October 2016

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

OCTOBER 2016

SPECIAL REPORT

SURVEY

BUSINESS

Care of hard floors special focus Starts page 31

Sustainability water use

Workplace of the future

Brexit - what happens next?

Page 21

Page 28

Page 50

Efficient large area cleaning - at lower total cost

The Nilfisk SC6000 is a next generation ride-on scrubber dryer with the size, speed and technology to clean large indoor areas – at an extremely low Total Cost of Ownership. Saving both water and detergent, this user-friendly machine is designed to deliver hours of superior cleaning and drying performance at a high speed. The robust and reliable SC6000 is the right choice when you want efficient cleaning with an absolute minimum of downtime. www.nilfisk.com

CONTENTS

October 2016 | Vol.24, No.5

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

50 After the referendum....

21 Water workings

Hartley Milner explores the decision by UK voters to leave the EU.

How are manufacturers developing products that use less water?

28 Connecting the dots...

What impact will smart technology in offices have on cleaning operations?

31 Keeping down costs Are there any shortcuts when it comes to care of hard floors?

41 Meeting your match It’s worth doing thorough research when making a company acquisition.

45 Something in the air

03 News

Companies are now investing in how all areas of their building smell.

12 European reports

52 Charging ahead How does charging affect the life and performance of a machine’s battery?

55 The many-sided mat Is specialisation the prevailing trend when it comes to matting?

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 veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2016

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NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

Nilfisk partners with Carnegie Robotics to launch new scrubbers Cleaning machine producer Nilfisk has entered the cleaning sector’s robotics race with the launch of The Horizon Program, a schedule of multiple product launches of autonomous solutions.

The company is partnering Carnegie Robotics, provider of robotics sensors and software.

The objective of the programme says Nilfisk, is “to bring state-of-theart, autonomous cleaning technologies to the market, enabling customers to deploy unmanned floor cleaning with accuracy and precision”.

“With The Horzion Program, our sights are set on bringing about fundamental change in cleaning,” explains Jonas Persson, president and ceo of Nilfisk. ”We are putting forth the most sophisticated technology that will completely redefine how we look at productivity and total cost of ownership.”

Steve DiAntonio, president

and ceo of Carnegie Robotics added: “We are combining a century of cleaning expertise with machine vision and autonomous technologies proven to work safely in unstructured environments such as military operations, agriculture and mining.

Autonomous “From the beginning our partnership has focused on thorough, intensive research and exhaustive, rigorous testing to develop the most sophisticated, highest functioning autonomous cleaning products the industry has seen to date,” he concluded.

The first product launch in spring 2017 will be a scrubber dryer that can run autonomously or be manually operated. The new product will make its debut at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America from October 26-28 in Chicago. www.nilfisk.com

For news of the European Cleaning & Hygiene Award winners, turn to page 4 Le fabriquant de machines de nettoyage Nilfisk a annoncé, sous l’appellation Horizon Program, le lancement d’une série de solutions robotiques en partenariat avec Carnegie Robotics.

Register now for your free monthly email newsletter from ECJ. Remember to bookmark the ECJ website and don’t miss our regular blogs - including Dr Ilham Kadri from Diversey Care, Rob den Hertog of Amsterdam RAI, Peter Ankerstjerne of ISS, EUnited’s Markus Asch and Vectair’s Paul Wonnacott www.europeancleaningjournal.com

EVENTS October 21-22

September 11-14 2017

TisztaShow Cleaning Exhibition

ISSA/Interclean North America

Budapest, Hungary www.tisztashow.hu

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

October 25-28

September 18-20 2017

ISSA/Interclean North America

WFBSC Congress

Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com

Berlin, Germany www.wfbsc2017.berlin

November 9-11

September 19-22 2017

CleanExpo Moscow

CMS

Moscow, Russia www.cleanexpo-moscow.ru

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com

November 13-15

October 18-20 2017

MECTW

ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul

Dubai, UAE www.mectw.com

Istanbul, Turkey www.issainterclean.com

January 18-20 2017

May 15-18 2018

Clean India Technology Week

ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam

Hyderabad, India www.ctwindia.com

Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com

March 14-16 2017

October 29-November 1 2018

The Cleaning Show

ISSA/Interclean North America

London, UK www.cleaningshow.co.uk

Dallas, USA www.issainterclean.com

March 28-30 2017

November 18-21 2019

Europropre

ISSA/Interclean North America

Paris, France www.europropre.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

April 10-12 2017

October 26-29 2020

Tissue World Milan

ISSA/Interclean North America

Milan, Italy www.tissueworld.com/twmilan

Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com

May 23-25 2017

November 15-18 2021

Pulire

ISSA/Interclean North America

Verona, Italy www.pulire-it.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com

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

Nilfisk, der Hersteller von Bodenreinigungsmaschinen, hat das Horizon-Programm angekündigt, eine Reihe von Robotik-Lösungen, die in Partnerschaft mit Carnegie Robotics vorgestellt werden.

L’azienda produttrice di macchine per la pulizia dei pavimenti Nilfisk ha annunciato il programma Horizon Program, una serie di lanci di soluzioni robotiche in collaborazione con la Carnegie Robotics.

October 2016 | ECJ | 3

NEWS European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards - and the winners are...!

The winners of the inaugural European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards - founded by ECJ were announced at a glittering ceremony in Barcelona at the end of September.

Finalists, industry leaders and sponsors gathered at the Majestic Hotel to celebrate and recognise the high standards of innovation and quality being achieved by cleaning industry companies. The main sponsor is Diversey Care.

There were 10 categories, each of them with nominated finalists selected by the pan-European judging panel.

So here are the winners!

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

BY CONTRACTORS IN THEIR CLEANING PROGRAMME. Sponsored by Diversey Care.

Leviy for Healthcare Cleaning ‘Real-time Control’ COMMITMENT TO AND INVESTMENT IN TRAINING. Sponsored by Boma

ISS for Service with a Human Touch EXCELLENCE IN CLIENT/ CONTRACTOR PARTNERSHIPS. Sponsored by Tennant

Principle Cleaning Services DISTRIBUTORS - EXCELLENCE IN ADDED VALUE INITIATIVES

INPACS - Global Supply Solution SUSTAINABILITY - BEST PRACTICE IN IMPLEMENTING PRINCIPLES THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS. Sponsored by INPACS

Markas WORKFORCE - EXCELLENCE IN EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS, TRAINING, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION, REWARDS PROGRAMMES ETC. Sponsored

by Hygieia Network

ISS Spain October 2016 | ECJ | 4

BEST INITIATIVE RAISING THE PROFILE AND PERCEPTION OF THE PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SECTOR - LOCALLY OR ON A WIDER LEVEL. Sponsored by Greenspeed

Grup Net100x200 GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

ICE for Cleanfix Robo 2 INSPIRATIONAL LEADER OF THE YEAR. Sponsored by Truvox International

Kurt Alois Hegerich

GREATEST INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION TO DRIVING UP STANDARDS WITHIN A CLEANING OPERATION

Mariana Pirgaru, Derrycourt Cleaning Specialist’s Outstanding Employee The Lifetime Achievement Award, selected by the judging panel, was presented to Douglas Cooke of Principle Cleaning in the UK. Cooke has established a successful, socially responsible and highly respected cleaning company. But going beyond that, he has always worked hard to promote the interests of the professional cleaning sector

as a whole.

Through his involvement with cleaning industry organisations including CSSA, BCC, EFCI and WFBSC he has become a wellknown and well-loved figure worldwide. And he has always been willing to give his time, energy and commitment to furthering the profile and interests of the sector.

This award was sponsored by Ceris Burns International.

Speaking on behalf of the judging panel Lynn Webster, industry consultant based in the UK said: “We were delighted to have such a tremendous wealth of entrants for these, our first pan-European awards that have exceeded all expectations in terms

NEWS

of both quality and quantity. This of course makes the judges’ role even more difficult.

“Congratulations to all the finalists and for the exceptional standards achieved by the winners.”

Webster added: “It is so exciting to see recognition for the professional cleaning sector culminating in such a wonderful

event, rewarding excellence across our industry and celebrating so many achievements and stories of success.

“What a fabulous accolade to everyone involved!”

Diversey Care was the lead sponsor for this inaugural awards event. Its president Dr Ilham Kadri was at the ceremony and commented: “This first edition of

Les gagnants des Prix européens de propreté et d’hygiène inauguraux ont été annoncés lors d’un dîner de gala à Barcelone en présence de plus de 200 professionnels du secteur.

the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards has demonstrated the outstanding value that the cleaning industry is creating with groundbreaking innovations.

“As the lead sponsor for the event, I was both inspired and impressed by the great organisation and our customers’ awards. Congratulations for a job well done.”

Die Gewinner der ersten European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards wurden vor kurzem im Rahmen eines Galadiners, an dem über 200 Branchenfachleute teilnahmen, in Barcelona bekanntgegeben.

Worldwide cleaning association ISSA was the education partner for the afternoon conference. The awards dinner cocktail reception before the ceremony was sponsored by ISSA/INTERCLEAN. The next European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards will take place in 2017 in Rome. www.ecj-awards.com

I vincitori dell’evento inaugurale di European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards sono stati annunciati alla serata di gala tenutasi di recente a Barcellona alla quale hanno partecipato più di 200 professionisti del settore.

October 2016 | ECJ | 5

NEWS Dutch restaurant hygiene issue

Hungary suffers staff shortage

At least 31 Dutch restaurants with a Michelin star have been reprimanded by food safety inspectors since 2012, according to researchers at broadcasting group KRO-NCRV. The researchers used freedom of information legislation to find out about the confidential inspection reports, says DutchNews. nl. Since 2012, 79 of the Netherlands’ 106 restaurants with at least one Michelin star have been inspected in spot checks.

Thirty-one were given an official warning and 30 were

Cleaning businesses operating in Hungary have seen a severe labour shortage recently - said Zoltán Paár, the head of cleaning industry association MATISZ recently.

given a completely clean bill of health, the broadcaster said.

Among the problems found by health inspectors were dirty kitchens, rubbish on the floor, a storeroom full of leftover food and an ice machine full of mould.

In one restaurant, loaves of bread had been eaten by mice.

Reports to go public?

A spokeswoman for the Dutch consumers association Consumentenbond called for the inspectors’ reports to be made public. “It is absurd that inspectors know about a restaurant’s standards of hygiene but that consumers have no idea,” she said.

• Aux Pays-Bas, au moins 31 restaurants honorés d’une étoile Michelin ont été réprimandés par des inspecteurs de la sécurité alimentaire depuis 2012.

• Les entreprises de nettoyage en Hongrie font face à un grave manque de main-d’œuvre, déclare le président de l’association de la propreté de ce pays.

October 2016 | ECJ | 6

Thousands of jobs Around 8,500 positions have been registered as unfilled at local employment offices throughout the country, Paár said, adding that he believes the actual number could be much higher as most companies simply do not advertise with such offices, the news agency reported.

Net monthly wages for fulltime cleaning staff have risen

• Seit 2012 wurden mindestens 31 niederländische Restaurants, die einen Michelin-Stern haben, von Inspektoren für Lebensmittelsicherheit ermahnt.

• Reinigungsunternehmen in Ungarn erleben einen akuten Arbeitskräftemangel, teilt der Vorsitzende des Verbands der Reinigungsindustrie mit.

from between €210 and €226 in 2014 to between €258 and €322. Some staff can earn up to €450 per month. This means that wages of cleaning staff still lag significantly behind the country’s average gross monthly wage, which was measured at €838 in June this year.

Paár noted that payroll accounts for about 80 per cent of the costs of cleaning companies. www.matisz.org

Keep up to date with industry news at european cleaningjournal.com

• Almeno 31 ristoranti olandesi a una stella Michelin sono stati ammoniti dagli ispettori della sicurezza alimentare dal 2012 a oggi.

• Le imprese di pulizia in Ungheria stanno attraversando un periodo di carenza grave di manodopera come afferma il direttore dell’associazione del settore del pulito.

NEWS Cleaners’ communication role Scottish hospital cleaners are being offered a role that will enable them to communicate with vulnerable patients.

The cleaning staff are being trained in the use of body language, gestures, facial expressions, vocalisation and signing in a bid to communicate with patients who have difficulty speaking.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has become the first health board in Scotland to train hundreds of hospital cleaners - along with porters and receptionists - in Alternative and Augmentative Communication.

The aim is to help those patients

who struggle to communicate as a result of an issue such as a stroke, cerebral palsy or autism.

More than 600 members of staff at the trust have taken part in dedicated communication training awareness sessions that also include the use of alphabet and word boards, communications charts and books containing pictures.

According to project manager Jean Alexander: “Alternative and Augmentative Communication involves very simple things such as making eye contact and giving the other person enough time to make themselves understood. I am immensely proud.”

• Les agents de nettoyage des hôpitaux de Glasgow se sont vu offrir un rôle qui leur permettra de communiquer avec des patients vulnérables.

• ISS Suisse, membre du groupe mondial de multiservices ISS, a reçu le prix du Meilleur employeur suisse 2016 dans la catégorie des entreprises de plus de mille employés.

ISS named Best Swiss Employer Global facilities service provider ISS’ Switzerland operation has won the Swiss Employer Award 2016 in the category of 1000+ employees.

The result was based on the largest employee survey carried out annually in Switzerland which covers subjects as diverse as commitment, satisfaction, work situation, culture, structure, management, and knowledge transfer.

Right path André Nauer, country manager of ISS Switzerland, said: “What is more powerful than some 12,000 employees

• In Glasgow wird dem Reinigungspersonal in Krankenhäusern eine Rolle angeboten, die ihm die Kommunikation mit schutzbedürftigen Patienten ermöglicht.

• Der global tätige Facility-Management-Anbieter ISS Schweiz wurde mit dem Swiss Arbeitgeber Award 2016 in der Kategorie 1000+ Mitarbeiter ausgezeichnet.

saying they were satisfied with their employer? We are very proud of having won this award.

It shows us that we are on the right path in terms of corporate culture, appreciation, and employee development.”

• Agli addetti alle pulizie dell’ospedale di Glasgow viene offerto un ruolo che permetterà loro di comunicare con i pazienti vulnerabili.

• L’impresa mondiale fornitrice di servizi ISS Switzerland ha vinto il premio Swiss Employer Award 2016 per la categoria di impresa con più di 1000 dipendenti.

October 2016 | ECJ | 7

NEWS Grosvenor Services shares best practice in FM at European forum Facility services specialist Grosvenor Services hosted an event in Dublin recently where European facilities management (FM) companies exchanged ideas and shared best practice. The company is part of European Customer Synergy (ECS), a network of FM partners that supports pan-European facilities management contracts.

The conference was attended by the directors of the FM organisations which form the ECS network. These industry experts shared expertise in the management of services for

pan-European contracts.

ECS is one of the leading providers for facilities management across Europe.

All partners belong to the top five suppliers in their national markets, representing major FM and support service companies.

Grosvenor Services manages numerous accounts across the UK and Ireland that are part of pan-European contracts, working with many well-known international brands. www.ecsynergy.eu www.grosvenorservices.com

De Bruin heads ISSA council

Sustainable products summit

Worldwide cleaning association ISSA has appointed Michel de Bruin as chairman of its European council. De Bruin, ceo of Greenspeed, succeeds Andrew Dunning who served in the post for three years.

“I am truly honoured to take on the role of chairman,” said de Bruin. “My own commercial background in the industry has helped me understand what the members need or want. From my involvement with the association to date, I also know the variety of services, resources and connections that ISSA can offer.

I therefore look forward to being the bridge between current and future members, their businesses and the ISSA.”

Taking place in Paris from October 26-27 is the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit, the theme of which is practical approaches to addressing the impacts of cleaning products. Professor Dr Michael Braungart, co-founder of the Cradle-To-Cradle (C2C) design approach, starts the conference programme with a keynote entitled ‘Rethinking sustainability’.

With the sustainability efforts of most cleaning product firms focusing on reducing environmental footprints, Braungart will make the case for positive impacts. How can the detergents industry go beyond lowering impacts and create positive value? How can the C2C design approach be deployed by cleaning product firms? What are the key lessons from related industries?

Member connection He added: “My main goal in my time as chairman will be to bring the world of cleaning together through organising network events for members and potential members at both a regional and international level.

“My aim is to get the members more connected with each other, jointly discussing and

strategising the kind of trends, challenges and business opportunities that are common to all in our industry. These events will also give the association the chance to showcase the many tools and resources that ISSA offers to help its members develop their business.”

ISSA director of EMEA services Dianna Steinbach said: “I am delighted to welcome Michel to the position of chairman of the ISSA European Council and look forward to working with him.

His energy and passion for the industry will be invaluable as we make ISSA more active and visible throughout Europe.” www.issa.com

• Grosvenor Services, un spécialiste du multiservices, a récemment organisé une manifestation à Dublin au cours de laquelle des entreprises européennes du secteur ont procédé à un échange de bonnes pratiques.

• L’association de la propreté ISSA a annoncé la nomination de Michel de Bruin, de Greenspeed, à la présidence de son conseil européen.

• À la fin d’octobre, Paris accueillera le Sommet des produits de nettoyage durables.

October 2016 | ECJ | 8

Using metrics Subsequent speakers will discuss the role of sustainability metrics. A leading cleaning products firm will share its

• Vor kurzem richtete Facility-Management-Spezialist Grosvenor Services in Dublin eine Veranstaltung aus, bei der sich europäische FM-Unternehmen über optimales Vorgehen austauschten.

• Der Verband der Reinigungsindustrie ISSA hat die Ernennung von Michel de Bruin (Greenspeed) zum Vorsitzenden seines Europarats bekanntgegeben.

• Ende Oktober findet in Paris der Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit statt.

experiences in using metrics in its sustainability plan. Ecover will then give a critique of metrics.

With growing concerns about sustainable sources of raw materials, the Green Ingredients session covers important developments.

Karen Frederix from Wilmar will give an update on sustainable palm oil and its use as surfactant feedstock. Jessica Custer from Fairtrade USA will make the case for ethically sourced coconut oil.

Monitoring chains Another speaker will highlight the difficulties when monitoring sustainable supply chains for agricultural materials. Jürgen Hack, managing director of the eco-detergents brand Sodasan, will share the brand’s experiences in using green ingredients. Insights will also be given on the growing number of ethical labels - such as Ecocert, Ecogarantie and Prima Klima on green cleaning products.

