INCLEAN November-December 2024

RETAIL THERAPY

Cleaning shops for indoor health

CHANGING ROOMS

Making toilets more inclusive

SMARTER BUILDS

Can buildings clean themselves?

WHEN PRODUCTIVITY MATTERS.

Kärcher has the solution.

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WEditor’s letter

elcome to the November and December edition of INCLEAN. It was great to see so many of you at this year’s ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo in September. Events like this are always a reminder of the energy, innovation, and commitment driving our industry forward. If you weren't there – or you'd like to relive those two days – you'll find a recap of the highlights inside.

As we look towards 2025, we’re excited to bring you stories and insights from all corners of our industry, covering the trends and challenges shaping the future of cleaning and facility management.

In this issue, we examine some of the ways our industry is evolving. Up front, you’ll find a piece on cleaning for indoor health in retail spaces, an essential read for understanding the impact of our work on public health, customer satisfaction and profitability. We also take a deep dive into how public bathrooms can be made more inclusive, particularly for women, and look at some of the simple steps that can make a big difference. Rounding out our features, we look at how smart buildings are set to transform cleaning and facility management, with insights into the technologies and approaches that could redefine our roles.

Throughout this issue, you’ll find thought-provoking stories, profiles, news and expert opinions that capture the diversity of the cleaning, restoration and hygiene sectors in Australia and New Zealand. It’s a reminder of the important work we all do — and the progress still to come.

I hope you find something here that resonates, informs or challenges you. As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions. Let us know what matters to you, and we’ll ensure it’s part of our conversation.

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Happy reading,

Myke Bartlett Editor editor@incleanmag.com.au

Niche Media takes its corporate and social responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities. As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers. This magazine has been printed on paper produced from sustainably sourced wood and pulp fibre and is accredited under PEFC chain of custody. PEFC certified wood and paper products come from environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests.

IN THIS ISSUE

22 Increasing accessibility in public bathrooms

Services such as free period care, bins for incontinence pad disposal and intentionally designed bathroom facilities can add value and appeal to a variety of destinations. 28 The new retail therapy

Cleaning in the retail sector has a new focus on healthy indoor environments, with the understanding that people spend more when they feel safe.

Here's to the future!

This year’s ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo broke attendance records and captured a rapidly changing industry. 39 Get

Rapidly evolving technology is moving towards smart building cleaning themselves, but experts say we’re not there just yet.

After the flood, restore the faith

Whether you're a restoration company owner or a property manager, you should consider partnering with a contents restoration expert.

48 Working for the Governor

We’re profiling facility managers to put a face to a facility and debunk any assumptions about this essential profession.

Australian companies get smart about waste reduction

Two big Aussie businesses are finding innovative ways to slash waste output as sustainability becomes a key focus.

Two very different Australian companies have reported mass reductions in waste, by employing creative solutions and embracing sustainability. Veolia Group’s customdesigned waste compacting solution at Sydney’s Circular Quay has decreased weekly waste collections by almost 66 percent, alongside reducing transport

emissions by the same amount and halving waste operational expenses.

Veolia NSW environmental services manager Brett Jones says the team works to overcome the common blunder of waste rooms being neglected in commercial building fit-outs.

“It’s not unusual for waste rooms to be included as an afterthought in commercial buildings,” he says. “Our team has

mastered the ability to develop creative solutions for difficult waste problems,” he says.

Veolia collaborated with the supplier to craft a bespoke compactor unit responsive to the constraints of the site and capable of accepting up to 3.5 tonnes of waste at any time.

This elevation in operational sophistication, spurred by designing a bespoke compactor

Our goal is to create a waste-free future where everything we produce is repurposed or recycled.

- Fiona Lawrie

unit, has decreased the frequency of waste collection. Waste collection times at the terminal have historically been twice a day, with cardboard a daily service.

However, with the implementation of the bespoke compactor, general waste only needs to be collected once a week and cardboard bales are able to be collected three times a week –subsequently contributing to a decrease in diesel emissions.

“We will see a reduction of 17 truck movements every week, or 884 truck movements every year,” says Jones.

Additionally, the Port Authority of NSW estimates the new compactor and baler has produced a 50 percent reduction in the terminal’s waste collection costs.

Veolia vows to toss away the unrealistic and immobilising ‘one-size-fits-all’ model when devising sustainable energy and waste management solutions. “We are always prepared to develop creative solutions,” Jones concludes.

Officeworks have developed their own creative solutions to excess waste by embracing the circular economy. This approach involves designing systems and products to reduce waste and prolong the lifespan of materials. Some stores have reported preventing 90 percent of their waste from reach landfill.

Fiona Lawrie, head of sustainability at Officeworks, says the company’s waste management processes are underpinned by a waste hierarchy of avoid, reduce, reuse, repair and recycle, with landfill as the last option.

“This year, our efforts have focused on collaborating with team members in our stores through an education, engagement and recognition initiative aimed at raising awareness and knowledge of correct waste and recycling processes,” Lawrie said.

“As part of this program, we delivered a mandatory waste handling training module for all store team members.”

Since launching the Bring It Back program in 2017, Officeworks has recycled more than 11,000 tonnes of customer waste, including pens, markers, ink, toner and electronic accessories.

This initiative has become a cornerstone of the company’s efforts to prevent waste from ending up in landfill.

“The focus on waste reduction is central to the company’s environmental strategy, aligning with its goal of building a sustainable future,” Lawrie said.

Officeworks’ waste management initiatives have resulted in a significant reduction in waste sent to landfill, from 2,500 tonnes in 2017 to just 674 tonnes in 2024. The company achieved an average waste diversion rate of 87.3 percent, with over 85 stores surpassing a 90 percent diversion rate.

“Our goal is to create a waste-free future where everything we produce is repurposed or recycled,” Lawrie said.

“With the launch of new initiatives and a strong focus on collaboration with partners and customers, Officeworks continues to drive Australia’s transition to a more circular economy.” ■

Freudenberg certified as a Great Place to Work

Freudenberg Home & Cleaning Solutions, a leading provider of branded cleaning products and systems, is proud to announce its certification as a Great Place to Work in Australia. The certification, awarded by the Great Place to Work Institute, reflects the company’s commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture and employee satisfaction.

Freudenberg Home & Cleaning Solutions, known for its brands such as Oates, Vileda, Vileda Professional, O-Cedar, Gimi, Gala, Wettex, Marigold and Vermop, has consistently prioritised employee well-being, innovation and customer focus. The company’s dedication to creating a supportive and engaging work environment has resulted in an impressive 81 percent of employees affirming that it is a great place to work, compared to the typical Australian company’s 56 percent.

Andrea Grassini, general manager of Freudenberg’s ANZ professional division, said the company was thrilled to receive this recognition.

“Our team’s passion, collaboration and commitment have contributed to our success,” Grassini said. “We remain committed to maintaining a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered.”

Nathan Wales, Freudenberg’s human resources director, said the company empowers employees to be the best version of themselves.

“We foster a culture that encourages growth, collaboration and innovation,” Wales said. “Our commitment to employee wellbeing and professional development is at the heart of our success.”

The certification underscores Freudenberg’s efforts, over the past three years, to enhance employee experiences, drive innovation and promote diversity and inclusion. As the company continues to grow, it remains dedicated to fostering a positive workplace culture that supports both professional development and personal well-being. ■

For more information about Freudenberg Home & Cleaning Solutions or the Freudenberg Group visit: freudenberg.com

Carpet stains spotting

When it comes to cleaning carpet stains, using the right product is crucial for achieving the best results. Different stains, such as grease, coffee or protein-based substances like blood and food, each require a tailored solution to effectively break down and remove the stain without causing further damage to the carpet fibres. For instance, solvent-soluble stains like oil or tar respond best to products like Grease Release, while tannin stains

from coffee or tea are best handled with Coffee Break. Protein-based stains, such as blood or milk, require the use of Sensation for complete breakdown, while rust or mineral stains are easily tackled with Trusty. For browning or discoloration issues, Browning Treatment ensures your carpets stay fresh and vibrant.

By selecting the appropriate cleaning agent for each type of stain, you not only ensure a cleaner carpet but also help preserve its quality and longevity.

Speak to us today for your complete STAIN GUIDE and SPOTTING TIPS from RESEARCH PRODUCTS and get the solutions tailored to your specific needs!

Effective stain removal can also prevent future issues like discoloration and traffic lane build-up, making routine carpet maintenance easier and more efficient. ■

Speak to us today for your complete Stain Guide and spotting tips from Research Products and get the solutions tailored to your specific needs!

For more information or to place an order call: 1300 669 686 professional.oates.com.au

How green is microfibre?

Microfibre cloths are not only effective but also a sustainable choice for industries such as healthcare.

Ever since cleaning first became a profession, the tools of the trade have continued to evolve.

Leather and cotton wipes gave way to latex cloths, before a major shift in the late 1970s saw the arrival of microfibre cleaning wipes. Initially marketed to consumers as the “wonder wipe,” microfibre quickly became the standard in professional cleaning as well.

WHAT IS MICROFIBRE?

The term “microfibre” can be broken down into “micro” and “fibre,” which essentially means very thin thread. But how thin is thin? A fibre with a thickness of 1 decitex (dtex) or less qualifies as a microfibre. Decitex is a unit used to measure the thickness of fibres—1 dtex equals the weight (in grams) of 10,000 metres of a fibre.

NON-WOVEN, KNITTED, WOVEN

Microfibres can be processed into fabric much like any other fibre. In woven fabrics, fibres are twisted into yarn and then interlaced on a loom, while in knitted fabrics, yarns are looped together. Non-woven fabrics skip the yarn stage altogether, bonding loose fibres in various ways. Most common microfibre cleaning cloths are non-woven or knitted. Knitted microfibre cloths are thicker, soft and highly absorbent. Non-woven cloths, although thinner, are still very absorbent with a smoother surface.

Like a knitted jumper, larger dirt particles can sometimes get “hooked” into the fabric and become difficult to wash out. This problem was solved by Vileda Professional with the PVAmicro cloth, a knitted microfibre cloth with a PVA coating. Non-woven microfibre cloths, like the Vileda r-MicronQuick cloth, are ideal for cleaning interior and sanitary surfaces. Its certified ability to remove microorganisms using only water offers many benefits— high-quality cleaning results, no streaks after drying and durability across more than 400 washes.

CLEANING HEALTHCARE FACILITIES WITH MICROFIBRE AND JUST WATER – UNTHINKABLE?

Cleaning with only water and microfibre cloths is common practice in many European healthcare facilities. The mechanical action of wiping with microfibre compensates for the lack of detergent (the Sinner Circle principle). A high-quality microfibre cloth can remove up to 99.99% of bacteria, viruses, and fungi from surfaces using just water.

Infection prevention specialists and cleaning professionals alike appreciate the advantages: the lack of detergents means cost savings, no detergent residues to form biofilms and a guaranteed streak-free drying result. As cleaning chemicals are eliminated, so is the risk of dosing errors.

It’s important to note that while this process removes microbes, it doesn’t kill them, meaning this is not disinfection. In the past, this may have been seen as a drawback. Today we understand that the misuse and overuse of disinfectants can lead to resistance in pathogenic microorganisms. This ongoing global conversation is reshaping disinfection protocols to determine when it is truly necessary and when thorough cleaning is sufficient.

