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ncca
May 2013
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Features:
Presentation Urine Contamination PhotographŠRenaissance by Brintons
Contents
Published monthly by:
04 From the President
The National Carpet Cleaners Association 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH. Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk
06 Stoneman’s corner
Editor
08 New NCCA survey forms
Editor in Chief
03 From the editor
09 If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t 10 Presentation
Nikki Law Keith Robertson
Design Editor Nikki Law
President/Technical Director Paul Pearce
12 ‘Illustrate’ to educate 14 Urine contamination on fabrics and fibres
Vice President/Marketing Director Keith Robertson
Vice President/Events Director Nigel Lay
16 NCCA Health & Safety Declaration form explained
Glyn Charnock
20 Designer disasters
Martin Johns
23 Dealing with the local press 26 The tools of your trade: safe workplace equipment
Member Liaison Director Assistant Membership Director Franchise Liaison Director Denise Pitt
Corporate Liaison Director Rob Whitbread
Training Director Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage.
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Christian Ramsey
www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_ ©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association). No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.
From the Editor
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s well as the credibility that membership provides, did you know that as an NCCA member you are able to take advantage of a range of valuable benefits, services and discounts negotiated specially for you? Our portfolio of membership benefits are designed to provide you with the knowledge, tools and advice to help you be more productive, competitive and profitable. These include an insurance scheme providing work for members, a fuel discounts scheme, free legal and counselling helpline and hospital and medical cover, amongst others. Starting in this issue, over the next two months we will be listing our range of benefits, schemes and discounts which have all been organised with YOU in mind (see below): BeValued (Home Options) Home Options is an operating division of BeValued who have been serving the insurance industry for almost twenty years, providing specialist claims management services. Working alongside NCCA members, they provide a cleaning and restoration service for carpets and upholstery, attempting the restoration of damaged flooring and furniture which are the subject of an insurance claim. EMJ Workwear EMJ has a comprehensive range of industrial and corporate workwear, safety footwear and PPE, as well as a selection of promotional clothing, available to NCCA members. They also provide the facility to add your company logo/name and/or the NCCA logo to your chosen clothing. HMCA Medical Cover Hospital and Medical Care Association (HMCA) are specialists in offering voluntary benefits exclusively to members of professional and trade associations and membership groups. They are offering NCCA members and their families
a range of medical health cover and related products. They have over thirty years' experience dealing with over seven hundred associations in delivering first class service at highly Nicky Law competitive rates. Newslink Editor MF Oils MF Oils are a fuel consultant working on behalf of the major fuel brands in the UK. They offer commercial rates and discounts on diesel for the business sector. They are offering NCCA members a group discount‌ meaning great savings on fuel! There is no set-up fee or additional charges, so you will only ever pay for the fuel that you use. Every time an NCCA member signs up, MF Oils will add together the accumulative volume and usage of diesel across the members in the group‌ to receive cheaper rates for all members, meaning that the more members who join the scheme the bigger discount you will receive. TrustMark TrustMark is a quality mark which operates a framework under which thirty-plus scheme operators work in the RMI (repair, maintenance and improvement) sector, including trade associations. The Government endorsed trusted trader scheme has enlisted the NCCA to set the criteria for the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry. TrustMark is exclusive to members that fulfil the necessary criteria. Registered companies are recommended by the Citizens Advice Bureau and Office of Fair Trading, amongst other officially recognised organisations. A full list of schemes and services available to members (including contact details) can be found on the inside back-page of Newslink. More next month‌
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From the President
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Paul Pearce
ne of the things I like to do in my spare time is to visit historical houses. In fact I will actually make spare time to visit them, so I suppose it has now become a hobby. In our industry we get to see the various fixtures, fittings, decor and furnishings in peoples' homes every day and it's this that has led to my interest in viewing the Brighton Pavilion interiors of historical houses. I like to wander around these old buildings and admire the textiles that lay on the floor, or cover the frames of furniture, the wall hangings and the drapes around the windows. Of course I also love to know the history of these items, so I always make a point of asking the tour guides for more information. Apparently some of the furnishings in historical buildings are new because after many years they have become too threadbare to restore and therefore need replacing, but the new pieces are always created in keeping with the original decor. Occasionally items have been damaged when a house has been left derelict for a while; in these cases organisations such as English Heritage and The National Trust support projects to restore the house to its former glory. Whilst walking around you start to understand why the owners would have needed so many staff
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to help them run the property, because of the sheer volume of items that would need looking after. It was not unusual for some of these properties to have housed forty-plus staff to look after three or four people and their occasional guests. I recently visited the Brighton Royal Pavilion. This beautiful building started life in 1780 as a small farmhouse that had been rented by George, Prince of Wales. He had a very lavish lifestyle with houses in Windsor and London. Brighton was close to London and so provided the Prince with a base from which he could visit the seaside. He had got himself into considerable debt and pleaded with the government of the day to clear these debts and increase his income. Eventually he hired an architect to expand and transform his farmhouse into a villa George was sworn in as Prince Regent in 1811 because of his father George III's incapability to act as Monarch. This gave George (in 1815) the chance to employ John Nash to transform the architecture of his modest villa into a more lavish 'oriental palace', much as we see today. George filled the building with the Chinese furniture and objects, hand painted wallpapers and Axminster carpets for which he had a passion, but
sadly he only visited the property twice after he became King. William IV became King in 1837 and used the palace a lot more, although it was deemed too small for him and his bride and therefore the building was extended. When Queen Victoria came to the throne, the palace was too small for her growing family and it was therefore sold to Brighton Council - who still own it today - in 1850. Before leaving, Queen Victoria took a sizeable amount of furniture, wall hangings and carpets from the building to furnish
Buckingham Palace and other residences, much of which she did return some years later. As were many of these great buildings, Brighton Pavilion was used as a hospital during the First World War. It wasn't until after the Second World War that restoration really started. Brighton Council has done a fine job of recreating the rooms as they once were and showing off the infrastructure of the building. It truly is a great place to visit and savour a world gone by. I will definitely be visiting again as it is impossible to take it all in on one visit.
