African Cleaning Review JulyAug '19 issue

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July/August 2019 | R61.50 (incl. VAT)

Tips for successful bidding Clean smart to address HAI’s scourge ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 show review

contents JULY/AUGUST 2019 VOL 20 NO. 4 Two machines, one mission Discomatic Bolero 10 and 20 – two scrubberdrier machines that set the rhythm for endurance and versatility in facility cleaning.

Equipped with plenty of user-friendly extras, these machines are easy to handle and transport. Two of the most notable features are the height-adjustable upright handle and the load-bearing support wheel at the front for uninterrupted cleaning cycles. Refer to page 5 for more information about Wetrok’s Bolero range of equipment.

Opinion

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Industry News

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Winning cleaning-service tenders has nothing to do with charges

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Endless opportunities fuel portable pressure-washer market Larger Cape Town premises for leading cleaning equipment supplier Naspers Foundry announces investment in rising cleaning services platform Former BLSA head joins Bidvest Bidvest acquires Eqstra

Educational

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Protecting operators’ health using safety vacuum cleaners – Kärcher Challenges of keeping hotel and guesthouse rooms clean – Industroclean

Editorial

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AfricanCleaningReview

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 Administration and Accounts: Nandé Jacobs Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za 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.

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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FM Review

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Discovery Place wins at SAPOA Innovative Excellence Awards Hospitals are taking a much deeper look at their environmental impact to cut costs Green Guru to address GBCSA 2019 convention New Exxaro corporate headquarters fosters a green, healthy & energising work environment

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People and Events

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Insights on hospitality and healthcare laundry programmes The ERP solution featuring innovative apps for optimised laundry process management

• Sustainable cleaning • Carpet care

• Mopping systems • Fragrance systems and aircare

Update company details to appear in the 2020 Buyer’s Guide. email africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Share company news with African Cleaning Review, submit press releases, event information and pictures to: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za

ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 Show review – see page 20 Published by:

Case Study

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New Products

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Innovative solution for liquid spill clean-ups Single-motion vacuum and wipe Combination bakkie-mounted high-pressure jetting and vacuuming vehicle New upright dustpan for faster debris collection

Sept/Oct issue: Editorial deadline 23 August

Feature in ACR

Laundry Review

Reduced paper consumption delivers significant cost savings – Tork

Planned features for 2019

Nov/Dec issue: Editorial deadline 18 October

Enhance your brand personality with Signature COLOUR – Initial New i-team distributorship bolsters Goscor’s product array

SA delegation visits Italy’s ‘smart’ cleaning show Design Hygiene at Italy’s leading cleaning show Former Springbok captain appointed as SSG Holdings Group CEO

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Features

Clean smart to address hospital-acquired-infections scourge 8 Raising healthcare-hygiene standards from the floor up 10 ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 show review 20

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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 Fax: +27 (0) 86 672 4794 PO Box 1976, Halfway House, 1685, South Africa Email: africancleaningreview@cleantex.co.za Website: www.africancleaningreview.co.za

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

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from the editor

opinion

Winning cleaning-service tenders has nothing to do with charges

By Ron Segura

The industry show in pictures

A South African cleaning contractor was one of several contractors that responded to a request for proposal (RFP), also known as a ’tender’ in many parts of the world. This contractor was excited to find out that his

This issue of African Cleaning Review offers a comprehensive review of the professional cleaning industry’s biennial showcase, the ISSA Cleantex Africa exhibition, that took place in June. The review includes details and pictures relating to the exhibitors, co-located workshops, networking events and some of the products and services showcased.

The previous issue of African Cleaning Review was inserted into delegate and visitor bags, sponsored by Tork. As a result, it was heartening to note the audience’s keen interest in the articles illustrating the latest developments in the cleaning and hygiene sector. On the African Cleaning Review stand, we fielded many questions relating to the local market and the growth of outsourcing, especially from visitors representing other African countries. Our readership and interest in the magazine’s content, even outside our borders, continues to grow, which reflects an increasing awareness of the importance that the professional cleaning sector holds.

Also in this issue, we offer carefully prepared content relating to healthcare facilities, the ongoing battle with HAIs, effective floor cleaning, environmental impact, laundry programmes and more.

Other interesting articles include tips on successful bidding, innovative apps to optimise laundry process management and news about people and industry events, among others.

As usual, we call on you to submit any news or new developments at your firm, thereby allowing us to report widely on workplace hygiene solutions.

Enjoy the read and remember to let us have your views – refer to page 6 for details about the survey.

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proposal was one of four being given serious consideration. Moreover, a couple of weeks later, he was asked to give a presentation to the management company in charge of the bidding process, for a meet-andgreet and to discuss his proposal.

H

e thought he had handled himself very well at the presentation and the entire meeting appeared to go very well.

This was a large account, and he was definitely enthusiastic about the possibility of winning the contract.

However, a couple of weeks later, he received a letter from the management company, thanking him for his proposal and presentation, but indicating they had decided to hire another cleaning contractor.

Certainly dejected, he assumed another cleaning contractor came in with a lower bid. He called in to review his proposal to see where he may have miscalculated his charges, but it appeared they were fair and reasonable. However, the problem with his proposal, and the likely reason he did not win this contract, was written on virtually every page.

The proposal was laden with the features his company brings to the table. For instance, this contractor was proud of the fact that the company had been in business for more than two decades. The proposal also noted that the company is now green certified by a leading certification organisation.

While the features were impressive,

this contractor did not take the next step: he did not translate those features into benefits that would prove valuable to the customer. While there may have been other reasons this contractor lost this account, far too often cleaning contractors lose bids because they fail to discuss the benefits and the value their company brings to the table.

Features, benefits, and winning bids Before going any further, we need to be clear as to the differences between features and benefits because, very often, these terms are confused or used interchangeably.

Features A feature is a characteristic that stands out about someone, or in this case, a company. For instance, the contractor noted that he had been in business for more than twenty years and that the company is green certified. Potential customers tend to gloss over features because these simple statements of fact do not mean that much to them, or their implication is unclear. Further, most suppliers tout the features of their products or services. Over time, they simply lose their impact.

opinion When taking bids, it is true that some facility managers and business owners still hire the low bidder. Very often, this is because of their inability to evaluate competitive bids and determine which contractor will provide the most value. In most cases, this is because of what we have been discussing.

The bids list a multitude of features but fail to describe how Ron Segura

they benefit the customer.

Benefits A benefit is the value or advantage a feature provides to the customer. For instance, how would the fact that the company has been in business for more than twenty years be a benefit to a customer? Being in business that long, this contractor has likely learned how to handle all types of situations and address a variety of cleaning challenges. They are not learning on the job. Instead, they know the job.

Or how about the fact that the contractor’s company is green certified?

The goal of green cleaning is to reduce cleaning’s impact on building users and the environment. Using cleaning products that, for instance, have few volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or, taking this a step further, selecting equipment that cleans effectively using engineered water, all contribute to a healthier indoor environment. The key benefit to the customer is that a healthier indoor environment has been shown to improve worker productivity, morale, and reduce absenteeism.

These are just two examples. Often contractors will tout that their companies are locally owned or are mom-and-pop owned; do not outsource cleaning work; offer a variety of services; or that they are a member of an industry association.

We could go on and on, but to make these features have meaning to the customer – and provide value worth paying for – they must be decoded and turned into benefits.

competitive bids and determine which contractor will provide the most value.

In most cases, this is because of what we have been discussing. The bids list a multitude of features but fail to describe how they benefit the customer.

There are also situations when managers/business owners do not accept the lowest bid, but not because they find that one or more proposals provide more benefits than the others.

Instead, they have learned from past experiences that low bidders and inferior service tend to go hand in hand. They accept a mid-priced proposal, hoping to avoid repeating that experience.

Higher bids, while often weeded out during the review process, could warrant further investigation and consideration – and even win the contract – if they clearly connect features to value or provide benefits to the customer that no other contractor provides.

Ultimately, this discussion is a reflection of how the professional cleaning industry has evolved over the past twenty-five years. At one time, cleaning contractors were viewed as a commodity – all about the same. Now building managers and owners are far more aware of the benefits of effective cleaning. To win bids, contractors must make sure that their proposals speak the customer’s language and demonstrate that they can offer valuable benefits.

Ron Segura is president of Segura Associates.

His company works with large and small

Low bids/high bids

contractors helping them build their businesses

When taking bids, it is true that some facility managers and business owners still hire the low bidder. Very often, this is because of their inability to evaluate

and streamline business operations so that they can reduce costs and operate more profitably.

Tips for successful bidding In addition to what was covered in the main article, here are some ways cleaning contractors can win more bids: Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the company such as its goals, mission statement, its products or services, the types of customers it serves. If possible, bring these attributes into your proposal.

Ask questions. While some companies will have policies denying individual follow-up conversations or meetings after the initial meeting, if possible and if uncertain about anything in the RFP, ask the manager.

Some bids are lost because of simple misunderstandings.

Write early. It is often best to start preparing the bid as soon as the initial meeting and walk-through have been completed. Very often, details about the facility or what was discussed are forgotten, which can have unfortunate ramifications.

Check your numbers. This is more for your own benefit than the customer’s.

Double check labour and supply costs, and profit margins. If your bid is selected, rarely will the customer be open to re-negotiation.

Timely delivery. Bids should always be delivered before the due date.

If asked to give a presentation, be sure to arrive early. Never leave the customer waiting.

He can be reached through his company website at: seguraassociates@msn.com

African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

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industry news Endless opportunities fuel portable pressure-washer market

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he global portable high-pressurewasher market is a bustling avenue expected to grow with new opportunities. The ageing infrastructure in major countries like the US and new infrastructure in growing economies are likely to open new prospects, as well as a growing demand from the automotive cleaning market, according to a new report by Transparency Market Research.

Unlike traditional methods of washing, consumer pressure washers are highly efficient and are able to considerably reduce wastage of water.

This helps in addressing the global water crisis and is expected to increase demand. New and innovative product developments such as solar pressure washers, fuel and diesel pressure washers, modification of old products in order to increase their capacity, and

tapping untapped markets will boost the demand for pressure washers during the forecast period.The report also reveals that electric washers are expected to witness the highest demand, with gas-pressured devices following closely behind.

Major manufacturing concerns in the market relate to the increasingly slim design of equipment required for ease of transportation and storage and an increased demand for additional features, including multi-use functions, or the ability to switch between chemicals in applications such as vehicle cleaning.

