October 2011

newslink

ncca

October 2011

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

Features:

Carpet Cleaners Carnival NCCA November Training Courses ŠRoomset by Brintons

Contents

Published monthly by:

03 From the editor

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

04 President’s report 06 The Marmomacc Stone Show 08 Respiratory sensitisation 10 Treating Polypropylene 12 Vintage cleaning 15 The benefits of using Twitter 16 The Carpet Cleaners Carnival 20 Pressure marks on carpets and rugs 21 Removing indentations in carpets 22 The production of silk 25 Insect infestation of textiles 26 The cost of compliance 28 Changing the rules of the game HSE’s Costs Consultation

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 President/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Vice President/ Marketing Director Keith Robertson Vice President/ Events Director Nigel Lay Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock Associate Liaison Director Denise Pitt

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.

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

M

ore carpet cleaners than ever are facing stiff competition when gaining work. Because of this, many have decided to improve their existing business and/or branch out and extend the range of services they offer.

If this is something you have been contemplating then we would like to remind you that the NCCA offer excellent training courses to enable you to do just that!

We are planning four courses during November, all to be held at the NSPCC Training Centre in Leicester:-

ŠPhotographs: Paul Pearce

Hard Floor Cleaning - 3rd and 4th November Hard floor care requires a degree of knowledge and the NCCA have a keen interest in ensuring that there is an increasing supply of trained and qualified technicians.

The programme includes some practical hands-on training and covers the cleaning and care of Resilient, Wood, Ceramic and Natural Stone. Each delegate is provided with an excellent accompanying manual, which is theirs to take home once the course is over.

Course tutor: Keith Robertson Health and Safety for the Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner (NCCA members only) - 17th November Health and 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 to provide a satisfactory working environment. They are also there to protect the public from workplace dangers.

The course includes: The Law, Manual Handling, Lone Working, Emergency Plans and Reporting Accidents, Work Environment Guidelines, Slips and Trips, First Aid Guidelines, The Importance of Training and Induction, Risk Assessment, Method

Statement, Health and Safety Policy, COSHH Assessment and 30 Health and Safety PDF documents on CD. Course tutor: Paul Pearce

Nikki Law

Spot and Stain Removal - 18th November Spot and stain removal is still a genuine craft and requires a higher degree of skill and knowledge than almost any other process undertaken by the professional carpet cleaner.

The course delegate will use his or her own spotting products on the prepared samples, which will be handed out during the training. They will not just be taught how to remove the soils, but also how to do it without causing further damage to the samples.

Each delegate will also receive a course manual and three spotting tools to be used on the day, which can be taken home to use again.

Course tutor: Paul Pearce Leather Identification and Cleaning - 24th November Leather is an extremely complex product and cleaning it is at least as involved as cleaning fabrics, possibly sometimes more so.

On this course you will learn: About the Tanning Process, How to Identify Different Types of Leather from Aniline Through to Bicast and Faux Leathers, How to Determine when it is Cleanable (or in need of restoring or replacing), How to Identify Different Finishes and How to Clean Leather Upholstery (with demonstrations).

You will be supplied with course notes and a set of leather samples.

Course tutor: Pawlo Woloszyn If you are interested in attending any of the above courses please contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550 or visit: www.ncca.co.uk/training.php Page 3

President’s report

W

Paul Pearce

ell, another month has gone and the Carpet Cleaners Carnival is now over.

For those of you that couldn't attend, I'm pleased to report it was an excellent day and very well received (see centre pages for full review). I would like to thank all that did attend for supporting the event, particularly the Associate members and other exhibitors. We couldn't have wished for better weather. It meant that, aside from participating in NCCA activities, the people who came with their families could enjoy all the facilities Wicksteed Park has to offer.

During the day we were set to induct retired members Derek Bolton and Tony Abbott to Honorary Membership of the Association. Both of these gentlemen have given their time to the NCCA tirelessly over the years and still do even

now. Unfortunately Tony had suffered an accident and was at home recovering on the day, so I was unable to present his official plaque and thank him personally. We have since posted it to him and are pleased to say that he is now on the mend. We were able to honour Derek, however, and it was a real pleasure for me to present him with his award.

Finally, the day before the Carnival long-serving NCCA Director, Pawlo Woloszyn, announced that he was stepping down from the Board. Pawlo works (as indeed does everyone on the board) very hard at what he does and has been a great contributor during his thirteen year tenure. In that time he has become a good friend and I will personally miss him being on the Board. We wish Pawlo all the best.

page 4

IMPROVEMENT TO NCCA SURVEY PADS We have improved the quality of the paper on which the NCCA survey pads are printed.

As such we have made a very small increase to the cost of purchase.

NCCA survey pads now retail at: ÂŁ20.50 for a single pad and ÂŁ52.50 for three.

NCCA member referral results Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 129 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 63 referrals from the NCCA office, 58 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 8 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.

