Let's Talk about Cleaning - September 2023

SURVEY

Digitalization in the sector

TECHNOLOGY

Cleaning industry goes for robotics

DETERGENTS

The path toward sustainability

PEST CONTROL

Alternatives for rodent management

SHOWCASE PRODUCTS

MUESTRA DE PRODUCTOS

ICA looks to the future

Operating on the national and international market for over 30 years, ICA is a paper converting company specialized in Away-from-Home products. The company is committed to constantly expanding its wide range of products in a perspective of constant innovation and focus on the environment to offer products that are more and more performing, hygienic, and sustainable. Over the past few years, the company continued to pursue

ICA mira al futuro

quality, as the certifications it obtained prove. In 2012 ICA became PEFC certified for the first time. But this was just a starting point since in 2017 ICA was officially ISO9001 certified and the following year we became FSC certified for the first time. This also shows the great effort we put on promoting sustainable business policies especially in the last 10 years. PFEC, ISO9001 and FSC certifications show ICA’s focus on the environment and its awareness of the issues that our ecosystem faces – and

is committed to playing its part in this crucial battle. In the following years ICA also worked hard to consolidate its export network in the world, starting exporting not only in Europe but in the other continents as well. Year after year, ICA got to reach the furthest countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. The latest new products ICA presents a 2-ply compact towel: soft, absorbent and above all practical with its

5 x 5 cm folds that make it the narrowest in its class. Its dispenser is only 8 cm deep so it is the ideal solution for bathrooms and work areas where space is limited and where the installation of a traditional dispenser would undermine the functionality and liveability of the environment. The 5-fold design also promotes hygiene by offering a single sheet dispensing, where users only touch the sheet they take.

Presente en el mercado nacional e internacional desde hace más de 30 años, ICA es una empresa transformadora de tisú especializada en la producción de productos para el hogar. El compromiso de la empresa se dirige a la constante ampliación de su amplia gama con vistas a una innovación continua y una atención particular al medio ambiente para ofrecer productos cada vez más eficaces, higiénicos y sostenibles. En los últimos años, la empresa ha seguido por la senda de la calidad. Testigo de ello son las certificaciones que se consiguen año tras año. En 2012 ICA obtuvo por primera vez la certificación PEFC. Este es solo un punto de partida,

ya que en 2017 ICA obtiene oficialmente la certificación ISO9001, y al año siguiente se obtiene también la certificación FSC. Todo ello atestigua el gran trabajo no solo en términos de calidad, sino también de políticas empresariales sostenibles desde el punto de vista medioambiental que se ha llevado a cabo en los últimos 10 años en particular. La obtención de las certificaciones PEFC, ISO9001 y FSC es señal de una empresa que se preocupa por el medio ambiente, por las cuestiones que afectan a nuestro ecosistema, y que se compromete a desempeñar su papel en esta importante batalla. En los años siguientes, ICA trabajó para consolidar sus exportaciones en todo el mundo, expandiéndose con nuevas líneas

de exportación no sólo a Europa, sino también a otros continentes. Año tras año, llega tan lejos como Australia y Nueva Zelanda. Entre las últimas novedades, Ica presenta la toalla compacta de dos capas: suave, absorbente y sobre todo práctica con sus pliegues de 5 cm que la convierten en la más estrecha de su categoría. Su dispensador de sólo 8 cm de profundidad es la solución ideal para todos los aseos y zonas de trabajo donde el espacio es limitado y donde la instalación de un dispensador tradicional restaría funcionalidad y habitabilidad al ambiente. El diseño quíntuple también favorece la higiene gracias a la dispensación única, por la que sólo se toca la sábana que se utiliza.

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COVER

Rubino Detergenti was born in 1960 from an idea of Antonio Rubino and evolved with the passion and professionalism of his son Luigi, the current Sole Director, starting in 2002, when it became Rubino Chem. Among the most important companies in the national chemical sector, it has been able to diversify and offer quality products for professional and industrial use.

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Testata Associata

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EFFICIENTE, COMPLETA E

COLLABORATORS

Michael A. Berry, Cristina Cardinali, Simone Ciapparelli, Francesco Fiorente, Francesca Leone, Matteo Marino, Marco Monti, Maurizio Pedrini, Fabrizio Pirovano, Loredana Vitulano

Edited by Simone Ciapparelli

www.pulizia-industriale.it

PUNTO DI RIFERIMENTO PER CHI OPERA NEL CAMPO DELLA PULIZIA INDUSTRIALE, SANIFICAZIONE E FACILITY MANAGEMENT

Digitalization:

50 ANNI LA VOCE AUTOREVOLE DEL CLEANING

Edited by Simone Ciapparelli

Edited by Simone

Ciapparelli

CYBERSECURITY

Rise of digitalization in the supply chain

Edited by Cristina Cardinali

TECHNOLOGY

Robotic transition is the future of Cleaning Maurizio

EVENTS

Talking about IAQ at ANAM 14

Maurizio Pedrini

MARKETING

Smiling to sell

Fabrizio Pirovano and Marco Monti

PEST CONTROL

Alternative and complementary tools for rodent management

and

Francesco

On The Market Today

Hoy

Environmental Management Strategies for Built Environments

This article is reprinted with permission from issue 2, volume 2, of the Cleaning Science Quarterly, the official peer-review journal of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI)

Management is an organized system of making decisions and taking control. Management includes the processes and routines we use to keep order and accomplish things worthwhile. Environmental management is the process of keeping things in their proper place, and in proper relationship to other things.

Environmental management is a necessary condition for human existence. It is an essential ingredient for “quality of life.” How we live and exist in the

natural and built environments depends on how we manage conditions. Management is necessary because environments are naturally disordered and complex. If left by themselves, environments will become disordered. In fact, it is one of the fundamental laws of nature that all things seek disorder. Matter goes to energy and energy goes to matter. If not maintained constantly, an organized space heads toward chaos. Entropy is the measurement of disorder: it is inevitable that ordered spaces become disordered. That pro -

cess is explained by some basic principles of physics. Another way to view environmental management is to consider it as a form of health insurance. Environmental management is the process we use to reduce risk and keep harmful substances away from humans or at levels that will not cause harm. We manage risk in the financial world through insurance. Environmental management is a form of insurance too. In the indoor environment, the primary goal of environmental management is to reduce exposures of

In the indoor environment, the primary goal of environmental management is to reduce exposures of people and materials to harmful conditions and substances. There are five basic method we can use to keep pollution to a safe risk level

Michael A. Berry Ph.D

people and materials to harmful conditions and substances. Previously, environmental management was applied largely to maintaining or restoring the quality of the ambient or natural environment. Now we extend environmental management practice and apply contemporary principles to built environments as well.

Risk management is most effective in the environments over which we have the most control. We have the most control over the built environment. These are also the environments in which we have the most exposure and likelihood of adverse effects. We have decreasing control and exposure as we move into the local, regional, and global environments.

There are five basic method we can use to keep pollution to a safe risk level: 1) source management, which includes

source removal or source modification; 2) activity management; 3) design intervention and remedial actions; 4) dilution; and 5) cleaning, to include personal hygiene, maintenance, and restoration.

Source management

Every pollutant comes from somewhere; every pollutant has a source. If you get rid of the source, you will not have to worry about the pollutant. We might think of that as the first law of messes: “If you don’t make a mess, you won’t have to clean it up!” Pollutants are most effectively controlled at their source. Once a pollutant is in the environment, it is harder to track down and return to its proper place. Much more energy is expended in controlling pollutants that have gotten away from their sources than is spent

keeping them there. Therefore, it is important to investigate all options for controlling pollution at the source. For example, we might be able to eliminate the source altogether. Or we might be able to alter the source so that it will stop polluting or stop emitting a specific pollutant. Or we might be able to capture the pollutant at the source so it cannot get loose in the environment. Source Removal. The ideal way to eliminate pollution is to eliminate its source. Unfortunately, everything in the environment is a source of something. If that “something” is unwanted, it is by definition a pollutant. Obviously, we cannot remove all sources. That is too impractical or too expensive. As an environmental management option, source removal makes a lot of sense when the pollutants from the source cause serious harm or damage

to the environment or to humans. For example, suppose your main source of heat at home is an old, wood-burning stove. It leaks and emits particulate matter inside the house. That particulate matter makes breathing difficult for an elderly person. Previous repairs to the leak have not lasted. What’s your solution? Replace your old stove with a better built one. As another example, imagine you own a motel. You allow

tal tobacco smoke. Source Modification. Sometimes it is not feasible to remove a source. We need or like its function. But the source pollutes. What do we do then? We change it. As an example, the automobile has become essential to modern life. We can scarcely imagine daily life without it. But, for decades, it was designed with no regard to its impact on the outdoor environment. But with the energy

Source Control. We can control a polluting source by adding a mechanical device to it that will capture the pollutant at the source before it can be emitted to the environment. Source control is a “technological fix” designed to manage emissions at the source. The source is in no way removed from the environment or modified. Source control is so common that we might not even think of things around us as be-

smoking anywhere. Lately, more and more nonsmoking guests have complained. They detest spending the night in a room where they can smell stale smoke from tobacco products. You could try to mask the smell with a deodorant or remove the smell with air-cleaners. But both of those ideas are expensive. What is an effective solution? Disallow smoking and thereby remove the source of environmen-

crisis of the early l970s and increasing deterioration of air in urban and suburban areas, automobile manufacturers introduced major modifications. They redesigned by shrinking car sizes to reduce fuel use, and they modified fuel systems by adding emissions controls. Similarly, in the indoor environment, we can redesign or modify sources so that we can continue using them while they pollute less.

ing in that category of environmental management. For example, the lint screen on a dryer and the catalytic converter found on the tailpipe of an automobile are mechanical devices or source controls that effectively reduce emissions. Polluted air in and about hospitals can be the source of noxious odors, toxic chemicals, viruses, or bacteria that can cause serious reactions in sensitive and sick persons. It can be

a source of deadly disease for patients with upper respiratory disease, newborns, and individuals undergoing surgery. Consider an operating room. We like to have those as free of pollution at all times as possible. We control dirty air, often a source of infection, through a system of filtration, air cleaning and ventilation. Source control is an effective means of managing pollution so long as the control technology does not break down. When it fails, pollution levels in the environment will rise. Moreover, the expense of the technology will vary, depending on what is being fixed.

Providing smokestack controls for a large industry can run into millions of dollars, while controlling cooking wastes in the kitchen with a garbage disposal and a waste disposal bag is very affordable. Other techniques for keeping pollution out of the environment, especially out of the built environment, are activity management, design intervention, and remedial action. In some cases, those approach-

es are refinements of source removal and source modification. However, when we think of those techniques, we should think of them in terms of how the built environment is designed, what activities we allow to go on in the built environment, and what we can do to keep pollutant levels down in the built environment when we find a problem.

Entropy

This is a measure of how much a system has become disordered. The entropy of a single or isolated system always increases. When two systems are joined together, there is even more disorder. The entropy of any two systems combined is greater than the total entropy of both separate systems. In mathematical terms, entropy can be expressed as a formula: E = n log n, where n is the number of things or events in a space. What that model describes is the following: If we have no activity or no elements in an environment, we have no disorder. If we have

only one activity or element in an environmental space there is no interaction and we have no disorder (e.g., E = 0 log 0 = 0 or E = 1 log 1 = 0). When we have two or three activities going on in an environment, interactions occur and we create disorder. If we have 50 things going on in the same environment we have a high disorder. That higher disorder is multiplied far beyond direct proportion as the number of events and activities grow.

For example:

E = 2 log 2 = 0.6

E = 3 log 3 = 1.43

E = 50 log 50 = 84.9

The more things and activities going on and the more variety in a space, the more complexity and the more disorder. That is called the law of requisite variety. The point of all that is simple: the more entropy - that is, the more disorder in an environment - the more management is needed. Put in terms of environmental management, the more activity in an environment, the

more cleaning and maintenance is needed. The need for order in the environment becomes clearer to us every day, especially as populations in the built environment increase. A city of 20,000 people requires less sanitary infrastructure than a city of 500,000 people. A house with a family of four needs more cleaning than a house with a family of two. An office of 500 white-collar workers needs more attention than an office of 20 workers. Schools need cleaning more often during the school year than in the summer months. Gyms on practice days need less attention than gyms on game days when the bleachers are packed. If we accept the theoretical basis for order and disorder, we cannot fail to recognize that a healthy indoor environment depends on a management strategy that incorporates effective cleaning, maintenance, and restoration. Environmental management is the energy necessary to maintain order. The

purpose of environmental management - especially cleaning, maintenance, and restoration - is to ensure that things stay in their proper place so that life continues in a healthy fashion. When we order an environment or bring order back to it, we are managing it.

Activity management

This is the process of ensuring that a building is used for the activities it was built to accommodate. Every built environment is designed for a specific human activity. Homes, office buildings, laboratories, manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals, churches, warehouses, and barns are designed for specific and different activities. The activities that go on in all of those special environments generate different pollutants and pollutant concentrations. In most cases, built environments are designed to deal with their usual activities and resulting byproducts. However, if we perform an activity in an

environment that it was not designed for, we can create pollution levels possibly harmful to health. For example, using large amounts of chemicals in a laboratory may be fully acceptable. The lab will probably have adequate ventilation and disposal systems for them. Using the same chemicals in a home may present serious hazards and risks. Similarly, an office space is safe for some activities and not others. It is usually designed for people, desks, paper storage, and computers. If we start manufacturing things in an office, cooking and eating at our desks, or introducing products that emit excessive amounts of chemicals, we can create conditions of pollution that the building was never designed to manage. We often find that contaminated buildings are being used for purposes other than those they were originally constructed for. The solution for managing that kind of pollution problem is to control the activities that go on in

the building. Consider solutions for inappropriate activities. You manage an office building where office workers frequently eat at their desks over carpet that can be cleaned only once or twice a year. In spite of thorough and regular vacuuming, the carpet is unsightly and odorous in places. If a certain type of polluting activity must go on (and employees do need to eat), you need to investigate how to redesign or modify the building to accommodate that activity. You could supply a staff break room with appliances for the staff and vinyl flooring for better cleaning. If it is economically feasible, you could set up a cafeteria or dining room that is cleaned in a special way and frequency.

Design intervention

Design intervention is where we match the built environment with the activity that goes on inside to minimize human exposure to pollutants. Design intervention might include special ventilation systems that carry away harmful byproducts. It might also be the use of special building materials that don’t emit pollutants, such as wood products that don’t emit formaldehyde or paints that don’t emit large amounts of hydrocarbons. Design intervention also includes building a structure that can be easily cleaned. Hard, flat surfaces are easier and more economical to clean than textured or fleecy surfaces. Surfaces that can be cleaned easily are a must, for example, in hospitals and schools, especially if the institution may not be cleaned frequently or properly. Design intervention can make a contribution in environments for people with special needs. Consider livein communities for the elderly or adult autistic. Many residents can and want to participate or take responsibility for routine cleaning. The design of the environment can make that possible. Those environments should be simple, functional, and as free of complexity, such as fleecy surfaces and decorative

arrangements that are hard to clean, as possible. For example, a carpeted floor in those environments reduces slips and falls and keeps noise down. If carpet is installed, it should be easy to clean. A cut or loop-pile synthetic carpet with short fibers, for instance, is easier to keep clean with a vacuum than a deep and dense carpet. Paints on surfaces such as doors should be able to withstand warm water and soap. Semi-gloss and gloss paints are easier to wash than nongloss paints. Areas in the environment that are at greatest risk of getting dirty should minimize the use of fabric covers or surfaces. Hard surfaces on furniture or in the kitchen and bath areas should be smooth and nonporous. Those are easier to keep free of dust, particles, and microorganisms. Design intervention is important when designing a new building or when remodeling an old structure for a new use. Yet even when a new building is designed with a keen eye to reducing pollution levels indoors, often something is overlooked or miscalculated. That is where remedial action comes in. Here we add on a pollution control solution. Remedial action may be as simple as putting doormats down. Or it may involve stepping up the airflow in the ventilation system, installing dehumidifiers, or increasing the frequency of cleaning activities. Remedial action may also include altering activities or redesigning part of the built environment.

