The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector
JUNE/JULY 2015
CASE STUDY
SPECIAL REPORT
PRODUCT FOCUS
Cleaning in the digital world Page 37
Software solutions
Hygiene in food prep
Latest window cleaning systems
Page 25
Page 29
Page 49
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CONTENTS
June/July 2015 | Vol.23, No.3
BUSINESS
SPECIAL REPORTS
45 Bringing criminals to justice...
25 Smart service The latest state-of-the-art software serving the cleaning sector.
Hartley Milner looks at how the world is taking action to tackle cybercrime.
29 Donít risk your reputation The cleaning regime in the kitchen simply cannot be compromised.
37 Cleaning in the digital world New smart technologies will inevitably impact on the sector.
40 Which wiper where? 03 News
Which specialist wiper or cloth is best suited for each environment?
47 Attracting top talent
12 European reports
Recruiting the right people at senior level in any company is crucial.
49 Safety first
55 New product review
A look at the technology that helps to improve the safety of window cleaners.
53 Smartest dosing What are the latest systems for making chemical dosing more efficient?
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 Advertisement Director Chris Godman Advertisement Sales Carole Dawson Circulation Marie Payne
Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos 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 2015
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NEWS & EVENTS
Latest News & Events from ECJ
Hand washing in multi-bed wards ëmore criticalí than in single rooms Hand washing in multibed hospital wards is even more critical than previously thought, according to research. A study carried out by University of Leedsí Institute of Public Health and Environmental Engineering in the UK found that multi-bed wards were more likely to have contaminated surfaces than single hospital rooms. This increased the risk of infections being spread by clinicians working in these areas. Researcher Dr Marco-Felipe King, who carried out the study, analysed fluid flows to ascertain the way in which
The study found that more than twice as many infectious particles were likely to be passed on to patients in a four-bed ward compared with the same number in a singlebed setting, even when hand hygiene remained at the same level. Professor Cath Noakes who led the research said: ìWe found the multi-bed wards posed a greater risk because there was a higher likelihood that surfaces would be contaminated - even in areas that were quite a distance away from already infected patients - and that these
Register now for your free monthly email newsletter from ECJ. And donít forget to bookmark the ECJ website and donít miss our regular blogs - including Dr Ilham Kadri from Diversey Care, Rob den Hertog of Amsterdam RAI, Mike Sullivan of GOJO, EUnitedís Markus Asch and Vectairís Paul Wonnacott www.europeancleaningjournal.com
EVENTS July 28-30
May 10-13 2016
CleantexPulire
ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam
Johannesburg, South Africa www.cleantex.co.za
Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com
September 22-25
October 25-28 2016
CMS
ISSA/Interclean North America
Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com
Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com
October 15
March 14-16 2017
London, UK www.ifrauk.org
London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk
October 20-21
September 11-14 2017
Ausclean Pulire
ISSA/Interclean North America
Queensland, Australia www.auscleanpulire.com
Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com
October 20-22
October 2-5 2018
Clean Expo Moscow
ISSA/Interclean North America
Moscow, Russia www.cleanexpo-moscow.ru
Orlando, USA www.issainterclean.com
UK Fragrance Forum
The Cleaning Show
October 20-23
ISSA/Interclean North America Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com
infectious particles released into the air settled on to a range of surfaces in various types of hospital wards. Using a mathematical model based on staff touching these surfaces, King determined how easy it would be for clinicians and other workers to contaminate their hands with pathogens.
would be passed on to medicsí hands. ìThe message is that hand washing and cleaning is hugely important in all hospital wards, but it is even more critical in multi-bed wards where infectious particles may be present on surfaces that medics may not expect to be contaminated.î
Il ressort de travaux de recherche que le lavage des mains dans des salles díhÙpital ‡ lits multiples est encore plus critique quíon ne le pensait.
October 27-29
Hygienalia+Pulire Madrid, Spain www.hygienalia-pulire.com November 2-4
Clean Middle East Pulire Dubai, UAE www.cmepexpo.com To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com
Das Waschen der H‰nde ist auf Krankenhausstationen mit mehreren Betten noch wichtiger als bisher angenommen, geht aus einer Studie hervor.
Dalle ricerche emerge che il lavaggio delle mani nelle corsie degli ospedali con numerosi letti Ë ancora pi˘ vitale di come si pensava in passato.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 3
NEWS CMS Berlin September congress - win free tickets with ECJ The second International CMS Congress, taking place during the CMS cleaning exhibition in Berlin this September, will have the theme ëPeople and Businessí. Speakers from around Europe, the USA, South Africa, India and China will be taking part. The programme is supported by the European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI), the European Cleaning Machines Association (EUnited) and the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE). The venue is Marshall-Haus, a listed building on the Berlin exhibition grounds and the event will run on September 23 and 24. The CMS exhibition takes place from September 22-25. The presentations and panel
discussions will seek to identify the available workforce potential and the kind of employees that will be needed in the future. The discussions will also investigate whether market requirements, and therefore the demand for services, will change in the foreseeable future, and whether the available workforce potential can cope with this situation.
Demographic changes Speakers will also discuss the role likely to be played by developments such as demographic changes, an increase in pandemics and infections, and the demand for hospital capacity, care facilities and private care services. Experts will also consider the extent to which the market is
Le CongrËs CMS international, qui aura lieu ‡ líoccasion du salon CMS ‡ Berlin en septembre, sera dÈdiÈ au thËme ´ Collaborateurs et MÈtier ª.
affected by a shortage of trained specialists, the phenomenon of worldwide feminisation and youth unemployment in southern Europe. There will be panel discussions entitled ëChallenges from demographic change - the labour market now and in the futureí, ëInternational comparison of trainingí and ëBackground conditions and development potential for the cleaning industry in large volume marketsí. Other presentations include ëTechnology and Sustainability: scientific progress that increases the value of cleaní by Dr Ilham Kadri, president of Diversey Care. Dr Klaus-Dieter Zastrow will speak on ëHygiene Scandals in Bremen, Berlin, Mannheim
Der Internationale CMS Kongress, der im September im Rahmen der CMS in Berlin stattfindet, wird unter dem Thema ÑMensch und Marktì stehen.
and Kiel - why donít we learn from them?í Simultaneous translation in English, French and German will be provided.
Win free tickets As the media partner for the CMS International Congress ECJ is offering five readers the chance to win a free delegate ticket - worth 400 euros. To win a ticket simply answer this question: what is the name of the world famous arch in the centre of Berlin, one of the most famous landmarks in Germany? Send your answer to michelle@ europeancleaningjournal.com by Friday, August 14. The winners will then be chosen at random and notified by Friday, August 21. www.cms-berlin.de
Il congresso International CMS Congress, che si terr‡ durante líevento CMS di Berlino a settembre, avr‡ come tema ìPersone e Businessî.
NEWS US study shows that germs thrive on aircraft surfaces MRSA can live for up to seven days on aeroplane surfaces, according to a new study. And at least one strain of E. coli can survive for up to four days on an aircraft armrest. These were among the results of a study carried out by a microbiology professor at Alabamaís Auburn University. James Barbaree and his team recreated the interior of an aeroplane incorporating the humidity levels and types of surfaces likely to be encountered. The study revealed that millions of pathogens are likely to be present on aircraft. Barbareeís team tested the presence of germs on six surfaces: an armrest, plastic tray table, window shade, toilet handle, seat-back pocket and
seat leather. MRSA was found to survive for the longest periods in the seat-back pocket. The scientists also tested the transmissibility of organisms and discovered that germs were easily spread via nonporous surfaces such as tray tables. Potential for crosscontamination on aircraft was significant, according to Barbaree.
Little time to clean ìA friend of mine was flying recently and another passenger was changing a baby on the tray table,î he said. He adds that airline employees have little time to deep clean aeroplanes between trips, and that travellers should be aware that germs could be hitching a
Le MRSA peut survivre jusquí‡ sept jours sur les surfaces díun avion, indique une nouvelle Ètude.
ride alongside passengers. ìPeople should try to be as clean as possible and wash their hands and faces during travel to
Laut einer neuen Studie kann MRSA bis zu sieben Tage auf Oberfl‰chen in Flugzeugen ¸berleben.
prevent the spread of dangerous germs,î Barbaree said. ìAnd we need to put pressure on airlines to clean up as much as possible.î
Da un nuovo studio emerge che líMRSA puÚ rimanere vivo fino a sette giorni sulle superfici degli aerei.
NEWS UK purchase
New study shows benefit of modern wipes A study by an independent research institute which included tests on the latest Tork wiping products from SCA has concluded there are a number of advantages for non-woven products compared with rags and rental cloths in manufacturing industries. Benefits include less time required to achieve the same results, and less solvent needed. Findings from the test results comparing rages with nonwoven wipes include: ï Up to 41 per cent less solvents. The non-woven products required considerably less solvent to do the job compared with the solvent needed to clean with rags and rental cloths
UK-based aerosol and speciality chemicals manufacturer James Briggs has acquired the business and assets of fellow British company Premiere Products, which manufactures branded and private label janitorial cleaning products. Jim Sumner, chairman of James Briggs, said: ìCombining the Premiere brand with our Nilco janitorial business will generate significant new opportunities in both UK and export markets. Premiereís distribution channels are highly complementary to our Nilco business, making this a very natural fit.î
Organic growth
Clean more quickly ï Up to 35 per cent less time. The performance of the nonwoven products meant that cleaning and wiping tasks could be completed much more quickly than when using rags and rental cloths ï Up to 31 per cent less effort. The non-woven products were perceived to require substantially less effort to get the same job done ï Up to 80 per cent less waste and handling cost. Non-woven products weigh less and take
up less space than rags, which makes them more effective to handle and transport ï Takes up less space when transporting and storing. Rags take up to 4.5 times more space than the non-woven products. The testing was carried out in Sweden by Swerea Research Institute. The main focus was
Next edition of ECJ - September
ï Les rÈsultats díune Ètude indÈpendante commanditÈe par SCA comparent la performance de chiffons en textiles et tissus de location avec celle des solutions díessuyage modernes dans les industries manufacturiËres. ï James Briggs, un producteur britannique de produits chimiques et díaÈrosols, a repris le commerce et les actifs de la sociÈtÈ Premiere Products.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 6
to evaluate products being used for wiping and cleaning within manufacturing industries ñ including rental cloths, rags and non-woven cloths. Two tests were carried out to replicate tough work situations and to grade performance between the products. www.sca.com
ï In den Ergebnissen einer unabh‰ngigen Studie im Auftrag von SCA werden die Leistung von Stofflappen und -t¸chern in verarbeitenden Industrien mit modernen Wischlˆsungen vergleichen. ï Der britische Hersteller von Reinigungschemikalien und Aerosolen James Briggs hat das Unternehmen und die Wirtschaftsg¸ter von Premiere Products erworben.
Sumner added: ìThe management buyout of James Briggs in July 2013 recognised that the business was an outstanding platform for bolton acquisitions and we are delighted to have advanced the plan to bring new brands into our portfolio.î Mathew Deering of Endless LLP, who led the support for the management buyout in 2013, said: ìJames Briggs has grown organically by more than 20 per cent since our investment and this acquisition will further accelerate growth in a key area.î www.jamesbriggs.co.uk www.premiereproducts.co.uk
ï I risultati che emergono da uno studio indipendente commissionato dalla SCA confrontano i risultati dellíuso di stracci in tessuto e panni a noleggio nelle industrie di produzione con le moderne soluzioni di pulizia. ï La James Briggs, produttrice di aerosol e detergenti chimici con sede nel Regno Unito, ha acquisito le attivit‡ e i beni della Premiere Products.
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NEWS ISSA appoints Steinbach as new EMEA director Cleaning industry trade association ISSA - which has its headquarters in the US - has continued investment in its European membership with the appointment of Dianna Steinbach as director of EMEA services. Steinbach will be relocating to Europe from the US with her family this summer to fill the position currently held by Keith Baker as of September 1. Keith Baker will continue to represent ISSA as director of industry outreach EMEA. In this role he will be responsible for membership growth as well as member support and trade show services within Europe, the
Middle East and Africa. Dianna Steinbach has served previously as the director of marketing based at ISSA headquarters in Chicago - she joined the organisation in 2002. Prior to that she was editor of the US-based Contracting Profits and Housekeeping Solutions magazines. She commented on her new role: ìIt is an honour to follow Keith and assume responsibility for ISSAís EMEA operations. I am committed to continuing and building on his many successes, as we expand operations and add new products and services throughout the region.î
ï Líassociation industrielle ISSA a nommÈ Dianna Steinbach directrice des services pour líEurope, le Moyen-Orient et líAfrique. ï Le Conseil de la propretÈ britannique (BCC) a votÈ en faveur de son adhÈsion ‡ la FÈdÈration europÈenne du nettoyage industriel.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 8
Keith Baker added: ìI am very proud of what has been achieved in the region in terms of the growth in membership, the connections we have made, the partnerships we have brokered, the success of the Amsterdam, Warsaw and Istanbul shows, and the key role that ISSA has played in transforming the perception of the cleaning industry. ìI have had the pleasure to work with Dianna over many years and to see first-hand the results of her talent and dedication to this industry. I am excited that she is coming to Europe.î www.issa.com/emea
ï Der Industrieverband ISSA ernennt Dianna Steinbach zum Gesch‰ftsf¸hrer EMEA Services. ï Das British Cleaning Council (BCC) hat sich per Abstimmung f¸r einen Beitritt zur European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI) entschieden.
EFCI member The British Cleaning Council (BCC) - the umbrella organisation for the UKís professional cleaning sector has become the UK member of the European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI), which represents and lobbies for the contract cleaning sector at EU level.
Unanimous decision BCC chairman Doug Cooke said the decision to join the EFCI was agreed unanimously by council members, and keeps the BCC at the heart of policy and decision making in the EU. www.efci.eu britishcleaningcouncil.org
ï Líassociazione di categoria di settore ha nominato Dianna Steinbach direttrice della EMEA Services. ï Nel Regno Unito, il British Cleaning Council (BCC) ha votato per entrare a far parte della federazione European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI)
NEWS Spreading the word about cleaning
Robot cleaners?
The European Cleaning Days (ECD) campaign is now underway, with events taking place until November aiming to highlight the importance and the benefits of professional cleaning in areas like offices, hospitals, airports, train stations, etc. The campaign has been initiated by EUnited Cleaning, with the support of the European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI) and the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE). The plan is to join with existing cleaning events and organise new ones to educate the public about the importance of professional cleaning for public health, comfort and well-being. Events will be held in many
Autonomous cleaning robots could soon be drafted into service on the floors of supermarkets, airports and industrial premises. Developed as part of an EUfunded project, the machines would be able to clean large floor areas more efficiently than teams of human cleaners according to the research team. Scientists from several European institutions are cooperating on a 4.2 million euros project to develop ëFlobotí, a market-ready machine capable of scrubbing large floor areas while avoiding people. The team is modifying existing scrubbing machines with the addition of electronics and sensors to make them autonomous. The robots are guided by a laser range-finder plus a 3D camera to detects the presence of humans.
countries including Germany, Belgium, France and Italy and will aim to engage people of various age groups and professions. Activities will range from exhibitions, workshops, visits to schools with lectures, to cleaning in action on public streets and squares. The campaign focuses on four key areas: ï Detergents for cleaning and disinfection ï Floor and high pressure cleaning: Buildings, business premises, and production sites ï Municipal equipment: Mobile machines used in municipalities and other public areas ï Cleaning contractors EUnited Cleaning is seeking other partners to join in. For more information visit: www. cleaningdays.eu
FDA seeks hospital hand soap data The US government is calling for more data on medical hand washes and hand sanitisers to ascertain their long-term effects when used daily. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says more information is needed to establish the safety and effectiveness of common hand cleaners used in hospitals, GP practices and nursing homes. It wants manufacturers to provide information on the possible hormonal effects of the products as well as their contributions to antibioticresistant bacteria. Regulators are concerned at emerging science that suggests antiseptics are absorbed into the body at higher levels than
previously thought, showing up in the blood and urine of users. The FDA will also seek information about possible links between the use of antiseptics and the growth of antibioticresistant bacteria. Professional guidelines currently urge medical personnel to sanitise their hands before and after visiting each patientís room. But FDA scientists say their routine use has increased over the last 20 years as healthcare staff work harder to combat hospital infections. Products that are not shown to be safe and effective by 2018 would have to be reformulated or removed from the market, the organisation says. www.fda.gov
ï La campagne des JournÈes europÈennes de la propretÈ a ÈtÈ lancÈe et síaccompagnera de manifestations jusquíen novembre pour rappeler toute líimportance et les avantages du nettoyage professionnel. ï Des robots de nettoyage autonomes pourraient bientÙt Ítre utilisÈs pour nettoyer les planchers de locaux de grande Ètendue. Cíest ce qui pourrait se produire si un projet financÈ par líUE aboutit. ï Les autoritÈs fÈdÈrales amÈricaines demandent que líon obtienne davantage de donnÈes sur les produits mÈdicaux de lavage des mains et dÈsinfectants des mains afin díÈtablir líeffet ‡ long terme de leur usage quotidien.
