September 2017

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

SEPTEMBER 2017

CASE STUDY

SPECIAL REPORT

BUSINESS

CMS and WFBSC Congress preview Starts page 49

Cleaning in Singapore

New ways of working

Brexit labour shortages

Page 66

Page 32

Page 47

CONTENTS

September 2017 | Vol.25, No.4

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

47 UK sees labour shortages

25 Bad for our health?

Hartley Milner explores the impact of the Brexit vote on the UK workforce.

The potential impact of air fresheners on our health.

32 Shaping the future The new headquarters of ISS Germany is a showcase of modern working.

35 Restoring faded charms The powers of effective carpet restoration.

44 Customised approach needed Carpet care needs a more customed approach in light of new fibres available.

49 Cleaning sector gathers in Berlin A look ahead to the CMS cleaning exhibition and WFBSC Congress.

66 Long march to professionalism 03 News

Bobbie van der List reports from Singapore on the cleaning sector there.

69 Kicking the bucket How has mopping moved on from the days of the heavy metal bucket?

17 European reports

79 Battling washroom bacteria 88 Product review

Sanitaryware in washrooms can be a breeding ground for virulent bacteria.

81 Evolving mat make-up New materials are being introduced into matting to improve performance.

86 Norovirus - think restaurants Norovirus outbreaks donÕt just happen on cruise ships.

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 Advertisement Director Chris Godman Circulation Marie Payne

Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos 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 veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2017

Lunch break in three minutes

Bring on the crowds with Tork PeakServeÂŽ More towels, less refilling and better washroom flow To learn more, ask your Tork representative or visit http://www.tork.co.uk/about/whats-new/peakserve

NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

Hot water is no better than cold for hand washing, says new study

ECJ launched the first broadcast programme for the professional cleaning industry - European Cleaning Television, ECTV, at the start of this year. You can now watch the entire series online: www.ectelevision.com EVENTS

Hot water is no more effective than cold at getting rid of bacteria, a new study on hand washing suggests. Scientists discovered washing in cool water removes just as many germs as hot water.

Not only that, antibacterial soap was no better than normal soap the researchers found.

Food scientist Professor Donald Schaffner said: “People need to feel comfortable when they are washing their hands but as far as effectiveness, this study shows us that the temperature of the water used didn’t matter.”

Short rub Just a short rub of the hands made a major difference the study, published in the Journal of Food Protection, found.

“Even washing for 10 seconds significantly removed bacteria from the hands,” said Prof Shaffner.

Researchers from Rutgers University in New Jersey followed 21 volunteers over six months who had their hands exposed to harmless

bacteria and who washed at various temperatures.

Neither the temperature nor the amount of soap used made any difference to the amount of bacteria removed simply by washing for just 10 seconds. The researchers said it was more important to ensure people washed their hands at all, before preparing food and after using the lavatory, than it was to insist water was hot.

While the study suggested that the amount of soap made no difference to harmless bacteria, researchers said more work was needed to understand how much, and what type is needed to remove harmful microbes.

However Dr Lisa Ackerley, a food safety adviser for the British Hospitality Association, said: “Warm water is good as it helps the soap to lather and it’s the action of washing soap off which helps to get hands clean.

“But the actual water temperature won’t kill bacteria as it can’t be too hot or it would burn.”

L’eau chaude n’est pas plus efficace que l’eau froide quand il s’agit de tuer les bactéries, indique une nouvelle étude sur le lavage des mains.

September 11-14

October 29-November 1 2018

ISSA/Interclean North America

ISSA/Interclean North America

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

Dallas, USA www.issainterclean.com

September 18-20

March 19-21 2019

WFBSC Congress

The Cleaning Show

Berlin, Germany www.wfbsc2017.berlin

London, UK cleaningshow.co.uk

September 19-22

November 18-21 2019

CMS

ISSA/Interclean North America

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

October 18-20

October 26-29 2020

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul

ISSA/Interclean North America

Istanbul, Turkey www.issainterclean.com

Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com

November 7-9

November 15-18 2021

Cleaning Middle East Pulire

ISSA/Interclean North America

Dubai www.mectw.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

November 8-9

Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit Rome, Italy www.echawards.com November 9

European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards Rome, Italy www.echawards.com November 14-16

Hygienalia+Pulire Madrid, Spain www.hygienalia-pulire.com May 15-18 2018

ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

Was das Beseitigen von Bakterien betrifft, ist heißes Wasser auch nicht wirkungsvoller als kaltes Wasser. Darauf deutet eine neue Studie zum Thema Händewaschen hin.

L’acqua calda non è più efficace di quella fredda nell’eliminazione dei batteri, questo è ciò che emerge da un nuovo studio sul lavaggio delle mani.

September 2017 | ECJ | 3

NEWS SCA hygiene business becomes Essity, Tork brand remains Sweden’s SCA Group, best known in the away-from-home sector for the Tork brand, has been split into two independent listed companies. These are the forest products company SCA, and the global health and hygiene company Essity.

Hygiene and health feature highly in Essity’s vision and strategy going forward, it says.

While SCA’s hygiene business had been known historically for its hygiene products and brands - including Tork - the Essity name is set to be built on a foundation of both hygiene and health products.

Renee Remijnse, communications director for Essity Professional Hygiene explained the move would

bring more focus to hygiene and health within the company “so our distributors and endcustomers feel assured they are not only continuing to work with a trusted brand, but also with a dedicated company behind the brand.

Focus on hygiene “What our customers will see in the future is increased focus on hygiene topics and of course the new Essity name on pack and on communication materials as the endorser of the Tork brand.”

Remijnse continued: “The away-from-home market, or professional hygiene market, is full of opportunities for Essity, and therefore also for Tork.

We have a constant focus on

Le groupe SCA a été scindé en deux sociétés indépendantes et cotées en bourse. La société de produits de santé et d’hygiène est dénommée Essity.

September 2017 | ECJ | 4

innovations and solutions as we launch more value-adding products and services like Tork EasyCube. The internet of things will also create new and exciting options for the future in professional hygiene.”

The Hygiene Matters global engagement platform will continue to be a key focus too.

“Since 2008 we have conducted bi-annual research on several hygiene topics with 12,000 respondents all over the world in our Hygiene Matters reports, said Remijnse.

Share knowledge “Essity’s vision ‘dedicated to improving well-being through leading hygiene and health solutions’ means that we take

Die SCA Group wurde in zwei unabhängige börsennotierte Unternehmen aufgeteilt. Das Gesundheits- und Hygieneunternehmen trägt jetzt den Namen Essity.

our role seriously in sharing our knowledge and engaging in global conversations about sanitation, hand hygiene, incontinence, menstruation and other hygiene issues. We have partnered with the UN foundation and WSSCC and many other organisations to improve hygiene worldwide.” www.hygienematters.com www.essity.com

To read every edition of ECJ on your mobile device, download the new ECJ app now

Il gruppo SCA Group è stato suddiviso in due aziende quotate e indipendenti. L’azienda di salute e igiene è adesso conosciuta come Essity.

NEWS Faecal bacteria found in ice at UK coffee chains

Stadsing sold

Ice from three of the UK’s largest coffee chains has been found to contain faecal bacteria.

Samples of iced drinks from Costa Coffee, Starbucks and Caffe Nero contained varying levels of bacteria according to an investigation carried out by the BBC’s Watchdog programme.

Seven out of 10 samples of iced water from Costa and three out of 10 samples from the other two chains tested positive for faecal coliform bacteria. Expert in foodborne pathogens at Quadram Institute of Bioscience Rob Kingsley said the findings were extremely concerning.

“It is an indicator that there

In Denmark, OptiGroup European business-to-business distributor of business essentials in facility solutions, packaging and safety solutions, printing and creative solutions and reseller solutions - has acquired 100 per cent of the shares of Stadsing.

Stadsing is a supplier of cleaning and hygiene products.

Headquartered in Aalborg, Stadsing has around 70 employees and will continue to be led by brothers Karsten and Henrik Stadsing. www.stadsing.dk

has been a breakdown either in hygiene or the source of water used for this ice,” he said. “I would certainly think twice about eating something that may contain faecal contamination at a level where it is detectable.”

Unclean hands The study was carried out on behalf of the BBC by Leeds Beckett University. Microbiologist and senior lecturer Margarita Gomez Escalada said the ice had probably been contaminated by unclean hands. However she added that ice machines and ice buckets might have compounded the issue if they were not

• Il a été constaté que de la glace utilisée dans trois des principales chaînes de cafés-restaurants du Royaume-Uni contiennent des bactéries fécales.

• Au Danemark, OptiGroup, société de distribution de services et produits indispensables aux entreprises, a repris Stadsing, un fournisseur de produits de nettoyage et d’hygiène.

properly cleaned.

Microbial levels in water tend to be carefully controlled in these types of environments, she said. “But nobody looks at the ice,” she adds.

All three chains claimed to be conducting their own investigations into the findings.

Head of policy at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Tony Lewis also considers the findings to be concerning.

However he adds: “Given that there are tens of thousands of coffee shops around the UK we have to put this into context. You can’t generalise from the small sample size we have here.”

• Im Eis von drei der größten Kaffeeketten Großbritanniens wurden Fäkalbakterien festgestellt.

• In Dänemark hat OptiGroup (europaweit agierender Business-to-Business-Händler für Sicherheitslösungen, Facility-Lösungen, Industrieverpackungslösungen sowie Druck- und Kreativlösungen) Stadsing (Lieferant von Reinigungsund Hygieneprodukten) übernommen.

Next edition - October

• Nel ghiaccio di tre delle più grandi catene di bar nel Regno Unito sono stati trovati batteri fecali.

• In Danimarca, il distributore business-to-business di prodotti essenziali per aziende OptiGroup ha acquisito il fornitore di prodotti per le pulizie e l’igiene Stadsing

September 2017 | ECJ | 5

NEWS HAIs may be caused by germs we take in with us

Istanbul show

The most dangerous germs in the hospital may be the ones you bring in with you, according to a new study.

US researchers from the University of Chicago in Illinois took swabs from more than 250 patients when they arrived at hospital for treatment. Swabs were also taken from the patients’ immediate environment and from the nurses and doctors with whom they interacted.

The second edition of the ISSA/ INTERCLEAN Istanbul exhibition will take place at the Istanbul Congress Centre from October 18-20. An estimated 3,000 visitors and 100 exhibitors from in and around Turkey are expected to attend.

Alongside the show will be a programme of seminars and workshops. The cleaningrelated opportunities in the quest to protect public health will be one of the themes on the agenda. And a representative from Smithers Apex will speak on global market trends in the industrial and institutional cleaning industry. www.issainterclean.com

Outside influences Around 20 of the patients taking part in the study contracted a healthcare-acquired infection during their stay. The research team applied statistical

methods to determine those factors that had influenced the patients’ microbial make-up during their stay.

Already had bacteria Swabs of the patients’ rooms and healthcare staff failed to turn up the bacteria responsible for these infections.

This suggests that the infections were not acquired at hospital at all, according to the study’s leader microbial ecologist Jack Gilbert. “The most likely explanation is that the patients already had those bacteria when they were admitted,” he said.

The study concluded that the

• Les microbes les plus dangereux à résider dans un hôpital sont peut-être ceux que vous y introduisez vous-mêmes, indique une nouvelle étude.

• La seconde édition du salon ISSA/INTERCLEAN Instanbul aura lieu au palais des congrès de cette ville du 18 au 20 octobre.

September 2017 | ECJ | 6

microbes in hospital rooms may be no more dangerous than those in patients’ own homes.

“If this is true it is going to be a paradigm shift in how we think of hospital-acquired infections,” says Gilbert.

He claims it is almost impossible to completely sterilise a room and adds that most hospitals are already being relatively successful at keeping germs at bay.

“Rather than focusing on ever more potent sterilisation efforts, more resources should be spent on treating people with probiotics and antibiotics before they enter a hospital when possible,” he said.

• Laut einer neuen Studie sind die gefährlichsten Krankheitserreger in einem Krankenhaus möglicherweise diejenigen, die Sie mitbringen.

• Die 2. ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul-Messe wird vom 18.–20. Oktober im Istanbul Congress Centre stattfinden.

• A quanto emerge da un nuovo studio, i germi più pericolosi negli ospedali sono quelli che i visitatori portano con sè.

• La seconda edizione dell’esibizione ISSA/ INTERCLEAN Istanbul si terrà presso il centro Istanbul Congress Centre dal 18 al 20 di ottobre.

NEWS Social media and positive engagement

Laura Napper, managing director of Twilight Cleaning and Facilities Management, continues her series of exclusive blogs about social media for the ECJ website. She focuses here on the importance of positive engagement.

Engagement is all about being sociable. How social is your social media? Are you a serial moaner or retweeter or sharer who doesn’t actually engage but expects the social interactions back? This could help you see the woods through the trees.

Generalised negativity or moaning on media is not social and there are times where it can make for uncomfortable reading, rarely this can attract the positive engagement a company would want to be associated

with. So, always look for the positive.

Posts like “The traffic..ugggh” may well be a bugbear, it is to us all, but does anyone want to engage with this? NO! I rarely get to look at the beautiful gardens on my way to work, but today “slow moving traffic #enjoyingTheViews #Ashford or wherever you live??” - focus on the good, it will attract engagement.

Have you tried putting yourself out a little more than retweeting/sharing or liking things, this can be a bit superficial or worse, outsourced!

If it’s all you do to be social then it says little about the people behind the business. Ask yourself, what about the raw reality that we all seem to like seeing? If it’s not there, all is not lost.

Be confident Try quoting sometimes, be confident, give your take on it, this may take a post to a whole new dimension by opening up a conversation. People remember great things posted and talked about rather than, “I remember that company that hits send and just retweets and shares!!”

Getting engaged with people raises your profile and this is how. Is there a networking event? Albeit a regular thing or trend? Basically anything bigger than the day-to-day that you can engage with? Be part of

it, maybe it’s controversial, (in a good way) and gets people talking about your business or service? Live footage attracts a lot of interaction, so give it a try!

The people you choose to engage with may become customers in the future or they may know people in the right places or be the one who says “I know a company who can..” because they feel connected and like they know behind the scenes a little bit.

Now a quick recap: watch, listen and read, and if it interests you, your enthusiasm for the topic of discussion will flow.

Be positive. Get creative, noone said you can’t. Use gifs, periscope, live chats and have fun with it. Engage with quotes, photos or the odd poll to show your connecting with the world or simply your area.

You never know where it will go when you engage, that’s why social media is so exciting when the world engages back.

Tell us how you engage on social media! Email us on laura@twilightcleaning.co.uk or tweet us at @tenterdentwcc!

Read Laura Napper’s regular blog on the ECJ website: europeancleaning journal.com

Rentokil Initial completes Franz Haniel deal

September 2017 | ECJ | 8

Rentokil Initial in the UK has completed it joint venture agreement with Germany-based Franz Haniel, which operates under the CWS-boco brand.

Rentokil agreed in December to merge its workwear and hygiene businesses in 10 countries, mainly in the Benelux and central & eastern Europe regions.

The London-listed pest control firm will receive around €520 million in cash from the deal, an 18 per cent stake in the venture and an annual fixed dividend of €19 million for five years following completion. The first payment will be made to Rentokil in the first half of 2018.

“The deal aligns with our

Rentokil Initial a finalisé son accord de coentreprise avec la société allemande Franz Haniel, active sous la marque CWSboco, afin de fusionner leurs activités respectives en matière de vêtements de travail et d’hygiène dans 10 pays.

Rentokil Initial hat den Joint-VentureVertrag mit dem in Deutschland ansässigen Unternehmen Franz Haniel, das unter der Marke CWS-boco agiert, abgeschlossen, in dessen Rahmen ihre Geschäfte in den Bereichen Waschraumhygiene und Berufskleidung in 10 Ländern fusionieren.

value-creating capital allocation model perfectly, as not only does it increase our ability to invest in our core growth categories of pest control and hygiene, but it also protects value through an investment in a leading European workwear and hygiene business,” said Rentokil chief executive Andy Ransom.

La Rentokil Initial ha concluso l’accordo di joint venture con la Franz Haniel che ha sede in Germania e che opera con il marchio CWS-Boco, per unire le loro attività di indumenti da lavoro e di igiene in 10 nazioni.

NEWS EXTRA Pan-European solutions offer consistency in facility services European Customer Synergy (ECS) is a pan-European facilities management (FM) company, headquartered in Brussels. It delivers a range of facilities management services, varying from single services to integrated FM solutions.

With more than 400 offices in 41 countries, the company generates an accumulated revenue of €3.6 billion.

Recently appointed as chief executive officer is Ad Wijnhoven, who joined from US-based security and logistics company Brink’s. Speaking exclusively to ECJ he explains: “Our shareholder network is the key advantage of ECS’ solution.

Our organisation is comprised of, and owned by, specially selected pan-European partner companies with vast experience in the FM sector. The formation allows for the sharing of best practice across many leading, owner-managed, facilities management companies.”

In Wijnhoven’s view, clients are increasingly looking for pan-European solutions in order to have consistency of service, a single point of contact and leverage economies of scale.

“Innovation, technology, brand protection and environmental considerations have become a driving force in decision-making and a priority for clients due to the changing external environments,” he explains.

“Clients’ needs are developing faster in recent years, as they have to keep up with industry changes. FM solutions are also becoming increasingly personalised to represent where the organisation is in terms of incorporating technology or green credentials.

“The influx of new technology

and the rate at which we are entering the ‘internet revolution’ means that we need to adapt and make better use of advancing technology such as robots, sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT).”

We already know integrated FM services can deliver cost savings, Wijnhoven points out, but the future of connected workplaces will enable organisations to reduce these costs even further. The IoT will enable benefits across the board from the smart management of cleaning personal to increased security.

“The possibility of robots and machines taking over certain tasks will undoubtedly result in changes to the FM workforce, however this won’t necessarily lead to a reduction in jobs.

Instead, it will enable human resources to be deployed elsewhere in the business to focus on more critical tasks.”

Daily evolution He continues: “And the arrival of Generation Z will force current workplace practices to evolve and adapt to their needs, sometimes on a daily basis.

Factors might include better work-life balance, flexible and mobile working, which we are prepared for.

“The environment and sustainable practices have always been important but thanks to scientific developments we are now in an even stronger position to reduce our carbon footprint and implement more sustainable business practices. This is an area that our clients are becoming increasingly aware of in order to meet their own sustainable targets. Eco-friendly cleaning products are more available without having to compromise on cleaning quality

• European Customer Synergy (ECS), un prestataire de multi-services entouré d’un réseau européen de partenaires sur ce même secteur, a nommé Ad Wijnhoven en tant que son nouveau directeur général. M. Wijnhoven s’entretient en exclusivité avec ECJ de ses plans pour cette société et de ses vues sur les tendances clés du moment.

• L’association professionnelle ISSA et Diversey Care ont établi un programme de mentorat par le biais du réseau ISSA Hygieia dans le but de promouvoir la réussite des femmes au sein du secteur de la propreté.

September 2017 | ECJ | 10

• Ad Wijnhoven

and cost so this is something we are talking about with our clients if we know it is an important factor.”

According to Wijnhoven the advantages of using a company structured in the way ECS is brings a number of benefits for customers. “Clients receive harmonised management information reports and have a single point of contact. ECS

shares best practice whilst delivering services through local companies who understand all cultural, legal and legislative regulations.”

The company provides services across Europe plus Egypt, Russia and Turkey. There is one shareholder per country, with some shareholders covering more than one country. www.ecsynergy.eu

ISSA Hygieia network mentors Cleaning industry association ISSA, in partnership with Diversey Care, has established a mentoring programme through the ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN) to cultivate the success of women in the professional cleaning sector. Mentors are currently available to be matched with mentee-professionals at any stage in their careers.

IHN is the women’s network for the global cleaning community, named after

• Bei European Customer Synergy (ECS), einem Facility Management (FM)-Anbieter mit umfassendem Service und einem Netz führender FM-Partnerunternehmen in ganz Europa, wurde Ad Wijnhoven zum neuen Chief Executive Officer ernannt. In einem exklusiven Gespräch mit dem ECJ erläutert er seine Pläne für das Unternehmen und seine Meinung zu wichtigen Trends.

• Der Industrieverband ISSA und Diversey Care haben im Rahmen des ISSA Hygieia Network ein MentoringProgramm gegründet, um den Erfolg von Frauen in der Reinigungsbranche zu kultivieren.

Hygieia, the Greek goddess of good health, cleanliness, and sanitation. The IHN Mentorship programme offers mentees the chance to develop new skills; access to independent, objective perspectives; increased confidence in dealing with issues; and assistance in setting and achieving career goals.

Visit www.issa.com/hygieia and join the network. Then visit www.issa.com/HygieiaMentee to be matched with a mentor.

• European Customer Synergy (ECS), un fornitore di servizi completi per le strutture (facilities management - FM) con un network di imprese di fm associate in tutta Europa, ha nominato Ad Wijnhoven come suo direttore generale. Durante il suo colloquio esclusivo con ECJ ci parla dei suoi piani per l’azienda e della sua opinione sulle principali tendenze .

• L’associazione industriale ISSA e la Diversey Care hanno creato un programma di tirocinio tramite ISSA Hygieia Network per coltivare il successo delle donne nel settore del cleaning.

Nominated for the Purus Innovation Award 2017 Visit us at CMS, 19 - 22 September Berlin, Hall 2.1, Stand 209

INNOVATION

NOMINATED 2017

Technology to support your workforce Download TASKI INTELLIBOT AR from the app stores OPEN APP > POINT AT IMAGE > EXPERIENCE

NEWS CMS Purus Innovation Award finalists revealed

No handshake?

The jury of the CMS Purus Innovation Awards (PIA) organised by Messe Berlin to take place alongside the forthcoming CMS cleaning exhibition from September 19 to 22 - have announced their 17 finalists. Those products will now go forward to the final round of the competition and the winners will be announced on the first day of the exhibition.

The awards recognise intelligently made products, tools and systems that feature excellent usability and an outstanding overall design.

The jury assessed the products in six categories: Large Machines,

Doctors in the USA and the UK are considering handshake bans in a bid to reduce hospital infections, some of which are resistant to antibiotics.

Others however, say handshaking in the general community is fairly safe as long as people regularly wash their hands.

So could the more modern fist-bump greeting - often used by former US president Barack Obama - become the norm?

In 2014 researchers from a Welsh university compared the quantity of bacteria transferred by handshaking, high-fiving and fist bumping. They found handshaking transferred 10 times more bacteria than fist bumping.

Small Machines, Equipment, Washroom Hygiene, Digital Tools and Systems as well as Cleaning Products.

The finalists are: Large Machines: 1. Adlatus Robotics - Adlatus CR 700 automated cleaning machine; 2. Diversey – TASKI swingobot 2000; 3. Nilfisk – Nilfisk Liberty A50

Winners on first day Small Machines: 1. Kenter Bodenreinigungsmaschinen – i-mop XXL; 2. Nilfisk – GD5 battery; 3. Wetrok – Monovac Freedom Equipment: 1. Emil Deiss – UNIVERSAL PLUS bin liners; 2.

• Le jury des Prix de l’innovation Purus CMS (PIA), manifestation qui aura lieu en septembre lors du salon CMS de Berlin, a annoncé les 17 finalistes • Des médecins américains et britanniques songent à interdire la poignée de mains dans le but de réduire les infections en milieu hospitalier.

September 2017 | ECJ | 12

Alfred Kärcher – EASY! Force Advanced; 3. TTS Cleaning – BiLap Twist Washroom Hygiene: 1.

Lucart – Econatural paper and dispenser system; 2. Ophardt Hygiene – the Untouchable Digital Tools and Systems: 1.

Igefa E-Business – igefa process optimisation app; 2. Alfred Kärcher – Kärcher MANAGE; 3.

Vermop Salmon – Vermop Digital Cleaning Products:1. Dr Schutz – PU Color; 2. tana-Chemie / Werner & Mertz Professional – advanced Quick & Easy system; 3. Wetrok – Wetrok Granuline •Read ECJ’s preview of the CMS exhibition starting on page 49. www.cms-berlin.de

• Die Jury der CMS Purus Innovation Awards (PIA), die im Rahmen der Reinigungsmesse CMS im September in Berlin verliehen werden, haben die 17 Finalisten bekannt gegeben.

• Ärzte in den USA und Großbritannien ziehen ein Händeschüttelverbot in Betracht, um Krankenhausinfektionen zu reduzieren.

• La giuria del CMS Purus Innovation Awards (PIA), che avrà luogo in contemporanea con l’esibizione del settore del cleaning CMS che si terrà a Berlino a settembre, ha annunciato i 17 finalisti.

• I medici negli Stati Uniti e nel Regno Unito stanno considerando il divieto delle strette di mano nel tentativo di ridurre le infezioni negli ospedali.

NEWS Kadri to head up new Diversey

Self-cleaning kitchen developed

Dr Ilham Kadri has been appointed to serve as president and chief executive officer of Diversey.

The company is in the process of being acquired from Sealed Air Corporation by Bain Capital Private Equity. The sale is expected to complete this month.

Kadri joined Sealed Air in early 2013 as the president of the Diversey Care business. The new Diversey will include the Diversey Care division of Sealed Air as well as the food hygiene solution business that is part of its food care division.

Diversey will integrate chemicals, floor care machines, tools and equipment, with a wide range of technology-

Scientists in London have developed the dream kitchen one which is capable of selfcleaning and destroying bacteria without any soap or sprays.

The researchers from University College London (UCL) have created paints and plastics that react with anything landing on them - driving off stains, repelling water or producing micro-doses of toxic molecules to assassinate microbes.

“We are creating self-cleaning and self-sterilising materials for use in hospitals and in homes - especially kitchens and bathrooms,” said Kris Page of UCL. Page and his colleagues were partly inspired by the self-

based value-added services, food safety services and water and energy management.

“We are looking forward to partnering with Ilham, and welcoming her to the Bain Capital family,” said Ken Hanau, a managing director at Bain Capital Private Equity. “She has established a track record of leading change and delivering results in a global environment, and we believe Diversey has a bright future with her at its helm.”

