November 2013

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

NOVEMBER 2013

SPECIAL REPORT

CONTRACTORS

CASE STUDY

Focus on high pressure cleaners Starts page 61

Hand hygiene why so vital?

Implementing Hostmanship

Award winning hospital cleaning

Page 37

Page 45

Page 34

CONTENTS

November 2013 | Vol.21, No.6

COVER STORY

SPECIAL REPORTS 29 Special case trolleys

26 TTS A new range of products

Does the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach ever work in the trolley market?

BUSINESS 57 No more face-to-face?

Could video conferencing technology mark the end of business meetings asks Hartley Milner.

34 Award winning improvement A cleaning contractor in the UK has made significant changes at a hospital.

37 Hand hygiene - good for all Why is hand hygiene so important to every one of us?

03 News

45 The art of welcoming Services specialist Facilicom is implementing hostmanship in its business.

18 European reports

49 To ride, or not to ride?

When is a ride-on sweeper more appropriate than a ride-on?

61 High pressure help High pressure cleaner manufacturers have developed interesting new tools.

Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP UK T +44 (0)1494 791222 F +44 (0)1494 792223 info@europeancleaningjournal.com www. europeancleaningjournal.com Subscriptions UK - £60 / Continental Europe - £70 / International - £80

Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisements Director Chris Godman Advertisement Sales Carole Dawson Circulation Marie Payne

Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenons Aires, 8 V0 Piano, Interno 7 16129 Genova, Italy T +39 010 570 4948 F +39 010 553 0088 info@mediapointsrl.it www. mediapointsrl.it

European Cleaning Journal is published six times a year by Criterion Publishing Ltd. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in European Cleaning, Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents can accept no responsibility for the varacity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

Germany Reinhard Knittler Knittler Medien, Mittlerer Hubweg 5, D-72227 Egenhausen, Germany T +49 7453/9385 787 F +49 7453/9385 797 info@knittler.de www.knittler.de ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2013

NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

C.diff and norovirus key winter concerns for infection control pros

ISSA forms Turkish alliance Cleaning industry trade association ISSA has formed an alliance partnership with Turkish association TESHIAD. All 95 members will now become ISSA members too.

Keith Baker, director of EMEA services for ISSA commented: “At a time when the sector as a whole is changing faster than at any other time in living

memory, organisations from all sides of the industry – building services contractors, distributors and manufacturer alike - are increasingly seeing the clear benefit of the knowledge, guidance, certification schemes, business tools and connections ISSA offers.” www.issa.com

EVENTS

Clostridium difficile and norovirus appear to be the main causes of concern for infection control professionals as we enter the winter months according to a recent survey.

Conducted at Infection Prevention 2013, it revealed that 48 per cent of respondents highlighted C.difficile as the primary cause of concern and 36 per cent highlighted norovirus.

The research was carried out by no-touch infection control solutions provider Bioquell. A total of 170 infection control nurses and senior practitioners were asked to rank various pathogens in order of priority and also indicate any others that they were concerned about.

Looking at what would make

the biggest impact to infection control and management at each hospital, more single rooms (44 per cent of the respondents) was the clear primary choice. This was followed by a need for more infection control nurses (26 per cent).

Better compliance The survey also highlighted many infection control professionals would like to have more engagement from the hospital (16 per cent stating this as a primary requirement with 46 per cent placing it in the top three rankings). The need for better hand hygiene compliance, better training and more staff engagement were all raised as key concerns.

Make sure you bookmark the ECJ website and don’t miss our regular blogs from industry leaders including Dr Ilham Kadri from Diversey Care, Rob den Hertog of Amsterdam RAI, Mike Sullivan of GOJO and EUnited’s Markus Asch www.europeancleaningjournal.com • D’après une étude effectuée par Bioquell, le novovirus et le clostridium difficile sont considérés par les professionnels du contrôle des infections comme étant les principaux problèmes à affronter à l’approche des prochains mois d’hiver.

• L’association turque des services de nettoyage TESHIAD est devenue un partenaire de l’association mondiale ISSA.

December 5-7

September 18-20 2014

Clean India Pulire

Pulire Asia Pacific

Mumbai, India www.cleanindiapulire.com

Bangkok, Thailand www.pulire-asiapacific.com

February 4-6 2014

September 30-October 2 2014

Hygienalia+Pulire

Finnclean

Valencia, Spain www.hygienalia-pulire.com

Tampere, Finland www.finnclean.fi

March 19-20 2014

November 4-7 2014

Forum Pulire

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America

Milan, Italy www.forumpulire.it

Orlando, USA www.issainterclean.com

March 3-6 2014

February 25-27 2015

NADCA Congress & Exposition

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Latin America

San Antonio, USA www.nadca.com

Mexico City, Mexico www.issainterclean.com

April 6-9 2014

March 10-12 2015

WFBSC Congress

The Cleaning Show

New York City, USA www.wfbsc2014.com

London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk

May 6-9 2014

March 24-26 2015

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam

Cleaning Expo 2015

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com

Birmingham, UK www.cleaningexpo.com

May 29-30 2014

April 22-24 2015

Clean NZ

ISSA/INTERCLEAN CEE

Auckland, New Zealand www.cleannzexpo.co.nz

Warsaw, Poland www.issainterclean.com

June 11-14 2014

October 20-23 2015

Cleaning Show Romania

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America

Bucharest, Romania www.cleaningshow.ro

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

September 3-4 2014

October 25-28 2016

Cleaning Expo Scotland

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America

Glasgow, Scotland www.cleaning-expo.com

Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com

To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

• Die kalte Jahreszeit beginnt und Spezialisten im Bereich Infektionskontrolle sorgen sich vor allem um Clostridium difficile und Norovirus. Dies geht aus einer Studie von Bioquell hervor.

• Der türkische Gebäudereinigungsverband TESHIAD wurde ein Bündnispartner des Weltverbandes ISSA.

• Il Clostridium difficile e il Norovirus sembrano essere la preoccupazione principale per i professionisti del controllo delle infezioni all’avvicinarsi dei mesi invernali, questo è quanto è emerso da una ricerca della Bioquell.

• L’associazione turca di cleaning e servizi TESHIAD è diventata partner d’alleanza dell’associazione mondiale ISSA.

November 2013 | ECJ | 3

NEWS Reusable plastic bags food poisoning risk?

Supermarket ‘bags for life’ may present a food poisoning risk according to leading bacteriologists.

Foodborne diseases expert Professor Kofi Aidoo says reusable plastic bags would “have to be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis to avoid the risk of food poisoning”.

Bacteria spread “Vegetables that come into contact with the inside of the bags could easily be contaminated,” said Aidoo. And adding that many shoppers store bags in their car boots, he says: “The warm environment of cars make them the worst place as far as bacteria is concerned.

One bacteria cell will quickly become thousands.

Must clean bags “If people are going to have to pay for bags and re-use them, my concern is we’re creating a high risk of food poisoning. At the very least people have to be given advice to clean these bags every time they use them.”

But bacteriology professor Hugh Pennington believes that cleaning or sanitising a bag that had been used to carry raw meat would be ineffective.

“You can’t be certain you’ve got rid of all the bugs,” he said. “I would recommend disposing of any bag that has had raw meat inside it.” He says problems

• Les sacs de supermarché réutilisables pourraient présenter un risque d’empoisonnement des aliments s’ils ne sont pas nettoyés et désinfectés.

•Les organisateurs du Cleaning Show 2015 britannique déclarent qu’il à était grand temps que cette manifestation déménage de Birmingham à Londres.

November 2013 | ECJ | 4

Right move?

could arise if bacteria were to be transferred from the meat to the bag, and then on to other products.

“Meats should be separated from the rest of shopping – particularly from unwrapped items that will be eaten raw,” he said. “Raw meats should not be placed in hessian or cotton bags either, even if they are wrapped, because the outside of their packages carry bacteria.”

Packaged items safe However, he adds that packaged items such as boxes of cereal and jars of jam can be transported safely in reusable bags whether these are made from plastic, hessian or cotton.

• Wiederverwendbare Supermarkttragetaschen bergen möglicherweise das Risiko einer Lebensmittelvergiftung, wenn sie nicht gereinigt und desinfiziert werden.

• Die Organisatoren der britischen Cleaning Show 2015 teilen mit, dass der Umzug vom bisherigen Veranstaltungsort Birmingham nach London lange überfällig ist.

The organisers of The Cleaning Show, one of the exhibitions for the UK cleaning sector set to take place in London from March 10-12 2015 - say the industry is extremely positive about its move from the NEC in Birmingham.

Doug Cooke, British Cleaning Council (BCC) chairman commented: “London is recognised as one of the world’s most important financial, cultural and business centres, and is therefore a fitting host for the next Cleaning Show.”

Currently there are two UK cleaning exhibitions taking place in March 2015. Cleaning Expo is set to be held at the NEC from March 24-26.

• Le borse della spesa riutilizzabili dei supermercati possono presentare un rischio di intossicazione alimentare se non vengono pulite e disinfettate.

• Gli organizzatori del Cleaning Show 2015 nel Regno Unito affermano che il suo trasferimento a Londra dalla precedente sede di Birmingham è dovuto già da molto tempo.

NEWS Sodexo workplace survey reveals key trends

Thai forum

There are more baby boomers working in the UK than ever before; mixed-gender boards improve a company’s productivity; and badly designed open plan offices can reduce happiness and productivity.

These are just some of the findings from a workplace trends report recently published by services company Sodexo.

‘How Britain works: Key Trends in a Workplace Environment’ was commissioned by Sodexo in the UK to understand the continuously adapting workplace environment in the country today.

The report identifies three key factors affecting the workplace: social trends, people trends and

The first Thailand Cleaning Industry Forum took place in Bangkok recently. Topics discussed included the implications of the ASEAN Economic Community which will be established in 2015; rising operational costs; technology; outsourcing trends; and changing customer behaviour.

The event was hosted by Impact Exhibition Management, one of the organisers of the Pulire Asia Pacific 2014 show which takes place from September 18-20 next year in Bangkok. It is coorganised by Italian cleaning equipment manufacturers’ association AFIDAMP. www.pulire-asiapacific.com

space trends.

Social trends mean the composition of the workforce is changing. While there are more baby boomers in the workplace, the demands and technology of younger employees have a significant influence.

A greater emphasis on health and wellbeing mean companies offering employees healthy options and physical activities in the workplace see them more engaged.

• Between 2001 and 2011 there was a 96 per cent increase in workers aged 65 and over • Companies with women on boards were found to outperform those without, with 42 per cent higher return

• Le prestataire de services de bâtiment Sodexo a fait procéder à une étude des lieux de travail modernes au Royaume-Uni sous le titre “How Britain Works : Key Trends in a Workplace Environment”.

• Les organisateurs du salon Pulire Asia Pacifique de l’année prochaine ont récemment accueilli le Forum thaïlandais de l’industrie de la propreté.

in sales, 66 per cent return on invested capital and 53 per cent higher return on equity • Technology will not only influence devices, but design of workplaces - in 2013 the cloud will account for a third of IT expenditure • FTSE companies that track wellbeing outperform others by 10 per cent • Physical activity has a direct impact on the workforce.

Physically healthy employees are 20 per cent more productive and twice as likely not to be ill • Well-lit, well-ventilated and comfortable workplaces increased productivity by as much as 16 per cent and job satisfaction by 24 per cent.

•Dienstleistungsunternehmen Sodexo hat eine Studie in Auftrag gegeben, in der es um den modernen Arbeitsplatz in Großbritannien geht. Sie trägt den Titel „How Britain Works: Key Trends in a Workplace Environment“.

• Die Organisatoren der im nächsten Jahr in Bangkok stattfindenden Pulire Asia Pacific veranstaltete vor Kurzem das Thailand Cleaning Industry Forum.

• L’impresa fornitrice di servizi Sodexo ha commissionato un sondaggio sui moderni luoghi di lavoro nel Regno Unito: “How Britain Works: Key Trends in a Workplace Environment” (come funzione la Gran Bretagna: Trend chiave negli ambienti di lavoro).

• Gli organizzatori dell’edizione dell’anno prossino di Pulire Asia Pacific di Bangkok hanno recentemente ospitato il forum Thailand Cleaning Industry Forum.

November 2013 | ECJ | 5

NEWS Ecover wins international Red Dot award for new range label design staff do not always speak the language of the country they work in, and perhaps do not read very well.”

On awarding Ecover the prize in its Communication Design category, Packaging, the judging panel commented: “In relaunching these professional products for washing and cleaning, the strategic selling points and brand personality have been developed in a co-creation workshop. Based on these considerations, the labels, icons and the Ecover Professional logo have been given a new face.

Application visibility

The new label design for the Ecover Professional range of ecologically responsible cleaning solutions has been awarded with the Red Dot Award 2013 in the category of Communication Design.

For the re-positioning of the brand, Ecover Professional teamed up with design agency VanBerlo Communications - the aim was to design new labels with direct and clear visibility of the product application. Lies Marijnissen, product and brand marketeer for B2B explained that Ecover Professional has been in existence as a brand for 18 years, however for almost

15 years there had been no change in its branding. “Until recently we have had the Ecover Techno Green and Professional ranges, both serving commercial markets but targeted at different sectors. Having two brands, we found, was quite confusing and we wanted to establish one clear range.

“At the same time we were working on new formulas and our Cradle to Cradle principles so it was certainly the right time for a relaunch.”

The design agency’s brief was to create a stable brand with a key message. “We want to be perceived as sincere,

future-focused, pioneering and, of course, ‘green’,” continues Marijnissen. “We also sought to have a more powerful profile in the market.”

Clear icons Having decided on the clear values to be conveyed, the next task was for the agency to transfer those to the label design. “For us it was vital that the icons were instantly clear and recognisable – so the purpose of each product could be identified in the blink of an eye,” emphasises Marijnissen.

“Those icons were specially important because the nature of the cleaning industry is that

“The prerequisite for the design was the direct visibility of the product application, which was met with clear, appealing icons for usage and dosage, sleek visual language and a sophisticated colour palette.

The label range communicates a fresh, unique look that reflects individuality.”

What makes these new labels so different in the B2B market?

Marijnissen replies: “I believe we have used the colour coding system in a smart way, in that it is much more design focused.

Often B2B cleaning product labels feature a great deal of text, which we tried to minimise with our design.

“Our team aimed to make the labels as visually appealing as possible while fulfilling all the legal requirements – most of the text is on the back of the bottle, with the bare minimum on the front.”

The new labels are now in use and a full switch is expected to have been completed by January 2014.

Electrolux surveys consumer vacuum cleaning all over the world Did you know that, when vacuuming, 89 per cent of people vacuum for less than one hour, and of this group 43 per cent do it for less than 30 minutes?

That’s according to the latest Electrolux Global Vacuuming Survey for 2013, an online survey of 28,000 consumers

from 23 countries on their vacuum cleaning habits and preferences. Taking part in the survey were people from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, UK, Germany, France, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, Russia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea,

• La nouvelle labellisation de la gamme Ecover Professional de solutions de nettoyage a remporté une distinction de design Red Dot en 2013. 605 • Electrolux a effectué son Enquête mondiale sur le nettoyage à l’aspirateur 2013 auprès de 28 000 consommateurs dans 23 pays.

November 2013 | ECJ | 6

Thailand and Australia.

Koreans are the most frequent cleaners in the world - 11 per cent do it several times a day compared to the global average of three per cent - and another 29 per cent do it once a day.

When it comes to the time spent vacuum cleaning Brazil and

•Die neu entworfene Verpackung der Produktreihe Professional mit Reinigungslösungen von Ecover wurde mit dem Red Dot Award 2013 in der Kategorie KommunikationsDesign ausgezeichnet.

• Electrolux hat den Global Vacuuming Survey 2013, eine weltweite Umfrage zum Staubsaugen, durchgeführt und dabei 28.000 Verbraucher in 23 Ländern befragt.

Portugal lead the way: 22 and 20 per cent of people respectively spend between one and two hours doing it compared to the global average of 10 per cent.

And vacuuming in the morning is the most common - at 38 per cent - followed by afternoon at 28 per cent.

• Il nuovo design del marchio per la gamma di prodotti professionali Professional della Ecover ha vinto il premio Red Dot Award 2013.

• La Electrolux ha portato a termine il suo sondaggio mondiale Global Vacuuming Survey 2013, effettuato con la collaborazione di 28.000 clienti in 23 nazioni.

Our Numbers Speak for Themselves

These days, you are faced with many options when it comes to deep-cycle batteries. However, at Trojan Battery, we believe the choice is easy, and our numbers speak for themselves. When you calculate how well we perform against the competition, factor in that our battery technology has over 200+ years of engineering expertise featuring over 40 floor machine batteries in 3 different technologies, consider that we’ve been in business, since 1925 and sell into over 120+ countries, it is easy to see why everything adds up to Trojan Battery.

Available worldwide. For more information, call (800) 423–6569, +1 (562) 236–3000 or visit us at TrojanBattery.com

NEWS Sustainability - “the best single investment we can make as an industry” ECJ editor Michelle Marshall talks to Dr Ilham Kadri president of the Diversey Care division of Sealed Air - about the company’s rebranding, her views on the professional cleaning sector, and sustainability.

Dr Ilham Kadri was appointed as president of the Diversey Care division of Sealed Air at the beginning of 2013 - a newcomer to the cleaning and hygiene industry. Kadri is a chemical engineer by training, with a masters degree in physics and chemistry, and a doctorate in reactive extrusion. During her 20-year career she has held a variety of global roles in business leadership, sales and marketing and research & development in public and private companies such as Huntsman, UCB-Cytec, Shell Chemicals-Basell and Dow. Kadri now presides over a period of change in the Diversey business, as parent company Sealed Air restructures its operations into three divisions - food care, product care and Diversey Care. Diversey has therefore been renamed from its former institutional and laundry division.

Better way of life “Diversey Care covers solutions in infection prevention, kitchen hygiene, fabric care, building care and consulting,” she explains, “and with those we aim to protect brands, deliver efficiency, and improve performance for our partners in health care, food service, retail, hospitality and facility services.”

The key message from Diversey then, is to ‘create a better way of life’. “We are seeking to re-imagine the industry we serve with the creation of the Diversey Care brand,” explains Kadri. What does this actually mean for the customer?

“All our customers are of course still interested in the

price per litre of chemical, the cost of energy and saving water.

I would like to talk to them more about the bigger picture - the total costs of ownership.

Diversey Care offers a total package of chemicals, machines, tools etc, but it is not simply a one-stop concept – we are aiming to have a more ‘joinedup’ approach within the business.”

System development The company will focus heavily on system development over the next few years. “The customers want the best machines that dispense the right amount of chemical and water,” continues Kadri. “They are asking for more intelligent machines, more productive systems. We have tackled past inefficiencies, now we are approaching the science of machines, chemicals and tools.

“And I would like customers to make more informed decisions about our systems – the total cost of ownership or cost of whole life cycle.”

Having spent the first nine months in her new role travelling the world visiting customers, what messages is Kadri hearing from them? “Cost, performance and sustainability - those are the key words,” she replies.

“And the larger customers want a global supplier while the smaller ones want us to be local.