For more information visit www. sustainablecleaningsummit.com

• La Grosvenor Services, specializzata in fornitura di servizi, ha organizzato recentemente a Dublino un evento durante il quale le imprese europee di servizi hanno condiviso le pratiche di lavoro migliori.

• L’associazione del settore del pulito ISSA ha annunciato la nomina di Michel de Bruin della Greenspeed a presidente del suo consiglio europeo.

• Il summit Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit si terrà a Parigi alla fine di ottobre.

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NEWS Servest and Atalian form joint venture based on shared vision Facilities management companies Servest in the UK and France’s Atalian have formed a joint venture to enable them to provide integrated FM solutions on a pan-European basis.

The 50/50 owned project, which will operate under the name Atalian Servest Ltd, will look to capitalise on both organisations’ reputations in their respective markets and expand their current offer to existing and new customers across country boundaries.

The two businesses have a combined reach of 140,000 employees across 27 countries in Europe, North America, SouthEast Asia and Africa.

Rob Legge, Servest Group ceo for UK and Europe and Matthieu de Baynast, ceo of International at Atalian speak exclusively to ECJ about their new partnership.

What led to the formation of the new partnership and how are requirements from clients developing? Legge explains: “Several of our retail customers indicated that they wanted to extend our work into Europe to allow them to buy centrally and achieve a more standardised service delivery. This was one of the drivers behind our relationship with Atalian.

“There has also been interest from our Government and commercial clients,” he adds.

“Cleaning is the dominant service line at the moment, but security, catering and hard services are also proving popular.

“The benefits are clear. The client has a central point of contact across Europe, with one invoice, one set of KPIs and a standardised set of audit scores.

This makes the service more efficient and reduces the cost.

A standardised approach to the look and feel of a workplace is also important, so a customer can walk into an office in London or Frankfurt and have the same standard of service, look and feel as they would in Madrid or Paris.

“But at the same time, while it may be a pan-European contract it is managed locally, so there’s a strong cultural fit on the ground.

The local presence understands the local culture and what will and won’t work.

“We have also introduced a central management information system. This allows an organisation to analyse its facilities data and spend by office, by country and by region. That way, businesses can understand why they spend more in x country/office than y office. It allows the spread of best practice and for a more uniform approach. It’s proved very popular and successful to date.”

Centralising services Matthieu de Baynast explains: “We’ve seen a trend over the past 10 years for organisations to centralise their facilities services and the joint venture was created in response to that.

“Organisations don’t want multiple points of contact around Europe for their FM; they want to speak to one person.

Also it helps if that one point of contact is based near the client’s procurement team as they will speak the same language and have the same cultural references.”

So how are the two companies modifying the way they operate in order to work in tandem across pan-European contracts?

We are very similar businesses with similar values and ways of operating so we didn’t have to make any large adjustments in order to work together,” replies de Baynast.

“We did create a standardised pricing model and joint marketing material to explain our combined approach. Many of our key opportunities are with existing clients so we are spending time getting to know each other’s clients, their different needs and ways

Les sociétés de multiservices Servest et Atalian ont récemment formé une entreprise commune paneuropéenne. ECJ s’entretient en exclusivité de ce partenariat avec leurs PDG.

of working and adjusting our individual approach accordingly.”

Legge continues: “The key thing has been, and will continue to be, we ensure that where best practice is in operation this is spread not just throughout the contract, but also used elsewhere in the business with our other clients. We are increasing our joint focus on innovation to ensure that we share experiences.”

There are many aspects to take into consideration when identifying the right partner company with which to start a partnership. What in particular makes these two businesses a suitable fit?

Cultural fit Legge explains: “For me it was about having the right cultural fit with the management team.

The first time I met Matthieu we really hit it off and everyone on the combined management team gets on well.

“We share common values and beliefs, which is essential.

We have very quickly built up a strong relationship, epitomised by trust and integrity.”

De Baynast echoes his sentiments. “Our companies are very similar. They are both privately owned and have both grown very rapidly in recent years through growth and

Die Facility Management-Unternehmen Servest und Atalian sind vor kurzem ein Joint Venture eingegangen.

Das ECJ führt ein exklusives Gespräch mit den CEOs über diese Partnerschaft.

acquisition, and continue to grow. We have a comparable track record.

“We also both self-deliver services wherever possible so we have direct control over the service we deliver to our customers on the ground. That was very important.

“The age of the management team is similar and we get on well. Rob likes French wine, and I enjoy English beer, so it’s a good match!”

There are bound to be challenges ahead so what do the two heads of the joint venture see as being the most significant ones? ”We need to continuously ensure everything we do is seamless,” replies de Baynast.

“Whether it’s in the UK, France, Belgium or Spain. We must have that same joined-up approach day in, day out. That’s our ongoing challenge.”

“Our key challenge is now to ensure the strong relationship and shared vision enjoyed by the management team is percolated through both companies to the staff operating on the ground,” adds Legge. “We want to ensure that they are walking the shared walk, talking the shared talk.”

He concludes: “That’s essential for our success and we will be working very hard over the next few months to ensure that happens.”

Le imprese di gestione delle strutture Servest e Atalian hanno formato di recente una joint venture pan europea. ECJ intervista in esclusiva il loro amministratore delegato per sapere di più sulla collaborazione.

October 2016 | ECJ | 11

UPDATE: SWEDEN Tapping the disabled workforce Having a disability does not rule out a cleaning job.

Scandinavian correspondent Lotte Printz gives us this report from Sweden.

If you walk into a burger joint in, say, Stockholm to buy your morning coffee or takeaway breakfast, don’t be surprised if you bump into a disabled floor sweeper. Cleaning restaurant and kitchen floors in large burger restaurants is one of the jobs that people with disabilities are likely to perform in Sweden.

And the number of companies taking on people with functional impairments is rising in the Swedish labour market. In fact, the number has already risen nearly 20 per cent since 2012 and 12 per cent in the past two years alone.

Much of this rise can be explained by customer expectations. Customers want companies to take social responsibility (CSR). And they gladly do – especially when looked upon favourably by their customers.

Meeting this customer requirement tops the list of advantages of this kind of recruitment and commitment according to a survey carried out by Swedish Samhall, a large state-owned company that hires people having reduced work abilities.

Since 2007 Samhall itself has had an agreement with the Max burger chain where people with a mental or mild physical disability clean, among other tasks, restaurant and kitchen floors in 94 of the chain’s restaurants in the mornings.

Due to their limited abilities, the employees do not and cannot work full time. Also, they may perform their jobs more slowly than other employees, but Samhall compensates for that by often doubling the number of disabled people. And Le nombre d’entreprises prêtes à recruter des employés souffrant d’altérations fonctionnelles est en train de croître en Suède, où cette augmentation enregistre près de 20 pour cent depuis 2012.

Lotte Printz en fait rapport.

October 2016 | ECJ | 12

is, in return, compensated by the state for additional costs. It is not allowed to lower the wages.

Talking to Rent, the trade journal for the Swedish cleaning sector, sales director of Samhall Göran Olinder explains many of these people have never had a proper paid job before.

“But I don’t think you can have more dedicated, enthusiastic employees. They know what it’s like being excluded and are therefore awfully pleased to have a job,” he says.

The whole Max contract came about when Max had difficulties recruiting ‘ordinary’ employees. Now it has found Samhall employees tend to stay on far longer than others in the same positions and is planning to offer 200 of the total 650 Samhall employees working in its restaurants permanent employment.

So when everybody seems to benefit from the arrangement, why did 49 per cent of the interview subjects in the said survey have no disabled groups among their employees? Ignorance of how to deal with them made the companies reluctant to hire people with disabilities.

In the Max-Samhall case, this has been solved by providing the Max management with special training on how to understand the difficulties the employees face in work situations.

“They will carry this knowledge for the rest of their lives. It comes down to entrusting the right employee with the right tasks and paying attention to opportunities, not problems,” says Kent Ravnborg, key account manager at Samhall and in charge of the Max contract.

Die Anzahl der Unternehmen im schwedischen Arbeitsmarkt, die Menschen mit funktionellen Beeinträchtigungen einstellen, steigt – fast 20 Prozent seit 2012.

Lotte Printz berichtet.

Lotte Printz ci informa che il numero di imprese che assumono persone con limitazioni funzionali sta aumentanto nel mercato del lavoro svedese, si parla quasi il 20 per cento dal 2012.

UPDATE: RUSSIA Personnel - the key to success Russia correspondent Oleg Popov emphasises the importance of recruiting the right cleaning staff.

From the beginning, we must determine who we’re looking for.

For various types of facilities, we need different types of personnel. While negotiating with a customer, we together compile an ‘employee portrait’. This allows us to select personnel quicker and in a more reliable way. The main criteria include: citizenship, education level, work experience in cleaning, aptitude for communication, and willingness to learn.

The ideal candidate has work experience at similar facilities.

There are several channels available for attracting recruits. Let’s take a look at each one of them.

The publishing of ads on job seeker websites. This traditional channel is most suitable for seeking out office specialists and, less commonly, facility managers. Placing ads seeking to hire cleaners yields a less successful result. However, the situation is gradually changing. Cleaners are seeing the ads on their smartphones, reading the vacancy listings and calling us more than before. Meanwhile, the sites that yield higher conversions aren’t the most obvious. It’s interesting to observe how newspaper ads have been replaced by websites, where the same type of ads are placed.

We’ve tried working with social networks, but we didn’t strike much gold. You have to capture many users in order to select from a small pool of suitable applicants. In Russia, people use social networks to communicate and entertain themselves, but not for business contacts.

A referral programme in its classical form, when personnel recommend people they know to the company for which a small bonus is paid, is not something we use. But we do ask our good workers whether anybody they know needs a job. Experienced Oleg Popov, de l’entreprise russe Cristanval, évoque la difficulté de recruter des travailleurs en grand nombre dans le secteur russe de la propreté, qui souffre d’une pénurie générale de main-d’œuvre.

employees maintain relationships with former colleagues, they know about their work situations.

For a long time, we had a traditional department in operation for selecting personnel. We discovered that there exists unhealthy competition for each ‘hunter’.

Several facilities in different parts of the city turned out to be urgent and an employee couldn’t efficiently close a vacancy. For that reason, we distributed PR managers into their own production divisions. It was then that they began to select applicants only for one category of facilities and were assigned tasks from the same director, who set them priorities for closing vacancies.

Essentially, PR managers became our agents. Anyone who is prepared to carry out a plan based on a certain number of selected employees can become one. The agents work in the field – they post ads near the facility, get acquainted with the people that live in the area, and establish communication with utility services. The agent decides himself where and how to seek out cleaners. This function can be performed by the facility manager as well, although it isn’t included into his direct responsibilities.

Personal communication always works best. A call or a message is something people like, as they are being addressed directly, not as some impersonal target audience.

The same goes for recommendations from other employees – HR always praise its company and if the other employee tells them honestly about it there is a higher level of trust. At the same time, even personal communication won’t help if the company’s brand isn’t established. Without a strong name, no method will help, so that’s the very first thing to start with.

Der bei Cristanval in Russland tätige Oleg Popov erläutert, mit welchen Herausforderungen sich ein Reinigungsunternehmen konfrontiert sieht, das bei einem allgemeinen Arbeitskräftemangel eine große Anzahl Mitarbeiter einstellen möchte.

In Russia, Oleg Popov della Cristanval parla delle sfide delle assunzioni di un grande numero di personale nel settore del pulito quando c’è una generale scarsità di manodopera.

October 2016 | ECJ | 13

UPDATE: ITALY Forum Pulire Industry 4.0 focus Italian correspondent Anna Garbagna reports from the recent meeting in Milan held by Afidamp.

Innovation, industry 4.0, new e-commerce technologies: these were the themes of the Forum Pulire meeting which took place in Milan in September, organised by industry association Afidamp.

Cleaning as an Absolute Value has been the Forum’s theme since its origins in 2012, the year when the congress started its path of sector identity building, understanding its needs in order to identify future prospects. It is the only event in Italy which directly involves the entire service chain: producers, distribution, services companies and end users.

The 2016 edition also had a particularly relevant role because

Afidamp celebrates its 35th anniversary this year.

“Afidamp represents the producers and suppliers of innovative solutions which improve the quality of life”, said Afidamp FED president Virna Re. “Therefore all our companies contribute to build a climate of wellbeing for everyone. To sum up, what we do has a huge social value, unfortunately it is often difficult to fully create this perception outside our world of services”.

Furthermore it is important to remember that this sector is the main creator of quality of life in a country and being one of the sectors with the greatest

L’innovation, l’industrie 4.0 et les technologies du commerce électronique étaient les thèmes de la récente assemblée du Pulire à Milan. Anna Garbagna en rend compte. 914

October 2016 | ECJ | 14

number of workers of foreign origin it represents a large lab for social integration.

With the opening speech of Roberto Maroni, president of Regione Lombardia, the congress delegates remembered the tragedy which recently hit central Italy with the help of the solidarity campaign Oliviero Toscani and Forum Pulire for the earthquake of Central Italy: two days of reflection on the topics of innovation, culture and entrepreneurship but also an opportunity to give concrete help to the populations badly affected by the earthquake.

Among the topics being discussed during the many meetings were: Integrated Services: New Rules for the Future focussed on the Contracts Code, Green Act, legality, contract law, social dumping, work, and the role and importance that the

Innovation, Industrie 4.0 und E-CommerceTechnologien waren die Themen bei der vor kurzem in Mailand stattgefundenen Forum Pulire-Konferenz. Ein Bericht von Anna Garbagna.

integrated service sector has in Italian economy. There was also a presentation on the survey carried out by ONBSI and Foundation for Subsidiarity on the theme Contract: Market and Rules and a speech by the economist Giulio Sapelli, entitled: What is the Future for Europe?

“Forum Pulire really represents an incredible opportunity to reflect on our identity and on the contribution we make on a daily basis within the whole countrywide system”, concluded Virna Re. “I am sure that concrete ideas and proposals which emerged from it will support the sector’s competitiveness and the cultural and social value that it embodies.

“Forum Pulire looked to the future and represents a privileged place from which to source new intellectual and cultural tools to face the future successfully.”

Innovation, Industry 4.0 e le tecnologie e-commerce sono stati i temi del Forum Pulire che si è tenuto di recente a Milano, ce ne parla Anna Garbagna.

UPDATE: FRANCE Two scientists working for a startup incubator at Alès, in the South of France, are aiming to reach the retail market and public authorities with their product.

Cécile Franc is a trained chemist.

Her partner Claire Perrin-Tricaud is a biologist. These two female scientists at a startup called Sets Solution have just developed a revolutionary product to wipe off graffiti from practically every kind of surface.

The project has been ongoing ever since the idea took shape in that startup launched by the Ecole des Mines d’Alès (EMA) (Alès Mining College). “We’re now ready,” says Claire Perrin-Tridau.

“The final stages of development were carried out in a laboratory at the EMA for the testing of materials. We’ve performed conclusive trials on several surfaces: painted and porous concrete, rendering, pointed

stone, plastics such as that used for tarpaulins and advertising displays, traffic signs, etc.”

Large industrial companies are on the point of adopting the product.

Its instructions for use are exceedingly simple. The product is unbelievably easy to use. “It is formulated as a gel which you apply on the wall with a roller.

You then have to rub and wash it down. Depending on the type of surface, or the age of the paint, the method of application might vary a bit. Ideally, treatment needs to be carried out as soon as possible to get the best results.”

Won’t damage coating The use of high pressure cleaners to clean off graffiti on building façades can sometimes damage their coating. This new product doesn’t eat into the wall material. “With one litre costing €15, you can cover about two square

Deux scientifiques travaillant pour une start-up dans le sud de la France entendent commercialiser leur nouveau produit pour l’élimination de graffiti. Christian Bouzols fait rapport.

New business in graffiti Two scientists in France are starting a business to try and commercialise their graffiti removal product, reports Christian Bouzols. metres of graffiti. You would need between 30 minutes and one hour to clean it off, which is easily doable by a single individual.

“Another virtue of this new product lies in its composition. Our idea was to develop something soft, water based. We were aiming

at a product with minimal impact on the user and the environment.”

Veolia, a French transnational company, is already using it.

Another major corporation, the electric utility Énédis (formerly ERDF) is interested in the product and negotiations are under way.

Register now for your free monthly email newsletter from ECJ. Go online to: www. europeancleaningjournal.com

Zwei Wissenschaftler, die für ein Jungunternehmen im Süden Frankreichs arbeiten, hoffen, ihr neues Produkt zum Entfernen von Graffiti auf den Markt zu bringen.

Christian Bouzols berichtet.

Due scienziati che lavorano per una start-up nel sud della Francia stanno cercando di immettere sul mercato il loro nuovo prodotto per la rimozione dei graffiti. Ce ne parla Christian Bouzols.

October 2016 | ECJ | 15

UPDATE: UK

UPDATE: NETHERLANDS

How valuable is accreditation?

Measuring expectation

What is the value of accreditation, asks ECJ’s UK correspondent Lynn Webster.

Continuing his look at service management, Dutch reporter Nico Lemmens focuses on perception.

What is the Value of accreditation? Four years ago the International Accreditation Forum, IAF, commissioned a survey posing this very question, receiving responses from 4,000 managers, operating in a diverse range of organisations and across 40 global economies. Respondents were in the main responsible for quality issues within their organisation, but finance directors, marketing managers and other senior management figures also contributed.

More than 3,000 respondents reported a direct correlation between the achievement of accreditation and certification and increases in sales. This was in part attributed to the impact of customer perception. Respondents recognised that customer perception of the value of accreditation was important in determining how to proceed, and in which areas, with accreditations.

It could be argued that where clients are faced with a raft of potential suppliers - suppliers offering more or less the same service - where there is little or no price differential, and stating the ability to adhere to near identical KPI’s, then anything that is going to assist the purchase decision is a gift.

The reassurances that accreditations offer to customers, existing and potential, are difficult to quantify. Companies proclaiming their achievements can prompt existing customers to re-examine the services on offer. Where customer organisations have themselves experienced the accreditation process in one form or another they will understand how effective this rigorous process can be in facilitating improvements across systems and processes.