Many people suffer from asthma and allergies. They may have difficulty cleaning their homes. As they vacuum their carpets, floors and furniture, for example, fine dust containing allergens pass through their machines and enter their breathing zone and eventually into their nasal cavity and lungs. In the process of cleaning, the particles (allergens) are not removed from the environment. They pass through the filter bag in the vacuum cleaner and over time accumulate indoors.

Some who suffer from that have found a remedy. They have installed external vacuum systems that pull the particles outside the room or building and keep them from entering the environment once they have entered the vacuum system. Often that requires nothing more than a modest amount of plastic plumbing from the stationary vacuum machine located under the house or in an outside utility closet to a few vacuum inlets located throughout the house. Another option is to use a certified leak-free vacuum with true HEPA filtration.

Dilution

Once pollution has gotten away from its source and into the environment, there are three options for dealing with it: live with it, dilute it, or clean it up. Dilution is the process of making pollution less concentrated. The less concentrated pollution is, the less toxic or harmful it is. We dilute a concentration of pollutants either by removing some portion of it or by distributing it out over a larger surface or space. Pollution concentrations in water can be diluted by adding more water to them or by letting some of the pollution flow away. The same holds true for pollution in the air. When polluted air is dispersed over a wide area, it becomes less toxic than when it is concentrated in a small, enclosed area in a building. Like water, air flows. As it flows, it carries pollutants away. Pollutants such as dusts or gases can be made less toxic by removing some of them from the environment or by mixing them up with less harmful substances. But when we vacuum indoors, we only dilute the concentration of dusts in the environment. As previously mentioned, some particles in dusts are left behind because they are too small or because the filter in the vacuum machine can’t stop them.

There are always risks when using dilution as an option for environmental management. Some harmful pollutants

may well remain behind. And harmful pollutants that were successfully removed from the immediate environment may go on to cause harm in another environment.

Dilution is never the final solution to pollution. At best, dilution is a way of coping with pollution by keeping it at less harmful concentrations. The best place to manage pollution is at its source. Dilution is an interim step between properly managing the source and completely removing the pollutant if it should somehow get into the environment. Source management and removal should be given priority over dilution.

Cleaning

As an environmental management strategy, cleaning is the action we take to remove harmful pollutants and put them in their proper place so that humans and valuable materials will not be exposed to them. Cleaning occurs after a pollutant has entered the environment. In high-performance cleaning, we find, identify, capture, contain, remove, and dispose of pollutants. Cleaning is not diluting; cleaning is removing. We do not hide or brush aside and say we are cleaning. We must remove and properly dispose of it as well. Cleaning is most effective when it is in-

tegrated with the other four strategies: source management and modification, activity management, design and dilution and ventilation.

All five environmental management strategies work together to keep indoor pollutants - gases, particles, and all classes of bio pollutant - at sanitary levels.

Assuming that source management, activity management, design intervention, and dilution or ventilation have all been optimized to control unwanted matter, high-performance cleaning is still necessary.

Bibliography

Indoor management strategies were formulated in EPA’s Indoor Air Research Program and first published in Berry, M.A. Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health. Tricomm 21st Press. Chapel Hill, N.C. 1993.

Kolluru, R.V. Environmental Strategies Handbook - A Guide to Effective Policies and Practices. McGraw Hill. New York. 1994. The textbook presents a number of environmental management strategies consistent with those presented in this material. © 2020 by Michael A. Berry, Ph.D. and Cleaning Science Publishing. All rights reserved.

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The meticulously thought-out design is tailored to make this machine extremely compact and easy to handle, while at the same time providing top-notch professional performance to ensure excellent cleaning results, even in the tightest spaces.

This scrubber dryer is the ideal machine for working on all types of floors, even the most difficult ones (such as concrete, bolted, non-slip surfaces), ensuring excellent cleaning results.

High-rise cleaning the benefits of the exoskeleton

of

This technology was successfully tested as part of cleaning operations carried out at the Cia-Conad headquarters in Forli, Italy. We asked those involved in the operation how it went and what benefits emerged

The most advanced technology and robotics, for the benefit of the safety and the quality of work and performance of cleaning workers: this is the innovative experience gained at the Cia-Conad headquarters in Forlì, by the Cooperativa Formula Servizi, which from Emilia Romagna has seen its presence grow considerably over time, with important FM services also in other regions of central and northern Italy. We refer to the introduction of exo -

skeletons, special equipment that has been successfully tested in the modern Romagna facility to support cleaning activities at height. We asked Marco Sanchi, head of Central-Northern Italy Cleaning Area of Formula Servizi, to talk us about the inclusion of exoskeletons in professional cleaning activities, not only from an organizational point of view, but also in terms of the support offered to workers engaged in such delicate operations, at motivational, productive and profitability levels.

How did this experiment come about, allowing you to employ the exoskeleton for cleaning operations at height?

"For years now, Formula Servizi has

been collaborating with the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, which is a public university with special status that conducts research and training in the field of applied sciences. We have accredited ourselves as the first testers of some of their innovative technological solutions for use in the field of cleaning and security. Four years ago, in 2019, we were proposed by COMAU, an Italian company specialized in automation processes, production services and robots, to which some collaborators from the Normal University of Pisa, who developed and engineered the exoskeleton, gave birth, to test this technology at some of our construction sites for some repetitive cleaning activities at height. This spe-

This technology was successfully tested as part of cleaning operations carried out at the Cia-Conad headquarters in Forlì, Italy. We asked those involved in the operation how it went and what benefits emerged

Maurizio Pedrini

Journalist and technical director

Dimensione Pulito

cial equipment was created mainly for the automotive industry because COMAU actively cooperates with the De Santis Group and other major brands in the industry. Exoskeletons are basically wearable equipment that have the specific purpose of relieving the strain on the worker wearing them, easing his or her fatigue especially in repetitive work. Their first use is recorded in the context of the automobile assembly line, to support the arms of car chassis workers so that they could be well raised to direct the water jets of pumps, achieving excellent results in terms of decreasing workers' fatigue. So when it was proposed to us to experiment with this technological solution in cleaning as well, we accepted the invitation with enthusiasm, stimulated by the idea of being able to go and concretely monitor the potential positive impact in their use, especially in terms of reducing occupational injuries and illnesses."

What models of exoskeletons were used at the site?

"We chose wearable robots that function, without the input of batteries, through a system of weighted springs/ counterweights capable of providing support to the operator, who, acting for work at height, is not so much aided in pushing up, but supported in the phase that involves maintaining arm tension

for the cleaning operations."

In what cleaning operations were exoskeletons used in the Cia-Conad headquarters?

"In the overhead window cleaning and the removal of cobwebs from high ceilings: all interventions carried out by the worker on the ground, with rods seven to eleven meters long at the top of which are placed, respectively, a toll for the removal of cobwebs or a cloth soaked in cleaning solution. Obvious-

ly, all the work has seen an adequate preparation phase with meetings involving the Prevention and Protection Service and the competent doctor of our Cooperative in order to fully evaluate whether the use of this technological solution could really give the desired results. In addition, a series of preventive examinations were carried out on the site workers to take stock of their health status through targeted analyses, electromyography and other targeted evaluations to identify any

Marco Sanchi, head of CentralNorthern Italy Cleaning Area

Ceiling cleaning and cobweb removal operations

previous pathologies that might interfere with the outcome of the investigation. All so that we could then go and verify in objective terms the commitment and workload of the groups involved in the activities at height. All this effort has produced truly amazing results in terms of easing the perfor-

mance commitment required to our site workers."

What findings emerged from the medical examinations conducted on workers after the exoskeleton trial?

"Definitely positive ones: they did not

show any kind of aggravation or performance fatigue compared to the starting situation. On the contrary, all the workers who were involved in this stimulating journey expressed a particular liking for the technological solution adopted because they considered it truly effective, so much so that

TECHNOLOGY MOVES FORWARD

Not only the exoskeletons are part of the future of cleaning operations. New prospects concern the use of drones in window cleaning. Using a drone, the window cleaner can stay safely on the ground and let the drone do all the work. A fleet of drones capable of cleaning the floors of a building, one at a time and in full, has several advantages for operators who can remain on the ground or inside the building, coordinating and supervising the work of the machines.

Currently, research is working to increasingly optimize the characteristics of drones to make them optimal for performing this type of operation by developing

increasingly efficient charging processes and larger water and detergent tanks. In fact, the main obstacles to the use of drones in cleaning are the numerous recharging cycles that the robots must perform, often interrupting cleaning operations, and the limited capacity of the tanks. Another solution is ultrasonic cleaning. This cleaning technology, mainly used in industrial and medical fields, uses ultrasound (usually from 20 to 40 kHz) to agitate a fluid, with a cleaning effect. The principle of the ultrasonic cleaning machine is to convert the sound energy of the ultrasonic frequency source into mechanical vibration through the transducer. The vibration generated

by the ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the cleaning liquid through the cleaning tank wall, so that the microbubbles in the liquid in the tank can keep vibrating under the action of the sound wave, destroying and separating the dirty adsorption on the surface of the object. In some circumstances ultrasonic cleaners can be used with plain water, but in most cases a cleaning solution is used. This solution is designed to maximize the effectiveness of ultrasonic cleaning. The application of this system is particularly attractive in hard-to-reach areas, such as corners and crevices, where contaminants can easily accumulate.

High rise window cleaning

they benevolently contended for the possibility of using this tool. In terms of hourly yield/productivity, on the part of the workers we estimated an increase of about 20 percent. The accurate electromyography performed on every cleaning worker at the site also communicated to us the generalized finding of a reduction in effort that in some cases reached as much as 4 percent, for the same number of hours of work provided. What emerged, above all, was a significant coincidence, in terms of well-being and prevention,

between these elements and the reduction in accidents."

What are the prospects for the development of this experience?

"Our collaboration with the Scuola Superiore S. Anna in Pisa is set to continue into 2023, employing even more high-performance exoskeleton models. We will therefore also implement our collaboration with COMAU. We are also gratified by the positive feedback we have received on several occasions from our customer Conad, an influen-

tial partner with whom we have been collaborating for several years now. We had the distinct perception of a qualitative leap in the way we consider our work: already the SARS CoV-2 pandemic had made the public realize how important cleaning activities were, too often considered only a cost item. Well, through this experience I had the distinct feeling that the customer also had a valid perception of the research work we are doing to offer more and more technologically advanced solutions for a work that was once considered of little added value, not to say trivial. When you come to a client with a project that has green solutions or that involves robotics, I think things inevitably change. Because cleaning that part of the warehouse that was once considered inaccessible, because you couldn't fit a scaffold or employ a platform there, is no small matter. The same is true for the cleaning of a stained glass window, which, accomplished with the help of these tools can now be done in three to four days, where it used to take up to a week of work. Not to mention, finally, the scenic aspect: seeing an attendant employing the exoskeleton is a bit like watching the performance of some character wearing armor in Marvel comics."

Does the exoskeleton therefore open up new scenarios in the field of professional cleaning as well?

"I would definitely say yes, because this innovation best balances the needs for improvement in terms of safety standards, allowing the worker to perform more, for the same amount of time spent. It balances strong protection of the worker, his workload and safety, with increased performance. Not to mention one last, very important aspect: the worker feels motivated because he perceives that he is taken care of by the cleaning company that cares about his well-being, trying to concretely put him in the best possible condition to perform well."

Window cleaning

An investment for the benefit of workers

With Ilaria Melandri, Head of the Prevention and Protection Service of Formu-

these benefits in terms of experimentation? With what results?

la

Servizi,

we especially delve into the analysis of the findings of the studies conducted on the use of exoskeletons, which have returned important findings on the decrease of fatigue and accidents and prevention of occupational diseases.

First, how many exoskeletons did you employ?

"Initially, four exoskeletons were purchased for the trial. The more time passed, the more the workers asked to use them, so much so that to date all members of the work team have their own exoskeletons. The trial put the focus on the workers, who grasped the interest in their health and safety and put maximum effort into the project." How have you tested and measured

"The exoskeletons were tested by our staff in different production areas, particularly in the cleaning, logistics, and electrical maintenance sectors. Individual activities involving heavy use of the upper limbs at shoulder height were identified. In the first phase of testing, engineers from the IUVO company applied electrodes to the muscles involved in the work activity and measured muscle engagement without and with the use of the exoskeleton. The initial data provided encouraging results, and we moved on to the second phase of testing, using the exoskeleton in specific activities for at least ten hours per week. The study, which was approved in advance by the Bioethics Committee, involved constant surveillance by the Company Doctor, with quarterly visits and ultrasound scans to the joints involved. Muscle exertion measurements were repeated, and the data showed that the use of the exoskeleton leads to an average 30% reduction in physical exertion. The same questionnaires submitted to the staff involved in the trial showed great satisfaction with the use of the exoskeleton in maintaining correct posture and reducing physical exertion, as ascertained with the scientific data.

What aspects were most appreciated by the operators?

"The greatest users are the operators of the window cleaning and extra cleaning team: in fact, these are the situations in which the use of the exoskeleton offers the greatest advantages: for

particularly high ceiling cobweb removal operations or for window cleaning to be carried out with telescopic poles, and in any case in all activities that require the use of equipment with important engagement of the upper limbs."

What are the major benefits resulting from the use of exoskeletons?

"Undoubtedly the lightening of physical exertion, thus less fatigue at the end of the work. Less fatigue also allows for better control of muscle movement and greater alertness, thus also reducing the likelihood of injury occurrence."

What are the main peculiarities, in terms of employee’s safety fallout, experienced at the site?

"Cleaning in Cia-Conad's new executive building in Forli has given us great satisfaction. The environment, a brand new design, has entire corridors and window walls. The architectural solutions adopted create many difficulties in window cleaning, both in terms of reachability and of number and size. Carrying out this activity without the use of exoskeletons would have required the use of very high ladders and scaffolds, with the consequent risk of falling during the cleaning operations. The installation of the scaffolds would have extended the time required to complete the job and the work would have been more tiring. The use of the exoskeleton made it possible to use particularly long poles and maintain good precision in movement, reducing risks and fatigue for workers."

Ilaria Melandri, Prevention and Protection Service Manager of Formula Servizi

Reducing water use in the cleaning industry

The sector of cleaning is inextricably linked to water, the most basic component of hygiene and sanitation. Smart technology, innovative products, and advanced water-saving strategies can be implemented to conserve this precious resource. The impact of climate change is making an effective response to water scarcity essential. According to the United Nations, water scarcity affects more than 40% of the world’s population. And if the current trend continues at this alarming rate water demand will exceed supply by 40% in 2030. Clean water together with sanitation is the 6th of the UN’s sustainable development goals. Professional cleaning often includes a great deal of water use, an increasingly valuable global resource. With chemical cleaning products alone relying on large amounts of water, businesses are having to constantly rethink their priorities and pro -

cesses. It’s estimated that commercial laundry washing machines use an average of 157,931 liters of water and up to 910 kWh of electricity per year. Across all sectors, including the commercial cleaning sector, companies are responding to this water scarcity crisis by embracing innovative strategies to conserve water. These include programmes to reduce water intake, use efficient water-saving equipment, reuse and recycle water, and manage wastewater treatment systems. Smart solutions for reducing water consumption in the cleaning industry is a document by Interclean , the platform for professionals in the world of cleaning and hygiene, which presents to the sector the number of innovative new products, devices, and processes that can be used by both individuals and businesses to guarantee high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, as well as maintain the controlled and

efficient consumption of water. It must also be added that being sustainable and saving water not only reduces our impact on the environment, it often lowers costs and can increase profits. Commercial cleaning is experiencing a new wave in sustainability practices, motivated by a more ethically and ecologically aware generation of customers and their increasing demand for greater social responsibility, a versatile range of eco-friendly products, and a commitment to sustainability. This means that, if cleaning businesses are to be successful and remain profitable, they’re not only going to have to deliver consistency and quality, they are going to have to meet these new “green” expectations from the market, by embracing this new wave of sustainable cleaning solutions.

