May 2011

newslink

ncca

May 2011

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

Features:

Viscose Rayon Haitian Cotton ŠRoomset by Axminster

Contents

Published monthly by:

03 From the editor

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

03 Renewals 2011/2012 reminder 04 Health and safety for carpet and upholstery cleaners 06 Restoring flagstone floors 09 Carpet Cleaners Carnival 10 Viscose Rayon 12 Restoration, conservation and prevention: a contemporary view 14 The carpet cleaner’s checklist 15 A low cost machine upgrade 18 One-to-One 21 Haitian cotton 22 Do you provide a ‘fine dining’ experience or are you in the ‘fast food’ business?

24 Making your advertising work together 26 Small business lending 28 Stress in the workplace Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage.

62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 Fax: 0116 271 9588 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law Company Secretary/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Training Director Pawlo Woloszyn Marketing Director Keith Robertson Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock Associate Liaison Director Denise Pitt Events Director Nigel Lay

www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association).

No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.

page 2

From the editor

O

n September 17th this year the NCCA will be holding a Carpet Cleaner's Carnival - a new and exciting event for carpet cleaners and their families!

The Carnival will be held at the historical and beautiful Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Wicksteed was one of the first Leisure Parks in the UK and has been copied many times since. It covers 147 acres, and is ideal for a fun family day out.

Amongst the numerous attractions are one of the biggest and best FREE playgrounds in Europe, a fairground aimed at families with young children up to the age of 13/14 years old, a railway, racing cars and a lakeside area featuring water chute, nautical jets and both large and small lake boats.

Our event will include an exhibition and demonstrations of the latest industry products, together with various activities to run throughout the Nikki Law day. Attendees will receive tickets for reduced price entry to the fairground and also have access to all areas/attractions within the Park.

There will be FREE parking available and, best of all, if you're tired following the day's events and you don't fancy the drive back home there's no need to spend a fortune on accommodation, you can simply pitch your tent or park your caravan in the Park's excellent on site camping area.

We shall be keeping you up to date in Newslink and on Facebook, so watch this space! www.wicksteedpark.co.uk

Renewals 2011/2012 reminder Membership renewal invoices for 2011/2012 were sent out on April 1st, being due for payment in full

by May 1st 2011. For those who have not yet renewed, or contacted the Office with regard to payment, a reminder letter will be sent to you shortly.

Another requirement of your renewal is proof of your insurance. Again, this year, we will only be accepting Public Liability schedules that clearly state that they include either Treatment Risk or Products Liability. For various reasons, the administration of membership renewals is quite complex - so we therefore ask that you make sure you send all the correct required documentation along with your payment, which will aid in the swift processing of your renewal.

Important Notice: All members who have not yet completed a full year of membership will still have received a subscription invoice due on May 1st.

The fee will have been reduced in respect of how long you have been a member. Payment of this invoice will bring your renewal in line with the rest of the membership and your renewal year will run from April to April from then on.

Newslink via email We would like to remind you that you now have the option to receive Newslink via email, at your request.

You may receive this in addition to, or to replace, the hard-copy version you receive each month.

The online Newslink is displayed at high resolution, enabling user-friendly reading and is presented like an actual magazine, with pages that ‘turn’ when flicking from one double-page spread to the next!

If you would like to receive Newslink via email please ring Nikki on: 0116 271 9550, or email: nicky@ncca.co.uk and request it as an addition or replacement to your existing hard-copy.

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Health & Safety for Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners Next one to be held on the 16th June 2011 Members only - ÂŁ115 + VAT / To be held at the NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester Health & Safety laws apply to all businesses no matter how small, even the self employed. The laws are there to prevent people from being harmed at work and providing a satisfactory working environment. They are also there to protect the public from workplace dangers. This course will take delegates through several policy and assessment documents, which are all on Microsoft Word templates and can be completed as required. Paul Pearce, the course tutor will walk you through step by step procedures to create your own documents.

Many of these can be completed during the course, so if you have them please bring your own laptops.

You will be able to leave the course having started to implement your company's health and safety policy.

The topics to be covered include: ! The Law ! Manual Handling, ! Lone Working ! Emergency Plans & Reporting Accidents ! Work Environment Guidelines ! Slips & Trips ! First Aid Guidelines ! The importance of Training & Induction ! Risk Assessment (inc template on CD) ! Method Statement (inc template on CD) ! Health & Safety Policy (inc template on CD) ! COSHH Assessment (inc template on CD) ! 10 Health & Safety PDF documents on the CD

Book now to avoid disappointment

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Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner

Restoring flagstone floors

A

lthough flagstone floors have been used for many hundreds of years, if not longer, most of the floors that we are likely to encounter will have been laid between the 18th and early 20th century. Ground floor stone halls and lower ground floor kitchens were commonly stone flagged particularly through the Georgian and Victorian eras. From the mid 1800's Victorian Tiles became popular and the potteries producing them provided builders with colour charts to allow purchasers the choice of design most appropriate to their home and purse.

If you live in a town or part of a city where business people and merchants built their homes in either of these ages undoubtedly there will be a market for a flagstone restoration service.

Different stones including slate and limestone have been used for flagstones but by far the most common material was sandstone.

Sandstone is a sedimentary stone formed from sand cemented together by natural glues. It is full

of character and can be found in a variety of textures and earth toned colours, depending on the mineral content, ranging from almost every shade of grey to black, brown, purple, red or pink.

It is not unusual to find floors that have been covered with several layers which may include carpet, vinyl and linoleum. It is also quite common to find the floor has been levelled with a screed.

Removing these layers can in itself be quite challenging and once that is completed, along with the removal of the adhesives regularly used to hold some of the flooring materials in place, it is commonly found that the edges of the rooms have been painted.