The report identifies that a more balanced approach is perhaps needed in product design and that the high cost of equipment is an issue when it comes to potential customers making buying decisions, with alternatives

such as sandblasting and foam-based cleaning equipment often winning the business.

Improvements in equipment are expected to help the market reach a total revenue of over US$2 billion by 2026.

The report is available from: www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Larger Cape Town premises for leading cleaning equipment supplier

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oscor Cleaning Equipment (GCE) Cape Town outgrew its previous premises, which necessitated the recent move to a new, larger facility.

GCE has occupied its sister company Goscor Access Solutions’ previous

premises, which have been renovated in line with the needs of the leading cleaning equipment supplier.

Previously located in Prime Park in Montague Gardens, GCE has moved to No. 5 Ferrule Avenue, Montague

Gardens. “The company business is growing, and we recently found ourselves in dire need of more space.

This was already apparent from when we merged with Tennant Western Cape,” explains Petra Minutelli, Branch Manager of GCE Cape Town.

The size of the new building is definitely what GCE required. “We now have a larger workshop area, which we really needed, especially for our growing short-term rental fleet and our rebuilds, a larger stock room for improved stock holding and possibly a showroom or demo area. With the larger premises, there will be lots of new and exciting things to come,” concludes Minutelli.

Goscor Cleaning Equipment distributes leading cleaning equipment brands including Tennant, Elgin, Maer, Delfin, Kaivac and HighPoint.

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

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industry news Naspers Foundry announces investment in rising online cleaning services platform

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aspers Foundry has announced its first deal, a R30 million investment in South African tech start-up SweepSouth – an online cleaning services platform that connects clients with trusted, reliable domestic cleaners. The investment kicks off Naspers’s commitment to supporting talented and ambitious entrepreneurs in South Africa who are using technology to improve people’s daily lives.

Launched at the South Africa Investment Conference in October last year, Naspers Foundry is a R1.4 billion start-up fund aimed at boosting the South African technology sector. As well as providing much needed funding, Naspers Foundry will help talented and ambitious South African technology entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses.

SweepSouth, co-founded in 2014

by Aisha Pandor and Alen Ribic, has established itself as a fast-growing tech start-up. The business has seen exceptional growth since its launch, with jobs created for more than 10 000 people through a platform matching demand for trusted cleaning services that was previously unfulfilled. The online platform connects clients to pre-vetted

cleaners across major cities in South Africa. SweepSouth cleaners, known as SweepStars, have full flexibility over their hours and availability and benefit from pay rates significantly higher than the national minimum wage.

“We are ecstatic about the Naspers Foundry investment in SweepSouth, and believe the partnership will help us achieve our vision of expanding into other home services and growing beyond the South African market. We see ourselves as an emerging-market-focused platform that aims to serve the many professionals who don’t have the time to source the services we provide, while also creating meaningful employment opportunities,” said Pandor.

Naspers Chief Executive Bob van Dijk said: “We are excited to announce our first Naspers Foundry investment and to welcome SweepSouth to the Naspers family. Entrepreneurs like Aisha and Alen, who use innovative technology to improve people’s lives, inspire us. We know what it takes to scale tech businesses, and the team is looking forward to working together with SweepSouth to help them do that.”

Naspers is a global, consumer, internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world operating and investing in countries and markets across the world that have long-term growth potential.

SHARE YOUR OPINION WITH US The African Cleaning Review (ACR) magazine is evolving and we need readership input in order to guide us in the process of best servicing the professional cleaning industry.

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

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industry news Former BLSA head joins Bidvest

Bonang Mohale

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onang Mohale, the former CEO of Business Leadership SA (BLSA), has joined services, trading and distribution group Bidvest as an independent non-executive director.

“Bonang has held several leadership positions in the private sector and

has been lauded and recognised with several awards over the past 25 years,” Bidvest said in a statement.

Mohale was CEO of BLSA from June 2017 to the end of June 2019.

Previously he has also been chair of Shell SA, CEO of Drake & Scull FM SA, CEO of Sanlam, executive vicepresident of SAA, and MD of Otis.

According to Bidvest, he will be appointed as a member of the group’s acquisitions committee, nominations committee and the social and ethics committee.

In a separate statement, Mohale said that he would also commit more time to his latest start-up, SiSebenza, which he co-founded with Marc Lubner, Gary Woolf and Andrew Robinson in early 2019. SiSebenza provides entrepreneur and small business support. “I’m looking forward to being able to dedicate more time to improving the local business environment,” said Mohale.

Bidvest enters deal to buy Eqstra Fleet Management

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op 40 services and distribution group Bidvest, worth R65 billion announced in July that it had agreed to buy Eqstra Fleet Management Logistics from enX in a deal worth R3.1 billion. Eqstra provides full fleet management solutions, including leasing, maintenance, vehicle tracking and insurance, for passenger and commercial vehicles.

The company’s footprint spans across sub-Saharan Africa. EnX believes that Bidvest is well positioned to provide Eqstra with value-enhancing opportunities through access to a larger pool of capital at a lower cost and to an existing national motor vehicle distribution network. The deal will likely be completed towards the end of 2019, assuming the necessary approvals are secured in time, Bidvest said.

African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

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feature cleaning healthcare facilities

Clean smart to address hospital-acquired-infections scourge

By George Jolly

George Jolly

According to a 2018 report in the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ), healthcare-associated infections, commonly referred to as HAIs, have become “the most frequent complication of hospitalisation, resulting in increased morbidity, in-hospital mortality, and [increasing] healthcare costs”.1 Typically, these are bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, or hospital-acquired pneumonia. The most frequent victims of HAIs are children, and the prevalence of HAIs among children in rural hospitals is much higher than compared to larger cities.

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patient enters a hospital or healthcare facility due to an illness or injury, expecting care and treatment. However, while there, they may contract new diseases or complications. In the US and many other parts of the world, it is estimated that approximately 1 in 20 patients in a healthcare facility will contract an HAI. The number of patients that contract an HAI in South African hospitals is uncertain, often the result of poor reporting practices. The SAMJ says that the real “burden of HAIs is unknown, although it is largely accepted that it is greater in public healthcare facilities than in the private sector”.

HAI outbreaks can occur in several ways. Poor hand-hygiene practices appear to be one of the primary culprits in the transmission of HAIs. A caregiver, a visitor, or another patient who has an infection on his or her hands can then pass it on to someone else. In addition, the use of compromised medical tools in healthcare facilities is a major cause of HAIs. All too often, HAIs are spread from surfaces or items in the facility to the patient. Patients may touch a contaminated surface – a call button, a bed, a hallway railing, a washroom counter or fixture, even the floor – and then touch their eyes, mouth, or nose.

Consuming contaminated food can be a cause as well.

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

Probably the most critical issue about HAIs is that they are often not treatable.

Typically, the patient must undergo extensive treatment with one or more antibiotics. In some cases, depending on the type of infection, the patient may not recover from the disease. The World Health Organization estimates that 56 million people die each year due to HAIs. This staggering statistic averages out to approximately 153 424 people each day.

Moving away from ‘more’ cleaning While proper hand-hygiene practices are essential to help minimise the number of HAIs in South Africa and around the globe, the professional cleaning industry plays a crucial role in helping to address this problem. When there is an HAI or similar outbreak, though, the facility’s response is typically more cleaning.

More cleaning is not the answer. Smart cleaning is where we will most likely find the solutions.

‘More’ cleaning usually means that more surfaces are cleaned, more powerful cleaning chemicals are used, including large amounts of sodium hypochlorite (bleach), more floors are mopped, and more surfaces are wiped clean using sprayers and cleaning cloths. Steps like these were taken after the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong in the early 2000s. An assessment of those cleaning methods was conducted, and

it was found that it was essentially ‘randomised cleaning’.

The randomised cleaning resulted in many surfaces being cleaned unnecessarily, becoming a waste of human resources. Using more cleaning solutions and more potent cleaning solutions required that cleaning professionals wear breathing masks because the fumes were unhealthy.

There were even reports that people could smell the cleaning solutions used in the city for months after the epidemic passed.

Extensive floor mopping resulted in many soils and contaminants not, in fact, being removed from floor surfaces, but, spread over more floor areas. Similarly, this also happened when cleaning cloths were used to wipe down surfaces.

Matters were made even worse when it was found that many cleaning workers were not diluting the disinfectant properly. Some were not cleaning surfaces first before cleaning again with the disinfectant or were not allowing enough dwell time for the disinfectants to work correctly before wiping. Further, they were cleaning surfaces using cotton cloths or wipes. Quat binding was occurring. This means that the most potent ingredients, ones with the most killing power in the disinfectants, were being absorbed into the cleaning cloths, reducing their cleaning effectiveness as they were used.

feature cleaning healthcare facilities Turning to ‘smart’ cleaning The first step in smart cleaning is to pinpoint where pathogens may be located. There are different ways to do this. Imaging technologies are now available that essentially paint a picture of where the pathogens may be located and in what volumes. Another option is the use of ATP rapid monitoring systems. These systems are discussed in greater detail below.

The next step in a smart cleaning programme is to eliminate the many cleaning mistakes that can occur. The fewer steps cleaning workers must take to perform their duties will result in more effective, smarter cleaning. To accomplish this, cleaning professionals are encouraged to look into entirely different cleaning products, systems, and methods.

For instance, just switching from a traditional disinfectant to the use of hydrogen peroxide can prove useful.

Hydrogen peroxide is effective when used in hospital cleaning. It can help reduce the impact of cleaning on the user and the environment, making it a healthier alternative. Further, quat binding is no longer an issue when using cotton cloths or wipes to clean surfaces.

Another possibility is to use electrolysed water. This is created when an electrical current is passed through a solution of water and salt, creating disinfectant hypochlorous acid. Some healthcare facilities have been using these systems and the results have been promising.

It is important to note, however, that according to one recent study, “electrolysed water effectively reduced the number of bacteria (including staphylococci, a bacterium associated with HAIs) on nearpatient surfaces, but for reasons not well understood, appeared to allow regrowth of staphylococci within 24 hours of application”. Furthermore, “issues related to the stability of such [equipment] and logistic issues related to its use require additional study,” reports John M. Boyce, an

internationally recognised expert in the fields of hospital epidemiology and infection prevention and control.2 No-touch cleaning systems are additional options. ‘No-touch cleaning’ refers to systems that apply metered amounts of cleaning solution/ disinfectants to a surface. These same areas are then pressure washed, rinsing them clean and removing pathogens that can cause HAIs in the process. The final step involves using the machine to extract all moisture and soils from the area.