New NCCA Members FULL MEMBERS Penn & Tylers Clean (Penn, Buckinghamshire) K Lavender Cleaning Services (London, SW9) Arrow Direct Ltd (Wilmslow, Cheshire)

Diary Dates 2011/2012 NCCA COURSES Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning 25th - 26th November 2011 20th - 21st January 2012 23rd - 24th March 2012 Health and Safety For The Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner (NCCA members only) 17th November 2011 Spot and Stain Removal 18th November 2011 Hard Floor Cleaning 3rd - 4th November 2011 Leather Identification and Cleaning 24th November 2011 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) Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician 25th - 26th October 2011 with Adam Jankowski Odour Control Technician 27th October 2011 with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185

IICRC COURSES (HERTS) Carpet Cleaning Technician 25th - 26th October 2011 with Paul Pearce Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician 2nd - 3rd November 2011 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 5

The famous balcony in Verona

Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner

The Marmomacc Stone Show

V

erona in northern Italy is a beautiful medieval city popular with tourists who visit to drink coffee outdoors in the piazzas, listen to opera in the Coliseum or to see the balcony setting made famous in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It is also the setting for the annual Marmomacc Stone Show which has just been held for the 46th time at the Verona Exhibition Centre from the 21st to 24th September.

This is the true mecca for stone lovers, as around 1500 exhibitors from 120 countries gather to show everything from exotic stones to tooling, major cutting and lifting equipment. The event attracts around 50,000 visitors, sometimes with the addition of exotic dancers as there were at the Antolini Luigi pavilion!

This was my first visit to the exhibition and although I have attended a number of UK events I was not prepared for what was on show. Despite working on floors for more than thirty five years, including twenty years of stone restoration and maintenance, I was completely unprepared for the

scope and pure magnificence of this show.

If you care for stone and are still unsure how to visually identify different stones then this is the show to visit. In a little over two hours from Gatwick you are in Verona airport. A bus ride into the city centre and an 8 euro taxi fare, you are there, to be struck dumb by the largest public display of natural stone in the world. Granites, Marbles, Travertine, Limestone, Slate, Sandstone, whatever stone you can imagine is there both in cut tile and in many cases up to fifty tonne blocks.

There are eleven halls which cover some 75,000 m² one of which, Hall 7, was devoted to tooling, maintenance and restoration equipment, materials and systems. Nearly all of the major producers of stone cleaning and polishing equipment were present at the show. I was fortunate to spend time with an Italian manufacturer of stone finishing equipment and materials who have a worldwide reputation and meet their dealers from as far afield as Taiwan, Korea, India, Colombia, Martinique, Hungary and the Netherlands. page 6

Those of you who work on stone and tile will know that there are various types of equipment and materials required to participate successfully at each level. If you are interested in taking your business beyond the cleaning, powder polishing, vitrifying level then this is also the show to attend.

There was a wide choice of professional grinding and polishing machines of various sizes from the more conventional belt driven single disc rotaries to the more efficient direct gear driven equipment with planetaria which improves the accuracy of the grinding.

Throughout the world the use of polished, and sometimes colour dyed, concrete is increasing and so it was interesting to examine the machinery specifically designed for this. The entry point is higher than that for polishing stone with equipment starting at around ÂŁ9000.00 + diamond tools. I had the opportunity of lunching with the boss of an Irish stone finishing company who purchased two medium size concrete polishers plus appropriate diamond abrasives, an investment of over ÂŁ40,000, as he was convinced this was going to be an important area for him to develop into.

If, like me, your budget is more modest there was

still plenty to choose from. For example, the manufacturers of the diamond coated pads were there and I was able to get a photograph of the bosses of two of the main producers, HTC who manufacture Twister pads and Klindex who make SuperShine pads. There were many types of cleaning products and sealants on offer, including a neat impregnator where the supplier demonstrated its effectiveness by having water sitting on an impregnator treated container of sand.

It took me a full four days to cover the show. At the end of my trip I'd collected so much material that I was struggling through Rome airport with an overfull bagful of brochures and sample tiles and was stopped by security as the X-ray machine picked-up the quartz composite samples, which were at the bottom of my bag, as possibly being plastic explosive. Once they were sure I wasn't carrying anything dangerous the security officers gathered round to admire the tiles before apologising for stopping me.

What a show and what an experience! It has taken me long enough to make it to Verona but let me assure you that I will be going back and I would recommend that you go too.

There were some unusual and fascinating displays of stone at the Show

page 7

Respiratory sensitisation

A

NCCA Library

common respiratory problem is work related asthma, an extremely distressing and life threatening disease. Breathing in substances called respiratory sensitisers causes it.

Approximately 1500 cases of staff absence are reported each year due to this problem, which can cost the employer hundreds of pounds. You cannot simply sack a person because he/she is sick or you may find yourself paying out a very large amount of compensation.

What are respiratory sensitisers? They are substances, which can trigger an allergic reaction when breathed in. Once you have this problem any exposure will trigger a reaction however small.

Symptoms can range from coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest through to runny or stuffy nose and watery eyes.

You will not feel the effects of breathing in

sensitisers right away. It can take months or even years of breathing in these substances before the effect is noticed. The person may not be affected until well after their employment with you has ceased and so it is not always possible to associate the problem with the job. However, continued exposure will result in long-term lung damage.

How can you avoid the problem and protect you and your staff? Well, it is easy to use the proper mask for the job. There is no point in issuing dust masks when a full-face respiratory charcoal mask is required. Nowadays there is no excuse for not using this equipment. More and more we are seeing cases of compensation claims being made well after the incident took place.

REMEMBER FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW WILL RESULT IN FINES OR EVEN IMPRISONMENT.

page 8

Website enquiries Members may receive enquiries via the NCCA website. The site features a membership directory that includes a full list of NCCA members.

Visitors can search the directory by location, service or use the general search feature to find a company.

Enquiries from the NCCA website will be sent via email and go directly from the enquirer to the member, with the title “NCCA Member Enquiry�.

It is important that the office know your current email address for you to benefit from this service. Please contact

the office to make any changes to your entry.

