February/March 2014

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2014

CONTRACTORS

SPECIAL REPORT

GREEN FOCUS

Scrubber dryers - the compact trend Starts page 57

Changes in healthcare

Hygiene in the washroom

Sustainability in cleaning

Page 39

Page 25

Page 65

Clean the corners, don’t cut them.

It’s never been easier to clean without getting stuck in tight corners.

Just one turn of the steering wheel can pivot the roller brush head through 200 ° in either direction. The new BR 35/12 C with KART – Kärcher Advanced Response Technology – steers like a car, is very agile, has great mobility and has turned cleaning into driving fun.

The work’s done so quickly that you’ve still got plenty of time left to tidy up at your leisure.

www.kaercher.com

CONTENTS

February/March 2014 | Vol.22, No.1

COVER STORY

SPECIAL REPORTS 25 The gender divide?

22 Diversey Care A new range of products

Do men and women expect different things from a washroom?

BUSINESS 53 Investment in people Hartley Milner highlights the importance of staff retention in any business.

36 25th edition celebration The industry looks forward to the 25th ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam.

39 Cleaning in the spotlight What are the main challenges for service providers cleaning in hospitals?

44 The danger in still water A look at the principles of legionella control.

49 Astro turf adventures

03 News

Mind Candy HQ is an unusual cleaning challenge for its service provider.

57 Where size is everything

14 European reports

Is there a trend towards compact scrubbers with a small footprint?

65 Green and lean Is it possible to combine sustainability with cost savings?

70 Sustainability - a performance issue A look at new efforts from the EU to calculate environmental performance.

71 One standard for all News of a European standard developed for sustainable detergents.

Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP UK T +44 (0)1494 791222 F +44 (0)1494 792223 info@europeancleaningjournal.com www. europeancleaningjournal.com Subscriptions UK - £60 / Continental Europe - £70 / International - £80

Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisements Director Chris Goodman Advertisement Sales Carole Dawson Circulation Marie Payne

Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenons Aires, 8 V0 Piano, Interno 7 16129 Genova, Italy T +39 010 570 4948 F +39 010 553 0088 info@mediapointsrl.it www. mediapointsrl.it

European Cleaning Journal is published six times a year by Criterion Publishing Ltd. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in European Cleaning, Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents can accept no responsibility for the varacity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

Germany Reinhard Knittler Knittler Medien, Mittlerer Hubweg 5, D-72227 Egenhausen, Germany T +49 7453/9385 787 F +49 7453/9385 797 info@knittler.de www.knittler.de ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2014

”

As a Facilities Manager, my job is to keep the chaos organized.

– Service management provider, Sweden

Simplicity at work.

We know that for you, it’s all about being prepared. Good planning makes it easier to react when the unexpected happens. Because it always does.

At Tork, we can’t help you prepare for everything, but we can make it as easy as possible for you to maintain your washrooms. In fact, all our products are designed with the goal of reducing hassle, as well as saving you time and money.

This is what we call Simplicity at work.

www.sca-tork.com 008 52 6545 87

NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

ISSA/INTERCLEAN launches Istanbul exhibition for September

Bookmark the ECJ website and don’t miss our regular blogs - including Dr Ilham Kadri from Diversey Care, Rob den Hertog of Amsterdam RAI, Mike Sullivan of GOJO, EUnited’s Markus Asch and Unger’s Torsten Deutzmann www.europeancleaningjournal.com

EVENTS

The organisers of the ISSA/ INTERCLEAN series of exhibitions have launched ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul.

The show will take place from September 25-27 at the WOW Convention Centre in Istanbul, Turkey.

The inaugural show is being launched thanks to a collaboration between ISSA, Amsterdam RAI, Turkish cleaning and services association TESHIAD and local event organiser NTSR. ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul is expected to attract around 150 exhibitors and 3,500 visitors from across the region.

Alongside the exhibition will be a conference programme.

Fast growing “We are extremely excited to be working together with Amsterdam RAI, TESHIAD and NTSR to stage a show that will make a real contribution to further driving innovation and advancing the professionalism of the industry in the region,” said Keith Baker, ISSA director of EMEA services.

“We are also pleased to be able to help open up one of today’s most vibrant and fast growing markets to the global cleaning world.”

ISSA/INTERCLEAN shows manager Rob den Hertog added: “Turkey has been on RAI/ISSA’s radar since 2009.

In the interim we have been quietly and carefully seeking

March 19-20

September 28-30

Forum Pulire

Cleaning in Tomorrow’s World

Milan, Italy www.forumpulire.it

Tampere, Finland www.cleaningcongress.fi

the right partners and venue to take our vision for the show, one that the industry in the region so richly deserves, from concept to reality.”

March 25-27

September 30-October 2

Cleaning Products Europe

Finnclean

Manchester, UK www.cleaningproductseurope.com

Tampere, Finland www.finnclean.fi

April 6-9

October 21-23

Two continents

WFBSC Congress

Clean Middle East Pulire

New York City, USA www.wfbsc2014.com

Dubai, UAE www.cmepexpo.com

April 16-18

October 21-23

Cleanexpo Krasnodar

CleanExpo Moscow

Krasnodar, Russia www.cleanexpo.ru

Moscow, Russia www.cleanexpo.ru

May 6-9

November 4-7

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com

Orlando, USA www.issainterclean.com

May 19-21

November 27-29

Commercial Cleaning & Hygiene

Clean India

Dubai, UAE www.middleeastclean.com

Ahmedabad www.cleanindiashow.com

May 28-31

February 25-27 2015

Cleanexpo Novosibirsk

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Latin America

Novosibirsk, Russia www.cleanexpo.ru

Mexico City, Mexico www.issainterclean.com

May 29-30

March 10-12 2015

Clean NZ

The Cleaning Show

Auckland, New Zealand www.cleannzexpo.co.nz

London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk

June 11-14

March 24-26 2015

Cleaning Show Romania

Cleaning Expo 2015

Bucharest, Romania www.cleaningshow.ro

Birmingham, UK www.cleaningexpo.com

September 3-4

April 22-24 2015

Cleaning Expo Scotland

ISSA/INTERCLEAN CEE

Glasgow, Scotland www.cleaning-expo.com

Warsaw, Poland www.issainterclean.com

September 18-20

October 20-23 2015

Pulire Asia Pacific

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America

Bangkok, Thailand www.pulire-asiapacific.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

He continued: “For many centuries Istanbul has been the connection between Europe and Asia, a transcontinental city straddling the Bosphorus; the very point where the two continents meld together.

“Istanbul’s strategic position along the historic Silk Road has also cemented its position as the premier location for business and trade in the region. Istanbul itself has contributed significantly to Turkey’s ranking as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies rising by a stillhealthy 2.2 per cent in 2012 after meteoric climbs of 8.5 per cent in 2011 and nine per cent in 2010.

“Surveys conducted at recent ISSA/INTERCLEAN shows have proven too that there is a real and until now unanswered appetite for the show among exhibiting manufacturers who see Turkey as their top potential growth market and who are looking for expansion in Eurasia generally.

“We are therefore delighted to finally be able to start with the organisation. We have all the elements for success.” www.issainterclean.com

•Le salon ISSA/INTERCLEAIN Istanbul a été lancé par ISSA et Amsterdam RAI et se tiendra du 25 au 27 septembre.

To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

•Die ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul wurde von ISSA und Amsterdam RAI ins Leben gerufen und wird vom 25.27. September stattfinden.

•L’esposizione ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul è stata lanciata da ISSA e Amsterdam RAI e si terrà dal 25 al 27 settembre.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 3

NEWS Conference focuses on sustainable chemicals The organisers of the Cleaning Products Europe conference in the UK from March 25-27 have announced details of the programme. It features speakers from all levels of the supply chain from household and I&I cleaning products manufacturers to chemical suppliers and regulatory bodies to retail representatives.

The agenda focuses on offering an overview of forthcoming developments set to impact or disrupt the industry. Featuring perspectives from external stakeholders, the conference will begin by setting the mutual vision for the industry, including presentations from the European Commission,

DG Environment, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and WWF.

Hygiene insights Unilever and P&G will cochair the conference and give their insights on sanitisation and hygiene consumer benefits, regulatory and safety considerations and sustainable consumer behaviour. The machinery sector, I&I sector and textile industry will also be present to provide updates on their sectors’ trends and opportunities.

Speakers from the I&I sector include Dr Ilham Kadri of Sealed Air Diversey Care and Valerie Fotheringham of

• Les organisateurs de la conférence Cleaning Procucts Europe, qui se tiendra le 25 mars à Manchester, ont publié le programme entier.

• Le salon Cleaning Expo Scotland aura lieu à Glasgow les 3 et 4 septembre.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 4

Scotland show

Evans Vanodine.

Delegates can also participate in a pre-conference workshop focusing on regulatory matters affecting the cleaning products industry and providing an overview of all relevant regulatory issues for both a biocidal and nonbiocidal product. www.cleaningproducts europe.com

ECJ is the official media partner of ISSA/ INTERCLEAN Amsterdam in May. Don’t miss the comprehensive preview in the April/May edition

• Die Organisatoren der Konferenz „Cleaning Products Europe“, die ab dem 25. März in Manchester, Großbritannien, stattfindet, haben das vollständige Programm veröffentlicht.

• Die Cleaning Expo Scotland wird am 3. und 4.

September in Glasgow stattfinden.

Cleaning Expo Scotland takes place in Glasgow from September 3-4. The organiser says a number of high profile manufacturers have registered to exhibit - including NilfiskAdvance, Tennant UK Cleaning Solutions, Host von Schrader and Vileda Professional.

“The event will bring together buyers and suppliers representing every sector of the cleaning industry, all looking for innovative solutions to their cleaning and hygiene problems,” said Martin Scott at Fairweather Events, which is also organising Cleaning Expo 2015, Healthcare Hygiene Expo 2015 and Street Cleaning Expo 2015. www.cleaning-expo.com

• Gli organizzatori della conferenza Cleaning Products Europe, che si terrà dal 25 marzo a Manchester, Gran Bretagna, hanno annunciato il programma completo.

• L’evento Cleaning Expo Scotland si terrà a Glasgow dal 3 al 4 settembre.

NEWS Spanish contractors fall victim to late payment

GOJO purchase

Public administrations in Spain owe a total of 632.9 million euros to cleaning companies that are members of the Professional Association of Cleaning Companies (ASPEL) and late payment has increased by 68 per cent over the last year.

According to data gathered

by ASPEL autonomous communities are the administrations owing the largest amount, over 349 million euros. On average payment from them takes 194 days.

The two plans for payment to suppliers approved by the government have not had a significant effect on late payment by the autonomous

GOJO Industries, leader in hand hygiene and skin health solutions, has announced its acquisition of Laboratoires Prodene Klint. Based in France it specialises in professional hygiene, cosmetics and disinfectant products.

“We are pleased to welcome Prodene Klint to the GOJO family,” said Mark Lerner, GOJO president and chief operating officer.

“Both Prodene Klint and GOJO, as third-generation, family-owned companies and category leaders, will advance our shared vision as the global leader in healthy skin and healthy places.” www.gojo.com

communities because, from the cumulative debt of 144.5 million euros in 2011, they went on to owe 262.6 million in 2012, and 349.4 million in 2013. The communities with the worst performance are Valencia, Catalonia and Andalucia.

In spite of the fact that late payment by local bodies has grown by 256 per cent in 2013 (with a debt of 226.9 million and payment at 113 days), it is the public administrations which have most reduced debt through the first suppliers’ plan, from 382.5 million in 2011 to 63 million in 2012.

In terms of the general administration of the state, late

• En Espagne, les collectivités publiques doivent près de 640 millions d’euros à des entreprises de propreté, montant qui a progressé de 68 % en un an.

• GOJO Industries a repris les Laboratories Prodene Klint, qui proposent également des produits d’hygiène cutanée et de désinfection.

payment this year is at 56.5 million euros, an increase of 25 per cent, with average payment at 81 days.

But late payment is currently almost double that of 2011, which was of 25.2 million euros.

“This data demonstrates the two funds for financing payment to suppliers by the public administrations have had a positive one-off effect, and the new plan will again be a sticking-plaster while the administrations do not comply, as they are obliged to, with payment of their invoices at 30 days as provided by the Law on Late Payment,” said ASPEL president Juan Díez de los Ríos.

• In Spanien stehen Behörden bei Vertragsreinigungsunternehmen mit fast 633,9 Million Euro in der Kreide – eine Steigerung von 68 Prozent im Laufe des Jahres.

• GOJO Industries hat den Hersteller von Hautgesundheits- und Hygieneprodukten Laboratoires Prodene Klint akquiriert.

• In Spagna, le amministrazioni pubbliche hanno un debito di quasi 633,9 milioni di euro nei confonti delle imprese di pulizie, con un aumento del 68 per cento durante il corso dell’anno.

• La GOJO Industries ha acquisito la ditta produttrice di prodotti per la cura della pelle e per l’igiene Laboratoires Prodene Klint.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 5

™

VISIT US

AT

GOLD

HALL 1 -

BE/20/001

plantastic 100% PLANT BASED BOTTLE 100% RECYCLABLE

1.635

N TURALLY CRADLETOCRADLE CERTIFIED GOLD CM

Proudly we present our new building care products which are Cradle to Cradle Certifiedcm at GOLD level. These are the first professional cleaning products which have received a Cradle to Cradle Certifiedcm mark, licensed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. This new range combines excellent cleaning power with sustainable credentials.

Moreover we introduce three highly concentrated products: Multi Daily, Multi Forte and San Daily. For more information please go to www.ecover-professional.com

NEWS Sustainability - much work still to do, says Ecolab’s Storinggaard Christian Storinggaard, vice president of facility care for Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, tells ECJ that sustainability is here to stay and must come higher on the list of priorities for every industry.

The professional cleaning sector as a whole must cooperate more effectively in order to establish a common sustainability framework that enables not only the industry to reach its goals but also helps its customers to do the same.

That is the view of Christian Storinggaard, vice president of facility care in Europe for Ecolab – a company that provides sustainable cleaning, sanitising and water treatment solutions on a global scale.

“As a term sustainability can become quite vague very quickly,” he tells ECJ editor Michelle Marshall. “What we’ve seen in recent years with regard to sustainability is a focus on labelling, classification and restriction of what’s in the bottle or in the cleaning machine. It’s time we take a more holistic view of sustainably and agree on more consistent terminology that will drive greater understanding and adoption of sustainability in the sector.

Confusing terms “For example, ‘biodegradable’ can be a very confusing word, one that is often used incorrectly. Biodegradability is only defined for organic substances -those that contain carbon. Inorganic substances are, by definition, not biodegradable. And technically, biodegradability is defined for single substances - single raw materials - and not for mixtures.

“Most cleaning solutions are a mixture of a number of inorganic and organic substances, so it would be inaccurate for most to claim that a product is 100

percent biodegradable.”

One area where the industry has performed fairly well is with regard to ‘green’ labels, Storinggaard believes, but again this is not going far enough.

“We are not focusing enough attention on the bigger picture,” he says. “The total processes that cleaning products influence are what we must examine more closely.”

Framework needed More cooperation across the industry is crucial, he says, in order to establish a common framework. “The need to provide solutions that enable businesses to operate more sustainably is an issue that is much bigger than any single company, and we all must play our part – not just in achieving our own sustainability goals, but in enabling our customers to achieve their objectives too.”

For Ecolab, sustainability is a primary focus. “Our customers have sustainability goals and need quantifiable data to measure their progress,” Storinggaard continues. “Our process involves analysing our customers operations as a whole, implementing innovative solutions and quantifying the impact using a framework that we call eROI which measures the exponential value of improved performance, reduced cost and greater environmental efficiency. eROI measures impact across indicators, including safety, water, energy, waste, air and assets.”

With its sheer scale and reach Ecolab is confident it can make a significant contribution in this regard.

“This is where the added value lies,” believes Storinggaard.

“Our customers can go to any supplier if they just want to buy cheap products, but they likely would not get the expertise they need to improve operational performance and

Michelle Mashall, rédactrice en chef d’ECJ, s’entretient en exclusivité avec Christian Storinggaard, vice président responsable de la division Services d’immeuble, Europe, Moyen-Orient et Afrique, chez Ecolab. Il s’exprime sur les principales tendances du secteur y compris celles de la durabilité. 907

reduce environmental impact.

We provide a combination of systems, optimisation processes and expertise which can span a customer’s entire operation.”

Water focus He is also convinced that we will see much more focus on water conservation in all areas of life. “There are more people in the world than ever, people are becoming richer and the demand for food is growing - and with it the need for water. Earth’s freshwater resources are very limited and becoming more stressed every day. Therefore the aim must be to reduce the use of water in all areas of business: whether it’s the food industry, hotels, or any large facility.

But are customers actually open to using new technologies

ECJ-Redakteurin Michelle Marshall führt ein exklusives Gespräch mit Christian Storinggaard, Vice President von Facility Care, Institutional Division, EMEA bei Ecolab. Er erläutert seine Ansichten zu den wichtigsten Trends der Branche, einschließlich Nachhaltigkeit.

that offer better sustainability credentials? “We are seeing more and more customers pursue sustainable solutions,” Storinggaard replies. “We encourage our customers to look at the lowest environmental impact, not simply the lowest price as this actually provides much more value to the customer - it helps reduce the entire cost of operation, your P&L, and does not just optimise a part of your procurement budget.”

All too often, however, decisions are driven by price.

Storinggaard concludes: “Some companies will pay more for more sustainable, safe and ergonomic solutions – some will not. Price per kilo or per unit is still a driving factor for many so we still have more work to do.”

La redattrice di ECJ Michelle Marshall intervista in esclusiva Christian Storinggaard, vice presidente della manutenzione delle strutture, divisione delle istituzioni EMEA per Ecolab che espone il suo punto di vista sui trend chiave del settore e fra questi la ecosostenibiltà.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 7

NEWS Sustainability - part of the tissue value chain says Berardi The tissue sector is taking significant steps in meeting the challenges of sustainability, said Roberto Berardi of the European Tissue Symposium (ETS) - the body representing the tissue paper sector - recently.

“When you work in an industry that relies on forests for its base material then you naturally think long term,” he explained.

“Business sustainability is a way of life in the European tissue industry where trees can have a growing cycle of up to 50 years.

Europe has some of the most advanced forestry management systems in the world and performs well against a range of sustainability criteria.”

Berardi went on to explain the sector is working to increase its

sustainability in areas including recycling, recovery, transport, water and workplace safety.

“We are immensely proud of our most recent initiative in the area of forest certification,” he continued. “This is a crucial development for the sector and offers reassurance to our customers and consumers while also lending further credibility to the industry.”

Welcomes regulation ETS supports the use of fibres from sustainably and legally managed forests and encourages the use of third party certification as one of the best ways to ensure that suppliers meet these requirements. It has particularly

• D’après l’European Tissue Symposium (ETS), la durabilité fait partie intégrante des systèmes et méthodes de production des fabricants de produits papier à usage unique.

• Roberto Berardi

welcomed the new EU Timber Regulation which came into force in 2013 and ensures that only products from legally sourced wood are sold across the EU28.

“Looking to the future our industry will continue to push

• Laut European Tissue Symposium (ETS) ist Nachhaltigkeit ein integraler Teil der Methoden und Produktionsverfahren der Branche.

the boundaries in re-utilisation techniques,” Berardi said. “I believe we will develop ever more efficient and effective paper production and converting technology and perhaps machines will be more compact so located closer to the final customer.

“My dream of course is that future innovations will provide the planet with unlimited quantities of low cost, low impact energy. This would enable us to develop the ideal toilet roll: soft, absorbent, resistant, very long, pleasantly decorated, made with recycled fibres and at a price that is accessible to the vast majority of people.” www.europeantissue.com

• A quanto afferma l’European Tissue Symposium (ETS), la sostenibilità è una parte integrante dei sistemi e dei metodi di produzione del settore.

NEWS Robot focus

ISSA to launch CIMS standard in UK and Ireland

According to the International Federation of Robotics service robotics is booming. That’s why the Automatica exhibition in Munich from June 3-6 will feature a separate exhibition area dedicated to professional service robotics.

The organisers say cleaning is one of the sectors where robotics is increasingly in demand. The EU has declared robotics a focal point in the research and innovation program Horizon 2020. Within a public-private partnership, it is going to start an initiative in civil robotics in collaboration with industry. www.automatica-munich.com

Cleaning industry association ISSA has chosen the UK and Republic of Ireland as the first two countries outside of the US in which to launch its Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS).

CIMS is a consensus-based management standard geared towards validating and improving the professionalism of cleaning service providers. It lays out a framework based on management principles: quality systems; health, safety and environmental stewardship; service delivery; management commitment; and HR. The standard was first

• L’association professionnelle ISSA a choisi le Royaume-Uni et la République d’Irlande pour devenir les deux premiers pays en dehors des EtatsUnis adoptant la norme CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standard).

• Le prochain salon Automatica de Munich, prévu en juin, exposera des robots de services professionnels, y compris des robots de nettayage.

introduced in the US in 2006 and so far 186 organisations have achieved certification.

Keith Baker, director of EMEA services at ISSA commented: “CIMS works so well because it is based on universally accepted management principles and applies these elements to an entire organisation rather than to an individual, product or process.

“The use of specific products and cleaning techniques is not required, or actually even recommended, and each organisation keeps the flexibility to choose the products and cleaning techniques that best fit

• Der Industrieverband ISSA hat Großbritannien und die Republik Irland als die beiden ersten Länder außerhalb der USA auserwählt, in denen der Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) eingeführt werden soll.