Several studies have proven their effectiveness at removing pathogens from all types of surfaces, including floors. Tests by ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association, indicate that they are a faster way to clean surfaces.

The cleaning solution is automatically metered, so there are no dilution issues to be concerned about. In most cases, by the time the cleaning solution/ disinfectant has been applied to all of the surfaces needing to be cleaned, enough dwell time has transpired so that is no longer a concern.

We mentioned the use of ATP monitors earlier. Similar to imaging technologies, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence helps pinpoint where pathogens may be present on a surface. Not only should they be used to locate pathogens, but they should also be used again to evaluate cleaning performance.

According to Boyce, these systems are necessary because “individual housekeeper [and cleaning] performance varies considerably”.

Plus, the turnover of housekeepers in hospitals is as high as 50 percent around the world, which can also impact cleaning effectiveness. With the HAI problem being such a big concern, the use of ATP systems is a crucial component in smart cleaning.

George Jolly, based in Johannesburg, is the export manager at Goscor Cleaning Equipment, responsible for innovative equipment solutions.

Cleaning precautions We’ve all heard the expression, “are you part of the problem or part of the solution?” When it comes to HAIs, cleaning staff must always be part of the solution.

Beyond smart cleaning, here are some further steps they can take to help prevent HAIs: • Gloves should always be worn when cleaning and they should be changed frequently, after each area is cleaned. Remove gloves by grabbing the end of the glove and pulling over the hand. Wash hands after removing gloves.

• When emptying trashcans, never place hands in the trash.

Periodically wipe clean and disinfect trashcans inside and out.

• Always remember that infections that can cause HAIs can also be found in fabrics and materials such as cloth divides and curtains. These must be washed and sterilised frequently.

• Hand-washing soap is very good at removing soils from the hands and for helping to kill bacteria. It is not as effective when it comes to removing viruses from the hands.

However, it will adversely affect the membrane structure of viruses, making them less likely to cause illness.

• Many countries require that only EPA-registered disinfectants be used to clean certain areas in a healthcare facility. However, in other areas, hydrogen peroxide can be used as an alternative.

He has been involved in the professional cleaning industry for 12 years.

References: 1 SAMJ May 2018, Vol. 108, No.5 2M odern technologies for improving cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in hospitals by J.M. Boyce Consulting, published in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control, May 2016.

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feature healthcare cleaning

Raising healthcare-hygiene standards from the floor up The challenges in delivering consistently hygienic cleaning in the healthcare sector are considerable. Budgets are tight, while there is a growing demand for services. Gordon Gordon McVean

McVean, International Sales and Marketing Director of Truvox International, offers advice on how to achieve both hygiene and high efficiency in healthcare floor cleaning.

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ygiene control procedures often focus on hand washing and common touch points.

But floors accumulate and spread toxins too. Routine cleaning must deliver consistently reliable standards of cleanliness day in, day out to prevent soils underfoot being tracked through the building with the risk of eventual cross-contamination of hands, equipment and other surfaces.

In our experience, that usually involves a mix of scrubber-dryers and rotary machines. Yet it’s still surprisingly common to see hand mops in use, not just in washrooms and wet rooms, but other areas as well.

Even with microfibre mopheads, standards of cleanliness are compromised as soiled solutions in buckets are re-circulated and inadequate pressure fails to dislodge embedded dirt – in the grout lines of tiled floors, for example. This labourintensive method compounds the false economy of using cheap tools. Even cramped spaces and cubicles are no justification when compact scrubberdryers offer a more efficient and effective alternative.

Versatile machines It is the scrubber-dryer’s versatility that is so often crucial to cost-effective hygienic cleaning in a busy environment where there is a constant battle against infections.

A powerful, cordless, batterypowered scrubber-dryer that cleans nearly every type of floor creates a practical floorcare solution. A good option is a model that

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can wash, mop, scrub and dry hard and soft floor coverings in a single pass, like the multi-purpose scrubber-dryers in our Multiwash range. Machines that enable you to easily change and colour code the brushes for different areas will prevent cross-contamination while providing outstanding cleaning results.

Machines should apply a clean solution to the floor, and remove soils and used solution, leaving a surface that’s dry and safe to walk on in minutes. The rotating cylindrical brushes of a scrubber-dryer are particularly effective when it comes to cleaning deep into grout lines where bacteria can easily multiply. An optional side brush enables cleaning to ‘skirting board’ level, which is especially important with safety flooring, which tends to curve up the wall before it finishes, and in places like wet rooms.

Ergonomically designed, the machine should be easy and comfortable to operate, even on long shifts. The smallest model in our range, the

Multiwash II 240 is ideal for confined spaces, while the cordless, batterypowered Multiwash II 340 Pump/Battery works even more quietly and flexibly.

A bonus is that the modern scrubberdryer can economise on the use of water and solutions, aiding efficiency further.

Polishers and burnishers Faced with large areas of hard flooring, another option that healthcare teams often rely on is rotary machines.

Operating at speeds of around 1 500 rpm, high-speed rotaries will burnish large areas rapidly to a high sheen.

But when traffic can lead to heavy soiling and impacted dirt, low-speed rotary machines come into their own.

They offer a more versatile and effective choice when it comes to taking on a range of tasks, from scrubbing to stripping floors, for spray cleaning or even sanding wooden surfaces. continues on page 12 >>

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<< continues from page 10

They can also serve to buff floors to remove scuff marks and dirt, or for producing a quick shine with some polish.

Hourly outputs of up to 475 m2 can be achieved at speeds of 200–400 rpm, with single-disc machines that combine exceptional handling with low vibration levels, so operators maintain high productivity even on long shifts. A high pad/brush pressure and optional solution tank for wet scrubbing ensures effective cleaning in all situations – as well as intensive maintenance duties.

Putting health and safety first Health and safety practices are key both for cleaning operatives and the people in the premises while they are being cleaned. Whichever machines you use, quietness is an issue that must be addressed. This is an important issue in hospitals or care homes where noise can be an unwelcome and distracting intrusion, as well as a health hazard.

Cordless battery-powered machines with no trailing leads will be less likely to cause trips or falls, and they must also leave floors clean, dry and ready to walk on in a matter of minutes. Cleaning operatives also appreciate the freedom of working without the stop-start of plugging and unplugging machines and finding the nearest electrical wall socket.

Lighter machines are also vital to occupational health, especially where they have to be transported in lifts to other floors. Machines must be well-balanced and easy to handle, combined with simple and easy to use controls, making them comfortable to operate and manoeuvre. This means that more equipment can be carried in smaller vans at a lower cost.

Ergonomic design and adjustable handles, combined with built-in safety features, make machines versatile and easy to use with powerful lowlevel motors that allow ease of access in busy areas and under furniture.

For more information on Truvox’s comprehensive range of floor cleaning machines visit www.truvox.com

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educational

Protecting operators’ health using safety vacuum cleaners

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any tasks on construction sites, in workshops or on the production line for industry produce large amounts of dust. Various precautions must be taken in order to comply with work protection regulations and to keep the impact on health as low as possible.

The aim is to keep work environments largely dust free.

Even supposedly harmless types of dust can have an impact on, or cause lasting damage to, people’s health when the concentration of dust in the air is very high. Types of dust that also contain constituents such as pollen, quartz, mould, viruses or even asbestos are especially problematic. Categorising types of dust in terms of the impact they have on people’s health depends on the grain size as well as the properties and exterior shape of the material concerned.

For example, what makes asbestos dust dangerous is not only its particle size, but also mainly its special fibre structure.

Coarse dust comprises particles that have a diameter of at least 10 μm.

Smaller fine dust particles (dust class E) that have a grain size of between 10 μm and 0.1 μm can enter your nose, throat, larynx and wind pipe by just breathing in. Alveoli or respiratory class A dust with a diameter of less than 0.1 μm is so fine that it can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and alveoli. Possible consequences of this are reduced lung function, for example, or respiratory diseases such as asthma, silicosis, fibrosis as well as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

Safety vacuum cleaners are designed in such a way that they facilitate reliable absorption and disposal of such particles.

In the last few years, many details of safety vacuum cleaners used for

vacuuming hazardous or large amounts of dust were developed further in terms of efficiency and user friendliness. This includes, for example, more effective filter cleaning systems that allow uninterrupted operation, even when dealing with very large quantities of dust. New materials offer a high level of convenience. Consequently, operation, including disposal, has become easier.

Sensible measures for reducing the impact of dust: • Vacuum dust as soon as it is formed.

Many power tools feature connection threads for dust extraction and can be connected to a vacuum cleaner.

• Bind the dust with water when carrying out demolition work and combat the formation of dust this way.

• Use low-dust procedures. Choose wet or damp operating modes.

• Use low-dust products (e.g. mortar pellets).

• Check the vacuum cleaner’s filter and suction performance regularly.

• Wear protective clothing and dust masks for very dusty tasks.

• Avoid dry sweeping and using blowers to prevent unnecessary dust dispersion. Alternative solution: use vacuum cleaners and vacuum sweepers.

Kärcher NT vacuum cleaners, which are equipped with a power outlet for working with power tools, are also known as dust collectors. This makes them especially suitable for general use on a construction site where large amounts of dust are normally produced.

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

editorial Initial Hygiene

Enhance your brand personality with Signature COLOUR Initial, a market leader in hygiene services throughout South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, has launched its new Signature COLOUR range of washroom-hygiene products.

The company provides innovative and environmentally responsible washroom-services solutions to large and small organisations across a range of business sectors including public administrations and schools, food and drink manufacturing, hospitality and leisure, medical and paramedical, construction, retail, services and transportation It’s been proven that colour has a profound effect on human behaviour, affecting people both physically and emotionally. Initial worked with a colour psychologist to develop a range of washroom-product colours that inspire positive hygiene activity and cleanliness.

Harnessing the power of colour psychology translates to evoking particular – and predictable – psychological responses in the majority of people. The new Signature COLOUR range enables you to leverage the power of colour in your washroom.

Colour not only influences mood and behaviour, but will also create a powerful visual impression in the washroom, reflecting brand personality and allowing customers to personalise both the washroom and the customer experience.