Quelle est la valeur de l’accréditation ?

Notre correspondante au Royaume Uni Lynn Webster examine les résultats d’un récent sondage par le Forum international de l’accréditation (IAF).

The IAF survey report cites improvement to internal systems and processes as a benefit of accreditation. Those in our cleaning world who have experienced accreditation in any areas where it is relevant, but particularly in relation to CIMS, (Cleaning Industry Management Standard) declare benefits include distinct business improvement including increased profits; decreases in employee turnover; gains in productivity; reduced operating expenses and opportunity for sales growth.

The examination of existing processes, even processes that are on the face of it working as expected, and examining these within an accreditation framework against a well-researched, industry-validated set of standards can provide a worthy benchmarking exercise. The beauty of this approach is that it is cost-effective and efficient, involving as it does those who both oversee these processes and apply them.

While the IAF survey was concerned with accreditation to international standards, in the fields of quality for example, the same benefits set out in the resulting report readily observe individual accreditation and certification too. Analysing one’s own performance against set standards, receiving credible education or training to address any shortfalls and working to improve accordingly, all within a supportive environment, cannot fail to assist the organisation as a whole. Incorporate individual accreditation and development within the organisational context where accreditation is welcomed then the organisation will be several steps ahead of the competition.

Was ist eine Akkreditierung wert?

Die britische ECJKorrespondentin Lynn Webster überprüft das Ergebnis einer kürzlich vom International Accreditation Forum (IAF) durchgeführten Umfrage.

October 2016 | ECJ | 16

Qual è il valore dell’accreditamento?

La corrispondente del Regno Unito Lynn Webster prende in esame i risultati di un sondaggio recente effettuato da International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

In our previous discussion of Christian Grönroos’s important contribution to the field of service management and marketing we raised the questions of how quality is perceived and how to measure and compare expectations and experiences. Here is his analysis in short.

We saw that good perceived quality is obtained when the experience quality meets the expectations of the customer: the expected quality. If expectations are unrealistic, the total perceived quality would be low, even if the experienced quality, measured in an objective way, were good.

One way is to ask customers what they expected from the service they have consumed, so the expectations and experiences measurements relate to the same service. Another way is to ask customers what they expect from an excellent or ideal service in the same category as the one they have consumed.

However, independent of what one wants to know about a given service, different kinds of expectations could be measured.

If one wants to assess how good a given service is considered to be, compared with the best in its category, expectations of the best-in-the-category service or an ideal service should be measured. But if one wants to find out how customers perceive the quality of a given service, both expectations and experiences regarding this service should be measured.

And there is another problem with measurement methods that are based on comparisons between expectations and experiences over a number of attributes: the validity problem related to the measureNotre correspondant aux Pays-Bas Nico Lemmens poursuit son examen de la gestion et du marketing de services en traitant du thème de la qualité attendue des services et des perceptions qui entourent ce domaine.

ment of expectations.

If expectations are measured after the service experience or at the same time as the experiences occur, what is measured is not really expectation but something that has been biased by experience. It does not necessarily make sense to measure expectations prior to the service experience either, because the expectations customers have beforehand are perhaps not the expectations with which they will compare their experience.

The customer’s experience of the service process may change his expectations, and altered expectations are the ones with which the experiences should be compared to determine the actual quality perception.

Finally, measuring expectations is not a sound way of proceeding in any case, because experiences are perceptions of reality, and inherent in these perceptions are prior expectations. Consequently, if first, one way or the other, expectations are measured and then experiences are measured, then the expectations are measured twice. The problems described here are not easy to solve.

In her study of the restaurant industry, Liljander compared a number of different standards to relate experiences to, expectations being one of them. Her conclusion was that making no comparisons at all seems to be a good approach to measuring perceived service quality, ie, by measuring experiences only over a set of attributes, one can get a good approximation of the perceived quality. This finding concludes this contribution, however, it does by no means so as far as Grönroos’s analysis of service management and marketing is concerned.

Der niederländische Reporter Nico Lemmens setzt seinen Bericht zu Dienstleistungsmanagement und Marketing fort, dieses Mal mit dem Thema erwartete Dienstleistungsqualität und Wahrnehmungen.

Il corrispondente olandese Nico Lemmens prosegue nel suo esaminare le gestioni dei servizi e il marketing, affrontando il tema della qualità del servizio che ci si aspetta e la percezione.

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Our expertise, knowledge and involvement in the industry isn’t simply manufactured, it emerged from the voice and wishes & wants from the users.

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SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

Water workings Water is a valuable commodity and an increasing number of sustainable cleaning companies are coming up with solutions that help to reduce its use. ECJ asks manufacturers about their latest – and smartest - watersaving products.

Sustainable companies are working towards achieving a vast number of admirable goals. They aim to reduce emissions while also conserving energy: they strive to minimise environmental impact while reducing waste production. And they also make every effort to improve the health and safety of their staff.

Reducing the use of chemical cleaning products has been another goal of many manufacturers, with an increasing number of processes relying on water alone.

But as supplies of this precious natural resource continue to dwindle, manufacturers are having to come up with new processes that limit water use as well.

Water is one of the world’s most valuable resources according to Kärcher’s head of sustainability management Andreas Mayer. “Because of increasing global water scarcity it is important to include water in any sustainable cleaning system,” he said. The company manufactures highpressure washers, scrubber dryers, steam vacuum cleaners and concentrated chemicals that are all claimed to help produce water savings.

“Using a high-pressure cleaner already achieves water savings of almost 80 per cent compared with a traditional hose because the impact pressure substantially

loosens the dirt,” said Mayer. “The Servo Control function of our high-pressure cleaners also enables the operator to precisely reduce the amount of water used during the cleaning application. And all Kärcher high-pressure units can be equipped with an additional water inlet filter that enables dirty water or rainwater from cisterns or tanks to be used.”

The company’s scrubber dryers feature an Intelligent Key that enables the facilities manager to predetermine settings including the amount of water to be used.

“Another sustainable function is our Eco Efficiency mode which can be used for maintenance cleaning,” said Mayer. “This reduces power and water consumption by more than 50 per cent.”

He believes that increasing global water scarcity will make water reduction essential for years to come. “On a global scale, the number of regions where drinking water is becoming scarce is increasing and the efficient use of drinking water will become one of the main challenges to mankind,” he said.

Water scarcity already affects every continent and industry according to Sealed Air Diversey Care global marketing director Lars Bo Madsen. “Around 1.2 billion people - almost a fifth of the world’s population currently live in areas of physical scarcity while 500 million more are approaching this situation,” he said. “The cleaning industry will have to constantly re-imagine its way of working with water resources.”

Diversey Care has committed itself to reducing its overall water intensity by 25 per cent by 2020. “The use of water will be thoroughly evaluated with every innovation we bring to market,” said Madsen.

Diversey products and solutions said to reduce water use include the Taski Intellibot automated scrubber dryer; the Intellidish cloud-based monitoring system and the new Pro series of concentrated chemicals.

The Taski Intellibot scrubber dryer uses a recycling system that is claimed to reduce the use of water and chemicals by

85 per cent compared with conventional machines. “It can clean continually for up to three-and-a-half hours with 53 litres which provides a very high operational efficiency and sustainability,” said Madsen.

The Intellidish system is part of the company’s Internet of Clean platform which connects machines, dispensers, sensors, beacons and other smart devices.

“This monitors dishwashers in commercial kitchens and gives real-time updates on water usage to ensure hygiene compliance and reduce waste,” he said. “We have seen customers reduce their water usage by 100 per cent because they are given full transparency over the dishwasher process and can manage peak hours and water resources much more effectively.”

Reduce environmental impact The company’s Pro Series includes Smart Mix Pro, a dilution control alternative to ready-to-use spray bottles; and Snap´N Dose Pro which comprises portion-packed trays for easy distribution.

“Both systems are designed to reduce transport, energy and water which significantly reduces the environmental impact of cleaning,” said Madsen.

Bio Productions – manufacturer of biological cleaning products - claims its urinal Bio Blocks can also lead to significant water savings. “An average urinal is flushed 36 times a day which is a colossal 13,140 flushes a year,” says managing director Angela Gill. “When using Bio Blocks you can reduce this flush frequency to four times a day or less which results in savings of around 100,000 litres of water a year for every urinal.”

In fact reducing the number of flushes to three times a day can actually increase the effectiveness of the products, according to Gill. “Not only does it save more water, it also allows the enzymes more time to work on the uric acid which helps to keep the pipes clear,” she said. “Too much flushing washes the goodness away.”

TG Hylift manages its water consumption by using the same supply for cleaning Continued page 22

October 2016 | ECJ | 21

SUSTAINABLE CLEANING Water workings (continued) and powering its equipment. The company’s Hycleaner system is designed for use on façades, roofs and solar panels.

“The brush rotation of our cleaning machines is generated by a water motor, and the same water is used for drive as well as for cleaning,” said managing director Andreas Grochowiak. “The Hycleaner series can be operated using tap water or rainwater as well as osmosis water and demineralised water.”

Multiple-use systems He believes this dual use of water will evolve into multiple-use systems in the future. “Reductions in water use will become increasingly important in years to come and even today there is an ongoing debate on how to realise water reductions in some regions,” he said. “However, I believe the most important element in any sustainable cleaning system is to provide chemical-free cleaning in order to avoid extensive recycling procedures.”

Nilfisk’s group floor care product manager Anders Sandstrom believes that reductions in water use need to be achieved across the board. “Clean drinking water is critical in the world today and cleaning water is expensive and difficult to access,” he said. “This is why the governments of some countries offer financial help when customers buy a cleaning machine that has a water-saving label.”

All Nilfisk machines are designed to reduce water use, according to Sandstrom.

“We are trying to improve this all the time,” he said. “Our latest launches - the walk-behind SC500, ride-on SC2000 and ride-on SC6000 – incorporate a SmartFlow system whereby the solution flow is controlled by speed. This helps to reduce the use of water and detergent by up to 50 per cent.”

The company also incorporates a recycling system in some larger machines.

This enables the operator to reuse the top section of the water in the recovery tank to allow for an extended scrub time.

Fimap considers it to be the company’s duty to find solutions that optimise the way in which water is used. “Water is essential for cleaning floors and we are always looking at systems that save water Dans de nombreux pays, la distribution d’eau suffit à peine aux besoins, si bien que l’eau y est venue une denrée rare. De ce fait, des entreprises toujours plus nombreuses proposent des solutions de nettoyage permettant de réduire la consommation d’eau. ECJ examine des solutions telles que tampons pulvérisateurs, produits chimiques concentrés, tissus imprégnés, machines à réutilisation d’eau etc. pour mieux comprendre la gestion qui est faite de l’eau, et les limites qui sont imposées à l’usage de l’eau.

October 2016 | ECJ | 22

and that avoid wasting it,” says product manager Antonio Incrocci.

Fimap has developed a series of watersaving technologies in its scrubbing machines. These include the FSS - Fimap Solution Saver – which allows water and detergent to be distributed separately. “In this way the operator can choose the ratio of water and detergent according on the type of dirt,” said Incrocci.

The company also offers the FWF system - Fimap Water Flow – which is said to provide a uniform distribution of cleaning solution on brushes even with reduced flow rates. “This means cleaning can be carried out all along the working width with only one pass,” he said. And the company’s Eco Mode uses a working configuration that automatically reduces water and detergent flow. “Which is the ideal setting for maintenance cleaning,” said Incrocci. “All these technologies enable the customer to reduce their water and chemical use by up to 50 per cent.”

The company also offers the Fimap Long Range system, a water recycling technology that reduces consumption by up to 66 per cent. “FLR makes used water available again after the cleaning process, making it possible to clean more square metres of floor space with the same amount of water and detergent,” said Incrocci.

No performance compromise Ecolab’s European marketing communications manager Alex Crampton says his company is always looking for ways to reduce, reuse or eliminate the use of water without compromising product performance. For example, he claims the company’s Mobilette Vario Flexx cleaning trolley can reduce water and detergent use by up to 50 per cent by means of an impregnated cloths and mops system.

“We also offer the Aquanomic Laundry programme which has the potential to reduce wash steps, water usage and temperature and results in water and energy savings of up to 40 per cent,” he said.

The company is striving to reduce water use on a wider scale through data collection and internet insights. Nalco Water the main water operation within Ecolab - is creating ways to leverage insights from In vielen Ländern herrscht Wassermangel und daher wird Wasser zu einem wertvollen Rohstoff.

Infolgedessen entwickeln immer mehr Unternehmen Reinigungslösungen, die den Wasserverbrauch senken. Das ECJ untersucht Sprühmopps, konzentrierte Reinigungschemikalien, imprägnierte Tücher, Maschinen, die Abwasser wiederverwenden, usw., um herauszufinden, wie mit Wasser umgegangen und wie sein Verbrauch eingeschränkt wird.

data collected from thousands of connected systems. “This allows us to more effectively monitor and control water use throughout our industrial processes on a global scale,” said Crampton. “As demand for water-saving solutions increases around the world, Ecolab is responding with solutions that have the power to meet that demand and scale.”

According to Crampton, Ecolab helped customers conserve more than 142 billion gallons of water in 2015 through its water management systems. “This represents water conservation equaling the annual drinking needs of more than a billion people,” he said.

He believes that water conservation will remain a key issue for years to come.

“Water scarcity is becoming more than a hypothetical risk to companies — it is a constraint to growth,” he said. “Yet water continues to be significantly undervalued in much of the world, making it hard for companies to make the business case to invest in solutions that reduce these risks.”

Nilfisk’s Anders Sandstrom believes systems that reuse water will be one of the next big things in sustainable cleaning. “However at Nilfisk we also focus on energy savings and the use of recyclable materials,” he adds. “We feel that to do more with less is just as important as reducing water use.”

Like other manufacturers, Diversey’s Lars Bo Madsen feels that the issue of water conservation will be an ongoing one.

However, he agrees with Sandstrom it is only part of the bigger picture.

“Any measures to reduce environmental impact should take a more holistic view,” he said. “Improvements in energy, water, waste, compliance, health, labour, and liability are also important. It is not our company’s philosophy to single out one or other of these sustainable goals but to drive improvements in all areas.”

And Fimap’s Antonio Incrocci concurs.

“Solutions that optimise water use are only one part of any successful sustainability policy,” he said. “Green cleaning solutions are not only about water: they should be based on the optimisation of all resources including detergent, power and energy.”

L’acqua scarseggia in numerose nazioni e sta quindi diventando un comodità di enorme valore. Come risultato, un numero sempre maggiore di imprese sta elaborando soluzioni di pulizia che riducono l’uso di acqua. ECJ prende in esame mop spray, prodotti chimici concentrati, panni imbevuti, macchine che riutilizzano l’acqua di scarico ecc. per scoprire come viene gestito l’uso dell’acqua e come ne viene limitato l’uso.

Scrubber dryer with more ease of use - Improve productivity and drive down cleaning costs

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PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

• L’European Tissue Symposium, qui représente les fabricants de papier de soie en Europe, informe qu’il joue un rôle important dans la certification forestière et le recyclage de produits de la forêt.

• HTC a lancé la gamme Twister Extreme de tampons diamantés de nettoyage de plancher, appelée à servir sur des sols polis en béton.

• Kärcher offre aux opérateurs de ses autolaveuses l’option de compenser les émissions de CO2 générées par leurs machines.

• DiBO a introduit une nouvelle technologie verte en proposant son nettoyeur haute pression à eau chaude IBH-S à système de chauffage à double pouvoir.

• La gamme Wecoline s’est enrichie d’un tissu en microfibres sur lequel sont imprimées des instructions de pliage, donnant huit zones de nettoyage au nettoyeur.

• Hako déclare prioriser les exigences de l’environnement à toutes les étapes de son développement de produits.

• Das European Tissue Symposium, das die Mehrheit der TissueHersteller in Europa repräsentiert, teilt mit, dass es eine führende Rolle bei Forstzertifizierung und Recycling einnimmt.

• HTC hat die Produktreihe Twister Extreme mit Diamant-Bodenpads, die für polierte Betonböden entwickelt wurde, vorgestellt.

• Kärcher bietet den Betreibern seiner Scheuersaugmaschinen die Option, die von ihren Maschinen erzeugten CO2-Emissionen zu kompensieren.

• DiBO stellt eine neue umweltbewusste Technologie mit dem Heißwasser-Hochdruckreiniger IBH-S vor – das Dual-Power-Heizsystem.

• Neu in der Produktreihe Wecoline ist ein Mikrofasertuch mit aufgedruckten Faltanweisungen, durch die der Benutzer acht Reinigungsbereiche erhält.

• Hako teilt mit, dass die Umweltverträglichkeit seiner Produkte bei allen Stufen des Entwicklungsprozesses eine vorrangige Rolle spielt.

• Il simposio European Tissue Symposium, che rappresenta il settore della produzione di prodotti in carta in Europa, afferma di svolgere un ruolo di primo piano nella certificazione forestale e nel riciclo.

• La HTC ha lanciato la gamma di dischi per pavimenti diamantati Twister Extreme, progettati per i pavimenti in cemento lucido.

• La Kärcher offre agli operatori delle sue lavasciuga pavimenti l’opzione di compensare le emissioni di CO2 generate dalle loro macchine.

• La DiBO sta per introdurre una nuova tecnologia verde con la sua idropulitrice ad alta pressione e acqua calda IBH-S, il sistema Dual Power Heating System.

• Il nuovo prodotto nella gamma Wecoline è un nuovo panno in microfibra su cui sono stampate le istruzioni per piegarlo per permettere all’addetto alle pulizie di avere otto aree di pulizia.

• La Hako afferma che dà la priorità all’impatto ambientale di tutti i suoi prodotti in tutte le fasi del procedimento di sviluppo.

October 2016 | ECJ | 24

Paper leaders According to the European Tissue Symposium (ETS) - which represents Europe’s leading tissue producers - Europe leads the world in paper recycling with a paper fibre being collected and recycled on average 3.5 times, compared with 2.4 times worldwide. ETS is a member of the European Recovered Paper Council, committed to meet a voluntary recycling target of 70 per cent in the EU plus Switzerland and Norway by 2015 – a level already achieved today and higher than any other region in the world.