• Bei der im Juni in München stattfindenden Automatica werden professionelle Serviceroboter, einschließlich Reinigungsroboter, gezeigt.

its needs.”

Organisations wishing to achieve certification must undergo a comprehensive on-site assessment by a fully independent and accredited assessor who evaluates the organisation’s compliance with the standard.

In the UK and Ireland the CIMS standard will be audited independently by ISSA’s exclusive partner BICS Business Services. Certification will then be reassessed every two years to ensure ongoing compliance.

The first workshops will be taking place next month. For details email keith@issa.com

• L’associazione di categoria ISSA ha scelto il Regno Unito e la Repubblica d’Irlanda come le due prime nazioni al di fuori degli Stati Uniti nelle quali lanciare Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS).

• L’esposizione Automatica che si terrà a Monaco a giugno esporrà i robot per i servizi professionali inclusi quelli per i servizi di pulizia.

NEWS P&G Professional provides solutions for Olympic Winter Games As the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games took place in Russia last month, ECJ spoke exclusively to Vladimir Brasnuev, Procter & Gamble (P&G) Professional business leader for Eastern Europe. P&G Professional was chosen as cleaning products provider for the Games.

Hot on the heels of its work at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Procter & Gamble (P&G) Professional was chosen as the cleaning products provider for the next global sporting event the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Russia.

In London the company’s cleaning solutions were used to clean up after 500,000 spectators each day across multiple venues. P&G products were also in Sochi, cleaning over 875,527 square metres across the Olympic Winter Games and serving elite athletes from across 35 nation states, along with the hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Many guests Vladimir Brasnuev, P&G Professional business leader for Eastern Europe, explained some of the greatest challenges. “A large number of guests gather in a limited space and it is crucial to provide cleanliness and disinfection in all public areas.

Unlike the Olympic Summer

Games, snow and chemicals used to melt it end up inside the venues and cause additional problems.

“Cleaning time is obviously limited due to tight scheduling of the competitions,” Brasnuev continues. “So it is important to manage the workflow - from selecting optimal cleaning products to training and transporting people to and from work as well as facilitating leisure time.”

Greenest ever Because the organising committee of the Olympic Winter Games was determined to make Sochi 2014 the ‘greenest’ Games ever, there were specific requirements in terms of ecosafety for the cleaning products being supplied.

“Millions of spectators and athletes visited Sochi throughout the month, and it certainly was a huge burden on the environment of the region,” emphasises Brasnuev. “Therefore it was important to choose detergents and cleaning products which are

Procter & Gamble (P&G) Professional a été choisi en tant que fournisseur de produits de nettoyage pour les Jeux Olympiques d’Hiver 2014 à Sochi ce mois-ci.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 10

effective and eco-friendly at the same time.”

So cleaning products were chosen according to multiple criteria. The top priority is versatility, Brasnuev explains.

“It is easier to train staff in using between three and five products that satisfy 99 per cent of needs rather than explain the specifics of working with 10-20 special purpose cleaning solutions.

This approach helps save time, improves the performance of cleaning personnel and reduces costs for storage and transportation of the cleaning products.”

Staff safety Another important criterion

Procter & Gamble (P&G) Professional wurde diesen Monat als Reinigungsmittellieferant für die Olympischen Winterspiele 2014 in Sochi ausgewählt.

is the safety of the staff and the environment, as well as the surfaces being cleaned. And of course cost has to come into the equation. “The cost calculation was not based on prices per kilo or litre, but rather on the cost of cleaning per square metre of washing a certain number of dishes for example,” says Brasnuev.

“In reality the cheapest detergents may require between two and three times more product to do the job, increasing the total cost.” www.pgpro.co.uk

Keep up to date with latest news at the ECJ website europeancleaningjournal.com

La Procter & Gamble (P&G) Professional è stata scelta come fornitrice di prodotti per le pulizie per le olimpiadi invernali Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games di questo mese.

NEWS Study reveals workwear risk

A new report from the European Textile Services Association (ETSA) reveals a worrying confusion between cleanliness and hygiene in many people’s minds. As many employers who rely on strict hygiene allow their employees to wash their own workwear at home this presents some risk, it says.

The study, carried out across four European countries, shows a number of problem areas: • Although many people understand that high temperatures kill bacteria, low temperature cycles (average of 48°C) are often favoured when washing workwear at home • Only one in four consumers is concerned that workwear can contaminate their personal laundry

• Fifty-eight per cent do not consistently wash their workwear and personal laundry separately • Only 48 per cent always sort their soiled workwear from their personal laundry • Up to 50 per cent wear their work while travelling to and from their place of work.

The findings are of importance for companies that require strict hygiene levels, such as the healthcare sector, in food preparation or in the pharmaceutical industry, says ETSA. By allowing employees to wash their workwear at home, employers lose control of their responsibility for the health and safety of their employees and customers. www.textile-services.eu

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam preview - page 36

Clean India Pulire declared success Clean India Pulire took place in Mumbai recently, attracting over 5,000 visitors from across India and other countries including Denmark, France, Middle East, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, the UK and Switzerland.

The 2013 show saw 42 new exhibitors taking part, with the • Une nouvelle étude de l’Association européenne des services textiles met en lumière le risque couru par les employés qui lavent leurs tenues de travail à domicile.

• Le récent salon Clean India Pulire a attiré plus de 5000 visiteurs.

February/March 2014 | ECJ |12

launch of 65 new products.

Over 80 per cent of exhibitors reported doing business during the first two days of the threeday event.

The next Clean India exhibition takes place at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from November 27 to 29. www.cleanindiashow.com

• Aus einer neuen Studie der European Textile Services Association geht hervor, welche Hygienerisiken damit verbunden sind, wenn Mitarbeiter ihre Arbeitskleidung zu Hause waschen.

• Die kürzlich stattgefundene Clean India Pulire zog über 5.000 Besucher an.

• Un nuovo studio dell’associazione European Textile Services Association rivela i rischi per l’igiene dei lavoratori che lavano le divise lavorative a casa.

• La recente esposizione Clean India Pulire ha attratto più di 5.000 visitatori.

UPDATE: NETHERLANDS New ways of working Increasing competition calls for new work methods, says Nico Lemmens of ISS Facility Services.

Increasingly, global competition, the war for talents, the introduction of new technologies, and the greater focus on sustainability – among other factors – are changing how companies plan for and develop their workplace strategies and how our industry develops services to support them. Employees work from the office, home and third workspaces; they work in private offices and open offices as well as from hot desks and touchdown points. Meanwhile, mobile devices are overtaking the laptop and the PC. The primary purpose of a workplace is to support the people in it. Designing smart and cost effective workplaces, which will accommodate more collaboration and increase efficiency, is a major opportunity for most organisations. Many organisations are already well into this process and there is no doubt the workplace as we know it is undergoing dramatic change as it will increasingly become a place where people meet, socialise, builds relations and have fun. The future workplace will play a decisive role in building a strong corporate culture.

As organisational boundaries expand beyond the physical space, the boundaries of our industry must also evolve.

Designing new and more flexible service concepts is critical in supporting our customers’ physical and virtual workspaces.

The ISS 2020 Vision report: New Ways of Working – the workplace of the future analyses the strategic themes shaping how organisations will plan for and develop their future workplace strategies. It also provides a framework for identifying the role of facility management in helping develop an organisation’s workplace strategy given Notre correspondant aux Pays-Bas Nico Lemmens, cadre chez ISS, évoque le nouveau rapport ISS Vision 2020 intitulé Nouvelles façons de travailler - Le lieu de travail de l’avenir.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 14

the organisation’s competitive context, strategy, brand, culture, and existing workplaces. This report builds upon the findings from a previous one which concluded that future workplaces will change significantly over the coming decade.

The findings of New Ways of Working were developed through surveys in partnership with IFMA, subject matter expert interviews, and multiple workshops with customers. The study also presents external expert assessments from the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies of the strategic themes shaping the future work, the workforce and the workplace towards 2020.

To maximise the total value ecosystem, FM providers must deliver better management of FM processes, experiences, personnel and relationships with customers and end-users. They need to offer proactive, servicecentric approaches that reflect, support and improve the core organisations’ strategic objectives, brand, culture, and workplace productivity at the right price point across the entire range of potential workspaces and workspace strategies.

Developing these strategies will require new approaches that not only include an understanding of where and how people work and communicate and of the supporting technologies required, but also contain new tactics for increasing the utilisation of physical workplace assets through such collaborative workplace arrangements as co-working, co-housing and fractional ownership. Supporting these solutions will expand the boundaries of the FM function into other support functions and industries and require new partnerships and alliances.

Der NiederlandeKorrespondent des ECJ, der bei ISS tätige Nico Lemmens, berichtet über die neue ISS 2020 Vision-Studie, die den Titel „New Ways of Working – The Workplace of the Future“ (Neue Arbeitsweisen - der Arbeitsplatz der Zukunft) trägt.

Il corrispondente olandese Nico Lemmens della ISS ci informa sul nuovo rapporto ISS 2020 Vision intitolato New Ways of Working – The Workplace of the Future (Nuovi modi di lavorare, il luogo di lavoro del futuro).

UPDATE: DENMARK Small butts, big problem Our correspondent in Scandinavia, Petra Sjouwerman, reports from Denmark. Danish organisations try to raise awareness about the danger of littered cigarette butts. They call small butts a ‘big problem’.

Nine million cigarette butts end up in the streets of Denmark daily.

Please take time to let that sink in! Denmark is a small country, with only 5.6 million inhabitants, so do the maths for your own country. Cigarette butts end up in pedestrian streets, train and bus stations, in parks and around offices and schools.

Danish smokers are behind nearly half of all litter in the Danish public space. The organisation Keep Denmark Clean thinks it high time for a mentality change. Cigarette butts belong in the waste bin.

Since Denmark introduced its ban on smoking in the workplace in 2007 the number of cigarette butts that end up in the streets has increased spectacularly. In Denmark’s capital Copenhagen for example, the numbers have increased by 45 per cent.

International studies have shown that harmful substances like nicotine, arsenic, lead and cadmium – just to name a few end up in the ground.

“We know from our studies that many people believe cigarette butts decompose quickly. But actually it can take up to five years for a filter to decompose,” says the director of Keep Denmark Clean Bjarke L Frandsen. “Many butts are cleaned up by sweeping machines, but those which end up on the cobblestones or train rails must be picked up manually - and this is costing the tax payers approximately two kroner per piece (0.26 euro),” he says.

That is why Keep Denmark Clean, a network consisting of different private companies, state Notre correspondante en Scandinavie Petra Sjouwerman nous parle d’une nouvelle campagne au Danemark pour sensibiliser le public au problème des rejets de mégots.

organisations and the Danish Ministry for the Environment, has started a campaign. ‘Small pieces of litter – a big problem’, is the name of this campaign.

The organisation has developed a reusable pocket ashtray out of soft material, which closes hermetically. Around 40,000 of these pocket ashtrays have already been distributed in city centres, in malls, at bus stops and train stations throughout the country. The goal is to make Danes aware of the importance to throw even small pieces of litter, like cigarette butts and chewing gum in the rubbish bin.

Also the Danish Society for Nature Conservation is not sitting still. This organisation has proposed a kind of deposit system for cigarettes. The idea is that cigarettes should cost a little more and this extra money could be used to cover the cost of street cleaning. However this idea has not been realised.

But it has inspired others to do something about the problem.

The organisers of the renowned music festival Northside in Aarhus have found a solution. Every year in June the music festival takes place in a much visited recreational area, close to a bird reserve and an idyllic river. All festival visitors are invited to collect their cigarette butts. When they return their cigarette in an empty cup, they get a free beer.

This edition’s special report on green cleaning starts p65

Unsere SkandinavienKorrespondentin Petra Sjouwerman berichtet aus Dänemark über eine neue Aktion, um auf das Problem der Verschmutzung durch Zigarettenstummel aufmerksam zu machen.

Dalla Danimarca, la corrispondente scandinava Petra Sjouwerman ci informa su una nuova campagna per aumentare la consapevolezza sul problema dei mozziconi di sigaretta gettati per terra.

UPDATE: FRANCE Jobs for disabled workers The French cleaning sector has been making efforts to employ disabled workers, says Christian Bouzols.

For a number of years, the French cleaning sector has been creating the means for companies to employ more disabled workers. The result is impressive. The number of disabled workers employed by cleaning companies has more than doubled during the past five years. Before then the disability employment rate in the sector was 1.42 per cent. Now it is over three per cent.

Some companies have been quite exemplary in this area and have even exceeded the rate stipulated by French legislation. ECJ spoke to Sefika Saritas at Groupe Labrenne, a large cleaning company with 2,100 employees. The company has been involved in integrating disabled people into its workforce since 2008. As explained

by Saritas: “In recruiting people, we’ve always considered that openness made sense. What we’re looking for in the first place are skills, and these are not founded on any sort of discrimination. The company for which I work considers the integration of workers to be most important and does everything it can to keep its disabled employees. We deploy them to sites which they can handle, taking their disability into account. If difficulties crop up we endeavour to find solutions.”

Companies employing more than 20 workers (full time or equivalent) are obliged to employ disabled workers at a level of six per hundred. In order to abide by that law, companies have various options available.

The first is to pay a contribution to the AGEFIPH (a civil society organisation dedicated to helping disabled people find work) if the company can’t reach the target. The second is to actually employ disabled Le secteur français de la propreté s’efforce depuis quelques années d’embaucher un plus grand nombre de travailleurs handicapés, avec des résultats impressionnants, rapporte Christian Bouzols.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 16

workers. The third is to subcontract up to three per cent of their workload to specialised entities. The fourth is to hire trainees to a maximum of two per cent of their workforce.

In some parts of Groupe Labrenne nine per cent of employees are disabled. Saritas explains: “We try to keep every disabled worker by examining each case and suggesting alternative roles where necessary.

“In managing our business, we’re willing to make our pro-disability policies known to our customers, who in fact appreciate them greatly. At our company offices, a disabled person sits at the reception to welcome customers. In our dealings with public authorities, we’ve included integration clauses in our contracts. We therefore do everything possible to ensure and give value to the employment of disabled people”.

Since 2009 the cleaning sector has been providing a number of tools to help companies improve their recruitment of disabled workers. These tools include: • A support and assistance system designed to help companies to institute policies for the employment of disabled workers • Disability workshops for companies of all sizes • A club for large companies, called the Handiclub Propreté, which is a meeting place for the exchange of ideas.

So French cleaning companies are very much involved in improving the prospects of disabled cleaners. Saritas concluded: “I have followed the training organised by the cleaning sector and I belong to Handiclub. This has been most useful in developing our human resources programme and we’re rather proud of our company and its rich diversity.”

Die französische Reinigungsbranche bemüht sich seit einigen Jahren darum, verstärkt behinderte Arbeitnehmer einzustellen und kann dabei eindrucksvolle Ergebnisse vorweisen, sagt Christian Bouzols.

Il settore del cleaning francese da molti anni si impegna moltissimo nell’assumere un maggior numero di lavoratori disabili e ha avuto buonissimi risultati, come ci spiega Christian Bouzols.

UPDATE: GERMANY The battle against copies German reporter Thomas Schulte-Marxloh brings news of the battle by the country’s manufacturers against cheap copies of its cleaning machines.

Demand determines supply.

Customers today ask for economical, inexpensive products and want a supplier who can deliver high quality at a low price. This is true for the private sector as well as for the industrial or administrative sector. What looks like a bargain at first sight, however, could simply be a cheap copy of a well-known brand name. Copies are usually made of poor quality materials which result in malfunctions or damage.

Those customers who believe that high-priced branded products are not worth the money will find out how wrong they are; those customers who believed they bought the ‘original’ will be severely disappointed and most likely not purchase a product from that brand again. In the end copycats mean a menace for both, producers and customers.

According to the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) product piracy costs the machinery industry around eight billion euros.

Kärcher recently won a law suit against the Chinese company Wenzhou Haibao - one of the first German companies which successfully initiated legal proceedings because of unfair competition. The trial court of Guangzhou had to decide whether Wenzhou Haibao copied the design of industrial high pressure cleaners in Kärcher’s compact class range. The court decision prohibits the product pirate from producing the respective machine; furthermore he has to provide a compensation payment to the German company.

This was not the first case of product piracy for Kärcher. Since 2005 the company has been selling products in the Chinese market, for example the high Notre correspondant en Allemagne, Thomas Schulte-Marxloh se penche sur le thème de la contrefaçon de produits dans le contexte de l’action intentée avec succès par Kärcher contre une entreprise chinoise.

pressure cleaners HD5/11, HD6/15 and HD7/18. Some years ago the first Haibao copies emerged with an almost identical appearance. As early as 2009 Haibao had a design registered which copied exactly Kärcher’s HD6/15 C. Two years later this registration was declared void by law as Kärcher was able to prove that the HD6/15 C had been sold worldwide, including China, before Haibao’s design registration. Even Haibao’s objections at the Intermediate Court of Beijing and the Higher Court of Beijing were not successful. The design registration remained void.

Kärcher went on to announce forceful actions against violators of industrial property law and Haibao is not the only company in China that has been sued by Kärcher. Several law suits and formal administrative procedures are going on against producers of vacuum cleaners and window cleaners.

The company also initiates legal action against individuals who abuse its registered trademark for other products or try to register similar names. Kärcher believes that the sentence of the court proves how forcefully and successfully violations of intellectual property can be prosecuted in China today. “Our confidence in Chinese courts and administrations has been justified without exception”, says Hartmut Jenner, chairman of the management board of the Kärcher group.

“They have protected our intellectual property to the full extent.

In particular I am glad that all models of our series have been recognised as ‘well-established products’ which will make it easier for us to protect our rights in the future.”

Unser DeutschlandKorrespondent Thomas Schulte-Marxloh beleuchtet das Thema Produktpiraterie, im Anschluss an die erfolgreiche Klage von Kärcher gegen ein chinesisches Unternehmen.

Il corrispondente tedesco Thomas SchulteMarxloh prende in esame la questione della pirateria di prodotti, in seguito al successo dell’azione della Kärcher contro un’azienda cinese.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 17

UPDATE: ITALY Finding an employment model The Italian cleaning sector is trying to establish new ways of employment, writes Anna Garbagna for ECJ. At the end of last year Lorenzo Mattioli, president of Fise ANIP (Confindustria’s National Association of Cleaning companies and Integrated Services), accompanied by the vice president with mandate for work Marzia Giuliani, met Martina NibbelingWriessnig and Henning Grube - responsible for social, work and unions of the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany - to analyse the legal instruments and contractual conditions required to create new job opportunities in Italy, including mini-jobs, which were tested for years in Germany.

From the meeting it emerged that it would also be feasible for Italy to follow this path: this employment model could also represent a turning point in occupation for the integrated services and facility management sectors.

With the right adjustments to Italian work and social legislation, some forms of mini-jobs and easy-jobs would be useful, especially to incentivise forms of 100 per cent tax free employment, to increase other sources of income and interesting for young people and women.

So a programme of joint work was launched which will lead Fise ANIP to formulate a law proposal that will introduce some innovative and protected forms of easy-jobs. “The service sector”, Lorenzo Mattioli declared, “is coming out of anonymity and, while claiming its identity and its skills, it offers itself as an industrial sector which could drive the economy of Italy. If the proposals being examined in the meeting come into force we will be in the position of creating hundreds of new job opportunities in a very short period of time, fighting back Anna Garbagna, notre correspondante en Italie, rend compte d’une récente conférence du secteur italien de la propreté pour discuter de la création de nouvelles opportunités d’emploi.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 18

against illegal labour.”

There was also great interest in the draft of the Framework Legislation on Facility Management, as explained by the minister of defence Mario Mauro to ANIP’s president Lorenzo Mattioli during a meeting held at the ministry.

Mattioli explained to Mauro and his co-workers, among whom there was the chief executive Anita Corrado, the key topics of the proposal. The aim is to give legal identity to the sector of facility management with clear and effective rules to meet the needs of the development of services.

The minister expressed great interest for the initiative, he grasped the strategic importance of it for the true development of the country by facilitating access to the working world by young people, promoting regulated work and creating better qualified companies and services.

Minister Mauro declared his full support, also at government level, for a fast legislative procedure for the approval of the proposal.

“We have appreciated the great helpfulness, competence and positive attention of the minister towards our proposal” declared president Mattioli. “The support shown by the minister is further backing for the work we are pursuing as ANIP with the objective of gaining exposure for the service sector, for its companies and for its workers. Furthermore, for us it is an important acceptance of the proposals put forward by the association whose aim is to give a reference point to all the operators, contractors and suppliers of the wide sector of integrated services.”

Die italienische Reporterin Anna Garbagna berichtet von einer jüngst stattgefundenen Konferenz der Reinigungsindustrie, bei der die Schaffung neuer Arbeitsmöglichkeiten erörtert wurde.

La corrispondente italiana Anna Garbagna ci informa su un meeting del settore del cleaning che si è tenuto di recente nel quale è stata esplorata la possibilità di creare nuove opportunità di lavoro.

UPDATE: RUSSIA Rising costs for contractors Oleg Popov of Cristanval explains how new Russian migration laws are affecting the sector, considering that 85 per cent of Moscow cleaners are foreign.

At the beginning of 2013, President Vladimir Putin introduced the idea of changes in migration laws.