Combining the innovative design features and superior hygiene qualities from the Red Dot award-winning Signature range, Signature COLOUR is now available in a choice of nine striking colours in either a matte or gloss finish, across a range of products. These include soap and sanitiser dispensers, air fresheners, sanitary waste disposal units and paper dispensers.

Similar to Initial’s original Signature range, Signature COLOUR contains integral antibacterial protection in the form of silver ion technology, designed to raise hygiene standards and help reduce the risk of cross contamination within all types of organisations from offices and manufacturers, to hotels and restaurants.

Signature products, including the new COLOUR range, feature antibacterial ions embedded within the plastic and painted coatings to provide hygienic protection on key touchable surfaces, while also incorporating surfaces specifically designed to be more hygienic, thus making it easier for dirt, debris and bacteria to be cleaned and removed from the surfaces.

Antibacterial properties have been evaluated to meet global standards for antibacterial plastics (ISO 22196 and AATCC 147 or JIS Z 2801).

Initial’s entire Signature product range – COLOUR included – has been

extensively developed, designed and tested. The entire project required more than 4 500 man days and the units have been tested for longterm reliability and robustness. For example, the air fresh spray was tested for 1.5 million operations and the soap dispenser for almost a million operations.

“We’ve created the Signature COLOUR range to ensure that our customers and their employees, or customers, get both a superior hygiene solution and the ability to personalise their washroom experience. The COLOUR range meets every hygiene need, and provides modern, stylish colour options to enhance the appearance and hygiene of the modern washroom,” says Greg Smith, Sales Director of Rentokil Initial Sub Saharan Africa.

For more information about the Signature Colour range visit: www.initial.co.za/bathroom-hygieneservices or call: 0800 77 77 88.

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facilities management review

Discovery Place wins at SAPOA Innovative Excellence Awards Discovery Place, the new high-performance global headquarters of Discovery Limited, is the overall winner of the prestigious South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) Awards 2019. The building was developed for the South African-founded financial services organisation in a joint venture of two of South Africa’s leading property companies, Growthpoint Properties and Zenprop Property Holdings.

SAPOA award handover from left to right: Ipeleng Mkhari – SAPOA immediate past President, David Pierre-Eugene – Discovery’s Head of Group Facilities, Rudolf Pienaar – Growthpoint’s Chief Development and Investment Officer, Neil Gopal – CEO of SAPOA, and Zenon Marinakos – Chairman of the SAPOA Innovative Excellence Awards.

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n addition to Discovery’s new head office receiving top honours, it was also given the awards for Best Corporate Office and Best Interior.

Discovery Place was designed by Boogertman + Partners Architects with Paragon Interface undertaking the interior design. The principal contractor on the project was a joint venture of Tiber and WBHO. The awards, which recognise significant contributions made through innovation and excellence within the property sector, were announced at a gala event in Cape Town during June.

The SAPOA awards not only consider the quality of a development and how it enhances our cities and towns, but also the successful functionality of each development. Importantly, Discovery’s consolidation into one resource-efficient, cost-effective and environmentally innovative head office has had multiple financial, performance

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

and flexibility benefits for the business.

The iconic new 112 000 m2 Discovery head office in Sandton Central, is the largest single-phase commercial office development in Africa to date. It also became the largest new build project

Interior view of the new Discovery head office.

to receive a 5-Star Green Star rating by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA).

Located on the corner of Rivonia Road and Katherine Street, diagonally opposite Sandton City and a block from the Sandton Gautrain Station, the aesthetically impressive building comprises three linked office towers, which consist of a ground floor, eight office floors and a roof level with various sports facilities. It also offers nine basements with over 5 000 parking bays.

From its excellent site in sought-after Sandton Central to its outstanding green credentials, this is indeed a landmark and a new benchmark in efficient workspace in every sense. This healthy and enjoyable place to work is also less costly to operate and maintain, has a reduced environmental footprint, and fosters positive performance.

facilities management review

Hospitals are taking a much deeper look at their environmental impact to cut costs There’s one main reason why hospitals are rapidly moving to the forefront of environmental sustainability – these efforts can make this economically challenged sector more financially sustainable. This movement is not being led by environmentalists, but by hard-nosed (and creative) hospital CFOs and administrators. Their first target has been the energy costs that represent some 51 percent of the average hospital’s operating expenses.

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ractice Greenhealth, an industry group promoting environmental stewardship, points out that almost every institution can immediately go after “common sense savings” measures, such as reducing heat and air conditioning in operating rooms when they are not in use (for an average annual cost saving of US$45 000), or replacing traditional operating room bulbs with LED lights (a US$3 000 reduction). Overall, they say that their member hospitals, some 22 percent of those in the United States, see an average total savings of US$1 million annually.

Some leading hospitals are taking a much deeper look at their environmental impact and how addressing it can cut their costs.

The Boston Medical Center analysed its entire campus for unused or underutilised space, and then executed a comprehensive redesign, lowering the square meters it has to heat, cool and maintain, while increasing its patient capacity by 20 percent. The Gunderson Health System in Wisconsin was America’s first to actually produce more energy than it consumes, by reducing consumption while at the same time employing unconventional energy sources such as wind, wood chips and even cow manure. Their savings have been as much as US$ 3 million

a year, and their emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter and mercury have dropped 95 percent.

Those are the kind of environmental impact numbers that increasingly matter to patients as they pick healthcare providers. Younger consumers in particular carry their purchasing criteria across categories, looking for “good value and shared values.” Eighty-eight percent of Americans say that they are more likely to do business with organisations that demonstrate a social or environmental benefit. This social-benefit bias is only going to increase as the younger generations age-in to being heavy users of healthcare.

A recent survey of hospital patients specifically found that of those who noticed sustainability practices, 94 percent reported a positive patient experience, and 86 percent said they would return to that hospital. The key qualifier here, however, is “of those who noticed”. Installing more efficient light bulbs, automating operating room temperatures or auditing your facility’s space usage may go largely unnoticed by patients, so hospitals need to promote and communicate their environmental efforts to receive the full benefit.

Hospital performance, of course, always gets tallied in two columns:

patient health and institutional health.

The cost savings from enhanced sustainability efforts can contribute significantly to lowering patient expenses and also improving patient care. Relationship savings, such as enhanced patient loyalty, can be tracked directly to new hospital revenue.

Greenhealth magazine reports, “effective management of patient loyalty could potentially mean nearly US$4 million in revenue for a typical hospital”.

So, what plans are in place to sustain your hospital via environmental sustainability?

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facilities management review

Green Guru to address GBCSA 2019 convention Jason McLennan, known as the ‘Steve Jobs of Green’ in the built environment sector, has been confirmed as the keynote international speaker at the 12th annual Green Building Convention, set for 2–4 October in Cape Town.

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cLennan is a sought-after designer, consultant and thought leader in the architecture and green-building industry. He is renowned as a visionary, disruptor and game changer, whose work has made a strong impact on the shape and direction of green building around the world.

“We are excited to welcome Jason to the Green Building Convention stage. Our theme this year is about going beyond and we believe that he is the perfect thought leader to inspire

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

and move the South African built environment sector forward,” said Dorah Modise, the CEO of the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).

McLennan is the creator and chairman of the International Living Future Institute, a leading NGO that focuses on transformation towards a world that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. He is also the founder and creator of the Living Building Challenge, which is widely recognised as the most progressive and stringent green-building programme.

Jason McLennan

Over the years McLennan has reaped many awards for his work, including the prestigious Buckminster Fuller Prize for socially responsible design, the World Changer Award from Green Biz Magazine, and Yes! Magazine voted him as one of the top 15 people who are helping to reshape the world.

“People are at the heart of what we do, so the dialogue on building greener, healthier and sustainable spaces where people live, work, learn and play is critical as we look to the future,” Modise added.

facilities management review

New Exxaro corporate headquarters fosters a green, healthy & energising work environment Growthpoint Properties has completed its R600-million development of Exxaro’s leading edge new head office in Centurion located opposite the Gautrain station. Growthpoint’s highly skilled development and workspace design team created an innovative green building, integrating P-grade aesthetics and finishes, and highperformance workspace.

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xxaro, one of the largest and foremost empowered South African-based diversified resources companies, commenced its long lease over the new building’s 18 500 m2 of gross lettable area on 1 May 2019, after six weeks of early occupation. Over a three-month period, Exxaro will relocate all its operations in Johannesburg and Pretoria into a single workspace at the new building, which can accommodate up to 1 000 staff members.

A major challenge in the building’s construction is the site’s dolomitic bedrock. Over 100 boreholes were drilled to create a three-dimensional model of the bedrock. High-lying dolomite pinnacles were blasted and drilled down, upper layers of soil were compacted and a steel-reinforced concrete ‘raft’ foundation, complete with sensor monitoring, was laid.

As a prominent feature of the development, organic dolomite was

chosen to inspire several building design elements. Its forms are subtly expressed in acoustic wall panels, bollards and other thoughtful features. The building’s innovative, safe foundations are brought to life with a special glasscovered manhole, which provides a view underground to a dolomitic pinnacle beneath the site’s parking area periphery.

In line with both Exxaro’s and Growthpoint’s high environmental standards, the development team’s efforts surpassed its targets to achieve a 5-Star Green Star SA Design certification from the Green Building Council of South Africa. This will be confirmed with an As-Built rating application once the building is fully functioning.

Exxaro’s new energy-efficient building will foster a healthy, energising work environment and high productivity levels in a cost-effective setting. Green measures include a performance-glazed

façade, zoned lighting, energy-efficient building services and systems, waterefficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting, water-wise landscaping, low VOC interior finishes, abundant fresh air and natural light, as well as a hydro panel that generates water from air. It has dedicated parking for more fuel-efficient vehicles, such as hybrids, electric cars and scooters, as well as secure bicycle racks.

Even the building’s washrooms are innovative. Widely used in places like Western Europe, the waterless urinal for females is relatively new to South African offices and is being piloted by Growthpoint in Exxaro’s new headquarters. Also, an innovative idea for an on-site nutrient-recovery urinal by the winner of the Greenovate Engineering Award in 2017, Craig Peter Flanagan who represented UCT, has been implemented by Growthpoint at the building.

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editorial Industroclean

Emma Corder

Challenges of keeping hotel and guesthouse rooms clean

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ith millions of people visiting South African shores each year and thousands of hotel nights being booked each day, the hospitality sector is certainly kept very busy. According to the 2018 SA Tourism Annual Report, an estimated 10 285 million tourists arrived in South Africa during 2017, a 2.4 percent increase on the previous year.

