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Industry News
CHSA calls for priority testing for cleaning product suppliers
THE Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) has written to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock MP, asking that employees of manufacturers and distributors of cleaning and hygiene products be eligible for priority testing for the Coronavirus
Anyone over the age of five who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 is now able to secure a test for Coronavirus. Essential workers in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland can apply for priority testing through the government’s website. These tests are prioritised over those made available to the wider public through the NHS.
In his letter to Matt Hancock, Lorcan Mekitarian, chair of the CHSA, said: “These individuals produce, pack and distribute the products being used by cleaning operatives working in hospitals, care homes, schools and other essential locations, including offices being prepared to get the economy moving again. The products include essential items such as clinical waste sacks, gowns, aprons, gloves, masks, hard surface sanitisers and hand sanitisers, non-woven wipes, tissue, and other related products. Without priority testing, manufacturers and distributors may be affected by employees unknowingly infecting colleagues. The consequence could be an impact on the ability of the companies to manufacture and distribute the essential products.”
New research from SoftBank Robotics EMEA reveals that 89% of supply side and 78% of demand side FM leaders think that performance-based contracts are positive for the cleaning industry. More than half (57%) of FM leaders would like to see performancebased fees, 46% would like gain-share models and 44% would like some level of commercial and operational risk-sharing when entering into a contract with a cleaning technology provider.
The research is presented in a new white paper, The Cobotic Evolution in Cleaning. It highlights the need for a new approach to innovation within commercial cleaning, with 81% of FM leaders reporting that their innovation projects have failed to deliver on expected outcomes over the past two years. 66% state that innovation in cleaning is long overdue.
FM leaders call for strategic partnerships and performance-based contracts to drive innovation
THE majority of FM leaders across the EMEA region believe that technology suppliers should offer performance-based contracts in order to improve the success rate of innovation projects within FM and commercial cleaning.
The majority of FM leaders believe that future innovation strategies need to be more holistic in their approach, with 76% stating that it is as important to evolve their business model as it is to innovate with technology.
According to the survey, FM leaders want suppliers to offer procurement models which make new technologies more accessible and affordable, and minimise their financial risk. 70% of FM leaders state that a leasing model that reduces their financial risk would make the adoption of new cleaning technologies more attractive. This figure rises to 73% within supply side organisations.
Nils van der Zijl, VP sales and marketing, SoftBank Robotics EMEA, said: “There is clearly a real appetite for partnership models within FM and cleaning, where technology providers work closely with facility management service providers and businesses to deliver innovation, with shared goals, risks and rewards. It’s understandable that in an industry that has experienced significant challenges in delivering
Mekitarian concluded: “We are delighted cleaning has been acknowledged as an essential service and those who work in the industry - cleaners, and the distributors and manufacturers of the products they use - are starting to get the recognition they deserve. We ask you to build on this recognition and specify employees of manufacturers and distributors of cleaning and hygiene products as eligible for priority testing for the coronavirus.” WWW.CHSA.CO.UK
successful innovation programmes, there is a certain amount of scepticism and uncertainty when it comes to technology adoption. FM leaders need to ensure they get the advice and support they need, working collaboratively alongside trusted partners to develop the right innovation strategies.”
The research shows that FM leaders are enthusiastic about the introduction of cobotics into commercial cleaning. Cobots are collaborative robots which work alongside cleaning teams and undertake repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as vacuuming, freeing up staff to focus on other tasks such as the deep cleaning and sanitisation of hard surfaces which is critical in the fight against COVID-19.
Van der Zijl concluded: “Successful innovation depends on a lot more than simply having access to the very latest and most impactful technologies - it’s about developing the business models, processes, skills, and understanding within the organisation to integrate new technologies in an effective and sustainable way. It’s crucial that FM leaders, whether on the demand or supply side, find strategic technology partners that can help them to implement the wider operational and cultural changes that are so critical to delivering innovation and real commercial impact.”
The full research findings can be found in the white paper, The Cobotic Evolution in Cleaning, available from the SoftBank Robotics website. WWW.MEETWHIZ.COM
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Robert Scott supports local charities with bio-cleaning solution
ROBERT Scott is supporting local charities with donations of a chemical-free cleaning solution to keep their premises clean in the fight against the spread of Coronavirus. The comapny, which is headquartered in Greenfield, made contact with several local charities with the offer of providing a supply of sanitising solution made using its on-site Toucan Eco bio-cleaning system.
Team members from L’Arche Manchester and The Booth Centre welcomed the donations at a time when cleaning is of the utmost importance for their residents and staff. Pete Johnson from L’Arche has been collecting the solution for both charities from Robert Scott and distributing to both sites.