If the flagstone is Victorian or older it is likely to have received some unusual, and in some cases, harsh treatment in its life. Often heated linseed oil had been applied as a protector or for grate blackening to have been used to colour the edges.

Over the years residues of paint, plaster and cement may have built up and in addition strong lye page 6

solutions may have been used to clean it.

All coatings, residues of linoleum, backing adhesives and other unwanted materials must be removed before you can clean the stone.

Once these have been removed it is possible at last to thoroughly scrub the floor using a standard speed single or three-headed rotary machine with a stiff brush and an appropriate alkaline cleaning solution. Once all the slurry is removed this is followed by thorough washing which is more effective if a high pressure hot water extractor is used utilising the correct spinning or washing/extracting tools.

There are those who advocate that flagstones should be sanded or that by using an angle grinder and a diamond disc a new surface should be opened. I believe it is important to consider the relevant reasons for and against before going down this route.

If there is a cement based screed that cannot be dissolved or scraped, then grinding or sanding may be the only way forward to solve the problem.

Similarly, if the stone has worn or spalled causing possible trip hazards then grinding may be the only solution. But on the other hand if the process being adopted is simply to open a new face to the stone

there are other factors to consider.

If a belt sander is used it will cause unsightly and irremovable grooves on the stone. Whenever an electric hand grinder is used the technician will leave circular marks and gouges which, once sealed, become readily visible and detract from the natural appearance of the stone. Cutting the surface may expose a lighter layer but in most cases soil and natural discolouration will have penetrated deeper than the removed layer.

Although this is an available option the final result in nearly every case is disappointing, certainly to the purist who would rather see a naturally worn surface reflecting its age rather than the unnatural appearance that this process produces.

Unfortunately there are a few who, for some quite unfathomable reason, prefer this look particularly when the surface has been finished with a Disneylike high gloss sealant. Where possible, customer education is required so that they fully understand the benefits of a more natural appearance rather than a contrived one.

Should the cleaned floor be sealed or left unsealed?

If left unsealed the floor will become visibly dirty within weeks rather than months and will not Continued on next page

page 7

Continued from previous page respond to a simple brush and mop. It is always better to offer the customer some form of protection.

There are traditional ways such as finishing with linseed oil or, if a lighter colour is preferable, with High gloss sealant

wax, but there is a strong trend to waterproof and oil proof floors using penetrating sealers. One reason is that a good quality impregnator will last for several years although be warned, cheaper products have no staying power and may need reapplication every six months to two years. There are, of course, still some contractors who insist that a water based emulsion dressing or topical seal is sufficient, but these scratch and wear quickly so should be avoided.

It is important to clean the floor as thoroughly as possible as trapped dirt can cause a milky white residue between the top of the stone and the underside of the sealer.

It is vital that your sandstone is allowed adequate time to completely dry before sealing. If the stone is still damp it is inevitable that the moisture will work its way to the surface and turn the sealant white. Similarly the sealed surface should be kept dry and must not be washed for several days after sealing.

The variation of sealant coverage might well range from 25m² per litre on hard dense stone, such as a honed slate, down to 8m² per litre on open pored Sandstone. Sandstone will require, in some cases, four or five coats to attain the final finish. Also remember that many solvent based impregnators will, even under reasonably good conditions, take from four to six hours to become tack free and

around eight to ten hours to hard dry. Don't forget we are talking about it being hard dry, and not cured, which in all probability will take some days.

Curing can be accelerated by the addition of a catalyst and some manufacturers can supply a suitable product when you purchase their sealant.

Choose a non-yellowing penetrative sealer which, while protecting and consolidating the substrate, will also keep a 'natural' appearance to the stone rather than the false looking plastic appearance that topical PU sealers leave. It is not unusual for some stone restorers to purchase and forego products made specifically for stone and use wood sealants

The natural look

instead, even though the technical departments of these manufacturers refuse to recognise or recommend that their products should ever be used on stone.

The product of choice should provide high wear and abrasion resistance, something that topical seals cannot do; also chemical resistance, colour stability and resistance to UV weathering effects.

The best products are non-toxic, bio-degradable and, although solvent based, non-flammable. Some companies produce a version that will leave the stone appearing as if untouched, or an enhancing product which will bring out the intensity and markings of the stone. Some manufacturers produce separate enhancers to impregnators so you need to experiment until you find what you consider the most effective product for your customers.

There can be a lot of work involved in restoring flagstones but don't be put off as the results make it all worthwhile. page 8

Viscose Rayon

V

Peter Collins

iscose Rayon is the most problematic fibre the upholstery cleaning technician will ever encounter, plus the one most cited in insurance claims. This article will provide some insight into this perplexing fibre to help you better understand its history and properties.

Rayon was the first manufactured fibre, but strangely enough it is not classed as synthetic. It is made from wood pulp, a naturally occurring cellulose based raw material. As a result, Rayon's properties are similar to those of natural cellulosic fibres, such as Cotton or Linen.

Although Rayon is made from wood pulp, a relatively inexpensive and renewable source, processing requires high amounts of water and energy. Modernisation of manufacturing plant

processes, combined with availability of raw materials, has increased Rayon's competitiveness in the market.

History Rayon is the generic term for a fibre (and the resulting yarn and fabric) manufactured using regenerated cellulose by one of six processes. Its relevance as a fibre lies in its versatility.

As far back as 1664, English naturalist Robert Hooke theorised that artificial filaments might be spun from a substance similar to that which Silkworms secrete to make Silk. This was often tried by scientists in the ensuing years who sought an 'artificial silk', yet no one was to succeed until 1855.

