13th Anniversary Issue (May-June 2014) by Clean & Hygiene Review

May-June ’14

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Narender Kumar Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Business Co-ordinator Pooja Anand Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrath Nath, Sumesh Sharma Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Ofﬁces: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 / 05 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Guﬁc Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400 093 Ph.: 91-22-28395833 Telefax: 91-22-28388947 Website: www.chrmag.com E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net © 2014 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Clean & Hygiene Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 313, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110 028. Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs.90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

ven as Clean & Hygiene Review steps into adolescence as it has just turned 13, the cleaning industry has matured a lot during these years. Not only in terms of numbers, the standards of services, design, efficiency and convenience of products have improved significantly over the years. And as the new government at the Centre promises to step up reforms, things may well turn out to be even better in the coming years. However, one thing needs to be kept in mind that the growth of the industry can hardly come at the expense of the environment and health of the people in the long term. It is ironical that maintaining attractive and healthy conditions at home and workplace is difficult to imagine without cleaning products and at the same time certain cleaning agents can pollute the environment and put the health of residents and workers at risk. They may contain chemicals that can adversely affect the eye, skin, respiratory irritation, or other human health issues. Additionally, the concentrated forms of some commercial cleaning products are classified as hazardous, creating potential handling, storage, and disposal issues for users. Such concerns with conventional chemical-based cleaning products have paved the way for what is now often referred as green cleaning products. The term green cleaning commonly refers to products that contribute to healthy living without affecting the environment adversely. What is interesting to note, as our Cover Story of this issue reveals, is that it is not only the consumers who have become aware about the utility of green cleaning products, the cleaning industry itself is now promoting green cleaning products and the green movement has affected the industry in several ways. As a result, manufacturers today disclose more information about the ingredients in their cleaning products to help purchasers better understand all the environmental, safety and health characteristics of products before they select them. Such initiatives are steps in the right direction as the world gears up to embrace eco-friendly products in all segments and the cleaning industry, being at the forefront of implementing healthy living practices, must show the way. The Business Story of this issue tracks the road travelled by laundry business in India and finds that the face of long untapped laundry business in India is set for a sea-change as organised players, both domestic and multinational, gain foothold in the country due to rising concerns about quality of cleaning and swelling upper middle class population with high disposable income across metro and tier II and tier III cities. As the laundry industry matures in India, it will have positive impact not only on the quality of services but also on the detergent industry and laundry equipment suppliers. The Report of this issue discusses the implications of the findings by WHO that air pollution today has emerged as the single largest health risk in the world. I am sure you will find the other regular features between the covers equally interesting.

Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Clean & Hygiene Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing cleaning & maintenance, Laundry, Pest Control, Water & Waste Management and Environment. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

May-June ’14

10 16 22

COVER STORY

BUSINESS

CLEANING

Contents SECTIONS 4

News Scan

Report

Water

IAQ

Product Preview

Interview

PEST MANAGEMENT

LAUNDRY May-June ’14

NEWS SCAN

Green Building: Indian LEED Projects can Directly Register with GBCI

eginning July 1, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project teams in India can directly register and certify with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) by taking advantage of the technology platform LEED Online. The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) will provide LEED certification in collaboration with GBCI to avoid any inconvenience to LEED projects already registered with IGBC. GBCI manages LEED certification worldwide to deliver superior technical support and customer experience. “Twenty-two thousand projects in 150 countries recognise LEED as the premier green building rating system,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President, GBCI, and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The news coincides with the recent announcement that all state governments in India must comply with minimum requirements for energy efficient design and construction set by the central government by 2017. According to a USGBC report, India ranks third globally for countries outside of the U.S. with the most LEED-certified space, with nearly 12 million square meters. There are more than 66 million square metres of building space undergoing the LEED process in India, comprising 1,657 building projects.

UK-based Rentokil Acquires Gujarat’s PestconePlus

n a bid to expand its footprint in the country, Rentokil Initial India, a part of the UK-based Rentokil Initial, has acquired Gujarat-based pest control service provider PestconePlus for an undisclosed sum. “Acquisition of PestconePlus Ltd marks our entry into the state of Gujarat, an emerging market in India. We will continue to build our regional strength in India through organic and inorganic growth,” said Sam Easaw, Managing Director, Rentokil Initial India. “This acquisition further strengthens our presence in India and supports our journey of accelerated growth through differentiated services,” Easaw added. In line with its strategy to be “experts in the essential hygiene”, the acquisition strengthens Rentokil’s wide range of service offerings, customers base and core competencies, Easaw said. Operating in over 60 countries, Rentokil Initial offers essential services in areas such as hygiene, pest control and plants. In India, it operates in more than 35 cities. The buyout of PestconePlus, which has offices across India, will help in bringing an experienced local management team into the company. The immediate focus will be on introducing some of Rentokil’s industry leading technologies and employee development, the company said in a sttaement. Rentokil intends to provide sector-wise differentiated pest control and hygiene services in India.

May-June ’14

NEWS SCAN

Cloud-based Technology to Simplify in online marketplaces where waste generators Waste Management (households, apartments, ofﬁces) can procure waste

indtree, a global technology services company, launched ‘I Got Garbage’ (IGG), a cloud-based platform aimed to simplify waste management and transform every waste picker in Bangalore into an entrepreneur through a structured and governed waste management framework. IGG partners with social businesses to transform waste management into an organised sector and provide digniﬁed living and working conditions for the waste pickers. It enables waste pickers to offer waste management services by organising themselves into franchises and participate

Poor Waste Management: 10 Haryana Poultry Farms Get Closure Notice

n a move that could send a strong message to poultry farms ignoring hygienic and sustainable practices, the Haryana Pollution Control Board has sent closure notice to 10 poultry egg farms, and sealed 11 others, in Panchkula. The PCB action came in the wake of complaints filed by city residents on the growing house-fly menace in their locality due to the presence of poultry farms. “We applaud the swift action taken by Haryana’s Pollution Control Board and strongly urge the other states to follow the lead,” said N. G Jayasimha, Managing Director, Humane Society International (HSI) India that works with other partners to improve farm animal welfare and sustainability in the poultry industry. “Improper waste management in factory farms have a cascading effect on human health and environment. We have asked poultry farms to manage poultry effectively but they have made no attempts to improve their practices, Jayasimha added. In recent years, the shift towards industrial farm animal production has exacerbated existing waste management problems, with more animals being intensively confined in fewer, but larger, more crowded facilities. Poorly managed animal wastes from these facilities contaminate water and air with harmful chemicals, pathogens and particulate matter, and often attract infestations of flies to the surrounding area. Chronic exposure to such unhygienic conditions can have serious negative implications for human and animal health.

May-June ’14

management services. It also engages urban communities in solving the solid waste issues, and facilitates access to social security schemes for the waste pickers. IGG offers capabilities such as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) for waste pickers, social engagement platform for citizens, marketplace for waste management services, and a waste picker beneﬁts tracker. The initiative is a result of collaboration between Mindtree, Hasiru Dala, Waste Wise Trust and seven other social businesses. Due to unhealthy working conditions, waste pickers lead a life with an average life expectancy of 39 years. Moreover, they do not have access to the mainstream supply chain of waste, thereby reducing their daily income to less than a dollar.

Sanitation: Chennai Shows the Way

o tackle problems of female hygiene and access to sanitation, the Chennai Corporation is aiming for special ‘She Toilets’ in 348 locations across the city and will be opened by the end of the year. They will also be the first e-toilets (electronic, fully automated toilets) in the city. The toilets will have sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators. “This is also the first time Chennai Corporation has done a detailed survey and mapping of where public toilets are required and where the public oppose it,” a senior corporation official was quoted as saying. “Earlier the corporation would only ask the zonal engineer where to put up a toilet.” These 348 locations include bus stands, markets and open spaces. To women who work outdoors all day such as vendors, construction workers and police officers, the toilets will come as a big relief.

NEWS SCAN

MM University in Ambala gets India’s ﬁrst Laundromat Café

ow about meeting up your friends and enjoying a snack and coffee with them, in the comfortable and vibrant interiors of state-of-the art Laundromat, while waiting for their laundry to be ready? This is what the medical students of Maharishi Markandeshwar (MM) University in Ambala in Haryana can plan every now and then as Quick Clean Private Limited has now opened India’s ﬁrst Laundromat Café in the university campus. Equipped with stack washers and dryers and wash-dry from Electrolux Professional Laundry Systems, a leading global supplier to the catering, hospitality and care industry providing professional kitchens and laundry solutions, the new laundry facility is poised to become a thriving meeting place for the 1600 medical students living in the campus. “Self-service laundromats in India will no longer be boring laundry rooms from now on. Quick Clean has executed a colourful, youthful & well designed coin-op at Ambala City. Students & resident users will feel welcome once they come and sit down, enjoy a snack and coffee, in the comfortable & vibrant interiors, while waiting for their laundry to be ready,” said Animesh Sharma, Area Sales Manager – Laundry, Electrolux Professional India. The Laundromat is a generous 6000 sqft area with a dedicated snack bar, with a pool table and a lounge for

enjoying a coffee or watching TV, or simply catching up with friends. “The investment will be a real success as the facilities combine a natural gathering point for the students where they can meet, enjoy a snack and study while keeping an eye on their laundry,” said Anshul Gupta, Director, Quick Clean Private Limited, during the inauguration of the facility. “Electrolux stacked washers & dryers have been aesthetically arranged and Electrolux installations offer us exceptional performance and intelligent features. The intelligent features and special programmes for laundry further value add to the customer,” Gupta added. MM University in Ambala is just a couple of hours drive from New Delhi on the National Highway 1 -- DelhiChandigarh Highway.

TTK Prestige Enters into Water Puriﬁer Business

angalore-based TTK Prestige has joined hands with Swiss firm Lifestraw SA to bring out low-cost water purifiers for the mass market. It will use its existing distribution network besides own retail chain, Prestige Smart Kitchens, to penetrate into the category largely dominated by direct sales, TTK prestige said. “Water purifier is a highly underpenetrated category. We wanted to enter as it will give us a total portfolio in the kitchen space,” Chandru Kalro, CEO of TTK Prestige, was quoted as saying. The company has presence in categories such as pressure cookers, cookware, induction cook-tops and gas stoves. The water purifiers will be priced at Rs. 3,495. “Our products don’t need electricity to run and the overall cost of maintenance is also low,” Kalro added. The Rs.2,000-crore water purifier market in India has players such as Eureka Forbes, HULm, Philips, and Kent.