Members also have the opportunity to advance their NCCA website listing for a small one-off fee. This includes benefits such as a direct link to your website, further copy space for promotional information about your company, your logo, or video, being included in your entry, your company name being highlighted within the list and more.

For further information please contact the office by phone or email and request an Advanced Entry order form.

page 9

Treating Polypropylene

P

olypropylene is basically a plastic fibre that has a moisture retention rate of approximately 0.01%. Polypropylene is considered an inherently stain resistant fibre because of its inability to soak up 'water based' stains into its fibre structure. Because of these characteristics, the process of dyeing has historically been limited to solution dying (in its molten form) before fibre filament extrusion.

Polypropylene is also the most heat sensitive of all synthetic carpet fibres having a melting point at approximately 165째c, however the heat distortion point could be in the region of 70-75째c. I am sure we

Robert Olifent have all witnessed the common sight of melted fibres caused by a hot Iron on polypropylene. It is worth noting that the use of high heat cleaning systems or steam heat in removal of gum etc. could be sufficient to cause permanent heat distortion on polypropylene fibres, so take care.

Polypropylene, whilst being a stain resistant fibre to water based stains, unfortunately has an affinity (attraction) to oil based contaminants. This has led to further development by the fibre manufacturers to impart polypropylene with oil resistant properties.

One big question is 'can polypropylene fibres be page 10

treated with a flourochemical protective treatment?' Well, developments in recent years have involved the 'chemical etching' of polypropylene fibres by the manufacturer (mill treated) to produce a surface that a flourochemical is able to key into, thereby imparting a resistance not only to water based staining, but also to oil based stains. So yes, certain polypropylene carpets can be treated! The chemical etching process of polypropylene has an additional advantage of creating synthetic dye sites, thereby making it a much more versatile fibre for other methods of dyeing.

As long as I can remember, professional carpet cleaners have always been taught that 'traditional polypropylene' carpets 'should not' be treated with a carpet protection post treatment. The reason being, that 'traditional polypropylene' fibres have no keying-in sites, or dye sites, for topical treatments to bond themselves into. A reasonable analogy would be like trying to apply a protector to a sheet of plastic (how useful do you think that would be?). It is my understanding that if a fluorochemical protector is applied to standard Polypropylene fibres, it will not be absorbed, or firmly attach, therefore will dry with a tacky feel, and actively encourage soiling.

There are two characteristics to the flourochemical molecule; these are a surface-active end of the molecule (that repels against soil and stains), and an attraction end, which serves to bond the flourochemical to the treated fibres. When treating polypropylene there is nothing for the attraction side of the molecule to key into adequately, thereby leaving the attraction side of the molecule in limbo (for want of a better word) and ready to attract to other particles and matter (such as soiling). This is, in essence, what happens in an over application of Flourochemical protection, (the sites are filled up and excess attracts other particles and matter over a short period of time).

Polypropylene that has been mill treated and has undergone the chemical etching process can warrant the application of a top up treatment within the main wear areas, as would any treated

carpet over a period of time. The question to me seems to be; how do we 'the professionals' differentiate between treatable polypropylene and untreatable, in order to steer clear of problems and to ensure that our clients are getting benefits from the application and 'value for their money'?

My view is; if you are treating 'any carpet' (wool, nylon, acrylic polyester, pre-treated polypropylene, etc) you need to test to see the levels of existing protection in it. If the tested carpet shows no signs of protection then a full treatment may be in order for all carpet fibres (excluding traditional polypropylene). If however the test shows that there is a high level of protection around the outer perimeters of the room, but lower levels in the main wear areas, then a top up treatment may be all that is required within these wear areas. If you can ascertain that you are dealing with a polypropylene carpet, and that the test beads up, holding water and oil droplets on the surface, then this would indicate that you are dealing with a treatable carpet that has undergone the chemical etching process which would benefit from a 'top up' treatment as required from the test results obtained.

As an additional assessment, if you note that the carpet is synthetic, and has a printed dye pattern on the face fibres, this would indicate that the fibres have dye sites, and essentially something that a flourochemical can key into.

That to me seems like common sense. However, I do appreciate that certain fibres such as polyester, and some open weave sparse fibres may not produce a beading up, and therefore certain testing of fibres may prove to be inconclusive, which further complicates a somewhat already complicated assessment.

Hopefully this article serves to clarify the confusion and misconceptions of whether or not polypropylene should be treated with a protection treatment. I would certainly be interested to hear of any comments or further developments in the industry to clarify the professional carpet cleaner's stance on dealing with these different generations of 'polypropylene' fibres. page 11

Vintage cleaning

M

Derek Bolton

y daughter was clearing some stuff, which had been left by the previous (elderly) occupant of the property, from her attic the other day. Amongst the items was a book written in 1927 entitled 'Home Odd Jobs and how to do them' priced at the princely sum of one shilling and six pence - that's about 7.5p in decimal currency.

I would like to share with you some jewels contained within its pages appertaining to carpet cleaning. Here they are:

Carpet Hints To wash the surface, sweep the carpet in the usual way, then dip a cloth in warm water to which has been added some soap flakes, and sponge the surface. For really dirty patches, use a small scrubbing brush. Do not be too vigorous with the surface and wet it as little as possible. If done in cold damp weather, have a fire in the room.

To restore a faded carpet Sweep the carpet, then sprinkle it evenly with salt and follow by scrubbing it with a small brush dipped page 12

in warm water to which a little vinegar has been added.