Following unrest in the Moscow region of Birulevo resulting from the illegal activities of a foreigner, changes were brought about quickly. Documents were checked in places where foreigners gather – markets, supermarkets, train stations, and airports. Power structures were reviewed for two months.

Changes were made in legislation regarding the responsibilities of foreigners in Russia. Fines were increased for lack of registration and work permits, and they are now anywhere from 100 to 200 euros. Besides the increase in fines in Moscow, the Moscow Region, St Petersburg and Krasnodar, the mandatory deportation of offending foreigners from Russia was implemented. In other regions around Russia, the courts are allowed to impose fines without deportation.

The Federal Migration Service (FMS) is allowed to prevent a person’s entrance into Russia. If a foreigner in Russia has committed two or more violations within one year, they can be barred from entering the country for two to seven years. This can be any type of violation, including, for example, traffic violations.

Sometimes this is seen at customs when a person attempts to leave Russia, and at other times when they attempt to return. In total, according to the FMS, in 2013, 63,000 migrants were deported, and another 400,000 were barred from entering the country.

Furthermore, fines were increased for legal entities. In the past, they amounted to 3,000 to 16,500 euros for hiring a person without the proper work permits.

Depuis août dernier, les lois relatives au contrôle des migrations ont été resserrées en Russie, alors même que 85 pour cent des agents de nettoyage à Moscou sont des étrangers. Oleg Popov décrit cette situation problématique.

Today they are 16,500 to 31,500 euros.

Since December 1 2013 the procedure has changed for foreigners residing in Russia. In the past they could stay up to 90 days, leave the country, and return immediately. Now, they may stay up to 90 days but are then required to leave for 90 days before returning. A longer stay requires permanent or temporary residency, or legalisation – the receipt of a license or work permit.

President Putin’s new initiative for the expansion of the licensing system to foreign workers in commercial firms (currently, a work permit is required) should make the situation more understandable and civilised. The fundamental decision on its introduction has already been made, but whether it will work depends on the details.

Following the strengthening of legislation and the beginning of mass document-checks, foreign workers have begun demanding higher pay. This is partly due to the decreasing number of foreigners. Many are voluntarily leaving for their home countries. They also understand that they are doing their work more effectively than those from Russia. The labour productivity of any migrant from Central Asia is three times that of a Russian. In fact, a cleaning woman from Central Asia can clean 1,500 square metres in a day, while a Russian can clean a maximum of 600.

The rising cost of foreigners’ services may bring with it rising costs of contracts with cleaning companies. The rising cost to cleaning clients, whether a retail chain or business centre, will ultimately mean an increase in the cost of their products and services to the final customer.

Im vergangenen August wurden die Migrationsgesetze in Russland verschärft, doch gleichzeitig handelt es sich bei 85 Prozent des Reinigungspersonals in Moskau um Ausländer.

Oleg Popov informiert über die Änderungen.

Dallo scorso agosto in Russi le leggi sull’emigrazione sono state inasprite mentre in contemporanea l’85 per cento del personale addetto alle pulizie di Mosca sono stranieri.

Oleg Popov ci aggiorna sulle sfide.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 19

UPDATE: UK Training - a crowded market ECJ’s correspondent in the UK looks at the evolution of training in the industry, and where it goes now.

There are many facets to the cleaning industry - contract cleaning; chemical product sales machine product sales and service maintenance; human resources; carpet cleaning.

Alongside the tall trees of the cleaning jungle, smaller industries have sprouted, which might be likened to hyenas, feeding off the carcasses of the main businesses. They are health and safety, training and more recently the environment, not to mention risk assessment.

All create jobs, management structures and in some cases spread round the body of the cleaning industry like ivy. We are concerned here with one particular growth area, that of training. More than 50 years ago the idea of education in cleaning was born. Initially a sickly child of whom few took notice.

The general public remains doubtful that cleaners might need training and there has been press and television coverage mocking the idea of training for cleaners. But aided by government approvals and even some funding training began to grow.

Manufacturers - seeing an opportunity - backed the idea, sponsored courses as well as certificate presentations.

Wholesale change occurred with the arrival of the concept of outsourcing. Contractors as always considering costs, shied away from expensive (as they saw it) outside training. However the public sector enthusiastically took to training like a duck to water and helped to grow a complex structure of assessors, verifiers and approved centres all of which carried a price tag.

Politicians, discovering that people in training reduced the unemployment statistics, gave a fine impression of helping the ‘hard working man or Le correspondant d’ECJ au RoyaumeUni contemple les activités, telles que la santé, la sécurité et la formation, qui fleurissent actuellement autour du secteur de la propreté.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 20

woman’ and even the work-shy.

A panoply of schemes were initiated and a vast suffocating blanket was cast over training with the creation of organisations to manage and control it, principally by spending large sums of taxpayers’ money.

The skies over the smaller contract cleaning enterprises darkened with the arrival of FM. These FM companies spread across the whole gamut of property facilities and beyond offering all kinds of services. By offering their wares to government thus creating the impression of cutting public service costs. Balance sheets looked healthier and FM companies in some cases made a great deal of money largely without revealing any financial figures. Companies became favourite outsourcing partners who could apparently do no wrong though some recent cases have thrown doubt on this cosy situation.

Training companies benefited from this since the insurers of what were now vast empires, liked the idea of trained employees as part of the impressive packages offered to employers, giving some security against litigation and more and more expensive and profitable cover.

Recently however there has been a swing towards major contract cleaning players organising their own in-house training. True there is no certificate to confirm the training but no bills for outside trainers, verification certificates and so on. Asset Skills, originally set up to boost training and education in the industry but now bereft of government funding, has allied itself to the contractors’ association and one of the FM bodies. Their intention is apparently to move into the already crowded training market.

Der britische ECJKorrespondent betrachtet die Sparten der Reinigungsindustrie, die ein Wachstum zeigen, wie Gesundheit und Sicherheit sowie Schulung.

Il corrispondente britannico di ECJ prende in esame i settori che crescono intorno all’industria del cleaning, per esempio salute e sicurezza e training.

20486

Superior results for proďŹ table sustainable enterprises

Continuous Innovation

People, Performance Operational Efficiency and Safety

Profitable Growth

Sustainability

Working Capital Optimization

Providing facility services in today’s economy is tough. You are asked to deliver it all: savings, sustainability, quality performance and continuous improvement.

Diversey Care understands your challenges. We help with your critical business needs.

Diversey Care is a division of Sealed Air. Our range integrates chemicals, equipment, machines and services into innovative solutions that allow you to work with one single supplier. By delivering superior results, we help create profitable sustainable enterprises for a cleaner, healthier future.

Learn more on www.diversey.com

Innovator Designer Manufacturer

Be smart.

Achieve more.

Brighten up your business With over 65 years of experience in the cleaning industry, Brightwell holds a global presence in 85 countries worldwide.

Our combination of expert designers, high quality standards, modern in-house manufacturing, and large distribution network in all five continents, helps us to offer your business a broad range of services.

Brightwell does not only consistently deliver the highest level of quality and innovation, we go the extra mile.

Come and see our new product range at

Au summum de la qualité.

Chez Brightwell, l’équipe de designers experts travaille en étroite collaboration avec les distributeurs exclusifs de la marque autour du monde et la production high-tech en interne. Il n’est donc pas surprenant que le niveau de qualité et d’innovation chez Brightwell atteigne des altitudes inconcurrencées. Systématiquement.

La calidad como razón de ser.

En Brightwell, el equipo de ingenieros trabaja diariamente en estrecha colaboración con los distribuidores exclusivos de la marca a nivel internacional. Esto, juntamente con la tecnología high-tech utilizada a través de toda la producción de sus productos, da a la empreza un nivel de calidad tal, que es reconocida como un estandar para la industria.

Qualität der Weltklasse.

Erfahrene Designer arbeiten eng zusammen mit exklusiven Händlern auf allen 5 Kontinenten und die hauseigenen Produktionsstätten sind auf dem neuesten Stand der Technik... Kein Wunder also, dass Brightwell stets höchsten Qualitätsansprüchen gerecht wird und immer wieder neue Innovationen liefert.

Make Brightwell Dispensers the ideal partner for your business today! ;V ÄUK V\[ TVYL JHSS \Z UV^ VU

+44 (0)1273 229496 VY ]PZP[

www.brightwell.co.uk

A Bright-Tech Investments Company

WASHROOM HYGIENE

The gender divide?

There was a time when gents’ toilets tended to be grubbier, smellier and less well-equipped than ladies’ facilities. But with the rise of the metrosexual man and a growing interest in male grooming, has this position changed?

ECJ finds out about current expectations in male and female washrooms – and whether these are being met.

“The younger male generation is much more interested in their environment and their appearance than they used to be, and even today’s older men have become a little more metrosexual.”

Sexism is being challenged in almost every facet of today’s society, and equality is being pioneered by all. But public washrooms in many European countries are still coyly separated by gender. And since few of us visit the washrooms of the opposite sex it can be difficult for anyone but premises managers to find out how these facilities compare.

Anecdotal evidence would suggest that items such as fresh flowers, mirrors, tissues and hand creams are more likely to appear in ladies’ washrooms than in the gents’. But today’s men are much more concerned about aesthetics – and their appearance - than they once were.

Recent research from Mintel reveals that the US and UK men’s grooming markets are growing steadily, while beauty and personal care launches aimed specifically at men increased globally by 70 per cent over the past six years.

So it is logical to assume that today’s men are also more discerning about their toilets. Head of product management at Hagleitner Dr Georg Steiner confirms this to be the case and adds that today’s gents’ and ladies’ facilities have become very similar.

“We have carried out studies that show women to be more sensitive and have higher expectations of washroom standards than men, but there is only a difference of a few per cent,” he said.

“In some washrooms the air freshener fragrance differs from the ladies to the gents but we provide the same soaps, hand towels, toilet paper, air fresheners, hand creams and hand disinfection for the washrooms of both sexes.”

Metsä Tissue’s UK and Ireland sales director Mark Dewick says this was not always the case, however. “In the past men would use washrooms in a functional way and were not really concerned about their surroundings,” he said. “They didn’t need a mirror; they were not worried about the lighting and they would simply go in, use the facility, wash their hands sometimes - and then come out again.

“However women’s toilets were felt to be different and many of them acquired items such as air fresheners, personal care products, a mirror and good lighting.”

A survey conducted by Metsä Tissue in 2007 revealed that women use an average of three hand towels after using the toilet. “The men – well let’s just say the hand towel sleeve lasted much longer in the male facilities,” said Dewick. But he adds that today’s men are becoming much more fastidious. “The younger male generation is much more interested in their environment and their appearance than they used to be, and even today’s older men have become a little more metrosexual,” says Dewick.

“A better acceptance of all gender states along with sexual equality - and more importantly, role equality – is also playing a part. A growing number of single fathers are acting as carers nowadays and no-one wants to take a baby or small child into an unhygienic environment.”

He says many venues in town centres now have communal toilets. “Even new or refurbished office buildings may provide a common entrance to shared facilities, though the cubicles themselves may be separate,” he said. “This has placed pressure on those venues to provide a more consistent feel and has raised the quality and attractiveness of washrooms in general since the providers need to be able to appeal to the entire spectrum.”

Brand manager of P&L Systems Francesca Hay says washroom expectations have changed across the board over the past few years. “Both men and women expect more from washrooms than they did a decade ago,” she said.

“There is a tendency to think women feel more strongly about the state of their washrooms, but it is increasingly becoming a concern for men as well. In recent years, ladies’ and men’s facilities have become more similar and some bars and nightclubs now offer unisex facilities. Where both sexes use the same Continued page 26

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 25

WASHROOM HYGIENE The gender divide? (continued)

“Away-from-home washrooms tend not to be equipped according to gender but on the specific requirements of the washroom itself –such as whether factors such as hygiene, image or cost is of paramount importance in that setting.”

washrooms it is even more important that standards are high so that neither sex is disappointed.”

She adds that the traditional provision of baby-changing equipment in ladies’ washrooms has also changed. “There is now the expectation of a whole separate baby facility complete with changing table and nappy bin in the gents’ as well,” she said. “Today’s users expect to see a clean, safe and hygienic facility with the correct equipment in all washrooms.”

Hay claims that air fragrancing is becoming more popular both in ladies’ and gents’ washrooms to create a pleasant first impression. “However, customers often choose a masculine fragrance such as our Adrenalin product for male washrooms and a more complex fragrance from our Precious range - reminiscent of expensive perfumes - for female toilets,” she says. “And in unisex washrooms fragrance can play an integral role in making the facilities feel more welcoming.

A neutral citrus scent is often used here since citrus is well known to mask odours.“ According to Hay, gents’ toilets sometimes require extra fragrancing due to odour problems associated with urinals.

“The most successful way of tackling this is to supply a urinal sleeve which contains enzymes to keep urinal pipes clear,” she Des fabricants de systèmes pour toilettes nous renseignent sur leurs attentes concernant les équipements pour hommes et femmes, sur les différences réelles entre ces équipements, et sur l’avènement de l’égalité homme-femme en matière de toilettes publiques.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 26

said. In fact she believes this need for a higher level of odour control in the gents’ – plus the requirement for a sanitary waste disposal unit in the ladies’ - have become the only key differences.

Hoteliers confirm more standardised washrooms are becoming the rule.

Resident manager at the Sands Resort and Spa in Mauritius Patrick Chan says the men’s and women’s washrooms at his hotel are equipped almost identically.

“Both the ladies’ and gents’ toilets are decorated with a simple arrangement of tropical flowers, face towels, a box of tissues, liquid soap, electric hand dryer and an automatic air freshener sprayer,” he said. “The only difference is that in the gents’ there are urinary bowls containing naphthalene balls while in the ladies’ there is a container for sanitary pads.”

Communications manager of upmarket hotel chain Mövenpick Tina Seller also feels the differences have become relatively minor. “Both male and female toilets at our hotels have baby changing tables, though there are make-up tables and hygiene units in the ladies and of course urinals in the gents’,” she said.

Excel Dryer’s vice president of marketing and key accounts William Gagnon says one of the major differences between men’s and women’s washrooms is the need for a higher level of maintenance in men’s rooms. “The misuse of paper towels clogs not only the toilets, but the urinals too,” he said.

He agrees with other manufacturers that men are becoming increasingly discerning about washroom standards. “A recent Cintas Corporation survey revealed that more than 94 per cent of US adults would avoid a business in the future if they encountered dirty washrooms,” said Gagnon. “With an increasingly critical male audience, businesses and commercial facilities should be keeping washroom cleanliness for both males and females top of mind.”

Product and segment manager of Tork manufacturer SCA Charlotte Branwhite agrees that the basic functional requirements of a washroom are the same whether it is aimed at men or women.

“Washrooms for both sexes need to be hygienic; have a good appearance; function reliably and also be easy to clean and maintain,” she said.

However, she adds that expectations have risen sharply over recent years both among men and women. “This is partly due to an increased awareness of the need for hygiene following incidents such as the swine flu scare,” she said.

“Meanwhile, an increasing number of men are using products such as moisturisers and lip balms and are more concerned about their appearance than the days when a comb was the only ‘male grooming product’ most would require.”

Branwhite adds that ‘extras’ designed to impress customers in smart hotels and restaurants have increasingly begun creeping into men’s facilities as well.

“However, it is doubtful whether makeup stations, tissues and hand creams will be as appreciated in the gents’ as the ladies’,” she adds. “And away-from-home washrooms tend not to be equipped according to gender but on the specific requirements of the washroom itself – such as whether factors such as hygiene, image or cost is of paramount importance in that setting.”

Kimberly-Clark’s UK end user marketing manager Suzanne Halley agrees with this viewpoint. “The uptake of our core products is identical and the same quality toilet tissue, hand towels and soap is provided regardless of gender,” she says.

“Both sexes expect a certain level of hygiene, care and comfort when using a washroom - especially those at work.”

She agrees with SCA’s Branwhite that product choices tend to be made more on the type of washroom than on the gender at which it is aimed. “For example a washroom in an office is more likely to provide moisturisers, air fresheners and facial tissues than a high-traffic facility at a train station, airport or stadium,” she said. “And we see air fresheners installed in both gents’ and ladies’ washrooms nowadays. However, women do tend to spend more time in the washroom than men and are therefore likely to have higher standards.”

She believes that gents’ and ladies’ facilities will continue to become more similar over the years. “People’s awareness of hygiene is increasing in general and I think both genders will continue to demand higher levels of hygiene, cleanliness and comfort,” says Halley.

Wir befragen Hersteller von Waschraumsystemen nach den aktuellen Erwartungen, die an Waschräume für Damen und Herren gestellt werden, wie sie sich voneinander unterschieden und ob eine Gleichstellung der Waschräume erzielt wird.

Chiediamo ai produttori di sistemi per le sale da toilette quali siano le loro aspettative attuali per i bagni per uomini e per quelli delle donne; le differenze che tempo fa presentavano fra di loro e se stanno raggiungendo l’ugliaglianza fra di loro oppure no.

Hall 10, Stand 10.203

www.kcprofessional.co.uk

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

• Soft Care Sensations est l’appellation des distributeurs de savon proposés par Diversey Care pour toilettes dans l’hôtellerie.

• Le nouveau sèche-mains XLERATOReco présenté par Ecel Dryer recourt à une technologie “sans chaleur” pour sécher les mains en 15 secondes.

• Pod Petite est la nouvelle adjonction à la gamme pour rejet sanitaire SaniPod, qui s’installe dans des WC exigus.

• Bei Soft Care Sensations handelt es sich um die Produktreihe mit Seifenspendern von Diversey Care, die gezielt für Hotelwaschräume konzipiert wurde.

• Der neue Handtrockner XLERATOReco von Excel Dryer setzt „hitzelose“ Technologie ein, um Hände in 15 Sekunden zu trocknen.

• Pod Petite, die neueste Ergänzung zur Produktreihe SaniPod mit Hygienebehältern, wurde für die kleinsten Waschräume konzipiert.

• Soft Care Sensations è la gamma di dispenser di saponi prodotta dalla Diversey Care progettata per i bagni degli hotel.

• Il nuovo asciugamani XLERATOReco prodotto dalla Excel Dryer utilizza la tecnologia ‘senza calore’ per asciugare le mani in 15 secondi.

• Pod Petite è il nuovo prodotto della gamma di portarifiuti sanitari SaniPod ed è progettato per le sale da toilette più piccole.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 28

Soap sensation

Aimed specifically at hotel washrooms is the Soft Care Sensations dispenser system from Diversey Care - the company says it is the most configurable and customisable range available.

Owners can specify the colour of the cover and add their own wording and designs. Covers can also be changed to accommodate special messages. The dispensers are supplied with hand soap and shampoo/shower gel from well-known brands. Product is supplied in 250 ml cartridges that reduce the amount of packaging needed. www.softcaresensations.com

Clean cut The new XLERATOReco warm air hand dryer from Excel Dryer uses No Heat technology to dry hands in 15 seconds or less. It does this while using 500 watts, making it energy efficient and environmentally responsible says the company. In fact it uses over 60 per cent less energy than standard XLERATOR models.

Accessories include noise reduction nozzle, HEPA filtration system with washable pre-filter, antimicrobial wall guards and XChanger towel dispenser retrofit kit. www.exceldryer.com

Petite disposal SaniPod has expanded its sanitary disposal range with the addition of Pod Petite, designed for the smallest washrooms or those where daily/weekly

servicing is required. The unit combines designer style with functionality, the company boasts, and it comes in black and white with touch-free and manual models.

The user simply places her hand over the sensor area and the lid will open and close automatically and silently. The smart chip sensor technology uses batteries that provide over 60,000 activations.

The wall-mounted design makes for easy cleaning under and around the unit, while the opening simplifies easy posting of waste and with no modesty tray, it eliminates unsightly surfaces and trapping of waste.

For service personnel there is no exposure to waste and the liner cassette features a perforated roll for quick and easy servicing. Liners are made of ‘oxo-biodegradable’ plastic that will degrade in a short timescale - antimicrobial and fragranced options are available. www.sanipod.com

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

The essentials

One dispenser

Tork manufacturer SCA offers a range of products for the busy washrooms of shopping centres, service stations, stadiums and other environments where a large throughput of visitors need to be catered for.

The high-capacity Tork Matic Hand Towel Roll dispenser, for example, is particularly suitable for high-traffic environments where cost in use is an important consideration. This model holds sufficient paper for up to 400 visitors and is available in Premium, Advanced and Universal qualities.

Tork Elevation dispensers for Tork Singlefold and Multifold hand towels are also highly suitable for washrooms in public environments. These durable units have a semi-transparent window that makes it easy to see when refilling is needed.

With all dispensers only one towel is dispensed at a time to reduce over-consumption. www.tork.co.uk

Stoko Refresh has developed its four-lines concept, consisting of three hand care product lines and one dispenser range.

The Hygiene Line comprises active biocidal products to meet the highest hygiene standards, while the Green Line products have been awarded a number of ecolabels - boasting effective

cleansing and skin compatibility.

Incorporating a skin conditioning care foam and a hair & body shower gel is the Extra Line, which Stoko says incorporates new technologies and high quality ingredients.

The all-in-one system allows the user to use foam, spray, lotion or gel without the need to change dispenser. Available in

different colours and sizes. www.stoko-refresh.com

Touch-free SureFlo automatic countermounted soap dispensers from Bobrick are designed to reduce operating costs, reduce waste and simplify maintenance. Features include no-touch fibre-optic technology for precision and hygiene, ergonomic top-filling port for use with bulk soaps and portion control. Available for liquid and foam soaps.