A Frenchman, George Audemars, discovered that dipping a needle into a viscous solution of mulberry page 10

bark pulp and gummy rubber, lead to the production of a thread. While interesting from a scientific stand point, this process was hardly viable economically. It was a very slow process and required a great deal of skill and precision.

The first commercial synthetic fibre was produced by Hilaire de Bernigaud, Count of Chardonnay (1839-1924). After years of research he finally patented this technique in 1884 and put it in to production by 1889. The cellulose based fabric was known as Chardonnay Silk and was beautiful in design. However, it was highly inflammable which eventually lead to its withdrawal from the market.

Soon after, an English chemist, Charles Frederick Cross, and his collaborators, Edward John Bevan and Clayton Beadle, discovered the Viscose process in 1891.

Courtaulds Fibres produced the first commercial Viscose Rayon in 1905, their technique was then adapted by the American Viscose Company in 1910.

Initially Rayon was called 'artificial silk' but by 1924 a committee formed by the US Department of Commerce and other interested parties decided on the name of 'Rayon'. It was called this because of its brightness and similarities with cotton (using 'ray' to represent the sun and taking 'on' from Cotton).

Properties Viscose Rayon has a Silk-like appearance, it is beautiful and retains its rich brilliant colours. Its cellulosic base contributes many properties similar to Cotton, or other natural cellulosic fibres. Rayon is moisture absorbent (more so than Cotton), breathable and easily dyed in vivid colours. It does not build up static electricity, nor will it pill, unless the fabric is made from short, low-twist yarns Rayon is comfortable, soft to the touch and has a

moderate dry strength and abrasion resistance. Like any other cellulosic fibres, it is not resilient, which means that it will wrinkle. Rayon does not withstand temperatures as well as Cotton. It can be attacked by Silverfish and Termites but generally resists insect damage. It can be subject to mildew, given the right conditions in the home environment.

One of Rayon's strengths is its versatility and ability to blend easily with many fibres, sometimes to reduce cost, other times for lustre, softness, or absorbency and resulting comfort. Rayon has a moderate resistance to acids and alkalis, however as it is a cellulose fibre it can be damaged by even weak acids.

Generally the fibre itself is not negatively affected by bleaches, however dyes used in the fabric may experience colour change, or loss. As a cellulosic fibre, Rayon will burn but flame retardant finishes can be applied.

General Characteristics Rayon is soft to the touch; however, depending on the process, additives and finishing treatments used in its manufacture, the end product can have variable characteristics. Rayon is the most absorbent of all cellulose fibres. Upholstery fibres made from Rayon are noted for their beautiful, deep, rich coloured dyes. Rayon loses a great deal of its strength when wet, because of this it stretches and shrinks very easily. Abrasion resistance is poor due to the inelasticity of the fibres, it can be easily damaged by scraping and will pill on the surface of the fabric if subjected to harsh treatment. Brushed high-pile Rayon has been totally banned since 1953 because of its flammable properties.

Next month I will continue with part two of this series explaining the different types and modifications of Rayon. page 11

Š Persian Carpet Studio

Restoration, conservation and prevention: Lenka Bashford (The Persian Carpet Studio)

T

he line between conservation and restoration often overlaps, particularly when treating functional objects such as handmade carpets and furniture. This is a contributing factor to the continuous debate between restoration and conservation.

Gone are the days when restoration techniques for handmade rugs were frowned upon and this is evident from the recent changes in attitude towards in-filling in conservation. Infilling techniques were seen by conservators as a means of disguising damage and had negative connotations associated with dealers having carpets restored to a near invisible degree in order to sell a carpet as if it were in perfect condition. For this reason conservators preferred to make any treatment clearly visible. More recently efforts are being made to carry out repair techniques which strive for closer matches to the original to avoid the

a contemporary view

repairs detracting from the original appearance of a carpet. In my opinion these changes have paved the way for restorers being recognised for their skilled work in colour, texture and construction matching.

There are many 'restoration' infilling techniques that can be used whilst still maintaining the integrity of the object. Where damage has occurred to a carpet, infilling techniques can be used to 'restore' the carpet's former appearance and construction. This type of repair is commonly carried out on robust carpets enabling the item to remain functional. Alternatively, techniques can be used to 'conserve' fragile carpets on display in order to stabilise weaknesses and thereby minimise further deterioration.

It is becoming commonplace for preventative conservation measures to replace the broadly used interventive measures of the last few decades. The page 12

use of preventive conservation is not only dictated by a restraint from potentially damaging interventive treatment (heavily influenced by the damaging effects now evident from past repairs), but increasingly by budget limitations averting costly interventive measures.

In recent times there has been a decline in courses teaching practical restoration and conservation skills. Whether this has been dictated through a lack of demand for practical interventive skills or through the change in course content, we do know that the result is a decreasing market for hand skills.

This is dramatically changing the nature of our work as we develop our range of services to include preventive measures, to keep up with these changing times. Let's just hope this does not result in the dying out of ever more precious practical hand skills.

New NCCA Members FULL MEMBERS K2 Kleaning (Wallsend, Tyne & Wear) ABC Cleaning Services Ltd (Croydon, Surrey) Crystal Carpet Cleaning (Harrogate, North Yorkshire) Pembrokeshire Carpet Care Ltd (Tenby, Pembrokeshire) Carpet Hero Ltd (Chester, Cheshire) Carpet Clean Plus (Halifax, West Yorkshire) Peter Allan Carpet & Upholstery Care (Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire)

Diary Dates 2011 NCCA COURSES Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning 17th - 18th June 23rd - 24th September (please note: change of date) 25th - 26th November Health and Safety For The Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner (NCCA members only) 16th June 15th September 17th November Spot and Stain Removal 18th November Hard Floor Cleaning 3rd - 4th November Leather Identification and Cleaning 14th July 14th September NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated.

Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details.

IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician 25th - 26th May with Adam Jankowski Applied Structural Drying Technician 14th - 17th June with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185

IICRC COURSES (HERTS) Stone, Masonry and Ceramic Tile Cleaning Technician 23rd - 24th May with Keith Robertson Carpet Cleaning Technician 7th - 8th June with Paul Pearce Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire.

Tel: 01763 208222

Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses page 13

Derek Bolton

The carpet cleaner’s checklist

ŠPhotograph: Debut in Ivory by Cavalier Carpets

A

good carpet cleaning technician should, as a matter of course, carry out a pre-clean survey of each carpet that he/she intends to clean. As well as noting the fibre content/construction and the existing condition of the items to be cleaned this survey should take into account, amongst other things, various aspects of the fitting installation that may pose a potential problem during a cleaning process.

Is the carpet secure at the edges? This means, is the carpet secure enough to withstand any dimensional change that may occur during cleaning?

What you should be looking for is whether the grippers have been secured firmly and that they are the recommended distance from the skirting board to allow the carpet to be trapped and therefore fast onto the gripper rod. Too large a gap means that it has already been shaken lose by the agitation from the owners vacuum and may allow the carpet to pull away when it comes under tension.

You must also take into consideration the filtration marks that may have appeared at the carpet edge or in clusters about six inches in from the skirting, this will be where the fitters kicker has punctured

through the secondary backing, allowing soiled air to penetrate leaving the soil within the fibres.

These marks can prove somewhat difficult to remove if the time lapse is long and the air movements fierce.

Some carpets will have relaxed, leaving unsightly bulges. A contributory factor to this phenomenon is the fact that the carpet had not been acclimatised to the environment it is going to be fitted into.

Imagine, if you can, during the winter months the carpet may have been delivered in a cold lorry, stored in a cold warehouse, delivered in a cold fitters van, sometimes left in there overnight. Once in the warmth of the home or work environment it relaxes and stretches leaving the surplus carpet in unsightly ridges.

All carpets are cleanable, how they are cleaned safely and effectively are down to you and how efficient you are with the information gathering survey. There are many carpets that require very low moisture techniques in the cleaning process and a truly professional cleaning technician should be able to evaluate the carpet and the installation to arrive at the correct method to use.

A low cost machine upgrade

T

o obtain increased performance, without having to re-purchase a full kit, many cleaners choose to install upgrades to their existing machines, i.e. a more powerful water pump and higher performance vacuum motor.

All of these improvements and upgrades could be worthwhile, but there is always the possibility that you will not be getting the best from them if they are working alongside components which may not be working to their full capacity. However, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure maximum performance.

Power Cable If you have upgraded components, it is possible that the power cable on your machine cannot provide enough current flow to satisfy the combined demand of the electric motors. It may be necessary to upgrade to a heavier gauge cable.

These power cords also suffer from wear. They can become kinked or damaged in other ways. For a

Ken Wainwright

competent person, changing the power cable is a simple process, but it's always wise to seek the advice and/or services of the machine manufacturer or a suitably qualified electrician.

And don't forget to have the machine PAT Tested afterwards.

Solution Hose A higher spec hose can increase both the flow rate and pressure on a machine. The new, stiffer hose can show an increase of about 5% on the water pressure gauge.

Vacuum Hose A new vacuum hose can also increase performance.

The chances are, when you buy a new component there may be subtle improvements since it was last released, again enhancing performance.

So before you go out and purchase a new machine, think about how you could make small adjustments to improve the performance of the one you have.

One-2-One

C

Derek Bolton and Ken Wainwright

ontinuing with our theme of presenting technical information in a ‘conversational’ format, this month we feature a telephone call between Derek Bolton and Ken Wainwright, who discuss the cleaning of rugs. Below is the conversation which ensued.

Ken: Hi Derek. Like me, you clean rugs and refuse to turn your home into a workshop. Do you clean them on site?

Derek: Hi Uncle Ken, I used to bring rugs either to my workshop, which was great, or later to my home, which wasn't really acceptable as it upset the household (The Governor in particular) to have rugs everywhere. I now clean almost all my rugs on site, the odd very small one I will bring back home.

Ken: It looks like we're following a similar path Derek. I now clean all of my rugs on site. I refuse to turn my home into a rug cleaning factory and I'm pretty sure the neighbours and the local council would have something to say, especially with the noise from some of the equipment. Is your inspection and testing regime for rugs any different

to those for fitted carpets?

Derek: Not at all, you need to inspect every inch of the rug to take into account any existing damage or differing dye mixes some of which may be unstable.

Do you take photographs of the rugs Ken? I do every time on the traditional Oriental rugs and now have a pretty comprehensive photo library of rugs and their imperfections.

Ken: On valuable rugs I do Derek, and also to record any damage, but with most 'everyday' rugs I just note and report on my survey sheet.

How do you go about vacuuming? Do you work any differently than with fitted carpets? I always back-dust rugs, but sometimes it goes on forever with dry soil still coming out after an hour or more.

Where do you draw the line and stop?

Derek: Like you I always vacuum both sides of the rug on a large tarpaulin sheet I have for this purpose, I often tend to use a small hand held turbo head to finish off or I use this extensively on the thinner woven rugs. Have you ever tried an old fashioned carpet beater? page 18

Ken: Wow! You've got a long memory. They're the sort of thing you only see on The Antiques Roadshow these days! Seriously though, yes I've used one quite often, always beating the backing only. The problems seem to be the weather and any washing hanging on the customer's line, or the neighbours if it comes to that! The dust generated can be considerable!