Rethink Cleaning Practices

Whereas in the past cleaning sched-

The sector of cleaning is inextricably linked to water, the most basic component of hygiene and sanitation. Smart technology, innovative products, and advanced water-saving strategies can be implemented to conserve this precious resource

edited by Simone Ciapparelli

ules were based on entrenched habits rather than a more flexible, intuitive, and accurate evaluation of what degree of cleaning (deep/ medium/ light) is necessary and how often, the recent advances in smart technology allow for far more efficient monitoring of cleanliness. This responsive data-led approach means businesses no longer have to rely on time-consuming manual floor cleaning processes for example. This new approach to harnessing the potential of machines with advanced technological capabilities not only improves productivity but also reduces environmental impact. For example, automatic floor scrubbers can clean much larger spaces far quicker and more efficiently due to their increased size and capacity. This will not only save time and energy, but automatic floor scrubbers also require less water and chemicals. Moreover, correct operation by trained operations

staff along with adequate scheduled preventative maintenance, will ensure equipment continues to perform at peak condition while avoiding leaks, spills, streaking and other unnecessary forms of water seepage or discharge, in addition to minimizing the potential for emergency breakdowns.

The right equipment is key Choosing equipment to improve water conservation is one way to manage water use, and it can provide further benefits as well. An efficient auto scrubber that utilizes less water to perform routine cleaning can also run longer without stopping to dump and refill its tanks, providing a boost to productivity while conserving water.

Some key features to consider when selecting cleaning equipment are:

• pre-programmed functions for more even dosing of water and detergent solution to optimize consumption and

reduce unnecessary waste;

• integrated or onboard water recycling mechanisms that decrease water usage while enabling the machine to work up to 50% longer;

• “Solution Saver” technology that allows independent dosing of water and cleaning detergents, to reduce overall consumption.

Robotics, AI and Internet of Things

The new technology in the field of cleaning can help cleaning businesses offer their clients and customers these meticulous results, with the added benefit of helping them become part of the global water-saving movement. For cleaning companies looking to lower costs and increase efficiency, the application of AI could be a great option. With the advent of AI tools, cleaning businesses software can provide various cleaning processes with minimal human input, meaning less chance of

error and maximum efficiency. Many of these applications can also result in significant water saving, due to their increased efficiency.

The Internet of Things (IoT) can also allow for autonomous monitoring of spaces that need periodic cleaning. By tracking chemicals, such as dust in HVAC systems and clarity levels in water, cleaning businesses can keep one step ahead and cleaning schedules can be created in accordance with data gathered by smart sensors. For instance, the use of Internet of Things

obstacles along the way. Cleaners can be redeployed to perform other cleaning tasks and re-trained to perform higher-skilled tasks, while the robots tackle the large-scale routine cleaning tasks that typically require many hours of manual labour.

(IoT) sensors can help track water quality, from treatment works right through to pipes. They can also monitor plant operational performance, checking the ratio of incoming water versus finished product liquid. The use of the right robotic cleaning machines can not only reduce water and chemical waste, but also increase productivity through the strategic planning of cleaning routes in advance. These cleaning robots can also be programmed to travel along the planned route, sensing and reacting to

There are also on the market smart device applications which can help staff at cleaning service companies improve their on-site reporting. Besides reducing errors in reporting, these applications also ensure that your cleaning operations are more efficient and economical. Employees can report their work commencement and completion times. Progress on tasks can also be tracked by supervisors. These checks will help improve the performance of your cleaning service business. This has a direct correlation with the amount of water and other resources used: a more streamlined cleaning routine equates to less water wastage.

Water recycling

Water recycling involves converting wastewater into water to be used for

alternative applications. Connected technology is also being deployed on wastewater treatment. Optimizing plant operations can help reduce costs (including the use of energy and chemicals in cleaning water), which can help expand capacity without requiring a corresponding increase in investment – all while maintaining discharged water quality to meet compliance requirements. An example of where this type of water recycling innovation is utilized is in some floor scrubbing machines which feature onboard recycling systems. These “new age” floor cleaners consume less water and detergent for every clean.

Eliminate dangerous chemicals

One of the many ways in which aspiring green commercial cleaning companies can change their potentially harmful habits is to reduce or eliminate dangerous chemicals. Many commercial cleaning solvents are largely derived from petroleum. The disposal of these volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, can be very damaging to both our environment and our health. They also pollute the groundwater, deplete the ozone, and can cause lasting health problems. By switching to products that use eco-friendly ingredients, cleaning businesses can make significant improvements to the well-being of the environment by eliminating the transfer of harmful chemicals into the wastewater system, as well as safeguarding the health of their workforce, and their end-user clients. Many of these innovations are affordable substitutes and can be gradually introduced to replace their less sustainable counterparts, allowing cleaning companies to make the transition towards more sustainable practices at their own pace, and within their own budgetary constraints.

(Source: Interclean, Smart solutions to reduce water consumption in the cleaning industry)

EcoNatural achieves climate neutrality

EcoNatural's journey towards sustainability has reached a new milestone aimed at further reducing its environmental footprint on the planet and contributing to climate change mitigation. EcoNatural toilet tissue and hand towels, produced in Diecimo and Laval-Sur-Vologne plants, have obtained, in compliance with PAS

life cycle over a given period of time have been reduced or offset to zero.

A pathway consisting of precise phases defined by international standards that can be summarised as measure, reduce, offset. The first phase involved the measurement of the product's Carbon Footprint, considering its entire life cycle, with the

2060 and ISO 14067 standards, Product Climate Neutrality, which means that all greenhouse gas emissions generated in the product's

support of Carbonsink, a leading company in the sector and specialised in climate strategy, while the second consisted in defining and

EcoNatural logra la neutralidad climática

El viaje de EcoNatural hacia la sostenibilidad ha alcanzado un nuevo hito destinado a reducir aún más su huella medioambiental en el planeta y contribuir a la mitigación del cambio climático.

El papel higiénico y las toallas de manos EcoNatural producidos en las plantas de Diecimo y Laval-Sur-Vologne han obtenido la Neutralidad Climática del Producto, en cumplimiento de las normas PAS 2060 e ISO 14067, lo que significa que todas las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero generadas en el ciclo de vida del producto durante un periodo de tiempo determinado se han reducido o compensado a cero. Un proceso que consta de fases precisas definidas por normas internacionales que pueden resumirse en: medir, reducir, compensar. La primera fase consistió en la medición de la Huella de Carbono del producto, considerando todo su ciclo de vida, con el apoyo de Carbonsink, empresa

implementing the reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions through the optimisation of production processes, the use of sustainable raw materials and the shift to alternative energy sources. In 2022, compared to 2021, Lucart estimated a reduction of 15,781.30 tonnes of CO₂e as an effect of the efficiency and optimisation of production facilities. The third and final step is the official achievement of Climate Neutrality through the support of offsetting projects for the emissions that could not be reduced. At Lucart, we have decided to offset the residual emissions by supporting the project that sees the distribution and installation of water-cleaning filters in Uganda and Malawi, involving about 537,000 people in 1,380 villages, offsetting an average of 19,200 tonnes of CO₂eq a year since 2021. This project aims to

líder en el sector y especializada en estrategia climática. La segunda fase consistió en definir e implementar la reducción de las emisiones de CO2 equivalente a través de la optimización de los procesos de producción, el uso de materias primas sostenibles y el cambio a fuentes de energía alternativas. En 2022, en comparación con 2021, Lucart estimamó una reducción de 15.781,30 toneladas de CO₂e como efecto de la eficiencia y la optimización de las instalaciones de producción. El tercer y último paso ha sido la consecución oficial de la Neutralidad Climática mediante el apoyo a proyectos de compensación de las emisiones que no se hayan podido reducir en el paso anterior. En Lucart hemos decidido compensar las emisiones restantes apoyando el proyecto de distribución e instalación de filtros para limpiar el agua en Uganda y Malawi, en el que participan unas 537.000 personas de 1.380 aldeas, mitigando una media de 19.200 toneladas de CO₂e al año a par-

break the cycle of poverty and reduce pressure on the forests, while at the same time improving the health of the local populations and reducing greenhouse gases, avoiding having the burning of biomasses and the release of toxic pollutants into the atmosphere.

EcoNatural tissue products can be proudly recognised as circular, sustainable and environmentally friendly, being multi-certified: all products in the range are EU Ecolabel certified, FSC® Recycled certified and from 2021 all EcoNatural products manufactured in our Laval mill are Cradle to Cradle® certified.

Lucart Professional EcoNatural represents the virtuous system that has enabled Lucart to become a true reference point of the circular economy in Europe and to continue to be a pioneer in the tissue paper market.

tir de 2021. El proyecto pretende romper el ciclo de la pobreza y reducir la presión sobre los bosques, al tiempo que mejora la salud de la población local y reduce los gases de efecto invernadero al evitar la quema de biomasa y la emisión de contaminantes nocivos a la atmósfera.

Los productos de tisú EcoNatural pueden reconocerse con orgullo como circulares, sostenibles y respetuosos con el medio ambiente, al contar con múltiples certificaciones. Todos los productos de esta gama cuentan con la certificación EU Ecolabel, la certificación FSC® Recycled y, desde 2021, todos los productos EcoNatural fabricados en nuestra planta de Laval cuentan con la certificación Cradle to Cradle®. Lucart Professional EcoNatural representa el sistema virtuoso que ha permitido a Lucart convertirse en un verdadero referente de la economía circular en Europa y seguir siendo pionero en el mercado del papel tisú.

Paper and sustainability do we know enough about it?

Tissue paper products form an essential part of our everyday lives. Despite this, only a limited number of people are properly informed about the real sustainability of the paper industry, its environmental impact, and the high recycling rate of its products

edited by Simone Ciapparelli

Tissue paper products play a vital role in the lives of all of us, every day. However, there are several myths surrounding the tissue industry, including its demands upon forests, the environmental impact of tissue products and paper recycling, which all negatively influence consumer perception. The survey Paper’s Place In A Post-Pandemic World carried out by Two Sides (a not-for-profit, global initiative promoting the unique sustainable and attractive attributes of print, paper and paper packaging), found that only 10% of Europeans understand that European forests are growing; a perception unchanged from the last time consumers were asked in 2019. Out of 8,800 the consumers interviewed for the global study, 64% believe that they are decreasing in size, 11% believe they

are staying the same, and 15% were unsure. According to FAO, between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by 58,390km2 – that’s an area larger than Switzerland and equivalent to 1,500 football pitches of forest growth every day.This has been due to afforestation (for example, planting and seeding of trees on land that was not previously forested) and through the natural expansion of forests on areas such as abandoned land.

To ensure the long-term growth of these forests, the pulp and paper industry supports sustainable forest management. 74% of wood and 90% of pulp purchased by the European pulp and paper industry is FSC® or PEFC certified.

A high-rate recycling industry

Only 16% of European consumers understand that the paper recycling rate exceeds 60%, falling from 20% in 2019.

This shows a worrying fall in consumer understanding of paper’s 72% actual recycling rate (84% of paper packaging). This recycling rate is taken from a total of 57.5 million tonnes of paper that was collected and recycled in 2019. Europe has the world’s highest paper recycling rate globally. It is followed by North America (68%) and Asia (54%). Within Europe, 15 countries exceed a 70% recycling rate.

Healthy forests are essential to produce paper and paper-based products, and the industry invests heavily in sustainable forest management. Forest certification schemes are ingrained in the way the industry works to ensure raw materials are sourced from sustainable forests. Most of the industry’s raw material has FSC or PEFC certification.

68% of the respondents think that only recycled paper should be used. However, this is not possible. 55% of the fi-

brous raw material for Europe’s paper industry is from paper for recycling. Paper products cannot be recycled indefinitely as the fibres get too short and degraded for making new paper products. The cycle must therefore constantly be refilled with new strong virgin fibres from sustainably managed forests.

Tissue products and sustainability

The survey revealed a preference for tissue products to be made from recycled paper. 66% think it’s better to make tissue products from recycled fibre and 43% actively looking for recycled paper tissue products. Recovered fibre already plays an essential part in European tissue production, however fresh fibre from sustainably managed forests will always be needed to ensure the supply of tissue products meets demand. The industry uses recycled and fresh fibers

from sustainably managed forests, which account for over 90% of all raw materials used. European consumers remain concerned that tissue products should originate from sustainably managed forests. 48% are worried that tissue products may not originate from sustainable forests. This clearly shows that the industry has more to do to inform consumers about the sustainability of tissue products. As already noted, 74% of wood and 90% of pulp purchased by the European pulp and paper industry comes from FSC- or PEFC-certified sources. Consumers want to know how sustainable tissue products are: 65% of them want to see the tissue industry investing more in sustainable manufacturing; 59% would like to see more information about the sustainability of tissue products; 44% worry about the environmental impact of tissue products; 45% think that tissue products are wasteful.

The importance of good communication

The survey shows that there are many environmental misconceptions surrounding the paper industry. Many consumers believe that European forests are shrinking in size. They also massively underestimate the paper recycling rate and do not understand the sustainable nature of paper products. 49% of consumers think that companies’ green claims are misleading and

about reducing cost. 74% do not want to be pushed to digital communications and demand the right to choose how they continue to receive their bills and statements. Although paper pack-

aging has a good reputation among consumers for being better for the environment (55% agreed), it must not be taken for granted that paper is the natural choice to achieve a circular economy. It would be easy to do so with emerging legislation that would apply further pressure to transition to more sustainable packaging. But it must not be assumed that paper is the only alternative, with new innovations entering the market that meet recycling standards. A continuing communication of paper packaging’s environment benefits is needed to ensure that paper packaging remains the preferred packaging choice for consumers.

Paper’s Place In A Post-Pandemic World (www.twosides.info)

europeantissue.com/tissuepaper

SOME FACTS ABOUT TISSUE PAPER

Sustainability is simply a way of life for tissue paper producers and it regrows and regenerates trees in sustainably managed forests to ensure supply for future generations.

Over 80% of the pulp purchased by the European paper industry is certified as an environmental management system that upholds quality standards in the sector. Some companies go further and carry labels on their products that further demonstrate their environmental credentials - such as the EU Ecolabel and FSC and PEFC labels.

Trees play a crucial role in the Earth’s ecosystem and in mitigating CO2 levels, capturing and storing billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide while at the same time providing the planet with much needed oxygen. And because trees emit particularly large quantities of oxygen during their growing phase, it makes the process of planting and replanting even more vital.

And the tissue paper industry’s commitment to sustainability extends way beyond its raw

material. The sector is committed to driving best practice throughout its businesses and supply chain –from water and energy use through to transport and recovery. It is developing new, circular business models to create closed-loop products and processes, with focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transferring to renewable energy and decreasing water use. Today, some 58% of the energy consumption of Europe’s pulp and paper industry already comes from renewable biomass and the sector is proud to be Europe’s single largest producer and user of bio-energy. Water use has reduced 30% over the past decade and the amount of water needed to produce one tonne of pulp has fallen five-fold since 1970.

