EC J Cleaning. BUSINESS Cash crisis for small business. TECHNOLOGY UPDATE Sweepers. SPECIAL REPORT Hand hygiene

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1 EC J Cleaning E U R O P E A N J O U R N A L The pan-european magazine for the professional cleaning sector BUSINESS Cash crisis for small business TECHNOLOGY UPDATE Sweepers SPECIAL REPORT Hand hygiene NOVEMBER 2011 incorporating the official journal of the EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF CLEANING INDUSTRIES

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3 ECJ E UROPEAN CL E ANING JOURNAL Contents November 2011 Vol. 19, No.6 Cover story 20 TTS A new range of products. Special reports 22 Dutch responsible conduct code encourages best practice ECJ takes a look at the contents of the code recently introduced in the Netherlands. 25 Washing v sanitising Are hand sanitisers a good substitute for soap and water, or not? 33 Standardising hand hygiene compliance A new technology based on image processing technology helps to improve hand hygiene. 37 Sweeping changes A look at how sweeping technology has advanced in recent years. 53 Which trolley goes where? How do trolley producers adapt their products to fit specific locations? 58 Campaigning for cleaners respect A visit to the trades union representing cleaners in Ireland about a recent campaign. 61 The pressure on sustainability High pressure cleaners use water and energy - so how sustainable can they be? 61 Business 50 In need of cash Hartley Milner examines how the crisis in money supply is impacting on small businesses, and what is being done to help them. 37 Regular features 35 Excellence in service delivery Pedro Chidichimo, president of customer solutions and innovation at Diversey, writes the last of his exclusive series of articles for ECJ. 45 Getting up to speed with search engines Amy Munice of Global B2B Communications starts an exclusive series for ECJ on maximising your company s internet activities, with a look at search engine optimisation. Plus 3 News 12 European reports 49 Business news 64 Product review EUROPEAN CLEANING J O U R N A L Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299 Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP United Kingdom T +44 (0) F +44 (0) info@europeancleaningjournal.com Subscriptions United Kingdom - 60 Continental Europe - 70 International - 80 Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisement Director Chris Godman Advertisement Sales Carole Dawson Circulation Marie Payne Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires, 8 V o Piano, Interno Genova, Italy T F info@mediapointsrl.it Germany Reinhard Knittler Knittler Medien Mittlerer Hubweg 5 D Egenhausen Germany T / F / info@knittler.de ISSN X Criterion Publishing Ltd 2011 European Cleaning Journal is published six times a year by Criterion Publishing Ltd. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in European Cleaning, Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

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5 NEWS Hand hygiene lacking in hospital corridors EMERGENCY PATIENTS receiving treatment on trolleys or chairs in corridors are at greater risk of contamination from the hands of hospital staff, a new study has shown. The study revealed that healthcare professionals are far less likely to wash their hands - an essential element of infection control - when the patient is not actually in a hospital treatment room or ward. The US study, which tracked nearly 6,000 emergency room patients, revealed a generally high level of hand hygiene standards among healthcare professionals. "However, we found that receiving care in a hallway bed was the strongest predictor of your healthcare providers not washing their hands," said lead researcher Dr Arjun Venkatesh. DIARY DATES January 31-February Hygienalia+Pulire Valencia, Spain T afidamp@afidamp.it April China Clean Expo Shanghai, China T sean.song@ubmsinoexpo.com May ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam, Netherlands T info@issainterclean.com May Clean NZ Auckland, New Zealand T melanie@intermedia.com.au September Pulire Eurasia Istanbul, Turkey T info@pulire-eurasia.com October WFBSC congress Curitiba, Brazil T alarge@cleaningassoc.org The study also found a number of professionals opted to wear gloves while treating patients rather than wash their hands. In terms of infection control this is acknowledged to be a poor substitute. The researchers also discovered healthcare staff whose role was to move patients between departments and wards were less likely to wash their hands. "With emergency departments serving as a frequent interface between the public and patients with communicable diseases, we have to build systems that ensure the highest standards of hand washing and infection control to ensure the safest care," said Dr Jeremiah Schuur, director for quality, safety and performance improvement at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. To have your event included in the Diary, contact ECJ on +44 (0) or via at michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com October ISSA/Interclean North America Chicago, USA T info@issainterclean.com March ISSA/Interclean Latin America Mexico City, Mexico T info@issainterclean.com March The Cleaning Show Birmingham, UK T martinscott@quartzltd.com April ISSA/Interclean CEE Warsaw, Poland T info@issainterclean.com September CMS Berlin, Germany T cms@messe-berlin.de SCA to buy GP's European tissue business SCA HAS DELIVERED a binding offer to acquire Georgia-Pacific's European tissue operations in a deal worth 1.32 billion euros. Georgia-Pacific's acceptance of this offer is subject to consultations with works councils where appropriate. Georgia-Pacific s European tissue operations have EBIT margins that are on a similar level as for SCA s tissue business. The annual synergies are estimated at 125 million euros, with full effect in three years after closing. Related costs are estimated at 130 million euros. From year one the transaction is estimated to contribute to an increase of earnings per share and cash flow. Subject to consultation Georgia-Pacific markets its products across Europe under the Lotus brand, with consumer tissue accounting for 60 per cent of total sales, and 30 per cent in the away-from-home sector. The rest of the company's turnover is in personal Keep up to date with this story and other industry news as it happens. Visit www. europeancleaningjournal.com for news, analysis, event information, authoritative research and suppliers' reference guide SCA, le producteur de papiers-tissus suédois, va reprendre la division papiers-tissus de Georgia- Pacific pour 1,32 milliards d'euros. Une nouvelle étude montre que les patients en traitement d'urgence dans les couloirs d'hôpitaux sont davantage exposés à la contamination par les mains du personnel hospitalier. Das in Schweden ansässige Unternehmen SCA erwirbt den Tissue-Betrieb von Georgia-Pacific für 1,32 Milliarden Euro. Eine neue Studie zeigt, dass Notfallpatienten, die im Korridor behandelt werden, einem größeren Risiko der Kontamination durch die Hände von Krankenhauspersonal ausgesetzt sind. care products. Its European tissue operations employ around 5,000 people and there are 15 production sites in seven countries. The transaction will be subject to customary consultation with employee representa- SCA's Jan Johansson tives and will also be subject to approval by relevant competition authorities. The deal is a strategic fit and will strengthen our product offering and geographic reach in Europe. It also leads to substantial synergies, says Jan Johansson, president and ceo of SCA. La SCA, produttrice di prodotti in carta con sede in Svezia, sta per acquisire le attività di prodotti in carta della Georgia-Pacific con un accordo di 1,32 miliardi di euro. Un recente studio mostra che i pazienti che ricevono delle cure di emergenza nei corridoi delle strutture sanitarie sono a rischio più elevato di essere contaminati dalle mani del personale ospedaliero. October 2011 ECJ 3