“I am excited by the opportunity that lies ahead to build Diversey as a customer-centric global leader in the hygiene and cleaning industry, and to fully engage our employees on this journey,” added Kadri.

• Dr Ilham Kadri a été nommé PDG de Diversey, laquelle est sur le point d’être reprise à Sealed Air Corporation par Bain Capital Private Equity.

• Des scientifiques à Londres ont mis au point la cuisine de rêve, capable de s’auto-nettoyer et de détruire les bactéries sans recourir au savon et à la pulvérisation.

• Dr. Ilham Kadri wurde zum President und CEO von Diversey ernannt. Unterdessen ist die Übernahme des Unternehmens von Sealed Air Corporation durch Bain Capital Private Equity im Gange.

• Wissenschaftler in London haben die Traumküche entwickelt: sie reinigt sich selbst und vernichtet Bakterien ohne Seife oder Sprays.

cleaning glass used in modern buildings, which is coated with titanium dioxide catalysts that destroy dirt.

They have combined this with a “fluorinated silane” with properties similar to Teflon, which makes any water landing on it form a sphere, rather than soaking in. The spheres then pick up specks of dirt and carry it away, cleaning the surface.

UCL has already patented the materials which Page believes could help to clean the filthiest objects that most people possess - their mobile phones. Most are coated in a toxic mix including faecal bacteria, sundry body fluids and grease.

• Dr Ilham Kadri è stato nominato presidente e direttore generale della Diversey, che è in procinto di essere venduta dalla Sealed Air Corporation a Bain Capital Private Equity.

• Gli scienziati a Londra hanno sviluppato la cucina dei sogni, una che sia capace di autopulirsi e di distruggere i batteri senza alcun sapone o spray

September 2017 | ECJ | 13

The Nilfisk floorcare range has been designed with your everyday cleaning costs in mind.

We went straight to the source of some of the most common cleaning expenses and created smart solutions that reduce consumption and noise levels while making the machines easier to use. Optimising your time, budget and labour resources – so you can save on costs, not on clean. www.nilfisk.com

UPDATE: FRANCE New ways of dealing with litter As French reporter Christian Bouzols writes, the country’s litter problem demands radical action.

Keeping French beaches and public places clean, particularly in the south of the country, is a matter of major concern.

Local authorities involved with this problem are often overworked due to the lack of civicmindedness and negligence of the public, and have therefore been led to take a number of initiatives, some of which are quite radical.

Here are some examples.

In Marseilles, which is reputed to be one the least clean large cities in France, Monique Cordier, vicepresident of the Provence territorial council for Marseilles made it known in early August that she had filed complaints against nine “litter delinquents”.

One of the prosecutions was against garage owners who were fly-tipping used tyres on public roads, treating them as open landfills.

“These garage owners are throwing away old tyres in any way they choose, because they’re refusing to pay landfill charges.

So they just fly-tip them in the streets. In addition some craftsmen, if you can call them that, just leave their bulky items on the street, which causes a lot of work to our cleaning teams,” she said in a interview with the France Bleu Provence radio station.

These nine people have been identified by means of their vehicle number plates, given that it’s quite difficult to catch flytippers red handed. They are liable to fines of €7,500.

At Deauville, a popular resort on the Normandy coast local authorities are also compelled to wage a daily war against the negligent and civically inconsiderate behaviour of tourists and residents. The mayor has just enacted a bylaw obliging residents to place their Assurer la propreté des plages françaises et des endroits publics est une tâche de taille, écrit Christian Bouzols. Les collectivités locales s’y emploient activement, en prenant parfois des mesures radicales.

dustbins in orderly fashion or face fines by the municipal police.

A buzz on Facebook In Nice, on the French Riviera the mayor’s deputy in charge of urban cleaning, Pierre Paul Leonelli, opted for the use of Facebook rather than prosecuting offenders. His post contains three photos showing town employees on a beach whose white sands are covered with a large amount of litter. “Each day from 05.00 onwards, cleaning operatives are relentlessly at work, clearing the beaches of Nice so that vacationers and the citizens of the town can enjoy a clean shoreline as from 08.00 despite the lack of public-spiritedness of some people.” This Facebook post has been shared hundreds of time and has produced thousands of ‘likes’.

Will it raise public awareness?

Preventative measures On the Atlantic coastline of the Landes, they’re not resorting to fines either but rather to preventative measures carried out by cleanliness ambassadors who, during the whole summer, have been crisscrossing beaches in order to sensitise tourists to the issue of litter management and the consequences of cigarette ends and plastic bags being just “forgotten” on the sand.

Another worthwhile initiative is the one launched by the Ocean Ride organisation, which runs a network of paddle board rentals (these crafts allowing people to navigate in a standing position by means of an oar). For each bag full of litter that the user brings back on shore, he or she is given an extra half-hour of paddle board usage, which is a striking approach that is both original and environmentally friendly.

Das Sauberhalten französischer Strände und öffentlicher Plätze ist ein wichtiges Anliegen, schreibt Christian Bouzols. Örtliche Behörden ergreifen Maßnahmen, manchmal recht radikale.

Mantenere pulite le spiagge francesi e altri luoghi pubblici è causa di grande preoccupazione, come ci informa il corrispondente Christian Bouzols. Le autorità locali stanno prendendo provvedimenti, a volte abbastanza drastici.

September 2017 | ECJ | 17

UPDATE: DENMARK Knowledge knocks down sick leave Back pain is among the most costly and widespread conditions in Denmark, however mere knowledge is likely to lower work absence, writes Lotte Printz.

There’s no easy way to lower sick leave. Or so it has been said.

But now it seems that something as simple as words can do the trick. All it takes to lower back pain-related sick leave considerably are two one-hour talks on basic anatomy and modern pain models. And that’s good news for the cleaning business as well where back pain is not uncommon when cleaners call in sick.

Danish researchers tested nearly 500 public sector employees, predominantly manual workers, and the information pamphlet and the two talks given to half of them, the intervention group, not only halved back pain-related absence, but also resulted in pain reduction and in the participants seeking less treatment in the 12-month follow-up period.

They still experienced pain, the intervention group – but they were not as likely to take a sick day because of the pain as the control group that did not participate in the talks. In fact, the study showed that the intervention group was 83 per cent more likely to go to work even though they were experiencing pain and felt, in addition, less sad and less bothered by the pain at those times.

“Pain is easier to cope with when it’s not accompanied by worries or uncertainty,” says Tom Bendix, supervisor of the study, talking to the Danish National Research Centre for the Environment.

The talks reassured the participants that back pain is often harmless and caused by temporary muscle tension and that diseases such as disc Les douleurs dorsales comptent parmi les états physiques les plus onéreux et répandus au Danemark. Une meilleure connaissance de ce problème devrait réduire le taux d’absentéisme pour cause de mal au dos, explique Lotte Printz.

September 2017 | ECJ | 18

degeneration are more often down to genetics rather than physical activity – whether leisure or work.

Only a few years back, a common perception was that you should “pay attention to” your back and move in certain ways. Now it is common knowledge in this field among back specialists that this may do more harm than good. If we experience back pain, which most of us do at times, it’s much better to use natural walking patterns and focus as little as possible on the pain.

In this study there was no other intervention than information – no physical exercises or back scans were involved.

So it all lies in knowledge and attitudes towards back pain and sick leave. To tackle beliefs that have been hard to eliminate.

“It is very encouraging that such a simple step can influence something as important as sick leave,” says physiotherapist and PhD Pernille Frederiksen who was head of the study.

At Danske Service, the association for the Danish cleaning trade, they also welcome the results of the study and do not reject taking on the idea.

“This is definitely interesting and very much in line with what our focus lies on. How to prevent injuries and worn-out workers is at the centre of our attention.

We take an interest in employees being happy and healthy, physically functional and of course, bringing down sick leave is an important element in that respect, too, says Malene Jæpelt, head of department at Danske Service.

Rückenschmerzen gehören zu den kostspieligen und weitverbreiteten Erkrankungen in Dänemark. Bessere Kenntnisse würden wahrscheinlich zu einer Senkung der Fehlzeiten aufgrund von Rückenschmerzen führen, erläutert Lotte Printz.

Il mal di schiena è fra le condizioni costose e diffuse in Danimarca. Una maggiore conoscenza di suddette condizioni può ridurre le assenze dal lavoro relative al mal di schiena, come spiega Lotte Printz.

UPDATE: GERMANY Hygiene, cost and environment German reporter Alexandra Lachner discusses the pros and cons of ‘green’ hospitals.

Multi-drug resistant bacteria, shortage of trained staff, centralisation: these are some of the challenges hospitals in Germany have to cope with. In this context, ‘green’ hospitals may appear to be of marginal interest, but environmental issues do not stop at the gates of the healthcare system.

The German Hospital Federation, representing some 2,000 hospitals, maintains: “All the efforts of hospitals to protect the quality of the environment should be supported. It is for individual institutions themselves to decide which cleaning agents to use. The RKI (Robert Koch Institute) has issued guidelines in respect of certain specific diseases.”

Ask some of the major cleaning service providers how requirements are changing and it becomes clear what a huge balancing act is required and also why it is taking so long for environmental issues to come on to the agenda. Michael Jasper, head of strategy new markets at Dussmann explains: “Hygiene requirements and cost pressures – these are the primary considerations of all hospitals. We see it as our responsibility in this area of conflicting priorities to demonstrate the benefits of sustainable cleaning, because sustainable chemicals are first and foremost those which I don’t need. And this will save hard cash too.”

According to Jasper the same applies to sustainably designed work processes, for example where a one-step mop system with microfibres meets both environmental and economic criteria.

“Cleaning is done much more quickly in a one-step process, with exactly the same results. And this process uses less water.”

Similarly convincing work has been done by WISAG which, owing to increasing public interest in hospital hygiene, sees environmental issues likewise rather Alexandra Lachner, notre correspondante en Allemagne, discute des avantages et des inconvénients des hôpitaux « verts » avec plusieurs intervenants de ce secteur.

more as a background consideration. Elvira Dreher, manager of hospital cleaning, explains: “According to the German Hospital Federation, we can expect a not insignificant number of nosocomial infections and associated deaths annually nationwide. It is clear hygiene must be a major focus for discussion. We have initiated numerous workshops on the theme of green hospitals and are pushing forward the idea proactively with our customers”.

The central concept is not to see the hospital as a whole but to differentiate between its various components and scrutinise them with reference to the relevant DIN standards and RKI guidelines.

Which are the areas of risk and which are not? As a consequence, environmentally sustainable products and processes can be introduced at an appropriate level.

“From fixed dispensing systems and prior soaking of cloths to dust binding cleaning processes and the use of demineralised water the possibilities are many and it is a matter of implementing them more vigorously than before.”

Nevertheless, there remain areas where disinfection is inevitable and on this all parties are agreed. This is where product suppliers are required to engage in innovative approaches. Dr Viktoria Wagner, senior marketing manager institutional with Ecolab explains. “We see it as our task to establish reliable processes and procedures while at the same time keeping an eye on energy, time and water saving.

We are also working to develop innovative products which create environmental added value. We are paying great attention to environmental compatibility and have our eye on safety in all cleaning processes. The trend is towards solutions based on hydrogen peroxide, combined with prior soaking procedures.”

Die deutsche Reporterin Alexandra Lachner diskutiert die Vor- und Nachteile umweltfreundlicher Krankenhäuser mit einigen Interessenvertretern der Branche.

La corrispondente tedesca Alexandra Lachner discute con numerosi azionisti del settore dei pro e contro degli ospedali “verdi”.

September 2017 | ECJ | 19

UPDATE: NETHERLANDS Cleanliness equals productivity VSR chairman Jacco Vonhof, ECJ’s Dutch correspondent, brings news of research indicating that the level of office cleanliness directly impacts on employees’ productivity.

Not only does the standard of cleaning impact productivity, it also contributes to the general satisfaction of employees.

Employees are more satisfied when their office is clean.

In other words, when the environment is technically clean, productivity and work satisfaction are higher. And work satisfaction again leads to increased productivity, according to the same research.

Not only did VSR (Association for Cleaning Research) investigate

the effect of the cleaning standard measured. We also looked at the employees’ opinion on the cleaning standard in relation to the way they judged their own productivity. We did not ascertain that link.

Moreover, this perceived cleaning standard did not affect the overall work satisfaction.

The findings are, nevertheless, good news for the cleaning industry. The scope of their product seems to reach far beyond a clean space and interior. As a cleaning partner, you are able to contribute

Jacco Vonhof, président de VSR et correspondant d’ECJ aux Pays-Bas, rend compte de résultats de recherche indiquant que la propreté des bureaux impacte la productivité des employés.

September 2017 | ECJ | 20

to your client’s employee satisfaction. This means cleaning should not only be considered as an expense but as a service which adds value to a company’s core process.

The extensive survey also included a number of individual characteristics such as gender, education level, number of working hours per week and position. In addition to the general conclusions, this allowed us to discover a few variables: • The more hours employees worked per week, the higher their perceived productivity • Employees with a high level of education scored higher in terms of work satisfaction • Women were more picky about cleanliness than men • Everyone agreed that social interaction has a positive effect

VSR-Vorsitzender Jacco Vonhof, der NiederlandeKorrespondent des ECJ, berichtet in seinem Artikel über neue Forschungsergebnisse, die darauf hinweisen, dass das Niveau der Sauberkeit im Büro einen direkten Einfluss auf die Produktivität der Mitarbeiter ausübt.

on satisfaction.

Another Dutch study conducted at Wageningen University (1999) also found a causal link between the standard of cleaning and productivity. Our study shows that it is still relevant to know whether a clean working environment leads to increased productivity.

These current findings, once again, highlight the importance of a clean environment.

About the research Mirte Horrevorts conducted the research on behalf of VSR, to conclude her Master Management, Economics and Consumer Studies at Wageningen University. Horrevorts conducted her research in office environments of non-commercial organisations such as schools and care institutions. She surveyed 120 employees in early 2016.

Il presidente di VSR Jacco Vonhof, corrispondente olandese di ECJ, ci informa su una ricerca da cui emerge che il livello della pulizia degli uffici incide direttamente sulla produttività dei dipendenti.

UPDATE: UK We all speak the language of the logo; the power of this visual image has removed the need for actual words and instead carefully manipulated images of a product or a service pop to mind. There are even games apps to match logo to corporation. Corporate branding and logo placement are modern day communications’ success stories. The logo is the go-to tool of public relations, awards and benchmarking achievements.

A corporate logo serves as a visual promise to the customer, a declaration of intention. A logo which serves as proof of accreditation, merit and benchmarking should underpin and validate this declaration of corporate intent.

In the case of cleaning and FM procurement the accreditation logo should be the proof that the potential supplier has undergone

a series of rigorous procedures and been judged by field experts as worthy of the badge, the logo.

The logo illustrating membership of a professional or trade body should further reassure, showing the potential supplier actively shares in the good practice and positive intent of the industry.

Trust and understanding are major factors. Trust in the bodies that apply the accreditation process, trust in the membership organisations and trust in the businesses that proudly display these logos. A thorough understanding of the cleaning and FM processes and quality procedures that have been checked and verified, combined with an understanding of the actual accreditation processes are essential.

The issue of validity of logo display should not arise, but sadly

Notre reporter au Royaume-Uni, Lynn Webster, examine le pouvoir du logotype et la promesse visuelle que celui-ci donne au client, particulièrement quand il s’agit d’accréditation.

What lies behind that logo?

UK reporter Lynn Webster examines the power of the logo, and the visual commitment it represents. it can when the commercial stakes are high. Assurances the potential supplier for example is a bona fide member of a professional body, and has undergone stringent accreditation processes may need to be sought. The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) is working with Yoshki in this capacity. But what else can we do to get behind the pixel or paper logo?

What steps can be taken to ensure that the procurement process gathers the depth of evidence needed to choose a supplier and award a contract?

The members of the procurement team need to share a

Die britische ECJ-Korrespondentin Lynn Webster untersucht die Kraft des Logos und wie es als visuelles Versprechen dem Kunden gegenüber verstanden wird – insbesondere, wenn es um Akkreditierung geht.

depth of understanding of what underpins those logos. Questions should be asked that draw out concrete evidence of value.

With CIMS accreditation for example, which reports reduction in operational expenses; sales growth; reduction in work related injuries; increase in productivity; and increase in customer retention. BICSc corporate membership boasts assurance of professional standards and education.

The curtain of the logo needs to be pulled well back at the earliest possible stage; we need to know there is something real and worthwhile behind it.

La corrispondente britannica Lynn Webster prende in esame la potenza dei logo e di come questi vengano percepiti come promessa visuale per i clienti, in modo particolare quando riguarda il suo riconoscimento.

UPDATE: ITALY Modest industry growth for 2016 Italian correspondent Anna Garbagna brings news of latest data from the country’s cleaning sector.

The year 2016 for the professional cleaning industry closed with more modest growth than the previous year, but still with encouraging signs for the near future. These data came from the survey by AfidampFAB. Overall last year, the sector had a turnover of €1,644,458,287, recording a slight increase (+two

per cent) compared to 2015.

‘Stability’ is the key word for all cleaning companies with slight variation between zero and four per cent. The machine sector, after the previous year when it achieved 11 per cent growth in turnover, presented 2016 under the banner of stability, without fluctuation in the revenues.

After the most severe phase of the crisis, from 2012, the situation for manufacturers slowly returned to normal. In particular, from 2013, all the indexes started to indicate growth which has remained constant ever since.

The breakdown of turnover is as follows: machines represent 33 per cent of total production, with €518,959,201; chemical products 13 per cent with €208,987,992; equipment four per cent (€69,478,006); tissue 33 per cent (€551,906,497); fibres and cloths two per cent

(€28,455,342); accessories and machine spare parts five per cent (€85,487,832) while all the other products grouped together were 11 per cent with €181,183,416.

As was the case in 2015, exports are essential: the AfidampFAB survey shows the proportion of exports by turnover was 53 per cent and to be more precise, the total turnover of export markets was €867,686,898.

This is the breakdown: 39 per cent of total turnover from exports was from sale of machines (one per cent), followed by paper products with 34 per cent (+one per cent), other products 11 per cent (soap dispensers and air fresheners, warm air hand dryers, batteries and battery chargers, brushes and pads) and equipment with five per cent. Chemical products are historically aimed at the home market and represent only four per cent of total exports.

As in every year, therefore, the machine sector proved itself the sector with greater international orientation. The most relevant markets remain Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

As far as the home market is concerned, the total turnover was €776,771,389, up three per cent, (in 2015 it was +nine) and like the previous year it was driven by paper products with 33 per cent of the turnover’s total, followed by machines with 24 per cent. In third position we find chemicals with 22 per cent, followed by other products with 11 per cent, accessories and machine spare parts four per cent and lastly equipment, fibres and cloths with four per cent.

Anna Garbagna, notre correspondante en Italie, présente les données industrielles les plus récentes de l’association AfidampFAB. Elles montrent que le secteur a bénéficié d’une croissance globale de 2 pour cent en 2016.

Unsere Italien-Korrespondentin Anna Garbagna berichtet über die neuesten Branchendaten des Verbands AfidampFAB. Daraus geht ein Gesamtwachstum von 2 Prozent für 2016 hervor.

La corrispondente italiana Anna Garbagna ci aggiorna sui dati più recenti del settore forniti dall’associazione AfidampFAB. Questi dati indicano un aumento della crescita complessiva del due per cento nel 2016.

September 2017 | ECJ | 22

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AIR FRESHENERS

Bad for our health?

Air freshening products are everywhere – in our offices, hotels, washrooms, cars and homes. But are they always a force for good? Or should we attempt to restrict their use? ECJ talks to manufacturers about air fresheners and their potential effects on our health.

It is now virtually impossible to avoid “pleasant smells” in offices, shops, restaurants, spas and other public facilities.

Air fragrancing products are turning up everywhere - even in the most unlikely of places. Earlier this year a pilot project began in Washington DC to “freshen” parts of the city’s underground railway network with the aroma of cucumber and melon.

However the scheme was abruptly shelved in June as commuters voiced concerns about the risk of scented products triggering allergies and migraines.

Concerns about these risks have also been highlighted in a new book out this summer. The Case Against Fragrance examines the increasing use of air fresheners and scented detergents in public places and private homes, linking them with symptoms such as headaches, asthma and allergies. Author Kate Grenville points out that the effects of these products on our shared air are largely unregulated and in fact she blames her own debilitating headaches on fragranced products.

Meanwhile in April researchers in Canada discovered a link between air fresheners at home and respiratory issues in children. As a result Dr Anne Ellis - lead researcher of the study - encouraged the public to think twice before using air freshener products in their homes.

And a third of Americans claim to have experienced health problems includ-

ing asthma attacks and migraines when exposed to fragranced products such as air fresheners, cleaning supplies, laundry products, scented candles, colognes and personal care products. This was revealed in a study carried out in 2016 and published in international journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health.

However Vectair’s managing director Paul Wonnacott says there is a need to differentiate between commercial products for away-from-home environments and retail products such as candles and plug-in air fresheners. “Many of these negative reports relate to products that are used for long periods of time in the home,” he said.

“People who visit commercial washrooms where aerosol air fresheners are used tend to do so on an ad hoc basis which means they won’t be exposed for long periods. Therefore any risk of negative effects is minimal.”

Positive effects He adds air fresheners have many benefits both for consumers and business owners. “The appropriate background scent in a store can subtly trigger consumers to spend more time in there or persuade them to stop in,” he said.

“Customers linger longer and are generally happier when exposed to certain scents.

“Fragrances also enable brands to connect with their customers. Facilities such as hotels, spas, airports, wedding venues, restaurants and bars are increasingly using ‘scent marketing’ to engage with their clients and attract new audiences.”

He concedes some people are sensitive to the ingredients of certain fragrancing products. “The good news is that manufacturers are increasingly aware of people’s sensitivities,” said Wonnacott. “As a result they are becoming better at creating air fresheners and fragrance products that are more suitable for environments where people may be exposed for longer periods of time.

“For example, the fragrance particles in aerosol air fresheners are approxi-

mately 80 microns in size whereas the particle sizes in the latest technology products contain less than 10 microns – and in some cases, less than one micron.

Smaller particle sizes make the fragrance lighter, longer-lasting and safer for continuous exposure which can only be good news for consumers.”

Vectair’s V-Air Solid and Vibe nonaerosol air fresheners are said to produce smaller fragrance particles for safer continuous exposure. The fragrance particles in V-Air Solid products are less than a micron in size and are claimed to remain airborne for many hours.

Vibe air fresheners use vibrating mesh technology to produce tiny fragrance particles that are said to achieve a consistent delivery in medium-sized areas.

Air freshener companies are required to follow strict protocols as far as ingredients are concerned and any dangerous substances are outlawed, says Wonnacott. “Today’s customers are demanding more natural and eco-friendly ingredients and we are always looking at new ways of improving our fragrance formulations,” he said.

“The use of potentially harmful chemicals in fragrances is increasingly being regulated around the world and we monitor this situation closely. All our fragrance developers are IFRA members and ISO accredited. The importance of this is paramount – which is why it pays to choose a responsible manufacturer who puts safety first.”

Managing director of Cromwell Polythene James Lee shares Wonnacott’s view that most negative reports relate to fragranced sprays, candles and similar consumer products.

“These reports raise legitimate concerns about those fragrances that are freely released into closed atmospheres such as washrooms,” he said. “There is a case for taking a sensible approach to fragrancing in public spaces and thinking carefully about how much is used and how it is Continued page 26

September 2017 | ECJ | 25

AIR FRESHENERS Bad for our health? (continued) released into the environment.”

Cromwell’s Sansafe bin liners have scent additives introduced into them at the point of manufacture and these have been independently verified as safe, according to Lee. “However we make extra efforts to ensure that our additives simply mask the malodour at source rather than leaching out into the wider environment,” he said.

“It is crucial that any company offering fragranced products should be accredited via all appropriate independent, scientific quality and safety tests.”

He says that besides masking unpleasant odours, the company’s bin liners also contain antimicrobial agents. “These are based on silver ions and prevent any bacteria from growing, producing energy or replicating,” said Lee.

Natural products Managing director of P-Wave Dave Carson believes any increase in the use of chemicals in the air is bound to have an impact on the public. “We would never underestimate the potential impact of exposure to fragrancing products - particularly if these contain high levels of chemicals or where the dose is too high for the area concerned,” he said.

Aerosol delivery systems involve an initial burst of air freshener being released in high concentrations, says Carson. “This could have an impact on anyone nearby,” he said. “However our fragrances are made from natural products and are gradually released over a 30-day period. This means there is no over-exposure - just a safe, pleasant-smelling environment.” P-Wave’s latest air freshening product is the Hex 3D urinal screen which is said to deliver a long-lasting fragrance.

According to Carson air fragrancing products are definitely a force for good if the right products are used in the right way. “The alternative is that bad odours become overpowering and lead to people avoiding the affected area,” he said. “In the case of the washroom, this can lead to people not staying there long enough to wash their hands with a resulting impact on general hygiene.

“Our sense of smell is also closely linked to our memories and emotions. So if we Selon de récents rapports, certains types de désodorisants aggravent les difficultés des asthmatiques, occasionnant ainsi une publicité négative pour le secteur. De plus, d’autres sources prétendent que certains parfums contiennent des produits chimiques susceptibles, notamment, de modifier la structure de l’ADN. Néanmoins, les produits de diffusion d’ambiance peuvent également agir pour le bien de la santé, car ils purifient l’air et tuent les bactéries. 902

September 2017 | ECJ | 26

want staff, visitors and customers to have a positive impression of our premises and ultimately our brand we need to ensure unpleasant odours are kept to a minimum.”

He believes tackling the problem at source is vital. “Whether the odour is coming from the kitchen, the bin areas or the washrooms, effective air freshening is required to replace problem smells with something rather more pleasant,” he said.

However he adds it is important not to overdo the fragrancing of any environment. “Too much of a good thing can be almost as unpleasant as the smell that the air freshener is trying to mask,” he said.

“That’s why we offer products that are motion or light-activated so the fragrance only enters the air when it is needed and doesn’t lead to a build-up in enclosed spaces.”

Marketing and communications director of Hyprom Dorothee Dinner agrees some air freshening products can cause problems for the consumer. “However it depends on the delivery system,” she said.