ï Die Kampagne der European Cleaning Days (ECD) ist jetzt angelaufen, in deren Rahmen bis November mit verschiedenen Aktionen die Bedeutung und die Vorteile der professionellen Reinigung hervorgehoben werden. ï Dank eines Projektes mit finanzieller Unterst¸tzung der EU kˆnnten autonome Reinigungsroboter mˆglicherweise bald auf den Bˆden groflfl‰chiger R‰umlichkeiten eingesetzt werden. ï Die amerikanische Regierung fordert umfangreichere Daten zu medizinischen Handreinigern und H‰ndedesinfektionsmitteln, um die langfristigen Auswirkungen einer t‰glichen Verwendung zu bestimmen.
Detect and track ìOur key aim is to programme Flobot to detect and track people moving around so as to avoid them, and also be able to estimate typical human trajectories in the premises where it operates,î said Nicola Bellotto from the University of Lincoln who is working on the robotís software. Professor Tom Duckett - also from the University of Lincoln - adds: ìThe idea is to create professional service robots that will work in our everyday environments, providing assistance and helping to carry out tasks that are currently very time and labour intensive.î The team is working on a prototype of the programmable machine. ï Eí partita la campagna European Cleaning Days (ECD), in programma ci sono eventi che si terranno fino a novembre e hanno come scopo quello di sottolineare líimportanza del cleaning professionale. ï I robot autonomi di pulizia potrebbero essere presto chiamati in servizio sui pavimenti di grandi ambienti grazie a un progetto finanziato dalla UE. ï Il governo americano sta richiedendo ulteriori dati sui detergenti per le mani per uso medico e sanitizzanti per le mani per accertarne gli effetti a lungo termine quando vengono usati quotidianamente.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 9
NEWS Environmental health on a military scale for British Army
Lt Col Gareth Moore heads up the British Armyís team of military environmental health practitioners. Based at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the south of England, his unit is responsible for taking care of the health of the armed forces wherever in the world they are deployed. The primary role of the environmental health team is to be deployed around the world in order to carry out a risk assessment at the initial stages of any army operation. ìBefore any troops are sent, my personnel are there to determine vaccination requirements, sanitation needs, etc,î Lt Col Moore explains in an exclusive interview with ECJ. ìThe army describes us a key enablers, because we take care of all aspects of environmental health and disaster relief.î As head of Army Environmental Health, with personnel situated around the UK and other locations including Cyprus, Gibraltar, Kenya, Canada and Germany, Lt Col Moore has worked around the world, often facing extreme conditions. He continues: ìIn simple terms, the army cannot afford to have soldiers out of action because of D&V (diarrhoea and vomiting), and thatís where environmental
health experts play a vital role. ìIn Afghanistan, for example, we had a great deal of work to do in preventing disease outbreaks. Our brief is to prevent disease and non-battle injuries. The team is involved in all aspects of this ñ from food safety to water hygiene. Every member of the team is a qualified EHO and they have expertise in areas including monitoring of air quality and help with earthquake contingency. The selection process is stringent and for the successful candidates this is a wonderful job, with plenty of opportunity for travel.
Pre-deployment brief The team is also responsible for pre-deployment health briefs to soldiers, with the basic premise that ìthe individual is more important than the environment theyíre inî. When establishing hygiene standards on British Army camps abroad, it is not always possible to implement the same cleaning regimes, etc which would be in place in normal circumstances. ìFor example, if your kitchen is a tent, itís not going to be cleaned to the usual standards expected,î Lt Col Moore says. ìSo we place great emphasis on temperature control, cooking methods, and
ï Le colonel Gareth Moore dirige líÈquipe de praticiens díhygiËne environnementale de líarmÈe britannique. Son unitÈ a pour mission de veiller ‡ la santÈ des forces armÈes en tout endroit de la planËte o˘ elles sont dÈployÈes. Michelle Marshall, rÈdactrice en chef díECJ, síentretient avec lui des activitÈs de líunitÈ. ï Diversey Care a lancÈ une plateforme sur Internet dÈsignÈe Internet of Clean destinÈe ‡ relier des machines, des distributeurs, des capteurs, des balises et díautres dispositifs intelligents.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 10
personal hygiene of the chefs. Hand hygiene is absolutely crucial and we have hand washing stations for all the personnel to use before eating. ìAnd thanks to the extensive work we have done, we find everyone really does follow the correct procedures, almost to OCD levels at times. Many of them have learned the hard way, because most of them have been ill at some stage. So I am very proud of the fact we have very few outbreaks due to bad food hygiene or cleanliness.î The army does use contractors on mature operations abroad, after a camp has been established for two or three years. Private companies may be used for waste management, sanitation, provision and servicing of portable toilets, etc. ìEach contractor will often employ local people as cleaners,
in whichever country we are in,î Lt Col Moore says. Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, for example, was home to 15,000 people at its height so that level of service was necessary. When working in such unusual and extreme circumstances, how can standards of cleanliness and hygiene be monitored and upheld? ìWe use UK and EU standards as our benchmark,î replies Lt Col Moore. ìIf that is unrealistic we work as close to them as possible in how we manage water, infrastructure and clinical governance. A tent, for example, simply cannot be a sterile environment. ìDisease outbreaks are our greatest responsibility and greatest challenge,î he concludes. ìPeople who are stressed, physically challenged and living in close quarters are always at greatest risk.î
Diversey launches tech platform With the launch of its new technology platform Internet of Clean Diversey Care says it is taking a decisive step forward in making the connected future a reality for the professional cleaning industry. The company has also patented the term. Following the era of file sharing, e-commerce and social media, the next development will be connecting machines and devices ñ popularly known as the Internet of Things (IoT). Applying this concept to the specific needs of the cleaning industry, Diversey Care conceptualised Internet of Clean, a new platform which connects machines, dispensers, sensors, beacons, and other smart devices to gain insight into equipment, consumption
ï Oberstleutnant Gareth Moore leitet das Team der milit‰rischen Arbeitsmediziner der britischen Armee. Seine Einheit ist damit betraut, f¸r die Gesundheit der Streitkr‰fte zu sorgen, egal wo auf der Welt sie eingesetzt werden. ECJ-Redakteurin Michelle Marshall unterh‰lt sich mit ihm ¸ber die Arbeit der Einheit. ï Diversey Care hat Internet of Clean vorgestellt, eine neue gesch¸tzte Plattform zur Verbindung von Maschinen, Spendern, Sensoren, Baken und anderen intelligenten Ger‰ten.
and operations. Diversey Care says this brings benefits such as improved safety and operational performance, enhanced productivity, remote monitoring, visibility of assets, task prioritisation, more accurate dosing, reduced use of water and/or chemicals, and increased hand hygiene compliance. The companyís president Dr Ilham Kadri said at the global launch in Zurich: ìThe reality is that Internet of Clean allows us to first reimagine, and then totally transform the cleaning and hygiene businesses from being reactive to proactive and even predictive. This is nothing less than an e-revolution and it provides virtually endless opportunities and connections.î www.diverseycare.com
ï Lt Col Gareth Moore dirige il team di professionisti di igiene ambientale dellíesercito della British Army. La sua unit‡ Ë responsabile della salute delle forze armate ovunque siano dislocate nel mondo. La redattrice di ECJ Michelle Marshall lo intervista riguardo al lavoro della sua unit‡. ï La Diversey Care ha lanciato Internet of Clean, una nuova piattaforma registrata che connette macchine, dispenser, sensori, segnali luminosi e altri dispositivi smart.
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UPDATE: ITALY The future of employment Italian correspondent Anna Garbagna reports from the recent Pulire exhibition in Verona. The programme included a Cleaning Recruiting Day, designed to give young people seeking jobs in cleaning an insight into the sector. For some time now, the issue of employment has been a major concern in all market sectors, but particularly in the cleaning market. However, in every field, the future does exist because young people exist. Following this philosophy the promoters created Cleaning Recruiting Day, the special event in Verona that was part of Pulire, the professional cleaning exhibition, which opened its doors to young people in search of real work opportunities. Cleaning Recruiting Day was launched during the Internet of Things seminar which also took place during the exhibition, to provide an opportunity for students and graduates in technical and scientific subjects to meet the many companies of the cleaning sector that are always looking for new talent. It is important to remember that, in Italy alone, the overall sector is worth over 13 billion euros, and has annual employment growth of between two and three per cent. All the young people who attended the seminar Internet of Things: a New Revolution in the Cleaning Industry? had the opportunity to post their CV into the largest database of professional profiles specifically targeted at the professional cleaning sector. The database is in fact made up of companies with headquarters all around the world and especially companies from the mechanical, chemical, paper and distribution sectors. Presentations had to be in Anna Garbagna rend compte du rÈcent salon Pulire qui síest tenu ‡ VÈrone, en Italie. ¿ cette occasion, une manifestation spÈciale dÈsignÈe JournÈe du recrutement de la propretÈ a permis ‡ des jeunes ‡ la recherche díun travail de rencontrer des professionnels de haut niveau.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 12
English and there was a requirement for overseas work to be available. In this way the Pulire organisers wanted to offer young people the chance to get to know the sector in person and to discover every possible opportunity that a young person can use to start their professional career. The seminar represented one of the most important sessions of the three days in Verona and it saw the participation from many big names of the sector at a global level: from Markus Asch (ceo and vice chairman management board of Alfred K‰rcher) to Federico Baffetti (R&D manager of Injenia), from Simon Chen (managing director of ICE) to Andrea Granelli (president of Kanso, president of Olivettiís Historical Archive Association). Journalist Carlo Massarini was moderating the session. This event was a truly unique opportunity not only to approach a profession of great interest and to start a new career in a market which has proved to be extremely interesting, but also to approach the labour market at high levels right from the start. And we must not forget that the international exchange of views gave important suggestions to anyone who wished to approach the labour market with a wider perspective. This surely was an opportunity to be seized, particularly by those young people who aspire to pursue an international career and to gain a range of viewpoints from the experts.
Anna Garbagna berichtet von der k¸rzlich in Verona, Italien, veranstalteten Pulire. Im Rahmen einer Sonderveranstaltung unter dem Titel ÑRekrutierungstag f¸r die Reinigungsbrancheì erhielten junge Menschen, die in der Branche arbeiten mˆchten, die Gelegenheit, leitende Mitarbeiter zu treffen.
Anna Garbagna ci parla della fiera Pulire recentemente tenutasi a Verona in Italia. Un evento speciale chiamato ìCleaning Recruiting Dayî ha dato ai giovani che cercano di lavorare nel settore líopportunit‡ di incontrare i professionisti ad alto livello.
UPDATE: DENMARK Fighting workplace bullying ECJís correspondent in Scandinavia Petra Sjouwerman gives us an update on how Denmark is trying to prevent bullying in the workplace. In Scandinavia there is much focus today on bullying, both in school and at work. Studies have shown that bullying can have serious consequences, such as depression and suicidal thoughts. Workplace bullying also has an influence on the quality of the work and the service level. In Esbjerg, a seaport town on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark, 60 cleaning assistants who work for the municipality, have participated in a course on how to prevent bullying. ëTake Action ñ Good Colleagues Donít Bullyí has been developed by the Danish Working Environment Council (BAR). The aim of the course is to show how colleagues can help each other to deal with bullying, or deal with situations that might develop into bullying. It is intended as a starting point for discussion about the unwritten rules in the workplace, how conflicts are solved and how colleagues give each other feedback. The course consists of two short films, used as a starting point for discussion. Apparently, the film where male colleagues bully one of their male co-workers gives food for thought, as people often assume that it is mainly women who bully. In fact bullying has nothing to do with gender, age or education. But researchers have documented that bullying happens more often in working places that are either female or male dominated. Twelve per cent of Danes reported having been bullied in the workplace last year. For the members of the Danish trade union FOA, the percentage is higher: for cleaning assistants itís as much as 19 per cent. La correspondante díECJ en Scandinavie, Petra Sjouwerman, fait le point sur les mesures qui ont ÈtÈ prises au Danemark en vue de prÈvenir les actes díintimidation sur le lieu de travail.
Even though the team of 60 cleaning assistants from the town of Esbjerg had no problems with bullying before the project started, the course has nevertheless been useful. According to the participants, it has made the staff more aware of each other as colleagues and also helped them to communicate better. In short, the cleaners were excited about the course, and because there is so much focus in Denmark on bullying nowadays, this news even reached the national media. ìIt is all about openness, communication and looking each other in the eye when talking with each other,î said Aase Thygesen, service manager for the municipality of Esbjerg to the Danish National Broadcaster DR. Norway is also very active in the battle against workplace bullying. Years ago, the countryís then prime minister addressed the problem during a famous speech. Furthermore, Norwegian occupational health researchers have been one of the first in the world to document the harmful effects of bullying. And last but not least, Norwegian legislation is very clear in terms of how workplace bullying must be tackled. Just like in many other countries, the Norwegian legislation prohibits bullying in the workplace, but in Norway the employer must have an official follow-up policy. The Norwegian Working Environment Authority may require the company to put a particular effort into place, and it can even intervene in specific cases.
Keep up to date with news over the summer on the ECJ website
Petra Sjouwerman, die ECJ-Korrespondentin f¸r Skandinavien, bringt uns auf den neuesten Stand der Dinge in D‰nemark, wo versucht wird, das Mobbing am Arbeitsplatz zu verhindern.
Dalla Scandinavia, la corrispondente di ECJ Petra Sjouwerman ci aggiorna su come la Danimarca sta cercando di prevenire il bullismo nei luoghi di lavoro.
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UPDATE: NETHERLANDS Vereniging Schoonmaak Research - VSR - (Association for Cleaning Research) is an independent platform for all parties in contract cleaning (cleaning companies, customers, consultants, etc) in the Netherlands. One of the subjects it commissioned research for was ergonomics of flat mops. The research was done two years ago by Professor Terpstra of Wageningen University and Dr Hoozemans of Free University Amsterdam. In daily cleaning practice, flat mops are often used. The method of application is to wipe the floor with a wrung out flat mop, whereby surface as well as slightly adhesive dust, dirt and other contamination is removed. The objective of this comparative research was to determine the different physical loads of the five different ways of using a flat mop: which of these five ways requires the lowest physical exertion?
The five ways of using flat mops are the adjoining track movement, the figure-of-eight movement and the vacuum cleaning movement whereby the movement is made by the arms, a vacuum cleaning movement with a rocking movement of the upper body while walking sideways and a vacuum cleaning movement with a rocking movement of the upper body while walking backwards. Five experts assessed the load on the body while flat mopping. Mopping methods were researched by means of an analysis of the work posture. A specialist cleaner executed the mopping. The precise execution of the different mopping methods was predetermined. The work postures of the different methods of mopping were recorded with a video camera and subsequently analysed. The measurements were executed during 10 minutes
Dans son reportage des Pays-Bas, notre correspondant Nico Leemens rend compte de travaux de recherche effectuÈs sur líergonomie du balayage humide ‡ plat par líAssociation de recherches sur la propretÈ (VSR).
Flat mopping analysis Dutch reporter Nico Lemmens on research into flat mopping by a cleaning research association. of mopping with a microfibre flat mop on a linoleum floor. During the assessment the physical load, the load due to repetitive work postures, uncomfortable movements and energetically tiring activities were investigated separately. Because the two research methods are not directed at the same mopping parameters, the results of both methods needed to be considered in relationship with each other, as they are complementary to a certain degree. The adjoining track movement produces the lowest physical load. This method is characterised by less uncomfortable work postures,
In seinem Bericht aus den Niederlanden wirft unser Korrespondent Nico Lemmens einen Blick auf eine Studie zur Ergonomie der Arabeit mit Flachmopps, die von der Vereniging Schoonmaak Research (VSR), einer unabh‰ngigen Forschungsorganisation f¸r die professionelle Reinigungsindustrie, durchgef¸hrt wurde.
less load due to repetitive movement and less energetic load than the other flat mopping methods. The figure-of-eight movement produces the most unfavourable score with regard to uncomfortable work postures, the repetitive movement, the energetic load and the total physical load. So the figure-of-eight movement is the most physically taxing movement. The differences in physical loads for the three variants of the vacuum cleaning movement are relatively small and not unequivocal; the differences are apparently not so large that they are unequivocally demonstrated with the research methods applied.
Dai Paesi Bassi, il corrispondente Nico Lemmens esamina una ricerca condotta dalla Association of Cleaning Research (VSR) sullíergonomia del mop piatto.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 15
UPDATE: RUSSIA Web-based firms on the rise From Russia, Oleg Popov of Cristanval on the growth of online services, including cleaning. Nearly 18 months ago the largest search engine in Russia - Yandex - launched Yandex.Master, a platform for individuals to find and hire contractors. In May of this year, the online order page for taxi service Gettaxi went through a rebranding and became Gett, having also expanded its scope of services. So now two million online, active, potential customers can order home cleaning services. The Yandex.Master project was launched in September 2014. Through this service, the residents of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg can now resolve small household errands: home cleaning, repairs, furniture assembly and so on.
It is interesting to note that the most troublesome part of this service appeared to be the partners. Since the service launched, the Yandex.Master has fired over 60 partners which is a rather large number. The services market, comparing it to taxi ordering is special in that a scheduler must be on very good terms with the actual service provider. A technician enters an occupied home, and, hence, in addition to being a highly qualified professional, the family occupying the premises must be assured that he is not a person off the street. Plumbing is the most required service, accounting for 15 per cent of all calls, whereas house clean-
Deux intervenants importants sur líInternet en Russie ont lancÈ des plateformes permettant aux clients de passer commande en ligne de services de nettoyage ‡ domicile, rapporte Oleg Popov, de la sociÈtÈ Cristanval.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 16
ing (regular and post construction clean-up) stands second. In May of 2015 GetTaxi announced an expansion of services - towards food, beauty products, retail products for the home, and even health products. In July of 2015 the new services will become available to all app users. Today the GetTaxi service has over 10 million users in 32 cities of the world, with over two million users located in Moscow and St. Petersburg. It is unfortunate that, in Russia, GETT is available only in those two cities. To provide new services GETT is planning to cooperate with both, sole proprietors and partnercompanies. All potential service providers will have to go through training, which is exactly what happens in taxi services. GETT will connect provider with customer and upon their connection will charge the provider a commission.