A busy hotel or guesthouse requires the highest levels of cleanliness across the board, from front of house right through to bedrooms and other areas. But what does it take to keep it all clean?

“Hygiene should be high on the priority list of any establishment that is to be someone’s home away from home,” explains Emma Corder, Managing Director of Industroclean, a local manufacturer and distributor of cleaning products and equipment.

“Simply a hint of grime or a stain on a surface can be harmful to a hotel’s reputation. More importantly, hotel rooms that are not properly cleaned put guests at risk of contracting infections and viruses.

“This makes the role of the housekeeper extremely important.

Workers have to be properly trained, not only to ensure clean and comfortable rooms and bathrooms for guests, but to remain committed to adhering to Safety Health Environment and Quality (SHEQ) guidelines set out by their employer, to avoid injuries, illnesses and fatalities,” she adds.

environment where employees are able to carry out their duties without risking their health.

The Department of Labour’s health and safety guide for the hospitality industry cites chemicals as potentially harmful.

The list of risky chemicals includes certain washing-up liquids, dishwasher detergents, drain-cleaning products, disinfectants, toilet cleaners, bleaches and sanitisers.

Housekeeping departments are advised to follow the correct health and safety guidelines and procedures, since many of the tools and chemicals used can be hazardous.

“It is crucial that employers educate staff on the dangers of particular products.

Workers should be informed when a product contains dangerous chemicals and should always carefully consider whether it is really worth using. Safer alternatives such as products that have good quality components are always available,” says Corder.

Hotels are advised to have clear guides for housekeeping staff on correct usage of chemicals, for example, how to properly dilute them and when to wear protective masks and should be reminded to wash their hands regularly, especially after contact with detergents, so that the product is not transferred onto their face and eyes.

Employees should always wear the correct uniforms and protective gear like gloves, the correct shoes and aprons.

Regulatory guidelines

Housekeeping trolley essentials

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, demands that employers provide and maintain a safe working

Most housekeeping guides maintain that, in order to effectively clean a hotel or guesthouse room, housekeepers must

African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

be armed with a well-stocked trolley, which has everything from colour-coded buckets and cloths to prevent any cross contamination between bathrooms, toilets and bedrooms, and products that will leave the room with a neutral smell.

“The ideal trolley should consist of gloves for protection, sanitiser, cleaning spray, toilet detergents, a toilet brush, window and mirror cleaner, surface cleaner, cloths and bin bags,” Corder says.

“Housekeeping should make sure that trolleys are well-stocked to manage time effectively. The trolleys are also helpful for transporting equipment such as a small vacuum cleaner and other cleaning items, which solves the issue of unnecessary strain on the backs of housekeepers.”

Caring for long-wearing items It is important to also focus on longwearing items in hotels rooms, like beds, upholstery, carpets and curtains, as they also carry bacteria and dust mites.

While bed covers are helpful to protect mattresses, housekeeping should also vacuum and sanitise them regularly with an antibacterial spray. Over-wetting the mattress should be avoided, and the bed should be completely dry before it is made. All curtains must be scheduled for dry cleaning at least once a quarter and all carpets need to be deep cleaned periodically. Vacuuming on a daily basis and dealing with stains immediately helps keep floors in a good condition.

Chairs should be vacuumed twice a week.

For more information about Industroclean visit: www.industroclean.co.za

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review ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019

2019 show reflects growth in African visitors and international exhibitors Celebrating 21 years since the inception of the show, ISSA Cleantex Africa, marked the first edition hosted in partnership with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association. This year’s event offered a variety of new features, which led to a strong turnout of 2 459 visitors and delegates, 88 percent of which had purchasing authority.

This issue of African Cleaning Review revisits the African biennial showcase for the professional cleaning industry that took place from 4–6 June at Gallagher Convention Centre.

Spotlight on various exhibits at ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 Hereunder follows an abridged overview of what was on offer from exhibitors at this year’s ISSA Cleantex Africa exhibition that celebrated 21 years of promoting clean on this continent. The condensed overview offers a brief introduction to some of the companies represented; for more information visit their respective websites as indicated.

Cleaning tablet for deep fryers

Sponsors:

The newly developed tablet generation from Kleen Purgatis is easy to use and performs intensely against grease. The product enables a largely contact-free application due to the use of a water-soluble film while also retaining a high level of alkalinity and maintaining excellent cleaning performance.

The Granit Tab F benefits from an innovative production process where the highly alkaline cleansing tablet core is coated with a film layer. The water-soluble film offers additional protection in case of direct skin contact.

Features: • Extremely powerful when dissolving burnton and resinous organic material such as starch residue, charring, grease and proteins • Easy and safe to use • The user‘s skin barely comes into contact with the tab because of the water-soluble film • Special active ingredient combination Granit Tab F, a Kleen Purgatis product, is distributed in South Africa by Safic.

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

Entrance matting systems Entrance matting is an investment in interiorfloor-covering protection and very importantly, underfoot safety – even in dry dust/debris situations. Selecting the right matting for specific entrance areas is imperative for effective scraping/wiping benefits and durability. This is where evaluating not only the primary purpose of the matting (ie scraping or moisture wiping) but also the levels of footfall is essential for assessing whether entrance

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

ISSA Cleantex Africa presented a complete array of the most advanced technology, products, equipment, sustainable chemicals and consumables available to the professional cleaning sector. Many of the world’s largest cleaning equipment and product manufacturers and key local distributors represented a total of 102 brands, with a marked increase of new exhibitors from outside South Africa. Countries including China, Spain, Mauritius, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan and Russia launched products at the show for the first time and their results led to very positive feedback.

matting is suitable for light-, medium- or heavy-duty use. With the right matting in place, a well-planned strategy for regular mat cleaning/maintenance is essential for optimum performance, product lifespan and return on investment.

COBA compiled an effective cleaning and maintenance programme to assist customers in maintaining their various entrance mat systems and doormats.

For more information about the Coba Africa entrance matting cleaning and maintenance guide, visit: www.cobaafrica.com

Power on to keep floors super scrubbed

“We are thankful to ISSA Cleantex Africa and African Cleaning Review for putting a lot of effort into organising such a wonderful event,” said Paresh Gadhai, Director of Sales for Global Detergent Factory Betco, based in Qatar. “This event has helped us to get good visibility in the South African market and we look forward to participating in such events in the future.”

“ISSA Cleantex Africa provided us with an opportunity to meet potential customers and to make valuable contacts with local companies. We are confident that the outcome will allow us to soon announce our presence in the African region,” said Waqas Hanif, Colgate-Palmolive (Pakistan) Ltd. ISSA Cleantex Africa is the continent’s only exhibition that brings together contract cleaners, distributors, facility, healthcare, retail and food service managers as well as other professionals within the professional cleaning, hygiene, healthcare, hospitality, property maintenance and government sectors.

“We were very happy to see so many new faces at this year’s event and to find that the average attendee also participated longer due to the increased number of activities provided, which in itself bolstered educational and networking opportunities,” said local show organiser Johann van Vuuren, publisher of African Cleaning Review.

When it comes to the retail environment, from shopping malls to restaurants, anyone in facilities management or shop ownership knows how key it is to always have clean floors. Health and safety depend on it!

Floor-cleaning equipment requires industrial strength scrubber batteries. If you need a sweeper-battery replacement, Battery Pit Stop can assist as we stock Crown Battery products such as the Crown 27DC115, 31DC130, CRGC150 and the CR350.

Whether you need floor-scrubber batteries or floor-sweeper batteries you can’t downplay the importance of minimising downtime of industrial-cleaning machinery. Cleaning time is actually money and your power source must be reliable, cost effective and safe to install and use.

Crown batteries offer deep-cycle batteries, giving your facilities management team a hardy and hardworking range to choose from.

For more information, visit: www.batterypitstop.co.za

Delegates displaying their Estimating Made Easy certificates with workshop presenter Tommy Taylor (centre).

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review ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 Efficient human capital management increases profit PRP Solutions will streamline and optimise your people-planning processes to improve productivity and profitability.

The company offers a cloud-based solution that provides managers with a tool enabling them to more efficiently plan, organise and control employees in real time on an exception basis, resulting in proactive management decisions and a direct saving on labour costs.

South African associations such as the National Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA) and the BEECA Cleaning Association, included member events held during the exhibition and emerging members featured in cluster stands, supported local attendance.

Apart from South Africans visiting from various parts of the country, the exhibition also attracted a formal delegation from the Contract Cleaning Association of Ghana (CCAG) led by National Chairman Sammy Laing. In addition, visitors from the rest of Africa travelled from Nigeria, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, South Sudan, as well as from Saudi Arabia, to attend the biennial professional cleaning show and co-located educational events.

Free up managers’ time to do what really matters: • Spend more time educating teams • Career development and performance management of employees • Analyse new trends and implement business innovations • Identify new opportunities • Improve communication • Improve stock and asset management PRP Solutions empowers managers to manage a large workforce remotely, in real time and in diverse work environments.

For more information visit: www.prpsolutions.com

New Wetrok model is twice the machine

Pictured here is Johann van Vuuren (African Cleaning Review) (4th from left) with Sammy Laing (centre) and other members of the Ghana delegation.

Positive responses from African-country visitors and delegation leaders indicated that they experienced valuable business contact and educational opportunities and, therefore, expected increased foreign attendance numbers at forthcoming ISSA Cleantex Africa exhibitions.

“Not only did I hear from multiple exhibitors that they successfully met quality business leads from multiple countries this year, but I was also very pleased at how often I ran into visitors connecting with each other and sharing valuable experiences,” said Dianna Steinbach, ISSA Vice President of International Services.

“When someone from Sudan can collaborate with someone from Nigeria and Ghana to brainstorm ways to improve professionalism in their markets, then we have done our job to elevate the industry.”

A new international networking dinner offered this year was sold out and brought together a large group of visitors and exhibitors from more than a dozen countries to make valuable business connections. The event’s main cocktail hour on the first evening also saw a strong mix of top decision-makers represented.

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

Wetrok’s new Discomatic Mambo machine is said to be a true all-rounder with its two tanks solving an age-old dilemma. On site and often, contractors need both a compact cleaning machine with low clearance and a larger model that can handle large areas quickly and effectively. The Discomatic Bolero is Wetrok’s answer to the either-or dilemma,

The international networking dinner was sold out before the show opened its doors.