The company’s automatic roll paper towel dispenser range feature notouch activation and can accept most roll paper towels. They are available surface-mounted, semi-recessed and in a cabinet with a five-litre waste bin. www.bobrick.co.uk

• SCA, le fabricant des produits Tork, propose des équipements pour toilettes de centres commerciaux, de stades, et d’autres environnement à fort trafic.

• Les produits d’hygiène des mains relevant des trois gammes Stoko Refresh sont tous conçus pour être compatibles avec un seul distributeur.

• Aux dires de son fabricant, les distributeurs automatiques de savon monté sur comptoir Bobrick SureFlow font tomber les frais d’exploitation et les déchets.

• SCA, Hersteller der Tork-Systeme, bietet Produkte für die Waschräume in Einkaufszentren, Stadien und allen stark frequentierten Umgebungen.

• Die Handhygieneprodukte der drei Stoko Refresh-Produktreihen wurden alle konzipiert, um mit einem Spender kompatibel zu sein.

• Bobrick teilt mit, dass der automatische Seifenspender SureFlow die Betriebskosten senkt und Abfall verringert.

• La SCA, produttrice del sistema Tork, propone prodotti per le sale da toilette dei centri commerciali, degli stadi e di tutti gli ambienti dove c’e’ molta affluenza di persone.

• I prodotti per l’igiene delle mani delle tre linee della Stoko Refresh sono tutti progettati per essere compatibili con un unico dispenser.

• La Bobrick afferma che i suoi dispenser automatici di sapone montati a parete SureFlo abbassano i costi operativi e riducono gli sprechi.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 29

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

• La gamme Aquarius de distributeurs Kimberly-Clark est agencée pour être à la fois hygiénique et facile à nettoyer.

• Le système de rafraîchissement de l’air AirSenz proposé par Control Zone Products diffuse 16 fragrances.

• Metsä Tissue propose l’Easy Picks, un module compact, léger et très portable à serviettes pour les mains.

• Die Spender der Produktreihe Aquarius von Kimberly-Clark sind gleichzeitig hygienisch und einfach zu reinigen.

• Das Lufterfrischersystem AirSenz von Control Zone Products bietet 16 Düfte.

• Bei Easy Picks handelt es sich um die kompakte, leichte und leicht zu tragende Handtuchlösung von Metsä Tissue.

• La gamma di dispenser Aquarius della Kimberly-Clark è stata progettata per essere igienica e allo stesso tempo facile da pulire.

• Il sistema per rinfrescare l’aria AirSenz della Control Zone Products offre la scelta di 16 fragranze.

• Easy Picks è la soluzione per asciugamani in carta, compatta, leggera e facile da trasportare per portare prodotta dalla Metsä Tissue.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 30

Easy to clean

All natural

Among Kimberly-Clark’s dispenser ranges is the Aquarius line which has been developed to maintain high levels of hygiene while also being easy to maintain. The smooth, easy-towipe design has no joins and dirt traps allowing them to be cleaned thoroughly.

The folded hand towel and folded toilet tissue dispensers also include a patented overfill device.

A recent addition has been visual management for quick identification of what product goes into which dispenser, allowing for rapid replenishment. This colour coding system has the added benefit of allowing staff and users to identify the skincare product inside. www.kcprofessional.com

The AirSenz line of air fragrancing systems from Control Zone Products use a high percentage of natural perfumes, says the company. There are 16 different fragrances which can be supplied with programmable dispensing systems.

The company’s DrySenz line of low energy warm air hand dryers boast a dry time of between 10 and 15 seconds. For maximum hygiene there is the iFlow Compact which has HEPA 13 filter protection, Agion antibacterial coating and ION generator. www.controlzoneproducts.co.uk

Self-contained Katrin Easy Picks are Metsä Tissue’s latest range of selfcontained, lightweight and easy to carry hand towels designed

to offer instant access wherever you are.

The name refers to the enhanced sleeve opening, with each sleeve containing hypoallergenically tested towels.

The plastic sleeves protect the products from moisture, grease and dirt wherever they are used while the built-in dispenser is easy to open and delivers towels one at a time.

Metsä says the new wider towel gives a greater drying surface area, improving cost in use because one towel is always enough. And the new pack design quickly indicates how much product is left in the pack. www.katrin.com

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

Active paper

Flexible

Papernet developed an active toilet tissue that uses Biologically Active Tissue Paper (BATP) technology to help keep pipes and sewage systems clean. Biotech contains five types of harmless micro-organism which are activated when the tissue comes into contact with water, producing enzymes that feed on dirt.

The manufacturer says the results will be apparent in four weeks and the sanitising effect of Biotech will free drains, eliminate

The key to the Modular and Mercury soap dispenser ranges, says Brightwell, lies in the flexible mechanism based on the interchangeability of the pumps and containers.

Different pumps - including soap, liquid, spray and industrial - as well as two types of containers, cartridge and pouch, can be fitted to all models. This reduces distribution constraints and enables easy upgrading from one product to another.

A fully disposable pump and pouch system is also available to ensure hygiene integrity within highly sensitive environments. www.brightwell.co.uk

bad smells and fight the effects of dirt. This reduces the need for mechanical cleaning of sewers and cuts down on maintenance costs. Once the micro-organisms have completed their work they simply biodegrade, leaving no residue. www.biotech.papernet.it

No prints The new SanTRAL NSU Touchless soap and disinfectant dispenser from Ophardt is made of stainless steel and features an Anti-Fingerprint Coating (AFP).

This, the company says, reduces

• Le papier hygiénique Bio Tech produit par Papernet utilise du papier de soie biologiquement actif pour assurer la propreté des canalisations.

• Brightwell précise que la clé de sa gamme de distributeurs de savon Modular et Mercury réside dans leur mécanisme flexible autorisant l’emploi de différentes pompes.

• La dernière adjonction à la gamme Ophardt est le distributeur de savon et désinfectant SanTRAL NSU Touchless.

fingerprint marks on the unit and makes for easier cleaning.

Three versions are available, to dispense liquid soaps, foam soaps and alcohol-based disinfectants (spray). And there is a five-year warranty. www.ophardt.com

Next edition of ECJ - April/May

• Das Toilettenpapier Bio Tech von Papernet setzt BATP-Technologie (Biologically Active Tissue Paper) ein, die bei der Rohrreinigung hilft.

• Laut Brightwell ist ein wichtiger Aspekt bei den Produktreihen Modular und Mercury mit Seifenspendern der flexible Mechanismus, der den Einsatz verschiedener Pumpen ermöglicht.

• Die neueste Ergänzung im Angebot von Ophardt ist der berührungslose Seifenund Desinfektionsmittelspender SanTRAL NSU Touchless.

• La carta igienica Bio Tech della Papernet utilizzat la tecnologia Biologically Active Tissue Paper (BATP) per aiutare a mantenere puliti i tubi di scarico.

• La Brightwell afferma che la chiave del successo delle gamme di dispenser di sapone Modular e Mercury sta nel meccanismo flessibile che permette l’uso di diversi tipi di pompe.

• Il nuovo prodotto della Ophardt è il dispenser di sapone e di disinfettante SanTRAL NSU Touchless.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 33

INTEGRATED HYGIENE SOLUTIONS

Hall 10 Stand 10.105

The POD Reduce your paper consumption by up to 20% The POD is an auto-cut paper towel dispenser with one of the largest capacities on the market. With its clever reserve roll mechanism the POD prevents paper wastage whilst saving you money and reducing your impact on the environment.

www.kennedy-hygiene.com

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM HYGIENE

Clean cut

Following on from the success of the Rico Autocut paper towel dispenser, Steiner has employed the same high quality blade technology to develop the Simplecut. These blades, says the company, can guarantee tens of thousands of clean, straight cuts.

The Simplecut is among the smallest towel dispensers on the market, Steiner claims, with small dimensions that can hold a standard roll of 200 mm and height 200 mm. The roll core can vary from 38 to 45 mm and it works with one- or two-ply paper rolls. www.steinersystem.com

Natural scourer

Measured soap

Ecological paper

US Pumice Company specialises in abrasive cleaning products made from natural and manmade pumice. Its Pumie scourer is claimed to clean faster than scrubbing with brushes or pads to remove stains and grime.

When used with water or cleaning agent pumice can rid porcelain, tile and concrete of all kinds of grime and deposits without labour intensive work. www.uspumice.com

The touch-free LTX-12 hand soap dispenser from GOJO senses the presence of hands to dispense to measured amount of soap. Sanitary sealed refills snap into place, allow operatives to work more efficiently.

The addition of a Messenger dispenser station means hand washing units can also be used for promotional or educational messaging purposes. www.gojo.com

EcoNatural from Lucart Professional is a tissue made from Fiberpack, pulp fibres made from recycling beverage cartons.

Lucart says the quality of the unbleached cellulose fibres found in beverage cartons are comparable to virgin fibres therefore offer good resistance, absorbency and softness in the finished tissue product. www.lucartprofessional.com

• Le distributeur automatique d’essuiemains Simplecut compte parmi les moins encombrants du marché, déclare Steiner, son fabricant.

• US Pumice Company propose des solutions de propreté recourant à la pierre ponce, un ingrédient naturel qui peut servir pour le nettoyage à fond et le récurage.

• Le distributeur de savon pour les mains LTX-12 signé GOJO est sans contact et à cartouches de recharge sanitaire scellées.

• Le tissu-éponge Lucart Professional EcoNatural est fabriqué en Fiberpack, c’est-à-dire, en fibres de pulpe issues du recyclage de cartons de boissons.

• Steiner teilt mit, dass der automatische Papierhandtuchspender Simplecut einer der kleinsten am Markt ist.

• US Pumice Company bietet Reinigungslösungen unter Verwendung von Bimsstein, einem Naturprodukt, das sich zum Scheuern und Reinigen eignet.

• Der berührungslose Handseifenspender LTX-12 von GOJO wird mit SANITARY SEALEDNachfüllpackungen bestückt.

• Lucart Professional EcoNaturalPapier wird aus Fiberpack hergestellt - Papierfasern, die durch das Recycling von Getränkekartons gewonnen werden.

• La Steiner afferma che il dispenser automatico di asciugamani in carta Simplecut è fra i più piccoli sul mercato.

• La US Pumice Company propone soluzioni per le pulizie utilizzando la pomice, un ingrediente naturale che può essere usato per pulire e anche come abrasivo.

• Il dispenser di sapone per mani LTX12 prodotto dalla GOJO è touch-free e utilizza ricambi sigillati e igienici.

• La carta asciugamani EcoNatural della Lucart Professional è prodotta in Fiberpack, polpa di fibre derivanti dal riciclo dei cartoni per le bibite.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 35

ISSA/INTERCLEAN AMSTERDAM

25th edition celebration Europe’s largest event for the professional cleaning sector ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam - takes place from May 6-9 in the Netherlands. And this year the organisers are promising the biggest show yet, as it celebrates its 25th edition.

Ahead of the special show guide edition in April/May, ECJ looks at how the organisers will be celebrating and what new features visitors can look forward to at this year’s exhibition.

ECJ is official media partner of the ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam exhibition.

Europe’s largest event for the professional cleaning sector - ISSA/INTERCLEAN takes place from May 6-9 in Amsterdam.

And this year the organisers are promising the biggest show yet, as it celebrates its 25th edition.

“We are working on special ways to mark this great occasion and we promise you a festive 25th birthday event,” said Rob den Hertog, Amsterdam RAI’s manager for ISSA/INTERCLEAN. The 2014 show will have over 150 new exhibitors and there will be dedicated Washroom, High Pressure and Steam Cleaning areas.

New is the Outdoor Demo Show, which will be a platform for outdoor cleaning demonstrations.

The last exhibition in 2012 attracted 28,001 visits, 72 per cent of them from outside the Netherlands. Some 670 manufacturers from 42 countries presented their latest products.

Steam cleaning The exhibition will feature a dedicated Steam Cleaning area for the first time.

This means steam cleaning equipment manufacturers will be positioned together. in order to enable visitors to better plan their visit.

“The steam cleaning sector has rapidly developed in recent years, and shifted from mainly consumer appliances to better and broader solutions for the professional market, witnessed also by the expanding number of steam cleaning manufacturers exhibiting at ISSA/ INTERCLEAN,” explained Rob den Hertog.

“By creating a Steam Cleaning pavilion we want to highlight the developments and innovations that have taken place in recent years,” he added. “And at the same time better facilitate the visitor.

In our evaluations the Washroom and High Pressure dedicated pavilions were widely recognised as helping the visitors

La 25ème édition du salon ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam aura lieu du 6 au 9 mai et ses organisateurs ont promis une manifestation festive.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 36

Die 25. ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam wird vom 6.-9.

Mai stattfinden, und die Organisatoren versprechen ein besonders festliches Ereignis.

in their time management by clustering companies in those specific segments together.”

The Steam Cleaning pavilion will be located in hall 11, which has direct access to an outdoor demonstration area.

Amsterdam Innovation Award One of the biggest highlights of the exhibition is always the presentation of the Amsterdam Innovation Award, and this year’s winner will be announced during a special ceremony on the opening day. The list of finalists will be announced shortly. Visit the ECJ website at www. europeancleaningjournal.com and read it there first.

Meeting programme As usual there will be a programme of interesting meetings and seminars to attend, including a Women’s Forum and a meeting of global industry associations being organised by ISSA. Seminar topics include the European Biocidal Directive, Balancing Sustainability Goals While Maintaining Effective Hygiene and Why Hygiene is Important in the Washroom.

How it started The story begins when Interclean was born in Amsterdam’s famous Café Hoppe when two window cleaners came up with the idea to organise an exhibition dedicated to cleaning.

The first edition took place in 1967 and after that every two years - and in 1998 an alliance was made with with ISSA and the show became ISSA/INTERCLEAN. For information on planning your trip to Amsterdam, go to issainterclean.com •The April/May edition of ECJ will feature a complete show guide to ISSA/ INTERCLEAN. Make sure you request your copy at europeancleaningjournal.com La 25ˆ edizione della ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam si terrà dal 6 al 9 maggio e gli organizzatori hanno promesso un evento veramente speciale.

Simple and effective cleaning in Great Brita in ade M

Battery or Cable the TT/TTB1840 will be sure to match, or exceed your expectations.

TTB1840 and TT1840

!"

#

$ %

&

# &

&

$

'

& &

& #

&

$ Easy change brush

Simple controls

Adjustable handle

Optional extra battery

Book your FREE on-site demonstration today‌ Call 01460 269314 www.numatic.co.uk

www.numatic.de

www.numatic.ch

TT1840 TTB1840

www.numatic.fr

www.numatic.nl

www.numatic.co.za

Numatic International Limited, Chard, Somerset, TA20 2GB Tel: 01460 68600 Fax: 01460 68458 5\TH[PJ 0U[LYUH[PVUHS 3PTP[LK :WLJPĂ„JH[PVU Z\IQLJ[ [V JOHUNL ^P[OV\[ WYPVY UV[PJL

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE

Cleaning in the spotlight Outbreaks of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) have made the news across Europe, bringing the issue of hygiene into the spotlight.

ECJ asks cleaning service providers what their main challenges are when working in hospitals, and how their processes have altered in recent years in line with better knowledge and higher standards.

Healthcare hygiene has been a hot topic in the news in recent years, as outbreaks of various Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) have taken hold in hospitals across Europe. This has very much brought the issues surrounding cleanliness and hygiene under the spotlight, and cleaning service providers have come under increased scrutiny. ECJ spoke to a number of the leading companies providing cleaning services to Europe’s hospitals about the greatest challenges they are facing at the present time.

Janine de Vries, product manager healthcare at Gom ZorgSupport – which specialises in cleaning and related facility services in health care institutions in the Netherlands – explained its main objective is to meet the needs of its customers.

“We notice the importance of cleaning in healthcare is increasing and budgets at the same time are decreasing,” he said.

“This means we have to ensure every

day all our staff are strictly following all protocols related to infection control.

At the same time we must ensure our cleaners increasingly become service hosts who have an important role in giving the patients a good experience.

This requires a cultural change but also smarter solutions, because we have to meet all these requirements and at the same time we must lower our costs.”

“Infection prevention and control is being more and more highly scrutinised than ever before, and we expect this trend to continue as healthcare providers seek to offer the best levels of patient care,” commented Lauren Kyle, cleaning development manager at Sodexo.

“The biggest challenge for facilities management partners providing cleaning services is that in this crucial aspect of patient care, each client site will have slightly different procedures for infection prevention and control.”

Kyle continued: “As service providers operating across multiple sites this challenge is an opportunity to work closely with each individual client to understand exactly how we can fit into their existing policies and procedures.”

From the OCS Group’s point of view there have been no new major challenges in terms of dealing with HAI outbreaks in recent years. Healthcare director Petra Moss explained: “Through our experience as providers of specialist healthcare cleaning services to a number of healthcare providers across the country, our teams have been highly trained and gained in-depth knowledge of how to deal with HAIs, their associated risks and their specific behaviours, such as the seasonal peaks of the Norovirus from November through to February.”

Outbreak prevention Gom ZorgSupport’s quality manager Peter Hartog talked about some of the other key challenges being faced by cleaning companies with particular regard to infection prevention.

• The collaboration between cleaning

companies and other parties in the hospital like hygienists and nurses. To prevent outbreaks of HAIs an integral approach is needed. Because there are many parties involved, it can be difficult to streamline communication, working processes and responsibilities • The working processes and protocols in nursing homes. The infection prevention policy in many nursing homes is not as professional as in hospitals. For example there is a lack of certain protocols. This is a challenge for cleaning companies, but also an opportunity, because they can offer added value by offering expertise • Lack of clarity about who is responsible for the cleaning of elements like wheelchairs or infusion poles • The importance of adapting the level of cleaning to the level of infection risk.

The level of infection risk, however, can change from patient to patient and from moment and moment. This makes it hard to standardise cleaning processes.

Ensure compliance So, as knowledge about risk areas has improved in recent years and the requirement for higher cleaning standards has intensified, have the procedures undertaken by service providers when working in hospitals altered significantly?

Sodexo’s Lauren Kyle explained: “Cleaning service providers must work closely with hospitals to ensure compliance as contractually obliged depending on the year specified. For example in the UK, NHS trusts are governed by National Standards, which have steadily increased in scope and scrutiny since 2004.”

She continued: “As you go into patient areas now there are a lot more materials for infection control, such as bacterial soaps and wipes. On a monthly basis nursing staff are carrying out audits and feeding back to senior nurses.”

“Our cleaning services are no longer only tailored to the general requirements hospitals have, instead we have divided the hospital into different areas and Continued page 40

February/March 2014 | ECJ |39

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE Cleaning in the spotlight (continued)

“Infection prevention and control is being more and more highly scrutinised than ever before, and we expect this trend to continue as healthcare providers seek to offer the best levels of patient care.”

adapted our cleaning services to the requirements of the specific area,” explained Janine de Vries at Gom. “Because of this we are able to have a stronger focus on infection prevention in high risk areas like intensive care units and surgery rooms, while also concentrating on hospitality in public areas.

“As a consequence our approach of scheduling the staff has been changed too. Our cleaners in surgery rooms now have a different profile than our cleaners in nursing areas for example.”

She continued: “Disinfection policies in hospitals have also altered. We are more aware of the negative effects of chlorine, therefore we disinfect only when it is really necessary. Besides that we are looking for an appropriate alternative to chlorine.

“We have also noticed that transparency has become increasingly important in that hospitals must now be able to prove the cleaning process is well organised. So cleaning companies keep better records of their working processes and quality measurements are constantly evolving.”

These evolutions in the service provision inevitably mean changes in cleaning staff training requirements, as Lauren Kyle explained. “All cleaning staff are trained in infection prevention and control, working with cleaning managers and the hospital infection control training team, with a refresher every six months. All our staff carry an infection control passport book, Les infections nosocomiales ont été médiatisées à travers l’Europe, braquant les projecteurs sur le thème de l’hygiène hospitalière. ECJ demande à des prestataires de services quels sont les défis à relever en travaillant dans des hôpitaux et en quoi leurs procédés ont changés ces dernières années en réponse aux progrès des connaissances et des normes d’hygiène.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 40

which expires after a year to identify when they need to take an infection control exam to renew their passport.

“This forms part of a structured and comprehensive training programme, which is a key component of Sodexo’s cleaning offers for healthcare environments.

There’s increased focus for cleaning service providers on touch points, for example, which means that as well as cleaning the whole area, more frequent cleaning is necessary on places like door handles and patient dining surfaces places from where infection is more likely to spread.”

“We certainly now offer more education to our hospital cleaners now, and a greater level of specialised training,” said Peter Hartog. “For example cleaning in cleanrooms. Also our training and management style has developed from instructing and telling our staff how to work to coaching and explaining to our staff why they work in a certain way.”

Manufacturers of cleaning solutions too are playing a significant role in improving working methods and the final result.

“There is continual work in upgrading the effectiveness of microfibre cloths and flat mopping systems already in use,” said Kyle. “UVC technology is also being used increasingly in healthcare environments as an addition to the cleaning regime.”

“The introduction of microfibre resulted in major improvements in cleaning,” agrees de Vries. “Although this is an innovation that has already been in use for a long time now, it is still worth mentioning because it helps cleaning companies to prevent cross-contamination.