6 NEWS La société Bio-Productions, un spécialiste des produits de nettoyage biologiques, en partenariat avec le prestataire de services OCS, a remporté le prix environnemental Green Apple pour ses travaux à l'aéroport de Gatwick, au Royaume-Uni. À compter du 1er janvier 2012, le gouvernement hongrois n'aura plus à obtenir l'accord du patronat et des syndicats pour fixer le salaire minimum national. Der in einer Partnerschaft mit dem Dienstleister OCS tätige Spezialist für biologische Reinigungsprodukte Bio- Productions wurde für seine Arbeit auf dem britischen Flughafen Gatwick mit einem Green Apple Environment Award ausgezeichnet. Ab dem 1. Januar 2012 muss die ungarische Regierung nicht mehr länger die Zustimmung von Arbeitgebern und Gewerkschaften bei der Festlegung des staatlichen Mindestlohns einholen. La Bio-Productions, specializzata in prodotti biologici per la pulizia, in collaborazione con la fornitrice di servizi OCS ha vinto il riconoscimento Green Apple Environment Award per il suo lavoro presso l aeroporto di Gatwick nel Regno Unito. Dal 1 gennaio 2012, il governo dell Ungheria non sarà più tenuto a richiedere l assenso dei datori di lavoro e delle organizzazioni sindacali prima di stabilire il minimo salariale nazionale. Bio-Productions wins Green Apple BIOLOGICAL cleaning products specialist Bio-Productions has won a Green Apple Environment Award in partnership with cleaning service provider OCS. The two companies have worked together to reduce the environmental impact of cleaning at Gatwick Airport in the UK. The introduction of Bio- Productions biological cleaning products at the airport has resulted in better washroom air quality. A reduction in chemical use has led to fewer deliveries and less onsite stock movement, with significant savings in truck miles. Energy savings Bio-Productions biological urinal blocks have been introduced in all the washrooms, bringing an annual reduction in water usage of around 100,000 litres per annum as well as energy savings on pumping and moving water to the airport's effluent treatment plant. Adrian Shuker, sustainability director for OCS who provide cleaning services in the airport's public areas, commented: "It has been one of our top priorities to enhance the passenger experience, especially in the washroom, and to add value for the client." Rights removed from Hungarian social partners WITH EFFECT from January the Hungarian government will no longer have to seek agreement from employers and trade unions before setting the national minimum wage. No decision making Then the tripartite interest reconciliation system will be replaced by a new body - the National Economic and Social Council (NGTT). The NGTT will include representatives of employers, workers and chambers of commerce but will have no decision-making rights, only the right to draft proposals to the government. In effect the government alone will from now on decide on wage and employment-related regulations. 4 ECJ November 2011

7 NEWS G4S abandons proposed acquisition of ISS GLOBAL SECURITY group G4S unexpectedly abandoned an agreement to purchase Denmark-based building services giant ISS last month, just days after announcing the deal - set to be worth almost six billion euros. In an official statement Ole Andersen, chairman of the board of ISS said: "In July our owner - FS Invest - was approached by G4S proposing to combine our two companies. There was a strong industrial and commercial rationale in the proposal and therefore we pursued the opportunity. "However it became evident after the announcement of the potential combination that G4S's shareholders would not support the acquisition, due to the size and perceived complexity of the deal against the current macro-economic backdrop. "As a consequence our owner has agreed with G4S that the proposed acquisition should not proceed and we should get back to running our separate businesses and pursuing our respective goals." Running separate businesses G4S chairman Alf Duch- Pedersen endorsed this: "We believe that developing our business towards an enhanced security and integrated facilities services model is the way forward in the longer term and we saw ISS as an excellent opportunity to achieve this aim. "However, following the announcement of the acquisition, shareholders have raised concerns particularly over its scale and perceived complexity against the backdrop of current macro-economic uncertainty," he said. World's largest The move would have created the world's largest integrated security and facilities services group, with one than one million employees in over 130 countries and combined revenues of 18.3 billion euros. Group chief financial office at ISS Jakob Stausholm has decided to leave the company as was his plan under the proposed G4S acquisition. He will be replaced by Henrik Andersen, ceo of ISS UK. Register now for your monthly newsletter from ECJ. Visit www. europeancleaning journal.com L'acquisition proposée d'iss, le prestataire mondial de services de bâtiment, par le géant de la sécurité G4S, a été abandonnée de manière inattendue parce que les actionnaires de G4S n'étaient pas en faveur de cette reprise. Die geplante Akquisition des globalen Gebäudetechnikunternehmens ISS durch das Sicherheitsunternehmen G4S wurde unerwarteterweise aufgegeben, da G4S- Aktionäre den Deal nicht unterstützten. L acquisizione proposta della impresa mondiale di servizi ISS da parte dell impresa di sicurezza G4S è stata inaspettatamente abbandonata perchè gli azionisti della G4S non hanno sostenuto l accordo. November 2011 ECJ 5