Zwei russische Internetriesen haben Plattformen vorgestellt, die es den Benutzern ermˆglichen, Hausreinigungsdienste online zu bestellen, berichtet der bei Cristanval t‰tige Oleg Popov.
Because the service providerís work day will be full and the provider will choose which orders to take, this model promises to work well. So, what do aggregators give to medium sized cleaning companies and individual sole proprietors? ï Direct contact with the target audience ï Provide opportunity for analytical activities, advice and recommendations. Merging of IT services and in-home consumer service is still in its infancy. What is important is that while searching for a cleaner people no longer have to rely on ads placed in questionable online bulletin boards or unchecked referrals. An alternative is here ñ a reliable and technologically advanced service has been launched. Those who value their reputation are here to offer quality services at a good price.
Due giganti russi dellí Internet hanno lanciato delle piattaforme che permettono ai clienti di ordinare on line i servizi di pulizia domestica, come ci riferisce il corrispondente Oleg Popov della Cristanval.
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UPDATE: FRANCE The French Cleaning Federation (FEP) recently commissioned a survey on recruitment practices in the cleaning sector. Some interesting figures emerged. In any one year, there are 665,000 wage earners active in the sector. As cleaning is a labour intensive activity requiring work to be carried out all year round, replacements are frequent. This means the number of employees working at any one time during a calendar year in given companies is rather larger than the number of jobs that exist in the sector. In all 405,000 wage earners work for several cleaning contractors. While the sector has 470,000 steady wage earning jobs, these are held by 405,000 different people due to many of them having more than one employer - 37 per cent of workers hold several cleaning jobs. Regarding the number of wage
earning cleaners who work more than 16 hours a day and have been in the sector for at least a year, it is estimated at 190,000. The cleaning sector recruits 500,000 people during a year, of which 50,000 are hired under open ended contracts. Although these contracts constitute the most frequent form of hiring people, accounting for more than 80 per cent, they in fact only represent nine per cent of recruits since fixed term contracts form the bulk of the work contracts that are signed (91 per cent of recruits during the year, mainly to replace people who leave). It should be noted that recruitments can involve the same person a number of times, which means that different fixed term contracts may be signed with a cleaner during a year, by one or more companies.
En France, la FÈdÈration des entreprises de propretÈ (FEP) a fait procÈder ‡ une Ètude dÈtaillÈe des pratiques de recrutement dans le secteur, rapporte Christian Bouzols.
A look at recruitment practice As Christian Bouzols reports from France, there has been a study of industry recruitment practices. Most recruitments are due to temporary staff replacements under fixed term contracts (69 per cent). The other main causes of recruitment are when new people are needed to meet the requirements of increased work loads (22 per cent). These people are also hired under fixed term contracts. When recruiting for replacements or new posts, companies prefer to select members of their own workforce or call on candidates recommended by their employees. They also make use of their pools of contacts outside their firm. In a context where people are usually needed urgently and
Der franzˆsische Reinigungsverband FEP hat eine umfassende Studie zur Einstellungspraxis innerhalb der Branche in Auftrag gegeben, berichtet Christian Bouzols.
where the recruitment process is rather informal, selection criteria are both flexible and subjective. The main qualities expected of candidates and assessed during recruitment interview, are: motivation (an essential quality, but difficult to assess); experience (usually preferable but not essential); availability (to avoid lateness and absenteeism); relational skills (depending on responsibility or involvement with customers); technical competencies (required for qualified posts or supervisors); and fluency in French. But recruitments are still largely based on ëfeelingí, which explains why there is a lot of wastage.
Il corrispondente francese Christian Bouzols ci informa che la federazione French Cleaning Federation (FEP) ha commissionato un sondaggio dettagliato sulle pratiche di assunzione nel settore.
UPDATE: GERMANY Does coffee-to-go have to go? German reporter Thomas Schulte-Marxloh takes a look at the impact of the ëcoffee-to-goí culture. New lifestyles have created new businesses (or vice versa?); but they can also sustain wellestablished businesses like the cleaning industry. Coffee consumption, for example, has changed from ëcoffee breakí to ëcoffee to-goí - instead of sitting in a traditional cafÈ, people seem to be on the run. Chains of coffee
shops, bakeries, petrol stations and other points of sale supply the increasing demand for coffee to-go which has certainly boosted the paper cup or plastic cap industries and, finally, the waste management and contract cleaning industries as well. Meanwhile, most public transport companies have banned the
consumption of coffee, beverages and fast food in their vehicles after passengersí increasing complaints. Even higher cleaning frequency could not prevent fast food wrappings and coffee paper cups on the floor. It seems that even the number of dustbins is too small to absorb the increasing flood of waste as more and more paper cups end up at bus stops, on the streets or floors of various facilities. In Berlin the local administration plans to introduce new regulations to stem the flood of paper cups. A
package tax of about 0.20 euro per cup is meant to ìmotivate people to produce less rubbishî, explains Danny Freymark, the spokesperson for environmental affairs of the CDU faction, as in particular downtown Berlin has experienced a significant increase in litter. ìThere is an exorbitant increase in those coffee to-go cupsî, says Tanja Wielgofl, chairman of Berlinís municipal cleaning (BSR). Other cities, like Cologne, take it easy. Peter Winkels who is in charge of municipal cleaning in Cologne admits that ìover the weekend there is plenty of litterî, however, apart from paper cups the litter includes the remains of fast food or empty pizza boxes. Winkels does not believe in an additional tax on paper cups, he intends to install more dustbins, empty them more often and to increase cleaning frequency. While German consumer protection organisations have launched an initiative against paper cups as they estimate an annual German paper cup consumption of about 6. 4 billion, the German Coffee Association says that only 1.8 billion cups were consumed. Consumer protection organisations also emphasise that with the cups come the plastic lids and that both are rarely recycled. Meanwhile some coffee shop chains offer thermo cups. Maybe this is a way to reduce litter and to avoid an additional tax at the same time. However, will people add reusable boxes for pizza or fast food to their bags and brief-cases, too? Until then the cleaning industry will certainly be a sustainable business. Notre reporter en Allemagne Thomas Schulte-Marxloh Èvoque la tendance croissante ‡ prendre un cafÈ ou un repas ìsur le pouceî et les rÈpercussions qui en dÈcoulent en termes de dÈchets et díinterventions de nettoyage. Unser Deutschland-Korrespondent Thomas Schulte-Marxloh berichtet ¸ber den wachsenden Trend zu Kaffee und Essen Ñunterwegsì, die daraus resultierende Zunahme des erzeugten Abfalls und die Auswirkungen auf den Reinigungsbetrieb.
Il corrispondente tedesco Thomas Schulte-Marxloh ci informa sulla nuova tendenza del caffeí e del cibo ìon the goî consumato per strada, che produce un aumento dei rifiuti ed ha un forte impatto sulle operazioni di pulizia.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 20
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Smart service One of the largest facility service providers in Belgium, Temco Facility Services, decided it wanted to optimise its business processes and cleaning operations through the use of the tablets, smartphones and state-of-the-art software. So it partnered with a Dutch software developer, FacilityApps, who developed a app platform for cleaning companies. ECJ speaks to Temcoís managing director Benoit Maerten about his vision for the company, and how technology is key to its future success.
The digital revolution may have been slow coming to the cleaning and building services sector but it is now impossible to dismiss the significant benefits the use of smartphones, tablets, apps etc can bring to the business. Benoit Maerten, managing director of Temco Facility Services Europe, based in Belgium, has taken a leadership approach and last year took the decision to invest in such a solution. ìCleaning companies have definitely suffered because of the recession,î he says, ìWe need to be more lean and smarter in our operations, and we must all put our operatives more in contact with the client.î The priority, Maerten believes, is to have better communication and more open discussion between client and contractor. ìTechnology is now changing very fast, with the use of smartphones, tablets, etc and that offers the whole sector so many possibilities,î he continues. ìCleaning is traditionally resistant to this type of technology I know, but itís time to embrace it. ìWe decided that to be successful we had to change our organisation, which meant totally altering our systems and training our people to make full use of the technology. The aim - to work in a more efficient way and also more in line with our customersí requirements.î At the heart of Maertenís strategy is the change from being a reactive organisation to a proactive one in its offering of cleaning and integrated services. ìI want to plan and predict rather than simply react to issues as they arise.î Dirk Tuip of FacilityApps, which is working with Temco and developed the software, explains the reason for the increasing need for more high-tech solutions. ìWe are moving to a more ëon-demandí way of working, whereby the building and the client will tell us what needs cleaning. ìThe very way in which we work in buildings is changing fundamentally ñ with trends like hot-desking, open spaces, home offices, quiet areas and designated meeting places now prevailing. Buildings
are now much ësmarterí and cleaning companies must react and adapt to those developments with more databased cleaning.î Temco is implementing the FacilityApps solution across its European operations and started it within Temco-Euroclean. ìAll our countries will be using it under our own branding, which is T@pp,î explains Maerten. So how exactly is the company employing the application? ìWe are mainly using the quality control function,î he replies. ìwhich was previously carried out using a paper-based system. ìI want to increase the quality of our service and to measure that in an effective way. Our organisation can then convey relevant information to the client instantly. This also means we can react very quickly to any other issues that arise.î The Council of Ghent was the first contract on which Temco implemented the system, across 130 buildings. ìWe also clean 370 offices for Bpost (the Belgiumbased postal services provider) which our managers previously had to visit every month. Using the app enables us to change that frequency to once a quarter,î Maerten points out.
Daily routine Temco area managers are now successfully using the app as part of their daily routine and Maerten plans to filter the system down to supervisors too. ìThis is an intelligent solution that can think with the user and give them tips and feedback. It can plan the most efficient way of working, of routing around the building, etc. And it enables our managers to plan their building visits. ìThose building visits become are more qualitative and more meaningful,î he continues. ìWe now make reports and action plans in co-operation with our customers, and notes can be reviewed instantly and agreed with the client. All information is also available to the client, in as much detail as they require, in the Cloud. They receive a summary of quality reports and Continued page 26
June/July 2015 | ECJ |25
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS Smart service (continued)
can then drill down to the detail.î The app also enables complaints to be logged and followed up quickly, meaning issues can be solved much more promptly ñ any problems are registered immediately rather than going through time-consuming reporting processes. ìClients want a solution right now, and the app allows us to offer that,î says Maerten.
Culture change Implementing such a radical new solution throughout a company does have its challenges, Maerten admits, because it has to bring about such a significant culture change. ìAltering the mindset of employees and persuading them all to embrace the new opportunities has not always been easy.î However Maerten is very clear in his vision. ìI want my branch managers to be out in the field and more in contact with our customers and our new system very much facilitates that. ìIt also allows for more cleaning on demand in line with customer requirements, and more planning ahead. This results in better use of cleaning spend across the year, which is more proactive and more productive for all parties.î Solutions such as the FacilityApps platform are standalone and can be linked to existing systems the cleaning company is already running. And each company can select which specific features they want to use, whether itís calculation of quotes, staff and asset management, planning of tasks, digital logbook or quality control, for example. All documents are available wherever the user is, and whether theyíre Temco Facility Services, un prestataire europÈen de services díimmeuble, a su optimiser nombre de ses processus de gestion avec bonheur gr‚ce ‡ la mise au point díune nouvelle solution ‡ Applis par la sociÈtÈ nÈerlandaise FacilityApps. ECJ Ètudie le recours aux logiciels les plus rÈcents par des entreprises de propretÈs ‡ la recherche de meilleurs rendements.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 26
using a smartphone or tablet. This particular application is currently available in Dutch, French and English, with German to be introduced soon. ìThe technology allows us to digitalise as many processes as the cleaning company wants to,î Dirk Tuip explains. ìAnd Temco Facility Services is driving our development forward because it has a real passion to be the first in the industry to use it in this way.î For Temco the real value of the app currently is in quality control and client evaluation. Next will be asset management, so tracking of cleaning machines, updates on certification and maintenance, etc. ìI would also like to implement the training module, which is an e-learning system,î Maerten explains. ìNew employees joining the company need to know certain things so step one is learning the checklist of company rules, etc, - video can be uploaded to each step if necessary. ìNew employees are then tested with a list of questions and if they are not answering enough of them correctly an alert can be sent to the manager. The next stage of training is naturally on the job.î
Cleanerís dashboard Does Maerten foresee a situation whereby cleaners themselves are using the T@pp? ìIn future the cleaner could use an application to confirm certain areas have been cleaned, for example,î he replies. ìThis would not be so relevant on office contracts but more in the food industry, cleanrooms, laboratories, healthcare, etc. Das europ‰ische Geb‰udetechnikunternehmen Temco Facility Services hat viele seiner Gesch‰ftsprozesse erfolgreich optimiert. Mˆglich wurde dies durch die Entwicklung einer neuen App-Lˆsung durch FacilityApps aus den Niederlanden. Das ECJ erf‰hrt mehr dar¸ber, welche positive Wirkung der Einsatz modernster Software auf die Reinigungsbranche haben kann.
ìThe cleaner could have his own dashboard to see the live picture ñ what has been cleaned, what needs to be cleaned, how long each job has taken, and maybe ask why it took so long.î He emphasises: ìThe use of the application within our business will most certainly evolve as time goes on, itís a project that will continue to grow.î The reaction from Temco clients to the new technology has been highly positive already, Maerten says: ìThey now get feedback and proactive dialogue on how we are working and the lines of communication are far more open. My managers absolutely must have better relations with customers and by using this app technology I am obliging them to do just that.î
Far-reaching benefits The benefits of an app are far-reaching says Tuip. ìThey save on costs, improve on quality, reduce complaints and improve customer relationships. But your company does need to be ready for that future, and open to the opportunities IT offers.î And as far as Benoit Maerten is concerned, digital technology is without doubt a way for the cleaning industry as a whole to move forward and raise its levels of professionalism, and its image among clients. ìOur sector is seen as a commodity, with a negative perception,î he believes. ìWe only get calls if there is a problem but I want to change that, for us to be a partner to our customers. ìIíd like to instil a more ëopen bookí philosophy between us, with full transparency and independent quality controls. Then, I hope, clients will develop a different image of us as service providers.î He concludes: ìOne of our core values is exceeding quality and to do that you must have control over what you do ñ where you can monitor what you do in a proper way. So for us our T@pp is a tool, an added value.î La Temco Facility Services, líappaltatrice europea di servizi, ha ottimizzato con successo molte delle procedure delle sue attivit‡ grazie allo sviluppo di una nuova soluzione App della FacilityApps dei Paesi Bassi. ECJ indaga e scopre come líuso di software allíavanguardia possa avere un impatto positivo sul settore del cleaning.
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HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION
Donít risk your reputation Staff in a busy kitchen may be rushed off their feet, but there must be a full understanding that a good cleaning regime should never be compromised. Cleaning surfaces, sanitising floors, cleaning cookers, washing the hands ñ what are the key cleaning tasks that need to be carried out on a regular basis in any food service kitchen? And what are the best products for the job? Antoine Rocourt, marketing lead in kitchen care for Diversey Care, writes exclusively for ECJ.
You canít change a customerís first impression of your restaurant. From the moment guests walk through the front door, they are looking for a clean, visuallypleasing environment. Dinersí expectations are high and the overall dining experience is what will make them return. As an operator, your commitment to creating a superior dining experience is of course reflected in the quality of the food and the level of service, but is also in the tidiness and cleanliness of the restaurant, washrooms and kitchen areas. Various studies have shown that to a potential guest the cleanliness, in particular tableware, interiors, food prep areas and public washrooms, are among the top considerations when determining where to eat. It has an even stronger impact on the decision whether to come back or not; two out of three people will not return to a restaurant if any of the dining area, staff or crockery/cutlery is dirty. Taking that into account, cleaning is not a just cost, but a critical revenue factor.
Safe food Food safety is obviously just as important and high priority. You will not intentionally risk your customersí or employeesí health, or the reputation of your business. Although individual incidents of foodborne illness do occur in todayís world, widespread outbreaks can be front page news and result in negative backlash. Food hygiene offences can also be very costly. On top of the fine, there may be civil action by food poisoning victims or even forced business closure. Keeping a kitchen clean and hygienic is not so difficult. There are many guidelines and instructions on how to ensure food safety, so authorities and courts have no sympathy with poor cleaning and unsafe food handling practices. It is thus critical to choose the right products and cleaning methods, and implement a hygiene plan that clearly tells everybody what to clean when and how. Market leading suppliers will help you with trusted products, strong application
expertise and regulatory support. They have significant groups of specialists to guarantee product safety and regulatory compliance, and experts to solve unique problems that may occur in the market. These suppliers also invest major R&D effort to explore new technologies and optimise their product solutions in terms of efficiency, safety and sustainability. They develop, for example, highly concentrated cleaners in unique safe, closed, recyclable packaging with very accurate dosing and dilution capabilities. Low cost products may take longer or take more effort to get a job done, or these products may be less safe or have a greater impact on the environment due to under or over-dosing, chemical composition, or packaging format. Wrong products may also damage ware, facilities or equipment. The total value of kitchen equipment in a modest kitchen can be over100,000 euro. Such a big investment needs to be protected. Correct cleaning can make it last longer and be more efficient. Using a good proven range of cleaning chemicals is less risky and less expensive in the longer run.
