry is insourcing. Some companies choose this route to save money, without realising that equipment is expensive, extra staff need to be employed and cleaning materials must be bought.

Other common market challenges faced by contract cleaners today include labour (finding and keeping good employees), productivity (cleaning efficiency), budget (achieving more at lower costs) and safety (protecting both employees and customers). However, the desire to

of cleaning for health forces professional cleaning companies to be more thorough in their processes to provide more effective services. It is vital for cleaning companies to find ways to improve efficiency to remain effective without increasing service turnaround times.

Investing in effective cleaning equipment allows cleaning companies to boost efficiency without impacting quality. Choosing the right equipment for their requirements is essential for those companies wanting to improve

commercial cleaning productivity.

Working with distributors like Goscor Cleaning Equipment allows the customer access to a wide selection of cleaning equipment across a variety of industries at affordable prices, with maintenance plan options, product training and support.

Ultimately, if contract cleaning businesses want to remain competitive in the modern marketplace, they need to stay up to date with industry trends.

Working proactively by addressing market challenges while taking advantage of new opportunities, will keep the company profitable even during economic downturns. The key to staying productive, efficient and consistent is utilising the cleaning technologies available.

Greg Venter is MD of Goscor Cleaning Equipment, part of the Goscor Group of Companies. This foremost cleaning equipment provider prides itself in providing the ultimate cleaning solution from a wide range of quality world-class brands to suit almost every cleaning application.

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feature commercial cleaning

Pandemic is a golden opportunity for commercial cleaning to shape its future In this article by the owner of a US digital marketing agency specialising in the commercial cleaning and facility services sector, Jonathan Rockett shares findings of an international survey he conducted among close to 100 commercial cleaning companies. As Rockett watched the pandemic unfold into the world-changing event that nobody saw coming, he wanted to learn how it affected his clients and how best he could assist in helping them achieve continued growth to thrive in a post-pandemic world.

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he COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected us. It has impacted the global economy and, honestly, our very psyche in ways we are still discovering. Many businesses have been devastated by the pandemic. In contrast, a few have thrived because of it. Still, others are experiencing a shake-up and a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to reinvent and redefine themselves.

golden opportunity to shape its own future like never before in its history.

I’ve seen a few articles speculating on a coming boom in the commercial cleaning industry. Still, I wanted to go straight to the source, behind the lines, and hear first-hand from cleaning companies how COVID-19 is impacting them. I wanted to know more about their thoughts on the future of the industry.

For this study, I surveyed close to 100 commercial cleaning companies, from over a dozen countries, across five continents. I conducted Zoom interviews with more than 20 of them, ranging in size from small mom-and-pop operations with fewer than five employees to large multinational companies and franchises operating in several countries. I learned a lot.

While commercial cleaning has certainly seen obstacles over the period of the pandemic, it has also been given a golden opportunity to shape its own future like never before in its history.

Perhaps more than any other, the US$60 billion commercial cleaning industry is experiencing one of those shake-ups, and it is shining a new spotlight on cleaning’s role as a crucial piece of the infrastructure and backbone of the global economy. While commercial cleaning has certainly seen obstacles over the period of the pandemic, it has also been given a

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I have to say, I was truly touched and impressed by the openness, enthusiasm and transparency of the cleaning professionals I spoke with, and the genuine attitude of teamwork, solidarity and adaptation within the industry. After going through this process, I’m prouder than ever to call myself part of the commercial cleaning community.

The impact In March 2020, commercial cleaning crews found themselves thrust from their position as a silent service in the background into the dangerous role of front-line, essential workers – virtually overnight.

As Martin Nyokolodi, owner of Mbuti Solutions in South Africa, expressed over a spotty internet video connection,

feature commercial cleaning “We were like front-line workers.

We were trying to save lives. But at the end of the day, we were also putting our own lives in danger”.

Rocky Ramon, owner of Clean Advocate in Austin, Texas, told me about his similar experience, but with a positive spin. “COVID-19 really highlighted the front-line workers and the job we do. It went from keeping the building clean, to keeping people safe. And it also strengthened our relationships with our customers because we went through something tough together.”

But with great power comes great responsibility, and sometimes not everyone is willing to answer the call of danger. I had a frank conversation with John Ezzo, CEO of New Image Building Services Inc. out of Detroit, Michigan.

He shared how this situation impacted his own business. “We had this difficult labour situation, and we were having to pay more and more money to hire people, because the perception was ‘I’m taking a risk to do this work’. While everyone was afraid and told to stay home and work remotely, if possible, if you were an essential worker, you basically had no choice and were putting yourself at risk.”

Ezzo elaborated, “What was once considered obtrusive to see cleaners during the day is now expected, which has presented additional labour recruitment challenges beyond the danger aspect. A client-facing daytime staff member who works alongside a client’s own staff is a much different recruitment than someone who comes in the dark of night and just empties the trash, vacuums, mops, and cleans the washrooms. Because of this, we’re facing the toughest labour-hiring situation I’ve ever seen in over 30 years”.

While some cleaning companies were running up against hiring difficulties, others were experiencing the problems found on the other side of that coin. Michael Doherty, president of Building Maintenance Service (BMS) in New York, shared with me that BMS had over 3,000 employees at the end of 2019, but they had to let go almost 1,000 employees – roughly a third of their staff – early in the pandemic. Even for a US$40 million organisation that’s

not likely going anywhere any time soon, that’s quite a staggering blow.

It’s worth noting that by the time of our interview, about 60 percent of those BMS staff were back with the company.

As the lockdown brought businesses to a grinding halt, leaving buildings empty of customers and employees, many commercial cleaning companies also felt the brutal impact on their revenue. In my interview with Annie Ray, marketing coordinator at Buildingstars’ national headquarters in St Louis, Missouri, she said, “Our recurring cleaning services began declining because offices were closing.

Clients were cancelling their services with us citing, ‘We don’t have people coming into the office, so there’s no reason to clean it’”.

This pandemic, of course, has also created casualties of the most permanent kind, driving some cleaning companies completely out of business. Joe Fairley, director of business development at Laser Facility Management, headquartered in Florida, said, “There was a giant shift in the commercial cleaning landscape about six to eight months into the pandemic.

So many businesses in retail and other sectors were closing their doors, and many facility service companies were heavily leveraged with those clients who were going out of business, so then we saw facility service businesses start to fail too”.

The survey results So, what were the questions in the survey? We posed just eight questions centred around COVID-19’s impact on revenue and customer base, shifts in services offered, and marketing budget and strategy changes. As I mentioned, close to 100 commercial cleaning companies participated, so let’s get into it…

Do you see COVID-19 as an obstacle, opportunity or neither for growing your business?

“I feel very confident in our industry and how we responded. I don’t think anybody could have ever been prepared for what we’ve been through. The fact that we were all experiencing the exact same thing at the exact same time has truly never, to my knowledge, happened

before,” said Glen Harris, owner of Harris Services in Bloomington, Indiana.

The overwhelming majority (80%) of companies participating in this study see COVID-19 as an opportunity.

Still, there were certainly obstacles (16%) as well, from dips in business and revenue, to hiring challenges and supply chain issues caused by the increased demand for disinfection and decontamination services.

Has your revenue increased, decreased or stayed about the same through the pandemic?

While there were customers who decreased or completely paused cleaning services due to little or no staff present in their facilities, many customers began increasing their frequency of cleaning services, especially for high-touch surfaces, which naturally translated into more revenue from those customers.