Nem Tomlinson, acting community leader at L’Arche Manchester, saidd: “We are a small charity providing supported living for people with learning disabilities. Some of the people we support are quite medically fragile and so ensuring their houses are clean and sanitised, whilst remaining homely, is of huge importance to us. The product has been easy to use and has helped people feel reassured that our houses are really clean, which is so important in the current circumstances. We’re also really happy to be using a product that’s eco-friendly as that’s
important to our values. The donation has given us peace of mind when we need it most.”
The Toucan Eco solution is a multi-surface disinfectant cleaner made from just water, salt and electricity that kills 99.999% of microorganisms, including viruses. It’s safe and environmentally friendly, and replaces 80% of chemical cleaners and the single use plastic bottles they are supplied in. Alastair Scott, sales director at Robert Scott, added: “Everyone is pulling together in these challenging times and we want to help those in need working on the frontline in our local community. While we can only supply the solution for a limited weekly no-contact collection, we’re happy to be able to help provide a small relief to local organisations at a time when it’s needed to help with their own cleaning requirements.” WWW.ROBERT-SCOTT.CO.UK
Northwood to close Penygroes
AS part of a strategic review of business operations, given the rapidly changing landscape and market conditions, the directors of Northwood Hygiene Products Ltd have announced the proposed closure of the Penygroes manufacturing facility, located in North Wales. This proposal affects 94 employees.
The facilities services provider’s sixpoint plan to returning businesses to their workplaces post-Coronavirus extends beyond ‘deep clean’ to imbue a broader ethos of hygiene engagement and maintenance using digital technologies aimed at enabling the better mindfulness of site users.
‘Workspace Hygiene’ takes in a substantial portfolio of cross-contamination prevention, access and social distance control solutions, as well as fever scanning, indoor air sanitisation and control deployed by a growing resource of innovative technologies from the company’s systems portfolio.
In a notable cultural step-change, Samsic’s programme urges the emerging role of site users in self-managing a bacteria-reduced environment.
“The future is going to be one of minimising risk and greater engagement between users and their workspace, and digital technology is going to play a major part,” said company CEO, Jonathan King.
Samsic calls for greater user engagement in post-COVID-19 workspace management
AS part of a strategy to help businesses begin to navigate through the changed landscape of post-COVID-19 workspaces, Samsic UK has rolled out a programme enabling users to participate in real-time environment hygiene control.
A spokesperson for the company said: “As part of the review, various alternative options were considered, but the contraction in market demand as a consequence of COVID-19, and the subsequent significant fall in current and forecasted sales volumes has led to this very difficult decision being made. The company is fully committed to following a consultation process with all employees and trade union representatives and will commence a collective consultation process which will last for a minimum of 30 days. The proposed closure will not have a negative impact on the service we provide to our customer base. Production will be absorbed, and customers will be serviced from other Northwood sites in Telford, Oldham, Birmingham, Lancaster, and Bromsgrove.” WWW.NORTHWOOD.CO.UK
“We’re creating participatory opportunities for users to self-audit the condition of their sites using smart device QR scanners and bar code readers and thereby report back their cleaning requirements in real-time. As we move through lockdown towards a return to business as usual, our strategic approach to workspace hygiene is increasingly about how that process is managed holistically. We’re looking far beyond the base process of cleaning itself, aggregating digital solutions with human requirements to give the peace of mind that our clients and their employees want and need more than ever.” WWW.SAMSIC.UK
Ezitracker announces strategic partnership with uComply
WORKFORCE management technology solutions provider, Ezitracker (part of HAS Technology Group), has partnered with uComply, a specialist solution provider for training, process and technology for ‘right to work’ checks in the UK. uComply has a number of products that help to simplify the compliance process for right to work checks via a mobile app using NFC technology. Ezitracker will be taking the on-boarding product and branding it as ‘EziOnboard+’ which will sit within the EziHub platform of workforce management solutions.
The onboarding solution will remove the need for endless paperwork and instil greater GDPR compliance. All documentation is stored centrally in the cloud for easy access which means recruiting managers have everything in place prior to committing to DBS checks and HR enrolment.
Christian Berenger, managing director - workforce management, Ezitracker, said: “This is an exciting partnership that will enhance our field-based onboarding tool. It will empower recruiters to capture employeecentric data for recruitment. There can often be a time lag from onsite recruitment to head office processing and acknowledgement
of a new starter. This time lag can mean employees are unlawfully working without contracts or having been provided with the correct training/induction documentation or appropriate company liability insurance cover. EziOnboard+ will ensure employees have the statutory right to work, with all necessary documentation completed and in place from the very beginning.”
Kim-Marie Freeston, managing director, uComply, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ezitracker to add value to their product portfolio and look forward to a long-sustained relationship. We believe our solution will complement an already well-established workforce management tool by overlayering a comprehensive set of compliance controls to help all employers with their onboarding and right to work processes.” WWW.EZITRACKER.COM WWW.UCOMPLY.CO.UK
As the UK’s largest independent battery sales and service supplier, the success of ECOBAT Industrial has come as a result of listening to the needs of its customers and offering them effective and efficient solutions that provide the answers they require.