“Aerosol products with high levels of VOCs and propellant gas can cause health issues, and so can essential oils if you don’t know how to use them.

“Some producers will not hesitate to cross the line and provide cheap fragrancing products regardless of the consequences for the planet or for health.”

But she rejects the idea there is a case for limiting the level of fragrancing in public places. “In fact quite the opposite,” Einige jüngst veröffentlichte Berichte über Lufterfrischer, in denen es hieß, dass sie die Beschwerden von Personen, die unter Asthma leiden, verschlimmerten, haben diesem Sektor negative Publizität eingebracht. Des Weiteren behaupten einige Quellen, dass manche Duftstoffe industrielle Chemikalien enthalten, die unter anderem die DNAStruktur umwandeln können. Lufterfrischerprodukte können im Hinblick auf die Gesundheit durch die Reinigung der Luft und das Abtöten von Bakterien jedoch auch eine positive Wirkung haben.

she said. “No one is comfortable with bad smells whether it is in the washroom, the meeting room, shops, parking, at the gym or even in the car. A pleasant smell also implies cleanliness and can be linked to increased sales in some businesses. And it provides a strong signature for a brand.”

Hyprom’s fragrancing products are said to have no negative effects either on public health or the environment. Launched after extensive testing, BLO2 for the washroom and BLO2 Life for living areas use a patented technology to provide a light mist without using propellants. One unit is said to cover an area of 120 cubicle metres and the system is claimed to be up to three times more efficient than aerosols.

Threat to health?

So in the light of recent negative reports, could air freshening products represent a threat to public health? “There will always be people who are intolerant to dairy products, gluten, eggs, tomatoes or even fragrances,” said Dinner.

“But are these products actually dangerous, or is there simply an increase in the number of people with intolerances? Or could it simply be the way in which people consume these products that is the problem?

“People expect pleasant fragrances. The key is to strike the right balance and use a professional company that can guide the customers on the type of fragrance to use, the required strength and the frequency of delivery.”

Alcuni recenti rapporti sui deodoranti per ambienti che peggiorano le condizioni delle persone che soffrono di asma hanno creato della pubblicità negativa per il settore. Contemporaneamente, altre fonti affermano che alcune fragranze contengono dei prodotti chimici industriali che possono, fra le altre cose, trasformare la struttura del DNA. Tuttavia, i prodotti per rinfrescare e deodorare l’aria possono anche avere un aspetto benefico per quanto riguarda la salute, purificando l’aria ed eliminando i batteri.

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BLO2 (for washroom) then BLO2 Life (for living spaces) have been proven and tested for the last 3 years within our direct customers before their international launch. It helped us to correct, improve what needs to be and to ensure a perfect reliability. No other company in the market has the same know how and objectivity on such a technology‌ Whatever the name you give to it. Also, it ensures our customers that BLO2 / BLO2 Life is simple to use, easy to program and quick to service.

Want to test it? Contact us at info@hyprom.ch or +41 21 803 62 72

PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENERS

• L’appareil XIBU senseFRESHAIR de Hagleitner est un diffuseur de parfums que l’on peut programmer à l’avance.

• V-Air Solid, le produit de purification d’air sans aérosol de Vectair Systems, a été homologué exempt d’empreinte carbone aux termes des normes les plus récentes.

• Le produit ONS, réalisé par ECosi, est un liquide de prévention et de neutralisation des odeurs à l’intention de maisons de retraite, moyens de transport, hôtels, gymnases, etc.

• Accelerated Air Care by Good Sense, un produit breveté vendu par Diversey, est un neutraliseur d’odeurs proposé en versions avec et sans fragrance.

• Les formules Unicorn Hygienics font appel à une technologie de neutralisation des odeurs appelée Innovair.

• P-Wave a lancé l’écran d’urinoir et le diffuseur d’ambiance Hex 3D. • Le dernier produit de la gamme Oxygen-Powered de FDT est l’assainisseur d’air écologique Oxygen-Pro.

• XIBU senseFRESHAIR von Hagleitner ist ein Duftspender, der im Voraus programmiert werden kann.

• Das Luftpflegeprodukt ohne Aerosol V-Air Solid von Vectair Systems ist jetzt gemäß der neuesten Standards von Carbon Footprint anerkannt.

• ONS von ECosi ist eine Lösung zur Geruchsverhütung und -neutralisierung, die für Pflegeheime, Verkehrsmittel, Hotels, Fitnessstudios usw. konzipiert wurde.

• Der patentierte Accelerated Air Care der Marke Good Sense von Diversey ist ein Geruchsneutralisierer für die Steckdose, der sowohl parfümiert als auch unparfümiert erhältlich ist.

• Unicorn Hygienics-Formulierungen enthalten eine schlechten Gerüchen entgegenwirkende Technologie mit der Bezeichnung Innovair.

• Neu von P-Wave sind die Hex 3D Urinalsiebe und Lufterfrischer.

• Das neueste Produkt in der Produktreihe Oxygen-Powered von FDT ist der umweltfreundliche Lufterfrischer Oxygen-Pro. • XIBU senseFRESHAIR prodotto dalla Hagleitner è un dispenser di fragranze che può essere programmato in anticipo.

• Il prodotto per la cura dell’aria non aerosol V-Air Solid della Vectair Systems è ora Carbon Footprint Approved (approvato per l’impronta carbonica) in base agli standard più recenti.

• ONS della ECosi è una soluzione per la prevenzione e la neutralizzazione degli odori progettato per case di riposo, mezzi di trasporto, hotel, palestre ecc.

• Patented Accelerated Air Care della gamma Good Sense della Diversey è un neutralizzatore di odori elettrico disponibile in versione profumata e non profumata.

• Le formulazioni Unicorn Hygienics contengono la tecnologia che contrasta i cattivi odori denominata Innovair.

• La novità della P-Wave è la griglia per urinatoi e profumatore per ambienti Hex 3D. • Il prodotto più nuovo della gamma Oxygen-Powered prodotta dalla FDT è il profumatore per ambienti ecologico Oxygen-Pro.

September 2017 | ECJ | 30

Based on traffic With XIBU senseFRESHAIR Hagleitner says it is offering an intelligent fragrance dispenser which adapts to different situations. With its motion- and light-detection technology it can adjust its activation and frequency based on washroom traffic. It can also go to sleepmode if lights are turned off in the room.

There are eight fragrances and the dispenser integrates with the entire Hagleitner XIBU washroom range.

For use outside the washroom, the company developed the Magicus scent diffuser which can cover up to 250 square metres. www.hagleitner.com

Latest standard Vectair Systems non-aerosol aircare product V-Air SOLID has been awarded with the latest internationally recognised standard for demonstrating low carbon credentials.

An independent organisation conducted a life cycle assessment on both the V-Air SOLID non-battery dispenser and fragrance refill cartridge. The environmental impact of V-Air SOLID on climate change during its life cycle was then calculated

by Carbon Footprint’s team of specialist greenhouse gas emission assessors.

To qualify for the Carbon Footprint Standard – CO2e Assessed, the footprint assessment had to be completed against one of the leading internationally recognised methodologies. www.vectairsystems.com

Neutralise

ing, replacing it with one of the selection of 13 fragrances, from sweet scents to citrus aromas. www.unicorn-hygienics.com

Fresh screens Odor Neutralising System (ONS) is a system of prevention and neutralisation of malodours in nursing homes, travel environments, hotels, gyms, spas etc.

Developed by E Cosi, it guarantees the elimination of bad smells through a radical action on the organic factors responsible for them.

The solution comprises ONS1 (floors), ONS3 (surfaces) and ONS Plus (the enzymes that destroy the molecules responsible for the bad smells).

Natural agents break up the organic clusters responsible for bad smells, making them easy to remove. www.ecosi.it

New from P-Wave is the Hex 3D urinal screen and air freshener - its hexagon shape means the screen fits any size of urinal as the sides can fold inwards.

The new screens come in several fragrances, with each running for 30 days. Hex 3D also features P-Wave’s protrusions that reduce splashback and catch debris – which means odour-producing bacteria don’t go on the floor and get spread around the washroom. By containing the bacteria, odour-controlling enzymes in the screen can work to keep washrooms smelling fresh.

A clock system has been incorporated to remind you when

Good sense Designed for the hospitality sector, Accelerated Air Care by Good Sense from Diversey Care is a solution said to eliminate bad odours in less than 30 minutes, which is plugged into EU, UK or US sockets.

Gel-active Accelerated Air Care technology contains a blend of agents embedded in a barrette released by air-flow action.

These elements react with airborne substances causing them to become chemically neutralised, says Diversey Care.

Operation is said to be simple, with perfumed and unscented options available. www.diversey.com

Counteractant According to Unicorn Hygienics its formulations contain a malodour counteractant technology called Innovair, mixed with concentrated perfumes. This is said to neutralise active malodour molecules and replace them with the desired fragrance.

Innovair, says Unicorn, works by changing the brain’s perception of what the nose is smell-

they need changing, and the screens can be used in waterless urinals too. www.p-wave.co.uk

No aerosol New in the Oxygen-Powered range from Fragrance Delivery Technologies (FDT) is the Oxygen-Pro, which it says is an alternative to aerosols.

The system is designed to combine the benefits of intermittent spray systems (delivering fresh fragrance each time) with the benefits of passive systems (continuous fragrance delivery) consistently, without any added solvents, propellants or alcohol.

Using patented, medical grade Oxy-Gen Powered Technology Oxygen-Pro delivers fresh fragrance and odour neutraliser.

It can be programmed to work on three cartridge life cycles: 30, 60 or 90 days, and there are two cartridge sizes. www.oxygenpowered.com

PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENERS

Blow fragrance

Hyprom’s latest solutions feature fragrance blowing technology that works with piezoelectricity and special fragrance formulation refills. The range is called BLO2.

The company says fragrance is literally blow through a micro particles mist, which makes it stay airborne for longer. It is also eco-conscious.

BLO2 is VOC compliant and contains no propellant gas. There are 10 fragrances available.

And Hyprom has recently launched a version dedicated to living areas, called BLO2 Life, featuring five fragrances. www.hyprom.ch

Door-mounted Airplus Ellipse is a battery-free, door-mounted air freshener solution for washroom cubicles.

Developed by Kennedy Hygiene it boasts ease of service with simple loading and activation of the refill. The built-in wick technology allows a gradual and constant fragrance release The dispenser comes with five fragrances ranging from fresh, cooling tones to fruity and floral notes.

They are coordinated with those available with the other Kennedy air freshener system, the Spa Ellipse, which covers larger washroom areas. www.kennedy-hygiene.co.uk

Intelligent CWS says its Paradise Air Bar is the first fragrance dispenser

to feature an integrated user interface offering a range of setting options.

Suitable for use in washrooms, receptions, conference rooms, spas and smoking areas, the system targets bad smells without being oppressive, says CWS. All nine fragrances are made from ingredients not harmful to people or the environment.

The user can switch between two different fragrances at any time and intensity can be set to four different levels. And the Air Bar can also be used to create a pleasant ambience in areas which may be difficult to ventilate - not just eliminating unpleasant odours. www.cws-boco.com

* Sous la désignation BLO2, Hyprom propose une nouvelle technologie recourant à l’effet piézoélectrique et à la recharge de solutions de fragrance.

• Airplus Ellipse est un diffuseur d’ambiance sans pile qui se monte sur la porte de cabines de WC. • Les nouveau système Paradise Air Bar de la société CWS comprend une interface utilisateur offrant différentes options de réglage.

• Bei BLO2 handelt es sich um eine neue Technologie von Hyprom, die Piezoelektrizität und Nachfülldose zur Raumbeduftung kombiniert.

• Bei Airplus Ellipse handelt es sich um einen batterielosen Lufterfrischer zur Befestigung an Türen in Waschraumkabinen.

• Die neue Paradise Air Bar von CWS bietet eine integrierte Benutzeroberfläche zur Steuerung der verschiedenen Einstellungsoptionen.

• BLO2 è una nuova tecnologia della Hyprom che abbina piezoelettricità e ricariche di formulazioni di fragranze.

• Airplus Ellipse è un profumatore per ambienti senza batteria montato sulle porte dei cubicoli dei bagni.

• Il nuovo sistema Paradise Air Bar della CWS è dotato di una interfaccia per utente integrata che offre diverse opzioni di impostazione.

WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE

Shaping the future Global facilities service provider ISS has opened its new German headquarters in Düsseldorf with the theme ‘Workplace of the Future’. In the building the company is showcasing a new working culture entitled ‘New Ways of Working’ and all building services are being driven using smart technology. ECJ editor Michelle Marshall visited to find out more.

The ways in which people work are changing rapidly. With more employees working flexibly or remotely, some office spaces are underused and that is prompting a shift in the design of workplaces – with the aim of improving productivity and encouraging greater collaboration between colleagues.

The ‘workplace’ as such is still very relevant; its purpose though is changing.

Companies are now asking more questions about whether workplaces fit their brand, whether they reflect the people who are going to be there and whether they work for the community. The workplace is actually reinventing itself as a place where people enjoy working.

In a 2016 UK survey about workplace satisfaction by YouGov/Savills/British Council for Offices, 85 per cent of employees said the design of their workplace is important to them. Fifty-eight per cent said it contributes to a sense of community at work; 57 per cent said it creates an enjoyable environment to work in; 57 per cent agreed it enables them to work productively; and 51 per cent commented it’s a place they’re proud to bring visitors to.

Global facility services provider ISS is

September 2017 | ECJ | 32

embracing these trends, both in terms of how workspaces are configured and how building services are then delivered, through its initiative New Ways of Working. It recently opened its new German headquarters in Düsseldorf under the slogan Workplace of the Future. Called The Lab it will serve the 200 employees as a laboratory to use and developing modern workplace solutions.

Frank Born, facility management head of marketing and public relations at ISS Germany explains: “We are creating a new working culture, giving our employees a broader creative freedom through modern office design. Every employee will be able to choose based on projects where, how and with whom he would like to work with. Several working areas will provide new opportunities to exchange ideas and knowledge.”

In the new building there are various zones for different working requirements.

The Home Base is the area where staff do their daily work with their teammates.

Then there are Meeting Zones, Quiet Zones, Brain Points (for brainstorming), Quick Desks, Bubble Gum (flexible, multipurpose rooms), and Creative Spaces.

At the heart of the workplace of the future is the user experience at each stage of their journey through a building. Everything from entering the building; getting a drink; having meetings and handling mail to working in the building; getting snacks; going for lunch – the building must be personal, intuitive and user-friendly.

FM 4.0 has become possible because of technology, particularly sensor data and artificial intelligence. Data is gathered throughout the building that allows optimisation and automation of services, enabling the service provider to understand better how the building is being used and how to improve their operations.

At the German ISS HQ there are 500 sensors throughout the building measuring parameters including light, room occupancy, washroom dispensers, temperature, movement, energy, humid-

ity and carbon dioxide. These sensors can be installed on doors, windows, chairs, tables, meeting rooms and on air conditioning systems for example. All services are then driven according to data gathered and analysed by the ‘smart’ building.

Responsible for providing those facility services at the Düsseldorf building is Anders Pennerup Gantzhorn, managing director for ISS IT and business services.

He heads up the German ISS division serving business services and IT customers (the other German customer segments are energy, automotive, pharmaceutical, specialized services and direct), and at the German HQ he operates on the same parameters as on any client sites.

User experience He explains: “What we want to do is to create one company, one brand. The look, the feel, the atmosphere must all be the same.” The contract is output-based and run on three KPI’s: • Productivity of users in the building • Satisfaction of users • Connectivity of users – how they connect with other building users.

“As a service provider I am judged on those parameters.”

The operation works on the basis of the ISS Touchpoint concept – all the points in the building where the user will interact with the service provider.

Pennerup Gantzhorn explains: “The first Touchpoint for example, could be on Monday morning where an employee is sitting in traffic and stressing about finding a parking space when they get to work. In the future we will be able to inform users about space availability and, if necessary, reserve a space for them.”

Within this building there are 16 Touchpoints. Number one, for example, is the greeting of users at reception. “Receptionists are trained to know everyone by name, and we also have facial recognition cameras so everyone can be greeted.

“Every Touchpoint focuses on the experience we want to offer the building user,” adds Pennerup Gantzhorn. “Our cli-

WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE ent doesn’t care about number of cleaning hours, he cares about a clean building.”

So how does this New Way of Working impact on the cleaning operation in particular? The sensors throughout the building are already changing the way in which operatives work. “For example we have sensors in all our washroom dispensers that measure the number of users,” explains Pennerup Gantzhorn. “That enables us to organise cleans after a certain number of visitors, for example. And that detail can go as far as cleaning only certain cubicles in the washroom based on usage – all the data is available thanks to the sensors.

“Now we have just one cleaner in the building all day and that is sufficient as they are not doing constant checks and other unnecessary tasks. This brings important cost saving and productivity gains.”

At 18.30 four cleaners arrive with their work plan and by 07.00 the next morning the building has to be exactly the same as it was on the first day it opened. That includes desks cleared, adjusted to the same height, etc. No detail is left to chance. “This German HQ is a lab, a showroom of what ISS as a company can offer.”

For the cleaning operatives working at the building this has meant a significant change in how they have been used to working. “They now feel much more empowered,” says Pennerup Gantzhorn.

“Because we are giving them the power to make decisions.”

While the high-tech smart solutions are making their mark on how cleaning services are delivered, ultimately the

The automated service workflow concept is still in its infancy, and ISS is now working on how cleaning services can be further tailored to user needs, and automated. Data provides information on how often rooms have been cleaned and systems maintained, and artificial intelligence can precisely prioritise when and where employees should be deployed in the most productive way.

Ingo Hüttemeier, head of customer care centre and IOT for ISS Germany, is part of the team developing the IT solutions for front-line cleaning. “Our objective is to centralise, optimise and increase efficiency using the Internet of Things (IOT). To create work only where it is needed.”

He continues: “Sensors throughout this ISS building for example, detect movement in every area. For cleaning that’s very important – if a room has not been used, don’t clean it.”

The development work is now being done on how to get that information to the

ISS, le prestataire mondial de multi-services, a ouvert son nouveau siège pour l’Allemagne à Düsseldorf sous le thème « Lieu de travail de l’avenir ». Dans cet immeuble, la société expose sa nouvelle culture relative aux modalités de travail sous le titre « Nouvelles manières de travaille », et tous les services d’immeuble y sont gérés par des technologies intelligentes. Michelle Marshal, rédactrice en chef d’ECJ, se rend sur les lieux pour en savoir plus.

Der global tätige Facility-Management-Dienstleister ISS hat seine neue deutsche Hauptverwaltung in Düsseldorf mit dem Thema „Nutzung und Entwicklung von zukunftsweisenden Arbeitsplatzkonzepten“ eröffnet. Im Gebäude präsentiert das Unternehmen eine neue Arbeitskultur unter den Titel „New Ways of Working“, und die gesamte Gebäudetechnik ist über intelligente Technologie verbunden. Bei einem Besuch erfährt die ECJ-Redakteurin Michelle Marshall mehr.

cleaning itself remains a manual and often labour-intensive task. That’s why there is still a strong focus within ISS of providing operatives with the right tools and training in the best methods. This is the responsibility of Anja Wrede, project management excellence centre cleaning.

“These aspects are just as key in achieving productivity rates,” she explains. “We never neglect issues such as materials, water consumption, the right pads, and all the vital knowledge for doing the job.”

Tailored and automated

cleaner – the plan is to use mobile devices where room information can be delivered and cleaning tasks listed. Navigation of the work sequence will be simple so no areas can be missed and pictograms will be the primary method of communication given the international nature of ISS’ business.

“In the future, we believe operatives will not only be cleaners,” says Hüttemeier.

“They will be performing other maintenance tasks in the room they are cleaning, for example.

“Many people ask: is the Internet of Things relevant to a cleaning job? We believe it absolutely is and it will enable our employees to evolve into becoming involved in other services – they could be responsible for taking care of all aspects of an entire area for example. This requires a significant culture change and a great deal of training of course – but it makes their job more fulfilling and far more rewarding,” he concludes.

ISS’ German HQ is a showcase of what’s possible, the future of workplaces and how services will be delivered to them. That will continue to evolve in the years to come and the company is now keen to share its work with clients, and to implement these New Ways of Working at customer sites internationally.

Dr Alexander Granderath, country manager at ISS for Germany explains: “We are eager to invite as many people as possible to learn and explore with us what the future of property and workplace management really means and how the industry will change in the next few years.”

La ISS, fornitrice mondiale di servizi alle strutture, ha aperto la sua nuova sede tedesca a Düsseldorf con il tema ‘Posto di Lavoro del Futuro’. Nell’edificio l’impresa espone una nuova cultura di lavoro dal nome ‘Nuovi Modi di Lavorare’ e tutti i servizi sono effettuati utilizzando la tecnologia smart. La redattrice di ECJ Michelle Marshall ha visitato la sede per scoprirne di più.

September 2017 | ECJ | 33

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CARPET CARE

Restoring faded charms Carpets have an enduring aesthetic and practical appeal but what do you do when those charms fade? Don’t rush into disposing until you’ve explored the powers of restoration, says Gordon McVean, international sales and marketing director of Truvox International.

Hard floors have their practical and visual virtues, especially given the current penchant for sleek and modernist interiors, but there remains a soft spot in most of us – and a space in many of our buildings – for carpet.

As a manufacturer of equipment for floor cleaning and maintenance, Truvox International advocates a holistic approach that will prolong the serviceable life and pristine appearance of just about any flooring asset. In the case of carpet, that means a thorough routine vacuuming (daily in most commercial settings), responsive spot-cleaning intervention as necessary, and periodic deep cleans.

But in the real world of intensively used spaces, restricted budgets, cleaning service upheavals, business relocations and the rest, we recognise carpet care – and deep cleaning in particular – can be neglected for various reasons.

The result will be a carpet that looks jaded, with a pile that may be flattened or

rough to the touch and colours that have lost their vibrancy. At this point many facilities managers will opt – finances permitting – for stripping out and replacing the lack-lustre carpeting with new flooring.

However the experience of our people in the field is that building and cleaning managers often underestimate the powers of restorative cleaning.

It’s true there’s no magic cleaning machine that can turn the clock back by reversing the effects of years of heavy wear.

Or the abrasive impact of dry soils allowed to build up in the upper layers of a carpet over time. Typically accounting for 80 per cent of carpet dirt, this dry soil is made up of silicates, sand, clay and dust. Without regular vacuuming this not only spoils the carpet’s appearance, it accelerates wear.

Such a carpet is beyond redemption.

But the other 20 per cent of carpet soiling is down to sticky or oily substances that become embedded in the pile. This material is left behind even by the most assiduous vacuuming. Such soiling will also rob a carpet of its appealing texture and colour. But the good news is that deep cleaning, if properly performed, can trap and take away those soils, rejuvenating the carpet.

This transformative process, which is called encapsulation, is relatively straightforward though there are pitfalls to avoid.

The encapsulation system uses a polymeric carpet cleaning solution that is extremely effective in removing this residue.

How encapsulation works The solution, when worked thoroughly into the pile by a scrubbing machine, releases sticky soil from carpet fibres and then ‘traps’ or ‘encapsulates’ the soil as it dries. Then vacuuming completes the process by removing the dried, encapsulated dirt from the carpet.

This polymer chemistry is crucial in the carpet cleaning system we advocate. For the best results, it’s also important to ensure that the solution is worked well

into the pile for maximum contact with the tightly packed fibres. This approach is the most reliable method for restoring cleanliness and brightness to even the most heavily soiled commercial carpets, and it also helps keep the carpet cleaner for longer.

Four steps Carpet cleaning with an encapsulation machine involves a simple four-step process. A thorough vacuuming removes all the dry dirt, clearing the way for the polymeric solution to attack that sticky/ oily residue. After the pre-vacuum, the solution needs to be appropriately diluted before setting up the cleaning machine.

A triple-head cyclone scrubber machine – equipped with counter-rotating pad drives and pads or shampoo brushes – thoroughly scrubs the carpet. The solution is left to dry, and as this happens, it loosens the sticky soil and encapsulates it. In the final stage, routine vacuuming easily removes this material, leaving a revitalised carpet.

Encapsulation is a low-moisture process. Guiding the machine at a quick walking pace, the operator needs to apply only enough solution to dampen the surface of the carpet. The operator can control the delivery of solution by ‘feathering’ a release lever or by adjusting a control valve.

The dampness created on the surface of the carpet is sufficient for the polymeric chemistry to begin working. Carpets instantly look cleaner because the solution begins releasing the sticky dirt that was bonded to the carpet fibres.

This low-moisture system allows carpets to dry quickly. It may take as little as 45 minutes for the surface to be touchdry, or at most two hours. And walking on the damp carpet will cause no problems.

But if practicable, it’s advisable to let the carpet dry overnight before vacuuming so the soil is fully encapsulated.

This form of restorative cleaning is highly productive as well as cost-effective.

About 200 square metres of carpet can Continued page 36

September 2017 | ECJ | 35

CARPET CARE Restoring faded charms (continued) be deep-cleaned per tankful of solution, though this may vary with the level of soiling and type of carpet.

An area of around 300 square metres can be treated in an hour if the soiling is reasonably light. These carpets will come clean with a single wet pass.

Where more oil soils are embedded in a carpet, a ‘dry’ pass – agitating the pile without dispensing solution – may be required to ensure, in the next stage, that the solution is dispersed thoroughly.

Cleaning rates of more than 200 square metres per hour should still be practicable.

Only the most heavily soiled carpets should require multiple dry passes, reducing output to around 100 square metres per hour. If some areas are severely soiled they can be pre-sprayed with the polymeric solution to break down the bond with the carpet fibres. The sprayed area is left for a short time before the wet/dry pass procedure is followed.

Leave to work It is also possible to use a spotting solution for stains in conjunction with the encapsulation system. This needs to be specially formulated as other chemicals can interfere with the encapsulation chemistry.

Again, once sprayed, the spotter solution needs to be left to work for between one and two minutes. Then the spot should be agitated by hand, with a soft brush or blunt object, working outwards from the centre. All that’s required then is to blot the area with a clean cloth, without rubbing, as this could spread the staining to the surrounding area. There’s no need to rinse. The encapsulation process does the rest, and this method is equally effective for both water- and oil-based spots and spills.