Fortunately we can do both because we offer that level of market penetration.

“Expectations go beyond products, however, because cleaning and hygiene is a professional industry space where technology, data and knowledge play a significant

• ECJ s’entetient en exclusivité avec M. Ilham Kadri, président de Diversey Care, de la nouvelle structure de cette société et de ses propres perceptions du secteur de la propreté, un secteur relativement nouveau pour lui.

• ISS Restoration a inauguré au Royaume-Uni ce qui serait le plus grand centre spécialisé d’Europe pour l’entraînement à la lutte incendie et inondation.

part,” she continues. “And in that respect we need opinion leaders because I believe what’s missing is a definition of sustainability.

Sustainability definition “It would be ideal to have a sustainability definition decided on by the industry itself. All too often it’s regulation that forces industry to act, so I hope the different players in our sector can define it for themselves.”

Diversey itself has committed to cut greenhouse gases and subject itself to third party auditing by joining the WWF Climate Savers programme

in 2008 under its previous name, JohnsonDiversey. Kadri believes: “Sustainability must be transparent, open to scrutiny.

We must report and audit but it cannot be done effectively in isolation as individual companies. The industry as a whole must persevere and formulate a vision.”

In Kadri’s opinion the value of sustainability is something that absolutely should not be questioned. “Sustainability means profitability. It’s the best single investment we can make as an industry.”

Purpose-built for fire and flood Facilities services group ISS has opened Europe’s largest purpose-built flood and fire restoration training facility in the UK. The three-room bungalow has been constructed inside ISS Restoration’s national training centre. It will be used to provide training on flood and fire restoration techniques.

Each of the three rooms has been designed for a specific

•Das ECJ führt ein exklusives Gespräch mit Dr. Ilham Kadri, President von Diversey Care, über die neue Unternehmensstruktur und welche Ansichten sie als relativer Neuling über die Reinigungsbranche hat.

• ISS Restoration hat nach eigenen Angaben Europas größtes, speziell errichtetes Überschwemmungs- und Brandtrainingscenter in Großbritannien gebaut.

purpose - one is for flooding floors, walls and cavities; another has been designed for dealing with odours and the third has been built to show smoke damage across contents and buildings.

ISS Restoration managing director Phil Else said: “We believe this is the most sophisticated building restoration training facility in Europe.”

• ECJ intervista in esclusiva Dr Ilham Kadri, presidente della Diversey Care, per saperne di più della nuova struttura dell’azienda e della sua opinione sul mercato del cleaning nella posizione di quasi nuova arrivata.

• Nel Regno Unito, la ISS Restoration ha aperto quello che definisce essere il centro più grande appositamente costruito in Europa per il training specializzato in allagamenti e incendi.

November 2013 | ECJ | 9

NEWS Unwell child can contaminate half class - study A child with an infectious illness can contaminate more than half their playmates in less than an hour of outdoor activities, according to a study.

And any child coming home from school has a 50-50 chance of having been contaminated by disease-causing germs.

The study, commissioned by soap brand Safeguard, aimed to determine the rate of germ transfer among schoolchildren.

It was conducted at a Chinese elementary school by the Beijing Health Technical Research Centre.

The hands of one child were marked with a safe fluorescent agent representing germs. The child then interacted normally

with friends both inside and outside the classroom over the course of the day.

The study found that 62.5 per cent of the class had been contaminated with the fluorescent agent following 30 minutes of team sport activity.

Spread of germs A total of 55 per cent had the gel on their hands within 40 minutes on a school bus ride, and 100 per cent were contaminated after one hour spent in the playground.

The survey concluded one child can contaminate more than 50 per cent of their class in less than one hour of outdoor activities. “This means a child

• Un enfant atteint d’une maladie contagieuse peut contaminer plus de la moitié de ses camarades de classe en moins d’une heure, indique une étude menée en Chine.

• Le salon de la propreté Ausclean Pulire s’est tenu à Sydney, Australie, le mois dernier, et a attiré des visiteurs venus de l’Europe, de l’Amérique du Nord et de la Nouvelle-Zélande.

November 2013 | ECJ | 10

coming home has a 50-50 chance of being contaminated by disease-causing germs,” claims the study.

“The spread of germs in our highly populated societies is a real danger,” said Dr Jeffrey Jin from the research centre. “A high level of people-to-people interaction leads to faster transfer of germs, especially from child to child because as shown by this experiment, children tend to be very susceptible.”

This is why doctors recommend frequent handwashing, he added. By doing so, “we can break the germ transfer chain and protect children’s health,” said Jin.

•Aus einer chinesischen Studie geht hervor, dass ein Kind mit einer ansteckenden Krankheit mehr als die Hälfte seiner Spielkameraden in weniger als einer Stunde infizieren kann.

• Letzten Monat fand die Ausclean Pulire in Sydney, Australien, statt, die Besucher aus Europa, Nordamerika und Neuseeland anzog.

Australia show The Ausclean Pulire exhibition took place in Sydney, Australia recently - attracting visitors from Europe, North America and New Zealand as well as the home market.

The event was attended by around 1,000 end users and cleaning product distributors.

This year’s more international flavour was attributed to Ausclean’s partnership with Italian organisation AFIDAMP organiser of Pulire exhibitions.

The trade show was accompanied by a series of workshops and seminars by organisations such as WoolSafe and the Building Service Contractors’ Association of Australia (BSCAA).

• A quanto emerge da uno studio cinese, un bambino con una malattia infettiva può contaminare più della metà dei suoi compagni di gioco in meno di un’ora.

• L’esibizione Ausclean Pulire si è tenuta il mese scorso a Sydney, in Australia ed ha attratto visitatori dall’Europa, dal Nord America e dalla Nuova Zelanda.

the intelligent choice The Total Eclipse laundry system complete with the latest controller technology.

Capable of dispensing up to 8 products and handling 20 different wash formulas, you will have peace of mind with the Total Eclipse. Easy to install with a pre-wired pumpstand and USB data port enabling simple PC based programming and reporting, you will get the right results - every time.

for more details call +44 (0)1344 488880 or visit our website www.hydrosystemseurope.com

NEWS Streamlining cleaning contracts under Lean Six Sigma principles MITIE, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company based in the UK, is celebrating the first graduations at Green Belt level from its Lean Academy.

The Lean Academy, set up and run by MITIE’s Environmental+ cleaning business, offers training in the principles of Lean Six Sigma, which has its origins in the automotive manufacturing sector and is today used by service industries worldwide. MITIE has now adapted the concept to its cleaning operations.

ECJ spoke to Jon Lightowler, MITIE’s business improvement director, who leads the Lean Six Sigma programme. He explained there are five principles of Lean Six Sigma: • Identify customers and specify value • Identify and map the value stream • Create flow by eliminating waste • Respond to customer pull • Pursue perfection

Conveyor belt The well-documented benefits include cost reduction, shorter cycle times, improved customer service, greater employee productivity and increased profit margins.

“This process in effect puts our cleaning operatives on a ‘conveyor belt’,” continues Lightowler, “ie, a linear route.

While making their way along that route they carry out as many cleaning tasks as possible.

Our bespoke IT software, LeanIT, is used to identify critical tasks and that data - along with the requirements of the customer - is then used by our trained experts to create the optimum workflow. We are engineering the best method and process.”

Under this way of working MITIE seeks to establish cleaning teams because, as Lightowler points out: “People work better as teams. In that

way we ensure fair and balanced workloads.”

He explains how the cleaning team works. “If there is a great deal of vacuuming in a building for example, we create a vacuuming team. Like air crew on an aeroplane, cleaners start at each end and work towards each other – in order to ‘regroup’.”

Training vital Those responsible for training the cleaning team must ensure they know their route, and that they can locate their equipment easily. This is where the academy plays such a vital role. It works according to the ‘belt’ training system (similar to karate) as implemented in many other industries and has won external accreditation from the National College Open Network (NCON). It’s open to all staff and teaches three levels – Foundation, Yellow Belt and finally Green Belt.

Lightowler explains that at the Foundation level cleaning operatives, supervisors, managers and directors have been attending courses, which take place at the client site.

Participants then get a login in order to go online and move on to Yellow Belt, which is an e-learning module. “People can carry out this level of training at their own pace.”

Green Belt is designed for dedicated project managers and regional managers. It is e-learning based, and there is also the requirement to do a site-based project. Four employees have just become the first to achieve the Green Belt status - Iain Lomas-Walker, James Small, John Schneidau and Duncan Shadbolt.

Benefits on contracts The academy has been up and running for 12 months and is an integral part of the Lean Six Sigma method of working. “We

• MITIE, un prestataire de services de facilities management a établi l’Académie Lean, qui forme ses personnels dans les principes du Lean Six Sigma. Ces principes contribuent à l’instauration de pratiques de travail plus efficientes et productives.

• Une étude effectuée dans quatre pays a constaté que 40 pour cent de leurs médecins ne lavaient pas les mains convenablement.

can already see the benefit on contracts because supervisors understand the process so much better. They feel empowered to see the possibility to change the way things are done,” explains Lightowler.

“And clients have taken great interest in Lean Six Sigma because we are removing wasteful activities from their site. It is also important to them they have all relevant data, and that the process is being

constantly monitored.”

The most challenging aspect of implementing Lean Six Sigma methods? Lightowler quotes Rosabeth Moss Kanter, professor of business at Harvard Business School who said: “Mindless habitual behaviour is the enemy of innovation.”

“Designing innovation is the easy part – it is always a challenge to lead people to do things differently, but it is worth the effort,” he concludes.

Doctors “failing in handwashing” A two-year study carried out in five countries around the globe found that 40 per cent of the doctors were not washing their hands effectively.

And researchers discovered that medical staff in these countries were largely uneducated in the ways in which disease can spread throughout a hospital.

The study looked at the handwashing habits of staff at 43 hospitals in Costa Rica, Italy, Mali, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.

While 60 per cent of doctors observed good hand hygiene compliance, nurses had a better record with a 71 per cent

•Das Gebäudetechnikunternehmen MITIE hat die Lean Academy gegründet, in deren Rahmen die Mitarbeiter in den Prinzipien von Lean Six Sigma geschult werden. Ziel ist die Schaffung effizienterer und produktiverer Arbeitsweisen.

• In einer Studie, die in vier Ländern rund um die Welt durchgeführt wurde, trat zutage, dass 40 Prozent aller Ärzte ihre Hände nicht angemessen wuschen.

compliance figure.

“Sometimes the simplest and most cost-effective interventions can have the greatest impact,” said WHO envoy for patient safety Sir Liam Donaldson. “We now have the effective method to eliminate millions of avoidable sicknesses and death and reduce the problem of antimicrobial resistant infections.”

According to WHO, the most commonly transmitted infections as a result of improper handwashing are urinary tract and surgical site infections, pneumonia and infections of the bloodstream.

• L’impresa di servizi MITIE ha creato la Lean Academy che addestra il suo personale secondo i principi di Lean Six Sigma.

Questo aiuta a creare delle pratiche di lavoro più efficienti e produttive.

• Uno studio effettuato in quattro nazioni ha rivelato che il 40 per cento dei medici non si lava le mani in modo corretto.

November 2013 | ECJ | 13

NEWS World’s contractors set for April meet at WFBSC congress in New York The World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) will hold its 20th congress next April in New York.

The content has been organised around three ‘big ideas’ that are designed to help contractors grow their businesses over the coming years - strategy, health and people.

Keynote speakers include Peter Diamandis, coauthor of the New York Times bestselling book Abundance - The Future is Better Than You Think; Steve Forbes, chairman at Forbes Media and internationally respected authority on economics, finance and corporate leadership; Jim Collin, student and teacher of enduring great companies; and Dr

Richard Besser, worldwide healthcare expert.

There will also be a panel from the industry, comprising Henrik Slipsager of ABM Industries, Jeff Gravenhorst of ISS, Markus Asch of Kärcher, Stan Doobin from Harvard Maintenance, Claude Bigras of GDI Facility Services, Martyn Freeman of MITIE, OCS International’s Chris Cracknell and Dr Ilham Kadri from Sealed Air Diversey Care.

The congress runs from April 6-9 at the Marriott Marquis hotel in the centre of Times Square. There is a spouse programme, and early bird discounts are available.

For details visit the website www.wfbsc2014.com

Rentokil Initial in-company training wins Royal Society approval The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) in the UK has awarded accreditation to Rentokil-Initial’s in-company training course Hygiene Within our Environment.

The RSPH is the oldest public health body in the world, an independent organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of collective human health and wellbeing. Its accreditation process involves assessment of the planned objectives and outcomes of the programme, the content, mode of delivery and the technical content related to hygiene awareness.

Rentokil Initial is one of the

Next edition of ECJ February/March 2015.

Keep up-to-date with news until then by visiting the website: europeancleaning journal.com

largest service companies in the world, with a workforce of around 60,000 operating across more than 60 countries. Its training programme is designed to provide front line staff with hygiene awareness and practical knowledge for risk mitigation of microbes’ spread and transmission of disease.

Global hygiene category director Mark Reader is responsible for washroom services, hardware, consumables etc. He told ECJ how the programme came about: “We found the knowledge our sales force had was quite generic, they didn’t have the specific knowledge about hygiene often required when interacting with businesses and suppliers.”

Knowledge and tools Hygiene Within our Environment is designed for those sales forces - its start coincided with the launch of the company’s Signature washroom dispenser range. “We wanted to give our sales force the optimum knowledge and tools,”

• La World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) tiendra son prochain congrès du 6 au 9 avril à New York, États-Unis.

• Au Royaume-Uni la Société royale de santé publique (RSHP) a accrédité le service de formation à l’hygiène en entreprise “Hygiène au sein de notre environnement” du prestataire de services d’hygiène Rentokil Initial.

November 2013 | ECJ | 14

continues Reader. “The training programme is designed to equip our staff to survey premises and identify hygiene risks – we can then offer the solutions to minimise those risks.”

There are five RSPH-approved modules in the programme: • Awareness and basics of hygiene – transmission of bacteria both to surfaces and other people

How to assess • Hygiene tools and how to assess hygiene – presence of bacteria and how to test for it. Sales force uses ATP, for example, and humidity gauges when assessing buildings • Survey – helping a business to see potential risk areas.

Rentokil Initial staff help business owners to assess and how perceive risks • Solutions – this encompasses consumables, tools and services. “Here we have tried to link our services to the risks being experienced by clients.”

• Sectors module – specific business types and how their

•Der nächste Kongress der World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) wird vom 6.-9.

April 2014 in New York, USA, stattfinden.

• In Großbritannien hat die RSPH (Royal Society for Public Health - Königliche Gesellschaft für das Gesundheitswesen) den vom Hygienetechnikunternehmen Rentokil Initial an Unternehmensstandorten durchgeführten Schulungskurs „Hygiene Within Our Environment“ (Hygiene in unserem Umfeld) anerkannt.

risks can be different. Hotels, for example, are very different to offices. This module also covers the business implications of hygiene failures.

All training is carried out face-to-face and Rentokil Initial is currently in the process of training the trainers. Six months after initial training there are online refresher modules.

Reader explains the benefits already seen by implementing the programme. “It gives the individual more pride in what they are doing, and real knowledge about the subject.

Staff are no longer simply selling products, they are offering advice and expertise to our customers.

“This clearly has a beneficial impact on business in that we now have a much better equipped sales force – which in turn means we are offering an enhanced service to our clients.”

It was always the intention for this to be an international training programme, which involves almost 1,000 Rentokil Initial employees around the world.

• La federazione mondiale World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) terrà il suo prossimo congresso a New York, in America dal 6 al 9 aprile.

• Nel Regno Unito, l’organizzazione per la salute pubblica Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH), ha accreditato il corso di addestramento “Hygiene Within Our Environment” dell’mpresa fornitrice di servizi per l’igiene Rentokil Initial.

Clean the corners, don‘t cut them.

It‘s never been easier to clean without getting stuck in tight corners.

Just one turn of the steering wheel can pivot the roller brush head through 200° in either direction. The new BR 35/12 C with KART – Kärcher Advanced Response Technology – steers like a car, is very agile, has great mobility and has turned cleaning into driving fun. The work‘s done so quickly that you‘ve still got plenty of time left to tidy up at your leisure.

Kärcher Professional: efficiency in anthracite.

www.kaercher.com

NEWS Giving health staff hand gel safeguards patients at bacterial counts on hightouch surfaces such as hand sanitiser dispensers. “Often the last object touched by the anaesthesia provider before the patient’s IV is the hand sanitiser dispenser,” said Dr Devon C Cole from the University of Florida’s anaesthesiology department.

Simple remedies such as keeping antibacterial gel dispensers clean and giving healthcare workers their own hand sanitiser can help to keep patients safe in operating and recovery rooms, according to two new studies.

In the first study, healthcare workers were given a personal sanitation gel dispensing device to be worn on their belts.

Compliance rates with and without the device were then compared.

Vulnerable

Less than ideal “Despite the availability of wall-mounted hand sanitation dispensers, compliance without the personal dispensing devices was less than ideal,” said Dr Colby L Parks of the University of Wisconsin’s anaesthesia department.

When the personal gel dispensers were in use, handwashing compliance increased by 29 per cent.

“This study shows that a

simple intervention in which a personal antibacterial hand gel dispenser is readily available works better for a busy healthcare provider’s workflow pattern, presumably leading to decreased patient and surrounding care area contamination,” said Dr Parks.

The second study looked

• Maintenir les distributeurs de gel antibactérien dans un état de propreté et remettre aux personnels hospitaliers leur propre désinfectant des mains aident à protéger patients, indiquent deux nouvelles études.

• Scot Yong Research, un fabricant de systèmes de propreté, a nommé Vernon Holmes, ancien cadre de Contico, à sa vice-présidence.

November 2013 | ECJ | 16

“The hand sanitiser is touched to sanitise a presumably unsanitary hand and is therefore uniquely vulnerable to contamination.

“Routine cleansing of the dispensers will reduce this reservoir of bacteria so decontamination of the dispenser should be an important part of anaesthesia workstation cleaning.” The study found that keeping the dispensers clean helped to decrease bacterial contamination by 75 per cent.

The results were presented at the Anaesthesiologist 2013 annual meeting.

•Aus zwei neuen Studien geht hervor, dass zwei Aspekte zur Sicherheit von Patienten in Krankenhäusern beitragen können: antibakterielle Gelspendern sauber halten und allen im Gesundheitswesen tätigen Personen einen eigenen Händedesinfektionsmittelspender zuteilen.

• Reinigungssystemhersteller Scot Young Research hat Vernon Holmes - zuvor bei Contico tätig - zum stellvertretenden Vorsitzenden ernannt.

Holmes at SYR Cleaning tools specialist Scot Young Research (SYR) in the UK has appointed Vernon Holmes, formerly managing director of Contico/Spraychem and a wellknown figure throughout the industry, as its vice-chairman.

Holmes said on the appointment: “After 38 years with Contico it was time for me to move on and look for a fresh challenge where I would be able to fully utilise my knowledge and experience. This appointment fulfils my objectives perfectly and to be joining SYR at such an exciting period in the company’s history is an added bonus.”