ETS also supports the use of fibres from sustainably and legally managed forests and encourages the use of third party certification as one of the best ways to ensure that suppliers meet these requirements.

And new technologies increasingly allow the tissue industry to use recycled fibres in products without compromising on softness, strength and absorbency.

And industry leaders are actively exploring opportunities to recycle paper towels. www.europeantissue.com

Extreme pads

HTC has added to its diamond floor pad range with the launch of the Twister Extreme line diamond pads designed for polished concrete floors and other flat surfaces with high traffic.

Twister Extreme Red for stripping, honing and stain and etch repair was launched some time ago. Now it will be joined by with Extreme Orange, Extreme Blue and Extreme Grey pads.

The diamonds in Twister pads enable both cleaning and micropolishing of the floors instead of just scrubbing them. HTC claims using Twister in the daily cleaning process can deliver up to a 98 per cent waste saving from the pads, chemicals, and

packaging of both pads and chemicals. Only water is used, and diamond pads are said to last longer. www.twistersavings.com

Climate neutral

In collaboration with the climate protection consultancy ClimatePartner, Kärcher is now offering operators of its scrubber dryers the option to offset the CO2 emissions generated by their machines. This is done by calculating the annual CO2 emissions generated by the fleet based on its size, models and average use. A specific amount of money per tonne of CO2 is then invested in an internationally certified climate protection project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate-neutral cleaning, says Kärcher, contributes to the operator’s internal sustainability targets and can have a positive impact when it comes to tenders in terms of increasing environmental protection requirements.

Together with ClimatePartner, Kärcher carries out all of the necessary steps on behalf of the operator, who can track how much CO2 has been offset online using an identification number. The carbon neutrality is confirmed by a certificate and shown on the scrubber dryers with a label. www.karcher.com

Dual power DiBO claims to have introduced a new green technology with the Dual Power Heating System on its IBH-S hot water high pressure cleaner. Thanks to the com-

bination of an isolated preheating system and the GreenBoiler, there’s always a buffer of hot water immediately available and the machine consumes less fuel.

There is also an automatic start-stop system that puts the machine in standby mode when idle for 30 seconds. If inactivity is longer the electric motor is automatically switched off. www.dibo.com

Fold instruction

New in the Wecoline microfibre cloth range is one with a fold instruction actually printed on the cloth. For optimum use of the cloth the user folds it twice, which creates eight cleaning areas. Each plan is used until it is saturated with dirt, which the company says makes for more effective and efficient cleaning.

The benefits of cleaning with a damp microfibre cloth and clean water only include faster cleaning, reduction in chemical use, streak-free finish and sustainability because cloths can be washed up to 500 times. www.wecoline.com

Start to finish According to Hako it takes the full product life cycle of all its machines into consideration at the design stage. It also aims to use environmentally conscious materials and focuses on how the product can eventually be dismantled and recycled.

Environmental protection and sustainability are integral parts of the company’s philosophy at each of Hako’s production sites it says. And paying attention to the health and safety of people as well as promoting the economical use of resources and protecting nature is ingrained in the corporate culture The company says it also implements sustainably oriented machine production using modern plants and ecofriendly processes. www.hako.com

PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

Intelligent Fimap’s MMg scrubber dryer boasts high quality materials, optimised space usage, optimum ergonomics and latest technology.

The company has also launched MMg Plus, which features Intelligent Drive (ID), a system designed to make working more intuitive and user-friendly. ID offers different programmes all designed to save resources instead of wasting them. For example the water recycling system FLR - Fimap Long Range - increases working autonomy and can reduce water consumption by up to 66 per cent it says.

The display offers access to an interface allowing the operator to customise and configure a variety of different functions, from password-protected access to working modes. Personalised passwords may be set for individual operators, allowing access only to the specific functions they are authorised to use. www.fimap.com

Essential oil The V-Air SOLID-R refill from Vectair Systems contains Citronella and other essential oils.

V-Air SOLID-R is a multi-phasing, passive and solid fragrance cartridge that delivers consistent fragrance intensity,

through timed release waves of different fragrances.

The formulation is VOC exempt and propellant free, and the cartridge contains Citronella essential oil, Eucalyptus essential oil and Geraniol. The dispenser is battery-free and presents no transport or disposal issues.

The cartridge is made of ceramic, infused with high quality perfumes, then complemented by an integrated internal fragrance core. And the particles are sized typically below 1.0 micron, smaller and lighter than those in many other systems to enable them to remain airborne for many hours. This makes VAir SOLID-R safe for public areas and continuous exposure. www.vectairsystems.com

Eco vacuums New from IPC is an ECO-Class A range of vacuum cleaners, the professional ECO line. This is designed for daily cleaning of offices, hotel rooms and other small to medium sized areas.

The GP 1/16 ECO A model is equipped with a new generation Eco motor which IPC says ensures maximum energy savings combined with performance.

And the new Eco Brush has a powerful nozzle for efficiency.

The range also includes some recycled plastic models, called Black is Green, which boast significantly reduced waste production during their lifetime. www.ipcworldwide.com

Cradle to cradle Werner & Mertz’s green care Professional range of cleaning solutions is Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Gold certified. And sustainability goes beyond the product formulations, as the packaging and all its parts are also assessed.

The range is designed for all professional, institutional and industrial segments like food service, healthcare, lodging and building service contractors.

Products cover washrooms, surfaces, floors and glass cleaning. wmprof.com

• Les nouvelles autolaveuses MMg de Fimap sont conçues pour une réduction de la consommation d’eau et une augmentation de la productivité.

• La nouvelle recharge V-Air Solid-R de Vectair Systems contient de la citronnelle et d’autres essences.

• IPC a lancé la gamme ECO d’aspirateurs ECO-Class A. • Werner & Mertz Professional propose une gamme certifiée de produits chimiques de nettoyage « berceau à berceau ».

• Die Scheuersaugmaschinen MMg und MMg Plus von Fimap wurden konzipiert, um den Wasserverbrauch zu senken und gleichzeitig die Produktivität zu steigern.

• Die neue Nachfüllpackung V-Air Solid-R von Vectair Systems enthält Zitronellöl und andere ätherische Öle.

• IPC hat die Produktfamilie ECO mit Staubsaugern der Öko-Klasse A vorgestellt.

• Werner & Mertz Professional bietet eine Produktreihe mit Cradle-to-Cradle-zertifizierten Reinigungschemikalien.

• Le lavasciuga pavimenti MMg and MMg Plus della Fimap sono progettate per ridurre il consumo di acqua e per aumentare la produttività.

• La nuova cartuccia V-Air Solid-R della Vectair Systems contiene citronella e altri olii essenziali.

• La IPC ha lanciato la linea ECO di aspirapolveri ECO-Class A. • La Werner & Mertz Professional propone una gamma di prodotti chimici di pulizia certificati “Cradle to Cradle” (dalla culla alla culla).

October 2016 | ECJ | 25

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PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

Clear mission ECMR says it is encouraging the cleaning sector to change from being a linear to a circular economy through its recycling of cleaning machines that have reached the end of their lifetime cycle.

The company takes these machines, dismantles, recycles and upcycles parts according to local legislation. Its customers then receive transparent information about waste production and certification of the recycled stream.

ECMR’s André Vonk points out that Europe’s waste is often shipped illegally to Africa, and Ghana for example is creating its own sub-economy from toxic waste. Many live on the remains of the toxic waste shipped to Ghana. www.ecmr.nu

Second Life certification (PSV).

The recently updated models are better designed to organise trolley space and concentrate cleaning activities in a smaller space. Thanks to the 90-litre bag holder with lower sliding drawer waste collection, mopping and storage can be fit into 86 x 58 cm.

User ergonomy has also been a focus in design and to improve working posture a push-bar is now available - with its two button joints it can move

Plant-based

through 180° so the user can choose the best position according to their height. www.filmop.com

Next edition of ECJ - November

Using its patented technology, Salveco has developed a range of plant-based professional surface disinfectants. These disinfectants are the first in the world to benefit from the simplified authorisation procedure, the company says, which aims to encourage the use of biocidal products that have a more favourable environmental or human and animal health profile. www.salveco.com

Separate waste Alpha Split is the separate waste collection system introduced

by Filmop for use on its Alpha trolleys. It’s made from recycled plastic coming from certified suppliers in line with Plastic • Part le biais de son recyclage de machines de nettoyage, la société ECMR affirme qu’elle encourage le secteur de la propreté à évoluer de l’état d’une économie linéaire à celui d’une économie circulaire.

• Filmop a mis au point l’Alpha Split pour ses chariots de nettoyage afin de permettre la collecte séparée de déchets.

• Salveco a introduit une gamme de désinfectants des mains et de surfaces à base de végétaux.

• ECMR vertritt die Meinung, dass das Unternehmen durch sein Recycling von Reinigungsmaschinen die Reinigungsbranche darin bestärkt, sich von einer linearen zu einer Kreislaufwirtschaft zu entwickeln.

• Filmop hat zum Einsatz auf seinen Moppreinigungswagen das System Alpha Split entwickelt, das die getrennte Abfallsammlung ermöglicht.

• Neu von Salveco ist eine Produktfamilie mit Hände- und Oberflächendesinfektionsmitteln auf pflanzlicher Basis.

• Grazie al suo riciclo di macchine per le pulizie, la ECMR afferma di incoraggiare il settore del pulito a passare da un’economia lineare a una circolare.

• La Filmop ha progettato il sistema Alpha Split che permette la raccolta differenziata dei rifiuti e che può essere usato sui suoi trolley per mop.

• La novità della Salveco è una linea di sanitizzanti per le mani a base di piante e dei disinfettanti per superfici.

October 2016 | ECJ | 27

FUTURE TRENDS

Connecting the dots...

With the arrival of the Internet of Things it seems inevitable that the offices of tomorrow will become more connected. Jamie Wright from Tork manufacturer SCA considers the impact that smart technology could have on cleaning and hygiene at work.

“Businesses need to realise the concrete productivity benefits that the Internet of Things can provide in the form of happier, healthier employees.”

October 2016 | ECJ | 28

One of the huge benefits of the internet is the fact that it saves us so much time.

Gone are the days when the task of shopping involved trawling from store to store in search of a particular item. Now we simply Google the goods we want and order and pay for them on line within a matter of minutes. And for a small premium, we can even have our purchases delivered to our house on the same day.

When planning a holiday there is longer any need to leaf through brochures before heading for the travel agents’ in order to consult with experts. No, these days we simply check out all the options on the internet and use peer reviews to help us make an informed choice.

There are countless other ways in which the internet has been simplifying our lives and saving us time over the past approximately 20 years. But in the office – a place where productivity is key and where time is literally money – there is still some way to go before everyday processes become internet-linked.

Hunting around for a meeting room, controlling the heating and lighting, going to the stockroom for supplies, even finding an available toilet – all these and other everyday tasks can take valuable time out of the working day. So imagine a scenario in which everything is connected and where all these simple office-based activities are streamlined in order to make our working lives easier.

This is one of the future trends that emerged in a study we at SCA carried out this year. In the Tork Trend Report we polled the views of 8,000 office workers in 17 cities worldwide and carried out in-depth interviews with a number of key industry players. The aim of the report was to find out how the office environment is changing and to consider ways in which efficiencies could be increased and employee wellbeing could be improved.

The report revealed that increasingly connected offices would be welcomed by both employees and managers. Around

73 per cent of survey respondents felt that increased connectivity would improve their working lives while the industry players we interviewed believed that connectivity would increase efficiency in the office.

As an example, Microsoft was recently able to dramatically improve its energy efficiency at one location by means of a connected office space. The company discovered major energy inefficiencies at its Redmond campus in Washington in the US where 40,000 people are employed.

According to Microsoft productivity solutions specialist Niklas Dahlgren: “Connecting a vast network of dataproviding sensors allowed the Redmond facility management to discover and fix major inefficiencies such as air conditioners and heaters counteracting each other, thus saving massive amounts of energy.”

Connected offices could also provide managers with more data on which to base decisions according to Linda Ekener Mägi, who works with strategic business development at global ICT company Ericsson. “Most companies still use stone age methods such as walking around and counting the number of employees sitting at their desks,” she said. “Cars have incorporated sensors and data collection for a long time so offices will soon be moving in this direction as well.”

Ericsson is something of a connectivity pioneer and the company recently developed an app to help employees find an available meeting room via their smartphone. The response of staff was positive - and also pragmatic according to Ekener Mägi,. “They said: ‘Great, now when will I get an app to find the available toilets?’,” she said.

In fact toilets – and hygiene in general – need to be a key focus of tomorrow’s connected offices according to Tony Löf, who is developing H&M’s global facility management concept. “There will be complaints straightaway if core hygiene isn’t maintained,” he said.

FUTURE TRENDS Our survey backs up this claim. Of the 8,000 office workers questioned, 79 per cent said they would inform their facility manager if they were dissatisfied with the quality of hygiene products supplied in their office washrooms.

More than half of the workers questioned globally said they often worry about being infected by unwell colleagues at work, with six out of 10 believing that working remotely is good for their health.

And around 40 per cent of workers in New York and London believed that connected office systems could have a positive impact on hygiene.

The survey also revealed that four out of 10 employees often come across washrooms that have been inadequately cleaned and that have empty soap and paper dispensers.

We at Tork have already addressed this problem by means of our Tork EasyCube system. This enables cleaning staff to monitor refill levels in ‘connected’ dispensers via their tablet or smartphone.

This will greatly improve hygiene efficiency in the office since cleaning teams will know in advance which dispensers. It will also free up more time for them to concentrate on other tasks, such as washroom cleaning.

Tork EasyCube has been launched at a time when the working environment already appears to be changing for the better. An encouraging fact that emerged from our study was that more than 50 per cent of people questioned feel that their employer cares about their wellbeing.

Around 33 per cent of respondents said their office had been designed with employee health as a top priority, while more than 60 per cent said their office has been redesigned at least once in the past three years.

Today’s workplaces offer a number of facilities that aim to improve the employee’s lifestyle according to our study.

For example, 45 per cent of respondents said their office premises incorporated a café while almost a quarter had a gym.

And more than a third of those questioned said their office was a good place to socialise with colleagues after work.

However, these positive trends come with drawbacks as they can add to the Avec l’arrivée de l’Internet des Objets, il semble inévitable que les bureaux de demain deviennent encore plus connectés. SCA s’est penchée sur l’impact de la technologique sur le nettoyage et l’hygiène au travail en procédant à un Rapport de tendance Tork au cours duquel 8000 employés de bureau ont été sondés dans 17 pays du monde entier. Le but de ce travail était de mieux comprendre l’évolution de l’environnement de bureau.

cleaning and hygiene challenge. The increasing practice of incorporating a gym into offices means that there is often a need for showers, and these must be kept clean at all times to avoid infection risk.

New ways of working The presence of a café or canteen also means that many employees will buy a sandwich and return to their desk to eat it.

However, today’s practice of hot-desking – where no-one is assigned a specific desk or cubicle and where employees are seated at a different desk each day – can be an issue. Around 62 per cent of people questioned in our study admitted to being squeamish about coming across crumbs and debris left behind from other employees’ food.

“With people changing their workspace on a daily basis - sometimes several times per day - we need to provide solutions that allow employees to clean keyboards and other shared office components,” says Ola Sarvik, a member of Sodexo’s international network of cleaning experts.

As employees become more lifestyleconscious and their expectations increase, there will be greater demands on managers to provide facilities that improve their quality of life. This will help to attract a top quality workforce and boost productivity, since a happy staff is more likely to work hard and remain healthy. In other words: this will be a win:win.

Mit der Ankunft des Internets der Dinge scheint es unvermeidlich, dass das Büro der Zukunft in zunehmendem Maße vernetzt sein wird. Im Rahmen des Tork Trend Reports fasste SCA die Auswirkungen von Technologie auf die Reinigung und Hygiene bei der Arbeit ins Auge. Im Rahmen dieser Umfrage wurden 8.000 Büroangestellte in 17 Ländern weltweit befragt. Das Ziel war herauszufinden, welchen Änderungen die Büroumgebung unterworfen ist.

Systems such as Tork EasyCube and Tork Smartfresh are the start of an office revolution that will lead to many more connected pieces of equipment at work.

By providing real-time information these systems will enable facilities management staff to anticipate issues and solve problems before they occur rather than waiting for complaints from office workers or happening upon issues during cleaning rounds.

The next step will be to use connected systems to analyse the data so that architects can use intelligent information when designing new offices.

Understanding how the facilities are being used and where the inefficiencies lie will enable management teams to build workplaces that better match the needs of employees.

As the office becomes increasingly connected the challenge will then be to gather all the information in one place, literally connecting the dots. Today this data tends to be fragmented between different systems with one service provider receiving data from the coffee machines, for example, while another receives information from the printers.

“Companies hesitate to invest more in office connectivity because of the short- term costs,” says H&M’s Tony Löf. “However, they need to realise the concrete productivity benefits that the Internet of Things can provide in the form of happier, healthier employees.”

Con l’avvento di Internet of Things (l’Internet delle cose) sembra inevitabile che gli uffici del futuro diventeranno sempre più connessi. La SCA ha considerato l’impatto della tecnologia sul pulito e sull’igiene al lavoro effettuando il rapporto Tork Trend Report, un sondaggio fatto su 8.000 impiegati in uffici di 17 nazioni a livello mondiale. Lo scopo è quello di scoprire come sta cambiando l’ambiente degli uffici.

October 2016 | ECJ | 29

CARE OF HARD FLOORS

Keeping down costs Ann Laffeaty looks at the cost implications of hard floors and finds out whether there are any shortcuts when it comes to cleaning and maintenance.

Ceramic tiles are among the cheapest floor surfaces to maintain, according to Mariano. “Ceramic tiles are durable, hygienic, stain-resistant and easy to clean,” he said. “Laminated floors are also economical to maintain since they are flexible and waterproof. And while hardwood floors are easy to clean they need to be sanded down many times in order to keep their original looks.”

Among the latest floor coverings on the market are travertine and granolithic, he says. “These have recently been introduced by architects and interior designers for their upmarket look – but what they omit to say is that these materials are very delicate and porous,” he said. “So if stains are not removed promptly it may lead to streaks on the tiles.

Damage surface

Hard floors in public facilities need to withstand a great deal of wear and tear.