“Before COVID, our customers’ main criterion was price, which created a ‘race to the bottom’, but COVID has made people more aware of the impact that disease and infection transmission can have in their work environment.

Now our customers are more concerned with how to limit the spread of disease and limit employees getting sick, for the future of their organisation,” reported Francois Carmichael, vice president of JAN-PRO Canada East.

In my interviews for this study, I was curious about how pricing was affected by this shift in demand for higher levels of cleaning services and asked all the study participants whether they increased their pricing or not. To my surprise, less than half raised their pricing.

“We’re trying to be careful about raising our prices, but because the level of cleaning quality required raised, some of our clients would definitely say our pricing has increased from before COVID,” claimed David Grossman, CEO of Renue Systems Inc. of New York.

“Because of the difficult labour situation in 2020 needing to pay more money to hire people, we did increase our prices, and we did increase our margins, and when we priced a job, for the first time in my career, we added a line item called Risk Factor,” explained Ezzo.

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feature commercial cleaning Optimism within the cleaning industry is exceptionally high, with almost 90 percent of companies surveyed expecting growth going forward. This newfound respect for cleaners and the amplified focus on health and safety are presenting opportunities like never before.

Have you added new services or enhanced your current services since the COVID-19 outbreak?

On the other hand, some companies, like BMS, actually re-negotiated their contracts down in price for certain customers who were hurting financially.

Have you acquired more customers, lost customers or stayed about the same during the pandemic?

Overall, about half of the companies I spoke with have gained customers (50.7%) through the COVID-19 pandemic, although the feedback indicates that the bulk of those that did were larger national brands. As businesses are opening back up, Doherty and I discussed this apparent shake-up of the cleaning industry, and I asked for his thoughts on customers leaving smaller ‘mom-and-pop’ companies and moving to more recognisable national brands.

“I think that’s exactly what’s happening.

What we’re seeing at BMS are a lot of requests for price quotes, almost unsolicited.”

It was also interesting to hear how COVID-19’s impact on other industries shifted the client base of many cleaning companies. Robert Beatty, owner of Next Level Facility Solutions in Kentucky, told me, “Before COVID, our business was about 90 percent schools and 10 percent medical facilities. Then lockdown happened, schools were closing, and medical facilities were filling up. So that 90/10 ratio flipped almost exactly”.

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Has your profit margin increased, decreased or stayed about the same during COVID? Consistent with the study results related to revenue and customer base, right at half of the cleaning companies surveyed (52%) indicated that their profit margin increased. At the same time, about a third stated that their profit margins stayed about the same, and only about 17 percent actually saw their profits decrease.

According to Grossman of Renue Systems, which operates in 25 cities in the US and has a presence in several other countries, the profit margin for decontamination spraying and electrostatic fogging can actually be higher than other services because it’s quick to perform and labour is the biggest cost. “It’s expensive equipment and expensive chemicals, but once you get good at it, you can be pretty quick.”

With the increase in speciality services comes higher price tags. “Our recurring cleaning services were declining, but we also found that clients were requesting more speciality services, such as electrostatic fogging, decontamination, and regular day porters focused on cleaning high-touch points, so we pivoted our focus to speciality services, which increased at least 600 percent for us,” says Ray.

In addition to virtually all companies surveyed indicating that they added some kind of decontamination and disinfection (or beefed up what they were currently offering), some companies, like JAN-PRO Utah, added COVID-specific packages, such as a tiered COVID cleaning service: COVID 1 (COVID prevention), COVID 2 (suspected COVID exposure), and COVID 3 (confirmed COVID exposure).

“We’ve seen an increasing number of new players in the industry wanting to offer disinfecting services, which we’ve been offering at JAN-PRO for the last 10 years,” said Carmichael.

As the pandemic is ending, do you anticipate your business growing, shrinking or staying the same?

Optimism within the cleaning industry is exceptionally high, with almost 90 percent of companies surveyed expecting growth going forward. This newfound respect for cleaners and the amplified focus on health and safety are presenting opportunities like never before. With that said, it’s apparent that the cleaning companies equipped to drive the most growth are the large, established and recognisable brands.

“All of those smaller cleaning businesses closing their doors created a flood of talent looking for new work, which is actually allowing us to grow faster because we’ve had an easier time picking up quality people. I’m also anticipating mergers and acquisitions

feature commercial cleaning in our industry. Some of them simply because of financial strains that have been placed on smaller facility service businesses over a long period of time,” said Fairley.

Have you increased, decreased or kept your marketing budget the same during COVID? As a marketer, it was interesting to see that nearly half of the companies involved in this study recognised the fact that their current marketing investment was possibly insufficient to fully capitalise on the shake-up and opportunity presented by COVID-19.

In my 10+ years providing marketing services and consulting for businessto-business (B2B) clients, I’ve seen that marketing spend for facility service businesses and commercial cleaning companies has often been much lower than the average B2B marketing spend.

For example, the bulk of my clients land within the US$2 million to $5 million annual revenue range, and the Small Business Administration (SBA) suggests an allocation of six to eight percent of gross revenue for marketing. For a US$2 million company I might work with, that’s US$10,000–$13,000 per month for marketing. But while that’s a good number on paper, the actual reality is that I have yet to bring on a new client who has invested even half of that prior to coming on board with us.

“Running Google Ads was kind of daunting at first, because you see a lot of clicks that are wasted, but I figured if just one of those clicks presented a big opportunity, it would be worth it. I started getting leads almost immediately, and got calls from some big-name companies, and was able to land some of those, so the money was definitely well worth it,” explains Ramon.

Have you changed your marketing and sales strategies to gain new business during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Even more interesting to me than the large number of increased marketing budgets, was that the fact that a massive 77.3 percent of all companies surveyed indicated that they actually changed their marketing strategies (regardless of marketing budget).

Specifically, it wasn’t enough to simply pour more gas on marketing activities

and just do more of the same, but rather COVID-19 forced a reckoning of sorts within the cleaning industry to take a more serious look at digital marketing strategies, like SEO, email marketing and social media.

“In our industry, you hopped on a plane, and you visited your clients or your prospective clients. That’s what you did, and that’s what I’ve done for 30 years. You attended the tradeshows that were in the verticals you were trying to network with and, for large nationwide companies the size of ours, that meant six, eight, even ten tradeshows a year.

We saw those eliminated. Just gone.

We immediately created networking groups with Zoom or Microsoft Teams – local, regional, and national – which became part of our weekly schedule.

We literally shifted from physical to virtual overnight,” explained Fairley.

to help us accomplish that through email, Facebook, and some SEO, so that people know we are still here and will be here after this is over. I definitely think that added to our momentum.”

The opportunity Before this pandemic, the commercial cleaning industry was already projected to grow over the next ten years at a rate higher than the national average growth rate, and COVID-19 has presented an opportunity to accelerate that growth even faster.

According to Tim Mulrooney, a commercial services equities analyst for William Blair, as quoted in Fortune, “Commercial cleaning is a mature industry. It grows in line with GDP, [but] after the pandemic, I think you have a secular tailwind to commercial cleaning.

In March 2020, commercial cleaning crews found themselves thrust from their position as a silent service in the background into the dangerous role of front-line, essential workers – virtually overnight.

Based on my interviews, the general prediction for a post-COVID-19 future of marketing, sales and business development will be a hybrid of virtual and in-person. While it will be great to get the in-person contact back, the efficiency of virtual communication is here to stay.