8 NEWS Haaga acquired THE PARENT company of Electrostar, which manufactures Starmix vacuum cleaners and warm air hand dryers, has taken over sweeper producer Haaga. Both companies are based in Germany. Haaga now becomes part of the Algo Company Group, which comprises nine companies based in Germany, Austria, Malta and Russia. It employs 390 staff and reported a revenue of 46 million euros in Roman Gorovoy, managing director of Electrostar, feels both companies can benefit from synergy effects in their manufacturing processes. He added: "We are expecting other noticeable synergy effects in the area of international sales and marketing." Sealed Air, qui a repris Diversey cette année, a annoncé les mesures d'intégration qui seront prises. De nouvelles divisions commerciales seront établies en 2012 et le directeur général de Diversey, Ed Lonergan, quittera son poste. La société mère d'electrostar, le fabricant des aspirateurs et sèche-mains Starmix, a été reprise par Haaga, le fabricant de balayeuses. Les rideaux d'intimité entre lits d'hôpital sont souvent contaminés par des bactéries, y compris le SARM, indique une nouvelle étude. Sealed Air hat vor einigen Monaten Diversey übernommen und hat jetzt die Pläne zur geschäftlichen Integration angekündigt werden neue Geschäftsbereiche eingerichtet, und Diversey-Hauptgeschäftsführer Ed Lonergan verlässt das Unternehmen. Die Dachgesellschaft von Electrostar, dem Hersteller von Starmix Staubsaugern und Warmluft-Händetrocknern, hat Haaga, den Produzenten von Kehrmaschinen, übernommen. Gemäß einer Studie sind die Vorhänge zum Schutz der Privatsphäre zwischen Krankenhausbetten und zwischen Behandlungsbereichen häufig mit Bakterien, einschließlich MRSA, kontaminiert. La Sealed Air, che ha acquisito la Diversey qualche mese fa, ha annunciato che le attività verranno ora integrate. Nuove unità d affari verranno create nel 2012 e il Ceo Ed Lonergan si dimetterà. La società madre di Electrostar, che produce gli aspirapolveri e gli ascugamani ad aria calda Starmix, ha rilevato la produttrice di spazzatrici Haaga. Uno studio rivela che le tende per proteggere la privacy dei pazienti fra un letto d ospedale e l altro e nelle aree di trattamento, sono frequentemente contaminate da batteri incluso quello della MRSA. Chidichimo to lead new Sealed Air business unit after Diversey integration SEALED AIR Corporation in the USA has announced the next step in the integration of the Diversey business, which it took over in June in a deal worth US$ 4.3 billion. This includes the establishment of new business units in "As part of our integration process, we plan to organise Sealed Air into three business units focused on food safety and security, facility hygiene and product protection," explained William Hickey, president and chief executive officer of Sealed Air. "This market-oriented organisation will help maximise the opportunities and value creation we expect to generate from the Diversey acquisition." The Food and Beverage unit will combine Sealed Air's Food Packaging and Food Solutions businesses with Diversey's Food and Beverage applications. It's anticipated this sector will represent around 45 per Hospital privacy curtains laiden with germs, says new study THE PRIVACY curtains between hospital beds and clinic treatment areas are frequently contaminated with bacteria including MRSA, according to a study. And healthcare providers are being urged to wash their hands after touching them to avoid contaminating their patients. The study was carried out at the University of Iowa Hospitals in the US where regular swab cultures were taken from 43 privacy curtains over a threeweek period. Of the 13 privacy curtains tested, 12 showed contamination within a week and virtually all cent of Sealed Air revenue and it will be headed up by Karl Deily, who currently leads Sealed Air's global food packaging business. Institutional and laundry The majority of the Diversey business will be incorporated in the new Institutional & Laundry business unit - building care, laundry and infection control. Expected to account for 30 per cent of Sealed Air revenue, this unit will be led by Pedro Chidichimo, who currently heads up Diversey global privacy curtains tested - 41 out of 43 - were contaminated on at least one occasion. MRSA was isolated from one in five curtains and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci from four in 10. "There is growing recognition that the hospital environment plays an important role in the transmission of infections in the customer solutions and innovation and is a regular contributor to ECJ. Expected to make up 20 per cent of Sealed Air's turnover is the new Protective Packaging unit - combining Sealed Air's protective packaging, shrink packaging and specialty materials businesses. Heading it up will by Ryan Flanagan, who has a 20-year background with Sealed Air. A Developing Markets Group will also be formed with direct responsibility for markets in Africa, Asia, India, the Middle East and Turkey. Yagmur Sagnak of Diversey will lead that part of the business. Diversey chief executive Ed Lonergan has decided to leave the company but will maintain a consulting role for the next six months while the integration is taking place. Read Pedro Chidichimo's latest article for ECJ on page healthcare setting," said Michael Ohl from the University of Iowa. "It's clear that these privacy curtains are potentially important sites of contamination because they are frequently touched by patients and providers." Healthcare workers often touch the privacy curtains after washing their hands and then proceed to touch the patient. Ohi claims that strategies such as frequently disinfecting the curtains or using microbial resistant fabrics could work. "However, the most intuitive, common sense strategy is for healthcare workers to wash their hands after pulling the curtain and before seeing the patient." 6 ECJ November 2011