“Another key development is that cleaning products are become more and more ergonomic, easier to clean and easier to use. As a result the continuity and productivity of our staff has increased. The telescope pole, the two-sided mop and the smaller and more mobile scrubbing machines are good examples of that.”

Hartog continued: “We also see new floor maintenance solutions which makes it possible to integrate periodic floor maintenance into daily floor maintenance. Another interesting trend is that companies from outside the cleaning industry are introducing

innovative solutions. In collaboration with an IT company, for example, we at Gom ZorgSupport are developing a scheduling and communication tool which helps us to adapt our cleaning activities to patient occupation levels and specific needs.”

To keep abreast of the latest risks and up-to-date knowledge about hygiene matters in healthcare then, service providers must collaborate more and more closely with each hospital’s infection control personnel. Peter Hartog explained: “Four times a year we meet with the hygienists at the hospitals. During this meeting we talk about developments and bottlenecks related to infection control and discuss how we can respond to this so we can improve our services.”

Janine de Vries added: “Furthermore we contact hospital infection control personnel immediately in cases when we see infection risks. Vice versa the hospital infection control personnel contact us when infection outbreaks happen, in case procedures have changed or they have any specific advice about how we can prevent infection more effectively.

And our quality officer is responsible for following infection control trends by visiting exhibitions and keeping in touch with experts in the field.”

“Cleaning service managers have to work closely with infection control personnel as we are governed by their policies and procedures, which include training of our staff,” said Lauren Kyle.

The crucial role now being played by cleaning service providers in all hospitals was summarised by OCS’s Petra Moss.

“An experienced cleaning contractor plays an intrinsic part in keeping a hospital scrupulously clean, working hand-in-glove with HAI teams to give continual support and advice on compliance, efficiency of procedures, innovation, and value for money in order to deliver an optimum service. We also advise on policies and training in other areas which are key to infection control such as hand hygiene.

“Our teams have tried and tested products and methods to achieve the most effective and best value service. Our clients rely on us to identify and alert them to any new products or methods which could potentially add value to the cleaning and infection control offering.”

Ausbrüche von Krankenhausinfektionen haben überall in Europa für Schlagzeilen gesorgt und das Problem der Hygiene in den Mittelpunkt des Interesses gerückt.

Das ECJ befragt Anbieter von Reinigungsdiensten nach den größten Herausforderungen bei der Arbeit in Krankenhäusern und wie sich ihre Methoden in der jüngsten Vergangenheit aufgrund besserer Kenntnisse und höherer Standards geändert haben.

Le epidemie di infezioni acquisite in ospedale (Hospital Acquired Infections-HAI) hanno fatto notizia in tutta Europa, mettendo sotto i riflettori il problema dell’igiene. ECJ chiede ai fornitori di servizi di cleaning quali siano le loro sfide più importanti quando lavorano negli ospedali e come le loro procedure siano state modificate negli ultimi anni per essere in linea con le nuove scoperte e la necessità di standard più elevati.

New product solutions

INNOVATION THAT WILL

YOUR MIND! A revolutionary type of fragrance BLOwing nanotechnology that works with unique fragrance refills.

INTRODUCED AND PATENTED, FOR YOU, IN EUROPE BY HYPROM.

> Is the perfect balance between the right technology and the right fragrance formula. > Improves fragrance diffusion and perception by blowing fragrance particles of 1 micron which stay airborne for at least 30 mn. Far more efficient than aerosols. > Reduces operating costs. > Is safe for the planet and for you (no propellant gas, less packaging waste…). > Reinforce our expertise and leadership in the olfactory world.

To be discovered at HYPROM.COM and at ISSA INTERCLEAN AMSTERDAM 2014, HALL 10.

HEALTHY. HYGIENIC. HYPROM.

PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE

• Le spécialiste des systèmes d’hygiène des mains SCA aligne une gamme de solutions visant à minimiser la contamination croisée dans le secteur de la santé.

• Les raclettes souples Moerman font appel au caoutchouc écologique DuraFlex, qui se recommande pour les aires où l’hygiène est primordiale.

• SureWash est un système high-tech pour la formation de personnels sanitaires aux procédures correctes pour l’hygiène des mains.

• SCA, der Spezialist für Handhygienesysteme, bietet eine Reihe von Lösungen, die zur Minimierung der Kreuzkontamination im Gesundheitswesen konzipiert wurden.

• Der Abzieher Handy von Moerman wird aus grünem Dura-Flex-Gummi hergestellt, das für Bereiche, in denen Hygiene besonders wichtig ist, empfohlen wird.

• Bei SureWash handelt es sich um ein Hightech-System, um das Personal im Gesundheitswesen in den ordnungsgemäßen Handhygieneverfahren zu schulen.

• La SCA, specializzata in sistemi per l’igiene delle mani, propone una gamma di soluzioni progettate per minimizzare la contaminazione crociata nel settore sanitario.

• I comodi tergivetro della Moerman sono dotati di gomma verde Dura-Flex, consigliata per aree dove l’igiene è di priorità assoluta.

• SureWash è un sistema ad alta tecnologia per addestrare il personale sanitario alle corrette procedure di igiene delle mani.

Hand hygiene

Handy squeegee For areas where hygiene is a priority Moerman has developed the handy squeegee which features a rigid colour-coded frame, ergonomic grip and green Dura-Flex rubber. This natural rubber is produced with materials approved by FDA.

SCA, manufacturer of Tork hand hygiene systems, offers a range of products designed to minimise cross-contamination in the healthcare sector.

Tork Xpress Multifold 4 Panel Hand Towels, for example, are suitable for the wash stations in hygiene-critical intensive care wards. These soft, large towels will blot the hands dry.

Two-ply Tork Soft Singlefold Hand Towels work well in general medical wash stations since these are sufficiently absorbent to dry the hands effectively.

Housed in a dispenser that gives out towels one at a time to avoid cross-contamination. www.tork.co.uk

Moerman says no water traces are left behind after using this squeegee, reducing the chances of cross-contamination. And the closed cell rubber also avoids absorption of water and liquids and prevents bacteria from harbouring inside the moss rubber. www.moerman.be

Sure training Staff working in hospitals need

to be able to demonstrate their ability to properly wash or disinfect their hands.

SureWash says its computerbased training system allows them to train in their own time, with feedback at each stage of training.

The latest model, launched this month, uses a camera that is more advanced in reading the hand movements of staff while delivering real time feedback.

Reporting functions allow staff to develop their skills and the new ‘quiz’ option means they can test and display their knowledge in infection control.

SureWash now delivers management reports that are comparative across wards, hospitals, health systems and national services.

And because it can be used online infection control teams can manage multiple sites with a standard hand hygiene technique. www.surewash.com

PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE

More compliant

Dry steam

Germ-free tanks

GOJO says its Purell Advanced hygiene hand rub is an ‘entire hospital’ formulation that combines antimicrobial efficacy with maintenance of skin health.

The company says product efficacy is only part of the solution in helping improve patient outcomes. The high frequency with which many healthcare workers have to use hygienic hand rub means unless they can do so without damaging their hands, compliance will suffer.

Purell Advanced’s formulation is said to maximise the efficacy of alcohol while promoting skin condition thanks to its combination of moisturisers. It is fragrance and dye free, gentle on the skin and latex and nitrile glove compatible. www.gojo.com

Suitable for cleaning in the health sector is the OspreyDeepClean low pressure dry steam technology, which it says offers cleaning efficiency and bacterial efficacy.

The company has developed a Dry Steam Vapour (DSV) cleaning technology for the cleaning and disinfection of medical devices such as patient beds, mattresses, privacy curtains, seats and other common hand contact surfaces (plastic laminate, stainless steel, vinyl, wood) typically found in healthcare environments. This is based on the application of controlled superheated dry steam vapour by purpose-designed steam vapour delivery tools.

The system has been validated on the efficacy and removal of bio-film and microbiological decontamination of the ‘risk’ contact surfaces for patients and clinical staff in a hospital. www.ospreydc.com

Scrubber dryer manufacturer Hako offers machines with tanks equipped with an antibacterial system called Hako-AntiBac claimed to significantly reduce bacterial and fungus growth.

The fresh water and recovery tanks of all Hakomatic-B 45 CLH and B 70 CL machines and of the entire B 90 series are now equipped with AntiBac as standard. The company says the ingredient increases the hygiene of the scrubbers in sensitive areas such as hospitals.

The antibacterial qualities protect the inner surface of the tank from bacteria, fungus and spore growth resulting from residual dirt and moisture and considerably reduce smells. www.hako.com

• GOJO affirme que son rince-mains Purell Advanced Hygiene combine l’efficacité antimicrobiennee et la protection cutanée.

• OspreyDeapClean affirme que sa technologie de la vapeur sèche représente un système de nettoyage hygiénique et de désinfection pour le secteur de la santé.

• Différentes autolaveuses Hako sont munies d’un réservoir équipé du système antibactériel dénommé Hako-AntiBac. • GOJO teilt mit, dass Purell Advanced Hygiene Hand Rub eine antimikrobielle Wirkung mit der Erhaltung gesunder Haut kombiniert.

• OspreyDeepClean teilt mit, dass es sich bei der Trockendampftechnologie um ein hygienisches Reinigungsund Desinfektionssystem für das Gesundheitswesen handelt.

• Einige Scheuersaugmaschinen von Hako verfügen über Tanks, die mit einem antibakteriellen System namens Hako-AntiBac ausgestattet sind.

• La GOJO afferma che Purell Advanced Hygiene Hand Rub abbina l’efficacia antimicrobica alla cura e al benessere della pelle.

• La OspreyDeepClean afferma che la sua tecnologia a vapore asciutto è un sistema di lavaggio e disinfezione igienica per il settore sanitario.

• Numerose lasciuga pavimenti della Hako sono dotate di taniche equipaggiate con il sistema antibatterico Hako-AntiBac.

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE

The danger in still water Maintaining a clean, safe water supply is essential in every built environment. One of the major threats to the water supply is the legionella bacterium, which can occur in systems that are not adequately protected from it.

Gary Nicholls, managing director of Swiftclean Building Services in the UK, explains the principles of good legionella control.

Controlling and eliminating legionella from water supplies is one of the key tasks of any building manager. Not only is legionella control good practice; for the responsible person for each property, keeping legionella at bay is a legal duty.

Directive 2000/54/EC of the European Parliament and the Council dated September 18 2000, on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work, categorises legionella pneumophila as a species capable of causing human diseases and therefore lays a responsibility on building owners and managers to prevent this.

There are also two EU Directives which require the safeguarding of the purity of drinking water and bathing water, and while legionella is not specifically mentioned in these, it is widely accepted as one of the major waterborne hazards throughout Europe. In some European countries, legionella has been specifically incorporated into health and safety legislation, among them the UK, where legionella control is covered by Health & Safety at Work legislation and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 44

Best practice for legionella management is advisable in every region where legionella is a known threat to health.

Failure to exercise effective legionella control frequently has legal consequences, especially in the case of an outbreak of legionella. For most fit adults, legionella produces a debilitating illness which resembles influenza; for the elderly, the infirm or the very young, it can prove fatal.

In these cases, both the organisation and the individual person responsible for the property may face prosecution and, in the case of related deaths, potential imprisonment for failing to prevent a legionella outbreak.

Throughout much of Europe, water systems for larger properties typically include communal water tanks situated on the roof, in order to make best use of the space available. In cold weather, when water temperatures are generally well below 20째C, there is little threat from legionella bacteria. In warmer months, however, the enclosures in which water tanks are situated often retain heat and cause the water temperature levels to rise. Once it reaches temperatures in the range of 20째C - 45째C, water also fulfils one of the prime conditions to foster the growth of legionella and begins to represent a potential health hazard.

Where possible, the water temperature should be controlled, therefore, either by actively cooling the water, or by insulating it against temperature changes outside the building, so that the water temperature does not achieve levels within the hazardous range.

The condition of the tanks themselves is also critical. Where tanks have become rusty or their surface is no longer sound, they may need renovation or replacing.

Tanks can also be prone to the ingress of vermin, so any debris must be removed and the means of access for insects, pigeons or rodents blocked and secured.

A sound, clean tank is essential for healthy water storage, so any dirt must be removed; the tank being effectively

cleaned and sanitised before refilling.

Water is more likely to foster legionella if it is static. Buildings such as manufacturing facilities and educational establishments, which have shutdown periods of one or two weeks or more are at greater risk, as it means that water stays static in pipes and tanks for prolonged periods. The danger, ironically, frequently occurs when attempting a deep clean prior to reopening the property again after the break.

Many organisations choose the period just before reopening to perform a thorough clean in order to provide a clean environment for the occupants; employees, teachers or students. For this, water is needed. Typically, cleaning teams will perform the cleaning after the water has been static for ten days or more, so that legionella has had a good chance to breed; especially during a warm summer vacation. If there is a legionella outbreak, the first people to be subjected to legionella bacteria will therefore be the very people trying to provide a clean environment; the cleaners.

As there is a three week incubation period for legionella, they may well be infected before the outbreak is discovered.

Vulnerable to infection Despite the deep cleaning process, those returning to use the building will also be vulnerable to infection, the first cases not being reported for some time.

In a property which has a lot of outside visitors, the scope for the contraction of legionnaires disease could be extensive.

For this reason, the domestic water supply needs particular care during shut downs.

Regular flushing of little used outlets is the best defence. Flushing the water through taps, shower heads and drinking fountains not only creates movement of the water through the system, it also helps to keep the temperature lower as the water in the tanks is replenished by fresh water entering the tank at a lower temperature. In multiple occupancy residential buildings, such as apartment

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE buildings and care homes, it is important to treat individual rooms with basins or en-suite bathrooms in the same way, regularly flushing water though basins, baths or showers if a resident is away for a vacation or a stay in hospital. In public housing situations, tenants should be issued with advice to this effect and advised to flush their water systems thoroughly on their return from periods away from home.

Regular flushing is also important advice for hotels, hospitals, dental care establishments, veterinary practices, beauty establishments and leisure facilities in which rooms supplied with water go unused for periods of several days.

Some older water systems were designed at a time when there was less awareness of the risks associated with legionella. Others may have had their water systems changed due to renovation or extension. In these cases, stretches of pipework known as ‘dead legs’ sometimes occur. These are ends of pipework which are no longer, or very seldom, used.

Although smaller amounts of water are

trapped here, the small body of water is nonetheless static and can form a breeding ground for legionella bacteria, which can then spread.

Some parts of the system may no longer be necessary. This may include outdoor taps which are no longer required, or a dead end in the pipework, where a bathroom has been moved but not all the now unnecessary pipework has been dismantled. In these instances, dead legs in the pipework can simply be removed so that the water in the system as a whole is generally circulating on a regular basis through every part.

Identify the risks The first step in the control of legionella is to appoint a responsible person for each building. In many countries this is a legal responsibility; in every country it is good practice. This person should then be responsible for ensuring that a number of measures are carried out. They should either be well trained in legionella control or they should employ an outside specialist in order to ensure that they fulfil their responsibilities. The legal consequences of not achieving compliance

with legionella regulations are frequently serious, and can include facing criminal charges, so they may need to rely on expert advice.

Once the responsible person is appointed, they must ensure that a risk assessment of the entire water system for both drinking and bathing water is in place, the same applies to systems with water used in water features. If this has not been done before, it must be completed, but if the responsible person is taking over the duty from someone else, they should make sure that the risk assessment is already in place and is reviewed regularly.

Carrying out a risk assessment involves inspecting and observing the condition of each part of the system, determining how water is used and the pattern in which it is used. It should cover how water is stored, where it flows, how it is delivered at each point of use and whether there are long periods during which it is not used. This is why bringing in specialist help may be advisable. The risk assessment must be carefully documented.

A schedule should be drawn up of any Continued page 46

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 45

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE The danger in still water (continued) remedial work that is needed to bring the water system up to the required national standard. This will help to ensure, with careful maintenance, that it stays legionella free. The system should be tested to determine whether it is free from legionella and treated to eliminate it if necessary. Intervals at which a system should be tested may vary from country to country. In some, testing at set intervals may be required, while others may only require retesting if a significant change has been made to the water system since it was last tested and assessed.

Our own recommendation is that the system should be reviewed on at least an annual basis to establish whether anything has changed and whether any problems have been reported. It may also be wise to check for undue sickness levels in the occupants of the building.

This last measure may also indicate other

problems, so is well worth considering.

If there is any cause at all for concern, we would recommend testing for the presence of legionella.

Regular temperature testing, cleaning and flushing should be sufficient to keep water systems free from bacteria, but if there is unusually hot weather, we would recommend being extra vigilant.

A legionella control expert will be able to help you to establish the routines that will keep legionella outbreaks at bay in each individual building.

Garantir une alimentation en eau salubre et propre est indispensable pour tout environnement de soins de santé. Dans un article exclusif pour ECJ, Gary Nicholls, de la société Swiftclean Building Services, explique les principes de la maîtrise de la légionelle.

Die Erhaltung einer sauberen und sicheren Wasserversorgung ist in jeder Einrichtung des Gesundheitswesens unerlässlich. In einem exklusiven Bericht für das ECJ erläutert Gary Nicholls von Swiftclean Building Services die Prinzipien der guten Legionellenkontrolle.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 46

Keep records The duties of a responsible person are substantial; so it is best practice, as well as frequently being a legal requirement, to keep accurate documentation which demonstrates the anti-legionella measures which have been taken.

We recommend the UK system of log

books as these carefully document the precautions taken, the testing undertaken and remedial work done. They also provide clear information which helps to safeguard the responsible person and provide some protection from prosecution in the event of an unexpected legionella outbreak. Online record keeping is the modern method being used by many responsible.

While keeping a pristine built environment is often a matter of pride, excellence and customer satisfaction, keeping legionella at bay is even more critical than this. In a legionella control process, it pays to bring in a niche specialist cleaning provider, who will help to ensure the wellbeing of the cleaning team itself, as well as all its customers.

In the final analysis, vigilant and meticulous legionella best practice saves lives. www.swiftclean.co.uk Mantenere una fornitura idrica pulita e sicura è essenziale in qualsiasi ambiente sanitario. In questo articolo scritto in esclusiva per ECJ, Gary Nicholls della Swiftclean Building Services spiega i principi di una buona prevenzione della legionella.

CASE STUDY

Astro turf adventures When the term ‘carpet care’ is mentioned, astro turf carpeting does not normally spring to mind, but that’s what the majority of flooring in Mind Candy’s new headquarters consists of.

Mind Candy is the world’s fastest growing digital entertainment company and creator of Moshi Monsters. The company moved into its new headquarters in 2013 to accommodate its expanding team of 200 staff.

As a company at the cutting edge of the technology sector, Mind Candy’s offices in London are anything but ordinary.

“Hi-tech, highly creative environments such as the Mind Candy offices need cleaning regimes which reflect how the company works.”

In the online Moshi world, children can adopt their own ‘monster’, go on adventures, play games, solve puzzles, be creative, and interact with their friends. With over 70 million registered users in 150 territories worldwide, Moshi Monsters - the online world of adoptable pet monsters for boys and girls aged between six and 12 – has become a global phenomenon. Moshi has now expanded into the offline world through books, magazines, trading cards, toys, gaming, music, mobile apps, cartoons, a film and much more.

Moshi Monsters live in a forest – which is reflected in the woodland themed décor of the newly refurbished surroundings.

The green astro turf carpeting lines much of the headquarters, which is split over two floors covering around 30,000 square feet. It houses around 200 staff when fully occupied, the reception desk is a large tree trunk and the boardroom is a log cabin.

Synthetic fibres Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibres made to look like natural grass.

It is most often used in arenas where sports were originally played on grass, but it’s now used on residential lawns as well as in commercial applications, clubs and hotels, and provides safe flooring for educational facilities. The use of the realistic grass really wows visitors as they enter the Mind Candy offices and brings an exciting sense of the outdoors, as well as encouraging worker creativity.

The first patent was registered by the Monsanto Company for a monofilament ribbon surface that would later become astro turf. The main outline of the patent was to produce a product to simulate grasses for a variety of leisure and sport uses. The early versions of astro turf were produced to provide a decorative use but not to withstand outdoor sport and leisure use.

Artificial turf first gained substantial attention in the 1960s, when it was used in the newly constructed Astrodome, the world’s first multipurpose, domed sports stadium located in Houston, Texas, USA.

The term astro turf has since become a colloquialism for any artificial turf throughout the late 20th century.

Synthetic grass can withstand significantly more use than natural grass and can be vacuumed, broom cleaned and hose washed. It is also very hard wearing which is ideal for high footfall areas. Deep cleaning is advisable at least once a year.

This lifts and opens up the carpet pile and removes contamination. Over time contaminants will build up on and within the surface from airborne particles, dust and fibres from the natural wear of the turf.

Children come to the Mind Candy HQ after school to test the games in a room which has been converted into a treehouse, and a stainless steel slide enables children and staff to shoot down to the lower floor. Velvet sofas in the breakout areas and an array of colourful bean bags are just some of the additional furnishings requiring specialist cleaning techniques.

There’s also a kitchen and eating area with booths and a 16-foot wooden dining table where employees can hold lunch meetings and where a chef comes in once a month to cook for the staff.

Different surfaces Fake ivy dangles from the ceilings and there are plants galore throughout the building. Many of the walls have Moshi Monster art drawn on them as black and white wall paper, which is then coloured in by visiting children. The glass walls and doors into meeting rooms incorporate life-size designs from Moshi Monsters’ games including Main Street and the Underground Disco.