They support large numbers of people every day – some wearing high heels, some tracking in mud and others wheeling prams or trolley cases.

Heels, wheels and moisture all have the capacity to harm hard surfaces which means facilities managers need to come up with a plan to keep their floors looking attractive.

But floor maintenance can be expensive and time-consuming - and floor manufacturers are not always tuned in to the maintenance challenge, at least according to some sources.

IPC sales and business development manager Adriano Mariano believes the cost of cleaning and maintenance is rarely a priority for floor manufacturers.

“However, we are convinced that these costs should be the deciding factor for consumers when considering renewing their floor surfaces,” he said. “They should be provided with this information when choosing a floor.”

“Also, the use of harsh or acid cleaners can seriously damage a travertine surface.

A stone cleaner or neutral soap is therefore the best solution and this should be applied with a clean mop or soft cloth.”

Diversey Care’s senior building care application expert Michael Johnsson agrees about the benefits of ceramic tiles. “Ceramic is extremely resistant to tough mechanical maintenance methods,” he said. “These methods can be used in conjunction with heavy-duty detergents where required, such as in particularly greasy environments. And apart from the grouting between the tiles, ceramics are also acid-resistant.”

He says soft natural stones such as limestone and marble tend to be more sensitive to mechanical wear and staining.

“This is also true of artificial floor types such as terrazzo,” he said. According to Johnsson, soft stone floors need to be maintained using a solution such as the Taski Twister.

“These floor types are acid-reactive which means they will easily be damaged if someone uses an acidic detergent on them by mistake,” he said.

“Diamond pads and a soap cleaner will buff and polish these floors and protect

them from staining.”

Seamless concrete floors have been increasing in popularity in recent years, says Johnsson. “The top layer of these floors will have different characteristics depending on the requirements of the environment,” he said. “For example in wet areas this top layer could be slip-resistant whereas in other environments the floor could be given a high or low gloss. In general the cleaning and maintenance task will be similar here to that of soft natural stone – in other words, the floor needs to be protected from staining and should be maintained using a diamond pad. However in the case of a slip-resistant top layer, brushes should be used instead of pads.”

Unlike Mariano, Johnsson believes that the larger floor manufacturers are tuned into the maintenance challenge and strive to develop resistant top layers to apply to the original substrate. “These top layers are often based on polyurethanes or other hard durable plastics,” he said. “As long as the mill finish is intact, it can be maintained using diamond pads. However it is important to be aware that these mill finishes are really thin and will wear away over time. When the mill finish is gone you will need to replace it in order to keep good cleaning properties and retain the aesthetics of the floor.”

He says all flooring requires some kind of maintenance – particularly when cleaned using manual mopping methods.

“Softer, more porous materials need more protection plus a greater degree of buffing and polishing,” he said. “The consequences of low or no maintenance here would be dramatic: the time required for cleaning the floor would increase along with the workload of the cleaning staff. And the appearance of the floor and the quality of the cleaning would suffer.”

His advice to facilities managers is to invest in a machine for regular floor cleaning. “With the help of a scrubber dryer and diamond pads, most of the maintenance will be performed in the same sequence Continued page 32

October 2016 | ECJ | 31

CARE OF HARD FLOORS Keeping down costs (continued) as cleaning,” he said. “Even on manually cleaned areas we recommend periodic buffing and polishing to keep the cleaning properties and aesthetics at a high level.”

He believes there will be an ongoing need for traditional floor care. “This is because there are millions of square metres of older flooring in buildings all over the world, and these have traditional maintenance requirements,” he said.

Group product manager of Nilfisk’s floor care division Jean-Pierre Lebrun says parameters such as location, environment and traffic all have an impact on the cost of cleaning and maintaining hard floors.

“It also typically costs more to maintain a high-shine surface than it does to maintain matt flooring,” he said. “It is important to choose the right floor material depending on the location and traffic since with the right floor material comes easier cleaning and maintenance.”

He believes that many floor manufacturers tend to consider the total cost of ownership – including the cost of maintenance - when developing new products.

“They ask chemical and machine producers for professional cleaning advice so that they can provide cleaning information on the documentation,” he said.

He believes proper maintenance to be worth the money since it significantly increases the life of the floor. “It is far cheaper to maintain a floor than it is to change it, and it is more difficult to clean a floor that has been poorly maintained,” he said. “Also, if the floor surface is of poor quality this can become a safety issue.”

Nilfisk offers a range of scrubber dryers, single disks and burnishing machines for use on most common hard floors.

Granite can work out to be among the least expensive floor surfaces to maintain according to Kärcher training Instructor Sebastian Nann. “Its acquisition cost is high, but it is very low cost thereafter because it requires neither basic cleaning nor care and lasts for up to 40 years,” he said. “Care of wooden floors is much more expensive than that of stone floors which require no special care whatever.”

He says stone floors and tiles cost less to look after because costly coating and decoating is not required for long-term

protection. “However maintenance cleaning requires more or less the same input and expense on any hard floor because there is no difference in the cleaning methods used,” he said.

Latest floor coverings on the market include linoleum, PVC and elastomers with a permanent polyurethane coating, says Nann. “Depending on the quality of this coating the user can dispense with both basic and maintenance cleaning for a number of years,” he said. Another new flooring material is enomer, a chlorinefree thermoplastic. “The advantage of this material is that it so robust that it requires no coating and needs only maintenance cleaning,” said Nann.

He believes many floor manufacturers carefully consider the cost of maintenance when developing new types of flooring. “This is a key purchasing criterion for customers who take into account the total cost of flooring over its life cycle,” he said.

Spending the extra money on properly maintaining a floor is well worth the expense, according to Nann. “Coating is worthwhile because the floor will otherwise be unserviceable and need replacing within a few years,” he said. “In terms of cost per square metre, replacing a floor covering is always much more expensive than regular cleaning and care.

“And if a floor is not cleaned and cared for regularly the cleaning costs will increase. On a wooden floor for example, the dirt will become ingrained in scratches and be harder to remove.”

He says customers can maintain their floors more economically by renewing the coating before it is totally worn out and before the floor covering beneath it is already damaged.

“Essentially there are two systems: the first is to use spot care film renewal in badly-worn areas such as in lobbies where only the most noticeable scratches and spots are renewed,” he said. “The other system is top-stripping in which a thick care film is applied to a floor covering in five or six layers. With a special pad such as the Kärcher S 65 brush head the top layer of care film is removed using only water and a new layer is applied.”

He claims this method to be eco-friendly because no detergent is required and the drying time is particularly short which

Parmi les planchers durs, quels sont ceux dont le nettoyage est le moins onéreux ? Le bois coûte-t-il moins cher à nettoyer que le marbre, et une surface brillante est-elle d’entretien plus difficile qu’un revêtement mat ? ECJ se penche sur les frais de nettoyage et d’entretien de chaque type de plancher dur.

Welche Hartbödenoberflächen sind mit dem geringsten Kostenaufwand zu reinigen und zu pflegen? Ist beispielsweise die Reinigung von Holz billiger als die von Marmor, und ist die Pflege einer Hochglanzoberfläche schwieriger als ein Bodenbelag im Mattfinish? Das ECJ betrachtet die Reinigungs- und Pflegekosten der verschiedenen Hartbodentypen.

Cost-effective

October 2016 | ECJ | 32

means the floor can be walked on again soon afterwards. ”In addition, the user saves the time required for a thorough basic cleaning.”

When using the right tools, most types of hard floor surface can be cleaned easily and at low cost according to Hako’s application technology trainer and consultant Klaus Serfezi.

Wood most difficult “However in most cases, the decision as to which type of flooring is used is not only based on the cost of cleaning and maintenance,” he said. “It is often the optical appearance that influences the decision rather than more practical and sensible factors.”

He agrees with other manufacturers that wooden floors are generally among the most difficult to clean. “Water has to be used in carefully measured amounts in order not to cause damage on these types of floors,” he said.

High-shine floors also tend to be harder to maintain economically than matt alternatives, adds Serfezi. “This is because cleaners often use unsuitable products or too much detergent on shiny floors,” he said. “This produces smudges that need to be laboriously polished afterwards whereas with matt floors the streaks are less visible and are therefore often tolerated.”

Hako offers a range of scrubber dryers that are said to improve cleaning efficiency. The company’s AquaControl system is claimed to produce water and detergent savings of up to 50 per cent while its AquaForce system requires no cleaning chemicals.

Serfezi believes the type of machinery used to maintain hard floors can have a significant impact on cost.

“When buying a cleaning machine, customers often focus on the initial procurement costs,” he said. “However the cheapest machine equipped with low-cost features is not always the right machine for the task.

“Today more than ever, buying a cleaning machine requires competent application-technical consultation and expert recommendation on the type and class of machine that is most suitable for the task in hand.”

Quali sono le superfici dure per pavimenti con i costi più bassi di pulizia e manutenzione? Il legno è più economico da pulire del marmo per esempio, e la manutenzione delle superfici superlucide è più difficile di quella di un sistema di pavimenti opaco? ECJ prende in esame le implicazioni dei costi di manutenzione e pulizia per ogni tipo di pavimento duro.

Introducing the New

TGB3045 30L Capacity 45cm Scrub Width

TwinTec GelTec Range TGB4055 40L Capacity 55cm Scrub Width

TGB6055 60L Capacity 55cm Scrub Width

TwinTec GelTec

TGB3045 / 4055 / 6055

The all new TwinTec range has been re-engineered focusing on three core values… Reliability, Durability and Usability.

It’s quite simple, our customers want clean and dry floors day in, day out with no fuss.

The new GelTec range offers exactly that... easy to use, simple to maintain and years of hardworking service.

Tilting deck for easy brush change and storage

Colour control convenience

TGB3045 Structofoam chassis, heavy duty and completely corrosion free

See our full range at www.numatic.com

Numatic International Limited, Chard, Somerset. TA20 2GB Tel: 01460 68600 © Numatic International Limited 2016. Specification subject to change without prior notice.

PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS

• Les autolaveuses Kärcher BD 43/25 C Bp (batterie) et BD 43/35 C Ep (secteur) sont conçues pour des superficies allant jusqu’à 800 m2.

• Produite par RCM, la Boxer est une balayeuse autoportée pour le nettoyage de grandes surfaces internes et en plein air dans l’industrie lourde.

• La nouvelle polisseuse de plancher Zeus, de la société Sprintus, se signale par sa pression optimale et son aisance de manoeuvre.

• Columbus a introduit l’autolaveuse autoportée ARA 85 | BM 120 pour des superficies de taille moyenne.

• HTC a lancé la gamme Duratiq de meuleuses de sol, disponibles en deux largeurs.

• Hilados Biete a crée le tampon Abrasive pour un nettoyage humide quotidien en profondeur.

• Die Scheuersaugmaschinen BD 43/25 C Bp (Akkubetrieb) and BD 43/35 C Ep (Netzbetrieb) von Kärcher wurden für Flächen bis zu 800 m2 entworfen.

• Die Aufsitz-Kehrmaschine Boxer von RCM dient zur Reinigung großer Innen- und Außenflächen in der Schwerindustrie.

• Die neue Poliermaschine Zeus von Sprintus bietet optimalen Druck und einfache Handhabung.

• Neu von Columbus ist die Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine ARA 85 | BM 120 für mittelgroße Flächen.

• HTC hat Duratiq vorgestellt, eine Produktreihe mit Fußbodenschleifmaschinen, die in zwei Breiten erhältlich sind.

• Hilados Biete hat den Mopp Abrasive zur täglichen Grundreinigung von rauen oder Anti-Rutschböden entwickelt.

• Le lavasciugatrici BD 43/25 C Bp (a batteria) e BD 43/35 C Ep (alimentata a corrente) della Kärcher sono progettate per aree fino a 800 mq.

• La Boxer della RCM è una spazzatrice con operatore a bordo adatta per la pulizia di aree interne ed esterne di grandi dimensioni per l’industria pesante.

• La nuova lucidatrice per pavimenti Zeus della Sprintus vanta pressione ottimale e facile manovrabilità.

• La novità della Columbus è la lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo adatta per aree di medie dimensioni ARA 85 | BM 120.

• La HTC ha lanciato Duratiq, una gamma di levigatrici disponibili in due larghezze.

• La Hilados Biete ha sviluppato il mop Abrasive per la pulizia a fondo giornaliera dei pavimenti ruvidi o anti scivolamento.

October 2016 | ECJ | 34

Traction drive The latest addition to Kärcher’s walk-behind scrubber dryer range without traction drive is the BD 43/25 C Bp (battery operation) and BD 43/35 C Ep (mains operation). These are designed for areas up to 800 square metres and each has a disk head for attaching disk brushes or pads.

The main focus of development on this product says Kärcher, was on customer requirements for a scrubber dryer in the lower price range with low service costs and high efficiency.

Both versions have a working width of 43 cm and a large, easy-to-fill fresh water tank.

The mains version has a filling capacity of 35 litres and the battery version 25 litres. The compact design, good manoeuvrability and clear view of the working area are designed to make work easier for the operator. All essential functions can be selected via rotary switch on the centrally arranged control panel.

Other features include simple battery replacement, filling level indicator, easily accessible filling opening for fresh water and removable dirty water tank. www.karcher.com

Extreme pads RCM’s Boxer ride-on sweeper was designed to clean the large indoor and outdoor areas of ceramics factories, cement

plants, steel mills, foundries, recycling plants and other heavy industry.

Features include a sturdy steel frame, large area dust filter, electric shaker, vacuum cut-off for wet sweeping, main and side self-levelling brushes, and lifting front flap for bulk debris. www.rcm.it

Quiet power The Zeus floor polisher from Sprintus has a powerful 1,200 watt motor yet is claimed by the company to be particularly quiet. The steel planetary gearing is said to be maintenancefree and the 175 rpm Zeus is easy to operate safely even for inexperienced users, according to Sprintus.

The 12-litre fresh water tank sits directly on top of the machine for optimum contact pressure and easy handling. The user can remove the tank in a

single action if desired in order to clean beneath objects or up to edges. This is said to be easily achievable due to the machine’s low 10 cm ground clearance.

The fresh water tank is equipped with a stretch hose to enable it to be topped up directly from the tap. The machine is described as being energy-efficient and easy to transport. It is also space-saving when stored since the shaft can be completely folded down. www.sprintus.eu

Long seat The new ride-on scrubber dryer ARA 85 | BM 120 from Columbus has been designed for the cleaning of medium-sized areas with its 850 mm working width and 120-litre tank volume.

Once filled with fresh water, this model can clean around

3,600 square metres without a break with a single tankful. A special feature is the long seat, on which operators both small and large can find the right ergonomic sitting position.

Other benefits include the adaptive brush system, convenient changing of pad holders and brushes, and LED headlights for a good view of the working area. www.columbus-clean.com

New grinders New from HTC is the Duratiq floor grinder, available in 600 and 800 mm widths. Features include a newly-designed digital control panel and remote control for easy handling; new hermetically sealed and dustproof grinding head; compact, robust chassis design and enhanced AirFlow technology and Mist Cooler System for increased productivity.

The weights are also simple to adjust, there are 20 different handle settings and 74 per cent less vibration compared to previous models.

Smart features include GPS tracking, USB ports to download operating data, upload new software and charge personal equipment. www.duratiq.com

Deep daily clean For deep and daily cleaning in hospitals, offices, hotels, shopping centres, etc Hilados Biete has developed the Abrasive mop. This microfibre mop features a star structure to enable efficient dust entrapment and the ultra thin microfibre catches dirt particles like a magnet.

Said to be particularly suitable for dry or damp cleaning on antislip floors, industrial kitchens etc, Abrasive can also be used for pre-impregnated cleaning. www.hiladosbiete.com

C R E AT I N G A C L E A N E R , S A F E R , H E A LT H I E R W O R L D .

A NEW VIEW ON CLEAN Introducing the M17 Sweeper-Scrubber with available Pro-Panel™ Technology

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SEEING IS BELIEVING For a free demonstration or for additional information: Tennant Europe N.V. | Roderveldlaan 3 - 2600 Berchem - Belgium Tel: +32 217 94 11 | Fax: +32 217 94 19 | Email: europe@tennantco.com ©2016 Tennant Company. All Rights Reserved.

CARE OF HARD FLOORS

Smart concept Click, fill, spray and clean in an instant. That’s Greenspeed’s claim with the introduction of its new flat mopping system range.

The system comprises the Click’M frame, Click’M mops and the Sprenkler handle. The Click’M frame fixes the microfibre mop quick and easily to the plate thanks to its magnets.

This patented frame, without velcro, is lightweight, minimises the chance of adhesion of dirt and is easy to clean.

Then there are three types of Click’M mops for different surfaces - each has a loop for hygienic removal and can be laundered up to 500 times. If this hygienic click system is combined with

the Sprenkler handle the operator no longer has to carry heavy buckets around because it has an integrated water reservoir.

If the floor is very dirty a dose of Multi Forte highly concentrated ecological floor cleaner can be added to the water. www.greenspeed.eu

Pre-prepared PPS has developed the EasyMop system for pre-preparation of mop heads in hygienecritical environments. Its design allows no-touch picking up of mop heads and there is no need for the operator to come into contact with detergents or disinfectants.

Mop heads are prepared in the EasyMop system box before use - being evenly saturated during the impregnation process. Boxes are available in six different colours for colour coding, and for allocation of different chemicals to pre-defined colours.

This process, says PPS, is ergonomically better for the user and also reduces costs in terms of water, detergent and energy use. www.pps-pfennig.de

Floor pad app Wecoline’s floor pad app is designed to offer advice on which pad will deliver the cleanest and best result on different types of floor.

The user answers questions about the type of floor, what kind of dirt, which type of machine and the desired result.

They then receive professional advice, supported by short videos about the correct use of the pad on the floor. wecoline.com/innovations/ floor-pad-app

• Greenspeed a mis au point un nouveau système de balayage humide à plat comprenant le cadre Click’M, les tampons Click’M et le manche Sprenkler.

• PPS a lancé le système EasyMop assurant préparation dans un récipient de têtes de balayage humide avec du détergent ou du désinfectant avant leur utilisation.

• Wecovi a lancé l’application Wecoline pour le nettoyage de planchers, qui indique le type de tampon à utiliser face à chaque situation.