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The Natural Stone Show 2013
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he organiser of the 2013 Natural Stone Show, at Excel, claimed that with 200 exhibitors and more than 5,000 different materials from around the world, this was the most diverse collection of stone ever assembled under one roof in the UK. I spent a day and a half at the show and can confirm that, although it was more compact than expected, there was a great variety of amazing stone on display from some of the word's renowned producers and suppliers. Most of the favourites: marbles, limestones, slates and granites were on show, but there were also some other remarkable stones. I was mesmerised by the gentle beauty of Rosa Aurora, a Portuguese marble produced by Geoinveste Stone Trading from Estremoz in the east of Portugal. The company - represented by their marketing director Américo Luis Almirante Parreirão a Gomes - has the motto "Marble by Excellency and client by satisfaction" and produce more than 1000 square metres of finished slabs every day. I had the privilege of drinking tea with Hao Hongfei, the president of Peking Natural Slate Trade Company who produce a range of products and supply them in many forms, including paving, flooring, walling and cladding. There was a wide range of UK stones on show. Albion Stone were displaying some lovely large pieces of Portland stone and Creeton Quarry had,
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Keith Robertson
Stoneman’s Corner among the variety of stones displayed, a blue limestone. There were examples of Bath stone, York stone, Blue sandstones from the Forest of Dean and honey coloured Ham Hill limestone. A completely different limestone, quarried in Germany, was on display at the SSG-Geiger stand. Known as Jura limestone, it is full of tiny fossils making it quite memorable. Most of the UK's leading stone wholesalers and
importers had stands. If you do decide to attend the 2015 show you might find it worthwhile to introduce yourself to them, as most are responsive and are pleased to have on file companies that have the ability to deal with problems or restore surfaces. Between them they had stone from all over the world. I was able to identify stone from
Italy, Brazil, Oman, Morocco, China, Portugal, Tunisia and Spain. One in particular, Stoneyard, had a large stand that allowed them to show stones with a wide variety of finishes including polished, honed, flamed, bush hammered, sandblasted, chiselled and split faced. The main producers of cleaning and protection products were also well represented. Dry Treat, Fila SpA, LTP, Lithofin, Massimo, Stone Care Europe and Vulcaseal all had stands and Bellinzoni products were being shown on a distributors stand. This gave me an opportunity to meet with old friends and make new acquaintances. I knew
nothing of Specialist Maintenance Products, from Sligo in Ireland, until I met Seanie McGuire the Sales Manager and Jim Costigan their Managing Director. They manufacture stone, ceramic and wood cleaning and protection products and are currently selling product to some of our members. Nor did I know anything about Vulcaseal products but I have brought away some samples to carry out trials. One of the benefits for stone cleaners attending the Natural Stone Show is the opportunity of learning more about the wide range of products that are available. It is short sighted to tie yourself to only one supplier until you are sure they actually offer the quality of products that you want. It may well be that you feel comfortable with one product range for some stones but need something quite different for a different stone or perhaps for a man made tile. Stone Care Europe, an Italian manufacturer, whose products have recently been used on high profile jobs such as the Louvre in Paris and the World Trade Centre in Amsterdam, have recently produced a fast drying anti-stain stone protector, Platinum Velcose Fast, which within four minutes will repel water and within six minutes is ready to protect from oil spillage. Dry Treat were showing off their acid-proof protector Vitremela. Massimo Piraccini Treatment, who like most of the other companies have developed a range of products to deal with a wide Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page variety of surfaces, have one product I was particularly interested to learn about. Their product MGT33 is a wet effect which revives faded colours on marbles, granites and other stones. There were also equipment manufacturers/distributors at the show including Flex and Klindex. Juan Cucurull, the boss of Cepilleria Catalana S.L., the brush manufacturer, visited on the first day and I was able discuss the marble polishing brushes his company produces. I have felt for some time that, because so many of the floors we work on are uneven and customers often don't want to pay to have the lippage cut, refinishing with brushes would be a better approach. Juan has developed a range of products using
New NCCA survey forms
A
Martin Johns
thorough survey or audit, prior to undertaking any cleaning operation, will help to highlight any problems that may arise. For many years the NCCA have produced survey forms, which are on sale to all members, to assist in conducting a thorough professional pre-clean audit. Following feedback from members, and after much research, a number of significant improvements have recently been made to the forms we provide. Most notably, the carpet, upholstery and hard floor sections have been simplified and the size of the 'additional notes' area has been increased to record the more detailed findings of a pre-clean survey, modifications have been made to provide
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synthesised diamond to produce brushes which are 23% pure diamond. I know a number of you have invested in silicon carbon brushes for deep cleaning, so imagine the progress that can be made honing and polishing with these diamond brushes. I left Excel around lunchtime to begin my travel north but as it was a glorious afternoon I decided to break the journey at a hotel I use just south of Birmingham, so I could sit on their terrace and mentally run through what I had seen and just what I could use within my own business. Sometimes we spend so much time working that it can become difficult to see the 'wood for the trees' and so a break, even if it is work related, is both refreshing and revigorating. If you didn't get to this show there is an even bigger one in September in Verona. Perhaps meet you there?
the option for the form to be used as a combined survey/invoice and, with the aid of legal advice, relevant modifications to the 'Terms and Conditions' section (on the reverse side) have been made. The finished forms look great and are a definite improvement on the original, so don't delay‌ ring the NCCA office (0116 271 9550) and order yours now! REMEMBER, a pre-clean survey is a vitally important part of the cleaning process and will provide an easy-to-follow paper trail in the unfortunate event that something should go wrong. Personally I always take pre and postclean photographs for the very same reason, but also because they look great on my website.