This year, the three-day exhibition opened its doors on a Tuesday, leading to a strong first day of visitors, compared to previous Monday starts. The event also moved to earlier in the month.

as this new machine offers twice the scope of performance. The Bolero eliminates the need to choose between a small, compact machine and a large, high-performance model. Two tanks (10 litre and 20 litre) enable a swift transition between different areas of application.

The Bolero can quickly be transformed from a small machine with low clearance into a scrubber-dryer with a wide performance range. The Bolero really proves its worth when it comes to vacuuming performance, providing suction when being pushed as well as when being pulled. No tools are needed to mount or remove the tanks or vacuuming attachments.

The suction nozzles are held with magnets and the suction lips click into place.

For more information visit the local Wetrok distributor website: www.primecs.co.za

Facility and property management app

Estimating Made Easy delegates with presenter Tommy Taylor – extreme right.

Another new feature this year included innovative co-located international certification workshops that boosted attendance and created a platform to interact and learn from international and local subject matter experts. Fifty-eight internationally recognised certificates were given out during the Estimating Made Easy and International Accredited Auditor workshops during the week.

A secure help desk app built for facilities and property managers and service providers. It allows users to report and track facility issues with GPS-pinning, user attachments and push messages to mobile devices. The facility support app can be custom branded with the user’s corporate colours and logo.

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

Marietjie Swanepoel

Zainudeen Popoola-Aromire

Lesley Devenish

The Healthcare Forum presented by Zainudeen Popoola-Aromire (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, US) Marietjie Swanepoel (MS Consulting) and Sr. Lesley Devenish (Infection Control Society SA) addressed the importance of infection control in healthcare facilities. The extremely insightful presentations armed delegates with valuable knowledge and statistics relevant to a specialised field of cleaning to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

The Next Generation Young Executive Forum hosted by the ISSA’s Manuela D’Agata on the final show day featured an industry panel discussion led by Lee Zama (FEDHASA President), Xolile Sizani (Servest Group CE) and Patrick Makhubela (Neledzi Cleaning Services CEO). The forum offered an open discussion with audience interaction relating to the important subject of young executive mentorship and development in this specialised and essential industry.

Intelligent Cleaning Equipment

The ICE i20B auto-scrubber features a brushassisted unit with a 50-litre tank capacity, die cast aluminium brush desk and a curved

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review ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 squeegee with extra durability. This autoscrubber improves working efficiency and produces up to 30 kg pad pressure and features a user-friendly touch panel control system. A 13A on-board battery charger guarantees work efficiency of up to 1 800 m2 per hour.

For more information visit: www.ice4sa.co.za

The power of water

Pictured from left are Lee Zama (CEO, FEDHASA), Xolile Sizani (Group CE, Servest) and Patrick Makhubela (CEO, Neledzi Cleaning Services) addressing delegates at the Next Generation Young Executive Mentorship Forum held on the last show day.

The well-attended exhibitor cocktail party and sold-out official networking dinner created additional networking opportunities for both visitors and exhibitors. In a nutshell, the 2019 edition of ISSA Cleantex Africa offered visitors more content and reflected a cleaning sector that is increasingly embracing innovation while offering a diverse range of solutions to meet the cleaning challenges of tomorrow.

The OERTZEN E-Series high-pressure washers incorporate a unique mixture of power and reliability. These high-pressure washers will prove their efficiency across many areas of surface treatment including de-rusting, paint removal, high-pressure cleaning or drain cleaning and unclogging. Six power classes ranging from 160 to 500 bar guarantee the perfect machine for the required task at hand.

For food processing environments the E 320 VA series is available in a stainless steel design featuring non-marking wheels.

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

Floor restoration, polishing and maintenance

Spain-based Bonastre System offers a range of floor pads for use with any type of floor care machine, from polishers to auto-scrubber dryers and by only using water. Pad features include low cost per square meter, produce a non-slip surface even when wet, plus it is environmentally friendly. The Bonastre DUO 2-in-1 pad is ideal for daily floor maintenance using an auto-scrubber and a single pad to clean and shine floors even in high traffic areas. At ISSA Cleantex Africa, Bonastre System appointed Prime Cleaning Suppliers as their South African distributor.

For more information visit: www.bonastre-system.com

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African Cleaning Review July/August 2019

Professional dispenser expert

TDL Hygiene is a professional dispenser manufacturer based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. The company exports 85 percent of its products including soap dispensers, soap bags, paper towel dispensers, air fragrance dispensers and hand dryers to North and South America, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.

For more information visit: www.tdlhygiene.com

Promoting excellence in cleaning The Professional Body for Environmental Hygiene (PBEH) is a non-statutory body, which recognises practitioners within the cleaning industry with the aim to promote excellence in professional cleaning.

To view more pictures taken at the show visit: https://www.facebook.com/ cleantexafrica The next event on the professional cleaning industry calendar will be the second edition of the ISSA Summit Africa, scheduled to take place during September 2020 in Cape Town.

Follow the show on social media and the web.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleantexafrica Twitter: @AfricanCleanRev www.issacleantex.com About ISSA Cleantex Africa A niche event created specifically for cleaning/hygiene professionals, ISSA Cleantex Africa – celebrating 21 years since inception – is the one biennial international trade show with co-located educational workshops offering an innovative perspective on workplace cleaning and hygiene solutions in Africa.

About ISSA With more than 9 200 members including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members – ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. Visit: www.issa.com

The Professional Body’s aim is to provide recognition of competence to cleaning industry professionals by: • Co-ordinating skills development • Increasing interest in career growth for all personnel • Encouraging recognised training assessment that meets national and international standard requirements and that complies with registered qualifications and the NQF • Maintaining professional designations by promoting CPD for all practitioners For more information visit: www.pbeh.co.za

Internationally proven cleaning machines With thousands of Rotowash customers cleaning millions of square metres of flooring daily, we have honed our expertise both as a manufacturer and a supplier.

With up to 300 000 bristles rotating at 650 rpm and exerting up to ten times the pressure

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review ISSA Cleantex Africa 2019 of biotechnology cleaning products. These high performance products use active microorganisms to provide maximum cleaning efficacy. At InnuScience we believe that biotechnology is the smartest way to solve everyday cleaning and odour management challenges.

of conventional rotary scrubbing machines, Rotowash delivers exceptional cleaning power with the bristles reaching deep into the irregularities of floor surfaces, such as grouted tiles, studded rubber, entrance matting, escalator steps, etc. Rotowash machines can deliver a high-quality wash, scrub, and clean to hard floors, soft floors, carpets as well as special applications, leaving the surfaces ready to walk on within minutes!

Whether it is for industrial, commercial or domestic applications, the world-proven range of Rotowash floor-cleaning machines offer ease of use for operators by providing outstanding manoeuvrability that allows for cleaning into tight corners and areas where other machines simply cannot reach.

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

Biotechnology based products InnuScience is a world-leading brand in the research, development and manufacturing

Being a member of the Alpha Group (Alpha Cleaning, Alpha Pest Management and Alpha Contracting), the company provides a large range of services and products such as: • Total Washroom • Cleaning Product & Accessories • Feminine Hygiene Service Combining innovation, technology and efficiency, InnuScience manages to surpass the highest global eco standards by providing biotechnology-based products that are safe, economical and environmentally friendly.

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

Cleaning equipment and washroom solutions Mauritius-based Alpha Hygiene Ltd was incorporated in January 1994 in order to offer related products to a growing facility maintenance market.

Alpha Hygiene provides a range of professional cleaning equipment, hygiene products and services designed to support businesses and facilities. Whether you are searching for hygiene, cleanliness or waste services you can be assured that everything we do is compliant with all relevant legislation and regulations – so you can rest assured that you are in safe hands. Alpha Hygiene is a exclusive distributor of Klenco, Fast Dry, CT Co & Bright equipment and washroom solutions.

For more information visit: www.alphahygiene.mu

For more about the show, follow us on our social media platforms.

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editorial GCE New i-team distributorship bolsters Goscor’s product array

Goscor Cleaning Equipment (GCE) has been appointed as one of the two distributors of i-team SA’s full range of products in South Africa, allowing the industrial cleaning-equipment provider to add an innovative product line to its offering. i-team SA introduced itself to the South African market at the recent ISSA Cleantex Africa exhibition, which took place at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 4–6 June 2019. i-team Global develops and designs high-end cleaning machines, products and utilities – ranging from scrubber-dryers, vacuum cleaners, gum removers, lighting solutions, microfibre pads and all-inone cleaning islands. i-team Global is already a Tennant partner in the United States, another leading brand that is distributed locally by GCE. This partnership represents an extension of i-team’s internationally successful 4D holistic cleaning approach. GCE will leverage its leading position in the local industrial cleaning marketplace to market the broader i-team concept and full product range.

Gregory Venter, MD of GCE, says the i-team product range – already available from GCE – is targeted at the entire GCE customer base. “This is an opportunity for GCE to further revolutionise the professional cleaning industry. This gives us both the strengths of Tennant, and the broader opportunities of the full i-team solutions bundle, thus providing the best of both worlds,” says Venter.

“With the full i-team solutions bundle, we are offering the market a complete package of breakthrough technologies supporting cleaning processes that are faster, cleaner, greener and safer for everyone! We are capacitating our customers with cutting-edge cleaning technology that makes the world a cleaner and healthier place.”

A prominent product in the i-team range is the i-mop, a renowned example of innovation. This relatively compact machine solves problems of floor-cleaning systems by combining the flexibility of a floor mop with the power and speed of industrial scrubber-dryers.

“The i-mop family comprises three models – the i-mop Lite, the i-mop XL and the i-mop XXL,” explains Venter.

A key talking point on this range is that it cleans up to 70 percent faster than conventional wet mopping and is easy to use in small areas that don’t need an auto-scrubber. “The i-mop, and its ability to get right to the edge and under obstacles, means a virtual elimination of manual operations that are required to supplement conventional machine scrubbing,” says Venter.

Other products in the i-team range include the i-scrub, i-matt, i-vac, i-wash, i-gum, i-land, i-suit, i-fibre, i-light, i-power and i-know.

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

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laundry review

Insights on hospitality and healthcare laundry programmes

H

ydro Systems’ latest free educational white paper, ’Accurate Dosing in Laundry’, analyses the importance of clean linen in hospitality and healthcare environments and key features to look for when selecting a dispensing unit.

