INCLEAN Magazine January-February 2018

DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE HYGIENE INFORMATION

www.incleanmag.com.au

Volume 31 Issue 1 January/February 2018

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Volume 31 Issue 1 January/February 2018

Events Calendar 2018

Contents 06

Industry

12

Contracting

14

IT

22

City Cleaning

26

Distribution

Clean India Technology Week January 18 - 20: The expo hosts four shows under one roof: Clean India Show, Laundrex India, Waste Technology India Expo and Car Care Expo. www.ctwindia.com

The Manchester Cleaning Show April 11 - 12: The Manchester Cleaning Show is a spinoff of the Cleaning Show, the UK’s biennial flagship cleaning event. www.cleaningshow.co.uk

Total Facilities April 18 - 19: Melbourne will once again play host to Total Facilities, Australia’s dedicated facilities management event. www.totalfacilities.com.au

p7

CLEAN NZ May 9 - 10: New Zealand’s only dedicated cleaning and hygiene expo is taking place at ASB Showgrounds in Auckland. www.cleannzexpo.co.nz

INTERCLEAN Amsterdam May 15 - 18: INTERCLEAN Amsterdam will bring together cleaning and hygiene experts, professionals and exhibitors from around the world. www.intercleanshow.com

RIA Restoration Conference and Tradeshow June 6 - 8: Hosted by the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) for the first time, the 2018 event will be held at the Novotel Twin Waters, Queensland. www.restorationindustry.org

p26 ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo Australia

30

Carpet & Restoration

34

Management

42

Marketing

49

Products

August 29 - 30: Following on from the success of last year’s inaugural event, the 2018 ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo Australia will be at ICC Sydney in Darling Harbour. www.issacleaninghygieneexpo.com

EDITOR’S LETTER

Digital cleaning –

fad or future?

The start of the New Year is always a good time to reset, reinvigorate and reevaluate your business. For some, that’s considering how new technologies can assist in maximising efficiencies and productivity.

The sector has been relatively uninterrupted by digital in comparison to other industries but it looks like that is beginning to change. And while technology like autonomous machines are still in its infancy in Australia – automation and equipment connectivity is starting to become more prevalent and widely adopted.

Many would also agree clients are seeking more data and transparency such as live updates and real-time tracking, which software programs are now allowing for.

But importantly these systems need to add value, and technology shouldn’t be implemented solely for technology’s sake. As Mark Jones writes on page 14, “IT should be your savior, but it can be a curse if you get it wrong”.

In this issue we look at IT solutions taking shape in the sector. Virtual Manager’s Anil Patel discusses some key challenges being faced by operators and how to tackle them (this can be found on page 18), while Karcher Australia’s Lucas Paris debunks some industry buzzwords. And, what would be an IT focus be without some discussion on robots – read Lizzie Hunter’s interview with AvidBots Australia on page 28.

Also in the issue, we share highlights from the BSCAA Victoria, NSW and Queensland divisions’ annual Excellence Awards (our coverage starts from page 6) and Andrew Thackrah executive officer of the Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF) provides an update on the CAF pilot (page 10). This edition also includes highlights from Rapid Clean’s national conference, held in Adelaide, where the co-operative outlined its fiveyear strategy (page 26) to members and suppliers.

We’ve also made some recent changes ourselves, with the launch of the INCLEAN NZ website and e:clean digital newsletter that offers a monthly roundup of the industry’s biggest news stories. To subscribe visit: www.incleanmag.co.nz.

Happy reading!

Claire Hibbit Managing Editor

March/April INCLEAN 2018

NEXT ISSUE

Focuses: • Training • Purchasing Investing in people is crucial for business growth and success. Keeping staff up to date and informed on the latest industry practices, standards and information is vital in the commercial cleaning industry. In the March/April issue of INCLEAN we explore what’s on offer and how some of the leading organisations are investing in their people. We also take a look at the trends and challenges in purchasing procedures and technology’s role in this field.

Published: 5 March 2018 Editorial deadline: 12 January 2018 Advertising booking deadline: 8 February 2018 Advertising material deadline: 13 February 2018

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INDUSTRY

BSCAA Victoria award winners

Congratulations to all the winners Outstanding achievement as a site manager in education: Keith Thomas, GJK Facility Services Outstanding achievement as a site manager in health and/or community services: Denise Bennett, The Bendigo Cleaning Company Outstanding achievement as a site manager in commercial services: Moses Rajaratnam, GJK Facility Services Overall winner for outstanding achievement as a site manager: Moses Rajaratnam, GJK Facility Services Outstanding achievement as a cleaner in education: Tony Spiteri, Elynwood Services Outstanding achievement as a cleaner in jealth and/or community services: Galina Tobolov, Danihers Facility Management

Galina Tobolov (right) winner of Outstanding Achievement as a Cleaner

Raymond Failla, Kimberley Clark and Ellie Krommidas, ARA Property Services/CMC

Excellence celebrated at BSCAA Victoria awards Once again Leonda By The Yarra played host to the annual Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA) Victorian division AustralianSuper Industry Excellence Awards. Keith Watts reports.

The BSCAA Victoria division AustralianSuper Industry Excellence Awards night was held on 27 October 2017 and attended by more than 175 people from BSCAA members, suppliers, sponsors and nominees.

There were 61 finalists covering 14 categories this year, plus four Special Recognition Industry Excellence Awards. BSCAA national president George Stamas said the night was all about the industry’s cleaners in his welcoming address.

“We recognise their efforts not just in Victoria but also nationally,” he said.

Matt Marsh, acting president BSCAA Victoria, also thanked the night’s sponsors and added that although the government schools system is currently in upheaval the BSCAA is always batting for its members.

Marsh presented four Special Recognition Industry Excellence Awards, which recognises an outstanding achievement by an individual who has given more than 30 years’ service to the industry.

The highly coveted Overall Winner for Outstanding Achievement as a Cleaner was awarded to Galina Tobolov from Danihers Facility Management. The Bendigo Cleaning Company’s Julie Garner and Tamara Taylor were awarded Manager of the Year and Young Manager of the Year respectively. The recipient of the Young Manger of the Year award also includes airfares to next year’s ISSA/Interclean North American Trade Show.

In closing, BSCAA Victoria executive director Carolyn Journeaux said: “It was such a great pleasure and joy to see the look on the finalists faces as they received their certificates and then the excitement that was in the room for each winner. It is a very rewarding and special evening for the industry and one night a year we look forward to.” www.bscaa.com/vic/ 6 INCLEAN January/February 2018

Outstanding achievement as a cleaner in commercial services: Lorenze Wijeratne, Danihers Facility Management Outstanding achievement as a cleaner in hospitality: Chrisoula Panagiotou, GJK Facility Services Outstanding achievement as a cleaner in retail: Harsimran Singh, ARA Property Services/CMC Overall winner for outstanding achievement as a cleaner: Galina Tobolov Galina, Danihers Facility Management Outstanding achievement in environmental sustainability: ARA Property Services/CMC Outstanding achievement by a nonoperational employee: Kate Gorrie, ARA Property Services/CMC Manager of the Year: Julie Garner – The Bendigo Cleaning Company Young Manager of the Year: Tamara Taylor – The Bendigo Cleaning Company Special Recognition Industry Excellence Award: Lorraine Bird, Elynwood Services (31 years) Jan Scobie, The Bendigo Cleaning Company (38 years) Michael Ebejer, Elynwood Services (36 years) Anthony Daniher, Danihers Facility Management (30 years)

INDUSTRY

BSCAA NSW recognises industry achievements By: Lizzie Hunter Overlooking the water from Dolton House, Jones Bay Wharf, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA) NSW Excellence Awards recognised and celebrated the frontline workers of the cleaning industry.

Among the highlights of the BSCAA NSW Awards ceremony, which saw more than 60 finalists across 15 categories, VDG Services won Company of the Year and Daniel Carroll from GJK Facility Services was named Young Manager of the Year, winning a trip to next year’s Interclean Amsterdam trade show.

After welcoming guests to the event BSCAA NSW president Debbie Delimitros thanked outgoing BSCAA secretary Barbara Connolly for her years of service at the association.

Australian television personality and Paula Duncan also returned to the awards ceremony this year as MC. Duncan thanked the event’s sponsors, which included AustralianSuper, Agar Cleaning Systems, Hako, CRM Brokers, icare, Oates, Clearchoice Products, Nova Employment, Daniels Associates, JS Hayes and Power Sweep.

Excellence in maintenance cleaning of a commercial site finalists

www.bscaa.com/nsw/

Congratulations to the winners Individual Cleaner Award Winners Excellence in maintenance of a commercial site: Gary McGregor, Bayton Cleaning Services Excellence in maintenance of a retail site: Auficina Pena, Ezko Property Services Excellence in maintenance of an educational site: Bradley Tattersall-Yarno, Eternal Cleaning Services Excellence in maintenance of a medical/aged care facility: Joanne Pearson, Bayton Cleaning Services Excellence in maintenance of an industrial site: Dijana Nikodinoska, Quad Services Supervisor Award Winners Excellence in maintenance of a commercial site: Elke Franciscos, Global Hospitality Solutions Excellence in maintenance of retail site: Karen Talbot, Assetlink Excellence in maintenance of an educational facility: Tika Karki, Eternal Cleaning Services Excellence in maintenance of an industrial site: Angela Escribano, Quad Services Excellence in maintenance of a medical site: William Maher, Bayton Cleaning Services Excellence in administration of security services: Ema Finai, Assetlink Health, Safety & Wellbeing Award: Gopal Shrestha, Eternal Cleaning Services Client Services Manager of the Year: Jane Drummett, Quad Services Company of the Year: VDG Services Young Manager of the Year: Daniel Carroll, GJK Facility Services

VDG Services (Dean Graoroski) with Steve Agar, joint managing director of Agar Cleaning Systems

Hako Young Manager of the Year Award winner: Daniel Carroll, GJK Facility Services with past recipient Abdulla Al Mamun and Hako managing director Frank Cupido

BSCAA NSW president Debbie Delimitros and Adam Atkin thank Barbara Connolly www.incleanmag.com.au 7

INDUSTRY

High praise

for sector as award winners clean up Superb cleaning and security companies – and the sector itself – came in for high praise on November 17 at the 2017 Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA) – Queensland Division AustralianSuper Excellence Awards. Cameron Cooper reports.

Congratulations to the winners Frontline Employee Awards: Outstanding Individual Employee - South East Queensland, Small Medium: Pauline Damen, Bayton Property Services Outstanding Individual Employee - South East Queensland, Large: Vivian Levine, Assetlink Outstanding Individual Employee - Regional: Romero Jamero, Biniris Outstanding Support Personnel in the Industry, 0-50 Employees: Nabin Maharjan, Ellems Cleaning Services Outstanding Support Personnel in the Industry, 51+ Employees: Glenda Allen, Commercial Property Cleaning

More than 130 people attended the event at the Victoria Park Golf Club in Brisbane for the BSCAA Queensland AustralianSuper Excellence Awards awards, which are designed to acknowledge the achievements of employers and employees in contract cleaning and security.

BSCAA Qld president Kim Puxty commended the quality of this year’s nominees.

“By the number of nominations submitted, which was 53 finalists, and the 135 attendees who have turned up tonight, I can see that this event has proven to be a great opportunity to recognise the value in our staff and our employers,” she said.

Puxty noted nominees faced a robust judging process and had to excel in areas such as professional capacity, leadership and management, professional development, commitment, training culture and best practices, environmental practices and innovation.

“I would like to congratulate each and every one of these 53 finalists because you have achieved something remarkable and we are all here tonight to acknowledge and recognise that achievement.”

Among the major winners on the night were industry veterans Pam Corsar, of the Pickwick Group, and Beverley Rummell, of One Team Clean Cleaning Services. They won Recognition of Service awards to mark more than 30 years’ service to the industry.

In the awards’ submissions, Corsar’s employer commented that is “80 years young and still going strong! … She is greatly admired and treasured by the clients’ staff”.

For her part, Corsar outlined her formula for success: “If you can’t do a job properly, you shouldn’t do it at all. Cleaning is a good job and I would encourage other people to join the industry, but only if they’re dedicated!”

Likewise, Rummell made it clear that her passion for the industry had not wavered after more than 30 years. She did retire once for a few months but, finding herself becoming too bored, went back to work.