Do you feel that rinse extraction provides an acceptable result compared to the more traditional submersion or saturation methods?

Derek: What are you implying, young Ken, with your reference to the Antiques Roadshow? I agree that totally submersing will do an efficient job providing you have the right facilities. I have never adopted that system and I like to think that the work that I do is of a standard that will please my customers.

What's your approach to white cotton fringes? I refuse to use bleaches on them these days because they can so easily degrade the cotton.

What operational method do you incorporate into your cleaning procedure to make sure you

minimise/eliminate the risk of fugitive dyes?

Ken: Yeah, I know what you mean Derek, I will never use bleaching agents on cotton fringes, as you say they can easily degrade the cotton fibres plus the bleaching agent can wick back into the body of the rug taking out colour.

As for dye bleed, it always seems to be a bigger problem with rugs than for fitted carpets.

Experience has shown me that a fugitive dye may not always respond favourably to my regular acid rinse, so I will try another type/brand. I've also had success with an acetic acid as well as saline solution.

Other variations can be the way it's used.

Sometimes a pre-treatment is better, sometimes in the rinse, sometimes both. If all else fails, I will low moisture or dry compound clean the rug.

How do you get on with drying rugs? Do you use a towel to aid grooming and drying or do you use a rotary machine with an absorbent bonnet?

Derek: I always use a low moisture floor or hand tool during my cleaning operations in order to keep Continued on next page

page 19

Continued from previous page the moisture left behind to an absolute minimum.

I do often use towels to take off any more moisture that I can. On pile rugs I use a soft brush groom to set the pile often with a towel fixed to it.

This again helps with any moisture that may still be there but also takes out any brush marks which can be unsightly when the piece is dried. As well as being unsightly the 'cornrowing' marks can be difficult, if not impossible, to take out without resorting to wetting the rug again.

Ken: And finally, Derek, a heavy, high density piled rug such as a traditional Chinese can take quite a while to dry. Will you leave it on the floor or try and hang it over something like an upstairs banister rail?

Derek: This depends on the type of floor that the rug is on. The tools that I use won't wet through to the backings, which make life a little easier, and that plus the use of an air mover will soon dry off the rug. Hanging the rug over a bannister may cause damage to wood or the painted surface; I have done this on a few occasions but always put a dust sheet over the bannister first. There is always

the risk of leaving a ridge in the rug where it goes over the bannister rail…

Ken: I ask the customer for a dust sheet to protect the banister's paint work, saves a return journey for my own! As for the ridge that can develop across the rug's backing, if you twist the rug “off square” so that the pressure isn't along the foundation's weft but diagonal to it, then the potential problem is resolved.

Must fly now Derek. The sun's shining and I feel the calling of my bike and I need to dig my leathers out... Vroom Vroooooooooom.

Derek: I have a feeling that Cecil* might have a few things to say if he heard us talking about rug cleaning outside of a plant operation - we will see…..

I will leave all the kinky leather stuff to you youngsters, now where did I put that watering can!

Bye for now. *Note from the editor: Cecil Aigin is an expert in the cleaning and restoration of Oriental rugs. For many years he ran Thames Carpet Cleaners in Hertfordshire. He is now retired and has been made an Honorary Member of the National Carpet Cleaners Association. page 20

Haitian cotton

H

NCCA library

aitian cotton is an upholstery fabric made from 100% cotton, grown in Haiti or India. The fibres are not thoroughly processed; as a result bits of cottonseeds, stems and other plant components are in the yarn. These specks of brown give the fabric its natural and rustic appearance. The yarns are thick, coarse and usually offwhite, cream or tan in colour. Occasionally they are dyed with colours such as red or blue and may even be two-toned.

Haitian cotton fabrics are very susceptible to cellulosic browning. The spillage of plain tap water is sometimes enough to produce discolouration.

The seed particles will also release a brown dye when wet and this stain may be impossible to remove completely.

Professional cleaners, who can use a variety of dry cleaning solvents to supplement water-base

cleaning solutions, could normally overcome complications of this type.

Unfortunately, the weave of Haitian cotton fabric is too loose to stand-alone and must be manufactured with a latex backing to bind the yarns together into a fabric. This backing is softened or degraded by dry cleaning solvents, so texture changes along with colour changes may occur with any type of cleaning.

Haitian cotton cannot always be safely cleaned by normal upholstery cleaning methods. Some professional cleaners may have speciality cleaning chemicals and techniques designed for handling Haitian cotton and similar fabrics. These techniques require more time and expense. The degree of cleaning that is possible may still be less than is normally attainable, and some risk of staining may be present. As a professional upholstery cleaner you can advise on the cleaning of Haitian cotton upholstery.

Do you provide a ‘fine dining’ experience or are you in the ‘fast food’ business? Keith Robertson

N

early all your competitors are in the 'fast food' business.

Ray Krock, the founder of McDonald's, explained to franchisees that they weren't in the restaurant business; rather they were filling stations that supplied fuel. There is nothing wrong with that principle but is it where you want to be? Are you happy to be known as just another carpet cleaner or do you desire to set yourself apart from the herd and become known as the expert? Using catering as a reference, do you want to offer a 'fine dining' experience?

If you do, how can you achieve it? There are, of course, a number of elements that need to be put in place before this happens, so let's discuss some of them.

First of all, if you want to do a good job, it is vital that you have adequate training and possess good quality equipment. Secondly, it is extremely important that you present yourself well and your

equipment and vehicle are well cared for. You must also use positive body language and speech. How you present yourself as a person is as important as the job you do.