The ‘right’ chemical dispenser will only remain so if you maintain the features that made it an attractive choice in the first place. Maintenance is essential to ensure optimum performance over a period of time.

A preventative approach is preferable to waiting for a problem to develop.

Let it escalate and the repercussions may be costly – far beyond the obvious financial impact of any downtime on your bottom line. To avoid this, planned maintenance enables you to carry out a series of targeted checks and replacement of parts if necessary.

Simultaneously, it will allow for you to pick up on anything out of the ordinary to enable troubleshooting.

and six months. From a chemical manufacturer’s perspective, these have to be costed into lifetime costs, which involve regular travel to sites to carry out replacement. As tubes become old they begin to perish, becoming brittle and flat. In turn this reduces the delivery and dosage of the chemical.

For example, if your dispenser was originally calibrated to provide 15 ml/kg and you aren’t regularly changing the tube, this might reduce the provision to 3 ml/kg as a result.

This can be critical in all aspects of a laundry’s business relationships. For the facility, it can affect the quality of their wash. This can have a negative impact with their customers who, if they are a restaurant or hotel, in turn face similar negative sentiment from their customers. With potentially less chemical than proposed in a cycle, this also reflects badly on the interests and reputation of the chemical manufacturer/supplier.

Clean as you go General housekeeping is always a good place to start. These are small tasks you can undertake in any facility. Unlike the precise scheduled maintenance of units and lines of supply, these will often already be part of your health and safety regime.

Remove any clutter that provides a barrier to the safe running of your systems. This includes chemical containers, cleaning implements and tools. Keep all surrounding areas clean and dry from water or chemical spillage. Periodically wipe clean the fascia and body of your dispensing units. Any build-up of residue may prevent recognition of a problem, which might eventually impact on efficiency. This ensures a clean and safe environment in which to carry out the key maintenance tasks.

Tubes and chemical dosing Dispensers with a peristaltic pump rely on a peristaltic tube, which has the chemical squeezed through it in operation. Tubes require changing, depending on the amount of use, anywhere between every one

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Filter it out Dispensing systems typically have a filter or strainer washer on the water inlet. This avoids particles in the water line getting into the water valve and affecting dilution. These filters require regular cleaning. How often is dependent on local water conditions.

Metering tips and tubing wear down and will need replacement in order to maintain proper dispensing functions.

If you operate in a hard-water area, you might notice limescale forming inside the discharge end of the eductor, as well as in any other area of the unit that is exposed to water. You can remove this by soaking the eductor in a descaling solution (deliming solution). However, running a descaling product through the dispenser to descale it is only a suitable course of action if the product within the unit is compatible and will not react, or if the unit has been thoroughly flushed with water. Another alternative is to draw the descaling solution through the unit but the product would need to be compatible with the chemical that is being dispensed through the unit.

Concentrate on the metering tips Metering tips regulate how much chemical concentrate is mixed with the water. It’s crucial that these are functioning properly. If not replaced on a regular basis, dilution ratios become inaccurate and impact on cleaning results.

A clogged metering tip is likely to effect the dispenser’s ability to deliver accurate dilution ratios consistently.

Debris in the water line is often the culprit when metering tips are blocked. Another cause is crystallised or dried chemical deposits in the tip. You can combat these issues by placing ultra fine mesh filter screens on the water inlet and by keeping the metering tip continually submerged in solution to avoid dry residue.

Maintaining your future If you wish to avoid feeling overburdened by your schedule of maintenance tasks and to concentrate on a seamless production cycle, then a Venturi-based chemical dispensing unit is a great choice. The Venturi is low maintenance and delivers considerable peace of mind. Costs partly depend on a facility’s location. The more remote, or the longer distance that a chemical manufacturer has to travel to change a peristaltic tube for instance, the quicker these units will pay for themselves.

There are also many projected improvements evolving from developments in the Internet of Things – such as connected chemical dispensers – which will only enhance cleaning consistency. Predictive maintenance, which uses the dispenser itself to analyse data and recommend maintenance before issues arise, is a distinct possibility in the near future.

Without these options, the best way, currently, to ensure your cleaning performance, while limiting chemical wastage, downtime and unplanned added costs, is to adhere to a schedule of regular and meticulous maintenance.

For more information or to download the free white paper visit: www.hydrosystemseurope.com

laundry review

The ERP solution featuring innovative apps for optimised laundry process management interfaces provide SoCom’s customers with a comprehensive tool to support communication and co-operation between people, machines and products. In turn, this provides the basis for a continuous mapping of the internal processes and the resulting efficient production management. When used together with RFID technology, it offers transparency throughout the production process and beyond.

Data in real time

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ptimised logistics means ensuring the availability of the right product, in the right quantity, at the right location, at the right time and at the lowest possible cost. However, in this era of customised high-volume business, the real challenge comes in the provision of specific processes, products and customer data. The only way to achieve this remains through the use of information technology and a comprehensive, integrated system.

Laundry services, especially those offering linen rental services, face the challenge of offering their customers a broad range of products and services, being able to react to the varying volumes of demand and keeping their

own production and storage costs under control. “In the future, contemporary and future-proof concepts regarding production and logistics will require a range of information about the item of laundry itself, the current product status, the product quality and the process status. Consequently, this means transparency throughout the entire operation. This is precisely how our software helps our customers”, explains Wolfgang Faist, CEO of SoCom Informationssysteme GmbH. TIKOS – the complete solution for laundry service providers – can be seamlessly integrated into production and covers the entire laundry process.

Various innovative smartphone apps, web portals and open programme

Processes must run seamlessly, must be coordinated and any deviations must be able to be identified quickly. In this regard, the use of smartphones offers great potential throughout the value creation chain, as data can be generated in real time and used to manage followup processes. The SoCom app texScan can be used to provide customers with quantity information via smartphone within seconds, whatever their current location. This app also allows customers to scan their items or complete other actions themselves. The smartphone automatically creates a reliable connection to the RFID scanner via Bluetooth and thus delivers the required information quickly and in full. Goods and container stocks are automatically updated in the system. At the same time, the system is able to automatically react to bottlenecks or overfilling. Thus transparency is guaranteed at all times. continues on page 30 >>

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laundry review << continues from page 29

Well organised with innovative apps texOrder can be used to process orders and inventories on location at wards in hospitals, retirement homes and hotels. Customers can enter the order into the app. This is then automatically sent to the laundry service. There is no need to manually fill out and then digitalise bookings. It also means that there is an up-to-date overview of the order available at all

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times. This serves to guarantee a high quality of data. texRoute, the app solution for optimised route management, supports efficient route management and container management and also comes with a loading assistant.

All container movements are recorded digitally. Rental fees can be automatically billed and damaged containers are clearly assigned and charged to the customer. Container loss thus becomes a thing of the past. Meanwhile, the mobile signature confirms delivery of the goods directly from the customer.

The associated web portal makes it possible to live track each individual driver and shows the current delivery status of each route. The set-up times, journey times and dwell times at customer premises can also be displayed. The result: a comprehensive overview. Routes can be managed more efficiently, and empty runs, detours and even traffic jams can be avoided.

Production live TEXPRO, a system for production data acquisition, production planning, production management and performance visualisation, allows the laundry service to track each individual laundry order: the current cost centre location, which staff are registered at the cost centre, whether the cost centre is over- or under-staffed, and whether the prescribed target performance is being attained. Thus you can enjoy a constant overview of production performance. Through the consistent recording of operating data at different cost centres, this production software allows you to create efficient laundry plans. If important rush orders occur they can be prioritised as required and the laundry plans re-organised with ease. Consequently, this guarantees customised and flexible planning of personnel, machinery and use of materials.

For more information visit: www.socom.de

people and events SA delegation visits Italy’s ‘smart’ cleaning show

Members of the SA delegation pictured in Verona are from left Caroline Sibiya (NGN Group), Bianca Dahl (MaPa Cleaning Technology), Simone Lobetti (Tsogo Sun), Steve Braham (SWB Sports & Events), Lungisa Nonkwelo (Lucob Cleaning Services), Kyle De Rose (ICE), Mpume Kunene (Clean Spot Solutions) and Johann van Vuuren (African Cleaning Review).

The 24th edition of the international cleaning show Pulire was held from 21– 23 May 2019 at the Verona Exhibition Center in Verona, Italy. According to show organisers Afidamp Servizi and ISSA, the presence of foreign companies represented 30 percent of the show. The exhibitors showcased their products in an area covering three indoor halls and the outdoor demonstration area. An innovative feature of the show is the Smart Show app available on Android and iOS platforms, which allows visitors to preregister, navigate the show, exhibitors and co-located events and to scan QR codes via their smartphones or tablets.

Innovation was a cornerstone of PULIRE 2019, including an Innovation Award competition evaluated by a

Opening ceremony.

jury of industry leaders. Among the innovations, in terms of products, machines, and cleaning solutions, attention was focused on ergonomics, the environment, recycling plastic, and smart water consumption. Among the groundbreaking products presented were floor-cleaning machines with lithium batteries, a remote-control system for product consumption, multi-function trolleys, odour-control toilet paper, ozone washing machines, and sweeping machines that recognise and follow the operator. A fully equipped outdoor area enabled live demonstrations that put the latestgeneration sweepers to the test.

In order to facilitate networking, the show collaborated with ITA – the Italian Trade Agency – to set up an

international business lounge for B2B meetings. The five delegations of foreign operators from the United States, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa represented strategic and representative markets in the world of distribution, facility service providers, and integrated services for the professional cleaning sector.

The South African delegation to Pulire 2019 comprised of representatives from a broad cross section of the local cleaning industry that represented the following companies: Active Corporate Cleaning, African Cleaning Review, Clean Spot Solutions, Cleaning World, Lucob Cleaning Services, MaPa Cleaning Technology, SWB Sport & Events, Tsogo Sun, ICE, and NCN Group.

Caroline Sibiya, Richard and Jenny Brummer.

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people and events Design Hygiene at Italy’s leading cleaning show

Gray Dick (front left) pictured with members of the Moro family on the TSM stand in Verona.

In its continuous quest for strikingly designed products that are functional and affordable, Design Hygiene travelled to Verona, Italy, to attend this year’s Pulire exhibition that took place from 21 to 23 May. The world’s leading brands, including cleaningequipment giant TSM (Technological Systems by Moro), exhibited at the show.