Taking care of these different surfaces and materials is all in a day’s work for cleaning contractor Julius Rutherfoord & Co, thanks to the know-how of its welltrained staff but a deeper understanding of how a brand works is also important, as Andy de Sallis, sales and marketing director for Julius Rutherfoord, explains: “Hi-tech, highly creative environments such as the Mind Candy offices need Continued page 50

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 49

CASE STUDY Astro turf adventures (continued) cleaning regimes which reflect how the company works. For example, their offices have huge expanses of white walling – called ‘scrum walls’ – that are used by software companies to project manage software and product development. As a consequence, they are covered in coloured sticky notes, each of which details a task to be completed within a given timescale. Our staff know only to clean these areas when the client tells us it’s safe to do so – thus guarding against the loss of some key piece of coding or the next big product idea!”

Henry mutates into a Moshi!

The ability to truly understand and ‘get under the skin’ of the Moshi Monster brand was, de Sallis believes, one of the key reasons why Julius Rutherfoord won the contract with Mind Candy.

“We have a combined sales and marketing function at Julius Rutherfoord. This means that two quite individual teams with differing skill sets work in synergy alongside each other, resulting in a commercially-minded marketing team and a brand-savvy sales team - the perfect combination in my books.”

As part of the tender, they re-branded a Henry vacuum as the Moshi Monster character Diavlo – an idea that instantly struck a chord with Mind Candy’s management team. The scuff-proof graphics on all the Diavlo vacuums make them a perfect fit for the surroundings, but also deliver fantastic cleaning results for all the flooring surfaces.

When outsourcing floorcare and other cleaning tasks, organisations must be confident that the cleaning staff pose no threat to business operations. After all, they get considerable access to offices during the quieter hours.

When recruiting staff Julius Rutherfoord uses similar passport and identity document scanning technology to that used by customs personnel at international airports. Every passport and ID document is scanned to check its authenticity against an international database in the Netherlands which holds the details of passports and other forms of ID from over 200 countries. This technology enables fake passports or ID documents to be identified in seconds which means that Mind Candy is guaranteed a 100 per cent legal workforce.

While some organisations settle for Disclosure and Barring

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 50

CASE STUDY Service (DBS) checks – which replaced CRB checks – these are useless if the ID in question is fake because fictitious people will not appear on criminal records. People who don’t exist will pass the check – and give you a false sense of security. And, if they’re working illegally, there is a risk of prosecution by the Home Office.

In addition, employees sign in and out with a short phone call, from a dedicated line within Mind Candy’s premises that is linked automatically to Julius Rutherfoord’s time and attendance system. They have two ways to check who’s making the call - caller ID to check where they’re calling from, and a unique pin code they must enter. The system also guarantees that Mind Candy gets the exact level of service it has paid for.

there’s always a right way, a safe way and a more productive way to do things.

That’s what they’ve learnt - and that’s what they teach.

Perfecting systems Then every six months, at least, cleaning staff are retrained. The organisation likes to keep perfecting its systems so there might be a new health and safety procedure to learn, or a more environmentally productive procedure to practise. This can happen on-site, led by one of the area managers who are BICSc accredited trainers.

While on-site with clients, area managers and quality auditors use handheld PDAs to record a vast array of data about cleaning performance. With this information, Julius Rutherfoord’s head office can check whether the business is accurately meeting the requirements set out in the cleaning specification, ensure relevant compliances and instantly create a site audit for clients. Cleaning operatives can even provide a date and time stamped photo capture of the area to be cleaned before and after the work has been completed, giving clients total peace of mind.

Training Downstairs at Julius Rutherfoord’s headquarters is one of the cleanest rooms you’ll ever see. Throughout each day it gets cleaned again and again - for this is where staff are trained. No-one steps out in Julius Rutherfoord uniform until they’ve passed through the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) accredited training academy. And when the firm inheritsTUPE staff, each one must retrain, so the contract cleaner knows they’re good enough for its high standards.

There’s a lot to learn. Some of the equipment can be quite technical. But even with the simpler processes of cleaning, Mind Candy est la société qui a créé Moshi Monsters, le jeu en ligne pour enfants. Son siège à Londres s’inspire de la forêt vierge qui sert d’habitat aux personnages du jeu. ECJ examine les opérations de nettoyage qui y sont nécessaires et qui ne sont pas sans présenter des problèmes inusuels.

Mind Candy ist das Unternehmen hinter Moshi Monsters, dem Entertainmenterlebnis für Kinder, und der Hauptsitz in London spiegelt den Lebensraum Wald der Charaktere wider. Das ECJ betrachtet die Reinigungsprozesse, die einige ungewöhnliche Herausforderungen aufwerfen.

Mind Candy è l’azienda che ha creato l’esperienza di intrattenimento on-line per bambini Moshi Monsters e la sua sede a Londra riflette l’habitat della foresta dei suoi personaggi. ECJ osserva le operazioni di pulizia che presentano numerose sfide un pò particolari.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 51

BUSINESS: STAFF RETENTION

Investment in people

It’s a bombshell that is invariably dropped out of the blue and it can have a devastating impact on your business. When a crucial member of staff announces they are moving on, the fallout can be far ranging, creating more than just an inconvenience for your HR department, reports Hartley Milner An employee who you rate as indispensable pops their head round your office door and asks “may I have a word please?” You are no clairvoyant, but have enough experience of staff issues to know the line can be a preamble to some unwelcome news.

And so it comes to pass. This bright star of your universe confirms your worst fears and delivers the blow that they are leaving for pastures new. Once you have picked yourself up off the floor, your thoughts start racing.

How are you ever going to replace them? All that experience and know-how lost to the company. What will be the implications of losing such a key employee on the morale of the people in their department? And if that person has built up a close working relationship with your clients, how will they respond?

So you beg an explanation for their decision and while you may not like what you are hearing you ask if there’s anything you can do to make them change their mind. But it’s all too late, and you are left

to rue that their dissatisfaction with their lot had failed to register so much as a blip on your radar.

“We know that personnel leave their jobs for various reasons, pay being only one motivation and not necessarily the main one,” said Dean Saddler of employment agency Rightjob UK. “The reason may be non-work related, such as caring for a relative or taking time out to travel. However, it is more common for people to cite dissatisfaction with their job, not getting on with their colleagues or manager, or a hostile working environment.

Simmering resentment “An employee may feel they are being treated like a packhorse, bearing a disproportionate burden of the workload.

It could be that someone is taking advantage of their good nature and eagerness to be useful. The victim in all this may be disinclined to complain for fear of being marked down as an awkward or a troublemaker, so the resentment is left to go on simmering. In time, the stress and pressure of expectation simply become too much and the organisation ends up losing a willing and productive staff member.

“These are the types of issue that organisations fail to pick up on at their cost. It is simply no use at the exit

interview for the employer to say ‘I didn’t know you felt like this, why didn’t you come to me earlier?’ By then the damage is done.”

Turnover rates Saddler added: “In these difficult times, it seems the presumption at the top of some organisations is that it is an employer’s market and people should be grateful to have a job, so will do anything to stay in work. Well, that may be the case up to a point, but it is a big mistake for employers to take their people for granted.

“The average staff turnover rate in a moderate size company is around 15 per cent per year. When that number starts to rise, the costs start to mount in terms of recruiting and training up replacements, let alone the disruption and climate of uncertainty that exists in the void before the position is filled.

“The cost of filling a vacancy works out at around 30 per cent of the salary advertised, while losing a middle manager costs up to 100 per cent of their salary.

The loss of a senior executive can be even more costly, as much as 200 per cent of their salary.”

Employee retention is one of the primary measures of the health of your organisation. If you are losing the key Continued page 54

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 53

BUSINESS: STAFF RETENTION Investment in people (continued) drivers of your business (your managers), you can safely bet that other people in their departments are looking at the job ads as well, and then the implications for your business can become very serious indeed.

Studies show a direct link between satisfied employees and happy clients.

Disgruntled employees are hardly going to perform at their best and customers may become jittery if they get wind that their supplier has ongoing staff issues, so it makes good business sense to find out what your staff need to stay loyal and contented. This creates an environment of positive, helpful people ready to go the extra mile and beyond for the customer.

Companies that conduct employee opinion surveys and not only listen to what they say but act on the findings have been shown to have a much lower staff turnover rate. As well as saving money on recruitment, they are more likely to keep their customers.

“When it comes down to it, people nowadays want the things they have always wanted – challenging and stimulating work, fair pay, the tools and resources to do their job properly,

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 54

recognition for work well done and involvement in the decisions that impact on their day-to-day lives at work,” Saddler added.

Each industry has its own special human resources concerns and contract cleaning is no exception. Recent research conducted in the UK by sector advisory body Asset Skills found that 76 per cent of employers regard their staff turnover to be ‘low’, ‘very low’ or ‘non-existent’. Those reporting higher turnover cite having to offer ‘more for less’ in an industry already dogged by low profit margins.

Loss of staff The industry has undergone a 2.6 per cent decline since 2009, leading to loss of staff through redundancies, and it continues to suffer image, recruitment and retention problems due to unsociable hours, poor terms and conditions and low wages (often little above the minimum wage). Young people do not believe contract cleaning offers good opportunities for progression, so the sector has a very low take-up of apprenticeships, which are proven to build loyalty.

Steven Proudfoot, interim chief

executive of the Cleaning and Support Services Association in the UK, said the main barriers to growth for the industry were the economic downturn, increased competition from start-ups and lack of capital for investment. “However, the quality of new entrants does provide a challenge as employers find it difficult to recruit and retain individuals with the right attitude and skills,” he said.

A major challenge highlighted by employers was training staff to the required level to raise production levels and then retaining those staff. The most commonly mentioned issue was the cost and lack of time available for training.

There may also be a culture that promotes the attitude it is not worth training people as they will most probably leave anyway.

In response, the CSSA is working hard with its members and Asset Skills to provide industry-wide, nationally recognised training that is “fit for purpose and costeffective to deliver”.

The industry has actually seen a “significant and continuing” increase in staff morale over the last 12 months. And 60 per cent of CSSA members say they are looking to grow their business over

BUSINESS: STAFF RETENTION the next three years, either ‘rapidly’ or ‘moderately’. Where the turnover of staff is high, it is likely to be due to increasing workloads and demands placed upon those remaining in their jobs.

Customer service Proudfoot warned: “Employers who choose not to act to positively engage their workforce can expect a loss of productivity and risk the satisfaction of their customers. As competition increases, procurement processes have become more formalised and professional with a greater emphasis placed upon customer service. This will be a risk to those businesses that, through mismanagement and a lack of communication, have created low staff morale that has led to a compromised customer/client Quand un employé essentiel annonce qu’il va quitter son entreprise, les répercussions pour celle-ci peuvent être pesantes. Quand la nouvelle se répand, l’impact ne porte pas seulement sur les opérations de l’entreprise, mais également sur sa réputation au sein de son secteur et aux yeux de ses clients. Hartley Milner se penche sur la nécessité pour les patrons de se préoccuper de la rétention de leurs personnels.

service offering.”

He said employers can improve staff retention by tightening up their recruitment processes and how they highlight opportunities to recruits.

They can offer qualifications such as apprenticeships, ESOL courses, basic literacy and numeracy, as well as encourage staff who aspire to advance themselves. Smaller businesses can take advantage of discounted human resources and on-line training support available through their trade association and reward their line managers for promoting staff morale and retention.

For its part, the CSSA has responded to employers’ concerns by offering a training programme, discounted for its members. This includes online modules and technology-supported learning Wenn ein wichtiger Mitarbeiter angekündigt, dass er das Unternehmen verlässt, kann sich dies sehr nachteilig auf das Unternehmen auswirken. Das Bekanntwerden solcher Neuigkeiten kann sich auf den internen Geschäftsbetrieb, aber auch auf den Ruf des Unternehmens in der Branche und sogar bei den Kunden auswirken. In seinem Bericht diskutiert Hartley Milner, dass Arbeitgeber das Problem der Mitarbeiterbindung angehen müssen.

specifically for the cleaning and facilities management sectors. Along with other member benefits, the association is also helping contractors gain the management and leadership skills they need to put in place effective recruitment processes.

“Many of our members are making a move towards daytime cleaning through hybrid cleaning offers,” said Proudfoot.

“Daytime work may help some employers attract staff into roles. Asset Skills has piloted a number of programmes aimed at encouraging a younger workforce into the contract cleaning and facilities management sector. It has also piloted business coaching and talent management projects directly with contract cleaning employers, which have had a focus on financial viability, service delivery and team performance.”

Quando un dipendente di talento annuncia che vuole voltare pagina e si licenzia, le implicazioni possono essere estremamente negative per un’azienda.

Quando la notizia diventa pubblica, ci possono essere ripercussioni non solo sulle attività interne di un’impresa, ma anche sulla sua reputazione nel settore di attività e agli occhi dei suoi clienti. Hartley Milner ci parla della necessità degli imprenditori di affrontare la questione di trattenere il personale.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 55

See for yourself

With thousands of satisfied customers already using award winning ec-H2O technology, why not see what you’re missing? Test ec-H2O on your soils in your facility. Contact us for a free demo today

www.tennantco.com/freedemo

SCRUBBER DRYERS

Where size is everything A growing number of today’s scrubber dryers boast a compact design and a smaller footprint….. but is this a market trend? And if so, why? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

“A compact design and a low machine weight are the most important criteria for customers when buying a scrubber dryer today. They also look for manoeuvrability and simple operation.”

Many of today’s scrubber dryer manufacturers are bringing out new models claimed to be smaller and more compact than those of their rivals. There are significant advantages to reducing the size of a scrubbing machine, we are told.

A compact scrubber dryer is likely to be lighter in weight which means it is easier to push and less likely to damage delicate floors than a larger model.

A smaller machine is also better at cleaning into nooks, crannies and narrow corridors and the initial cost will generally be lower - an attractive benefit for many customers.

When we asked manufacturers whether the move towards smaller scrubber dryers was a general trend, several confirmed this to be the case. “A compact design and a low machine weight are the most important criteria for customers when buying a scrubber dryer today,” said Wetrok’s machine product manager Mark Meng. “They also look for manoeuvrability and simple operation where little or no operator training is required.”

He says an intelligent, compact design provides a scrubber dryer with simplicity and agility. “These qualities improve the working tempo of the machine as well as its ergonomics,” he said. “Meanwhile the reduced weight increases the machine’s manoeuvrability and reduces the power consumption of self-drive models. In addition this lower weight is a bonus for the operator, particularly in walkbehind machines.”

He says lithium-ion technology has played a major role in the development of more compact scrubber dryers. “These batteries are around half the size of conventional batteries and significantly lighter while lasting around four times as long – all crucial advantages,” he said.

Meng cites Wetrok’s Discomatic range as an example of the company’s most compact and lightweight models. “The Discomatic Tango was the first scrubber dryer to use lithium-ion technology, and the Discomatic Mambo has a 30 litre tank and a working width of 43 cm,” he said.

“Both machines are extremely powerful, compact and light.”

Maximum agility Scrubber dryer product manager at Kärcher Wolfram Callenius confirms the trend towards more agile machines. “The bigger the scrubber dryer, the more bulky it is likely to be when cleaning in small areas,” he said.

“Customers need lightweight machines with a high cleaning performance plus maximum agility and good mobility.

Compact machines are required for use in small or congested areas and lightweight

models are easier to lift over steps and thresholds. And when it comes to stowing, compact machines do not require much space.”

However he adds that easy handling, ease of use and low servicing requirements are other key customer considerations. “It is also becoming increasingly important that water is reliably suctioned in curve formations since this avoids accidents and any resulting claims for damages,” he said.

Reduced consumption He adds that the Kärcher BR 35/12 C walk-behind scrubber is particularly light and easy to handle. “This also incorporates a new steering concept Kärcher Advanced Response Technology – for improved manoeuvrability since the steering wheel directly controls the machine’s brush head,” he says. “This makes the BR 35/12 C ideal for use in narrow rooms and crowded spaces.”

Fimap product manager Antonio Incrocci says scrubber dryers with a 5060 cm working width are particularly in demand by today’s customers. “Besides ensuring manoeuvrability and productivity in small and cluttered areas, a compact machine will also reduce water and energy consumption which in turn brings cost reductions,” he explained.

He claims Fimap’s Mxr machine to be particularly light, compact and manoeuvrable. “It is a ride-on model which, thanks to its compact dimensions, can be used in areas where walk-behind models are normally chosen,” he said.

According to Incrocci the Mxr has a new steering wheel design for increased manoeuvrability and user-friendliness.

However, he disagrees that size is everything for today’s customers.

“Price is their first priority: then come those features that ensure low cost of ownership and maintenance,” he said.

“This is followed by user-friendliness, manoeuvrability and comfort.”

Numatic International’s head of media Continued page 58

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 57

SCRUBBER DRYERS Where size is everything (continued) Andrew Ernill shares this view. “The pros and cons of mains electric or battery need to be weighed up as well,” he adds. “The scrubber dryer also has to be suited to the environment and be easy to fill, empty and transport while being able to complete the job without constant re-filling stops.”

He agrees that size will always be a consideration, however. “Local supermarkets situated near housing developments are becoming more commonplace and the practicalities of a compact scrubber dryer in these situations is increasingly accepted,” he said. “A wide range of machines to cover any situation is important, which is why we offer scrubber dryers from 18 to 120 litres.”

Mop alternative He adds that smaller models can be more cost-effective than mopping and spray cleaning. “They enable smaller retail stores to carry out 24-hour cleaning with a minimum of intrusion in-store,” says Ernill. “They also allow mobile cleaners to visit multiple sites in one day with a single machine rather than have larger machines situated in each store, which often used to be the case.”

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 58

Marketing director at Hako Klaus Serfezi says the trend towards smaller machines is in evidence everywhere. “If you take a look around the trade fairs you will see more and more smaller walk-behind and ride-on machines exhibited,” he said.

However, he adds that customers who choose a scrubber dryer on size alone may be misguided. “What matters most is the size and type of the floor space you wish to clean,” he said. “Machines required to clean smaller areas naturally need to be small and lightweight.”

Economic efficiency is the main reason for using compact machines when cleaning small, confined areas says Serfezi.

“To employ large equipment in such areas would mean the operator is constantly struggling to manoeuvre the scrubber dryer through narrow passages,” he said. “In cases such as this, a mop would probably be quicker.”

He says some customers choose smaller cleaning machines for the wrong reasons.

“Very often it is women who operate scrubber dryers - and they tend to want their machines to be as small as possible,” he said. “There is also a certain amount of fear involved when it comes to handling

larger equipment, and it would be a great help if service providers were to invest in machine-handling training courses for operators.”

Life cycle costs He adds that the lower acquisition costs of a smaller machines is often a major attraction for customers. “While economic efficiency should be the most important aspect when purchasing a machine, what about the life cycle costs – such as the amount of unproductive time spent on refilling and emptying a smaller model?” said Serfezi. “There can be no doubt that purchasing the right size of machine for the job at hand is still the most profitable solution.” Hako’s smallest scrubber dryers include a 10-litre cylinder-brush machine that can clean under furniture, and the Hakomatic B 12 which is a lightweight disk-brush model.

Nilfisk-Advance’s global marketing manager Pernille Pedersen feels that a lightweight machine offers other advantages besides ease of use. “The weight and wheel pressure of a heavy scrubber dryer can create some issues on certain floor types such as wooden

SCRUBBER DRYERS surfaces or soft sports hall floors,” she said. “Ceramic floors can also be very sensitive to pressure.”

Pedersen quotes Nilfisk’s SC351 model as an example of a particularly small and compact scrubber dryer. “The frame is made of lightweight aluminium and almost all the rest of the machine is made from plastic – including the brush deck and squeegee that would normally be made of steel or aluminium,” she said.

Despite the importance of size, however, she agrees with Serfezi that each machine should be chosen according to the size of the area to be cleaned rather than its own compact qualities.

“It could be an expensive mistake to invest in a scrubber that is too small or too large for the area in question,” she said. “You need to optimise the size of the machine for the area to clean, and this is why our product portfolio is so large.

De nombreuses entreprises préfèrent les autolaveuses compactes car celles-ci sont plus faciles à exploiter et plus maniables pour leurs personnels.

Néanmoins, comment le fabricant va-t-il intégrer toutes les fonctionnalités de productivité et de sûreté dans une machine de faible encombrement ?

Every machine has its own features and advantages depending on the cleaning task for which it is meant.”

The move towards increased sustainability is another factor driving the market for smaller scrubber-dryers says Tennant’s global product management director Karin Overstreet. “Customers who have primarily continued to clean smaller areas with a mop and bucket are beginning to look for ways to reduce their use of chemicals and water,” she said.

Cleaning path key Overstreet claims the company’s T1B micro scrubber to be a good example of a highly compact machine. “It can fit beneath wall-mounted sinks, tables and adjustable-height beds and this flexibility allows operators to clean under and around fixtures that traditional scrubbers cannot reach,” she said.

Viele Unternehmen bevorzugen kompakte Scheuersaugmaschine, da sie leichter zu bedienen und manövrierfähiger sind. Wie schaffen es jedoch die Hersteller, alle erforderlichen Produktivitäts- und Sicherheitsmerkmale in eine relativ kleine Maschine zu integrieren?

While companies are always striving to reduce the size and weight of autoscrubbers, she adds that a balance needs to be found. “Thorough cleaning requires a certain amount of agitation which can be improved by weight,” she said. “In addition, if units are too light they may turn too easily or tip forward, or simply not allow the operator to feel in control.”