Once you are confident that you are in possession of all the criteria to be able to offer a 'fine dining' experience, you will be able to set your prices accordingly and charge a high rate for your services.

Now some people are very reticent to do this, but just remember that if you don't obtain the high-end customers someone else will… so why not you?

Once you have obtained a client base you should look to gain referrals. Learning how to talk to your customer is a key part in the success of retaining their custom and creating that all-important 'word of mouth' advertising. If you can talk on their level, explaining what you are going to do, and why, and what you have done, and why, and what they need to do, and why, they will quickly gain confidence in you as an individual and as a business supplier. Just page 22

spending an extra few minutes of time also sets you apart from the 'fast food' suppliers.

As customers start to believe in you it becomes easier to encourage them to complete testimonials and refer you to family and friends.

Once you have built a solid customer base you should reassess your marketing budget. It is likely that initially much of your resources were allocated to directory/newspaper advertising and flyers/leaflets. As your business becomes more successful you will need to redistribute your marketing funds.

For instance you may want to consider your online presence, or think about the extra things you can do to help retain the customers you have. Believe it or not, even when you are personable and do the best job in the world they can still forget about you. Have you ever received a call where the person tentatively asks, “I don't know if you are the one who cleaned my carpets...�? I have. Well, you can be sure that for every call you receive like this there are just as many people out there who are also unsure who they booked last, but don't even bother to phone you, they simply phone someone else. It can happen even if you have put a sticker on their vacuum or a magnet on their fridge.

To keep your company fresh in your customer's mind it is a good idea to have an arrangement, or

programme, which allows you to maintain regular contact. One way of achieving this is to send out a monthly newsletter. Another is to have a system where you regularly send out personal letters. You could start with a 'Thank You' letter sent after the job has been done, moving on to a 'Special Offer' and even 'Mid-Year Reminder' letter.

The hardest part is setting up the system but if you can get through that, particularly if you have the letters or newsletters linked to a suitable database, it becomes much simpler and the hardest part then is the envelope stuffing and stamp sticking - if you haven't managed to get someone else to do that.

Frequent and appropriate contact will maintain your 'word of mouth' advertising. Remember it costs more money to obtain a new customer than to keep an existing one.

Most of you reading this will probably have a favourite restaurant? If you have, why not make a list of what you most like about it. Is it the friendly welcome, the ambiance of the premises, the content and depth of the menu, the speed of service, the fact that the food is freshly cooked, or the subtlety of the sauces? There are bound to be a number of factors, but if you feel your own service is falling short of the standards you'd expect in a restaurant it is time to make some modifications to be able to offer that 'fine dining' experience.

NCCA marketing

NCCA member referral results

We are continuing our campaign to gain editorial inclusion into both the trade press and as many home, women's interest and lifestyle magazines as possible.

During the last month we have had several articles printed, including editorial in a womens magazine.

We have now also fully launched ourselves into the world of Social Media Marketing (SMM), recognising it to be an excellent way of generating exposure and maintaining/gaining close links with prominent industry players.

For those who’d like to join us we can be found on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare and Twitter at: www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 153 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 81 referrals from the NCCA office, 67 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 5 referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database.

If you have not yet supplied us with an email address, but would like to receive notification when your details have been given out, please contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

Making your advertising work together

E

very day, we are bamboozled by adverts, on the TV, radio, magazines and the Internet, but is there one ideal marketing scheme?

The simple answer to that is, not for everyone.

However, let’s break it down and take a look at different advertising mediums in a little more detail.

Publications and websites If you are advertising business to business, publications in relevant trade magazines can be rewarding and a great way to let the right people know who you are. If you have many magazines in your industry, look at their circulation and see how many readers they reach. This may be slightly more expensive than some forms of advertising but is much more likely to get a good response.

If you operate business to consumer you will need to advertise in the magazines or papers you know your clients will read. However, it is still important to read trade magazines to keep up to date with industry movements.

Remember; don't give up if your first advert doesn't instantly flood you with enquiries. As any company with experience knows, these can trickle through and appearing in a series of editions is

SiteWizard

more likely to provide more traffic on your website or more calls.

One of the most important things about your advert is what information to include. Nearly all adverts now display a website address. This is your 24/7 business representation - a reference to send people to out of hours. Not only is it there for your existing customers but is vitally important in letting new customers know you are there. The convenience and speed of the internet makes it one of the easiest ways to research your purchase or service choice. And it's only going to get more popular.

With technology improving and people (of all generations) now using the internet, it seems unlikely that any business wouldn't need a website. Every company is selling something, even if not a physical product, you would be selling a service. Therefore, every business can sell online.

Every company should have an internet presence so that your customers and business associates can quickly and easily find out more about your business and the products/services you have to offer. The website must co-ordinate with any other advertising and be professional if you want to be taken seriously. page 24

Areas to think about Before you create your advert - set a goal. What do you want your website and marketing to achieve? Is it just to keep brand awareness or to gain new business? Always keep one step ahead of competitors. It is always easier to stay ahead of the pack than play catch up.

Your advert and website content/style will depend on these main aspects: ! Audience age (majority). ! Audience gender (majority). ! Audience location (majority). ! And budget.

Age: If your business aims towards teenage consumers, then the cost of advertising in The Telegraph would most likely provide a poor return on investment. However, if you were a manufacturer or wholesaler for a product aimed at director level, then advertising in an industry relevant B2B publication would result in reaching your perfect target audience.

Gender: This is important to think about when producing your visual material. For a men's clothing shop, swirls or feminine colours wouldn't be ideal.

Although, going for the stereotypical and obvious structure is not always best in making you stand out, thinking about trends on what your audience want to see is vital.