The edges and corners of carpets tend not to get heavily soiled. However they may need a bit of special attention if a vacuum does not revive their appearance to the level achieved with encapsulation.

As these areas may be beyond the reach of the cyclone machine, you can spray the solution and agitate by hand with a stiff brush. Simply leave the area to dry and then vacuum as normal.

The entire encapsulation operation is not only highly efficient in terms of labour and chemical use; it’s also a low-noise Un tapis a pour vocation d’être esthétique et pratique, mais que faire quand ces qualités s’évanouissent ? Avant de rebuter un tapis, il convient d’étudier les perspectives de restauration et de songer au nettoyage par incapsulation.

September 2017 | ECJ | 36

as well as a low-moisture operation that minimises the risk of ‘wicking’.

How to avoid wicking This occurs when embedded soils are not thoroughly removed by an extractor.

Carpets can look fine straight after cleaning, but as the carpet dries, the soil deep down that was not removed ‘wicks’ to the top of the carpet, making the surface look dingy.

A thorough vacuuming before cleaning – combined with the intensive scrubbing action of the cyclone – is the best way to prevent this. Another tip is to allow the chemical pre-spray more time to ‘dwell’, improving the effectiveness of the chemicals.

The other main cause of wicking is using too much chemical in the cleaning process, so the chemical residue settles in the fibres causing rapid re-soiling as the carpet dries. A faster drying time also reduces the risk of wicking. Air movers placed at strategic locations can cut drying times dramatically.

Carpets are still safe to walk on, though

signs should be displayed to alert building occupants that deep cleaning is in progress. All this means that carpets can be cleaned during daytime hours with minimal disruption.

Alternatively the encapsulation cleaning process can be performed progressively in stages, during night-time shifts or as areas of flooring are made accessible. But it is advisable to tackle separate floors or rooms so as not to leave a tell-tale frontier between restored and untreated areas.

So our advice to premises and cleaning managers looking down on a jaded carpet that’s lost its former glory, is don’t rush to dispose of it. Stripping out and replacing this soft asset could be an expensive waste of time and resources. Consult a reputable carpet cleaning contractor. And if they don’t mention encapsulation, and explain why this would or would not redeem your carpet, get a second opinion.

Soft spot or not, a hard-headed approach to floorcare can give carpets back their appeal while saving a pretty penny.

The finalists in the 2017 European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards - founded by ECJ - will be announced in the October edition.

Go to www.europeancleaningjournal.com to request your copy Teppiche haben einen dauerhaften ästhetischen und praktischen Reiz, doch was tut man, wenn dieser Charme verblasst? Statt den Teppich gleich wegzuwerfen, sollte versucht werden, ob eine Instandsetzung möglich ist, und ein Reinigungsverfahren mit Verkapselung sollte in Betracht gezogen werden.

Le moquette hanno un’estetica di lunga durata e un’attrattiva pratica, ma cosa si fa quando questo fascino diminuisce? Prima di eliminare la moquette, esplorate la potenza del restauro e prendete in considerazione i metodi di pulizia che incapsulano lo sporco.

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PRODUCTS: CARPET CARE

• La balayeuse et aspiratrice Sweepmaster 650 de Hako peut traiter 3525 mètres carrés à l’heure.

• Cimel produit le Vapor.net 3000, un nettoyeur de tapis à vapeur pour le nettoyage profond et la désinfection.

• IPC propose une gamme d’aspirateurs injecteurs/ extracteurs assortie de nombreux accessoires.

• La gamme Tuba de Tana Professional comprend deux nettoyeurs de tapis, l’un à pulvérisation d’extraction et l’autre à pulvérisation de détachage.

• L’aspirateur-balai Valet, de Truvox International, est alimenté par une 44V batterie au lithium ion à autonomie de 60 minutes.

• Steam-e a développement un nettoyeur de chewing-gum à pile qui s’utilise sans risque sur des tapis.

• Die Saugkehrmaschine Sweepmaster 650 von Hako kann bis zu 3.525 Quadratmeter pro Stunde reinigen.

• Cimel produziert den Dampfteppichreiniger Vapor.net 3000 für die Grundreinigung und Desinfektion.

• IPC bietet eine Produktfamilie mit Saugern, zu denen viele Zubehörteile verfügbar sind.

• Die Produktreihe Tuba von Tana Professional besteht aus zwei Teppichreinigern, einem Sprüh-Extraktionsgerät und einem Fleckentfernerspray.

• Der Valet Battery Upright von Truvox International wird mit einem 44-V-Lithiumionenakku betrieben, der eine Betriebsdauer von 60 Minuten bietet.

• Steam-e hat ein akkubetriebenes Werkzeug zur Kaugummientfernung entwickelt, das problemlos auf Teppichen eingesetzt werden kann.

• La spazzatrice aspirante Sweepmaster 650 prodotta dalla Hako è in grado di pulire fino a 3.525 metri quadrati all’ora.

• La Cimel produce la macchina per la pulizia a vapore delle moquette Vapor.net 3000 per la pulizia a fondo e l’igienizzazione.

• La IPC propone una linea di estrattori con numerosi accessori disponibili.

• La gamma Tuba della Tana Professional è costituita da 2 prodotti per il lavaggio delle moquette, un prodotto spray a estrazione e uno smacchiatore spray.

• La macchina Valet Battery Upright della Truvox International è alimentata da una batteria agli ioni di litio 44V con 60 minuti di autonomia.

• La Steam-e ha sviluppato un attrezzo a batteria per la rimozione della gomma da masticare sicuro per essere usato sulle moquette.

September 2017 | ECJ | 38

No fatigue

for the carpet to dry after treatment. This makes it important to wash and sanitise the carpet, extracting the dirt removed. The Vapor.net 300 can handle all these operations www.cimel.com

Extractor vac For cleaning of smaller and medium-sized carpeted areas Hako developed the vacuum sweeper Sweepmaster 650.

Despite being compact in size at 68.5cm wide it boasts performance of up to 3,525 square metres an hour.

The drive enables fatigue-free operation even if the machine is used for long periods of time, says Hako, and there is a choice of quiet industrial petrol engine or a maintenance-free battery drive. The E version of the machine is equipped with an on-board charging system and integrated charging cable, so that the batteries can be recharged at any time and at any plug socket.

For cleaning larger areas the optional carpet kit allows the battery-driven Sweepmaster B650 to clean short pile carpets too. The kit contains an automatic main broom switch-off when the machine comes to a standstill, a special fluff pre-filter and a modified filter shaker. www.hako.com

Steam clean

For deep cleaning of carpets Cimel recommends its Vapor. net 3000 steam cleaner which it says removes at least 97 per cent of dirt and bacteria as it reaches the lowest layer.

Because steam cleaning uses water it can take a little longer

From IPC comes a range of extractor vacuums equipped with accessories to wash, clean and dry all textile surfaces removing dirt and stains in a single pass.

A Black is Green version, made with up to 75 per cent recycled plastic, is also available - the GP 1/27 EXT. The company’s CT15 R walk-behind scrubber dryer can also be converted into a carpet cleaner thanks to the injection/ extraction kit. www.ipcworldwide.com

Carpet portfolio The Tuba range from tana Professional - part of Werner & Mertz - consists of three carpet cleaners and a universal stain remover spray.

Tuba Universal is a broadspectrum formula for use in shampooing machines, sprayextraction units and in textile pad methods. For fibre-deep cleaning while brushing the carpet with dry foam there is Tuba Shampoo. And Tuba SprayEx has been developed for spray extraction cleaning - dissolving, emulsifying and removing stubborn soil.

For tackling small carpet stains there is Tuba Spot which

removes all solvent and water soluble stains from fabrics made of natural and synthetic textiles. www.wmprof.com

For daytime Truvox International’s Valet Battery Upright vacuum cleaner is suitable for daytime cleaning with its 44V lithium-ion battery providing 60 minutes’

uninterrupted running time on a single charge.

Weighing five kg the machine is fitted with a carry handle to make moving from one area to another as easy as possible. It delivers over 310W of vacuum motor power and boasts a 3,000rpm brush speed.

Other features include comfortable hand grip, battery level indicator and straightforward operation. www.truvox.com

Removes gum

The Steam-e Gum Remover is a cordless cleaner that uses a water-based sugar-beet solution to remove gum from all surfaces, including carpets and upholstery.

The machine heats and is ready for use in 10 seconds - it runs on a lithium-ion battery and can be fully charged in four hours to give three hours of continual usage. In that time, says Steam-e, it can remove up to 2,000 pieces of gum.

Designed for daily use, the Steam-e Gum Remover weighs less than 12kg and comes with rubber bumpers for protection and castors on the base, making it easily portable. The internal reservoir holds enough liquid for up to 6 hours of operation. www.steam-e.com

PRODUCTS: CARPET CARE

Cleaning trio Legend Brands Europe has developed a system for the toughest upholstery cleaning challenges, using three products.

Step one is Chemspec Heavy Duty Soil Lifter with Biosolv which works as a prespray. Its mild pH helps control the risk of bleeding and means it can be used on all fabrics - and it’s WoolSafe certified.

changing of the roller brush and squeegees without tools, a separate cable guide and heightadjustable handlebars are some of the features.

When used for deep carpet cleaning an agent such as Kärcher’s CarpetPro RM 764 is used - area performance in this mode is 350 square metres per hour. And the BRC 40/22 C can also be used for intermediate cleaning, using CarpetPro Cleaner RM 768 with patented Kärcher iCapsol technology for dirt encapsulation. www.karcher.com

Many uses One Earth Rug and Upholstery Cleaner is step two, suitable for use as a neutralising rinse. It is surfactant-free for minimal foaming and easy rinsing, as well as being WoolSafe approved and Ecologo certified.

Finally, the Upholstery Pro is a hand tool that allows the operator to extract the heaviest upholstery soils in both directions. It is ergonomically designed to reduce wrist, arm and back fatigue while the clear housing allows the operator to monitor progress, solution flow and extraction rates. www.legendbrandseurope.com

Rotating head Kärcher’s latest carpet care development is the BRC 40/22 C machine for deep and intermediate cleaning. The head, which can rotate 200° to both sides, makes the machine highly manoeuvrable and reduces cleaning time by up to 30 per cent the company says.

Intuitive and ergonomic operation were key considerations in the design of the machine.

There is a simple rotary switch for setting the operating mode,

For frequent cleaning TMB offers a range of vacuum cleaners equipped with accessories.

Among them are the Piccolo Prime and Dryver 15RE, both class A certified, featuring large fixed rear wheels, two pivoting front ones and a 10-metre cable.

The Piccolo Prime has a capacity of 13 litres and comes with a cable winder and quick cable replacement system. The 15-litre Dryver 15RE incorporates an energy saver function.

The BAT15 upright vacuum cleaner is designed for deeper vacuum cleaning www.tmbvacuum.com • Legend Brands Europe a mis au point un système de nettoyage de garnissages réunissant trois produits.

• La Kärcher BRC 40/22C assure des tâches de nettoyage de moquettes en profondeur et intermédiaire.

• TMB propose une gamme d’aspirateurs pour le nettoyage à la fois quotidien et profond.

• Legend Brands Europe hat ein System zur Reinigung von Polstermöbeln entwickelt, das drei Produkte umfasst.

• Der Teppichreinigungsautomat BRC 40/22 C von Kärcher ist zur Grund- und Zwischenreinigung von Teppichflächen geeignet.

• Das Sortiment von TMB umfasst eine Produktfamilie mit Staubsaugern zur täglichen und Grundreinigung.

• La Legend Brands Europe ha sviluppato un sistema per la pulizia di stoffe per arredamento che include tre prodotti.

• La macchina per la pulizia della moquette BRC 40/22 C della Kärcher è progettatta per la pulizia a fondo e intermedia.

• La TMB propone una linea di aspirapolveri per uso quotidiano e per pulizia a fondo.

September 2017 | ECJ 39

PRODUCTS: CARPET CARE

• La SE 7 est une machine à injection-extraction proposée par Columbus et dotée d’un réservoir anti-moussant.

• La formule Quick Tric de Dr Schnell nettoie des textiles tels que des tapis et des garnissages de meubles.

• La Nikita de Santoemma est une machine de nettoyage de moquettes à conducteur debout pour de très grandes surfaces.

• Beim SE 7 von Columbus handelt es sich um ein SprühExtraktionsgerät mit separatem Entschäumertank.

• Dr. Schnells Quick Tric-Formel reinigt Textilien wie Teppiche und Polstermöbel.

• Nikita von Santoemma ist eine Aufsteh-Teppichreinigungsmaschine, die für sehr große Flächen konzipiert wurde.

• SE 7 della Columbus è un estrattore spray con tanica antischiuma a sè stante.

• La formula Dr Schnell’s Quick Tric pulisce tessuti tipo moquette e tessuti per arredamento.

• Nikita della Santoemma è una macchina lavamoquette con uomo a bordo progettata per aree di dimensioni molto vaste.

September 2017 | ECJ | 40

Separate tank The SE 7 is a spray-extraction cleaner with separate antifoaming tank developed by Columbus. Designed for rug, carpet and upholstery cleaning in offices, clinics, cinemas and cars it has four bar spraying pressure and 230 mbar suction.

The spray function can be turned on or off with the valve lever near the handle, while the liquid levels of both the 6.5 litres fresh- and wastewater tanks can be checked through the transparent lid. Both tanks are separately removable.

A third, integrated container allows the use of anti-foaming agent, and the clear upholstery and floor nozzle allows good

visibility of the surface being cleaned and constant control over the process. The 7.5-metre power cord allows large range. www.columbus-clean.com

Step on

Quick solution Dr Schnell’s Quick Tric cleans textiles such as carpets and upholstery and can remove water-soluble dirt such as food residues, hair and body grease, dust, rust and nicotine.

The solution can also be used for stain removal, spray extraction and mechanical wet cleaning. It is also suitable as a pre-spray.

Quick Tric is phosphate-based and is free from acids, alkalis, surfactants, bleaching agents and enzymes. This, says Dr Schnell, increases its protection against resoiling due to it being surfactant-free.

For easy handling Quick Tric works with a sprayer using a 1.5-litre pressure spray. www.dr-schnell.com

Nikita and Nikita-Mini step-on battery-operated models are the latest carpet cleaning machines from Santoemma.

Designed for very large areas and capable of cleaning up to 1,000 square metres an hour is Nikita, which sprays a 70cm strip, brushes, rinses and vacuums in a single pass. Thanks to its two three-stage vacuum motors it leaves carpets almost completely dry. Brush pressure and vacuum head are adjustable.

Nikita can also be used to clean with the encapsulation method at the turn of a lever and use of a specific chemical. And by adding the optional squeegee it can be converted into a step-on scrubber dryer. www.santoemma.com

Hurricane The range gets bigger and betterÉ The single disc floor machine is the heart of all hard floor cleaning and maintenance.

The right machine for the right job will ensure the very best floor-care results.

Selecting the perfect fit for your floor-care has never been easier than with the Hurricane range. Equipped with either the Hurricane 1000W or 1500W motor and a choice of speeds, the HFM series is capable of stunning results in the majority of applications. When the need to easily switch between scrubbing and polishing is present, the twin speed HFT offers total flexibility.

Optional 10Kg Additional Weight

The NuShine burnisher gives total ease of use and complete directional control providing a consistently high standard of finish.

Optional Hi-Dust Motor Filter

HFT1530 2 Speedd HFM1515/23/30/455 150/230/300/450rpm 1500W 450mm Brush 400mm Pad

HFM1015 150rpm 1000W 450mm Brush 400mm Pad

150 and 300rpm 1000/1250W 450mm Brush 400mm Pad

Designed to move easily in any direction.

HNS1550

HFT Twin Speed Selection

1500rpm 1500W 500mm Pad

Well-maintained floors tell a sound and professional story, every time, everywhere!

Numatic International Limited, Chard, Somerset, TA20 20 2GB Tel:: 01460 68600 Fax: 01460 68458 Š Numatic International Limited 2017. Specification subject ct to change without prior notice. www.numatic.co.uk

www.numatic.de

www.numatic.ch

www.numatic.fr

www.numatic.nl matiic nl

www.numatic.co.za www w numatic co za

www.numatic.pt

Cleaning Technology · Municipal Technology

Messe Berlin, 19 th – 22 nd September 2017 Hall 1.2, Stand 200

17- 0 5 3 2- S c r u b m a s t e r-21- E N

Scrubmaster B75 R

Ergonomic.

Efficient.

Fit for the future.

Scrubmaster B120 R

Scrubmaster B175 R

The new Scrubmaster models Confined spaces, highly frequented buildings, large market halls: Don’t look further than the Scrubmaster B75 R or one of our new innovative models B120 R and B175 R to find the right machine for your individual requirements. The machines’ increased tank capacity and thus longer operating times ensure a high area performance, combined with high levels of comfort and smart details that make the machines fit for the future: as from 2018, for example, the new Scrubmaster B175 R will be available with all-wheel drive and cleaning functions that work efficiently also on inclines. Come along and experience the new generation: live at Hako’s trade fair stand. Hako – Solutions without compromise.

For more information visit us at www.hako.com/scrubmaster

CARPET CARE

Customised approach needed What have been the most important developments in the carpet industry in recent years in terms of materials used and how they are cleaned/maintained?

And can proper cleaning actually prolong the life of a carpet?

Writing for ECJ Stephen Lewis, technical director at milliCare explains why carpet care requires customisation in light of the more sustainable fibres now available.

The second factor in determining cleaning methods is soil load. The soil load will determine the level of aggression in the cleaning methods employed.

Carpet with more soil will require a more aggressive approach than carpet with less soil. Because of the soil load coming in, a customised carpet care plan will frequently target entrances as a top priority. A number of factors matter here, as well, including: • Amount of foot traffic on the carpet • Frequency of spills on the carpet • What kind of spills are occurring • Type of soil being tracked into the facility.

The type of soil is a factor often overlooked, but the outside environment must be considered. If for example, employees frequently track in snow and ice, the moisture level may be more of a concern in that facility than for one that’s in a dryer climate. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to carpet care.

What factors matter

What chemicals to use

No two buildings are the same, and a customised care plan may even differentiate cleaning frequencies on each floor. All carpet care methods however, are ultimately determined by two factors: fibre type and soil load.

Maintenance methods chosen must, as a rule, do less harm than leaving the soil in the carpet would. And accordingly, chemicals should be a key consideration.

Chemicals used on carpets should strike the perfect balance between being effective and not harming the construction of the carpet fibres. That chemical balance is determined by fibre type and whether it is natural or synthetic.

Fibre type What a carpet fibre is made of determines the carpet cleaning methods employed. A natural fibre, like wool or bamboo, will have greater absorption properties than synthetic fibres and a dry-centred cleaning approach will be necessary in order to avoid shrinkage and growth of mould or mildew. Synthetic carpet fibres are typically more resilient to water-based cleaning methods.

Another cleaning variable that’s determined by carpet fibre type is brush stiffness. Here again, natural fibres

September 2017 | ECJ | 44

are more likely to be damaged by stiff brushes, while synthetic fibres are generally more resistant.

Some of the most recent advances in the carpet industry stem from the increasing demand for sustainable carpet - or carpet made from renewable resources.

There has been significant progress on the sustainability front regarding fibres.

Varieties of natural fibres (from animals or plants) are becoming more and more prevalent in the carpet industry. Even sustainable synthetic fibres (man-made from recycled materials) have seen progress with the development of a new fibre called triexta. Triexta combines the properties of nylon and polypropylene with increased resilience for better wear.

While the progress towards a more sustainable industry is positive, such advances are not happening at the same rate for the maintenance aspect of these new sustainable sources. Natural fibres are often more difficult to clean and can require special chemistry. Sustainable fibres typically need to avoid water, so specialised cleaning methods are needed for removing soil from those carpets. The increase in sustainable carpet is a huge factor in why carpet care requires customisation.

Soil load

Natural fibres As previously mentioned, natural fibres can be high maintenance. Most can be damaged by a high-alkaline pH. Wool specifically does not require special cleaning chemicals but does require those used to stay between 4.5 and 8.5 pH. Whether other natural fibres require cleaning chemicals with specific chemistry levels depends entirely on the fibre source

CARPET CARE and whether it’s blended with any other materials. When installing a sustainable carpet with natural fibres it’s imperative to ask the manufacturer about any particular chemical requirements.

Synthetic fibres Facility managers should still ask the carpet manufacturers for any chemical requirements, as these can also vary by fibre source. However even sustainably sourced synthetic fibres generally have a much wider range of acceptable chemicals. It’s common that synthetic sustainable fibres are made of recycled nylon or polypropylene - fibres that only mandate cleaning chemicals with a pH level below 10.

Why cleaning is important Over 79 per cent of the soil that’s brought into a building is actually silicate or sand - which is extremely abrasive and easily scratches and wears away at carpet fibres, no matter what they are made of. Imagine someone using sandpaper on fabric, and that’s what sand and silicates are doing to carpet fibres. When a carpet has soil in it, the last thing it needs is foot traffic grinding that soil in even deeper. Extending the life of carpet hinges on keeping soil and dirt out, and the most effective way to do that is through vacuuming. Frequent vacuuming is absolutely critical to any facility.

The remaining 21 per cent of soil are sticky substances that actually bond to carpet fibres. This 21 per cent is what requires professional maintenance teams to come in and remove the build-up, using detergent that causes the substances to release from the fibres.

are hired to clean the facility. The dayto-day cleaning team is the first line of defence against the carpet’s wear and should be well vetted. Facility managers must verify that vacuuming is scheduled and even provide the staff with a programme of frequency that may vary by area, depending on the facility’s needs.

harm the carpet fibres themselves if the spill contains liquid, oil or any material with acidic properties. Having a professional carpet cleaner quickly target the spot or stain will ensure the life of the carpet is not drastically reduced.

Facility manager checklist

When a deeper carpet cleaning is required there are a few key indications facility managers should look for when hiring professional carpet cleaners. First, when a new carpet cleaner is brought into the facility, he or she should ask to perform a test clean or demo on a small patch of carpet to determine proper cleaning methods for the rest of the facility. Second, professionals should ask about the carpet fibre type and know exactly how much water to use. Finally, they should know the level of wear the carpet should be able to sustain and employ methods that are not likely to damage the carpet fibres and will instead extend the life of the carpet.

It is also worthwhile for facility managers to hire professionals who will provide interim care if a spill or accident occurs on the carpet between cleanings.

Stains on the carpet may damage a facility’s reputation from an aesthetic standpoint but are even more likely to

In summary, taking a standard approach to carpet care will not provide an optimal method that is focused on addressing a facility’s specific needs. Facility managers should determine a customised carpet care plan using the following checklist: • What type of fibre is used in my carpet?

Is it natural or synthetic?

• How many people come in and out of the building on a daily basis?

• What types of spills are happening on the carpet and how frequently?

• How many entrances are in my facility?

• What type of outdoor environment?

• How much soil is being tracked into my facility? What type of soil is it?

• Does the cleaning staff meet the requirements necessary to extend the life of my carpet?

• Are the cleaning staff using chemicals that do more good than harm?

Asking these questions will determine both the frequency and methods necessary to keep carpet clean and ensure its long life through an effective customisation plan.

Was waren im Hinblick auf die verwendeten Materialien sowie Reinigung und Pflegen die wichtigsten Entwicklungen in der Teppichbranche in den letzten Jahren? Und kann die Lebenserwartung eines Teppichs durch die richtige Reinigung verlängert werden? Das ECJ betrachtet die wichtige Rolle, die die Reinigung bei der Alterung von Teppichen spielt.

Quali sono stati negli ultimi anni i più importanti sviluppi nel settore della produzione delle moquette in termini di materiali utilizzati e nel modo in cui viene fatta la loro pulizia/manutenzione? E una pulizia edeguata può realmente prolungare la vita di una moquette? ECJ prende in esame il ruolo fondamentale della pulizia nell’invecchiamento delle moquette.

Carpet care professionals

Customise cleaning schedules Facility managers know their space better than anyone. They know what kinds of wear their carpet sees each day and over time. They know what their carpet is made of, how much soil it sees and which areas receive the most wear. Facility managers should consider all these factors when creating and implementing a carpet care schedule and when communicating with the cleaning staff.

The most important way to prolong a carpet’s life is through its maintenance, so it’s important that trained professionals Quelles ont été les évolutions les plus importantes, ces dernières années, dans l’industrie des moquettes en ce qui concerne leurs matériaux et leurs méthodes de nettoyage et entretien ? Un régime diligent de nettoyage va-t-il en toute certitude étendre la vie utile de ces produits ? ECJ se penche sur le rôle vital que le nettoyage est appelé à jouer dans le mode de vieillissement d’une moquette.

September 2017 | ECJ | 45

MADE IN ITALY

ECO FRIENDLY

NATURAL SANITATION

LOW COST

MORE EFFICIENCY

USER FRIENDLY

BUSINESS: LABOUR

UK sees growing labour shortages Employers in the UK say they have struggled with growing labour shortages since the Brexit vote last summer.

Hartley Milner looks at how a downward trend in migration is impacting on sectors that have come to rely on workers from the EU. Britain is fast losing its appeal as the land of milk and honey for Europeans seeking to build better futures for themselves and their families, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Latest figures show net migration to the UK fell to about 248,000 in 2016 – a drop of 84,000 from the previous year.

Net migration is the number of people who have moved to the UK for at least a year less the number who have left. The change in 2016 was due to more people leaving, especially EU nationals, as well as fewer people arriving.

The ONS estimates immigration to be 588,000, comprising 250,000 EU citizens, 264,000 non-EU citizens and 74,000 British citizens. At the same time, an estimated 339,000 people left the country – 134,000 British, 117,000 EU and 88,000 non-EU citizens.

And the trend looks set to gather pace throughout 2017, according to the latest Labour Market Outlook survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The report says that as many as one in four employers (27 per cent) have seen evidence that non-UK nationals from the European Union were considering leaving their organisation and/ or the UK this year.

“This is creating significant recruitment challenges in sectors that have historically relied on non-UK labour to fill roles and who are particularly vulnerable to the prospect of future changes to immigration policy,” said CIPD labour market adviser Gerwyn Davies.