Renewing a Brussels carpet Pour half a pint of spirits of turpentine into a pail of water, dip a carpet broom in it, shake well and then go over the carpet with it - twice.

Carpet soap A good all round carpet soap may be made in this way: shred two ounces of common soap, pour two pints of boiling water over it and stir until dissolved. Add three tablespoons of Ammonia and half an ounce of washing soda. Mix up well and store in jars. For use take sufficient to make a good lather in hot water, Apply with a rag to the carpet, then rinse with cold water and dry with a clean cloth.

Moths in a carpet If a carpet becomes attacked with moth, place enough Ammonia in a bowl of hot water to make it smell strongly. Then wring out a square of cloth in it, place the cloth flat on the carpet, and iron with a hot iron until the cloth is almost dry. Do the same thing over all the carpet, back and front.

Removing Ink stains Mop up at once with blotting paper. Pile salt onto the wet stain and scrape it up with a spoon. When the salt is no longer discoloured, cut a lemon and rub it on the spot. Finally dab with warm water.

Removing soot from a carpet If soot falls down the chimney and falls on the Continued on next page

page 13

Continued from previous page carpet sprinkle it well with salt then lightly sweep the soot and salt together into a dustpan.

Dyeing a carpet This will not be satisfactory unless very patiently done.

Sweep the carpet clean then make up the solution of dye preferably hot and put it on with a very small scrubbing brush. It must be worked on evenly.

Protect the surround with several thicknesses of old newspaper. Wear gloves to afford some protection to the hands.

I have to say that this book was only lent to me this week so I haven't had the opportunity to try any of the techniques above.

As you can imagine things have changed considerably since 1927 but another little anecdote that tickled my fancy was this, under

the section within the book entitled 'Buying a House': ‘Don't have the house done up in such a way that it is difficult to clean. White paint and other modern fancies make extra work'‌.. So now you know!

page 14

The benefits of using Twitter

T

witter was launched on the 15th July 2006, however many companies are still not using it to market their business.

There are currently 170,000,000 people using Twitter, which is a massive pool of potential business. How it works is that you get 140 characters to make a Tweet (this is a post to provide your followers with information). It enables you to tap into people that are interested in your industry, gets them following you and then allows you to Tweet marketing messages and information on your products and services as frequently as you like and, even better than that, it is free!

How do you get people to follow you? Well, you can use a free service called Tweepi to find out who follows someone in your industry, who you can then follow. Most people who use Twitter will follow you if you follow them. With this in mind you can tap into people who are interested in your industry by following people who follow magazines that go out to your target audience. To give you an example, I created a Twitter account and within a couple of hours work I have over 150 people following me. Check it out at: http://twitter.com/@BarbaraAspin. Who knows

www.sitewiz.co.uk

how many people will be following by the time this article is published, but I wanted to show just how easy it is to get followers.

Once you get someone following you, you need to have an email reply ready saying 'thank you for following please check out my website/FaceBook page' and include the website address. If your website address is particularly long there are ways to make it shorter, just visit our link at the bottom of this article for hints and tips on how effectively to use Twitter as a marketing tool for your business. Once you have people following you, then have an idea ready to get those people to readvertise you by giving them an incentive to reTweet the message, for example: ‘10% off all products in our online store today only at www.babysp.com Everyone who RT (re-Tweets) this message will go into a comp (competition) to win champagne’.

Create a buzz, promote your products, have competitions and give out information to people who are interested in your products. I am happy to be your first follower so set up an account today and start Tweeting. For more information please visit www.SiteWizard.co.uk/Twitter. page 15

Carpet Cleaners Carnival Wicksteed Park Kettering Northamptonshire

The carpet cleaning event of the year!

I

n September carpet cleaners from all over the UK took a break from their busy schedule to visit Wicksteed Park in Kettering. The event attracting all these visitors was the inaugural Carpet Cleaners Carnival, organised by the National Carpet Cleaners Association.

This exciting new venture was primarily aimed at the carpet cleaning industry whilst incorporating its associated trades and services. The event was open to everyone, along with their friends and families, and successfully combined fun and festivities together with business.

If you didn't attend the Carpet Cleaners Carnival you really did miss out on a great day. It's a long time since we've organised a national NCCA event so we are extremely thankful for the support we received from both the exhibitors and visitors, many

Keith Robertson

of whom came with their families. Industry events provide an excellent networking opportunity. A large proportion of us work on our own and it can become isolating, but taking the opportunity to meet up with others in the industry can be extremely invigorating.

Those in attendance were able to view an exhibition of top industry manufacturers, suppliers and advisors from within and outside of the Association, many of whom have already agreed to exhibit again next year. Running alongside the exhibition was a program of events in the entertainment area, including demonstrations on Leather Repair (stitching seams) and Carpet Repair given by Pawlo Woloszyn, together with Skittle Alley Challenge, Beat the Buzzer and Penalty Shoot Out. There were also stands offering back massage and page 16

face painting which I believe nearly all the children happily participated in.

For those who wanted to stretch their legs there was plenty to do within the Park itself. Wicksteed is one of the oldest theme parks in Britain and is the ideal setting for a great day out. Within the beautiful and extensive grounds there is a fair, a playround, a lake and an abundance of places to

Member John Bryden and wife Jan collect their prize for overall highest games score

eat. We were even allowed to barbeque our own food in the park, so the lads at Cleaning Systems UK in Scotland took advantage of this and organised a fantastic BBQ on the Friday night, which everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, it was so well received that it is likely we will be holding one next year too.