She says the cleaning path of a machine rather than its size is a key consideration with the customer. “If an end-user purchases a machine that is too small it will require substantially more time to clean,” she said. “And if the cleaning path is too large this will result in increased use of water, chemicals and electricity.

Customers also look at factors such as safety and ease of use when choosing a scrubber dryer – but above all, most of them are seeking to reduce the total cost of cleaning,” says Overstreet.

Molte imprese preferiscono lavasciuga pavimenti compatte in quanto sono più facili da utilizzare e sono più facili da manovrare per il personale. Ma come riescono i produttori a includere tutte le caratteristiche di produttività e di sicurezza richieste in una macchina di piccole dimensioni?

PRODUCTS: SCRUBBER DRYERS

Replace parts TVH offers replacement parts for scrubbers and sweepers, with online search tools, brochures and catalogues on its YouTube channel and website.

Parts available include squeegees, filters, vacuum motors, brushes, batteries and seats.

The catalogue has information on replacement parts for 13 machine brands and 118 machine types. The MyProductSearch module in the MyTotalSoure web-

shop features prices, availability and technical data, and reference numbers can be accessed. www.tvh.com

a polyethylene isolating double wall tank. www.comac.it

Battery power

Silent and safe The Ultra 85/100 B ride-on scrubber from Comac is designed for cleaning medium to large areas up to 5,000 square metres. Thanks to the facility to adjust pressure up to 100 kg it can clean both medium and heavy dirt.

Because it is so easy to use Comac says Ultra can be used by operators without any training, and it is claimed to be comfortable and ergonomic. And for quieter performance the vacuum motor is housed inside

The Orbis battery scrubber is designed for small and medium sized areas and was designed by Truvox International. It comes with maintenance-free gel batteries and an integrated charger, making it easy to recharge in any location.

Suitable for use on a wide range of hard floor surfaces, productivity is around 1,100 square metres an hour, cleaning width is 38 cm and solution tank capacity 17 litres.

The ergonomic handle can be adjusted to suit individual operators, while the squeegee located behind the brush speeds up drying time. www.truvox.com • TVH propose des pièces de rechanges pour autolaveuses, notamment des raclettes, viltres, moteurs, brosses et batteries.

• Pour le traitement de superficies allant à 5000 mètres carrés, Comac a lancé l’autolaveuse à conducteur monté Ultra 85/100 B. • L’autolaveuse à batterie Orbis de Truvox est équipée de batteries exemptes d’entretien et d’un chargeur intégré.

• TVH bietet Ersatzteile für Scheuermaschinen, einschließlich Abzieher, Filter, Vakuummotoren, Bürsten und Batterien.

• Comac hat die AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine Ultra 85/100 B vorgestellt, die für Flächen bis zu 5.000 Quadratmeter konzipiert wurde.

• Die akkubetriebene Scheuermaschine Orbis von Truvox ist mit wartungsfreien Akkus und einem integrierten Ladegerät ausgestattet.

• La TVH fornisce parti di ricambio per lavasciuga pavimenti fra cui tergipavimento, motori per estrazione, filtri, spazzole e batterie.

• La Comac ha lanciato la lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo Ultra 85/100 B per la pulizia di aree fino a 5.000 metri quadrati.

• La lavasciuga pavimenti a batteria Orbis della Truvox è disponibile con batterie che non necessitano di manutenzione e un caricabatterie integrato.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 60

PRODUCTS: SCRUBBER DRYERS

Most compact?

from one location to another without too much effort thanks to the support wheel that is extended automatically. www.wetrok.com

Free choice

Wetrok says its new Discomatic Mambo is the most compact scrubber dryer available with a 30-litre fresh water tank.

Designed for use in small and medium-sized areas, it is also equipped with a lithium ion battery. This, Wetrok claims, means constant and high output and four times longer run time than conventional rechargeable batteries.

The Discomatic Mambo’s double disk brush system offers optimum force and scrubbing action on the floor and ensures the machine is easy to operate and control.

The water feed can be regulated from the control panel by the water pump built in as standard and there is an optional fully integrated dosage system available for optimum mix of fresh water and chemicals.

Operation is made simple by the fact there are only four control buttons and for added operator comfort the upright handle is fully adjustable. And the machine can be moved

Simplicity of operation and a choice of equipment variants are key features of the B 150 R rideon scrubber dryer, says Kärcher.

This battery powered model offers different configuration options including detergent

dosing, a tank rinsing system and two additional side brushes.

Performance is up to 9,000 square metres per hour.

Reaching speeds of up to 10 km per hour and capable of handling inclines of up to 18 per cent, the B 150 R is suited to applications like multi-storey car parks. Options available include for example the electronic dosing device which supplies any required quantity of detergent from 0.5 to three per cent using a 2.5 litre tank.

Roller or disk brushes can be fitted, and they can be changed without the need for tools. And the Kärcher Intelligent Key (KIK) keeps operator training times to a minimum by assigning user rights using colour coded keys for different people. www.karcher.com

• Doté d’un réservoir d’eau pure de 30 litres, la nouvelle Discomatic Mambo de Wetrok est une autolaveuse compacte pour superficies moyennes et petites.

• La dernière autolaveuses Kärcher est la B 150 R à conducteur monté et aux nombreuses configurations possibles.

• Mit einem 30-LiterFrischwassertank ist die neue Discomatic Mambo von Wetrok eine kompakte Scheuermaschine für kleine und mittelgroße Flächen.

• Die B 150 R, das neueste Modell einer Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschinen von Kärcher, bietet viele Konfigurationsmöglichkeiten.

• Con la sua tanica da 30 litri per l’acqua fresca, la nuova Discomatic Mambo Wetrok è una lavasciuga pavimenti compatta per aree di piccole e medie dimensioni.

• La più recente lavasciuga pavimenti della Kärcher è il modello B 150 R con operatore a bordo che offre svariate possibilità di configurazione.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 61

PRODUCTS: SCRUBBER DRYERS

• L’autolaveuse Nilfisk SC1500 à conducteur monté et debout comporte un bouton OneTouch de marche/arrêt de lavage et un tableau de bord intuitif.

• Columbus a introduit une autolaveuse à conducteur monté et contenance de 70 litres, l’ARA 66 BM 70.

• Les autolaveuses Hakomatic B115R sont désormais munies d’un moteur à courant alternatif pour améliorer le confort du conducteur.

• Die Stand-on-Scheuersaugmaschine SC1500 von Nilfisk bietet eine OneTouch-Taste zum einfachen Einund Ausschalten der Scheuerfunktion und eine intuitive Armaturentafel.

• Neu von Columbus ist die ARA 66 BM 70, eine Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine mit einer Kapazität von 70 Litern.

• Alle Scheuersaugmaschinen Hakomatic B115R von Hako sind jetzt mit einem Wechselstrommotor ausgerüstet, um besseren Arbeitskomfort zu bieten.

• La lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore in piedi Nilfisk SC1500 è dotata di un interruttore on/off OneTouch e di un pannello comandi intuitivo.

• Il nuovo prodotto della Columbus è una lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo della capienza di 70 litri, il modello ARA 66 BM 70.

• Tutte le lavasciuga pavimenti Hakomatic B115R prodotte dalla Hako sono ora disponibili con un motore a corrente alternata per maggior comfort durante il lavoro.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 62

More productive The stand-on scrubber dryer SC1500, says Nilfisk, offers performance, simplicity and reliability - the operator simply steps up and starts cleaning thanks to the OneTouch scrub on/off switch and intuitive dashboard.

This model also incorporates the Ecoflex electronic water flow control system.

Also recently launched is the SC351 compact scrubber with rotating deck, enabling it to clean both forwards and backwards. This, says Nilfisk, means cleaning is faster and easier.

Again this model

requires minimal training and also boasts a low noise level for daytime cleaning. www.nilfisk.com

Compact seated Developed for working on small and medium-sized areas is the compact ride-on scrubber ARA 66|BM 70 from Columbus. The company says one of its special features is the long seat, which enables any operator to find the right ergonomic position for working comfortably.

The brush system adapts to different floor surfaces, while the patented mounting system allows brushes and pad holders to spin on and off at the push of a button. And the arc-shaped squeegee tool also adapts to the machine’s movements to collect dirty water without leaving any residue.

Total length of this model is 138 cm, with a width of 85 cm.

Turning radius is 165 cm. www.columbus-clean.com

Two brushes Hakomatic B115 R ride-on scrubber dryers from Hako are designed for cleaning large areas and can be equipped with either disk or cylinder brushes.

All models now come with an AC (alternating current) drive motor that offers increased working comfort because the machine sticks more reliably to the selected driving and working speed even on declines or inclines. So there is no need for the operator to use the brakes when going down a ramp for example.

All functions are started using the green Hakomatic button and B115 R models also have a Boost button, activating maximum water supply and increased brush pressure for a certain amount of time to work on heavily soiled areas. www.hako.com

CAPITALISE ON THE RISING DEMAND FOR CLEANING AND HYGIENE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

$898 BILLION

VALUE OF MIDDLE EAST CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS BY 2020

For stand or sponsorship enquiries: e. martinscott@fairweatherevents.com t. +44 (0) 1342 887123 or e. jaafarshubber@dmgeventsme.com t. +971 (0) 56 644 0884

19-21 May 2014 Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE www.middleeastclean.com

According to Danube, Sept. 2013

CO-LOCATED WITH:

PLATINUM SPONSORS:

PRINCIPLE INTELLIGENCE PARTNER:

INNOVATION SPONSOR:

SUSTAINABILITY SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING ORGANISATION:

Healthcare Hospitality Residential Retail Industrial Environmental Transportation

GREEN CLEANING

Green and lean Is it possible to combine a sustainability policy with real cost savings? We ask companies their views and find out which “green” policies have cost them money – and which have paid for themselves.

“Solutions that protect our people, the environment and our communities and that help us to provide a better way of life make good business sense – and they also deliver our responsibility for a sustainable future.”

No-one is in any doubt these days that pursuing a policy of green cleaning is an ethical way to do business. However, an increasing number of organisations are finding that sustainability is also a smart way of working since it can cut down on costs associated with energy, water use and waste disposal.

When companies rationalise their transport, too, they can cut their fuel bills. And by minimising the amount of packaging they use they can reduce the cost of raw materials – while their endcustomers cut their waste bills.

Diversey Care, part of Sealed Air, confirms that sustainability and cost savings can often go hand in hand. One example is the company’s zero waste-tolandfill programme according to global marketing director Irina Klemps.

“The scheme has resulted in a 72 per cent improvement in plastic waste recovery compared with 2003,” said Klemps. “In 2012, 67 per cent of Sealed Air facilities reached its zero waste-to landfill goals and we used or captured 97 per cent of our plastic raw material.”

The company has also invested 10 million euros in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent – an investment that is forecast to provide savings of over 23 million euros by the end of the commitment period.

“The steps we took included everything from switching to the most fuel-efficient vehicles in class to upgrading our buildings and manufacturing facilities,” said Klemps.

“We switched to more efficient boilers and air conditioning systems; we carried out lighting retrofits and we installed combined heat and power systems along with wind turbines to reduce energy impact. We also worked closely with suppliers and offered tools and sustainable solutions to customers to help them become more resource-efficient and less reliant on energy while also saving them money.”

Meanwhile, Sealed Air has been working towards reducing its water use. “All these

commitments have required investment, but through using less water and energy and by generating less material waste and fewer emissions we have saved our company money - both in terms of direct resources and utilities and in regulatory costs,” said Klemps.

Examples of measures that have combined sustainability with savings include the installation of high efficiency lighting at the company’s manufacturing facility in Enschede, the Netherlands. “This reduced our electricity use by 10.7 per cent in a single year while a change from steam to hot water heat for some factory operations should reduce the use of natural gas at the plant by around 28 per cent despite higher production volumes,” said Klemps.

The company also focuses on product innovations that bring sustainability and cost benefits to itself and the customer.

“This year we will be launching an ultraconcentrate designed to enable users to introduce sustainable cleaning into their operations,” she said. “In a typical building around 85 per cent of daily cleaning tasks can be completed using these concentrates, and this would result in around 55 per cent fewer products being needed. It would also lead to a 60 per cent reduction in chemical consumption by volume while plastic packaging would be reduced by 65 per cent and cardboard by 50 per cent.”

Nilfisk-Advance sustainability business development manager Emmet Sharghbin says several of his company’s sustainability measures have saved money. “One example is in our Central European plants where we have installed wells and water recycling units for our testing centres,” he said. “This enables us to use recycled clean water.

“Several of our cost-saving initiatives – such as the installation of automatic factory gates and improvements to heating insulation - not only reduce costs but also improve employees’ conditions.”

Continued page 66

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 65

GREEN CLEANING Green and lean (continued) The company also expects to reduce transport costs through an upgrade to supply chain set-up. “We are also examining how to expand the scope of our collaboration with the recyclers so that we can recycle even more of our customers’ well-used products.”

He says that while these measures enable the company to achieve cost savings, some of the money is used for R&D to continue developing sustainable products while much of the rest is passed on to customers through lower prices. “Our industry is very cost-competitive so there is a continuous pressure for us to improve efficiency in all parts of our business.”

Ecolab has adopted its own Environmental Return on Investment approach (EROI) to ensure that sustainability and cost savings go hand in hand. “We document resource savings across a comprehensive set of sustainability categories,” said senior marketing manager communications Nick Burchell “By starting with what matters most to our customers – performance – and by linking performance outcomes to environmental and social metrics and cost savings we demonstrate the triplebottom-line benefits of sustainability.

“Through EROI outcomes we help customers see the value of our solutions and measure their progress. “ He says examples of Ecolab’s sustainable products that save money include the Wash and Walk enzymatic floor cleaner programme which is claimed to reduce energy use; and the company’s Aquanomic laundry programmes that use low-temperature chemistry to save both water and energy.

“Our Oasis Pro high-concentrated housekeeping programmes also reduce packaging waste by up to 90 per cent, while our Apex warewashing system saves water and energy use through lower operating temperatures and reduced need for rewash,” said Burchell.

Kärcher’s sustainability aim is to reduce energy consumption while increasing performance and user-friendliness says the company’s environmental matters public relations officer Linda Laipple.

“Only when cleaning equipment delivers a very good performance will the user

save time – along with water, energy and cleaning agent,” she said. “Reduction of noise emissions also plays an important part, as does the optimisation of products with regard to durability, recycling and repair capability combined with an assured supply of spare parts.”

She claims Kärcher’s mid-range hotwater pressure washers to be a case in point. “Their water temperature can be varied on demand from 20° to 155°C to work energy efficiently,” she said.

“Since much soiling is easily removed at temperatures of around 60°C, this eco!efficiency mode can reduce fuel consumption by 20 per cent while precise dosing of agent ensures economy.”

Pratiquer la “propreté verte” constitue un moyen d’affaires éthique, mais qui peut aussi vous économiser des frais dans différents domaines : emballages ; élimination de déchets ; usage de l’eau et consommation d’énergie. Nous interrogeons des entreprises de propreté sur les économies que leurs politiques de durabilité leur ont apportées.

Die Verfolgung einer „umweltfreundlichen Reinigungsstrategie“ ist nicht nur eine ethische Art, ein Geschäft zu betreiben, sie kann auch zu Kostensenkungen in verschiedenen Bereichen führen, darunter Verpackungsmaterialien, Abfallentsorgung, Wasserverbrauch und Energieverbrauch. Wir befragen Unternehmen, die in der Reinigungsindustrie tätig sind, wie sie dank ihrer Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien Geld sparen konnten.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 66

Sustainability benefits Head of marketing at Hako RalfHendrik Steinkühler says his company’s cleaning machines also combine increased efficiency with sustainability benefits.

“Hako AquaControl, for example, saves up to 50 per cent on water and cleaning agents while Hako Chemical on Demand ensures that chemicals are only used when necessary,” he said. “And Hako AquaForce enables many applications to be carried out entirely without chemicals by using purified water instead.”

He says the company is developing a range of high concentrates which are claimed to reduce the cost of cleaning while also saving on transport, storage and disposal costs. “Hako machines are also generally supplied configured and ready for operation which means the batteries are already installed – and this saves packaging materials,” he said. “And the direct delivery of our machines to the customer’s job site saves transport costs and minimises environmental pollution.”

However, sustainability is not only about conserving fuel, power, water and other natural resources. It also means fielding a team of happy, healthy employees and giving something back to the community.

Truly sustainable companies are therefore prepared to invest in projects that facilitate this – whether they receive a return on their investment or not.

For example, many sustainability initiatives undertaken by Nilfisk-Advance provide the company with no direct cost

benefits at all says Emmet Sharghbin. “We have a policy to reduce the small number of minor work injuries our colleagues incur from time to time to zero, and while this may cost us money in the short term we see it as an investment in our employees and our operations,” he said.

“Furthermore we support and sponsor local communities in countries where we have found worthy causes, and we regard this as an investment in our local communities’ support. One example is in our US operations where staff donate their time to help local charitable causes, and another is in Eastern Europe where we have donated cleaning machines to local schools to improve sanitary conditions.”

Kärcher also invests in a range of corporate social responsibility projects.

“In 2013 we supported more than 700 schools, clubs and other groups by donations of machines or money,” said Laipple. The company also supports a waste water recycling project in Columbia and is sponsoring the protection of the yellow-bellied toad.

Hako is continually investing in measures to improve ergonomics in the workplace,” said Steinkühler.

“Workstations where the final inspection of machines is carried out are equipped with noise-encapsulated test booths since occupational safety and health are topranking subjects at Hako.”

Diversey provides relief in disaster-hit areas such as the Philippines, says Klemps.

“We also train our customers’ staff and management teams in safety and hygienerelated matters to protect their lives and those of their customers,” she said.

“We do not view these as measures that require costs, but as investments that will enable our company to create a better way for life. These measures are investments in our employees, our facilities and the communities in which we operate and that commitment takes many forms - from an emphasis on employee safety and the sustainability of our offices to the wellbeing of our communities.

“Solutions that protect our people, the environment and our communities and help us to provide a better way of life make business sense – and they also deliver our responsibility for a sustainable future.”

Seguire una politica di “pulizie verdi” è un metodo etico di svolgere un’attività commerciale, ma può anche ridurre i costi per esempio di materiali di imballaggio, smaltimento dei rifiuti, utilizzo di acqua e consumo di energia elettrica. Chiediamo alle imprese del settore delle pulizie come la loro politica di ecosostenibilità abbia fatto risparmiare loro del denaro.

PRODUCTS: GREEN CLEANING

Cradle certificate Multi Daily, the interior cleaner from Ecover Professional, has been awarded gold level in the Cradle to Cradle certification programme.

The company launched its first Cradle to Cradle certified products in April 2013 and to achieve gold status with this product has

worked to achieve greater transparency regarding social fairness. A comprehensive study of the supply chain was required in order to document the problems inherent in the industry. Where possible, Ecover prefers to deal with local suppliers and locally sourced raw materials - even suppliers’ subcontractors were included in the project.

The suppliers concerned were assessed for socially responsible business practices, including employee training, commitment to the environment, quality certification and the existing safety regulations for their employees. www.ecover-professional.com

Hybrid sweeper The FSR sweeper is a compact ride-on model from Fimap which is available as a battery powered and hybrid version (FSR Hybrid).

This has been designed to work for more than seven hours.

The hybrid technology combines the autonomy of the gasoline engine with the clean energy of the battery power. During the working cycle the operator can choose to work with the gasoline engine for outdoor cleaning, and the silent and emission free power of the electrical motor for indoor cleaning.

This means CO2 emissions

are reduced up to 69 per cent compared to a model that is fully gasoline powered says Fimap. www.fimap.com

Concentrate Brightwell Dispensers has designed its ECOrange range of chemical dosing and dilution systems to encourage operators to replace ready-made cleaning solutions with concentrates.

ECOSHOT is a manual dosing pump which can dispense any volume of concentrated chemical, between five ml and 30 ml, into a bottle, bucket or sink.

ECOMIX, meanwhile, is a chemical dilution system connected to mains water. Available in lowflow and high-flow versions, it dilutes a pre-determined ratio of concentrates into a solution.

One pouch of concentrated chemical is equivalent to 75 ready-to-use spray bottles. www.brightwell.co.uk

Quiet economy

Five eco!efficiency dry vacuum cleaners from Kärcher form a complete product line of resource-saving models from entry level to high end, the company says. The new machines require 750 W of power and, thanks to improved flow properties, use 40 per cent less energy than vacuum cleaners with equivalent cleaning power.

Low noise level makes these

The April/May edition of ECJ will contain a major preview of ISSA/INTERCLEAN vacuums suitable for noisesensitive applications, while the plug-in mains cable can be exchanged if damaged, saving time and service costs.

Container sizes of between seven and 17 litres allow for medium to long work intervals, and the tear-proof fleece filter bag has over double the dust capacity of a paper filter. www.karcher.com • La solution de nettoyage Multi Daily signée Ecover Professional a atteint le niveau d’or dans le programme de certification Cradle to Cradle.

• La balayeuse FSR Hybrid de Fimap peut fonctionner 7 heures d’affilée et produit un minimum d’émissions de CO2.

• La gamme Brightwell de systèmes de dosage et de dilution ECOrange est conçue pour être pratique et écologique.

• Les nouveaux aspirateurs eco!efficieny de Kärcher ne nécessitent que 750 W de puissance et consomment 40 % d’énergie en moins que des modèles similaires.