Other big winners on the night included Assetlink’s Vivian Levine, who was named Outstanding Individual Employee – 8 INCLEAN January/February 2018

Manager Awards Individual: Manager Award: Casey Buckingham, Sharman Property Services Operations Manager Award: Joshua Constable, Bayton Property Services Leading Hand/Supervisor Award: Toni Kinniburgh, Sharman Property Services Company Awards: Outstanding Owner/Operator, 0-10 Employees: ABKO Cleaning Services Outstanding Company: SEQ Commercial and Construction Cleaning Environmental Sustainability Awards: Excellence Award - Company: Ellems Cleaning Services Excellence Award - Individual: Chirag Vayas, City Property Services Innovation Award: Recognition of an Outstanding Innovator: Joanne Davidson and Damien Cann, CMBM Facility Services Long Service Award: Recognition of Service – Outstanding Individual Contribution to the Industry: Pam Corsar, Pickwick Group Recognition of Service – Outstanding Individual Contribution to the Industry: Beverley Rummell, One Team Clean Cleaning Services Supplier Award: Recognition of an Outstanding Industry Supplier: Compliant Cleaning Supplies & Systems

INDUSTRY

Cleaning Industry South East Queensland; Ellems Cleaning Services’ Nabin Maharjan, who took out the award for Outstanding Support Personnel in the Industry – Cleaning Industry (0-50 Employees); SEQ Commercial & Construction Cleaning, which received top honours as Outstanding Company in the Cleaning Industry – Qld; and Compliant Cleaning Supplies & Systems, which was recognised as an Outstanding Industry Supplier. AustralianSuper and QLeave were the major sponsors.

Presenter Sue Ryan, a business partnership manager at AustralianSuper, acknowledged the contribution the contract cleaning and security sectors make to the community. She also noted the increasing diversity of the industry.

Ryan recognised the long and strong partnership between the BSCAA and AustralianSuper and estimated that about 168,000 AustralianSuper members had been brought in through the cleaning and security industry – equating to about $5.2 billion in members’ assets.

Most importantly, Ryan said it had been a pleasure over the years to assist the industry.

“I can put my hand on my heart and say that of all of the industries that I have worked in and currently work in that the cleaning and security industry was my most enjoyable time,” she said. “All the employees and members are truly genuine.”

Award winners received a framed certificate of their award, a BSCAA pin and a $50 gift voucher. www.bscaa.com/qld/

Recognition of Service winner Pam Corsar

Recognition of Service winner Beverley Rummell (right) with BSCAA president Kim Puxty

Outstanding Support Personnel winner: Nabin Maharjan, Ellems Cleaning Services

Leading Hand/Supervisor Award: Toni Kinniburgh, Sharman Property Services

www.incleanmag.com.au 9

INDUSTRY

Cleaning Accountability Framework to expand in 2018 Andrew Thackrah executive officer of the Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF), an independent, multi-stakeholder association that works to improve labour and cleaning standards in Australia, provides an update on the pilot.

The Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF) is currently concluding a pilot of its three-star standard. CAF’s three-star standard independently verifies that cleaners are receiving their legal entitlements in selected buildings.

The standard clearly sets out the obligations of cleaning contractors, but also the responsibilities of owners and their facility managers in procuring and monitoring cleaning arrangements.

CAF’s pilot of the three-star standard has involved 10 buildings, including retail and commercial office sites in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Canberra. In the lead up to the pilot, CAF ran a formal Expression of Interest process to identify an appropriate auditor. Global audit and risk advisory firm BDO was successful in this process and has led on producing audit reports for CAF. These audit reports have contained recommendations for those involved in the pilot as to how they can strengthen their existing practices. For example, a number of pilot participants have now adopted a checklist developed by CAF for facility managers to ensure that they are monitoring compliance with CAF standards in their buildings.

As part of the pilot, CAF also tested the holding of workplace meetings. These meetings were held in paid time with cleaners on pilot sites and were jointly convened by the building owner, facility manager, cleaning contractor and United Voice. Cleaners were provided with a CAF workplace survey to complete, a CAF worker diary, and asked to nominate a workplace leader as an ongoing contact point for CAF. As a result of the pilot process, CAF has now certified its first three buildings as compliant with the three-star standard: • Wintergarden Shopping Centre, Brisbane (ISPT, JLL and ISS) • 2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne (ISPT, CBRE, Consolidated Property Services) • 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne (ISPT, CBRE, Consolidated Property Services)

Key lessons We are working on finalising the certification of other pilot sites.

One of the key lessons from our pilot was the need for CAF to provide clearer guidance to enable parties to self-assess against the three-star standard in advance of undertaking an audit. CAF has now developed a self-assessment checklist to assist with this process.

We also recommend owners and facility managers include details on CAF’s three-star standard (and make use of CAF’s pricing schedule) in their scope documents. Suggested wording to include in cleaning scope documentation is freely available on our website (http://www.cleaningaccountability.org.au/ keydocuments).

10 INCLEAN January/February 2018

A further lesson from our pilot process was the need to streamline the audit process for contractors. CAF is now working with our auditors and other stakeholders to develop a pre-qualification system for cleaning contractors.

This system will enable providers to submit information relevant to different elements of the CAF standard on an annual basis. It is envisaged that such a system will speed up the process of auditing individual sites and also provide an avenue for contractors who are interested in gaining a reputation as ‘CAF compliant’.

The year ahead So what will 2018 hold for CAF? We will move out of a pilot phase and look to a wider market launch of the three-star standard in the first quarter of the year. This step will involve publishing an over-arching certification guide, introducing a clear cost framework, and expanding our pool of accredited auditors. We will also look to test our 4 and 5 star standard with existing stakeholders.

Another priority for us will be coming to grips with the diversity of the cleaning industry. While the focus of our pilot has been on commercial (office) and retail centres, we are interested, in particular, in developing a system for certifying schools, supermarkets, and scaling up across diverse portfolios of buildings.

CAF is conscious that its work is taking place against a backdrop of increased government and media attention on the issue of wage theft throughout a number of sectors of the economy.

Further, in August, the Federal Government announced it would introduce legislation that will require large businesses to report annually on the actions they take to address modern slavery. Such developments will have an impact on a wide range of industries and serve as a reminder of the value of organisations that seek to work with and protect the entitlements of vulnerable workers. We believe CAF’s mission has never been more relevant and necessary. www.cleaningaccountability.org.au

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CONTRACTING

Community focused cleaning Newly formed GJK Indigenous Solutions is aiming to not only making a difference in the commercial cleaning sector but in the wider Indigenous business community. Managing director Jasmine Groves caught up with INCLEAN editor Claire Hibbit to talk about the new business.

In October Melbournebased GJK Facility Services entered into a joint venture agreement with Jasmine Groves to form GJK Indigenous Solutions, with the aim to become one of the largest employees of Aboriginal people in the facilities industry.

Groves, whose great grandfather was Aboriginal activist Herbert (Bert) Stanley Groves, has extensive experience with the Indigenous business sector, corporate and government entities across a range of industries including recruitment, education and training and supplier diversity practices.

“My background is with grassroots Indigenous organisations, and creating a strong Indigenous business sector is something I have always been passionate about,” Groves told INCLEAN. “During my previous roles it has been an amazing opportunity to learn about the facilities industry, but I had my own story to tell, and sitting behind the scenes and working for someone else is a lot different to being at the forefront and doing it yourself.

My story is to continue the legacy of my great grandfather.”

GJK Facility Services is one of the largest privately-owned providers of cleaning and related property services in Australia, headed by George Stamas.

“I want GJK Indigenous Solutions to be one of the largest employees of Aboriginal people in the facilities industry,” explained Groves.

“Cleaning isn’t a sexy industry, but if we can provide as many opportunities as possible for sustainable employment for Indigenous people, and not only just in cleaning, but throughout the supply chain, then we can collectively make a difference.”

Based in Sydney, GJK Indigenous Solutions’ core services include cleaning, hygiene and waste services.

Groves says the company is growing organically having recently expanded its local team, appointing an executive general manager.

More operational roles are expected to be introduced next year.

GJK Indigenous Solutions has also begun tendering and working with the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP).

The company’s short term goal is to gain capacity in the government sector, and has begun to sub-contract work with GJK Facilities Services clients which includes a range of government and commercial clients.

Groves is also working to shift industry perception of Indigenous businesses and combat ‘black cladding’.

“It’s tricky at the moment in this space because there is a lot of 12 INCLEAN January/February 2018

“I want GJK Indigenous Solutions to be one of the largest employees of Aboriginal people in the facilities industry. negative press around some businesses claiming to be Indigenous that are only a front and not employing Indigenous staff.”

Training is an integral part of the organisation through Herbert Stanley’s JEFA (Justice and Equality for All) program. Identifying upwards from 15 per cent of its directly employed workforce, the first phases of JEFA is designed to establish education, training and localised employment opportunities to the communities in which GJK contractually service.

In addition to cleaning services, Groves believes there is scope longer term for a national Indigenous handyman program that will facilitate all small maintenance requirements for the government sector in accordance to the state and federal IPP, this will also enable GJK Indigenous Solutions to provide opportunities to Indigenous Australians in non-technical building maintenance roles.

“We’re a bit different to the average cleaning company.

In addition to our core cleaning services, we have a social responsibility. While we are there to provide cleaning services we also provide Indigenous recruitment, supply chain management, as well as cultural awareness training. That’s our add-on and point of difference which is really exciting because it gives so much more back to the community, while also growing the Indigenous business sector.” www.gjkindigenous.com.au

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I.T.

Reach new digital highs in 2018 The start of the new calendar year is always a good time to reset and reinvigorate your goals for the year ahead.

Mark Jones* proposes three aspects of business to consider; direction, operations and scale.

“IT should be your savior, but it can be a curse if you get it wrong.”

Have clear direction It is very easy to take new clients for granted. But are you stopping to review your current clients, the clients you are winning (and losing), and if your clients are profitable?

How and why you win new business will be related to how you are positioned in the market. What are the main claims you make? How do you differentiate from your competitors? And, is this clear to these prospects?

You might also consider if your services really are good value.

Review your website and proposals with a clear head, consider your proposition and what you can do to make it stronger.

Enhance operations Many companies now offer visit verification with software that is advancing all the time. Managing staff in the field requires us to know where staff are, what task they are completing and when it was completed. If you are not providing this you are falling behind the leaders in this industry.

Leading cleaning companies are now able to prove to customers staff were on site and doing the work as required.

And they can do this 24/7 and in real-time. This enables you to demonstrate to clients when and where work was completed, and helps you make sure you can guarantee your work. As you build trust you can make commitments to your clients that your competitors can’t.

Scaling your business To scale your business you need to be taking on customers faster than you lose them, and you need to do the work 14 INCLEAN January/February 2018

for each and every customer profitably. As you expand, inefficiencies creep in, such as more supervisors needed for larger teams, or overheads of machinery that are infrequently used. To beat this you need digital marketing, IT and software to help you do more with the same team.

Digital marketing is now the largest marketing tool having become larger than TV, print, outdoor and radio. It’s time to look at your website with fresh eyes.

With 70 per cent of marketing for new business online, of which 65 per cent spent on Google and Facebook, you must be exploring both of these platforms to learn what works for your business in generating new leads.

IT should be your savior, but it can be a curse if you get it wrong. As you grow this year you must be sure your IT will scale, you can add more of your team to your business software and hosting and other infrastructure maintains privacy and security of records and customers. Consider an IT audit so you know where the cracks are going to appear as you grow.

Hopefully these few tips give you some inspiration to get under the covers of your business and see if you can break it before your staff or your customers do!

All the best for 2018 and as always we hope that at freshops. com.au we are building the sort of tool that helps you tick all the boxes above and squeeze more out of your business.

Mark Jones is a director of www.freshOps.com.au, an Australian-made, mobile workforce application and management portal built purely for cleaners by cleaners. Questions or feedback welcome to mark@freshops.com.au.

*

www.freshops.com.au

I.T.

Digital cleaning in Australia – fad or future?

Australia’s cleaning industry has remained relatively safe from massive disruption, but that’s soon about to change and businesses need to be ready, writes Kärcher Australia’s Lucas Paris*.

The term digitisation has been thrown around the cleaning industry for some time now. From the launch of robotic cleaning equipment to the development of smart buildings in many cities around the world. But how much of this will actually land in Australia? And, what do we need to do as stakeholders in the industry to prepare (if we haven’t already)?

Our industry is often perceived as old, stuck in the past and resistant to change. However, whether we like it or not, technology and integrated services in our sector will soon become standard practice. We will be forced to cater to our customer’s ever growing thirst for transparency.

We are always going to be challenged by the expectation that it can always be done cheaper, sometimes ignorant to the fact that the greatest cost of any contract is time rather than hardware.

So is greater visibility, increased focus and more transparency on time allocation a bad thing?