Which products? When choosing your products, think about the objects to clean. Is it a food contact area that requires frequent sanitation or disinfection? Think about the sort of soil to be cleaned. Is it heavy or light soiled? Protein or grease? What equipment or tools are available to make the process easier? Is the surface vulnerable, and how often is it to be cleaned? For example: what is the floor made of? Special safety or simple quarry tiles? How big is the area to clean? Could you use a machine which will make the cleaning process easier and more efficient? One of the biggest cause of accidents in commercial kitchens is slips, trips and falls. It is about a third of all major reported injuries. The cost to an employer of a reportable injury can be very high ñ insurContinued page 30
June/July 2015 | ECJ |29
HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION Donít risk your reputation (continued)
ance, sick pay, agency labour, management time and legal costs. The individual will also bear costs, not least of which is the distress. So how much may a good floor cleaning product really cost? Ovens and grills are tough to clean as they have burnt-on soils. They need a strong product and effective tool. However, there are also special oven cleaners that work with high temperatures so you donít need to wait to let the oven or grill cool down before cleaning, saving precious time. Many new combi ovens have automatic cleaning systems. This is obviously the most convenient and easy way of cleaning. Unfortunately the original oven manufacturers often state that only their approved products may be used to guarantee continued maintenance and service. Major suppliers will however ensure that their products are compatible with commonly used materials. Cooker hoods and fat fryers also need a good degreaser. Oven trays and plates can be particularly difficult to clean due to the carbonised soil, and these items are usually too large to clean in a dishwasher. Overnight soaking in a bath with carbon removing degreaser could in that case save a lot of effort and time. Watch out with alumina items: use special soft-metal safe products. Drains and fat traps can be quickly overlooked. Yet they need regular cleaning and maintenance to avoid blockage. Here biological (bacteria or enzyme based) systems can be very effective when installed Aussi occupÈ quíil soit, le personnel de cuisine doit comprendre quíil est exclu de transiger sur le rÈgime de nettoyage de son Ètablissement. Nettoyer les surfaces, dÈsinfecter les sols, rÈcurer les cuisiniËres, se laver les mains - quels sont les t‚ches de nettoyage essenties ‡ exÈcuter rÈguliËrement dans toute cuisine servant des repas ? Et quels sont les meilleurs produits pour ces activitÈs ?
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 30
correctly to provide a regular and constant level of grease and fat degrading activity. The drain itself also needs regular cleaning to avoid the build-up of biofilms and growth of risky bacteria such as listeria. The dishwasher will be the single biggest user of chemicals: detergent for effective cleaning and rinse aid for quick and spotless drying. There are products that combine both detergent and rinse aid into a single all-in-one product, saving space and making the process even simpler. Most products are liquids, but there are also powder and solid systems. These are more concentrated, use less packaging, and thus provide a significant environmental and sustainability advantage. They are also packed in closed systems, avoiding operator contact with the chemicals. In hard water areas, an acidic descaling product may be needed to remove potential scale formed when water is heated ñ for example in the dishwasher, bain-marie, or boiler. In those cases it is also more efficient to use a special hard water dish wash detergent and acidic rinse aid. A stainless steel polish can be used to make all metal surfaces of the kitchen (fridges, tables) gleam and shine. Finally, as well as food soils, people bring in dirt and germs. This makes the correct use of disinfectants and sanitisers so crucial. Sanitiser means a product that cleans and disinfects in one operation instead of separate steps. These products should meet strict bactericidal regulations and their registration include specific Auch wenn das K¸chenpersonal noch so besch‰ftigt ist, muss doch allen bewusst sein, dass es keinen Kompromiss f¸r ein gutes Reinigungsregime gibt. Oberfl‰chen reinigen, Bˆden desinfizieren, Herde reinigen, H‰nde waschen - was sind die wichtigsten Reinigungsaufgaben, die regelm‰flig in jeder Gastronomiek¸che ausgef¸hrt werden m¸ssen? Und welche Produkte sind am besten f¸r den Job geeignet?
conditions of use (dosage, exposure time and temperature). An effective kitchen sanitiser is vital to help control bacterial growth and ensure food safety. Good personal care and regular hand washing are key to hygiene and food safety. A soap with anti-bacterial properties is highly recommended. It all sounds like a lot of products, but usually you can clean and maintain over 80 per cent of a kitchen with about seven daily cleaning products. In smaller kitchens you can also choose to use special multifunctional products, dosed at different dilutions for specific applications. Extending cleaning to the front of the restaurant, you should add a toilet, bathroom and glass cleaner, and perhaps a special lobby and carpet cleaner. Check the suitability of those cleaners when wood or delicate upholstery such as leather is used in the restaurant. And donít forget to select a range a hygienic cleaning tools ñ they can make cleaning so much more effective. Make sure they are coloured-coded to avoid cross contamination risks, and that they are so robust that they can be washed in a dishwasher. It is in the offering of specialised products, in products that are more efficient, sustainable and safe, and in providing a complete array of solutions for all cleaning and hygiene jobs, that the major leading suppliers differentiate themselves from many of the local suppliers. www.diversey.com Il personale di una cucina molto indaffarata rischia di lavorare in modo troppo frettoloso. Deve essere chiarito il fatto che un buon regime di pulizia non deve mai scendere a compromessi. Pulire le superfici, sanitizzare i pavimenti, pulire i fornelli, lavarsi le mani ñ quali sono i compiti di pulizia pi˘ importanti che devono essere effettuati regolarmente in qualsiasi cucina professionale di grandi dimensioni? E quali sono i prodotti migliori per questo lavoro?
MEN
CAN WASHROOM SOAP MAKE YOU SICK?
WOMEN
1 in 4
Refillable bulk soap dispensers is contaminated.1 Bulk soap dispensers are the old-fashioned kind, refilled from a jug of soap.
HAND CONTACT
how does it happen?
Do washroom attendants always wash their hands?
Bacteria from fecal matter and other sources can grow inside the dispenser. You can’t clean the contamination away…
AIRBORNE GERMS
even with bleach.2
Washroom germs in the air find a home when the lid is open.
• ER V FE
VOMITING • DIA RR
FOREIGN OBJECTS
BEFORE
FEVER
EY E
Open access – There’s no telling what’s in there!
Hands can have 25 times3 more germs after washing with contaminated soap.
PINK
VANDALISM
• EA HO
So what?
AFTER
*Actual petri dish photos
Soap is dispensed from a permanent nozzle that’s rarely cleaned.
The types of germs found in
contaminated dispensers can make you sick.4
Thereís a safe alternativeÖ NO GERMS. NO HEALTH RISK.
Take action. Stop the threat. Visit www.GOJO.com/europe SANITARY SEALED is a trademark of GOJO Industries, Inc. 1. Chattman M, Maxwell S, Gerba C. 2011. Occurrence of heterotrophic and coliform bacteria in liquid hand soaps from bulk refillable dispensers in public facilities. J Environ Health. 73(7):26-29. 2. Lorenz L, Ramsay B, Goeres D, Fields M, Zapka C, Macinga D. 2012.Evaluation and remediation of bulk soap dispensers for biofilm. Biofouling, 28(1): 99-109. 3. Zapka C, Campbell E, Maxwell S, Gerba C, Dolan M, Arbogast J, Macinga D. 2011. Bacterial hand contamination and transfer after use of contaminated bulk-soap-refillable dispensers. Appl Environ Microbiol. 77(9):2898-2904. 4. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/pseudomonas-spp-eng.php, http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/klebsiella-eng.php, http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/serratia-spp-eng.php Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria image: CDC/Janice Haney Carr
© 2015 GOJO Industries – Europe Ltd*. All rights reserved. *An affiliate of GOJO Industries, Inc.
SANITARY SEALED Soap refills lockout germs. Every new soap refill comes with a fresh nozzle.
PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION
ï Birchmeier propose des appareils de moussage pour líalimentaire. ï Líappareil Giselle proposÈ par De Nora Next produit une solution dÈsinfectante ‡ partir díeau et de sel. ï Brosserie Thomas a introduit une nouvelle brosse tank hygiÈnique ‡ passage díeau.
ï Birchmeier bietet Schaumger‰te zum Einsatz in der Nahrungsmittelindustrie. ï Bei Giselle von De Nora Next handelt es sich um ein System, das unter Verwendung von Wasser und Salz eine Desinfektionslˆsung erzeugt. ï Neu von Brosserie Thomas ist die hygienische Wasserdurchlaufb¸rste Tank.
ï La Birchmeier propone attrezzature erogatrici di schiuma adatte per il settore della preparazione alimentare. ï Giselle della De Nora Next Ë un sistema che produce una soluzione sanitizzante utilizzando sale e acqua di rubinetto. ï La novit‡ della Brosserie Thomas Ë lo spazzolone igienico Tank con serbatoio díacqua.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 32
For foaming Birchmeier offers foaming equipment for the food processing sector. The mobile foam cleaning models Indu-Matic in 20, 50 or 100 litre versions boast good adhesive foam on horizontal and vertical surfaces. There are also 1.25 or five-litre foamers - the company has developed two lines of sprayers and foamers. The blue line is resistant to alkaline while the red line is for acidic products. The fact the foam is dry makes for a long contact and reaction time, says Birchmeier, and the foamers work without any connection to compressed air. www.birchmeier.com
Treated water
by Giselle, is available in two concentrations with an active ingredient ratio of either 0.1 per cent or 0.6 per cent. www.denoranext.com
Next edition of ECJ - September
Water-fed
The Giselle system from De Nora Next produces a sanitising solution on site and on demand using only salt, tap water and electricity. According to the company the system enables a wide range of locations and objects to be hygienically cleaned including hand-touch sites, tables, glass, ceramic, plastic and stainless steel surfaces in catering and food service locations. Soleva, the solution produced
New from Brosserie Thomas is a water-fed brush with waterflow handle, called Tank. Water flows from the base of the fibres and across the entire brush, then dirt is flushed from the brush fibres. This method, the company says, is more water-efficient plus the rubber around the edge of the brush avoids scratching. Two handle options are available - a 1.4-metre one-piece waterflow handle or telescopic waterflow handle (1.05 to 1.6 metres or 1.7 to 2.8 metres). www.brosseriethomas.com
PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION Power of three There are three core products in the Dr Schnell kitchen hygiene range of cleaning chemicals - Perocid limescale remover, Gastro Pur oil/grease solvent and Desifor-A surface disinfectants. The company also has a line of solutions that have been awarded ecolabels. There is the oil and grease solvent Gastro Pur Eco, for example, for use in kitchens, bakeries and butchers as well as on surfaces such as stainless steel, glass, tiles and porcelain. Other products with ecolabels
include manual washing-up liquid Green & Mild Eco, limescale solvent Perocid Eco, rinse aid Mafor Eco and commercial dishwasher detergent Perocid Extra Eco. Through its subsidiary the
Alegria Specialist Academy Dr Schnell also advises companies on the set-up and application of the HACCP concept. www.dr-schnell.de
Gel for hands Hypromís no-touch Autosoap dispenser can be refilled with its professional hydroalcoholic gel Sanigel or with its antiseptic soap. Both refills are bactericide, fungicide and virucide according to EU standards and have a disposable pump incorporated. Because the gel does not come into contact with the dispenser or with the air, Hyprom says, there is no risk of contamination from
the outside. The dispenser can be fixed to all flat surfaces with screws or tape, and for greater flexibility it can be attached to its own portable stand. www.hyprom.com
HP accessories High pressure specialist PA has developed a line of accessories for the food industry. These are made in different grades of stainless steel and plastics to meet requirements for foam, detergents and chemicals. The range includes guns such as the RL82 and RL34, with half-inch internal passages to prevent foam from collapsing and the RB35, a low pressure, lightweight gun made of plastic; colour-coded lances, such as the AL-F, which can be sterilised; and ball-type quick couplers in stainless steel which can also come with plastic protection. www.pa-etl.it
ï Dr Schnell aligne une gamme complËte de produits de nettoyage ‡ usage pour la prÈparation díaliments. ï Hyprom propose une gamme de solutions pour líhygiËne des mains dans les aires de prÈparation alimentaire. ï SpÈcialiste des appareils de nettoyage haute pression, PA a dÈveloppÈ une gamme de solutions pour le secteur alimentaire. ïDr. Schnell bietet eine umfassende Produktfamilie mit Reinigungsprodukten f¸r lebensmittelverarbeitende Bereiche. ï Hyprom bietet eine Produktreihe mit Handhygienelˆsungen, die f¸r Bereiche konzipiert wurden, in denen Lebensmittel zubereitet werden. ï PA, der Spezialist f¸r Hochdruckreiniger, hat eine Produktreihe f¸r die Nahrungsmittelindustrie entwickelt. ï La Dr Schnell offre una linea completa di prodotti per il cleaning adatti per le aree di preparazione degli alimenti. ï La Hyprom propone una gamma di soluzioni per líigiene delle mani adatta per essere usata nelle aree di preparazione di alimenti. ï La PA, specializzata nella produzione di idropulitrici ad alta pressione, ha sviluppato una gamma di soluzioni per il settore alimentare.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 33
PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION
ï Diversey Care a mis au point une gamme de produits de nettoyage pour des fours automatique autonettoyants. ï Brightwell Dispensers propose les gammes de distributeurs Modular et MultiFlex pour líusage de produits díhygiËne des mains. ï La BD 38/12C de K‰rcher est une autolaveuse compact ‡ conducteur ‡ pied pour des espaces exigus et encombrÈs. ï Cleaning Block Grill est une mÈthode Ècologique pour le nettoyage de grils, proposÈe par Polydros. ï Le fabricant des produits Tork, SCA, produit diffÈrents articles díessuyage et de nettoyage pour les aires de prÈparation alimentaire. ï Pour les Ètablissements de prÈparation alimentaire, GOJO propose un programme de gestion de líhygiËne des mains.
ï Diversey Care hat eine Produktreihe mit Reinigungsprodukten f¸r automatisch selbstreinigende ÷fen. ï Brightwell Dispensers bietet die Produktreihen Modular und MultiFlex mit Spendern f¸r Handhygieneprodukte. ï Beim BD 38/12C handelt es sich um eine kompakte, handgef¸hrte Scheuersaugmaschine von K‰rcher f¸r kleine und un¸bersichtliche Bereiche. ï Cleaning Block Grill ist eine umweltbewusste Reinigungsmethode f¸r Grillpfannen und Grillroste von Polydros. ï Tork-Hersteller SCA bietet Wisch- und Reinigungsprodukte, die f¸r Bereiche konzipiert wurden, in denen Lebensmittel zubereitet werden. ï Gojo bietet ein HandhygieneVerwaltungsprogramm zum Einsatz in lebensmittelverarbeitenden Einrichtungen.
ï La Diversey Care ha sviluppato una gamma di prodotti di pulizia dei forni a pulizia automatica. ï La Brightwell Dispensers propone le gamme di dispenser Modular e MultiFlex per líerogazione dei prodotti di igiene delle mani. ï BD 38/12C Ë una asciuga pavimenti compatta con operatore al seguito prodotta dalla K‰rcher per aree di piccole dimensioni e molto ingombre. ï Cleaning Block Grill Ë un metodo di pulizia ecologico per piastre e griglie prodotto dalla Polydros. ï La SCA, produttrice della Tork, propone panni e prodotti per pulire adatti per le aree di preparazione alimentare. ï La GOJO offre un programma per la gestione dellíigiene delle mani specifico per le strutture di trattamento e lavorazione del cibo.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 34
For ovens Diversey Care has developed a range of products specifically for automatic self-cleaning ovens. Suma Auto-Oven 2in1 is an all-in-one product designed to replace the traditional two product system of cleaner and rinse/neutraliser.
pouch, can be fitted to the dispenser with no restriction says Brightwell. And the range can be customised to suit corporate colours and branding. Designed to promote cleanliness and eliminate the risk of cross-contamination is the MultiFlex dispenser, a unit built with a fully disposable pump and pouch system. Manual and touch-free versions are available and pumps are interchangeable. www.brightwell.co.uk
Small areas
For ovens and grills that are still cleaned manually there is Suma Grill Hi-Temp that can be applied on hot grills and in ovens without the need to cool them down, so reducing the cleaning time. And Suma DiveEasy has been developed to tackle baking trays and other large items with soil baked on that wonít fit into the dishwasher. Hood covers, grill plates, baking trays and other large greasy items can be placed in the soak tank filled with Suma Carbon Remover K21 and soaked overnight. www.diversey.com
Ergonomic Brightwellís Modular dispenser range is made up of a line of soap and paper models, with the soap dispensersí flexible design mechanism allowing for the interchangeability of pumps and containers. Different pumps - including soap, liquid, spray, industrial and many more, as well as two types of containers, cartridge and
The BD 38/12 C is a compact and manoeuvrable disk brush scrubber dryer for small and cluttered areas from K‰rcher. Features include a new brush head, better suction beam and maintenancefree lithium ion battery.