May-June ’14

May-June’14 Mar-Apr ’14

REPORT

Air Pollution Largest Single Environmental Health Risk: WHO By Jyotismita Sharma

Out of the 7 million premature deaths linked to air pollution annually, the World Health Organisation attributed a larger portion of these deaths (4.3 million) to indoor air pollution

ne in eight of total global deaths in 2012 was due to exposures air pollution, making it now the world’s largest single environmental health risk, the World Health Organisation found in its new estimates released on March 25. Around 7 million people died as a result of air pollution exposure, according to the WHO estimates. WHO estimates indoor air pollution was linked to 4.3 million deaths in 2012 in households cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves. The new estimate is explained by better information about pollution exposures among the estimated 2.9 billion people living in homes using wood, coal or dung as their primary cooking fuel, as well as evidence about air pollution’s role in the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and cancers. In the case of outdoor air pollution, WHO estimates there were 3.7 million deaths in 2012 from urban and rural sources worldwide.

Many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Due to this overlap, the WHO said in a statement, mortality attributed to the two sources cannot simply be added together, hence the total estimate of around 7 million deaths in 2012. “Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry.” said Dr Carlos Dora, WHO Coordinator for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “In most cases, healthier strategies will also be more economical in the long term due to health-care cost savings as well as climate gains,” Dr Dora said. The new data reveal a stronger link between both indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure and cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer. This is in addition to air Outdoor Air Pollution-Caused pollution’s role in Deaths the development • 40% – Ischaemic Heart of respiratory Disease; diseases, including • 40% – Stroke; acute respiratory • 11% – Chronic Obstructive infections and Pulmonary Disease (COPD); chronic obstructive • 6% – Lung cancer; and pulmonary • 3% – Acute Lower diseases. Respiratory Infections in The new

Breakdown of Death by Diseases

Children. Indoor Air Pollution-Caused Deaths • 34% – stroke; • 26% – ischaemic heart disease; • 22% – COPD; • 12% – Acute Lower Respiratory Infections in Children; And • 6% – lung cancer.

May-June ’14

REPORT estimates are not only based on more knowledge about the diseases caused by air pollution, but also upon better assessment of human exposure to air pollutants through the use of improved measurements and technology. This has e n a b l e d scientists to make a more detailed analysis of health risks from a wider demographic spread that now includes rural as well as urban areas. Regionally, low- and middleincome countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Paciﬁc Regions had the largest air pollutionrelated burden in 2012, with a total of 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths related to outdoor air pollution. “Cleaning up the air we breathe

May-June ’14

prevents noncommunicable diseases as well as reduces disease risks among women and vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly,” said Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General Family, Women and Children’s Health. “Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves,” she said. The new estimates are based on the latest WHO mortality data from 2012 as well as evidence of health risks from air pollution exposures.

Risks factors are greater than expected “The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously

thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes,” says Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO’s Department for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe.” 

3.7 million deaths attributable to ambient air pollution 4.3 million deaths attributable to household air pollution 7 million deaths caused by air pollution in 2012, covering both household and ambient air pollution. Note: Many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Due to this overlap, the mortality attributed to the two sources cannot simply be added together, said WHO

COVER S T O R Y

Cleaning Industry Readies

Green Makeover By Ashok Malkani

With health and environmental concerns associated with the traditional cleaning industry and its practices growing, ‘green’ products have captured the imagination of housekeeping professionals across the sectors, paving the way for a green makeover of the cleaning industry in India

May-June ’14

C O V E R STORY

aintaining attractive and healthy conditions at home and workplace is difﬁcult to imagine without cleaning products which primarily remove soils and stains from a surface and restore it to its original condition. Be it a hotel or restaurant, an industry or home, in most places across the world, cleaning products are also used to help remove unwanted microbial contaminants from a surface. Besides decking up a place, the removal of dust, allergens, and infectious agents plays an important role in maintaining a healthful indoor environment. And hardly anyone would disagree that keeping surfaces clean and free of soil not only helps reduce the opportunities for spreading of germs but also affects the health of residents and workers. While cleaning is so important to our health, it is now no longer a secret that some cleaning products can present several health and environmental concerns. They may contain chemicals that can adversely affect the eye, skin, respiratory irritation, or other human health issues. Additionally, the concentrated forms of some commercial cleaning products are classiﬁed as hazardous, creating potential handling, storage, and disposal issues for users. Such concerns with conventional chemical-based cleaning products have paved the way for what is now often referred as green cleaning products. “Utilising eco-friendly products has now become the norm. The

May-June ’14

Prashant Wadhavkar clients prefer it as they are odourless. Besides it is also beneﬁcial for our technicians to use these products as it does not affect their health adversely,” said Prashant Wadhavkar, Managing Director, Akanksha Pest Control Services. He adds, “Green c leaning techniques and products avoid the use of chemically reactive and toxic products which contain various toxic chemicals, some of which emit volatile organic compounds causing respiratory, dermatological (skin) and other conditions.” Green cleaning is also eco-friendly

Kanak Raj

and the term most commonly refers to products that contribute to green living or practices that help conserve resources like water and energy, explained Kanak Raj, Managing Director of Miraclean Tools (P) Ltd. “Eco-friendly products also prevent contributions to air, water and land pollution. You can engage in eco-friendly habits or practices by being more conscious of how you use resources,” Kanak Raj added. So the green cleaning method involves use of biodegradable or “green” products that lack chemicals that are toxic and considered harmful to human health and the environment. They can be purchased in stores and online or can be made at home using many products that are found in your kitchen.

Green Products Green cleaning is related to using better c leaning methods and products that are manufactured with environment friendly ingredients to preser ve human health and the mother earth. Green cleaning techniques and products avoid the usage of chemically harmful and poisonous cleaning material. Green cleaning also describes the ne wer technique de vised to manufacture residential and industrial cleaning products with harmless packaging material and least hazardous distribution techniques. When the manufacturing process is environment friendly and the products are biodegradable then the term “green” or “eco-friendly” is applicable.

COVER S T O R Y “Making a truly eco-friendly product keeps both environmental and human safety in mind. At a minimum, the product is non-toxic. Other eco-friendly attributes include the use of sustainably grown or raised ingredients, produced in ways that do not deplete the ecosystem,” Kanak Raj said. “Organic ingredients or materials are grown without toxic pesticides or herbicides. Products with “made from recycled materials” contain glass, wood, metal or plastic reclaimed from waste products and made into something new. Biodegradable products break down through natural decomposition, which is less taxing on landﬁlls and the ecosystem as a whole,” he added. As more and more people become concerned about their health, as well as product cost, making non-toxic cleaning products has been gaining in popularity, he noted.

Advantage of Green Products The reasons why green Cleaning has finally taken hold so firmly in professional cleaning are many and among those, according to Wadhavkar, the following are primary: Performance: The performance of many environmentally preferable cleaning products now meets or exceeds that of conventional cleaning products. Costs: While green cleaning c h e m i c a l s i n p a r t i c u l a r m ay

still be a bit more expensive to purchase, because they are highly concentrated they often stretch further, minimising the cost factor. Plus the less tangible beneﬁts such as improved worker morale and enhanced performance also add value to the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products. Health: As more credible studies have been released in the past decade indicating the health benefits of using green cleaning products, the facts have spoken for themselves. The products foster a healthier indoor environment, increasing the demand for Green Cleaning. Opportunities: When it became clear that Green Cleaning was a concept whose time had come, manufacturers in the professional c leaning industr y as wel l as distributors and contract cleaners all rushed to get on the green cleaning bandwagon. In addition to providing new opportunities for industry veterans and newcomers alike, this has increased the proliferation of green cleaning products and services related to green cleaning.” A study performed for the United States Environment Protection Agency by the Research Triangle Institute (one of the world’s leading research institutes, dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice) showed that, “an organised cleaning program based upon environmental management principles and fundamental environmental

Towards a Green Future?

ome of the predictions for green products and the cleaning industry, according to the industry pundits, are: • Institutional buyers and product specifiers will continue to drive the demand for environmentally preferable products. However, now, they are also demanding reliable and proven information to more efficiently and effectively compare products. • The demand for transparency will continue to grow for a number of reasons: Today, more than ever, there is strong competition between green products. Facility buyers as well as suppliers of cleaning products need effective tools to differentiate environmentally preferable products based on specific attributes and reliable data. Traditional ecolabel programs do not lend themselves to this degree of product differentiation. Purchasers are demanding additional information in support of a product's claimed environmental attributes so that they can make informed choices. • With the facility managers realising that green cleaning products and processes can go a long way in supporting corporate sustainability objectives and institutional customers will adopt, more vigorously, sustainability goals as part of their overall business strategies and as a way to position themselves in the marketplace. With purchasers are becoming more sophisticated and discerning ,the producers will have to be more elaborate about what makes their product a ‘green product’. The purchasers, including FMs, will not only want green products, but will want to know how green it is, why it is green, and the corporate sustainability practices of the manufacturer.

May-June ’14

C O V E R STORY ecologically conscious buyers.