Chairman and founder of SYR Scot Young added: “Vernon’s depth of knowledge is second to none and he brings a level of integrity, professionalism and management skills to our business which will galvanise our efforts in securing the precipitous growth path we have already embarked upon.” www.syrclean.com

• Due studi recenti affermano che tenere puliti i dispenser di gel antibatterico e fornire al personale del settore sanitario il loro sanitizzante personale può aiutare a garantire la sicurezza dei pazienti negli ospedali.

• L’azienda produttrice di sistemi di pulizia Scot Young Research ha nominato vice presidente Vernon Holmes, precedentemente della Contico.

UPDATE: DENMARK YouTube films guide young Young people who enter the labour market need guidance and advice to avoid accidents, reports Petra Sjouwerman, our correspondent in Denmark.

Young people who enter the labour market are more prone to injuries than their older and more experienced colleagues.

This is why the Danish Working Environment Council (BAR), has started a campaign aimed at young people.

A website, a corresponding Facebook group and short films on YouTube offer information on the most important health and safety regulations. An interactive game relates in an entertaining way problems young people could encounter in their working lives. Furthermore, the website contains cartoons and information leaflets on rights and duties, working routines and working environment – both the mental and physical environment.

In Denmark safety education is mandatory at most levels of education, from primary school to secondary and vocational education. Therefore the website contains materials that can be used in teaching. But also parents and employers can find an overview of the most important health and safety regulations.

In the Danish Working Environmental Council BAR, employers and employees work together to promote a good working environment in the various industries, like construction, industry, the financial sector and office workers.

Prevention of work accidents and occupational diseases has been high on the agenda of the Danish authorities for many years. Prevention of occupational diseases is not only essential for individuals, their health and quality of life, but also important for employers and for society as a whole.

Les jeunes qui entrent sur le marché du travail courent un risque plus grand de blessure que leurs collègues plus expérimentés, rapporte Petra Sjouwerman du Danemark.

November 2013 | ECJ | 18

In Denmark every year 2,700 newly recruited young people get injured on the job.

“With a job you can afford the things that are important to you. Perhaps you also have fun experiences with good colleagues, and the opportunity to develop yourself professionally and personally. But it is important that your work is safe and healthy. Therefore you must know the safety, rights and duties of the job. Click and learn,” it says on the website.

Ungmedjob.dk (youngwithjob) aims at young people between 16 and 25 years.

In ‘10 recommendations’ the website describes how to ‘take care of yourself and to listen to your body’s signals’. Examples of the recommendations are: avoid twisting your body, work with nose and toes in the same direction. Work with your arms close to the body, avoid action with straight arms. While floor cleaning, switch between push and figure-of-8 method. Work with good distance between the feet. While vacuuming, hold vacuum hose behind your back, one hand gripping the hose, the other hand on the suction tube.

One of the advantages is that the website gives teachers and employers a clear insight into the considerations of young people, as everybody can see the answers given to the questions in the interactive game on the site. To the question if they would consider a cleaning job in an office building all by themselves, 33 per cent of the participants answer that they would turn the job down.

Another 33 per cent would suggest they could do the job with a colleague.

Petra Sjouwerman berichtet aus Dänemark, dass junge Menschen, die ins Erwerbsleben eintreten, verletzungsanfälliger sind als Kollegen mit mehr Erfahrung.

I giovani che fanno ingresso nel mercato del lavoro sono più soggetti ad avere incidenti dei loro colleghi più esperti, come ci rivela Petra Sjouwerman dalla Danimarca.

UPDATE: NETHERLANDS Surprising purchasing policy Nico Lemmens of ISS Facility Services examines new procurement legislation in the Netherlands.

With the new Public Procurement Act, which came into force in the Netherlands in April 2013, and the recent coalition agreement for the current Rutte II cabinet, the Dutch government has taken two remarkable steps. The new Public Procurement Act aims to counteract ‘unfair competition’ against SMEs. The ‘unnecessary clustering’ of revenue streams by contracting authorities (in order to then put them out to tender in a single contract) is seen as unfair competition and is therefore to be discouraged. Government bodies which nonetheless wish to cluster revenue streams will need to justify doing so.

This raises a fundamental question: what do we mean by competition? Is a big company that can handle large volumes guilty of unfair competition against smaller companies that cannot? Or is this rather one of the ways in which a big company can differentiate itself in a competitive market?

European public procurement legislation aims, among other things, to promote competition.

The question is whether the ban on clustering has any place within this.

And there’s more. The government is using purchasing as a policy tool. There is nothing wrong with that per se. It does the same thing to encourage corporate social responsibility (CSR) among service providers, for example.

But there is an important difference between these two uses of purchasing as a policy tool. In the case of the policy of encouraging CSR, service providers acquire a new way of differentiating themselves in the competitive arena. That is not the case with the policy of discouraging clustering. Quite the reverse: in this case, Nico Lemmens, correspondant d’ECJ, fait le point sur une récente loi relative aux achats publics, qui vise à protéger les PME néerlandaises contre la “concurrence déloyale”.

the policy is actually distorting the competitive environment.

The second remarkable step can be seen in the Rutte II coalition agreement. This agreement contains the following passage: “By opening up the lowest pay scales, contract workers at the lower end of the labour market, such as cleaners and catering staff, can be taken back into regular employment. The government will set a good example in this respect.”

In this case, the government is using purchasing policy (insourcing instead of outsourcing) as a tool of labour market policy (protection of contract workers).

That intention is contrary to the desire expressed elsewhere in the coalition agreement to strive for a flexible apparatus of government.

Outsourcing is, of course, an effective tool for ensuring flexibility. Apart from that, the government is missing out on a great opportunity here. It is precisely in the interests of contract workers that the government should focus its facility purchasing policy on the outsourcing of facility services, but in an integrated manner with long-term contracts.

Integral outsourcing means that facility services are bundled in a single contract. This gives service providers the opportunity to offer their staff full-time jobs by combining tasks that were traditionally covered by separate contracts. The government would be doing the ‘lower end’ of the labour market, the taxpayer, the public sector, the trade unions and the facility services industry a great service by studying some of the many examples of this type of outsourcing in the private sector and learning the appropriate lessons from them.

Der ECJ-Korrespondent Nico Lemmens nimmt die vor kurzem eingeführte Verordnung zur öffentlichen Auftragsvergabe unter die Lupe, mit der einem „unfairen Wettbewerb“ gegenüber KMUs entgegengewirkt werden soll.

Il corrispondente di ECJ Nico Lemmens prende in esame il decreto di recente introduzione Public Procurement Act, il cui scopo è quello di contrastare la concorrenza sleale nei confronti delle piccole e medie imprese (SME).

November 2013 | ECJ | 19

UPDATE: RUSSIA Technology as marketing tool Oleg Popov at Cristanval Cleaning, Russian reporter, looks at the industry’s use of social networking.

The most important element of every business is communication between the parties involved and rapid reaction to change.

Prosperous companies tend to open up to customers’ concerns and interests, their colleagues and potential customers.

Young and energetic people of the new generation bring modern technology and enthusiasm into newly established companies.

Seldom do they question themselves or others as to the desirability of using social networks.

More often they ask how did businesses succeed without them in the past.

You may wonder what cleaners post in their blogs and on

social networks pages. They share company news with their colleagues and dwell on the latest developing trends of the Russian cleaning business. Customers not only get to read about daily activities, the ups and downs, but also get rapid answers to their questions. Co-workers, and, potential associates in particular, have a ringside seat position.

Large cleaning companies cover several geographical regions of Russia and, hence, the supporting and boosting of team morale throughout the company is an essential task. Senior managers must readily use every communication resource available to make sure all personnel continuously

Notre correspondant en Russie, Oleg Popov, de la société Cristanval, explique comment les entreprises de son pays s’intéressent toujours plus au réseautage social.

feel part of a large family focused on a single goal. In achieving this goal, social networking plays a supplementary role in the arsenal of the HR department of each company. Posting about the achievements of individual workers always serves as a great motivator.

Social networks also assist companies in branding and staying in touch with society at large. Getting feedback from readers serves as a help in catching whatever problematic points might occur in the daily routine while they are still in the early stage.

Networks also play a key role in evaluating statistics of loggedin users. It is quite important to see how many ‘goods’ or ‘likes’ the company or activity collects.

Through social networks, IT deserves great appreciation as it offers a tool for communication

Unser Russland-Korrespondent, der bei der Reinigungsfirma Cristanval tätige Oleg Popov, erläutert, wie Unternehmen verstärkt soziale Netzwerke einsetzen.

between the company and its clients.

When it comes to running social network pages, the primary responsibility of every company must be to avoid leaving a post from a user unattended. Each post must be replied to and attended to promptly. It should make no difference whether the post is negative or positive. What is important is that the post came from a person who decided to take part in the company’s life and express himself. Thus, the tools born through technical progress allow us to maintain connections with clients, current and potential.

The leaders of Russian cleaning businesses strive to employ and adapt the best professional practices and adhere to global business standards. We are open to the market by showing our daily life and we believe this is how we become a valuable part of society.

Il corrispondente russo Oleg Popov dell’impresa di pulizie Cristanval spiega come le imprese stiano diventando più coinvolte nei social network.

UPDATE: FRANCE An accident has been tried by the local criminal court of Saint-Malo following the death of a window cleaner who fell off his ladder.

Nobody saw or heard anything that day inside a superstore near Saint-Malo, in Brittany. While he was cleaning indoor windows Christian Aubert, 46, fell from his ladder and was found unconscious with severe head injuries.

This model employee, who had 24 years’ experience, died four days later in hospital without having regained consciousness.

Eight months later his employer, the boss of a cleaning firm with 11 employees found himself before the court, charged with involuntary homicide and infringement of health and safety regulations.

Did Christian Aubert, on the day of his accident, have with him the equipment necessary for carrying out his tasks in accordance with the relevant safety regula-

tion? This was the question the judges had to find an answer to while referring to the company’s internal rules and to the complex French legislation embodied in the Code du Travail. As far as the company boss was concerned, the victim had been working within the law - he was working on a ladder that carried him to a height of two metres above the ground to clean a glazed surface to a maximum height of 3.6 metres.

“If one takes account of the man’s height and the fact he was working with arms stretched, he must have been at a height of about 1.25 metres above the ground,” argued the employer, who had distributed an internal note prohibiting his workers from climbing without protection to a height of over 1.60 metres.

But there were no witnesses and even the victim’s workmate, who was working next to him,

Christian Bouzols, correspondant d’ECJ en France, rend compte d’une affaire en justice à Saint-Malo par suite de la chute mortelle d’un laveur de vitres de son échelle.

Contractor on trial A window cleaner died after falling off his ladder, resulting in a court case, writes Christian Bouzols. was unable to confirm this assertion. On the other side of the witness stand, lawyers defending the dead employee referred to the work inspector’s report, who had investigated the accident and had concluded that acts of “negligence” had been involved and the employer had been responsible for not abiding by safety regulations.

“In this matter, lack of prudence has been involved, even though it may have been in good faith”, the public prosecutor decided, demanding a 3,500 euros fine.

Meanwhile the defendant has made new arrangements within his company, putting a wheeled scaffolding tower at the

Christian Bouzols, der Frankreich-Korrespondent des ECJ, berichtet von einer Gerichtsverhandlung in Saint-Malo, die angestrengt wurde, nachdem ein Fensterputzer von der Leiter fiel und starb.

disposal of his workers, a device that may not be compulsory but which would have prevented the dramatic accident which struck Christian Aubert.

This case is a reminder that, as regards safety at work, there is no guarantee staff won’t be hit by an accident. This is particularly true of window cleaners, who often have to work at great heights. In this case, a man lost his life while working at less than two metres from the ground.

So far the ruling hasn’t been announced because the case is still being deliberated, but it is generally expected the employer will receive a sentence.

Christian Bouzols, il corrispondente francese di ECJ ci aggiorna sul processo che si tiene a Saint-Malo in seguito alla morte di un addetto al lavaggio delle finestre causata dalla caduta dalla scala su cui lavorava.

UPDATE: ITALY Survey analyses distribution Italian reporter Anna Garbagna brings news of a survey into the distribution of cleaning products.

The third edition of the survey

by AfidampCOM, analysing the Italian market for the distribution of machines, products and equipment for professional cleaning has been carried out.

The survey highlighted some dynamics driven by the economic situation Italy is experiencing. The majority of companies (52 per cent) are small enterprises with sales volume of less than one million euros; on the other hand, the number of companies with sales volume between 0.5 and one million euros is increasing, to the detriment of companies included in the next band up, ie. between one and 1.5 million euros. There was also an increase of three per cent in the number of companies with fewer than five employees.

Unfortunately, sales volumes are decreasing: 5.6 per cent of people who replied to the survey declared a decrease of 20 per cent of sales volume for 2011/2012 even if professionals in the sector continue to show a cautious optimism. Among the critical factors which led these companies to suffer can be identified: payment management, reduction of margins and direct competition from manufacturers. Payment delays lead to a sharp reduction in cash flow.

Training is certainly one the strategies being pinpointed in order to respond to the crisis: 66 per cent of people being interviewed declared to have attended training courses in 2012 (while in 2010 the percentage was 58 per cent and in 2011 63 per cent, confirming a growing trend). In small companies courses are mainly of technical/operative nature while in large companies security is preferred; companies with between 11 and 20 employees Notre correspondante en Italie Anna Garbagna examine les résultats de la dernière enquête par AfidampCOM sur la distribution des produits de nettoyage.

are those which are more active as far as training is concerned and their focus is on courses of a commercial nature.

The customer portfolio is essentially unchanged: 54 per cent of people interviewed declare having a portfolio exceeding 300 customers. The field of action, on the other hand, is widening: in 2012 sales were distributed over a large number of regions while in 2011 the areas of action were the provinces in the near vicinity of the companies. All companies have the use of a logistics centre of about 1,000 square metres and 63 per cent are family run.

Among the services commonly offered to customers and services worth continuing to invest in are pre- and post-sale assistance and maintenance, while the sale of used goods and the practice of renting both increased (used by 49 per cent of companies in 2011 compared to 58 per cent in 2012, to demonstrate a tendency towards a more functional and less expensive option). Sales made by employees compared to those made by agents are also increasing.

This year’s survey highlighted the dynamics outlined at the end of 2011 and that, given the market situation, continue to consolidate. “We believe specialisation and customer service are two very important levers to focus on in order to face recession which affects us deeply,” Francesco Bertini, president of AfidampCOM declared.

“The association will pursue its task to improve contact among distributors in order to value small and micro companies as well as large groups by means of dedicated services and constant training on specific topics.”

Unsere ItalienKorrespondentin Anna Garbagna untersucht die Ergebnisse der neuesten Studie von AfidampCOM in den Markt für den Vertrieb von Reinigungsprodukten.

La nostra corrispondente italiana Anna Garbagna esamina i risultati del recente sondaggio della AfidampCOM sul mercato della distribuzione di prodotti per il settore del cleaning.

The new generation of cold water high pressure washers POSEIDON 5-6-7

We make sure that you can focus on doing the job Developed to meet - an exceed - the requirements of your most demanding cleaning tasks!

Practical and Simple :

The POSEIDON 5-6-7 line is intuitive and easy to use, reducing your time spent on installation, preparation or training.

Ergonomic and Easy to handle :

The spraying equipment reduces tiredness and is quick to use. Optimized transport and storage to save time and space.

Robust and Durability :

Equipped with industrial quality material for long term use in even the toughest environments.

Nilfisk-Advance A/S · Sognevej 25 · DK-2605 Brøndby · www.nilfisk-alto.com

UPDATE: UK The letter of the law Companies in the FM industry must adhere to correct business practices, says our UK reporter.

We have warned previously of the danger to FM companies of examples of poor not to say illegal practices. In some cases these may not be particularly serious; employees and managers make mistakes on a daily basis which are not cataclysmic.

But anything that involves racism, real or imaginary, or a health or safety issue can attract the local press and beyond this the national newspapers.

For some years past the cleaning industry has been the recipient of much abuse, particularly in hospitals, much of it generally inaccurate. This has become a non-story replaced by the failings of so many hospitals with the

anger directed at trust boards (directors are a sitting target) and nurses previously seen only as ‘angels’, ministering to the sick.

It is in avoiding this opprobrium the FM sector needs to ensure correct management practice and constant monitoring. With unemployment as high as it is, there might well be a call for a return to direct cleaning and not by the FM company itself. Ludicrous as the idea may sound the ‘debate’ thus endangered with its sound and fury, slanted opinions and in some cases deliberate falsehoods can seriously damage the logical forward progress of the contracting industry.

Two recent cases highlight this.

L’industrie du Facilities Management doit veiller au maintien de bonnes pratiques de gestion et au respect des exigences légales, affirme le correspondant ECJ au Royaume-Uni.

November 2013 | ECJ | 24

In the first one of the leading FM companies has allegedly swindled the government out of millions or thousands of pounds depending on which newspaper you read.

The case has yet to come to trial but alarmingly the chief executive is stepping down.

Fortunately the cleaning industry is not involved but outsourcing most certainly is.

The second, a landmark ruling, where a school pupil drowned in a swimming pool, where the training and supervision was provided by an outside company.

One would assume responsibility would fall on the company but the judge held that the school had a duty of care whatever arrangements were made to outsource certain services. It might well be advisable for outside suppliers to look at their contract and with the client make sure that they are operating within the law.

Die FM-Branche muss sicherstellen, dass korrekte Managementpraktiken aufrecht erhalten und gesetzliche Anforderungen eingehalten werden, meint der britische Reporter des ECJ.

Much discussion about mergers: Asset Skills is to merge with the Cleaning and Support Services Association (CSSA) and the Facilities Management Association (FMA). On the face of it this should be beneficial to those organisations involved but there is doubt when one considers that Asset Skills is a government formed body, while claiming to be employer led. It is, at least in theory, not taxpayer funded but does have access to certain government monies.

Does this mean that contract cleaners as members of CSSA will have first opportunity to compete for grants and other forms of funding? Should any government sponsored organisation be able to become a bedfellow as if it were purely commercial and not subject to any governmental control? We leave the questions open but will return to it in due course.

Il settore FM deve assicurare che le corrette pratiche di gestione siano sostenute e che i requisiti legali vengano rispettati, così afferma il reporter britannico di ECJ.

UPDATE: GERMANY Today hospitals and surgeries are challenged more and more by increasing demands or certifications – also in terms of hygiene – which require significant investments in terms of personnel and technology. Outsourcing of services to external providers can allow a focus on their core business, reduced workforce and costs and, at the same time, increased hygienic quality.

Since the contract cleaning industry in Germany has expanded its range of services to cover various needs of facility management, many new business opportunities have emerged.

In this context a project called ‘New Business Opportunities in Hygiene for Health’ is remarkable as it explicitly promotes ‘new business opportunities’.

The project is a cooperation of the Hochschule Niederrhein, the Cleaning Technology Institute WFK, the Institute of Energy and

Environmental Technology, IUTA and the Dutch organisation for applied scientific research TNO, and is co-financed by the EU scheme Interreg IIIA, the province of Limburg and the ministries of economics of the Netherlands and the Federal State of North RhineWestphalia. The project ‘Hygiene for Health’ aims at new hygiene services in medical device cleaning and processing preparation (disinfection) of medical instruments and an optimised decontamination of surfaces in medical areas.