Location: Whether you operate on a local, national or international scale, your target audience will be different. Cultural differences aren't just based on country but can even be down to the county.

Colloquial terms and phrases may be lost, so if this is for a large area then make sure it appeals to all.

Budget: This is one of the most thought of aspects to marketing. Prioritise where and how you market.

There is always an aspect of trial and error to see a return on investment, but you need to use multiple channels to keep a consistent flow of traffic. Also placing a one-off advert will not be as effective as booking a whole series, as regular appearances builds up trust. You will also save money booking your advertising over a longer period rather than booking it for a one-off advert.

Whether it is running a newspaper advert or

producing a website, you need to have a 'call to action' and somewhere to go to should the readers wish to find out more. This could be a telephone number or, if you want to provide 24/7 information, your website.

Remember that running one advert in the local paper may not inundate you with calls and having a scatter gram approach to marketing does not build up trust. Regular advertising means that your target audience become familiar with your name and logo.

Consistency in the running of adverts shows your clients that you are taking your business seriously, even if this thought is subconscious. Brand awareness is important in making people feel secure and recognising a company brand is essential in gaining customers confidence.

Social Media Marketing

M

any businesses, both large and small, are now engaged in Social Media Marketing (SMM) as a means of promoting their products and services to a wider audience.

Realising the benefits of SMM as a marketing tool, the NCCA also joined the world of Social Media earlier this year.

Keith Robertson, Marketing Director, says “SMM allows small businesses and non-profit organisations, like the NCCA, to generate exposure with very little - or no - cost involved. Our goal in the next year is to create an open line of communication with existing contacts, build new relationships and become known to an ever growing audience�.

The NCCA welcome anyone within the industry to join them in their sharing of news, views and information.

We can be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare and Twitter: www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

page 25

ŠPhotograph: William Warby

Small business lending

T

Phil McCabe (FPB)

he Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) has published its interim report on potential reforms to the banking system.

The commission suggested that the UK banks' retail operations should be kept separate from their investment arms to guard against overexposure to dangerous investments and yet more government bailouts.

The ICB report also stated that the burden of bailing out investment banks should not be placed upon the tax payer, but that the bank's owners and creditors should be responsible for investment failures.

However, because the implementation costs of the changes are likely to be paid for by hikes in bank charges, some commentators have suggested they

could have a negative short-term impact, both on consumers and small businesses.

The parlous state of lending in the UK can be seen from last months Bank of England Credit Conditions Survey, which shows that demand for credit from small firms has fallen.

Some lenders admit they often lack detailed knowledge of businesses submitting lending applications, resulting in many being seen as highrisk propositions, and the continued scarcity of growth finance for SMEs. Others say demand is down.

There is certainly no lack of need. Declining application rates are much more about alienation felt by many business owners when dealing with the major banks. page 26

The Forum of Private Business has confirmed that many of its members are seeing applications for loans being rejected as they are perceived as being too small or as operating in sectors that are 'no go' areas for many lenders.

Forum research towards the end of 2010 showed that 30% of members surveyed had seen an increase in their order books and turnover, with just 16% reporting a decrease. Yet inadequate bank lending threatens to jeopardise economic recovery plans. Compared to last year fewer expect growth finance to be sourced from traditional lenders in 2011.

One of the major reasons many small businesses are unable to access cost-effective finance from traditional lending sources is a lack of competition within the sector. Business owners are often left mystified by rejection due to poor feedback on decisions and the lack of a coherent appeals process.

Perhaps this is about to change. The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has launched its Better Business Campaign, meaning the UK's major high street banks are committing to making accessing finance easier for small businesses.

The Forum is an inaugural member of the Doing Business Together (DBT) initiative, which aims to get businesses and banks communicating in the spirit of transparency and information sharing. This commitment is something the organisation has been working hard to achieve.

With new lending guidelines, the promise of increased transparency from banks, and an independentlymonitored appeals process for business owners disgruntled that their applications have been rejected, there finally appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

However, there are no plans to

enshrine the code in law which essentially means it is unenforceable. It is important that small business owners do not let banks off the hook and actively pursue the appeals process if they feel they have a case.

It is also vital that SMEs ensure the financial information they provide to lenders is of the highest possible standard and completely up to date. To that end, the Forum is providing its members with Forum CreditPal, a free automated accounts management tool.

Forum CreditPal allows users to provide and present their financials in the way banks expect, allowing small business owners to review internal finance and automatically generate standardised and validated monthly accounts, therefore improving their chances of accessing finance.

Going forward, alternatives to traditional banks, such as Funding Circle and Funding Store, must be allowed to compete in the financial markets dominated by high street lenders. This is why the Chancellor, George Osborne, announced a series of changes to the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) in the recent Budget.

The previous rules stated that companies with no more than 50 employees and who met a ÂŁ7 million pre-money gross asset test could qualify for Venture Capital Trust and EIS relief.

From next April this will now apply to businesses with up to 250 employees and gross assets to ÂŁ15 million. In addition, companies will also be allowed to take up to ÂŁ10 million investment a year. Income tax relief on the EIS will also increase from 20 per cent to 30 per cent in April 2011.

So there are reasons to suggest the prospects of small businesses accessing finance at the right price will improve. As ever, the proof will be what happens on the ground. page 27

Stress in the workplace

S

tress related harm in the workplace is a topical issue and is receiving greater focus from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The HSE want organisations in the cleaning sector to talk to employees about their stress levels and to investigate what is causing stress in an organisation.

In our experience, however, many employers are concerned to tackle this issue head on.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) provides that employers should ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, so far as is reasonably practicable. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 provide that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment should be carried out to establish whether existing control measures are effective. Therefore, where there is potential for stress related harm (i.e. any working

Emma Winney (Eversheds LLP) environment), a risk assessment should be undertaken.