Our market is filled with customers that have hundreds of different requirements – customers who demand the highest level of care when cleaning their facilities.

If we can educate our end users on the importance of investing in the right machine/process to do the job effectively rather than investing in the cheapest option via the assistance of a digital medium then we absolutely should.

The industry has seen sporadic adoption of connected cleaning mediums over the years, from robotic scrubbers that have promised the world of efficiency but haven’t quite delivered

“Digitisation, connected cleaning and robotics, whether we are ready or not, is coming in a major way. We should be leading the world rather than chasing it.”

to the level we hoped. Fleet management systems, which although theoretically brilliant, haven’t had the level of data or connectivity that our market demands or add the value necessary to force people to adopt.

These technologies and products will improve a lot though sooner than we might think. We are still a long way from the cyborg following us around with a dustpan and brush catering to our every cleaning need but no doubt it will present itself soon enough in some form.

The jury is still out as to how quick we will see this technology as standard business practice in our industry. However one thing is certain; the kinks will get ironed out, technology will become cheaper, younger more tech savvy people will be in the market making the decisions and the ever growing importance on the word ‘efficiency’ in our space will drive more of us to have suitable, sustainable and compatible connected cleaning options in our portfolios.

So what can we do to embrace these advances and make the cleaning industry digital in way that adds value?

One thing for consideration is if these platforms are built by our IT departments and engineers we are doomed to fail. They need to be built by our contract holders, team members and HR teams.

The people that drive our industry know what will add value and ultimately what should be the minimum requirement and foundation for any connected cleaning platform. We need to ensure that as an industry we share our knowledge, insights and experience so that innovation in this space is truly adding value, and not being done for the sake of it.

One last question we should be thinking about: Would digitising our industry make it more appealing to the younger generational workforce?

Not long ago kids grew up wanting to be policemen, firemen or doctors. Today tech entrepreneurs are the new breed of rock star and what a lot of millennials are wanting to be, so is it wrong for us to strive to achieve a level of ongoing digitisation that makes people want to work in this industry?

We are lucky to be in an industry that is relatively safe from massive disruption but we will have it come soon and we need to be ready for it. Digitisation, connected cleaning and robotics, whether we are ready or not, is coming in a major way. We should be leading the world rather than chasing it.

Lucas Paris is business manager - professional channels, Karcher Australia

*

www.karcher.com.au www.incleanmag.com.au 15

COVER STORY

The Daily Cleaning System….. just add water The concept Sachet Magic is an effective, eco-friendly and easy to use range of pre-dosed concentrated surface cleaning products encapsulated in fully water-soluble sachets.

The Sachet Magic range covers virtually every aspect of the daily cleaning needs for today’s demanding professional, saving money, time and waste without compromising on high standards of cleanliness, performance and infection prevention.

The range can be used in Facilities Management, Healthcare, Hospitality, Educational Facilities, Aged Care, Mining, Child Care, Correctional Facilities, back of house and more.

When working with traditional chemicals the biggest problem is getting the dose just right. Too little and you might not be cleaning effectively, whereas too much and you may as well pour money down the drain. Sachet Magic solves that problem and can be used in trigger spray bottles, mop buckets and scrubber driers for various cleaning surfaces.

OH&S is important when it comes to handling chemicals, with Sachet Magic there is no direct contact with chemical concentrates and no pouring of chemicals therefore eliminating the risk of splash-back when decanting. According to Safe Work Australia, ‘Australian Workers’ Compensation Statistics, 2014– 15’, muscular stress while lifting or handling objects caused 32 per cent of serious claims in 2014–15 and the bodily location most commonly affected by injuries and diseases that led to serious claims was the back (21 per cent). The lighter sachet weight reduces potential injury risk as there is no need to lift heavy chemicals reducing OH&S claims.

On site storage space is limited making it difficult to store chemicals, Sachet Magic has a smaller storage footprint dramatically reducing the space required.

For example, 1 pack (150 sachets) of Autoscrub HD Cleaner provides up to 4500L of cleaning solution. The equivalent of 12 x 5L bottles at a dilution rate of 1:75 parts water.

Why Sachet Magic?

Time Saving and Easy-to-Use •

1 sachet = 1 dose

•

No need to calculate dilution rates

•

•

Easy to follow user guides and pictorial based instructions Staff can easily carry refill stock to increase productivity

Eco-Friendly •

•

•

Cost Effective & Space Saving •

•

•

•

Portion control avoids overuse and streamlines costs

•

All products are biodegradable and phosphate free Packaging is airtight and re-sealable for water soluble products Less packaging means less waste into landfill Screen printed dispenser bottle can be re-used

•

Small carbon footprint

•

All products are Vegan

Concentrated sachets minimise packaging and reduce freight costs Less packaging means reduced disposal costs Smaller storage footprint dramatically reduces space required

•

No shipping or storage of water

•

Training is made quicker and easier

Effective against Pathogens •

•

Sanitiser Cleaner (OSM-403) has been independently tested to EN1276 Proven to be effective against E.Coli, Listeria, Psuedomonas Aeruginosa, & Salmonella

Safety • •

•

•

•

No more pouring chemicals No risk of splash-back when decanting No direct contact with cleaning concentrates Lighter sachet weight reduces potential injury risk and OH&S claims Colour coded dispenser bottles avoid cross contamination

PRE-DOSED SOLUBLE SACHETS 16 INCLEAN January/February 2018

COVER STORY

The Range

Autoscrub HD Cleaner – OSM-001 (Fragrance Free)

Degreaser Cleaner – OSM-101 (Fragrance Free)

Rapidly removes grease and grime in one pass • A low foam, alkaline detergent for the machine cleaning of floors • Ideal for cleaning of factories, warehouses and retail outlets

Powerful formulation to clean, degrease & deodorise • I deal for washable surfaces such as tiles, walls, floors, cooker hoods and extraction systems •S uitable for use in food preparation/ storage areas

Laundry Detergent – Bio (Ocean Fresh Fragrance) – OSM-201 Top & Front Loading machine – Septic and grey water safe • Main wash detergent effective for all water hardness areas • Ideal for use in hotels, restaurants, hospitals, healthcare and prisons

Neutral Floor Cleaner – OSM-103 (Lavender Fragrance)

All Purpose Cleaner – OSM-401 (Mango Fragrance)

Degreaser Cleaner – OSM-402 (Natural Orange Fragrance)

Glass & Stainless Steel Cleaner – OSM-501 (Fragrance Free)

Daily cleaning of polished floors and sensitive surfaces • Leaves a feeling of freshness and cleanliness

Streak-free. Clean, degrease and shine • A rapid drying cleaner • Suitable for hard surfaces

Terpene based providing strong grease cutting ability • Ideal for all washable surfaces such as benches, kitchens, tiles, walls, cooker hoods and extraction systems

Fast-acting, steak-free finish • Cleans, degreases and shines • Ideal for glass, uPVC and stainless steel surfaces

Sanitiser Cleaner – OSM-403 (Fragrance Free)

Bio-Washroom Cleaner – OSM-404 (Mint Fragrance)

Daily Toilet Cleaner – OSM-302 (Mint Fragrance)

Kills up to 99.999% of germs. No-rinse surface sanitiser • Formulated specially for the Food & Catering Industry • Ideal for use on all surfaces, catering and kitchen equipment and implements

Eliminates odours, staining and degrades uric acid and lime scale •R emoves body fat, soap scum and general soiling from all washable surfaces throughout the washroom •N eutralises odours leaving a long lasting fragrance

Sulphamic acid rapidly removes lime scale • Viscose formula clings to vertical surfaces leaving a long-lasting fragrance • Suitable for use on stainless steel, porcelain, chrome, ceramic and general surfaces

NEW Convenient zip-lock packs available February 2018.

For more information please contact your local Oates representative or customer service on 1300 669 686 or email customerservice@oates.com.au. www.incleanmag.com.au 17

I.T.

Four common cleaning industry challenges and how to solve them The digital age is here, and the cleaning industry must adapt and embrace the solutions being provided, explains Virtual Mgr managing director Anil Patel.

Commercial cleaning continues to grow exponentially year-on-year with technology impacting the sector significantly. Analysts forecast the industry to grow at a Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.67 per cent from 2017 through to 2021.

Despite the rapid growth and innovation within the cleaning industry, there are still some key challenges being faced by operators, from large scale cleaning companies to SMEs, these issues are felt throughout.

Four key challenges and solutions 1. Increased labour and supervisory costs: As the costs of operating a cleaning company increase year-on-year, margins are becoming further eroded.

Solution: Of course, supervisors are important, but there are cost-effective ways to combine supervisors, upper management and frontline staff with software applications. With just a smartphone, tablet or computer, all of the important elements of your cleaning teams’ timesheet reporting, arrival notifications and site audits can be combined, helping you significantly reduce both labour and supervisory costs.

One client I have worked with is saving $750,000/annum in reduction of timesheet fraud via specifically date, geocoding and time stamping of clocking in and out plus eliminating expensive biometric solutions. Priority tasks can also be rescheduled onthe-fly via software deploying tasks to smartphones, ensuring that important client jobs are completed in time further reducing phone call times/pager usage.

Also, standard policies and compliance information can be indicated digitally on the software. This will ensure frontline staff know what is expected of them, leading to a limited need for supervisors and less face to face training.

2. Employee engagement and empowerment: With the industry experiencing continued high employee turnover and often remote works, employee engagement remains a challege.

Solution: The ability to provide staff with vital information 18 INCLEAN January/February 2018

on their smartphones including training modules, MSDS digital cards and company information will increase their daily interaction with the business.

Instant feedback can also be sent from management and clients alike via unique ‘Kudos’ applications further enhancing a cleaning staff worker’s day. We have seen clients using instant feedback applications have far greater staff retention by approximately 35 per cent.

3. Adapting to the digital age: These days everything appears to be going in a digital direction including sales and marketing. Adapting to the internet age is something that many cleaning companies and staff have found challenging to do.

Whether or not we like it, the digital age is here to stay, and the sooner we adapt, the better for the industry Solution: For one, online marketing is a sure-fire way to reach new customers. The growth in social media usage with applications such as Linkedin have provided clear paths and contacts to target for prospects.

Facebook has become one of the most successful tools we have witnessed clients winning new business. Facebook allows a unique approach to target prospects so specifically and provides them with real time reporting on the success of campaigns.

The best part of internet marketing is that you get to choose the exact psychographic and demographic traits you want to target, so conversions are more likely than in traditional advertising.

4. Inability to analyse customer data and manage customer satisfaction: We all know the popular business saying that ‘the customer is king’. In order to build a successful business, you need to ensure a wonderful customer experience.

One of the biggest challenges plaguing the cleaning industry is the inability to analyse customer data, collect feedback and improve customer experience.

Solution: A simple solution would be incorporating software dashboards that can be used to monitor cleaning performance to ensure clients see vale ‘real time’. Clients can also mine data via analytics solutions to optimise labour solutions and highlight trends leading to further savings.

There are many opportunities in the cleaning industry.

However, for these opportunities to be fully harnessed, the challenges in the industry have to be embraced and understood – and many of these challenges can be solved with technology and software. www.virtualmgr.com/au

NEW

Get the dose right.

Every time.

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When working with traditional chemicals the biggest problem is getting the dose just right. Too little and you might not be cleaning effectively. Too much and you are pouring money down the drain.

Sachet Magic solves the problem saving money, time and waste without compromising on high standards of cleanliness and performance.

Easy-to-use No calculation of dilution rates required Safer to use No direct contact with cleaning concentrates OH&S claims reduced Lighter sachet weight, no heavy lifting Time saving Easy to carry refill stock increases staff productivity Cost effective Portion control, reduced freight & packaging disposal costs Storage saving Smaller footprint dramatically reduces space required Eco-Friendly Biodegradable and phosphate free. Less packaging waste into landfill

1 sachet = 1 dose

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www.oateslaboratories.com.au OatesCommercial OatesCleansBest

I.T.

Launched in October 2017, the Cleaning Safety Card is an online training program designed to reduce the rate of workplace injuries in the cleaning industry. Cleaning Safety Card director Luke Fox tells INCLEAN assistant editor Lizzie Hunter of his plans for the program to gain industrywide recognition.

Online safety training simplified The Cleaning Safety Card is an online training program designed to reduce the rate of workplace injuries in the cleaning industry by addressing the issues of fatigue, time pressures and unsafe techniques.

The program is the brainchild of Luke Fox whose family has been in the cleaning business for 40 years, following research conducted by Fox on workplace injury rates.