Gathering pace One particularly vulnerable sector is farming. The UK’s growers were looking forward to reaping bumper yields this year despite an unusually cold and dry spring.

But their optimism has been blighted by a worrying shortfall in the number of seasonal workers required to bring in the vegetable and fruit harvests.

More than 1,500 farm vacancies went unfilled in May, according to a survey by the National Farmers Union (NFU). The

figure coincides with a 17 per cent fall in the number of seasonal pickers seeking work between January and May, compared to just four per cent during the same period last year, before the referendum.

The UK requires about 80,000 seasonal pickers and virtually all come from Eastern Europe. An NFU survey shows that just 14 of the 13,400 workers recruited between January and May this year were British. At the same time, the proportion of overseas workers choosing to return to the UK year-on-year almost halved from 65 per cent to 33 per cent, meaning valuable experience is being lost.

The NFU believes seasonal workers are being put off by the falling value of the pound and lack of clarity relating to Britain’s future relationship with the EU. “Farmers and growers need to know how the government will deal with the need from industries that rely on seasonal workers,” said Ali Capper, who chairs the NFU horticulture board. “The NFU is calling for reassurance that farmers will be able to source a reliable and competent workforce both now and in the future. Without that, this trend is likely to continue and will hit hard.”

Skills crisis Construction is another major contributor to the British economy. It generates almost €98 billion annually (6.7 per cent of GDP) and employs in excess of 2.93 million people, the equivalent of about 10 per cent of UK employment.

Construction was hit hard by the 2008 recession but has returned to growth and is now seen as a linchpin of government plans for building a prosperous future post-Brexit. However the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) reveals in its State of Trade survey for the final quarter of 2016 the sector faces acute shortages in many of the construction skills it will need to carry out the ambitious programme of housing and infrastructure projects.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB said: “We’ve been experiencing a severe

shortage of bricklayers and carpenters for quite some time – the latest statistics show that skills shortages are now seeping into other key trades such as roofers and plumbers.

“Indeed, of the 15 key trades and occupations we monitor, 40 per cent show skills shortages at their highest point since we started to feel the effects of the skills crisis in 2013 when the industry bounced back post-downturn. This growing skills deficit is driving up costs for small firms and simultaneously adding to the pressure being felt by soaring material prices linked to the weaker pound.”

And he added: “The prime minister must ensure the immigration system that replaces the free movement of people serves key sectors such as construction and house building. Our sector relies heavily on skilled labour from the EU, with 12 per cent of the British construction workforce being of non-UK origin.

“As the construction industry represents around seven per cent of UK GDP, it’s in no-one’s interest to pull the rug out from under the sector by introducing an inflexible and unresponsive immigration system.”

Private and state health and social care provision in the UK has been dependent on migrant labour for decades. Today approximately 60,000 of the 1.2 million National Health Service (NHS) workforce is drawn from other EU countries, including more than 10,000 doctors and more than 20,000 nurses and health visitors. In adult social care 90,000 of the 1.3 million workers employed by local authority and independent employers come from elsewhere in the Union.

Continued page 48

September 2017 | ECJ | 47

BUSINESS: LABOUR UK sees growing labour shortages (continued) Following the referendum in June last year, health and social care leaders sought to reassure migrant staff that they remain welcome and valued wherever they come from. Despite this there is evidence that Brexit has already had an impact.

Official figures show the number of nurses from the EU registering to work in the UK has dropped by 96 per cent since the Brexit vote. Numbers plummeted from a high of 1,304 in July last year to 344 two months later in September and then continued to fall, with just 46 EU nurse registrants in April this year.

International recruitment The Health Foundation, which obtained the information via a freedom of information request to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said the UK has repeatedly used international recruitment as a stop-gap measure to fill staffing shortages, and since 2008 the majority of international nurses registering in the UK have come from within the EU. “The recruitment and retention of nurses is one of the biggest challenges facing health and social care, with a shortage of 30,000 nurses in England alone,” said Foundation director of research and economics Au Royaume-Uni, des patrons affirment avoir des problèmes croissants de recrutement de personnel depuis le vote « Brexit » de l’été dernier. Hartley Milner examine la manière dont cette tendance à la baisse de la migration affecte des secteurs qui en sont venus à dépendre de travailleurs de l’UE.

September 2017 | ECJ | 48

Anita Charlesworth.

“The drop in EU nurses registering to work in the UK could not be more stark – just 46 registered to work in the UK in April. Without EU nurses it will be even harder for the NHS and other employers to find the staff they need to provide safe patient care. The findings should be a wake-up call to politicians and health service leaders.

Action needed now “Clearly action is needed to offset any further loss of EU nursing staff in the near future. But the overall shortage of 30,000 nurses is not a shortage caused by the Brexit vote. The chronic shortage of nurses is the result of years of shortterm planning and cuts to training places.

A sustainable, long-term approach to workforce planning is desperately needed.”

The adult social care sector has an estimated vacancy rate of 6.8 per cent, rising to 11.4 per cent in domiciliary care.

High turnover is also an issue, with an overall turnover rate of 27.3 per cent (equating to around 339,000 workers) leaving their role each year.

But what of our industry? There are more than 9,000 cleaning companies in the UK employing at least 700,000 people Arbeitgeber in Großbritannien sagen, dass sie seit der Brexit-Abstimmung im letzten Sommer mit einem zunehmenden Arbeitskräftemangel zu kämpfen haben.

Hartley Milner betrachtet den Abwärtstrend bei der Migration, der sich nachteilig auf Branchen auswirkt, die sich bisher auf Arbeiter aus anderen EU-Staaten verlassen haben.

and contributing about €26 billion to the British economy. The number of overseas workers employed in the sector is higher than the national average, at 23 per cent compared to 17 per cent.

However a snap survey conducted by the Cleaning and Support Services Association (CSSA) on behalf of ECJ found no evidence of labour shortages among its members that could be attributed to the Brexit effect. Only in London was there a pointer to possible recruitment challenges ahead, with cleaning companies reporting competition from other sectors placing shop window ads for part-time workers.

Employers who are impacted may take heart from a pledge that the government will be seeking to cushion the blow of Britain’s exit in the spring of 2019.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said recently the UK wants a transitional period of about three years from the leaving date and the start of trade talks with other countries, allowing continued free movement and access to the single market.

“As we leave the European Union, we will have an implementation period which will ensure we continue to have not just access to labour but the economic stability and certainty that business requests,” he said.

Gli imprenditori del Regno Unito affermano di avere incontrato molte difficoltà a causa della crescente carenza di manodopera causata dal voto del Brexit dell’estate scorsa. Hartley Milner prende in esame come una tendenza al ribasso delle immigrazioni si stia ripercuotendo sui settori che fanno un grande affidamento sui lavoratori provenienti dall’UE.

PREVIEW: CMS/WFBSC CONGRESS

Cleaning sector gathers in Berlin for CMS and WFBSC Congress The German capital Berlin is to host the 2017 Congress of the World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) this September, alongside the CMS professional cleaning trade exhibition. The congress is being hosted by the German contract cleaning association BIV. The theme of the programme, which takes place from September 18-20, is Cleaning in the Digital World - Processes, People, Technology. The CMS exhibition then takes place from September 19-22.

Together with specialists from all over the world, congress participants will discuss which aspects of business activities will be impacted by digitalisation.

This includes what consequences digitalisation will have on service processes and performance; to what extent the importance of knowledge acquisition and the use of stored data will change; and how building service providers will be working together with their customers in the future.

Main topics include: • Digital Strategies for Building Service Contractors • Relationship Management with Customers, Staff and Stakeholders • Effects of Disruptive Technologies • Working Environment and Labour Law the age of Digitalisation • Data Handling by Market Partners • New Forms of Recruiting? Knowledge and Education through Digitalisation • Digital Procurement Processes • Consequences of Digitalisation on Service Processes and Performance • Smart Buildings and their Impact on the Sector.

The congress will be opened by EU commissioner Günther Oettinger. The internet activist and former Wikileaks spokesman Daniel Domscheit-Berg will share his perspectives concerning the opportunities and risks involved in digital networking. Changing business strategies in the digital age will comprise part of his focus along with the challenges presented by internet platforms and the impact Le CMS, salon allemand du nettoyage professionnel, aura lieu du 19 au 22 septembre au centre Messe Berlin. ECJ en donne ci-après une avant-première, en mentionnant les lancements de produits et les manifestations spéciales.

of the internet on facility management service related processes, management issues and general working conditions.

Exhibition visit Thomas Dietrich will challenge participants from Germany and abroad to work together at the congress toward finding answers to the questions their various enterprises pose concerning digitalisation.

Congress delegates will then also visit the CMS professional cleaning exhibition, which opens on September 19. Special events during the show include the presentation of the CMS Purus Innovation Awards on the first day - see page 12 of this edition for news of the finalists. There are six categories: Large Machines, Small Machines, Equipment, Washroom Hygiene, Digital Tools and Systems, and Cleaning Products.

Visitors will be able to use the new CMS app to navigate their way around the show.

Designed to be a source of information, exhibition guide and networking tool in a single package, the app boasts latest news about exhibitors, products, events, the trade fair site and much more besides.

A one-off download provides all information and organisers recommend visitors download the app before arriving Die Internationale Fachmesse für Reinigungssysteme, Gebäudemanagement und Dienstleistungen CMS findet vom 19.–22. September auf dem Gelände der Messe Berlin statt. Die ECJ-Vorschau, mit Nachrichten über neu vorgestellte Produkte und die stattfindenden Sonderveranstaltungen, beginnt hier.

at the show. It can be downloaded free of charge onto any iPhone, Android smartphone or tablet.

Another handy tool for visitors is the Virtual Market Place (VMP), an online catalogue complete with product and exhibitor search facilities. The VMP is available throughout the year at www. cms-berlin.com/VMP and enables trade visitors to get in touch with exhibitors and with other trade visitors. Just enter a free profile on the networking index and then wait to be found by other networkers.

A contact form provides an easy way of arranging appointments with exhibitors and networkers.

Interesting entries can be stored on the fair planner and put together in preparation for an individual tour of the fair. A newsletter provides details about all the new features associated with the fair and about the exhibitors and products of particular interest to individual subscribers.

Interactive plans of the halls help to locate the exhibitor, and an offline function is available for tablets and smartphones. www.cms-berlin.de, www.wfbsc 2017.berlin • ECJ is a media partner for the WFBSC Congress and CMS. Turn the page for news of product launches at the show.

La fiera del settore tedesco delle pulizie professionali CMS si terrà al Messe Berlin dal 19 al 22 settembre.

Inizia qui l’anteprima di ECJ con le notizie sui prodotti che verranno lanciati e gli eventi speciali che si terranno.

September 2017 | ECJ | 49

PREVIEW: CMS

• Nilfisk présent son autolaveuse autonome Liberty A50, dont le maniement fait appel à la robotique.

• TTS présente le TriPress, une essoreuse de tête de balayage humide complétant le système de balayage humide Triology de ce fabricant.

• Proposé par Lucart Professional, EcoNatural est un système à papier et distributeur fabriqué à partir de cartons de boissons.

• Le Samourai est un pulvérisateur électrique proposé par De Witte qui fonctionne sur une batterie lithium ion rechargeable.

• Moerman met au point de outils pour le lavage de vitres en privilégiant l’efficacité, les résultats, la sécurité et l’ergonomie • Les bâtons de décrassage Pumie et Flexi-Scour de la société US Pumice se dispensent de tout produit chimique agressif.

• Nilfisk wird die autonome Scheuersaugmaschine Liberty A50, die mit Robotertechnik ausgestattet ist, präsentieren.

• TriPress, ein Moppwringer, der das Moppsystem Triology des Unternehmens vervollständigt, wird von TTS vorgestellt.

• Bei EcoNatural von Lucart Professional handelt es sich um ein Papier- und Spendersystem, das aus Getränkekartons hergestellt wird.

• Bei Samourai handelt es sich um ein elektrisches Sprühgerät von De Witte, das von einem Lithiumionenakku betrieben wird.

• Moerman entwickelt Werkzeuge zur Fensterreinigung, und Effizienz, Ergebnisse, Sicherheit und Ergonomie sind bei der Entwicklung vorrangig.

• Die Bimssteinprodukte Pumie Scouring Sticks und Flexi-Scour von US Pumice machen scharfe Chemikalien überflüssig.

• La Nilfisk espone la lavasciuga pavimenti autonoma Liberty A50 dotata di tecnologia robotica • La TTS ha lanciato TriPress, uno strizzatore per mop che completa il suo sistema mop Triology.

• EcoNatural della Lucart Professional è un sistema di dispenser e prodotti in carta prodotto utilizzando cartoni per le bibite.

• Samourai è un nebulizzatore elettrico prodotto dalla De Witte alimentato da una batteria ricaricabile agli ioni di litio.

• La Moerman produce attrezzi per il lavaggio delle finestre tenendo in considerazione efficienza, risultati, sicurezza ed ergonomia.

• I prodotti Pumie Scouring Sticks e Flexi-Scour della US Pumice non necessitano di prodotti chimici aggressivi.

September 2017 | ECJ | 50

Nilfisk The star of Nilfisk’s stand is the Liberty A50 autonomous scrubber dryer, making its debut in Germany. The company says it responds to varying conditions thanks to advanced mapping technology that allows users to create and adapt cleaning patterns at the touch of a button.

The technology concept also comprises a ‘vision kit’ which uses smart sensing technology to ensure reliable path and obstacle recognition. On-board tools also include the consumption-optimising EcoFlex and SmartFlow, the new REV orbital technology, the SilentMode and Track Clean fleet management.

REV is the oscillating scrub deck that achieves greater physical forces and tackles the dirt from all sides. The operating principle transfers the cleaning solution across the full width of the pad onto the floor without splashes. Water consumption is reduced by up to 50 per cent which means fewer stops for emptying and filling the tank systems. www.nilfisk.com

TTS Trilogy is the mop frame from TTS with two parallel and flat faces that can be used on both sides - doubling the surface square metres and halving the quantity of mops needed it says.

At CMS the company is launching TriPress, the new wringer that completes the system.

TTS says TriPress can wring out mops in half the time compared with traditional systems.

Also new is the BiLap Twist duster with convertible handle, enabling it to work as a hand and high level tool. The operator simply clips a 40x40cm microfibre cloth to the handle, and both sides can be used. www.ttsystem.com

Lucart EcoNatural is a new paper and dispenser system developed by Lucart Professional that uses beverage cartons in its manufacturing process.

The company uses its technology to separate the cartons into their component parts - it can recycle all the materials they contain: cellulose fibres, aluminium and polyethylene.

From the cellulose fibre it gener-

ates Fiberpack which is used to produce paper. And from the aluminium and polyethylene it makes Al.Pe - the new raw material from which the dispensers are manufactured.

Fiberpack is used by Lucart to produce tissue products for the away-from-home market, while Al.Pe is used to produce washroom dispensers. www.lucartprofessional.com

De Witte The Samourai is an electric sprayer that works on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Developed

by De Witte it allows the user to spray autonomously and nonstop for two hours.

The unit has a 30-litre tank with wheels and an integrated diaphragm pump, making it highly mobile says the company.

And when using the red pin stream nozzle the Samourai can

spray up to 13 metres wide and 10 metres high.

No water, electricity or air connection is needed and three different spray nozzles are available. www.dewitte.biz

Moerman Moerman says its window cleaning range contains all essential tools and accessories for the professional window cleaner. Under its EASE philosophy it develops solutions that work Efficiently, offer Amazing results, while working in a Safe and Ergonomic way.

Products on show include the Liquidator 2.0 channel (said to eliminate detailing to almost zero); the Premium Snapper with a premium grip with easy fixing system for channels; the Excelerator with a new grip for swivel movement and adaptable angle; and the F*LIQ microfibre washing sleeve.

Moerman says the Excelerator, Liquidator 2.0 and F*LIQ together form its ‘Ultimate Squeegee’ when used with a telescopic pole. www.moermangroup.com

Special report on mopping starts page 69

US Pumice Pumie scouring sticks and Flexi-Scour from US Pumice are designed for removing stains, hard water deposits, scale and build-up in washrooms. They can be used with cleaning agents or water and are claimed to be environmentally neutral.

For hard-to-reach areas there is Flexi-Scour, while Pumie Toilet Bowl Ring Remover has a handle to reduce operator contact with cleaning agents. www.uspumice.com

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Cleaning & Hygiene

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INNOVATION

AR1706TN

NOMINATED 2017

our member in Germany

CHEMICAL DILUTION

SOAP & PAPER DISPENSERS

CMS17 BERLIN

Cleaning. Management. Services.

19 – 22 Sep 2017 www.cms-berlin.com

VISIT US ON STAND 220, HALL 4.2

DISHWASH DOSING

LAUNDRY DOSING

INNOVATIVE DISPENSING SOLUTIONS SINCE 1947 Contact us to discover our entire product range Call +44 (0) 1273 513566

Email sales@brightwell.co.uk

@Brightwell_disp

Brightwell Dispensers Ltd

Brightwell Dispensers

BRIGHTWELL.CO.UK

CELEBRATING 70 YEARS IN BUSINESS Brightwell Dispensers Ltd is a Bright-Tech Investments Ltd Company

Key points to consider when buying a dishwash dosing system Commercial kitchens have to invest in the right equipment to ensure they are maintaining high hygiene and cleaning standards. As the number of people dining out is increasing, so does the amount of dirty cutlery, crockery and glassware. Therefore, buying the right product is essential. Dishwashers need to work at their best to ensure clean results every time.

With this in mind, it is important to choose a diswash dosing system that reliably dispenses dishwash detergent and rinse-aid for a wide variety of commercial dishwasher, including glass, under-the-counter, single tank and conveyor dishwashers Dishwash dosing systems ensure optimal dishwashing performance as they consistently and accurately dose dishwash detergent and rinse aid. There are many dishwash dosing systems on offer, which can make choosing the right system for your business slightly daunting with many factors to consider.

Does it provide efficient dishwash cleaning? Is it easy to install? What about maintenance? Is it costeffective?

In this article we look at important points to consider when choosing a dishwash dosing system for your business: Compact product design Chemical dosing systems are often installed in areas with limited space; therefore, a compact and robust product design is very important for ease of access to the system.

Accurate and consistent dosing of dishwash chemicals A system that delivers accurate and consistent dosing of dishwash chemicals is essential to deliver high quality cleaning results.

Cost efficient equipment Chemical dosing systems allow businesses not only to maximise cleaning performance but also to forecast their cleaning costs in an efficient way. In addition, these systems accurately dispense the correct amount of chemical needed each time, without the risk of chemical spillage, misdosing and pilferage.

Easy installation and maintenance Ease of installation is vital so that the job can be done quickly and efficiently, whilst minimising the impact on the kitchen operation itself.

System access codes When it comes to dosing systems, it is important to ensure that only authorised personnel have access to the system. This is so there is no tampering with the unit.

Customer Service Suppliers should offer a good pre and after-sales service as well as customer service. It is important that a supplier is interested in the long-term success of your company and is able to provide installation, maintenance advice and training for the equipment you purchase.

While this is not an exhaustive list, we hope it gives some insight into what you should look for when buying a new dishwash dosing system.

Quantura dishwash dosing range

Brightwell Dispensers Quantura range offers businesses reliable and efficient dosing To meet the demands of today’s commercial kitchens, Brightwell Dispensers released the Quantura dishwash dosing range. A versatile system, Quantura provides precise and consistent dosing solutions for a variety of commercial dishwasher applications. This includes glass, under-the-counter, single-tank, and tunnel/conveyor dishwashers.

The Quantura 200 comes with a two pump peristaltic dosing system for dosing dishwash detergent and rinse aid. You can also add a third peristaltic pump to dose a third chemical such as a sanitiser if required. To achieve super low flow rates the Quantura 200 incorporates Brightwell Dispensers Special Pulsing Technology.

Compact in design, pre-wired for easy install and with the option to set and use access codes for security, Quantura offers businesses an easy and efficient way to keep dishes clean, every time.

Brightwell Dispensers has 70 years of experience providing reliable and efficient solutions for businesses in the cleaning and hygiene industry.

Whatever you need to clean – Brightwell Dispensers has you covered. www.brightwell.co.uk

PREVIEW: CMS

• Brightwell Dispensers expose ses systèmes de dosage pour le lavage de la vaisselle, ses proportionneurs chimiques et ses distributeurs pour toilettes.

• Ecolab présente ses solutions technologies dans les domaines de l’eau, de l’hygiène et de l’énergie.

• Parmi les nouveaux lancements présentés sur le stand Kärcher figurent les aspirateurs à batterie lithium ion T 9/1 Bp et BV 5/1 Bp.

• Brightwell Dispensers präsentiert seine Dosiersysteme für Geschirrspüler, Portionierungssystem für Chemikalien und Waschraumspender.

• Ecolab präsentiert seine Wasser-, Hygiene- und Energietechnologielösungen.

• Unter den Neuvorstellungen am Stand von Kärcher werden die von einem Lithiumionenakku betriebenen Staubsauger T 9/1 Bp und BV 5/1 Bp sein.

• La Brightwell Dispensers espone i suoi sistemi di dosaggio per lavastoviglie, sistemi di proporzionamento dei prodotti chimici e dispenser per sale da toilette.

• La Ecolab espone le sue innovazioni tecnologiche per acqua, igiene ed energia.

• Fra i nuovi prodotti lanciati sullo stand della Kärcher ci saranno anche gli aspirapolveri alimenti a batteria agli ioni di litio T 9/1 Bp e BV 5/1 Bp.

September 2017 | ECJ | 54

Brightwell Among the products on Brightwell Dispensers’ stand will be dosing, dilution and washroom dispensing systems.

Quantura is a range of dishwash dosing systems which provides consistent dosing for a variety of commercial dish-

washer applications including single-tank, conveyor, door and glass dishwashers.

The ECO RANGE is a line of cost-effective chemical dispensers and systems. It includes the ECOMULTI, a one-stop cleaning station where users can dilute and dose up to four chemicals from one dispenser.

Also on display are the Modu-

lar and Mercury soap and paper dispenser ranges - the Autocut towel dispenser is the latest model in the Modular range. www.brightwell.co.uk

Ecolab Specialising in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, Ecolab is demonstrating new launches for sustainable cleaning and hygiene.

Among the solutions on display are MAXX2, Apex, KitchenPro, Oasis Pro, Aquanomic and Nexa. These are designed to minimise power and water consumption, save space, reduce waste and CO2 emissions, protect staff and the environment. www.ecolab.com

Kärcher New launches on the Kärcher stand include the two dry vacuum cleaners T 9/1 Bp and BV 5/1 Bp which, thanks to new lithium-ion batteries, for the

first time deliver the same performance as mainsoperated machines.

The new ride-on scrubber dryer BD 50/70 R Bp Pack Classic boasts a small turning circle and low weight, which means it is as easy to manoeuvre and transport as walk-behind models says the company.

And for commercial users there is now a Kärcher window vac, the WVP 10. This model can also be used for manual cleaning of glass doors, mirrors, smooth tables, windows and tiles. www.karcher.com

PREVIEW: CMS INPACS

The single-supply source solution provided by INPACS is available in over 40 countries worldwide with extensive local coverage by more than 350 branches. The service is a combination of logistics, e-business solutions, technical support, seminars and consulting services on a long-term partnership approach which it says goes beyond the mere logistics of commodity products.

At CMS the group is showcasing its new developments in the area of e-business, including an app integrating the latest technology such as iBeacon. www.inpacs.com

Wetrok

Solo

Wetrok has three new product launches. Granuline sticks are tiny water-free cleaning granules that take up very little space and reduce storage and transport costs by 75 per cent.

The Monovac Freedom battery-operated vacuum cleaner has a runtime of 45 minutes and features the Touch’n’Clean start/stop function. This means the motor engages as soon as the operator touches the handle, and stops when the handle is released.

Wetrok is also presenting a revised range of three mops, each of them designed to last for between 700 and 900 wash cycles. www.wetrok.com

For applying foam detergents on vertical surfaces Solo has two sprayer models featuring a patented nozzle, varioFOAM. This allows the operator to adjust the foam quality on a large, easy-tohandle dial (even with gloves).

Foam moisture can also be adjusted continuously without having to change components.

The two hand-held pressure sprayers 301-FA and 301-FB have a nominal capacity of 1.25 litres - the 301-FA with its FKM seals is suitable for acidic, oil and solvent containing media while the 301-FB is equipped with EPDM seals and therefore suitable for use with alkaline and alcoholic cleaning agents. www.solo.global

• Le procédé d’approvisionnement à source unique d’INPACS est proposé dans 40 pays du monde.

• Wetrok présente une nouvelle solution de nettoyage sans eau, un aspirateur, et une gamme de produits de balayage humide.

• Les pulvérisateurs à mousse de Solo sont dotés des buses brevetées varioFOAM.

• Die Lösung der Lieferung aus einer Hand von INPACS ist in mehr als 40 Ländern weltweit verfügbar.

• Wetrok präsentiert eine neue wasserfreie Reinigungslösung, einen Staubsauger und ein Moppsortiment.

• Die Schaumsprühgeräte von Solo sind mit den patentierten varioFOAM-Düsen ausgestattet.

• La soluzione di forniture a fonte unica della INPACS è ora disponibile in oltre 40 nazioni in tutto il mondo.

• La Wetrok presenta una nuova soluzione di pulizia senza acqua, e una gamma di aspirapolvere e mop.

• I nebulizzatori di schiuma della Solo sono dotati degli ugelli brevettati varioFOAM.

September 2017 | ECJ | 55

PREVIEW: CMS

• Tennant expose ses autolaveuses accompagnées et son système de gestion de parc de machines basé sur Internet.

• Thomil a lancé une nouvelle gamme de solutions chimiques, y compris un dégraissant de désinfection à sécurité alimentaire.

• Les visiteurs au stand Hako pourront contempler les machines de nettoyage de plancher et de voirie, ainsi que la méthodologie de gestion de parc de ce fabricant.

• Tennant zeigt seine handgeführten Scheuersaugmaschinen und das web-basierte Fuhrparkmanagementsystem.