In addition to working to minimize the environmental footprint of the production process, tissue paper manufacturers are also busy reducing packaging waste, promoting recyclable packaging and using increasing amounts of recycled content.

Digitalization how will it change the sector?

edited by Simone Ciapparelli

Like in most other industries and in every single aspect of our lives, also in the professional cleaning industry digitalization and the use of technological means are also taking on an increasingly important role. In order to identify the perceived effects of digitalisation on skills and training in the European cleaning sector, EFCI (European Cleaning and Facility Services Industry, which brings together 14 associations representing the industry at national level) had planned to conduct a dedicated survey implemented between February 2020 and April 2022 and called “SK-Clean. Digitalisation in the Cleaning Sector: supporting the skills transition for cleaning agents”. The main data source foreseen by EFCI to conduct the survey was an extensive online questionnaire. In most cases, the questionnaire contained multiple choice questions and answers. In order to increase the number of conclusions to be drawn, the latter could be weight-

The impact of digital transformation on training and skills in the industrial cleaning sector will continue to increase substantially in the future. The increase of productivity and customer demand are the main drivers of this transformation

ed, and often provided rated responses to predetermined sets of statements. The gathering of responses to the online questionnaire was conducted between September 2020 and February 2021. The number of respondents via the online questionnaire was 42, coming from different areas of the industrial cleaning sector, and from 14 different European jurisdictions.

Main drivers and degree of impact

The first question regarded the key factors which, in the opinion of the respondents, drive digitalisation in the cleaning sector. The top three key drivers resulted in: chance to increase productivity (32 respondents out of 42), customer demand (27), easing of workflows from employees (19). The aim is not only to describe the current status-quo of the impacts of digitalisation on the cleaning sector, but also to anticipate possible future developments. Furthermore, EFCI wanted to understand how digitalisation manifests itself in different areas within the cleaning business, such as production and core cleaning activities, sales, marketing, logistics. Survey respondents were asked to individually rate the degree of impact digitalisation in their view had on the different areas within the cleaning business for the past three years (2018 to 2020), as well as the anticipated de -

gree of impact for the coming three years (2022 to 2024): the past and future impact of digitalisation on the production and core cleaning activities is seen to be relatively low, and the same is true for vocational education and training. However, while it is true that the impact of digitalisation on production and core cleaning activities as well as vocational education and training is considered to be comparatively low, it would be false to conclude from this that the consequences of digitalisation for these two aspects would hardly be noticeable. In fact, the respondents expect the greatest transformation caused by digitalisation in precisely these two areas. The conclusions on this part of the survey are the following: the impact of digitalisation on all areas of the cleaning business is expected to grow significantly over the next years; The strongest increase of impact is expected on production and core cleaning activities and on vocational education and training.

Need for better training

The first set of statements voiced possible points of view regarding the impact of digitalisation on job-profiles in the cleaning industry in general, while the second set formulates a range of conceivable opinions on the relevance of vocational education and training for digital skills to master the chal-

lenges of digitalisation. The results showed that respondents clearly do not believe that applicants for cleaning jobs today have sufficient skills to meet the future challenges digitalisation will bring to the industry. Furthermore, the responses strongly indicate that job profiles and associated skills and competences will become more specialized, especially with view to digital skills. The cleaning industry is aware that better trainings for digital skills need to be developed, not least since there is doubt that the specialized skills demanded by the industry can be picked up by employees simply through everyday use of IT devices. Even though a focus on vocational education and training in digital skills is seen as a priority, respondents seem to be uncertain about the question as to whether it is the industry’s responsibility to provide appropriate trainings, or whether the responsibility lies somewhere else.

Impact on specific job types

Given the feedback on the increased impact of digitalisation on the different business areas in the cleaning industry in the future and on job profiles in general, it is important to find out if specific job types will be affected by digitalisation, and if so, how and to which degree. These job types and roles, identified by the SK-Clean Expert Group are: cleaning agents; administrators; machine operators/cleaning specialists; team leaders; managers. Further to the question of how these job types and roles are affected by digitalisation, it is of equal interest to ascertain which of these job types and roles in the respondents’ opinion have the greatest need for further vocational training and education. The responses show that for team leaders both the impact of digitalisation on their job type and role as well as their need for further vocational training and education in the next years is expected to be the highest among the job

2. Impact on cleaning

In

regard to the top three key drivers, the additional

2019 the (FEP), the industry, a Group, published manifestations came to the influences industrial impacts less it does

Figure 1 - Key drivers of digitalization

IMPACT OF DIGITALISATION ON JOB

for machine operators the anticipated impact of digitalisation as well as the need for relevant training is held to be high by the respondents.

DIGITAL TRAINING NEEDS FOR JOB TYPE / ROLE

types considered. A team leader needs to have in-depth knowledge and practical experience in operating cleaning machines and other equipment, some of which are highly specialized. Given these tasks it may not be surprising that digitalisation is considered to have the greatest impact here, and that upskilling is the most needed among all roles. Digital development of both planning and communication tools as well as machines and equipment will accelerate in the cleaning sector, and team leaders will need the appropriate help to handle the skills transition in the near future.

In relative terms, the smallest impact of digitalisation is expected on cleaning agents and their job profiles. Still, the respondents expect a relatively high need for education and training in digital skills for this job type. Machine operators are specialists among the blue collar workforce of the cleaning industry. For this job profile digital skills likewise play a crucial role, e.g., in communication (both internal and with clients), as well as for the organization of working routines, schedules and time-management. In addition to this, machine operators need competences to handle cleaning devices which are expected to become more and more complex in the nearer future (e.g., robotics). Therefore, also

The skills for the future Digitalisation is expected to change working conditions in the cleaning sector, to redefine job profiles and to raise demands on the skills and competences of employees. It has become clear that digital skills will play a greater role in the sector in the future and that companies need to be prepared for the demands that they face. One demand is certainly to adjust the vocational training and education provisions to the future needs that have been identified. This

begs the question, though, if only digital skills themselves are of relevance in the future, or if digitalisation may also have an impact on and thus necessitate amendments to the VET provisions for other skills sets. In order to provide an answer to this question, the SK-Clean Expert Group pre-defined four skill sets that are considered relevant for the cleaning sector: Soft skills; Technical skills; Commercial skills; Digital skills. The relatively low relevance of digital skills should not lead to false assumptions. If compared to previous results of the survey it remains clear that from management via team leaders to cleaning agents, all levels of employees require some level of digital knowledge. Managers need to be able to identify and manage digital solutions which maximise efficiency; they need to be up to date about the latest technological developments to help streamline business processes. Job profiles on the administrative and associated skills level will change. In particular, basic tasks will be automatised, while new, more complex tasks will emerge. Digitalisation will generate large amounts of relevant data, and cleaning companies need administrators that are able to recognise and process this data in the best way.

RELEVANCE OF THE SKILL-CLUSTERS

While the internal rankings within each skill set speak for

The responses show, that for team leaders both the impact of digitalisation on their job type and role as well as their need for further vocational training and education in the next years is expected to be the highest among the job types considered. The results from the sister-report report of the SK-Clean action, “Training Systems in the European Industrial Cleaning Sector: on Overview”, have shown that the tasks of a team leader in the cleaning

Figure 2 - Impact of digitalization on job type/role

Figure 3 - Relevance of the skill clusters

Rise of digitalization in the supply chain

edited by Cristina

Three out of four companies increase investment in digitalization but grows concern about cybersecurity: between servitization and “bullwhip effect”, here are the seven industry trends for the future

Cardinali

The conflict in Ukraine and the consequent rise in commodity prices, the rising cost of transporting goods and that related to inflation, with the concomitant threat of economic recession, are continuously reshaping the global supply chain scenario. Demand volatility and a macroeconomic environment that has never been so unpredictable have unhinged the industry, putting companies around the world on edge: according to Deloitte's report "Meeting the challenge of supply chain disruption”, 80 percent of organizations have experienced at least one supply chain disruption in the past 12 to 18 months with 50 percent saying they have experienced significant impacts on business productivity and profits. The challenge for the future is to figure out how to rebuild a new supply chain model that is more resilient, data driven, based on intelligent workflows and, of course, sustainable.

Technology is the focus

According to the MHI Annual Industry Report 2023, 74 percent of companies will increase their investments allocated to technology (of this percentage as many as 90 percent said they will budget more than $1 million in the next two years) leading to major global growth in the digital supply chain sector. In fact, according to Allied Market Research, the sector was worth more than $5 billion in 2022 and will reach $13.67 billion in 2030 with an annual growth rate of 13.2 percent. "Only through digitalization of all stages of the value chain is it possible to create a procurement system capable of dealing with new market disruptions. Data quality and governance will take priority because they will enable companies to improve the electronic exchange of information by increasing efficiency and speed”, explains Luca Musso, Chief Technology Officer of Primeur Group, a leading Italian multinational data integration tech-

nology company present in 28 countries worldwide.

Data management

In what areas will technology go to build the supply chain of the future? Solutions for new tools for optimizing inventory and the logistics and distribution network (again according to the MHI report) are the area where the main investments will take place, given that within the next 5 years these programs will have an 87 percent adoption rate; they are followed by cloud technologies with 86 percent and automatic identification tools (such as RFID and barcoding) with 84 percent. Falling behind are more re-

nowned technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, which will be used by 73% and 68% of companies within the next 5 years, respectively. Proper retrieval and use of data will play a crucial role in harmonizing all new technologies and having constant information flows for the creation of an integrated end-to-end supply network. To improve the electronic exchange of information both within the organization and with business partners (suppliers, logistics and transportation companies, recipients who may adopt different standards), technology is needed to centralize and monitor the transformation of information and convert it into the most appropriate format for the business function that will need to use it. "Data integration will be a fundamental part of the supply chain of the future. Companies are faced with having to manage data that comes from heterogeneous sources as each entity involved uses its own applications and therefore produces or needs to receive data in a certain format. Just think about the fact that, according to the State of Supply Chain Management 2022 report, 80 percent of companies fail to digitally track the movement of their goods: it is clear that a new approach is needed to accelerate the digital transformation of the

Luca Musso, Chief Technology Officer of Primeur Group

supply chain”, Luca Musso continues.

Goals, concerns and critical issues

In an ever-changing scenario full of unknowns, it is not surprising that the top priorities of supply chain companies are short-term. According to the PwC Digital Trends in Supply Chain Survey 2022, increasing efficiency (63 percent) and reducing supply chain costs (59 percent) are the items that garnered the most preference over other longer-term work organization issues such as digital reskilling of the workforce (19 percent) and corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives (also at 19 percent). On the concern front, 46 percent of respondents admit that it is shipping costs that are most alarming to operators (according to the Deloitte report, they increased 77 percent from January 2021 to August 2022) followed by problems related to suppliers who are struggling to meet order demands (43 percent). These problems in turn translate into outbound challenges: 31 percent of respondents cited the inability to fulfill ongoing contracts as a major operational concern. While digital technologies are an enabler for supply chain resilience goals, they also present challenges: again according to the Deloitte

report, 88 percent of companies have concerns about cybersecurity issues (data or intellectual property theft, security of legal and financial information) due to the fragility of the supply chain security ecosystem. "The security of data movement and processing," says Musso, "is a critically important issue. In this context, data integration is essential because it allows for harmonized data integration among the entities involved in the supply chain, making information exchange more efficient and ensuring control, quality and security of processes”.

The trends of the future

Let's see what the seven trends of this industry will be in the future, according to an analysis conducted by Espresso Communication for Primeur on major international newspapers: Bullwhip Effect: also called Forrester effect, it indicates an increase in demand variability at the base of the supply chain: indeed, it only takes a small change at the beginning of the chain to cause an amplified effect at the other end. The price fluctuations had on raw materials and difficulties in order management could have an amplified effect during this year.

Servitization: the shift from product to service will also reach the supply chain: new digital technologies will enable the enhancement of the service component by offering a higher value product for the entire supply chain. Implementing this change, however, means modifying internal corporate organizational processes, and only through digital transformation can corporate business evolve toward new goals.

Data Integration: according to IBM's research "The resilient digital supply chain”, companies recognize data integration technology as the

first priority action to build an increasingly smarter supply chain. According to 73 percent of organizations, integrating data from different sources is the main aspect of building a data-driven mindset for the entire supply chain.

Light blue collars: thanks to new technologies, supply chains are becoming increasingly innovative but also more complex. This is why the line between blue and white collar workers is becoming increasingly blurred: manufacturing and supply chain operations require both physical and technological skills, and digital transformation cannot stand alone and needs trained and skilled workers.

Cybersecurity alert: in 2023, cybercriminals will use more sophisticated strategies to infiltrate supply chain systems. As reported by Deloitte, 88 percent of companies have concerns about cybersecurity issues, and the supply chain offers several opportunities to break into the network via warehouse equipment or through Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

ESG on the launching pad: according to the Pwc report, 66% of respondents consider regulations and regulatory changes in different countries to be the most important ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) challenge at the heart of the supply chain in the coming years. In addition to this, are cited the supplier-related risk (environmental pollution, corruption, etc.) with 58 percent and the creation of reliable ESG reports (with 54 percent).

Friend Shoring: geopolitical tensions have seen nations become more skeptical about international cooperation. Given the shortage of raw materials several nations are exploring national self-sufficiency in material supply and production. The term "friend-shoring" refers to building trade ties with like-minded and geographically close countries.

(Source: Espresso Communication for Primeur)

Robotic transition is the future of Cleaning

By now it is almost an obligatory path: automation applied to professional cleaning is the road taken for the future. Indeed, there are many Italian hygiene technology companies that, after directing investments and resources in this direction, are now offering products with robotic solutions: starting with autonomous floor scrubbers, which have been welcomed with some interest by the market. In short, where until a few years ago automated cleaning machines were an expensive and interesting solution, they are now rapidly becoming a safe option in many contexts and sectors. But beyond the classic stereotypes of the humanized, all-rounder "robots" put forward by some movies, it is good to clear the field immediately of a basic misunderstanding. Robotic machines remain machines; they need instruc-

tions, rules and paths defined by an operator. For this reason, robotics will never be able to completely replace human labor with equal effectiveness and in a cost-effective manner. Indeed, it is precisely on this issue, as well as on technological innovation, that the ethical and social concerns of those who fear that robotic labor, at least in some fields of production, will override and demean human labor. After all, without ethical principles, which affirm the centrality of the person even in production processes, the risks of the "Chinese model" do not seem so remote, even if foreign to Western culture, which is fortunately based, at least still largely, on inalienable human values. At present it is correct to speak of complementarity of labor. Robotics, in fact, should not be considered as an inconvenient competitor of humans,

but as a valuable opportunity offered to the most advanced industries to grow the skills of their employees: both in the production processes of cleaning machines, and - above all - in operations, which provide for their valuable use "at the disposal" of cleaning companies committed, not only to provide an optimal and complete cleaning service, but also to use employees in other fundamental tasks involving a more functional and intelligent use of the workforce. In essence, a thoughtful and balanced judgment leads us to be able to state calmly that the use of robotic machines will not lead to a complete replacement of human labor, which is unthinkable at present, but to a human-machine collaboration that is the optimal choice in industrial automation. The disappearance of some tasks due to automation is likely to be

Until a few years ago, automated cleaning machines were an expensive and attractive solution. Now, they are rapidly becoming a safe option in many contexts and industries

Maurizio Pedrini

offset by the emergence of unprecedented opportunities and new workers, who will have to be increasingly qualified to do effective, increasingly specialized and advanced work. After all, already in many niche sectors of professional cleaning, the use of robotic equipment and machines has long been an established reality. Think, for example, of the maintenance and sanitization of aeraulic ducts, just to give one example. In the world of cleaning, automation, in addition to being pursued by some manufacturers of cleaning machines, is already well underway in various species in large-scale retail trade, where there are perfect working environments for autonomous cleaning machines: optimal distribution of space, long aisles, wide aisles and the orderly organization of routes. Similar considerations apply in industry and warehouses used for logistics and storage, as well as in areas open to the

public such as airports, large stations, shopping malls, industries, sports arenas, hypermarkets and supermarkets. The use of robotic cleaning machines is made possible and safe even in the presence of the public, thanks to the safety systems with which they are equipped: think, above all, of those that work at the same time and are able to make them move in total autonomy. Bumpers positioned on the sides of the machines, coming into contact with an unexpected obstacle, or detecting the presence of a person walking, instantly stop the machine. In fact, by now, there are countless models of collaborative robots (cobots) designed and manufactured in Italy by well-known brands in the industry, looking to the future, intended specifically to clean medium and large surfaces, flanking the valuable work of cleaning operators. We met Riccardo Oldani, a science journalist who has been following robotics for

years with attention and passion, to ask him a few questions about it. Oldani is the author of the book "Spaghetti Western," in which he drew a complete picture of the sector, the result of close work and dozens of interviews.