If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t
I
was recently called by a potential customer who wanted carpets cleaned in five bedrooms plus landing and stairs, which he described as "all biggish rooms". My response was that obviously I would need to actually come and have a look and explained that it is not possible to quote exact prices over the phone as these can vary according to the type and condition of the carpet etc. I did, however, offer him rough ballpark figures for both the lower and higher end of what I thought it might cost. He then told me that he was a landlord and lived 130 miles away from the property. His landline number confirmed this so, at his request, I emailed a rough estimate subject to a full written survey. Now normally at this point, in 99% of cases, the prospect will allow me to visit their property as they fully understand why, once it has been explained to them, that I need to actually come and physically see the items to be cleaned. However, this was not the case with this particular gentlemen. Following the 'subject to survey' quotation I had emailed to him, he called me the next day requesting a proper quotation on headed paper so that he could email it to the tenant. Then, if the tenant was happy with the price, I was to proceed with the work and email the invoice direct to the tenant. He said that he wanted it done this way as he was not prepared to waste his time showing people around his house, even though I offered to do my inspection over the weekend when he said he would be there. I told him that I wouldn't be able to do the work without performing an onsite inspection and written survey, and added that the offer of a visit still stood, however he made it clear that if I was
Martin Johns
not prepared to do what he'd requested then he would find someone else to do it, because the work was urgent and he wanted it done within three days. By this point I had serious reservations about the job and politely informed him that he should get someone else to do it. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was potentially a very troublesome customer and that, at the very least, I wouldn't get paid for the work I'd carried out. The moral of this story is that if you have a gut feeling that something isn't quite right, then it probably isn't. There is no shame in walking away from a job. It is better to walk away with your reputation intact than to walk into 'a whole world of pain'.
New NCCA Members SAF Cleaning (Epsom, Surrey) 5 Star Carpet Care (Bromley, Kent) The Revival Company - East Anglia (Kings Lynn, Norfolk) Stuarts Carpet & Car Care (Attleborough, Norfolk)
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Presentation
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Cecil Aigin (Honorary Member)
he manner in which we present our operation reflects the type of business we run and the quality of the work we provide. As carpet cleaners, we are unlikely to have a 'shop window' where we can display our services and we do not possess a tangible product that we can easily exhibit or demonstrate. Consequently, our advertisements, websites, members of staff and, of course, ourselves and our equipment must portray an accurate image of what we have on offer. What our clients see is what they expect to receive. In most cases, advertisements and web pages will be a prospective client's first encounter with a company. In all printed pamphlets, literature, web pages and advertisements, first impressions are crucial. There is always the urge to fill an advertisement with as much information as can be squeezed into the available space. But, to do so is to compromise the impact of the message. There is
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an old saying in advertising, 'white space sells'. That is to say that the fewer words you use, the greater will be the impact. The advent of web pages has provided virtually unlimited space for the details of services. But, again, be as brief as possible. A prospective client does not have the time or the inclination to scroll down several pages of descriptive information. The problem with an extensive resume is that by the time a client reaches the end, if they bother to do so, they will have forgotten what you started with. Should you leave your big selling points until
The carpet cleaning processes you use should be listed clearly for your potential clients to see and a professional should have available more than one system so that the varying requirements of a client, type of soiling, texture of carpet etc. can be accommodated. Set out clearly the benefits of your cleaning processes and allow your own considered and professional presentation to convince your client that they should employ you to clean their furnishings. If you are unable to make your point with the benefits of what you do, you may not be using the
right approach and bear in mind that many prospective clients are unimpressed by criticism of the competition, so never be tempted to head down that route. For many years I had the pleasure of being conference chairman of the NCCA and was always delighted to introduce, as a keynote speaker, Mr Stuart Murray who was managing director of the Tack Organisation. 'Old timers' will remember the many outstanding contributions of this gentleman. Mr Murray spoke on various subjects over the
President Bill Lakin presents Stuart Murray with a silver salver, for his outstanding support of the NCCA, th at our 25 anniversary conference in Llandudno 1993.
years, all allied to selling and presentation, but he always emphasised one overriding principal: 'SELL THE BENEFITS OF WHAT YOU PROVIDE' because that will have the maximum impact on your client.
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Photograph (left) Š Cecil Aigin
last, the possibility is that they may not read that far. Be concise in introducing your credentials and experience and in describing the work you carry out. One page, or maybe two, should be all that is necessary.