Continued on next page

Meeting with friends, left to right: Pete Collins, Angela Robertson, Ken Wainwright, Leigh Wainwright

ŠPhotographs: Pawlo Woloszyn and Keith Robertson

NCCA Director Glyn Charnock (dressed as Carnival Ring Master for the occasion) tries The Penalty Shoot Out

page 17

Continued from previous page Since the event we have received a huge amount of positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors.

Kevin Loomes of CleanPro Software Solutions, who exhibited this year, said that his stand was busy throughout the day and he will no doubt be back next year. Shaun Bradbury of Dry Fusion advised us to repeat the event next year and Robert Saunders of Alltec commented that he preferred events such as the Carpet Cleaners Carnival as it was a much more direct way of making - and staying - in contact with carpet cleaners.

Member John Bryden, who also runs the charity Kirstyskids in honour of his daughter, wrote to express his gratitude for the assistance he had received in his fundraising and has already asked for a stall at next year's event. John's final comment was, “Nothing would drag us away.”

The NCCA Office has also received a number of calls from attendees who have rung in specifically to

express their gratitude for such a wonderful day.

Ray Austin, who has been an NCCA member for nearly ten years, says “I had a thoroughly enjoyable day! It was great to meet up with friends and colleagues and see what was new in the industry.

The venue was superb with lots to keep our daughter occupied all day”.

The NCCA would like to say a huge “Thank You” to the members and their families who came, the loyal Associate members who gave up much of their weekend, and in many cases brought staff with them, and also the local businesses who joined us.

We have already booked the venue for next year, when we hope to make the event bigger and better and would love to see you there again supporting the Association. And for those of you who didn't go this year, it'd be great to see you too! In the mean time if any of you have any ideas on how to make the event even better than it was this year we'd like to hear from you.

Far left: my daughter and granddaughter stitching seams in Pawlo’s leather workshop page 18

Pawlo’s Carpet Repair workshop

ŠPhotographs: Pawlo Woloszyn and Stephanie Farwell (Fun Faces)

Something for the ladies: Quality leather goods for sale

Middle: NCCA member Ken Lawrence with wife Pauline

Derek Bolton is awarded his Honorary Member plaque for services to the industry and the NCCA

Fun Faces face painting

Member Abijah Mandela brings her mum who has a go at stitching seams

page 19

ŠPinmill - Agate by Cavalier Carpets

Pressure marks on carpets and rugs

P

ressure marks on a new or relatively new installation of carpeting come in a variety of forms.

I have often been asked to deal with marks on new installations that have been caused by pressure from the cardboard pole used to aid the movement of the carpet during transportation. This is usually in the form of either one, or a series, of lines running across a new carpet approximately 14cms wide, or maybe just a single thin line caused by pressure on the edge of a carpet that has pressed into the main body of the carpet during transit.

Often this form of pressure mark can be removed by a gentle application of steam to relax the pile, which is then groomed into a uniform appearance.

Whilst successful in many cases some marks are too intense to facilitate total removal.

Derek Bolton

On many occasions pressure marks are caused by heavy furniture that has been placed onto the carpet surface. Within a few hours of the furniture being put into place the pressure marks begin to establish themselves. The underlying problem can often be attributed to cheaper quality underlay, the convoluting variety being the worst culprit. The weight of the furniture will crush the underlay allowing the carpet to indent. The carpet can often be restored but the crushed underlay may prevent a satisfactory appearance.

Customers need to be educated on the various qualities of underlay and their advantages and disadvantages. By doing this some of the pressure mark problems will be removed from the equation.

See opposite page for advice on restoring indented carpet to its original appearance. page 20

Removing indentations in carpets

Y

ou already know why it is difficult to remove indentations in carpet, however for the record I will explain what I know.

Due to the weight and length of time that the item has been sitting on the carpet it will not only bruise the carpet backing but the underlay as well.

The underlay is under the carpet to reduce wear and tear and it does this by taking on the impact of items moving across the carpet. When an item is left in one place for some time it creates a memory and when this happens it is less likely to return to normal no matter what you do to it.

Unfortunately

Paul Pearce

these marks are also more noticeable after a carpet has been cleaned. This is because when the adhered soil is removed it allows the fibres in the surrounding areas to plump up.

So is there any remedial action that can be taken?

In some ways, yes, and my way is to wet the indented area with a considerable amount of water, even to the point of having a puddle around the indented shape. When you do this, it is better to use hot water and then agitate with a brush or even the edge of the hand tool. Leave for about five minutes and then extract. By leaving it for five minutes you allow the underlay to get wet as well as the back of the carpet, therefore relieving the compression. If it was a really heavy item and in place for some time then it may still be a little noticeable afterwards. Other than that you should have a happy customer on your hands.

page 21

Bombyx Mori

The production of silk

S

Peter Collins

ilk used in textile manufacturing is created by the silkworm larva of the silkmoth, Bombyx Mori, when in the cocoon undergoing metamorphosis.

The practice of breeding silkworms for the production of raw silk has been ongoing for at least 5,000 years in China. From there it spread to Korea and Japan, and later to India and the West. Today, the silkworm lives only in captivity. It has been domesticated and is entirely dependent on humans for reproduction. It no longer occurs naturally in the wild and the silkmoth has lost the ability to fly.

When a silkworm larva is fully mature, it proceeds to spin its cocoon, in which it ejects - from its glands - a continuous and reelable thread of 800 to 1,200 yards in length, moving its head around in regular order continuously for about three days.