The project not only develops alternative methods of hygienic cleaning and reprocessing but also features transfer of practical know-how. In particular, service providers who already have experience in sensitive areas can benefit from databases and information presented on the project’s website (hygiene-for-health.de).

This enables companies that are ready to diversify their services to

Notre correspondant en Allemagne, Thomas Schulte-Marxloh, examine les perspectives offertes aux entreprises de propreté par les secteurs spécialisés de la santé et hospitalier.

Hygiene services opportunity German reporter Thomas Schulte-Marxloh takes a look at new business potential in healthcare. identify and develop new market potential. The project also organises various events and workshops to promote opportunities in this business area. Moreover, the project maintains close contact with hygiene service providers, hospitals, public authorities, associations and professional organisations in order to keep informed about current issues and to actively generate improvement regarding cleaning and reprocessing of medical devices.

‘Hygiene for Health’ also strongly supports the foundation of new professional service companies by introducing start-ups to the requirements of cleaning and reprocessing of medical devices and decontamination of hygieni-

Unser Deutschland-Korrespondent Thomas Schulte-Marxloh untersucht die Chancen für Vertragsreinigungsunternehmen in den spezialisierten Branchen Gesundheitswesen und Krankenhäuser.

cally demanding surfaces in the medical and pharmaceutical area.

The creation of sustainable workplaces is supported by the project’s own research and development of methods and tests. For participating companies this knowledge transfer means a distinct advantage in market competition and also helps to develop the market.

The German cleaning industry waves goodbye to old images, ideas and limits. Higher customer expectations have resulted in more training and education. Delicate building and interior materials demand increased knowledge.

New markets have been developed not only by the big players but also by SMEs.

Il corrispondente tedesco Thomas Schulte-Marxloh esamina le possibilità che esistono per le imprese professionali di pulizia nei settori specializzati sanitari e ospedalieri.

do se the right thing!

SIST E

EM

O - PAT AT

BREVET T MA

TED SYST EN

T.T.S. SRL - Tel.: +39 049 9300710 - Fax: +39 049 9300720 - E-mail: info@ttsystem.com

www.ttsystem.com

...dose and go!

fully AUTOMATED and EASY to use and to keep clean FLEXIBLE adjustable dosage from min. 100 ml to max. 400 ml AS BY LAW ENACTED, chemical solution is closed MODULAR and so versatile SAFE for all users, provided with safety key UNIVERSAL for Magic Line and TTS Systems

VoleoPro Trolley Big in action, small in size.

Space is limited. But you still need the trolley to carry a wide range of utensils around.

The all-new VoleoPro trolley from Vileda Professional is your perfect solution that grows with your demands. Big on the inside, small at the outside means you don´t have to leave vital utensils behind.

With a size of 0.5 m2, VoleoPro is ideal when you need a versatile carrier, while still keeping the footprint as small as possible.

Designed for tight spots, carries what you need, easy to manoeuvre on limited floor space, easy storage in small areas – it´s clear what VoleoPro brings you.

A companion that´s big in action but small in size.

Helping you make a difference.

Vileda Professional Visit us at www.vileda-professional.com or mail us at vileda.professional@fhp-ww.com

TROLLEY SYSTEMS

Special case trolleys What types of customers require bespoke trolleys configured to their own precise requirements?

And does a “one size fits all” approach ever work in the trolley market? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

Trolleys are essentially a fairly simple concept. Basically a bag or a box on wheels, a trolley’s main purpose is to take away any strain from the operator when transporting heavy or unwieldy items from one place to another.

Although not exclusively used in the cleaning industry, trolleys have become invaluable to the average cleaner’s work.

Items such as buckets, mops, brooms and vacuum cleaners are all necessary tools of the trade and these heavy, cumbersome items may have to moved long distances around the facility to be cleaned.

But every task is different and the range of items required by each cleaner will vary from one job to another. A hotel cleaner will need to transport shampoos, towels, bedding and washroom supplies to each guest room, for instance, and some of these items should be able to fit on to a trolley. The type of equipment required will also depend largely on the facility’s floor surface: vacuum cleaners will be required in place of mops and brooms in a carpeted area, for example.

Sometimes a trolley should have a smart appearance to reflect the brand values of the premises being cleaned. And closed compartments will be necessary in other environments in order to prevent smells or any health and safety issues that may arise from having a trolley containing an open bucket of used cleaning cloths.

So there is often a need for a ‘special case trolley’ configured specifically for the user in mind. In fact marketing director of TTS Paola Zorzo argues that practically every trolley is a special case. And she adds that the company is constantly being asked to configure bespoke trolleys for individual customers.

“Every industry has its own space requirements depending on whether their top priorities are safety, hygiene or organisation,” she said. According to Zorzo the TTS concept is to provide trolleys with an optimum level of flexibility so that they can be customised in the easiest possible way. “It is very important to have everything at hand while cleaning in order to avoid any unnecessary loss of time,” she said. ”Therefore the choice of a suitable cart is the first step towards increasing productivity.“

Variety of environments To prove this theory, TTS has trialled its Magic Line trolleys in a variety of environments including offices, nursing homes, hotels, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. “The trolleys that had been specifically configured for the environment in question resulted in improvements in productivity of between 19 and 36 per cent,” said Zorzo.

She claims that the right trolley for each application needs to be identified – even if this means several operators working in a single building all using trolleys built to a different configuration.

“For instance, in the case of a swimming pool building maintained by eight operators, we once had to come up with two different configurations in order to optimise performance,” she said. “In a nursing home with 14 operators, on the other hand, we had to come up with four different configurations – while in a pharmaceutical operation where 22 operators were employed a total of seven different versions of the trolley had to be made to optimise productivity.

“The key point is that each operator should be able to include all the tools

necessary to clean the area assigned to them.” She adds that creating several different bespoke trolleys within one organisation should not be a problem from an aesthetics point of view. “The trolleys may all have different configurations, but they will still belong to the same line and this will prevent the negative effect of the trolleys having a different look.”

IPC Ready System sales director Adriano Mariano says his company also has to come up with special case trolleys from time to time. “It happened this year when one of our key customers involved in the retail market asked us to configure a trolley specifically for them,” he said.

Problems had arisen at the retail company when housekeepers attending spillages with a mop and bucket sometimes made the initial problem worse. “Paperwork relating to the incident would either be poorly completed or not at all – and when a customer then slipped on the poorly cleaned floor, the company would struggle to defend its position.”

IPC Ready System’s answer was to come up with the CS1 Mobile Cleaning Station. “This is an all-inclusive trolley with dedicated microfibre mops and accessories, plus a wet and dry vacuum unit,” said Mariano. “The trolley also has an optional app to solve the paperwork problem. This app is used to store the info on the web for future use as required.”

Email reports of spillages are instantly sent to the supermarket and the contractor, and this can then be used in court to mitigate or reduce the cost of any personal injury claims.

Crisp Clean Services offers a range of stainless steel systems from a single bucket flat mopping trolley to a multifunctional, high-hygiene dosing system trolley capable of carrying several mops and segregating three different forms of waste.

“Adaptation by accessorising a basic trolley layout gives the customer the ability to fine-tune their own particular Continued page 30

November 2013 | ECJ | 29

TROLLEY SYSTEMS Special case trolleys (continued) configuration,” said international sales manager Judy Toes. “Carpeted office areas, for example, do not need mopping systems but require more waste collection and a vacuum cleaner,” she said. “Hospitals tend to use flat-mopping in the form of either a double-bucket wringer system or dosing system using a clean mop for every 10 to 20 square metres.

“Hospitals also often require segregated waste collection and enclosed systems.

And heavily-soiled areas such as school entrances and passageways are ideally suited to a flat mop double-bucket system due to its effectiveness at removing large amounts of soil.”

According to Toes, in public areas it is often important that the trolley does not become an eyesore and that harmful chemicals are secured out of view. “To this end, part or fully-enclosed trolleys have become a prerequisite,” she said. “However the underlying trolley configuration can be

broken down to the same basic elements such as the cleaning method, storage and waste requirement.”

She adds that in restricted access areas, trolleys need to be as small, lightweight and manoeuvrable as possible. “Adding large fixed wheels to the rear of a trolley to enable it to be taken upstairs is a typical requirement,” she said.

Kärcher can also offers pre-configured trolleys to suit different demands says Linda Laipple. “Special configurations are needed according to the different facilities, different cleaning frequencies and different types of soiling,” she said.

“Closed compartments tend to be used in hospitals, for instance - mainly for health protection purposes, but also to avoid any possible misuse of the detergents.”

She says customers tend to tell the company exactly what they need.

“Sometimes the trolley configuration needs to be adapted for different manual

Comment un chariot de nettoyage doit-il êre configuré pour des applications spécialisées, telles que chambres blanches, laboratoires et établissements de santé ?

Quels seraient d’autres environnements appelant à des configurations de chariot de nettoyage personnalisées ?

Wie sollte ein Reinigungswagen für spezielle Anwendungen, wie etwa Reinräume, Labors und Gesundheitswesen, konfiguriert werden? Und in welchen anderen Umgebungen sind Reinigungswagen erforderlich, die nach Vorgabe des Kunden als Auftragsfertigung konfiguriert werden?

November 2013 | ECJ | 30

tools such as specific mops etc, and this need to be discussed with the customer.”

So, are customers increasingly asking for bespoke trolleys, or is the market heading more towards a ‘one-trolley-fitsall’ approach?

“In general the tendency is heading towards a multipurpose trolley solution to avoid spending too much money on different systems and to ensure operators are trained in an easy way,” says Laipple.

Crisp Clean’s Judy Toes disagrees. “A ‘one trolley fits all’ approach is simply not good enough and this is demonstrated by the regular requests we have for ‘bespoke’ trolley configurations,” she said.

“Most cleaning environments have their own specific requirements – and these are often not only environment-specific but also country-specific.

“Accessorising a basic trolley layout gives the customer the ability to develop their own particular configuration.”

Come dovrebbero essere configurati i carrelli per impieghi specializzati tipo le stanze asettiche, i laboratori e gli ambienti sanitari? E che altre tipologie di ambienti richiedono carrelli configurati su misura secondo i requisiti specifici dei clienti?

PRODUCTS: TROLLEYS

• Le chariot VoleoPro est un nouveau modèle signé Vileda Professional pour les zones à espace réduit.

• Le distributeur de solution de nettoyage Dosely, de TTS, assure la trempe successive de moppes uniques sur un chariot de nettoyage.

• Wetrok estime que son chariot de nettoyage ConceptCar, comprenant le système Wetbox à têtes de balayage humide imprégnées, réalise une hygiène inégalée.

• Filmop a développé la gamme de chariots de nettoyage Alpha, qui sont modulaires et peuvent être réalisés pour répondre à des besoins spécifiques.

• SYR a lancé un chariot de nettoyage plat accueillant des balais-éponges en microfibre ainsi qu’un système de dosage de têtes de balayage humide.

• La gamme HDS (Healthcare Disinfection Suite) de chariots de nettoyage a été mise au point par IPC Euromop pour service hospitalier.

• Beim Reinigungswagen VoleoPro handelt es sich um das neue Modell von Vileda Professional, das zum Einsatz in beengten Räumen konzipiert wurde.

• Bei Dosely von TTS handelt es sich um einen mechanischen Spender für Reinigungslösungen, der das Einweichen jeweils eines Mopps auf dem Reinigungswagen ermöglicht.

• Laut eigenen Angaben von Wetrok bietet der Reinigungswagen ConceptCar, der mit dem WetboxSystem für imprägnierte Mopps ausgestattet ist, optimale Hygiene.

• Filmop hat die Produktreihe Alpha mit Reinigungswagen entwickelt: Ausgehend von einer modularen Bauweise können sie an spezifische Anforderungen angepasst werden.

• SYR hat einen Reinigungswagen mit Moppdosiersystem zur Reinigung mit Mikrofaser-Flachmopps eingeführt.

• IPC Euromop hat die Reinigungswagenprodukte HDS (Healthcare Disinfection Suite) zum Einsatz in Krankenhäusern entwickelt.

• Il carrello VoleoPro è il nuovo modello della Vileda Professional ed è progettato per aree dove lo spazio è limitato.

• Dosely della TTS è un dispenser meccanico per prodotti di pulizia per impregnare un mop alla volta mentre sono sul carrello.

• La Wetrok afferma che il suo carrello ConceptCar, che incorpora il sistema di umidificazione dei mop Wetbox offre massima igiene.

• La Filmop ha sviluppato la gamma di carrelli modulari Alpha che possono essere costruiti secondo le specifiche richieste dei clienti.

• La SYR ha lanciato un carrello per mop piatti in microfibra che incorpora un sistema di dosaggio per i mop.

• La divisione di carrelli HDS (Healthcare Disinfection Suite) è stata creata dalla IPC Euromop per l’uso specifico negli ospedali.

November 2013 | ECJ | 32

Limited space VoleoPro is the newest trolley from Vileda Professional, developed for areas where space is limited and a full-size trolley is too large - its footprint is half a square metre.

Two versions are available, basic and standard, and Vileda says this model offers a high degree of flexibility and customisation. It can carry all the company’s floor cleaning systems, boxes and buckets plus other tools needed for daily cleaning.

The upper part of the trolley has facility for hooks and fasteners which can be placed according to individual preferences. The inclined bin bag holder with its integrated ergonomic grip zone allows for easy disposing of waste or used mops/cloths and is closed by a foldaway lid. www.vileda-professional.com

One at a time Dosely is a mechanical cleaning solution dispenser designed to soak one mop at a time while it is on the trolley. Designed by TTS, the dosing system is secure in that detergent goes into a removable hermetic tank which can be locked into the trolley using a key.

This means no more carrying of heavy buckets filled with pre-soaked mops and no manual pre-soaking - saving on time and labour. Less water and electricity are used because there are fewer mops to wash and detergent consumption is also reduced because Dosely

soaks only the cleaning side of the mop which saves up to one-third of cleaning solution for each mop. www.ttsystem.com

Hygiene priority For hygienic cleaning in areas such as hospitals and care homes Wetrok says its ConceptCar trolley featuring the Wetbox system is an alternative to the scrubber dryer.

With the Wetbox system cleaning cloths and mops are used once before being cleaned or disposed of - helping to prevent cross contamination. There is no need to carry a bucket on the ConceptCar trolley because the mops are already moist.

The whole system is designed to be compact and take up as little space as possible - without compromising on capacity. Because it is so tall it boasts 20 per cent more storage room than trolleys with a similar footprint.

This, Wetrok says, avoids the need for operatives to make wasted journeys. www.wetrok.com

Tailor-made Alpha is a range of multipurpose modular trolleys from Filmop - each one is build to order to meet specific requirements.

A number of closed versions are also available, whereby there is a wide storage compartment in the middle and an enclosed waste collection compartment.

The back and side walls are made of plastic - making them light and easy to clean - and the doors have a locking system with removable key.

Other models feature a bag holder: there’s a 120-litre one for trolleys that do not need a closed waste collection compartment or a 150-litre for the enclosed option. And the 150-litre holder can be transformed into a double or triple bag holder for segregated waste. www.filmop.com

Dosed trolley A microfibre flat mopping dosed trolley system has been added to the SYR range. It says that Solo costs up to 70 per cent less than similar models.

The system offers different heads for different types of cleaning, including silver mops which prevent bacterial growth on them.

The built-in dosing system avoids overdosing, pollution and costs - mops are prepared with a known and set amount of solution as they are used so cleaners do not have to carry around pre-dosed mops.

Solo comes with three storage trays and one dosing tray, heavy duty outer sack and laundry mesh sack. It joins SYR’s range of Space Saver trolleys, which have a folded-down footprint the same as the average mop bucket, making them suitable for where storage space is limited. www.syrclean.com

Antibacterial The Healthcare Disinfection Suite (HDS) from IPC Euromop is a range of products made from antibacterial plastic in order to help reduce the risk of cross contamination in hospitals and other healthcare applications.

Now added to the HDS range is the Smart Disinfection System (SDS) which automates processes like instant mop impregnation.

This new system is said to reduce mop preparation times to a minimum, as impregnation is instantaneous and the quantity of solution applied is accurately calibrated to suit the task.

The HDS SDS trolley is designed for use in medium to large areas and is said to reduce chemical consumption by up to 60 per cent. Replacement mops can be machine washed up to 500 times. www.ipceuromop.com

THECLEVERCHOICE

The Ecover Professional range is the perfect balance of power & sustainability. Our products are highly effective yet do not leave behind harsh chemical residues. Competitively priced, Ecover Professional is the considered choice for a clean, safe and healthy environment. For all surfaces and floors, dishwashing and laundry - Ecover Professional!

More information: www.ecover-professional.com

CASE STUDY

Award winning improvement Facilities services company MITIE has been recognised by the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals (AHCP) in the UK for working in partnership with its client, the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust in the north-east of England.

ECJ editor Michelle Marshall visited Hull Royal Infirmary to learn more about how cleaning standards have improved there.

“We try to offer all our staff opportunity for advancement, if that’s what they want. Staff turnover is really not an issue for us. If someone does leave, we try to offer opportunities to existing staff who may want to increase hours.”

November 2013 | ECJ | 34

Since it started working with the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust in 2006 MITIE has implemented a number of initiatives to improve standards of cleanliness and hygiene there. Its focus has been investment in new technology, performance monitoring, training, and infection control.

These initiatives paid off earlier this year when it was recognised by the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals (AHCP) in its annual awards.

AHCP is the professional association for healthcare cleaning in the UK and Ireland and MITIE won its award for “Working in Partnership” with its client.

ECJ visited the MITIE team at Hull Royal Infirmary to find out why the cleaning team has been so successful. Responsible for the company’s regional operations there is Gill Pegg, who explained the background to the contract. This Trust was in fact one of the first in the National Health Service (NHS) to contract out its cleaning operation – it has been contracted out for over 20 years. MITIE tendered seven years ago, won the fiveyear contract, rebid for it and has now won it until 2017.

“This was MITIE’s first big hospital contract, and this is a very large NHS Trust,” Pegg explains. “At the end of the first term the hospital management wanted us to continue because we had built up such a productive and open relationship, the client was extremely satisfied with the improvements that were being made, and the staff were all content with working for MITIE.” Pegg joined the hospital team in 2012, having worked for both the NHS and the contracting side. She is responsible for making sure the contract runs smoothly, performance standards are reached, the client is given the service it expects, overseeing the changing nature of the work, and managing the budgets.

The contract at Hull Royal Infirmary is indeed a sizeable one – there are 500 cleaning staff working across two

sites. The A&E department alone sees around 120,000 people each year and the hospital is a major partner in the Hull York Medical School (HYMS). 2010 saw the opening of a new multimillion-euro renal dialysis unit and in 2011 dermatology and ophthalmology outpatients departments were improved as part of the new clinical skills facility. The site also accommodates a women and children’s hospital, and an eye hospital.