According to Safe Work Australia, the cleaning industry has the second highest rate of workplace injury claims. Over five years to 2015-16, the average frequency rate of serious claims for the building cleaning, pest control and gardening services industry was 12.6 serious claims per million hours worked; almost double the all industries rate (6.4 serious claims per million hours worked).

“When I first heard that statistic I almost fell off my chair!

I thought to myself, something’s got to be done. We can’t just keep going on doing the same old thing and achieving the same old results.”

The safety training program is available for both domestic and commercial cleaners, and includes topics such as exploring fire exits, using a colour coded system for cleaning, optimum vacuuming and mopping techniques, safe use of chemicals and electrical cords, warm up stretches and risk assessment to reduce injury.

The program consists of seven modules which Fox says can be completed in one to two hours. A 12 month Safety Card accreditation costs $44, while a two-year accreditation is $66.

“Safety rules are always changing; there is always something new coming into play,” said Fox. “That’s why we’re looking to add new courses and create new versions of the Cleaning Safety Card.”

Fox’s ultimate goal for the online training program is to receive widespread industry recognition within the next two years, having already received initial endorsement by the Australian Cleaning Contractors’ Alliance.

He is hoping to set up talks with government and local industry associations to get the program formally recognised and adopted across the country.

20 INCLEAN January/February 2018

“I want the card to be mandatory for everyone who wants to be a cleaner. If you want a job serving alcohol, you need an RSA licence.

If you work in the construction industry, you need a White Card. If you work with children, you need a Working with Children Check.

My goal is that one day, a requirement for those working in the cleaning industry, will be the orange Cleaning Safety Card.”

Fox says the Cleaning Safety Card has been well received by the industry so far and is starting to gain traction among contractors.

“A lot of the bigger cleaning companies have said that the industry has needed this [the Cleaning Safety Card] for a long time.

“In the cleaning industry today, the onus is now on proving you are what you say you are. It’s no longer a case of ‘take our word for it’ or ‘the results speak for themselves’. A lot of customers and government agencies now want cleaners to prove cleaners are on site and how long they were there.

“The Cleaning Safety Card provides proof a cleaner has a basic understanding of industry best practices by undertaking a workplace health and safety induction. Cleaners who possess a Cleaning Safety Card will be able to improve their employability and show photo identification, which recognises their knowledge and skillset.”

Fox says one of the most eye-opening experiences when creating the Cleaning Safety Card was the fact the majority of cleaners he interviewed were unaware of proper workplace health and safety practices.

“We conducted interviews to gauge the cleaners’ understanding of basic safety. All of their answers were different and not many could provide the right answer. That’s when I knew there had to be an industry standard or benchmark for safety in the cleaning industry.”

“It’s appalling that our industry has one of the highest rates of injuries. I want to see the number of falls, trips and slips reduced by at least half by 2020 through a comprehensive program that trains cleaners in industry best practice.” www.cleaningsafetycard.com.au

A range of 14 premium RTU products at affordable prices

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CITY CLEANING

Talking trash Demands for higher standards of cleaning, rapid urbanisation in our CBDs and improvements in machine capabilities are just some of the changes being felt by Australia’s city cleaning market. INCLEAN assistant editor Lizzie Hunter reports.

Australia’s city cleaning sector has seen a number of changes over the past few years. As our city and residential landscapes continue to change and grow, so too must the processes and machines used to clean these environments.

No longer do large sweeping machines roam the streets at night. Instead, the demand is now for smaller, compact machines that can access and clean smaller areas, such as laneways, around apartment blocks and crowded areas.

The adoption of GPS tracking and geotagging systems by councils, while not anything new, has steadily increased, allowing councils to track cleaners and maintenance workers to ensure public areas are maintained to higher levels of cleanliness.

Today’s communities, in both residential and urban areas, are also demanding a higher standard of cleaning, driven by a broader social conscience in relation to pollution, climate change and sustainability. This, coupled with increasing expectations from councils, is driving advancements in cleaning technologies that produce fewer emissions, use less water and create less waste.

Small machines are big businesses Tennant Australia WA sales consultant Gareth Walker says the demand for smaller, compact machine fleets comes from the need to be able to access urbanised areas, such as laneways and apartment blocks with small entry points.

“In the past, manual labour was used to clean city areas but now, with the advent of more compact, useful and multipurpose machinery, councils are moving towards those machines which are can keep the place cleaner and have a better impact.”

Hako Australia managing director Frank Cupido echoes Walker’s view, adding demand for more compact type of machine continues to grow.

“Compact machines that offer simple operation, multi-function capability and monitoring systems are in high demand,” he said.

22 INCLEAN January/February2018

“Councils want flexibility and versatility all year round with their capital purchases if they can get it, specifically to deal with the changing town landscapes and upgrades.”

Cupido adds awareness of work health and safety issues and expectations from councils has also placed more of an emphasis on operator comfort when using machines.

“Today, a lot more detail and consideration is given to operator comfort when designing a machine. But machine ergonomics, especially focusing on the importance of correct back posture is critical today because operators are using the machines for longer hours.”

Global emission standards must also be considered by councils and city cleaning contractors. According to Spotless contract manager Jemal Yavuz, Spotless’ contract with Melbourne city includes a zero emissions target.

“The fewer emissions we generate, the less we pay for the offsets. So it’s in our best interest to use machines that use less fuel, less water and produce fewer emissions,” he says.

“Using environmentally-friendly, sustainable machines doesn’t impact the quality of cleaning. We do pay a bit more to achieve that environmental benefit, but it’s worth it.”

Walker adds that it is often challenging managing the expectations of councils when it comes to using smaller machines.

“When councils change from cleaning the streets with a big machine to a smaller, customised machine, their expectation is that the result will be the same. In reality, the results can be very different. All that we can really do is offer the right machine for the right application.”

“Compact machines that offer simple operation, multi-function capability and monitoring systems are in high demand.”

CITY CLEANING

Urbanisation Urbanisation continues to be a driving force behind the changes and challenges being felt in the city cleaning sector.

Rapid population growth in our capital cities is also putting time restraints on city cleaners, who have less time to clean areas at times when there is less people around. More people living in high-rise apartment buildings in the CBDs also means machine manufacturers and suppliers need to address issues such as noise pollution and being able to clean spaces around the public.

“Today’s Australian cities are growing rapidly. The number of people that now live in or visit our cities is our biggest challenge,” says Spotless contract manager Jemal Yavuz.

“More people around means there is less time to actually clean.

The city of Melbourne has become a 24/7 city, so even the few hours in the early morning that were available to us to clean, are now even more limited because there are lots of people still around.”

Urbanisation of towns and CBDs with high rise living also has created a demand for higher standards of cleanliness as well as quieter machines.

“Noise is a big issue, especially around Melbourne’s Docklands area where there are a lot of high-rise buildings where people live,” says Yavuz. “That’s why more machines are built to be less noisy.”

Warwick Lorenz, owner of cleaning equipment manufacturer Aussie Pumps, agrees demand for quieter machines is a result of population in inner city areas building up.

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He adds that the challenge of accessing and cleaning city spaces without pedestrians or traffic around led to carrying out these cleaning tasks at night, often in the early hours of the morning.

“There are quiet pressure cleaners around but they generally have a large soundproof box built around them which have serious disadvantages, which include not only the dimensions of the ‘box’, but also the tendency from the box to capture heat and potentially cook the machine.”

Lorenz explains building high pressure machines that are quiet comes back to how to silence the machine’s engine.

“The real noise and aggravation comes from the engine,” he says. “Petrol engines can be more irritating than diesels because they run at higher speeds and have a tendency to whine whilst diesels thump.

“We silence the engines in our machines with a three piece stainless steel panel kit that completely encloses the engine. The panel kit is backed by a very high density installation, unlike most systems, and encloses the entire unit. The installation absorbs the noise, reducing the sound produced by the pressure washer pump and the engine.”

A number of councils have also begun using battery powered sweepers to sweep during the day that are quiet and less intrusive than bigger sweeping machines.

As Hako Australia’s Cupido explains: “Sweeping used to only be carried out during the night, but with more people in the city,

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CITY CLEANING

“Today’s Australian cities are growing rapidly. The number of people that now live in or visit our cities is our biggest challenge.” councils need to clean more often to stay on top of the amount of litter being generated.

“More battery powered systems will be seen in the future, however, that is still quite a way off due to improving battery capability to deliver consistent results and at an affordable cost.”

Smart technology Smaller rubbish trucks, smart bins and online waste management applications are just some of the innovations being applied to the city cleaning sector.

“Normal rubbish trucks can’t access bins in apartment carparks, so we’re seeing smaller or lower trucks introduced to cater to that different environment,” said Walker.

According to Yavuz, Spotless has begun trialling smart bins that notify the operator when they are three-quarters full to help us work smarter rather than harder.

Melbourne-based Smart City Solutions and its clean-tech bins and sensors have been working with city councils across the country including Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart and Perth. The bins have also been installed in shopping centres and venues such as the Sydney Cricket Ground – understood to be the first stadium in Australia to use the smart waste management technology system.

Smart City Solutions’ bins have GPS and Wi-Fi capabilities, automatic compaction, can be remotely monitored and send notifications to users when collection is required through its cloud-based software.

Samira Hughes, chief operating officer of Smart City Solutions, says the use of notification system for waste management is still in its infancy in Australia, unlike overseas markets where adoption is more mainstream, however, it is progressively growing locally.

“It’s good to see councils and organisations willing to take on an innovative IoT-based solution and explore new ways of thinking when it comes to waste management,” Hughes said.

With compaction at source and transparency of the entire waste operations, Hughes says the bins are lowering collection frequency by up to 90 per cent which is subsequently reducing the amount of trucks on the road.

24 INCLEAN January/February2018

“We’d love to change the status quo of the waste management industry and eventually see our bins at every street corner because the more bins we have the less impact we’re having on the environment.”

Smart City Solutions Clean Cap fill-level sensors can be implemented to any type of waste container, transforming current bins into smart bins.

Aussie Pumps is also working on self-propelled garbage bin steam cleaners that will enable the bins left outside supermarkets, council depots and parks to be automatically cleaned both cosmetically and hygienically by high pressure steam.

“New developments and prototypes are already being designed in our system that will explore ways of tackling these challenges associated with food waste, oil spills and even street cleaning chewing gum,” said Lorenz.

“When it comes to high pressure cleaning, we are always searching for ways of doing things that are smarter, faster and safer. Speeding up productivity is essential not only from the point of view of saving fuel, water and time, but also from an occupational health and safety perspective.”

While GPS tracking has been around for a while, more and more councils are implementing their own GPS tracking and geotagging systems to monitor not only cleaning performance but also the state of the areas being cleaned.

Machines equipped with geotagging systems can record when there is something wrong in the area being cleaned. For example, if there is graffiti present if a pavement, fence or wall is damaged. As Tennant Australia WA sales consultant Gareth Walker’s explains: “This helps councils locate issues and keep areas safe and well-maintained from a cleaning and safety perspective. It also helps provide information around route times and efficiencies to improve planning.”

According to Cupido, while manufacturers, distributors and cleaning service providers are improving their capabilities and efficiencies to meet the ever-changing needs of city and town cleaning, councils for various reasons, still face some challenges when investing in cleaning equipment to be able to meet the expectations of the public.

“There is still a long way to go,” he says. “There is definitely more of an inclination now to invest in equipment. Many councils still carry out street and footpath cleaning by hand, however, some are now soliciting for more efficient solutions.”

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Record attendance

at annual RapidClean conference

Group shot

Intro: The Rapid Group came together in the beachside suburb of Glenelg in Adelaide for the Group’s annual conference, where general manager Bruce Lees announced another year of rapid growth. INCLEAN editor Claire Hibbit reports.

A record number of RapidClean members came together in Adelaide for the 23rd annual RapidClean conference, where general manager Bruce Lees outlined the company’s five-year plan.

Off the back of a successful 12 months, the Rapid Group again achieved success, with 18.8 per cent growth during the 2016/17 financial year. This year also saw the Rapid Group expand its footprint across the ditch – securing seven members throughout New Zealand.

Lees unveiled the group’s five-year strategy at the four-day event, with the Group’s main goal to more than double turnover and purchases from preferred suppliers by 2022.

“Over the past year, the board and our team have been working on a plan for the next five years to ensure the Group has direction,” Lees said.

“There is some scope to add more members but we are aiming to more than double the turnover of the Group over the next five years and the majority of our future growth will be achieved through our members’ businesses growing.”

Lees credited the work of its board members for the cooperative’s success which has seen membership double and turnover triple over the past seven years.

“The Rapid Group has been able to thrive in a flat market over the past seven years because [the] board has put in place plans and ensured that those plans were actioned.