HOW SUSTAINABLE IS MICROFIBRE?

Most microfibres are made from synthetic materials, with unique characteristics that allow them to “scrape” dirt and microorganisms off surfaces using only water. However, because they are made from plastic, the production process isn’t always environmentally friendly.

HOW CAN USERS IMPROVE A PRODUCT’S SUSTAINABILITY?

Product sustainability isn’t solely the responsibility of manufacturers—users play a role too. This is referred to as the product’s “handprint.” Choosing high-quality, durable wipes is key, as the lifespan of a product has a major impact on sustainability.

How you use the wipe is also important. Fold it three times and change to a clean side regularly when cleaning to use the entire surface of the wipe.

Using fewer wipes means less laundry, which in turn reduces energy and water consumption, as wipes wear out faster from laundering than from cleaning. Cleaning with water alone further contributes to sustainability while offering other benefits as well.

WHAT ABOUT THE VILEDA R-MICRONQUICK WIPE?

The Vileda r-MicronQuick microfibre cloth is made from synthetic fibres, but much has been done to make the product as sustainable as possible. The fibres are produced using a distinctive, sustainable technology called Evolon, which relies on high-pressure water instead of chemicals.

The microfibres’ high quality ensures a minimum lifespan of 400 washes, significantly reducing the product’s handprint. The r-MicronQuick is also made from 30 percent virgin material and 70 percent recycled material, without compromising on quality. Its sustainability is further validated by the Nordic Swan label.

Made from extra-thin microfibres, the r-MicronQuick cloth represents the latest in microfibre technology. It removes 99.99% of bacteria, viruses and fungi (including Candida auris) from surfaces using only water. This has been tested and certified by an independent laboratory.

Recently, the r-MicronQuick was awarded the ISSA EXCELLENCE - Environmental Awareness & Sustainability Award 2024. ■

Paul Harleman is the global application manager at Vileda Professional.

Ing P.B. Paul Harleman

Nordic Swan Ecolabel

Rapid rise continues for RapidClean

A challenging year hasn’t stopped the RapidClean collective from expanding its horizons.

At their annual conference, hosted this October in Perth, the RapidClean group celebrated a year that saw them expand their membership base while riding out unforeseen challenges. Last year, CEO Wayne Hill had warned that the economic outlook for 2023-24 looked tough, and in his opening speech, he said that had played out as expected.

“But what wasn’t anticipated were the global economic disruptions,” Hill said. “We had war in Ukraine and Gaza. We saw impacts on our trade, exports, rising commodity fuel prices and our cost of living and housing prices locally.”

Also unforeseen was aggressive pressure from a competitor who poached two of the group’s suppliers. Hill said these factors made for a busy first full year for him as CEO.

“It was like going 12 rounds with Mike Tyson,” Hill said. “We’ve changed our IT systems and support provider, made staffing changes, dealt with competitor acquisitions of members and onboarded several new members.”

On the economic front, Australian supplier spend was flat, with 17 members down on the previous year. Likewise, key accounts showed little or no growth, as growth from new business was masked by a downturn in other accounts. This flat result — while not unexpected — stood out starkly compared to the growth reported at last year’s conference.

RapidClean Awards 2024

Supplier of the Year Paper & Packaging Products

Huhtamaki – Tailored Packaging

Supplier of the Year Cleaning Accessories

Edgar Edmondson (Edco)

Supplier of the Year Cleaning Solutions Clean Plus Chemicals

Supplier of the Year Machinery Pacvac

Supplier of the Year Specialty Accom Assist

Supplier of the Year PPE & Safety Apollo Safety

Supplier of the Year Runner Up Clean Plus Chemicals

Supplier of the Year

Edgar Edmondson (Edco)

Member of the Year 3rd Place

RapidClean Byron Coast

Member of the Year 2nd Place

RapidClean Tasmania

Member of the Year

Abcoe Distributors

“Despite the considerable efforts of the team, the result was very little growth over this year. The year before, we grew by 33 percent, so it’s a big shock to come down like that,” Hill said.

Those challenges aside, the collective has seen growth in other areas, welcoming seven new members and five new suppliers. Rapid also conducted five large tenders and saw New Zealand supplier spend rise by seven percent, which is impressive given the sluggish economy.

Talking after his speech, Hill said that growing demand from suppliers wanting to sign up to the collective was a positive sign.

“And we have plenty of businesses in the pipeline,” Hill said.

“For us, it’s about finding the ones in the right spot so we have the right blend of businesses.”

He hoped members would leave the conference feeling upbeat about the year ahead.

“We are looking at where the growth is going to come from. The economy can only grow so fast, but we as a cooperative can support our members with national and large accounts.”

One way Rapid is supporting members is by updating their systems and processes to make the most of available rebates.

“Changing our systems is going to help us manage our rebates better. We’re probably leaving money on the table somewhere with our suppliers. With the new system, we’ll be able to track every invoice.”

The attendees said…

“I thoroughly enjoyed my first RapidClean conference. It was great to catch up with the board and so many members, and great to talk shop in such a relaxed but professional atmosphere.”

Darren Cox, SC Johnson Professional

Hill says the new system will also help suppliers predict and identify where an increased spend might open up new rebates — a win-win for suppliers and members alike.

Two days of supplier meet-and-greets (and the Rapid AGM) culminated with a gala dinner, at which the Supplier and Member Awards for 2024 were announced. The big winners this year were Edgar Edmondson (Edco), who took home Supplier of the Year, and Abcoe Distributors, who won Member of the Year.

Hill said the awards were always very competitive and prized by members and suppliers alike.

“Everyone loves recognition. The members always ask, what’s the criteria? What do we have to do to get it? I know that, as someone who was previously a supplier, we always displayed the Rapid awards in our foyer. They’re certainly something people strive to win.”

The dinner also gave members a chance to compete in an auction for prizes ranging from an overnight zoo safari (which raised $5,500), via a luxury car racing experience (two lots of $5,000) to a colourful baseball cap that netted $2,000 on the back of an emotional story about cancer from one of the members. Following on from the annual Sharon Lees Memorial Afternoon Tea, the Gala Dinner Auction raised a record $30,000 for the Cancer Council Australia.

Feedback from conference attendees was extremely positive. Hill said he saw the main benefit of this annual event as being a chance for members and suppliers of every size to rub shoulders and make new connections.

“When new members come here, they get to meet every supplier, whether they work with them or not,” Hill said.

“The benefit of those collaborative chats is that they can find solutions to any problems they might be having — they might not realise a supplier has a product available they’ve been paying more for somewhere else. Our members then grow their business by getting additional products and opportunities.”

Boosting productivity and retaining staff: the Kärcher solution

Kärcher cleaning equipment boosts productivity, reduces turnover and streamlines cleaning processes across various industries.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, many organisations grapple with challenges that hinder productivity, such as poor staff retention and frequent machine breakdowns. These issues can create a frustrating cycle that impacts upon overall efficiency and morale, often leading to increased operational costs and lower employee engagement. Acknowledging these pain points is crucial, as they not only affect day-to-day operations but also the long-term success of a business. Fortunately, innovative solutions from Kärcher are transforming cleaning operations, making them quicker and easier while enhancing overall staff satisfaction.

With advanced technology and userfriendly designs, Kärcher cleaning equipment streamlines cleaning processes, reduces the physical strain on staff and minimises downtime due to equipment failure. This not only leads to cleaner, safer environments but also allows employees to focus on core responsibilities, boosting productivity. Moreover, by investing in high-quality cleaning equipment, organisations can foster a culture of appreciation, where staff feel supported and valued, further improving retention rates. In an era where efficiency is key, Kärcher stands out as a partner committed to helping businesses navigate these challenges and create a more positive workplace atmosphere.

For shopping centres seeking to maintain pristine floors, the Kärcher B 200 R Bc ride-on scrubber dryer is a game-changer. Capable of extensive cleaning applications over large areas, this machine features a large 110cm disc brush head that ensures

thorough cleaning in fewer passes. It comes standard with Kärcher’s advanced cleaning agent dosing system, DOSE, which precisely measures and dispenses cleaning agents for optimal results while saving costs. Additionally, the time-saving autofill system allows for convenient filling of the fresh water tank, while the automatic rinsing system facilitates effortless cleaning of the wastewater tank. This means your team can focus on providing a clean environment for customers, enhancing the shopping experience.

When it comes to car parks, the Kärcher KM 170/600 R D Classic ride-on sweeper is the ideal solution. This powerful sweeper is designed to effectively minimise dust during sweeping, ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment. Built to perform in extreme external conditions, this machine features a large capacity 600-litre hopper and a robust four-wheel stance that enhances stability and speed, allowing for faster sweeping performance. With this kind of efficiency, your staff can keep large parking areas immaculate without the physical strain, boosting morale and productivity.

For industrial applications, the Kärcher B 260 RI Bc ride-on scrubber dryer is equipped to handle the toughest cleaning tasks. This machine saves valuable time with its integrated presweeping function that tackles coarse dirt before the main scrubbing process begins. It features Kärcher’s advanced DOSE dosing system, ensuring optimal use of cleaning agents tailored to the specific task. The B 260 RI also includes side brushes and a roller brush that enhance cleaning effectiveness, making it ideal for expansive areas. This efficiency means fewer machine breakdowns and less downtime, allowing your workforce to stay productive and engaged.

Moreover, the robust design and advanced technology in Kärcher products not only improve cleaning outcomes but also reduce the likelihood of equipment failure. This reliability translates to lower maintenance costs and fewer interruptions in daily operations, further enhancing productivity. As staff experience the ease and efficiency of Kärcher machines, job satisfaction increases, fostering a more dedicated workforce.

By investing in Kärcher products, organisations can tackle the persistent challenges of poor productivity, high turnover and machine reliability. These robust and efficient cleaning solutions not only improve cleaning effectiveness but also contribute to a more enjoyable work environment for staff, leading to higher retention rates and a thriving workplace. Embrace the Kärcher advantage today and experience the remarkable difference in your operations.

No matter what your challenge is. There’s Kärcher for that. ■

Celebrating Thank Your Cleaner Day: honouring the unsung heroes of cleanliness

Kärcher leads the celebration of the cleaning industry, recognising the essential work of cleaners worldwide.

Thank Your Cleaner Day, an internationally recognised event, celebrated its tenth anniversary on 16 October 2024. Acknowledged in more than 50 countries worldwide, this special day was dedicated to the hard work and dedication of cleaners who keep our environments safe, hygienic and welcoming.

From childcare centres and hospitals to schools, airports, shopping centres and offices, cleaners play an essential role in our daily lives. Their efforts often go unnoticed, yet they are crucial in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards, especially in public spaces where health and safety are paramount.

This year’s Thank Your Cleaner Day encouraged everyone to take a moment to recognise and appreciate these unsung heroes. Simple gestures, such as expressing gratitude, leaving thank-you notes or offering small gifts, made a significant impact. These acts of kindness not only uplifted the spirits of cleaners but also fostered a culture of appreciation within our communities.

Organisations and businesses participated by hosting events or sharing messages of thanks on social media. Many communities organised special gatherings to celebrate the dedication of cleaners, emphasising their vital role in our health and well-being.

As we reflect on this meaningful day, we remember the dedication, diligence and professionalism that cleaners bring to their work every day. Thank Your Cleaner Day was more than just a celebration; it was an opportunity to highlight the vital contributions of these individuals and to

remind them that their hard work is seen and valued.