MITIE provides cleaning services across the two sites, which includes cleaning of theatres, all public areas, wards, treatment rooms, etc. Naturally, all cleaning operations must fit around the important work of the nursing staff and doctors so it’s imperative cleaners stay alert and aware of what is going on around them. It’s also vital they are aware of infection risks at all times – risks to patients and to themselves.

20-strong teams Each supervisor has a team of around 20 cleaners and must manage all aspects of their employment as well as their schedule, tasks etc. Each cleaner always stays in the same area. “They like to know exactly what they have to each day and each cleaner takes great pride in the area they look after,” Pegg explains. “They get to know the nursing staff and the nurses get to know them too.” It’s clear that cleaners are very much seen as being part of the team by all the hospital staff and that’s why they all work so well together and the contract runs so smoothly.

Alongside the regular cleaners on duty in their own areas, there is a rapid response team available at all times to cover incidents where there could be infection risk, for example. There is, however, a clear demarcation of tasks handled by MITIE’s cleaning staff and those carried out by auxiliary nurses. For example, the cleaners do not handle bodily fluids. They go in and do a clean after the initial removal of any hazardous waste by the auxiliary nurses.

The nature of the cleaning challenge

CASE STUDY has changed significantly in recent years, explains Pegg, and the staff have adapted well to that. “For example, in the drive to cut waiting lists on the NHS clinics now often run later than they would have in the past, and procedures take place at the weekends too. For the cleaning staff this means they have less time during the day to do the cleaning. So some tasks, such as floor cleaning in the public areas such as reception, day clinics, outpatient areas, A&E etc, are carried out during the night.

Operating theatres are also cleaned at night, after the day’s surgical procedures have taken place.”

Having only joined this hospital last year, Pegg attributes much of the contract’s success to the previous site manager who retired in June of this year. “Between the Trust and the various contractors who had been at the hospital she worked there for 35 years and really set the scene. She had also worked extremely well with the client,” she says.

Why has MITIE been so successful at this hospital? “We are very responsive and reactive to our client’s needs,” she replies.

“I also put our success largely down to the fact that staff are so well trained.” Eightyfive per cent of cleaners on the site are trained to NVQ (which is a governmentfunded scheme) Level 2. They undergo six months of in-house training, then go into the NVQ programme. All supervisors must complete a management qualification.

“Our induction programme is very detailed, even at basic toilet cleaning level,” Pegg continues. “At supervisory level we have a team talk programme, whereby every fortnight there is a short refresher course on a particular aspect of the job – it could be handling waste for example.

And we may hold extra training sessions if a particular incident happens – could be a sharps injury because a needle has not been disposed of properly. Infection control is always a big part of the training.”

MITIE also makes every effort to be a fair and responsible employer to the cleaners at the site. “We have a policy of promoting from within, we always have a succession plan when someone leaves,” explains Pegg. “We try to offer all our staff opportunity for advancement, if Michelle Marshall, rédactrice en chef d’ECJ, se rend à la Hull Royal Infirmary, un hôpital dans le nord-est de l’Angleterre dont le nettoyage est assuré par l’une des premières entreprises de propreté du pays, Mitie.

Plus de 500 de ses nettoyeurs travaillent dans deux établissements et la société a récemment obtenu une distinction en reconnaissance des mesures qu’elle a mises en place pour y améliorer la propreté et l’hygiène.

that’s what they want. Staff turnover is really not an issue for us – many of the cleaners have been here at the hospital for many years under various contractors.

If someone does leave, we try to offer opportunities to existing staff who may want to increase their hours for example.

Employee flexibility “Because we have such a huge workforce we try to be flexible in accommodating employee issues such as maternity leave – new mothers often want to come back to us at reduced hours for example. We cannot be entirely flexible because of the nature of the contract, but we will be when it’s possible.”

There is an increasing number of male staff on the contract, which Pegg attributes to the high levels of unemployment in the local area. “The onsite laundry is run by men for example.

On the wards, however, most cleaners are women. I would estimate 75 per cent of our cleaners are local people, from within the East Yorkshire area. We do not have many different nationalities living in the region so language is never a problem.”

After the supervisor there is the site manager and assistant manager. There is also a full-time auditing manager who is dedicated to monitoring and measuring standards, in co-operation with the Trust auditor. They adhere to the 49 elements in the NHS guidelines.

“Standards are of course driven by those NHS guidelines but they are also very much driven by MITIE – we have our own set of audited standards. The supervisors are continually monitoring, out around the site helping and advising the cleaners in their team.”

ECJ-Redakteurin Michelle Marshall besucht das Hull Royal Infirmary, ein Krankenhaus im Nordosten Englands, für dessen Reinigung Mitie, einer der größten Auftragnehmer des Landes, verantwortlich ist. Mehr als 500 Mitarbeiter sind an zwei Standorten tätig, und das Unternehmen wurde vor kurzem für seine Maßnahmen ausgezeichnet, die hier zur Verbesserung der Sauberkeit und Hygiene eingeführt wurden.

Modern cleaning technology has played a significant part in raising standards at the hospital, Pegg points out. A new mopping and trolley system, for example, brought significant benefits. “Cleaning fluid is dosed through the mop handles, there is a tank of water onboard the trolley and we now use double-sided mop heads.

From a health and safety and hygiene aspect it also made great sense because our cleaners can detach mop heads without touching them. And because they control the amount of water on the floor much more the floor can be left dryer after cleaning. This has resulted in fewer slips and trips around the hospital.”

Caroline Gorman is the facilities management contracts manager and she describes MITIE as being the best contractor that’s ever worked at the site.

“We have a very open and transparent relationship, we really do work together to find solutions,” she says.

“MITIE is very approachable, keen to work with us, and has an excellent understanding of how the Trust works,” Gorman continues. “Cleaners receive outstanding training and we’re confident that we have the right staff working the right hours, etc. And if we do need to make changes, because of building works or wards closing etc, MITIE has always been very flexible in adapting to our needs.”

Equally importantly, she emphasises, the contractor is always responsive when the hospital management has any concerns about standards being met in particular areas. “MITIE is extremely open to us rectifying any problems together and finding the best solution – we are available to each other on a daily basis.”

La redattrice di ECJ Michelle Marshall visita Hull Royal Infirmary, un ospedale situato al nord-est dell’Inghilterra, il quale viene pulito da una delle imprese di pulizie in appalto più grossa della nazione, la Mitie. Oltre 500 addetti alle pulizie lavorano nei due edifici e l’impresa ha recentemente vinto un premio come riconoscimento delle misure messe in atto per migliorare la pulizia e l’igiene in questo ospedale.

November 2013 | ECJ | 35

HAND HYGIENE

Hand hygiene - good for all Why is hand hygiene so important to every one of us, and how can our industry do more to spread the key messages? Rob Lowe, marketing manager for KimberlyClark Professional in the UK and Ireland, writes exclusively for ECJ.

It’s a tragic fact that diarrheal infections take the lives of millions of children in developing countries – even though these illnesses are easily prevented with something as simple as good hand hygiene. Together they cause the majority of all child deaths globally.

Global Handwashing Day, which takes place annually on 15 October, was established to publicise this, and the event has grown steadily in influence and impact since its launch six years ago.

But it isn’t just in the developing world where hand hygiene is important.

In developed nations, too, it can play an important role in keeping people healthy and well – and even saving lives. The widespread presence of the MRSA superbug in many hospitals is a high profile example of where good hand hygiene can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Fortunately for most us, poor hand hygiene doesn’t usually lead to death. Yet any illness caused by poor hygiene – whether serious or minor – is nevertheless unpleasant and something we all wish to avoid. It can lead to lost working days, which can mean reduced productivity for businesses, and time off school for our children. For some businesses, poor hand hygiene can be a huge concern. In the restaurant trade, for example, it can lead to food poisoning – resulting in reputational damage or, worse, litigation.

It’s easy to take our health for granted but the threat of illness is never far away

from us. Germs are everywhere. If you catch the bus, train or tube to work, you might have to stand at peak times. But did you know that the handle or pole that helps you keep your balance is probably covered with germs? It’s true – a study found that one in four people travelling on public transport had faecal bacteria on their hands. The ATMs we use to withdraw the money to pay for our morning coffee aren’t much cleaner. Another study found that cash machine keypads have as many harmful germs on them as a public toilet.

It’s an incredible fact that 50 per cent of us admit to using our mobile phones while sitting on the toilet. It sounds pretty unhygienic – and it is. Germs on our phones are easily transferred to our mouth and nose, which increases the chance of us catching minor illnesses like colds, flu and an upset stomach.

Bacteria thrive Even an activity as innocent as eating your lunch at work can be a risky activity – if you dine ‘al desco’, that is. Research shows that our desks carry 400 times more germs than a toilet seat. All those leftover crumbs create the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to thrive.

Our desks might look clean, but this can be deceiving because germs are invisible to the naked eye. In fact, desks carry on average 20,000 bacteria per square inch.

It’s easy for these germs to pass from surface to person and between people.

But just three simple steps can stop germs in their tracks. We call them the ‘wash, wipe, sanitise’ protocol. People can keep their hands clean throughout the day by washing and drying them regularly with paper hand towels, as well as by using a hand sanitiser. Wipes are good for keeping desks clean, which will help prevent germs spreading around the office. Sanitising wipes are also great for cleaning mobile phones. Following the wash, wipe and sanitise protocol will dramatically reduce the chances of someone getting sick.

Incorporating the wash, wipe, sanitise protocol into an open environment,

such as an office, isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Kimberly-Clark Professional has developed The Healthy Workplace Project for example, which makes it really easy for companies to reduce sickness levels among their staff by promoting the little things people can do to minimise the spread of germs in offices, such as washing and drying their hands properly, and using antibacterial hand sanitisers and wipes on a regular basis.

Nevertheless, it’s very important that washroom facilities and the consumables used in workplaces and public areas can withstand the pressure of large volumes of visitors on a daily basis. If they aren’t up to the job, it will compromise efforts to create a healthy workplace.

Dispensers that have run out of essentials such as hand towels and cleansers are a particular bugbear of washroom users. But at the same time, you don’t want to be checking continually that consumables are in good supply, when there are other more pressing tasks at hand. It’s in these situations that reducing usage of consumables becomes a valuable strategy.

Reducing usage isn’t about pleading with people to minimise hand cleanser and paper towel use. Much more effective is to install hygiene products that perform better with less consumption. Foam hand cleansers are ideal for this purpose.

They’re quick to use, require less water and just a small amount is needed to create a truly luxurious lather. This means better cost-in-use, while less refilling is required – especially when they are dispensed from high capacity cartridges.

In fact, compared with conventional liquid soap, foam soaps can deliver twice as many hand washes per litre.

Specifying the right hand towels can also help a washroom run without a hitch. Look for hand towels made from modern, sustainable fabrics that offer superior absorbency and strength. Ideally, they should be dispensed individually. In Continued page 38

November 2013 | ECJ | 37

HAND HYGIENE Hand hygiene - good for all (continued) addition, they shouldn’t break up when they’re wet and should offer outstanding drying performance. In combination, these benefits mean happy washroom users and fewer refills to worry about and, once again, enhanced cost-in-use.

If you specify rolled hand towels the benefits can be even greater. Compression technology means it is now possible to put more towels onto a roll – up to 50 per cent more in some instances. Rolls are available these days that can hold up to 354 metres of paper towel, which is perfect for high traffic washrooms. Compressed hand towels are also great when space is at a premium, and because less packaging is required they are sustainable, too.

Nothing is more important than our wellbeing. One of the most effective tools to keep people healthy is the strategic positioning and distribution of sanitisers, both non-alcohol and alcohol varieties.

Malgré de nombreuses campagnes, l’actualité continue à présenter des cas où, par manque d’hygiène des mains, des maladies ont été répandues dans des hôpitaux, des aires pubiques et des lieux de travail. Pourquoi cette situation perdure-t-elle, et que peut-on faire pour éduquer/impliquer les personnels face à l’importance d’une bonne hygiène des mains ? Conviendrait-il d’instituer une formation à l’hygiène des mains pour instaurer les normes appropriées, et dans tel cas, comment y parvenir ?

November 2013 | ECJ | 38

High performance hand sanitisers and sanitising wipes for surfaces can kill up to 99.999 per cent of common bacteria that cause illness within as little as 30 seconds.

Remember to specify hand sanitisers that are pleasant and kind to the skin – otherwise people will not use them.

In addition, consider ‘caddies’ for desks and meeting rooms, containing all the products needed to create a healthy workplace outside of the washroom in a way that is compact and close-at-hand. A typical desk caddy could contain tissues, a hand sanitiser and surface wipes in a practical, personal holder designed to sit on an employee’s desk. A meeting room caddy could store a similar range of products but in a more suitable format.

Besides considering the performance of the products supplied and the quality of service provided, it’s also important to select a hygiene partner who Trotz zahlreicher Kampagnen lesen wir auch weiterhin Berichte über eine mangelnde Einhaltung der Handhygiene, durch die Krankheiten in Krankenhäusern, öffentlichen Bereichen und am Arbeitsplatz verbreitet werden. Warum ist dies nach wie vor der Fall, und wie kann Mitarbeitern die Wichtigkeit der Handhygiene vermittelt werden? Wäre eine Handhygieneschulung der Schlüssel zur Verbesserung der Standards, und wie kann das erreicht werden?

respects the environment and adheres to sustainable business practices. Do they, for example, integrate ‘closed loop recycling’ into their own way of doing business – a production system in which the waste generated by one product is used to make another?

Some companies are already able to recycle all of the waste they generate from hygienic supplies, thereby creating a closed loop. But others need practical support with this. There are a number of ways a hygiene products supplier can help.

For example, it might be the case that a change in product mix – for example a switch to products that are more effective and therefore reduce consumptions levels – could be the answer. Simply looking afresh at the products a customer purchases could help them to close the loop – and at the same time reduce their cost-in-use.

Nonostante numerose campagne, si continua a leggere storie che riguardano la mancanza di norme sull’ igiene delle mani che propaga malattie in ospedali, aree pubbliche e luoghi di lavoro. Perchè avviene ancora tutto ciò e cosa può essere fatto per coinvolgere/educare il personale sull’importanza dell’igiene delle mani? Il training per l’igiene delle mani potrebbe essere la soluzione per migliorare gli standard e come si potrebbe raggiungere questo traguardo?

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

• IntelligentM a mis au point une version nouvelle du Smartband, un bracelet intelligent porté par le personnel de santé afin de surveiller sa conformité aux exigences d’hygiène des mains.

• Les distributeurs de serviettes à découpe automatique Rico Auotcut et Pico S de Steiner system peuvent être adaptées aux besoins du client.

• Les distributeurs de savon pour les mains Modular and Mercury sont conçus pour un maximum d’hygiène des mains.

• IntelligentM hat das neue Smartband entwickelt, das von Personen, die im Gesundheitswesen tätig sind, am Handgelenk getragen wird, um die Einhaltung der Handhygiene zu überwachen.

• Laut Steiner System können die Handtuchspender mit automatischem Papierabriss Rico Autocut und Pico S an Kundenanforderungen angepasst werden.

• Die Handseifenspender Modular und Mercury wurden konzipiert, um ein optimales Niveau an Handhygiene zu bieten.

• La IntelligentM ha prodotto la nuova fascia Smartband, indossata al polso dai lavoratori del settore sanitario e progettata per monitorare la conformità dell’ all’igiene delle mani.

• La Steiner System afferma che i suoi dispenser con taglio automatico Rico Autocut e Pico S possono essere personalizzati secondo le richieste dei clienti.

• I dispenser di sapone per le mani Modular e Mercury sono progettati per garantire ottimi livelli di igiene delle mani.

November 2013 | ECJ | 40

Hygiene band According to IntelligentM, its patent pending Smartband System can be used to tackle hand hygiene compliance in hospitals and other healthcare applications.

Smartbands are designed to be worn by all staff who have direct contact with patients, sanitiser and soap dispensers, and other equipment and products. It provides on-the-spot notification of non-compliant hand hygiene events for how and when workers perform handwashing and sanitising. They vibrate once for compliant hand washing/ sanitising and three times for a non-compliant event.

IntelligentM was developed in the USA and is now certified for sale in the EU, Australia and Far East.

www.intelligentm.com

Adaptable

Clean cut Steiner says that, with the introduction of its Rico Autocut paper towel dispenser, it pioneered the concept of a clean straight cut.

Thanks to high quality blades, the company claims this model can deliver tens of thousands of consistent cuts.

The Pico S is the smallest sensor dispenser in the world says Steiner, and can hold a standard 200 mm roll. Both Rico Autocut and Pico S can be customised according to requirements.

The newest addition to the line is another papercut dispenser, the Simplecut which has been designed to be among the smallest available. It can hold a standard 200 mm roll with height of 200 mm. Roll core can vary from 38 to 42 mm and it works with one- or two-ply paper. www.steinersystem.com

With its Modular and Mercury washroom dispenser ranges Brightwell has aimed to develop flexible and adaptable units that offer the highest hand hygiene levels. The ranges include soap, paper and tissue dispensers.

The Modular line offers a simple white look that can customised with the use of coloured windows, while Mercury has a black and stainless steel finish for higher-end washrooms.

Both are based on the same system that allows for the quick and easy change of pumps and containers to match specific needs. www.brightwell.co.uk

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

Most hygienic?

Refresh line

According to the European Tissue Symposium (ETS), paper towels are the most hygienic way of drying hands. ETS represents the European tissue industry and points out that a number of independent studies have confirmed this.

Its chairman Roberto Berardi said: “Paper is the most hygienic way of drying hands compared to air or cloth. With each new study, we find additional evidence of this scientific fact.”

He pointed to studies by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the flagship journal of the Mayo Clinic in the USA. “It is important that all who are responsible for hygiene know the use of single use paper towels is the best solution to prevent the spread of microbes in care sensitive environments,” Berardi concluded. www.europeantissue.com

For hand hygiene needs in all applications, Stoko offers a comprehensive line of hand care products and dispensers as part of its Refresh range.

The Hygiene Line is designed for areas where top levels of hygiene and antibacterial action are necessary and comprises active biocidal formulations.

Formulations in the Green Line have been awarded the EU Ecolabel and boast high level hand cleansing along with skin compatibility. And the Extra Line includes skin conditioning care foam and shower gels.

The all-in-one dispensing system enables the user to use foam, spray, lotion or gel with-

out having to change the unit - it is also available in a variety of colours and sizes.

Rounding off the dispenser line is a no-touch unit, paper and towel dispensers, and an air freshening solution. www.stoko-refresh.com

Touch-free For use with industrial hand cleaners Americol has developed the PRO-4000 touch-free dispenser which houses a fourlitre cartridge that dispenses 1,000 hand washes. The sturdy design is said to ensure durability and long life, while the interchangeable pump helps to maintain hygiene standards.

There is also a manually operated version of the dispenser. www.americol.nl

• The European Tissue Paper Industry Association (ETS) affirme que l’usage de serviettes en papier constitue le moyen le plus efficace et hygiénique de s’essuyer les mains.

• La gamme Stoko Refresh rassemble des nettoyants biocides et à écolabellisation pour les mains, ainsi que des distributeurs. • Americol a introduit le distributeur sans contact PRO-4000 de nettoyants des mains.