The filament produced averages 1/1,200 of an inch thickness. The cocoons average 1, to 1½ inches in length. From ten to twelve days after the completion of the cocoon, the insect is ready to escape. A perfect moth emerges and, almost immediately, the sexes start to mate. In four to six days the female lays her eggs - numbering over five hundred - and with their life cycle completed the parent moths soon die.

With the exception of those selected for reproduction of eggs, the cocoons are treated to preserve them intact. The chrysalis must be killed without damage to the cocoon.

Making of the commercial silk thread After gathering the silk cocoons they are placed into a vat and boiled. When ready, production workers remove the cocoons from the vat and find the end page 22

of each strand of silk. It is then threaded overhead.

A single thread of silk can measure up to 4,000 feet in length. Depending on the desired thickness of the silk fibres, these single threads of silk will be joined with others from three to over one hundred threads thick. From the boiled cocoons, three strands are twisted and wound together on large wooden wheels. These strands are then looped onto wooden pegs at opposite ends of a large room.

Twenty five of these strands made from three single fibres are twisted together in a hand operated wooden machine - this results in a single, very strong, strand made up of seventy five fibres, which is used for weaving.

Natural dyes obtained from roots and herbs are gathered by nomads in the countryside while synthetic dyes are purchased. The silk threads are boiled in huge copper vats during the dyeing process for varying lengths of time, depending on the colour desired.

Different types of silk Mulberry, Tasar, Muga and Eri are the four main major types of silk of commercial importance and are obtained from different species of silkworms which feed on various food plants. India has the unique distinction of producing all these varieties of silk.

MULBERRY Often the word 'silk' is referring to Mulberry. This is because it accounts for most of the commercial silk produced in the world; in fact, other varieties are generally termed as non-mulberry silks. It comes from the silkworm Bombyx Mori L, which solely feeds on the leaves of the mulberry plant. These silkworms are reared indoors. In India, major Mulberry silk producing states are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, which together account for 92% of the country's total mulberry raw silk production.

Continued on next page

Silk thread

page 23

Continued from previous page TASAR Tasar (Tussah) is a copperish colour and a coarse silk mainly used for furnishings and interiors. It is less lustrous than Mulberry silk but has its own feel and appeal. Tasar silk is generated by the silkworm Antheraea Mylitta, which mainly thrive on the food plants Asan and Arjun. The rearing of this type of silkworm is as nature intended, in the open air. In India, Tasar silk is mainly produced in the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Orissa, together with Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

Tasar culture is the mainstay for many tribal communities in India. Oak Tasar is a finer variety of Tasar generated by the silkworm Antheraea Proyeli J, which feed on natural food plants of oak. These are found in abundance in the sub Himalayan belt of India, covering the states of Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kahmir. However, China is the main producer of Oak Tasar in the world and this comes from another

silkworm which is known as Antheraea Pernyi.

MUGA This golden yellow colour silk is prerogative of India and the pride of the Assam state. It is obtained from the multivoltine (producer of several broods in a single season) silkworm, Antheraea Assamensis.

These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of the Som and Soulu plants and are reared on trees similar to that of Tasar. Muga is specific to the state of Assam and an integral part of its tradition and culture. The Muga silk is a high value product and is used in Saris and Chaddars (wraps).

ERI Also known as Endi or Errandi, Eri is a multivoltine silk. It is the product of the silkworm Philosamia Ricini, which feeds mainly on Caster leaves. The silk is used indigenously for the preparation of Chaddars. Eri producing areas are mainly in the north eastern states and Assam, but it is also practised in Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa.

Next month: Chinese silk carpets

page 24

ŠRenClass by Brintons

Insect infestation of textiles

T

he popularity and widespread use of synthetic fibres has led to the incorrect assumption that insect damage is a thing of the past. Clothes moths and carpet beetles can digest protein fibres such as wool, silk and specialty hair fibres, but these insects will also attack synthetic fibres if they contain protein substances. This means that carpets, rugs, curtains and upholstery made from nylon, acrylic, polyester, acetate and other synthetics can be damaged if they contain food or beverage stains, blood, urine, perspiration or other sources of nutritional protein.

The most effective way to prevent an infestation and inhibit growth is to keep textile furnishings

NCCA Library

clean; a programme of prevention should be discussed with your client.

Spills should be removed immediately. Carpet, rugs, curtains and upholstery should be brushed or vacuumed regularly as insects do not generally attack clean materials.

Regular dry cleaning of these articles will also decrease the chances of infestation because dry cleaning solvent is toxic to most textile pests.

Similarly, regular carpet cleaning will remove the nutritional contaminants that can attract and support insects. If an infestation has occurred, and you cannot deal with it yourself consult a licensed pest control operator who is experienced in treating textile products for insect control. page 25

The cost of compliance

I

n the latest Forum of Private Business 'Cost of Compliance' Referendum Survey 84% of the respondents indicated that time spent complying with legislation has increased over the last two years.

This is despite David Cameron's insistence at the 2010 Conservative Party Conference that slashing red tape would be central to freeing the UK's small business wealth creators.

According to the Forum's research the cost of red tape for UK SMEs is a combined £16.8 billion per year, or £14,200 per firm. Of this, £11 billion is spent on internal costs, with £5.8 billion going to external legal consultants.

Phil McCabe (FPB) In October 2010, Forum members also reported that the prohibitive cost of health and safety insurance, fire regulations and concerns that public sector cuts would make it harder to comply with health and safety law.