Meenal Shimpi protection guidelines contributed to improved indoor air quality through reduction of total suspended particles, total volatile organic compounds, and culturable bacteria and fungi.” “However,” Kanak Raj warned, “Companies sometimes label their products ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ without them truly being so. Called as ‘green washing,’ these marketing campaigns perpetuate this practice, aimed at helping companies increase their product sales by appealing to

Green Cleaning in Hotels Many hotels are also turning to green cleaning products and practices to improve indoor air quality, reduce risk to building occupants, improve environmental performance and obtain a marketing advantage. “Hoteliers have become more concerned about indoor air quality,” said Meenal Shimpi, Executive Housekeeper, Hotel Shantai in Pune, Maharashtra. “Traditional cleaning products have been identiﬁed as part of this problem. Serious health problems are linked to cleaning product chemicals. Some chemicals emit a high level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are associated with, eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system… some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans,” she added. “Cleaning product chemicals that are causes for concern include butane,

chlorine, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, and perchloroethylene. Toxic chemicals do not just impact hotel staff. They linger in rooms for hours or days, and make contact with hotel guests.” “Green cleaning can also take very simple forms,” Shimpi explained. “To the housekeeping executives, it is a

A Trusted Name in Professional Cleaning & Housekeeping Products Cleaners

Mechanized Cleaning Equipments

Mopping / Multipurpose & Room Attendant Trolleys

Quartz Home Care (I) P Ltd A2, Rajouri Garden, Ring Road, New Delhi-110027, India Phone: +91 11 2541 6563, 2541 5563, 2510 9038 �� www.qhcindia.com

May-June ’14

Entrance Matting / Anti-Skid Tapes Our Dealers Network

��

Dealers Enquiry Solicited

COVER S T O R Y Knowing this, a purchaser can select another green cleaning product that does not include this ingredient. Pr o f e s s i o n a l c l e a n i n g a n d cleaning products today are safer, more sustainable, effective and cost effective than those made just a few years back. These changes also have had a major impact on the professional cleaning industry in general. The days of cleaning workers being an invisible part of building operations are long gone. Today, and much the result of the green cleaning movement, they are considered one of the most crucial parts of a facility’s or business’s operation.

Future of Green Cleaning

common known fact that, airborne dust is reduced and indoor air quality improved by the proper use of entrance mats, and vacuuming with certiﬁed equipment.” Besides improving the environment, green c leaning products are also considered worker friendly. “A pregnant woman is now advised not to clean using “normal” household cleaners, because the baby may get ill from the chemicals. So can we allow workers to use these chemicals continuously?” Kanak Raj asked. Hotels have by now also realised that choosing green products may not add to their housekeeping budget. “There is some evidence that green cleaning programs reduce indirect costs by improving productivity and reducing absenteeism,” Shimpi noted. H o w e v e r, c h o o s i n g g r e e n cleaning products, she said, is not an all-or-nothing proposition. “Some hotels use traditional products for some jobs and green products for others. Others use green products on a daily basis, and keep traditional products in reserve for use as needed. For example, 14

some stains might respond best to cleaners that are more acidic or more alkaline than green cleaning products.”

Green Effect on Cleaning Industry While more and more companies manufacture eco-friendly products, the green cleaning movement has affected the cleaning industry in more ways than one, some of which are: Ecolabels: S e l e c t i n g g re e n cleaning products used to be a challenge. With the advent of certification, standards and ecolabels, buyers have been given more tools to choose appropriate products. Transparency: Another trend in the industry is for manufacturers to disclose more information about the ingredients in their cleaning products. A step beyond certification and ecolabels, this move is intended to help purchasers better understand all the environmental, safety and health characteristics of products before they select them. Very simply, users want to know what is inside the products they use, even green ones. For instance, one certified-green product may include an ingredient that can cause an allergic reaction in small children.

Not only are more and more c onv e n t i on a l p ro d u c t s b e i n g replaced with environmentally preferable alternatives; in many cases, professional cleaning chemical manufacturers are now on their second, third, fourth or even ﬁfth new version of certain green cleaning products. As manufacturers better understand what makes a product green, they have developed new technologies that have helped make these products more effective and affordable. Another step in the evolution of green cleaning is the development of more cleaning equipment that helps protect the environment Looking into the future, we can expect to see an increased interest in cleaning for health. This growing interest is partially due to the widespread acceptance of green cleaning. The adoption and use of green cleaning products and services has renewed the awareness and appreciation of the primary purpose of cleaning - i.e., to remove unwanted matter and pathogenic microorganisms from facilities to ensure they are in a state conducive to the occupants’ health and well being. The growing interest in cleaning for health is also borne out of greater awareness and an increase in the transmission and prevalence of infectious pathogens that threaten  human health. May-June ’14

May-June ’14

BUSINESS

Laundry Business:

Maturity at Doorstep

The face of long untapped laundry business in India is set for a sea-change as organised players, both domestic and multinational, gain foothold in the country due to rising concerns about quality of cleaning and swelling upper middle class population with high disposable income across metro and tier II and tier III cities. By Ashok Malkani

May-June â&#x20AC;&#x2122;14

he Indian laundry industry is still dominated by unorganised players. But this may soon change as concerns over quality of service provided by the neighbourhood dhobis run often by untrained professionals have echoed in different quarters for quite some time now. In fact, the recent years have seen the entry of new organised players into the laundry market and encouraged by their initial success several of them have announced plans to expand their business to new areas, signaling the growing maturity of the Indian laundry industry. Most of these organised players focus on 48-hour turnaround (for 24 hour turnaround, they charge 70 percent to 100 percent extra), offer home delivery (requires a minimum number of clothes) and own a network of portable kiosks, as well as customer care units. They are now set to give local dry cleaners and launders a tough run for their money by offering quality services at affordable prices to regular customers and corporate clients. Besides that, many established and emerging brands are also offering quick pick and drop facility to one’s doorstep. Seeing the trend, now many aspiring franchisors and franchisees are cashing in on the service industry

May-June ’14

to grab the massive market share by tapping the unorganised market that holds a huge untapped potential. What have watered the seeds of growth in the laundry industry are primarily the demands from the tourism and hospitality industry, youth with high disposable income who buy designer clothes, growing recognition of India as a medical tourism hub, overall growth of the Indian economy and most importantly growing quality consciousness among the people in general.

Driving Force The Indian tourism and hospitality industry has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth among the services sectors in India. In 2013, the travel and tourism industry contributed Rs 2.17 trillion or 2 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). This is expected to rise to Rs 4.35 trillion in 2024. India’s travel and tourism industry is expected to grow by about 7.3 per cent in 2014, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Medical tourism is also a growing sector in India. The country is perceived as one of the fastest growing medical tourism destinations. The country’s medical tourism sector is expected to experience an annual growth

BUSINESS or a CAGR of around 11 percent. This assumes a volume growth of 5 percent and value growth of 6 percent. The availability of labour force in India can also be boost of the organized laundry industry, although skilled labour may not be that easily accessible. However, with proper training, the unemployed youth can be easily turned into productive force without straining much on the operational cost.

rate of 30 percent, making it a $2 billion industry by 2015. It may also be mentioned that India is the second fastest growing major economy after China and growing at 6.1 per cent year-onyear. With increasing tourism, the number of hotels is on the rise, creating a glut of dirty linen. The hospitals too add to the clutter, not to forget the youth who are reluctant to entrust their clothes with the local dhobi.

Though 4- and 5- star hotels undertake in-house cleaning, a majority of them prefer to outsource the laundry services, opening up space for the laundry players to offer their much needed services. Moreover, India’s fabric wash market is a mature market; it grows in line with the growth in nominal GDP. A recent report by Axis Bank’s arm Enam Direct says the market will grow from $2.7bn in 2011 to $4.5bn in 2017,

Major Players Tracing back the beginnings of the organized laundry, it can be said that the organized industry took roots in India in 2008, when Diamond Fabcare Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with Brown Gouge of Australia, announced the launch of Wardrobe in Delhi and NCR with about 100 stores. With operational and technological know-how from Brown Gouge of Australia, which is about a century old leader in dry-cleaning and laundry industry, Wardrobe deployed/setup state of art equipments imported from Europe and the USA from the best suppliers in the world. Diamond Fabcare Private Limited (DFPL) was fully acquired by Jyothy Fabricare Services Limited (JFSL), a

May-June ’14

BUSINESS subsidiary of Jyothy Laboratories Ltd (JLL), in 2011. Today, Jyothy Fabricare Services Limited (JFSL) is well poised to cater to the varied fabric care needs of the discerning institutional customer. “From clean and crisp bedding and bath linen to rich and luxuriant furnishing fabric, from inviting catering linen to neat & natty uniforms – from sectors like hotels, airlines and industry, which have varied fabric care needs – JFSL cater to all their needs. Powered by a battery of fabric care experts, world class equipment, the latest in technology and above all, impeccable service - Jyothy Fabricare Services Limited (JFSL) is just what discerning and time conscious customers always wanted for their varied garment and linen care,” said Moothedath Ramachandran Jyothy, Director of JFSL. Some of the major commercial laundries now well established in India are Pressto, The Dhobi

May-June ’14

Express, 5asec, White Tiger, Wardrobe, Four Seasons, Fabric Spa, Elite Cleaners, ‘Wassup–Just Laundry’ owned by Laundry Project India Pvt Ltd, Wonder Wash, Swiss Laundry and many more. The Spanish multinational express dry-cleaning chain, Pressto, came to India in early 2008 and today is considered the most successful laundry chain in India. Pressto´s philosophy is based on three concepts: speed, quality and a personalized treatment. Pressto’s cleaning process guarantees an antibacterial treatment based on special detergents for cleaning of all garments. This process achieves total hygiene and a healthy cleanliness. The Dhobi Express, another laundry chain, has around 5 stores in Mumbai. It is aiming expansion through the franchising route. Amit Lall, Founder & Managing Director, wants to

professionalise the ﬁeld of laundry & dry-cleaning and offers the convenience of free pick-up and delivery because he values the customers “Time”. French brand - 5aSec, world wide industry leader in textile care solutions, has entered India with its maiden outlet in Mumbai. 5aSec, the world leader in dry cleaning, has 7,000 employees across four continents and 1,800 shops. The brand has footprints in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Middle East. Suresh Bhatia, Managing Director of 5asec India said, “We don’t see any direct competition in our kind of Dry-cleaning services as our technology and services vary from conventional ones. However, other international players do exist worldwide where 5asec operates and coexists.” he believes that their USP is that 5asec offers best quality & service in each of its self sustained and fully automated stores with 24 hrs service at