• Thomil stellt eine Produktreihe mit neuen chemischen Reinigungslösungen vor, darunter auch ein lebensmittelsicherer desinfizierender Entfetter.

• Besucher am Stand von Hako werden neben den Boden- und Straßenreinigungsmaschinen auch die Fuhrparkmanagementlösung sehen können.

• La Tennant espone le sue lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore al seguito e il sistema di gestione della flotta basato sul web.

• La Thomil lancia una gamma di nuove soluzioni chimiche e fra queste uno sgrassatore disinfettante sicuro per il cibo.

• I visitatori delle stand della Hako vedranno esposte le sue macchine per la pulizia di strade e pavimenti e la sua soluzione di gestione delle flotte.

September 2017 | ECJ | 56

Tennant Tennant is presenting its most recent walk-behind scrubber dryers and improved web-based fleet management system.

The T500 and T500e are the latest innovations, equipped with the Smart-Fill automatic battery watering system. The new 700mm orbital cleaning head option removes floor finish without detergents, while the optional Pro-Panel LCD touchscreen with on-demand video tutorials and Zone Settings help deliver predictable cleaning results.

Iris Fleet Manager allows users to monitor and manage their machines, providing full visibility of the fleet with a variety of reporting and monitoring capa-

bilities. It also enables users to analyse costs of cleaning. www.tennantco.com

Thomil New from Thomil is a selection of chemical solutions. This includes Degrass D-40 Bac food safe disinfecting degreaser; Kony Ultra Bac Lemon ultraconcentrated sanitising washing-up liquid; Thomilmatic N-33 neutral enzymatic cleaner; Thomilmatic Total enzymatic textile detergent; and Thomilmagic No 7 scented odour eliminator.

The company says all formulations are fully biodegradable. www.thomil.com

Hako Hako is presenting a selection of its wide product range - sweepers and vacuum sweepers, scrubber dryers and small building cleaning devices supplemented by a variety of cleaning

agents and maintenance products from the Cleaning Technology product line.

A new compact ride-on scrubber dryer will be having its world debut, the company says.

Also on the stand is Hako’s range of municipal technology machines: the multifunctional 3.5-t-class Citymaster 1600 as well as the company’s new implement carrier Multicar M27compact, which – thanks to its GVW of 3.5 t - can be driven by anyone holding a Class B driving licence (for passenger cars). www.hako.com

PREVIEW: CMS Fimap The newest scrubber dryers from Fimap are the Genie XS, iMx, Mxr and MMg. These are on show together with the walk-behinds Genie XL and Maxima and the ride-on Magna.

Cleaning settings are controlled via a touchscreen display, where the operator can access cleaning programmes, video tutorials and the rear view camera. There is also a detergent solution recycling system called Fimap Long

information available anytime via the My.Machine app. www.fimap.com

DiBO Range which increases working autonomy and saves time, since the same load of water and detergent is used to clean more square metres.

Connectivity is also a key feature, with all machine-related

DiBO’s ecologically sound range includes high pressure cleaners, high pressure cleaners on trailer, stationary high pressure units, wet and wet/dry vacuum cleaners, sweepers, scrubbers, car-, bus- and truck wash.

The company offers made-tomeasure equipment on location

if required. www.dibo.com

Vectair Systems Vectair offers three fragrancing systems that work together in harmony, so venues can have the same scent in the urinals, on the wall and in each individual toilet cubicle.

The V-Air SOLID non-aerosol air freshener, the V-Screen scented urinal screen and the V-Fresh universal air freshener

with suction cup make up the VRange, offering five fragrances: Apple Orchard, Citrus Mango, Ocean Spray, Cool Mint and Cucumber Melon.

Also being showcased is VIBE, the non-aerosol programmable air freshener using patented vibrating mesh technology - which is said to create a fragrance system that is powerful, consistent and longer lasting. www.vectairsystems.com • Fimap a récemment lancé les autolaveuses Genie XS, iMX, Mxr et MMg • DiBO aligne ses nettoyeurs haute pression, nettoyeurs haute pressiou sur remorque et aspirateurs humides/à sec.

• Vectair propose trois systèmes de diffusion d’ambiance agissant en harmonie afin que toutes les zones des toilettes publiques aient la même senteur.

• Fimap hat vor kurzem die Scheuersaugmaschinen Genie XS, iMx, Mxr und MMg vorgestellt.

• DiBO präsentiert seine Hochdruckreiniger, anhängermontierten Hochdruckreiniger und Nass-/ Trockenstaubsauger.

• Vectair bietet drei Beduftungssysteme, die harmonisch zusammenwirken, sodass alle Bereiche des Waschraums gleich duften.

• La Fimap ha lanciato di recente le lavasciuga pavimenti Genie XS, iMx, Mxr e MMg. • La DiBO espone le sue idropulitrici ad alta pressione, idropulitrici ad alta pressione su carrrello e le gamme di aspirapolveri wet & dry.

• La Vectair offre un sistema a tre fragranze che lavorano in armonia fra di loro in modo che tutte le aree delle sale da toilette abbiano lo stesso profumo.

September 2017 | ECJ | 58

HALL 4.2 STAND 113

INNOVATION

NOMINATED 2017

Monovac Freedom 0% cable. 100% power. 100% freedom.

Do you want to shape your own horizons? Discover a new world of dry vacuum cleaning with the battery-powered Monovac Freedom. A world in which flexibility is everything and the working radius is unlimited.

When you choose the Monovac Freedom you get: • A cable-free everyday cleaning experience • Flexibility in cluttered rooms • Touch’n’Clean at the touch of the handle • Happy inhabitants with no complaints about noise • Easy planning thanks to the long-lasting battery Wetrok Battery Power: The Monovac Freedom is currently the most powerful product in the battery-powered vacuum cleaner category. www.wetrok.com

WATC H MOVIE

Lithium Power

PREVIEW: CMS

Spinaclean SkyVac is designed for gutter and internal high-level cleaning up to 40ft high and is being demonstrated by Spinaclean.

The system operated from the ground by a single operator employs the custom-made SkyVac wet and dry vacuum featuring an engineered robust all-terrain chassis and stainless steel drum with a blockage free side entry system. It is used with carbon fibre poles, end tools and

the SkyVac recordable camera. www.spinaclean.com

Lindhaus Both the LS38 L-ion/Electric mini multifunctional vacuum sweeper and the LB4 Superleggera L-ion/Electric compact backpack from Lindhaus are cordless and powered by a lithium-ion battery.

Designed to offer an alternative to electric brooms, vacuum cleaners, upright vacuums and

dry carpet cleaners, the LS38 Lion provides mechanical cleaning with two counter-rotating brush rollers. This says Lindhaus, means less energy is required for suction which results in energy savings.

The company’s new backpack,

the LB4 Superleggera L-ion/ Electric weighs 4.9kg including the battery, and 3.8kg for the electric version. The ergonomic back rest is adjustable with integrated accessory supports.

A blower kit is an optional addition and the machine can also be transformed into a compact canister vacuum cleaner with the ‘four swivel wheels kit’. www.lindhaus.it

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TVH The TVH group is split into two divisions - parts & accessories and equipment. The cleaning parts and accessories division has a database of more than 1,062,000 article numbers.

The company is also an authorised Ametek distributor for Lamb Ametek so can supply vacuum motors. www.tvh.com • Spinaclean fait la démonstration du SkyVac, un appareil pour le récurage de gouttières et le nettoyage interne jusqu’à à des hauteurs de 12 mètres.

• Lindhaus a lancé les aspirateurs polyvalents LS38L-ion pour le traitement de planchers et moquettes.

• TVH est une spécialiste de pièces et accessoires pour machines de nettoyage, et propose également un équipement en propre.

• Spinaclean präsentiert den SkyVac, der zur Dachrinnenreinigung und Reinigung in Innenräumen in großer Höhe bis zu 12,2 m konzipiert wurde.

• Neu von Lindhaus ist die Multifunktions-Kehr-Saugmaschine LS38L-ion für Böden und Teppiche.

• TVH ist auf Zubehör und Ersatzteile für Reinigungsmaschinen spezialisiert sowie auf seine eigene Produktreihe.

• La Spinaclean espone e dimostra il suo SkyVac, progettato per la pulizia delle grondaie e degli interni in posizioni elevate fino a un’altezza di 12 metri.

• La novità della Lindhaus è la spazzatrice a estrazione multifunzioni LS38L-ion per pavimenti e moquette.

• La TVH è specializzata in parti di ricambio e accessori per le macchine per le pulizie e inoltre produce la sua linea di attrezzature.

September 2017 | ECJ | 60

PREVIEW: CMS CWS-boco Rental service provider CWSboco will be showcasing versatile dispenser systems, intelligent fragrance concepts and solutions for washroom operators. It claims to be a single-source provider - from professional tips and advice on the furnishing of washrooms through to the reprocessing of used cotton hand towels.

Visitors to the stand can see the dispenser range CWS Para-

diseLine - hand towel and soap dispensers can be customised to feature text or imagery, provided in a monochromatic design with a choice of seven shades or in simple stainless steel. The CWS Paradise Air Bar room fragrance system is also part of the lineup.

To promote more sustainable sanitary facilities CWS-boco also offers a ‘green calling card’, awarding the ‘ecoilet’ washroom • La société de location CWS-boco expose des systèmes de distribution, des moyens de diffusion d’ambiance, et des distributeurs pour toilettes • Unger déploie une gamme de solutions visant à mieux sécuriser et rentabiliser le travail du laveur de vitres.

• Parmi les produits du stand Wecoline figurent des tampons de nettoyage de sol à cycle complet signés Americo, des tissus et tampons en microfibre, et des tissus à utilisation unique.

• Der Mietservice-Anbieter CWS-boco wird Spendersysteme, Beduftungskonzepte und Waschraumspender ausstellen.

• Unger bietet eine Produktreihe mit Lösungen, die konzipiert wurden, um die Arbeit von Fensterreinigern sicherer und effizienter zu machen.

• Unter den Produkten von Wecoline finden sich die Bodenpads Full Cycle von Americo, Mikrofasertücher und -mopps sowie Einwegtücher.

• La CWS-boco, specializzata nei servizi di noleggio delle attrezzature, espone sistemi di dispenser, erogatori di fragranze e dispenser per sale da toilette.

• La Unger offre una gamma di soluzioni progettate per rendere il lavoro degli addetti alle pulizie delle finestre sicuro e più efficiente • Fra i prodotti della Wecoline ci sono i dischi per pavimenti Full Cycle della Americo, panni in microfibra, mop e panni monouso.

seal for the use of cotton hand towel dispensers, foam soap and recycled toilet paper. www.cws-boco.com

Unger New from Unger is the erGO! Clean floor mop system which boasts fast, ergonomic working.

Also on the stand is the Stingray window cleaning tool and the nLite HydroPower DI resin bag based pure water filter system.

The S-Channel plus features

curved ends that support the rubber at the edges for improved cleaning close to the frame.

Made from stainless steel, it fits most industry squeegee handles including Unger ErgoTec, S- and Pro Squeegees. www.ungerglobal.com

Wecoline Wecoline is showing the Green Seal-certified line of Full Cycle floor pads by Americo. There are also new microfibre products

such as flat mops with mounting flaps and cleaning cloths. And Clean ’n’ Easy is a line of singleuse cloths, along with dry and impregnated floor mops. www.wecoline.com

PREVIEW: CMS

Werner & Mertz New on the Werner & Mertz Professional stand is the Kliks chemical dosing system for dishwashing and laundry. The connector not only enables intuitive, spill-free product exchange but the product itself is designed for compact efficiency

- with concentrates stored in innovative packaging. Formulas have been created to fit with the circular economy.

An extension of the Quick & Easy mobile dosing system for building cleaning is being launched. Connected application training now minimises training time while short videos illustrate the cleaning process in various areas and offer further product details. In addition, the area of • Le nouveau système Kliks proposé par Werner & Mertz Professional prend la forme d’une solution et d’un système chimiques pour le nettoyage d’appareils sanitaires et la blanchiment.

• Le Valet, l’aspirateur-balai de Truvox International, fonctionne sur une batterie au lithium ion pour une durée dépassant 60 minutes.

• Le Cleaning Block de Polydros est un nettoyant écologique conçu pour des sanitaires en porcelaine.

• Das neue Kliks-System von Werner & Mertz Professional ist eine chemische Reinigungslösung und ein System zum Spülen und Waschen • Der Staubsauger Valet Battery Upright von Truvox International wird von einem Lithiumionenakku betrieben und bietet eine Betriebsdauer von über 60 Minuten.

• Cleaning Block von Polydros ist ein ökologischer Reiniger, der für Porzellantoiletten konzipiert wurde.

• Il nuovo sistema Kliks della Werner & Mertz Professional è una soluzione chimica e un sistema per lavastoviglie e lavanderia.

• L’aspirapolvere Valet Battery Upright della Truvox International è alimentato da ioni di litio e ha un’autonomia di lavoro di oltre 60 minuti.

• Cleaning Block della Polydros è un detergente ecologico progettato per le toilette in porcellana.

September 2017 | ECJ | 64

application for Quick & Easy is being broadened to disinfection and green-effective cleaning. www.wmprof.com

Truvox The star of the Truvox stand is the cordless upright vacuum Valet Battery Upright (VBU).

Powered by a lithium ion battery and weighing five kg, it provides more than 60 minutes’ runtime.

There are new energy-efficient tub and backpack vacuums. The VTVe tub vac, for example, has an 11.5-litre capacity for high productivity, with three-stage filtration, including HEPA 13.

Also A-rated for energy is the Valet BackPack IIe (VBPIIe), a

lightweight model powered by an 850W motor.

The Truvox stand is also featuring a cordless scrubber dryer, rotary burnisher and carpet cleaning system. www.truvox.com

Polydros Cleaning Block is an ecological cleaner designed for porcelain toilets, developed by Polydros.

Thanks to its cellular structure it is claimed to clean encrusted dirt, mould, lime and rust on ceramic and porcelain surfaces without chemicals.

Polydros says Cleaning Block is also Bacteriostatic and has no ecotoxicity. www.cleaningblock.com

PREVIEW: CMS Chicopee

gents or solvents without facing deterioration, and comes in three quality levels to serve the needs of different sectors. chicopee.com

Birchmeier

Chicopee is focusing on its microfibre and DuraWipes ranges.

Among them is the Microfibre Light, designed for short-term use and suitable for use in the healthcare sector as it removes 99.99 per cent of microbes without the use of chemicals.

The company’s recently launched microfibre mop range uses the same technology, with mops being discarded after use to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination and the need for laundry.

DuraWipe is a disposable wipe capable of tackling the toughest cleaning tasks, says Chicopee. It can be used with water, deter-

Façade cleaning is a key feature of the Birchmeier stand, with the new battery-powered chemical sprayer Accu-Power, which is emission-free and silent.

Visitors to the stand can also test the multifunctional foam

gun with integrated mixing ratio dial Vario-Matic 1.25 PE - along with the company’s other spray and foam units. All come in three versions: black for mineral oil based solvents, red colour for acidic and blue for alkaline. www.birchmeier.com

Sprintus

Magic Vario is a new multifunctional flat mop head with side flaps developed by Sprintus. Its patented upright function is suitable for all types of pocket and flap mops the company says.

Also on the stand is the Floory entry level range of professional vacuums, along with the existing line of vacuum cleaners, scrubber dryers and single disk machines. www.sprintus.eu

• Chicopee présente les adjonctions les plus récentes à ses gammes d’essuyeurs en microfibre et DuraWipe.

• Le nettoyage de façades constitue l’un des thèmes du stand Birchmeier, qui présente le nouveau pulvérisateur à batterie Accu-Power.

• Le Magic Vario proposé par Sprintus est une tête multifonction de balayage humide munie de rabats latéraux, conçue pour la praticité et l’ergonomie.

• Chicopee präsentiert die neuesten Ergänzungen seiner Mikrofaser- und DuraWipe-Produktreihen.

• Die Fassadenreinigung ist ein wichtiger Aspekt am Stand von Birchmeier, wo das neue akkubetriebene Sprühgerät AccuPower vorgestellt wird.

• Bei Magic Vario von Sprintus handelt es sich um einen multifunktionalen Flachmopp-Halter mit seitlichen Klappen, der sowohl praktisch als auch ergonomisch ist.

• La Chicopee espone i prodotti più nuovi delle sue gamme microfibra e DuraWipe.

• La pulizia delle facciate è un elemento chiave sullo stand della Birchmeier, con l’esposizione del nuovo spruzzatore alimentato a batteria Accu-Power.

• Magic Vario della Sprintus è una testa mop multifunzionale con frange laterali progettata per essere pratica ed ergonomica

September 2017 | ECJ | 65

CASE STUDY SINGAPORE

Long march to professionalism In Singapore, streets and public spaces are remarkably clean.

The government reached this level of cleanliness due to some draconian anti-littering laws.

While the Singaporean cleaning industry has contributed to this spotless state of the streets, some argue the cleaning industry deserves more appreciation – both in terms of salary, as well as from the general public.

Correspondent Bobbie van der List reports for ECJ.

September 2017 | ECJ | 66

Walking through the streets of Singapore is quite a refreshing experience if you are used to some of bigger Southeast Asian cities, as none of them are as clean as Singapore. This can largely be attributed to the strict policy towards littering in public spaces. It all started when the prime minister of Singapore in the 1960s, Lee Kuan Yew, introduced strict anti-litter laws. These are still in place today.

If you do drop litter you can be fined up to 1,000 Singapore dollars (S$), which is roughly €623. This is for a first conviction; repeating this ‘crime’ can be an expensive exercise: it will cost you S$5,000 (€3,115).

In addition to financial penalties, you can be forced to follow anti-littering classes, introduced by the government hoping to educate people and prevent them from littering in the future. The revolving door litterer, who commits the offense for the third time, can be made to wear a signal which reads ‘I am a litter lout’. The penalties can be radical. For example, throwing away chewing gum anywhere other than a rubbish bin will be met with S$100 (€62) fine, or forgetting to flush a toilet can cost the same amount.

The number of fines handed out last year was the highest in seven years. In total, the police handed out 31,000 fines in 2016, one-third of the offenders were non-Singaporean. According to a report by the Straits Times most of the littering happens in areas around metro stations and shopping malls. The reason why littering cases increased by 19 per cent in 2016 compared to the year before can be explained by the tougher stance the government is taking towards litterers.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) installed surveillance cameras in certain areas where littering is a big problem.

According to the government, there should be made more efforts to “develop stronger community ownership for a clean environment”.

Whether installing cameras is the way to go is questionable, especially considering privacy considerations.

According to Milton Ng, president of the Environmental Management Association Singapore, these strict anti-littering laws do nurture people’s behaviour. “Generally, society is shaped by the law. Even though we have strict laws governing littering, a small percentage of the population still litters. In every society you will find recalcitrant people.”

Despite the positive outcome of these laws on people’s attitudes, in the long run it could have more negative implications for the general opinion about keeping the streets clean. At least that is the opinion of Milton Ng: “We have set a high standard for public cleaning in the last 50 years since independence. Having an efficient government has also not helped us. The government tenders out public cleaning and penalises companies for not cleaning up fast enough. So the public is spoiled and complains that public areas are not cleaned up fast enough. We are not clean but cleaned. Strict policies in some instances do help but if the cleaners are doing such a good job, does it mean our society is gracious enough to clean up after themselves?”

Even though it might have led to a decrease in rubbish being thrown on the streets, some say this might not be the most effective way to force people to think about cleaning. Milton Ng uses Japan as an example, where cleaning is an important part of the educational curriculum. “We used to have a similar attitude and students cleaned their classrooms, but in our chase for educational excellence this has evaporated. Only recently has there been a re-emergence of the idea that cleaning should be part of one’s school experience,” he explains.

Indeed, with the announcement back in 2016 to reintroduce schoolroom cleaning the Ministry of Education kept its word and passed a law later that year. According to the ministry however, all schools – from primary schools to junior colleges – have autonomy in the implementation

CASE STUDY SINGAPORE of daily cleaning. They are expected to clean classrooms and corridors - toilets are excluded. This is comparable to how Japan and Taiwan involve children in the cleaning process at school. (Maybe you can refer back to my previous article in the February/March 2017 edition of ECJ about how Japanese children clean their classrooms).

While the streets seem clean, Milton Ng believes the job is not quite done yet.

He points at the underappreciated status of the cleaning industry and negative attitudes of citizens toward the sector.

“The environmental industry is not considered to be a sexy industry, parents warn their children that if they do not study hard enough, they will end up as a cleaner or rubbish collector. So already at a young age, the child is instilled to think that cleaning is a low-end job” A few steps need to be taken he believes, to professionalise the cleaning industry, which should have a positive impact both on people’s perception of the it, as well as the socio economic position workers have in society. One of the issues is payment or lack thereof.

“The salary of environmental hygiene workers is in the bottom 20 percentiles of the Singapore economy,” continues Ng. “Only as recently as 2014 the government introduced the Progressive Wage.” This Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning industry was developed by the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners (TCC). “In the past eight years we have made a concerted effort to bring together the government, industry and the trade union to set the roadmap to professionalise the industry. Without government intervention policies cannot be instituted to regulate salary progression. As such, tripartite endorsement is essential for the professionalisation journey.”

In practice the PWM meant that cleaning companies now must meet certain requirement to obtain or renew their licenses. “Previously this was not necessary so it’s a step in the right direction,” comments Ng. The PWM requirements cover all Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents employed in outsourced cleaning jobs. It has proven À Singapour, les rues et les espaces publics sont d’une propreté remarquable. Pour parvenir à un tel niveau de propreté, le gouvernement a appliqué des lois draconiennes contre le dépôt de détritus. Bien que le secteur de la propreté de Singapour soit en partie responsable de cette propreté impeccable des rues de la vile, certains pensent que ce secteur mérite d’être mieux apprécié, tant par les salaires qui y sont pratiqués que par son image de marque auprès du grand public.

to bring about an improvement in the salaries of cleaners in Singapore. They are roughly divided into three categories: office & commercial, F&BN establishment, and conservancy. Within these categories, supervisors need to be paid at least S$1,600 (€997) whereas multi-skilled cleaners and machine operators earn at least, S$1,400 (€872). Dishwashers and refuse collectors are paid S$1,200 (€748), as are outdoor cleaners and hospital cleaners. Finally, general cleaners are paid S$1,000 (€623) as a minimum.

Although these rules are not yet mandatory employers are in fact encouraged to apply these standards to the wage structure of non-Singaporean workers as well.

It is what Milton Ng and other likeminded sector stakeholders who want to change attitudes towards the cleaning industry, call their “march” towards fully professionalising the cleaning business.

“Without due recognition through a better wage and training, it is difficult to attract people into the industry. We even have problems getting educated supervisor and managers as salaries are not attractive.”

But wage requirements are not the only pillar of this so-called “march”, there is a lot to be done in training cleaners as well, and providing them with legitimate credentials. Ng explains: ‘We need to establish a recognised diploma programme for supervisors and managers.

In that way the entire spectrum of skills is established. Rank and file workers can

grow to become managers through this modular system. With better training it is also easier to justify a higher salary to the service buyers.”

Meanwhile the Singaporean cleaning industry tries to come together with other counterparts in Southeast Asia and beyond to further exchange knowledge and expertise. “Our association has signed a global memorandum of understanding with five other cleaning associations from Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Russia and South Africa,” Ng explains.

“This memorandum allows sharing of best practices and collaboration. Recently Jakarta, Malaysia, and Indonesia showed interest in our training programs and we hope that we can standardise training within ASEAN.” Yet like many countries in Europe and Asia, Singapore is struggling with a ageing workforce. This is particularly true in the cleaning sector. Says Ng: “The biggest challenge is the ageing workforce deployed in this industry. Seventy per cent of the workforce is over 55 years old. The government is tightening regulations on foreign workers coming into this industry.

The real question is: how can the industry be productive with a workforce that is getting older?”

Numbers: the cleaning industry in Singapore is relatively large in comparison to the number of inhabitants - with about 1,200 cleaning companies the workforce totals 58,000 cleaners. General cleaning makes up for most the cleaning workforce.

In Singapur sind Straßen und öffentliche Plätze erstaunlich sauber. Die Regierung hat diesen Grad der Sauberkeit mithilfe einiger drakonischer Anti-Littering-Gesetze erreicht. Auch die Reinigungsbranche in Singapur hat ihren Beitrag zu diesem makellosen Zustand der Straßen geleistet, und manche argumentieren nun, dass die Reinigungsbranche größere Anerkennung verdient – sowohl was die Bezahlung betrifft als auch durch die allgemeine Öffentlichkeit.

A Singapore le strade e gli spazi pubblici sono incredibilmenti puliti. Il governo ha raggiunto questo livello di pulizia grazie ad alcune drastiche leggi antirifiuti. Mentre il settore del cleaning di Singapore ha contribuito a questo risultato di strade pulitissime, alcuni sostengono che il settore delle pulizie professionali si meriti di essere più apprezzato, sia in termini di salari che di riconoscimento da parte del grande pubblico.

September 2017 | ECJ | 67

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MOPPING EQUIPMENT

Kicking the bucket Early mopping systems used to consist of an unwieldy mop and a heavy metal bucket. How far has the cleaning industry moved on from those days asks Ann Laffeaty?

picking up the dirt and removing it.

Buckets had other potential health and safety issues besides causing stress to the cleaner’s back and shoulder muscles, according to Redi. “Moving buckets full of dirty water around can cause dangerous slips while the risk of contamination is always present,” he said.

Two sections

The clanking sound of a metal bucket used to be the soundtrack to any cleaning operation. In fact the ubiquitous mop and bucket were the main tools of the floorcleaning trade for years.

But this situation was less than ideal.

Lugging a metal bucket around was hardly a sustainable activity since a full bucket can weigh up to 18 kilos. The action required when filling or emptying a bucket also requires the cleaner to bend or squat, both actions that could lead to a strained back.

And there were other problems associated with the mop-and-bucket solution according to IPC’s tools division general manager Michele Redi. “Around 20 to 30 years ago, floor cleaning was one of the most tiring cleaning activities – one that took up a good part of every day,” he said. “Cleaners would use rags, mops and buckets which were usually heavy and not at all ergonomic – and this led to a great deal of back pain.