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11 NEWS EFCI president encourages optimism THE PRESIDENT of the European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI) urged contract cleaning business leaders to be optimistic about the sector's future when he spoke at its general assembly in Amsterdam recently. Hans Simons insisted that the contract cleaning market "is not in bad shape", achieving a turnover of 60 billion euros in the countries that make up the EFCI's membership. "There are now 160,000 cleaning companies, and almost four million people are employed in this industry," he continued. "And annual growth in the sector stands at around 10 per cent, compared to many other industries where it is just one or two per cent." These figures, Simons believes, make the cleaning industry one of the most important sectors in the European Union. "We do not need to be too modest, or feel left out of negotiations on employment at European level," he said. "We must take an active part in government debates at both national and European level." Economic uncertainty In his address to delegates Simons acknowledged that the current over-riding sentiment about the European economy is uncertainty, however he is convinced the cleaning sector has the key strengths that will enable it to adapt and adjust its service offering in order to survive economic difficulties and thrive in the future. "We must look to broaden our service portfolio, optimise opportunities in those sectors where services are not yet usually contracted out, and build more professional relationships with our clients." He concluded: "Our industry has many strong points that give it good standing to withstand the current economic difficulties." The general assembly was followed by a seminar dedicated to looking at cleaning companies strategies for surviving the economic crisis of 2008, and how they have managed the recovery since Speakers from cleaning companies and employers associations in the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden and Spain explained how the economic crisis has forced the industry to adapt and focus more on the needs of its clients. Clients generally began to demand even more ways to save money on their cleaning contract even to the extent of taking away services. Painful though this has been for contractors, they have found it essential to develop new ways Hans Simons of delivering services. As Ulf Wretskog of Coor Service Management in Sweden said: It s essential for a contractor to help its clients to survive. And having done that we feel our clients now want to have more long term relationships with us that s been a positive outcome. There is a downside, however. We are now stuck with this way of working permanently. Our clients are always driving for efficiencies. Developed business For Reiwag in Austria, the economic situation was an opportunity, explained managing director Viktor Wagner. We developed our business because of the crisis. Diversification beyond our borders was key to our success, particularly in the Czech Republic. The company also became involved in the catering sector, where it has enjoyed significant growth. Minna Gauffin, a director at ISS Finland, told how many of its contracts had been recalculated because clients wanted a reduction in price so they bought less cleaning and cleaned less frequently. Price competition hardened, contract prices fell permanently and profitability declined, she explained. Customer-oriented So ISS has made its organisation more customer-oriented, and reduced costs through synergies and integration. As Benno Locker of the Parity Commission Cleaning Industry in Switzerland explained, the Swiss economy Hans Simons, président de la Fédération européenne du nettoyage industriel, a encouragé les dirigeants du secteur à faire preuve d'optimisme face à l'avenir de leur métier dans son allocution devant l'assemblée générale de la Fédération à Amsterdam. Il ressort de l'enquête Baromètre Toilettes Tork, menée par SCA pour connaître les tendances en matière de toilettes publiques, que les Européens se méfient des normes d'hygiène appliquées par les personnels des restaurants et chaînes de fast-food. Im Rahmen seiner Rede auf der Hauptversammlung in Amsterdam hielt Hans Simons, Vorsitzender der European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI), die Leiter von Vertragsreinigungsfirmen zu einer optimistischen Einstellung gegenüber der Zukunft der Branche an. Die Ergebnisse der Trendumfrage Tork Toilet Barometer von SCA weisen darauf hin, dass Europäer den Hygienestandards von Mitarbeitern in Restaurants und Fastfoodketten skeptisch gegenüberstehen. was not so dramatically affected by the 2008 economic crisis as much as other European economies. However there was a drop in 2009 and the cleaning industry there has seen continuing price pressure. We must stop the downward spiral in prices, said Locker. As part of this initiative we have started a campaign called Fair Clean, whereby we aim to supply more information to clients about increases in the minimum wage and also possible rises in prices. Diners suspect bad hygiene DINERS ACROSS Europe are not convinced about the hygiene standards of staff in restaurants and fast-food chains, a new survey has revealed. Many fear chefs regularly fail to wash their hands before handling food, while others suspect staff will still serve up food after it has been dropped on to the floor. These were among the results of the Tork Toilet Barometer, an annual survey of washroom trends commissioned by Tork manufacturer SCA to coincide with World Toilet Day. A total of 4,000 people took part from Germany, the UK, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. In Poland, 85 per cent of people have opened the door to a restaurant and decided not to go in because it didn't seem clean. This was followed by Sweden at 79 per cent; Germany at 73 per cent; France at 66 per cent; the UK at 65 per cent; Finland at 61 per cent; Belgium at 58 per cent; and the Netherlands at 53 per cent. When asked which hygiene aspect is most important when visiting a restaurant, an average of 59 per cent of survey participants said the premises should look clean and tidy. This was followed by the toilets being cleaned, with an average of just over 30 per cent; and being able to see into the kitchens at an average of 10.5 per cent. A majority of respondents suspect that if the toilet is dirty, the kitchen will be dirty too - on average just under 85 per cent. An average of just under 81 per cent believe that kitchen staff and chefs wash their hands before cooking, and the majority also think they wash their hands after using the toilet. They are not so confident, however, about staff not using food that has fallen on the floor. Hans Simons, presidente della federazione European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI), nel suo discorso all assemblea generale del settore tenutasi ad Amsterdam, ha incoraggiato i leader del settore del cleaning professionale ad essere ottimisti sul futuro del settore. I risultati del sondaggio sui trend delle sale da toilette Tork Toilet Barometer organizzato dalla SCA, suggeriscono che gli europei non hanno fiducia negli standard di igiene del personale dei ristoranti e delle catene di fast-food. November 2011 ECJ 9

12 NEWS The next edition of ECJ is February/ March Register now for your copy by visiting our website at europeancleaningjournal. com. Keep up-to-date with latest industry news there every day Les organisateurs d ISSA/ INTERCLEAN, qui se tiendra au mois de mai prochain à Amsterdam, ont lancé leur appel d inscriptions pour le Prix de l Innovation Die Organisatoren der ISSA/ INTERCLEAN, die im kommenden Mai in Amsterdam stattfinden wird, haben jetzt zu Nominierungen für den Innovation Award 2012 aufgefordert. Gli organizzatori di ISSA/ INTERCLEAN, che si terrà ad Amsterdam il prossimo maggio, stanno invitando le adesioni per il premio 2012 Innovation Award. Enter now for 2012 award at ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam EXHIBITORS AT ISSA/ INTERCLEAN Amsterdam 2012, which takes place from May 8-11, are now being invited to submit their entries for the Innovation Awards. Presented on the first day of the show, these prizes have become the most coveted and prestigious in the cleaning sector. An independent international jury evaluates all entries on the same criteria - originality, impact, practicality, sustainability and profitability. Michelle Marshall, editor of ECJ, is chairman of the jury. There are three categories in which exhibitors can enter their new products: Category 1 - machines, accessories and components. Category 2 - equipment/tools for cleaning, care and safety; chemicals, care and disinfection materials/products; sanitary appliances, accessories and supplies; integrated cleaning systems. Independent jury Category 3 - cleaning services; management, planning, research and consultancy; education, training, certification; related products and services. From all products entered the jury selects three finalists per category. One winner is then selected for each category, and finally there is one overall winner. New for this year is the visi- The category winners from the 2010 Innovations Awards tors' vote, whereby pre-registered visitors can vote for one of the innovations entered into the competition. The winner of that vote will receive a special prize during the award ceremony. Baudoin Wash Systems was the overall winner of the 2010 Innovation Award for its travelator cleaner. The company's Bart de Bonth commented: "Winning the Innovation Award was a fabulous token of appreciation. The accompanying publicity attracted a lot of additional interest and we definitely generated more sales leads." Entry opens from December 1 and is only available to exhibitors at ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam. Closing date is January For detailed information visit the website from December 1:

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14 UPDATE: GERMANY Time to read? German correspondent Thomas Schulte-Marxloh explores the links between the cleaning sector, the media and literature. At the beginning of November Germany celebrated the Tag der Putzfrau or, even more ambitiously, the Internationaler Tag der Putzfrau (international cleaning woman day) or Weltputzfrauentag (global cleaning woman day). The Day of the Cleaning Woman was launched in 2004 by crime story author Gesine Schulz and supported by political parties and the media. Karo Rutkowski - cleaning woman and private investigator at the same time the fictional character of Schulz stories inspired the author to remind the public of the important work the (usually unknown) cleaning woman (and man, of course) provides to all of us. However, smart clean 'n' crime hero Karo is not the only choice in terms of literature related to the contract cleaning business. A well-known online book shop shows hundreds of entries when looking for putzen (cleaning) and 71 entries for Gebäudereinigung (professional/contract cleaning), so we cannot complain about a lack of literature. Considering Christmas is not far away, we should start browsing through the huge range of books in time. Open minded amateur cleaners will find a number of guidebooks, some of them revealing astonishing truths to the breathless public: Men can clean. Books like Wellness through cleaning create a link between cleaning and workout. Other authors focus on a number of interesting aspects of cleaning, like everyday hygiene, meditation, feng shui, compulsive hoarding, or simply give advice to students how to keep their halls of residence tidy. How-ever, there is also hope for less talented people 'Cleaning for Dummies'. Books for professionals and experts might not be as entertaining as a crime story or amateur guidebook but can help to prevent the sudden death of a customer relationship, employment or company and can help to kill competition. Unfortunately, some of these books for professionals are not up-to-date and seem to have more of a historical value. Others seem to fit perfectly for the start-up or companies lacking professional structure or knowledge. Apart from basic knowledge, countless books provide real expert knowledge regarding laws and govern-mental regulations, hygiene, chemistry, detergents, materials, machinery, accounting, marketing, customer relations etc. Talking about customer relations, the BIV (German contract cleaning association) provides a helpful booklet to its members as well. The booklet is a collection of professional information for the potential customer which enables him to compare the various offers of contract cleaning companies; the booklet serves as a guideline to define the customer s requirements as precisely as possible. This is helpful for the contract cleaning company and the customer as well and, moreover, excellent advertising material at the same time. Internet, Twitter, Facebook, Google and other modern electronic, virtual media seem to dominate and to replace classic media fast. They are said to be the new sources of entertainment and information. But sometimes it is simply more convenient to have a printed reference guide or journal at hand, and we are happy that books and papers have not disappeared completely. So hopefully we will not see a clash of media but a peaceful, complementary coexistence instead. Thomas Schulte-Marxloh, notre correspondant en Allemagne, fait un recensement des mentions littéraires de la propreté et examine les ouvrages qui sont proposés aux professionnels du secteur. Der deutsche ECJ-Reporter Thomas Schulte-Marxloh ermittelt, wie häufig Reinigungsarbeiten in der Literatur erwähnt werden, und bespricht das Angebot an Büchern, das den Mitarbeitern der Reinigungsbranche zur Verfügung steht. Il corrispondente tedesco di ECJ Thomas Schulte-Marxloh esamina la frequenza con cui il settore del cleaning viene citato nella letteratura e inoltre passa in rassegna la gamma di libri disponbili per i professiosti del settore. 12 ECJ November 2011

15 UPDATE: FRANCE Industry's hard times ECJ reporter in France, Christian Bouzols, looks at how the economic crisis is affecting the sector. The 19,000 cleaning company chiefs in France are struggling not to shed too many jobs. During the past seven years, they have created 100,000 new jobs, none of them can't be outsourced abroad and nearly 80 per cent of them under open-ended contracts. This growth has been maintained since But now the economic situation and its impact on cleaning company turnovers has begun to affect the industry's recruitment prospects. During each of the 2006/7 and 2007/8 fiscal years, cleaning companies saw their turnovers increase by 10 per cent, but this figure dropped to 0.9 per cent in 2009/10. The drop in the number of cleaning companies was even more worrying as two per cent of them closed down in 2009 while during the previous two years, there had been a 16 per cent increase in the number of cleaning businesses. The workforce still remains high since the sector is one of manual labour, but even on that score, the past year saw a fall of 1.1 per cent, compared with the regular annual rises of over 3 per cent recorded since To ensure its growth during those difficult times, the cleaning sector has resorted to various measures such as more training, partnerships, improvements in working conditions, better pay, new emphasis on sustainable development, and various recruitment and career development initiatives. The cleaning sector has also depended on several job protection measures by the government. Some of these are now under threat and this could have a bad impact on jobs, and thus on the more vulnerable people in the industry. One such measure was the relief on employer social security contributions. This relief was instituted during the 90s to protect jobs and it helped the cleaning sector to keep several thousand jobs going. It is estimated that about 15 per cent of the total payroll could be compromised were this measure to disappear. At this time, the minimum wage in the cleaning sector is 2.5 per cent higher than the official minimum wage. The cleaning industry operates on small profit margins and the crisis has intensified competition on prices. The worst hit are those companies that haven't diversified. Those that have managed to trim down or develop activities of higher added value seem to be better equipped to face the crisis. But this penalises many workers whose wages have been frozen and whose bonuses have been cancelled, or who have had their overtime reduced. All this involves knock-on effects on the standards of living of people who are already vulnerable. One consequence of this is an increase in the black economy, where cleaners often work informally to make ends meet. Financial constraints have made life more difficult for companies generally, and particularly for those clients who have sought to streamline their expenditure. This has led to a restructuring of cleaning services which has often resulted in a reduction. Another consideration is the national failure rate of companies. Over 7.5 per cent of all existing companies in France folded during the years from 2007 to 2009 and the rate of new business creation has been falling, with the exception of sole traders. The fall in business numbers translates into a fall in numbers of potential customers for cleaning contractors. Dans son reportage de la France, Christian Bouzols évoque les conséquences d'une conjoncture économique difficile pour le secteur de la propreté, marqué par le gel de salaires et une concurrence intense sur les prix. Christian Bouzols berichtet aus Frankreich, welche Auswirkungen die schwierige Wirtschaftslage auf die Reinigungsbranche hat dazu gehören auch Lohnstopps und heftiger Preiswettbewerb. Dalla Francia, il corrispondente Christian Bouzols ci informa sulle conseguenze che ha la difficile situazione economica sul settore del cleaning e che includono il blocco dei salari e la forte concorrenza dei prezzi.