Tom Richter, CEO of JAN-PRO Utah, told me, “We took a new look at the keywords in our SEO efforts, and we did a fair amount of additional social media marketing.” Ezzo also shared, “We wanted to figure out what more we could do, especially in terms of digital marketing. We published our first blog last Friday, and we’ve updated all of our LinkedIn profiles”.

Marlene Geyen, president and CEO of Geyen Group South, based out of South Tampa, Florida, told me how important it was to stay in front of her clients through email and social media.

“Our biggest concern last year was that we stay in front of our clients, even if we were not servicing them due to shutdowns. So, I contracted someone

Everyone from governments to corporates to individuals has a heightened focus on hygiene. And when you have a heightened focus, you have more money spent”.

But growth often comes with some growing pains. Commercial facilities are demanding higher levels of cleaning services than ever before. They also want to see a more physical presence of cleaning activities for a level of peace of mind among staff and customers that wasn’t as much of a priority before COVID-19. While COVID-19 hit the world like a tsunami, and the cleaning industry certainly came together and mobilised in an impressive way, that pre-existing lack of priority on cleaning’s role in public health and safety shouldn’t be swept under the rug. Some might even argue that it was an avoidable blind spot on the part of the cleaning industry.

Almost 30 years ago, in 1993, a book was written by an upper-level US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official named Michael Berry,

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feature commercial cleaning called Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health. His book took the cleaning industry by storm and led to the creation of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI), an organisation dedicated to cleaning science research.

I spoke with John Downey, executive director at CIRI, about this apparent blind spot around public health and safety. His response: “Berry’s book had a profound impact on cleaning industry leaders but, over time, ‘cleaning for health’ went from an important statement of value to a mere marketing slogan. The COVID-19 pandemic has given the cleaning industry a second chance to establish itself as an important and valuable contributor to public health. Hopefully, this time the value of cleaning for health remains at the core and does not give way to marketing hype”.

So, there may actually be a silver lining to COVID-19, as this reckoning within the cleaning industry presents the opportunity for a positive impact on global health in the future. After all, the

be understated. Grossman said, “I think cleaning will become more visible. We used to say, ‘Our actions are invisible, but our results are visible’, but now there’s more desire from our customers to really see that there is cleaning happening. They want their own staff and customers to actually see the presence of cleaning professionals”.

But it won’t be enough just to improve the actual cleaning and make it more visible. Cleaning companies will have to clearly demonstrate those improvements to customers and staff. Several companies I spoke with expressed that they expect to see more demand for third-party certification of the cleanliness at facilities.

As this shift in cleaning standards and the desire for more visibility grows, many facilities are turning to more identifiable, national cleaning brands that tend to have more sophisticated cleaning protocols and better supply chains and equipment.

So how are smaller cleaning companies going to compete?

What we’ve all gone through with the pandemic has created a springboard for the commercial cleaning industry to develop better standards, better service and better preparation for potential future pandemics. same chemicals and procedures used to slow the spread of the coronavirus, also meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for controlling other diseases, like influenza, which contributes to significant lost productivity.

Richter said, “What I’ve seen in this marketplace is that customers are really demanding the services of a professional company that has all the right processes, equipment and resources to take care of their needs”.

And Grossman echoed, “In the past, if a guest saw dirty carpets in a hotel, they weren’t happy about it, but they could live with it. But now, the level of scrutiny is much higher. Guests think that if a hotel is not clean, maybe it’s not safe”.

This need from facilities for a certain peace of mind that comes with seeing the cleaning staff and their efforts can’t

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According to the results of my study, the simple answer is digital marketing.

Creative digital marketing is more important than ever – especially for small and mid-sized companies that don’t carry a pedigree of national brand recognition.

Almost half of the surveyed companies indicated that they increased their marketing budget during the pandemic. Still, a whopping 77.3 percent indicated that they actually changed their marketing strategies during COVID. Of the dozens of companies that make up that 77.3 percent, every single one of them specifically indicated digital marketing.

The cleaning services industry is notoriously behind the times when it comes to technology and digital marketing, and you can easily see the correlation between the percentage of

companies that added or enhanced their digital marketing and the percentage of companies that saw more customers, more revenue and higher profit margins.

The new frontier So, there you have it. I have to admit that this project grew into something bigger than I initially intended. While I already had an interest in facility service businesses, the opportunity to speak candidly with so many champions of cleaning has given me a new level of respect for the industry and more insight into how I can best help my cleaning business clients grow and thrive.

As the industry is evolving, one big takeaway from my conversations was that there is no single source for answers about what the cleaning industry will look like in a post-pandemic world. Rather, what I discovered was an admirable willingness within the industry to come together and collaboratively determine the next steps to steer its own future. What we’ve all gone through with the pandemic has created a springboard for the commercial cleaning industry to develop better standards, better service and better preparation for potential future pandemics.

“There are some really great minds in our industry, and what I’ve learned from these great minds is that there really is no single body of authority that you can go to for the answers.

The answers reside in all of us, collectively assembling best practices from the most knowledgeable sources that we can network with. It’s a fluid environment, and new information is coming out all the time,” said Fairley.

“We just weren’t prepared for COVID-19, and there will be something similar to COVID-19 in the future that we’ll need to be ready for,” explained Harris.

It became abundantly clear that now is indeed a great time to be in the cleaning industry.

Jonathan Rockett is the founder of Sizzling Digital, a marketing agency that specialises in growing B2B sales, especially within the facility services and commercial cleaning industries.

To obtain the complete study that inspired this article, contact Rockett via his website: www.sizzlingdigital.com

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feature contract cleaning

The value in partnering with an established industry body Business associations are membership organisations engaged in promoting the business interests of their members. In this instance, the aim of the cleaning industry body is to represent the interests of companies operating in the cleaning and hygiene sector with the objective to maintain standards and constantly raise the profile of the industry to improve general cleanliness. With this in mind, the industry body’s national secretary, Sandy Barrie, offers a comprehensive current overview.

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he National Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA) is a national association established in 1989.

The definition of a contract cleaning company is that it offers an outsourced, specialised cleaning service where cleaners and equipment are supplied at a cost per month. The NCCA is a voluntary association and an employers’ association registered with the Department of Labour and is affiliated to the ISSA, the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry, established in 1923.

The ISSA offers a world of knowledge and facilitates ongoing networking, communication, and commercial opportunities for their members. It provides members with the highest quality, industry-specific, relevant information. It is the most widely accepted resource for knowledge and standards regarding professional business practices, making the scientific connection between cleaning and health, and has the greatest impact on establishing a global cleaning community.

The NCCA’s mandate is to: • regulate relationships between its members and their employees in the contract cleaning industry; • protect and further the interests of its members; • promote collective bargaining, lawful conduct and fair labour practices between its members and their employees in the contract cleaning industry; promote, defend and represent the interests of its

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members at both a national and local level; • co-ordinate the actions of its members regarding matters of concern; • provide liaison between its members and organised labour and other bodies; endeavour to settle disputes affecting its members, either as individuals or as an organised group; • protect the rights of its members and render them with assistance with regard to employment matters related to conducting business in the contract cleaning industry; • promote communication, interaction and unanimity between branches of the association in order to ensure proper implementation of the objectives and policies of the association; • issue media statements on behalf of its members; • lobby for the support of central, provincial and local government and any other decision-maker; and • liaise with other organisations that have similar objectives and policies to the association and perform any functions incidental to the promotion of the aims, objectives and mission of the NCCA. Benefits of outsourcing to NCCA member companies means that clients can focus on their core business as the contractor’s core business is cleaning.