“And even worse was the inefficiency of the system. Even if the dirty water was often replaced, the same rags or mops were used each time. And with a single bucket there is nowhere to wring out the dirty water.”

This led to cleaners having to put their dirty mops into clean water, he said. “In the end they would simply be pushing dirty water around the floor rather than

An early improvement was the bucket comprising two separate sections, says Redi. These provided a space for the dirty water to be wrung out without contaminating the clean water solution. “Microfibre mops have also become increasingly popular because they are ergonomic and lightweight,” he adds.

According to Redi the chief benefit of modern mopping systems is their portability. “Whether they are soaked in water for damp applications or used dry for dust mopping, you can now easily fit many mop heads on to a janitor cart,” he said.

IPC offers a Smart Disinfection System for instant mop impregnation. This has a dedicated control panel that allows the user to fine-dose the amount of cleaning product required. There is also a top-ofthe-range version that enables the user to switch between different detergents and disinfectants. “Pre-impregnated mops turn the heaviest of floor cleaning operations into an easy activity,” said Redi.

New from IPC is the Triggy, a mop equipped with a tank that supplies detergent on demand. The system requires no bucket and no chemical bottles and the Triggy Detachable has a 500ml removable tank for fast operation.

The new generation of mops will improve productivity even further, says Redi.

“IPC’s latest mops have electronic tags knitted into them that can be read using a radio-frequency identification system,” he said. “This enables the cleaner to keep a record of the number of mops that are being used. This technology can help to achieve considerable labour savings.”

Crisp Clean also offers a system that does away with the bucket. The patented

Solo is said to ensure the right amount of solution is evenly distributed over the surface of each mop. “This controlled dosing system removes the need to carry around large buckets of cleaning solutions or wringers,” says international sales manager Judy Toes.

The company offers a range of floor cleaning solutions including single-bucket flat mopping products and multifunctional enclosed flat mopping and dosing systems. According to Toes, systems involving buckets and wringers will still be required in certain areas for the foreseeable future. “However it is the environment and hygiene requirements that determine the method of cleaning,” she said.

“Mopping systems need to be functional, hygienic, efficient, aesthetically pleasing and ergonomic in order to assist operators and improve productivity. The weight and manoeuvrability of the system, its height and size plus the height of the pushing handle are all key considerations during the design process.”

Size used to be everything in the mopping industry 30 years ago according to Filmop’s export area manager Paolo Scapinello. “Cleaning was based on the concept that the bigger the mop, the better you cleaned,” he said. “This is opposite to the modern principles of cleaning. Flat mopping was rare and the most important thing was to have a big mop combined with heavy water buckets.”

Heavy equipment These systems had a significant effect on working conditions as well as on labour and health costs, he said. “The equipment was so heavy and unwieldy that accidents were frequent and productivity was hit due to tiredness and chronic muscle conditions,” he said. “Most cleaners spent eight hours a day carrying buckets containing more than 25 litres of water and kentucky mops that weighed more than half a kilo each.”

He says kentucky mops have gradually been replaced by microfibre flat mops Continued page 70

September 2017 | ECJ | 69

MOPPING EQUIPMENT Kicking the bucket (continued) that are more lightweight and offer better performance. “We are increasingly receiving requests for plastic materials that are lightweight but also strong and durable,” he said.

According to Scapinello, water buckets are being used much less extensively than in the past. “The aim is to produce more ergonomic handles and frames and to limit the amount of water in the buckets to no more than 15 litres,” he said.

Positive cost impact “Modern flat mopping systems are more ergonomic which means they improve the operators’ quality of life and therefore have a positive impact on costs. They also remove the need for using the same water from one room to the next which reduces the risk of bacterial transmission.”

Filmop offers various systems for soaking flat mops such as the Top-Down system, the Equodose dosing device and the new Sprinter handle tank.

Hygienteknik managing director Stefan Johansson confirms kentucky mops and buckets used to be the most common cleaning method 20 to 30 years ago.

“There were a lot of non-ergonomic work positions and the mop and the water in the bucket quickly became dirty which meant they had to be changed many times,” he said. “It was an ineffective way to work compared with today’s methods.”

Hygienteknik has developed a spraying system that enables the cleaner to impregnate the mop directly on the trolley.

“This removes the need for lifting buckets and you only use the amount of water and detergent required for each surface,” he explained.

Modern systems result in cleaner floors, less unnecessary wetting and time and money savings, he says. “And since water consumption is significantly decreased, today’s cleaning is also better for the environment.”

Many of us are still using the mop-andbucket systems that we did 20 years ago according to Vileda’s floor cleaning business development director Steve Barber.

“The 25-litre kentucky bucket on wheels is a perfect example,” he said. “There have been tweaks with the use of different Dans les premiers temps, les systèmes de balayage humide se composaient d’une vadrouille peu maniable et d’un seau lourd en métal. Depuis cette époque, le secteur est devenu plus sophistiqué, remplaçant le seau traditionnel par un équipement plus léger, puis recourant à des seaux doubles, à des systèmes d’épongeage intelligents, à des tampons imprégnés et à des dispositifs de pulvérisation se dispensant du seau.

September 2017 | ECJ | 70

yarns and the inclusion of microfibre but the fundamental principle of a geared press that you push downwards to wring out the fabric hasn’t changed.”

However these systems used to be particularly heavy in the past, he says. “A fully loaded cotton kentucky mop could weigh as much as 2.5kg so if you were using this for several hours there would be an obvious impact on muscle strain,” he said.

“And a great deal of force was required to wring it out.”

He says today’s flat mopping systems such as Vileda’s UltraSpeed Pro incorporate lightweight mops and more efficient presses. “The growth in flat mop systems has revolutionised the mop-and-bucket market in terms of cleaning speed, performance and ergonomics,” says Barber.

UltraSpeed Pro is claimed to cover floors more efficiently and leave them dryer in order to reduce slip hazards and downtime. The weight of the combined mop, frame and handle is less than a kilogram while the design of the bucket and press incorporates a “piggy-back” second bucket. This is said to make it easy to switch from single to double-bucket cleaning.

Besides being more productive and ergonomic, modern systems also have more uses, says Barber. “Traditional mopand-bucket systems were only suitable for mopping floors whereas systems such as the UltraSpeed Pro allow the operator to clean walls and staircases as well,” he said.

Another reason for the reduction in mop-and-bucket usage is due to the introduction of many new floor types, says Barber. “For example safety floors have always been an issue for mop and bucket systems so we have created a mop specially designed to scrub and clean these difficult areas,” he said.

the cleaning solution inside the handle.

“The SprayPro Inox removes the need for wringing out mops or filling or emptying heavy buckets,” he said.

New from Vileda is the UltraSpin Mini which is said to one of the first spin mopping systems on the professional market.

“Mopping is always evolving,” said Barber.

“I think everyone in the industry is excited about the way digital and the IoT can be linked to cleaning products and processes.

In the next couple of years developments in these areas will bring major changes to the market, but the key is digitising those areas that bring benefits both to users and to site owners.”

So, is the industry planning to kick the bucket any time soon? IPC’s Michele Redi believes it has already done so - in some areas at least. “Buckets have undeniably become obsolete when it comes to the professional cleaning of large floors,” he said. “Today’s professionals use ergonomic, lightweight, super-equipped trolleys that house all the equipment they need.

Still being used

Buckets are not generally the best option on sites with limited storage, according to Barber. “They are also inadvisable in the entrances to offices where dirty footprints need to be cleaned away quickly, or in shops where there is a risk of merchandise being damaged by water,” he said. Vileda offers the SprayPro Inox for this type of situation. This incorporates

“But for relatively small surfaces, it is still fairly common to use traditional wringers and double buckets while string or Kentucky mops are still a good solution for ceramic tiles and corrugated floors because they absorb the water from between the tiles.”

Hygienteknik’s Stefan Johansson believes buckets will always be needed in some situations. “For example when there is a spill of a substance such as bodily fluids this will need to be removed straight away,” he said.

Paolo Scapinello concurs. “There is still a place for the traditional bucket in nonsensitive areas but the trend is to avoid buckets that are too heavy,” he said. “For example in Nordic countries it is already forbidden to lift buckets that are more than 20 litres.”

And Steve Barber adds: “There will always be a need for mop-and-bucket systems that use water - but there is no need for that water to be heavy. A lightweight mop and an efficient press will allow you to clean the same floor using less water, making the whole system lighter.”

Die frühen Moppsysteme bestanden aus einem unhandlichen Mopp und einem schweren Metalleimer.

Die Branche ist jedoch erheblich raffinierter geworden, und der herkömmliche Eimer wurde ersetzt durch leichte Systeme, Doppeleimer, intelligente Moppsysteme, imprägnierte Moppköpfe und Sprühsysteme, die gar keinen Eimer mehr benötigen.

I sistemi mop della prima generazione consistevano in un mop voluminoso e un pesante secchio in metallo.

In seguito il settore è diventato molto più sofisticato e il secchio tradizionale è stato sostituito da dei sistemi più leggeri, con secchio doppio, sistemi intelligenti di mop, mop impregnati e sistemi spray che non necessitano di alcun secchio.

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INFORMATION

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Fully portable, battery powered, all day cleaning, for the freedom to clean anywhere.

PRODUCTS: MOPPING EQUIPMENT

• La gamme Taskisum de Diversey Care comprend des tampons et tissus d’épongeage à utilisation unique en microfibre.

• IPC a lancé les cadres de balayage humide Wonder et Olympic pouvant être manœuvrées sur des surfaces horizontales et verticales.

• Le balai humide erGO! de Unger est doté d’une poignée proposée en version droite ou en version télescopique ergonomique.

• Die Produktreihe Taskisum von Diversey Care umfasst EinwegMikrofasermopps und -tücher.

• IPC hat die Mopprahmen Wonder und Olympic vorgestellt, die beide zum Einsatz auf horizontalen und vertikalen Oberflächen konzipiert wurden.

• Das erGO! Clean-Moppsystem von Unger ist mit einem geraden oder ergonomisch gestalteten Teleskopgriff erhältlich.

• La gamma Taskisum della Diversey Care include mop in microfibra monouso e panni.

• La IPC ha lanciato le strutture mop Wondere Olympic, entrambe progettate per operare sia sulle superfici orizzontali che su quelle verticali.

• Il sistema mop erGO! Clean della Unger è disponibile con il manico diritto o telescopico progettato ergonomicamente.

September 2017 | ECJ | 72

Single use Diversey Care’s new Taskisum line comprises single use microfibre cloths and mops and is designed for healthcare and other applications where hygiene is top priority. The system is also suitable when conventional microfibre management and laundry processes are impractical, uneconomic or undesirable.

Each mop can clean up to 20 square metres in a single use, similar to a reusable microfibre.

Diversey Care says Taski prewetted microfibre systems can improve productivity by more

than 24 per cent compared to conventional cleaning systems.

Using pre-wetted methods means there are no heavy buckets to fill or empty. www.diversey.com

Ergonomic

Extension kit Wonder is the frame from IPC that can accommodate either 40 or 50-cm wide mops - with an extension kit it is possible to turn one frame into the other.

The Hook and Release system increases or reduces the size of the frame with a single click and its lightweight and ergonomic structure makes it easy to use.

Olympic is a versatile frame designed to be used with five different types of mop. Made from recyclable polypropylene it features a dual opening/closing system so the operator does not have to touch the dirty mop.

Both can be used on horizontal and vertical surfaces. www.ipcworldwide.com

The erGO! Clean floor mop system from Unger comes with either a straight or ergonomically designed telescopic handle.

The user has to make virtually no effort to move the mop in S-shape motions and the telescopic handle can be adjusted to the height of the operator, reducing physical strain.

A removable reservoir tank holds the cleaning agent for productive operation and the precise dosage mechanism means the correct amount of detergent can always be dispensed. The microfibre mop combines high water absorption capacity with optimum gliding properties - it is available as pocket or Velcro. www.ungerglobal.com

PRODUCTS: MOPPING EQUIPMENT

Light and easy

The microfibre mopping system from Chicopee combines shortterm use mops with a light, easy to use mopping tool. The mops are constructed using the company’s Apex technology that traps dirt and germs - meaning bacteria cannot be spread onto the next area to be cleaned.

Because they are designed for short-term use the microfibre mops are discarded after use. The tool features a built-in reservoir of fluid which is only dispensed when the user pulls the release lever - the system is designed to use less liquid and chemical. chicopee.com

No touching Designed by VDM for use in healthcare is the Touch Free System, which it says can help in the fight again hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). With this solution the operator never comes into contact with the dirty flat mop or the frame.

The flat mop is unlocked directly into the waste bucket, avoiding the release of dirt onto the floor. Minimal movement is involved, making this a less physically stressful operation. www.vdm.it

Complete Trilogy Trilogy is the mop frame from TTS with two parallel and flat faces that can be used on both sides - doubling the surface square metres and halving the quantity of mops needed it says.

Now the company is launching TriPress, the new wringer that completes the system.

TTS says TriPress can wring

out mops in half the time compared with traditional systems, making it suitable for use in wide and difficult areas to be cleaned.

And for practicality in use the handles come with a security lock that makes it easy to carry buckets full of water. www.ttsystem.com

• Le système de balayage humide de Chicopee combine des têtes à emploi de courte durée et un outil léger.

• Conçu pour prévenir les infections iatrogéniques, VDM a introduit le système de balayage humide Touch Free.

• Trilogy est le cadre de balayage humide proposé par TTS, muni de deux faces planes parallèles et utilisable sur les deux cotés.

• Das Mikrofasermopp-System von Chicopee verbindet Moppköpfe für den kurzzeitigen Einsatz mit einem leichten Werkzeug.

• Das VDM Touch Free Moppsystem wurde konzipiert, um Krankenhausinfektionen zu verhindern.

• Bei Trilogy handelt es sich um einen Mopprahmen von TTS mit zwei parallelen, flachen Flächen, die beidseitig eingesetzt werden können.

• Il sistema mop in microfibra della Chicopee abbina dei mop di durata limitata con una struttura leggera.

• Il sistema mop Touch Free prodotto dalla VDM è progettato per prevenire le infezioni nosocomiali.

• Trilogy è il telaio mop prodotto dalla TTS con due lati piatti paralleli che può essere utilizzato da entrambi i lati.

September 2017 | ECJ | 73

CLICK’M C

HYGIENE AND USER-FRIENDLINESS IN A SINGLE CLICK NEW A REVOLUTIONARY AR

MAGNETIC MOP SYSTEM

Cleaning the smart way is a promise you can only make good on if you really do offer smart cleaning solutions. That’s something that the specialist cleaning company Greenspeed has always understood and delivered on with its efficient, environmentally-conscious products and systems that prove their worth in the professional cleaning industry day after day. The Click’M C, a surface mop system, is Greenspeed’s latest addition to its range. A totally unique and simple cleaning solution, its efficient all-in-one concept will surprise and delight not only cleaning personnel but also the most demanding of hygiene- and value-minded customers.

WHAT MAKES CLICK’M C SUCH A REMARKABLE SYSTEM? Greenspeed’s philosophy is that developing improved solutions can only be done successfully with customer collaboration.

“Listening carefully to the users of your products and systems enables you to detect problems at an earlier stage and look for solutions quickly.” adds CEO Michel de Bruin.

For instance, conventional surface and floor mopping involves a number of manual operations, making it difficult to deliver a speedy clean without compromising on the quality of the clean! Greenspeed understands the difficulties faced by cleaners and has designed a cleaning solution that delivers on both user-friendliness and hygienic cleaning, whatever the circumstances. The result is a surface mop system whose key advantage is hinted at in its trademark name: the Click’M C is a range of surface mops that, in one click, makes the mopping of all kinds of floors and surfaces a comfortable, clean and efficient business.

CLICK’M C WITH A SINGLE CLICK, THE MOP IS LOCKED IN PLACE AND READY TO USE! The secret of the Greenspeed Click’M C range lies in the magnetic seals. As ingenious as it is simple, it makes the cleaning of floors a great deal more efficient and hygienic.

The user simply pushes the frame of the Click’M C into the pocket of the microfibre mop, presses it firmly into place using the pole, and releases it after cleaning using foot pressure (a press on the green button releases it with a click). Removing the mop head is done completely hands-free: you just push it away from the frame without touching it.

1. PUSH THE MOP INTO THE POCKET

3. RELEASE WITH A CLICK

2. CLICK INTO PLACE & START CLEANING

4. REMOVE THE MOP HANDS-FREE

The frame itself will be clean again in no time, as its smooth, clean lines prevent dirt from adhering to it. What’s more, every Click’M C microfibre mop has a sturdy gauze finish, allowing dirt to be removed more quickly from the pocket during washing. Using the Click’M C surface mop is the pinnacle of cleaning and hygiene delivery!

The professional cleaners who used the Greenspeed Click’M C at the field-testing stage were unanimous: “Attaching a mop and then releasing it after cleaning has never been more practical or hygienic.” The system’s user-friendliness was something else that our test users emphasised the moment they got their hands on the mop: “The frame is remarkably light and easy to rinse off. Cleaning with Greenspeed Click’M C is pure magic.”

THERE IS A CLICK’M C MOP FOR EVERY TYPE OF FLOOR. Click’M C is an all-in-one system. The microfibre mops, too, have been specially designed to make cleaning comfortable, efficient and hygienic. “Comfortable, competent and clean are the three C’s that lend their name to the Click’M C range,” Greenspeed explains. “You’ll find these three core components reflected in every part of the system.”

What makes Greenspeed mops such superior cleaning products is the optimum splitting of their microfibres.

Microfibres are both more powerful and more absorbent than other fibres, and dirt is taken up in a jiffy. Additionally, each of these mops has four colour-coded labels, allowing the user to distinguish between the different applications. Greenspeed offers three mop types in the range: TWIST MOP The Twist Mop, a 50% microfibre - 50% polyester blend – recommended for the wet mopping of smooth floors. It allows for rapid coverage and floors will dry quickly. The Twist Mop’s extra-strength cleaning power delivers flawless results, with its microfibres absorbing dirt beyond the edge of the mop. Thanks to Greenspeed’s microfibre technology, this mop boasts double the fluid retention capacity of most Velcro mops.

ALLROUND MOP The Allround Mop can be used for both the dry wiping of dust and wet mopping. It is composed of 50% microfibres, 40% viscose and 10% polyamide. If required, this mop can also be pre-impregnated. It is the ideal solution in environments with exacting hygiene requirements. This mop has an extra-high absorption capacity and, thanks to its long loops, allows the easy cleaning of uneven stone floors.

BASIC MOP The Basic Mop, made of 100% microfibre, is outstandingly suited to the task of cleaning lightlysoiled smooth floors, delivering the same flawless result as our other mops. This mop will also effortlessly clean doors and walls, including glas partition. In these instances, its frame can be mounted horizontally.

THE CLICK’M C SURFACE MOP SYSTEM IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH GREENSPEED DELIVERS AS AN INNOVATOR IN THE INDUSTRY. Greenspeed, a Dutch company, has built a reputation over many years as pioneer of smart, sustainable cleaning solutions. Its takeover of Ecover Professional in 2016 further strengthened its profile as an international supplier of innovative environmentally-conscious cleaning concepts.

Greenspeed microfibre products are certified with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the detergents are bearing the EU Ecolabel and are Cradle to Cradle Certified™ certified.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR A FREE DEMO, GO TO

www.greenspeed.eu

PRODUCTS: MOPPING EQUIPMENT

• Les tampons Duotex de Microsystem sont fabriqués à 100 pour cent en microfibres fendues et servent pour le nettoyage à sec et humide.

• Système nouveau proposé par SYR, le LTS Evolve assure le balayage humide à franges et à tampon en un seul appareil.

• Locon a introduit une gamme de balais humides en largeurs diverses, dont certaines sont personnalisables.

• Die Duotex-Mopps von Microsystem werden vollständig aus Split-Mikrofaser hergestellt und wurden für die Trocken- und Feuchtreinigung konzipiert.

• Der neue LTS Evolve von SYR bietet Flach- und Kentucky-Moppen in einer Einheit.

• Locon bietet ein Sortiment an Mopps in verschiedenen Breiten, und einige sind sogar als Sonderanfertigung erhältlich.

• I mop Duotex della Microsystem sono prodotti al 100 per cento in microfibra spaccata e sono progettate per le pulizie a bagnato e ad asciutto.

• La nuova linea LTS Evolve della SYR offre mop piatto e Kentucky in un’unica unità.

• La Locon offre una gamma di mop di diverse larghezze e alcuni sono disponibili in larghezze su misura.

September 2017 | ECJ | 76

Ecological Microsystem’s Duotex is an ecological microfibre range, with many of the products approved under the criteria of the Nordic Ecolabel. All are made from 100 per cent split microfibre and just two different versions will solve most surface cleaning challenges the company says.

The handle and mop holder complete the mopping system.

MicroSweep Duotex is designed for daily use in dry and damp cleaning - the fringes around it are said to increase cleaning capacity by 35 per cent.

For more heavy duty damp and wet mopping the MicroWet

Duotex is used for removing larger amounts of dirt and grease.

Different configurations are available for velcro or pocket, plus various sizes and colours. www.microsystemduotex.com

Kentucky combo SYR has adapted its Long Tall Sally (LTS) bucket and Kentucky wringer to create the LTS Evolve which provides flat and Kentucky mopping in one unit.

The new unit features the same strong and durable bucket as the LTS, with pouring spout and dirt sump, and easy glide swivel castors with rubber tyres. It can be made

into a mobile trolley system by adding a lobby pan, hand bucket and mops held by side clips.

Both the LTS Evolve and its additions can be colour coded. www.syrclean.com

Custom lengths

Locon’s mops are produced in standard lengths of 30, 40 and 60cm and are also available in custom lengths up to 160cm.

Made mainly from viscose and polyester, their high absorption levels mean Tec3mop, Protec Plus and Microlett can all be used on large floor areas.

Protec Plus is the company’s newest addition and can be used wet, moist or dry. In development Locon paid particular attention to dirt-collecting properties, cleaning efficiency, durability and ergonomics. www.locon.dk

PRODUCTS: MOPPING EQUIPMENT One piece New from Filmop is OneFred single-piece plastic trolley frame, designed to be set up as a trolley with wringer. This comes after the success of the single-piece Fred trolley, with some additional features.

For example there is the option to use either 15- or 25-litre buckets, thus obtaining a 30- or 50-litre trolley - and the buckets are stackable.

The new frame is made from a high quality polypropylene designed to be long-lasting, safe and easy to clean.

Different colours are available and the trolley is Plastic Second Life (PSV) certified. www.filmop.com

Control critical

clean a 16 x 5ins area in a single pass - rinsing, cleaning and drying quickly. It can also hold up to five times its weight in liquids. www.perfexonline.com

Three types

Designed for use in cleanroom or sterile environments where contamination control is critical is the TruCLEAN Sponge mop from Perfex. These are suitable for applying disinfectants and sterilants to floors, walls and ceilings.

The specially formulated polyurethane foam construction has chemical and microbial resistance, low particle generation and optimum surface coherence says Perfex. TruCLEAN Sponge will not release liquids until pressure is applied and it can

Wecoline says its Ultimate flat mop range with frames offers a solution for all hard floor cleaning. There are three types of flat mop - the Multi, Scrub and Twin.

Each has its own composition and absorption capacity. Ultimate mops are fitted with flaps and pockets and can be attached to the frame both ways.

The Ultimate flat mop frame is suitable for all flat mops with flaps as well as pockets. The frame also has a universal handle connection. www.wecoline.com

• Filmop a annoncé le lancement d’un chariot tout nouveau, comportant un cadre monobloc en matière plasteique.

• Pour les chambres blanches, Perfex a mis au point la tête d’épongeage à éponge TruCLEAN que l’on peut employer pour appliquer des désinfectants.

• Wecoline comprend trois types de têtes planes de balayage humide - Multi, Scrub et Twin - chacune de composition particulière.

• Filmop hat einen völlig neuen Reinigungswagen angekündigt, der mit einem aus einem Stück gefertigten Kunststoffrahmen hergestellt wird.

• Für Reinräume hat Perfex den TruCLEAN-Schwammmopp entwickelt, mit dem Desinfektionsmittel aufgetragen werden können.

• Wecoline bietet drei Arten von Flachmopp – Multi, Scrub und Twin – die jeweils eine eigenständige Zusammensetzung aufweisen.

• La Filmop ha promesso un nuovo carrello dotato di una struttura costituita da un pezzo unico in plastica.

• La Perfex ha sviluppato il mop TruCLEAN Sponge per le camere bianche che può essere usato per applicare i disinfettanti.

• La Wecoline offre 3 tipi di mop piatto, Multi, Scrub e Twin e ognuno ha la sua composizione.

September 2017 | ECJ | 77

HOSPITAL HYGIENE

Battling washroom bacteria Washrooms in hospital environments can prove to be especially virulent breeding grounds for bacteria, which is why taking a stringent approach to purchase and maintenance of fixtures and fittings is key.

Here Jeff Williams, category manager for commercial product at sanitaryware specialist Armitage Shanks, outlines the steps hospitals and other healthcare institutions can take to ensure their washrooms help to battle bacteria and ward off the spread of infection.

Recent research by the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) confirms that areas featuring sanitaryware are breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. Furthermore a report by the UK’s House of Commons on ‘Reducing Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) in Hospitals in England’, found that annually 300,000 people contract a HAI after a hospital visit, creating a €1 billion additional care cost for the National Health Service (NHS). It also advises that appropriate sanitary precautions can actively prevent the spreading of dangerous germs.

Further studies by the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health concluded the role of waterborne transmission of some Pseudomonas in ICU units cannot be overlooked. The journal went on to suggest that both holistic and environmental factors are important in reducing transmission.

These findings were backed by another publication, The Journal of Hospital Infection, which found that healthcare

institutions need to examine intrinsic, holistic, and engineering factors in order to reduce the risk of waterborne transmission. Amongst the steps suggested by the journal, were considering the role of disposal of waste water, the installation of new tap outlets that are redesigned either to prevent contamination or enable decontamination, the cleaning of taps appropriately, and the frequency of water sampling to identify outbreaks.

