Show facilitates global matchmaking in Milan

Regarded as one of the largest events in Europe dedicated to the professional cleaning sector, the 27th edition of ISSA PULIRE 2025 took place in Milan Italy from 27 – 29 May this year. It provided a platform to discuss the most relevant topic including sustainability, automation, digitalisation and training. African Cleaning Review Editor Johann van Vuuren attended the show as part of an international delegation, facilitated by the Italian Trade Agency and offers an overall perspective.

Exhibitors showcase a broad range of facility maintenance solutions including machines and equipment, detergents, dosing systems, textile products, IoT technologies, management software, and facility management services. As a value-add dedicated pest management, waste management and component sectors offered a thought-provoking insight of these aligned market sectors.

A dedicated knowledge hub, the ISSA PULIRE Lab featured a packed programme of meetings, talks, and round tables - an opportunity for training and updates on key themes, transforming cleaning and facility management. Here experts, academics, and entrepreneurs explored regulations, future scenarios, sustainability, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for the industry.

The second edition of the Hackathon ISSA PULIRE 2025 provided Innovation concepts in the form of a Competition: concluded with great success. This competition brought together brilliant university students who competed on the theme of smart and sustainable cleaning management for two newly imagined Milan stadiums of the year 2035, providing cutting-edge, multifunctional hubs.

This year’s winner, i-Team, presented the most compelling, innovative, and technologically advanced solution to the challenge outlined in the problem statement: ensuring optimal maintenance of two 300,000 m² facilities, operating 16 hours a day, and managed by only 60 staff members, by integrating AI, IoT, robotics, and risk monitoring tools. The three students are enrolled in the Industrial Automation Engineering department at the University of Brescia.

The winning project impressed the jury, with its ability to leverage data from IoT devices to optimize real-time cleaning, employ autonomous robots for repetitive tasks, and use digital tools to enhance human expertise and improve risk management in high-traffic environments. The event comprising a total of 8 university teams is part of ISSA PULIRE’s ongoing commitment to promoting innovation, education and dialogue between industry, institutions and the next generation.

Running parallel, the prestigious Product of the Year ISSA PULIRE 2025 award recognized the event’s most innovative and highest performing products. This highly anticipated award was won by i-Team celebrating excellence and innovation in the world of professional cleaning.

 As a new feature this year’s People Choice Award offered show visitors the opportunity to vote for the five finalists to hail in a new company worthy of the people’s choice. The inaugural award went to Hy-genio by Hygenia, a comprehensive cleaning system designed to optimize operations in professional environments by reducing waste, downtime, and operator risks. 

Boosting the events’ growing international status beyond Europe it also welcomed visitors from Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and South Africa as part of a collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency.

All in all, the show with all its supporting activities, innovations and matchmaking opportunities was well worth a three-day visit to fathom it in its entirety. The next ISSA PULIRE show is scheduled for May 2027 in Milan.