newslink
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Features:
Wood Floor Sanding Carpet Cleaning Olympics
ŠP hot ogr aph :H eat her Tw eed by Axm ins ter
ncca
October 2012
Contents 03 From the editor From the President 06 Stoneman’s corner 08 Con artist ‘cleaner’ 10 Life after carpet cleaning 12 Wood floor sanding 14 Clarification on TrustMark scheme 16 Report on Carpet Cleaners Carnival 2012 20 The world of high-end soft furnishings 22 The carpet cleaning olympics 24 Health and safety reforms 26 Providing work equipment and training to employees 29 Keeping equipment clean Dealing with spills The advantages of green cleaning
Published monthly by: 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 Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law President/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Vice President/ Marketing Director Keith Robertson Vice President/ Events Director Nigel Lay Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock Franchise Liaison Director Denise Pitt Co-opted Directors Rob Whitbread (Corporate Liaison) Martin Johns Christian Ramsey (Training) www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_
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.
©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.
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From the editor
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o far October has been an extremely busy month for the NCCA staff and Directors. Our Spot and Stain Removal course, which ran on October 19th, was so oversubscribed that we decided it would be a good idea to run a further course this year. The extra course will take place on November 22nd. There are still a few places available, so if you want to take advantage of this opportunity contact us immediately to book your space. We are also running a Roadshow next month involving a tour of Johnsons Restoration facilities. The Roadshow will be held on two separate dates at different venues. The first will be run in Rugby on Tuesday 13th November and second is to take place the following week in Glasgow on Wednesday 21st November. The day’s agenda will include: Taking a look at the
From the President
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synergy between the two businesses / How we can work together (to include affiliate partnerships) / Recognising curtain types / Tour of the facility (to include suede and leather Nicky Law cleaning, rugs, restoration and the technical department) / Question and answers and Networking. A buffet lunch is also included. The cost for each delegate is £24 (including VAT). Due to the nature of the business, places are strictly limited to thirty people for each roadshow, so book now to avoid disappointment! If you are interested in attending the Spot and Stain Removal course, or a Roadshow, please contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550 or Email: admin@ncca.co.uk to book your place.
Paul Pearce
ell, another month has gone and the Carpet Cleaners Carnival is now over. Those of you who didn't, or couldn't, attend this year missed an excellent day. The Carnival was introduced last year. It'd been a long time since we'd organised a national NCCA event, but it was clear to us that many members had not been enjoying an easy time in the last few years following the economic downturn. We wanted to offer the trade a great day out, not only to brighten-up their mood but to encourage them that the Association, cleaners and suppliers are all in this together and can help each other. An industry event is an excellent way to network with like-minded people. A large proportion of us work on our own and it can become isolating, but taking the opportunity to meet up with others in the industry can be extremely invigorating. The Carnival, which includes an exhibition of our Corporate Members, other manufacturers/suppliers, associated businesses and other interests, is also a great chance to advance our knowledge and view new products and machinery. The event focuses on fun for all the family. Friends and relatives are invited and for the less ‘industryminded’ a number of non-business-related activities and stalls are included.
Once again the Carnival was held at Wicksteed Park in Kettering and we couldn't have wished for better weather. It meant that, aside from participating in NCCA activities, the people who came with their families could enjoy all the facilities the venue had to offer. Due to popular demand, this year we also held an evening event, which consisted of live music and an excellent chilli con carne meal. The exhibitors cleared their stands at the end of the day and Wicksteed staff transformed the area into a dining room with bar and dance floor. A local band, the Shamlas, had been booked for the evening. They were excellent and even managed to entice some of the NCCA Directors to get up and boogie. The NCCA would like to say a huge 'Thank You' to all the visitors and exhibitors who attended the event. We'd love to see you there again in 2013. And for those of you who didn't go this year, it would be great to see you too! Thanks must also go to all NCCA Directors, especially Events Director Nigel Lay, and to the NCCA staff in Leicester for all their hard work in various aspects of the event organisation. See centre pages for full report.
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NCCA Member Benefits + HMCA (free legal and councelling helpline): 0117 934 2600 + SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860 + EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650 + Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860 + Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department): 01252 390385 + Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department): 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services: 01628 820500 + Payatrader: www.payatrader.com + Control Account PLC: 01527 882901
NEW NCCA MEMBERS FULL MEMBERS Dynamics Dry Fusion (Derby, Derbyshire) Carpetclean (North East) (Sedgefield, County Durham) Blitz Cleaned (Norwich, Norfolk) Paul the Cleaner (Dorchester, Dorset) Tweed Valley Carpet Care (Newstead, Scottish Borders) East Devon Cleaning Services (Honiton, Devon) Supreme Carpet Cleaning (London, E4) Aquaris Carpet Solutions (Birmingham, West Midlands)
REJOINED Southern Counties Cleaning (Ewell, Surrey)
CORPORATE The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co. (Chittering, Cambridgeshire)
Diary Dates 2012/2013 NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 23rd - 24th November 2012 25th - 26th January 2013 22nd - 23rd March 2013 24th - 25th May 2013 5th - 6th July 2013 27th - 28th September 2013 22nd -23rd November 2013 Spot & Stain Removal 22nd November 2012 22nd February 2013 21st June 2013 25th October 2013 The Cleaning Show 19th - 21st March 2013 (Birmingham NEC) NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details. IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Water Restoration Technician 13th - 15th November with Adam Jankowski Applied Structural Drying Technician 4th - 7th December with Adam Jankowski
Member referral report Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 87 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 49 referrals from the NCCA office, 30 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 8 referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database.