16 UPDATE: SCANDINAVIA Final thoughts ECJ's Scandinavian reporter Tom Crockford writes his final column. This is my final column as this magazine s Scandinavian Correspondent. After over 12 years of commenting on the professional cleaning scene in this part of Europe, I have decided to retire. I do hope a replacement can be found soon. Scandinavia has long been a pioneer of new methods and innovative cleaning products, and it is important there is someone to regularly report on the region s activities for this fine publication. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in assuming this role, please contact Michelle Marshall (michelle@ europeancleaningjournal.com). In my first article for the June/July 1998 issue of ECJ, I commented on the rapid expansion of daytime commercial cleaning in Sweden. The concept was motivated by cost factors and made possible by advances in the cleaning machinery, most notably in the rather significant reduction in noise levels. Today, daytime cleaning is an accepted and well established fact. Another part of that first article was devoted to the trend for contracting companies to expand into other service areas than just cleaning. This too has become an established part of the business strategy of the larger contractors, and it is now quite typical for them to be offering security, catering, estate management and many other services. So what can we expect to happen during the next 12-plus years? Well, my crystal ball cannot be relied on to give any sure-fire answers but I would guess that not too much will change. The economic situation throughout Europe is likely to remain difficult over the next few years and this will, of course, have some effect. Corporate contracts for office cleaning may be tightened meaning smaller margins as competition for fewer contracts increases. On the other hand, I envisage the public sector cleaning to do less in-house cleaning and increasingly outsource this work. Which reminds me of an interesting scene I witnessed recently in Riga, Latvia. Visiting a school there, I noticed at the end of the school day a number of the more senior students carrying mops, brooms and other assorted cleaning accessories. When I enquired what was going on, I was told that students, who were being disciplined for being late or for whatever reason, now had to stay after school and clean the building. It struck me as a truly innovative idea school cleaning costs were obviously reduced, and it was a highly productive means of disciplining the youngsters. Far more so than having them write I must not be late for school 100 times, or whatever the alternative punishment might be. Maybe the idea will catch on! Before I close this column for the last time, I would like to express my gratitude to all those people within the Scandinavian professional cleaning community that have been so helpful to me in this work. There are really too many to name, but I must mention Bengt Jödahl who has been very active in SSEF, the Swedish Association of Cleaning Contractors and who was always ready to pass on advice and information. Also, my good friends at Nilfisk- Advance in Denmark, who kept me up-to-date with the latest trends in equipment development. Finally to Michelle and her editorial staff, a big thank you; it has been very easy and a real pleasure to work with you. Good luck to you all. Tom Crockford, notre correspondant en Scandinavie, consacre sa dernière colonne pour ECJ par un coup d'oeil sur l'évolution du secteur de la propriété de la région au cours des 12 dernières années. Unser Skandinavien- Korrespondent Tom Crockford schreibt seine letzte Kolumne für das ECJ und bietet darin einen Rückblick über die wichtigsten Entwicklungen, die in der Reinigungsbranche der Region in den letzten 12 Jahren stattfanden. Il corrispondente scandinavo Tom Crockford scrive il suo ultimo articolo per ECJ ricordando gli sviluppi più importanti del settore del cleaning nella regione avvenuti negli ultimi 12 anni. 14 ECJ November 2011

17 UPDATE: NETHERLANDS Trained to clean Recently started secondary schools in cleaning are slowly becoming successful, explains Dutch reporter Anton Duisterwinkel. Children often have a clear idea of what they want to do for a living: fire fighter, school teacher or vet, for instance. For teenagers, life is much less clear-cut and they often have a hard time selecting one of the many trades for which they can be trained at secondary school. In The Netherlands, these traditionally included trades such as painter, car mechanic, hairdresser and nurse, but not floor maintenance or window cleaner. Until a few years ago, there were no schools offering courses on cleaning, in particular not at the lowest educational levels. At high school, facility management is given, but this does not prepare the pupil for a handson job in cleaning. A few years ago, this situation changed. Savantis, a knowledge centre that is responsible for setting up courses in 18 trades, such as painter, carpenter and graphic designer, was asked by the ministry of education to do this also for cleaning and window cleaning. Limited funding being available, it was decided to start at just six secondary schools. Students can follow two routes to becoming a trained cleaner. In the first route, they work four days a week at a cleaning company and go to school on the fifth day. Students are paid for their work and are coached on the job by the cleaning company that hires them. This is already a successful route, as it allows students to start their education without previous training and pays them a small salary. For cleaning companies, it is an efficient way of finding new, motivated staff. The second route is a formal and full time education at secondary school. Although this also includes apprenticeships at large cleaning companies, in total one-third of the education, it is less popular with students and even with secondary schools. But with help of Savantis and cleaning companies, several schools have recently yielded dozens of trained cleaners. Four training levels In both cases, four levels of training exist. Level 1 is called cleaning assistant, and is a general training where topics like work attitude get a lot of attention. Level 2 brings the students to the level of educated cleaner, specialising in either general cleaning/floor maintenance; window and façade cleaning; cleaning after disasters or cleaning in the food industry. Level 3 goes deeper into the theory of these specialisms and prepares for managing small groups of cleaning staff and level 4 trains student to become object manager, who is responsible for the staff cleaning a large building (or object ). Students that finish this level should be able to proceed at high school towards facility management, but no experience exists on that level. The first few dozen students have now finished level 2 and most of them have found a job and that is what it is all about. Given that the sector employs about 200,000 staff of which 20 per cent leave the trade each year, these well educated youngsters receive a warm welcome. Looking for more info on important topics? Search back issues of ECJ online at journal.com Aux Pays-Bas, différents établissements scolaires du secondaire ont inauguré des cours de propreté. Notre correspondant Anton Duisterwinkel rapporte qu'ils sont très fréquentés. In den Niederlanden führen einige weiterführende Schulen erfolgreich Kurse zum Thema Reinigung durch, berichtet unser Korrespondent Anton Duisterwinkel. Nei Paesi Bassi, un certo numero di scuole superiori stanno organizzando dei corsi di cleaning di grande successo, come riferisce il corrispondente Anton Duisterwinkel.