“It is now time to lift the professionalism of the Group to another level. Our new plan is comprehensive and sophisticated.

Your competitors are working hard to take your customers and we need to work harder and be better to retain customers and add new ones.”

Some of this year’s highlights include; an increase in purchases from preferred suppliers by 13.5 per cent; the upgrade of the RapidClean head office website as well as the launch of seven standalone websites for members; and a soft launch of 26 INCLEAN January/February2018

RapidClean’s national account online ordering system.

“Our vision is to be Australia and New Zealand’s dominant supply group embracing innovation, product knowledge and customer service. It is quite a challenge and will require a focus on growth and technology supported with our already high customer service levels,” said Lees.

Expansion This year Rapid Group added two new members in Darwin and Hervey Bay, taking its total network to more than 50 stores across the country. Lees said the group has nearly reached its goal of total members, with a few regional towns and capital cities earmarked for further growth. However, the Group’s core focus is centred on its New Zealand expansion.

There are now seven members in New Zealand – more than double its initial target set for 2017. Members include Otago Cleaning Supplies, Christchurch Cleaning Supplies, Specialist Cleaning Supplies, VJ Distributors, Counties Cleaning Supplies, Commercial Cleaning Repair and Waikato Cleaning Supplies.

“Our main area of interest with regard to adding members is now New Zealand and we are off to a great start with our first member signing in June and having just added our seventh member.”

Lees congratulated Rapid Group’s national account manager Rob Musilli who has spearheaded the expansion, with Lees describing Musilli as “the driving force in the group’s success in New Zealand”.

The Group is currently in the process of building a network of suppliers in New Zealand, and according to Lees will aim to “offer customers the best products at great pricing complemented with very high service levels from our New Zealand members”.

Board changes New board members were also announced at the conference by outgoing chairman and owner of RapidClean Armadale, Greg Wild. New board members include Rodney Macnamara, Abcoe Penrith; Graeme McGee, Concept Cleaning Supplies; David Thyne, RapidClean Tasmania and Jaap Steeghs, JNL Toowoomba.

“I’m sure these newly elected board members will join with the

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sitting board members Stephen Makins and Graeme Gardener to form a cohesive board acting in the best interest of the Rapid Group and its members,” Wild said.

“Together we will continue the work, setting the foundations of the Group by the members of the previous board and those who came before us.”

Among the highlights of the conference was guest speaker Glenn Cooper, chairman of family-owned Coopers Brewery and current chairman of Australian Made and Australian Grown.

Rapid Group members were able to draw parallels with Coopers, Australia’s largest privately-owned brewery, which continues to play against multi-national conglomerates in a highly competitive market.

Supplier sessions were also held over two days, and more than $9000 was raised for the Cancer Council at the Sharon Lees Memorial Afternoon Tea and auction at the Gala Awards.

Other event highlights included a day tour around Adelaide including McLaren Vale and Hahndorf; dinner at the Adelaide Zoo and an entertaining evening at Maximillian’s Winery.

The event concluded with Rapid Group’s annual gala awards.

RapidClean Member of the Year was awarded to RapidClean Griffith for the second consecutive year. Accepting the award, RapidClean Griffith general manager Brendan Cappello thanked RapidClean head office and members for their continued support. Royal Touch Paper Products took out the highly coveted Supplier of the Year award.

18.8% growth during the 2016/17 financial year

Purchases from preferred suppliers

increased 13.5%

7 NZ distributors joined as RapidClean

7 standalone member websites launched

2 new members added in Australia

members

www.rapidclean.com.au www.rapidclean.co.nz

“Over the past seven years the Rapid Group’s membership has doubled and our turnover has tripled” Member of the Year RapidClean Griffith

Supplier of the Year Royal Touch Products

www.incleanmag.com.au 27

DISTRIBUTION

Avidbots Australia paves way for autonomous solutions After securing sole distribution rights for the Avidbot Neo robotic floor scrubber, Avidbots Australia has deployed more than 35 of the machines in shopping centres around Australia, with plans to roll out another 40 over the next 12 months. INCLEAN assistant editor Lizzie Hunter reports.

Launched in March 2017, the Avidbot Neo robotic floor scrubber is already making its mark on the Australian floor scrubber market.

Thomas Mort, director of Avidbots in Australia – believes the Australian market has embraced the robotic technology more than other countries due to increasing labour costs and the need for centre owners to control cleaning costs.

“Australia’s cleaning industry has one of the highest labour rates compared to other countries around the world,” he said.

“These rates increase every year by about 3 per cent and some centre owners look to reduce these increases and save on labour costs through this kind of technology.”

Wayne Crewes, national business and acquisition manager at Millennium Services Group, discovered the Avidbot Neo robotic floor scrubber with Mort in 2016 after meeting with Avidbots’ Canada-based founders Pablo Molina and Faizan Sheikh (who established the company in 2014).

“We wanted a product that would support the cleaning industry in Australia while at the same time, keep innovation flowing through Millennium.”

Less than a year on from securing the sole distribution rights for the Avidbot Neo in Australia, more than 35 of the machines in shopping centres around Australia. The company is aiming to roll out another 40 nationwide this year, targeting large public facilities including airports, stadiums, warehouse complexes, retail centres and universities.

Avidbots director of sales in Canada, Cameron Waite, told INCLEAN while in Australia recently, Avidbots has experienced significant growth within a short period of time.

“In a four-year period, we’ve moved through eight generations of robotic technology.”

“Avidbots is a robotics company that makes a cleaning solution. We’re not a cleaning company trying to make robotics; therefore our knowledge of the cleaning industry is still new.”

Andy Buck, Avidbots’ director of sales, who also visited the local team in Australia recently, says the company has taken a conceptual approach to designing the robot by giving it the artificial intelligence to be able to make decisions.

“The simple way to design a robot is to use a ‘teach and repeat’ method; walking a robot around the centre it needs to cleans once. The challenge with that approach is that the robot doesn’t adapt very well to a changing environment.

“When the Avidbot Neo is walked around a facility, it generates a cleaning map that is adaptable. When it cleans, it is also remapping; it’s looking for changes in the environment so it can automatically reprogram its route if there is something new in its path.

“The robot has a myriad of sensors for automatic obstacle avoidance. If it finds an obstacle in its path, it will determine 28 INCLEAN January/February2018

“Autonomous machines could replace almost anything to do with monotonous or repeatable tasks like sweeping and scrubbing a floor.” what the most efficient route is to go around that obstacle and continue cleaning.”

Autonomous robots the future?

Avidbots currently only manufactures the one robot with multiple cleaning options, but that’s not to say the company will stop there.

“Autonomous robots are the future of cleaning,” says Mort.

“When the Avidbots team in Canada decide to create other robotic [products], we’ll start seeing machines such as robotic carpark sweepers and robotic floor furnishers.”

Buck agrees, saying that while Avidbots entered the cleaning industry with an automated floor scrubber, the company anticipates autonomous cleaning solutions to soon move beyond that.

“Autonomous machines could replace almost anything to do with monotonous or repeatable tasks like sweeping and scrubbing a floor, allowing cleaners to focus on tougher parts of that job.

“Our goal isn’t necessarily to replace labour; it’s to allow facilities to achieve the quality clean they’re looking for every single night. There are a lot of tasks that can be completed in a night that aren’t necessarily being finished because cleaners are stuck carrying out the mundane tasks that a machine could do.”

As Mort explains, the amount of frontline staff at facilities where the Avidbot Neo operates have not been reduced; they are simply deployed to carry out other cleaning responsibilities.

“Facilities will always require human cleaners; you can’t have one or the other when it comes to human cleaners and robot cleaners. Introducing a robotic cleaner into the mix means that the human labour used for scrubbing the floors is redeployed to carry out other functions.”

Mort predicts after-hours cleaning will eventually be shared equally between robots and humans within the next five years.

“Without robots, 100 per cent of night cleaning is carried out by manpower. Facilities who use robotic cleaners for cleaning the floor reduces the labour input to about 80 per cent. As more equipment is introduced to the market, from floor burnishers to carpark sweepers, I can see the ratio between robot cleaners and human cleaners drift to 50/50 over the next five years in Australia.” www.avidbots.com.au

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The A-Z of mould (Part 3) Does your mould and water damage report sometimes leave you in the dark? In this concluding multi-part editorial, Greencap’s Kevin White and Cedric Cheong* introduce some common terms and acronyms that may help you put together some of the pieces of a mould and water damage assessment.

Most people know exposure to mould can have detrimental health effects. To minimise such effects, we need to clean and remove mould from the indoor environments where we work and live.

Often mould and water damage assessment reports take a holistic view of the building and the air inside, and talk about things like: mould or fungal genera; water activity and efflorescence. This article continues to explore some of those terms.

R Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE): As indoor environment professionals (IEPs) we often get asked, “Do I really need a dust mask while I’m cleaning mould?” Invariably the answer is yes. To explain why, let us talk numbers: Active mould can have hundreds of millions of spore/m2 growing on the surface.

During disturbance/cleaning of this mould the concentration of airborne spores and hyphae fragments in the area of disturbance can be millions /m3. Much like asbestos fibres, these mould spores and fragments of hyphae generally can’t be seen because they are so small (<10 microns).

A correctly fitted P2 mask should reduce the amount of mould you breathe in by a factor of >10 which is still pretty high depending on the amount of disturbance. A better option is a fitted half face respirator which can reduce that factor to >100. When cleaning larger area a fitted full face respirator with protection factor of 1000 is best.

S Stachybotrys: This genera of mould is considered a tertiary coloniser; it needs a sustained source of moisture to grow and spread with water activity >0.9. Fungi in this group tend to 30 INCLEAN January/February 2018

have spores that are produced in slimy heads and as a result don’t tend aerosolise much. Most Stachybotrys species grow on materials rich in cellulose.

Stachybotrys chartarum is perhaps the most well know species and is often referred to as toxic black mould which is a bit of a misnomer. The secondary metabolites (secretions and gases) that this fungi gives off during growth (metabolic activity) are toxic and are capable of causing disease and even death. When spores of Stachybotrys spp. are identified in an indoor air sample effort should be made to locate the source of growth (which may be hidden).

T Trichoderma: Typically a soil borne fungi, this genus are often associated with wood rot. As IEPs we often see Trichoderma associated with soft woods such as untreated pine. Trichoderma is a tertiary coloniser. Indoors, Trichoderma is often found on gyprock and water saturated wood, wallpaper, and carpet.

U Ulocladium: Also a tertiary coloniser; Ulocladium spp. typically requires a high water environment (Aw >0.9) to germinate and grow although it can survive short dry periods. Like a number of secondary colonisers, it can grow readily in elevated relative humidity although RH needs to be fairly constant and above 75 per cent. Ulocladium botrytis has recently (2010) been described as a human pathogen, before then Ulocladium was not considered to contain pathogenic species.

V Vapour barrier: Vapour barriers prevent moisture passing or diffusing through building material. Vapour barriers have often been seen as a cold climate artefact, however this is not the case.

In general water vapour moves from the warm side of building assemblies to the cold side of building assemblies. How this happens and when is dependent upon a range of factors such as the how the wall is constructed i.e. what layers of material have been used in the construction; what capacity does the

CARPET & RESTORATION

external wall have to store water (hygric buffer); the climate; and temperature differential between indoors and outdoors.

Inadequate consideration of vapour barrier requirements has frequently led to issues with mould proliferation on indoor surfaces because the building can’t dry out; this can be a problem in any air conditioned space. Recent changes in building construction and wall cladding have sometimes led to mouldy interiors because vapour barriers have been installed incorrectly or not been installed i.e. an assumption was made that they were not needed, no allowance was made for air-conditioning and thermal isolation and/ or no dynamic hygrothermal modelling was undertaken.

W Wallemia: Unlike most fungi, Wallemia can grow in relatively dry conditions needing much less moisture than many other fungi. It also grows more slowly than many other fungi. It is often found on wooden surfaces, including walls, floors and furniture, and in mattresses.

X Xerotolerant / Xerophilic: Fungi of dry environments (Aw <0.8). Aspergillus is collectedly the most xerotolerant genus. Many Penicillium are also xerotolerant. Xerophilic fungi can resist osmotic pressure by metabolically changing the concentration of dissolved solids in their cells dependent upon surfaces they are in contact with. This mechanism minimises drying our which is adapted to low water environments.

Y Yeast: Yeasts are an interesting group of fungi; they are singlecelled forms that reproduce by budding, whereas moulds form multicellular hyphae. Dimorphic fungi can exist as yeasts (budding) and when conditions change can switch to mycelial form depending on environmental / physiological conditions of the fungus or the genetic characteristics. Yeast can often grow in the indoor environment in areas where there is little air movement and reduced humidity.