If your business would like to take part in Thank Your Cleaner Day 2025, keep an eye out for the registration form in early

September 2025. For more information, contact Kärcher at marketing@au.karcher. com. Together, let’s continue fostering a culture of appreciation for those who keep our spaces clean and safe. ■

Abco buys Proquip and makes move on New Zealand market

The acquisition, effective from 1 October, represents a strategic move by Abco as it broadens its reach beyond Australia.

Abco has acquired a majority shareholding in New Zealand’s Proquip, the company has announced, marking its expansion into the New Zealand market.

Proquip has been a major player in New Zealand’s cleaning supply industry for more than 40 years, with facilities in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Kerry Boon, managing director of Proquip, described the acquisition as a significant milestone in the company’s history.

“This acquisition by Abco marks an exciting chapter for Proquip,” Boon said.

“Over the years, we have grown from our origins as a brushware supplier to becoming a market leader in cleaning supplies. With Abco’s resources and expertise, we are set to introduce new products, services, and innovations while maintaining the high level of service our customers have come to expect.”

Abco has recently been expanding its operations across Australia, but this marks its first venture across the Tasman. James Bagshaw, managing director of Abco, expressed his excitement about the new partnership, highlighting the synergy between the two companies.

“We are thrilled to extend our operations into New Zealand through this partnership with Proquip,” Bagshaw said.

“This expansion aligns with our strategy to grow our market presence while complementing Proquip’s strong reputation.”

This expansion aligns with our strategy to grow our market presence while complementing Proquip’s strong reputation.

- James Bagshaw

Abco said capitalising on Proquip’s wellestablished market presence and expertise will allow both companies to generate significant growth opportunities. Boon also highlighted the potential benefits for Proquip’s customers, given the broader range of products and services that will now be available.

“We are confident this partnership will bring about positive changes for our customers,” Boon said.

“Abco’s cutting-edge technology and logistics capabilities will allow us to offer even more comprehensive solutions, further strengthening our position in the market.”

Bagshaw describing the Proquip deal as “just the beginning.” Abco has set ambitious growth targets, he said, and envisions further expansion as part of its long-term plans. ■

Whiteley wins two major Business Hunter awards

The awards recognise outstanding business in global medical supply and innovative manufacturing.

Whiteley Corporation were winners twice over at this year’s Business Hunter Awards, held in September, taking home the Excellence in International Business Award and Business of the Year Award.

Held annually for more than 40 years, the Business Hunter Awards acknowledge individuals and organisations that have made a remarkable impact on the region’s business landscape. While Whiteley has won other awards over the years, this was the first time they have snagged the biggest prize.

Bob Hawes, Business Hunter CEO, said there were tight margins in many of the categories this year, so all finalists and award winners should be proud of their efforts.

“These awards celebrate individuals who have set new standards of excellence with their remarkable contributions,” Hawes said.

“The outstanding finalists and winners tonight demonstrate that we are heading towards an exceptionally promising and dynamic future.”

Darran Leyden, managing director for Whiteley, said that winning the Excellence in International Business Award seemed appropriate as neither he nor executive chairman Dr Greg Whiteley were in the country for the awards ceremony.

“Greg and myself were in the US working on some major projects for the company when we got the fantastic news that we had won the award,” Leyden said.

The awards were accepted at September’s gala event by Brooke Cavanagh, chief financial officer at Whiteley, who recognised the work of her team and the business’ commitment to growth.

“Whiteley have an amazing team that bend over backwards to work through a variety of challenges for our export (and domestic) customers so this is a great award that recognises the hard work of our staff across the company,” Leyden said.

This year’s awards featured 127 finalists across 21 categories, including Excellence in Innovation, Outstanding New Business and the prestigious Business of the Year.

Leyden said Whiteley was especially delighted to win the Business of The Year

Award as it reflected a “get the job done” attitude as the company continues to expand business opportunities across both at home and internationally.

Mr Hawes said the awards were an important opportunity for celebration and reflection, at a time when many businesses across many sectors were facing a range of operating challenges.

“It’s encouraging to see so many businesses thriving and sharing their success, despite these tough operating conditions,” Hawes said.

“Tonight was an opportunity to come together as a community to connect, celebrate and reflect on all the challenges and opportunities that come our way.” ■

“YOU

CAN’T CHANGE WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW IS AN ISSUE”

INCREASING

ACCESSIBILITY IN PUBLIC BATHROOMS

Services such as free period care, bins for incontinence pad disposal and intentionally designed bathroom facilities can add value and appeal to a variety of destinations.

Words

Helena Morgan

Locating a generously stocked and easy-to-operate bathroom for all ages, abilities and sensitivities should be an easy task in any office building, museum or shopping centre. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Many people refrain from using public bathrooms out of fear that their needs will not be met.

If you’ve never had trouble accessing a bathroom, chances are you’ve never given much thought to the obstacles others face. Rochelle Lake, head of marketing B2B at Essity Australia, is on a mission to increase the inclusivity and accessibility of bathrooms, starting with destigmatising discussions about menstrual health hygiene in the workplace.

“The key message that we want to get out there is that these barriers exist, but it’s only people who [are affected by these] issues that know about them,” says Lake. “They’re like hidden barriers.”

She prescribes a healthy dose of education to illuminate the often obscured struggles many people face daily when attempting to locate an accessible bathroom stocked with whatever they need to safely and comfortably go about their business.

Lake explains barriers to universal wellbeing in bathrooms encompass more than just a scant number of sanitary bins and dwindling paper towel supply – people with skin conditions such as eczema are occasionally unable to wash their hands at public bathrooms.

“Public restrooms are often fitted with harsh fragrance soaps and this can affect people with skin sensitivities,” says Lake.

Design cues such as lighting to accommodate various auditory sensitivities are also essential when looking to create a calming atmosphere for all ages and abilities. Lake says she is saddened to encounter people who refrain from using bathrooms at workplaces or schools because they assume bathrooms will not cater towards their specific requirements.

“People avoid going to the bathroom or they might even avoid going out,” she says.

“There's some research that shows a lot of kids do not go to the toilet during school time because the bathrooms are gross or they're scared to go in there.”

This lack of proper hygiene spurs a slippery slope into effect. Without exercising proper hygiene, there is a real risk of children spreading infection and disease.

NORMALISING PERIOD CARE DISCUSSIONS

Period care is a key area where facility managers can act to make bathrooms more inclusive. Lake says she was proud to be involved in Essity’s campaign to combat period poverty via Australia’s inaugural large-scale government period care rollout in 2020. This campaign delivered practical bathroom dispensing solutions for more than 1700 public schools in Victoria.

She was also a panellist at the recent Women's Agenda Health and Wellbeing Summit and shared insights on the need to prioritise menstrual health in workplace wellness discussions.

“I grew up not having access to period care products at school, so this is an amazing opportunity to change something for all women forever,” she says.

Discussions around period care are an important step in eliminating period poverty. Periods are another example of a barrier that may be invisible to around half of the population. In the third quarter of this year, Essity conducted a survey under the Libra Period Positivity Program to ascertain current attitudes towards workplace management of menstrual health.

Of the 1000 women polled, 87 percent have gotten their period unexpectedly at work, 76 percent have not had access to period care products at work and 63 percent of women have been unable to work because of their period. Period care products also ranked as number one on the list of amenities to be made more readily available in workplaces.

Lake emphasises the worrying imbalance in the supply and demand of period care products. “For something that is ranked as the most important, it is one of the least provided things,” she says.

Photography by The Continence Foundation of Australia and Essity.

Research also revealed 81 percent of women who have access to free period care at work feel less anxious and 83 percent of women feel more confident. Workplaces that provide access to free period care place themselves in better stead to develop a productive, inspired and motivated workforce.

She labels the ill-fated budget discussion as immobilising, yet hopes research such as the Libra Workplace Impact Survey will help instigate change.

“People ask for the return on investment and say they have to find a budget for it and get sign-off and approval,” says Lake. “That’s why we've done this research – to provide information about the value that it offers to workplaces.”

Again, education can be empowering. While Lake reports the United States as slightly lagging behind Australasia in regards to normalising menstrual hygiene discussions in the workplace, she says senior management at Essity’s sister companies in the US are embracing opportunities to educate staff on menstrual health.

“The feedback from our business in the US is that the rollout is opening up different conversations,” she says. “I think people are appreciative of the knowledge and understanding, and that empowers them to want to make change or do something about it.”

SMART BATHROOMS ALLOW FOR PEACE OF MIND AND MOBILITY

Inclusive bathrooms aren’t just for women and children, of course. According to the Continence Foundation of Australia, incontinence affects over 1.34 million Australian boys and men. Around 36 percent of those men are under the age of 50.

Installing bins into office and public bathrooms enriches an overall facility and increases work productivity for men – and everyone else living with incontinence.

Lake envisages an inclusive bathroom not only sufficiently stocked with products but also designed to achieve maximum comfortability.

“Toilet paper and period care products – they've got to be there and they have to be easy to use,” she says. Paper towels and soap should be non-abrasive and dispensers should be easy to operate and account for varying dexterities and hand strength levels.

Technological innovation has seen soap dispensers increase in sophistication and accommodate people with varying abilities. “You can invest in sensor dispensers which are better than others for accessibility,” says Lake.

She highlights the perils of paper towel dispensers that rely on outdated disposal methods.

“When dispensers have lots of hand towels stacked on top of each other, you need a bit of force to get them out correctly,” she says.

“We've designed dispensers that make it a lot easier to get a hand towel and set our soap dispensers to have a soft push that is certified as easy to use. The SmartOne toilet paper system has a sheet that comes out of the centre and one at a time, so you don't have to pull it and tear it.”

The SmartOne product demonstrates how inclusivity and sustainability can often be kissing cousins. “Getting one sheet at a time is proven to reduce consumption by up to 40 percent because if you get a free flow of a roll, you pull off more than you need,” says Lake.

REWARDS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF ACCESSIBILITY LANDSCAPE

Awareness of the diverse needs around public toilets is rising. The recent toilet facility upgrade at the Largs Bay foreshore in South Australia – delivered by Participate PAE (Port Adelaide Enfield) –demonstrates leaps are being made to eradicate obstacles to universal health and wellbeing.

Governed by a Public Toilet Plan to deliver safe, convenient and hygienic toilets that adhere to accessibility standards, the Largs Bay foreshore toilets have a Changing Places facility. A Changing Places facility contains a fully accessible public toilet with a change table for young families and a hoist for people with severe or profound disabilities. According to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, these

What’s important to provide at

work

changes are designed to help Largs Bay cultivate a reputation as an inclusive and welcoming destination.

In addition to the Changing Places facility, Largs Bay foreshore toilets have four unisex toilets, two female cubicles, two male cubicles, two accessible toilets, baby changing facilities and an outdoor wash area.

STRATEGIES THAT LEAD TO SUSTAINABLE RESULTS

Churchill Fellow and Brisbane social planner Katherine Webber applauds initiatives such as Largs Bay’s toilet replacement for generating awareness of the importance of providing inclusive public toilets.

“I am delighted every time I see a Changing Places sign,” Webber says. “I hope that there is an increase in the recognition of the role public toilets have in making public spaces more accessible and inclusive.”