Carpet Cleaning Technician 12th - 13th December with Adam Jankowski IICRC COURSES (NR CAMBRIDGE) Carpet Cleaning Technician 6th - 7th November with Paul Pearce Held at Eastby Services, Nr Cambridge. Tel: 01763 208222 Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses Page 5
Keith Robertson
Stoneman’s Corner Lessons from the past
I
n the centre of the New Town in Edinburgh there is a large square surrounded by terraced Georgian properties called Drummond Place. Drummond Place was named after George Drummond an accountant who became accountantgeneral of excise and who, as Lord Provost of Edinburgh, was the force behind the building of Edinburgh's New Town. He was also a prominent Freemason who at one point was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. It was at this time that proposals for the New Town were published, but it wasn't until fifteen years later, in 1767, that architect James Craig's proposals won a competition backed by the town council and an Act of Parliament was passed to extend the boundaries of the town.
The road surface around Drummond Square is granite sets and much of the pavement around the garden is constructed from slithers of granite and whin. What is unusual is that the kerb, instead of being cut granite, is constructed from long bluegrey bricks, each stamped with the words 'TEES.SCORIA.BRICKS and PATENT'. The bricks were manufactured in Darlington by a company called Tees Scorriae Brick Company which was founded by Joseph Woodward. They were used particularly in the North of England for streets and yards, retaining walls and break-waters and for many of the back lanes in County Durham. Bricks would not normally be considered suitable for kerbs but what is particularly interesting is that page 6
until the early 19th century. Before that, in the 16th these are made from Scoria - a dark igneous rock, century, cannon balls were being cast from Slag in and also a word used to describe cinder which can Germany. In some places in the 18th century some be a natural or by-product. In this instance it is used of the larger lumps of Slag were used in place of to describe the by-product of metal smelting in a stone for building. blast furnace. Another word for this is Slag. Slag has often been viewed as a useless waste In 1872, after extensive work, Woodward took out material, but over the years many forward thinking a patent on his process of turning slag into bricks. people have found The undesired they can put it to good impurities in the metal, use. In the US one of which float to the top the early uses in more during the smelting modern times was as process, were skimmed rail track ballast. off and the hot liquid Uncrushed Slag is Slag was poured into often used as a filler, or cast iron moulds. The for embankments, and bricks were taken out of when graded it is used the moulds when still on its own or along very hot and with other rocks as immediately put into road base. It can be high temperature Bricks in Drummond Square crushed and used as annealing ovens and each stamped 'TEES.SCORIA. aggregate in concrete allowed to cool. The BRICKS and PATENT' and as a cement resulting brick was replacement. It is also extremely strong and used as an aggregate to make asphalt slip-resistant crushing tests have shown they could be equal to and sometimes as a component of phosphate granite. fertiliser. These are just a few of its present day I haven't been able so far to find out how long the uses. Tees Scoriae Brick Company operated or what As interesting as this is, it is unlikely that you are happened to them but I have discovered that going to make much financially directly out of slag similar processes were used elsewhere. As far away unless it has been used in the concrete surfaces as the town of Butte in the northern US state of that you are polishing or maintaining. Nevertheless, Montana they were manufactured from the waste in the case of Edinburgh, the Scoria Bricks were of the local smelter. Their strength and weather used in the centre of an area of Georgian Houses resistance even in harsh winter conditions gave largely occupied by middle and high earners many them a long life and some have survived in Butte of whom are willing to spend to restore or maintain too. In San Juan, Puerto Rico, many streets are still their floor surfaces whether stone, wood, Victorian paved with blue cobblestone pavers or Adoquines made from Slag which arrived as ballast (heavy tile, vinyl or carpet. This isn't unique to Edinburgh material that is used to enhance stability) on sugarbut it is equally true in towns and cities throughout carrying ships from Spain. the United Kingdom. Georgian and early Victorian Slag has many uses which date back to at least properties are greatly sought after and increasingly Roman times when, as a by-product from the ironso by younger to middle age professionals. They making forges, it was used in road making. The should be your target market if you want to build or same thing happened in the UK but perhaps not maintain a successful business. page 7
Con-artist ‘cleaner’ Glyn Charnock
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lady called the NCCA office the other day for some advice and the staff gave her my telephone number. She was enquiring as to what a professional carpet clean should entail. She wanted to check, as she had just had her carpet 'cleaned' and was not at all happy with what the cleaner had done. She said the cleaner wanted £40 to clean a carpet in her baby daughter's bedroom. Having agreed to the price, he apparently proceeded to randomly spray small amounts of liquid over the carpet, from what she described as a Vanish type bottle. He then waited a short while for it to dry, vacuumed the carpet and requested payment! The lady said she didn’t believe that this was a professional carpet cleaning method and that she could have done this herself. Thankfully she refused to pay. The cleaner was apparently very insistent, told her that 'steam cleaning' is not used anymore as it damages carpets, that this was the latest method of cleaning carpets and he wanted paying for what he had done. Luckily she managed to get rid of him
without paying a penny, even though she said he was very intimidating. After he had left, the customer thought about what had happened. She wanted to make sure that she was in the right and had not treated him unfairly. She found the NCCA through a Google search and contacted us for advice. I told her she should inform her local Trading Standards office and to go back to the NCCA website to find a local member and get them to test for whatever was put on the carpet and hopefully rinse it out. A con-artist out to rip people off? Who knows what he put in that bottle? I am sure he wouldn't care what it was. It could even have been something that would damage the carpet or worse the health of her baby. If only she had done a Google search, found us and used an NCCA member in the first place (we can be found on the first page of a search), then this disaster could have been avoided. page 8
Life after carpet cleaning
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or many of us, we are blessed with the good fortune of having the best job in the world. We are invited into peoples' homes and their workplace and are asked to transform the soiled and grey into something bright and shiny. The praise and satisfaction we receive for performing this act of magic is immense. We are also fortunate to be able to meet so many amazing people from all walks of life; the rich and famous, celebrities, the old and frail, maybe some folks or families who are the less fortunate in life and those who are starting out on the 'happy ever after' journey. They all have a tale to tell, a memory to recall and tea to share. Yes, we get to meet some amazing people, plus we are being paid for the privilege!