18 UPDATE: ITALY Successful services meet Anna Garbagna rend compte d'un séminaire qui s'est tenu le mois dernier en Italie sous les auspirces de l'association de la propreté FISE pour discuter d'une nouvelle législation sur la passation de marchés publics. Anna Garbagna berichtet aus Italien über ein Seminar, dass letzten Monat vom Vertragsreinigungsverband FISE zur neuen Gesetzgebung bei der Vergabe von öffentlichen Aufträgen veranstaltet wurde. Anna Garbagna dall Italia ci informa su un seminario che si è tenuto il mese scorso organizzato dall associazione del cleaning FISE sulla nuova legislazione in materia di appalti pubblici. tion. Following that was a presentation on second level negotiation and the mutual notification - presented to the Ministry of Employment by Gianfranco Piseri, in charge of the delegation Legacoop Servizi. Lorenza Ponzone, manager of Public Contracts Surveillance Authority, tackled the subject of reforms in public contracts encompassing public bid announcements, labour costs and an economically more profitable situation for the sector. Then Gianni De Togni of SNS explained the technical specification for contracts in environmental sanification services in the health sector. The seminar was also an opportunity to introduce the next Forum Pulire, planned for March in Milan. Toni D Andrea, director general of Afidamp Servizi gave a preview. The moderator of the whole meeting was Giuseppe Gherardelli, general secretary of ANIP. The Rome event was fully booked: over 70 people took Don't miss this edition's special report on hand hygiene - starts page 25 Italian correspondent Anna Garbagna reports from a cleaning services meeting in Rome recently. Last month FISE s (the contract cleaning association) office in Rome hosted the seminar 'Cleaning and integrated services the sector s prospects in light of the new work contract CCNL and the new public contracts regulation'. The seminar, initiated by SNS, the National School of Services of which FISE and Legacoop Servizi are members and developed in cooperation with ANIP (National Association of Cleaning Industries and Integrated Services), was organised to discuss the new National Collective Work Contract and the prospects for the sector, starting from an analysis of the contract papers and the mutual notification presented to the Ministry of Employment. The seminar also discussed the situation regarding recent legislative reforms on the matter of contracts and initiatives which are underway related to the quality and scientific development of the sector. The programme started with a report from Donatello Miccoli, who is responsible for industrial relations at ANIP, on the national collective work agreement of May this year, and the new procedures for negotiapart in the seminar on the new national work agreement for the cleaning sector and multiservices sector. The seminar was also the opportunity to launch the next National School of Services course on this topic which will take place in Bologna next October. During this event there will be the opportunity to analyse the economic news and the new norms introduced by the renewal of the contract - to go into more depth the aspects of the second contractual level and the bonuses for productivity by analysing different experiences and the behaviour of the social partners; to define contractual models of second level which meet real productivity objectives; and to analyse tax and contribution laws as incentives for productivity. 16 ECJ November 2011

19 UPDATE: POLAND Safeguarding the sector Poland reporter Marek Kowalski asks how the cleaning sector can survive the economic crisis. The whole of Europe is struggling with a crisis. Politicians meet at another summit wondering how to rescue the European economy and the common currency. Bankruptcy is looming over a number of European economies. How about the cleaning industry? Although it is the rule that crisis triggers the growth of interest in outsourcing services, it is also true that margins reduce rapidly. So with increased turnover, profits go down. The biggest problem for the cleaning services market in Poland is public tender law where the only criterion taken into account is price. If we add to that the real drop in contract value we have got a full insight in the current state of the business. Underpaid, dissatisfied employees, working at 50 per cent of their potential. Entrepreneurs fighting for tenders and winning them at the brink of profitability hoping for the better days which are not bound to happen anytime soon. What is waiting ahead? I am afraid current service price levels will stay with us for the years to come whether the EU recovers or not. The Polish Cleaning Industry Chamber has adopted a four-year preventive programme which aims at safe crisis recovery. It is based on the following assumptions: Educational activities aimed at the service recipients the goal is to persuade cleaning services clients that more expensive in terms of facility management means, in fact, cheaper. The programme carried out together with Train Station Department of Polish Marek Kowalski, correspondant d'ecj en Pologne, contemple l'impact de la crise économique à travers l'eurozone et s'interroge sur les moyens dont le secteur de la propreté dispose pour se protéger. Marek Kowalski, ECJ- Korrespondent in Polen, untersucht die Auswirkungen der Wirtschaftskrise in der Eurozone und fragt, wie sich die Reinigungsindustrie schützen kann. Railways made us convinced that it is possible. Powerful lobbying for the amendments in the public tender laws. Supporting our own candidates for the elections to the national and the EU parliament. We aim to elicit a group of candidates from the cleaning industry in order to run in the elections in 2014 to the EU parliament and in 2015 to the national assembly. I know the programme is very ambitious but the experience gained from lobbying and cooperating with the government gives us a real chance of success. A quantitative study has shown we could win three to five representatives in both the EU and the national parliaments. Assuming they start working in the right committees, they can be a real power influencing the most important laws relevant to our industry such as taxes, services, labour laws, public tenders, jobs for the disabled, EU funds. Many readers may think the ideas here are too far fetched or impossible to achieve for business associations. It is hard for me to express the voice of the EU community but as our Polish experience shows, the risk is worth taking. Our industry is so optimistic about success that most of the companies in the Polish Cleaning Industry Chamber have invested in it. If all of the ideas mentioned here are successful, it may become the recipe not only for surviving the crisis, which is bound to hit us all anyway, but also a way of strengthening the industry. Marek Kowalski, il corrispondente polacco di ECJ, prende in esame l impatto della crisi economica su tutta la eurozona e pone l interrogativo su come il settore del cleaning possa proteggersi. November 2011 ECJ 17