The suction beam connects to the brush head directly behind the disk brush and follows the brush around bends with an angle of up to 60∞, while a protective ring around the side of the brush prevents splashing. Because the floor is dried instantly it is immediately safe to walk on. The lithium ion battery can be fully charged in two hours, after which the machine can be used for up to 90 minutes continuously. www.karcher.com
Block for grills For cleaning of griddles and grills Polydros claims the Cleaning Block Grill is an easy and ecological system. Manufactured with glass treated at high temperatures, Cleaning Block Grill cleans chemicals and polishes iron
and steel surfaces. www.polydros.es/ cleaningblock
Wipe clean SCA, manufacturer of Tork products, offers a range of wiping and cleaning solutions to help optimise hygiene in food preparation areas. These include Tork Coloured Long Lasting Cleaning Cloths which are available in red, blue, green and yellow. These food-contact approved cloths are sufficiently low-linting to suit most food environments and will not rip when used for tough wiping tasks. A hygienic alternative to a dishcloth or tea towel is Tork Kitchen Cleaning Cloth. This thick, bulky product has the feel of a cotton cloth and is both strong and absorbent. It also has high wet
strength and is heat-resistant, which means it can be used instead of an oven mitt to protect the hands. www.sca.com
Hand hygiene GOJO Industries-Europe has developed a hand hygiene management programme specifically for food processing facilities, encompassing products and dispensing systems that help to simplify compliance it says. Its Sanitary Sealed refills prevent cross-contamination, while the soap formulations balance efficacy and skin health. Available with the LTX Touch-Free and ADX Manual dispensers. www.gojo.com
PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION Disinfectant
cause rinsing is not required water consumption is also reduced. Keno san Lactic is also approved as an alternative method for the disinfection of knives at slaughter and cutting lines. www.cidlines.com
Surface care
Keno san Lactic is a disinfectant for floors, walls and machines in the food industry, industrial kitchens and canteens. Developed by CID Lines its formulation is based on lactic acid and specific food contact ingredients - which means it is allowed for application without rinsing. The company says this product is reducing the total cost of disinfection in that cleaning staff do not need to wait for contact time because they can finish work after applying Keno san Lactic. And be-
Vectairís Sanitex MVP Surface Cleaner combines a manual dispenser with surface cleaner refill designed to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria on surfaces. The dispenser incorporates Biomaster antimicrobial protection in the cover, which has been independently tested and proven to reduce bacterial growth by 99.99 per cent.
Sanitex MVP Surface Cleaner is part of the new MPV range of hygiene systems from Vectair. www.vectairsystems.com
Full line New from Ecolab is a kitchen hygiene programme called KitchenPro, comprising kitchen sanitisers, degreasers, floor cleaners, oven cleaners and manual detergent. The company says the new products have been developed to achieve optimum results while saving time and controlling costs. KitchenPro solutions can be used on every type of kitchen surface and are available in a two-litre self-sealing pouch for dosing through a dispensing system that avoids contact with the concentrates. They are non-classified according to the upcoming Classification of Labelling and Packaging Legislation (CLP). www.ecolab.com
ï Kenosan Lactic est un dÈsinfectant, proposÈ par CID Lines, ‡ utiliser sur des planchers, murs et machines dans le secteur alimentaire. ï Líappareil de nettoyage de surface Sanitex MVP de Vectair combine un distributeur et un dispositif de recharge de nettoyant. ï Sous la dÈsignation KitchenPro, Ecolab propose une gamme de produits díhygiËne de cuisine, ÈjectÈs par un systËme distributeur. ï Bei Kenosan Lactic von CID Lines handelt es sich um ein Desinfektionsmittel f¸r Bˆden, W‰nde und Maschinen in der Nahrungsmittelindustrie. ï Der Oberfl‰chenreiniger Sanitex MVP von Vectair kombiniert einen Spender mit einer Nachf¸llpackung einer Reinigungslˆsung. ï Ecolab bietet unter dem Namen KitchenPro eine Reihe mit Produkten f¸r die K¸chenhygiene, bei der die Abgabe ¸ber ein Spendersystem erfolgt. ï Kenosan Lactic Ë un disinfettante per pavimenti, muri e macchine per líindustria alimentare, prodotto dalla CID Lines. ï Il detergente per superfici Sanitex MVP della Vectair abbina un dispenser a una ricarica di soluzione di pulizia. ï KitchenPro Ë la gamma di prodotti per líigiene delle cucine prodotta dalla Ecolab ed erogata tramite un sistema di dispenser.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 35
FUTURE TRENDS
Cleaning in the digital world New smart technologies are affecting every aspect of our lives, however the professional cleaning industry has been slow to adopt them. But the new digital age will inevitably have a significant impact on the sector, writes Paul Harleman, business development director applications for Vileda Professional International.
Read The Second Machine Age written by Erik Brynjolfsen and Andrew McFee and you will find out how new, smart technologies will change our world dramatically. Not in 20 years from now but the so-called digital revolution has already started and will have amazing consequences for human society. Life will change, things will be done in different ways, professions will disappear, new professions will come and nothing will be the same as it was. Are new technologies going to influence cleaning business as well? No doubt they will. Erik Brynjolfsen and Andrew McFee are talking about a digital revolution because they compare the impact of ongoing new digital technologies with the effects of the industrial revolution in the 18th century, the period when James Watt introduced his improved steam engine. The steam
engine was a revolutionary new technology starting an exponential economic growth, creating new living standards for mankind. What the steam engine did to replace physical power, digital technologies will do to mental power. Traditional products are based on mechanical and electrical parts. When you add sensors, microprocessors, data storage and software you get a smart product. One step further is to add technology and software which create products able to exchange information with each other. For instance, a car connected to a diagnostic machine. And then we have smart, connected products. Smart connected products can create a smart system and smart systems can be connected as well. Michael Porter and James Heppelmann wrote an interesting article about smart connected products, clearly explaining what impact the development of smart connected products has on all businesses (Harvard Business Review, November 2014). Robots are a special kind of smart, programmable products. They are specifically made to execute certain actions autonomously. For instance a robot welding car parts together.
Cleaning and the digital revolution? The digital revolution absolutely will have effects for professional cleaning. Developments can be seen in two areas. First, there is the management of the cleaning process. Especially for the pre-cleaning phase and the post-cleaning phase a large variety of software products that can be integrated into existing systems is already available - for tasks like quality checks, calculation, planning of operators. Companies like Facilityapps (NL) offer a wide range of apps for these kind of applications. But also for the operational cleaning itself, several products are available. Datec, a Norwegian company developed a software product called CleanPilot which supports operators with a trolley mounted tablet ëtellingí them where and what
to clean. And this is only the beginning. Imagine buildings become smart buildings, fully equipped with sensors that ëhear, see, smell and feelí. Smart sensors will detect where operators are in the building. The data is sent to an operating system and the operator gets feedback on what to clean in the room. On request cleaning instructions are presented on a smartphone and if there is an incident the supervisor can see on his smart device which operator is nearest by. Sensors can also recognise if a room is in use or not and for instance how many people visited the toilet. Valuable information for an efficient cleaning programme in that specific moment. In the near future communication with foreign operators will be no longer be a problem because highly developed translation software will translate while you are speaking. Waste bins will have a sensor that detects the fill level and alert the operator when it has to be emptied. Just a few examples of what can be expected. Second, digitalisation of cleaning actions. It seems like the time has come for cleaning robots. Not only robots for specialised tasks like pool cleaning or cleaning solar panels but also robots for indoor building cleaning. Scrubber dryer robots, vacuum and sweeper robots are already on the market. For instance the Hydrobot, Aerobot and Duobot cleaning robots from Intellibot Robotics (USA), a company recently bought by Sealed Air. Also the Canadian start-up company Avidbots stating on its website: ìWe are firm believers that the future of commercial cleaning is autonomous and we are passionate about driving this change. The interesting thing is that both companies are not rooted in the ëtraditionalí cleaning industry. It tells us that forces of competition will change as well.
Robot scrubber dryers Among the traditional producers of cleaning machines the Swiss Cleanfix company has had a robot scrubber dryer Continued page 38
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 37
FUTURE TRENDS Cleaning in the digital age (continued) (Robo 40) on the market for several years and will launch a second version, the Robo2. So cleaning robots are already on the market and there is more to come. But although the execution of cleaning tasks looks very simple, for robotics experts it is highly difficult to replace the human cleaning operator by a machine. That is why cleaning operators will do their jobs for decades to come. The cleaning of a building is simply too difficult for a machine because it has so many variables. Certain cleaning tasks however will be taken over by robots. Specifically those cleaning tasks that have limited variables and have to be done in an environment that does not change all the time. For instance floor cleaning in an indoor sports hall. Every time essential technologies
significantly improve it will create new possibilities to many different products. For instance, scientist and commercial organisations are working on new battery technologies which will increase the capacity of batteries 10 to 20 times. Also radar technology is under continuous development and will be better in the future. The moment these new technologies are at a commercial level it has impact on all kind of products and businesses. And that also means cleaning. Human beings get smarter. We realise more and more that the best cure is prevention. And we have to prevent because we are running out of resources and the costs of curing are increasing. Prevention is not a new issue in cleaning. Most mothers tell their children to put off their shoes before entering the house because
De nouvelles technologies intelligentes ne manqueront pas de transformer notre monde et il en dÈcoulera des consÈquences significatives pour la sociÈtÈ humaine. La rÈvolution numÈrique, dÈj‡ bien lancÈe, influencera sans nul doute le secteur de la propretÈ, comme líexplique Paul Harleman, de la sociÈtÈ Vileda Professional International, dans un article exclusif pour ECJ.
Neue, intelligente Technologien werden unsere Welt dramatisch ver‰ndern, und dies wird erhebliche Konsequenzen f¸r die menschliche Gesellschaft mit sich bringen. Die digitale Revolution hat bereits begonnen und wird sich zweifellos auch auf die Reinigungsbranche auswirken, wie Paul Harleman von Vileda Professional International in seinem exklusiv f¸r das ECJ verfassten Artikel erl‰utert.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 38
it prevents a lot of extra work. But new technologies enable us to prevent in a much more sophisticated way than before. See for instance how automobile producers develop cars that are equipped to prevent crashes.
New possibilities Will this trend manifest in professional cleaning as well? Yes, I think so. The high tech vacuum entrance mat designed by the Japanese company Paionia Furiokuki is a good example. It brushes the soles of your shoes and vacuums the dirt. It is not the best solution but the first car was not either. If these technologies evolve, buildings will remain clean much longer and cleaning them will be easier. That will for sure have an impact on the professional cleaning business. www.vileda-professional.com Le nuove tecnologie smart cambieranno sensibilmente il nostro mondo, con conseguenze molto rilevanti per la societ‡ umana. La rivoluzione digitale Ë gi‡ iniziata e senza ombra di dubbio influenza il settore del cleaning ñ come spiega in questo articolo in esclusiva per ECJ Paul Harleman della Vileda Professional International.
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WIPES & CLOTHS
Which wiper where? Wipers are used in a wide range of environments such as the food, mechanical engineering, electronics, automotive and healthcare sectors. But which types of cloths and wipers are best for which environment? ECJ finds out.
Cleaning, wiping, mopping up spills, polishing ñ these are just a few of the types of applications that require the use of a cloth or wiper. At home we use a few generic products for all these tasks. A dishcloth, a duster, a floor cloth and a kitchen roll tend to serve for the majority of household cleaning and wiping tasks. However the picture is vastly different in the workplace where the tasks carried out may be highly specialist ñ in the case of automotive, engineering and pharmaceutical environments, for instance - or hygiene-critical such as in the food and healthcare sectors. We asked manufacturers to talk us through the wiper maze. Tork manufacturer SCA offers tissue and non-woven products for cleaning, wiping and polishing. ìWe work with different combinations of fibres and processes to achieve capabilities for various applications,î said global brand communication manager Lena Sˆderholm. ìThe range extends from multipurpose products to niche solutions such as extremely low-lint products; heatresistant cloths for the food preparation sector and tissue products that combine high absorption with strong durability when wet.î
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Breaking it down industry by industry, she says the food sector is driven by regulations and that all wipers and cloths here need to be food-contact approved. ìIn certain European countries, too, regulations demand that wipes used with food are coloured blue to allow staff to visually track the fibres and lint-dust,î she said. ìAlmost all Tork paper and non-woven products are food contact approved and we also offer purposedesigned products for this sector.î Examples include Tork Kitchen Cleaning Cloth, a non-woven cloth with high absorbency and heat-resistance; and Tork Coloured Long-Lasting Cleaning Cloths which are colour-coded to avoid cross-contamination. The healthcare sector is all about frequency says Sˆderholm. ìSince healthcare staff need to frequently wash and disinfect their hands, paper towels need to be effective but also soft and gentle on the hands,î she said. ìWe offer a premium air-laid wash cloth for washing patients. This is made from paper but is designed to remain strong when soaked in water and soap.î
Absorbency and strength For heavy-duty applications in mechanical engineering she claims nonwoven cloths are the answer. ìThese offer a combination of absorbency, strength and low-lint properties that work well in mechanical engineering,î she said. ìIn the automotive industry you will need low-lint products to prepare vehicle surfaces for painting. And for bodyshop polishing tasks you would require a cloth that is not too absorbent, but that will both hold and release the polishing agent effectively to create a professional result.î While the product choice may seem complicated, choosing the right wiper or cloth will save both time and money according to Sˆderholm. ìFor most cleaning tasks, selecting the wrong product will not be the end of the world - it will simply mean you will do more of the work yourself rather than let
the product do the work for you,î she said. ìIf an operative uses a generic product for a specialist wiping task, that operative will either have to work harder or use more product, or both. In the end this may be more costly and less efficient. ìHowever for certain tasks the capabilities of a product are more critical since they will affect the end result. For example if you use a cloth that sheds lint in a vehicle bodyshop you will end up with fibres or dust in the car paint and you will have to start all over again. ìSo choosing the right cloth or wiper will save you time, effort and money and in many cases also provide a better result. However, there are multipurpose products for more generic tasks that work well across industries and different applications.î Among the latest product from Tork is an anti-static, low-lint cleaning cloth for use on sensitive surfaces. Tork Industrial Low-Lint Cleaning Cloth is also suitable for environments where paper products should be avoided such as in nuclear plants. Sales director of Mets‰ Tissue UK and Ireland Mark Dewick agrees that choosing the wrong wiper can prove expensive for the customer. ìInexperienced buyers or those who buy online without sufficient research often make mistakes and their purchases can lead to problems,î he said. ìThe wrong type of product will quickly come to light in a sensitive environment, but perhaps not before a paint finish has been damaged for example. Customers can waste a lot of time and budget seeking out the most cost-effective solution ñ money they could have saved if they had sought the advice of an expert.î Looking at individual industry applications, he says the healthcare sector is particularly complex since different types of cloths and wipers are required for specific applications. ìFor wiping and cleaning purposes, for example, the products need to be highly absorbent,î says Dewick. ìFor anything
WIPES & CLOTHS touching the skin it is important that they are hypo-allergenically tested. Healthcare staff wash their hands repeatedly which means that occupational dermatitis is an issue. And patientsí immune systems may already be compromised in a hospital so they should be protected from unnecessary allergen exposure.î He says colour-coding can be a good solution in healthcare. ìThis can help cloths or wipers intended for a specific function to stand out in a consistent way,î he said. ìThere are plenty of mobile requirements in the healthcare sector, too, which means that portable products are highly suitable. For example, a hypo-allergenically hand drying and wiping product such as the Katrin Easy Pick is a good solution for ambulances and paramedics.î
Difficult to differentiate In the food industry, he says, both absorbency and colour are important. ìProducts that are either coloured blue or green tend to be provided in kitchens so that the product would immediately show up if it were to accidently fall into cooking environments,î he said. ìProducts in the food preparation industry also need to be highly absorbent since a spill here might involve an entire vat of fluid. ìMost importantly, products need to be food safe and all materials and production facilities need to have been checked to the necessary standards.î He says it can be difficult for customers to differentiate between the various types of cloths and wipers on the market. ìNot all technologies are suitable for all applications,î he adds. ìFor example, Through Air Dried products are environmentally demanding so they may not be acceptable to customers for whom environmental footprint is key. Some products are abrasive which makes them highly suitable for strong wiping requirements, but inappropriate for polishing applications. And in certain environments a low-linting product is essential in order to avoid paper fragments interfering with the process.î Viledaís product development manager Joerg Dunkel agrees that different technologies are required to fulfil different needs. ìFor example there is a growing Les tissus díessuyage síutilisent dans une large variÈtÈ díenvironnements : alimentaire, santÈ, mÈcanique, Èlectrique et automobile. Certains sont trËs robustes, díautres trËs absorbants, díautres encore durables ou souples. Certains ont des propriÈtÈs antistatiques et non pelucheuses. Quels sont donc les types de tissus díessuyage qui conviennent le mieux pour chaque application ? 901
trend for shiny surfaces, mirrors, chrome and glass in facilities such as hotels and offices,î he said. ìHere you need a product that reduces water release and produces streak-free cleaning. ìA microfibre cloth with a dense structure in which very fine fibres are equally distributed works well here since it will be particularly effective for streakfree cleaning.î Vileda offers various microfibre products including a patented non-woven microfibre cloth with a coating of PVA - polyvinyl alcohol. This creates a product that is similar in structure to a chamois leather, says Dunkel. ìThis is ideal for drying cars since it is highly absorbent and easy to wring,î he said. ìIt will quickly remove moisture from the vehicleís surface and provide a streak-free finish.î He claims that knitted microfibre cloths work well in the contract cleaning sector for wiping down surfaces in facilities such as schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants and offices. ìKnitted microfibre is suitable for surfaces such as furniture and desks where a high shine is not required,î he adds. A non-woven microfibre cloth would be required for cleanroom cleaning in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, according to Dunkel. ìWe laser-cut our products for these applications so that the edge is completely sealed and this prevents the shed of any fibres,î he said. He adds that customers need to carefully consider the application in question before choosing their cloth or wiper. ìThey should first distinguish between disposable and reusable wipers,î he said. ìFor example: what are the hygiene issues? Would a reusable cloth be suitable and if so, do you have access to laundry facilities? Do you require a one-day wipe or even a one-use product? A one-day wiper may be appropriate in a kitchen, for example, whereas in an operating theatre you may need a product for just one wiping action.î
Disposable solution Latest products from Vileda include PVAmicro, an all-purpose knitted microfibre cloth with a PVA coating said to allow sand and other particles to be Wischt¸cher werden in einer Vielzahl von Umgebungen, wie Lebensmittelbranche, Gesundheitswesen, Maschinenbau, Elektronik und Automobilindustrie, verwendet. Einige sind besonders stark, sehr saugf‰hig, widerstandsf‰hig oder geschmeidig w‰hrend andere antistatisch und fast fusselfrei sind. Welche Tuch- und Wischt¸cherarten sind also am besten f¸r welche Umgebung geeignet?