Ken Wainwright Sadly, one day this must all come to an end. Some of us will retire and hang up our wands. Others will move on and seek new opportunities. When this day arrives, it is natural to want to maximise the return you have invested in our great industry. You have knowledge, equipment, vehicle(s), customers and goodwill, maybe premises too. So what do you do? The first option is to sell all your capital equipment. Over the years, you may well have spent tens of thousands of pounds on machinery, accessories and vehicles. Sadly, second hand equipment rarely commands the value you might have imagined. As for customers and goodwill, that's difficult to value so is often not considered as an option. page 10
The only other viable option is to sell the business as an entity. OK, the return will still not be great and it may be difficult to value and sell, but without trying you will never know. An entire business will certainly command greater worth than a second hand van full of well used machinery. So what is your greatest business asset? It is, of course, your customers. Do you know who they are and how to contact them quickly? In an age of Information Technology it is essential to have a database of customers, residential and commercial. Do you have a database? Computing at all levels is terrifying to some of us, but it needn't be. I bought an industry specific database software package a few years ago and it has revolutionised the way I do business. All of my customers are available at the click of a mouse. Not only their names and contact details, but room sizes and when their carpets/upholstery were previously cleaned, how much they have spent with me, plus much more. At the end of the working day, it takes
me perhaps ten minutes to enter all the new information from that day's work. This recorded information would be extremely attractive to any prospective buyer of my business. The sooner you start your own, the more customers you will have to sell-on at a later date. Another essential is your brand. 'Joe Bloggs Carpet Cleaning' is only of value to someone called Joe Bloggs. So you will require a business name/brand that can be used by anyone. But it's not that simple. You also want it to match with your website. You don't have a website? That doesn't stop you having a web address, all you need to do is register it and pay the annual fee to retain the name and it's yours. It costs just a few pounds a year. Simple is often the best way to go, especially if you want people to see the web address on your van and remember it. You will also need to consider your telephone number. A regular geographic landline number may not be transferable to someone buying your business from the other side of your town/city/county. Call diversion is typically a short term arrangement, so you may want to consider one of the many non-geographic specific options. It needs to be operational well in advance of selling the business. The above is just a small glimpse into what you need to do to prepare for the day you retire or sell-on. Do not put it off. All the systems and procedures you use must be fully prepared and working efficiently long before the day you decide to sell. Think of the future and start to prepare for it. Don’t be tempted to leave it all until the last minute. page 11
Terry Guilford The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.
Wood floor sanding - is it right for you?
I
n the current economic climate every savvy businessman is considering how best to grow their business and most cleaning professionals understand the need to identify the clients who can afford their services and maximise the return from those clients. The concept of the 'complete floor care company' is not a particularly new one but it is a difficult concept for customers to understand and it is therefore not easy to market successfully. The advent of database marketing means, however, that it is now more achievable. It is very easy to introduce the idea of 'total floor care' to your existing clients, they already trust you to maintain their carpets and upholstery so why not vinyl, tiles, stone or wood floors? Many floor cleaning professionals have shied away from wood floor sanding and with some good reason, but if you are considering adding it as a
service, perhaps this will help you make up your mind if it is right for your business. So what are the reasons for NOT going into floor sanding? Leaving aside the usual 'fear of the unknown' let's deal with the practical difficulties, starting with capital expenditure. There are few low cost options in starting a professional floor sanding operation, your competitors will generally have reasonably decent machinery and the hire option is (normally) limited to cheap equipment. Your local hire shop will generally have a drum (as opposed to belt) sander which is lowered onto the floor manually and which pumps large amounts of dust into every corner and orifice (yours and the property you are working in), this is not acceptable nowadays. Professional equipment is available for hire in some areas but not many and in addition to the belt sander you will need an edger, a random page 12
orbital, an extractor and a rotary machine (you may have one already but does it have a dust extraction port?). Expect to outlay around £7000 + vat on machines. On top of this you will obviously need to buy abrasives (not expensive) and decent floor finish (which will seem very expensive compared to carpet cleaning and hard floor chemicals). Training is also something which is essential for anyone wishing to start floor sanding; mistakes in this business can be very expensive and a knowledge of both wood and finish types is important. So in summary a budget of around £8000 + vat is reasonable if you want to start fully trained and equipped with new, state of the art, machinery. The second reason for avoiding floor sanding is not actually anything to do with floor sanding, it's to do with your perspective as a carpet cleaner. For those of you whose only business has been carpet you need to be aware that carpet cleaning is a very high profit margin business and wood floor sanding will not match this. Ok, I'll give you one more reason not to do it and then I'll start on the positives. If you are a one man band, don't want to employ people and are doing well with your existing setup, then don't go into this business. It's physical (the machines are big and heavy) and time consuming to do competently, and it will pull you away from your more profitable activities. If you are still reading I guess you think there must be something good about wood floor sanding so what is it? Well, lets deal with the tangible benefits first. If you want to be the first person anyone thinks of when it comes to maintaining their floors, you need to add this service to your list. There are a number of NCCA members who have felt the benefits to their business brought about by adding wood floor sanding. Any reasonably competent salesperson will understand that being invited to quote on ONE floor surface restoration is an invitation to quote on ALL floor surface restoration, no house has JUST wood or JUST carpet or JUST stone. Once your foot is in the door, if they trust you it is likely they will give you all the floor surfaces. Floor sanding may not be AS profitable as the
other floor services, but it is still profitable and the numbers can be a lot bigger. The average spend in our industry is regularly in the high hundreds and very often in the thousands especially if you get into the commercial sector. What has been lacking in the wood floor industry up until now is maintenance and this presents a clear opportunity for those already in the cleaning sector. You have sanded and finished the client's floor and they are delighted, the next thing they will ask you is, “how do we maintain it?” The answer is up to you, it can be “I'll show you how and sell you the product” or it can be “how about one of our maintenance plans and we can quote on the carpets, tiles and stone as well”. You won't have competition from the other floor sanders, they're not interested in maintenance. So what are the non-tangible benefits? It may not be easy to answer in words but take a look at some of the before and after shots on our website, or indeed any website. Quite simply the satisfaction derived from sanding and finishing a wood floor is immense. Your client will feel the same and you'll have gained yourself a customer for life.