Z Zygomycetes: Zygomycetes are usually fast growing fungi characterised by primitive coenocytic hyphae (one continuous cell). Most are saprobes; deriving nourishment from decaying soil matter and dung. Fungi in this group include parasitic species infecting plants, other fungi and, insects. A few are specialised parasites of animals. A number of fungi in this group are pathogens of insects and other invertebrates. Fungi in this group often look hairy.

The A-Z mould series has given you a glimpse of some of the specialist knowledge Indoor Environment Professions can draw on to assist building occupiers and owners manage mould and minimise its impact. www.greencap.com.au

Kevin White and Cedric Cheong are mould and water damage technical specialists at Greencap

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CARPET & RESTORATION

CCAWA peroxide workshop highlights The Carpet Cleaning Association of Western Australia training and technical officer Franco Preo recently led a training workshop on the use of peroxide, providing attendees with real examples, tips and information.

Kim Kamarudin reports.

Over the past 12 months the Carpet Cleaning Association of Western Australia (CCAWA) has participated in events to raise awareness and lift the standard within the carpet cleaning industry.

Members attended the Real Estate Industry of WA (REIWA) Expo and as a result created a partnership to ensure REIWA members prefer CCAWA members for their carpet cleaning needs.

This commitment to a high standard means CCAWA strongly encourages all members to complete a Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning, Advanced Stain Removal and OH&S training modules with an approved training body as a minimum requirement to join the association.

Included with a CCAWA membership are regular workshops to share knowledge and expertise. One such workshop was held recently at the premises of Statewide Cleaning Supplies. The company sponsored the training and provided attendees with attractive discounts on the day.

The association’s training and technical officer Franco Preo led the workshop on the use of peroxide, providing attendees with real examples, tips and information. Preo, who has been with the association since its inception in 2000, described peroxide as a versatile chemical that is useful in solving day to day challenges faced when cleaning.

“That does not mean it is the be all and end all,” Preo explained. “It can have some quite significant repercussions we need to be aware of. Peroxide works well on carpets and upholstery as a sanitiser, in odour elimination, as a decolourant or a booster as well as a booster for tiles and grout cleaner.

However, be aware when using peroxide, things can get out of control and in some cases quite quickly. For example, if a client has already tackled the stain and destabilised the dyes, dye loss can be close to instantaneous in this case. As always, I recommend testing before proceeding.”

According to Preo another disadvantage is that peroxide will damage natural fibres. As he explained: “Even if you can’t see it with the naked eye, the damage, however slight, will be there. With cellulose materials, if it is not effectively rinsed out and/or neutralised, the fibre can and will start to disintegrate within a few hours. If used on upholstery be sure to go through the neutralising process.

“With wool, damage will be there, but not to the same extreme and may take years to show. Use too much and the fibre will degrade rapidly, especially if also using heat and ammonia.

Proceed with caution. Ammonia and wool are not a comfortable fit, your pH9 may be a better option to stay safe.”

For the chemically minded, peroxide, denoted as H2O2, is simply water (H2O) with an extra O- attached, which makes it highly reactive as an oxidiser. This means it wants to return to its stable water molecule by giving off the extra O- ion to other unsuspecting molecules or atoms.

Due to its reactivity, it is usually kept in a weak Nitric Acid solution to stop it disassociating and becoming H2O and O2 32 INCLEAN January/February 2018

CCAWA’s training and technical officer Franco Preo The Peroxide workshop was well attended by CCAWA members

(plain water and oxygen gas). That is why peroxide containers have a special valve. It is commonly stored in a powder form like sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate, which effectively give off H2O2 once introduced to water, for example Napisan.

When used for cleaning purposes the magic happens when peroxide molecules disassociate. The chemical works effectively as a decolourant, sanitiser or booster to cleaning agents. When controlled heat is added to peroxide it boosts its action significantly.

During the session Preo walked members through the various uses of peroxide when dealing with grass stains, wine, urine, blood, coffee and other stains. He explained what can safely be combined with peroxide, what to avoid and why. He highlighted the importance of understanding the dilution rates provided by the manufacturer of the products being used. Plus, Preo gave detailed examples and answered questions raised based on members experiences.

The CCAWA workshop was well received and the topic created a buzz of conversation. The education and ongoing benefits members receive from these workshops is why plans are already in place for 2018 events. www.carpetcleaningassociationwa.com.au

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The Pareto principle in cleaning Dr Denis Boulais, national risk manager at Broadlex Services, examines the Pareto principle, widely known as the 80/20 rule, to the cleaning industry.

The Pareto principle, widely known as the 80/20 rule, states that on many occasions, 80 per cent of effects come from 20 per cent of causes.

The literature suggests that workers compensation is not an exception to this rule and that this rule may apply to workers compensation in a more exaggerated form. For example, with some self-insured policies it has been identified that 80 per cent of workers compensation claim costs arise from just 5 per cent of claims.

As such, a relatively small number of high cost claims can result in a disproportionate premium payable cost to the employer. Despite this obvious cost relationship such injuries have adverse impacts upon the injured worker, loss of organisational productivity and adverse effects upon morale and workplace culture.

For around 15 years now I have managed workers compensation and injury management within the cleaning industry. I have experienced a number of different workers compensation schemes throughout Australia whereby the most effective way to reduce workers compensation premium is by return to work of injured employees.

I had always wondered how the Pareto rule would apply to the cleaning industry and set upon a study of available incident statistics to establish if any Pereto relationship exists.

With no fault workers compensation provisions in place then one incident could easily occur and result in a high cost claim particularly as research is indicating that 75 per cent of incidents are due to human error.

My own research in this area indicated that 65.5 per cent of incidents in the cleaning industry are due to human error and 34 INCLEAN January/February 2018

51.5 per cent of those incidents are a result of cleaners not looking before moving.

My initial thoughts that 20 per cent of incidents resulted in 80 per cent of workers compensation costs were realised when I calculated that 15.3 per cent of incidents resulted in greater than 80 per cent of claims costs using the cleaning industry data I had available.

Pareto situations in cleaning Vincent Pareto (1848-1923) made the observation that 20 per cent of people in Italy owned 80 per cent of the country’s wealth and realised this disproportionate concept applied to many different areas.

A main idea behind the Pareto rule is that a disproportionately small group can have a supersized influence over one’s business. If this group can be properly identified and managed (their impacts minimised) then the profitability of the business may dramatically increase. Observing the Pareto may allow one to think outside the square and work smarter by focusing upon the right things.

Let’s examine some Pareto situations that may apply within the cleaning industry.

• 80 per cent of dust is found in 20 per cent of a building (e.g. foyers and meeting rooms) • 80 per cent of feedback comes from 20 per cent of cleaners • 80 per cent of workers compensation costs derive from 20 per cent of claims • 80 per cent of contract revenue is derived from 20 per cent of clients • 80 per cent of injuries derive from 20 per cent of hazards (e.g. manual handling) • 80 per cent of complaints come from 20 per cent of clients • 80 per cent of the traffic involves 20 per cent of the streets (e.g. intersite travels).

•8 0 per cent of sales result from 20 per cent of marketing strategies

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• 80 per cent of website traffic lands on 20 per cent of website pages As earlier mentioned I am calculating from my workers compensation data that 15.3 per cent of claims account for greater than 80 per cent of workers compensation premium costs – hence these workers compensation claims follow a rule more dramatic than the 80/20 rule.

Pareto-based observations can be effective in establishing management strategies. For example an examination of those 15.3 per cent of claims may indicate they are originating from one or a few contracts.

This may result in further training of cleaners within a particular contract or a decision about future participation in that contract particularly where a positive safety culture within that contact is difficult to establish.

It may for example involve drilling down into the specific injury mechanisms within those 15.3 per cent of claims. I recall a cleaning contract which involved a significant amount of manual handling in order to keep a particular production line moving.

Analysis of the incident statistics indicated that all the injuries were frank in nature as opposed to nature and conditions. From a cleaning perspective a frank incident may result from a single lift of a bin and straining ones lower back where as a nature and conditions injury may result from swinging a mop for many years and developing a sore elbow.

Further analysis indicated that greater than 80 per cent of the

“Pareto-based observations can be effective in establishing management strategies.” injuries involved the lower back and occurred within the first two hours (20 per cent) of a shift which in itself is a Paretobased observation.

The strategy here was to periodically refresh manual handling training and place a specific emphasis upon pre task warm up exercises during that training. As a result of this approach then a dramatic reduction in manual handling injuries at that site was observed.

In conclusion the Pareto principle will not completely eliminate the non-critical elements of any situation, it is however a simple tool that encourages us to shift focus into areas that may have the most significant impact and yield the best results. It may also assist one in identifying what areas of the business are not performing as required and hence focus ones attention to rectifying the situation. www.broadlex.com.au

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MANAGEMENT

The hidden cost of scented cleaning products The hidden cost of scented cleaning products poses a real dilemma for the cleaning industry, writes Bridget Gardner, principal director of Fresh Green Clean.

A carpet cleaning company was recently engaged to clean the carpets and upholstery of a small office. Next morning the stains were gone, the colours were vibrant again and everyone was happy.

Everyone that is, except one employee.

When this person entered the room, they were smacked with a wall of fragrance so strong, their throat swelled up, their eyes itched and their head throbbed. Struggling to think through an intense ‘brain fog’, their productivity levels plummeted for the next few days.

What went wrong?

A recent study conducted by Professor Steinemann, Melbourne University1, found 33 per cent of the 1098 people randomly surveyed, reported health problems when exposed to fragranced products. Reactions to fragrances can include migraine headaches, dizziness, feeling tired or weak, breathlessness and nausea.

The cost to business, and well as the human cost, is quite staggering. Apart from absenteeism, being subjected to strong fragrances can cause confusion and difficulty with concentration.

Air fresheners and some scented cleaning products are also known to contribute significantly to indoor pollution. It is also well established that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) results in decreased productivity and may reduce work performance by up to 9 per cent2.

Fragrances used in cleaning products and air-fresheners are also linked to some pretty serious health hazards: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): VOCs are organic chemicals that can evaporate into the air under normal indoor conditions – allowing them to be easily inhaled and potentially causing a range of respiratory and neurological health problems.

In 2011, Steinemann carried out tests on 25 scented cleaning products and found a total of 133 different VOCs in them. Of these, 24 were classified as toxic or hazardous (USA) and only two were listed on the MSDS3.

Chemical sensitivity: For people with chemical sensitivities, negotiating public spaces, such as shopping centres, schools, airports, restaurants and restrooms, is like a minefield.

Chemical-sensitivity in a scented world can be totally debilitating.

For those of us with mild chemical sensitivity, it can just be frustrating and embarrassing trying to pull our brain out of the abyss when meeting where scented cleaning products have been used. Because yes – that ‘office worker’ in the introduction is me.

Long term effects: Most people are surprised to learn some synthetic fragrances (including perfume and aftershave) contain IARC listed carcinogens. However, consumers are kept in the dark because fragrances do not need to be declared on the label or SDS. Steinemann found 44 per cent of the products tested generated at least one of four carcinogenic hazardous 36 INCLEAN January/February 2018

air pollutants (acetaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride). While fragrances may only be a small proportion of a product, when considering the daily cocktail of scents we are exposed to in (air-fresheners, cleaning agents, disinfectants, laundry detergents, hand-soap, deodorant, perfumes and aftershave etc) we really have no idea what the long-term effect will be on our own health.

The hidden cost of scented cleaning products poses a real dilemma for the cleaning industry. Most people understand the hazards associated with solvents, stain removers, strippers and bleach. But fragrance is usually viewed as a safe and added benefit. In fact, the use of fragranced cleaners and air-fresheners is often demanded by the building users. There is a persistent belief that if they can’t smell a cleaning agent, it hasn’t been cleaned.

Yet there is a growing international movement for scent-free environments, especially in Canada and the US. Providing scent-free areas if requested by workers with fragrance sensitivity, is now a requirement under the ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ (ADA)4. While there is no such legislation in Australia or New Zealand, a growing awareness about indoor air pollutants, and the adoption of building ratings systems with IAQ criteria such as Green-Star Performance and WELL, means this is a smelly issue that the cleaning industry can no longer ignore.

What you can do about it Offer a scent-free choice for routine services: • Fragrance-free cleaning agents* • Altered water technology • Microfibre with tap water only Use a cleaning consultant to help you write a cleaning protocol that meets the WELL Criteria. Get educated so you can help your facility manager address the occupant’s belief that fragrance = clean. As I’ve said many times before – clean doesn’t have smell.