‘Illustrate’ to educate
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David Coker
ll salesmen are problem solvers. People don't buy products or services for the sake of it - they want a specific problem solved. Your customers don't buy your carpet cleaning services because they want to watch you clean for entertainment. They want to remove the embarrassment they feel when friends visit and notice the stains on their carpets. Or they want to feel pride in their homes. Or make their carpets safer for their grandchildren. Your objective is to ask "How can I help this person get what he/she wants through the use of my service?" It's always good to have a structured sales approach, as though everything is choreographed. Nothing happens by chance, just like actors on stage. This includes educating your customers as to what is possible. There are two old adages when it comes to promoting your services: 1. The more you tell, the more you sell 2. The more you teach, the more you'll reach Focussing on point number 2, an excellent way of educating your customers is to 'illustrate' the points you are making, not just state them as a matter of fact. For example, how often do homeowners tell you
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that they have put off cleaning their carpets because they have heard that they get dirty very quickly afterwards? It's a persistent idea that stems from shampooing methods of over forty years ago! Yet with modern cleaning solutions and correct methods, this is no longer a problem. So instead of simply stating that rapid re-soiling is no longer a problem these days, why not 'illustrate' the difference between shampooing and extraction cleaning? For instance you could say “Imagine washing your hair but not rinsing. What would you look like after a few weeks? Well, modern rinsing techniques eliminate this problem.” The message communicated will be much more powerful. How about the need to vacuum a carpet before wet cleaning (which some of our competitors may not do)? You could tell your customer that about 79% of soil in a carpet is 'dry' and will vacuum out. Or you could say “Imagine having flour on your hands and then wetting them. You're left with a sticky mess. That's why it's far more effective to remove dry soil first.” And why do you agitate traffic lane cleaners? Well, you could explain all about the TACT pie chart (temperature, agitation, chemical, time). Or you could say “When you have very dirty plates in
Diary Dates 2013 the washing up bowl, it's far more effective to use a brush or scourer. Otherwise the dirt is still there� And so on‌ As you can see, a good illustration will communicate a point far more effectively than a simple statement of fact and will even help to eliminate any preconceived ideas your client may have. This is because it paints a vivid mental image causing people to think about a subject, perhaps in a way they have not done before. A mental image is also much harder to forget.
NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 5th - 6th July 27th - 28th September 22nd -23rd November Spot & Stain Removal 21st June 25th October Health & Safety 20th June 19th Septemer Carpet Cleaners Carnival 14th September (Wicksteed Park, Northamptonshire) NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details. IICRC COURSES (HERTFORDSHIRE) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 18th - 19th June Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 9th - 10th July Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222 IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Water Damage Restoration Technician with Adam Jankowski 2nd - 4th July Odour Control Technician with Adam Jankowski 10th October Held at National Flood School, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 Visit: www.iicrc.org for further details on all IICRC Training Courses.
Urine contamination on fabrics and fibres Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
U
rine is not a pleasant subject, but we cleaning technicians are called upon to deal with it frequently both on carpets and, heaven forbid, soft furnishings. The analysis of urine is inevitably variable; its normal pH is between 5 and 8 but varies according to diet. An adult human will pass between 1-2 litres of urine in a twenty-four hour period. A high protein diet results in more acidic urine whilst a vegetarian diet usually makes it more alkaline. The main ingredient is water, but Nitrogen in the form of Urea is the major nutrient in urine. It also contains various dissolved ions, mainly Sodium Chloride, Creatinine (constituent of blood), Potassium and Phosphate, together with carbohydrates, enzymes, fatty acids and hormones. There are several chemicals on the market that are designed to neutralise urine but once the pH change has taken place within the
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fibres the resulting discolouration may well be permanent. Fresh urine is completely sterile, free from bacteria and has a mild odour. Of course, within a matter of hours, the Uric Acid changes to an alkaline and bacteria will rapidly create the source of the familiar stronger odours we have to deal with.
In order to stand a chance of dealing with these odours to any effect, we have to 'chase' the course of the urine through the carpet and follow its
journey through underlays and often into subfloors. Just dealing with urine contamination on the surface isn't going to solve the odour problem and may result in 'call backs'. I was researching urine odours when I came across some 'home remedies' which were ''guaranteed to make your house smell fresh again''. After extolling the virtues of home remedial treatments the writer added the following comment… ‘'If the carpet odours are longstanding and they accompany urine stains that you can't completely remove, it's time to contact a professional carpet cleaner. These experts have a wide range of machines and solvents at their disposal to clean your carpet, to remove odours and to make it look good as new''. So… we finally get an opportunity to offer a service do we? And what are we supposed to do at
this late stage, wave the proverbial 'magic wand' and solve all their smelly carpet problems? I also wonder if some of the home remedy treatments could result in secondary damage, probably something else that we would be expected to make magically disappear no doubt. This is why it is so important to always check if the client has already tried to remove the stains/odours themselves before you proceed. In certain other professions urine is a little better thought of than in our own industry; in fact it's often referred to as 'Liquid Gold'! In some horticultural circles it is also known as H.L.A.
(Household Liquid Activator), a much more refined name. Did you know that each day we flush away well over a million kilogrammes of Nitrogen - a valuable plant food - in human urine? This in addition to in the region of 2,000 million litres of clean drinking water we use to flush down the loos every day too? Hmm, makes you think doesn't it?
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NCCA Health & Safety Declaration Form explained
Y
ou should be in receipt of your NCCA renewal documents for 2013/14 (posted for April 1st and due by May 1st), please contact the office if you have not received these. This year, as part of the renewal process, the Association has asked that all members sign and return a health and safety declaration form. This new requirement has been introduced following the growing concern regarding health and safety and the continued development of rules and regulations for companies, owners and employees. Health and safety regulations affect all companies regardless of size (yes, even sole traders) and the rules are in place to protect everyone involved in a job or workplace. This includes employees, customers and indeed anyone that may be present on a job or come in to contact with items that have been worked upon. The NCCA has a responsibility to ensure health and safety information is made available to the members and raise awareness of the regulations and requirements affecting companies in the industry. In recent years we have developed and introduced a health and safety training course specific to carpet cleaning and many members have benefited from this training and even fulfilled all their H&S requirements during the course. If any members are still unsure about how health and safety applies to their company or which regulations they need to comply with, we highly recommend attending our next course in Leicester on June 20th.