A “thank you” to Danny Campbell of CDS Cleaning Services The NCCA office recently received a call from a customer who wished to bring to our attention the excellent service she received from an NCCA member, Danny Campbell of CDS Cleaning Services, in the prompt and successful removal of a Lucozade stain from her carpet. The customer had apparently tried to remove the stain herself using washing up liquid. Danny visited the customer’s home to tackle the job on the same day that he was contacted and was able to successfully remove both the washing up liquid and the initial stain. The customer was extremely happy with the result and, along with thanking Danny for his excellent work, also wanted to thank the NCCA for recommending him. page 13
Clarification on TrustMark scheme
Glyn Charnock
F
ollowing the last email regarding TrustMark, there seems to be some confusion among members as to what TrustMark is and why the Association has teamed up with them. TrustMark is a consumer confidence referral scheme for tradesmen, designed to put consumers in touch with tradesmen of all kinds who have signed up to a Government Endorsed set of standards for their particular trade. The TrustMark website currently receives over 330,000 hits per month from consumers searching for reputable tradesmen. We believe TrustMark will quickly become a valuable source of enquiries for those members who want to take part. Membership of TrustMark is entirely voluntary and is available exclusively (within the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry) to members of the NCCA. Originally aimed at the building trades, TrustMark are looking to widen the number of services and trades they cover. To this end the NCCA approached TrustMark and have worked with them to set the Government Endorsed standards required to become a TrustMark approved trader in the category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners. The criteria to be eligible for TrustMark membership are as follows; ! Minimum 2 days NCCA approved training in carpet and upholstery cleaning. ! Advanced Spot and Stain Removal training. ! NCCA Membership. ! A minimum of 2 years industry experience. ! Third Party and Treatment Risk Insurance cover. ! Signing a Health and Safety Declaration. TrustMark membership is ÂŁ150 + VAT per year. Diversity is the Scheme Operator for TrustMark and all membership applications will be handled by
them until they have sufficient members. Members will appear under the Handyman category of the TrustMark website until numbers reach the minimum level for National coverage. Once this is achieved, the website will display Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners as a separate category, and the NCCA will take over as Scheme Operator. Because of the Government endorsement of strict standards, all fees for both TrustMark and the NCCA, as well as any documentation required, must be submitted on or before the due dates or TrustMark membership will be revoked. Members with a poor payment history from the NCCA will be required to show due diligence by paying fees and submitting documents on time before they will be allowed to join TrustMark. Any NCCA member who has been placed on probation for a breach of the Code of Practice or who has had a complaint against them upheld within the last two years will not be allowed to join TrustMark until they have two years membership without incident. To apply to become a member of TrustMark, please contact Steve Terry at Diversity Management Services on 0115 967 3767 or email steve@diversity-nottm.co.uk. page 14
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ast month carpet cleaners from all over the UK took a break from their busy schedule to attend the second ever Carpet Cleaners Carnival (CCC) held at Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire. The Carnival, which was visited by over 200 people this year, included an exhibition of major industry manufacturers and suppliers along with
Carpet Cleaners Car
Nigel Lay (Events Director) and Denise Pitt
Clean It Up (organisers of VanFest)
business support organisations and other relevant bodies. Among the exhibitors were:- Amtech UK, Eastby Services Ltd T/A Alltec Network, Client Database Marketing Solutions, Chemspec Limited, Woolsafe Organisation, Chemspec Europe Ltd, Textile Cleaning Solutions and Dry Fusion (UK) Ltd who all exhibited last year, together with newcomers to the Carnival,
Cleansmart Ltd, Prochem Europe Ltd, Sebo UK Ltd, Oates Laboratories Europe and Columbus Cleaning Machines. Many were displaying new products and machinery as well as their normal range. Their continued support to our industry is extremely appreciated. This year’s Carnival also featured VanFest, in conjunction with internet forum 'Clean It Up' page 16
nival 2012
Wicksteed Park - The ideal setting for a family day out
(www.cleanitup.co.uk). VanFest is an event where cleaners are able to showcase their vehicles, inside and out, and enter into a competition for the best presented van. “The NCCA strongly believes in engaging with cleaning professionals and keeping up with best practices and cutting-edge ideas within the industry” says Events Director, Nigel Lay “In today's
Main picture (left): photo library. Other photographs (far left): ©Paul Pearce
Nicky Law
challenging environment, it is increasingly important for cleaning companies to work together to help preserve the industry's professionalism. The CCC provides an ideal opportunity to increase industry awareness, update technical knowledge and network with likeminded people”. Throughout the day visitors to the Carnival were Continued on next page page 17
Delicious Cupcakes
seasoned professionals Paul Pearce, NCCA President, and Glyn Charnock, NCCA Membership Director. Additionally Honorary Member and Past NCCA President, Derek Bolton, was present to answer technical questions and impart his vast personal knowledge and experience. The main focus of the Carnival, however, was fun for all the family. Although aimed at the carpet cleaning industry the event was open to everyone, along with their friends and families, and successfully combined fun and festivities together with business. For the less industry-minded there were nontrade stalls including cupcakes, holistic therapies, jewellery and shoes, together with cake decorating demonstrations by NCCA Director, Denise Pitt. Glyn Charnock demonstrates upholstery cleaning
For the kids (and the kids at heart) there was an opportunity to have their faces painted, a toy hunting competition and an entertainment area with games and activities. We also had a special guest, Tracy Stephens, who was on-hand to sign copies of her new book Messy Melvin and the Marvellous Muddy Adventure. Wicksteed Park was the ideal backdrop for the day. One of the first Leisure Parks in the UK, it is the ideal location for a fun family day out. Set in acres of beautiful parkland it boasts numerous attractions including one of the biggest and best free playgrounds in Europe, a fairground, a railway, racing cars and a lakeside area featuring water chute, nautical jets and both large and small lake boats. During the event visitors had free access to the Paul Pearce demonstrates rug cleaning