Employment law also causes major headaches for SMEs. In fact, it is a significant barrier to job creation and, by extension, the prospects of small firms driving economic growth. Put simply, the burden and cost of employment law increases as a firm takes on more staff. A 50% increase in employment tribunals since 2009 has also proven to be painful.

But in the light of HMRC's recent tax avoidance page 26

clampdown and other 'initiatives' that hit small businesses hardest, tax is now the number one bureaucratic barrier. The UK's SMEs pay £3.3 billion per year for tax advice, £968 billion in external health and safety support and £752 billion for employment law consultancy services.

At times, it must appear to small business owners that they are being bombarded with compliance issue from all sides.

Unfortunately, small business owners are required to meet the financial and time costs of dealing with red tape. Most do not have internal compliance departments and rely on themselves or their directors to deal with legislative requirements, meaning valuable opportunities to win work and secure sales are missed.

Naturally, dealing with red tape has a financial impact, with many SMEs indicating that compliance has led to an estimated £29.8 billion in business opportunities being lost.

Alternatively, external contractors are hired at an annual cost of some £6 billion per year.

Due to the increase in red tape since 2009, the average cost of consultants has more than doubled to £4,900 per year in the areas of tax, health and safety, legal guidance and employment. This bill may well increase with October's common commencement date which is predicted to result in further compliance requirements.

SMEs are becoming increasingly frustrated with the Government’s inability to reduce red tape, and feel that since the coalition came into power there has been an increase in compliance costs rather than a reduction, along with a decline in legal advice and guidance.

In an attempt to deal with increasing costs, small

businesses are forced to rely upon their own initiative, which is daunting considering the harsh economic climate.

However, increasing red tape has also brought about greater competition in the services industry.

There are now more specialist consultancies offering advice to SMEs, which necessarily means a greater choice in both the price and variety of services offered.

The upcoming deregulation of the legal services industry is likely to result in more cost effective alternatives to legal firms, which will hopefully spell an end to the days of potentially hazardous 'handshake agreements'.

As a result, small business owners will find peace of mind when issues like intellectual copyright, payment terms and power of attorney are addressed.

The Forum of Private Business has teamed up with LEGAL365.com to provide a highly targeted compliance solution to small businesses struggling with red tape.

As part of the Forum's Legal Director Business Support Solution, the Forum and LEGAL365.com have created a comprehensive service that provides a range of constantly updated contracts and documents for SMEs. Forum members will now have access to an online resource to meet all their compliance needs, 24/7 and at the click of a button.

The Forum also provides information and support in the area of employment law via its HR Director business support solution. Members can access insured legal advice via the organisation's employment helpline and also its essential Employment Guide. For information about both services call 0845 612 6266 or visit www.fpb.org page 27

Changing the rules of the game - HSE’s Costs Consultation Phil Crosbie (Eversheds LLP)

T

he HSE has recently issued a Consultation on proposals for recovering its ‘fees for intervention’. If the proposals are implemented as planned the HSE would be able to recover all of its costs of intervention where: (a) There has been a material breach of health and safety; and (b) A requirement to rectify that breach was formally made in writing.

Recovery of the HSE's costs would no longer be a matter confined to the Court room; they would become a consideration for the everyday life of any business.

The HSE propose to use an average hourly fee for intervention; currently estimated at £133 which would apply to all staff other than those working in its specialist laboratory. The fees would be recoverable whenever the requirement to rectify a breach is made 'formally in writing' which would include improvement notices, prohibition notices,

emails and letters. The fees would apply irrespective of the dutyholder's response, the matter to which the breach related or how quickly the matter is remedied by them.

If the HSE goes on to prosecute in relation to the same breach, the recovery of intervention fees would stop once the court documents were presented. However, further costs could still be recovered through the Courts in the event of a successful prosecution.

As stated by the Consultation document: “The underlying policy of recovering costs for HSE's intervention through the introduction of fees where there is a material breach of the law has been agreed by Government and is therefore not in question in this consultation.”

The Consultation opened in July 2011 and responses have been requested by mid October 2011; with the new scheme potentially being implemented as early as April 2012. Whilst the page 28

outcome of the Consultation, and any subsequent changes to the proposals, are still awaited, questions are being asked about what it will really mean for businesses in this sector.

Will HSE officers be under pressure to recover their costs on every visit? The well-publicised cutbacks at the HSE have necessitated a more reactive approach from HSE inspectors in recent years. Further financial pressures could mean that officers will want to justify their time and feel the need to prepare formal requests for remedial work (and therefore trigger the cost recovery mechanism), where in the past an informal request would have sufficed.

There have been a number of cases where insolvent companies have been prosecuted for health and safety breaches. Given that the costs of the investigation process will now be recoverable, it remains to be seen whether the HSE focus will turn to those companies that can 'foot the bill'.

There will also be debates surrounding what can be regarded as a 'material' breach of duty, which would then trigger the cost recovery process. With current enforcement action, the HSE has a standardised Enforcement Management Model, but we have seen that enforcement can vary between different officers and interpretations. Whether a breach is 'material' will be a difficult term to define and interpret. Arguments over whether the threshold is met are inevitable. The HSE may be required to implement an appeal process whereby aggrieved dutyholders can complain about a decision that a breach is material. However, this extra level of scrutiny would no doubt incur extra costs on the part of both the HSE and dutyholders.

One other question that remains is how the recovery of costs will reflect on a business.