Regarding successes in Australia’s accessibility landscape, Webber praises local government strategies, such as Participate PAE, that not only outline clear areas of improvement but also galvanise government investment into action.

“Some local governments have developed public toilet strategies that identify current and future community needs for public toilets in relation to a variety of public spaces,” she says.

“These strategies can assess current infrastructure provision and detail recommendations for future improvements to the network of infrastructure, including reference to roles and responsibilities for design, delivery and operation.”

In addition to employing design cues such as lighting and colour, Webber says involving future toilet users in the design process provides dignity, pride and aesthetic value.

“People deserve to have input about how a space will work for them,” she says.

Everyone is entitled to access a public bathroom that caters to an array of needs.

Commendable work is underway, however, Lake says understanding the impact of accessible bathrooms on various communities is an ongoing process – organisations and facilities must be cognisant of the tensions in the cause and effect of insufficient and exclusionary facilities.

“We are really just at the start of the journey,” she says. “I would imagine the next stage is to understand that if you change certain things, who does that benefit? At this stage, we're just identifying impacts and what causes the issues, so we can work on the solutions.”

“You can’t change what you don’t know is an issue,” she says.

Webber concurs, emphasising the power of a simple conversation to shatter damaging and exclusionary assumptions surrounding complex bathroom needs.

“I am hopeful that the conversation around public toilets will continue to highlight their role in providing accessible public spaces,” she says.

“The more people start talking positively about public toilets, the better.” ■

TCA Supply – from a simple idea to national sales powerhouse

In just two years, TCA has undergone remarkable growth, evolving from a small buying group into a national sales organisation with a powerful presence in the Australian market. Under the leadership of managing director John Beach, TCA has expanded its reach, strengthened its partnerships, and delivered genuine value to its members and suppliers.

“TCA’s journey started in 2022 when we brought together some of the strongest independent distributors in Australia and formed the group,” says Beach, who has a long-standing background in the paper industry, having spent 28 years with ESG Asia Pacific.

“We saw an opportunity to provide something unique to the market—a collective of independent businesses working together with a national focus.”

RAPID GROWTH IN TWO YEARS

TCA began with just six members in 2022, representing a collective turnover of $63 million. Today, that number has grown to 16 members, with a combined turnover

exceeding $150 million. This rapid expansion reflects the group’s ability to attract the right businesses into its fold.

“We’ve been very selective in who we bring on board,” Beach says. “Our process for onboarding new members is robust, and it’s all about finding the right people— those who buy into our vision of changing the independent space in our industry. We’re very proud of the group of people we’ve assembled.”

TRANSITION TO A NATIONAL SALES ORGANISATION

The past two years haven’t just been about growth in numbers. TCA has transitioned from being a buying group into a fullyfledged national sales organisation, allowing its members to compete at scale while maintaining the local touch that independent distributors are known for.

“We saw a gap in the Australian market,” Beach explains. “At the top end, you have large overseas-owned corporates whose strength lies in supply chain, and at the other end, you’ve got smaller retailtype businesses.”

Beach says TCA felt there was space in the middle —where large customers wanted the benefits of local knowledge and support, but they also wanted to deal with one company, with one point of contact, delivered through a single supply chain solution.

This model has proven highly successful for TCA. The collective now operates 37 warehouses across the country, with a fleet of member-owned trucks and vans bearing their distinctive yellow badge. “You’ll see our vehicles all over Australia,” Beach says. “We’re delivering in more places, more often, and customers love the fact that they’re dealing with independent, local businesses.”

BUILDING GENUINE VALUE FOR MEMBERS AND SUPPLIERS

TCA has built its reputation on creating genuine value for both its members and suppliers through carefully curated supplier partnerships.

“We’ve handpicked our suppliers, and in most categories, we only work with two or three,” Beach says.

This allows the TCA to ensure compliance across its members while providing both them and the end users with the product solutions they need.

“It may be ‘old school,’ but we believe in having real partnerships with our suppliers. We work hard to build and maintain these relationships because that’s where the genuine value lies.”

Education is also a major focus for TCA. The group is committed to helping its members run better businesses, offering regular training and development opportunities.

“A big part of what we offer is education,” Beach says. “We’ve partnered with our suppliers to provide regular training, but we also bring in outside expertise.”

Last year, the collective ran an Industry Experts masterclass at their annual event, and this year, hosted a two-day solution sales training event in Sydney. Beach is clear that education and training are critical to TCA’s vision.

“This type of education helps us deliver on our vision to improve business in

Australia,” he says. “It’s not just about selling products; it’s about providing solutions and helping businesses execute and grow.”

CREATING A UNIQUE NETWORK OF INDEPENDENTS

One of the cornerstones of TCA’s success is its ability to foster a unique network of independent businesses that can compete on a national scale. At the group’s recent conference event in Adelaide, dubbed TCA III, the focus was on building connections and driving business growth.

“We want to drive genuine connection across the independent space in Australia, helping each company execute, grow, and do business better,” Beach says.

This approach has resonated strongly with both members and customers. By maintaining the local touch of independent businesses while offering the scale and reach of a national organisation, TCA has positioned itself as a leading force in the market.

“There’s a reason customers love dealing with local, independent

Australian companies,” Beach says. “Our vision is to provide that offer at scale, delivering the best of both worlds. We’re proud of what we’ve built, and we’re excited about the future.”

THE ROAD AHEAD

As TCA continues to grow, its focus remains on delivering value to members and suppliers while expanding its national footprint. With a strong foundation, carefully chosen partners and a commitment to education and training, the group is well-positioned for future success.

“We’ve come a long way in two years,” Beach says. “But this is just the beginning. Our goal is to continue growing, continue improving, and continue helping our members and suppliers succeed. That’s what TCA is all about.”

With its rapid expansion, strong leadership, and clear vision, TCA is poised to make an even bigger impact on the Australian market in the years to come. ■

THE NEW RETAIL THERAPY

Cleaning in the retail sector has a new focus on healthy indoor environments, with the understanding that people spend more when they feel safe.

Words Myke Bartlett

Photography by Mohammed Abdul Bari from Pexels.

There are countless reasons why a good clean is essential, but when it comes to retail spaces, cleaning has a particular purpose — to sell. A retail environment is carefully designed to encourage customers to spend money, through layout, lighting, even the flooring choices. Cleanliness is an increasingly important part of that sales pitch. Retailers understand that a customer who feels their space isn’t up to the expected standard is likely to make a quick exit.

Dr Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, senior director of the Global

improvement in the maintenance of indoor air quality, including the installation of monitors. Customers might not notice them, but they’re there.”

While customer expectation is driving these changes, Macgregor-Skinner says some major retailers are taking the initiative on IAQ and cleaning for health because of concerns for staff. The US EPA estimates that 150 million workdays are missed each year due to poor indoor air quality and related health issues in stores. There is similar hard data on the difference a healthy approach to IAQ can make.

breakages within a 10- or 15-minute cycle. It’s not just cleaning.”

Nicol says this change has led to cleaning in the retail sector often becoming more process-driven, rather than results-driven. What this means is that contractors are obliged to demonstrate they are observing routines and timelines, instead of their main focus simply being on keeping a site clean.

“They've got to be able to provide more collaborative systems to the centres to say, ‘yes, we've covered this in this time and we've recorded this and this is our workflow’. I think that at the end of the day that can occasionally reduce the time allocated to actually clean.”

Contractors are also working in a highly competitive environment and finding themselves under constant pressure to cut costs to win jobs. This can sometimes lead to companies taking a one-size-fits-all approach to bidding, where they might quote on total floor space without acknowledging the unique challenges and layout of a particular centre.

Macgregor-Skinner says he’s also seeing a trend where retailers and cleaning contractors are attempting to cut costs by consolidating their procurement practices. This is being driven in the US by a consolidation of distributors and resellers, meaning that companies are able to get all their cleaning supplies, equipment and tools on a single invoice.

“I can now go out to one vendor and say, I clean the supermarket, and they can sell me everything I need,” Macgregor-Skinner says.

This consolidation, while it may be convenient for retailers, is putting smaller distributors and manufacturers under pressure. It also means a loss of specialised service, education and training in how to get the best out of particular products. If smaller businesses want to compete, they may need to look for opportunities to partner up.

“I am seeing some collaboration among independent vendors and small businesses, which means they can still make their sales to the big retailers, the big shopping malls, the big supermarkets, big clothing stores and the big tech stores. That’s fantastic.”

The ability of smaller businesses to provide expertise and education feeds into the third trend that Macgregor-Skinner identifies in retail cleaning — a desire to improve cleaning practices. On some level, this promises an antidote to the increased focus on processes and reporting that Nicol has seen. It’s about a shift towards science-based cleaning and ensuring that contractors are using the best methods and the most appropriate products.

Nicol says there has been an issue with some cleaning contractors where the management, who decides on routines and practices, often doesn’t have much experience on the shop floor.

“At the management level, there’s probably only five percent who have had hands-on experience, which is quite a change for, say, 30 years ago,” Nicol says.

“We’re also seeing major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths bringing their cleaning in-house. That means you have area managers that look after maybe 10 stores each, trying to train unskilled workers like students or part-timers looking to earn a few extra bucks. They’re not necessarily professional cleaners and probably not going to be around for long.”

On the other hand, Macgregor-Skinner says he sees major retailers as coming to realise that inadequate cleaning practices don’t just lead to a loss of customers, but also staff. While cost and time are always going to be a concern, it doesn’t take much to demonstrate the benefits of a scientific approach.

“If I talk to retail establishments about science-based cleaning for healthy indoor environments, they think it’s going to take more time and more money. It doesn’t. What I can do is provide a return on investment by showing you how to redefine your cleaning processes and how that leads to a healthy indoor environment. I can show them real change in numbers.”

Improving cleaning practices for health is also bound up with taking a more sustainable approach, which is a key motivator — and marketing tool — for many retailers. Macgregor-Skinner says cleaning smarter and cleaning greener tend to go hand in hand.

“A lot of organisations are still talking about sustainability in terms of recycling and waste management, but it’s more than that. It’s about investing in processes, technologies and procedures

Everybody’s trying to find a quicker, cheaper way of cleaning and retailers are looking to have the cleaners take on more responsibility because of their insurance coverage.

- Stuart Nicol

Photography by Heidi Fin from Unsplash.

that are based on science and evidence. And it’s based on using cleaning products that are safer for the surface, safer for humans and safer for the environment.”

Again, it’s not about extra cost or lost time, but about learning how to follow the science around cleaning for health. Nicol says he thinks many retailers have rolled back most of their infection prevention routines post-pandemic, but Macgregor-Skinner says most are open to understanding why the world has changed forever since 2020.

“I’ve had some retailers want to remove the plexiglass screens at checkouts. I sometimes swab them to show what they capture and it’s pretty nasty stuff — viruses, bacteria, fungi and all sorts of contaminants. So, no, don’t take them down.”

While effective, the screens are also a symbol that a retailer is taking indoor health seriously. In the end, it all comes back to marketing.

“What retail businesses have to be thinking is how you can draw in more customers by showing that you're actually focusing on healthy indoor environments,” Macgregor-Skinner says.

“That’s important because what you’re doing is giving people a reason to buy things here.” ■

- Dr Gavin Macgregor-Skinner

Here’s to the future!

This year’s ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo was a hit with attendees and captured a rapidly changing industry.