How is applied research in robotics doing, especially in relation to the production needs of companies?

"In Italy we have an idea of the level of our research that does not adequately correspond to reality, at least in some areas, including robotics. The risk is that the fruits of Italian research are exported and valued abroad. Our country can count on realities of absolute excellence, such as the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, or the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa; in this case, it is foreign researchers who aspire to a research position in such facilities, not the other way around. Internationally, our robotic researchers

are very well known and appreciated, even in countries such as the United States, Germany or Japan, which we have always considered excellence in this technological field. My personal experience is that in the Italian research centers engaged in this field, where there is still a vibrant international atmosphere, enthusiasm is not lost. The researchers are very often young, creative guys from many countries of the world, so passionate about their work that they know no timetable."

How is research in robotics organized?

"This type of research is divided into many important research poles present a bit all over Italy: Turin, Milan, Verona, Genoa, Pisa, Naples, Catania, Palermo, and Rome. We have international excellences such as the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa and the IIT in Genoa, but also institutes of the CNR and Enea that deal with it, a little bit in all areas, from humanoid robotics to surgical robotics, from social robots to those for assistance to the

elderly, from robots for play to those for industry to robotic prostheses. The goals are basically twofold: on the one hand to do research on innovative and frontier fronts, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and on the other hand to find ideas to transform research knowledge into products to be made and offered on the market. Around the research centers I have mentioned, many spin offs and startups are springing up that aim to come up with products or components for robotics. Italy is experiencing a key moment, one in which those who have the best ideas but also the greatest ability to turn them into businesses emerge. Italy is beginning to see the arrival of large international groups that acquire Italian startups and introduce them into business systems that will take the results out of Italy. This is certainly much worse than the outflow of many Italian scholars who go abroad, following a process of mobility of ideas and education that is normal all over the world and that can’t be seen as something negative.

The fact that an Italian scholar goes to an American university to complete his education or to teach is a normal cultural enrichment. Worse is to see that ideas born in Italy are not understood and appreciated here, but by foreign business minds and capital."

How do you see the future of robotics? Will there always be room for the human factor?

"Machines were born to help reduce human fatigue, consequently doing away with some jobs and creating others. Many people today highlight the risk that intelligent robots may substitute people in a large number of occupations. Few, however, strive to imagine how the job scenario will really change and what new types of occupations will be needed in a world with a higher density of intelligent machines. Even today, robots are very specialized machines that can do a limited number of things and need constant human assistance and maintenance. In the near future, therefore, I see a sharp decrease in the demand

for heavy, manual labor in the face of an increasing need for technically trained personnel who can oversee the operation of machines, develop software, and solve operational problems. In short, the worker, too, will be less and less a manual worker and more and more a collaborator who uses his intelligence to operate machines, taking on a supervisory role rather than a production role."

Have companies embraced the challenge of robotic innovation by investing in adequate means and resources?

"Yes, certainly. The automotive industry is the one that has invested the most in automation. But we are seeing robotics more and more, even in medium-small companies in Italian manufacturing, able to work side by side with workers, and in traditional industries such as furniture, clothing, food. We then excel in mechatronics and industrial machinery manufacturing. The thousands of Italian companies in these fields are among the most automated in the world and have been investing in the purchase of robots and automation systems for some time now. This seems to me to be happening in the professional cleaning sector as well: I could mention important and well-known national brands that have been working for years in this vein, with excellent results."

Still on the subject of the professional cleaning industry, do you see actual possibilities for development in applications?

"Certainly. We should not forget that cleaning is the area where the first commercial robots appeared. iRobot's famous Roomba was the first to en-

ter homes in massive numbers and to adopt a complex navigation system to be able to move autonomously in confined environments. If you will, in a sense cleaning robots were the forerunners of later generations of machines capable of doing very different things as well, such as autonomous cars for example. So from my point of view, cleaning will always remain a frontier area for robotics, the first where we will see new technologies and new concepts applied. There are many interesting companies operating in the field, even in Italy. I am thinking of companies that develop robots for cleaning swimming pools, or robot gardeners that cut lawns. I am convinced that, thanks to these machines, professional cleaning will also undergo a transformation into a service activity rather than manual labor performance. Operators in the industry will provide companies with their own cleaning robots and sell their services by the square meter, because the machines will be able to certify the exact surfaces cleaned. Employees will play more of a finishing role, overseeing the operation of the robots, moving them to where they are needed, and getting them in working condition by supplying consumables. It will be a less heavy and more supervisory job that will require the ability to learn the operation of the machines and trouble-

shoot any problems. This type of profession will also require some degree of knowledge and training."

Manufacturers of professional cleaning machines have well-founded reasons for taking on this demanding challenge?

"I am more than convinced, although I know perfectly well that this is a difficult and challenging path. Certainly countries like the United States and Japan, where the areas of shopping malls and public places are immense, and much larger than in Italy, lend themselves much more to cleaning with robotic tools, which in any case need large spaces with few obstacles to give their best. These spaces, to tell the truth, are not lacking in Italy either, just think of large warehouses, factories, large distribution, and soon we will have autonomous machines capable of moving around inside them cleaning, perhaps even supervising, what is going on. There is concrete and advantageous scope in the industry for robot or machine developers to understand and devise new uses, new applications. Just think, for example, of the cleaning of windows or photovoltaic panels, an operation that in my opinion can be easily automated but for which convincing solutions are still lacking. Purely on the business models, reflection and reasoning will have to be done, because there is no doubt that greater automation even in professional cleaning will involve a profound revision of tasks, functions and services. Thinking that automation is a distant development that will have little effect on the cleaning industry, may prove to be a mistake. Maybe the transition to robots will not be as fast as some people are projecting it to be, but starting to think about it is very important so that we are not unprepared when it happens."

Dulevo: Timeless Quality Through Passion

Dulevo was founded in 1976 as a manufacturer of sweepers dedicated to industry and heavy-duty use.

Its first model, the Dulevo 120 is, though continuously innovated, still on their list and has become a cornerstone of sweeper design and engineering around the world.

Dulevo, now part of the Fayat Group, has established itself over the years as a market leader in the sweeping industry thanks to its innovative, often patented solutions: the mechanical-suction-filtering technology allows for extraordinary collection performance with unprecedented

filtration capacity, with excellent results even on the finest dust.

Dulevo performance is always conditioned to the utmost respect for the environment: waterless sweeping is the first step toward sustainable cleaning, and alternative power supplies, such as CNG

and electric, are the natural complement.

New D.Zero2 - 100% Electric

Dulevo unveiled this year the latest version of its D.Zero2, a 100% electric 2m3 sweeper that has been enjoying great success in municipalities around the world since 2017. The new D.Zero2, now in its third series, drastically lowers noise while greatly increasing performance thanks to a completely redesigned vacuum system. Next-generation batteries, coupled with new electric motors, allow up to 11 hours of range and a transfer speed of up to 40km/h.

Another cornerstone of the development of this new model has been operator comfort: the cab has been modified to ensure maximum space on board, the driving position has been optimized for maximum ergonomics, and via the controls different driving settings can be called up with a single touch.

Dulevo: Calidad atemporal gracias a la pasión

Dulevo se fundó en el año 1976 como fabricante de barredoras industriales y para uso intensivo. Su primer modelo, la Dulevo 120, aunque se ha sometido a continuas innovaciones, sigue formando parte de su catálogo y se ha convertido en un hito en el diseño de barredoras en todo el mundo. Dulevo, que actualmente pertenece al Grupo Fayat, se ha consolidado a lo largo de los años como líder del mercado en el sector de las barredoras gracias a sus soluciones innovadoras y a menudo patentadas; la tecnología de filtración por aspiración mecánica permite un extraor-

dinario rendimiento de recogida con una capacidad de filtrado sin parangón y excelentes resultados incluso con el polvo más fino. Dulevo basa su funcionamiento en un cuidado absoluto del medio ambiente, y es que barrer sin agua es el primer paso hacia una limpieza sostenible y las fuentes de alimentación alternativas, como el GNC y la electricidad, son su complemento natural.

Nueva D.Zero2 - 100% eléctrica

Este año Dulevo presentó la última versión de su D.Zero2, una barredora 100% eléctrica de 2 m³, que desde 2017 goza de un gran éxito en pueblos y ciudades de todo el mundo. La nueva D.Zero2, ahora

en su tercera serie, reduce drásticamente el ruido, aumentando significativamente el rendimiento gracias al sistema de aspiración completamente rediseñado. Las baterías de nueva generación, acopladas a los nuevos motores eléctricos, permiten hasta 11 horas de autonomía y una velocidad de desplazamiento de hasta 40 km/h. Otro pilar del desarrollo de este nuevo modelo es la comodidad para el operario; se ha modificado el habitáculo para garantizar el máximo espacio a bordo, se ha optimizado el asiento del conductor para lograr la máxima ergonomía y se pueden cambiar fácilmente los ajustes de conducción con un simple toque a los mandos.

Second-hand a smart and affordable solution

Inspected, reconditioned and guaranteed second-hand cleaning machines are increasingly sought after in the market. This trend involves especially scrubbers and sweepers, but also pressure washers, single disc machines and other hygiene technologies with more or less sophisticated know-how

Maurizio Pedrini

Times are changing, and because of needs related to rising costs, greater sensitivity to recycling and environmental issues, but also because of the consequences of the pandemic, which in two years of great difficulties have profoundly altered the buying habits of users, today, even in the professional cleaning sector, used equipment is gaining ground. We refer, of course, to used equipment that has been perfectly inspected, reconditioned and - above all - guaranteed. This market trend embraces scrubbers and sweepers, especially of medium and large size, but also pressure washers, single disc machines and other hygiene technologies with more or less sophisticated know-how, from which buyers especially demand the pluses of

robustness, reliability and durability.

The winning formula is to offer cheaper machines, but without sacrificing quality. Renzo Raimondi, who heads the operating arm of the Italian brand RCM, of which he is also technical director, is convinced that this ‘parallel market’ is undoubtedly destined to expand. “Demands,” he says, “are growing, in parallel with those regarding rental service. In fact,” he continues, “the pandemic has greatly influenced the development of this particular type of demand: the difficulties of manufacturing companies in sourcing the necessary parts from components, the problem of access to raw materials, the rise in prices: these are just some of the main factors that have played in favor of the search for used equipment”.

The main element holding up the market is, as we said, quality. “Companies should offer to customers only used cleaning machines which are safe, fully operational and with excellent performance”.

The formula of guaranteed second-hand

A safe and efficient second-hand cleaning machine needs to be thoroughly inspected and reconditioned in all its parts, restoring full efficiency and effectiveness, without neglecting the aesthetic component at all: “In our company - explains Raimondi - The mechanical part is carefully checked by our technicians and, if necessary, overhauled. The various accessories

and consumables (brushes, foils, etc.) are also scrupulously checked and, if necessary, replaced, while the steel parts and tanks, if worn and frayed, are repainted. Fundamental, for the purpose of the guarantee offered to the customer, is the usability of the machines: this can be guaranteed by performance control and maintenance operations such as to entrust the customer with products that are perfect in every respect at the time of delivery”. “By now,” echoes Stefano Grosso, ISC Group sales director, “the demand for used cleaning machines has been present on the market for many years; there are many reasons for this, but on all of them dominate the needs dictated by the budget contraction that affects several companies and the low utilization. I believe that this sector represents an important field of interest for many companies which can count on a good fleet of machines for both new and rental sales.However, it must be objectively acknowledged that there is a little bit of everything around because the second-hand market is still a market without rules: it offers good and performing machines, but also shabby ‘wrecks’ that, as soon as they are picked up, are resold. Quality and guarantees offered to the customer are therefore the real business card with which serious companies present themselves to customers”.

“In this market - points out Grossowill stand out the companies which have standardized inspection processes, meaning that the machine goes through a serious overhaul process, marked by certain standards, and then is delivered to the customer in possession of a real guarantee. Of course, the latter is the same as what the company offers the customer on the sale of a new

machine. For example, ours goes from six to twelve months in duration, the latter varying according to the models and standard levels adopted, primarily considering the price of the machine. Any maintenance packages have the same features as new and take into account the specific needs of the customer because it is a tailor-made offer. Basically also in this market niche we are going towards the so-called customization of the offer, in the sense that we build cleaning machines and the management of used and new machines, from the service point of view, is the same. The customer who uses the machine in contexts that require more and more frequent application of the machine will have a more consistent and richer maintenance package than someone who uses the machine only once a week”.

Growth and crisis factors

What will be the factors that, in the future, may push this market to grow, or to enter a crisis? “In my opinion - says Stefano Grosso - it is very difficult for the second-hand market to go into a slump, partly because of the increases that have taken place in recent years, which caused the rise of the new products prices. That is, of course, unless there are rounds of government incentives that push companies in this direction, somewhat like what happened with super depreciation a few years ago. In reality, much will also depend on the mission that manufacturing companies intend to pursue in the short to medium term: in fact, we are witnessing two very distinct trends: there are manufacturers oriented toward increasingly lightweight and sophisticated machines, which are very unlikely to have a second life. These products are designed to cease their life after three or five years of use. The machines that will have a future are the robust and well-designed ones, made by manufacturers that aim in this direction”.

Professional detergents the path toward sustainability

The issue of ecology in professional cleaning has become increasingly important in recent years. By using chemicals, one is immediately led to think of something negatively impacting health and the environment. In this article we aim to make clear what it means to try to reduce the ecological impacts of using chemicals for cleaning, treating, and maintaining surfaces and environments.

The first point that needs to be clarified lies precisely in the word "chemical." Everything is composed of molecules and everything can be defined from a chemical point of view; water, for example, is a chemical. It is necessary to first understand that not all substances or preparations are harmful or not all are harmful in the same way. It is therefore necessary to understand the difference between the various

types of hazards to which the use of a given formulation may expose. There are risks to the environment, risks to people, and risks to materials. Professional quality formulations have the common characteristic of minimizing risks to people and risks to the environment. It will always be possible to keep people's health hazards under control if you use products made by serious companies that comply with mandatory standards. It will always be possible to minimize environmental impacts by using high or very high quality formulations and not being too influenced by the lowest price.

