FLOORCARE
Floorcare to the fore
Leading providers of floorcare equipment and services are in demand as COVID-19 puts the spotlight on hygiene, while customers are demanding the latest and most cost-effective solutions to get the job done. Words Cameron Cooper
F
or Kärcher’s New Zealand national business manager, Simon Taylor, one of the most illuminating aspects of the pandemic is that an increasing number of floorcare customers no longer think price is everything. As COVID-19 unfolds, they are focusing on innovation, product education, after-sales care and support, as well as sustainability and recycling. The change is heartening for Kärcher, a business and brand that is renowned for its investment in quality and technologically advanced cleaning systems. “COVID has woken up businesses and they are now really interested in having a point of difference and being at the cutting edge of what they can offer their own customers,” Taylor says. “It’s not all about price anymore. Of course, price will always be important, but there are so many other factors where people need to be assured.” Kärcher’s wide range of commercial floorcare products, including industrial scrubbing machines, vacuum cleaners and steam cleaners, have been in high demand during the pandemic in response to the need for stringent cleanliness and hygiene levels. The business has benefited from having multiple supply-chain options – with 17 Kärcher-owned production facilities in eight different countries – which have enabled it to manage freight and port bottlenecks better than some other companies. 52 INCLEAN NEW ZEALAND August 2021
Not that it has been all plain sailing, however. Taylor notes that Kärcher has increased its stock holding by about NZ$2 million to ensure it has a product supply buffer. A lack of human labour because of border restrictions has also been an impediment. “We rely heavily on staff coming across from the islands and with the border closures there’s been none of that this year,” Taylor says. “All industries have been challenged and cleaning and agriculture are the ones that have been hit the worst.” Despite such difficulties, Kärcher’s sales to retail and professional customers in New Zealand have grown substantially in the past year.
INNOVATION THE KEY There is no doubt that cleaners, cleaning contractors and their customers are seeking better, more cost-effective ways to care for floors. Steve Bagshaw, the regional ambassador for i-team Australia and New Zealand, agrees the market wants great floorcare products and outstanding customer care. The business is best known for its i-mop floor scrubber, which is credited with cleaning up to 70 per cent faster than conventional wet mopping. Recognising the importance of intelligent distribution networks, Bagshaw concedes that awareness of the i-team product range has not always been as high as it could have been in the past. To help rectify that situation, i-team