BUSINESS regular rates and express service in a matter of 2 hours. “At 5asec we offer various services for different textiles and our Maxima treatment is renowned for handling Saris and Tunics with embellishments and many other delicate textiles,” he added. With currently 2 operational stores and 2 in pipe line in India, He mentions it’s too early to analyze the ROI, however, the projected payback time is around 3 years and the investment differs depending on location, size, types of equipments installed and market economies etc. Four Seasons Drycleaning Company, a professional garment care, cleaning and finishing service, caters to the personal wardrobes of men, women and children. It specialises in drycleaning of designer wear & fine garments, besides providing drycleaning, laundry & pressing service to hotels, institutions etc. White Tiger, world class laundry and dry cleaning service provider is India’s only ISO certified laundry and dry cleaning company with a state-of-art Rs 20 crore plant in Noida, having latest technology and imported plant and equipment from the USA and Europe. The company is promoted by a Rs 100 crore industrial major having highly trained professional staff, including chemicals and textiles engineers, and caters to its customers through 32 outlets in Delhi and NCR. Wassup–Just Laundry brand is currently present in Chennai and Bangalore with twelve retail stores including six franchises and six company-owned. Balachandar

R, Director, Laundry Project India Pvt Ltd, said: “Our retail expansion is through franchisees.” Bangalore based–Wonder Wash is an established laundry and dry cleaning service that offers its services to hotels, corporate, institutions and retail segment. Swiss Laundry is another new brand that provides professional laundry and dry cleaning services and has years of experience in the European market too. The brand has plans to expand pan India. And one of the latest to come on the scene is Magnamind Ventures, promoted by a group of UAE-based professionals, which has opened Kochi’s first large scale industrial laundry. According to the company officials, the 20,000-sq ft laundry complex with a capacity of 15tonnes per day is the largest of its kind in south India. The unit has a new range of equipment that utilises the most modern energy efficient technology which helps save as much as 40 per cent of water compared to traditionally available commercial washers, said Sreejith Narendran, managing director of the company, The company aims to cater to the longterm demands of the booming hospitality industry in and around Kochi, Munnar and Kumarakom. The company has invested Rs.15 crore for this project, the officials said. According to a recent study, these tourist hotspots alone account for 40 tonnes of dirty

linen every day and the company will also start linen rentals and have collection points in Kochi and Thrissur initially. “Once our operations are in full stream, we will expand the number of collection centres up to 50 across the state,” said Sreejith Narendran, managing director, Magnamind Ventures.

Challenges At present, the poor infrastructure is inhibiting the establishment of central laundry and other services. Another factor preventing centralised laundry services is that laundry continues to have a low value; so it is difﬁcult to be able to charge a high enough price for the service to be able to make the investment in high-tech equipment feasible. Besides this, the laundries also face the challenge of high rate of attrition. This is because unskilled workers change jobs regularly to make more money. The quality and unavailability of water are some of the other handicaps for the laundry industry. Washing linen in variable water conditions, where iron and hardness can vary from one delivery to another, creates complications when you are serving star hotels and hospitals. However, as the laundry industry matures in India, it will have positive impact not only on the quality of services but also on the detergent industry and laundry equipment suppliers. 

May-June ’14

May-June ’14 ’13

53 21

CLEANING

Maintaining Floor with Polishing By bringing the upper coat of a floor to a higher gloss, improaving slip resistance and removing marks, floor polishing can do wonders in areas with high traffic that tend to lose their shine easily

othing attracts more than a floor in any facility, especially in public areas. It is an essential constituent that adds beauty and warmth to any internal or external area. If one wants to make that beauty last, it requires special effort to maintaining these floors. By properly maintaining and caring about the ﬂoor, one can ensure it looks as wonderful as the

day it was installed. It is common belief that it is usually only highend institutions who are looking for quality maintenance, whereas on the other hand, smaller establishments look for cheaper solutions so cannot opt for the more expensive options. The processes have not changed drastically over the past few years. Although the machines being used are developing to save time and money and increase productivity. The floor maintenance process is often ver y detailed, involving many stages of technical applications; thus it is a specialised cleaning task. One of the major tasks is floor polishing. It brings the upper coat of a floor to a higher gloss, improve slip resistance and remove marks. Areas with high traffic require polishing as these areas can lose their shine easily. Floor polishing is a

very technical process, in terms of the equipment that is manufactured for the task, and what it does. Floor polishing can be done with single disk machines, running at 350 rpm or more, to ultra high speed machines. But in terms of the action that the polishing administers to the floor, it is basically a sweeping motion that is easy to train for, because the specialised equipment allows it to be. The choice of machine depends on the kind of task at hand, the time available to do it and the type of floor being worked on. The most common floors that require polishing, and protection, are vinyl, linoleum, and some wooden flooring. Also necessary to protect are marble, terrazzo and granite stone floors. On marble, terrazzo and limestone a technical process that was used a lot in the past was ‘vitrification’. With this process a high gloss on the floor was obtained. Although this gloss could last for a very long time, creating it was a time-consuming process. Nowadays, in order to save money, contract cleaners prefer to use contemporary

May-June ’14

CLEANING methods across the range of floor materials instead. All floor surfaces can achieve a better polish from diamonds. Normally layers and layers of chemicals are used to protect and polish floor surfaces. Initially, they are used to take away the dirt and grime. Then more is needed for the protection and final polish of the floor surface. This was done by just polishing with diamonds. Once achieved then buffed for a pleasant shine. It is the same with diamondbased floor polishing. Different diamond-encrusted pads, of different coarseness levels, are used depending on difficulty in smoothing the floor surface, and then the floor is buffed with a soft pad. The diamonds do not destroy or take anything away from the floor, they just bring out the natural shine of it.

How to Make a Stone Floor Shine? The diamond polishing process achieves spectacular results, increases slip resistance and promotes safe and hygienic floor surfaces and reduced costs. The diamond maintenance system is very cost efficient, as maintenance or labour costs will be considerably reduce. The end result is a gleaming, non-slip, long lasting finish - quality that you can’t help but notice. The system eliminates the need for polishing compounds with toxic components. In most cases once treated, it is recommended that the floors are allowed to breathe naturally. Diamond polishing can be carried out at any time. The floor polishing process is dust and dirt-

May-June ’14

free so there’s no inconvenience or disruption. Using diamond pads means safe and hygienic floors. Floors that are easier to maintain and naturally become more stain resistant. All of these benefits can be achieved within a fraction of the time and cost of a full floor chemical seal. It is a common misconception amongst most people that natural stones such as marble, granite, and other finely polished natural stones have a shining surface polish; this is added to them. The sparkle in natural stones is due to crystals and these crystals are usually made up of different minerals where each mineral makes a different crystal shape. Furthermore, the stone is made up of several of these interlocked crystals. A freshly

quarried stone had a very rough and lack-luster texture and appearance. However, stone manufacturers grind the stone by using a series of graduated grinders. These grinders are made from industrial diamonds and the initial polishing process is started using a very rough diamond. Gradually, diamond studded pads are used to get a fine and finer shining finish. Diamond studded stone grinders cut the rough edges off the stone by scratching it and as the diamonds become smaller in size the scratches become finer and finally microscopic. These intense scratches provide a very smooth surface and high gloss to the stone. The surface of the stone is now made perfectly flat so that it can reflect light uniformly just like a glass surface.

CLEANING When old stone surface loses shine, use scrubbing pads made of natural fibres such as wool, or other materials which are used to strip the stone floor completely of any polish or wax. Then grind the surface using floor cleaning machines to expose the original shiny surface. Not only does this ensure that floor remains clean and look good, but it also restores the shine. Remember, the harder the stone, the more difficult it is to grind it. But a greater degree of shine can be achieved for hard stones such as granite followed by marble and then limestone. Using traditional chemical-based cleaning methods will turn the stone brown and which need to be removed after 10 years. With grinding, using diamonds, the stone would not have to be removed. Treating floors with some kinds of chemicals can block the pores, which means the stone cannot breathe.

Polished Concrete Applications Because polishing is a multi-step process, customers tend to choose the level of sheen from satin to highgloss that meets their maintenance and aesthetic requirements. Polishing concrete entails a wide gamut of such possibilities. This versatility makes polished concrete an ideal ﬂooring material for a variety of applications. Polishing contractors for concrete say their primary customers include: ( i ) L a r g e w a re h o u s e s a n d warehouse outlets (ii) Retail stores (iii) Hotels and restaurants

(iv) Office buildings (v) Auto showrooms (vi) Private residences Ease of maintenance is the key reason why many warehouses and retail facilities are opting for polished concrete. Not only are polished concrete floors easy to clean, requiring only occasional damp mopping, they hold up well to heavy forklift and foot traffic. They also eliminate the need for messy waxes or coatings as well as the associated labour, time, and expense to apply them. Besides, the glossy concrete surface resists the marks of forklift truck tires and staining from oil and chemical spills. The high light reflectivity of polished concrete is another important benefit, especially for office buildings, hotels, restaurants, and other public facilities that want to project a bright, clean, and professional image.

Can All Concretes Be Polished? Almost any structurally sound concrete floor, whether new or old, can be polished. But there are some exceptions: For new concrete floors, no special mix design is required to achieve the desired results. However, the floor should be in place at least 28 days before polishing begins. This will ensure a comprehensive polishing exercise. Some retail and warehouse facilities that plan to polish their concrete floors after placement may specify the installation of as smooth a floor as possible to minimise the polishing steps required. Existing concrete floors typically require some surface preparation prior to polishing for the purpose of removing dirt, grease, coatings, or blemishes. However, floors that are wavy need extensive patching, and those which are extremely porous may not be good candidates for polishing. An experienced contractor can usually determine a floor’s suitability for polishing.

Maintaining Concrete Floor Once the floor has been sealed and waxed, concrete floor should last for many years. However, as with any flooring, concrete floor will need some maintaining. If the floor begins to lose luster or shine, clean floor with one or two coats of a mop-on floor finish to bring back the floor’s original appearance. Once a year, consider buffing and re-waxing. Dry dusting weekly or as needed will help remove particles that can scratch the wax coating over the sealer. Wet mopping monthly or as needed with water and very mild detergent is also helpful. Avoid heavy cleaners with ammonia or bleach. If foot traffic is heavy and continual, floor maintenance may be required two or three times monthly. If you notice a powdery white or splotchy appearance; especially after a rain, the sealer is doing its job of repelling dirt dust and pollen. Rinse with a garden hose followed by a leaf blower to remove excess water. Pressure washing is generally not needed. Rinsing and a blowing will remove most things on the surface. If there was a spill, use a mild soap like Ivory liquid in some warm water to loosen the material. Rinse and blow back to a clean surface. The manufacturer of the sealant recommends resealing every 1 to 2 years. How often surface need to be resealed depends on the amount of rain and sunlight it receives. When you start to notice that water doesn’t bead up it could be time to reseal. 