Words Myke Bartlett

Across 11 and 12 September, the cleaning industry descended on Sydney in large numbers for Australasia’s premier cleaning and hygiene event. Cleaning professionals, facility managers, manufacturers, distributors and more gathered gathered at ICC Sydney to demonstrate the newest products, reveal innovative tech and listen to expert advice from a range of panellists and presenters.

As the doors opened on day one, exhibitors were set up on the show floor, with more than 2750 attendees (around half attending for the first time) from more than 29 countries eager to explore the latest innovations in products and technology. The expo had a strong focus on sustainability and forward-thinking ideas for the cleaning and facility solutions industry.

More than 36 industry leaders took part in this year's education program at the Business Solutions Theatre, with three workshops coinciding with the event attracting record numbers of attendees participating in training and professional development sessions. Highlights from the first day included free sessions tackling hot topics, including indoor air quality (IAQ), the risks of mould exposure and infection prevention at major sporting events.

CLEANING FOR INDOOR HEALTH

For the session ‘How to track the invisible’, Dr Claire Bird, Scott McFadzen and Andrew Bagnall discussed the need for improved regulation, awareness and training within the IAQ and building maintenance sectors. While COVID-19 has accelerated research and standardisation efforts, ongoing attention is required to ensure healthier indoor environments. Bird said improved training and guidance were needed.

“At the moment, it’s very hard for facility managers to know where to go,” Bird said. “Reach out to your professional organisation. Reach out to ISSA or to these other organisations who can point you in the right direction.”

Carpets were highlighted as a major issue for mould. McFadzen said facility managers, in particular, needed to take advantage of the training available in the area.

“At Coach8, a training company, we have never seen a building facilities manager on any course, whether it’s water damage, mould, crime and trauma or carpet cleaning,” he said. “Building facility managers and their cleaners need to understand that the training is there, particularly on how to carpet clean properly.”

Likewise, at ‘What’s the game plan?’, Dr Gavin MacgregorSkinner highlighted the importance of training in understanding and improving cleaning practices in large facilities. He pointed out that many facility managers lack a clear understanding of their cleaning processes.

“It’s an opportunity to help them tell their cleaning story and identify areas for improvement,” Macgregor-Skinner said.

Through the ISSA GBAC Star Program, Macgregor-Skinner’s team works with venues to assess and enhance their cleaning procedures. He noted that effective cleaning can also improve IAQ, citing an example from the Formula 1 at Hard Rock Stadium where adjustments led to better air quality and increased safety. He also noted better cleaning and hygiene don’t just protect visitors but improve performance for sportspeople and performers.

His fellow panellist Dr Navin Sharma also questioned the notion that visible cleanliness was a satisfactory baseline when it came to hygiene in mass venues.

“Is visibly clean really clean?” Sharma said.

He referred to a study on quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) that revealed basic cleaning with just water can sometimes lead to more contamination. He emphasised the need for developed targeted hygiene approaches to ensure effective and sustainable cleaning. For instance, during the 2020-2021 cricket season, venues provided around 300,000 wipes and 1700 litres of hand sanitiser to prioritise the safety of participants.

Other session highlights included a talk from Christopher Joyce, CEO of Asepsis, on thinking strategically about business and a panel discussion on ‘IAQ now and into the future’, which looked at the way climate change and emerging viruses are presenting serious challenges to how we deal with air quality. Again, increased awareness, widespread training and targeted approaches will be essential.

Professor Bronwyn King said technology around IAQ was still at a comparatively early stage.

“At the moment, we’re at the brick mobile phone stage and we need to be at the iPhone 17 phase,” King said. “We want consumers to have easy access to information about IAQ. It’s hard for them to advocate for better IAQ when they don’t know what the baseline is.”

Attendees wanting a more hands-on approach enjoyed three paid workshops on the first day, covering estimating and bidding (led by Steven Kuiper of Australian Property Services) and leveraging AI for business (led by Ian Farmer of the University of Technology Sydney) and air, surface, water- the trifecta of cleanliness by Dr Gavin Macgregor-Skinner , from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council ISSA.

ISSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS

There was much excitement, as ISSA closed day one by announcing the winners of this year’s ISSA Excellence Awards. This year’s winners were:

• Innovation – Paper and Dispensing – Tork Natural Colour Fibre Range, Tork

• Innovation – Equipment Large – Cenobot SP50, SIMPPLE

• Innovation – Equipment Small – Kleenrite- Extraction Pylon Water Removal, BULCS Holdings

• Innovation – Cleaning Agents – Sentinel 909 Soybean Degreaser & Mastic Remover, BULCS Holdings

• Innovation – Service and Technology – Coach8 ASD Flood House, Coach8

• Innovation – Environmental Awareness and Sustainability –r-MicronQuick Washable Cleaning Cloth, Freudenberg Home & Cleaning Solutions Pty Ltd

• Innovation – Janitorial – Oates Professional r-Hypro Dry, Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions

Ivi Sims of BULCS Holdings said she was delighted to take home two awards.

“To win was an out of this world experience,” Sims said. "We have entered before but this year we felt very strongly about the products we submitted.”

James Yattras of SIMPPLE agreed.

“Entering the awards is very important to us,” Yattras said. “It is really important to showcase our new products. Winning the award has proven that we were spot on in relation to our market choice and positioning.”

Lorenzo Tadeo of Freudenberg Home & Cleaning Solutions said his company was proud to win the inaugural Environmental Awareness and Sustainability award.

“We really believe sustainability is important for every industry, but in particular this industry,” Tadeo said.

“When we saw the opportunity to enter the sustainability award, we saw that as a great opportunity.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Day two of the 2024 ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo truly stepped things up a notch. A flood of attendees were waiting for the doors to open, eager to try out the latest products. A fair few had already enjoyed the inaugural ‘Women in Cleaning and Facility Solutions breakfast’, presented by the ISSA Hygieia Network.

Featuring speakers including The Hon. Jodie Harrison MP, Dr Jennifer Semple, Kim Puxty and Brodie West, the breakfast panel set the stage for a day focused on leadership, diversity, sustainability and future trends in the cleaning and facilities industries.

Panellists discussed the evolving role of women in the cleaning and facilities sectors, which have traditionally been maledominated. Harrison, the NSW Minister for Women, Seniors and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, spoke about the importance of women finding allies in a world where men still dominate positions of power.

“Politics is all about allies and you can’t get things done unless you’ve got them,” Harrison said.

She explained she has had “really quiet allies” who have provided valuable advice throughout her career.

“When you’re thinking about putting yourself forward for something, you don’t necessarily know who the real decisionmakers are. Getting an understanding of how structures work is the sort of useful information you can find out from trusted allies.”

Semple, senior manager of sustainability and education programs at Accord Australasia, noted the male-dominated nature of the cleaning and hygiene industry, saying that “most of the companies have women within them, but at a top level, there’s only really a few which have a female leader”. Women in senior roles often found the industry challenging, she said.

“This industry is very relationship-driven on the whole, and it is much harder work. There’s frustration that comes with trying to be a woman at this level and to make those connections within this traditionally male-dominated environment.”

West, president of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA), added that there were already positive signs of change in the restoration industry. The RIA’s management committee now has 50 percent female representation at the management level.

“More than 30 percent of businesses now have gender parity and more than 90 percent of businesses are now employing more than 25 percent females,” West said.

There was also much discussion around the need for women to be willing to adjust their mindset to move forward in the industry.

Puxty, CEO of Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, highlighted the value of learning from mistakes and embracing them as opportunities for growth. West shared that becoming a mother was a significant turning point, as it made her realise she wanted to be a good role model at home and at work. Semple talked about her transformation from being “the shyest person you’ve ever met” to one who was more comfortable with “embracing that opportunity and [realising] the world didn’t stop spinning [if you made a mistake].”

A MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE

This breakfast discussion seamlessly transitioned into education panel sessions later in the morning, when Donna Willmette and Rochelle Lake spoke about the strides made in gender parity and the remaining challenges women face in these male-dominated sectors. Lake, who is head of marketing B2B at Essity Australia, said young people coming into the workforce were looking for inclusive organisations that were welcoming to women and LGBTQIA+ people.

“The more inclusive you are, the more supportive you are of your workers in general,” Lake said.

“One thing about being supportive of your employees is that it builds loyalty.”

The panel also discussed historical challenges women have faced in the workplace because of pregnancy, motherhood or menopause — factors that are often poorly understood in a male-dominated industries.

“We see 10 percent of women stop work when they have severe menopause symptoms,” Lake said.

GOING GREEN

Sustainability and environmental initiatives took centre stage later in the day, with panellists Dr Jennifer Semple, Chris Poullaos (CEO of Enviro-LCS) and Ginny Bebbington (account manager at Cleanstar/XPOWER) discussing how businesses are responding to global and local demands for sustainability.

Semple said Australia needed to align with international trends around climate change and plastic pollution, while Poullaos added that government policies and corporate tenders were increasingly requiring businesses to adopt strong environmental management practices. While implementing sustainability initiatives can be time-consuming and costly, companies that invest in these strategies can position themselves as leaders in the market.

Semple said focusing on energy efficiency can lead to significant cost savings, making sustainability not just a compliance issue but a smart business strategy. External certification of a company’s efforts to become more sustainable was important to that strategy.

“It’s not good enough to just say you’re doing something,” Semple said. “Increasingly, you need external validation to back it up. Certifications provide credibility and reassurance to customers, ensuring that companies are meeting recognised environmental standards.”

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE

Other panels also recognised the rapid changes facing the industry. For ‘The Future Is Here’ session, Tom Culver (CEO at The Robot Factory), Dan Graoroski (solution architect at iQCheckPoint) and Badi Noble (general manager of Olinga Services) discussed how technology is changing the way

cleaning is managed and the new opportunities it offers.

The tone was largely optimistic, with Noble saying he didn’t see robots wholly replacing humans at any point soon.

“It is scary, but at the same time, it’s exhilarating, as it’s providing opportunities for better margins and better outcomes,”

Noble said.

It wasn’t all about the future, with sessions also focusing on how to train companies and operators on the proper use of existing products, how to adapt to recent changes in legislation, and how to upskill staff for safety.

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

The big news was saved for the end of the day, as ISSA announced the finalists of the first People’s Choice award — with one of the winners from the previous day’s ISSA Excellence Awards selected by the attendees for this honour.

This year that hotly contested award went to T-Cell Passive Air Care System from Rubbermaid Commercial Products.

Praj Perera from Rubbermaid said the awards had been a great way for the expo to showcase exciting developments in the field.

“These shows are great for seeing innovation and what is coming out in the market,” Perera said.

These positive sentiments were echoed across the board.

Gerard Searl from Sabco Professional praised the expo as “a fantastic show,” noting that it offered a prime opportunity to reconnect with clients and discover “some fantastic innovation” in the industry. Jake Cooper from Geelong Brush found his first time exhibiting to be “such a revelation,” appreciating how the event “brings people from all over Australia” and provides invaluable exposure. Similarly, Greg Hill of Makita highlighted the benefits of gathering the right audience in one place, calling it “great

access to the right kind of people, whether they are end users or distributors.”

From the challenges and triumphs of women in leadership to the growing focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship, the final day of the 2024 Expo highlighted how the cleaning industry is looking to the future.

Lauren Micallef, Oceania manager at ISSA, said she was delighted with the response to this year’s expo.