In order to renew membership this year, the H&S declaration needs to be signed and returned. We appreciate that some of the items on the form may not apply to all members, however the idea is to raise awareness and keep members up-to-date on all regulations that may affect their business. It is our intention to assist members, not cause any inconvenience, and the terms on the form can be flexible dependent on members circumstances. If you have any concerns or queries regarding the
declaration, please contact the NCCA to discuss them. We will be happy to advise. The following information on Risk Assessment and H&S policies is direct from HSE. Below that is advice from the NCCA regarding written policies and information on an example document available from the office if required: Health and Safety Risk Assessment HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS APPLY TO ALL BUSINESSES, NO MATTER HOW SMALL. As an
employer, or a self-employed person, you are responsible for health and safety in your business. You need to take the right precautions to reduce the risks of workplace dangers and provide a safe working environment. To do this you need to think about what, in your business, might cause harm to people - for example trailing leads, faulty equipment or wet floor trip-hazards - and decide whether you are Continued on next page
Continued from previous page doing enough to prevent that harm. This is known as a risk assessment. Once you have identified the risks, you need to decide how to control them and put the appropriate measures in place. A risk assessment is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork, but rather about identifying sensible measures to control the risks in your workplace. The law does not expect you to remove all risks, but to protect people by putting in place measures to control those risks. You are probably already taking these steps, but your risk assessment will tell you whether you should be doing more. Once you have identified the risks and what you need to do to control them, you should put the appropriate measures in place. Then record your findings. IF YOU HAVE FEWER THAN FIVE EMPLOYEES YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE ANYTHING DOWN BUT IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO KEEP A RECORD. Few workplaces stay the same and sooner or later you will bring in new equipment, substances or procedures that could lead to new hazards. It makes sense to review your risk assessment on a
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regular basis. If anything significant changes, check your risk assessment and update it. PLEASE ALSO BEAR IN MIND THAT NON-COMPLIANCE WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW WILL INVALIDATE YOUR PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE. For more information on Health and Safety Law, please visit: www.hse.gov.uk Health and Safety Policy Document Describing how you will manage health and safety in your business will let your staff and others know about your commitment to health and safety. This will be your health and safety policy. It should clearly say who does what, when and how. IF YOU HAVE FIVE OR MORE EMPLOYEES, YOU MUST HAVE A WRITTEN POLICY. The policy does not need to be complicated or time-consuming. To help members, the NCCA have put together an example health and safety policy. This can be tailored to suit any company circumstances and used as a starting point to create a fully compliant health and safety programme. If you would like a copy of the H&S policy, please contact the office and this can be forwarded via email or post.
Designer Disasters
Terry Guilford (The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.)
I
am willing to bet there isn't anyone connected to the construction industry who hasn't, at some time or other, viewed the plans of a homeowner or interior designer with some misgivings or downright disbelief. Usually the concerns centre around the wisdom of shocking pink paint on the kitchen ceiling or pure white eggshell on the walls in the toddlers bedroom, possible miscalculations which are easily corrected. Flooring however, is rather more permanent and therefore expensive and intrusive to replace, so why are aesthetics allowed to completely overrule practicality in so many instances? Speak to anyone in the stone industry and they will tell you how few homeowners realise how high maintenance their beautiful (when new) marble, travertine or terracotta flooring will be compared to porcelain. Wood flooring has its equivalents. I started laying wood flooring in about 1996 in Ireland; at that time the overwhelming influence in wood floors was that of the returning emigrants who had lived in America. They had become used to beautiful hardwood flooring, predominantly oak, often maple and occasionally beech, ash or elm. These are all sensible choices, attractive, very
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durable and finish well with just about any type of product. In the case of oak (okay I admit it, I love the stuff) it is also very flexible in as much as it can be made lighter by bleaching, lime washing or white oiling/waxing, kept neutral by using water based primers and finishes, enhanced by using alcohol based primers (or the latest generation of colour enhancing water based primers) or darkened by staining or smoking.* In short, whatever look you want, with oak you can get it and still have a good floor which can be altered as, and when, fashion dictates. However, like all things dictated by human whim (and glossy magazines) very soon oak was passĂŠ, maple mundane and beech boring, we were now entering the Celtic Tiger era (he died of over
indulgence in 2008) and now we could buy whatever we wanted and to hell with the consequences. So first up was pitch pine, mostly it wasn't the real stuff but a ghastly imitation from, of all places, Honduras. A nightmare to fit as Oak flooring is very versatile the boards were wide and very distorted, very often full of large holes which meant high wastage, and containing a very high resin content which made finishing a pain. Also being softwood, in most cases it needed serious acclimation time as it was often stored badly at builders merchants - try telling the builder/homeowne r that the floor needs three weeks (plus) in a heated environment before you'll lay it! Next up came cherry, now in all fairness it isn't actually a bad floor but very much 'of its time' and therefore 'dating'; you can't really change it in any way so you are stuck in a time warp and it's quite a strong look. Last and very much least, in my opinion, is the blight that is walnut; if ever there was a look that was done to death and lingered
way beyond its time it's the walnut and cream look. Back to practicalities, with the exception of some American varieties, walnut is by far the most ridiculous choice for flooring that I have come across. To start with it has a very inconsistent density, which means that when sanding it you get a lot of 'scoop out' of the softer parts of the grain, and those soft areas can really soak up your finishing product as well as being impractical. Prefinished walnut shows up scratching to a ridiculous degree leading to phone calls within days of fitting from distressed homeowners (still, they should have chosen a catalysed oil finish) and of course leads to much stressing during the fitting process. Finally of course, when this floor finally does fall off its designer pedestal, there will be absolutely nothing than can be done with its appearance. Before I finish on walnut I just want to point out that the point at which I knew the world had gone mad was when I heard that it had been installed as a sports hall floor somewhere in Northern Ireland; apart from all the above issues, sports hall floors are supposed to be as consistently white as possible to show off the line markings! Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page The final chapter in this rant against flooring faux pas concerns staining. In truth, oak (here I go again) is by far the best timber to stain, but most of the time when staining is requested it's in an effort to make a cheap softwood look like quality hardwood, which if you ignore the difference in grain pattern, can be moderately successful. However what is really difficult is when you get a request to match the floor colour to an existing floor, a piece of furniture or a pair of curtains (I kid you not, it's happened). Why is this request unreasonable? Well given plenty of time and budget it is achievable, but getting the colour right isn't just a matter of picking a stain which