• Die European Tissue Paper Industry Association (ETS) teilt mit, dass Papierhandtücher die effektivste und hygienischste Methode der Händetrocknung sind.

• Die Produktreihe Stoko Refresh umfasst biozide und von Umweltorganisationen anerkannte Handreiniger und Spender.

• Neu von Americol ist der PRO4000, ein berührungsloser Spender für industrielle Handreiniger.

• L’associazione European Tissue Paper Industry Association (ETS) afferma che gli asciugamani in carta sono il metodo più efficace ed igienico per asciugare le mani.

• La gamma Stoko Refresh include lavamani biocidi e accreditati ecolabel e inoltre dispenser.

• La novità della Americol è il dispenser senza impulsi manuali PRO-4000 per i prodotti industriali per il lavaggio delle mani.

November 2013 | ECJ | 41

See for yourself

With thousands of satisfied customers already using award winning ec-H2O technology, why not see what you’re missing? Test ec-H2O on your soils in your facility. Contact us for a free demo today

www.tennantco.com/freedemo

PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE

Optimum care

SCA says its newly expanded Tork range of skin care will optimise hand hygiene in any washroom environment. The line includes touch-free systems, easy-to-use dispensers and low-cost options.

Particularly suitable for hygienecritical environments are Tork Extra Mild foam and liquid soaps, designed to protect frequentlywashed hands from chapping and soreness. Each Tork Foam Soap refill contains 2,500 doses of soap, which SCA says is more than double the number in liquid soap dispensers of the same size.

For upmarket washrooms there is Tork Luxury Foam Soap, which can be housed in a Tork Aluminium dispenser or a black Tork

Elevation dispenser, both of which come in an Intuition Sensor touchfree version.

Where cost is a key issue, Tork Luxury Spray Soap provides a hygienic alternative to bar soaps and bulk-fill soap containers. At 3,200 shots per refill, it avoids any mess on surfaces. www.tork.co.uk

Wash and dry Because drying is essential to hand hygiene, Vendor has developed the IQ towel dispenser and a folded towel dispenser for loose towels.

IQ is a continuous towel cabinet, a closed system that can be used with both paper and cotton towels. It guarantees continuous

availability of hand drying for washroom users, says Vendor.

For patient rooms and surgeries it recommends the folded towel dispenser with loose towels - which can also be used for cleaning cloths or napkins.

For hand cleansing and disinfection the company offers Procare, an unperfumed soap containing Vendor Disinfect. For ultimate hygiene, there is an elbow-operated dispenser. www.vendorinternational.com

Auto-cut The Merida Stella Mini is a stainless steel auto-cut paper towel roll dispenser, available in brushed or polished version.

Designed for use with a paper towel roll with adapter as a closed system, it is secured by a steel cylinder flush lock.

The unit features an eject mechanism for dispensing towels of 25.7 cm in length. www.merida.com.pl

• La nouvelle gamme étendue Tork SCA de produits de soin des mains est destinée à optimiser l’hygiène des mains.

• Vendor propose deux distributeurs de serviettes pour les main, accompagnés de différents nettoyants et désinfectants.

• Merida propose le Stella Mini, un distributeur de papier hygiénique en rouleau à coupe automatique.

• Die jüngst erweiterte Tork-Produktreihe mit Hautpflegeprodukten von SCA wurde zur Optimierung der Handhygiene konzipiert.

• Vendor bietet neben zwei Handtuchspendern verschiedene Handreiniger und Händedesinfektionsmittel.

• Von Merida kommt Stella Mini, ein Papierhandtuchrollenspender aus Edelstahl mit automatischer Papierschneidevorrichtung.

• La gamma di prodotti per la cura della pelle Tork della SCA, di recente ampliata, è progettata per ottimizzare l’igiene delle mani.

• La Vendor propone due dispenser di asciugamani e numerosi detergenti e sanitizzanti per le mani.

• La Merida propone il dispenser in acciaio inossidabile per asciugamani in carta a rotoli a taglio automatico Stella Mini.

November 2013 | ECJ | 43

Range 6 Brilliant solution.

Improved abrasive action for all the cleaning needs.

Maximum effectiveness, durability and washability.

Range 6 floor pads have been designed to satisfy the professional cleaning world’s demand. Their open structure ensure the most efficient abrasive action. The right compromise between wear resistance and ease of reuse.

NEW HIGH SPEED RANGE 6 FLOOR PADS Fibratesco has completed the Range 6 line with a new set of floor pads to be used with medium and high speed machines.

The new products allow to perform a wide variety of treatments on any surface and are suitable for daily use. Here are the new references: F 6900 – ONYX: aggressive blend for thermal buffing on hard finishes F 6700 – SAPPHIRE: soft pad for high luster polishing F 6800 – RUBY: to enable a fast burnishing to medium finishes

Top quality floor pads. Directly from the manufacturer.

FLOOR PADS PRODUCER

100% MADE IN ITALY

Fibratesco S.r.l. - Via Rossini 1 - 20067 Tribiano (MI) Italy - Tel. +39 02 90634206 - info@fibratesco.com - www.fibratesco.com

CONTRACT CLEANING: HOSTMANSHIP

The art of welcoming Hostmanship is the art of making people feel welcome – encompassing areas such as customer care, quality, friendship and hospitality. As a concept it is becoming increasingly popular in many areas of business.

ECJ editor Michelle Marshall spoke to Aura Groen, personnel director at facilities services company Facilicom – based in the Netherlands – about how hostmanship is being introduced into its culture.

“Creating behaviour is the most challenging aspect of hostmanship and it does not happen overnight. It’s not about imposing a list of tasks; it’s not black and white in that way. It’s the smallest changes that can make the biggest difference.”

There is an official definition for the word hostmanship. “Hostmanship is the art of making people feel welcome. Seeing those we face as our guests, whether they are customers, clients, patients, students… or colleagues. Good hostmanship covers concepts such as customer care, quality, friendship and hospitality. The starting point is a welcoming and open attitude to people and situations we encounter.

“A welcoming approach adds value to our work. We live in a relational society, where our ability to interact with clients and colleagues is a key to success. A welcoming attitude makes it possible to realise the full potential of people and businesses. Ultimately hostmanship is about living in an open and inclusive way.”

As a business that depends on healthy relationships with its clients and staff, then, the cleaning and facilities services sector has much to gain from adopting those principles. It’s a programme that Facilicom, a group that employs 30,000 people, is spearheading from its headquarters in the Netherlands. Aura Groen, personnel director of the cleaning division in the Netherlands, explains the thinking behind it.

“The start of hostmanship was a couple of years ago - in our experience the labour market is becoming much tighter in that it is now much more difficult to attract and retain good staff. At the moment we are experiencing a different labour market.

We are aiming to be one of the best employers in the country so we needed something to attract good employees, in order to set ourselves apart from other companies in the sector.

“And from a client’s point of view, we believe it’s important to make everyone feel welcome, whoever they are in the building. To sum it up, the principle is to treat others as they want to be treated.”

Groen goes on to highlight the six principles of Hostmanship: 1. Serving others. The desire to help others to achieve their goals and achieve success in the process. Wanting to help

means being there for others by drawing on your own talents and experiences and being genuinely interested in the wellbeing of others: “What can I do right now to make you feel better?”

2. Perceiving wholeness. Customers see the whole company, not just the separate departments. Every encounter they have is part of that company. Everything and everyone who works there is part of it too. The person the guest encounters at that specific moment is always ‘the face of the company’.

Bigger picture The entirety of what we represent can also include other companies that contribute to our organisation. Car parks, suppliers, catering, the media or the involvement of the local area. Having an understanding of the bigger picture, the complete picture we present in a meeting, the guest who chooses that picture when meeting us. Even if we are unable to take full responsibility for everything that happens, it is important that we realise the guest influences his/her meeting with us.

3. Being caring. Caring is at the heart of hostmanship. It is important to bring out our own humanity as well as others’.

Caring hosts concentrate on the humanity of the person in front of them at all times.

4. Taking responsibility. Taking responsibility is all about being brave and courageous. Taking responsibility is not the same thing as being loyal. Loyalty is based on ‘following the rules’ and ‘doing what is asked of you’. Taking responsibility is putting yourself into the other person’s position and trying to help him/her improve the situation.

5. Practising dialogue. Dialogue takes courage. Courage to put your own prejudices to one side and open yourself up so you can host guests kindly and personally and can offer an exceptional encounter.

Some people will hear you out and then answer your question, and others listen Continued page 46

November 2013 | ECJ | 45

CONTRACT CLEANING: HOSTMANSHIP The art of welcoming (continued)

“A welcoming approach adds value to our work.

We live in a relational society, where our ability to interact with clients and colleagues is a key to success. A welcoming attitude makes it possible to realise the full potential of people and businesses. Ultimately hostmanship is about living in an open and inclusive way.”

boundaries between people, departments and companies.

With these six principles in mind, Facilicom in the Netherlands aims to train as many employees as possible in hostmanship, as well as reacting to special requests from its clients. Groen says: “All our ‘hosts’ must ensure that clients, end users and new employees feel at home at Facilicom. Employees will then be trained to be coaches and they will subsequently train other employees.” The programme is now being rolled out in the United Kingdom or both the cleaning and security division, after a designated group of local ‘hosts’ has been trained by their Dutch colleagues. All staff in the UK will be fully trained in 2014.

Facilicom believes that when all processes are geared towards operational excellence, which forms the strong basis of the company, there is a possible risk that the human aspect can be overlooked – which is why it is developing hostmanship.

“Operational excellence will always be the foundation of our company and a vital part of success for the future. Cleaning is what we sell basically, and hostmanship is an extra,” says Groen. “It means the cleaner has to take a view from the perspective of the client, and the client views things from the perspective of the cleaner.”

Training crucial and then help you to solve your problem.

Guests won’t always ask the ‘right’ questions. But by properly listening to the guest, you will also be able to answer the questions they ask indirectly.

6. Searching knowledge. It is of course extremely important to have sufficient knowledge of the organisation and the context in which we work. Knowing what we are doing and why we are doing it.

But when we talk about hostmanship, being knowledgeable means much more than that. Knowing your guests and what drives them. Knowing your colleagues and what their goals are, and the opportunities for them to grow. Taking every problem seriously: it’s not always the question that counts, but the person who asks it.

Sharing knowledge to break down Le “hostmanship” est l’art d’amener les gens à se sentir bienvenus et couvre l’assistance à la clientèle, la gestion de la qualité, l’amitié et l’hospitalité. C’est un concept qui gagne du terrain dans de nombreux domaines des affaires. ECJ parle à Aura Groen, directice du personnel de la société de services d’immeuble Facilicom, aux Pays-Bas, sur l’introduction de ce concept dans sa culture d’entreprise.

November 2013 | ECJ | 46

Implementing such a philosophy throughout the business is an ambitious project and training will be crucial to its success. “We are starting at top management level and working down from there,” says Groen, “with a training programme currently taking place.”

During training the aim is to focus on what it feels like to feel welcome in a building, exploring what hostmanship is by using examples of visiting shops, restaurants, etc. “Employees then think about how they’re going to change the way they work at their cleaning site. Often the client also attends these workshops because they are very much buying into the concept as well.”

Hostmanship does not change the cleaner’s daily tasks, but it does fundamentally alter their view of the job they do. “For example, if they see Hostmanship ist die Kunst, allen Beteiligten das Gefühl zu geben, dass sie willkommen sind, und erstreckt sich auf Bereiche wie Kundenpflege, Qualität, Freundschaft und Gastlichkeit. Dieses Konzept wird in vielen Geschäftsbereichen immer beliebter. Das ECJ spricht mit Aura Groen, Personalleiterin beim niederländischen Gebäudetechnikunternehmen Facilicom, über die Einführung dieses Konzepts in die Unternehmenskultur.

something broken around the building they would report it to someone, even if it’s outside of their normal remit.” Groen continues. “They are not given extra tasks, the key to this concept is in a different approach – attitude and behaviour.

Creative cleaners “We hope hostmanship broadens cleaners’ perspective beyond their immediate task list and enables them to be more creative. It’s then up to management to support and encourage cleaners who approach them with new ideas.” This is where the role of management is crucial, in keeping the six principles alive. “Line managers must also change their way of thinking, from being simply a boss to becoming a ‘host’ – to both the cleaner and the client.”

The principles of hostmanship also extend to how Facilicom treats and communicates with it staff. “With the principle that everyone must feel welcome in mind, we thought about how our cleaners would like to receive letters from us,” says Groen, “and that is why we decided to personalise all communication with them, for example.”

With hostmanship now in place throughout the Netherlands and rolled out in the United Kingdom, Facilicom is also holding workshops with clients and end users in order to exchange ideas and feedback about the programme and the change of culture The results so far have been encouraging says Groen.

“Word is already spreading among client companies, we know that already, because existing and potential customers are starting to ask about it.” There will be surveys to measure client and employee satisfaction with the concept of hostmanship in the near future.

“Creating behaviour is the most challenging aspect of hostmanship and it does not happen overnight,” concludes Groen. “It’s not about imposing a list of tasks; it’s not black and white in that way. It’s the smallest changes that can make the biggest difference. If Facilicom is a good employer, people will enjoy working for the company and they will demonstrate that in their job. The client will also appreciate this.”

“Hostmanship” è l’arte di far sentire le persone benvenute, e include ambiti quali il servizio clienti, la qualità, l’amicizia e l’ospitalità. Come concetto sta diventando sempre più diffuso in molte aree di business. ECJ intervista Aura Groen, direttore del personale dell’impresa di servizi Facilicom in Olanda per scoprire come viene introdotto nella loro cultura.

Global Community for Cleaning 40,000 Square meters | 400 exhibitors | 20,000 Visitors

China Clean Expo 31 March - 2 April, 2014 Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center

Register Now! www.chinacleanexpo.com Email: steven.lee@ubmsinoexpo.com Organizer

Supporters

Tel: +86 21 3339 2070

SWEEPERS

To ride, or not to ride?

When is a ride-on sweeper more appropriate than a walk-behind version? And are the new micro ride-ons replacing walk-behind sweepers in constricted areas?

We ask manufacturers about the pros and cons of each kind of machine; which suits which environment - and whether there is a future for the standard walkbehind sweeper.

It can be difficult to make a choice from the enormous range of cleaning appliances available on the market today.

But when buying a sweeper, there are basically two kinds. There is the model that is pushed by the operator, and then there is the kind with its own cabin that the operator actually drives.

But where would you require a ride-on machine, and when would a walk-behind appliance be more appropriate?

According to Nilfisk-Advance’s global product management general manager Michael Fenger, there are several factors to take into consideration when making this decision. “The choice between a ride-on and a manual sweeper depends on the budget, the area to be cleaned, the frequency of cleaning and the level of manoeuvrability required,” he said.

“Manual sweepers are the entry-level product and typically answer the needs of customers who require a more productive system than a manual broom. However, they do not offer dust control.

“Walk-behind machines are typically easier to use and are preferred in situations where several operators have to use the machine, and where there are manoeuvrability constraints. But when operators are likely to use the machines more often or when larger areas need to be cleaned, ride-on sweepers come into play since in these situations, higher productivity and ergonomics become the

most important factors.”

Fenger adds that customer preference depends on the area to be swept, the time available, the type of debris on the floor and the type of obstruction likely to be encountered such as doorways, ramps, inclines, stairs etc.

“In a medium-sized area where there are several different operators using the machine, a walk-behind machine is often preferred,” he said. “However, in large open areas where a longer running time is needed, the right solution would often be a ride-on sweeper.”

Advantages of a ride-on can include a heated or air-conditioned cabin or an overhead guard that can be used to protect the operator from falling objects, he says. “Some ride-on sweepers also have a high dumping system that allows it to offload the debris into a container,” said Fenger. “In the latter case, operator safety and ergonomics play an important role.”

Van der Reest Cleaning also offers both ride-on and walk-behind sweepers.

According to proprietor Johan van der Reest the decision on which model to choose depends mainly on the square meterage of the area to be swept.

“Though of course, a ride-on is more comfortable – and when it is more comfortable, the operator is likely to use it more frequently,” he adds Van der Reest believes a ride-on is essential in areas larger than 750 square metres. “A walk-behind is also a better option in a restricted area or narrow gangway, or in an environment where careful handling is required,” he said.

“When you bump into an object with a walk-behind sweeper there is usually no damage since the machine will be pushed at a maximum of five kilometres an hour and only weigh up to 200 kg. But when you hit an object with a ride-on sweeper – which will weigh around 700 kg and be driven at up to nine kilometres per hour the damage value will usually be higher.”

A lower price, better manoeuvrability and easier ramp crossings are among the

advantages of a walk-behind sweeper according to Kärcher’s environmental public relations officer Linda Laipple.

However, ride-ons offer the added benefits of higher agility and greater operator comfort.

She says ride-ons tend to be the best option for use in large areas where long cleaning tasks need to be carried out.

“When any cleaning task takes more than two hours, a ride-on offers more working comfort and higher area performance,” she said. “Walk-behind sweepers can be used for medium-sized areas and cleaning tasks of up to 1.5 hours or when mobility is required, for example when the sweeper needs to be transported to different places. A walk-behind model may also be preferred in areas that have sensitive floors where the machine weight must not be too great.”

Small ride-ons She adds that the current trend is for smaller ride-on sweepers, but that the market for walk-behinds will be largely unaffected. “Micro ride-on sweepers have the advantage of better agility and more comfort. But due to the lower price level and the other advantages of a walkbehind sweeper, ride-ons will only replace them in certain applications,” she said.

Hako’s Klaus Serfezi says the actual size of a sweeper can be more important to the customer than whether or not it is a ride-on or walk-behind model. “The smaller the machine, the better the chances are for it to be accepted,” he said.

“The majority of cleaning staff are women who sometimes don’t feel too confident about using a big machine.”

He adds the choice of sweeper tends to depend on the task. “We can’t generalise and say that one is more popular than the other,” he said. “Walk-behind sweepers cease to be efficient at a certain size of floor space or outdoor area, simply because the cleaning task takes too long and the battery capacity is limited.”

He adds that there is an increasing Continued page 50

November 2013 | ECJ | 49

SWEEPERS To ride, or not to ride (continued) trend towards the use of micro ride-on machines. “These are very compact and replace large walk-behinds by offering more comfort and better productivity.”

Fimap has developed a hybrid micro ride-on sweeper that uses a combination of battery and motor engine. This enables it to run for seven hours says Silvia Quintarelli. “This means it can compete with walk-behind models that have a 60/70 cm working width,” said Quintarelli.

“Ride-on models can offer advantages that a walk-behind model cannot provide such as comfort and speed. Today’s technology is helping us to produce very small ride-on models, and these are having increasing success in the market since they are very productive, manoeuvrable, comfortable, compact, versatile and offer greater autonomy than walk-behind models.

“Ride-on machines should be used on larger areas where heavy-duty cleaning is Quelles sont les situations où une balayeuse à conducteur porté convient mieux que la version à conducteur marchant ?