park grounds, play area and lakeside and were able to purchase specially discounted wristbands for entry to the fair. The Carnival was again pleased to support Kirsty's Kids. Member John Bryden, who runs the charity in honour of his daughter Kirsty and her work to help sick and underprivileged children, wrote to express his gratitude for the assistance he received in fundraising and has already asked for a stand at next year's event. With various activities throughout the day, including an auction and a raffle, he was able to raise an incredible ÂŁ2,479.44! Festivities continued into the night with food and excellent live music from The Shamlas, who page 18
Photographs ŠPaul and Sandra Pearce
Continued from previous page able to view equipment, including new product launches, and attend the excellent demonstrations on rug and upholstery cleaning delivered by
performed Funk, Soul, Pop, Disco, Tamla Motown, Rhythm and Blues, all delivered with enormous energy and drive. NCCA Marketing Director, Keith Robertson says “We would like to say a huge 'Thank You' to the visitors and their families, Corporate members who gave up much of their weekend and also the local businesses who joined us. Industry events provide an excellent networking opportunity and it was great to meet up with friends and colleagues and see what was new in the industry. What was slightly disappointing, however, was that far fewer people actually came to the evening event than had originally registered to be there. If only you had come it would have been the advent of the year. We would like to give special thanks for those who did attend the evening event, especially those who are new to the industry, including recently inducted member Robin Wilmot and his wife who run Carpet Cleaning 4You in Rudgeway near Bristol and James and Charlotte Shepherd who brought their son and one of their management team. The Shepherd's operate their company, Domestic Bliss, from the village of Carmel near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. James is due to attend the next NCCA Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning course. We have already booked the venue for next year, when we hope to expand even further on what was on offer this year. We would love to see you there again supporting the Association�. The next Carnival will be held on 14th September 2013. Wrennalls Group
Eastby Services T/A Alltec Network
Amtech UK
Chemspec Europe
Cleansmart
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The world of high-end soft furnishings
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his article was written to provide an insight in to top of the range of soft furnishings, be it rugs, carpets, upholstery or curtains in all their different styles. Although you are taught to complete a survey and test items thoroughly before carrying out any cleaning, you will need a very high level of expertise to even consider taking on work on some of these items. The soft furnishings at the top end of the market are items that are usually most at risk from damage, colour loss and texture change during the cleaning process. Some interior designers insist that the items should not be cleaned, however we all know that at some stage there has to be a regular maintenance plan in order to keep these prize possessions in tip-top condition. However, even with a regular cleaning schedule
Peter Collins
and professional stain removal, problems can occur. Axminster and Wilton wool carpets can be subject to shrinkage when wet cleaned. This is usually due to installers not properly securing seams, which can then separate or open during cleaning. Seaming, in my experience, is often carried out with heat seaming tape, which is probably all down to the time and cost of installing this type of carpet. The sewing of the seams will obviously cost a little more, but come with many extra benefits. The first reaction of a client when they find one of their seams has 'popped' open is to blame the carpet cleaner, although the problem often lies with the original installation. In the top end of the range of soft furnishings, page 20
high calibre hand knotted rugs and carpets are made with wool, silk, rayon/art silk or a combination of these fibres. Upholstery fabrics are sometimes even more complex, using cotton, linen, flax, silk and rayon. With these upholstery fabrics there can be three, four or even five blends of these fibres to construct the final design. With the increased use of silk and rayon fibres, the end products vary from being strong and durable, to very delicate, with the latter being a problem for both cleaning and stain removal. Extra attention and care is needed when dealing with these types of fibres as they can, at any stage, be prone to dye bleed, colour change, or even alterations in their appearance and feel. By now you have probably realised that these types of fabrics are not bullet proof, unlike the solution died synthetic fibres, although even these have their problems. High end 'speciality' rugs and carpets are often created without a single concern for their maintenance. Interior designers tend to feature an array of bright colours, ranging from purples, reds and yellows, plus rust, however the UV rays from sunlight can alter or fade the dyes and they can even be affected by the different shades of lighting found in 'designer homes'. You may also find that they bleed when wet cleaned, as the dyes may not have been tested for colourfastness, or have a British Kite Mark approval (although, even this does not always guarantee the problem won't arise). The construction of fabrics in the high end upholstery market can include use of ratine (loop faced yarns), boucle, woven crewel, ribbed pile and patterned or crushed velvets, all of which can be subject to shading, pile distortion and texture change, even with the most professional cleaning and care. These types of fabrics are often of delicate construction. Chenille upholstery does not fair much better either, as it is subject to excessive shedding, loss of pile and, most alarming, pile removal while being vacuumed (be aware, this is a
manufacturers problem). The onward journey into the top of the range of soft furnishings brings us to Jacquard fine woven fabrics. These are in beautiful designs, rich in texture and colour, ornate and elegant; but, however impressive, they can be prone to dye bleed, colour loss and fading, not only through exposure to the previously stated UV light, but also during and after the cleaning process, including the drying period. With these fabrics it only takes one weak dye to destroy the piece. Adding to this, these fabrics can also be subject to misuse by your client, their family or the household pets. When dealing with spots and stains you will ask the customer the usual questions‌ What have you done to remedy the stain? How did you go about it? Which products did you use? Etc. The answers are usually something near the truth, but you are not told everything as they have phoned you as a last resort, after other people have already made suggestions or tried a 'remedy', which may have bonded the stain to the carpet permanently. You may remember, through your training, that on odd occasions texture change in a carpet, rug or soft furnishing can actually look like colour change. This is usually more apparent under certain light levels, where even small differences can be seen in the way of pile distortion, loss of twist, greying or dulling. However, there can also be a real colour loss, so be careful when carrying out your preinspection. To the average person it may look like colour loss but to the professional with the expertise, the difference can be explained to the client. There are many risks to consider when cleaning these unique, beautiful and desirable high-end ofthe-market creations, but with extensive knowledge, training, the correct equipment and cleaning products, the end results can be stunning. So the choice is yours, do you enhance and move forward your skills to the high end of the consumer market? Or just keep cleaning the same ploughed fields? page 21