As for the ecological aspect, by now, many consumers have become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their consumption choices, and this has led to a growing interest in eco-friendly products. Many companies in the profession-

al detergent industry are investing in more sustainable technologies and manufacturing processes in order to further reduce the environmental impact of their products. So let's see what factors significantly influence the ecological impact of chemicals.

The biodegradability of surfactants

Surfactants are chemical compounds commonly used in detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics and other industrial products. The biodegradability of surfactants refers to their ability to be biologically decomposed into substances that are less harmful to the environment. Primary biodegradability of surfactants refers to their ability to be broken down by microorganisms into simpler compounds, such as water, carbon dioxide, and mineral salts. This primary biodegradability step is

Chemicals used by cleaning companies may impact the environment and the health of the people who use them, as well as create waste and pollution

Matteo Marino AFIDAMP Councilor

important because surfactants by producing foam can prevent the oxygenation of water and thus result in the death of underlying life. Their rapid breakdown into harmless compounds reduces environmental damage. Complete secondary biodegradability refers to the ability of primary biodegradation products to be completely broken down into even simpler compounds, such as carbonic acid and acetic acid, through a biological oxidation process. The current standard governing the industry requires companies producing these types of formulations to use surfactants that ensure complete primary and secondary biodegradability.

Phosphorus

This is an essential element for life, but an excess of phosphorus in the environment can cause serious environmental problems. When phosphorus

is discharged into the environment, for example through wastewater from factories or sewage systems, it can cause eutrophication of surface and groundwater. Eutrophication is a phenomenon in which waters become too rich in nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, which stimulate the overgrowth of algae and aquatic plants. When these plants die and degrade, they consume oxygen in the water and can create dead zones where aquatic life cannot exist. In addition, the decomposition of plants can produce substances that are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. An excessive amount of phosphorus in the environment comes mainly from its use in agriculture. In any case, its use is also restricted in detergent products.

Sequestrants

These ingredients are used in household and industrial cleaning agents

products to improve their cleaning performance. These compounds are usually chelating agents, which are molecules that can bind (or sequester) metal ions, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. The use of sequestrants in detergents helps to increase the effectiveness of the product in removing dirt and calcium scale residues, improving cleanliness in general. Some sequestrants used in detergents can be harmful to the environment because of their ability to bind and hold metal ions, including heavy ions, which can be toxic to living organisms and ecosystems. To limit the negative environmental effects of these ingredients, many companies are trying to develop more environmentally friendly and sustainable sequestrants.

VOCs

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds that

THE TREND OF HIGH CONCENTRATED DETERGENTS

Edited by Francesca Leone

Concentrated detergents are a viable solution to combat waste and reduce environmental impact, but they also have another advantage: concentration allows any fragrance contained in the detergent to remain stable. The market increasingly demands detergents that can clean thoroughly using minimal quantities of product: hence the success of concentrated detergents, which combine the washing action with a strong perfuming action, perhaps combined with the ability to cover certain types of bad smells. The market, despite a sometimes higher formula

evaporate easily at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure. These compounds are present in many substances, such as household clean-

cost, allows the introduction of highvalue fragrances given the possibility of a different product positioning than the traditional in a finished article that definitely has a special appearance and functionality. Going in the direction of concentrated fragrance implies numerous benefits especially for manufacturers that can exploit and convey important messages in terms of eco-sustainability and green approach. By going to include a significantly lower percentage of fragrance in the finished detergent product, one can have an optimal yield thanks to concentrated fragrances, specially processed and made to contain no

solvents in them with a mix of raw materials with a unique diffusivity depending on the different final professional detergents. Another significant advantage of using concentrated perfumes and detergents is related to formulation stability, since, as many players in the industry know, at the formulation level, perfume often creates significant issues, both in terms of solubility and organoleptic changes in the finished product over time and under certain conditions, such as high temperatures within storage warehouses: using a minimum amount is an undoubted advantage for formulation stability.

Bioaccumulation

This phenomenon can be particularly problematic for persistent chemicals, which are those that degrade very

become part of our food cycle is a major risk. To prevent it, it is important to reduce the use of persistent chemicals.

ing products, paints, solvents, personal care products, fuels, etc. VOCs are harmful to the environment because they are a major source of air pollution. When VOCs react with oxygen in the air, they can form tropospheric ozone, a cause of global warming. For this reason, their use is restricted.

slowly in the environment, and can therefore accumulate in the bodies of living organisms over time. Some examples of persistent chemicals that can accumulate in the bodies of living organisms include some pesticides, heavy metals such as mercury, and some synthetic organic compounds. Bioaccumulation in organisms that

CMR substances

These are chemicals that exhibit carcinogenic (C), mutagenic (M) or reproductive toxic (R) properties. These compounds can cause DNA damage, interfere with the reproduction process, or cause tumor formation. It would be preferable to purchase products that do not contain these substances.

Packaging

Product containers are perhaps the most significant cause of pollution in the industry of detergents. Professional products for this sector almost always use HDPE containers, while PET is more widely used for commercial formulations in large-scale distribution. These materials can be recovered and sent back to the production cycle to become new packaging. Not exactly as can be done with glass, but certainly to a good approximation. Ecological standards (see the CAM and Ecolabel standard) already contemplate the use of these containers as an alternative to completely virgin plastic containers. However, at present, the availability of recycled plastic granules is not sufficient to meet market demands, which therefore maintains a good percentage of virgin plastic containers. To reduce the presence of packaging in the environment, one of the most effective mechanisms is to purchase super-concentrated products that allow

for reduced transport and inflating of water that, instead, can be added by the user on site. In addition to this, the use of products with a high concentration of active ingredients would also allow for a drastic reduction in exhaust emissions from the trucks used for

transportation. High concentration of the formulation means lower ecological impact, maintenance of performance, and economic savings. Three goals that must be achieved if we truly want the ecological impacts of this industrial sector to be reduced.

All references in the cleaning industry, from production to distribution chain

Talking about IAQ at ANAM 14

Two days of conference with a wide participation of associates and high-profile speakers. Rewarded with wide acclaim the efforts of the organizers of the AIISA - NADCA Annual Meeting, a cultural reference point for indoor air quality

Maurizio Pedrini

ANAM14 - AIISA NADCA Annual Meeting - the meeting that, for the past fourteen years, has seen the Italian Association of Aeraulic System Hygienists propose a busy professional update program to its members, in close synergy with NADCA (acronym for National Air Duct Cleaners Association) - was held in Bari, Italy, and closed successfully. NADCA is an American association, which has always promoted the culture of indoor air quality through the treatment of aeraulic systems. Three days, from 6 to 8 June, full of interest and participation, which received a wide consensus on the interesting content addressed by all members. In short, it was truly a successful, high-profile cultural event that rewarded the efforts of the organizers, starting with AIISA's president, Gregorio Mangano, who was validly supported by the secretary, Raffaele Caruso, and the members of the Board of Directors. This important event

From left to right: Paolo Topa, Vincenzo Buonomo, Gregorio Mangano, Toni D’Andrea

provided a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences, offering many insights in terms of both cultural and relational growth. Let us start with the figures that best summarize this edition. The event brought together 220 participants; seventeen were the sponsors, and three were the partners for two days of meeting. Eight exhibiting companies, five working sessions, sixteen speakers, one lecture, two technical sessions, four partner associations present.

An event in growth

The numbers of ANAM 14 thus mark, in the best possible way, the growth - year after year - of the event. The first day, traditionally reserved for the 'annual members' meeting, saw AIISA's secretary general, Raffaele Caruso, expound the accounts and

narrative of the association's activities: from long-standing projects to future ones. AIISA President Gregorio Mangano, in his appreciated report, invited the members to "write together the future of the association," starting with the constitution of the next Board of Directors, whose elections will take place at the Annual Meeting 15 already scheduled for May 2024 in Rome, which will celebrate the association's 20th anniversary. Several, all very interesting, questions and insights were highlighted and delivered to the audience, along with the concluding thought of the president, who made his own and encapsulated AIISA's motto: "Quality is knowledge." "Human action," Mangano said, "may be imitated by robots, but they can never apply human common sense, flexibility, mediation, intuition and

knowledge. And quality comes only from knowledge, study, and application." AIISA - founded in Italy 20 years ago by a group of companies intent on raising the level of quality of work in the field of inspection, maintenance and remediation of aeraulic systems, in order to improve the well-being of end users - has long been a sure point of reference for those who care about the full healthiness of indoor air. The association has always promoted indepth technical and practical knowledge of hvac systems and the most suitable cleaning and disinfection techniques to protect the health of people occupying spaces served by air conditioning. The main novelty of the 2023 edition of ANAM was the presence on stage, when the assembly was over, of the exhibiting companies who, under the spotlight, were better

able to present their products and services to the audience of members. As per tradition, the members' assembly day ended with a social dinner: the Zonno hall hosted the convivial moment in the picturesque setting of Bari's waterfront. A walk through the alleys of Bari Vecchia gave all participants a few more memories to keep and take home. The following day, as always, was reserved for the conference, with the presence of speakers from outside the association.

Cleanliness and new Procurement Code

This edition had important guests. Among AIISA's partner associations in order of attendance were: Umberto Berardi, AICARR Board Member; Alessandro Temperini, representing ASAPIA; Marco Oldrati, director of As -

sofrigoristi; and Gaetano Settimo, coordinator of the ISS Indoor Pollution GdS and president of SIIAQ (Italian Indoor Air Quality Society) as well as an honorary AIISA member. To them went AIISA's sincere thanks for their presence to testify to the firm partnership with the association. "With a star player you can win sometimes, but with the collective you can win more often", this was the meaning of the words of AIISA's president at the close of the exchange of ideas and points of view held on stage and moderated by Chiara Lico, journalist and writer. Also welcomed under the spotlight was Toni D'Andrea, Ceo of Issa Pulire Network and Director of Issa EMEA. He introduced the theme "Cleanliness as an absolute value", preceded by an introductory appreciation to Bari, the host city, which starting from a now

remote experience of due and sudden welcome to Albanian immigrants, has also structured itself aesthetically by developing the concepts of cleanliness and solidarity. D'Andrea then analyzed the concept of clean, as opposed to the meaning of the absence of dirt, highlighting its positive meaning: cleansing from idols that compress horizons and limit imagination, cleansing from thuggish behavior. He then concluded, "Cleanliness is always a place of collective freedom in which the sense of respect for human beings is celebrated and from which the planning of the future can start again." Salvatore Torrisi, president of Fare (the Federation of Regional Associations of Health Care Bursars and Providers), presented a paper with the theme, "Aeraulic Hygiene and the Administrative Approach of the Health

Gregorio Mangano, president of AIISA

Care Sector." Torrisi took stock of the preparedness of the public structure toward the administrative changes that come with the new Procurement Code. Current systemic and organizational constraints were highlighted, including in comparison with the new responsibilities and streamlined procedures expected in the immediate future. D'Andrea, Torrisi and Mangano subsequently answered the moderator's questions regarding "result," one of the two principles on which the new Procurement Code is based. As mentioned by President Mangano, the AIISA Operational Protocol and the Dei Price List, together with the validation paths of cleaning processes, help to control the achievement of the "result."

The work then continued with the presence of Vincenzo Buonomo, Rec-

tor Magnificent of the Pontifical Lateran University. A truly enlightening exposition focused on the precious value of the "human" resource and the concept of "militant prayer". A more detailed report on technical passages was then illustrated by Paolo Topa, head of general services and maintenance of the Pontifical Lateran University. Finally, the highly appreciated exposition on the concept of air in Chiara Lico's talk about the topic of communication. "ANAM 14," says Mangano, "provided reflections, insights, awareness: ultimately, knowledge. Once again, we were faithful to AIISA's motto, 'Quality is Knowledge', which expresses the conscious connection between the meanings of these two words: only continuous technical updating, both of the operating companies and of the users of

the services offered, can improve the level of well-being of the end users of aeraulic systems. "On March 8, 2006," Mangano continued, "Eng. Ziragachi, AIISA's first president and founding member, and the then president of NADCA, Bill Lundquist, signed an agreement that gave birth to the now well-established partnership between AIISA and the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. I am truly happy and proud that this valuable collaboration with NADCA continues to bear excellent fruit, as the Bari meeting largely confirmed, putting the focus on the sensitive issues of indoor air healthiness through proper maintenance, cleaning and sanitization of aeraulic ducts. It only remains for me to give all our members and friends the appointment to ANAM 15, which will be held in Rome”.

Smiling to sell

Asmile is a key element in selling, as it enables the creation of a positive and welcoming atmosphere between seller and buyer. In this article, we will explore the importance of smiling in selling, analyzing the different aspects of it and the consequences it can have on business success. First of all, a smile is a signal of openness and helpfulness that the seller sends to the customer. When a seller smiles, it's a sign that he or she is well disposed toward the customer and wants to establish a relationship of mutual trust. A smile, in fact, communicates not only the verbal message being expressed, but also the emotional tone with which it is conveyed. A sincere and spontaneous smile is a signal of friendliness and attentiveness to the customers, putting them at ease and making them feel welcomed, as well as anticipating that they are not a threat, according to studies on emotional intelligence.

In addition, smiling is a way to create a positive and relaxed atmosphere during

the sale. The buyer is often at a disadvantage compared to the seller because he or she has to make a buying decision in an environment that is foreign to him or her. The seller's smile can help break the ice and create a friendlier, less formal atmosphere that facilitates

dialogue between the two parties. The customer will feel more comfortable and be more inclined to express his or her needs and concerns. A smile is also a distinguishing element in selling. In an increasingly competitive market, products and services can often be very

Marco Monti Fabrizio Pirovano

If you are able to create a bond with your customers, you will find it easier to smile sincerely, as you will be genuinely happy to see them and do business with them

similar to each other. In this context, a smile can become a distinctive element of the person (not just the product) that allows the seller to create an emotional bond with the customer and differentiate himself or herself from other competitors. In fact, the customer will more easily remember the seller who had a friendly and helpful attitude toward him or her. A smile is also a way to express one's personality and communication style. A warm and welcoming smile may be associated with a seller who has a sunny, positive and reliable personality, while a more formal and controlled smile may be associated with a seller who has a more reserved and professional personality.

Why don't you smile?

There may be several reasons why some sellers do not smile when they work. Some of these reasons may include:

1. lack of training: many sellers do not receive adequate training in communication and customer relationship management, including the importance of smiling in selling;

2. stress and pressure: sellers may be under great pressure to achieve their sales goals, which can cause stress and anxiety. In this context, some of them may focus only on the sales objective and neglect the relationship with the

customer, including smiling;

3. personality: some people may have a personality that is less inclined to smile, which can affect their behavior even when working;

4. negative past experiences: if a seller has had negative or unpleasant experiences during interactions with customers in the past, he or she may be reluctant to smile for fear of not being taken seriously or being judged.

awareness of their behavior.

How to "train" to smile?

First and foremost, awareness of smiling in the commercial world is important; it might seem obvious, but if you tried to recapture the memory of a memorable shopping experience, you probably wouldn't get past the fingers of one hand. Then try to work on your positive mindset; try to have a serene attitude and be

In any case, it is important that sellers recognize the importance of smiling and work to develop their skills in this area through training, practice, and

SMILING HELPS! SCIENCE SAYS SO

There are several scientific studies demonstrating the effectiveness of smiling in sales and relationship management with customers.

Here are some examples:

1. A study conducted by the Department of Psychology of the University of Missouri has shown that sellers who smile during interaction with customers are more likely to achieve their sales goals than those who do not smile;

2. Another study conducted by the Department of Marketing at the University of Wisconsin showed that customers are more likely to make a purchase when the seller smiles during the interaction;

3. A third study conducted by the Department of Marketing at Duke University has demonstrated that customers who perceive that the seller is genuinely happy to interact with them are more likely to return for future purchases.

optimistic because this will enable you to see the positive side of things and it will be easier for you to smile sincerely and gain the desired acceptance.