Distributing prominent brands such as Sonnenschein, US Battery, TAB and Lucas and chargers from SPE and Fronius across the industrial sector, the company has also built its reputation by providing its customers with a level of service that reaches far beyond just battery sales.
Through this process, which is applied across all aspects of its business, ECOBAT Industrial is able deliver on its sales, support and innovation ethos.
THE organiser of the European Cleaning and Hygiene Awards has announced that this year’s event in Brussels will be postponed until 2021, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The fifth annual event was due to take place on 5 November at Le Plaza Hotel in Brussels. However, as COVID-19 continues to affect people and businesses across the globe, the event has now been cancelled, returning to the same venue on 4 November 2021. WWW.ECHAWARDS.COM
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Ecocleen targets franchise network expansion
ECOCLEEN is creating a host of new franchise opportunities within the UK following a record year in 2019, which saw the company grow by over a third. As a result, Ecocleen has created seven new franchise territories across England and Wales, each with an established client base and operational infrastructure.
“Last year, we implemented a strategy to buildup our client base in areas without an existing franchisee, taking advantage of a rising number of business enquiries due to our growing brand and reputation,” said Jean-Henri Beukes, managing director of Ecocleen. “On the back of £2.5 million worth of new business across the network and the acquisition of Regency Cleaning Company, we now have a number of territories with a sizeable turnover that are ready for an entrepreneurial franchisee to step in and expand.”
Ecocleen has created substantial turn-key regions for incoming franchisees that are designed to maximise growth potential and provide the opportunity to develop significant and robust client portfolios. The available areas currently include Bristol, Bath and South Wales; Tees Valley;
BIGCHANGE, the mobile workforce management technology company, has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise. BigChange was recognised in the 2020 Innovation category for developing JobWatch, a mobile workforce management system that connects back office staff, mobile workers and customers, enabling users to automate manual processes, reduce paper usage and facilitate collaboration on the go.
Martin Port, founder and CEO of BigChange, said: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious
BigChange honoured with Queen’s Award
award. This recognises the efforts of our people who have worked so hard to develop and deliver JobWatch, as well as the customers that inspire and use it everyday to grow and transform their own industries. We have global ambitions for BigChange and this honour will open doors for us around the world.” WWW.BIGCHANGE.COM
UK-BASED technology company Spotta has earned an honourable mention in the Fast Company 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards - AI and Data category. The annual awards honour the businesses, policies, projects, and concepts that are actively engaged in helping solve global challenges including the climate crisis, health and social wellbeing or economic inequality.
Designed to aid the hospitality and leisure industry in tackling the increasing challenge of bed bug infestations, Spotta’s Bed Pod was developed after years of research and development in the fields of AI, low-power technologies, sensors, and entomology.
Spotta recognised at ‘changing ideas’ awards
“This recognition reinforces our company’s mission which is to help the pest control industry and accommodation providers use technology to be proactive in tackling bed bugs,” said Robert Fryers, co-founder and CEO of Spotta. “We designed the Bed Pod to help hoteliers tackle one of the costliest pests and protect their guests, reducing the need for staff to conduct manual checks for bed bugs.” WWW.SPOTTA.CO
The Midlands; Oxfordshire; Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire; North London; and South London.
“Our aim is to attract quality franchisees, from the UK and internationally, who are high performing individuals with a business-minded attitude,” continued Beukes. “We are not necessarily looking for people from the cleaning or facilities management sector, but want people that have an appetite to learn, grow and work in an industry that offers growth potential and uncapped earning opportunity. In the current state of lockdown, there will no doubt be aspiring and budding entrepreneurs taking time to re-evaluate where they are and what they want to achieve in the future, so it is these ambitious individuals we want to engage with.” WWW.ECOCLEEN.CO.UK
Polyteck launches new deep cleaning division
POLYTECK Group has launched a new deep cleaning and sanitation division aimed at servicing the residential and commercial sectors it operates in. The move aims to tackle the increasing need for enhanced cleaning and hygiene services during and post the COVID-19 crisis.
The bespoke service will be delivered using specialist cleaning equipment such as fogging machines to ensure the safety and cleanliness of buildings and circulation spaces for occupants and visitors. The company will also be offering COVID-19 sampling to clients and customers as part of the service. Polyteck will be using its existing and experienced team of qualified cleaners and technical staff, as well as new recruits brought on board to deliver the new services.
Guy Goodall, director, Polyteck, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold around us, and we are learning something new every day. While the science regarding how the virus impacts the body changes daily, we do know that regularly cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces has been considered an important precaution to lower the risk of infection from the beginning. Our new dedicated cleaning division offers our clients the reassurance that this vital function is carried out well and often.” WWW.POLYTECK.CO.UK