T
he British Isles have been in the grip of Olympic fever this year and the traffic on the roads has been down to an alltime low (Yippee) with people either visiting the various Olympic arenas or watching the event on TV. Team GB went for gold 'big time' and most people wallowed in the 'feel good' factor that was generated by the event. It was very difficult not to, even for us grumpy old 'uns. To be a successful athlete, it goes without saying that training is an absolute must. Even our old friend 'Eddie the Eagle' did his stint of training and he became a legend, albeit he didn't win a medal. However, he worked hard and gave it a try. He strived to be the best. To be a successful carpet/upholstery cleaner, the same determined mindset needs to apply. Although I don't think too many of us will reach the dizzy heights of Olympic gold, striving to be the best has to be our goal. Let's look at how the racing cyclists approach their task. Everything is geared (excuse the pun) to optimum efficiency. Their machines are hand-built to perfection, designed to be aerodynamic, light in weight but immensely strong. The cyclists themselves keep their fitness at its peak. They look after their bodies and eat healthily. All these qualities can be applied to carpet and upholstery cleaning to some degree. The aerodynamics of the extraction machine isn't as important as a push bike (sorry, racing cycle) but the machine still needs to be strong and reasonably light, after all most of us are not weight lifters, weighty maybe, but not weight lifters…. and no, a six-pack doesn't mean half a dozen cans of larger. As with a cyclist, a certain level of fitness (albeit a lower level) should also be maintained by the carpet and upholstery cleaner. For a start we should all be aiming to eat the right foods, including our five-a-day… and that doesn't mean two Big Macs, a double portion of fries and a McFlurry! We do have quite an energetic, physical job so it would be fair to assume that we are all getting enough exercise. But I wonder if it is the right sort. I have had this discussion with the 'Old Man of Essex' (yes, he's still around) on a couple of occasions. Personally I think the average carpet and upholstery cleaner does not benefit from the right sort of exercise during the working day, however he disagrees… but then he always does that just to wind me up. My point is that we don't actually walk that far, OK we go from vehicle to property a few times and then shuffle about in someone's house or office block for an hour or so waving a metal wand across a carpet but that, in my opinion, is not 'real' exercise. It isn't like going for a two/three mile walk which is more likely to get the old red corpuscles moving about our finely tuned bodies (you wish) is it? For athletes the goals are always moving. World and Olympic records are set and then beaten…. always moving onwards and upwards. As a carpet and upholstery cleaner our goals should keep moving too. We need to keep up with new developments in the industry, the ever-changing world of computer technology and ultimately maintain/improve our levels of customer service. We won't win medals for our achievements, but we will receive a cheque for our efforts and if we are really lucky we'll also get a nice cup of tea and a sticky bun. You could say that this is the equivalent of the Olympic 'Bunch of Flowers'… personally I much prefer a sticky bun (“Mmm, me too. What were you saying about healthy eating though?!” - The Editor).
The carpet cleaning olympics Derek Bolton
Health and Safety reforms
F
ew businesses would argue they should not be subjected to proportionate, balanced health and safety laws but, at present, red tape is a major barrier to growth - and one the Government has pledged it will remove. According to the new Business Minister, Michael Fallon, around 3,000 health and safety regulations will be scrapped or overhauled and, from April 2013, hundreds of thousands of firms freed from Health & Safety Executive (HSE) inspections. The Government is also legislating to ensure that businesses will be held liable for civil damages in health and safety cases only if they can be shown to have acted negligently, rather than the present system where firms can automatically be liable for damages even if they were not actually negligent. These are welcome announcements, of course, but numerous pledges have been made. In recent
Phil McCabe (Forum of Private Business)
years - ever since it was revealed that the former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, had overseen the introduction of more bureaucracy than several of his predecessors put together. We have had regulatory budgets on government departments that vanished almost as quickly as they were set up, the promise of a 'bonfire' of regulations following the Lรถfstedt Review of health and safety and, more recently, a 'one-in, one-out' drive which, despite some ministers championing its success, neglects to consider that not all regulations have an equal impact on businesses or the fact that almost all employment law comes from the EU and can therefore not simply be repealed at will. Further, in October the new 'fee for intervention' policy came into force. Now firms found to be in 'material breach' of health and safety laws will page 24
have to pay the full cost of inspections. The problem is that what constitutes such a breach has not been adequately defined and there is a risk that individual inspectors in different parts of the country could interpret the term wildly differently. The Forum is particularly concerned that the exercise is more to do with the HSE's cost recovery plans than ensuring effective health and safety procedures. Responding to a consultation into the move, the Forum has submitted evidence showing that business owners have serious doubts about the proposed system of charges. In May 2012, just 3% of the Forum's Health and Safety Panel members argued that businesses should pay the full cost of the Fee for Intervention operation. A total of 62% felt that recovery costs should be scaled according to the size of a business and more than 90% that either the size of the business or the seriousness of the breach should have an impact on the level of costs. The panel was also asked to comment on the Government's Lรถfstedt review of health and safety regulation. In all, 87% of panel members agreed with the review's strategic aims, with the focus on common sense and streamlining laws particularly welcomed. In all, 42% of businesses felt that the HSE should be given authority over local enforcement activity as this would potentially lead to greater consistency, citing its expertise and existing geographical inconsistencies in enforcement. However, 57% of respondents disagreed and there were real concerns that the HSE's approach would be too heavy handed - despite recognition of the benefits of putting in place good health and safety procedures. Respondents said the advantages include that it gives the perception that the company is better organised than its rivals, strengthens local reputation and allows them to compete more effectively for tenders.