Par ailleurs, les nouvelles micros à conducteur porté sont-elles en passe de remplacer les balayeuses à conducteur marchant pour les espaces serrés ? Nous interrogeons des fabricants sur les avantages et inconvénients de chaque type de balayeuse et celles qui conviennent pour des environnements donnés.

November 2013 | ECJ | 50

required, whereas walk-behind models are an ideal solution for small, cluttered areas and for regular maintenance,” she said.

But what is the future of the traditional sweeper in an ever-changing cleaning industry? Quintarelli feels that ride-on models will soon begin to dominate.

“Walk-behind models will continue to find their market only through a higher level of industrialisation, more accessories and more diversified equipment,” she said.

Johan van der Reest feels the market is declining. “Customers are increasingly opting for a scrubber dryer with cylindrical sweep system, and we sell many more scrubber dryers than we did five years ago,” he said.

According to Nilfisk-Advance’s Michael Fenger sweepers are an “old technology” solution for cleaning larger areas. “An increasing focus on hygienic standards and newer floor coatings have led to a switch Unter welchen Umständen ist eine Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine angemessener als eine Nachläuferausführung?

Ersetzen die neuen Mikro-Aufsitz-Kehrmaschinen die Nachläufer-Kehrmaschinen in beengteren Bereichen?

Wir befragen Hersteller zu den Vor- und Nachteilen der Kehrmaschinenausführungen und welche am besten für welche Umgebung geeignet ist.

to scrubbing technology as the preferred choice for customers,” he said.

“Moreover, many emerging markets are moving directly from manual cleaning to scrubbing. In addition, the recent economic uncertainty in the marketplace and customers’ financial constraints have slowed down the general growth in the sweeper market.”

However, he adds there are still applications where dry sweeping is the only solution. “We see a trend for the price of a small, compact, ride-on sweeper to become closer to that of a larger walkbehind - and for this reason the ride-on will become more popular as it offers optimal ergonomics and productivity compared with a walk-behind,” said Fenger. “Ride-ons will be a very good alternative to some walk-behinds - but we believe that there will always be a market for walk-behind sweepers.”

Quando una spazzatrice con operatore a bordo è più adatta di una macchina con operatore al seguito? E inoltre, le nuove micro spazzatrici con operatore a bordo rimpiazzano i modelli con operatore al seguito nelle aree più strette e anguste?

Chiediamo ai produttori quali sono i pro e i contro di tutti i tipi di spazzatrici e quali siano adatte per ciascun tipo di ambiente.

INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH IMPROVED PERFORMANCE AND ERGONOMICS

TOTAL CLEANING CONTROL The Nilfisk SW900 walk-behind sweeper for both indoor and outdoor use offers dust free removal of dry debris. It will increase your everyday productivity through new valuable benefits: Total control from operator position, improved ergonomics with hopper on wheels, and higher cleaning performance.

An ideal sweeper for cleaning contractors, industry and manufacturing, schools, warehouses, hotels, exhibition & congress centers.

www.nilfisk.com

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

Needs no water The urban sweeper CS140 Twin Action from Comac combines mechanical collection with vacuum action - effectively acting as two machines in one.

The mechanical action collects solid debris while the vacuum picks up the finest dust.

This means no water is required to control the dust distributed by the side brushes with the Twin Action system the brushes work where the vacuum

is running so dust is immediately dealt with. Traditional sweepers often carry from 400 to 700 litres of water, added weight that affects fuel consumption and tyre wear.

Filtering surface area is 50 square metres, which Comac says is more than double the surface used by many other models. www.comac.it

Feature packed Kärcher says its newest ride-on vacuum sweepers KM 105/100 R and KM 105/110 R are packed with unique features - four of them patent protected. These include hydraulic forward travel drive, sickle-shaped brush, automatic adjustment of the roller brush between the rear wheels, automatic TACT filter cleaning, intelligent KIK operator system, ready access to technology and a new bivalent drive design.

The hydraulic forward travel drive makes the two machines easy to manoeuvre - they can rotate almost on one spot. Fitted with an optional sickle-shaped brush between the main roller brush and the side brush, they clean up any dirt completely, even in tight bends.

The Kärcher TACT filter cleaning technology, which was originally developed for wet and dry vacuum cleaners, ensures a consistently high level of filtration. Both flat pleated filters are cleaned automatically every 15 seconds by a pulse of pressurised air, sending dirt back into the waste container.

Operation of the two machines is based on the Kärcher Intelligent Key (KIK) system, which allows operators, property managers and maintenance technicians to use a varying range of functions. The display shows information on the operating hours worked, upcoming maintenance intervals and the state of wear of the roller brush. www.karcher.com • Les balayeuses urbaines Comac CS140 Twin Action combinent l’action mécanique pour ramasser les débris et l’aspiration pour les poussières fines.

• Les nouvelles balayeuses aspiratrices KM 105/100 R and KM 105/110 R à conducteur porté de Kärcher réunissent un ensemble unique de caractéristiques.

• Die Straßenkehrmaschine CS140 Twin Action von Comac kombiniert mechanische Wirkung zum Einkehren von Feststoffen mit Absaugung zum Erfassen von feinstem Staub.

• Die neuen AufsitzKehrsaugmaschinen KM 105/100 R und KM 105/110 R von Kärcher bieten ein einzigartiges Funktionspaket.

• La spazzatrice urbana CS140 Twin Action prodotta dalla Comac abbina l’azione meccanica per raccogliere i rifiuti alla forza aspirante per la polvere sottile.

• Le nuove spazzatrici aspiranti con operatore a bordo KM 105/100 R e KM 105/110 R prodotte dalla Kärcher vantano numerose caratteristiche uniche.

November 2013 | ECJ | 52

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

Versatile The new S-Series of walkbehind sweepers from Tennant features TwinMax sweeping technology which combines overthrow and direct sweeping principles to capture large and small debris in a single machine.

Their versatility lies in the fact they allow customers to repurpose one machine for multiple uses, says Tennant.

All models are cordless with battery power or manual operation - they can be used for indoor or outdoor cleaning.

TwinMax technology is included on the S3 manual sweeper, suitable for quietly cleaning in noise sensitive environments. It also features on the S9 large battery sweeper. www.tennant-europe.com

dlers. The basis of the sweeper is a galvanized scoop with a blade of wear-resistant HB400 steel for scraping off dirt.

Hydraulic hoses come as standard and the brush is made of either purely synthetic materials or a combination of synthetic materials and steel. It is available in different widths.

Other models in the line include SmartSweep and Lazy Sweeper - both an be fitted to a fork lift truck. www.tvh.com

Save time According to Nilfisk its SW900 large area carpet sweeper has been designed to be time-saving, productive and easy to use.

All settings and controls can be seen and accessed easily while the hopper system ensures it can be pulled off the sweeper.

The hopper is on wheels within seconds to secure ergonomic and safe transportation to the place of disposal.

For more accurate and faster

sweeping the side broom can be controlled from the handlebar - the electric filter shaker system saves time on additional filter cleaning. And maintenance requires no tools. www.nilfisk.com

Maxi solution The Maxi sweeper has been added to the TVH range, offering a specific solution for telehan• La nouvelle balayeuse de Série S à conducteur marchant de Tennant combine le balayage direct et le balayage par projection pour rammaser des débris petits et grands.

• Le dispositif de balayage Maxi de TVH s’utilise sur des engins de manutention télescopique et convient particulièrement pour le secteur agricole.

• La balayeuse Nilfisk SW900 est destinée aux entreprises de propreté, usines, établissements scolaires, hôtels et entrepôts.

• Die handgeführten Kehrmaschinen der neuen S-Serie von Tennant bieten ein kombiniertes Überkopf- und Direktkehrsystem zur Erfassung von großen und kleinen Fremdkörpern.

• Beim Maxi Sweeper von TVH handelt es sich um ein Gerät, das für den Einsatz mit Telehandlern konzipiert wurde, und besonders für die Landwirtschaft geeignet ist.

• Die Kehrmaschine Nilfisk SW900 wurde zur Verwendung durch Vertragsreinigungsunternehmen, die gewerbliche Wirtschaft, Schulen, Hotels und Lager konzipiert.

• Le nuove spazzatrici con operatore al seguito S-Series della Tennant abbinano i principi di rovesciamento e spazzata diretta per raccogliere rifiuti piccoli e grandi.

• La spazzatrice Maxi della TVH è un dispositivo progettato per essere usato sui sollevatori telescopici ed è particolarmente adatta per essere usata nel settore agricolo.

• La spazzatrice Nilfisk SW900 è progettata per gli appaltatori di contratti di pulizie, le industri, le scuole, gli hotel e i magazzini.

November 2013 | ECJ | 53

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

• La Jonas 800E de Hako est une balayeuse à conducteur porté, à émission zéro, qui est alimentée par batterie.

• Pour le balayage de grandes superficies, les balayeuses Fimap FS 890-90-110 sont proposées en versions diesel, bicarburant et batterie.

• RCM fait valoir le haut rapport performance/prix de la R850, sa nouvelle balayeuse à conducteur porté.

• Der Jonas 800E ist eine emissionsfreie, batteriebetriebene Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine von Hako.

• Die zum Kehren großer Flächen konzipierten Kehrmaschinen Fimap FS 890-90-110 sind als Diesel-, Bi-Fuelund Akku-Ausführungen erhältlich.

• Laut eigenen Angaben von RCM bietet die neue Ausführung der Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine R850 hohe Leistung zu niedrigen Preis.

• Jonas 800E è una spazzatrice con operatore a bordo alimentata a batteria e ad emissioni zero prodotta dalla Hako.

• Per spazzare aree di grandi dimensioni, le spazzatrici Fimap FS 890-90-110 sono disponibili in versione diesel, bi-fuel o a batteria.

• La RCM afferma che la nuova versione della spazzatrice con operatore a bordo R850 offre alto rendimento a un prezzo basso.

November 2013 | ECJ | 54

Zero emissions The Jonas 800E is a zero emission battery powered sweeper that manufacturer Hako says combines the compact size of a walk-behind with the convenience of a ride-on.

Working width is 890 mm, which can be increased to 1,100 mm with the addition of a lefthand broom to supplement the right-hand one. The brooms are arranged so they clean up dirt over the entire width even when taking sharp corners. Items which are often difficult to clear, such as nuts and washers, can be removed even from smooth surfaces by using the intelligent debris flap Intelli-Flap without the need to open the flap itself.

To clear up large debris the flap can be fully opened via a pedal.

Dirt is swept up into two ‘Take-it-

Easy’ dirt hoppers which provide a volume of 50 litres - hoppers are easy to remove by hand. www.hako.com

Sturdy compact For cleaning of large areas up to 15,500 square metres Fimap has developed the FS 80-90110 vacuum sweepers - these come in diesel and bifuel versions for cleaning outdoors, or in battery version for indoor areas.

Designed with a box frame, they’re sturdy, compact and easy to handle says the manufacturer. For greater reliability electric components have been reduced to a minimum and all movements are hydraulic..

The central brush is floating and self-levelling, so it always adheres to the floor, and the adjustable height feature helps extend its working lifespan.

An automotive instrument panel allows the operator to quickly visualise all functions, while the seat, backrest and

steering wheel can all be adjusted. www.fimap.com

Updated model

RCM has updated one of the most important sweepers in its original range, originally launched in 1975. The R850 is no longer a heavy duty machine, however, but one designed to offer sweeping performance at a low price.

One of the features that makes the R850 so cost effective, says RCM, is manual dumping rather than hydraulic. However, it is keen to point out that in terms of strength and reliability it offers the same benefits as its other sweepers. www.rcm.it

PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS

Ready for winter New from Johnston Sweepers are demountable winter packs for use on its C201 compact street sweeper. The accessories, which include snow plough, snow brush and gritter unit, can be fitted in less than ten minutes at the first sign of snow or ice, and removed just as quickly when normal sweeping duties are required.

The switchable functions mean machines can double up as sweepers or snow clearing vehicles without all the expense, storage challenges and utilisation issues of holding two separate units.

The new C201 pack features three optional pieces of kit.

The 1.6 metre snow blade at the front is suited to any type of road condition thanks to its pendulum suspension system, • Un appareil démontable d’hiver comprenant un chasse-neige est désormais proposé pour la balayeuse de rues Johnston Sweepers C201.

• Les balayeuses de planchers VCS-01 de Vax Commercial n’utilisent ni batteries, ni électricité et ramassent une grande variété de débris.

• Für die Straßenkehrmaschine C201 von Johnston Sweepers ist jetzt eine abbaubare Winterausrüstung erhältlich, die einen Schneepflug umfasst.

• Die Bodenkehrmaschine VCS-01 von Vax Commercial arbeitet ohne Akkus oder Netzanschluss und kann viele verschiedene Arten von Fremdkörpern erfassen.

• Per la spazzatrice stradale C201 della Johnston, è ora disponibile un kit invernale smontabile che include uno spazzaneve.

• La spazzatrice per pavimenti VCS01 prodotta dalla Vax Commercial non utilizza batterie nè elettricità ed è in grado di raccogliere diverse tipoligie di rifiuti.

and also a 1.5 metre snow brush option. Both can slew left or right and are fully controlled from the cab.

Completing the pack is a 200 litre gritter unit, with electronically controlled metering from inside the cab which dispenses grit across a 1.2 metre spread width, suitable for most pavements – or, via a special spinner unit, capable of spreading up to six metres for car parks and roads. www.johnstonsweepers.com

No batteries The VCS-01 floor sweeper, says Vax Commercial, can sweep debris from dirt, dust and leaves up to drinks bottles, cans and food wrappers. The motorless design means there is no cable, no batteries and no fuel.

The fact there is no motor makes this model lightweight and easy to carry, and the handle folds flat for storage.

To operate, it is simply pushed forward using the handlebar to

spin the two sets of flare bristles inwards agitating the dirt and debris and sweeping it into the dust bin.

The floor brushes, says Vax, give edge-to-edge cleaning, with a wide cleaning path. www.vaxcommercial.co.uk

I

1967

201 AN 4 LE

A

M

ST

World’s Leading Trade Fair for Cleaning Professionals

A/INTERC SS

E R DA M

Expand your global network Join us for our 25th Anniversary edition!

Organised by:

In association with:

Official media partner:

www.issainterclean.com

BUSINESS: VIDEO CONFERENCING

No more face-to-face?

Love them or loathe them, business meetings in far away places look set to become a thing of the past as more convenient online alternatives gain converts across the corporate world. Hartley Milner looks at the growing market for video conferencing and the real savings it can bring.

It’s no joke having to be up with the lark after working late into the night putting a final polish on preparations for yet another business meeting that you are not convinced is really necessary. As you rub your weary eyes, ahead stretches another long day, starting with a stressful journey where you are at the mercy of road works planners, capricious airport baggage handlers or train cancellations, all seemingly conspiring to get you to your destination late or in a flustered state.

So was the meeting worth all the hassle? Did it achieve anything that could not have been sorted by email or over the phone? This is a question increasingly being asked by travel-weary business executives on tight schedules and budgets.

In a survey, nine out of 10 people admitted to daydreaming in meetings and 60 per cent said they only took notes to appear as if they were interested in the proceedings. And others viewed these gatherings are merely an opportunity to renew acquaintances or escape the office for a few hours.

“Some meetings are, of course, very necessary – you cannot deliver an effective presentation to a prospective new client without making contact on a personal level first,” said business communications adviser Karl Mayer. “In such circumstances, you need to impress and it’s not just the product the customer is interested in. It’s as much about you; how you are turned out, how you conduct yourself and your personality.

“However, once you have won the customer over and established a working relationship with them it is arguable whether further in-person contact is necessary, except under very special circumstances.

You need to ask – is anything likely to be debated that cannot be communicated on the telephone, in a memo, email, briefing report or via a video conference?

“Video conferencing technology is so sophisticated now that it is almost like being in the same room with a person. You can ‘meet up’ with a client or a colleague as regularly and for as long as you wish, so establishing a more informal relationship.”

Video conferencing has proven a gamechanger in recent years, along with hybrid consumer-corporate communications solutions like Skype, Jabber, Google Talk and Apple’s FaceTime. Increased access and affordability of internet and cloud is revolutionising the way firms communicate internally and with customers.

More mobile workers The global video conferencing market is expected to be worth 10.4 billion euros by 2017. In Europe alone, the sector saw growth of 20 per cent in 2010 and has expanded every year since, no doubt in part due to companies seeking ways to reduce their costs during the recession. Other factors are a rise in the number of mobile workers, growing prominence of telepresence and increasing take-up of video calling and conferencing solutions among small and medium-sized enterprises.

For large or small businesses, the potential to save costs is one of the main drivers of this fast expanding market.

Video conferencing is not a cheap alternative to globe-trotting, but in the long term the outlay is more than offset by savings on travel and other business meeting costs, and revenue lost by having key

employees away from the office. Virtual meetings tend to be shorter, so eliminating unproductive discussions. Scheduling meetings is made easier, as they require less planning in terms of getting key employees together at a mutually convenient date and time. And by reducing travel and using less paper, you are taking a big step towards reducing your carbon footprint.

Video conferencing works by connecting individuals in real time through audio and video communication over broadband networks, enabling visual meetings and collaboration on digital documents and shared presentations. In the early days, people could only be connected between central meeting rooms fitted out with an array of cumbersome hardware. New technologies allow us to link up remotely over a network via multiple devices like desktops, smartphones and tablets.

Conferencing technology broadly comprises four types – telepresence, integrated, set-top and desktop.

Telepresence is the most advanced of online conferencing systems. Telepresence creates and amazingly realistic environment where two or more people can react as though they are actually in the same room. Users can read body language such as telling shifts in eye contact, glimmers of interest – or disinterest – and you can pick up clues as to whether the communicator is being completely open with you.

The system works by employing concealed multiple codecs plus cameras, speakers, microphones and monitors. The centrepiece is a video wall or large monitor panorama. Linked to this, a high quality audio system provides almost perfect speech clarity. All this comes at a price, of course – up to 225,000 euros, depending on the size and sophistication of the system you require. There is also a portable version of the telepresence system.

Integrated video conferencing is broadly a pared-down version of the telepresence system and a much cheaper option. It still uses screens, monitors and cameras, but the overall set-up is more basic. Being also more space-efficient, these systems are in demand by smaller businesses and can be accommodated in most conferencing rooms. All necessary equipment is integrated into the room, restricting video conferencing to one central location. Various configurations are available, tailored to the needs of your business and the size of your conference room. These systems cost anywhere from 7,500 euros to 75,000 euros.

The set-top video conferencing option is the most basic system currently availContinued page 59

November 2013 | ECJ | 57

BUSINESS: VIDEO CONFERENCING No more face-to-face? (continued) able and is designed for smaller groups of people. It includes a camera and microphone incorporated into your computer.

The equipment is also portable, enabling it to be used in different rooms. The cost ranges from 3,7000 euros to 7,500 euros.

If you use Skype or other type of video messaging application to talk through your computer, then you will already be familiar with desktop video conferencing. Rather than using separate television screens or monitors, the person you are in contact with is displayed on your computer screen.

Being stand-alone systems, they operate through software or downloaded applications on your hard drive.