• The contractor lays out the capital and the clients are released from the administrative headaches.

• The contractor develops specifications with the client and is responsible for maintaining these specifications.

Before contracting with a cleaning company, research the company and ask questions such as: • How long have they been operating?

• Are they members of the NCCA? • Can they provide details of previous companies they contracted with (and if so contact these companies to obtain references)?

• Does the contract cleaning company have a cleaning and disinfecting plan that is in line with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic?

• Are their cleaning personnel properly trained?

• Have they registered their disinfectants with the NRCS and do they have the necessary material safety data sheets (MSDS) providing details of the chemical substances used (the MSDSs must be available while the cleaning company is on site)?

• Is the cleaning company registered with the NBC? • Do they pay over their contributions to the Contract Cleaners National Provident Fund administered by the NBC? Cleaning companies who choose to be members of the NCCA do so because they wish to align themselves with an organisation that is a national leader of the cleaning industry in

feature contract cleaning

Sandy Barrie

Southern Africa and is mandated to negotiate with organised labour over matters of mutual interest which, together with organised labour in a National Bargaining Forum, advises the Minister of Labour on minimum employment standards for the industry. These negotiated settlements

are legislated by the Minister of Labour, and NCCA members need to adhere to the minimum legislative requirements applicable to the industry. NCCA associate members keep fellow members abreast of technological and chemical advances in the cleaning industry.

Currently, the Gauteng branch of the NCCA (which includes cleaning companies in Mpumalanga, North West, Free State and Northern Cape provinces) as well as the Limpopo and Eastern Cape branches subject their contract cleaner members to compliance audits.

The primary aim of the NCCA is to project the professionalism, integrity and credibility of its members through adherence to its code of ethics and compliance with all legislative requirements applicable to the industry.

Given the competitive nature of the industry, contract cleaning companies looking for an advantage welcome the opportunity to be audited and found

‘compliant’ and use this status as part of their marketing activities as they receive a membership certificate that states they are ‘fully compliant’ members of the NCCA. As a result of these compliance audits, government departments and companies putting out contracts or tenders request that contract cleaning companies bidding for these contracts or tenders need to be members of the NCCA as they know the NCCA is a self-regulating body. The NCCA KwaZulu-Natal branch undergoes compliance checks through the Bargaining Council in the province.

Furthermore, other branches of the NCCA, namely Border-Kei and Western Cape are readying themselves to roll out compliance audits during 2022. It is important to note that the NCCA does not operate through agents; therefore, vigilance should be exercised to avoid possible fraudulent approaches.

For more information or to contact an NCCA branch near you, please visit: www.ncca.co.za

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facilities management review

Top 5 facilities management trends in 2022 In 2022, most people have access to more technology than ever before. From solutions that make jobs more fulfilling to innovations that improve personal life, people have come to rely on technology for an increased standard of living. The modern tenant is drawn to digital solutions that provide comfort and convenience.

Combined with the constant demand for cost and energy efficiency in facilities management, new trends can offer insights and ideas to help you reach your goals. In this article, Uwe Klatt takes a closer look at some of the important facilities management trends right now.

1. Sensor technology The ’Internet of Things’ (IoT) has been a buzzword for over a decade now.

As a tell-tale sign for its widespread adoption, the term itself is hardly used anymore in facilities management.

Today, service providers in real estate and facilities managers have swapped buzzwords for practical deployment of sensor technologies in order to deliver measurable operational benefits.

Sensor technology is IoT put in action. It allows a building’s assets to communicate their operational and health status without human intervention. Advances in sensor and battery technology have introduced wireless devices with little or no configuration and maintenance effort that can be deployed in minutes.

Size does matter – a sensor should not be overly noticeable to tenants and occupiers. While it may be simple to fit any size of sensor in a newly built property, smaller sensors are better for retrofitting existing assets, furniture, pipes and plant-room equipment.

In 2022, sensor technology is used to gather data for many aspects of any given commercial building. New technical data points include granular ambient temperature, humidity, as well as the technical building status for its HVAC, electrical and water treatment systems. Discreet or invisible sensors deliver live insight into desk and space occupancy, washroom usage and cleaning status. Tenants are even

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able to express satisfaction and ask for support using wireless click and feedback panels.

2. Data analytics Even without sensors, facilities managers have access to vast amounts of data. This data can be harvested for various purposes and by different systems. However, making decisions that lead to operational savings based on this data alone can be challenging and time-consuming.

To solve this challenge, many facilities managers are deploying or implementing building and facilities management systems, where data is translated into work orders or automated actions. As an example, consider the monitoring of space occupancy in a building.

Using new sensor-based occupancy data points, building management systems will adjust lights, ventilation and temperature according to how many people are present at any given time, which will dramatically reduce energy spend. Sensor-driven building optimisation will typically achieve savings of 15 to 40 percent of the total energy spend.

Increasingly, building management systems are augmented by separate data analytics platforms. These platforms constantly analyse building data to extract usage and consumption patterns.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is used to understand anomalies and generate predictions. This provides a deep

understanding of what is happening in your buildings and why. This insight helps owners and occupiers identify warning signs in need of proactivity and enables them to prevent operational and safety issues such as power outages or water hygiene problems.

If you are managing a portfolio of buildings, you will be able to use data from one building to make decisions in others. Data analytics and AI will help you identify why one building’s energy use is more efficient than another’s and streamline efficiency efforts.

3. Cloud-based data collection In 2022, we expect to have access to data and information 24/7 and from any corner of the world. This also holds true in the commercial built environment.

Using cloud-based services greatly simplifies data collection, as facilities managers and service providers do not need to find ways to gather and store the data. The expectation is to plug in the equipment and have the data available for productive use. Only cloud-based services can deliver this experience.

Cloud-based solutions will offer granular and tailored access to data.

A site manager may not require the same visibility on building data as the estate manager. Multi-tenant platforms with project-based access control to individual building assets are key features to be expected of any modern cloud-based solution.

facilities management review

Data-loss risk mitigation is another area that cloud-based services address with new elegance and simplicity.

No need to worry about failures or backups, as data is collected and stored for you. Security is paramount – look for solutions that encrypt all sensor and analytics data in transit and at rest, and ask for a third-party security and penetration test by a wellknown security consultancy firm.

4. Remote monitoring If there is anything that the last years have taught us so far, it’s the importance of being able to work remotely. Similarly, remote property and asset monitoring have quickly become one of the biggest drivers in facilities management. The three trends discussed in the previous sections create the backdrop for the remote monitoring of your building.

With smart sensors, cloud technology and data analytics, you can get a full overview of key assets and environmental parameters within all your buildings, regardless of where you are. Service providers can reduce the dispatch of on-site engineers greatly through sensor-based condition monitoring.

Furthermore, insights generated from buildings that are vacant due to virus outbreaks or tenant churn can drive energy savings far beyond the 15 percent that can be expected when a building is fully occupied.

Environmental and safety monitoring parameters for vacant buildings include water ingress and flooding detection, temperature, dampness and humidity, the protection of assets and goods as well as door and window openings.