washed away from the cloth more easily. This is suitable for streak-free cleaning and is claimed to reduce the risk of scratches. Also new are MicroOne wipes which come in resealable plastic bags that fit Viledaís six-litre bucket. The wipes can be impregnated with a disinfection solution inside the bucket. Greenspeed also offers a range of microfibre cloths that are suitable for use in various industries according to coowner Michel de Bruin. ìOur Heavy Duty Original and Double Use microfibre cloths have been specially developed for the food preparation industry, but our large Polishing Glass Cloth is another favourite,î he said. Greenspeedís Double Use cloths are said to be capable of removing caked food remains and greasy dirt from kitchen surfaces while its Polishing Glass Cloth is claimed to provide a particle-free finish on glasses in the catering and restaurant business. Greenspeed Original microfibre cloths are widely used in the pharmaceutical and electronics sectors as well as in hospitals, says de Bruin. However, he says the mechanical engineering sector holds different challenges. ìThere are many different applications in mechanical engineering so it is important to evaluate the situation and ensure that the right advice is given,î he said. ìThe solution here could be disposable cloths and wipes since there might be a lot of grease dirt involved. But our Original microfibre cloths would also perform well in many mechanical engineering jobs. In fact we believe there is no application in which an absorbent and durable cloth is not appropriate.î He says expert advice will prevent expensive mistakes from being made. ìThe implications of using the wrong product could mean that a scrubbing cloth is employed for an application where it could leave scratches on the surface,î he said. ìIt would be like cleaning a highly polished car with sandpaper. ìA trained and well-informed cleaning contractor is key since directions for use alone would provide insufficient instruction. This is why we invest a lot of time and effort in organising instruction meetings, workshops and master classes.î I panni sono usati in una vasta gamma di ambienti tipo quello alimentare, sanitario, ingegneria meccanica e nellíindustria automobilistica. Alcuni panni possono essere particolarmente resistenti, altamente assorbenti, duraturi o flessibili mentre altri hanno propriet‡ antistatiche o che lasciano pochi pelucchi. Quindi, quali tipologie di panni e stracci sono pi˘ adatti per un certo tipo di ambiente?
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 41
PRODUCTS: WIPES & CLOTHS Lowest lint Tork manufacturer SCA has launched an extremely lowlinting cleaning cloth suitable for use in the food manufacturing, electronics and automotive industries. Made from 100 per cent polypropylene, Tork Industrial Low-Lint Cleaning Cloth is also anti-static.
wipes - which come in a variety of colours - are designed for heavy-duty cleaning, with a scrubbing side for removing the toughest soils and a smooth side for absorbing them. Q-Wick is an embossed meltblown abrasive wipe with low lint properties as well as improved wicking and fluid control distribution. Suitable for use in a wide range of industries it is made from polypropylene and highly absorbent. www.mogulsb.com
Spunlace Under its Ressol brand Hilados Biete has developed the Microlite wipe, made of spunlace nonwoven material and designed for surfaces that may have direct contact with food. It is lint-free and leaves no traces says the company. The cloth is semi-disposable, resistant and durable. It can absorb oil, water, ink, dust and grease and fits paper/cloth centrefeed dispensers. Chemi-
cally resistant to most cleaning agents Microlite is pre-cut every 20 cm and each roll has up to 190 wipes. www.hiladosbiete.com
The new cloth is designed for use in conjunction with the Tork Folded Cloth Dispenser which helps to reduce consumption by giving out one sheet at a time. And it is purpose-designed for use on sensitive surfaces - because it has anti-static properties it is suitable for use in Electrostatic Protective Areas. www.sca.com
Dry and wet From Mogul comes a range of spunlace wipes for dry and wet applications, with cotton a speciality. Its Duotex abrasive ï SCA vient de lancer un tissu de nettoyage faiblement pelucheux ‡ 100 pour cent en polypropylËne. ï Mogul produit des tissus díessuyage en dentelle filÈe pour des applications ‡ la fois sËches et humides. ï Comme produit nouveau, Hilados Biete propose le rouleau Microlite en matÈriau non tissÈ ‡ dentelle filÈe.
ï Neu von SCA ist ein fast fusselfreies Reinigungstuch, das vollst‰ndig aus Polypropylen hergestellt ist. ï Mogul produziert Wischt¸cher aus wasserstrahl-verfestigtem Vlies f¸r trockene und nasse Anwendungen. ï Neu von Hilados Biete ist die Wischtuchrolle Microlite aus gesponnenen Vliesschn¸ren.
ï La novit‡ della SCA Ë un nuovo panni che lascia pochi pelucchi prodotto al 100 per cento in polipropilene. ï La Mogul produce panni in tessuto non tessuto sia per le pulizie sia ad asciutto che bagnato. ï La novit‡ della Hilados Biete Ë il rotolo di panni Microlite prodotto in materiale tessuto non-tessuto.
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PRODUCTS: WIPES & CLOTHS Antibacterial Chicopee claims to have developed the only microfibre cloth that offers Food Contact Clearance as well as antibacterial properties. DuraDry has been designed specifically for the food services sector, itís safe for use in all food preparation areas and will not transfer contaminants even when in direct contact with food. And the fact it has antibacterial properties means DuraDry also restricts bacterial growth.
able for use on stainless steel, glass or mirrors. DuraDry can be washed up to 365 times at 90ˇ and comes in a colour-coded range. www.chicopee-europe.com
Rag alternative Food residues can be easily picked up thanks to the clothís splittable fibre construction, which provides a larger cleaning surface area. It also boasts a dry-at-once, streak-free clean making it suit-
Disposables UK has expanded its Optimum ProWipers range with the addition of the ResourceRag, which it says is a viable alternative to white wiping rags. This extra large disposable rag
can be used for any wiping task, is chemical free and strong wet or dry. Able to absorb up to six times its own weight, it is available in a roll which has 300 rags per box or in sheets with 100 individual rags per box. The ResourceRag is suitable for many industries. www.disposablesukgroup.co.uk
Disposable Flash says the market trend is towards disposable cleaning and offers wipes and cloths on rolls, flat-packed or single-folded - all can be branded. Available are dry dust cloths, cloths impregnated with dustbinding mineral oil and adhesive cloths. There are also wipes with or without microfibre. www.flash.nl ï Chicopee affirme que son nouveau tissu ‡ microfibre DuraDry et le seul ‡ bÈnÈficier de la Food Contact Clearance (habilitation pour contact alimentaire aux USA) ainsi que de propriÈtÈs antibactÈriennes. ï ResourceRag est le dernier des tissus díessuyage ‡ Ítre proposÈs par Disposables UK, et peut remplacer les chiffons díessuyage blancs. ï Flash aligne une gamme complËte de tissus díessuyage en non-tissÈ, ainsi que de chiffons et de tÍtes de balai-Èponge.
ï Laut Chicopee ist das neue Mikrofasertuch DuraDry das einzige, das sowohl FCC (Food Contact Clearance)-Anerkennung als auch antibakterielle Eigenschaften bietet. ï Bei ResourceRag handelt es sich um das neueste Wischtuch von Disposables UK, das als Alternative zu weiflen Wischlappen entwickelt wurde. ï Flash bietet eine umfassende Produktfamilie mit Wischt¸chern, T¸chern und Mopps aus Vliesstoff.
ï La Chicopee afferma che il suo nuovo panno in microfibra DuraDry Ë líunico che offre la sicurezza del contatto con gli alimenti (Food Contact Clearance) e che allo stesso tempo ha propriet‡ antibatteriche. ï ResourceRag Ë il panno pi˘ nuovo della Disposables UK ed Ë stato sviluppato come alternativa alla gamma di stracci di pulizia bianchi. ï La Flash propone una linea completa di panni in non-tessuto, panni e mop.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 44
BUSINESS: CYBERCRIME
Bringing criminals to justice... This column has reported on the rapid rise of internet fraud and predictions that the cybercriminal would emerge as the next global public enemy number one. With this prophecy now fulfilled in many peopleís eyes, Hartley Milner reports on how the world is seeking to bring this faceless felon to justice. Cybercrime is a booming global industry, built on low risk and high returns. It is difficult to detect, perpetrators are only rarely brought to justice and most incidents go unreported. In many ways, cybercrime is the perfect crime. Incomplete data makes it a challenge to even guesstimate the cost of cybercrime to the world economy. Estimates vary between $350 billion and $600 billion, but what is generally accepted is that revenues from internet fraud now exceed those of the international illegal drugs trade and many global corporations. The cost impact, though, should not be measured only in terms of lost revenue but also in tandem with any collateral damage, eg, to a particular target organisationís daily routines, IT functions, ability to service customers and, crucially, its standing within its industry. Reputation and likely questions about the security of client data are reasons why companies are reluctant to go public about an attack. Increasingly employment looks set to become another victim of the fallout, with as many as 150,000 jobs a year expected to be lost in Europe alone. Yet businesses and governments still underestimate the cybercriminal and just how destructive these shadowy figures can be, frequently plying their furtive trade from within the target organisation itself or even from a coffee shop just around the corner, using only a laptop. But companies that dismiss the risk of a cyber attack do so at their peril, according to Lloydís insurer AEGIS London. It says that with destructive attacks likely to occur throughout 2015 and beyond, businesses have a duty to manage online fraud risks, to both protect themselves from negligence claims, which have been on the rise in recent years, and to ensure their own survival. Joe Hancock, cyber security specialist at the firm, said: ìThese attacks are now increasingly destructive, as we have seen with the recent attack on Sony Entertainment and statistics from the Organisation of American States (OAS).
This trend is going to continue, with affected businesses squeezed between a shrinking top-line due to reputational harm and rising costs to get back on their feet. In 2015, we fully expect a business to fail due to the financial consequences of a cyber attack.î So how are governments fighting back? Last September, the UK National Crime Agency, the FBI, Interpol and Germanyís Federal Police joined forces to form the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT), hosted by Europol at The Hague. Its wide-ranging brief includes coordinating investigations into virus attacks that steal banking logins and into high-profile criminals who deal in hacker tools or sell personal data on underground forums.
Notable successes Cybercrime police from Austria, Canada, Colombia, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain were among the first to add their expertise to J-CAT ñ and the unit was rewarded with its first scalp just a month after its launch. The team coordinated Operation Imperium that closed down a gang suspected of crimes including largescale ATM-skimming, electronic payment fraud and document forgery, and resulted in 31 arrests and 42 house searches in Spain and Bulgaria. Then in February this year, the taskforce played a leading role in neutralising a sophisticated botnet that installed various forms of malware on more than 30,000 machines. What set this attack apart was the botnet behaved like an organic virus, reproducing modified versions of itself to avoid anti-virus software and to disable processes that could have shut it down. In charge of setting up J-CAT was Andy Archibald, deputy director of the National Cyber Crime Unit within the UKís National Crime Agency. He said: ìThere are many challenges faced by law enforcement agencies with regards to cyber criminals and cyber attacks. This is why there needs to be a truly holistic and collaborative approach taken when tackling them. ìJ-CAT, for the first time, brings together a coalition of countries across Europe and beyond to coordinate the operational response to the common current and emerging cyber threats faced by J-CAT members. This is a unique opportunity for international law enforcement agencies to collectively share our knowledge to defend against cyber-related attacks, and the UKís
National Crime Agency is proud to be a founding member.î The UK is in the frontline of the fight against internet fraud, but then its position as a major global financial centre makes it a prime target, second last year only to the US. Its ëtier oneí status ranks its probability of coming under attack on the same level as for a terrorist strike. In the UK in 2014, five out of six large companies were targeted by cybercriminals, a 40 per cent increase over the previous year. The National Cyber Crime Unit has notched up some notable successes since it was set up in 2013, including earlier this year arresting 56 suspected hackers in a week of raids across the British Isles. In all, 25 separate operations were carried out, with those arrested suspected of being involved in crimes varying from data theft and fraud to writing virus software. Not all EU countries are quite so committed to the affray, however. To help them raise their game, the European Parliament has adopted a proposal for a network and information security directive. The directive, which is expected to come into force later this year, follows a consultation undertaken by the European Commission in 2013, in which 57 per cent of respondents said they had experienced information security breaches over the previous year. Together with proposed EU data protection regulation, the directive will impose minimum information security requirements on member states and a myriad of new measures related to the use of personal data. It aims to raise cybersecurity in the region by: ï Improving member statesí national cybersecurity capabilities ï Improving co-operation between member states, and between public and private sectors ï Requiring companies in critical sectors ñ such as energy, transport, banking and health ñ as well as key internet services to adopt risk management practices and report major incidents to their authorities. Once agreed and then implemented by member states, it is claimed that the directive will bring many benefits, such as: ï Citizens and consumers being able to have more trust in the technologies they rely on daily ï Governments and businesses being Continued page 46
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 45
BUSINESS: CYBERCRIME Bringing criminals to justice... (continued) able to rely on digital networks and infrastructure to provide their essential services at home and across borders ï The EU economy reaping the benefits of having more reliable services and a culture of systematic risk management and incident reporting ñ creating ìmore equal and stable conditions for anyone trying to compete in the digital single marketî. The EU is also keen that member states share information about attacks. Under the proposals, each country would have to appoint a computer emergency response team and create an authority to which companies would report breaches. These new bodies would decide whether to make the breaches public and whether to fine companies. According to the EU, only one in four European companies has a regularly reviewed, formal ICT security policy. Even among ICT companies, the figure is only one in two. Il níy a pas longtemps, notre revue rendait compte de la multiplication des actes de fraude sur líInternet et prÈdisait que les cybercriminels deviendraient les premiers ennemis du public mondial. Alors que cette prophÈtie síest dÈj‡ rÈalisÈe aux yeux de certains, Hartley Milner explique les dispositions qui sont prises actuellement pour traduire les auteurs en justice.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 46
But are these responses really sufficient to meet the cybercrime challenge? ìThe snowball is rolling, but not fast enough,î said internet security consultant Stan Ogilvy. ìWe have people doing bits here and bits there, but we still do not have a joined up world strategy to tackle the problem. Cross-border co-operation is key, but for an effective collaborative approach we would need co-operation from the parts of the world where hackers are predominately based, such as Russia, Eastern Europe, South America and China. ìWith the political situations that exist in these areas of the world, establishing such an arrangement is going to be a huge challenge in itself. In fact, it is the political isolation that makes these places so appealing to cybercriminals. They feel safe and secure and beyond the reach of our law enforcement agencies. Even if these countries have cyber security enforcement
strategies, they are generally relaxed about implementing them, so the hackers are able to carry on their trade with impunity. They are untouchable.î Ogilvy said a new approach was needed, with cyber policing agencies receiving wider powers. ìIn its Organised Crime Threat Assessment, Europol itself makes the point that investigations into cybercrime in Europe are being hampered by laws limiting how much data can be held and for how long,î he said. ìThe majority of intelligence and evidence for cyber investigations come from private industry. With no data retention, there can be no attribution and, therefore, no prosecutions. Tougher laws for investigating and prosecuting cybercrime also need to be harmonised. ìUntil we supply policing agencies with all the tools they need, the cybercriminal will always stay remain one step ahead.î
Es ist noch nicht so lange her, da berichtete das ECJ ¸ber die schnelle Zunahme beim Internetbetrug und ¸ber Vorhersagen, dass sich der Internetkriminelle weltweit zum ˆffentlichen Feind Nummer Eins entwickeln w¸rde. Viele sind jetzt der Ansicht, dass sich diese Prophezeiung erf¸llt hat, und Hartley Milner berichtet, wie versucht wird, diesen gesichtslosen Verbrecher zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen.
Non molto tempo fa, ECJ ha parlato del rapido aumento delle frodi internet e le previsioni che i criminali cibernetici possano diventare i prossimi nemici numero uno a livello mondiale. Con questa profezia che dal punto di vista di molte persone si Ë adesso avverata, Hartley Milner ci aggiorna su come il mondo stia cercardo di assicurare alla giustizia questi criminali senza volto.