May-June ’14

PEST MANAGEMENT

Towards Wholesome

Hospital Hygiene An integrated approach to pest management, which involves inspection, identiﬁcation, establishment of threshold levels, adequate control measures, and appraising the progress of pest control measures employed, can secure the health of the hospital and its human inmates from the pest menace. By Swarnendu Biswas

he presence of pests in hospitals can be hazardous to the health of the patients, and detrimental to the reputation of the management as well as the staff of the hospitals concerned. But in the backdrop of the dismal public healthcare system in India, the patients have managed to develop a singularly high level of tolerance towards the presence, or even the prevalence of pests in hospitals. However, this is not to say that pests are only rampant in the ramshackle government run healthcare facilities, for they are also very much present in many sophisticated high-end chains of private hospitals, whose healthcare is unfortunately afforded by few private individuals in India. More than the pests, this acceptance by the public to the presence of pests in hospitals is the worrying factor, for this casual nonchalance impedes the civil society from inducing the state to take adequate remedial actions to counter this potential health threat, which many a time hang over the heads of the patients like the sword of Damocles, and which many a time strikes or rather bites the patients, often dangerously. We as a civil society must take a serious note of the fact that the pests often do have free access to the hospitals in India, which not only compromises the hygienic standards of the hospitals, but also does have the potential to breed new illnesses among the patients. The patients come to the hospitals to get cured, but the pests which have made

hospitals their homes, can give them a new illness or compound their illness. For example, the risk of plague and/or malaria, if the sensitive environment of the hospital is infested with rats and mosquitoes, simply cannot be overstated. Pest control in the Indian hospitals can be viewed among the topmost clean and hygiene concerns of our society. It must be undertaken by both the government and even the so called sleek private hospitals on a war footing, as pests can increase the vulnerability of the patients. The pest management in the hospitals should be proactive and not reactive in nature; it should be a continual process and not a temporary stop-gap arrangement or a onetime affair; it should be focused, integrated and holistic, and not generic and basic in approach. However, before undertaking pest control, we must develop a clear idea of pests and pesticides. By pests we are

Even those areas of the hospitals where pests are least expected should also be inspected, for just because a given area is without any notable infestation of the pests, doesn’t mean it would remain always so.

not only meaning mosquitoes, ﬂies, rats, and a range of insects. The term pest can also cover weeds, fungi, bacteria and even viruses. Pesticides can be deﬁned as any chemical substance or substances, which is/are used with the objective of eliminating, preventing, repelling or mitigating the pest menace.

An Integrated Approach It should be borne in mind that pest control is not a task without its share of complexities. For attaining enduring results in hospital hygiene through pest management, one should not go for indiscriminate usage of pest control products. It is common knowledge that the rampant use of pesticides often does have negative impacts on the environment. The solutions and not the products are the keys to a holistic pest management process. An integrated approach to pest management, which involves inspection, identiﬁcation, establishment of threshold levels, adequate control measures, and appraising the progress of pest control measures employed, can secure the health of the hospital and its human inmates from the pest menace. Inspection process of integrated pest management (IPM) involves a comprehensive evaluation of all the areas within and around the medical institution to be inspected. Inspection process should not only involve the wards and operation theatres, but should also include remote dumpsters, store rooms, ambulance bays, attics, basements, etc. which are often

May-June ’14

PEST MANAGEMENT neglected. Even those areas of the hospitals where pests are least expected should also be inspected, for just because a given area is without any notable infestation of the pests, doesn’t mean it would remain always so. Moreover, the inspection process should not only involve detecting the pests, and finding which type or types of pests have made an entry into in and around the hospital premises, but should also explore how a particular pest has gained entry into the hospital. If infestation by pests is traced upon inspection, the date and time on which the infestation has been detected, and also the intensity of the infestation should be recorded. This facilitates in choosing the right mode of treatment. Inspection process should be followed by identif ication. Identifying the pest and knowing its habitat and lifecycle would help us better to chart the appropriate pest management solution to address the problem. For example, the pest control method to counter the threat of rodents may be different from that of countering the menace of mosquitoes. The identification of pests should be followed by the determination of threshold levels. The threshold levels in the field of pest control can be determined as the level of infestation beyond which pest control measures need to be employed. For example, the presence of a few flies can be tolerated in the bathroom of a healthcare facility, but the same concentration of flies in the operation theatre of the same healthcare unit may not be tolerated. In the former case, the presence of some flies is within the threshold level, while in the latter case, the threshold level has been crossed, and pest control measures need to be employed.

The Right Control The ideal control measure for any pest in the hospitals should take care of certain things. Firstly, it should involve no damage, or at the most, minimum possible affect to the sensitive environment of the hospitals and the health of their inmates and staff, where pest management practice has been employed. Besides that, the method of pest control measure being used should be simple and effective, and not cumbersome in nature. It should not disturb the core and allied functions of the healthcare institutions, which are often of emergency nature. The pest management method should be cost-effective and sustainable

May-June ’14

The chemical control methods should ideally be employed in hospitals, as well as in homes and offices, when all other pest control methods have failed. over a period of time, and above all, must be successful in significantly reducing the presence of the targeted pest or pests from the hospitals. Sometimes all the above-mentioned objectives may be achieved only with a mu lti-pronged approach to pest management. The control measures may range from ensuring something as basic as sanitation, to mechanical and chemical controls. Though sanitation should always be adhered to in the hospitals, the use of other control measures depend largely upon the nature of the pest problem. Sanitation is the most basic of pest control measures, and its success reflects the truism behind the famous saying of ‘prevention is better than cure.’ In fact, sustained sanitation of hospitals can act as the perfect compliment in ensuring the effectiveness of other pest control measures. Sanitation of hospitals involves elimination of pest harborages, and their water and food sources, which will force the pests to leave. It also includes disinfecting floors and surfaces, which may have spillage of blood, urine, body wastes, etc, eliminating standing water or leakage sources, and proper disposal of solid waste and garbage. The mechanical control measures include trap, seals or barriers, which help in catching the pests, or facilitate preventing pests from entering and developing habitat in a location, which may endanger human health. The mechanical measures and sanitation are and should be employed in homes and offices too, but in the healthcare facilities they often are the most preferred

Sustained sanitation of hospitals can act as the perfect compliment in ensuring the effectiveness of other pest control measures.

options in effectively controlling the prevalence or the incidence of pests. Cultural control of the pests or altering the environment of the pests can also be employed to reduce or eliminate their menace. Cultural control measures in healthcare facilities may involve barring or discouraging the patients, visitors and staff to bring in any food items, which may encourage the pest/s to breed and thrive. Succinctly, cultural control measures related to pest management involve manipulating the pest’s environment in such a way so that it becomes less conducive or less favourable to its existence.

The Chemical War on Pests The chemical control methods should ideally be employed in hospitals, as well as in homes and ofﬁces, when all other pest control methods have failed. It should be the last resort in any integrated pest management programme. Specially, considering the sensitive nature of the environment of the healthcare institutions and facilities, the usage of pesticides in them should be done with great care. The pesticides should only be used in those areas of the healthcare facilities, which are not that sensitive. Utmost care should be taken to ensure that the usage of pesticides is not jeopardising the health of the patients and staff in any way. However, great improvements in bait formulations have increased the pesticide use in hospitals. Areas which were hitherto off limits to pesticide usage are now being treated by employing chemical control measures. Integrated pest management technique, which treats the pest problem with a holistic perspective and uses not only the appropriate method/s to address the problem but dwells into the history and the nature of the pest menace and its implications, is deﬁnitely better than the random usage of pesticides that acts without concern to the immediate environment. However, its success rate can be further enhanced by conducting timely check-ups or appraisals of the success of the programme and conducting timely rectification or tightening of any loose ends associated with the programme. Besides that, the success of any IPM measure also increases if it takes into account the sensitivity of the local populace and assimilates other local considerations germane to the place where  it is being introduced.

LAUNDRY

Equipped to Wash off Worries? If you wish to make laundry hassle-free, get the right equipment for your setting in place that can wash off not just the dirt and grime but also your worries by delivring high production with low operational costs.

aundry equipment encompasses equipments necessary to have a fully functioning laundry facility. The Laundry systems in a commercial laundry need to be highly productive and efﬁcient. The operator must understand the need to achieve goals such as higher productivity, streamlining of laundry process, creating a more environmentally friendly operation, decreasing the number or hours of attendants, and slashing water and utility costs. The laundry must deliver high production with low operational costs. The washer-extractors, ﬂatwork ironers and drying tumblers should be highly programmable to meet the individual needs of special markets, including hospitals, hotels, drycleaners, schools etc. To source out the commercial laundry equipment having labour and energy saving features, that matter most, operator should carefully analyse the features offered by multiple brands vis-à-vis cost. Many institutions utilise commercial laundry facilities when they do not have their own laundry set up. These institutions prefer to use a commercial

laundry facility to reduce investment and economies, the proper operations by reducing manpower and other related expenses needed for laundry operations. Laundry equipment may also be necessary for in-house laundry facilities as found in many hotels, hospitals, schools, and other organisation that requires laundry services on a frequent enough basis to justify investing in equipment under their own roof.