matches the chosen item. The final colour of the wood is dictated by the stain itself, the type of wood, the original colour of the wood, the level of sanding (rougher wood, darker colour) and the light in the room, so think on before you promise too much! Everyone wants their home to be unique and special but, if you come across a client whose heart is ruling their head, try to get them to think six months ahead when the thrill of a pretty floor is over but the chore of maintaining it is a reality. *Note I haven't mentioned solvent based finishes, there is no place in anyone's home for these anymore and even commercially I can only think of one situation where their use is essential.
COMPETITION
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WIN A PLACE ON OUR TRAINING COURSE! Would you like to train as a floor sanding professional? Well... this is your chance! Simply identify what you think caused the stain (right) on an oak kitchen work top and, on a less serious note, what you think it resembles, AND YOU COULD WIN A PLACE ON OUR FLOOR SANDING COURSE - WORTH ÂŁ395 + VAT! For your chance to win, email your answers to Terry Guilford at: Terry.guilford@ultimatefloorsanding.com
HERE’S A CLUE: famine staining
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Dealing with the local press
Robert Downes (FPB)
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is a not-for-profit business support organisation focussed on the growth and profitability of small businesses. It offers a comprehensive package of member services to help firms make money and save money. Visit www.fpb.org Local newspapers can help you to promote your products and services, boost your profile within the community, and even help to keep up staff morale - all for free! However, few small business owners are good at exploiting this potential. Here, former journalist and current FPB press officer Robert Downes, tells you his ‘do's’ and ‘don'ts’ for dealing with the local press. n previous jobs, I worked as a journalist for several regional newspapers and, I have to say, often dreaded dealing with local business owners. That wasn't because they were nasty or unpleasant people, far from it. It was because what they were hoping for and what I could provide were two very different things. But by following a few simple tips, I believe any business can build a rewarding and mutually beneficial relationship with the media. Firstly, you have to appreciate the difference between advertising, which is paid for, and editorial (i.e. news) content, which is not.
I
When you pay to advertise in a publication, you can dictate what is written about your business. However, if you want to get free editorial coverage, you have to accept that you have little control over the resulting article. As long as it doesn't state anything which is false or malicious, you can't complain. Even if you do regularly advertise with a newspaper, you can't expect preferential treatment when it comes to editorial. Secondly, you have to realise the distinction between commercial messages and news. News is anything that is reasonably interesting to Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page the general population. A veteran hack who led my journalism training course summed news up as 'anything you would tell your friends about down the pub'. This is a good rule to bear in mind when considering what aspects of your business you intend to put forward to reporters - and what bits you might have to pay to advertise instead. If you recently took two weeks off running your business to help rescue people from the rubble of the Haitian earthquake, it's news. But if you bought a new van, it's advertising - even if it does mean you can clean twice as many households in your area! A key part of journalists' training is to filter out information purely intended for commercial gain and 'plugs' for your business are unlikely to make it to the news pages. Of course, it's not always easy to make the distinction, particularly when, as a small business owner, you're trying to promote your 'baby'. But try and look at it from the outside. Would a complete stranger, with no particular interest in what your business does, be interested in whatever it is you want to promote? With these pointers in mind, you're ready to get in touch with your local media. The following tips should stand you in good stead: Do: ! Get in touch by email. Include a press release
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with all the relevant facts included. ! If you have a digital camera and can take a good
picture, send it in with your press release. A good accompanying picture will generally mean a story gets used in a more prominent position within the newspaper. Make sure each person shown is identified by a caption. ! Follow up your press release with a phone call. Emails can easily get lost and a brief conversation will give reporters chance to ask you for any additional information. ! Foster good relationships with reporters. Be as obliging as possible and tip them off about anything you see or hear about which they might be interested in. Reporters will always try to help out a good contact but their copy has to go through news editors and sub-editors tasked with quality control. Similarly, there's very little reporters can do to stop a negative story from affecting your business. ! Always look for 'human interest' stories within your business. Newspapers love stories involving families, births and funny situations. If something of interest happens to one of your workers and they're happy to share it, tell your local newspaper. Don't: ! Be offended if your requests for a face-to-face meeting are turned down in favour of a brief
telephone conversation. Newspapers are increasingly run on a skeleton. Time is one thing they are short of. ! Try and dictate the exact wording of an article. By all means, highlight the things about your business you think are the most interesting or newsworthy, but appreciate that it is the reporter's job to write the story. Similarly, it's highly unlikely that you will be able to see the article before it is published. 'Copy approval' is not practiced in the industry - newspapers would grind to a halt overnight if it was. ! Be frightened by not having complete control over what is being written about your business. Contrary to common perception, reporters, especially those in the local media, are not out to twist your words and make you look bad. ! Be too brand-conscious in your dealings with the media. Of course, be professional and consistent in what you say, but few people care about the exact wording of a quote or whether or not the shiny new company logo is visible in the background of a staff picture. While you're agonising over the fonts and colour scheme on your press release (which will be completely ignored by reporters anyway), your rivals could be enjoying a constant stream of free publicity by dealing with the media in a relaxed and confident way. The Forum offers a comprehensive PR guide for its members, which offers press release writing tips, tricks, and insider knowledge of how to play your local newspaper and get your business some valuable column inches. To join contact the Forum's helpline on: 0845 130 1722.