Good health and safety was also seen by panelists as useful in terms of reducing staff absences so that work can be completed in a timely and effective manner. Rather than yet again wielding the stick, the Governments should be providing more guidance and support to help firms comply. In terms of support wanted by businesses, many believed the HSE should issue more free advice leaflets - 89% of members surveyed found the Forum's Health and Safety Guide to be a useful tool. Contained within the Forum's practical health and safety package, and complete with sample health and safety policy templates, the step-bystep guide gives business owners the peace of mind that they are legally compliant and helps them provide a safe working environment for their employees and customers. For more information visit www.fpb.org
page 25
Mind your head - providing work equipment and training to employees Surekha Gollapudi (Eversheds LLP)
P
roviding safe and suitable equipment to employees is something every employer has to consider, whether it is a van for work or specialist cleaning equipment. This article will examine the duties imposed by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Background The aim of PUWER is to ensure that everyone is provided with safe and suitable equipment in the workplace in order to avoid employees being injured in the first place. PUWER also mandates that employees should be provided with adequate training to use the equipment and it should be accompanied by suitable safety measures such as warning signs and protective markings. These basic
provisions may seem as though they are common sense requirements but all too often, employers are caught out. Who does PUWER apply to? PUWER applies to employers and self-employed people who provide equipment for use at work. In addition, where contractors or individuals bring their own equipment, an employer may be bound by the provision of PUWER if the employer has control over the use of that equipment. In most cases, this will be satisfied by normal working operations. What equipment does PUWER apply to? The regulations apply to any work equipment, from the obvious tools and machinery, to less obvious items commonly used within the industry, such as page 26
phones and company vans. The reason for such a broad definition is to allow PUWER to be applied to all industries equally, regardless of what business is carried out. Therefore, for those in the carpet cleaning sector, PUWER will undoubtedly apply, as it will to their clients and their contractors. By way of some useful guidance on what is classed as work equipment, the Court has held that PUWER is concerned with the tools of the trade provided by an employer to an employee to enable that employee to do his work. It therefore applies to items used by employees in their work, not objects which employees work on. The most basic example being that carpet cleaning equipment is covered by PUWER; however, the carpet being cleaned is not covered. PUWER applies in a wide range of situations relevant to work equipment including starting or
stopping the equipment, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing, cleaning and transporting equipment. It is therefore important to understand your obligations in respect of maintaining equipment and providing training to employees. Key provisions in PUWER Within the depths of the regulations, are the following key duties: ! Make sure equipment is suitable for purpose (Regulation 4) - As well as being suitable for the work it is provided for, employers must ensure that work equipment is ONLY used for the purpose provided for; ! Maintain equipment in good working order and repair (Regulation 5) - Where there is a maintenance log, it must be kept up to date; ! Provide adequate health and safety information Continued on next page
page 27
Continued from previous page
to those using the equipment (Regulation 8) - If instructions are available for the equipment, these must also be provided. Supervisors should also have the same level of information available to them to ensure that those being supervised are working safely; and ! Ensure those using equipment have received adequate training (Regulation 9) - This will also include training for supervisors. Training will include instruction on the proper working methods, any risks associated with the equipment and precautions to be taken when using it. What can you do to ensure compliance? Whilst many of the requirements under PUWER are already well known and acted upon by diligent employers, many cases still come to Court when employers get it wrong. In order to comply with PUWER, your organisation should take care to perform adequate risk assessments on using equipment, carry out regular maintenance and inspections and also provide sufficient training to employees to enable them to use any work equipment safely. Taking those points further: ! Risk assessments - Employers will only be able to understand the risks of a piece of equipment if they properly assess it first. Do not rely on generic assessments for similar pieces of equipment or pro forma assessments provided by third parties such as the manufacturer. Equipment can be used differently by different business and may be used, for example, in different environments. Small changes in the way equipment is used may significantly change the relevant risks. It is therefore important that a well thought-out assessment is conducted and reviewed if matters change or there is reason to suspect the assessment is not accurate; ! Maintenance - Where relevant, appoint properly qualified bodies to perform maintenance, particularly when dealing with chemicals or electrical safety. Record routine maintenance so
that there is evidence it has taken place and act upon any reports of deterioration or problems with equipment; do not attempt to 'bodge' fixes. ! Training - Individuals should be properly trained not only in how to use the equipment, but also the risks it poses, the reasons for control measures (such as relevant PPE) and what to do in the event they feel that working with the equipment would be unsafe. Many employers focus solely on a 'how to' approach to training, to their detriment. Many organisations also falter when they place too much reliance on the equipment manufacturer. There are a number of legal regimes requiring manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe. However, in the event an employee is injured by work equipment, the employer will not simply be able to point the blame towards the equipment manufacturer. If there is something inherently wrong in the design of the equipment then some blame may be apportioned, however, in most cases it is the way that the equipment is used or maintained that causes the issue and that will typically be the responsibility of the employer. One final point to add, focussing at the very beginning of the provision of equipment process, is to make sure that the equipment selected is appropriate for the job being performed. A good example is the use of ladders; when scaffold would be more appropriate. Procurement of the right equipment is the foundation to everything that follows in terms of safely using that equipment. Many businesses fall foul of the PUWER regulations when they cut corners whether in maintenance or training, with the unintended result of employee injuries, investigation and prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive and the potential for fines as a result. In reality, all businesses should be able to avoid these consequences by applying common sense and good health and safety practice at the outset. Surekha Gollapudi is an Associate in the Health and Safety team at Eversheds LLP. page 28
Keeping equipment clean As a cleaner, well maintained equipment is essential. If your equipment is dirty the prospect's confidence in you and your company will definitely take a nosedive. The worst enemy of any machine or equipment is the operator, the next is soiling. Any carpet/upholstery cleaning machine, regardless of manufacturer or type, works on the same principle of picking up, transporting and temporarily storing soil and small foreign objects, so it is imperative that you regularly clean the machine to avoid dirt and germ transfer from one client to the next. Looking after your machinery both inside and out will also ensure that it lasts longer.