From such recommendations it’s clear that the need to effectively manage water – and the point of use fitting – is important in healthcare environments.

Taking necessary precautions and making effective product choices contributes to protecting patient health and can make a measured difference in the number of cases of HAIs.

Products to battle bacteria “There are many different types of fittings and ceramics utilised in hospitals, however all products do tend to fall into Continued page 80

September 2017 | ECJ |79

HOSPITAL HYGIENE Battling washroom bacteria (continued) one of three categories, comprising, nonpatient areas, patient areas and augmented care patient areas.

Comprehensive guidelines are in place to help hospitals identify the category each space falls into and as to how different products could help to battle bacteria.

These guidelines focus on the selection of products that aim to improve water hygiene, minimise the risk of harmful bacteria via intelligent design and the installation and commissioning of water supply systems.

Effective infection control is an ongoing and ever-changing process of many components for any healthcare provider and smart product design forms only one element of this chain. It can however, when paired with a stringent cleaning regime and regular sampling, be especially effecDans un environnement hospitalier, les toilettes peuvent devenir des bouillons de culture virulents, ce qui explique pourquoi il est nécessaire d’adopter une grande rigueur face à l’achat, au nettoyage et à l’entretien d’installations fixes, d’accessoires et d’appareils sanitaires. Armitage Shanks, un fabricant de ce type d’équipement pour hôpitaux, écrit pour ECJ.

September 2017 2017 | ECJ | 80

tive, although this is of course dependent on the localised conditions faced by the institution.

Stringent cleaning regimes vital As mentioned, stringent cleaning regimes also form an important part of any water management approach in a healthcare washroom. The UK healthcare sector is leading the way in increasing education around effectively instigating processes to ensure that maintenance work enhances the steps taken to battle bacteria, rather than impeding it.

Removing parts for cleaning Armitage Shanks understands that the need to remove parts for cleaning and maintenance is of paramount importance to those managing a hospital’s cleaning regime. While the business doesn’t offer Waschräume in Krankenhäusern können virulente Brutstätten für Bakterien sein. Daher ist ein strikter Ansatz beim Erwerb von Einbauten, Zubehör und Sanitärarmaturen äußerst wichtig – zusammen mit Reinigung und Wartung. Armitage Shanks, Hersteller von Sanitärarmaturen, schreibt für das ECJ.

advice or guidelines on how to or how often to take such steps, as this is the prerogative of each hospital’s water safety group, it recommends taking steps to ensure that all healthcare products allow for easy sterilisation in whatever way suits the localised condition of the hospital best.

It cannot be denied that effectively managing all aspects of a washroom – from product selection, through to installation, use and maintenance – is of vital importance when it comes to taking steps to reduce the spread of bacteria in hospitals. By investigating the USPs of the products available and pairing these with the needs of their staff and patients, healthcare providers can make positive steps to helping to reduce the potential spread of HPIs. www.idealspec.co.uk Le sale da toilette degli ospedali possono essere virulenti ricettacoli di batteri, ecco perchè prendere un rigoroso approccio nell’acquisto di impianti, accessori e sanitari è di vitale importanza, unitamente a pulizia e manutenzione. La Armitage Shanks, che produce sanitari per ospedali, ne parla a ECJ.

MATTING

Evolving mat make-up New materials are constantly being introduced into mats to add a specialist function or simply to improve their absorbency, appearance or sustainability. Ann Laffeaty looks at the changing face of mat make-up.

A mat used to be simply somewhere for us to wipe our feet. But mats are becoming more sophisticated all the time and many now offer other functions as well.

For example anti-slip mats and antifatigue mats have been developed to enhance our comfort and safety. Other mats are designed to project a certain image or highlight a company’s brand values. And many of the materials used in the makeup of mats have changed significantly in order to make them fit for purpose.

Today’s highly sophisticated products are a far cry from the first washable dust control mats of days gone by according to Nicola Mihailovski, junior product manager at CWS-boco International. She explains these were developed in the1950s and were generally made of cotton.

“An American cleaning company realised that its staff were spending most of their time cleaning the entrance areas of buildings,” she said. “Cotton mop covers were used for cleaning in those days and the company owner was inspired to sew a number of them together. This ‘mop cover mat’ was then laid out in the entrance area - and that was how the very first dust control mat was created.”

CWS began making its own dust control mats in the 1970s, says Mihailovski.

“These early versions were made from cotton with a latex rubber backing but today we use fibres made from high-twist nylon to ensure maximum absorption of dirt and moisture,” she said.

“The pile is designed to reliably brush off dirt and transport it to the base of the mat. Meanwhile the flattened edges

prevent tripping while an anti-slip surface keeps the mat in position. In wetter and colder months this type of mat guarantees sure footing.”

Mat manufacturers are continually trialling new materials, she says. “These are designed either to perform existing functions more effectively or to create new, specialist functions,” she said. “There is a particular focus on sustainability today and a trend is emerging for the pile to be made of recycled materials. This means, for example, that old bottles or fishing nets can be used to make the pile of a floor mat. However comprehensive tests are necessary to ensure these alternative materials are in no way inferior to conventionally-produced mats in terms of functionality and safety.”

CWS works with customers to provide tailored solutions. “Besides our standard mats we also offers mats in a range of customised sizes and colours,” she said.

“These can be printed with logos or individual motifs in more than 150 standard colours and countless special ones.”

Customisation is particularly important nowadays according to Mihailovski. “Dust control mats should dovetail into interior designs regardless of whether the décor is cool and minimalistic, cosy or opulent,” she said. “Mats can create a sense of structure in a room and welcome the guests while also indicating the way to the reception, the restaurant and other areas.”

CWS products include hard-wearing industrial mats for use in production halls and warehouses; anti-fatigue mat for environments where staff have to stand for extended periods, and Scraper Plus mats which are said to absorb up to 4.8 litres of dry dirt and moisture per square metre.

These combine a robust scraper material with a soft high-twist nylon pile effective against finer dirt and moisture.

So today’s mats serve many purposes, Mihailovski concludes. “Mats can facilitate room design or alternatively, blend into the background,” she said. “And the shape of the mat can be selected to suit require-

ments. For example curved mats inject dynamism into a room and can be installed to harmonise with striking architecture.”

But the main function of a mat is still to clean and dry the shoes effectively according to director of marketing for Checkers Safety Giselle Dirckx. “A proper mat will stop dirt and moisture from being tracked into a facility while also reducing interior cleaning costs and preventing slips and falls on wet floors,” she said.

“The size, material and density of the mat play important roles in its ability to perform these functions. And they also having an impact on the durability, water absorption and dirt removal capacity of the mat.”

New materials She says polyamide and polypropylene fibres are typically used in mat construction today. “This is because those materials are sufficiently strong and durable to facilitate brushing and scraping,” she said. “They are also crush-resistant which means they hold their structure well and are suitable for large and busy entrances.

“Crush-resistant mats will tolerate more wear and retain their appearance and functionality for longer in hightraffic conditions. And polyamide has superb absorption qualities but is also stain resistant.”

Checkers Safety uses Decalon – a 2,750 denier polypropylene yarn - in the construction of its Notrax mats. “This offers good wear resistance and moisture retention while also being able to produce a crisp pattern in coordinating colours,” said Dirckx. Notrax industrial matting is made using specialised rubber, PVC or polyurethane foam in order to meet the needs of a range of industrial and production environments.

Traditional barrier mats are made from nylon, cotton or mixed fibres depending on the type of dirt and level of moisture retention required according to marketing coordinator of Milliken Industrials European sales director Paul Griffiths.

Continued page 84

September 2017 | ECJ | 81

MATTING Evolving mat make-up (continued) “The backing is usually made from nitrile rubber to allow the mat to lie flat after washing,” he said. According to Griffiths the most exciting development in the industry in recent years has been the introduction of Econyl nylon 6 yarn into the upper fabric of mats.

“These fibres are derived from items such as old fishing nets,” he said. “The nets may have been discarded in the sea or ocean by fishermen and would otherwise have been left to pollute the environment, killing fish and mammals. The fibres can be repolymerised to bring them back to their original basic component parts which means they can then be turned back into virgin yarn.”

Milliken uses Econyl in the construction of some of its own mats. “Besides the obvious environmental benefits, Econyl also allows us to be more flexible with the mats we produce,” said Griffiths. “For example our new Micromix mat, which uses a unique blend of two different Econyl yarns, has a construction that significantly improves dirt and moisture pick-up compared with that of standard mats on the market.” Milliken specialises in logo mats

September 2017 | ECJ | 84

with colourfast photo-quality images on Nylon 6.6 yarn.

Sales manager of The Andersen Company Pieterjan Defoort says the materials used to make the average entrance mat depend on the type of traffic likely to be encountered.

“Mats in commercial and heavy traffic environments will typically have a nitrile rubber backing since this is both anti-slip and resistant to greases, oils and chemicals,” he said. “For low-traffic areas and domestic use a vinyl or PVC backing is often the material of choice since it has a lower cost than that of nitrile rubber.

Plastic bottles “The textile surface of a typical entrance mat is made from nylon whereas mats for high traffic areas will have a higher pile height and a greater yarn content. This will enable it to pick up more dust and dirt and then filter it to the bottom of the mat to prevent it from being tracked back into the building.”

He says PET yarns derived from plastic bottles are among the new materials to have entered the mat manufacturing arena in recent years. They have a high

recycled content and a positive effect on sustainability, according to Defoort. “This new manufacturing technique also has a significant effect on the performance of the product,” he said. “And higher percentages of recycled materials are also being used in the rubber backing of the mats.”

New from The Andersen Company are Colorstar High Definition logo mats made using a PET yarn. These contain 50 per cent post-consumer recycled content derived from plastic bottles and are stainresistant and colourfast while offering improved UV resistance compared with traditional nylon logo mats.

“Even the harshest of stains can be washed out while the logo and the colours of the mat remain vibrant,” said Defoort.

“This significantly increases the lifetime of the product.”

The Andersen Company also offers a range of moisture control mats, logo mats, anti-fatigue mats, spill-control mats, kitchen mats, welding-safe mats, antibacterial mats and pool mats.

PVC, polypropylene and polyamide fibres are among the materials traditionally used in mat manufacture according to

MATTING senior application specialist at 3M Maria Gomez. “Coconut fibre is another very old, traditional material used for matting,” she said. “The type of material we use depends on the level of traffic and whether the mat is to be used indoors or outdoors.” Newer additions to the company’s range include mats made using phthalate-free PVC, polypropylene and polyethylene.

“We are also using more aluminium panels plus inserts made from rubber or textile fibres,” she said. “These add various qualities such as mechanical durability and water absorption capacity.”

According to Gomez mats with a dual loop construction that incorporate both fine and coarse yarns can provide superior water absorption whereas coarse yarn mats work well as a particle scraper. “Dual loop construction mats also have aesthetic Dans la confection de paillassons, des matériaux nouveaux ne cessent d’apparaître. Certains ont pour but de mieux absorber les salissures et l’humidité.

D’autres ont des fonctions plus spécialisées. Par ailleurs, des fabricants toujours plus nombreux font appel à des matériaux recyclables afin d’accroître la durabilité de leur production.

advantages because they can hide and retain the dirt,” she said.

Dirt removal key She adds removing dirt from the shoes is still the chief requirement of a mat. ”Customers want optimum performance when it comes to catching, hiding and retaining the dirt coupled with excellent aesthetics and a long service life,” she said.

So the mat market is evolving and new materials, new technologies and updated working methods are constantly coming on stream. “New materials and methods allow matting to be engineered to meet the needs of the customer,” says Checkers Safety’s Giselle Dirckx. “They can also have an impact on anything from colour and dimension to shape, sustainability and attractiveness.”

In der Zusammensetzung von Fußmatten werden ständig neue Materialien verwendet. Einige werden hinzugefügt, damit Matten Schmutz effizienter aufnehmen und Feuchtigkeit besser absorbieren.

Andere Materialien haben spezialisiertere Funktionen, und eine zunehmende Anzahl von Mattenherstellern verwendet Recycling-Materialien in ihren Produkten, um deren Nachhaltigkeit zu verbessern.

Meanwhile, Milliken’s Paul Griffiths feels that sustainability is fast gaining ground in the mat sector. “A ‘green’ story behind how a product is made is now much more important and issues such as a reduced carbon footprint and zero waste to landfill are becoming a requirement in the market,” he said. “I predict that we will soon see a situation in which old mats are taken back for recycling in some form or another.”

And CWS-Boco’s Nicola Mihailovski believes the quality of mats is improving all the time. “New fabric blends help to increase the capacity of mats to absorb dirt and moisture,” she said. “Companies are realising just how flexible mats are and are doing their bit to drive development forward. And the result is an improvement in all-round mats plus new products coming on stream for specialist applications.”

Per la produzione di zerbini vengono usati sempre dei materiali di nuova generazione. Alcuni vengono introdotti per rendere i sistemi di zerbini più efficienti nel raccogliere lo sporco e nell’assorbire l’umidità.

Altri hanno delle funzioni più specialistiche mentre un numero sempre maggiore di produttori di zerbini utilizzano materiali riciclati per fabbricare i loro prodotti per migliorare la loro sostenibilità.

September 2017 | ECJ | 85

NOROVIRUS

Norovirus - think restaurants Norovirus outbreaks are most commonly associated with cruise ships, however latest US statistics suggest we are more likely to contract the virus in a local restaurant. Cleaning professionals must be trained to deal with incidences in order to prevent its quick spread, and must use appropriate tools.

Robert Kravitz writes for ECJ.

In November 2016, several branches of a favourite Mexican restaurant chain in London were forced to close because restaurant staff and guests became sick with norovirus. Altogether more than 350 people became ill with the disease.

It’s not surprising that this happened in November. Norovirus is often referred to as the “winter vomiting bug” because it seems the most cases are reported between October and April of each year. And last winter the disease apparently made its way through many parts of Europe.

By December 2016 Public Health England reported there had already been 2,435 cases of the disease, 12 per cent more than average for the same period in the past five years. Further, and somewhat startling, “this figure was 71 per cent higher than the same period last year”, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper. However the newspaper did add that last winter the number of norovirus cases was below average.

As of April 2016 Denmark reported a high number of cases of norovirus, mostly as a result of lettuce imported from France and served in restaurants as well as marketed to consumers. And in October 2016 a news story in a Luxembourg publication reported that “norovirus has hit Lorraine (France) and the east of France hard in the middle of October”.

As to the health impacts of norovirus,

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while it is a very contagious disease and can be a serious health problem for the very young and the very old, the nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea it causes are rarely life-threatening. Usually, after two to three days it’s gone.

At this point, many readers may be asking “isn’t norovirus a disease you get on a ship at sea?” Well we most commonly hear about it when it spreads on a cruise ship. But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are more likely to get sick from norovirus in a local restaurant - such as the chain mentioned in London - than on a cruise ship sailing in some exotic locale.

It tends to happen more frequently in restaurants because kitchen workers do not always adhere to proper hand hygiene rules. Sometimes it is the result of imported food contaminated with the disease, as in Denmark.

But there are other reasons it can spread in restaurants and that’s where cleaning professionals - both contractors and in-house cleaning teams - come in.

Here’s what we need to know: • When someone gets sick in a restaurant, and we are referring to vomit, it must always be assumed that the cause is not the cooking but norovirus • Norovirus, as we said earlier, is known as the vomiting disease. When someone vomits with the disease, they often vomit forcefully with pathogens becoming airborne and spreading as much as 7.62 metres (25 feet) • This means that high-touch areas such as chairs, counters, tables, near-by hightouch areas, exposed glass and silverware, all within this 7.62-metre area can be coated with the pathogens of the virus without anyone being aware of it • Only a small amount of norovirus particles, fewer than 100, can cause someone to get sick • And here’s the big clincher. Whereas most germs, bacteria, and viruses that land on surfaces only survive a few hours or a day, norovirus pathogens can last a

few days, even a week or more.

This explains why it is so highly contagious and why we in the cleaning industry need to know more about how to clean up after someone gets sick and what tools and products are necessary to do it properly. This is true whether the incident is in a restaurant, a school, a hotel, convention centre, or any public building.

Tools needed As with any challenge - in this case, a fast spreading disease - there is an opportunity, and this one is for distributors. Many distributors in the professional cleaning industry do not market the right tools and products needed to ensure a vomiting incident is cleaned up properly.

If the goal of the cleaning industry is to clean for health, then not having these products available for cleaning workers is a serious mistake.

The easiest way for distributors to start marketing these products is to work with manufacturers that make what are called ‘spill clean-up kits’. The benefit of selling a kit is that all the tools and equipment needed to clean up a vomiting incident are included. The user can store the kit in one place so it’s handy and re-order supplies as needed.

The essential items needed in the kit to remove and neutralise the effects of a vomiting incident or bodily fluid spill include the following: • An absorbent spill pad roughly 0.3048 x 0.3048 metres is the most common • One disposable apron, gown, shoe cover, mask or face shield • Three pairs of vinyl gloves, waste bags (preferably yellow, universally recognised as the colour of caution), twist ties and disposable towels • Instructions The clean-up crew should always be instructed how to clean up a vomiting or bodily fluid spill incident. But having the instructions handy for quick and easy reference is always a good idea.

Additionally, a larger spill pad is recommended, especially when it comes to

NOROVIRUS norovirus concerns. So the spill is cleaned up faster and more efficiently.

Steps in the process Based on all we have discussed so far, it should be clear that norovirus is highly transmissible and this applies to cleaning workers. If the clean-up is not done properly not only can the disease spread to other building users, but to the cleaning workers themselves.

The first thing cleaning workers should do when purchasing a spill clean-up kit is read the instructions included with the kit if they are included. Even better, work with a distributor familiar with the norovirus clean-up process. Typically, the instructions and the distributor will suggest the following: • Using warning signs, block off the entire L’apparition du Novorivus est le plus souvent associée aux croisières en mer, toutefois les statistiques américaines les plus récentes indiquent que le risque de contracter ce virus est le plus élevé dans notre restaurant local. Il incombe aux professionnels du nettoyage de se former à la lutte contre le Novovirus et d’en enrayer la propagation rapide en utilisant les outils appropriés.

area around the spill in a radius of about 7.62 metres from the incident • Workers in charge of the clean-up operation should put on all protective gear • Remove any chairs or furniture in the immediate area • Place the spill pad over the incident • Spray disinfectant over the pad and the surrounding area and allow for proper dwell time

Complete the process • Wipe as much of the spill as possible with the spill pad • Further wipe the area with the disposable towels • Place the spill pad and the towels in the disposable rubbish bag and secure; waste bags should be disposed of in a receptacle outside of the facility.

Ausbrüche des Norovirus werden am häufigsten mit Kreuzfahrtschiffen in Verbindung gebracht. Neu statische Daten aus den USA deuten jedoch darauf hin, dass die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Ansteckung in einem lokalen Restaurant höher ist. Mitarbeiter der Reinigungsbranche müssen für den richtigen Umgang mit solchen Fällen geschult sein, um ein schnelles Ausbreiten zu verhindern, und sie müssen geeignete Werkzeuge verwenden.

What we have accomplished so far is to clean up the actual spill. Now the floor area should be cleaned and disinfected. It is best to use a cleaning solution, appropriately diluted, and a microfibre mop head because they tend to be more absorbent.

Mop the entire area and then mop again using a disinfectant, a two-step process.

Finish up by cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces, objects, ledges, tables, chairs, walls - anything in the area of the incident.

Keep in mind how far the airborne pathogens can spread.

Finally remove all protective gear, thoroughly wash hands, and then inspect the area just cleaned. It’s this final step that is so important. Don’t be in a rush to open the area to traffic. The final inspection helps make certain the area is thoroughly cleaned so no one gets sick.

Le epidemie di Norovirus sono generalmente associate alle navi da crociera, tuttavia le più recenti statistiche degli Stati Uniti suggeriscono che siamo molto più a rischio di contrarre il virus in un ristorante locale. I professionisti del settore delle pulizie devono essere addestrati per affrontare la rapida diffusione del virus e devono utilizzare gli strumenti adeguati.

September 2017 | ECJ | 87

NEW PRODUCT REVIEW

• Armitage Shanks, le producteur d’appareils sanitaires commerciaux, a lancé une gamme hospitalière conçue pour réduire les risques de croissance bactérienne.

• Le nouveau dépoussiéreur VC4210M de Makita remplit les normes UE relatives à la réglémentation de dépoussiérage de classe M. • Tork a développé un nouvel outil Web pour aider les organisations à améliorer leurs procédés d’hygiène et de propreté.

• Le B130 Fluoroseal CF et le nouveau fluide d’entretien Prochem à double effet pour la protection de tapis et garnissages.

• Comme produits nouveaux, Buzil propose des bouteilles en matière plastique pour produits chimiques de 600 ml et de 1l, caractérisées par une rigidité accrue.

• L’herbidice WeedKiller-Hydra de la société DiBO s’attaque aux mousses et mauvaises herbes en dosage avec de l’eau chaude, et peut également servir comme nettoyant haute pression.

• Armitage Shanks, der Hersteller gewerblicher Sanitärarmaturen, hat eine Produktreihe für Krankenhäuser vorgestellt, die konzipiert wurde, um das Bakterienwachstum zu hemmen.

• Der neue Staubabscheider VC4210M von Makita erfüllt die EU-Normen der M-Klasse zur Staubkontrolle.

• Tork hat ein neues webbasiertes Tool entwickelt, das Organisationen helfen soll, die Hygiene und Reinigung zu verbessern.

• Bei B130 Fluoroseal CF handelt es sich um die neue Pflegelösung mit zweifacher Wirkung von Prochem zum Schutz von Teppichen und Polstermöbeln.

• Neu von Buzil sind 0,6- und 1-LiterPlastikflaschen mit größerer Stabilität für chemische Reinigungsmittel.

• WeedKiller-Hydra von DiBO bekämpft Unkraut und Moos mit heißem Wasser und kann außerdem als Hochdruckreiniger eingesetzt werden.

• La Armitage Shanks, fornitrice di sanitari per il settore commerciale, ha lanciato una gamma per gli ospedali progettata per aiutare a ridurre la possibilità di crescita batterica.

• Il nuovo estrattore per polvere Makita VC4210M è conforme agli standard UE per le normative sul controllo della polvere M-Class.

• La Tork ha sviluppato una nuova applicazione online intesa ad aiutare le organizzazioni a migliorare l’igiene e la pulizia.

• B130 Fluoroseal CF è la nuova soluzione a doppia azione della Prochem per proteggere moquelle e stoffe per arredamento dopo l’installazione.

• La novità della Buzil sono i flaconi in plastica per prodotti chimici da 600 ml e da 1 litro che vantano una maggiore rigidità.

• WeedKiller-Hydra della DiBO combatte erbacce e muschio con acqua calda e può anche essere utilizzata come idropulitrice.

September 2017 | ECJ | 88

Fight infection Commercial bathroom, sanitaryware and washroom installations provider Armitage Shanks has worked with scientists to develop new solutions designed to help fight infection in hospitals - by reducing the opportunity for bacterial growth in basins, taps and WCs. The new Markwik 21+ fittings and Contour 21+ clinical ceramics ranges have been developed in response to the evolving threats in hospitals and are launched as the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) confirms that areas featuring sanitaryware are virulent breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses.

Contour 21+ is a range of ceramics with splash-reducing technology. Research has shown a high level of splashing occurs when taps run into clinical basins, spreading bacteria and viruses which can reach over a metre in distance. SmartGuard antimicrobial additive is an integral part of the products.

Markwik 21+ is a mixer tap developed following extensive research into where and how bacteria grows. www.idealstandard.com

This enables a 30 litre disposable bag to be filled and for wet suction the tank will hold 29 litres before the new, automatic fluid level valve shuts off the motor, protecting the machine from flooding.

Available in 110v and 240v modes there are three variants: 110v models with and without Power Take Off to drive integrated power tools and a 240v model with Power Take Off. Maximum airflow and filtration performance have also been increased. www.makitauk.com

Web tool Hygiene systems provider Essity has launched a new web tool under the Tork brand aimed at helping organisations to improve their business through better hygiene and cleaning.

The free tool looks at today’s office environment and considers how to tackle new cleaning challenges that arise from practices such as hot-desking, shared equipment and the increasing use of screens. It uses interactive graphics of the building and highlights the hygiene and cleaning challenge in each part of the facility. Recommendations are then given for meeting these challenges. www.tork.co.uk

Dual action

New features The latest version of Makita’s M-Class extractor is the VC4210M, which boasts a number of new features. Meeting all EU standards of protection demanded of the M-Class dust control regulations, the updated design has moved the motor, control module and main filter higher up into the upper body housing which increases the tank working capacity.

water-based stains.

The company has also launched the Sapphire 870SS liquid-cooled triple-operator truck mounted carpet and upholstery cleaning system. www.prochem.co.uk

Ecolabelled New from Holchem is the Holistic GreenRange, a line of concentrate and ready-to-use cleaning products for the hospitality sector that are Ecolabel accredited.

The range includes a washing-up liquid concentrate; all-purpose cleaner concentrate; degreaser concentrate; washroom cleaner concentrate; and toilet cleaner. www.holchem.co.uk

Rigid bottle

Some chemical products such as cleaning agents contain substances that attack the stability of the container they are stored in - with plastic bottles being particularly susceptible.

Buzil claims to have found the solution in developing its new 600ml and 1000ml bottles, which are gradually replacing its previous versions. One special feature is the horizontal grooves, which are claimed to give the container rigidity and prevent any deformation problems. www.buzil.com

Fights weeds New from Prochem is a dual action aftercare solution for protecting carpets and upholstery from soil and stains.

B130 Fluoroseal CF carpet and upholstery protector replaces Fluoroseal Plus and Aqua Seal Fabric Protector with one product, based upon cationic fluoropolymer technology. It coats and protects fibres, boasting optimum repellency and protection against oil- and

The WeedKiLLER-HYDRA is a new model from DiBO that fights weeds and moss with hot water and can also be used a high pressure cleaner.

The hydraulically driven unit can control its own power output, so it works autonomously without an electrical connection - making it suitable for areas with no power supply. It is very compact and must be connected to an external water tank. www.dibo.com

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