“The ISSA Cleaning and Hygiene Expo has become a significant event on the map, with more industry professionals than ever before coming together from across the region to showcase innovation, sustainability and the future of cleaning,” Micallef said.

“It’s exciting to see such strong engagement and enthusiasm from exhibitors and attendees alike.”

With a focus on leadership, inclusivity and environmental responsibility, the industry is becoming a place where diverse voices are heard and businesses are ready to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. Here’s to next year — put the 29 and 30 October in your diary now for the next Expo at the ICC in Sydney! ■

Max Brushless SCRUBBER

GET SMART

THE ROLE OF THE HUMAN CLEANER IS CHANGING AS SMART BUILDINGS BECOME INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED.

Rapidly evolving technology is moving towards smart building cleaning themselves, but experts say we’re not there just yet.

Words Stephen A Russell

Will there come a day when smart buildings clean themselves, making humans completely redundant? Badi Noble, co-director of leading facilities management and commercial cleaning solutions company Olinga Services, doesn’t think so.

“I’m still a big believer that, at the end of the day, when it comes to cleaning, it is a people-driven business,” Noble says.

“I remember when I started out as a young man working in an office, you got to know the cleaners. And nothing beats that human touch for us, even from a corporate perspective. They’re the greatest marketing we have.”

At the same time, Noble says evolving hardware and software solutions are transforming facility management and cleaning procedures at an unprecedented rate. Whereas staff would previously work to fixed schedules, new technology allows them to be more flexible and responsive.

“We’ve got bin sensors across a number of our sites which have notification systems once they hit a certain threshold, depending on client requirements,” Noble says.

“They prompt our staff to be prepared to empty them within the next half an hour or so and gauge fill rates depending on the time of day. It’s the same with jumbo rolls and hand towels.”

This update doesn’t just make the system more efficient, but also brings costs down. If cleaners are manually checking the paper towels throughout a building, they will tend to replace them when there is between 30 or 40 percent left — knowing the towel might run out before they have time to check again.

“You end up with a storeroom filled with a bunch of jumbo rolls that still have a lot of paper left on them,” Noble says.

“That’s wastage from an environmental perspective, as well, not just dollars, and it all adds up.”

At the recent ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo, Dan Graoroski, manager of strategic partnerships at iQCheckPoint, said buildings equipped with these sorts of sensors — which autonomously manage the supply chain — were already becoming commonplace in other parts of the world, such as Europe. They can also notify cleaners when an emergency clean might be needed.

“We’re not just seeing dispensers that will tell you automatically when anything needs to be refilled, but also liquid sensors that will tell you if there is water on the bathroom floor,” Graoroski says.

We’ve got the automation in place that does the scrubbing, while staff can do the detailing, because site presentation is very important for these places. For the client, that’s a high-value outcome.

- Badi Noble

Photography by Mitchell Luo from Pexels.

These software solutions build up a bank of useful data. “You start to see patterns,” Noble says. “Monday mornings might be busiest, and it might ease off by Friday afternoon, with work from home. Wet days might be different to sunny ones. Building those profiles also helps us then from a scheduling perspective.”

Clients also appreciate the reports the software spits out. “A lot of the building management systems have these platforms, so we’re able to feed our data back into them so they can see how we’re going,” Noble says.

ROBOTS ON THE FLOOR

On the hardware side, vacuuming and scrubbing are key areas of growth for automation. Olinga’s presence at Sydney’s Central Station is a prime example of how smart tech works side-by-side with humans, deploying Gaussian Robotics’ ECOBOT Scrubber75 models, sourced from The Robot Factory, in the new concourse.

“It’s got infrared with lidar and camera technology there, and you can map your site to have electronic walls which it doesn’t cross,” Noble says.

“It’s removed a lot of risk of injury and works against accidental breakages with expensive windows, allowing the cleaners to focus on more high-value tasks.”

Those tasks include maintaining the appearance of glass, steel and stone on escalators, lifts and wall panels.

“We’ve got the automation in place that does the scrubbing, while staff can do the detailing, because site presentation is very important for these places. For the client, that’s a high-value outcome.”

Tom Culver, CEO and founder of The Robot Factory, says he is seeing more and more interest from facility managers who are keen on adopting robot tech to assist their cleaning staff.

“It’s a joy working with Badi, because he’s leading a very innovative cleaning company, and I think the more innovative they are, the better off they are,” Culver says.

“It frees up valuable employees to do those higher-level jobs, rather than spending two or three hours just rolling up and down the floor. Learning how to run the robot is a great skill that elevates their cleaning crew, and the beauty is, you can use them manually, too, if you want to jump on one and take it over.”

The Central Station gig required a lot of planning, working through Transport for NSW’s planning and safety procedures. “But once we could prove to them that the robot’s safe, it’s been operating in there for about nine months now, absolutely perfectly,” Culver says. “It runs while passengers are milling around in the station, obviously not at peak hour, and they actually enjoy seeing the robot run around.”

Again, the reports captured by the robots are proving useful for Sydney Trains. “It shows them exactly the amount of water it’s using and the electricity, even down to the level of the square footage it’s cleaned per hour,” Culver says.

He’s already in conversation with hospitals factoring in robotic tech at the design stage, and major infrastructure projects like Cross River Rail in Brisbane. “It’s something that’ll definitely be built into more buildings,” Culver predicts.

That includes helping to clean precarious windows in high and medium-rise buildings, not to mention securing Australia’s sustainable future.

“I find it fascinating that many people in Australia don’t know you need to clean your solar panels,” Culver says. “With just five percent degradation on a solar panel, you lose close to 30 percent

It frees up valuable employees to do those higher-level jobs, rather than spending two or three hours just rolling up and down the floor.

- Tom Culver

of the power. And many of our big solar panel farms are built on flood plains that can create an awful lot of dust and even dirtier panels. So there are lots of opportunities to adapt technology and deploy your crews as the smart layer of your business.”

Back at the Expo, Graoroski said the potential for robotic cleaners to safely access dangerous locations is likely to have huge cost benefits for the industry.

"I think one of the major changes with the investment of technology robotics will be the risk mitigation,” Graoroski said.

“For example, drone window cleaning eliminates a lot of risk, which will affect insurance premiums. Insurance companies don't like people being on the outside of buildings."

Culver agrees, noting one large-scale facility that discovered the insurance for cleaning its windows would be prohibitively expensive – but only if they used humans for the job.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER

Noble sees a shared future where smart tech and robotics work alongside employees as an assistive tool, making the cleaning business safer and more efficient while still being driven by passionate people who get the little details right. Noble puts his money where his mouth is on that front.

“When we started as a labour-hire company, we decided we wanted to get into a market that paid our staff properly, that treated them properly,” he says. “The motivation of a staff member is so critical.”

Innovative technology can play a role in ensuring workers are working smarter, which also ensures they’re not exhausted or placed in harm’s way. “We see it as a tool that enhances the capability of our staff.”

When it comes to working smarter, the great leaps forward are on both the software and hardware fronts, benefitting workers as well as the organisation.

“We’ve invested heavily on the software side to help us with our scheduling,” Noble says.

“It makes it easy for staff to onboard, with induction tools and safety documentation managed through our online platforms. It allows our people to go in and swap shifts with other staff members or pick up more work, allowing them greater flexibility. We’re finding that our no-show rate is now close to zero.”

At the end of the day, Graoroski says businesses that don't get ahead of the technology risk being left behind.

“Industry professionals must embrace these innovations promptly to ensure customer satisfaction, maintain a competitive edge and build a sustainable future,” he says. ■

Key lessons to win the next generation of cleaners

It can be hard to convince young people that cleaning can be an exciting career option, but there are ways to reach the next generation.

Words Kelsey Hargreaves

Photography by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels.

Getting young people into the cleaning industry has only become harder after the COVID-19 pandemic. Finding a way forward requires all of us, globally, to work together to boost the industry’s profile.

In April 2021, the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) launched ‘One Industry: Infinite Opportunity’, an initiative aimed at making the cleaning sector more appealing to those outside it. As the UK’s first youth ambassador for the cleaning industry, I’ve worked hard to help young people see cleaning as an exciting career option, full of opportunities. To do that, we needed to understand better what young people wanted from a career and how the cleaning industry could showcase itself to the next generation. One key lesson has been making sure we are ready to meet with young people where they are, rather than waiting for them to come to us.

SCHOOL OUTREACH

Over the past three years, BICSc has represented the cleaning industry at many careers fairs and teaching days throughout the country, across all ages of education. We have spoken to children aged four through to young adults. In doing so, we’ve helped embed the idea that cleaning isn’t merely something people fall into, but it can be a real and exciting career choice.

CLEANING INDUSTRY CAREERS HUB

Last year, we created and launched the cleaning industry careers hub on the Youth Employment UK (YEUK) website. This comprehensive hub covers more than 35 careers in the cleaning industry, including training options, case studies both in written and video format, work experience opportunities, youth-friendly employers and vacancies within the industry. There’s also media of young cleaning industry professionals speaking directly to the user about their careers and the love they have for them.

RESULTS DAY WEBINARS

For the past three years, BICSc has supplied key speakers for YEUK on results day webinars for students and their guardians. We have offered advice to students and parents on paths forward and painted the cleaning industry as a fantastic career option for students with all different types of backgrounds and qualifications.

YOUTH ASSOCIATIONS

Having been recognised as the industry’s first “youth-friendly employer”, BICSs has also had the first two recognised youth ambassadors for YEUK. The roles of these ambassadors and the recognition of BICSc as a youth-friendly employer means that the team has led and collaborated in dozens of webinars, presentations and workshops relating to young professionals and the onboarding of the next generation.

These talks have seen the industry discussed in the House of Commons on multiple occasions, where our youth ambassadors have also spoken about the industry. We have led employer webinars around education pathways, neurodiversity and mental health and written articles for magazines throughout the world. We’ve also been in the media, getting ourselves featured on national TV and radio. It’s been amazing seeing the difference these initiatives have made in terms of youth engagement in the cleaning industry. It shows what a difference it can make by increasing the visibility of the sector — in a very positive light — to a new generation of workers.

Thinking back over the past three years, five key lessons come to mind.

1. Celebrate our young workers. If we want to retain them and introduce more, we need to celebrate the people we have. When you recruit a great young worker, make sure to shout about them. We need to make the young generation feel not only visible but highly valued.

2. Listen to young people. We need to work as an industry to ensure we understand the needs of young people and their experiences. This means listening. It means being open to new ways of doing things. Otherwise, our messaging can become irrelevant or inaccessible.

3. Sell the industry. We need to learn how to talk about the broader industry positively. We have some amazing stories of our time in the industry. Let’s find ways to share them with younger generations.

4. Be honest about the industry. Questions are not a bad thing, even if it comes from a five-year-old asking how much a cleaning operative earns! (This happened to me!) The more transparent and honest we are, the more accessible we become.

5. Get out there, even if we’re not wanted. We need to forget about the fear of rejection. Sometimes there will be moments when the people we are pitching to just aren’t interested in the industry. Even if our message isn’t heard every single time, just being present and ‘out there’ matters. How can we expect to be seen when we have no presence?

We’ve come so far in recent years. I hope we can continue to build on this momentum and find more ways to reach the younger crowd — the cleaning professionals of the future.