Dealing with spills As professional cleaners we use specialty cleaning and stain removal treatments to improve the appearance of forgotten drink spills - cola, coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, soda and others. Even with the best treatments some coloured residue or caramelized sugar stain, resulting from the prior spillage, may remain. To lessen the possibility of stain damage, immediate action should be taken by the client when a spillage occurs. It is important to inform your regular and prospective clients of how to immediately deal with any spillages as they occur. It will make your job so much easier and guarantee a more successful result.
The advantages of green cleaning Believe it or not, much of our carpet and upholstery cleaning can be completed using solutions manufactured from renewable resources. Although microsplitting formulae are sodium phosphate based and, as such, not strictly fully biodegradable (they require treatment at sewage plants), there are many eco-friendly products available to the carpet and upholstery cleaner which are 100% biodegradable. Many of these are approved for use on both natural and synthetic fibres, carpets and upholstery and with both low-moisture and rinse/extraction cleaning systems (many traditional detergent-based cleaning solutions are formulated to work only within one of these groups). When using a rinse/extraction system, many green products are suitable for freshwater rinsing, and frequently at low temperatures too. By offering your customers an eco-clean as a normal premium-quality, no-extra-cost service they will have yet another reason to employ you rather than someone else and even more reason to remain loyal to you. Note: When using eco-friendly products, waste water should still be disposed of in a main sewer. This is because some of the soils removed when cleaning soft furnishings could, by themselves, be harmful to the environment.
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. CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND VAN 2 Dryfusion carpet cleaning machines, 2 Drizair 110 dehumidifiers, 2 turbo dryers, 1 Dri-eaz fogging machine, 2 Dryfusion stair tools with pads, 1 Advance Dryfoam rotary upholstery cleaner, plus 1 large signwritten white Fiat Ducato Turbo Diesel van (less than 5 years old - mileage 41,000). Must be bought as one lot - will not be sold as individual items. Total cost: £10,000. Phone Mike on: 01443 492455 or mob: 07881 807436. 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. Chemspec pile lifter hoover £800.00. contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO START CLEANING CARPETS, UPHOLSTERY AND CURTAINS. Top of the range Ashbys Ninja 400psi portable hot water extraction machine with built in hot solvent system. Full sleeved high pressure V2 hose sets, twin wand, Kleenrite upholstery tool- Viton stem, stair and crevice tools. Sebo vacuum BS36, Sebo duo pretreatment agitator, Hurricane pro air mover and chemicals, plus many more items. Also a Citroen Dispatch LWB 2007 in excellent condition. Equipment - £2750, van - £4000, together - £6250 (no vat). Contact: seanhanly1@hotmail.co.uk Telephone: 07411 769559. 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 - £300.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885804560. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem Bravo (complete) portable carpet spot cleaning machine (hardly used). Prochem Galaxy compact carpet and upholstery cleaner, good condition with hose and wand. 3 speed air mover (nearly new). Prochem dry carpet system (never used) complete with 3 different sets of new brushes and renovation kit. Genuine reason for sale. All items are in very good working order. £2300 or very near offer. Call Keith on 07734 144409 (Kent).
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 1 kirby g4 vac c/w full set of tools unused since recent service £100 ono. 1 nuva electric protector spray trolley c/w lance and hand gun + coily hoses offers over £75. 1 3" CFR hand tool+1 extra 3" nozzle needs repair £50 ono. 1 twin jet s/steel wand needs brazing on jet mounts c/w teflon guide £40 ono. Buyer collects or arranges carriage on items. Contact Stephen on 07766 327327 (Essex area). VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Experienced full time Carpet and Floor Care Technician required. Own van and equipment would be 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.) BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, well established carpet, hard floor and upholstery cleaning business based on the London and Kent borders. The package includes a 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 Ashby's Ninja extraction machine 135 psi, 2 hoses, 2 carpet cands, upholstery tool, 1.5 hp Hurricane Pro Air Mover. Victor 400 floor buffer. Plus a selection of carpet and upholstery cleaning equipment, including a Prochem spotter kit, tarpaulins, grooming brushes etc. Ideal as a 'starter' kit. All items in excellent condition, for full list please see our website, http://www.regiscleaning.com/ Please call Regis Cleaning, on 0208 677 8031 or email:info@regiscleaning.com MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT - ACCESSORIES Dri-Eaz Dehumidifiers, Turbo Dryers, Instruments and Accessories. Host 'Dry Extraction Cleaning System' Machine and Accessories. For a complete list Please contact Jason on: 07580 182 325 or email: info@restoration-direct.co.uk TRUCKMOUNT AND VAN Hydramaster Boxer 421 Truckmount fitted in a Ford Transit van model 115 T350. Both in good condition. Taxed November 2012. MOT July 2013. Price includes all hoses, wands, shelving, Inline filter, safety ramp & other items - £10,500 or nearest offer. Photographs available. Sale due to retirement. Email: office@smbanbury.com Mobile 07917834836.
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. Hours2537.5hrs. 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/airheating/) 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. TRUCK MOUNT Banclene truck mount complete with base unit, stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feat 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 VAN AND TRUCKM0UNT FOR SALE - £5000. 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 07949214588.
NCCA Corporate Members + Allied Insurance Services Ltd: 0844 8156211 (I) + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 01444 232211 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd: 01772 426527 (M) + Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467 + 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 + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C) + 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) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + 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) + Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M)
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.
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
page 31
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.
e dby o o g n Say ake ta f to ains! st
No need to mix - just spray - wait and the stain is gone.* *pre-test carefully and rinse out after stain is removed with cold water after use.
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