Types of Laundry Equipment Perhaps the most often thought-of laundry equipment is the washing machine, known as a washer extractor in industrial settings. Washer extractors differ from household washing machines in both their size and features. Whereas most household washing machines have an inlet valve, a standard rinse cycle, and relatively limited options as to cycle types, washer extractors often have up to 4 high-speed inlet valves for quick ﬁ lling of the tub, a jet spray rinse cycle for thorough rinsing, extremely high speed spin cycles for effective extraction. Much larger capacities, and various features

such as overnight soak, soft wash, or delayed start. Although speciﬁc details vary according to washer extractor models and manufacturers, they are almost similar in the ability to handle much larger loads of laundry and handling of special options necessary when running a commercial facility. Drying machines, or dryer tumblers, are also found both in homes and commercial settings. Industrial dryer tumblers have a super fast drying capability for quicker drying of laundry, often have an energy efﬁcient design, may have a tumbler that can be reversed manually or automatically, a self-cleaning lint system, and various mechanical parts that make possible features such as instant ignition and more. While dryer tumblers range in the size of load they can handle, the largest equipment can handle upwards of 75 pounds of laundry at a time, many times more than a standard household dryer. While homes may use a standard iron, this is not effective for a larger laundry facility. Thus most laundry equipment retailers offer a variety of ironing equipment, which may be

May-June ’14

LAUNDRY heated roll or heated press. Heated roll ironers are preferred by smaller to medium size laundry facilities, while heated chest ironers are used by larger laundries who can afford the greater initial investment.

Special Features Depending on the setting for which the laundry equipment is intended, there may be special features that are desirable in the equipment being purchased. For example, larger versions of the stacked washers and dryers found in many institutions may be preferred for a small or medium size laundry that has very limited space. Coin laundries require equipment that is compatible with coin mechanisms. Many manufacturers of commercial laundry equipment offer machinery that already has coin features in place. Washers and dryers may be topload or frontload, a matter of personal preference as well as determining a ﬁt for the particular application, and range in shape and electricity usage. The wide variety of laundry equipment available ensures that any facility, from the smallest property needing to wash towels to the largest hotel with huge quantities of linens that need to be laundered, can ﬁnd the equipment right for them. The advent of computer and microprocessor controls in various laundry equipments revolutionised their performance and dramatically reduced the number of employees as well as working hours per employee. Tunnel Laundries The eighties witnessed the advent of the continuous batch processing systems, which are also known as the tunnel washing systems. The modern generation of tunnel washers, if set up and used correctly are designed to give vastly improved productive economics in situations where the loads to be processed are substantially high i.e. in the range of about 400kgs/hr. These wonder machines have overcome the two big disadvantages of the washer extractors, which due to their high speed (revolutions per minute) cause more wear and tear in the linen. In addition, these are batch processing systems which in fact set the working pace for the functioning of the laundry,

May-June ’14

resulting in easier handling of the work and less strain for the staff deployed there.

Industrial Laundries Critical to highly productive commercial and industrial laundries have proper equipment mix, machine programming, workflow, laundry design, labour, and load-type. One should know how to improve laundry productivity while reducing utilities and labour - to accomplish more, using less. In order to do so one must choose highest quality commercial laundry equipment that can assist in creating productive and efficient on-premise laundries. The supplier should provide proper laundry layout specifications, equipment options and ancillary products to meet specific needs. For pre-existing on-premise commercial laundry facilities, laundry equipment with improved washing ability, cost-effective options for utilities and ancillary items, expertise in proper chemical usage, and topnotch service are the pre-requisites of the supplier. The laundry equipment should be packed with features designed to improve productivity, simplify the wash process and turnout a consistent, quality result with each wash and must be perfect for industrial laundries. Washers equipped with automatic chemical injection, high-speed extract and optimum programmability can increase the total productivity and quality. The more productive laundry with lower energy and labour costs can prove to be highly profitable set up. Hospital Laundry The importance of a clean environment and linen for optimal patient care has been stressed upon since the very inception of hospitals. It goes without saying that “supportive” services are indispensable for a hospital to perform in the true perspective and deliver good patient care; besides going a long way in developing good public relation of the hospital. Studies have proved beyond doubt, that hospital acquired infections show an increase whenever laundry and linen services are inadequate. Production and hygiene is key when

equipping a laundry in a hospital. Washers should have extract speeds that top out at more than 387-G force, cutting dry time by as much as 50 percent. In doing so, facilities also cut utility costs, power consumption and labour, while maximizing production. Automatic chemical injection ensures the right cleaning chemicals and softeners are used at the appropriate water temperatures and cycles. Washers should also be highly programmable with multiple program selections, pre-programmed options and user programmable options; creating a guaranteed clean!

Hotel Laundry In order to create an on-premise commercial laundry that conserves utilities and labour, while improving productivity, careful selection of the equipment is necessary. One should know the kind of linen needs to be laundered and the load quantity. Mostly the hotels prefer frontload washers with higher extract speed, cutting dry time by as much as possible. A shorter dry time also reduces wear and tear on linens and sheets while simultaneously cutting labour and utility costs. The automatic chemical injection process also eliminates the need to add chemicals manually cutting down on overuse and detergent waste. The drying tumblers and ﬂatwork ironers also need to perfectly ﬁnish tablecloths, napkins and linens. In industrial laundries if linens are fed directly from the washer to the ironer, without drying, it can dramatically boost the laundry production, cutting labour and utility costs. 

WATER

Water Damage Control in

Hotels By Jyotismita Sharma

What appears to be a common water seepage problem can also structurally damage and weaken the property and the best damage control solution is to have the establishment in good repair at all times though a meticulous water damage mitigation programme

he sight of water damage is so ubiquitous that many assume it to be insignificant. However, the reality is completely different. Left unrepaired, even water seepage and leakage could spell major damage to a property, causing financial loss to owners not only in terms of incurring unnecessary maintenance cost but also by robbing them of their most valued customers. What appears to be common water damage can also structurally damage and weaken the property -- wood rot, peeling paint, and facilitating mould growth -significantly lowering its value in the real-estate market, damaging its reputation as a comfortable destination, and interrupting regular operations. An unrepaired leak originating on the hotel’s roof can put at stake the life of ceilings, walls and flooring underneath, besides electronics and the personal belongings of hotel guests. It can affect electrical wiring, creating a potential fire hazard. In fact, as is the nature of water, a small undetected leak can quickly slide down through a building, charting its own routes in the course

May-June ’14

WATER and travelling a great distance from the original source, making it difﬁcult, if not impossible, for repairing personnel to detect. The loss that such a leak may cause is humungous. For example, if a corroded pipe on top floor of a multi-storey building goes undetected, the damage can extend to several ﬂoors and make a hole in the pocket of the owners. Moreover, people are today aware that a damp room poses serious health risk and therefore not worth their money. It is likely that they would prefer a small neat accommodation with good indoor air quality than a damp luxurious suit with visible mould growth and invisible colonies of dust mites.

Sources of Hotel Water Damage S ources of water damage are hardly any different for hotels from residential or even ofﬁce building. However, certain buildings that are located in areas that receive

May-June ’14

high rainfall and ﬂood are more vulnerable to water damage. The roof on a building collects a lot of water, and inferior designs and downpipes can result in leaks. Moreover, to prevent blockages and overﬂows, which can escape back into the building, adequate maintenance of roof rainwater services is considered a necessity. Severe storms and flooding

are powerful sources of water damage even in most well-designed and well-maintained roofs and buildings. Secondly, the sophisticated plumbing hook-ups that are required today in view of the multiple high-tech appliances such as washing machines, coffee machines, refrigerators, ice machines, etc., can also be a

WATER

potential source of water damage as they can cause leaks when installed improperly.

According to leading global multi-line insurer Zurich Insurance Group, grey/foul waters tend to

What makes your property more vulnerable to water damage? Several factors make a property more vulnerable to waterrelated losses: Age of structure: Like life, buildings may too los their sheen with age unless carefully maintained. Buildings that have crossed 20 years are likely to have a higher risk profile because of significant wear and tear on exterior envelope and interior infrastructure. It is only natural that piping and other systems in older facilities are more prone to failure. Building Height: High-rise apartment buildings or hotels may look very sleek, but they tend to have more water damage exposures. Individual apartments or units can have their own combined pressurised hot water and heating systems, and a failure in just one can lead to a large escape of water. More hightech installations such as steam showers, jacuzzi spas, soaking tubs and built-in water coolers can contribute to the potential for water leaks. New Construction Materials: 32

Use of new construction materials other than the traditional concrete and steel also raises the potential for significant water damage. With changing requirements and evolution of new sense of aesthetics, new materials like concrete forms, modular assemblies and engineered timber are preferred for building construction. However, since many of these newer materials are not always installed to the highest standards, they may not always protect from water seepages. Seasonal Storms: Where your property is located can also affect water damage. There is a higher potential for water leaks and infrastructure failure such as pipe breaks in places marked by intense seasonal storms. Lack of Maintenance: Any building where regular maintenance of the roof, windows, plumbing and HVAC is being deferred faces the potential loss of structural integrity.

present intermittent leaks, which can slowly build up over time, as these types of appliances are not in constant use. “Sprinkler piping and pump sets operate at high pressures, so any break in a line can give rise to rapid loss of large volumes of water,” it said. Sewage backup can also cause hotel water damage, contamination and potential health hazards. Thirdly, facility systems in a hotel can also be major source of water damage. P lant rooms, boiler rooms and HVAC installations bring additional large volumes of water into a building and any leak in these systems can result in extensive water flow throughout multiple ﬂoors, especially if these systems are located on the top floor or roof. The water supplies in some areas contain certain minerals, which can increase the corrosion rate of the water and make pipes and appliances vulnerable to damage. Fourthly, the basement can be major cause of concern because if equipment is stored in a humid hotel basement or the hotel has a damp crawl space, moisture problems may cause water damages throughout the facility.

May-June ’14

In such cases, suggestions of professional basement waterprooﬁng contractors can be sought.