5. Digital workplace services Digital workplace services have been turning into a hallmark of a modern company’s office environment. Until recently, digital workplace services have been mostly centred around employee and tenant comfort and experience. In a global labour market competing for talent, companies want to be sure to deliver an exceptional workplace experience.

Typical services are powered by sensors, analytics, digital signage and apps and include: • Desk availability and way-finding • Meeting room availability and booking/release • Canteen occupancy • Office temperature and climate • Feedback panels • Service request buttons around printers, coffee machines, communal equipment • Meeting room assistance buttons and panels • Washroom cleaning status and improved cleaning regimes.

Given the recent pandemic, digital workplace services are turning from being experience-driven to being

essential for health and safety.

As employees return to the office, sensors and data analytics enable informed choices around distancing measures as well as high standards around hygiene and transmission safety: • Reduced and controlled desk occupancy levels • Washroom occupancy and distancing • Event-driven cleaning regimes • Tracking temperature and relative humidity (40–60% rule) for minimal viral spread • Reduce necessary face-to-face interactions through smart assets and panels.

While mature sensor technology already exists for all of these new applications, the analytics and software to power them are being developed at breakneck speed. New apps, signage screens and analytics platforms are powered to achieve the new goal of keeping our workplaces attractive, safe and interactive.

Uwe Klatt is a senior sales executive with 15 years of experience from Alcatel, Siemens, Juniper Networks and Logitech.

His speciality is to deliver simple solutions in complex environments. With the help of DT’s revolutionary technology, he helps companies design new digital strategies for construction, buildings, logistics, food and health compliance, retail, manufacturing sand energy.

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laundry review Smart software and RFID for optimised process management and transparency

I

nformation about laundry items is more important than ever considering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Special items must be cleaned separately or disinfected in addition to the wash cycle. In special cases, laundry items must even be packed and delivered separately. The need for certain laundry items can vary daily, depending on the incidence of infection. At the same time, the individual handling processes must operate optimally, be coordinated perfectly and discrepancies must be identified quickly, so that textile care companies can react with flexibility and, at the same time, quickly and reliably.

To meet all these requirements, a high degree of automation and a consistent software solution is needed.

In this context, RFID technology and the digital identification of individual items of laundry, containers and machines and their exchange of information plays an extremely important role. TIKOS, the comprehensive solution for laundry service providers, supports the communication and cooperation of these objects along the entire production line of a laundry, not only at fixed points, but at anytime and anywhere, even outside the production facility.

If laundry items have RFID chips, they can be classified as ‘intelligent’ as they have stored information about where they come from, in what way they need to be processed and to which customer they subsequently belong, and they

can communicate with the production plant directly. Through modern software, apps, and web portals, all these processes can be digitalised and thus made even more efficient. In interaction with RFID, for example, the software recognises at the start of the process how many items have been recorded at the goodsin. TIKOS automatically generates an order based on the scanned items, which is forwarded directly.

Mobile quantity recording with the texScan App The texScan app starts at an even earlier stage. With the RFID app, the IT service provider SoCom offers a multifunctional instrument for the mobile recording of quantities in seconds via smartphone directly at the customer’s premises. With this app, the customer can scan their stock or other movements directly.

Goods and container stocks are automatically updated in the system, and redundancies are avoided.

At the same time, TIKOS reacts to shortages or overstocking and sends automated status messages to defined recipients. Thanks to this technology, the texScan app can also be used in the inventory as well as for mapping the operational flow, as the app can also be used at internal locations where no fixed RFID antenna is installed. The complete operational flow of laundry items can be documented with it.

At each defined target position of the operational flow, items can be scanned and provided with a time stamp.

Transparency during the entire process is the result.

Easy order picking with the texEasyPick App If the current demand is identified, it is also important to design the process efficiently in so far as order picking.

Especially in this field, the texEasyPick app has often been underutilised when paper packing lists are still used for the order-picking process.

These are not only vulnerable to errors and often poorly legible, they also rarely contain information on storage locations and thus sometimes make order-picking time-consuming. The texEasyPick app – a mobile solution for paperless picking – provides a remedy for all these challenges. In addition to a clear display of the packing list including the sorting of items in efficient packing order according to storage locations, the high level of user-friendliness and status information in real time contribute to shortened picking times. The texEasyPick app’s function of assigning employees to

Promote your company in The Source of Workplace Hygiene Solutions!

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

laundry review packing operations depending on their experience and level of knowledge also makes it possible to use their potential even more effectively and to seize the opportunities offered by the digitalisation of Laundry 4.0. Production managers can view the live status of all open pickings at any time and immediately change the prioritisation of individual pickings. Through the direct interaction of the individual SoCom solutions, the container and

storage location information additionally stored in the texEasyPick app can be transmitted to the driver and displayed via the texRoute app for loading.

texRoute app for optimised route and container management Once all the containers are packed and the truck is fully loaded, things continue smoothly and digitally. Thanks to the texRoute app, the driver has all the information in his app and thus

has a clear overview of everything.

Containers that are forgotten or incorrectly loaded, which can ruin the entire profit of a tour, virtually no longer occur. The issue of container shrinkage is also a thing of the past. With this app, mobile route management and container management can be organised quickly and profitably.

With further app and web solutions, SoCom offers additional possibilities within the framework of digitalised operations to design and control all processes even more flexibly and automatically and to create transparency with the help of intelligent software and the use of RFID technology. “As an industry expert, we have known the special challenges from our co-operation with our customers for almost 30 years and, should new requirements arise, especially in current times, we can help quickly and competently with difficulties in processes,” explains Michael Wieser, sales director of SoCom Informationssysteme GmbH. For more information, visit: www.socom.de/en

Advanced low temperature laundry programme kills SARS-CoV-2

D

iversey Holdings, a leading provider of hygiene, infection prevention and cleaning solutions, announced that its Clax Advanced Low Temperature Laundry Program, is effective against SARSCoV-2*, the clinical isolate of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The test protocol followed is European Norm EN14476, performed by an independent, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory.

Clax Advanced is a low temperature laundry program serving the hospitality sector to meet their sustainability goals globally. Washing linen at low temperatures (60°C) reduces water, energy and linen replacement costs significantly while delivering superior and hygienically clean results when used in accordance with the recommended wash programme**.

Laundry programme with proven results Diversey is committed to helping customers achieve a more sustainable business by reducing greenhouse gases while cutting operating costs.

Driving sustainability to new heights, Clax Advanced Laundry Program has efficient and effective proven results in laundry operations. The outstanding programme is in use in hundreds of hotels and professional laundries on multiple continents, with substantial operational savings by conserving energy and water while reducing waste.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and this is the flagship program of Diversey to achieve such a result in laundry operations. Clax Advanced is playing an essential role not only driving sustainability to new heights but also ensuring the highest standards of hygiene and so peace of mind when managing outbreak in the laundry operations. At Diversey, this is an opportunity for us to reiterate our commitment to support our business partners in the global fight against coronavirus. We keep caring, protecting, always.” * Testing was performed under the EN

Global commitment

(European Norm) procedures in an accredited

Rosana Tung, Regional Marketing Leader, Fabric Care & Laundry, Emerging Markets said: “Clax Advanced Low Temperature Laundry Program has proven effective against

independent laboratory. It was conducted based on the TS EN 14476+ A1: 2019-09 standard. ** Tested programme is applicable to countries in APAC and MEA regions.

For more information, visit: www.diversey.com

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feature food industry hygiene

Restaurant cleanliness during COVID-19 When it comes to your restaurant’s cleanliness, expectations are higher than ever.