Bridget Gardner can be contacted at bridget@freshgreenclean. com.au or au.linkedin.com/pub/bridget-gardner/15/597/9a5/ www.freshgreenclean.com.au Health and societal effects from exposure to fragranced consumer products, Steinemann A 2 The effects of indoor air quality on performance and productivity, Wyon DP 3 Fragranced consumer products: chemicals emitted, ingredients unlisted, 2010, Steinemann AC, et al.

4 www.laborlawcenter.com/education-center/new-ada-guidelines-for-fragrancesensitivity *Note that GECA and Global Green Tag Standards only prohibit certain fragrances and restrict VOCs to 3% 1

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Innovation insights with Accord Jennifer Semple, Accord Australasia’s innovation and education manager, shares a recap of Accord’s Innovation and Sustainability Seminar that provided practical and tangible ideas to help SMEs advance their innovation activities.

Innovation has always been a business imperative. For the cleaning and hygiene industry, novel products, improved formulations and new ingredients cater for changing customer preferences and reflect the evolving science on human and environmental health. In addition, innovations spanning operations, organisational management, and marketing enable improved efficiencies and market penetration.

It should be no surprise that many Australian cleaning and hygiene businesses are already firmly committed to innovation.

Accord’s 2016 Innovation Survey identified 89 per cent of responding companies in this sector as having launched or implemented an innovation in the previous three years. In addition, 83 per cent invested in R&D and 50 per cent had a specific innovation strategy.

Innovation has been a buzzword in Australia since the Federal Government launched its National Innovation and Science Agenda in late 2015. One of Accord’s primary goals is to strategically assist our members enhance their innovation capacity. As one approach to meeting this goal, Accord holds regular innovation-themed events, for example encompassing innovation culture, sustainability, technological developments, export, IP, and innovation support.

Most recently, Accord’s Innovation & Sustainability Seminar was held on 15 November at the Level 4 Innovation Space of Monash University’s Green Chemical Futures building. This event was supported by Biz Better Together, an initiative of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federal Department of Employment.

The seminar was aimed specifically at SMEs in cleaning, hygiene and personal care that are involved in local manufacturing, formulating or R&D. Attendees chatted over lunch before touring the Food Innovation Centre (non-food applications welcome!) and Monash’s new analytical service facility, which will be ISO-accredited and accessible to industry e.g. for analytical, QC or product development applications.

Presentations followed, providing tangible and applicable insights on the latest surfactant research, opportunities and approaches for building industry-university collaboration, and innovative marketing.

38 INCLEAN January/February 2018

Marketing expert and futurist Tim Reid gave an entertaining and motivating presentation with tangible marketing ideas to build a tribe of loyal customers. Is your business insanely helpful to your customers? To potential customers?

Dr Erol Harvey, CEO of MiniFAB and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) provided insights from recent research into engagement between industry and universities.

For example, did you know that businesses that collaborate on innovation are 70 per cent more likely to create new-to-world innovation?

Very interesting insights into the future of surfactant technology were provided by Dr Rico Tabor from Monash University. He identified trends and cutting-edge research into biologicallybased molecules, low environmental impact ingredients, and responsive or addressable molecules.

Graeme Pearson from Axieo gave a glowing account of the benefits of industry-university engagement. His industry perspective on how being ‘embedded at Monash’ has helped Axieo to undertake blue sky and disruptive research.

Dr Ian James presented on Monash’s Chemicals and Polymers Manufacturing Innovation Network (CAPMIN), a hub for collaborative innovation including through industry-led PhD projects, knowledge-sharing and technical/business training.

Dr James also identified some sources of “hidden money” to support innovation in SMEs. To finish the afternoon, Matthew Weston from Dow Chemical gave an overview of Dow’s science and innovation focus, and some key business activities that support this focus. Accord’s End of Year dinner was held the previous evening at The Botanical, South Yarra.

These events attracted industry representatives from Albright & Wilson, D.Lab Solutions, Davoren Environmental, Dow Chemical, Emeis Cosmetics (Aesop), FGB Natural Products, Greencare Developments, GOJO Australasia, Huntsman Corporation, IQI FRONTIERS, L’Oreal Australia, McPherson’s Consumer Products, RPL Trading, Solvay Interox, Tasman Chemicals and Tri-Tech Chemical Company and Whiteley Corporation, as well as several representatives from Monash University. www.accord.asn

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MANAGEMENT

Office report finds hygiene plays a key role in changing the office environment How is the changing office landscape of the modern workplace affecting employees and how are changes impacting hygiene and cleaning?

The Office Report from global hygiene brand Tork, based on insights from 8000 office workers, shows three major trends: the intelligent office, the flexible office and the conscious office. It also identifies an overarching trend in the importance of office hygiene.

Some 40 per cent of those surveyed experience unclean washrooms and empty soap and paper dispensers and 79 per cent said they would inform office management if they’re not satisfied.

Hygiene is clearly an area where improvements would be appreciated.

In a competitive marketplace, where attracting and retaining quality staff is so imperative, insights into attitudes can make a difference.

“Employees are becoming more knowledgeable and demand more from their office environments. Managers are following suit and becoming more interested in providing an office environment that is healthy, sustainable and attractive, said Sid Takla, executive general manager of Tork Professional Hygiene products.

The internet of things will change every workplace and data will drive future decisions – even in hygiene. Businesses that can embrace change and be flexible will benefit most.

40 INCLEAN January/February 2018

The market is also becoming more eco-savvy, and continuous sustainability gains will be required with an increasing need for evidence to support claims. This is where third party audited, life cycle analysis and reporting becomes more important. Environment Product Declarations (EPDs) give a decision maker an immediate, reliable and quantitative way to evaluate a product.

“Tork recently became the first hygiene products with EPDs in Australasia. EPDs allow businesses to derisk their purchases. And also allow us to identify ‘hot spots’ within our value chain - areas where improvements can be made to reduce impact,” added Takla.

The report also shows that businesses need to think holistically about office spaces. Air quality, lighting, hygiene, gym facilities, cafés etc. all improve employee health and wellbeing.

Property owners are looking to incorporate gyms, childcare facilities and wellness centres into buildings to differentiate their offering and this is creating a greater need for hygiene products that are not traditionally used in offices.

“Trends are going from buzz to business impact. The winners among facility service and cleaning providers will be

those who harness this development and help drive the demand for new, smarter office hygiene, providing an indispensable part of their clients’ competitive edge,” added Takla. www.tork.com.au

MARKETING

Tennant Australia launches revamped T500 walk-behind floor scrubber Tennant Australia officially launched its T500 walk-behind floor scrubber to the Australian and New Zealand marketplace at a VIP touch event at its head office in Eastern Creek, NSW. Featuring an array of new technologies, Tennant Australia’s T500 walk-behind floor scrubber is a new and improved version of the company’s original T5 scrubber.

“The walk-behind market is big for us globally and certainly from a local perspective as well, so we’re really excited to finally unveil our new machine,” said Tennant national sales manager ANZ Adam Esho.

Tennant Australia sales executive John Mirana, who conducted the live demonstration of the machine, says the company expects the unit to be largely adopted in retail facilities.

“The T500’s new technologies are designed to reduce costs and

improve the effectiveness of cleaning operations,” he said.

“The main difference when comparing the T500 to the old T5 are the new add-ons, such as the smart-fill automatic battery watering system.

“When cleaners are operating this kind of machinery in shopping centres at night, they’re usually tired and fatigued, so they don’t always check for battery water levels.

“The smart-fill automatic battery watering system allows the operator to have continuance of operation while they’re scrubbing. Basically, the water levels in the batteries are recovered automatically, preventing the operator from using scrubbing functions on dry batteries.”

Mirana also demonstrated how the machine’s squeegee could be easily lowered and raised with a simple touch of the foot.

“When cleaning, sometimes cleaners will

Adam Esho introduces the T500

have a bit of water dripping on the floor.

But due to the recovery capability of the unit, the water can be collected in a little area on the squeegee, reducing the amount of water left on the floor via the machine.”

The T500 walk-behind floor scrubber is now available in Australia and New Zealand. au.tennantco.com

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www.incleanmag.com.au 41

MARKETING

Young gun wins overseas trip to cleaning conference The Bendigo Cleaning Company cleaned up at the BSCAA Victoria AustralianSuper Cleaning Industry Excellence Awards, celebrating four winners and three finalists across several categories.

Tamara Taylor Twenty-eight year old Tamara Taylor won Young Manager of the Year which includes an all-expenses paid trip to Dallas to attend the 2018 ISSA/ Interclean North America Trade Show.

“It was definitely a surprise,” said Taylor. “I don’t even have a passport!”

Martin Leach, managing director of The Bendigo Cleaning Company, said the award is a great opportunity for Taylor to learn more about the industry.

The Bendigo Cleaning Company general manager Esther Ryan said Taylor has a great career ahead of her.

“She was our OH&S staff representative when we won the Bendigo Business Excellence Awards for Workplace Health & Safety, and was also selected as our Employee of The Year in 2016. She is a real asset to our business and to the cleaning industry.”

The Bendigo Cleaning Company was also recognised in the following categories: BSCAA Manager of the Year; Site Manager Of The Year (Health / Community Services’ Australian Super Special Recognition Industry Excellence; Cleaner of The Year (Health / Community Services) and Non-Operational Employee of the Year Leach said he was delighted to have his regional cleaning business recognised amongst the best in the state.

“Our team had great success. These people represent what all of our staff do on a daily basis. Cleaners are often part of the invisible workforce and part of our mission as a business is to raise the standing of cleaners in the community. These awards show we are doing just that.” www.cleaningbendigo.com

Nilfisk reports solid third quarter

Nilfisk reported a total revenue of €252.7 million ($A394 million) in its third quarter interim report for 2017.

Nilfisk’s total revenue was equivalent to a solid organic revenue growth of 3.4 per cent. For the first nine months of 2017, total revenue was €801.6 million ($A1249 million) and organic revenue growth was 3.1 per cent.

The EBIDTA margin before special items was 8.9 per cent for third quarter and at a satisfactory level of 11.7 per cent for the first nine months of 2017.

Nilfisk CEO Hans Henrik Lund said the performance in first nine months of 2017 was solid and in line with expectations.

“We are seeing a satisfactory growth of the business with a 3.4 per cent organic revenue growth for the total business and a continued healthy profitability.”

Lund said organic revenue growth was driven by positive developments in the EMEA region in particular, which posted 10.6 per cent organic revenue growth.

“We are especially pleased with the continued positive development in the EMEA region, which is fuelled by significant private label revenue as well as continued strong performance from our strategic accounts within retail, agriculture and contract cleaning.”

The 2017 outlook for organic growth is narrowed to 3 to 4 per cent (from 2 to 4 per cent previously), while the outlook for EBITDA margin before special items in 2017 is unchanged (11.011.5 per cent). www.nilfisk.com

Tork launches webtool to help improve business through better cleaning The Tork webtool To help companies make the most of their office environment, Tork Professional Hygiene has launched a webtool with practical recommendations to raise the hygiene bar.

Sid Takla, executive general manager of Tork explained: “We help our customers look at every aspect of their office environment, including how cleaning is planned in different parts of the office.

“For instance, breakrooms are becoming areas where employees don’t just eat and socialise, but increasingly they have ad hoc meetings.

This demands more flexible maintenance to ensure hygiene.”

42 INCLEAN January/February 2018

incorporates upcoming office trends and how to clean more effectively in a modern connected building. It offers practical insights into dispenser placement based on people flow and research. It also provides tips and tricks, cleaning checklists and ways to improve hygiene and cleanliness. www.tork.com.au

MANAGEMENT

Aussie Pumps keeps city streets sparkling clean Councils and contractors around Australia are realising the benefits of using Aussie Pumps’ hydro-loop hot pressure washer when it comes to city cleaning, according to the company.

“Big benefits are being realised by users of the hydro-loop,” said Aussie Pumps product manager Mal Patel. “High use areas like plazas and outdoor eating areas can be easily cleaned by the machine’s 4,000 psi steam capabilities.”

The hydro hush is powered by a Kubota water cooled diesel engine and comes with its own 1000 litre water tank, allowing operators the ability to use the machine where water pressure is not readily available. The hydro-loop can carry out tasks like graffiti removal, cleaning council-owned amenities or even council-operated recreational spaces with BBQs and picnic areas.

The burner unit also enables the operator to infinitely adjust temperature from ambient (cold water) to temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius.