Kelsey Hargreaves is a technical specialist and youth ambassador for BICSc. She has written and spoken extensively about the best ways to make the cleaning industry more appealing to younger people. ■

After the flood, restore the faith

Whether you're a restoration company owner or a property manager, you should consider partnering with a contents restoration expert.

Words Tim Fagan

Water is one of the most essential resources on Earth, but it can also be one of the most destructive. Whether water seeps into a building from a plumbing leak, a flood or another act of nature, water damage can cost home or business owners thousands of dollars in clean up and repair if left unattended.

However, as anyone who works in property restoration knows, water damage doesn’t stop once the flood has subsided or the plumbing is fixed. In addition to the substantial repair and material replacement costs, home and business owners may need to replace furniture and electronics. There is also the risk of losing important documents and collectibles.

Whether you’re a property restoration company owner or a property manager, the job of reconditioning a home or business doesn’t end with restoring the walls and floors. You should consider partnering with a contents restoration company to assist in restoring your clients’ salvageable belongings to their pre-loss condition.

SAME MOULD STORY

A common issue after a water leak is that the building’s smell and structural integrity can come into question. These problems arise not just from exposure to water, but also from the growth of mould and mildew, which can create an unpleasant and unsafe environment.

Mould can attach itself to any organic, carbon-based material. In addition to spreading across a building’s walls and ceilings, mould can damage electronics, leave its mark on artworks and destroy important documents. Prolonged exposure to toxins produced by mould, such as mycotoxins, can lead to various health issues, including allergic reactions, respiratory infections and long-term problems like immune deficiencies or even cancer.

As a restoration professional or property manager, you must act quickly to mitigate water, remove contents from affected areas and begin structural restoration without delay.

BEST LAID PLANS

While natural disasters and plumbing mishaps are unavoidable, we can work with clients to minimise their impact on buildings and contents.

If you are a facilities or property manager, you should already have a disaster contingency plan. You need to know how to contact your insurance company and a reputable water damage remediation company to get rid of water damage before it causes structural damage or leads to a mould infestation.

That said, your plan shouldn’t end with the property restoration company drying out the building’s walls, ceilings and floors.

Property managers and building restoration professionals should work closely to list all the contents damaged in the building and determine if these items can be restored or if they will need to be replaced.

Water damage annually costs Australian homeowners millions of dollars, with insurance claims rising sharply due to floods and other weather-related events. Make sure your home or business stays safe from prolonged water damage by acting quickly, understanding the extent of the damage and developing a mitigation plan before disaster strikes.

WHAT TO SAVE

Anyone who has lived through a flood or major storm knows the importance of planning. While many businesses have developed crisis plans to guide staff on what to save, who to call and when to act, homeowners are not always so prepared.

That’s why it’s important to take the time to work with your clients to triage their belongings, determining what should be

removed to protect them from mould spores, what is already damaged, what can be saved and what will need replacing.

Companies offer pack-out services that help home and business owners inventory and move valuables, furniture, electronics and even clothes into safe, climate-controlled storage while the building undergoes restoration.

And if some of these contents are already damaged, a contents restoration company can take them off-site for restoration, so they can be returned to the home or business once the structure has been dried, cleaned and repaired.

RESTORE THEIR FAITH

Restoration professionals often work with home and business owners who have experienced devastating events. From flood damage in New South Wales and Victoria to bushfires in Western Australia, property restoration companies and their employees regularly encounter the resilience of their clients.

While most property restoration companies focus on rebuilding the physical structure of a home or business, there are other items affected by disasters that need attention.

By partnering with a contents restoration company, you can offer clients the chance to rebuild using their existing possessions. Items that can often be restored include:

• Artwork: Art restoration professionals can clean and reframe damaged pieces, restoring them to their original condition.

• Electronics: Damaged refrigerators, computers or phones don’t always have to be replaced. With new technologies, contents restoration companies can restore these items to their pre-loss state.

• Furniture: Wood and upholstery are particularly vulnerable to mould and can absorb unpleasant odours from mildew or smoke. A contents restoration company can remove the odours, refresh the wood and return furniture to its former glory.

• Textiles and collectibles: Rugs, clothing, stuffed animals or antique collections can often be salvaged using modern restorative methods.

• Documents: Important papers, family photos and certificates that were once unsalvageable can now be saved using techniques like desiccant drying, thermal vacuum freeze-drying and absorption drying.

Restoring damaged items can be more affordable for your clients than replacing them, especially when it comes to irreplaceable items like family heirlooms or photos. Restoration costs are often just 15 to 25 percent of replacement costs, according to estimates from industry sources.

When disaster strikes, clients may fear that the items they cherish most are gone for good. By partnering with a contents restoration company, you can assure them that their home or business will be restored, along with their valuable and sentimental belongings.

Tim Fagan is the president of Blue Kangaroo Packoutz, a contents restoration company, 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, a property restoration company and 1-800-BOARDUP, an emergency restoration and cleanup service.

Photography by Aamir Dukanwala on Pexels.

MANAGING through tough times

When times get tough, it can help to look at the trials successful people have survived.

Words Andrew Ash

Photography by Olia danilevich on Pexels.

Every business has its ups and downs. When things aren’t going well, it’s easy to assume that things are only going to get worse or become overwhelmed by a sense of failure. But even the most successful businesspeople have had failures along the way. The story I always find inspiring is that of Sir James Dyson. Instead of giving up in the face of repeated and disastrous failures, he demonstrated the resilience and determination that led to monumental success.

EMBRACE FAILURE AS A STEPPING STONE

Today, we know Dyson as the man who revolutionised the vacuum. But his path to success was paved with failures – 5126 of them, to be exact. Instead of viewing these failures as setbacks, Dyson saw them as learning opportunities. Each failed prototype of his revolutionary vacuum cleaner brought him closer to the final, successful design.

This mindset is crucial when navigating tough times. Embrace failures, learn from them and use them to fuel your progress.

PERSISTENCE CAN PAY OFF

Dyson’s journey was not only about enduring failures but also about relentless persistence. For five years, he worked tirelessly in his workshop, often isolated and without financial backing. His story teaches us that persistence, even in the face of overwhelming odds, is key to overcoming challenges. Keep pushing forward, even when the going gets tough.

Perhaps Dyson summarised this idea best when he said:

“There is no such thing as a quantum leap. There is only dogged persistence – and in the end, you make it look like a quantum leap.”

SEEK SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION

It’s important to know that persistence has a price. Dyson explains this in his book Against the Odds.

“While it is easy, of course, for me to celebrate my doggedness now and say that it is all you need to succeed, the truth is that it demoralised me terribly,” he wrote.

“I would crawl into the house every night covered in dust after a long day, exhausted and depressed because that day’s cyclone had not worked. There were times when I thought it would never work, that I would keep on making cyclone after cyclone, never going forwards, never going backwards, until I died.”

This is why you should seek support in tough times.

While Dyson often worked alone, he also recognised the importance of support and collaboration. His wife, Deirdre, was a constant source of encouragement. Try to surround yourself with supportive individuals who believe in your vision and can offer encouragement and advice during tough times. It may be your spouse, accountant, business partner or a staff member. The main point is that strong supportive relationships will help you move through tough times.

INNOVATE AND ADAPT

One of Dyson’s early inventions, the Ballbarrow, faced significant challenges, including a betrayal by his business partner. Instead of giving up, Dyson adapted and moved on to his next big idea— the bagless vacuum cleaner. This ability to innovate and adapt is essential in tough times. When faced with obstacles, we should look for new solutions and be willing to pivot.

BELIEVE IN YOUR VISION

Throughout his journey, Dyson never lost sight of his vision. Despite numerous setbacks and financial struggles, he believed in the potential of his inventions. This unwavering belief in your vision can provide the motivation needed to persevere through difficult periods. Stay focused on your goals and trust in your ability to achieve them.

BUILD ON SOLID FOUNDATIONS

Dyson lost control of his first business to outside investors. This taught him to always maintain control of his inventions. This was a mistake he did not repeat.

He also learned early what happens if you don’t have sufficient cash to grow. Ensuring you have the bank on your side and your financials in order to grow is fundamental. In tough times, a solid foundation which protects you and provides you with sufficient cash flow to survive is key to long-term success. Good financial management is also essential.

TOUGH TIMES ARE NOT THE END

Dyson’s journey from failure to success is a powerful reminder that tough times are not the end, but rather a part of the journey. By embracing failure, persisting through challenges, learning, innovating, believing in your vision, seeking support and building on solid financial foundations, you can navigate through difficult periods and emerge stronger. For me, Dyson’s story is a beacon of hope and a guide for anyone facing tough times. ■

WORKING FOR THE GOVERNOR

THE CHALLENGES OF FACILITY MANAGING GOVERNMENT HOUSE QUEENSLAND

We’re profiling facility managers to put a face to a facility and debunk any assumptions about this essential profession.

Words Helena Morgan

When Government House Queensland took the plunge and adopted swipe cards as a form of access and control management, the heritage application was 80 pages long. “Being a heritagelisted building, it's not as simple as repainting a wall or fixing the tiles, it requires input from heritage experts and heritage exemptions,” says Ty Beale, acting facilities manager and sole Sergeant-at-Arms of Government House Queensland.

He says the complexities of such a simple change illustrate the unpredictable task of conducting maintenance on heritagelisted buildings, but staff feel privileged to be caring for a sacred bit of local history.

“Once history is gone, it is gone,” Beale says. “We’re all focused on maintaining the importance of the history of Government House.”

The site is a compelling case study in the need for a skilled and interdisciplinary facilities management team, involving priceless heritage fabric and heritage-listed bushlands, an ongoing biodiversity project and event management.

A MASTERCLASS IN OPERATING A MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY FACILITY

Beale is new to facility management, but not the big house. While he’s only been acting facilities operations manager for the past year, he has spent 17 years onsite as the Sergeant-at-Arms. It’s not a building he’s in any hurry to leave.

“I love being out there,” he says. “Seeing the joy people get when they come, especially from the Christmas lights, the kids just absolutely love it – I'll be able to bring my kids and my grandkids here and say, ‘I'm responsible for that’.”

A desire for public service has defined Beale’s career. After starting out as a mechanic in Darwin, he worked for the Australian Federal Police, ending up as one of two security management officers in the Prime Minister’s office.

Following a move from Canberra to Brisbane, Beale spotted a job for a Sergeant-at-Arms at Government House. “It was similar to what I was doing in the Prime Minister's office and I thought, ‘I’ll give it a go’,” he says.

A HOUSE FOR ALL QUEENSLANDERS

Located in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, the 14-hectare, hilltop Government House site was built in 1865 and dubbed Fernberg House by the original owner. In 1910, Fernberg was leased by the government and every governor since has lived on-site.

“They still maintain other houses but they live here as part of the job, and all upstairs is their house and downstairs is our house,” he says.

The estate has four residences allocated to staff. Beale says this is reminiscent of an era when staff were required to be on-site for immediate responsiveness. On-site staff include a chef, driver, facilities manager and a Sergeant-at-Arms.

Photography supplied by Government House Queensland.

The house operates on a structured hierarchy evocative of the military. As the Sergeant-at-Arms, Beale is the designated secondin-command to the facilities manager.

“Sergeant-in-Arms and facilities work hand in glove, but really I pick up the day-to-day stuff,” he says. “We’re very structured.”