It’s time to take a closer look at how to keep objects clean and disinfected in order to keep your customers safe. Of all the areas affected

by COVID-19, the food industry has probably been hit the hardest.

A

s a business that hinges on cleanliness, sanitation and safety, alongside interacting with the public, a health crisis of this magnitude was bound to change things – particularly the way we keep things clean, according to 3M Foodservice.

It’s likely that you have already taken steps to follow all regulations and increase cleaning procedures, but in such rapidly changing circumstances it’s important to regularly review these practices as the situation develops. This article takes a closer look at how to keep things clean – for now and for the future.

follows the CDC’s preventive guidelines at work and at home, including: • Washing hands frequently and properly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds • Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow for coughs or sneezes • Avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth • Practising social distancing by avoiding large gatherings and staying at least 1.8 metres apart • Staying home if sick.

Cleaning, disinfection and sanitation Handwashing, gloves and hand hygiene While cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation have always been important to the food industry, the current situation has made it clear just how crucial these efforts are to the health and safety of our communities. And, while there is no evidence that the novel coronavirus can be transmitted through food, establishments involved with food and food preparation should take extra precautions to protect themselves and the general public, just in case.

It all starts with your staff. Your employees are in an incredibly vulnerable position. By coming to work, they are putting themselves and others at risk to provide an essential service, and their health and safety should be at the top of your list. To that end, ensure that every member of your team understands and

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

Keeping a restaurant clean during normal times can be challenging, and the COVID-19 pandemic makes it that much more of a minefield. However, by staying up to date on regulations, regularly reviewing and revising practices and upping our game, we can navigate this challenging situation.

Several health and safety organisations – including the CDC, FDA, WHO and OSHA – have issued guidance specifically for workplaces to help prevent the spread of the virus and limit exposure. It’s highly recommended that all ‘high-touch’ spots, like doorknobs, handrails and counters, are cleaned and disinfected frequently with registered disinfectants approved for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. You have probably already ramped up cleaning, but it can be easy to overlook at-risk areas.

Keeping a restaurant clean during normal times can be challenging, and the COVID-19 pandemic makes it that much more of a minefield. However, by staying up to date on regulations, regularly reviewing and revising practices and upping our game, we can navigate this challenging situation.

Creating a map of ‘touch zones’, in the front and back of house, washrooms and everywhere in between, along with an expanded cleaning schedule can ensure that nothing gets missed.

In terms of food preparation, the WHO reports that temperatures between 60° and 65°C and higher are enough to kill most viruses – which means cooking and dishwashing will take care of most potential risks. But cleaning food-prep surfaces presents a different challenge.

Disinfectants generally are not food safe and may require long dwell times before rinsing. In these circumstances, foodcontact surfaces should be regularly cleaned and sanitised – to remove pathogens to a safe level – and then fully disinfected whenever possible.

feature food industry hygiene In addition, these circumstances could present a bittersweet opportunity to tackle difficult, unpleasant jobs that have fallen by the wayside during busier times, such as defrosting and disinfecting freezers, deep-cleaning ranges, ovens, and other large equipment, dealing with the hood and ventilation system, or repairing and replacing out of date appliances. In addition to checking items off your to-do list, taking care of these projects now can help set your restaurant up for a clean slate when we return to the ‘new normal’. Odds are guests and authorities will have high expectations when it comes to restaurant cleanliness once the pandemic has passed – but by making an effort and building strong cleaning strategies now, we can lay a foundation for the future of the food industry.

Organisation While cleaning is vital to maintaining your business during this turbulent time, so is staying organised. With so much changing so quickly, it’s easy for

important details to fall through the cracks and out of your control. From staffing needs and scheduling, to supply orders and takeout and delivery procedures, you have probably had to rethink many of your internal structures – but, you should also regularly review your processes and be prepared to change. The faster you can respond, the more likely you and your restaurant are to manoeuvre through each challenge gracefully. And don’t forget to look over past organisational structures and see what could be improved or adapted in the future – the restaurant industry is likely to

change post-Covid and you should be ready.

There’s no doubt about it, the novel coronavirus has already had a deep impact on many different areas of the food industry. And while we don’t yet know the full ramifications of the pandemic, what we do know is that changing our behaviour to keep things clean and sanitary makes a difference. By adhering to the regulations, ramping up cleaning frequency and rigour, and being prepared for things to change quickly, we can weather this storm – and emerge on the other side together.

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editorial Tork True colours of efficiency and hygiene Achieving the highest efficiency while maintaining safety in your cleaning tasks is easy with Tork® Premium Colour Coded Cloths. The straightforward colour-coded system allows you to dedicate specific colours to specific repeated-use wiping tasks.

This provides better hygiene control, reduces the risk of cross-contamination and assists in HACCP compliance. Tork Premium Colour Coded Cloths are strong, absorbent and low linting. These soft yet durable cloths maintain high performance in both wet and dry applications. This high performance reduces the need to replace the cloths as frequently, minimising consumption and improving your cost-in-use savings.

High performance • Strong and durable – high performance in both wet and dry applications • Designed for repeated use – minimises consumption and reduces costs

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

Improving hygiene • HACCP endorsed – safe for use in foodcontact areas • Low linting – leaves no trace, ideal for hygiene-sensitive environments • Colour-coded system – specific colours for specific tasks, helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination

Wiping that leaves nothing to chance Thorough handwashing and drying to remove bacteria, cleaning work areas and machinery and performing maintenance and quality control. In the food industry, wiping and cleaning tasks are varied, but hygiene always comes first. Using Tork ensures you can handle these tasks with confidence.

The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissue, soap, napkins, and industrial and kitchen wipers. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader. Tork is a global brand of SCA and a committed

Tork’s HACCP coloured cloths are offered in four colours: red, green, blue, and yellow, and are designed for all wiping and cleaning tasks.

partner to customers in over 80 countries.

For more information contact: kirsty.collard@essity.com

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editorial Werner Pumps

Wastewater and sewerage system maintenance solutions

S

ervice delivery is a phrase on many South Africans’ lips as new municipal leaders step into office following the local government elections.

Sebastian Werner, MD at Werner Pumps, says that the company is poised to assist with service delivery solutions for wastewater and sewerage system maintenance and repairs.

Werner Pumps has been supplying high-pressure jetting equipment for more than three decades. It manufactures all its units in South Africa, meaning equipment can be customised for local conditions and specific customer requirements. Many of the Werner Pumps customers are municipalities or contractors who service them, and Werner says that the company can assist with advice and products that will enable them to improve their service delivery to communities, as well as manage their costs, optimise their operations, and get the most out of their equipment.

For example, Werner Pumps stocks a wide range of specialised hose nozzles designed to help unblock clogged sewerage lines. “We partner with Enz Technik AG to supply Swissmanufactured nozzle solutions, including The Enz Golden Jet rotating nozzle (called the Rotopuls nozzle),” explains Werner.

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“One of the biggest problems that local municipalities have when it comes to their water and sewerage lines is that they get blocked by tree roots, rocks, and even cement. The Rotopuls nozzle has an eccentrically supported rotor, which produces very fast vibrations and pulsating jets. The resulting pulsations are strong enough to disintegrate deposits up to 10cm thick. By using the Rotopuls nozzle, contractors can often unblock lines without having to do more expensive, unsafe and labour-intensive work with cutting tools.”