These studies suggest that smiling can have a significant impact on the customer's perception of the seller and the product or service offered, increasing the likelihood of achieving sales goals and of creating lasting relationships with customers. However, it is important to note that the effectiveness of the smile depends also on its authenticity and the ability of the seller to create a positive and genuine interaction with the customer.

Alternative and complementary tools for rodent management

Sustainability also comes through the choice and use of innovative techniques, products and systems, often to be seen as complementary to the more conventional use of rodenticide baits with anticoagulant action

Francesco Florente Pest Management consultant

The European Commission itself, citing, for example, one of the considerations (No. 10) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/637 (concerning the placing on the market of the active substance cholecalciferol), states that "rodents can carry pathogens responsible for many zoonoses, which can pose serious hazards to human or animal health. Anticoagulants, which are the main active ingredients used in rodenticides for now, also meet the exclusion criteria set out in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012, as they are classified as toxic to reproduction category 1B and are mostly persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent

and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances."

The same consideration goes on to state that "other alternative active ingredients currently approved for product type 14 and not subject to exclusion, namely carbon dioxide, alpha chloralose, aluminum phosphide, hydrogen cyanide, and corn cob powder, have inherent constraints and limited conditions of use. Non-chemical rodent prevention or control methods, such as mechanical, electric or glue traps, may not be sufficiently effective and raise further questions regarding their ethical acceptability and unnecessary suffering caused to rodents." The situation with regard to the proper use of rodenticide products (and others) is therefore complex and subject to change (a review of the approvals of AVK active substances, among the most widely used in chemical rodent control, is expected soon).

Rodent Management and sustainable development

It should also be considered that, as

also reiterated by the European Commission, rodent management activities are certainly also useful for Sustainable Development. Managing populations of synanthropic rodents such as rats and mice can help to achieve Goal No. 2 ("Zero Hunger": limitation of food losses also due to rodent action) and Goal No. 3 ("Health and Welfare": limitation of health impacts) by assessing the health and commodity impacts that rodents can have in the area of Food Security and Public Health. Goal No. 15 ("Life on Earth"), also involves such activities, both in terms of protection of non-target fauna during "rodent control" activities but also for the very protection of biodiversity, sometimes threatened by rodent (rat) populations themselves, as predators of animals with protected status. Although these products are widely used, alternatives are already available on the market.

Use of biocides

However, the use of AVK products also deserves consideration, in order to verify how truly the conditions of use stated in

biocide authorizations and thus in ministerial product labels are being applied. From this point of view, it is important to remember how the recent Decree 179/2021 "Sanctioning discipline for the violation of the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products (21G00183) (OJ General Series No. 284 of 29-11-2021), which entered into force on 14/12/2021, clearly deals with these aspects. In fact, in Article 03 ("Violations regarding the making available on the market and use of biocidal products referred to in Article 17(1) of the Regulation"), the decree reads verbatim as follows:

"1. Whoever places a biocidal product on the market that is not authorized under the Regulation or under an authorization that is no longer valid or revoked, or in violation of the requirements of the authorization, shall be punished by arrest for up to three months and a fine from EUR 1,000.00 to EUR 10,000.00.

2. A professional or industrial user who employs an unauthorized biocidal prod-

uct or an authorized biocidal product in violation of the relevant conditions of use specified in the authorization shall be punished with the same punishment as in paragraph 1."

Therefore, with particular reference to subsection 2, it is important for professional users to plan and apply rodent management services with rodenticide products by complying precisely with the conditions stated on the label.

Among the various safe conditions of use, which naturally refer to the EU Commission Implementing Regulations, it should be noted that, for each category of user (domestic user, professional user, trained professional/rodenticide trainer), there are very specific conditions of use, which are precisely stated on the labels of the products themselves.

The permanent use of anticoagulant baits is in fact not allowed, except under special operating conditions within which only a professional Deratization Company can act within limits for defined (e.g., with re-evaluations and time controls indicated).

In fact, only in the case of infestations or special conditions that can demonstrate the need for it, trained Deratization Professionals will be able to establish, by documenting and re-evaluating it over time, the need to permanently maintain this type of bait. All of these operations, in addition to being recorded, must be preceded by the application of an integrated approach that also and primarily involves the use of preventive measures (cleaning, vegetation and waste management, exclusion measures, etc.) and the use of physical trapping methods.

With regard to anticoagulant products, it is worth mentioning that formulations with concentrations ≥ 30 ppm (e.g., 0.005%) are to be considered for the exclusive use of professional users and trained professional users (the latter category includes "professional rodent controllers," with due differences

regarding the mode of use). Other important data (updated to the end of 2020), reports us about 300 commercial rodenticide formulations, mostly represented by AVK-based products (e.g., brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone, and flocoumafen).

The relatively low cost of these products and their wide availability spread their use, although the impacts on non-target fauna need to be considered, both in the case of primary intoxication (direct consumption of the baits) and secondary intoxication (consumption of intoxicated rodents still alive and/or their carcasses).

Technological traps

The world of rodent traps is also proceeding unabated, including at the technological level. In particular, the spread of traps equipped with capture and movement sensors makes it possible to make the activity of rodent control more "sustainable" both in limiting unnecessary movements of operators, but also in reducing the quantities of bait used. The use of this type of trap makes it possible to:

• Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of treatments.

• Optimize the application of biocides and reduce their quantities.

• Better ensure the welfare of non-target animals.

• Reduce unnecessary displacement.

• Provide capture data automatically.

These are devices that through communications via internet, radio or mobile networks enable accurate feedback on rodent presence and captures. After all, as extensively discussed in the first part of this paper, we are increasingly witnessing restrictions on the permanent use of rodenticide baits for the consequent application of risk mitigation measures.

In some contexts (e.g., in the Food Industry) it is actually necessary to organize frequent inspections in the

traps intended for rodent trapping (even by the staff of the firm itself).

Glue traps

Finally, it is necessary to mention the extensive debate in the United Kingdom about the future of glue traps. As of April 2022, in England, new legislation restricting the use of glue traps became law after receiving the green light from the Monarchy, along with several other animal health and welfare bills. In this case, this statutory provision will ensure that licenses for the use of glue traps will be issued only to professional exterminators "on an exceptional basis," to preserve public health or safety where there are no suitable alternatives. However, the details of the licensing scheme have yet to be decided, and there is a strong commitment from the British Pest Control industry to ensure "realistic" conditions of use. Other situations are emerging in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This information coming from the UK, certainly anticipates directions and reasoning that will need to be pursued in Italy as well as in the EU. Possibly, in addition to limitations, there are opportunities to approach a new way of managing synanthropic and pest rodents. These are important changes for a fundamental sector such as Pest Management, which sometimes still relies on "old customs," also dictated by end-customers' demands that are not well aligned with regulatory and technological evolution. We are therefore witnessing a further push for an integrated approach to the issue that must also take into consideration aspects of economic sustainability of such activities. This is and will only be possible through the collaboration of all stakeholders, a strong awareness of Pest Management Clients and the development of training and skills of Professionals and Authorities in charge of control.

On the market today

Hoy En El Mercado

Technology, research, development: the latest news from the cleaning world

4 CLEANPRO SRL

4cleanpro.com

4CleanPro has twenty years of experience in the world of industrial cleaning. The machines are manufactured with high quality components with spare parts that can be ordered from website: 4cleanpro. com

4CleanPro cuenta con veinte años de experiencia en el mundo de la limpieza industrial. Las máquinas están fabricadas con componentes de alta calidad con repuestos que se pueden pedir desde el sitio web: 4cleanpro.com

The new MIRA ERGO 40 lighter to drive

The MIRA ERGO 40 presents itself in a new design. A new handle that offers a greater lever arm and makes it lighter to drive. 5 liter recovery tank with quick release for emptying. The lower part remains unchanged with the same components as the previous version.

La nueva MIRA ERGO 40 más ligera de conducir

La MIRA ERGO 40 presenta un nuevo diseño. Una nueva empuñadura ofrece un mayor brazo de palanca y lo hace más ligero de conducir. Depósito de recuperación de 5 litros con cierre rápido para el vaciado. La parte inferior se mantiene sin cambios con los mismos componentes que la versión anterior.

ADIATEK SRL

adiatek.com

Adiatek is an Italian floor cleaning machines brand. Adiatek models differs for dimension, brushes type, work system and power supply. The working widths go from 35 to 130 cm.

Adiatek es una empresa italiana que produce fregadoras de pavimentos industriales. Los modelos se diferencian por diámetros, tipo de cepillos, sistema de trabajo y alimentación. Los anchos de trabajo son desde 35 hasta 130 cm.

R-Quartz is an autonomous scrubber machine

With lithium battery pack ensures up to 6h of autonomy and a quick charge of 5h. R-Quartz is always in touch with the operator thanks to the real time notifications sent directly on the smartphone.

R-Quartz es una fregadora de pavimentos a

guía autónoma

Con el equipamiento Litio es posible efectuar un trabajo continuo hasta 6 horas con una carga rápida de 5 horas. R-Quartz está siempre en contacto con el operador gracias a los avisos en tiempo real transmitidos directamente al smartphone.

Loredana Vitulano

AR-CO CHIMICA SRL arcochimica.it

AR-CO Chimica has been producing detergents for the professional cleaning line since 1993, covering all the different needs of customers in the field of cleaning environments: Industrial, Food, Hospital, Healthcare, Hotel, School, Public and Private. AR-CO is equipped with a research, development and analysis Laboratory, directed by a team of chemical managers.

AR-CO Chimica produce detergentes para la línea profesional desde 1993, que cubren todas las diferentes necesidades de los clientes en cuanto a limpieza de ambientes: Industrial, Alimentario, Hospitalario, Sanitario, Hotelero, Público y privado, Escolar. AR-CO está dotada de un laboratorio de investigación, desarrollo y análisis gestionado por un equipo de responsables químicos.

COMAC SPA comac.it

For almost 50 years Comac has been designing machines for professional floor cleaning including floor scrubbers, sweepers, single disc machines, vacuum cleaners, high pressure washers and sanitizers able to solve cleaning issues in different conditions of use and on any type of surface.

Durante casi 50 años Comac diseña máquinas para la limpieza profesional los pavimentos entre las que se incluyen fregadoras, barredoras, monocepillos, aspiradoras, hidrolavadoras y equipos para disinfeción capaces de resolver los problemas de limpieza en diferentes condiciones de uso y en cualquier tipo de superficie.

Efficiency and quality for industrial floors cleaning

C120 is the new Comac’s ride-on industrial scrubbing machine, fully equipped for every cleaning task. Unique in its kind thanks to the new sweeping-scrubbing system, that consists of a pre-sweeping unit with two side brushes and two cylindrical brushes followed by a scrubbing unit with three disc brushes to guarantee optimum performance in every situation.

Eficiencia y calidad para la limpieza de suelos industriales C120 es la nueva fregadora de pavimentos industrial hombre a bordo Comac, perfectamente equipada para cualquier operación de limpieza. Única en su génere gracias al nuevo sistema de barrido-lavado, que consta de un grupo de prebarrido equipado con dos cepillos laterales y dos cepillos cilindricos, seguido de un grupo de lavado dotado de tres cepillos de disco para garantizar prestaciones óptimas en cada actividad de limpieza.

The Bio Green line with probiotic

The Bio Green line is an absolute novelty from ARCO Chimica. On the occasion of the company's 30th anniversary, AR-CO has studied a range of completely natural, biodegradable and effective detergents. A unique and innovative biological formulation that contains probiotic bacterial strains and highly biodegradable cleaning agents.

La línea Bio Green con probióticos

La línea Bio Green es una novedad absoluta de Arco Chimica. Con motivo del 30 aniversario de la empresa, AR-CO ha estudiado una gama de detergentes totalmente naturales, biodegradables y eficaces. Una formulación biológica única e innovadora que contiene cepas bacterianas probióticas y agentes de limpieza altamente biodegradables.

FALPI SRL falpi.com

Falpi has clear ideas: to bring the dynamism and desire to innovate of a young and motivated team to the world of professional cleaning equipment, always faithful to the quality of “Made in Italy” and environmental sustainability. Falpi products are designed for cleaning companies, hospitals, companies, communities, hotels and are made with recyclable materials.

Falpi tiene las ideas claras: aportar al mundo de los equipos de limpieza profesional el dinamismo y las ganas de innovar de un equipo joven y motivado, siempre fiel a la calidad del "Made in Italy" y a la sostenibilidad medioambiental. Los productos Falpi están diseñados para empresas de limpieza, hospitales, empresas, comunidades, hoteles y están fabricados con materiales reciclables.

KUBI ECOLABEL

The combination of all the aspects underlying the principles and values of Falpi begins with conceiving one's product in "Eco-Design", that is to produce articles that combine high quality, innovation, refinement, basing the design on sustainability and respect for the environment. This virtuous approach is now the basis of the new Falpi project: the Kubi trolley with EU Ecolabel certification.

KUBI ECOLABEL

La combinación de todos los aspectos que sustentan los principios y valores de Falpi comienza con la concepción de sus productos en "Ecodiseño", es decir, la producción de artículos que combinan alta calidad, innovación y sofisticación basando el diseño en la sostenibilidad y el respeto por el medio ambiente. Este enfoque virtuoso es ahora la base del nuevo proyecto de Falpi: el carrito Kubi con certificación Ecolabel UE.

GHIBLI & WIRBEL SPA

ghibliwirbel.com

Ghibli & Wirbel S.p.A., with more than fifty years of experience, is an important Italian manufacturing company of professional cleaning machines. Vacuum cleaners, single discs and scrubber dryers all featured by quality, reliability and innovation.

Ghibli & Wirbel S.p.A., con más de cincuenta años de experiencia, es una importante empresa italiana fabricante de máquinas de limpieza profesional. Aspiradores, máquinas monodisco y fregadoras, todas ellas caracterizadas por la calidad, la fiabilidad y la innovación.

Royal 15, the scrubber dryer with an innovative design

Royal 15 is the compact walk-behind scrubber dryer specifically conceived to clean small and medium areas, such offices, hotels and small gathering spaces. This machine guarantees a productivity up to 1.540 m2/h thanks to its 15-liter capacity and its 385 mm cleaning width. Royal 15 is available in three different models: an electric version with a 15 meters cable and two versions with lithium batteries.

Royal 15, la fregadora con un diseño innovador

Royal 15 es la fregadora compacta con acompañante ideal para la limpieza de superficies pequeñas y medianas como oficinas, hoteles y pequeños espacios de reunión. Esta máquina garantiza un rendimiento de hasta 1.540 m2/h gracias a sus 15 litros de capacidad y sus 385 mm de pista de lavado. Royal 15 está disponible en tres modelos diferentes: una versión eléctrica, con un cable estándar de 15 metros, y dos versiones con baterías de litio.

HYGENIA SRL hygenia.it

Discover Area Control Dispenser

Hygenia is a constantly evolving, reactive company, ready to take care of the hygiene of the environment and the quality of people's lives. It is always guided in its engi- neering activities by the search for quality and design. New divisions have been added over the years to offer products and services increasingly focused on the evolution of customer needs.

Hygenia es una realidad en constante evolución y capacidad de respuesta, dispuesta a cuidar de la higiene de los entornos y de la calidad de vida de las personas, guiada siempre en sus actividades de ingeniería por la búsqueda de la calidad y el diseño. A lo largo de los años se han ido añadiendo nuevas divisiones para ofrecer productos y servicios cada vez más centrados en la evolución de las necesidades de los clientes.