As an alternative to video conferencing, ‘chat’ applications are arguably the most practical and increasingly popular online meeting tools. They combine real-time teleconferencing with the capabilities of email and are ideal for virtual meetings that may be lengthy because they allow

users to multitask at their desk while participating. Employees enjoy collaborating virtually with chat conferencing because it is so fast and efficient, and it can be fun – you can contribute to a meaningful business meeting while still in your pyjamas!

If you are leading a team, you will want to ensure that none of your people ‘drop the baton’ during an important online meeting. Wikis are special files that multiple people can access and edit. You can then edit the draft to remove any rough edges and then send out the finished document to the team. Virtual meetings can be more productive and efficient as a result of allowing multiple users to access the same documents.

Video conferencing is becoming more affordable with increasing competition in the market, and low cost but high quality systems are being offered via the cloud.

But cost is not the only consideration.

“As with any online activity, video con-

ferencing has its drawbacks,” said Mayer “For example, anything said or discussed at virtual business meetings can be leaked or there may be a hacker listening in on behalf of a competitor, so it is vital you have a secure connection with firewall and anti-spyware capabilities.

“And technical difficulties arising from software, hardware or network failure can happen anytime, which could be a big inconvenience, or a disaster if the screen goes blank or you lose audio contact in the middle of critical discussions with a client.

You can get conferencing kits with a backup system.

“When it comes down to it, you have to balance the very real savings in time and money and convenience, against the likelihood of these hiccups happening from time to time. In the long term, though, businesses that go down the online conferencing route find it worth the investment and make significant savings.”

On peut les aimer ou les détester, mais les réunions d’affaires loin de chez soi appartiendront bientôt au passé gâce à l’adoption progressive d’une solution bien plus commode pour les entreprises, recourant à l’Internet. Hartley Milner examine le marché croissant de la vidéoconférence et les grands avantages que celle-ci procure.

Egal, ob Sie Arbeitstagungen an weit entfernten Orten mögen oder verabscheuen, sie werden wohl zu einem Relikt vergangener Tage werden, da praktischere Online-Alternativen immer mehr Zulauf in der Geschäftswelt erhalten. Hartley Milner betrachtet den wachsenden Markt für Videokonferenzführung und die damit verbundenen, möglichen Einsparungen.

Amati o odiati, i meeting di lavoro in posti lontani sembrano stiano per diventare retaggio del passato mentre delle alternative on-line molto più comode stanno convertendo molte persone in tutto il mondo degli affari. Hartley Milner osserva il settore in crescita delle video conferenze e i risparmi reali che produce.

November 2013 | ECJ | 59

HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS

High pressure help Many surfaces can be cleaned effectively using cold water at high pressures. But some tasks require a little extra help in the form of heat, detergent or some other agent – and manufacturers have plenty of resources up their sleeves for tackling these more challenging tasks, as Ann Laffeaty finds out.

Cold water at high pressure is recognised as being a highly effective method of cleaning dirt and grime away from building facades, patios, car parks and other surfaces. But dirt takes many forms, and cold water alone will not be capable of removing all of them. Hot water at high pressures is sometimes needed to dissolve more stubborn soiling.

However, cold water machines are still highly suitable for removing substances such as mud, dirt, sand and rust from various types of surface says NilfiskAdvance’s senior group product manager for professional high pressure washers Andrew Caddick.

“In other words, they are ideal for use on the more organic and mineral classes of dirt,” he said. “These machines can be used on surfaces such as stone, wood or metal, and typical customer groups for cold water machines include agriculture, building/construction and certain types of contract cleaning applications.”

He admits that cold water is less effective on grease, fats and oils, however.

“We estimate that hot water can save up to 40 per cent of the cleaning time when removing these substances,” he said.

“Chewing gum is also very resistant and not removable with cold water in normal conditions –and it is even very difficult to remove when using hot water. The use of cold water on chewing gum may produce results, but these will not be perfect - and

will be at the expense of longer cleaning times, the use of detergent and higher pressures along with the consequent risk of damage to surfaces.”

The water temperature required when removing chewing gum, grease, oils and fats from a surface will depend on the nature of the task and the dirt type, adds Caddick. “For example for car cleaning, a temperature of 50 C would be OK but when degreasing a metal surface, up to 90 C would be better.”

According to Kärcher’s environmental public relations officer Linda Laipple, cold water high pressure cleaners have several advantages over hot water machines.

“They are less expensive to buy and incur no water heating costs,” she said. “They also require lower service and repair costs and have fewer components.”

Faster cleaning Other advantages include the fact irregular surfaces can be cleaned using a high pressure jet and water consumption is lower due to the reduced crosssectional area of the nozzle, she said.

However, hot water machines offer the benefits of faster cleaning, reduced labour costs and shorter drying times. “They also produce improved results as there is less likelihood of streaks and the cleaning surface will be left completely dry, which means it will attract new dirt less easily,” said Laipple. “The use of hot water, too, reduces the need for detergents.” Typical applications for hot water machines include vehicle washing and façade cleaning, she says.

According to IdroBase group marketing director Tommaso Gazzignato, cold water machines can tackle around 70 per cent of high pressure cleaning tasks. “However where there are oily stains present, a cold water high pressure cleaner is not the proper machine to use unless it is with a specific detergent,” he said. “In this case it is the combination that can bring successful results.” Idrobase offers a range of professional pressure washers including hot water machines with

pressures ranging from 100 to 300 bar and flow rates of 10 to 40 litres.

According to manufacturers, there are some cases where water alone will not be able to achieve the desired cleaning results. However, they have plenty of ideas up their sleeves – along with various accessories and cleaning agents – designed to allow customers to tackle these more challenging tasks.

For instance, says Gazzignato, extra cleaning power can be provided by means of a specific detergent depending on the type of dirt that needs to be removed, or by using an accessory such as a rotating nozzle or sand-blasting lance.

“Rotating nozzles are capable of removing chewing gum, for example, whereas a specific detergent in conjunction with a high pressure washer would work well when tackling graffiti on a rough surface,” he said. “However, if the surface you need to clean is more delicate - for example, when cleaning a historical monument - you would need to be careful about the type of detergent you choose.

You would also need a lighter action, perhaps by using a low pressure jet.”

Nilfisk-Advance’s Andrew Caddick agrees delicate old buildings are a special case and each one needs to be considered individually. “When we cleaned a church in Copenhagen, for example, the solution we chose was simply to let the water run down the surface at lower pressure levels,” he said. “This soaked the façade and removed the dirt slowly with no risk of damaging the delicate stone surfaces.”

Other difficult tasks will call for specific solutions, says Caddick. “We have found the best method of removing chewing gum, for instance, is to use a steam cleaner with a small quantity of a special detergent and a brass bristle brush.

“Graffiti removal is another challenge.

Old traditional methods such as blasting with a mix of sand and water are very abrasive and risk damaging the surface, while also presenting a problem when the Continued page 62

November 2013 | ECJ | 61

HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS High pressure help (continued) debris needs to be removed.

“Newer methods use less abrasive powders such as Armex - basically a bicarbonate of soda type of powder blasted with the water. This leads to less damage to stone and glass surfaces, and the powder is soluble and ecological which means it is easier to dispose of afterwards.

However being a salt, care needs to be taken with porous surfaces.”

He adds that other technologies such as dry ice cleaning can also be used for graffiti cleaning, for removing rust from metal surfaces and for cleaning plastics. Nilfisk also offers a range of other solutions including sandblasting, softblasting and steamers.

Kärcher’s Linda Laipple advocates the use of steam for certain challenging cleaning tasks. “The steam setting of a hot water high pressure cleaner is good Dans quelles circonstances convient-il de chauffer l’eau d’un système de nettoyage haute pression ? Et quand est-il préférable d’employer un produit spécialisé tel que de la poudre de verre, du basalte, de la poudre de chaux ou des granules organiques ? Ann Laffeaty examine les tâches haute pression dans lesquelles un petit appoint se recommande, ainsi que celles qui se suffisent d’eau froide.

November 2013 | ECJ | 62

for the gentle cleaning of pressuresensitive surfaces,” she said. “These extremely high temperatures used at low pressures will remove the type of dirt that could otherwise only be dislodged by high pressure. The steam setting is also suitable for use on porous, natural materials that absorb water easily.”

Extra help Sometimes a cleaning agent is required to give the high pressure washer a little extra help, she says. “These detergents will enhance the cleansing properties of water by increasing wettability, emulsification and direct chemical reactions with the constituents of the dirt,” said Laipple.

However, she adds that difficult cleaning tasks can often be solved with the use of specialist accessories rather than by changing the temperature, pressure Unter welchen Umständen muss das in Hochdruckreinigungssystemen eingesetzte Wasser erhitzt werden? Und unter welchen Umständen ist stattdessen ein Spezialprodukt, wie etwa Glaspulver, Basalt, Kalkstaub oder Nussschalengranulat, erforderlich? Ann Laffeaty erörtert die Hochdruckaufgaben, bei denen etwas Zusatzhilfe erforderlich ist, und auch diejenigen, die einfach mit kaltem Wasser zu bewältigen sind.

or blasting agent. And that recent developments in fan and rotary nozzles can boost the cleaning performance of a high pressure washer by up to 125 per cent. “The choice of accessory is almost as important as the decision to buy a specific machine model,” said Laipple.

“No other method of cleaning is so flexible since with high pressure cleaning, Items and equipment can be cleaned on the inside or outside, horizontally or vertically and whether these happen to be buildings, vehicles or machinery,” she said.

And Andrew Caddick believes that the use of specialist nozzles for specific cleaning tasks will gain more importance in the future. “Special accessories can add a mechanical effect to the cleaning process, and the use of detergents is becoming more and more problematical due to legislation,” he said.

Quando è necessario scaldare l’acqua usata nei sistemi di idropulitrici ad alta pressione? E quando è invece necessario l’uso di prodotti specializzati tipo la polvere di vetro, il basalto, la calce o i granuli di guscio di noce? Ann Laffeaty prende in esame gli impieghi delle idropulitrici ad alta pressione che richiedono un aiuto in più, e quelli che invece possono essere affrontati usando soltanto acqua fredda.

PRODUCTS: HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS

Cold water

130 bar and flow rate of 600 litres per hour; one with working pressure of 180 bar and flow of 780 litres per hour; and one with 210 bar pressure and 900 litres per hour flow rate. www.dibo.com

Cuts costs Gumwand is a new product whose manufacturer claims will slash the cost of removing chewing gum from pavements

New from DiBO is the ECN-S compact industrial cold water high pressure cleaner - a smaller version of the ECN-M and ECN-T ranges. This model incorporates a new type of high pressure pump, the Evolution 2 from Interpump.

The cover is made of impactproof rotation moulded polyethylene combined with a stainless steel protective front - mounted on a sturdy steel frame.

Thanks to its large wheels the ECN-S can be wheeled easily and smoothly, says DiBO and start/stop system is fitted as standard. A reel can be fitted if required, suitable for a 20-metre long hose.

Three versions are available - one with working pressure of • DiBO a introduit l’ECN-S, un nettoyeur haute pression à eau froide pour l’industrie.

• Gumwand est un nouvel outil destiné à faire chuter le coût du nettoiement de chewing-gums de trottoirs et de planchers.

• Neu von DiBO ist der kompakte Kaltwasser-Hochdruckreiniger ECN-S für den gewerblichen Einsatz.

• Gumwand ist ein neues Werkzeug, das beträchtlich zur Senkung der Kosten beitragen soll, die beim Entfernen von Kaugummi auf Gehwegen und Böden entstehen.

• La novità della DiBO è la idropulitrice industriale compatta ad alta pressione e acqua fredda ECN-S. • Gumwand è un nuovo strumento che vanta di ridurre in maniera significativa il costo della rimozione della gomma da masticare dai marciapiedi e dai pavimenti.

and floors. It is a lightweight, one-man operated, self-contained machine that works on all surfaces - indoors or outdoors.

Gumwand uses a steam process to break up the gum and create a powder from the residue. This can then be simply brushed away without any damage to the surface, thanks to the sugar beet-based detergent and Gumwand lance.

The machine costs less than six euros per hour to run.

Gumwand is actively seeking

distributors worldwide. www.gumwand.com

PRODUCTS: HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS

• Pour le décolmatage de canalisations et l’aspiration de filtres à graisse et d’avaloirs, le SmartCombi Pro de ROM combine le nettoyage haute pression et à vide.

• R+M/Suttner a introduit l’injecteur de mousse et de désinfection haute pression Easyfoam365+.

• Kärcher a lancé l’iSolar, un accessoire pour nettoyeurs haute presssion de panneaux solaires.

• Le WX4000 est un nettoyeur haute pression proposé par Mazzoni pour des applications industrieles à service sévère.

• Annovi Riverberi a lancé une gamme compacte de nettoyeurs haute pression désignée AR Blue Clean.

• PW-H35 est le plus récent nettoyeur haute pression IPC. Il est proposé en plusieurs versions variant de 130 à 190 bars.

• Der SmartCombi Pro von ROM kombiniert Hochdruckreinigungsund Saugfunktionen, um die Entblockung von Abflüssen sowie das Absaugen von Fettabscheidern und Sinkkästen zu ermöglichen.

• Neu von R+M/Suttner ist die Hochdruck-Schaum- und Desinfektionsinjektoreinheit Easyfoam365+.

• Kärcher hat iSolar vorgestellt, ein Zubehörteil für Hochdruckreiniger, die zur Reinigung von Solarkollektoren konzipiert wurden.

• Beim WX4000 handelt es sich um einen robusten Hochdruckreiniger von Mazzoni, der für industrielle Anwendungen mit hoher Beanspruchung konzipiert wurde.

• Neu von Annovi Riverberi ist eine Produktreihe mit kompakten Hochdruckreinigern unter der Bezeichnung AR Blue Clean.

• Beim PW-H35 handelt es sich um den neuesten Hochdruckreiniger von IPC, der in verschiedenen Ausführungen von 130 bis 190 bar erhältlich ist.

• Per sbloccare i tubi di scarico e aspirare sifoni e canali di scolo, SmartCombi Pro della ROM abbina il lavaggio ad alta pressione e la funzione di aspirazione.

• La novità della R+M/ Suttner è l’unità a iniezione, ad alta pressione, a schiuma e disinfettante Easyfoam365+.

• La Kärcher ha lanciato un accessorio per le idropulitrici ad alta pressione progettate per i pannelli solari, iSolar.

• WX4000 è una idropulitrice robusta ad alta pressione prodotta dalla Mazzoni progettata per applicazioni industriali pesanti.

• La novità della Annovi Riverberi è AR Blue Clean, una gamma di idropulitrici compatte ad alta pressione.

• PW-H35 è la più nuova idropulitrice ad alta pressione della IPC disponibile in numerosi modelli da 130 a 190 bar.

November 2013 | ECJ | 64

Pro version For cleaning and unblocking sewers, as well as suctioning grease traps and gullies, ROM has launched the SmartCombi PRO, a larger version of the ROM SmartCombi high pressure and vacuum unit.

There is an optional compressed air intake for foaming at the injector unit itself. www.rm-suttner.com

A variety of accessories is located on board for optimum practicality in operation. www.e-mazzoni.it

Solar clean

Ergonomic

For thorough cleaning of solar panels Kärcher developed the iSolar, an accessory for high pressure cleaners. Featuring rotary brushes and a telescopic lance, it can clean up to 1,500 square metres of panel, depending on the model.

The two disk brushes have non-scratch nylon bristles and water from the high pressure cleaner in low pressure mode makes them rotate in opposite directions. They are fastened to the telescopic lance, which is infinitely variable up to a length of 14 metres. The lance is very light and stable, while the water flow can be switched on and off

New for 2014 from Annovi Reverberi is the compact range of high pressure cleaners called AR Blue Clean.

Compact and ergonomic design have been the top priorities in developing the new line. There is a wide selection of tailor-made accessories to make each machine versatile enough to tackle many cleaning challenges. www.annovireverberi.it

Besides extra vacuum suction power and more flushing and cleaning capacity the new version offers a larger water tank capacity for cleaning and vacuum water - a total of 3,000 litres. Its compact and lightweight design makes it suitable for city centres and other places that are hard to reach.

The unit can be mounted onto a six to 7.5 ton vehicle and is available in configurations of 200 bar/72 litres or 150 bar/100 litres. Extras include a 270º rotating hydraulically driven HP reel, mounted onto a swivelling frame including a foldable layered hose guiding system. www.rombv.com

using a ball tap on the lance.

The accessory is also available with a single brush for cleaning smaller areas. www.karcher.com

Foam unit

Robust body

From R+M/Suttner the new ST-164 is a new foam and disinfectant unit in the Easyfoam365+ range, for use in areas that need to be frequently cleaned and disinfected to a high standard.

Suitable for lathering, rinsing and disinfection it has an operating pressure of between three and 350 bar and there is a lever to change from cleaning and rinsing mode into injector operation for foaming or spraying.

When using the cleaning mode, the water is guided parallel to the injectors (bypass mode) at up to 60 litres per minute.

The WX series of high pressure cleaners from Mazzoni are robust in construction with their metal structure and stainless steel cover. Designed for heavy duty industrial tasks they are claimed to combine low running costs, userfriendliness, low noise and cleaning performance.

The four large wheels make the machine easy to move and transport, while the low voltage control panel is practical and well located. Mazzoni motors boast over 85 per cent efficiency, and the company’s boilers are low in gas emissions and high in thermal efficiency.

New generation IPC’s latest generation of high pressure cleaners is the PWH35 which has been designed for use in heavy duty applications on any kind of soil. It is available in three and four wheel versions, both equipped with parking brake.

Pressures range from 130 to 190 bar, with flow rates from 560 to 900 litres per hour and maximum water temperature of 140°. The heart of the machine is the newly developed boiler with steel coil, which can be accessed easily for cleaning and maintenance.

In order to make working simpler the PW-H35 has two lance holders - one with a locking system - and a compartment for

storage of the gun, lance, hose and cable. A 20-metre hose reel with folding handle is an option. www.ipcleaning.com

Reader registration form November 2013 To receive ECJ free of charge (subject to qualification), complete the form below.

Name ....................................................................................

Job title ................................................................................

Company ...............................................................................

Address ................................................................................

Postal code ............................................................................

Please tick just one box in each section.

Your company’s main business activity: ❑ Factory & industrial premises ❑ Offices & commercial premises (including banks) ❑ Contract cleaning/cleaning services ❑ Distributors/wholesalers ❑ Health authorities/hospitals/ nursing homes ❑ Central and local government ❑ Hotels/catering/recreation (including leisure centres) ❑ Education establishments (including universities, schools & colleges) ❑ Other (please specify) Number of company employees:

Country .................................................................................

Tel ........................................................................................

Fax ......................................................................................

Are you personally responsible for purchasing or specifying machinery, materials, products, equipment or support services used in the cleaning and maintenance of non-domestic establishments? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ None of the above.

E-mail ..................................................................................

Web site ................................................................................

Please sign here only if you wish to receive a regular copy of European Cleaning Journal (the publisher reserves the right to accept or refuse application).

Signature ......................................... Date...................

Fax your completed form to European Cleaning Journal on +44 1494 792223. Or register online at www.europeancleaningjournal.com