How to Control Water Damage At times, hotel water damage restoration can be very expensive and therefore the best damage control solution is to have the establishment in good repair at all times though a meticulous water damage mitigation programme. Check Expensive Equipment: Such a programme can start with the check of critical and expensive equipment in the hotel as even spillage of water can damage that equipment. The next step is to identify the source of this leakage and ﬁx it. Roof Inspection: As already mentioned, a wel l-maintained roof plays a very important role in arresting water damage. Besides regular maintenance, roofs must be inspected after rains and windstorms

May-June ’14

for any damage and if identiﬁed get it promptly repaired. But make sure that the roof is closely inspected -the ﬂashing, drains, downspouts and roof-mounted equipment such as antennas or satellite dishes. Strict Maintenance: Excessive wear and tear can cause water damages and the key to avoid it is to have a strict maintenance schedule for the building and equipment and also follow it. Eye on Nearby Construction: Besides your own building, preventing water damage also requires one to keep an eye on the new constructions and renovation projects nearby as debris from construction projects and landscaping can also clog drains during heavy rains. Emergenc y Response P lan: Having an emergency response plan can help deal with a real situation of water damage better, by limiting response time and also the extent of damage. According to Zurich, “This written plan should include details on what to do in the event of a leak or liquid damage, a repair vendor phone list and the designation of one person in authority to oversee the process.” Besides these, a more comprehensive plan may include determining an evacuation and shelter plan; training staff for emergency situations; investing in backup power and communication systems; protecting business data and carrying adequate business interruption insurance. 

IAQ

Maintaining Ventilation Efficiency with

Exhaust Systems Be it a kitchen, bathroom, lobby or a smoking lounge, by capturing moistures and venting airborne contaminants out, the exhaust system plays a very important role in maintaining ventilation efﬁciency and keeping the indoor air safe for the residents to breathe By Jyotismita Sharma

ave you e ver tr ied cooking food without an exhaust system or taking a bath in a hot

summer afternoon in a bathroom without this ventilating device? The contaminated air inside the kitchen or bathroom may not only burn

your eyes but also test the resilience of your lungs even as the mixture of odour, moisture and airborne contaminants make it difﬁcult for you to breathe. Be it a kitchen, bathroom, lobby, laboratory or a smoking lounge, the exhaust system plays a very important role in maintaining ventilation efﬁciency and keeping the indoor air safe for the residents to breathe as it captures moistures and airborne contaminants and vent them out. Exhaust systems isolate and remove contaminants by maintaining negative pressure in the area around the source of contaminant. It must be noted that if more air is supplied to a room than is exhausted, the excess air leaks out of the space and the room is said to be under positive pressure. If the supplied air is less than what is exhausted, air is pulled into the space and the room is said to be under negative pressure. Air should be exhausted to the outdoors and not re-circulated from locations such as copy rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and beauty salons which produce significant odours and high concentrations of contaminants. However, as exhaust systems produce negative pressure, those spaces using these devices must be provided with make-up air and the functioning of the exhaust system

May-June ’14

must be aligned with the rest of the ventilation system. “Under some circumstances, it may be acceptable to transfer conditioned air from relatively clean parts of a building to comparatively dirty areas and use it as make-up air for a local exhaust system,” a study cited at United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. S uch a transfer can achieve signiﬁcant energy savings, the study noted. W hile most air cleaning and ﬁltration devices designed to control contaminants are found as components of heating, ventilating, and airconditioning (HVAC) systems, they can also be installed as independent units. However, it must be noted that the effectiveness of air cleaning depends upon proper equipment selection, installation, operation, and maintenance.

Components of Exhaust Ventilation: A local exhaust system has six primary elements: • A "hood" or opening that captures the contaminant at the source. • Ducts that transport the airborne chemicals through the system. • An air cleaning device that removes the contaminant from the moving air in the system (not always required). • Fans that move the air through the system and discharge the exhaust air outdoors. • An exhaust stack through which

May-June ’14

the contaminated air is discharged. • Make up air that replaces the exhausted air.

Supply of Make-Up Air

As exhaust systems produce negative pressure, supply of make-up air or replacement air is of critical importance. In the absence of make-up air, fan will not operate effectively and could lead to negative pressure in other areas of the building. “If the home has negative pressure, there will be problems with other appliances that need to exhaust to the outside, such as a gas furnace or water heater,” a North Carolina State University study in the US noted. “This situation is referred to as back drafting. When back drafting occurs, dangerous combustion pollutants as well as excess moisture will be pulled into the home,” the study emphasised. In an older home, make-up air usually comes from natural air leakage. In newer, more tightly constructed and energy efficient homes, this replacement air must be provided. “A simple solution could be opening a window slightly when operating the kitchen exhaust fan. Other solutions include a mechanical ventilation system that balances air ﬂow in the home,” the study said.

Exhaust System and Kitchen Moisture Control The quality of indoor air and its effect on human health has been reﬂected in

IAQ Selection Criteria for General and Local Exhaust Systems General exhaust ventilation, or what is also called dilution ventilation, is different from local exhaust ventilation because instead of capturing emissions at their source and removing them from the air, general exhaust ventilation allows the contaminant to be emitted into the workplace air and then dilutes the concentration of the contaminant to an acceptable.

Designing Effective Ventilation System for Kitchen

The following factors should be considered while designing an effective exhaust ventilation system for a kitchen: • Type of cooking • Type of cooking appliance • Type of cooking fuel • Location of the range and/or cook top within the kitchen

• Size and location of the hood, if used • Size and length of ducts needed to connect from the fan to the exterior vent • Type and size of fan used in the system • Make-up or replacement air available to the fan

a recent air quality report by World Health Organisation that underlined the fact that poor indoor air is today a bigger killer than outdoor air pollution. In fact, inadequate or improper ventilation is the cause of about half of all indoor air quality problems in nonindustrial workplaces and maintaining healthy indoor air is unimaginable without proper moisture control as moisture facilitates a suitable environment for moulds and dust mites to grow to an unhealthy proportion. Too much mould can be damaging both to the physical structure of the home and to the health of the occupants. It is well-known that biological pollutants, such as moulds and dust mites, can exacerbate symptoms of asthma and allergies. To grow to abundance and become a health threat, these biological pollutants require a moist environment. For example, dust mites need a relative humidity of at least 45

percent to 50 percent. Most moulds grow at a relative humidity of over 60 percent. Therefore, adequate control of moisture is necessary to control biological pollutants, a North Carolina State University study in the US noted, underlining the importance of exhaust systems in maintaining healthy indoor air quality. Moisture is generated in a kitchen through cooking. Boiling or simmering of foods on a cook top is particularly a problem, it added. In addition, microwave ovens and conventional ovens remove moisture from food and vent it into the kitchen space. “The amount of moisture released in cooking will vary, dependent on the type of food, whether or not the food is covered while cooking, and the length and temperature of cooking. Gas cooking appliances will increase the moisture generated as water vapor is a byproduct of gas combustion,” the  researchers said.

General exhaust ventilation (dilution ventilation) is appropriate when: • Emission sources contain materials of relatively low hazard. (The degree of hazard is related to toxicity, dose rate, and individual susceptibility); • Emission sources are primarily vapors or gases, or small, respirable-size aerosols (those not likely to settle); • Emissions occur uniformly; • Emissions are widely dispersed; • Moderate climatic conditions prevail; • Heat is to be removed from the space by flushing it with outside air; • Concentrations of vapors are to be reduced in an enclosure; and • Portable or mobile emission sources are to be controlled. Local exhaust ventilating is appropriate when: • Emission sources contain materials of relatively high hazard; • Emitted materials are primarily larger-diameter particulates (likely to settle); • Emissions vary over time; • Emission sources consist of point sources; • Employees work in the immediate vicinity of the emission source; • The plant is located in a severe climate; and • Minimising air turnover is necessary. Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, US Department of Labor

May-June ’14

PRODUC T P R E V I E W

EASY TO OPERATE RIDE-ON SCRUBBER DRIER

ith special emphasis on easy handling, Karcher India has introduced its new B 250 R top of the range, high-end ride-on scrubber drier. The brush head is now easy to change, combining different working widths (100 or 120 cm) and types of brush (roller, disc) in any way that is required for the customer application.It is also possible to connect the fresh water tank to the mains with a hose, making it easy to fill. Thanks to an auto-fill system, the water feed stops automatically as soon as the maximum fill level is reached, so the operator can perform other tasks in the meantime. The B 250 R is especially energy-efficient and environmentally friendly in the eco!efficiency mode, which is perfectly adequate for maintenance cleaning of most floors. On this setting, the machine works with a lower turbine output, less detergent and a lower brush rotation speed thus extending the running time of the machine up till 5 hours. The sweeping system fitted as standard features with roller brushes that sweep dirt into a dirt tray directly behind the brush head, eliminatinga work operation. At 1.90 m in length, this manoeuvrable machine is compact, and yet it is designed for cleaning large areas. The fresh and waste water tanks each hold 250 litres, and generously sized batteries enable the machine to operate for up to 8 hours (in the eco!efficiency mode). The B 250 R has an impressively small turning circle (2120 mm). Due to its short wheelbase it almost turns on the spot. This battery-powered machine is especially useful for BSC, in industry, in shopping centres, in airports, exhibition centres, etc.

Karcher Cleaning System Pvt. Ltd. clean@karcher.in

NOW, BATTERY OPERATED VERSATILE CLEANING ‘WIZZARD’

he latest edition of Wizzard, the versatile battery operated floor cleaning machine by Roots Multiclean Ltd will be available from August this year. The new machine that received an overwhelming response during its launch at the just concluded ISSA show in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, includes all the features that make the Wizzard so successful. It can wash, scrub and dry both hard and soft floor coverings in a single pass, leaving them ready to walk on in minutes. A choice of brushes allows operatives to undertake normal cleaning, maintenance cleaning or intensive scrubbing, while the low noise levels emitted during operation provide minimal disturbance for the occupants of the building. The machine is also effective on ‘tough’ floors, such as nonslip safety floors, low pile carpets, escalators, travelators and entrance matting. It is also easy to manoeuvre - not just when cleaning, but between sites and locations, too. The new model includes some welcome innovations that improve both productivity and health and safety. Battery operation means there will be no trailing cables and the risk of trips and falls will be minimum. If you find the continuous battery run time of up to 50 minutes not enough, the quick change battery system will enable longer run times with a second battery. The four litre solution tank is removable and easy to clean. Tiling, rubber studded flooring, carpets and laminates can all be cleaned effectively by the Wizzard, and this versatility means that the machine suits a number of different industry sectors such as education, healthcare and retail.