“When that temperature is applied with pressure to graffiti, it just peels it off the wall,” said Patel. “Other jobs like sanitising amenity areas and sports facilities or removing oil stains from council-owned car parks are easy due the machine’s high steam capabilities.”

The machine’s low noise level has been achieved through the unit’s stainless steel panels that absorb noise without the potential of the engine or machine overheating. This means the unit can

be operated during off-peak traffic and pedestrian times, and also late at night or in the early hours of the morning without disturbing residents. www.aussiepumps.com.au

365 Property Services are cleaning the streets of Brisbane at night with the hydro-hush loop

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www.incleanmag.com.au 43

MARKETING

Move reaps rewards for ASE

BAR Group P/L Supplying Pressure Cleaners, Pumps & Generators to the cleaning industry since 2005 For all your pressure cleaner & equipment needs

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44 INCLEAN January/February2018

Advanced Specialized Equipment move to Murarrie, Brisbane, almost one year ago is paying off, according to the company.

Advanced Specialized Equipment owner and general manager Grant Hickey said the move has allowed the company to better engage with local customers.

“Being closer to our customers in the Brisbane and North Queensland area has been much easier for us to meet market demands.”

Hickey describes the centre as unique due to its ability to serve as three facilities under one roof.

“You have the high quality showroom that carries a large range of equipment from a number of brands, including chemicals, drying equipment, portable extractors and, at any one time, a minimum of three truck-mounted carpet cleaning machines.

“So, unlike other suppliers, we have not only used Brisbane as a simple satellite store, but as a fully stocked sales centre allowing customers to buy at quantities that are often at times required.”

The second level of the facility is home to ASE’s interactive training international training centre and dining room. This area can seat up to 35 people.

The facility’s third base is the service centre where a fully qualified motor mechanic and a fully qualified electrician carry out repair work for any type of machine. www.advancedse.com.au

MARKETING

Abco online system simplifies ordering process Developed and tested with national BSC companies around Australia, Abco Products’ says its customised ordering portal, NetConnect, offers the BSC market an efficient solution to consumables management.

“Tracking rechargeables and multi-sites consumables management can be a nightmare for cleaning contractors,” said Abco Products marketing co-ordinator Tara Dowell.

“Businesses can eliminate order entries mistakes and messy account reconciliation with NetConnect, as it provides secure online login access, customised ordering templates, budget managements, inventory and transaction reports and live orders delivery tracking.”

With EDI integration support through NetConnect, users can also cut down on administrative paper work and simplify the ordering process through automation.

“Businesses can experience efficient ordering and delivery to multiple sites for cleaning the basic everyday consumables with NetConnect.” www.abcopro.com.au

www.incleanmag.com.au 45

N

D

FR AT E TE E TO

9-10 May 2018 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland Showcasing the future of cleaning – New Zealand’s only dedicated cleaning and hygiene trade show

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visit cleannzexpo.co.nz or phone 0800 451 590 (NZ) 1300 789 845 (AUS) In Association With

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Join Our Professional Education Program The 2018 CleanNZ Expo Call for Papers is now open to all who are associated with the New Zealand cleaning industry. You are invited to take advantage of the opportunity to convey your experiences and knowledge that will be of benefit to the future of the New Zealand Cleaning Industry.

For more information go to www.cleannzexpo.co.nz/speak

Save time and money by comparing a wide range of brands, products and services under the one roof

Be seen at CleanNZ Stands for the largest professional cleaning & hygiene trade show in New Zealand are selling fast. For more information phone: 0800 451 590 or +61 2 8586 6106 (International) or email Samantha Ewart at sewart@intermedia.com.au

Learn more about the latest technology and explore new ideas by meeting and talking to leading suppliers

Confirmed exhibitors include: 3M, Bio-zyme NZ Ltd, BSCNZ, Cleaning Systems, Clorox NZ, Cottonsoft, Diversey, Ecopack, Filta Cleaning Products, Glomesh NZ, GreenEarth Solution, i Chem Solutions New Zealand, Jasol, Karcher, Kemsol, Makita, Nilfisk, NZ Cleaning Supplies, P Lab cleaning solutions, Premier Hygiene, RapidClean, Rubbermaid Commercial products, Space Industries Limited, Tennant , The Service Company, Tork and Whiteley Corporation.

Attend industry seminars on a wide range of topics relevant to your business and/or profession

Network with like minded property professionals, contractors, new and existing suppliers. Attend the networking function on the expo floor

Venue ASB Showgrounds is only minutes from Auckland’s CBD, and just 15 minutes from Auckland International Airport. The venue is accessed directly from the Southern and Northern motorways via the Greenlane off-ramp. It has ample on-site parking for over 2,000 vehicles and more nearby when needed. Award winning accommodation and restaurants are available within minutes of the showgrounds.

Accommodation Novotel and Ibis Auckland Ellerslie is New Zealand’s first dual property combining an international four and three star hotel. Conveniently located next to the Ellerslie Event Centre and ASB Showground, it’s only moments from Auckland CBD and provides ease of travel to many of Auckland’s attractions like Sylvia Park, Mt Smart Stadium, Eden Park, Ellerslie business precinct and New Market shopping. Novotel and Ibis Auckland Ellerslie is the perfect place for all of your accommodation requirements.

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MARKETING

New look for Conquest Equipment machines Conquest Equipment Technologies has launched a new look across its entire range of power sweepers and floor scrubbing machines, with classic chrome badges replacing the traditional decals on all models.

Conquest national marketing manager Jade Hamilton said the new look is better aligned with the company’s brand and product positioning.

“The Conquest brand continues to evolve to reflect our vision to be the leading national supplier of quality floor cleaning machines which are backed by exceptional service.”

Hamilton said giving the Conquest machines a makeover is all part of the plan to ensure the brand message is clear and consistent at every interaction with the company.

“There will obviously be a transition period where models with the previous branding will be in operation alongside machines featuring the new look. However, the previous look will be phased out in time.”

Hamilton added the new look has arrived just ahead of some exciting new product advances planned for launch this year.

TBC’s new staff hires

True Blue Chemicals has appointed Jane Eakins to the new position of national healthcare manager and Barry Freaney as sales manager for the True Blue Direct team.

Freaney is already an established team member of the direct sales team. His role will support and lead the direct field force within the Sydney market.

Eakins’ role will support the company’s ongoing focus on hospital and aged care business, along with management of all national healthcare accounts. www.truebluechemicals.com.au Jane Eakins

Barry Freaney

“Innovation continues to be at the forefront of all that we do.

We want to present products that not only look good but deliver functional and practical solutions to real-world challenges, and lead the charge when it comes to commercial floor cleaning technology,” she said. www.conquestequipment.com.au

Aeris Environmental launches probiotic hygiene shield for soft surfaces Formulated without any toxic chemicals, AeriShield can be easily applied to a range of fabrics with a conventional spray bottle, providing protection for up to six months. It is also safe to use around children and pets.

The product works by harnessing the power of good bacteria, according to CEO Peter Bush.

“When people think of probiotics, they probably think of digestive health, but its applications are much broader. Our formulation introduces good bacteria which out-competes mould and bad bacteria for nutrients, effectively guarding against them and the odours they cause.

“AeriShield can also be used in rubbish bins, blocked drains and septic tanks to liquefy organic waste and out-compete odour-producing bacteria. Additionally, it doesn’t require areas to be closed during application so your business can carry on as normal.”

AeriShield is currently available in 1 litre and 5 litre bottles in store and online. www.aeris.com.au

48 INCLEAN January/February 2018

PRODUCTS

CUTS THROUGH

Solutions to your washroom issues

GREASE

Award-winning washroom dispenser range Tork Image Design is a brushed stainless steel, award-winning washroom dispenser range designed to impress and always look good.

The full range of hand towel, toilet paper and soap dispensers combines form, function and premium quality materials. The Image Design range employs touch-free capabilities, smart design to minimise consumption and brushed stainless steel with the antifingerprint protection. www.tork.com.au

First-class dust-free sweeping solution The Sweepmaster 800 is designed for dust-free cleaning of small and mediumsized areas. The walk behind sweeper works according to the overhead throwing principle which allows the hopper to be filled completely. This provides long periods of uninterrupted work and a constant, first class sweeping result.

The Sweepmasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s robust, steel frame construction means the sweeper can clean surfaces efficiently for a number of years.

Hako Australia 1800 257 221 www.hakoaustralia.com.au

Public washrooms can be unwelcome places to visit and even worse to manage. The innovation team at Tork is keen to alleviate some of the problems experienced, so have produced a guide that provides ways to solve common issues such as toilet blockages, washroom mess, excessive refill use and waste. Many of these are frustrating, some are expensive and all impact poorly on your business. Download the guide at www.tork.com.au

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www.incleanmag.com.au 49

PRODUCTS

Battery-powered upright vacuum

Lemon scented disinfecting Wipes Convenient, easy-tear anti-bacterial deodorised wipes ideal for sanitising and cleaning soiled surfaces. Provides peace of mind when using shared equipment or public facilities. Available in 4 x 800 wipes and 2 x 1200 wipes. Sheet size is 20cm x 15cm.

Rapid Clean 02 4721 1993 www.rapidclean.com.au

Powerful graffiti remover Grab is Agarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest-powered graffiti remover, able to quickly and thoroughly dissolve aerosol paint on brickwork, metal, glass, tiles and concrete. The paint and ink removal agent is water-emulsifiable so it can easily be rinsed away with water. The thickened formula clings to vertical surfaces, allowing for better activation and removal performance.

Grab does not have a harsh chemical odour and is pleasantly perfumed with an orange citrus scent.

Agar 1800 301 302 www.agar.com.au

Heavy-duty threein-one multipurpose cleaner Treble is a general purpose spray and wipe cleaner, degreaser and sanitiser all in one. It cuts through grease and soil to leave surfaces sanitised and clean. The heavy duty cleaner is lime scented for freshness and is a low foaming product, suited for use in hospitality venues including commercial kitchens and food service areas.

Treble is available in a 5 litre pack size with 500ml spray bottles for the diluted product.

Whiteley Corporation 1800 833 566 www.whiteley.com.au

50 INCLEAN January/February2018

The Lightning is a cordless upright LIGHTWEIGHT vacuum cleaner AND COMPACT designed to make vacuuming carpets, hard floors and stairs more convenient.

The lightweight unit is powered by a compact, rechargeable lithium-ion battery which has a run time of up to 25 minutes on a low speed and up to 20 minutes on high speed.

The vacuum comes with HEPA filtration, a rotating power brush and a detachable handle with a flexible hose for floor to ceiling cleaning.

Cleanstar 03 9460 5655 www.cleanstar.com.au

Contemporary soap dispenser range Add a touch of luxury to any restroom with Puregiene luxury foam soap dispensers. With an elegant ergonomic design, the sleek range of hand foam soap dispensers aesthetically pleasing as well as easy to refill. Available in three different design finishes; chrome, wood and white. The chrome finish is ideal for a contemporary touch to a restroom, where the wood finish is great for a natural look and feel. The white finish can be easily matched to any design style.

Abco Products 1800 177 399 www.abcopro.com.au

Safer, sturdier walkbehind scrubber Sturdy and reliable, the Maxima 50BT walk-behind scrubber is compact and simple to use.

Optimised for operator comfort, the scrubber boasts a full-set of safety features including an emergency stop button and electro-parking brake. Whisper-quiet and emission free, the battery-powered Maxima is perfect for use for use in sensitive and confined environments.

Recommended for supermarkets, warehouses, production facilities, gymnasiums, retail showrooms and workshops.

Conquest Equipment Technologies 1800 826 789 www.conquestequipment.com.au

Ride-on carpet cleaning extractor With coverage rates of up to 840 square metres per hour, the X Ride 28 carpet extractor is a productive way to deep clean large areas of carpet. The ride on carpet extractor has a wide 71cm cleaning path, a water capacity of 102 litres, and operates for up to five hours, allowing operators to spend more time cleaning carpets and less time emptying and charging. Ideal for large carpeted areas in healthcare facilities, airports, casinos and convention centres.

Hako Australia 1800 257 221 www.hakoaustralia.com.au

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PROFESSIONAL BATTERY OPERATED BACKPACK VACUUM CLEANER BV 5/1 Bp The new BV 5/1 Bp excels with its unrestricted, cordless use and its market leading mobility and flexibility.

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Outstanding cleaning performance with its latest 36V 7.5Ah lithium-ion battery and up to 46 min run time makes it similar to mains operated vacs.

Cleaning with the new BV 5/1 Bp increases productivity and saves effort and time up to 23% compared to using corded vacuum cleaners.