RECRUITMENT
Attracting top talent Recruiting the right people at the most senior level of any business can shape the direction and success of the company. And making the wrong choice can be disastrous. Filling a senior post is an intricate process explains Lorraine Thomas of Metzger Search and Selection.
Engaging the best talent requires meticulous planning and a committed, structured strategy. It also takes time.
Thereís an old adage that says ëpeople are your most important asset.í But I would say itís more that ëthe right people are your most important asset.í This is certainly true when filling a senior level position. A top level hire will shape the direction (and success) of the company and if you make the right choice, the business will soar to new heights. Equally, making the wrong choice could be disastrous. Engaging the best talent therefore requires meticulous planning and a committed, structured strategy. It also takes time. Appointing a high level search and selection consultant can help reserve managerial resources and it can also enable a company to ëthink outside the boxí when it comes to drawing up a suitable shortlist. While companies are likely to have a clear brief ñ a new md may be brought in to drive new service lines, for example, or the board needs specific industry expertise ñ the chemistry and cultural fit of the candidate is hugely important too, and an external consultant can sometimes view this more clearly. To fully understand the intricacies of a business ñ an essential prerequisite in senior level recruitment ñ high level search consultants must become strategic partners to the board. They need to understand the company culture, be aware of long term plans and appreciate where the business may lack certain skills or competencies. Itís highly sensitive information on many levels, but only then can consultants help shape and define the roleís requirements and necessary skills. Another key consideration is that people at the top are often in high demand. They may not be considering a career move and theyíre not likely to respond to a job advert. It can be a delicate area but approaching potential candidates with a compelling offer requires discretion (they may be employed by a competitor), as well as an appreciation of the personal considerations involved when candidates are weighing up a life-changing career move. For this reason, many companies
simply feel more comfortable appointing an external consultancy to handle these aspects of negotiation.
New MD role When Metzger was appointed to engage the new role of managing director to take over the running of a successful commercial cleaning services company, it was clear there were big expectations to fill. Julius Rutherfoord was founded 20 years ago by Dominic Morris-Marsham and Andy Beilby who had run the company ever since, growing it to a significant, high quality contract cleaning organisation in London employing over 2,000 staff. Having being fully involved in the running of the company for two decades, Morris-Marsham and Beilby were seeking a talented md in whom they could have complete confidence when it came to handing over the operational side of the business and taking it to the next level. Our brief was to attract the right top level talent with the necessary professional skills and experience, as well as the all-important qualities around ëcultural fití. The person also required certain complementary skills needed to grow the business in the right direction. In short, the appointment would be developing the companyís direction and strategic focus. Metzger carried out a highly targeted and confidential search process, conducting rigorous assessment and research to produce a shortlist of suitable candidates. Crucially, we looked beyond the parameters of the cleaning sector, in order to seek out high calibre candidates with transferable skills and a fresh business approach. As a result of our search, Julius Rutherfoord was delighted to appoint Andrew Marshall as its new managing director in April last year. With an impressive background in business services, Marshall was the perfect candidate for the job, bringing a wealth of experience to his new role having successfully managed multisite operations for more than 15 years. Metzger also fulfilled a second high level Continued page 48
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RECRUITMENT Attracting top talent (continued) role at Julius Rutherfoord last year when the company appointed its new sales and marketing director. Commenting, Julius Rutherfoordís founding director Andy Beilby says: ìThe purpose of recruiting a managing director for the business was to take Julius Rutherfoord to the next level, involving substantial growth within the next three to five years, so it has been a pivotal appointment for us. Clearly, when you seek somebody at this level, the hiring process must be handled professionally and confidentially.ì In summary, finding the perfect match when making a high level appointment can be likened to finding oneís perfect lifetime partner. Not only is it about skills and competencies but the chemistry and cultural fit of the new person are paramount too. In short, making the right choice is so impor-
tant; working in partnership with strategic level consultants can therefore be fundamental to any companyís future success. Lorraine Thomas, managing director, Metzger Search and Selection offers some tips for attracting senior talent ï Engaging and securing talented senior level candidates can take time. Always plan well ahead, especially as you may need to allow for the person to exit their current role. A considered approach is needed to find the right person ï Donít just think about skill sets or key competencies. A good cultural ëfití and the right personal chemistry is just as important for a successful match at this level, if not more so. Recruitment mistakes are painful for everyone involved ï When youíre recruiting for top jobs in a
Pour une entreprise, disposer de dirigeants aux qualitÈs qui conviennent est indispensable. Un membre de la direction est en mesure díorienter et díassurer le succËs díune entreprise. ¿ ce niveau l‡, les mauvaises dÈcisions peuvent avoir de graves consÈquences. Embaucher les meilleurs talents exige de la planification et une stratÈgie rÈsolue, explique Metzger Search and Selection.
Es ist unerl‰sslich, dass ein Unternehmen ¸ber das richtige F¸hrungspersonal verf¸gt - ein f¸hrender Mitarbeiter kann die Richtung und den Erfolg eines Unternehmens mitgestalten. Und die falsche Wahl zu treffen, kann katastrophal sein. Die besten Talente anzuheuern, erfordert Planung und eine verbindliche Strategie, erl‰utert Metzger Search and Selection.
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business, itís about the big picture. Donít restrict the search to people with experience solely in your own industry sector ñ bringing somebody in from another business area can invigorate company performance with fresh ideas and take it to a whole new level ï Hiring at this level can be sensitive and involve delicate negotiations. One option is to use an external specialist search consultancy to take care of the process. While there is a level of investment involved with this, it can be more cost-effective in the long run. Ask for recommendations and always do your research: a good consultancy will not only match you with a shortlist of highly suitable candidates but will take care of salary negotiations and provide follow-up. www.metzger.co.uk Avere il giusto personale con molti anni di servizio nellíambito di una attivit‡ Ë essenziale, un membro dello staff di massimo livello puÚ modellare la direzione e il successo di uníimpresa. E inoltre, prendere la decisione sbagliata puÚ avere conseguenze disastrose. Coinvolgere i talenti migliori richiede pianificazione e una strategia specifica, come spiega la Metzger Search and Selection.
WINDOW CLEANING
Safety first Window cleaning has long been associated with working from height along with all the risks that this involves. But since the advent of water-fed poles, how safe is window cleaning today? And what products are there on the market that can further improve window cleanersí safety? Ann Laffeaty finds out.
ìHow do you deliver the high standards that are expected while also making the lives of operatives safer and easier?î
Concern for personal safety is becoming increasingly prevalent in todayís society. Over the past 30 years we have seen a growing trend for items such as infant car seats, personal protective clothing, bicycle helmets and rubberised surfaces for childrenís playgrounds. Safety in cleaning has also come under the spotlight and stricter regulations have come into effect to reduce the number of accidents and injuries in the industry. Window cleaning is one of the riskiest cleaning tasks of all. It is frequently cited in online polls and on insurance websites as being one of the most dangerous jobs in the world alongside occupations such as logging, mining, fire-fighting and road-working. The advent of water-fed poles has helped to reduce the number of operatives working from ladders which comes with an obvious risk of falling. But recent events would suggest that the dangers of window cleaning are still very real. In November 2014, two window cleaners in New York had to be rescued after the cables securing their work basket malfunctioned. This left them dangling precariously at a near 75-degree angle on a platform near the 69th floor of One World Trade Centre. In a dramatic rescue hundreds of feet above the ground, fire department workers had to saw through the windows and haul the two to safety. In March 2014 a stranded window cleaner in Toronto had to be rescued by firefighters after her hair became caught in a descending rope line. Earlier the same year a window cleaner in the UK sustained serious injuries after falling from a ladder through a conservatory roof. And in a horrific accident in December 2013, a window cleaner plummeted 47 storeys from the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper. Miraculously the operative sustained only minor injuries after having clung to the scaffolding platform as it fell. Scores of window cleaning accidents and even deaths are reported every year,
usually as a result of falling from height. The EU Work at Height Regulations 2005 alleviated the problem to some extent by stipulating that if a window cleaning task could reasonably be carried out from the ground, that is how it should be done. But this of course is impractical when cleaning skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings. And in any case, water-fed poles come with their own safety issues. Operators can incur injuries to their arms, wrists or backs when handling unwieldy poles for instance. In some cases, pole sections may fall to the ground and injure passersby. And cleaning with water-fed poles can lead to a great deal of water spillage which could cause slips and trips on the part of the window cleaner or members of the public, particularly in icy conditions.
Modular systems Unger is one of those companies to have embraced the challenge of increasing the safety of water-fed pole systems according to product marketing coordinator Axel Droste. ìFor many years window cleaners have had the choice of two types of pole system: telescopic or modular,î he said. ìHowever, telescopic poles can tend to flex as they are extended and this brings a subsequent loss of control. They also have some weight issues; for example, a six-section telescopic pole will always have six sections since none of these cannot be removed ñ so even if you only need to use four sections to clean to the height required, you will still be carrying the weight of six. ìModular systems, although better at extending without losing rigidity, simply become too heavy when they are extended. And these extensions also add width to the poles which makes them more difficult to handle.î His says this situation has presented manufacturers with a challenge. ìHow do you create a water-fed pole system that will clean at heights of up to 65 feet, but that will also be both lightweight and easy to control?î said Droste. ìAlong Continued page 50
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WINDOW CLEANING Safety first (continued) with engineering and design techniques it is crucial to use the right materials and combine the best features of telescopic and modular poles. And an increasing number of options are emerging to provide specific solutions.î
Stronger and rigid According to Droste, water-fed pole materials such as carbon fibre, fibre glass and aluminium have all offered choice and flexibility to the window cleaning sector. ìThese have helped to create equipment to suit each situation and building type,î he said. ìCarbon fibre in particular offers an amazing balance between strength, weight and rigidity. In comparison to steel it is both stronger and more rigid yet weighs considerably less.î He adds that todayís new lighter poles make the cleaning operativeís job easier, safer and more comfortable while putting less of a strain on their bodies and enabling them to clean more swiftly and efficiently.ìThe fact that these systems are lighter in weight also means that the operative is less likely to become tired so quickly, which means they can clean a larger surface area than when using a conventional system,î he said. ìHowever just because the poles are more lightweight it doesnít mean that they deliver less in terms of rigidity. Even when extensions are added to increase the length and reach of the system, the poles do not bend or become
unwieldy. On the contrary rigidity, and therefore control, is maintained which allows every corner and crevice to be cleaned thoroughlyî. Unger offers the nLite modular system which is basically a telescopic pole that can be extended by another telescopic pole, says Droste. The base unit has four sections and an extended length of 6.63 metres while the extension has two sections at a length of 3.41 metres. ìDepending on the material used you can add up to four extensions to reach a height of 20 metres,î he said. ìThe individual components can be selected and put together to create a system to suit personal requirements. There are six grades of
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WINDOW CLEANING materials in the nLite range to suit various cleaning challenges and budgets.î He adds that taller buildings need regular, thorough and effective cleaning to ensure that they present a professional face to customers. ìBut how do you deliver the high standards that are expected while also making the lives of operatives safer and easier?î he said. ìProfessional window cleaners have adapted to these challenges by embracing new methods and equipment.î According to Moerman director Marc Roels the main health and safety risks for window cleaners include falls from ladders, wrist injuries and falling poles. ìWorking at Height legislation is moving the window cleaning industry into new directions and spearheading innovative developments,î he said. ìIt is important that we continually work towards safer practices since there is always Quels produits le marchÈ propose-t-il pour amÈliorer la sÈcuritÈ du lavage des vitres? Les fabricants offrent-il de former les opÈrateurs et la lÈgislation contient-elle des mesures pour la sÈcurisation de ce mÈtier?
room to improve.î Moermanís latest innovation in terms of safe window cleaning is the Liquidator. This system is said to allow operatives to clean right up to the edges of the window frame, leaving little or no water residue. This is claimed to significantly reduce the amount of time spent on prepping with a cloth.
No stretching ìWith our Liquidator there is no real need for detailing,î said Roels. ìThis means operatives do not need to stretch out with a detailing cloth which can heighten the risks of falling. The Liquidator also ëfloatsí over the glass which means that less effort is required during cleaning - and this in turn reduces the tension on operativesí muscles and wrists.î He says the future of window cleaning will greatly depend on the type of buildWelche Produkte und Systeme werden von Unternehmen angeboten, die die Sicherheit bei der Fensterreinigung verbessern sollen? Werden von Herstellern Schulungen f¸r die Mitarbeiter angeboten, und wie ‰ndert sich die Gesetzgebung, um die Fensterreinigung sicherer zu machen?
ings being built. ìSkyscrapers, for example, will always need to be cleaned from height but there will continue to be evolutions that allow the task to be carried out more safely,î said Roels. Ungerís Droste agrees that the building industry will be key in determining the future of window cleaner safety. ìWhether we are talking about the Shard in London, the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt or the Torre de Cristal in Madrid, the fashion for high-rise, hi-tech designs featuring plenty of glass and metal does not look like slowing down any time soon,î he said. ìThe majority of our most iconic buildings seem to prove the theory that size matters ñ at least in terms of height. If high-rise buildings continue to be built, window cleaner safety will continue to be a challenge. ì Quali sono i prodotti e i sistemi progettati per migliorare la sicurezza del lavaggio delle finestre che offrono le imprese? I produttori offrono del training agli addetti alle pulizie o no? E come sta cambiando la legge per rendere pi˘ sicuro il lavaggio delle finestre?
CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS
Smartest dosing Intelligent dosing is changing the face of the chemical dispensing market. But some companies argue that simpler solutions can also be highly effective. Ann Laffeaty finds out about the latest products on the market designed to make chemical dosing more efficient than ever.
In todayís high-tech world, an increasing number of companies are seeking to upgrade their products and systems using smart solutions. In the chemical dosing arena recent innovations have included systems that incorporate data tracking or that allow monitoring to be carried out remotely. However some companies are also coming up with simple, manual refinements to their existing products. The end result is the same: smarter dosing. New from Ecolab is the Apex dishwashing system designed for use with presoak, detergent and rinse-aid additives. These come in the form of solid blocks that are sprayed with water by the dispensing equipment in order to dissolve the desired amount of product. ìWe believe this to be unlike anything else on the market because most other systems come in the form of simple liquid pumps,î said Ecolabís dishwashing programme leader Andrew Leugers. The Apex system also offers data tracking features which Leugers claims can help reduce the need for rewashing along with total cost of the operation. ìThe system monitors how many racks the machine washes, and incorporates
critical settings such as wash and rinse temperature and how often the wash tank of the machine is changed,î he said. ìThese feed additional alarms to warn users when a critical setting is outside a specified range, indicating a risk to either cleaning or hygiene performance. ìThe dosing system can also pinpoint where and when any issues occur ñ for example when the wash temperature is too low an alarm is activated and this alerts the user to potential diminished cleaning performance. ìThe great thing is the dispensing equipment not only provides real time alerts, it also logs all the data which is then summarised into a report for users.î Apex dispensing equipment incorporates a controller with a high-res LCD screen. ìThis shows the user what to do via a series of language-free instructional videos,î said Leugers. ìNot only can these be accessed at any time, they are also programmed to display whenever a user hits the ëhelpí button in the alarm mode.î According to Leugers a dispensing system is essential in any fast-paced professional kitchen environment where it would be impractical to hand-dose a dishwasher. ìThe Apex system can tell when procedures are not being followed and will provide the user with the information they need to minimise costs and ensure consistent results,î he said. Managing director of Sanserv Mark Bradley, meanwhile, has come up with a supremely simple product that he believes will revolutionise the chemical dosing market. The patent-pending Aperture has the appearance of a basic plastic cap for sealing chemicals containers. But unlike other caps it cannot be removed once it has been screwed into place. ìThe Aperture cap closure provides a simple, universal solution to the dispensing of liquids that need to be extracted from containers in controlled quantities,î said Bradley. ìIt is ground-breaking: noone has ever come up with a cap that you canít take off.î
According to Bradley the product will solve the problem of staff sidelining chemical dosing systems in favour of ëglug glugí methods. ìEvery dispensing system has the potential for abuse,î he said. ìCompanies install them but after a few weeks, cleaners donít bother using them and go back to free-pouring the product into a bucket. ìDilution systems are supposed to save companies money but they never do because there is no control over the operatorsí actions. This new cap forces cleaners to use the dilution system because there is no other way of getting the liquid out of the container.î Once the Aperture irremovable cap is in place, the liquid can only be accessed via a tube inserted into the capís aperture. A purpose-designed valve ensures the liquid will not come out of the container when no tube has been inserted, even when the container is squeezed or inverted. ìThe valve also ensures that the container will not shrink nor collapse when it is half empty as other containers tend to do,î said Bradley.