Roots Multiclean Ltd. rmclsales@rootsemail.com 38

A BRUSH FOR EVERY OCCASION

s always, cheap quality brushes are never long lasting and at times do not even do the job that it is designed for. But still the awareness to prefer good quality brushes does not exist in a majority of the rural areas. Saving time and energy is also equally important when deciding for the proper cleaning tool. One cannot disregard the fact that energy is becoming more and more expensive and it is very important that we conserve our natural resources for our future generations. Moreover, cleaning tools made from synthetic fibres instead of fibre from animal hair is now-a-days more preferable. The brushes from Borghi can therefore be an alternative as with new designs and new techniques in the production of household brushes, the focus at Borghi has been to bring efficiency and the quality of the cleaning performance. Borghi works very closely with the Indian brush industry to offer the best cleaning tool for the most optimum use and the best solution.

Borghi Brush Machinery Pvt. Ltd. borghi.india@gmail.com

he information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the r e s p e c t i v e m a n u f a c t u r e r / d i s t r i b u t o r. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

May-June ’14

P R O D U C T P R EVIEW

ECO-FRIENDLY STEAM CLEANER FOR GREASY SURFACE

MIRACLEAN’S NEW

ant to go green while cleaning your greasy surfaces? Then steam cleaning may be a perfect option as steam is regarded as the world’s best method for cleaning tiles and grout. It cleans windows and stainless steel or polished surfaces without streaking, removes baked on grease from BBQ’s and ovens, removes most strains from carpets and kills and removes mould from ceiling and wall. In fact, steam ream is one of the most versatile cleaning methods available today and can be adapted to almost any task in and around the home or workshop. The Partek Steam HD from the Nutech Group is a professional, practical and heavy duty machine. It cleans and disinfects almost all types of washable surfaces. It is equipped with hot water as well as detergent injection feature, which makes it one of its kind in the country. Hot water injection is used where the volume of dry steam is not enough to produce effective cleaning results such as surfaces with large quantities of dust and dirt. Detergent injection is used for surfaces which require special chemical actions for cleaning while the heavy duty stainless steel body ensures increased hygiene. It is the only single phase machine in the world with 175 c steam temperature at 9 bar pressure. The large rear wheels make the machine easy for mobility and maneuverability.

iraclean Tools Pvt. Ltd, has come up with its first Scrub-O-Mop. It can scrub, or serve the purpose of a dry dust mop. Just stick the scrubber pad on a PP frame and you can use it as a scrubber. It can also be utlised for scrubbing the floor with water and floor cleaners. The equipment can be fixed with a dry dust mop control and it will be ready to wipe the floors clean. It can also be fixed with the scrub-o-mop refill to serve the dual purpose of scrubbing and mopping together. While the Nylon Alox scrubber slab in the middle of the dry mop scrubs the floor and removes the stick hard material (dirt, gum, etc.), the four side cover microfiber filaments collect the mobile dirt. During mopping, the special filament, according to the company spokesperson, produces static energy and attracts minor dust particles. Miraclean Tools Pvt. Ltd. miracleantools@gmail.com

Nutech Group partek@nutechgroup.org

SCRUB-O-MOP

A D V E R T I S E R S COMPANY

PAGE NO.

I N D E X

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

AMAN CLEANING EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD.

......................31

NUTECH JETTING EQUIPMENTS INDIA PVT. LTD.

......................GF

APPLIANCES EMPORIUM

......................33

PEST CONTROL (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

......................07

BORGHI BRUSH MACHINERY PVT. LTD.

......................04

QUARTZ HOME CARE (I) P LTD.

......................13

DIVERSEY INDIA PVT. LTD.

......................01

ROOTS MULTICLEAN LTD.

......................FIC

GRAND CHEMICAL WORKS

......................11

SIDDHARTH IMPEX

......................35

HEATEX BOILERS (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

......................23

SNOOZER BEDDING LTD.

......................15

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.

......................21

SUPESHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD.

......................BIC

IH EXPO & FOOD PRO INDIA 2014

......................25

TANISHKA PRODUCTS

......................06

JMR CHEMICAL (WORLD)

......................09

UNIQUE TRADING COMPANY

......................17

KARCHER CLEANING SYSTEM PVT. LTD.

......................BC

PRODUCT PREVIEW

......................38

NAVIN POLYCON

......................19

* BC - BACK COVER

May-June ’14

* GF-GATE FOLD

* FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER

* BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

INTERVIEW

‘Proactive Housekeeping Provides the Competitive Edge’ Arijit Ganguly, Executive Housekeeper at Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, India, has been in the housekeeping department of hospitality sector for over 10 years now. He has a rich experience in housekeeping operations across leading hotels in India. Prior to his assignment with Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, he was working with The Imperial, New Delhi. Passionate about hotel housekeeping, Arijit joined Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon in the year 2008 as Assistant Manager. He also assisted the preopening team of Crowne Plaza Today, New Delhi Okhla in housekeeping operations. His understanding of the hotel business and his commitments towards guest satisfaction is evident from his teams’ performance at all fronts. Starting his career in housekeeping with The Oberoi Vanyavilas in Ranthambore, Arijit moved on to The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur and Wildflower Hall in Shimla and then took up an assignment in Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi. At Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, Arijit has ensured intensive training of housekeeping assistants and grooming individuals for further growth and development. A Commerce graduate and a diploma holder in hotel management, Arijit loves cricket, music and travelling. Excerpts from an interview:

By Sharmila Chand How important in your opinion is housekeeping to hospitality? Superior housekeeping service defines the service standards of a hotel and hospitality. Travellers are very much particular about the cleanliness and hygiene standards and our housekeeping department ensures the same. It is the housekeeping service that can either delight or damage guest experience. Proactive housekeeping services, good housekeeping standards and periodic maintenance provide competitive advantage to a hotel in hospitality sector. What is the modus operandi of housekeeping operations at your hotel? We, at Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, follow the I-Clean process of cleaning the guest rooms. It is a toolkit which is followed in all IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) hotels worldwide and the “One and Only Way” of cleaning the guest rooms. I-Clean is very specific and the steps ensures the follow of sequence, methods and the right chemical usage. The toolkit also provides a structural way to audit cleaned guest rooms and collect data to ensure that the cleaning process is being followed correctly and the cleanliness standards being maintained. The data collection also analyses and identifies the top cleanliness defects that need to be improved. Our hotel is also surrounded with a lot of landscaping and greenery and we have a team of gardeners and florist responsible for maintaining the same. The public areas cleaning manpower are managed by third party work contract along with other services like pest control, glass and façade cleaner. We monitor the same to see that the standards are met as per our guidelines. We even organise training programme for the contractors as well so that the standards are followed and the guest requirements are met. What are the new trends in housekeeping? Please comment on the latest housekeeping

scenario. Housekeeping is becoming tech savvy by using various software for maintaining services and guest requests. And besides implementing new technologies to make services more efficient, housekeepers are now increasingly focusing on arresting energy and water consumption, and increasing use of green products. For example, we engage guests to various green engage programmes such as changing of bed linen and towels on request to save energy and water cost, conscious usage of electricity and using environment friendly products in hotels. Today even the corporate client wants to convert their regular meetings to “Green Meeting” which is one of the recent initiatives in Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon. Please name any one tool which has made the operations much easy? We have recently introduced ESCAP software in housekeeping operations to internally communicate the guest request and maintenances to team member directly. It has significantly minimised the time gap to attain the guest request as the channels of communication have minimised and at the same time the chances of human error has also become visibly low. Housekeeping requires rigorous training. How much of an emphasis does the hotel place on this? At IHG, training and developing people is one of the core values. Each hotel emphasises regularly on ‘on job’ and ‘off job’ training programmes, conducted by departmental trainers and our trainers in talent & development team. IHG has also introduced various e-learning courses in collaboration with Harvard University. Some of the most important e- learning tools that we have are Changing Management and Coaching- two important tools that enabled us to think differently and efficiently and developing leadership skills among the team members.

At Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, we have a departmental training calendar prepared at the beginning of the month, identified through our IClean toolkit or Guest satisfaction scores and the team is trained accordingly. How does India compare with the international scenario with regards to housekeeping? With introduction of latest cleaning technologies, equipments and tools, housekeeping in India is not behind by any means or standards compared to the international scenario. What elements you take into account to recruit staff in the housekeeping department? The basic element that is taken into account is the right kind of attitude and eye for detail while hiring housekeeping staff as rest of the qualities of being a good housekeeping personnel can be trained and developed internally. What is the role of the housekeeping staff in the context of security? Security in guest rooms and public areas are crucial as housekeeping has access to all major areas including the guest rooms. Team members are trained on how to be alert on floors and inform any suspicious activity or object either in rooms, public areas or corridors. Various role play trainings are being conducted to ensure the same. What are the challenges you face in your job responsibilities? Attracting skilled labour and retaining the same for future is the biggest challenge as poaching of quality talent is very much evident in competitive market. Finally, what is it that you would like to change about your job? The perception of common people and the lack of awareness about good housekeeping and its importance in the entire society need to be changed. May-June ’14

One Stop Solution For SUPERSHINE

Supershine

World Class Laundry Equipment

has been successfully installing and maintaining Commercial Laundry Equipment since 1990, in India and its

neighbouring countries.

Supershine

offers TURNKEY SOLUTIONS for any kind of Laundry projects. It represents worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading brands

specialising in Laundry and Drycleaning equipments. The company has pan-Indian presence to provide quality services and spares as per the requirements of the clients. The list of our clients range from the best in Hospitality Industry - Oberoi, Taj, Hyatt, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Radissons, Marriots, Leela etc., Healthcare Industry - Apollo, Escorts, Medanta - The Medicity, Bombay Hospital, AIIMS, etc., Defence - Major Hospitals, AFMC, various establishments and units of Army, Navy, Air Force & Assam Rifles and Garment Exporters & Commercial Laundries.

SUPERSHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD 205, Vipul Square, Sushant Lok, Phase-1, Gurgaon, Haryana Phone: +91-11-45142222 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: +91-11-45142255 Mumbai: 022-28805617, 40227333 Bangalore: 080-65835148, 09916357921 Chennai: 09003180088 Kolkata: 033-40011975, 09903120095 Goa: 07738377505 E-Mail: north@supershine.in, corporate@supershine.in Website: www.supershine.in

Regd. No. R.N. DELENG/2001/7213

��

� � � � � � � � ��

May-June ’14