• Greenspeed hat ein neues Flachmoppsystem entwickelt, das aus dem Click’M-Rahmen, den Click’MMopps und dem Sprenkler-Griff besteht.

• PPS hat das EasyMop-System vorgestellt. Dieses System dient zur Vorbereitung von Moppköpfen mit Waschmitteln oder Desinfektionsmitteln vor der Verwendung.

• Wecovi hat die Boden-App Wecoline vorgestellt. Sie hilft bei der Entscheidung, welche Pads für welche Anwendung geeignet sind.

• La Greenspeed ha sviluppato un nuovo sistema per mop piatti che include la struttura Click’M, i mop Click’M e il manico Sprenkler.

• La PPS ha lanciato il sistema EasyMop che pre-prepara in un contenitore i mop con detergenti o disinfettanti per essere pronti all’uso.

• La Wecovi ha lanciato l’applicazione “ Wecoline floor app” che consiste in una guida per scegliere quale disco è il più adatto per ogni tipo di lavoro.

October 2016 | ECJ | 37

PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS

• Ajoutée à la gamme Hako, l’autolaveuse compact à conducteur porté B75 R travaille sur des surfaces auxquelles seules accédaient des modèles à conducteur accompagnant.

• L’autolaveuse CT 15 Roller proposée par IPC possède une brosse cylindrique capable de ramasser des débris quasimicroscopiques.

• Green Care Longlife est le revêtement de plancher durable de Werner & Mertz Professional.

• Comac a remanié la conception de son autolaveuse à conducteur autoporté C130 pour la rendre plus confortable, ergonomique et conviviale.

• La Grand Finale proposée par Aztec est une machine conçue pour appliquer des finis, durcissants et scellants de plancher.

• Neu von Hako ist die kompakte Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine Scrubmaster B75 R, die für Bereiche konzipiert wurde, die bisher nur mit handgeführten Modellen zugänglich waren.

• Die Scheuersaugmaschine CT 15 Roller von IPC weist eine Walzenbürste auf, mit der selbst kleinste Fremdkörper erfasst werden können.

• Bei Green Care Longlife handelt es sich um die widerstandsfähige Beschichtung von Werner & Mertz Professional.

• Comac hat die AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine C130 neu gestaltet, um sie komfortabler, ergonomischer und benutzerfreundlicher zu machen.

• Bei der Grand Finale von Aztec handelt es sich um eine Maschine, die zum Auftragen von Bodenpolitur, Härtungs- und Versiegelungsmitteln konzipiert wurde.

• La novità della Hako è la macchina lavapavimenti compatta con operatore a bordo Scrubmaster B75 R, progettata per aree precedentemente servite da modelli con operatore al seguito.

• La lavasciugatrice CT 15 Roller della IPC è dotata di una spazzola cilindrica che permette di raccogliere anche il più piccolo detrito.

• Green Care Longlife è la finitura a lunga durata per i pavimenti prodotta dalla Werner & Mertz Professional.

• La Comac ha riprogettato la sua lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo C130 per renderla più comoda, ergonomica e facile da usare.

• Grand Finale della Aztec è una macchina progettata per l’applicazione di finiture per pavimenti, indurenti e sigillanti.

October 2016 | ECJ | 38

Tight spaces

up to one hour and 15 minutes when in Eco mode.

The automatic transportation wheel system enables easy movement without brush removal and all parts subject to wear can be removed and replaced without tools. www.ipcworldwide.com

Sustainable The compact design of its rideon scrubber dryer Scrubmaster B75 R, says Hako, makes it suitable for working in tight spaces and narrow passages - for example checkout areas.

Key features include an optimal seating position for the operator, and the ability to complete a U-turn in narrow aisles.

There are now two working widths - 55 and 65 cm - and a working speed up to 5.5 km per hour. The control panel in the display is illuminated and the clearly arranged control buttons provide intuitive use and are self-explanatory says Hako.

Easy access to the diagnosis interface allows quick diagnosis of the electronic systems or adjustments to the settings.

Thanks to the on-board charger with IEC power connector, the battery can be charged at any power outlet worldwide. www.hako.com

Goes backwards

The CT 15 Roller scrubber dryer from IPC boasts excellent suction and drying power, forwards and backwards. It is equipped with a cylindrical brush that can collect even the smallest debris, says the company. Two blades - one on the front and the other on the back of the brush - offer optimum drying performance even while moving in reverse.

Other features include to-thewall and corners cleaning; large tank to offer maximum water autonomy of up to 30 minutes and a battery than can run for

With green care Longlife Complete Werner & Mertz Professional says it is offering a holistic and sustainable floor coating - boasting durability; consistent appearance; time-saving 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.

select the type of job you want to carry out, for example, and when the operator has chosen the type of task there are three scrubbing programmes to choose from. Each uses a certain amount of water, detergent and pressure - in order to avoid waste, save water and reduce consumption when possible.

The brush head moves laterally to reach the dirt that settles against walls or underneath shelving and draw it towards the centre, where it is picked up by the central brushes. Brush pressure is up to 180 kg. www.comac.it

Big finish Aztec’s Grand Finale is a simple, rugged, floor chemical application machine designed to apply floor finish, concrete densifiers, hardeners and sealers quickly and uniformly. Available in 24 or 36 ins pad width, it is designed to offer a high-speed way to lay down a uniform coating of chemicals at up to 3,500 square metres per hour.

green care Longlife Complete can be used on all coatable floorings, including high-traffic areas. It is claimed to be easy to use and can also be applied on damp linoleum where it reduces drying time from 12 hours to 30 minutes. www.werner-mertz.de

New look Comac has updated its C130 ride-on scrubber dryer with a more modern look. The seat has also been redesigned to make it more comfortable and ergonomic, and the instrument panel now features a touchscreen display for controlling functions.

The company says that using this model is now easier, more practical and more user-friendly.

There’s a knob to manually

With this machine the company claims one operator can apply an even and controlled coat of finish faster than an entire crew with mops - while also reducing chemical usage by 30 per cent.

A battery-powered pump precisely controls the flow rate to a microfibre or looped pad.

Using a magnetic sensor and pressure controlled pump, the chemicals flow from the bucket through the machine and onto the floor, with no streaking or edge bleeding. aztecproducts.com

CARE OF HARD FLOORS

Meets all needs

Truvox International says its Orbis range of rotary machines is geared to cover every need from buffing to burnishing, and maintenance tasks to finishing.

Claimed to be well balanced and comfortable to operate, Orbis rotaries have a centre wheel for manoeuvrability and up-to-the-edge burnishing. Other features include low vibration and noise, full handle adjustment, powerful motor and high build quality for robustness and longterm performance.

The high-speed rotaries such as the Orbis UHS 1500 Folding Handle (with an operating speed of 1500 rpm) polishes stone,

granite, marble, terrazzo, vinyl and PVC, as well as concrete, terracotta, quarry tiles, safety floors and raised rubber.

Lower speed models can do everything from stripping floors and sanding wood to scrubbing, while also buffing up floors. www.truvox.com

Green squeegee Fimor has developed a squeegee material which it says is a durable alternative to natural rubber - serilorCLEAN. Features include green colour, three times less plasticiser than before, no banned phalates, no mercury and improved pick-up.

And Fimor says this squeegee

material lasts several times longer than natural rubber, being largely unaffected by oils, chemicals, bleach and other common floor-cleaning agents.

SerilorCLEAN comes as sheets in various hardness and thickness for converters, in flat mono or triple layer (or with grooves), or as custom-moulded parts for suction blades or side skirts. www.fimor.fr

Scrub brush The iVo Power Brush XL is a larger version of the iVo Power Brush, a lightweight scrubbing tool for many tasks.

Made by iVo Group, the XL is a compact unit, with the removable, rechargeable battery located in the handle. The battery can removed easily for charging, and spare batteries are available for continuous cleaning capability.

Available in complete kit form, the XL comes with a variety of attachments. www.ivo-group.com

• La gamme Orbis des machines tournantes de Truvox International répond à tous les besoins, en allant du polissage au brunissage.

• La raclette serilorCLEAN se présente comme une alternative durable et écologique aux raclettes en caoutchouc naturel, affirme la société Fimor.

• La brosse XL d’iVo Power est un outil léger se prêtant à une diversité de tâches.

• Die Produktreihe Orbis mit Rotationsmaschinen von Truvox International ist darauf abgestellt, jede Anforderung von Reinigung bis Polieren abzudecken.

• SerilorCLEAN ist eine dauerhafte und umweltbewusste Alternative zu Abziehern aus Naturgummi, sagt Fimor.

• Bei iVo Power Brush XL handelt es sich um ein leichtes Scheuerwerkzeug, das für eine Reihe verschiedener Aufgaben entworfen wurde.

• Orbis, la gamma di macchine rotative della Truvox International è strutturata per soddisfare ogni richiesta di lavoro, dalla lucidatura alla levigatura.

• SerilorCLEAN è un’alternativa duratura e rispettosa dell’ambiente ai tergivetro di gomma naturale, come afferma la Fimor.

• La iVo Power Brush XL è un attrezzo leggero per la pulizia a fondo progettato per numerose applicazioni.

October 2016 | ECJ | 39

BUSINESS ACQUISITION

Meeting your match James Metzger of Metzger Business Search (MBS) shares insights on the value of taking the time and investing in the research to find the right company to acquire when expanding your business.

A company may have different reasons for considering an acquisition. Whatever the reasons are, fundamentally, the process should involve certain elements for a greater chance of a successful match. A bit like a marriage, there’s a desire to be together, a courtship, getting the family’s blessing, making sure the couple’s finances can support them and then, sealing the deal.

It’s alright to change the rules when it comes to facilitating the dialogue between the buyer and seller. It just means going that extra mile to achieve the right fit between two organisations.

The first step is having a complete understanding of the buyer’s needs. Acquisitions are usually led by a focus on the seller, however, there is merit in putting just as much focus on the buyer.

Without a thorough knowledge of the buyer’s commercial objectives and capabilities, an acquisition can turn out

to be a disappointing white elephant. For example, it is just as important to establish that the buyer has adequate financial resources to complete the acquisition, as much as establishing that the seller wants to part with their business.

In many cases, Metzger Business Search will know the seller just as well as we know the buyer. There’s no doubt that the long cultivated business relationships help to smooth the process, from either side. However, when the contract is signed, our primary client is always the buyer, our first focus, and the only entity who pays for our services.

From the outset, an advisor needs to have a clear vision of what kind of target company will dovetail into the buyer’s company culture and business aspirations.

There may be several reasons for wanting to acquire and expand one’s organisation.

It may be geographical: seeking to create a brand presence in a certain region is easier to achieve if you acquire an established package of local expertise, reputation, skill set and workforce.

Another driver is the desire to diversify into other sectors. This offers clients a wider range of options and the ambition to create the ‘one-stop-shop’ model is not unusual. It encourages a consistency of service and strengthens relationships with the client across different areas of service delivery. It also helps to encourage repeat business – as the professional relationship thrives, so does the trust, and the client will generally come back for more of the same.

An acquisition negotiated by my company, MBS, came to a successful conclusion recently - Exclusive Services Group wanted to extend its services portfolio in specific market sectors and acquired Brayborne Group. MBS has enjoyed a long professional relationship with Exclusive Services Group. However, we focussed our energies in establishing exactly what they needed to achieve in this instance, so we could find the right company that would help them attain their goal. We never take

the buyer’s position for granted, no matter how long the professional relationship is between us.

Making business personal Being personal about business may sound counter intuitive however, when facilitating an acquisition, it has its advantages. By cutting through the usual barriers of anonymity, applying patience and the personal touch, it’s possible to utilise a more effective advisory model that garners good results for clients.

The first step is to reach and speak to the relevant decision makers in the target companies to progress negotiations effectively.

This may entail approaching companies that are not openly for sale. There’s no reason not to start the dialogue and make the suggestion of considering a sale. My feeling is, if you don’t ask, you don’t get and therefore, I have nothing to lose by making the first approach.

This is where you can create an opportunity, as long as you know how to reach the right people. Don’t rely on the traditional method of mass emailing lists of potential companies for sale. Once you have determined which company you want to approach on the buyer’s behalf, engage on a more personal level, by telephone. Having the right message at this point is also key – delivered with sufficient confidence and empathy to encourage engagement and consideration of the offer.

As long as you are able to communicate clearly what the buyer’s interest is and that the transaction can be sufficiently financed, the likelihood of further discourse is strong.

When our client Exclusive Services Group sought to expand its operations, the ideal target company for acquisition was Brayborne Group. Brayborne’s portfolio, size, services and client base were a perfect business match. However Brayborne was not for sale. This is where patience and the personal touch comes into play.

MBS reached out to Brayborne and Continued page 42

October 2016 | ECJ | 41

BUSINESS ACQUISITION Meeting your match (continued) opened the channels for communication, making an offer, broaching the suggestion that joining forces with Exclusive Services Group would be mutually beneficial.

In spite of this slightly riskier and lengthier approach, the success rate with this method has proven high for us. You’re less likely to disappoint your clients because such attention to detail is expended to ensure the deal closes out favourably.

There is also strong potential to increase the track record of return business using this method, because clients never forget good service, good understanding and a good deal.

One of our clients, Regent Samsic who was looking to better position itself in the London market, recently acquired JPC the second acquisition facilitated by us.

MBS was asked to carry out the follow-on assignment with Regent Samsic because it trusted our methods and transparent approach to ensure that we would find the right match for it. It wouldn’t simply be presented with a list of un-researched, unsuitable companies with whom to develop a new professional relationship.

There is also value in understanding the decision-making processes that the seller needs to go through when making the decision to sell their company. It is never an easy decision to make, no matter how tempting the offer from a buyer. As any business owner will know, an entity that you have fought to grow, through lean and good times, becomes more than an asset; it’s almost part of the family. Deciding to part with a company, or even being persuaded to sell is a test of resolve and becomes a very personal decision.

Perfect fit When one of our German clients sought to expand in the UK market, it approached us to find a UK based company for it to buy. We in turn contacted the ceo of Wyclean Group, which had been approached many times by other companies offering to buy the business, but on those occasions he wasn’t prepared to sell. When MBS approached Wyclean’s ceo on behalf of the buyer he entertained the idea because he felt the match was a perfect fit, he trusted our research and due diligence and the timing was right.

Une entreprise peut avoir différents motifs de songer à une acquisition. Cependant, qu’elles qu’en soient les raisons, ce processus doit essentiellement s’assortir de certains éléments susceptibles d’améliorer les chances d’une fusion heureuse. Il est vital de consacrer le temps nécessaire et d’investir en recherches pour trouver la société qu’il conviendra d’acquérir.

October 2016 | ECJ | 42

While MBS and Wyclean enjoyed a good, long-standing professional relationship, we were very aware that Wyclean’s ceo wanted to part with his company on certain terms. His primary condition was that the buyer would respect the existing Wyclean team and maintain the integrity of the business that he had built over 30 years. Because the client wanted another established UK business in place to enter the market, this fulfilled the Wyclean ceo’s parting vision for the survival of his company, after he had sold it.

It’s often the case the case with sellers, that they want assurance that whichever entity acquires their company, it safeguards the staff and respects the company culture in the future.

Research is everything I can’t stress enough how important good data is. Rather than estimate the value of the target company and supply it on a generic list of anonymous contenders, it is vital that you reinforce your choices with thorough research.

Learn everything about the target acquisition from its inception to its shareholders. As company profiles are prone to change frequently, their structure and culture change along with it. Businesses are always evolving and researching their performance is a significant driver of a successful outcome. Thoroughly research their financials - are they in debt, are they cash rich, is the company growing, how sustainable are their profit margins, what are the directors taking in remuneration and dividends?

When focussing on the buyer, first we must establish what they have in mind.

By all means get the client’s opinion about what they envisage for their expansion.

Are they looking for a particular size of company? Furthermore, is their financial capability up to the task? Financial considerations need to be weighed up against certain options. For example, will an acquisition garner a higher return than investing the money in expanding their existing company model? In which case, an acquisition might be a wild goose chase because the potential for growth is right under their nose. All it takes is a good plan and careful expenditure of resources.

Ein Unternehmen kann eine Akquisition aus verschiedenen Gründen in Betracht ziehen. Doch was auch immer die Gründe sind, grundsätzlich sollte das Verfahren bestimmte Elemente enthalten, um die Chance einer erfolgreichen Übereinstimmung zu verbessern. Es ist von entscheidender Bedeutung, die Recherchen ohne Zeitdruck und mit den erforderlichen Investitionen durchzuführen, um das richtige Unternehmen für die Akquisition zu finden.

Is the existing management team on board with the acquisition proposal and prepared to work together with the buyer’s company? A clash could be obstructive.

Over time, we have learned what key information to research for maximum benefit to our clients. For example, have you considered the shareholders in the seller’s company? We’ve found that family run businesses that incorporate the next family generation into their shareholdings are less likely to sell. They’ve forged this business for the long haul and want to pass the company down through the generations.

Other areas to explore include the interests of the target company’s stakeholders. Will an acquisition be well received by them? Will the vendors want to continue the relationship if an acquisition is on the table?

The same applies to the existing management team – are they on board with the acquisition proposal and prepared to work together with the buyer’s company?

A management culture clash would be obstructive and could cause a failure of the whole deal.

By utilising research properly, an advisor can potentially offer a holistic service from proposal of acquisition to the seller’s exit strategy.

Conclusion By not following the traditional models of targeting companies, Metzger Business Search has developed a successful and more personal method of acquisition search that is built on cultivating strong relationships with potential targets. By combining intuitiveness, solid research and really understanding both parties’ aspirations, an acquisition can become a seamless undertaking. In the end you want to create a strong business pairing that resembles more of a merger of two successful companies than simply a soul-less addition to one’s assets.

Un’azienda può avere diversi motivi per considerare una acquisizione. Qualunque siano questi motivi, fondamentalmente il processo deve implicare certi elementi per avere una maggiore possibilità di una compatibilità che abbia successo. E’ estremamente importante trovare il tempo per investire in ricerca e trovare la giusta azienda da acquisire.

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AIR FRESHENING

Something in the air Fragrancing is now big business in away-from-home markets, and not just in the washroom.