Area Control Dispenser

Area Control Dispenser is the new system developed by Hygenia and placed inside the Surf hands Dispenser that in the bathroom area allows the constant detection of the well-being of the environments. Silent and unobtrusive, it is able to constantly monitor the state of well-being of the bathroom environment through the analysis of several parameters - CO2, humidity, temperature and VOC, which allow to keep under control the quality of the environment and the well-being of the bathroom area.

Area Control Dispenser

Area Control Dispenser es el nuevo sistema desarrollado por Hygenia y posicionado en el interior del Dispensador de manos Surf que en el área del baño permite la monitorización constante del bienestar del ambiente. Silencioso y discreto, es capaz de monitorizar constantemente el estado de bienestar del ambiente del baño, a través del análisis de varios parámetros - CO2, humedad, temperatura y VOC, que permiten mantener bajo control la calidad del ambiente y el bienestar del área del baño.

IGEAX is the ultimate brushware manufacturer, offering high-quality solutions for various industries. Made in Italy with top-notch materials, to achieve cleaning excellence effortlessly.

IGEAX es el fabricante ideal de cepillos, que ofrece soluciones de alta calidad para varias industrias. Fabricados en Italia con excelentes materiales, para alcanzar sin esfuerzo una limpieza óptima.

New range of rigid and flexible scrapers

Igeax introduces its new range of rigid and flexible steel and polypropylene scrapers, available in various sizes. The polypropylene ones are ideal for sensitive surfaces, while stainless steel allows for the removal of even the most stubborn dirt. They are designed with special attention to ergonomics and ease of use, featuring a hole for proper storage.

Nueva gama de rascadores rígidos y flexibles

Igeax presenta su nueva gama de rascadores rígidos y flexibles de acero y polipropileno, disponibles en varias medidas. Las de polipropileno son ideales para superficies sensibles, y las de acero inoxidable permiten eliminar la suciedad más incrustada. Su diseño respeta la ergonomía y la facilidad de uso, y tienen un agujero para almacenarlos.

KEMIKA SPA

kemikagroup.com

Kemika, since1976, produces and sells chemical specialties and equipment for professional cleaning. Is a leader in the Italian contract cleaning market and it’s well known also in other European countries and in the Mediterranean area.

Kemika desarrolla, fabrica y distribuye especialidades químicas y utensilios para la limpieza profesional desde 1976. Está presente en el mercado nacional, donde es considerada líder del sector, en países europeos y del área mediterránea.

SPACE. Environmental Education & Sustainability

The product Space, neutral detergent for floors, enables Kemika to develop a “Culture of cleanliness” and to focus its Mission on the total respect of the environment. Space, besides CAM and Ecolabel Certification, is awarded with the Bio C.E.Q. Certification as well. The organic components used in the formulation derive from renewable sources. The product is made only with raw materials coming from natural sources. No heavy metals and phosphorus derivatives and limited presence of allergens. No animal tests have been performed on raw materials.

SPACE. Sostenibilidad y Educación Ambiental

El producto Space, detergente neutro para suelos, permite a Kemika desarrollar una "Cultura de limpieza" y centrar su misión en el respeto total del medio ambiente. Space, además de estar certificado CAM y Ecolabel, ha obtenido la prestigiosa marca Bio C.E.Q. Los componentes orgánicos de la formulación se obtienen de fuentes renovables. Las materias primas en la formulación son de origen vegetal total. Limitada es la presencia de metales pesados, derivados del fósforo y alérgenos. No se realizaron ensayos con animales de todas las materias primas utilizadas.

MP-HT mp-ht.it

MP-HT designs and produces sweepers – built to last over time – with high technological efficiency, low environmental impact, easy to maintain and resistant thanks to the robust metal frame.

MP-HT diseña y construye barredoras - hechas para durar en el tiempo - de alta eficiencia tecnológica, de bajo impacto ambiental, de fácil mantenimiento y resistentes, gracias al sólido bastidor de metal.

AGILE MAX 108 and MAX 109

AGILE is a ride-on sweeper powered by a three-phase AC electric motor that allows greater autonomy and low energy absorption. The collection system in easily replaceable bags simplifies the machine’s emptying and protects the operator from contact with dust. The water system on the brushes avoids the lifting of dust during work.

AGILE MAX 108 y MAX 109

AGILE es una barredora con motor eléctrico de CA trifásico que permite una mayor autonomía y una absorción de energía baja. El sistema de recolección en bolsas desechables fácilmente reemplazables simplifica enormemente el vaciado de la máquina y protege al operador del contacto con el polvo. El sistema de nebulización de agua en los cepillos evita el levantamiento de polvo durante el trabajo.

ORMA SRL ormatorino.com

ORMA S.r.l. is an Italian company certified ISO 9001:2015 with 40 years of experience in environmental hygiene, we offer professional and state-of-the-art solutions for PCO: effective, functional, and durable.

ORMA S.r.l., una empresa italiana certificada ISO 9001:2015 con 40 años de experiencia en higiene ambiental, ofrece soluciones profesionales y de vanguardia para PCO: eficaces, funcionales y duraderas.

Air Control S® based on Natural Pyrethrum

Air Control S® is the solution to fight flying insects indoor, in HO.RE.CA. environments. Based on Natural Pyrethrum, user-friendly and easy to substitute, put in an automatic dispenser, the 250ml aerosol is able to cover 45 m2 for more than one month, with 3000 sprays. Air Control S® has a double action: repellent and killing, solving completely the problem of flies and mosquitoes indoor.

Air Control S® a base de Piretro Natural

Air Control S® es la solución para combatir los insectos voladores en entornos interiores de HO.RE.CA. A base de Piretro Natural, fácil de usar y de sustituir, el bote de 250ml puesto en un dispensador automático puede cubrir hasta 45 m2 durante más de un mes, con 3000 pulverizaciones. Air Control S® tiene una doble acción: repelente y derribo, solucionando por completo el problema de moscas y mosquitos en interiores.

4 different wringing intensity levels +

Wrings 10 to 20% more than traditional wringers +

Reduces from 50 to 70% the effort required for wringing

PAPERDI SRL paperdi.it

Paperdi manufactures and distributes Tissue Paper for hygienic, sanitary, cleaning and industrial application. The company thanks to the integrated cycle, realizes products with high quality of raw materials and offers a range of products made of pure cellulose and recycled paper: Kitchen and Hand towels rolls, Medical rolls, Toilet paper, Interlfolded handtowels.

Paperdi fabrica y distribuye papel tissue para uso higiénico, sanitario e industrial. La empresa gracias al ciclo integrado realiza productos de alta calidad de materias primas y ofrece una gama de productos hechos de pura celulosa y papel reciclado: rollos de cocina, rollos médicos, papel higiénico, secamanos en V, Z, W.

PAPERNET papernet.com

Papernet is the new Sofidel Group brand for its Awayfrom-Home Tissue market range. Choosing Papernet means choosing a tailored hygiene capable of uniting top environmental performance with top hygienic performance.

Papernet es la nueva marca del Grupo Sofidel para su gama de productos en el mercado profesional del tisú. Elegir Papernet significa elegir productos de higiene capaces de unir el máximo rendimiento medioambiental, con el máximo rendimiento higiénico.

Simplify dispensers: sustainability, innovation and hygiene

The new Simplify dispensers embody Papernets core values. Those of sustainability, innovation and hygiene. In order to make them as environmentally friendly as possible we have carefully selected the raw materials to produce them. They are made from waste from wood processing and postconsumer recycled plastic. The new Simplify Dispensers not only guarantee a reduction in waste, but are also entirely recyclable. The material they are made from does not require any protective treatment. This saves on the use of detergents and contributes to minimising their impact on the environment.

Flexibility of use, attention to the environment

Paperdi has done every effort with enthusiasm to grow strongly and healthy with great respect for the environment and of the stakeholders. With the launch of V fold handtowel Paperdi has summarized these two values. A product 100% sustainable and recyclable from the sheets to the paper packaging (no more in plastic ) to the carton. A product that facilitates the dispenser recharge process and helps the operator to do his work in a faster way, using only one garbage to dispose of the waste.

Flexibilidad de uso, atención al ambiente

Paperdi ha hecho todo su esfuerzo con entusiasmo para crecer fuerte y con gran respeto por el ambiente y todas las partes interesadas. Con el lanzamiento de toalla plegable V Paperdi ha combinado estos dos valores. Un producto 100% sostenible y reciclable desde las toallas, al embalaje de papel (no más en plástico) a la caja. Un producto que facilita el proceso de recarga del dispensador y ayuda al operador a hacer su trabajo de una manera más rápida, utilizando sólo un basurero para deshacerse de los residuos.

Dispensadores Simplify: sostenibilidad, innovación e higiene

Los nuevos Dispensadores Simplify encarnan los valores de sostenibilidad, innovación e higiene, que Papernet siempre ha perseguido. Esta es la razón por la que hemos seleccionado cuidadosamente las materias primas de las que están hechos: residuos del procesamiento de la madera y plástico reciclado post-consumo para potenciar la reutilización de las materias primas y el respeto por el medio ambiente. Los nuevos Dispensadores Simplify no solo garantizan la reducción de residuos, sino que además son totalmente reciclables y el material antigolpes del que están fabricados no requiere ningún tratamiento protector, ahorrando el uso de detergentes nocivos para el medio ambiente.

PARODI&PARODI SRL

parodieparodi.it

Parodi & Parodi is an Italian company in household and cleaning, founded in 1969. The Company is always evolving with new products and ideas, differentiating its proposals in terms of items and services. Their selling is focused especially on Large Retailers but always open to new perspectives.

Parodi & Parodi es una empresa italiana del sector del hogar y la limpieza, fundada en 1969. La Compañía está siempre evolucionando con nuevos productos e ideas, diferenciando sus propuestas en términos de artículos y servicios. Su venta está enfocada especialmente a la Gran Distribución pero siempre abierta a nuevas perspectivas.

Double-action sink plunger

Super Asco: a special plunger with a spring inside, made to improve the efficiency of a normal plunger, doing less effort. It’s easy to use and impossible to break! Every home should have one under the kitchen plunger.

Desatascador de fregadero de doble acción

Super Asco: un desatascador especial con un muelle en su interior, hecho para mejorar la eficacia de un desatascador normal, haciendo menos esfuerzo. Es fácil de usar e imposible de romper. Todos los hogares deberían tener uno debajo del desatascador de la cocina.

RUBINO CHEM SRL

rubinochem.it

Rubino Detergenti was born in 1960 from an idea of Antonio Rubino and evolved with the passion and professionalism of his son Luigi, the current sole director, starting in 2002, when it became Rubino Chem. An important company in the national chemical sector, Rubino Chem has been able to diversify and offer quality products for professional and industrial use.

Rubino Detergenti nació en 1960 de una idea de Antonio Rubino y evolucionó con la pasión y profesionalidad de su hijo Luigi, actual administrador único, a partir de 2002, cuando se convirtió en Rubino Chem. Importante empresa del sector químico nacional, Rubino Chem ha sabido diversificarse y ofrecer productos de calidad para uso profesional e industrial.

Polyfunctional formulation

Olè Ressenza is the new brand identifying the highly concentrated polyfunctional formulation with strong sanitizing action and neutral pH used to cleanse, remove germs and bacteria with mechanical action, dust, perfume and deodorize environments and surfaces. The Olè Ressenza formulation was designed to meet the needs of professional users.

Formulación polifuncional

Olè Ressenza es la nueva marca que identifica la formulación polifuncional altamente concentrada con fuerte acción higienizante y pH neutro utilizada para limpiar, eliminar gérmenes y bacterias con acción mecánica, desempolvar, perfumar y desodorizar ambientes y superficies. La formulación Olè Ressenza ha sido diseñada para satisfacer las necesidades de los usuarios profesionales.

SYNCLEAN SRL

synclean.com

Synclean has been a global leader in multibrand spare parts for industrial cleaning machines for nearly 30 years. Starting today, also offers an H24/48 E-commerce service throughout Europe. You can reach Synclean at info@synclean.com.

Synclean lleva casi 30 años siendo el líder mundial en piezas de repuesto de múltiples marcas para máquinas de limpieza industrial. Desde ahora también ofrece un servicio de comercio electrónico H24/48 en toda Europa.

E-commerce service for professionals

Thousands of references, dozens of different brands, for nearly 30 years Synclean has been your sole provider of spare parts for industrial cleaning machines. Scrubbers, sweepers, vacuum cleaners, and polishers: they have all the spare parts, with tens of thousands ready for delivery. Synclean has now made available an exclusive e-commerce service for professionals with special discounts. Think about it, starting today, with a single provider, a single order, and a single shipment, you can obtain consumables and spare parts for all your cleaning machines.

Servicio de E-commerce para profesionales

Miles de referencias, decenas de marcas diferentes, desde hace casi 30 años Synclean es su único proveedor de piezas de recambio para máquinas de limpieza industrial. Fregadoras, barredoras, aspiradoras y pulidoras: tienen todas las piezas de recambio, con decenas de miles listas para su entrega. Synclean pone ahora a disposición de los profesionales un servicio de comercio electrónico exclusivo con descuentos especiales. Piénselo, a partir de hoy, con un solo proveedor, un solo pedido y un solo envío, podrá obtener consumibles y piezas de recambio para todas sus máquinas de limpieza.

One system for every surface

TTS CLEANING SRL

ttsystem.com

TTS Cleaning is an Italian company specialized in the design and production of manual equipment for professional cleaning. It has over 4,200 articles and exports to more than 80 countries worldwide.

TTS Cleaning es una empresa italiana especializada en el diseño y producción de equipos manuales para la limpieza profesional. Ofrece más de 4.200 artículos y exporta a más de 80 países en todo el mundo.

Glass, surfaces and floors: Lampo system is now complete. The operator can use the same handle equipped with Jack to remove spider webs with web brushes, dust surfaces with dusters, remove encrusted dirt with scrapers, wash glasses with window washer supports, dry them with window squeegees, and clean floors with frames.

Un sistema para todas las superficies

Cristales, superficies y suelos: el sistema Lampo ya está completo. El operario puede utilizar el mismo mango con Jack para quitar telarañas con cepillos, quitar el polvo con plumeros, eliminar la suciedad incrustada con rascadores, limpiar cristales con soportes mojadores, secarlos con limpiacristales y limpiar los suelos con bastidores.

The future of the autonomous cleaning

R-QUARTZ was designed following the Quartz 66-80 model, a highlevel performances and technical features scrubber.

Thanks to a 100l capacity solution tank and the Solution Saving System Dispenser (3SD) as standard equipment, it is possible to precisely adjust the consumptions, granting up to 4 hours of continuous work.

The 24V 330Ah Lithium battery pack, offers up to 6 hours of autonomy and a 5 hour fast charge.

R-QUARTZ has two different learning modes and the possibility to create work sequences combining different routes which were memorized with different modes and with different features between each other.

The dashboard is provided with a 7” touch screen which allows an easy and intuitive communication between the machine and the operator.

The machine is always in touch with the user thanks to the

TELEMATICS system.

The operator can always monitor the sequence on the map, the time left to complete the job and the eventual indications and warnings that the machine signals; it is possible also the receive real-time notices transmitted by the machine directly on the smartphone.

THE COMPLETE HYGIENE SOLUTION

A range of “Made in Lucart” soaps designed for any situation.

The Identity range of unique dispensers, a new collection of certified, dermatologically-tested soaps.

Identity Soap 1000 offers a total solution with sustainable, delicate and fragrant products for optimal hygiene.

100% Made in Lucart.