The tools of your trade: safe workplace equipment Emily Farmer (Eversheds LLP) “This prosecution should act as a wake-up call to companies who do not have a robust safety management system or who put profit before safety.” The above were the words of a HSE inspector in the wake of a case which saw a Durham recycling firm fined £30,000 for failing to ensure the safety of work equipment. While nobody was hurt in this case, each year there are a number of accidents at work caused by unsafe equipment that result in injury. This article outlines the legal duties imposed in relation to work equipment and considers the ways in which safety risks can be managed in your business. Duties on employers The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 imposes general duties on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees or anyone who may be affected by the business of the organisation. By extension, this duty includes the provision and maintenance of safe work equipment. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
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1998 requires that employers ensure that equipment provided for use at work is: ! Suitable for the intended use; ! Safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure safe installation and subsequently to check for faults and deterioration; ! Used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training; ! Accompanied by suitable health and safety measures, such as protective devices and controls; ! Used in accordance with specific requirements (if the work equipment poses a specific risk to safety).
Employers should also ensure that employees receive adequate training in the use of work equipment. What is work equipment? 'Work equipment' has a very broad definition and includes almost all machinery, appliances, apparatus, tools or installations for use at work. Any carpet cleaning equipment or chemicals would fall within this definition and also, potentially, work transport. The risks It is easy to assume that the equipment you use every day does not pose any risks to your safety. However, failing to assess the risks associated with a piece of equipment can endanger the user and those nearby. There are a catalogue of cases in which injury has been caused by insufficient guarding and safety devices, inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and machines that have deteriorated to an unfit state for use. These risks can be avoided by following three simple steps. So what can I do? 1. Identify the risks It is essential to conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in the use of any piece of work equipment. This involves considering the risks that might arise in relation to the specific work that will
be done. Ask, what task is being performed and is the equipment suitable for this task? You will only be able to answer these questions by engaging with your employees to understand the work that they do. You should consider anybody who may be affected by the use of the machine, particularly if
there are any vulnerable people such as children nearby. Particular attention should be given to the use of chemicals and the power supply being used. 2. Ensure equipment is safe To be 'safe' a piece of equipment must be provided with all the necessary safeguards and protective devices. It must also be suitable for the intended use. CE marking is a European requirement for most powered work equipment. By affixing the CE mark, the manufacturer is claiming that the equipment meets all relevant legal requirements. The CE mark (and any accompanying Declaration of Conformity) Continued on next page
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is not a guarantee, but an indication of compliance. It is essential to still check for obvious defects before use. Thought should also be given as to the necessary protective wear for operators and how this is chosen, supplied and maintained. For example, if employees choose to wear their own gloves then how can you be sure they are suitable? Practical inspections are also important before each use. These regular checks should be complimented by more detailed checks and maintenance throughout the lifespan of the equipment. Are there any obvious defects? Are all parts of the equipment intact? If the equipment does not look safe or its use has resulted in injury or near misses, DO NOT use it. 3. Inform the user Ensure that the user has received adequate training. This should be in the form of easily understandable instruction and ongoing training which highlights the risks associated with the use
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of the equipment. If training is provided by a third party (such as the equipment manufacturer), then how are you sure the training is adequate? Training should also be supported by access to appropriate instructions when employees are 'in the field'. Conclusion In a profession where the use of equipment is essential, it is vitally important that the safety of employees is protected. Taking simple steps to assess the risks associated with using certain equipment not only protects employees from injuries but also saves you from the financial cost of regulatory action. By ensuring that equipment is safe and those using it are suitably trained, your business will be successfully equipped to eliminate and reduce risks at work.
Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount - £150.00. Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic - £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons - £300.00. Contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806. VAN AND TRUCKM0UNT FOR SALE - £4000 IVECO van, 2001, very good condition, 2800 cc engine size, 124,000 miles, fitted with shelving, all the necessary hoses, 2 wands go with it + Steam Way Sidekick 6100 truckmount, very good condition with 2165 hours on the clock. As an extra goodwill gesture we will include a rotary jet extractor R X 20, which is worth more than £2000 to buy brand new! Selling price is NON NOGOTIABLE because this very good price for someone maybe looking at starting up in the industry. Interested buyers are more than welcome to come to Market Harborough and test drive the van and truckmount. MOT until end of March 2013 and Tax until end of Feb 2013. Call Angelo on 07949 214588. VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Experienced full time Carpet and Floor Care Technician required. Own van and equipment an advantage but not essential. Good business incentive package (profit share or buy in). Area coverage M4 corridor from Bristol to London. Apply by email to glynn.norcutt@gnccontractservices.com with full CV, etc.) or telephone: 01672 871882 or mobile: 07831 172743. CITROEN RELAY HDi LWB HR + TRUCK MOUNTED CARPET CLEANING MACHINE VAN: Year-56plate. Miles-38453. TAX-End March 2013. MOT Due-August 2013. Serviced March 2012. TRUCK MOUNT: Chemspec 860 High Heat. Hours-2537.5hrs. This was Chemspec's largest and most powerful petrol truck mount. The same was used as their demonstrator mounted on a trailer. It is designed as a dual wand system so a 2man team can work continuously at impressive distances if required, but equally can be run as a simple wand system. The machine is mounted on the vehicle complete with: large waste tank, large capacity clean water tank, retractable hose reel for easy filling, fuel tank, chemical shelf, 5 x 50' extraction hoses on van mounted reel for easy set up, 5 x 50' solution hoses on van mounted reel for easy set up, 3 x large carpet wands, 1 x Hand Tool, 2 x yellow/black hose pavement ramps, chemical tanks. We have it set up so you can have up to 4 different chemicals ready to go and can simply be switched from one to the other without moving/switching tanks. We have also invested and have installed an Eberspacher cab heater (http://www.eberspacher.com/products/air-heating/) which allows the back of the vehicle to be kept warm overnight during the winter months if the vehicle can't be garaged. This runs independently from the engine. Cost: £10,750+VAT. Contact Peter Booth on: 01553 762762.
BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, well established carpet, hard floor and upholstery cleaning business (London and Kent borders). Package includes: 57 plate Vauxhall Vivaro LWB Van with 53k miles on the clock, Prochem Blazer GT Truck Mount machine with only 270hrs on the clock, established interactive website (which had SEO programme last year), chemicals, turbo drier, 250 feet of solution and suction hose and van mounted hose reels, together with a property maintenance company name, website and promotional materials. Contact telephone number 020 8309 6517. Sale price: £18,000 O.N.O. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Mobile container/bin (red) - comes with lid. Heavy duty container on wheels. L55” x W32” x H31”, ideal hose and other carpet clng equipment storage. List price: £199 - selling for £95. Whole room drier/air mover. List price: £534 - selling for £250 (no VAT). Professional spot carpet cleaning machine, one year old, includes vacuum hose plus product cleaning hose - selling for £250 (no VAT). 6 Litre spray bottle (comes with nozzle) - selling for £40. Contact: Chis on: 02380 898 212 or email:mncrostance@googlemail.com or phone Chris on: 07970 040729. TRUCKMOUNT Banclene truck mount complete with base unit, stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feet of Vaccuum/solution hoses, floor, stair and various upholstery hand tools, inline heater and misc parts etc..The van has been sold seperately. Selling due to retirement and will consider the highest offer. Call Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640 - mobile 07976 218304 or email derek @aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk CLEANING AND RESTORATION MACHINERY - EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIES Dri-Eaz Dehumidifier 1200 as New Boxed £450.00. Dri-Eaz Sahara Pro TurboDryer - New Boxed £150.00. Dri-Eaz Dri X Airchanger Dehumidifier New Boxed. Normal Price £1900.00. Our Price £500.00. Plus much more. For a complete list please telephone: 07580 182 325 or E-mail: info@restoration-direct.co.uk MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £100.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885 804560. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem bazooka plus citrus gel Good condition £20.00. Extracta electric power sprayer. Excellent condition £40.00. Contact Lester Gale 07949 207777 based in Oxfordshire. RUG CLEANING CENTRIFUGE SPIN DRYER Saves time and energy drying rugs and greatly reduces risk of colour run - 18 months old and worked once per week doing about 15 - 25 rugs at a time, 3 Phase power, 7.5 kw motor, largest rug 3.5 meter and drum size is 39 cm, on 6 wheels so can easily move, comes with spare belts and bearings. Excellent condition. Cost: £6500 + vat. Call Pierre on 01223 863632 / 07554422838.
The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.
NCCA Corporate Members + Allied Insurance Services Ltd: 0844 8156211 (I) + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T)
NCCA Member Benefits
+ Amtech UK: 01444 232211 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E)
Adelante Merchant Services: 01628 820500
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BeValued - Home Options (specialist claims management insurance work): Call Shaun Mulvey on 01323 418432
+ Chemdry Franchising Ltd: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F)
Control Account PLC: 01527 882901
+ Cleanpro Software Solutions Ltd: 01582 518467 + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M)
EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650
+ Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd: 01772 426527 (M) + Dri-Eaz Products Ltd: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr)
Hibu (previously Yell) - ask for Corporate Advertising Department: 0808 100 7890 HMCA (free legal and counselling helpline): 0117 934 2600
+ Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467 + Get Booked Up Software: 01405 813665 + Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr)T) + Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336
HMCA (medical health cover): 01423 866985
+ McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + NSL Restormate: 01670 590099: (M/C/Tr) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)
MF Oils (fuel discounts): Call Jake on 01202 339197 Payatrader: 01296 660177
+ Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C) + Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T) + Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A) + Robert Saunders Marketing Mentor: 08450 537129 (K)
SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860 Thompson Local - ask for Corporate Advertsing Department: 01252 390385
+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.: 00353 91846488 (M/C/Fr)
TrustMark (Diversity): 0115 9673767
+ The WoolSafe Organisation: 01943 850817 + Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M) C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr - Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance / Tr - Training.
Going Going - Gone Dye Gone offers a unique new package and application device to remove the severest of dye stains including: coffee, tea, wine, hair dyes, paints, candle colours etc.
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Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com