Companies are increasingly investing in how all areas of their building smell – whether it’s hotels, supermarkets, airports or office buildings. Writing for ECJ, Jo Jacobius explores the science behind scent in these environments and asks about the effects and benefits. Jo Jacobius is communications consultant to the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) UK.

Fragrance experts working to scent the built environment including hotels, washrooms, retailers and other away-fromhome indoor environments, draw a sharp distinction between air freshening and ambient scenting.

Air freshening is generally used as odour remediation, and is the traditional means of ‘freshening’ washrooms to provide a solution to malodour. Ambient scenting, on the other hand is quite a different matter involving brand enhancement and customer experience.

Two IFRA UK members, ScentAir and The Aroma Company, have both specialised in different aspects of ambient scenting for over 20 years but each says that this is an art and a science that has really been gaining attention in the past 5 years in particular.

Says Simon Harrop, director of The Aroma Company: “There are three aspects to changing indoor air quality: firstly the removal of malodours; secondly, masking odours; and thirdly, ambient scenting of a neutral space to enhance the branded

consumer experience”.

Christopher Pratt, managing director of another IFRA UK member company, ScentAir, agrees with this distinction. “We are in the business of creating customer experiences. Companies come to us because they don’t just want, for example, a clean smelling washroom but want the washroom to be the best they can be.

They don’t just want a spritz of fragrance to avoid it smelling unpleasant; they’re after something that is carefully aligned with the brand and which can be adjusted”.

Simon Harrop, a multi-sensory consultant to major brands, points out that scent offers a golden opportunity for marketers that most brands fail to address. “We use perception mapping to understand what different perfume notes and fragrance accords will generate in terms of non-cognitive reaction as smell is such a strong potential driver of behaviour. Given that the visual space is overloaded - 83 per cent of brand communication appeals to the eyes alone – there is enormous opportunity for marketers to engage with audiences via their sense of smell. Only three per cent of marketing is through olfaction. We are gradually changing that.”

People don’t generally have the vocabulary to describe scents but humans do have a high acuity for smell recognition. “We use Implicit Association Task techniques to get respondents to give us reactions to scents based on a lexicon of emotions. This helps us create fragrances that resonate with the brand values of the companies we work with,” says Harrop.

Method of delivery The business of ambient scenting is not just about the analysis and choice of scent but the method of delivery and an understanding of the brand for which the fragrance is being created. ScentAir, for example, has 15 different applications to fragrance spaces offering everything from high level, uniquely developed and patented systems such as dry air evaporation and ducted air conditioning systems through to low-tech or no tech

methodology such as diffuser sticks and candles. This company has a scent library of over 1500 fragrances, some of which are bespoke.

Systems such as dry air evaporation employ miniscule molecules which swiftly transform into gas so that they disperse readily and move more easily as people walk in the space.

The science behind fragrance dispersal is a key part of what these expert companies offer. Part of the service offered is advising not just on the fragrance but on appropriate application system: wallmounted, ceiling mounted, embedded in track lighting or delivered via other methods.

Simon Harrop and his team have worked with businesses in 100 countries, including a bank in Columbia, a car company in Japan, a cruise line and airlines.

For the airline, they embedded the signature fragrance into every aspect of a traveller’s experience – ticketing, airline seat headrests, carpets on the aircraft and brochures.

Says Christopher Pratt: “Most clients, certainly in the hotel and retail sectors, have a signature fragrance. Our hotel customers include the Shangri-La Group, Marriott Hotel Group and Starwood, which owns Sheratons amongst other brands, and each have their own scent or scents.

But it’s not just the super-premium brands that recognise the importance of the guest experience in this way. Other customers include Holiday Inns and Premier Inns and these also have signature brand fragrances”.

The Aroma Company’s work with the Columbian Helm Bank formed part of a wider marketing review. Their ‘brand in a box’ briefing tool was used by everyone engaged in designing for the bank, from interiors through to advertising and even the sweets and drinks on offer. The consistent scent and sensory branding was a factor that helped increase consumer satisfaction by nearly 30 per cent.

Continued page 46

October 2016 | ECJ | 45

AIR FRESHENING Something in the air (continued) One of the challenges for those creating scents for global customers is the need to adapt not only scent types but to pay attention to the strength of the fragrance for different markets. “There are cultural differences,” explains Mr Pratt, whose company operates in 109 countries. “The intensity of fragrance desired is great in the Far East and in the Middle East whereas in Germany and Scandinavia, fragrances must be light and almost imperceptible”.

For retailers, online shopping has, paradoxically, led to the trend in ambient scenting for physical stores. The retail use of branded fragrances is relatively new – only during the past three to five years has anything other than Christmas fragrancing been widely used. The instore experience must offer more than just a level of service the consumer can’t find online. Scent is a way to underline the brand experience and the brand persona, helping encourage return visits, make customers comfortable, increase dwell-time and enhance the perceived value of goods.

The market for air freshening is also a significant one. BAMA, the British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association, represents the makers of aerosol products used for air freshening. Its chief executive, Patrick Heskins, says: “Aerosol air fresheners offer a number of different ways to fragrance a space. Traditional, continuous spray

La diffusion de parfums est devenue une activité considérable sur les marchés hors domicile, et non seulement pour des toilettes communes. Des entreprises investissent aujourd’hui pour maintenir une senteur agréable dans différentes zones de leurs établissements, qu’il s’agisse d’hôtels, de supermarchés, d’aéroports ou d’immeubles administratifs. ECJ explore la science qui sous-tend la diffusion de parfums dans ces environnements et cherche à en connaître les effets et les avantages.

October 2016 | ECJ | 46

air fresheners can be used to instantly address a problem with malodour either by neutralising the malodour molecules or masking them with a much more pleasant scent. Spray cans are available for fragrancing very small rooms whilst high delivery systems which can add a scent throughout a ballroom or concert hall. The great advantage of these systems is, once you have the fragrance intensity you want, you stop spraying”.

Aerosols can also be used to continuously fragrance a room using auto-spray systems. Says Heskins: “Although the box on the wall may look very technical, with LCD displays and different control units, at its heart is an aerosol can with a metered dose valve which provides a fine spray and consistent dose of fragrance from the first to the last actuation. By dosing the fragrance at different time intervals you help overcome issues of olfactory fatigue as the scent is allowed to disperse before being refreshed”.

Creating the perfect perfume for a space begins with the client. The brand marketers for the fashion house or hotel group brief the chosen perfumers by providing insight into what the brand stands for and, importantly, who the key audience is. The understanding by these internal brand owners is crucial. They also need to have confidence that those undertaking the

Beduftung hat sich zum großen Geschäft im Markt für aushäusige Produkte entwickelt, nicht nur im Waschraum. Unternehmen investieren in zunehmendem Maße in den Geruch ihrer Gebäude – egal, ob es sich um Hotels, Supermärkte, Flughäfen oder Bürogebäude handelt. Das ECJ erforscht die Wissenschaft, die dem Duft in diesen Umgebungen zugrunde liegt, und fragt nach den Wirkungen und Vorteilen.

development and delivery of the ambient fragrance will create a scent that is safe and contains ingredients that comply with the safety guidelines and regulations.

Sustainable sourcing Regardless of the type of air fragrancing used, all methods have one aspect in common. It is essential, for professionalism and peace of mind, to use an IFRA UK member. With IFRA UK expertise inside the fragrance you can be assured that it’s not only going to smell good but you have the reassurance that the fragrance in your product will be safe and fall within regulatory restrictions, too. All IFRA UK members must comply with the IFRA Code of Conduct and adhere to the strict IFRA Standards – a carefully researched and globally accepted set of Standards.

This risk management system for the safe creation and use of fragrance ingredients is crucial for those in charge of public buildings where public and environmental safety are paramount.

How the fragrance supplier sources materials may also be important to the customer brand sustainable sourcing is something which the perfumer and the fragrance house can advise on as IFRA UK members will be fully aware of the sources of each and every ingredient as well as its price and likely availability.

Lisa Hipgrave, director of IFRA UK and herself a perfumer, says: “The smell of a building is often a key differentiator for consumers and is one of the aspects that lingers, often subliminally, in the memory of a customer or guest. Fragrance is the small invisible ingredient that makes the big difference. You can ensure fragrances are the best they can be by choosing to use an IFRA UK member”.

The future of ambient fragrance marketing looks poised to be very interesting.

Simon Harrop, for example, is offering a sensory ‘shower’ – sight, sound and smell in public spaces such as shopping malls.

For marketers and brand owners looking to enhance their brand image and create greater customer satisfaction, sensory immersive experiences, led by scent, could be about to alter public space experiences significantly. www.ifrauk.org Le profumazioni sono ora un settore importante nei mercati dei prodotti non domestici, e non solo per le sale da toilette. Le imprese stanno investendo sempre di più per curare l’odore degli ambienti dei loro edifici, siano essi hotel, supermercati, aeroporti o edifici adibiti ad uffici. ECJ esplora la scienza che sta dietro le profumazioni in questi ambienti e domanda quali sono gli effetti e i benefici.

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PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENING

• Vectair Systems propose des solutions pour la diffusion de parfums à travers trois systèmes différents.

• Le nettoyant et désodorisant Sanair de la société Unicorn Hygienic maintient sanitaires et urinoirs dans un état à la fois propre et parfumé.

• L’appareil XIBU senseFRESHAIR de Hagleitner est un diffuseur de parfums que l’on peut programmer à l’avance.

• Le dispositif WellAir de la société E Cosi combine la neutralisation des odeurs et l’aromathérapie.

• Kimberly-Clark Professional a lancé le distributeur à fragrances Aquarius Aircare.

• Vectair Systems bietet Duftlösungen mit drei verschiedenen Systemen.

• Sanair Cleaner & Deodoriser von Unicorn Hygienics sorgt für die Sauberkeit von Toiletten und Urinalen und gleichzeitig für die Beduftung.

• XIBU senseFRESHAIR von Hagleitner ist ein Duftspender, der im Voraus programmiert werden kann.

• Bei WellAir von E Cosi handelt es sich um ein System, das Geruchsneutralisierung mit Aromatherapie verbindet.

• Neu von KimberlyClark Professional ist das Duftspendesystem Aquarius Aircare.

• La Vectair Systems propone soluzioni di fragranze per mezzo di tre diversi sistemi.

• Sanair Cleaner & Deodoriser della Unicorn Hygienics tiene puliti i wc e gli unitatoi e li profuma allo stesso tempo.

• XIBU senseFRESHAIR prodotto dalla Hagleitner è un dispenser di fragranze che può essere programmato in anticipo.

• WellAir from E Cosi è un sistema che abbina la neutralizzazione degli odori con l’aromaterapia.

• Il nuovo prodotto della KimberlyClark Professional è il sistema di profumazioni per ambienti Aquarius Aircare.

October 2016 | ECJ | 48

Three solutions

Two in one

Vectair offers complementary fragrance solutions across three different fragrance systems. This, it says enables co-ordinated, uncomplicated scents consistently in a variety of locations.

Whether you need urinal screens placed in a men’s urinal, a non-aerosol air freshener in a general washroom area or a discreet fragrance solution in separate toilet cubicles, Vectair says its aircare solutions complement the existing air freshener solutions provided.

Unicorn Hygienics has developed a dispenser which keeps toilets and urinals hygienic and provides lasting fragrance. The Sanair Cleaner & Deodoriser, it claims, reduces costs associated with additional cleaning as it can be installed into two toilets or urinal simultaneously.

In addition to its cleaning and deodorising properties, Sanair also contains two air care systems. The convection system works whereby some of the fluid is transferred into an absorbent wall in the form of a wick where the fragrance is gradually vaporised. The fragrance intensity is increased via a convection chamber with vends on the cover that allows further air flow. www.unicorn-hygienics.com

V-Air SOLID Multi-Phasing Passive Air Freshener, for example, avoids fragrance fatigue by containing many fragrance notes, continuously evolving in strength for up to 60 days. It also contains no batteries.

The V-Fresh allows for effective and universal air freshening for up to 30 days and can be used on a variety of surfaces. A hanging slot means it can also be hung from objects.

Finally, the V-Screen Urinal Screen incorporates a malodour eliminating substance to deodorise smells that may exist within the urinal, keeping it smelling fresh for up to 30 days. www.vectairsystems.com

Adapts easily With XIBU senseFRESHAIR Hagleitner says it is offering an intelligent fragrance dispenser which adapts to different situations. The timing and frequency of air scenting can be programmed in advance.

The integrated motion sensor enables automatic additional scenting during busy periods, and the unit also has a light sensor.

When it´s dark, the dispenser goes into standby mode to save

additional energy and fragrance.

And for creating a pleasant ambience in retail environments, for example, the company developed the Magicus fragrant column. This is fully automatic and distributes fragrance evenly into the surroundings - it can shine in several colours. www.hagleitner.com

Aromatherapy WellAir is a system from È Cosi combining odour neutralising with the positive effects of aromatherapy - developed specifically for nursing homes.

The company’s laboratory developed 66 exclusive fragrances originating from three aroma families - flowery, fruity and green.

Nine of those 66 fragrances are said to be most suitable for care home environments.

After first treating the room with ONS Odour Neutralising System the WellAir essential oils are sprayed. www.ecosi.it

Combats smells Kimberly-Clark Professional’s Aquarius Aircare fragrance dispensing system is for use in washrooms.

Unpleasant odours top the list of complaints people make about washroom facilities, with 82 per cent citing a “really bad smell” as the most off-putting thing when they visit, said a survey. This system is said to combat odours with a choice of five multi-layered fragrances. www.kcprofessional.co.uk

BUSINESS: BREXIT

After the referendum - what next?

It would not be unfair to say that the Brexit referendum result came as much of a shock to the people who voted for it as it did to Britain’s EU partners, writes Hartley Milner.

Having cocked a snook at the EU at the polls, a goodly number of citizens were now feeling less cocky about the wisdom of their decision. Had their revolt against the “non-Democratic, dictatorial and cumbersome” Brussels institutions just helped push the UK’s economy towards a cliff edge?

Perhaps the ‘remain’ camp had been right all along with their scary prophecies of European trade barriers, thousands of jobs lost, a house price crash and a gaping ‘black hole’ in public finances sucking in funds away from state pensions and Britain’s beloved National Health Service.

Prime minister David Cameron had warned Brexit would “put a bomb under our economy”, adding: “The worst thing is

October | ECJ | 50

we’d have lit the fuse ourselves.”

Seeing cracks in the European project, angry EU leaders had been quick to add their condemnation, warning that a ‘leave’ vote would mean British citizens losing their right to move freely, work and do business within the largest economic market in the world. Britain would be sidelined in future lucrative trade deals struck by the EU with the rest of the world.

Up to seven per cent of people who voted for a Brexit regretted their decision, according to one of a plethora of gloomy polls that came out in the first few weeks after the June 23 referendum. Not a few said they had only marked the ‘leave’ box as a protest against unrestricted immigration, never really expecting to carry the day.

When the survey’s findings are projected on to the vote, it would cut the ‘leave’ share by 1.2 million, almost wiping out the majority that gave the surprise 52/48 per cent result. More than half of those surveyed also felt both the UK’s economy

and position in the world had worsened, but almost one in 10 said they did not believe Brexit would be implemented.

However, in a more recent poll, conducted by ComRes, 62 per cent of the 1,032 British adults canvassed said they were positive about Britain’s future post-Brexit, and had not reined back significantly on their spending.

Consumer confidence This was borne out by other consumer spending figures. The YouGov/UK consumer confidence index showed that confidence improved to 109.8 points in August, up by 3.2 points from 106.6 in July.

This was the highest monthly bounce seen since February 2013 when it rose by 3.5 points after the UK economy performed more strongly than expected. August’s rise in consumer confidence follows a sharp fall in July.

High street sales rose by 1.4 per cent in July, more than reversing the 0.9 per cent drop in June, according to the Office for National Statistics. It was much stronger

BUSINESS: BREXIT than the 0.2 per cent increase predicted by economists and echoed industry reports of solid growth in consumer spending.

Warm weather and a plunge in the value of the pound providing a boost to tourist spending were attributed as prime reasons behind the jump in retail sales volumes.

But it was how far the pound would stretch abroad that was of concern to shopper Dawn Jacklyn when ECJ caught up with her in a west London high street in September. The ‘remain’ voter had just booked a break for herself and her husband in the south of France to escape the looming UK winter and was now hunting for leather travel bags.

“At one point, I had actually considered voting to leave the EU because I think this island of ours is becoming too crowded with all the people pouring in from overseas,” she said. “But then my husband reminded me that the company he works for is heavily dependent on exports to the EU, and anyway we like our holidays abroad and I could see that a fall in the value of the pound resulting from leaving would make going abroad more expensive.”

She added: “As it turned out, I think people are now wondering what all the fuss was about. None of the scary things we heard Cameron and others say have happened, well, not so far. People seem to be going about their lives much as before. We Brits can be a bloody-minded lot and we don’t like being dictated to by politicians here or abroad. Whatever happens, we will see it through. It’s just the British way.”

Businesses were also more optimistic about their outlook. The YouGov/UK business confidence index climbed to 109.7 in August from 105 in July. The poll, compiled from more than 500 interviews with key decision-makers at companies, revealed that 48 per cent were optimistic about their prospects for the next 12 months in August, up from 46 per cent in the previous month.

Director Scott Corfe said: “The dust is settling on the EU vote and businesses are showing signs of resilience, for now at least. With the post-Brexit panic abating and many indicators signalling a reasonably robust short-term outlook,

On peut dire que le résultat du Brexit a stupéfié autant les gens qui ont voté pour que les partenaires européens du Royaume-Uni, écrit Hartley Milner.

Ainsi, se peut-il que cette révolte contre les institutions de Bruxelles ait poussé l’économie britannique jusqu’au le bord d’un abime ?

businesses are suggesting a greater confidence for the coming 12 months when it comes to their own operations.”

Rebound in manufacturing Particularly encouraging was the record rise in Britain’s service industry in August.

The Markit/CIPS purchasing managers’ index rose to 52.9 after slumping to 47.4 for July following the vote to leave the EU, well above the 50 mark that indicates growth. That was the biggest month-to-month jump in the survey’s 20-year history and followed the biggest drop on record the previous month when businesses were coming to terms with the outcome of June’s referendum.