Organisations are keen to avoid prosecution and enforcement notices as these are publicised on the HSE's public database and generally have to be disclosed during tender processes. This sensitivity is heightened in the current economic climate where a blemish on the record can lead to outright rejection when compared to those with a clean record. It remains to be seen if businesses submitting for

tender will be required to declare if they have ever had to pay the HSE's investigation costs. If such disclosure is required, then decisions over whether the costs are actually payable will be even more crucial.

In the event that a business accepts that costs are payable, the level of costs will likely cause further debate. It will take a number of 'test cases' to determine the levels of recovery that the HSE will be seeking. However, the possibility for variance between different officers and regions could be significant. The HSE's costs will be subject to intense scrutiny whenever they are to be recovered and their susceptibility to challenge could depend on whether costs information from other cases are openly available for comparison. Again, even in cases where a breach is accepted and costs will be paid, the determination of those costs could incur significant time and expense on both sides.

Particularly relevant to this sector is the impact that this will have on small businesses. As highlighted in the Consultation document, in March 2011 the Department for Business Innovation and Skills announced a “moratorium from all new domestic regulations for three years for businesses of less than 10 employees and for genuine new start ups�. This moratorium does not apply to the new proposals unless the breach involves a selfemployed duty holder who does not expose anyone else to risk. The risks to small businesses are evident. When setting the level of fines in Court, regard is had to a company's means. This may not be the case with intervention fees; the flat hourly rate will apply irrespective of the size of the company.

Whilst the Consultation is ongoing, there are a number of questions about how the system will work or, indeed, if it will. The results of the Consultation and any changes to the proposed regime will make interesting reading for any business. In any event, the rules of the game are changing and businesses need to be aware. For carpet cleaners, the cost of ÂŁ750 for a letter telling you to wear gloves when handling chemicals may be a scary prospect. page 29

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.

CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND VAN 2 Dryfusion carpet cleaning machines, 2 Drizair 110 dehumidifiers, 2 turbo dryers, 1 Dri-eaz fogging machine, 2 Dryfusion stair tools with pads, 1 Advance Dryfoam rotary upholstery cleaner, plus 1 large sign-written white Fiat Ducato Turbo Diesel van (less than 5 years old - mileage 41,000). Total cost: £13,500 ONO. Phone Mike on: 01443 492455 or mob: 07881 807436.

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.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount - £150.00.

Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic - £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons - £300.00.

Chemspec pile lifter hoover - £800.00. contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806 CARPET, UPHOLSTERY, PATIO AND PATHCLEANING BUSINESS FOR SALE The sale includes full training and ongoing support. Twenty five years of customer base and goodwill of the north London and Hertfordshire area. Interactive website, plus a VW transporter van, fully wrapped with a comprehensive equipment list. This includes an Ashbys Enforcer 600 psi (only 6months old) and an Ashbys Ninja 500 psi (only 6 months old). For full equipment list and business details, please contact Nicky on: 07774438007 or 0208 807 3722. Please visit: www.therightclean.co.uk PROCHEM VACUUM HOSE Prochem: 100ft Vacuum hose, 75ft Solution hose for Truck Mount Machine. £100 + VAT. Tel Aastra Clean: 01454 626259.

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 CURTAIN CLEANING MACHINE Prochem 20A Curtain Cleaning Machine. In perfect working order, tidy for its age. Comes complete with trolley, stainless steel hand tool, various hoses, holdall. Pat tested. Can email picture if interested. £400 ono. Price new: £3000. Tel 01749 671016 or paul@sheenservices.co.uk MACHINERY FOR SALE Gloria 5 litre stainless steal pump-up sprayer: £67.50. No VAT.Please call Steve on 07973-264783 or alternatively email : s.matczak@btinternet.com TRUCKMOUNT AND VAN FOR SALE Baneclean Truck Mount and van for sale. Due to retirement I will consider offers in region of £3500. For further details of this bargain contact Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640, 07976 218304 or email at derek@aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £300.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Ashbys V2 steam mate with hose attachments all in good condition - £100.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Ashbys stainless steel chewing gum floor wand in good condition - £50.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Ashbys stainless steel 4'' stair hand tool in good condition - £50.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885804560.

BUSINESS FOR SALE Reputable working carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaning company servicing both Domestic and Commercial Clients.

Currently based in Northumberland but can easily be relocated. To be sold as a complete package, which includes VW Caddy van, Steempro 2000 Powerplus HWE machine with all extras, Sebo vacuum, Numatic wet and dry vac, professional spotting kit, Rondo-Matic sprayer, cleaning chemicals and many other accessories. The sale also includes a branded uniform, website and domain names. Owner operator retiring on medical grounds.

Sale price £15,000. Please call 01434 679 303 or e-mail: info@fibrescarpetcare.co.uk for more information.

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 30

NCCA Shop

NCCA Associate Members

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.

+ Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T)

+ PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each

+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C)

+ Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £19.50 each or £50 for 3

+ Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr)

+ NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each

+ Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M)

+ Amtech UK: 0845 130 4755 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F)

+ Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63

+ Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W)

+ Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx) £2.50 each

+ Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K)

+ Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over)

+ Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + 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)

+ NCCA Tie £12.93 each

+ Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467

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.

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

+ Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + 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)

NCCA Member Benefits

+ Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)

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

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

+ SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860

+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)

+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650

+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M)

+ Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C)

+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860

+ Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C)

+ 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 + Adalante Merchant Services 01628 820500 + Payatrader www.payatrader.com

+ The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + Vitec Global: 02392 666053 (C) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M) 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 / Fi - Finance

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