Fits most containers He says another advantage of the system is that it will fit most chemical containers and can accommodate a universal tube. ìMost dispensing systems do not accept a universal tube and this makes them expensive to use,î he said. ìThe Aperture cap provides a clear and simple portion control solution unlike many other systems that tend to create complexity and confusion.î Dr Schnell Chemie uses a more sophisticated dosing and mixing unit for use with housekeeping and object cleaning chemicals according to marketing executive Franz Felbermeir. The companyís patented iSystem features chip recognition that allows it to dose detergent using previously-set parameters. ìThis means that as soon as the efficient dosage has been defined, cleaning takes place exactly as planned every time,î Continued page 54
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CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS Smart dosing (continued) said Felbermeir. ìThe employee carries out the entire cleaning process independently and this provides security for all the parties involved while ensuring optimum cleaning results.î The company also offers dosing systems for kitchen and textile hygiene in which all data can be recorded. ìData transmission is also possible via Bluetooth to a laptop or a mobile phone app,î he said. ìCorresponding data loggers are made available so that data can easily be exported as an Excel file. These data loggers operate independently of the system and record many aspects relevant to cleaning quality. Functions such as remote control and cross-linking of several data loggers have been planned for the future.î
Intelligent features He adds that the companyís R&D department is currently working on other intelligent features for its dosing equipment. ìOne of our most interesting products coming up is a ëthinkingí dosing system which will be mainly used in hotels and restaurants,î he said. According to Felbermeir the main attributes of a dosing system is that it should be safe, sustainable and cost-effective. ìHowever there is quite some scope in digitisation and in most cases we are still at the beginning of development,î he said. ìThis also applies to manual dispensing systems which in future will be digitalised, intelligent and interconnected.î Like Dr Schnell Chemie, K‰rcher uses intelligent presets in order to minimise operator error. ìOur K‰rcher Intelligent Key system means that dosing settings are predefined,î said environmental matters public relations officer Linda Schrˆdter. ìThis means there is no need for users to define the dose themselves if they prefer not to, and the misuse and over-consumption of detergent is avoided.î K‰rcherís DOSE system also provides a smart method of optimising results while reducing detergent use, she says. ìOur Demand Oriented Supply of Detergent system enables cleaning operatives to react quickly and flexibly to different degrees of floor soiling,î said Schrˆdter. ìAt the touch of a button they can add detergent to the washing water to make a solution between 0.5 per cent and three per cent. ìA higher or lower concentration can Les systËmes de dosage intelligents permettant díintÈgrer la surveillance des mouvements des machines ou díen assurer la tÈlÈsurveillance comptent parmi les innovations les plus rÈcentes du dosage de produits chimiques. Nous interrogeons des entreprises sur leurs produits les plus rÈcents pour rendre le dosage de produits chimiques plus efficace que jamais.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 54
simply be selected on the machine display while cleaning. Dosing is automatic and DOSE reduces both the consumption of cleaning agents and the cost of cleaning. And if required, the floor can even be rinsed with water alone.î Diversey Care gives customers the option to enable smart features on its QuattroSelect system according to global marketing director Irina Klemps. ìThese features allow customers to connect to the system remotely and monitor consumption, product selection and water use while also managing empty product alarms,î she said. ìThis information brings a whole new level of understanding to our customers which in turn empowers them to manage their operations more effectively.î Other ësmartí features of Diversey Care dilution systems include training videos provided by scanning a QR-Code. According to Klemps there is always a need to innovate and find better solutions. ìWe will be launching three chemical dosing platforms for small sites this year, and customers can expect further innovations in the coming years to improve their overall operational efficiency and environmental profile as well as the safety and well-being of their staff,î she said.
Non-technical Ecover sees no need to make its dosing solution any smarter according to marketing coordinator Lies Marijnissen. The company uses a single system comprising a dosing cap that is screwed on to bottles of highly concentrated Multi Daily, Multi Forte and San Daily Ecover products. ìWhen you squeeze the bottle, the chamber is filled with cleaning product and this falls back automatically until only 10 ml remains,î she said. ìThis means you always have the correct amount of product since you only need 10ml for a five-litre bucket of water. ìIt is a non-technical system that is easy to use and to understand. Our philosophy is to keep it simple.î Brightwell has also come up with a simple solution in the form of its patented built-in dilution ring for the companyís Ecomix system. ìThis facilitates accurate dilution and enables technicians to easily change the dilution ratio without the use of any tool,î said marketing executive LesIntelligente Dosiersysteme, die die Integration von Datenverfolgung oder die entfernte ‹berwachung ermˆglichen, befinden sich unter den neuesten Innovationen am Markt f¸r Chemikalienspendersysteme. Wir befragen Unternehmen nach ihren neuesten Produkten, durch die die Dosierung von Chemikalien effizienter als je zuvor erfolgen soll.
ley McKenna. ìThe dilution ring eliminates the common practice of using dilution pins which can be awkward. The pins can also easily be lost.î
Next generation However, she feels that smart solutions will become increasingly important with the next generation of dosing systems. ìAdvancements in efficient end-user chemicals, manufacturing materials, production techniques, electronic technologies and increased communication through the ëinternet of thingsí will mean that chemical dispensing will keep pushing the boundaries and make our lives that little bit better,î she said. ìThe rise of smartphones and related technologies means that monitoring, control and operation of chemical dosing systems are very likely to be achieved through the everyday electronic gadgets we carry around with us. This will mean that real-time status-monitoring, data capture, maintenance logs, usage reports and statistical data analysis are likely to feature as important attributes within our future product ranges.î Diverseyís Irina Klemps concurs with this prophesy, adding that smart dispensers connected to the web that provide customers with real-time data could be the next big thing in chemical dosing. And Dr Schnell Chemieís Franz Felbermeir says the interlinking of devices will become increasingly important in the future along with dosage monitoring. ìA new challenge will also be precise and process-oriented dosage, especially with respect to intelligent dishwashing machines that incorporate energy-saving measures,î said Felbermeir. ìThere will also be an expansion of technology in the healthcare sector to offer manual dispensers with digital personalised monitoring.î Ecolabís Andrew Leugers agrees that dispensing will become increasingly smarter. ìThe systems available today are very advanced compared with just five or 10 years ago,î he said. ìTechnology is becoming faster, better, less expensive and easier to work with. ìBut there is always room for improvement so we can expect to see an increased use of electronics and potentially wireless features in the dispensing equipment of the future.î I sistemi di dosaggio ìintelligentiî che hanno inserito il sistema di rilevamento dei dati o quelli che permettono di effettuare il monitoraggio a distanza sono fra le pi˘ recenti innovazioni nel settore dellíerogazione di prodotti chimici. Chiediamo alle imprese alcune informazioni sui loro prodotti pi˘ nuovi che sono progettati per rendere il dosaggio dei prodotti chimici pi˘ efficiente che in passato.
NEW PRODUCT REVIEW Cleans trolleys Cleanín Shop is a washing machine for shopping trolleys, integrated into a trailer. It consists of a high pressure cleaning machine which operates at 70 bar, used together with cleaning and disinfecting products.
Astheo Cleaning, which makes the product, says the system washes the handlebar, baby seat, coin lock, main and front baskets, low and folding platforms, advertising panels and handbag hooks. Three washing cycles are available and up to 40 trolleys per hour can be cleaned on the medium one. The Cleanín Shop system filters and reuses water, and only one operator is needed. www.cleanshop.com
New ingredient Elevance Clean 1200 is a biobased ingredient that can be used across a range of aqueous and organic solutions as well as at neutral pH in cleaning products. Developed by Elevance Renewable Sciences in the USA, the formula is now available in Europe through its distributor Equilex Chemicals. Elevance Clean 1200 can be used directly, blended with other ingredients or emulsified with the addition of surfactants. Produced from natural oils, it is non-flammable for easy handling. www.elevance.com/ cleaneurope
Less time With the launch of Liquidator Moerman says it is reducing the time spent by professional window cleaners on detailing windows with a cloth. Liquidator is a channel with specially designed end tips that supports Dura-Flex rubber blades all the way to the end
in capacity and made from 97 per cent recycled material. cromwellpolythene.co.uk
Smart battery tips. This allows it to go all the way to the edge of the corners of the window frame, says Moerman, leaving almost no water residue. In fact, the company claims time savings of up to 25 per cent. www.moermangroup.com
Power of colour Initial Washroom Hygiene says its Signature Colour range of dispensers has been designed to harness the power of colour psychology and provoke improved hygiene behaviours. The company has identified seven colours, each proven to elicit particular psychological responses. They all sit in colour group one - bright, clean colours with a yellow base that encourage positive, proactive hygiene behaviours in a variety of ways. When set against a neutral backdrop, as found in many office washrooms, Initial says the contrasting colours create a powerful visual impression. All units are also available in black and champagne. www.initial.co.uk/washrooms
Handy pack Cromwell Polythene has added a handy dispenser pack to its range of refuse sacks. The EaZee cardboard carton has a perforated lid, which minimises wastage and allows easier and quicker dispensing of individual sacks. The dispenser, which is also a convenient storage solution, contains 200 or Cromwellís Ensa brand sacks - these are 90 litres
Kaivac has introduced its OmniFlex AutoVac with lithium-ion smart battery technology. The new cordless system can clean over 6,000 square metres per hour, says the manufacturer, and costs up to 80 per cent less than traditional automatic scrubbers. AutoVac sits on top of a self-dispensing trolley bucket and fresh cleaning solution is always applied directly to the floor area. As it is dispensed and the machine moved over the floor, the system simultaneously spreads the cleaning solution and provides enough agitation to loosen soils - all of which are vacuumed up. www.kaivac.com
Keep up to date with latest news by visiting the ECJ website. And have the email newsletter delivered directly to your inbox - register at europeancleaning journal.com
Three in one The Aquarius Contractor is the latest professional carpet and upholstery cleaner from Kiam Power Products. This wet and dry vacuum cleaner features two vacuum motors and two detergent pumps, along with a warm air blower to help dry the carpet - by attaching the vacuum hose to the rear motor outlet. The operator can switch between one- and two-motor operation - as well as using the variable airflow switch - to adjust suction according to cleaning needs. www.kiamproducts.co.uk
ï Clean ëní Shop est un systËme sur remorque pour le nettoyage de chariots de magasin. ï Elevance Clean 1200, un ingrÈdient ‡ base biologique dÈveloppÈ aux USA pour Ítre ajoutÈ aux produits chimiques de nettoyage, est maintenant disponible en Europe. ï Moerman a introduit la raclette de lavage de vitres Liquidator, quíil affirme rÈduire le temps nÈcessaire pour le finissage au tissu. ï Initial Washroom Hygiene hat die Produktreihe Signature Colour mit Spendern entwickelt ñ sieben Farben sind verf¸gbar. ï Cromwell Polythene a ajoutÈ un appareil distributeur ‡ sa gamme professionnelle de sacs ‡ ordures. ï Neu von Kaivac ist die Scheuersaugmaschine OmniFlex AutoVac mit Lithiumionenakku. ï LíAquarius Contractor est un nouveau nettoyeur de moquettes et garnissages signÈ Kiam Power Products.
ï Clean ëní Shop ist ein anh‰ngermontiertes System zum Waschen von Einkaufswagen. ï Elevance Clean 1200, ein in den USA entwickelter Wirkstoff auf biologischer Basis zur Verwendung in Reinigungschemikalien, ist jetzt in Europa erh‰ltlich. ï Moerman hat den Fensterreinigungsabzieher Liquidator vorgestellt, durch den laut eigenen Angaben die Zeit zum Polieren der Fenster mit einem Tuch verk¸rzt wird. ï Initial Washroom Hygiene a dÈveloppÈ la gamme de distributeurs Signature Colour, proposÈe en sept coloris. ï Cromwell Polythene hat einen Spenderpack zur professionellen Produktreihe mit Abfalls‰cken hinzugef¸gt. ï Produit nouveau signÈ Kaivac, líautolaveuse OmniFlex AutoVac fonctionne sur batterie lithium-ion. ï Der Aquarius Contractor ist ein neuer Reiniger f¸r Teppiche und Polstermˆbel von Kiam Power Products.
ï Clean ëní Shop Ë un sistema montato su carrello per il lavaggio dei carrelli della spesa. ï Elevance Clean 1200, un ingrediente bio adatto per essere usato nei detergenti chimici sviluppato negli Stati Uniti díAmerica, Ë ora disponibile in Europa. ï La Moerman ha lanciato il tergivetro per il lavaggio delle finestre Liquidator e afferma che riduce il tempo passato ad asciugare le finestre con il panno. ï La Initial Washroom Hygiene ha sviluppato la gamma di dispenser Signature Colour, sette sono i colori disponibili. ï La Cromwell Polythene ha aggiunto una confezione dispenser alla sua gamma professionale di sacchi per rifiuti. ï La novit‡ della Kaivac Ë la spazzatrice OmniFlex AutoVac con batteria agli ioni di litio. ï Aquarius Contractor Ë un nuovo prodotto per la pulizia di moquette e stoffe per arredamento prodotto dalla Kiam Power Products.
June/July 2015 | ECJ | 55
NEW PRODUCT REVIEW
ï Accepta a dÈveloppÈ un nouveau systËme de nÈbulisation pour la dÈsinfection de piËces et le nettoyage de contrÙle des infections. ï Parmi les derniers produits K‰rcher figure la balayeuse KM 125/130 R ‡ conducteur embarquÈ. ï La nouvelle autolaveuse TASKI swingo 2100 de Diversey Care est un modËle ultracompact ‡ conducteur embarquÈ. ï DÈsignÈe ec-H2O NanoClean, Tennant a annoncÈ la nouvelle gÈnÈration de sa technologie ecH2O du nettoyage. ï Green Care Longlife est le nouveau revÍtement de plancher durable de Werner & Mertz Professional.
ï Accepta hat ein neues Zerst‰ubersystem zur Raumdesinfektion und Infektionskontrolle entwickelt. ï Unter den Neuentwicklungen von K‰rcher befindet sich die Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine KM 125/130 R. ï Die neue Scheuersaugmaschine TASKI swingo 2100 von Diversey Care ist ein ‰uflerst kompaktes Aufsitz-Modell. ï Tennant hat die n‰chste Generation seiner Reinigungstechnologie ec-H2O angek¸ndigt: ec-H2O NanoClean. ï Bei Green Care Longlife handelt es sich um die neue widerstandsf‰hige Beschichtung von Werner & Mertz Professional.
ï La Accepta ha sviluppato un nuovo sistema di nebulizzazione e la disifenzione delle stanze e per la pulizia e líeliminazione delle infezioni. ï Fra i nuovi prodotti della K‰rcher cíË la spazzatrice con operatore a bordo KM 125/130 R. ï La nuova lavasciuga pavimenti TASKI swingo 2100 della Diversey Care Ë un modello ultra compatto con operatore a bordo. ï La Tennant ha annunciato la prossima generazione della sua tecnologia di pulizia ec-H2O chiamata ec-H2O NanoClean. ï Green Care Longlife Ë la nuova finitura a lunga durata per i pavimenti prodotta dalla Werner & Mertz Professional.
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Fogging solution New from Accepta is what it claims to be an eco-friendly fogging system that can be used for room disinfection and infection control cleaning. Large indoor areas can be tackled quickly and the odourless, colourless fog is non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-bleaching, making it safe to use where soft furnishings, carpets and electrical equipment are present. At the heart of the system is Accepta 8115, an environmentally responsible solution of hydrogen peroxide stabilised using a specially formulated silver-based chemistry, which degrades into harmless water and oxygen when consumed. This makes it suitable for use in environments such as care homes, hospitals, schools, cooling towers, food processing environments and pharmaceutical plants. www.accepta.com
User-friendly
K‰rcherís new KM 125/130 R ride-on sweeper was awarded first prize at the recent Pulire Innovation Award in Italy. One of its key features is the rotating brush, which is mounted between the main roller brush and the side brush and is an optional extra. It enables dirt to be completely picked up from corners in one pass. The roller brush positioned on the rear axle can be removed and replaced without tools, and its position allows bumps to be driven over safely and ramps to be driven up or down. Every 15 seconds one of the
three flat pleated filters is automatically cleaned with a blast of compressed air using K‰rcher TACT filter cleaning technology. Performance is up to 10,000 square metres per hour, and the K‰rcher Fleet fleet management is available as an optional extra. www.karcher.com
Small ride-on
converts water into a cleaning solution. This converted water is created by an on-board e-cell that generates millions of microscopic bubbles ó nanobubbles ó per millilitre of solution. These nanobubbles then promote the cleaning efficacy of the solution says Tennant. www.tennantco.com
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Green coating The new TASKI swing 2100 micro scrubber dryer from Diversey Care is an ultra-compact ride-on said to deliver the productivity of a ride-on machine in areas where walk-behind equipment is traditionally used. Features include up-to-the edge cleaning in a single pass, low energy LED lighting to allow longer working time without drawing excessive battery charge and ëactive sittingí driving position to support the operator in the optimum posture. The machine is also claimed to support extensive customisation and operators can configure their machines with tools and accessories from the TASKI trolley range. It can cover up to 5,000 square metres and work for longer autonomously between refills and recharges, claims Diversey. www.diversey.com
With green care Professional Longlife Complete Werner & Mertz Professional says it is offering a holistic and sustainable floor coating - boasting durability; consistent appearance; timesaving processability even on damp linoleum floorings; resistance to alcohol and disinfectants; complete removability; and quick and easy care film restoration. The environmentally responsible formulation contains no TBEP, zinc, perfume or fluorosurfactants.
New generation ec-H2O NanoClean is the next generation of Tennantís sustainable cleaning technology ec-H2O - originally launched in 2008. The company says it offers the same benefits as the original and now cleans better, tackles more soils and is effective in more applications. Like the original ec-H2O, ec-H2O NanoClean electrically
green care Professional Longlife Complete can be used on all coatable floorings, including hightraffic areas. The manufacturer says it is particularly suitable for elastic floorings made of PVC, linoleum, natural rubber and other special synthetic materials. www.werner-mertz.de
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