For applications where even the Rotopuls is not strong enough, Werner Pumps recommends a chain flail head. These nozzles are used to clear calcareous layers, concrete residues, and larger roots.

“The other big development we think can help to improve the water management aspect of service delivery in South Africa is the introduction of water recycling jetting and vacuuming units,” says Werner. “We added these to our range and while the uptake has been a bit slow because the price tag is higher than a conventional unit, I firmly believe these are the future as they have so many benefits, including a cost saving over the long term.”

Whereas traditional truck-mounted jetting and vacuuming units need to travel to a site filled with clean (potable) water, the water recycling units can arrive empty, vacuum up the contaminated water and separate out the solids, recycling the remaining water to be able to keep pumping and/or jetting.

The traditional trucks, on the other hand, need to be emptied, refilled and then to start over again.

“What this means is that once the truck has reached its capacity, the operators need to offload the contaminated water before continuing with the job. Often, we find they dump it illegally to save time and fuel travelling to and from the site, which is a health and safety hazard,” says Werner. “The job also takes much longer to complete. The recycling unit can use the same water over and over, saving on time and travel, which if you think about it also saves on fuel and therefore carbon emissions, as well as potable water usage.

With South Africa being a water scarce country and with carbon tax becoming a reality for many larger organisations, I foresee that these recycling units will eventually become the norm.”

He says that because the units can vacuum and jet at one time, in many repair situations, the operator can vacuum from a blocked manhole, run the water through the truck and deposit the water with the solids removed into the next manhole, clearing lines more safely and efficiently.

“Instead of sending guys into the lines to manually clear them, which is hazardous to their health and unsafe, the machine can do the hard work, meaning a quicker fix, less risk and fewer man hours wasted for operators, all of which improves service delivery,” concludes Werner.

For more information, visit www.wernerpumps.com

CLEANLINESS FOR HEALTH Hygiene has never been more important than now!

TWO EVENTS – ONE VENUE

An ever-increasing demand to meet international standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the workplace during a global pandemic, linked to the constant need to upgrade and improve cleaning systems across multiple industry sectors will draw targeted visitors and delegates looking to improve hygiene regimes to facilitate a healthy environment for employees and customers.

12-13 October 2022

Gallagher Convention Centre

A South African Pest Control Association | Cleantex Africa Collaboration www.cleantexsummit.co.za Sponsors:

Gold

Silver

Celebrating 23 years since inception

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Organisers: e-squared | For more information email: Cleantex: nande@cleantex.co.za | SAPCA: hilda@sapca.org.za | www.cleantex.co.za African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

people and events Professional cleaning trends for 2022

W

ith Interclean Amsterdam less than four months away, former exhibition director Rob den Hertog offers his perspective of the upcoming trends in the professional cleaning industry for 2022 and beyond.

Sustainability no longer just a ‘nice to have’ Minimising damage to the environment is an increasingly important consideration in today’s professional cleaning industry. Where in the past ‘sustainability’ meant using a green product, it nowadays contains much more than that. With the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Green Deal in mind, manufacturers are looking at the entire chain of production. This also includes topics such as cradle-to-cradle and circularity, sustainable packaging and eco-labelling.

The importance of sustainability in the professional cleaning and hygiene industry has been growing for years.

Now, there is no escaping it anymore.

Incorporating sustainability in your business strategy likely improves trust with customers, employees and investors while protecting the environment. Sustainability is transitioning from being a ‘nice to have’ to being a ‘must have’.

Disinfection with UV-C technology Ultraviolet-C can be used for a variety of purposes, including disinfection in the professional cleaning industry.

Due to population growth around the world, there is an increased threat from antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’.

Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines, which leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality.

Ultraviolet-C, also referred to as UV-C, is the use of ultraviolet radiation with wavelengths between 200 and 290 nm.

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The UV-C rays are highly effective in UV sterilisation and disinfection since they destroy the molecular bonds that hold together the DNA of bacteria and viruses, including the ‘superbugs’. This makes UV-C an important technology in hospitals.

UV-C cleaning is not new; it was discovered in 1896 and first used to destroy bacteria and in the treatment of skin tuberculosis. Using UV-C light as a disinfectant in hospitals began in the late 1960s. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, it seems we are on the cusp of seeing UV-C become essential in the fight against infection.

to thrive. This means using sterilisation to make equipment and surfaces safe to use. One innovation to do so is steam cleaning.

Steam cleaning uses an appliance that uses only a small amount of clean water, heated in a boiler. It allows for sanitising, cleaning and deodorising any surface, without the need to use detergents. Some advantages of steam cleaning are: it saves time and money; it helps fight against anti-microbial resistance; and it is environmentally friendly. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, steam cleaning gained a new impetus and is likely to remain important in 2022.

Powered exoskeletons to improve worker well-being

Battery-powered equipment

Performing cleaning work is physically demanding and uses a lot of energy. It traditionally consists of a lot of manual labour, most of it repetitive and putting tension on the cleaner’s body. This is where exoskeletons come in. The current classifications for exoskeletons are ‘active’ and ‘passive’.

An active exoskeleton is powered and works with motors and sensors. It is a wearable mobile machine that allows for limb movement with increased strength and endurance. It protects cleaning workers by providing back support, sensing the user’s motion and sending a signal to the motors that manage the gears. This releases the tension on the body and assists movement. With increased attention on worker well-being from employers and legislation from government, the market for powered exoskeletons is likely to grow substantially in the coming decade.

The volume of battery-powered devices in the professional cleaning industry is increasing rapidly. Batteries can be used to improve run time, sustainability and autonomous capabilities of cleaning machines. In recent years, the energy density of batteries increased, lowering the weight and size and improving the durability of batteries. This is particularly important when battery-powered cleaning equipment is being used to clean large areas, such as airports, hospitals, retail properties, office buildings, schools and industrial plants.

Battery technologies on the market includes solid state batteries, traction batteries, gel maintenance-free batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

It is expected that the solid state battery technology will become a game changer in the years to come.

This battery allows manufacturers to introduce smaller and lighter solutions that can operate longer.

Steam cleaning for disinfection

The Interclean Amsterdam 2022 exhibition will

The challenge for hospital teams is ensuring that they can prevent healthcare-associated infections from occurring and spreading in the hospital. They have to destroy the microorganisms that cause infections and deny them an environment in which

showcase many of the above-mentioned trends, offering those involved in professional cleaning and hygiene an abundance in new technology. In order to be part of the official Southern African delegation, contact Steve Braham via email: steve@swbagencies.co.za and guarantee your presence at the cleaning industry’s defining show.

people and events With members fully engaged, an association thrives

Clive Damonze

“T

here is no doubt that members are the lifeblood of any association. This is no different for the cleaning industry in South Africa”, says the founder of the Cleaning Association of South Africa (CASA), Clive Damonze.

He believes that when members are fully engaged, they make an association thrive, have an impact, and offer a meaningful experience. He cites his personal experience as an active member of the ISSA as the motivating factor for the launch of CASA. Damonze went on to say: “It is important for members to grasp and understand the guiding principles

of an association and participate therein. Likewise, an association must understand the needs of its members and demonstrate the support in the required areas”.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us the lesson to come together and share our knowledge and mobilise protection protocols to combat the virus and safeguard ourselves as a collective in the facilities industry.