Beale oversees events, on-site maintenance and security, whereas his counterpart covers strategy. He takes up the helm of a bustling ecosystem of staff devoted to maintaining security, and the smooth operation and pristine presentation of the house.

“We have 18 security staff over a 24-hour roster,” he says.

There are many star players on-site, notably a resident horticulturist as the head gardener. The house also boasts a painter and a carpenter, and Beale functions as an on-site IT specialist to manage projects, deliver support and facilitate initiatives to enhance service delivery.

A PACKED CALENDAR

The Governor’s busy timetable usurps all maintenance tasks. Beale says an event such as a Premier visiting means the drawing room does not get painted, even if the schedule demands it. Works are often suspended, therefore the house looks for contractors willing to raincheck.

“The Governor's program comes first. It's critical that we manage our program around that and schedule our works as best we can, and have contractors that are understanding,” he says.

“If the Governor is on-site, it’s event-focused, so we’ll be supporting events as well as doing maintenance that is urgent or can be facilitated without impacting on the program.”

However, Beale reveals that when the Governor is off-site, the frequency of maintenance work skyrockets – the team will not let upkeep go astray.

In the current Governor’s first year, she had nearly 900 events, although many were off-site or regional. The high frequency of events is an organisational feat that requires front-of-house composure and grace. Behind the scenes, it's a commotion and a cacophony of open communication.

“I think this last financial year, there were 190 receptions and afternoon teas at Government House,” Beale says.

“We’re like a duck on the water. Underneath the surface, our feet are going flat out.”

Beale emphasises the value of open and ongoing communication to ensure the successful delivery of events.

“We need to make sure that we're all aware of what's going on,” he says. “We’ve got to make sure we get the right equipment, personnel and resources in place for the events.”

MAINTENANCE VERSUS EVENT MANAGEMENT

One of the biggest priorities for Beale and the team during busy event periods is lawn maintenance. “Maintaining the lawn and trying to find the right time to renovate and allow the lawns time to fully recover is a challenge,” he says.

The team also works tirelessly to maintain the pristine condition of the surrounding bushland, which is one of the oldest remnant bush sites in Brisbane. “We really strive to keep it like that,” Beale says.

Beale is well accustomed to people assuming facilities managers are caretakers and handymen. Although he still participates in traditional maintenance work, he emphasises the need to have a tight grasp on future-proofing and strategy.

“We have a conservation plan for the house and a conservation plan for the gardens,” he says. “We have a bushland management plan, so all these different documents and plans are in place to drive maintenance and renovations.”

The facilities team approaches maintenance and conservation with an attitude of proactiveness, in addition to demonstrating commendable environmental accountability and responsibility.

“If we lose a tree from a storm or something, we take it out or replace it with five trees,” Beale says.

“We have around 57 species of birds that reside on the estate, and so we have a nest box program. One of our gardeners maintains a log online – the Birds of Fernberg Estate – and he reports any new birds.”

WITNESSING TRANSFORMATIVE PERIODS IN THE HOUSE’S HISTORY

Beale has relished the varied opportunities of his role –mainly the ceremonial aspects and the chance to lead many transformations and renovations.

“I’ve been involved with the security operations for eight royal visits,” he says. “I’ve done 20 or 30 open days and eight years of Christmas lights – the Christmas Lights run over nearly seven nights, with up to 2000 or 3000 people on site each night.”

Beale was also part of the management team that spearheaded a transformative security review in 2012 that elevated the sophistication of technological processes and enabled greater interdepartmental collaboration. A fairly outdated security camera system was also given a revamp.

“I think we now have 40 cameras and 30 odd security beams – which means more infrastructure and equipment failures, but that’s the joy of having the house in a bushland environment.”

Beale has also overseen hefty yet rewarding renovation projects. In 2015, the estate’s heritage quarters were reworked to boost the house’s hosting capabilities.

“We renovated the quarters into six ensuite bedrooms, so when there are guests, we can accommodate them,” he says. “We have 10 rooms that are suitable to host the king when he travels here.”

Changing technology and new industry standards promise to streamline restoration and remediation efforts after fires.

BMS AT HERITAGE-LISTED BUILDINGS AKIN TO SQUEEZING A TRIANGLE INTO A CIRCLE

Words Cameron Cooper

Working with heritage fabric demands attentiveness and a generous helping of compromise and patience. For instance, inserting contemporary accessibility and safety standards into 100-year-plus buildings can be akin to squeezing a triangle into

a circle. Beale says air conditioning was only installed in the house over the past 15 years, while the installation of equitable access lifts was a 10-year process.

Despite a number of automated systems in place, the heritage listing means the house is unable to fully subscribe to the latest technology – such as building management systems (BMS).

“Building management systems are obviously something we’d love to have, but unfortunately it's sort of a cost-versusreward case, and trying to actually achieve it in a 150-odd-yearold house,” Beale says.

He applauds the Sydney Opera House’s skilful implementation of BMS as such procedures demonstrate how such processes can be harnessed to enrich user experience.

“They have a BMS that has oxygen sensors in lifts and foyers,” Beale says. “It detects the amount of people from the oxygen levels and then turns the air conditioning up or down, or it detects faults in air-conditioning handlers hours before people would actually feel the room getting warm or too cold.”

THE DYNAMISM OF A FACILITIES TEAM

Whether it’s overseeing renovations, revitalising the lawn or hosting royal visits, Beale says there is an expectation for staff to adopt an all-hands-on-deck mentality to distribute workloads and pressures.

Most of us have three or four different areas of operations that we look after, so we juggle that and make sure that we don’t impact the Governor’s program.

- Ty Beale

“There's staff doing multiple jobs – it's not like a government department where people might have one role,” he says.

“Most of us have three or four different areas of operations that we look after, so we juggle that and make sure that we don’t impact the Governor’s program, because [we’re here] to make sure she achieves what she needs to achieve.”

Beale delights in staff willingness to abandon stringent understandings of workplace responsibilities. “The team is so dynamic – I've got gardeners moving furniture,” he says. “And you’ve got to have that attitude when you work here. If you don’t have that attitude, you’re just not going to enjoy working here –there’s never a quiet day!” ■

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Solaris Paper enquiries@solarispaper.com.au solarispaper.com.au

Nanocyn

Nanocyn has been proven as a faster-acting, non-toxic and non-corrosive alternative to harsher disinfecting solutions on the market, including quaternary ammonia, alcohol, UV light and hydrogen peroxide products. When it comes to eliminating viruses, bacteria, mould and fungi, Nanocyn doesn't miss! The Collective Australasia hello@tcasupply.com.au thecollectiveaustralasia.com.au

Microfibre Cloths with Scourer

Cleanstar’s range of microfibre cleaning cloths has recently been expanded with the addition of a new multi-purpose microfibre cloth with scourer. It features soft microfibre on one side for general cleaning needs and a more abrasive scourer material on the other side, suitable for heavy cleaning tasks like scrubbing stainless steel pots and pans.

Cleanstar XPower (03) 9460 5655 sales@cleanstar.com.au cleanstar.com.au

Predator Flooded Industrial Batteries

The comprehensive Predator flooded range delivers on all fronts. For industrial applications needing reliable performance over a long period, the Predator flooded range offers greater peace of mind for businesses wanting to get work done. Available in sizes from GC2, GC8 and GC12 up to J305 and L16 to suit a wide range of industrial applications and floor cleaners. Talk to the team at R&J Batteries for more information on Predator Industrial Batteries.

RJ Batteries

1300 769 282

rjbatt.com.au

New Look, Improved Performance — Now Even Better! Introducing the Revamped TAD Hand Towels

Our TAD (Through-Air-Dried) hand towels have always been your go-to choice for premium quality and exceptional performance. Now, we're excited to present these same trusted SKUs with a fresh new look and enhanced features.

Solaris Paper enquiries@solarispaper.com.au solarispaper.com.au

New Guzzler Vacuum Cleaner Floor Tools

Cleanstar’s new Guzzler floor tools are the ideal attachment for your commercial vacuum cleaner. The regular Guzzler has a 285mm wide cleaning head and comes in both 32mm and 35mm varieties for use with most common backpacks and other commercial machines. The Mega Guzzler features a larger 380mm wide head, allowing you to clean up 25% faster, and is

the MultiDuster Maxi Handle. It features a unique 3D honeycomb pile structure that offers high dirt pick-up capacity and adaptability to uneven surfaces, along with integrated brush fibres for hygienic cleaning of high or hard-to-reach areas. It boasts unmatched durability—machine washable up to 1000 times—and has been awarded the prestigious Nordic Ecolabel (Swan), ensuring it meets stringent environmental and climate criteria.

Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions Pty Ltd

1300 669 686

csvic@fhp-ww.com

vileda-professional.com.au

Autoscrub

sales@cleanstar.com.au

Real-time Mobile Workforce Management with Lighthouse

Cleaning professionals are facing increased demands from clients who want transparent proof of service and more value from their contracts. Lighthouse is a mobile-first workforce management solution that offers live tracking and mobile forms to capture tasks, incidents and audits.

TEAM Software by WorkWave (03) 8899 6683

sales.apac@teamsoftware.com teamsoftware.com

WHEELIE BIN CLEANER

Autoscrub is a low-foaming detergent packed with powerful greasecutting agents. Designed for industrial and institutional cleaning, it effortlessly removes dirt, spills, food stains, smoke films, grease marks and stubborn grime from hard surfaces. Perfect for use with autoscrubbers, Autoscrub ensures optimal results on highly polished floors without compromising their finish.

Key Benefits

` Lifts and suspends dirt—prevents re-depositing

` No rinsing required

` Safe for alkali-sensitive finishes

Agar Cleaning Systems

1800 301 302

sales@agar.com.au agar.com.au/product/autoscrub

TRIPLE ACTION CLEANING

Customisable Urinal Screen Solution

The V-Screen+ is the world’s first 60-day triple-action urinal screen with custom branding options. Traditional urinal mats merely mask odours caused by uric scale build-up. The V-Screen+ takes it a step further by actively combating odour at the source. Every time the urinal is used or flushed, enzymes within the V-Screen+ are gradually released into the trap, targeting and eliminating odour-causing bacteria. With reduced waste and a focus on sustainability, this innovative solution ensures long-lasting freshness and improved hygiene in any washroom.

Hygiene Systems

07 3801 8500

hygienesystems.com.au

Bowl Clean

Bowl Clean is a powerful antibacterial cleaner formulated for toilets and urinals. It effortlessly removes watermarks, stains and rust from porcelain, ceramic and stainless steel surfaces while killing germs and leaving behind a fresh potpourri fragrance. Designed for professional cleaning, its thickened formula clings to surfaces, making cleaning faster and more efficient.

Key Benefits

` 4-in-1 action: Cleans, kills germs, removes scale and deodorises

` Thick formula for better surface contact and easier cleaning

` Delivers strong antibacterial performance for hygienic results

Agar Cleaning Systems

1800 301 302

sales@agar.com.au agar.com.au/product/bowl-clean

Eco Cubes

TCA Eco Cubes are made using bacteria, enzymes and odour neutralisers that break down and release slowly, helping keep your men’s toilets and urinals smelling fresh and your drains unblocked and flowing normally. Proudly Australian made and owned, they are also biodegradable, septic safe, water saving and user friendly.

The Collective Australasia hello@tcasupply.com.au thecollectiveaustralasia.com.au