The services report follows news of a similar rebound in the manufacturing sector and a more modest improvement in the construction sector. Taken with signs of a recovery in consumer confidence and high street spending, it will allay fears that economic growth is grinding to a halt after the referendum.

Our high street shopper had been found browsing the suitcase range at an Antler luggage store. Manager Don Warren saw a sharp drop in sales immediately following the Brexit vote.

“It was much as we had expected – customers were putting their purchasing plans on hold for other than absolutely essential goods such as foodstuffs,” he said. “They were not booking holidays and so did not require our bags, or they were still planning to go away but were making do with their old luggage.

“We were heartened to see business picking up in late July and August, though not to pre-referendum levels. With autumn approaching, holiday booking tends to tail off in any case, which obviously affects luggage sales. We will have to see how Christmas and New Year holiday bookings shape up to get a better idea of our position. But we are cautiously more hopeful than we initially were.”

After ailing for decades due to competition from cheaper imports, even Britain’s manufacturing output showed a small improvement in August, according to the Confederation of British Industry’s monthly industrial trends survey.

The survey of 505 firms found that

Es ist wohl fair zu sagen, dass das Brexit-Ergebnis gleichermaßen als Schock für diejenigen kann, die dafür gestimmt hatten, wie für Großbritanniens EU-Partner, schreibt Hartley Milner. Hat die Revolte gegen die Brüsseler Institutionen einfach dazu beigetragen, dass die britische Wirtschaft näher an den Rand der Klippe getrieben wurde?

export order books reached a two-year high, suggesting that the depreciation of sterling since the end of last year may be feeding through to stronger overseas demand. Chemical manufacturers accounted for just over half the improvement in export orders, with less than one-third of the 17 manufacturing sub-sectors reporting export orders at below normal levels.

Another hopeful indicator is the housing market, which had been prophesied for a slump following the EU referendum.

House prices were flat for a few weeks before climbing again, albeit more slowly than before. Now, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is predicting a 3.3 per cent a year rise in prices for the next five years, noting that conditions in the market have “settled down” after the uncertainty of the Brexit vote.

RICS also says the number of properties being bought and sold in the UK dropped sharply after the referendum, but has now stabilised, with confidence returning after the Bank of England’s economic interventions.

Period of calm?

But while it appears the UK has settled down to a period of calm and renewed self-assurance, many economists are stressing that the full impact of the Brexit vote has yet to be felt.

The YouGov/Centre report points out that while 48 per cent of businesses surveyed said they felt positive about their prospects for the next 12 months, 45 per cent had a more pessimistic view of the future.

Stephen Harmston, head of YouGov Reports, said: “For the most part, the panic we saw straight after June 23 has been replaced by calm. In the short term at least, a more positive outlook from businesses and consumers will help grease the wheels of the economy – spurring spending and investment.

“What happens in the longer term is the big mystery. Once the UK shows its hand on Brexit and invokes Article 50 things could change for the worse very quickly.

“But as businesses and consumers don’t know when this will happen, they have seemingly decided to just get on with it.”

Sarebbe giusto affermare che il risultato del Brexit è stato uno shock sia per le persone che lo hanno votato sia per i membri UE della gran Bretagna, come scrive Hartley Milner. La loro rivolta contro le istituzioni di Bruxelles ha aiutato a spingere l’economia del Regno Unito verso l’orlo del precipizio?

October 2016 | ECJ | 51

BATTERIES

Charging ahead How important is a battery’s ability to take a charge quickly and efficiently in the productive running of a machine? Does the type of charger used make a difference to the running costs and performance of a cleaning machine, or is it relevant what type of charger is employed?

Trojan Battery writes for ECJ.

tightened, as well as (2) proper charging by ensuring the use of the correct charge algorithm for the battery types and correct charging frequency.

If both maintenance and battery charging are being performed as required, the battery will be in the best possible condition to accept a charge. The amount of time it takes to recharge a battery is dependent on its state of charge, or SOC. If batteries are not fully charged after each daily use, the batteries will be at a low SOC and possibly completely discharged when the charging process begins.

To achieve maximum performance of floor care machines, it is important to understand what impacts the ability of the battery to operate at peak performance. Two things are required: (1) proper battery maintenance which includes watering the batteries for flooded lead acid types, making sure the posts are clean, and ensuring terminal connections are

Limit DOD

October 2016 | ECJ | 52

This is not ideal, since the lower the SOC, the more sulphate is present on the surface of the plates which requires more time for it to be removed during the charging process. Ensuring you limit the depth of discharge (DOD) by charging the batteries after each daily use will help the battery’s ability to accept a charge.

The important thing to remember with selecting a charger is to ensure the charger contains the proper charge algorithm specified by the manufacturer of the batteries being used in the equipment.

Some chargers are designed for flooded batteries only, while others can be used for either flooded or VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) batteries such as AGM or Gel. Therefore, it is important to know what type of batteries you are charging.

Type of charger In addition, the output or size of the charger can impact the amount of time it will take to recharge a battery. Be sure that the starting current, also known as bulk current, does not exceed what is specified by the battery manufacturer.

While a higher charge current can reduce overall charging time, too high of a current can damage the plates inside the batteries, which will reduce performance and life.

The overall operating costs of a floor machine, from the charging perspective, is determined by the size of the charger (wattage) and the depth of discharge (DOD) of the batteries. The deeper the DOD, the longer the batteries will take to

BATTERIES charge, which increases amount of electricity needed to charge the batteries.

Charging algorithms If proper battery maintenance and charging practices are followed, batteries will deliver maximum performance and life. The use of the proper charging algorithm cannot be overstated, because each charge algorithm is developed to meet the overcharge requirements determined by the battery manufacturer based on its own design.

Remember, deep-cycle batteries need to be overcharged to ensure adequate mixing of the electrolyte to avoid stratification, therefore it’s critical that the charger be allowed to complete its full charge cycle.

For example, if 30 AH (amp hours) is used during the daily operation of the machine, and only 30 AH is returned to the batteries during charging, there is not an adequate À quel point est-il important de disposer de batteries à recharge rapide pour l’exploitation efficace et productive d’une machine ? Le type de chargeur utilisé fait-il une différence aux frais d’exploitation et à la performance d’une machine de nettoyage ? Le type de chargeur employé a-t-il un rapport quelconque avec l’efficacité ?

amount of mixing of the electrolyte and stratification would start to occur. Continuing this type of charging will result in undercharging and severely impact battery performance and life.

On the other hand, if excessive overcharging of the batteries occurs, there would be increased electrolyte loss, which will concentrate the specific gravity in the cells and deteriorate the plates.

This also will result in decreased performance and life. Most OEM chargers today come programmed to ensure controlled overcharging.

Electrolyte temperature Battery temperature also is important to consider when charging batteries.

When flooded lead acid batteries are cold, ie, electrolyte temperature not ambient temperature, they have a lower charge acceptance in comparison to a warm battery.

Wie wichtig ist beim produktiven Betrieb einer Maschine die Fähigkeit eines Akkus, schnell und effizient Ladung aufnehmen zu können? Hat die Art des verwendeten Ladegeräts eine Auswirkung auf die Betriebskosten und die Leistung einer Reinigungsmaschine, oder ist es irrelevant, welche Art von Ladegerät eingesetzt wird?

Therefore, it will take longer for them to charge. AGM batteries accept charge better than flooded or Gel batteries because they have lower internal resistance. Batteries with high electrolyte temperatures will accept charge faster, but the higher electrolyte temperatures will accelerate positive grid corrosion. Therefore, the most effective charging is temperature compensated to ensure the proper charging of batteries.

The ability of the batteries to provide maximum performance and life, depends mainly on proper maintenance and charging according to the battery manufacturers specifications. By gaining a clear understanding of the importance of battery charging ensures that batteries used to power floor cleaning machines will function at peak levels of performance and reliability.

Quanto è importante la capacità di una batteria di caricarsi velocemente e in modo efficiente nella gestione produttiva di una macchina? Il tipo di caricabatterie utilizzato fa differenza per i costi di gestione e per il rendimento della macchina per le pulizie?

October 2016 | ECJ | 53

MATTING

The many-sided mat The whole point of a mat used to be simply to trap the dirt.

But in recent years a plethora of safety mats, industrial mats, nonslip mats and anti-fatigue mats have flooded the market. Ann Laffeaty asks matting experts whether specialisation is a trend and finds out about the very latest matting products.

It is generally agreed that the main function of a mat is to capture dirt and debris from people’s shoes and prevent these from being tracked into a building.

But today’s mats are being used to fulfil a whole host of other functions as well.

There are now industrial mats designed for soaking up swarf and oil from the factory floor; there are rubber mats for absorbing liquids in kitchens and bars, and anti-slip mats for use as a safety aid around swimming pools. There are antifatigue mats to reduce the strain of standing and electrical safety mats to reduce the risk of shocks.

So is specialisation an industry trend?

Or are purpose-specific mats only a small part of the market?

“Specialisation is definitely growing in line with increased demand,” says CWSBoco product manager Maren Schulte.

“Take for example the CWS industrial mat which was developed at the request of a customer who was looking for a solution that could withstand vehicle traffic. It is a similar story when it comes to print quality where customer requirements are also becoming more demanding.”

She says mats can fulfil a number of different functions. “Dust control mats pri-

marily reduce dirt and dust and therefore help to cut building cleaning costs,” she said. “In public areas, mats prevent people from slipping during the wet months and this helps to improve safety. And a smart-looking reception mat plays a part in projecting a positive company image. It is like a calling card.”

However, standard mats are CWS’s best-sellers since they can be incorporated into any interior. “We are also seeing a rise in demand for customised logo mats which is a reflection of a greater desire for tailored solutions,” says Schulte. “We now offer additional colours and a higher resolution that provides the mat with the look of a textile photo.”

Other products in the CWS range include shaped, anti-fatigue, scraper, industrial and alu-profile mats. According to Schulte this reflects an increasing trend towards specialisation – while at the same time, mat quality is improving.

Driving development “Companies realise just how flexible mats can be and are doing their bit to drive forward development,” she said.

“Meanwhile, new fabric blends are helping to increase the capacity of mats to absorb dirt and moisture. The result is a rise in the quality of all-round mats as well as more mats that can cater for specialist applications.”

An increasing focus is being placed on sustainability, adds Schulte. “There is an emerging trend to use pile made from recycled materials,” she said. “This means for example that old bottles or fishing nets can be used to make the pile of a floor mat. Manufacturers are continually testing new materials that have either been designed to perform existing functions more effectively or to create new, specialist functions.”

US matting consultant Robert Kravitz agrees that increased sustainability and more effective matting are among today’s trends. However, he is less convinced about specialisation being on the increase.

“The matting industry is very old and

like many facets of the professional cleaning industry, until recently has changed very slowly,” he said. “What does appear to be happening is that an increasing number of companies are manufacturing mats – but they all appear to be making similar products.”

He says anti-fatigue mats, anti-static mats and bi-level mats have been among the major advances in the past 50 years.

“Bi-level mats are designed to let the moisture and soil fall beneath the surface so it does not collect on the bottom of the shoe,” he said.

Like Schulte he has noticed an increase in the number of mats made from recycled products such as plastic bottles. “So far these have been met with mixed results since some do not last as long as traditional mats while the performance of others is not quite up to scratch,” he said.

“However like any new technology, these ‘eco’ mats are certain to be improved.”

He believes an increased interest in sustainability has provided a boost for the matting market in general. “In the past, mats were often not even a consideration for building managers until it rained outside,” said Kravitz. “Now they are viewed as a ‘must have’ every day of the year to protect the health and safety of building users.

“As a result, manufacturers are putting more time and resources into developing more effective matting systems that prevent contaminants from entering a building. Essentially this was consumer-driven – a need was born and manufacturers looked to find ways of addressing it.“ Among the more specialised mats on the market are anti-static, slip-resistant and antibacterial mats, he said. “Antistatic mats are installed in electrical and mechanical areas where delicate electronic equipment is used,” said Kravitz. “Static electricity can damage electronic components and the shock it produces can potentially cause an accident. These mats are designed to prevent the Continued page 56

October 2016 | ECJ | 55

MATTING The many-sided mat (continued) build-up of static electricity by removing the static charge.”

He says there has been an increasing number of ‘pool mats’ on the market with enhanced slip-resistance to ensure safety.

“Some pool mats have antibacterial and antifungal additives to help prevent mould, fungus, and bacteria from growing on the mats and potentially being passed on to the walker,” he adds.

Two relatively recent trends in the matting market are ‘boot bath’ mats and messaging mats, says Kravitz. “The aim of boot bath mats is to prevent any pathogens from being walked into the work area,” he said. “They were originally mainly used on farms and in food processing centres but we are now finding them in cleanroom environments, laboratories and facilities where high-tech devices are made as well.”

Messaging mats have evolved from logo mats, he says. “For example, medical facilities now often place directions or instructions on their mats. These might incorporate an arrow and read, for instance: ‘straight ahead to radiology’ or: ‘left to cafeteria’, ‘right to hospital library’ and so on.”

But despite an increase in the range of mats on the market, he says the main function of a mat remains unchanged.

“Moisture and soil collect on shoebottoms and it is the job of an effective matting system to remove this moisture and soil – both to prevent slip and fall accidents and to keep facilities clean,” said Kravitz.

Ongoing research shows just how specialised matting has become according to director of marketing for Notrax mats Giselle Dirckx. Studies are being carried out into the make-up of anti-fatigue mats by biomechanics expert Dr Redha Taiar at the University of Reims, says Dirckx.

“Dr Taiar is looking at how the material and design of a mat can affect comfort levels for people of varying weights whether they are standing still for long periods of time or walking up and down,” she said.

“Using numerical modelling to illustrate how the weight of a standing worker is distributed over the anti-fatigue mat he is able to demonstrate the effect of factors La fonction primaire d’un paillasson est de capter les boues et salissures des chaussures pour qu’elles ne pénètrent pas à l’intérieur du bâtiment. Mais par suite de la spécialisation croissante du secteur, on trouve aujourd’hui des paillassons industriels pour absorber des huiles et copeaux ; des paillassons en caoutchouc pour reprendre des liquides de cuisines et de bars ; des paillassons antidérapants placés autour de piscines dans des gymnases ; et même des paillassons de sécurité électrique pour protéger les opérateurs de tableau de distribution.

October 2016 | ECJ | 56

such as material type, composition, density, surface pattern and engineering. “ Notrax offers anti-fatigue mats that are designed to help improve posture, restore balance and prevent musculoskeletal disorders in workers who need to stand for more than four hours a day. The company also offers anti-slip mats for use in wet, dry or oily areas plus electrostatic discharge mats, Insulation matting and food industry matting with antibacterial treatments.

“Continuous research and new engineering have made mats more versatile and effective than ever,” said Dirckx. “In order to

The main function of a mat remains unchanged - to remove moisture and soil from the bottom of shoes.

For the prevention of slip and fall accidents and to keep facilities clean. continue to provide revolutionary matting solutions we need to truly understand the problem and to use the latest technologies, smart materials and engineering processes to create a product that addresses the problems that workers face.”

According to Dirckx the company has recently seen an increasing demand for customised solutions. “Besides personalised logo creation we have also seen a rise in popularity of modular mats that can be easily adapted to any installation or adjusted on site,” she said. New from Notrax is the Master Flex entrance matting system which has an interlocking design that allows it to be easily installed by hand.

Regional manager of the Andersen Company Europe Thomas Vanden Wyngaerdt believes that today’s market has a greater understanding of the importance of matting as part of an overall commitment to health and safety. “As end users become more educated, there is an increasing demand for specialised products designed for specific needs and applications,” he

Die Hauptfunktion einer Matte ist es, Schmutz und Fremdkörper von Schuhen zu erfassen und zu verhindern, dass sie in das Gebäude gebracht werden. Aber durch die zunehmende Spezialisierung des Sektors gibt es nun Industriematten zum Aufsaugen von Metallspänen und Öl; Gummimatten zum Absorbieren von Flüssigkeiten in Küchen und Bars; Anti-Rutschmatten zum Einsatz in Schwimmbädern und Sportstudios, und sogar elektrische Sicherheitsmatten, um zu verhindern, dass Schaltanlagenbediener Stromschläge erhalten.

said. “We are seeing a significant growth in the ergonomic mat market as well as mats for specialised commercial and industrial applications to promote the wellbeing of employees and visitors.”

Andersen offers a range of electrostatic dissipative matting to help protect sensitive equipment from damage, plus non-conductive mats designed to insulate workers and protect them from deadly shocks generated by high voltage equipment.

Like Robert Kravitz, he feels today’s market includes a vast number of products that have been designed for the same application. “For example, Andersen offers more than 60 different anti-fatigue mats with the difference between them being very location-specific,” he said. “Most mats are made from 100 per cent nitrile rubber which makes them resistant to grease, oils and chemicals. However there are mats that have been expressly designed to perform well in wet, dry or oily environments.”

Andersen recently developed the Wet Step anti-slip mat for use around swimming pools, saunas and medical areas.

These are available in various colours and have an antibacterial treatment to prevent the build-up of odour-causing bacteria.

According to Vanden Wyngaerdt, smart mats will be the next big thing in matting.

“These are still a few years away but they will incorporate sensors that will enable them to be connected to other devices,” he said. “As the ‘internet of things’ becomes more affordable, mats that can be connected to the internet will provide a tremendous amount of data on traffic, moisture levels and other environmental parameters while continuing to provide all the traditional benefits of mats.”

But in the meantime, today’s market remains steady, he says. “Entrance matting still represents the largest sector of purchases within our customer base,” said Vanden Wyngaerdt. “Most end users understand the importance of quality entrance matting, particularly in areas with inclement weather conditions.”

La funzione principale di uno zerbino è quella di catturare lo sporco e i sassolini delle scarpe ed evitare che vengano trasportati all’interno dell’edificio. Ma il settore sta diventando sempre più specializzato ed esistono ora degli zerbini industriali progettati per assorbire trucioli e olio; tappetini di gomma per assorbire liquidi nelle cucine e nei bar; tappetini antiscivolamento per essere utilizzati nelle piscine e nelle palestre, e persino tappetini per la sicurezza elettrica per prevenire agli operatori dei centralini di ricevere scariche elettriche.

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