The HSE have produced guidance on the completion of risk assessments on stress related harm (see www.hse.gov.uk/stress) in the form of 'The Management Standards'. Employers should identify the risk factors in the workplace i.e. the cause of stress. The Management Standards highlight the main risk factors which include the demands placed on an individual, the level of support that person receives and the degree of control that person has in the way they do their work.

Employers should then establish who could be harmed by the stress and how. An analysis of existing sick records is an obvious way to look at trends. In addition, the HSE recommend that a survey be carried out using their 'HSE Management Standards page 28

Indicator Tool', or something similar, which will help organisations to understand the extent of the problem.

An evaluation of the risks should also be carried out to establish what should be done to control the risks of stress related harm. Questions should be asked such as, 'are we doing enough for those returning to work after a spell of stress related absence' and also, 'do our managers know how to recognise the symptoms of stress and what to do if they see this?' Finally, employers should monitor and review the written conclusions from the risk assessment on a regular basis and ensure that any new procedures introduced are working effectively.

It will be interesting to see how enforcement develops in this area of law. We have yet to see any prosecutions for stress (mainly because it is difficult to prove that stress was directly caused by employment) but we have seen several Improvement Notices issued to organisations that do not have a clearly defined stress policy.

The obvious risk of prosecution is where an employee suffers a breakdown as a result of severe stress suffered at work (i.e. a breach under section 2 of the HSWA, failure to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees).

Employers are advised to consider the effects of workplace stress on their workforce and deal with this appropriately to reduce the risk of a prosecution by the HSE, and in turn reducing the possibility of civil claims for compensation by employees, the cost of which can be significant.

Quite aside from the criminal enforcement element of the Stress Framework, many employers understand that taking measures to reduce stress makes good business sense, as stress is one of the prime causes of absence from work, irrespective of whether a claim is made or not.

Our advice is to consider the above and apply it in your business. For further information on this issue and how it may affect your organisation, contact Emma Winney on 0845 498 4675.

Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Carpet and Upholstery cleaning services business for sale, established in 2001. Includes Renault Master van (2006) with bespoke fittings for chemical storage. Premium interactive website with online survey/quotation facility which can be viewed at www.spotlesscleaningservices.com The domain names www.spotlesscleaningproducts and also www.spotlessnetwork domain names included, and online shop facility. Steempro 2000 with all extras, Sebo Vacuum cleaner, karcher hot water extraction stainbuster, orbis cyclical cleaner, chemicals, etc. Leather restoration kit. Regular customer base. Reason for sale: Allergy to chemical products.

Sale price £20,000 O.N.O. Tel: 0141 941 2510. Email: spotless@ntlworld.com BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company.

Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system.

Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details.

VAN & TRUCKMOUNT Blue Line ThermalWave HP II - 50hp and Citroen Relay LWB Van. True Twin Wand Operation Truck Mount Cleaning. Asking Price: £17,995 + VAT. Call 0118 931 0516 for more details. Or Visit: www.truckmount.info VAN & TRUCKMOUNT Hydramaster Boxxer 318 with only 600 hours on the clock, in excellent condition comes with all attachments and chemicals and Ford Transit 51 reg service history and 60,000 miles ply lined and racking for chemical storage in excellent condition. £9000 + vat call 07970 835686 for more details.

BUSINESS FOR SALE URGENT SALE! Due to the owners moving away!

Carpet, upholstery and stone floor cleaning company - 50% OFF the valued price to the first person who offers the sale price of only £75K. Fully Automated business system in place.

Full training and consultation will be provided, if needed, for a limited time only. Contact Andrew Sacker on: 07711 454402 or email: andy@GoldenProdigy.com MACHINERY FOR SALE Numatic 17" Rotary Deck Machine with new 40ft cable, Driveboard. Shampoo Brush and 10 Bonnet Mops. All in perfect working order. Genuine reason for sale. £350.00 (complete package £800 when new). Please call Tony on 07951 413815 or 0118 3779149 The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.

page 29

NCCA Associate Members NCCA Shop The NCCA has a number of items to order by members. Below are some of the more popular items purchased. For a full list of merchandise please visit the website on: www.ncca.co.uk.

Orders may be placed online, or you can contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550. + PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each + Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £19.50 each or £50 for 3 + NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each + Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63 + Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx) £2.50 each + Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over)

+ Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 0845 130 4755 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467

+ NCCA Tie £12.93 each

+ Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T)

All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging. A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods will not be sent until payment is received.

+ Homeserve at Home: 0870 320 3333

+ Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr) + LTT Leathercare: 01423 881027 (T) + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + Nilfisk Advance Ltd: 01284 763163 (M) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)

NCCA Member Benefits

+ Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T)

+ Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal helpline): 01206 366500

+ Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr)

+ SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860

+ ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr)

+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650 + Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860

+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A) + Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K)

+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department) 01252 390385

+ Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M)

+ Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department) 0808 100 7890

+ Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M)

+ Adalante Merchant Services 01628 820500

+ Vitec Global: 02392 666053 (C)

C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E - Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds

For the most excellent choice of fabric and carpet protectors Chemspec were the first ever company in the world to use protectors on fabrics, so we know a thing or two about them.

All NCCA Members* who purchase carpet and upholstery protector get a FREE how-to guide on carpet and upholstery protectors. Tips on perfect applications, coverages, dilution issues, chemistry options, perfect preparation, sales, plus marketing your protector business and much more.

ASK FOR YOUR FREE GUIDE WHEN PLACING YOUR ORDER - Available from May 4th 2011 onwards *NCCA Members only - quote membership number to qualify

Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com