Hence, the establishment by CASA of portfolios consisting of subject matter experts and thought leaders of these focus groups who will engage with members to understand their needs and to see how CASA can support their goals and provide critical solutions to the ever-expanding cleaning industry. It is important that cleaning associations evolve and progress, become more innovative and raise the standards and professionalism of cleaning.

What the industry requires is a proper platform for communication, engagement and collaboration.

This must be encouraged and be boosted with the development of engagement strategies, which include all stakeholders, especially those that are new to the facilities industry.

This includes engaging with other

industry associations that we have not embraced before, such as the facilities management, waste management and pest control industries.

By doing so, we will be able to crowdsource best practices as they may have useful resources and strengths that the cleaning industry can embrace to the benefit of all; of course, taking into consideration that every company has its own confidential trade secrets!

In an artistic world, this is what they would call the ‘aesthetics’ of the brand – bringing it to life, making it colourful and beautiful – so much more than just an association. Companies who join CASA will enjoy the benefits of these ‘aesthetics’.

My advice to all is to take a closer look at our industry and view cleaning as an investment in human health and environmental sustainability while increasing the bottom line.

We are committed to make the CASA brand sustainable as an association.

Let’s shape the future of the South African professional cleaning industry together.

Join CASA today by visiting our website: www.casa-za.com

New president named by Kimberly-Clark Professional

K

imberly-Clark Professional has appointed Ehab Abou-Oaf president, effective January 1, 2022.

Abou-Oaf has been with Kimberly-Clark since 2019 and has served as managing director of the company’s Middle East and Africa business since February 2020. Prior to joining Kimberly-Clark, Abou-Oaf spent 19 years in senior management roles with Mars Inc, including president of Mars Wrigley Confectionery for Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa.

“Since joining Kimberly-Clark, Ehab has strengthened our business in the Middle East and Africa, establishing new routes to market and grown our market share across multiple categories in developing markets including Nigeria and South Africa. Further, he has established an exceptional team in the region, and I’m confident that he’ll bring the same proven track record of leadership to our Kimberly-Clark Professional business,” said Mike Hsu, Kimberly-Clark CEO. Kimberly-Clark Professional offers an array of hand hygiene and contamination-control products.

For more information, visit www.kcprofessional.com.

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people and events Visiting the world’s most advanced cleaning show

F

ollowing the negative impact of the pandemic on exhibitions worldwide, it is indeed exciting to learn that the Interclean Amsterdam show will return from 10–13 May this year as an in-person event. As the South African tour to The Netherlands became a regular occurrence over the past years, African Cleaning Review asked tour leader Steve Braham, a veteran show visitor of over 20 years, to elaborate on the history of the tour and to provide an update of this year’s highlights.

I must admit that the number of South Africans that made their way to the world’s largest cleaning and hygiene show every second year has literally grown from a mere handful to more than a hundred that attended the previous (2018) edition.

During my early visits to the show, something became abundantly clear to me in that while the visitor numbers

although one might have bumped into fellow South Africans at the local watering hole situated across the road from the exhibition centre, no group activities were formulated.

With the 2012 exhibition in mind, I then decided to put together an organised South African tour and managed to secure a delegation of 42 travellers representing 18 South African companies. I am pleased to say that since then the group has grown with every following event to reach a delegation of 50 that represented 28 companies, which attended the 2018 exhibition, many of them repeat clients. The groups previously enjoyed arranged excursions to other Dutch towns, the Heineken Brewery, and the famous sunset boat cruise where South African’s merrily make their way through the famous Amsterdam canals.

In my opinion, this year’s Interclean

South Africans on the sunset canal cruize

were increasing, many South Africans found it a daunting experience to book flights for the trip, obtain visas and eventually find their way around the bustling city to their hotels and then to secure the correct tram to the exhibition centre. Also, there was no fellowship among travellers and,

exhibition will be the most relevant ever due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world. We will most certainly witness the latest cleaning and hygiene technology to combat the virus and render healthy and safe facilities.

Let’s face it, cleaning and hygiene is now at the forefront of people’s minds;

Steve Braham therefore, the various seminars and talks at the exhibition led by industry experts will address the most pertinent issues and continue the conversation on cleaning for health.

South Africa has become renowned as the largest tour group (per country) to attend the exhibition and, therefore, one of the main benefits of being part of the group is the invitations that follow from the various associations and companies to attend presentations and networking functions.

It is not all about work though; the tour offers other activities including a fun excursion in an air-conditioned coach, a cocktail function and the farewell dinner – this year booked at the floating Chinese restaurant, which adds to the experience of visiting the Dutch capital. Hotel accommodation is arranged at the Double Tree by Hilton hotel situated close to Central Station.

The 2022 tour package includes an added night in the hotel to allow for a free day and most of Saturday to take in the sights and sounds of Amsterdam.

Finally, I want to close off with my favourite excerpt from one of our industry leaders when I previously asked him to say a few words at the farewell dinner: “We arrived as adversaries, and we leave Amsterdam as friends”.

For more information about the upcoming Amsterdam tour, contact Steve at: +28 83 2651268 or email: steve@swbagencies.co.za

Advertise in the primary African trade magazine for the commercial cleaning and hygiene sectors.

Reach your target market cost-effectively with a direct link to end-users, building service contractors, facility management and key institutional segments.

For more information regarding advertising / editorial / digital packages, email: nande@cleantex.co.za

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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022

Join the official African delegation visiting the bustling city of Amsterdam and the world’s leading platform for cleaning and hygiene professionals – Interclean 2022.

The capital city of The Netherlands is a hub for happy cyclists, beer drinkers, tourists, and art lovers. The Amsterdam go-to bohemian vicinity brims with coffee shops, bars and restaurants and the renowned Albert Cuyp Market.

Refresh your mind, gain knowledge and network During May 2022 the world of professional cleaning will gather in Amsterdam for the city’s first face-to-face event of its kind since 2018. This is a remarkable opportunity to view the latest cleaning technology and updates on global trends and developments while connecting with cleaning professionals from all over the world. The exhibition floor stretches over several halls and is divided into industry segments including high pressure cleaning, laundry, management, mobility, steam cleaning, washrooms, waste solutions, window cleaning and healthcare cleaning solutions. Other segments including machines, equipment and detergents are fragmented and can be found in every hall.

Tour departs from South Africa on Saturday, 7 May 2022

Full tour package rates:

Amsterdam 2022 tour package includes:

Single package: ZAR42 750 Twin package: ZAR32 750 per person sharing

• • • • • • • • • • •

Flights to and from Amsterdam – departing from OR Tambo International Six-night four-star hotel accommodation at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Central Station including breakfast Hotel/airport transfers Welcome reception at the 11th floor Sky Lounge with stunning views over Amsterdam Day trip to the Dutch countryside in luxury coach (includes lunch) First show-day transfer to RAI exhibition centre in luxury coach Two-hour evening boat cruise on Amsterdam’s canals including drinks and snacks Access to SA Interclean welcoming cocktail party on day two Three-day city tram pass to visit the exhibition on following days Three-course farewell Amsterdam dinner at the Golden Palace floating restaurant Two days at leisure to explore the city of Amsterdam

Land only package: Single package: ZAR32 500 Twin package: ZAR21 000 per person sharing Tour package rates are subject to exchange rate fluctuations. Standard terms and conditions apply.

To book your Amsterdam travel package or for more information, contact SWB Sports & Events Steve Braham +27 11 646 9322 or mobile +27 83 265 1268 Email: steve@swbagencies.co.za