TSM, a family-owned business has achieved huge success the world over and the Moro family takes pride in maintaining strong relationships with their distributors. Gray Dick, CEO of Design Hygiene, was therefore invited to spend time at their stand to explore added opportunities.

“Our values are very well aligned,” says Dick. “TSM, like Design Hygiene,

is committed to quality products, excellent service, and family values – rare qualities to find in today’s fast

paced world. The visit provided us with the opportunity to celebrate both their and our successes, including our recent sale of 35 TSM Grande Brio Scrubber Driers to Oryx Health & Hygiene Services.”

“The TSM Grande Brio walk-behind scrubber-dryers are completely mechanical and are resilient and easy to use, making it the perfect solution for Oryx’s requirements. Because of the availability of parts and spares we are able to offer a fast and effective maintenance and service plan to our customers, making us one of the few auto-scrubber-dryer suppliers offering this service to clients in South Africa.

This is just one of the many reasons we supply and support the TSM range,” added Dick.

Pictured at the equipment handover are from left: Crystal Mostert (Oryx Health & Hygiene), Rory Greig and Gray Dick (Design Hygiene).

Former Springbok captain appointed as SSG Holdings Group CEO South African Specialised Services Group, SSG Holdings, has announced the appointment of John Smit as Group CEO. John captained South Africa to victory at the 2007 Rugby World Cup held in France. He brings substantial corporate experience combined with a ‘winning team’ approach to the group of companies. Being a natural leader, he has quickly gained the respect and trust of the SSG team and has aligned the company for sustainable and responsible growth through an innovative and clear-cut strategy.

SSG Holdings provides specialised turnkey integrated solutions to the South African market through its wholly owned subsidiaries SSG Security, SSG Facilities and SSG Cleaning.

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

John Smit

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case study Tork Reduced paper consumption delivers significant cost savings

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witching from Tork Singlefold Hand Towels and 2-ply Tork Matic® Roll to 1-ply Tork Matic® Roll delivered a 30 percent spend reduction and reduced consumption by over 30 tonnes at County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust hospitals (UK).

With an increasing population of approximately 650 000 people utilising the services of the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust healthcare facilities, the increased need for effective waste management and reduced cost was essential.

Having previously used 2-ply Tork Matic® Roll in public areas and Tork Singlefold Hand Towels elsewhere within the Trust for some time, the suggested change to 1-ply Tork Matic® Roll throughout was well received, with greatly positive outcomes.

Annual comparison data showed huge reductions in consumption; 6.4 million fewer towels used compared to the previous year, resulting in a 30 percent cost saving. This saving on consumption

has meant a reduced requirement for refilling which in turn has released resources within the Trust due to decreased checking and handling time.

The reduction in waste throughout the hospitals has meant an increase in efficiency, which now allows staff greater time to spend on more important jobs. Amanda McIntosh, Assistant Procurement Officer at County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust, expressed recognition of the outcome of the switch stating: “It is a fantastic example of how one small change can make such a huge difference.” New to the role, McIntosh stated that it was a fantastic opportunity for her to take over the transition and see the difference being made.

The significant outcomes from the switch in Tork Matic® Roll at the Trust, have resulted in the achievement of reaching NHS goals for green procurement.

Amanda further stated: “Although Tork were able to evidence that cost savings, reductions in waste management and

time filling the dispensers could be made, the reality a year later proves it worked, delivering a successful outcome,” says McIntosh.

Tork Matic® Hand Towel Roll offers high capacity, one-at-a-time sheet dispensing, reducing consumption and improving hygiene – ideal for easy maintenance in high-traffic hospital washrooms.

For further information on Tork products please visit: www.tork.co.za

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new products Innovative solution for liquid spill clean-ups

Renowned manufacturer Pratley recently identified a need for a product that can be used in pollution control, more specifically, in the easy and efficient clean-up of liquid spills in the mining and industrial sectors. As a result, a completely natural, mineral-based product called Gunge Spunge was born.

The main application of Gunge Spunge is the absorption and clean-

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up of hydrocarbon and other liquid spills in factories, forecourts, garages, workshops and similar areas. This makes the product ideal for users such as spill clean-up companies, service stations, disaster management services, hospitals, abattoirs and general industry.

“Traditionally, sawdust and other flammable materials were used to clean up highly combustible hydrocarbons.

This was a disaster waiting to happen, not to mention the fact that they were largely ineffective. The result is that most municipalities now prohibit the use of combustible clean-up materials as stated in their municipal by-laws. Gunge Spunge offers the ideal alternative in that it is highly effective, non-flammable, ecofriendly, and completely natural,” says Pratley Training Manager Jacques Diener.

“Apart from oil, the super-absorbent nature of Gunge Spunge allows it to absorb liquids as diverse as wine, blood, sewerage, pet stains, paint, and braai fat,” he adds. It even has the unique

ability to absorb odours associated with those spills,” explains Diener.

Gunge Spunge is processed from a specific mineral that Pratley mines exclusively in the KwaZulu-Natal province. This 100 percent naturally occurring mineral is eco-friendly and completely non-toxic. Apart from its desiccating properties, whereby it absorbs moisture in confined areas prone to damp, it also has cationic properties, allowing it to absorb rather than mask odours. This means that it even absorbs smells such as ammonia released from decaying organic matter.

Gunge Spunge is supplied in 12 kg bags. “The best part about Gunge Spunge is demonstrating its capabilities.

People are always left amazed, and you can see why. The product can even absorb oil out of water!” Diener concludes.

For more information visit: www.pratleyminerals.com

new products Single-motion vacuum and wipe Floor cleaning is regarded as one of the most time-consuming household tasks of all: first of all it requires vacuuming, then mopping, waiting for the floor to dry, and finally cleaning the mop. With the new Hard Floor Cleaner FC 5 from Kärcher, floor cleaning is now much faster as it combines vacuuming and mopping in a single step. From spilt coffee to muddy footprints and hairs – everything is cleared up with a single wipe.

The characteristic feature of this hardfloor cleaner is the two quickly rotating microfibre rollers, which are moistened continuously with a detergent solution.

They loosen the dirt and wipe it up off the floor. Say goodbye to laborious scrubbing.

The rollers continuously vacuum dirt and moisture.

Compared to the classic mop, the FC 5 always cleans the floor with clean rollers and fresh water. A further advantage is that the dirty, vacuumed liquid is drawn into a separate tank, which can simply be emptied following cleaning.

With its unique system operation, the FC 5 not only saves time, but water too, compared to a conventional wiping mop.

With just one tank filling of 400 ml, all hard floors, from stone to wooden floors, with a surface area of up to 60 m² can be cleaned quickly and easily. This reduces the environmental impact – and patience required – as the device’s resourcesaving operation means that the floor is dry in less than two minutes. And with the FC 5 there is no unpleasant rinsing and wringing out of the wiping mop by hand. The tank is very easy to empty without coming into direct contact with the dirty water. The hard-floor cleaner is then placed back in the parking and cleaning station provided, filled with fresh water and the self-rinsing function is started.

Kärcher offers detergents for stone floors, varnished and waxed wooden floors or a Universal Cleaner for the FC 5. For more information visit: www.karcher.co.za

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new products Combination bakkiemounted high-pressure jetting and vacuuming vehicle Sewerage cleaning operations can become expensive, time consuming and labour intensive for operators if they need to use multiple vehicles for sucking and jetting. On the back of its immense experience building custom, specialist high-pressure jetting equipment in South Africa, Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment introduced the first bakkiemounted equipment in South Africa that has the combined ability to perform suction and jetting. Werner Pumps is the South African agent for French company Baroclean.

The Rapid Response Vehicle is an excellent option for applications where bigger sewerage-cleaning trucks cannot fit easily, such as shopping centres or office park basements. Sebastian Werner, Managing Director at Werner Pumps says “We are thrilled to be introducing this vehicle to the local market and believe it is an excellent solution for our customers who service industrial and urban environments.”

The Rapid Response Vehicle is mounted on a local Toyota chassis and has a high-pressure pump, vacuum pump suction and aluminium tank with two compartments; an 800 litre sludge

Rapid response vehicle operating in Barcelona.

tank and a 400 litre water tank. It also has a payload of over 700 kg. The range of features in the unit provides highperformance solutions in a compact package.

Clients will find the Rapid Response Vehicle particularly useful because of its agility and versatility. It can be driven into small, challenging locations and perform multiple maintenance and cleaning functions. The hydro-cleansing-combined vehicle’s high-pressure pump has three solid ceramic pistons that provide pressure of 150 to 320 bar. The pump and vacuum draw their power from the base vehicle’s engine, via a full-power transfer gearbox. The suction and jetting system is controlled through a panel at the rear of the vehicle. The control panel is located in a waterproof box and the system is equipped with an emergency stop button.

Baroclean is a French sanitationequipment company that has over 35 years’ experience in producing jetting units and combination tankers for the

maintenance of sewer networks and septic tanks. Baroclean is a specialist in creating compact, agile equipment for sanitation.

Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment has been designing, manufacturing, supplying and maintaining specialist high-pressure jetting equipment for over 30 years.

The company has built a reputation as a local industry leader through its focus on delivering high-quality, lowmaintenance, 100 percent South African manufactured products. Aside from its in-house manufacturing capabilities, Werner Pumps specialises in the supply and maintenance of high-pressure jetting equipment, German high-pressure pumps, high-pressure sewer-cleaning hoses, Swiss-engineered nozzles by ENZ, and high-pressure guns, lances and cleaning equipment.

For more information visit: www.wernerpumps.com

New upright dustpan for faster debris collection Vikan, a global leader in hygienic cleaning tools and systems recently introduced a new, upright dustpan designed to collect dry and moist debris fast, effectively and ergonomically. The upright dustpan is highly stable and features a 330 mm contact lip for easy and efficient sweeping. Its partly raised pan design prevents debris from falling out of the pan once it’s swept in, and high sidewalls hold larger amounts of debris and reduce the number of times work needs to stop for emptying.

Available in six colours to fit into most hygiene colour-coding systems, the new dustpan comes complete with a 1-metre aluminium handle. However, the hygienically designed handle thread accommodates any Vikan handle.

Vikan recommends that the upright dustpan be paired with the Vikan Lobby Broom.

Founded 120 years ago, Vikan is the world’s leading supplier of hygienic cleaning tools and systems for the food and beverage industry and other hygiene-sensitive environments.

For more information visit: www.vikan.com

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