• Die Reinigungslösung Multi Daily von Ecover Professional hat die Gold-Stufe im Cradle-to-CradleZertifizierungsprogramm erreicht.

• Die Kehrmaschine FSR Hybrid von Fimap bietet eine ununterbrochene Betriebsdauer von über 7 Stunden und einen reduzierten CO2Ausstoß.

• Die Produktpalette der ECOrange Dosier- und Verdünnungssysteme von Brightwell wurden konzipiert, um sowohl praktisch als auch umweltbewusst zu sein.

• Die neuen Staubsauger eco!efficiency von Kärcher benötigen nur 750 W und weisen eine um 40 % niedrigere Leistungsaufnahme als vergleichbare Modelle auf.

• La soluzione di pulizia Multi Daily prodotta dalla from Ecover Professional ha raggiunto il livello d’oro nel programma di certificazione Cradle to Cradle (dalla culla alla culla).

• La spazzatrice FSR Hybrid prodotta dalla Fimap è in grado di funzionare per più di sette ore senza interruzione e riduce le emissioni di CO2.

• La gamma di sistemi di dosaggio e diluizione ECOrange della Brightwell è stata progettata per essere pratica e rispettosa dell’ambiente.

• I nuovi aspirapolveri eco!efficiency della Kärcher richiedono solo 750 W di potenza e utilizzano il 40 per cento in meno di energia rispetto a modelli simili.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 67

PRODUCTS: GREEN CLEANING

Safe sanitiser Giselle is a new sanitising system from De Nora NEXT which the company claims offers an environmentally safe solution.

Using just salt, tap water and energy this mobile unit produces a sodium hypochlorite solution, available in two concentrations.

This solution, it says, is effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi without any harmful effects. No dilution of toxic agents is required and no chemical residues are left on the surface.

To guarantee the quality and reliability of the final solution the process is RFID controlled. www.denoranext.com • L’appareil Giselle, proposé par De Nora Next, produit une solution écologiquement sûre à partir d’énergie et d’eau salée du robinet pour la désinfection de surfaces.

• Produit nouveau Filmop, l’Equodose est un dispositif de dosage chimique mécanique pour systèmes de balayage humide.

• Depuis l’année dernière, les tissus en microfibres Original, Basic et Glass produits par Greenspeed possèdent la certification Nordic Swan.

• Tennant affirme que ses autolaveuses Orbital peuvent éliminer les finitions de plancher en acrylique sans recourir aux produits chimiques.

• Giselle von De Nora Next produziert eine umweltverträgliche Lösung aus salzigem Leitungswasser und Energie zur Sanitisierung von Oberflächen.

• Neu von Filmop ist Equodose, ein mechanisches Chemikaliendosiergerät für Moppsysteme.

• Im Laufe des vergangenen Jahres wurden die Mikrofasertücher Original, Basic und Glass von Greenspeed mit dem Nordischen Umweltzeichen „Schwan“ ausgezeichnet.

• Tennant teilt mit, dass seine Scheuersaugmaschinen Orbital Acryl-Bodenpolitur ohne den Einsatz von Chemikalien entfernen können.

• Giselle della De Nora Next produce una soluzione sicura a livello ambientale creata con sale, acqua di rubinetto ed energia per la sanificazione delle superfici.

• Il nuovo prodotto della Filmop è Equodose, un dispositivo meccanico per i sistemi mop per il dosaggio di prodotti chimici.

• Dall’anno scorso, i panni in microfibra Original, Basic e Glass prodotti dalla Greenspeed sono stati certificati con il label Nordic Swan.

• La Tennant afferma che la sua lavasciuga pavimenti Orbital è in grado di rimuovere le cere acriliche per pavimenti senza utilizzare alcun prodotto chimico.

Love green

The company motto of mopping solutions producer Filmop is ‘love clean, be green’. Its achievements in this area include environmental certifications, Plastic Second Life certification, production of green energy and continued investment in eco-sustainable design.

New for this year is the Equodose mechanical dosing device, designed to soak on demand only those mops needed by the cleaning operatives on site - with the facility to regulate cleaning solution dosage. This, the company says, will save on water, detergent and energy. www.filmop.com

Swan certified Microfibre specialist Greenspeed achieved Nordic Swan label status with its Original, Basic and Glass cloths last year. This evaluates the products’ impact on the environment throughout its life cycle, taking into account aspects including climate requirements, CO2 and other harmful gas emissions. www.greenspeed.eu

Less chemical With the aim of reducing the need for chemical cleaning on floors, Tennant developed the Orbital scrubber dryer range which it says can remove acrylic floor finish without the need for chemical strippers.

Tennant’s technology electrically converts water into a cleaning solution the company claims cleans effectively, saves money, improves safety, and reduces environmental impact. www.tennant-europe.com

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 68

PRODUCTS: GREEN CLEANING

Low energy

Flexible in use

From the start

According to Lindhaus it has always sought to design its upright vacuum cleaners to have low power consumption.

Its electric brooms, vacuum cleaners and power nozzles approved by IMQ - have now passed all safety, electrical and environmental compatibility tests under the new standards, which come into force in September 2014 and in 2017.

Maximum power consumption must be 900 W and all the electric uprights have met this standard in fact the LS50 Hybrid consumes as little as 300 W. Rotafil motors installed in all Lindhaus models boast low consumption, long life and low radio interference emissions. www.lindhaus.it

Nilfisk’s Ecoflex technology allows the operators of its cleaning machines to switch between chemical-free water-only cleaning or different cleaning intensities using detergent - at the touch of a button.

Many surfaces can be cleaned with water, however some soiling requires detergent and that need can be met by pushing ‘The Power’ button of Ecoflex.

This temporarily increases water flow, brush pressure and detergent strength. www.nilfisk.com

Hako says it views environmental protection as a central part of its corporate philosophy, with its slogan Superior Technology for a Cleaner, Better Environment. This sums up the policy that business activities must not only be in line with economic and ecological aspects but also with social responsibilities when considering future generations.

The company’s floor cleaning machines are designed to be environmentally compatible from the start, including ecological consideration of the entire product life cycle.

Another focal point of development is simple maintenance and repair - only high quality, durable components, are selected. Engineers also work to achieve reduced emissions of gas, dust and noise, plus reduced water and chemical consumption. www.hako.com

• Lindhaus affirme que ses balais électriques, aspirateurs, et jets d’air ont tous passé des tests de compatibilité environnementale.

• Les machines Ecoflex de Nilfisk permettent aux opérateurs de commuter entre nettoyage à eau pure sans produit chimique et nettoyage sous diverses concentrations de détergent.

• Spécialiste des machines pour le soin des planchers, Hako se targue de la compatibilité environnementale de ses produits.

• Lindhaus teilt mit, dass alle seine Hartbodensauger, Staubsauger und Elektrobürsten die Prüfungen zur Umweltverträglichkeit bestanden haben.

• Mit Ecoflex von Nilfisk hat das Bedienpersonal von Reinigungsmaschinen die Möglichkeit, zwischen chemikalienfreier Reinigung nur mit Wasser und verschiedenen Reinigungsmittelkonzentrationen umzuschalten.

• Hako, der Spezialist für Bodenpflegeausrüstung, ist stolz auf sein umweltverträgliches Produktdesign.

• La Lindhaus afferma che tutte le sue scope elettriche, gli aspirapolveri e gli ugelli elettrici hanno superato i test di compatibilità ambientale.

• Ecoflex della Nilfisk permette agli operatori delle macchine da pulizia di cambiare fra lavaggio senza uso di prodotti chimici, lavaggio con sola acqua e diverse concentrazioni di detergenti.

• La Hako, specializzata in attrezzature per la cura dei pavimenti, vanta un disegn del prodotto rispettoso dell’ambiente.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 69

PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

Sustainability - a performance issue In Brussels over the last few years DG Environment (Directorate General) has been working with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to develop a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based method to calculate the environmental performance of products and companies.

ECJ spoke to Sandy Smith of sustainability consultancy firm PE International about the policy.

The cleaning industry is just one sector that is awash with ‘green’ marketing messages, environmental claims by manufacturers about their products and confusing ecolabels. The buzzword ‘sustainability’ has become so widely used it’s meaning has become diluted, and customers have no real way of comparing the environmental impact of products they are purchasing.

The European Commission has decided to address this with the introduction of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based method to calculate the environmental performance of a product. There is also a guide on environmental footprinting for companies – the Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF).

Currently the project is at the pilot testing stage – the European Commission invited businesses throughout the EU to participate. ECJ spoke to Sandy Smith at sustainability consultancy firm PE International, which has worked with companies including Bosch, Deutsche Bank, Evonik, Kimberly-Clark, Nike, Shell, Siemens and Tesco.

“Categorising environmental performance of all products is a huge priority for the EU,” he says. “There are far too many ecolabels now and they do not really tell consumers anything at all.

The PEF will give real detail, the actual numbers – which enables transparency and comparison of data.

La Commission européenne a annoncé son intention de mettre en oeuvre la prise d’empreintes écologiques d’organisations et de produits. Cette mesure, estime-t-elle, facilitera la comparaison des performances environnementales et éliminera la confusion actuellement causée par la coexistence d’un grand nombre de labels écologiques en Europe.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 70

“It will allow consumers to make more informed purchasing choices because they will be able to directly compare one product with another. And one system will be more cost effective for manufacturers.”

Large businesses often prefer to implement measures such as the PEF voluntarily because legislation is not always welcome. That means there was no shortage of companies willing to take part in pilot testing.

The aims of the PEF pilot phases are to: • Set up and validate the process of the development of product group-specific rules including the development of performance benchmarks • Test different compliance and verification systems • Test different communication vehicles for PEF information.

The results from the pilot phase will become the product rules valid under the PEF, to be used by all stakeholders in the sector in the EU or internationally who decide to measure the performance of their products based on PEF. Policy making by the European Commission in this regard is becoming quicker and more aggressive says Smith.

“Despite all previous measures and initiatives greenhouse gases rose again globally last year – not in the EU but worldwide. Action must be taken.

“The basis of the PEF is simplification, which means companies that are already proactive should find the processes easier.

Those which are not doing anything at all currently will have to adapt.”

The introduction of the PEF then, could mean that old debate about the environmental impact of warm air dryers versus hand towels, for example, will be settled definitely once and for all – there will be indisputable data involved.

The introduction of such a policy across Europe is well overdue Smith believes.

“Companies are making grand statements but brands are increasingly a big part of the sustainability case, which is worrying.

With all companies, what we really need is the numbers. People do not have the time to read long sustainability mission statements. We want to look at one page

and see the performance figures.”

Smith refers also to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, which are periodically reviewed to provide the latest guidance for effective sustainability reporting. The latest version increases the emphasis on the need for organisations to focus the reporting process and final report on those topics that are material to their business and their key stakeholders.

It has been designed to be universally applicable to all organisations, large and small, across the world.

The PEF must be affordable in operation, so that it does not constitute a barrier to trade for SMEs. “It will probably start at the top, with big business, then work its way down,” Smith points out.

“Modern software and data availability now make it more cost effective and easier to produce information so it should not be cost-prohibitive.”

What will be the main obstacle of implementing the new PEF? “I believe there will be a great deal of lobbying against it, from companies and maybe governments,” replies Smith. “The definition of product category rules will also be a real challenge – an enormous amount of work.” He does feel the scheme is realistic however.

Closely affiliated is the OEF, which will apply to organisational activities as a whole – so everything associated with the product portfolio from a value-chain perspective (including upstream processes such as extraction of raw materials and production on company-owned sites as well as downstream emissions such as distribution, use of products and treatment of disposed goods).

“Without the PEF and OEF we will be in a very difficult situation because we are all simply buying advertising messages.

We have no more evidence than that,” Smith emphasises. “We need a life cycle approach and we must have numbers – businesses must start reporting.

“Let’s drive sustainability as a performance issue, not a marketing issue,” he concludes. www.pe-international.com

Die Europäische Kommission hat angekündigt, dass sie die Anwendung des „Umweltfußabdrucks von Produkten“ („Product Environmental Footprint“ - PEF) und des „Umweltfußabdrucks von Organisationen“ („Organisation Environmental Footprint“ - OEF) beabsichtigt. Dadurch, so heißt es, lässt sich die Umweltverträglichkeit leichter vergleichen und die durch die Vielzahl verschiedener nationaler Messmethoden und Umweltzeichen verursachte Verwirrung entfällt.

La Commissione Europea ha annunciato le sue intenzioni di rendere effettivi gli indicatori di sostenibilità ambientale per le organizzazioni e per i prodotti e afferma che questo permetterà di comparare più facilmente le prestazioni ambientali ed eliminerà l’attuale confusione causata dalla esistenza di così tanti diversi ecolabel in Europa.

SUSTAINABLE DETERGENTS

One standard for all A brand new standard has been developed by Europe’s leading producers of sustainable detergents, called the Greenway Standard. The focus is on economical, ecological and social issues, all at the same time.

This is a significant challenge, explains Peter Malaise, consultant on sustainable development issues, writing exclusively for ECJ.

Detergents are a very complex type of commodity, which we use on a daily basis, mostly without much thought or afterthought, and about which we don’t know too much – even when we’re professional users.

Aren’t all detergents sustainable?

Unfortunately not – but as a matter of fact it depends on what your definition of ‘sustainable’ is. ‘Sustainable’ is not the same as ‘biodegradable’; and only the smaller part of most detergent formulations - the surfactants - must legally be biodegradable. Surfactants make up between three and 20 per cent of a detergent formula, depending on the type of product, leaving between 80 and 97 per cent unaccounted for.

Besides, the fact that part of a detergent is biodegradable doesn’t say anything about its aquatic toxicity, or about the stable metabolites it might generate. Nor does it make clear if the carbon based raw materials used were from fossil or from renewable sources and if the transformation technology used ‘green’ chemistry principles and was keen on energy and waste. Uhhh...?

Yes, the detergent business is all too often clear as mud. Detergents are a very complex type of commodity, which we use on a daily basis - mostly without much thought or afterthought - and about which we don’t know too much, even when we’re professional users. It is the obvious tool which does the dirty job and that’s it.

It was in the early 1960s that detergents first came under official scrutiny. For a good reason: the foam they generated built up in and around the river and canal locks, hampered ship traffic and even caused people to die by suffocation or drowning. In the wake of those events came Europe-wide legislation on the biodegradability of their main components, the surfactants.

These ‘surface active’ ingredients are the workhorses of detergents, they lower the surface tension and dramatically improve the water’s own cleaning effect.

Impact of surfactants Unfortunately surfactants also dramatically increase the impacts of detergents on our natural environment and our health. The compulsory biodegradability made the problem

disappear visually (no foam anymore), and the waste water purification plants that spread over Europe some decades ago reduced the global impact of detergents to some extent. But the substantial growth in the use of detergents overruled this by far. Today there is hardly any market segment that does not use them for one application or another. Pesticides and insecticides contain them for better spreading and penetration of the plant substance; in medicine, they improve the quick absorption into our system - just as a few examples.

Ingredients unavailable From the 1980s onwards, in the wake of alternatives for chemical agriculture, food additives, cosmetics and the like, the first offers for another type of detergents came into the market. It was a difficult start: the conventional detergents had continued to walk down performance lane and were often complete overkill, whereas their (mainly unregulated) environmental and health impact was rocketing. Sustainable ingredients were rarely available and when they were they were not able to generate an efficiency comparable to the heavyweight, but unsustainable chemistry of the conventional products. It took more than 20 years before sustainable detergent producers had a reasonable choice of ingredients that were sustainable as well as satisfactory in terms of performance.

In 1993 the EU set up an ecolabel initiative for detergents. Until 2003 it was hardly noticed and there were next to no products aiming for it, as many of the leading organisations in the sustainability realm judged the criteria too weak and too permissive. As a matter of fact the main aim of the EU label was – in its own words – to certify detergents “that were less of a burden to the environment” and secondly, to have as many of them as possible. In that perspective the requirements for such a label should not be too explicit.

Several certification organisations for Continued page 72

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 71

SUSTAINABLE DETERGENTS One standard for all (continued) organic produce – amongst them ICEA in Italy, the Soil Association in the UK and Ecocert in France – each proposed their own, stricter standard. The difficulty was, and continues to be, the technical and environmental complexity of detergents and the insight that is needed to create a sustainable and efficient alternative. It’s not because you can develop an excellent set of certification criteria for organic produce that you can deliver something similar for detergents (and the other way round, of course).

Most producers of sustainable detergents – the ones that mainly or exclusively produce sustainable alternatives, that is - were dissatisfied with each and every label or certification around: none of them encompassed the full set of values they were operating with.

Concept drafted

with an evaluation and classification of each ingredient. All chemical, biochemical, biological and safety data which are available today are taken in account and are used in the calculation by the database engine. Any formula can be introduced and immediately evaluated on its eligibility for labelling. When a negative outcome occurs, the applicant gets indications about the underlying reasons.

Before engaging in a certification trajectory the applicant can himself check, correct and fine-tune whatever issue that might come up. Besides this evaluation process he needs to introduce data from an external lab on the aquatic toxicity and the performance of the submitted formula.

Once he gets a ‘yes’ from the calculation module, the dedicated external experts of Greenway recheck the submitted formula on its overall conformity with the Greenway Standard. When they agree, the applicant can indicate an external auditor of his choice to run an audit, both theoretical and in his premises. After a positive outcome, the Greenway label will be granted to the detergent.

It’s important to stress that all criteria are based on open, scientifically sound standards and all testing on similarly open protocols, such as used by the scientific community worldwide and by most detergent producers. That guarantees the highest level of compliance with market standards, a criticism which is often uttered against ‘green’ labelling

In the winter of 2011 French, Italian and Belgian producers who had previously met privately started talking to each other and to some external experts. The outline of a mutual concept was drafted and the development began. In the winter of 2012 a non-profit association was created: The Greenway to Life, with a registered office in Paris and a technical office in Pianiga, Italy. In February 2013 the new Greenway Standard was presented during a press conference at the Biofach in Nürnberg, the worldwide most important organic fair.

The foundations of the Greenway Standard are the principles of sustainable development. That means a focus on economical, ecological and social issues at the same time, which is quite a challenge.

For the practical implementation two tools have been created: • A standard in text format of about 60 pages, which describes in detail all the requirements to which a candidate detergent has to respond and the ethical, ecological, social or technical motivation behind the requirements. This standard gives full detail of test protocols and the thresholds to be respected, the standard product formulae to test against and the classifications that can be obtained. There is also a marked attention for terminology in the communication • An online calculation module accessible for members through a VPN connection. The module consists of a huge detergent ingredients database

There are many ecolabels from a variety of sources on the market today, a quick internet search can easily feature up to 400 ‘green’ or supposedly ‘green’ labels.

La Norme Greenway représente un concept récemment élaboré touchant au développement durable de détergents. Il présente des dimensions à la fois économiques, écologiques et sociales, écrit Peter Malaise, consultant.

Beim „Greenway Standard“ handelt es sich um ein neu entwickeltes Konzept zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung von Reinigungsmitteln. Dabei werden gleichzeitig wirtschaftliche, ökologische und soziale Aspekte berücksichtigt, schreibt Berater Peter Malaise.

February/March 2014 | ECJ | 72

Differences and merits

Nevertheless the Greenway Standard can make a difference: • The Greenway non-profit association is the first multi-stakeholder initiative on sustainable detergents where producers, experts, and representatives from distributors and professional and private consumers will cooperate • As an independent civil initiative, Greenway is not tainted by political or commercial influences and its members are estimated by many NGO’s • Sustainable development is one pillar of the label, not an add-on, and an inextricable part of the global approach • Product performance is the other pillar of the label and safeguards that labelled products are not just ‘green’, but also efficient detergents • The product criteria were set up by professionals from the international sustainable detergent market segment, producers and experts alike • The Greenway Standard is complying with actual scientific and technical knowledge and will be constantly updated by the dedicated experts • The audits are done by qualified certification bodies, independent of Greenway.

There has been a very positive reaction from several certification bodies throughout Europe: they acclaim the high technical quality and the professionalism of the criteria, as well as the care for transparency and objectivity in the approach.

Further developments are to be expected soon and can be followed on www.thegreenwaytolife.org Peter Malaise can be contacted at www. meta-consort.eu Greenway Standard è un concetto recentemente sviluppato relativo allo sviluppo ecosostenibile dei detergenti. Questo concetto si focalizza contemporanemente sulle questioni economiche, ecologiche e sociali, come ci informa il consulente Peter Malaise.

I

1967

201 AN 4 LE

A

M

ST

World’s Leading Trade Fair for Cleaning Professionals

A/INTERC SS

E R DA M

Expand your global network Join us for our 25th Anniversary edition!

Organised by:

In association with:

Official media partner:

www.issainterclean.com

40 YEARS OF PERFECTION. WORLD CLASS FAMOUS DRY VACUUM CLEANER

NILFISK GD 930Q – QUIET PLEASE Nilfisk GD 930Q has been developed to perform at the lowest, and most comfortable sound level in its class. GD930Q is your reliable partner for demanding cleaning applications in noise sensitive areas such as day time cleaning in offices, hospital ward or vacuuming and cleaning in hotels.

GD 930Q is a new variant of our world class famous dry vacuum cleaner GD 930. Rugged and stable with a large dust bag capacity of 15 litres. The ingenious design optimises air flow patterns and reduces energy losses to an absolute minimum. The result is tremendous suction power with fantastic durability.

www.nilfisk.com