20 UPDATE: UK Well placed to win ECJ's UK correspondent asks how the industry can weather the recession. Looks like the recession is really here. Reality in the form of lost jobs and falling incomes. The cleaning industry is better placed than most to weather the storm. We are labour intensive on the contract side so maintaining workforce levels should not be a problem provided the service given is beyond what the client might expect or hope for. Hard price bargaining will be the norm. Greater efficiency does reduce staff numbers but this is an incentive to ensure that those who drive the business forward are properly trained and that the client understands the importance of having professionals doing the cleaning. Low-price quotations do not in the long run benefit either the company offering the quote or the one receiving the service. No-one should doubt there is much to be done to take us back to a situation where people did 'a good day s work for a good days pay'. Some companies are achieving this but they are the exception not the rule and it is not the worker who is responsible for this but the management. It is their task to build companies which have the highest standards and a real pride in the results achieved at every level in the company. Happily, here too there are some good examples to be found. Moving into winter we are accompanied by sirens from the media and political commentators offering views of a failing country for which they are partly responsible and a vision of apocalypse to come. The other game which is not a media exercise and should concern us all is the Shame Game. There are many people who should be ashamed of their behaviour in a time when all should be pulling together and in which the cleaning industry, unsung and unheralded, is a shining example with one or two exceptions. Let us give you some examples: the Royal College of Nursing concentrating on salaries and status and pressing for nursing education which produces so-called nurses who are 'too posh to wash'. Trades union leaders cloaked in their handsome salaries and pensions spread alarm, threaten pointless strike action, cost millions in wasted time and have never produced a single positive idea to help the economy. Meanwhile day in and day out at 5am the cleaning begins. A pity that many of the workers are not British and some may well be illegal. To the 'shamed' list we can add those contractors who use illegal foreign workers. The Cleaning and Support Services Association (CSSA) might well examine how many immigrants are employed and the reasons they are engaged. We suspect the answer might cause British workers to join the 'shamed' list. We can win but it requires many more to adopt a 'can do' attitude than at present. Etudiant la situation britannique, le correspondant ECJ analyse les moyens dont le secteur de la propriété dispose pour affronter la récession qui affecte tous les secteurs de l'économie. Der britische ECJ-Korrespondent analysiert die Lage der Reinigungsindustrie und in welcher Position sie sich befindet, um den Sturm der Rezession, der solch enorme Auswirkungen auf alle Branchen hat, zu überstehen. Dal Regno Unito il corrispondente di ECJ analizza in che posizione si trova il settore del cleaning nel superare la crisi della recessione che sta avendo un così forte impatto su tutti i settori. 18 ECJ November 2011

21 UPDATE: RUSSIA Optimistic for the future Oleg Popov from Cristanval cleaning company in Russia is confident about the sector's growth prospects. Prior to the stalled financial situation of 2009, the cleaning industry in Russia enjoyed strong growth of per cent per annum. For the most part, growth was due to services at newly constructed facilities which had been commissioned: shopping centres, business establishments, medical facilities and airports. During the crisis Russian cleaning enterprises not only managed to survive, but successfully expanded sales growth, mainly on account of services provided at facilities where long term contracts had been secured. A good example would be Cristanval itself, which had a growth in gross revenue of 30 per cent during 2009 compared to the previous year of a relatively 'non-crisis' environment. The Department of Economical Development of the Russian Federation developmental predictions can be explained as follows: since attempts to restore a business in crisis will most likely exhaust resources for growth potential, such a revival of a failing business boils down to the clever use of investment structuring. Hence, beginning in 2011, investments into projects related to infrastructure spiked noticeably. Currently, in preparation for the Olympics, many magnificent Olympic venues are being built in Sochi and nearly every one of them requires an infrastructure to accommodate its needs. A second large construction site on Russian soil is the location of the APEC Russia 2012 Summit in Vladivostok, where leaders from member economies will meet on Russky Island, Oleg Popov, de l'entreprise de propreté Cristanval et correspondant ECJ en Russie, explique pourquoi il est certain que le secteur de la propreté de son pays fera florès dans les années à venir. Unser Russland- Korrespondent, der bei der Reinigungsfirma Cristanval tätige Oleg Popov, erläutert, warum er überzeugt ist, dass die Reinigungsbranche des Landes in den kommenden Jahren aufblühen wird. off the coast of the Russian mainland. This will be the first time Russia plays host to a summit for the leaders of Asian- Pacific countries. Kazan is hosting the World University Games. Sixty-four venues will be used for events, and the largest ones are under construction now. And the 2018 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be held in Russia, across 13 host cities. The main news of 2011 is about the capital city - a plan to expand the administrative borders of Moscow. It will grow through adding large territories which are currently attached to the western and southwestern borders. Some governmental administrative departments will relocate to new buildings erected in new territories, which will eventually also become residential districts filled with business centres, shopping plazas, schools, etc. Taking into consideration all these factors, the growth of the cleaning industry is inevitable. My expectation is that minimal growth will be in the range of per cent per year for between five to seven years. However, companies capable of offering professional cleaning services for a building with a complex set-up are limited in number. In essence, that means the most professional and efficient companies will win a solid competitive edge, and will use this advantage to lay a foundation which should last for 10 years or so. The leaders in the sector will reinforce their positions, and the gap between them and mid-sized companies will become even more evident. Oleg Popov dell impresa di pulizie Cristanval, corrispondente russo di ECJ, spiega il motivo della sua certezza che il settore del cleaning russo prospererà nei prossimi anni. November 2011 ECJ 19

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24 NEWS: DUTCH CODE OF CONDUCT Dutch responsible conduct code encourages best practice Earlier this year, the Dutch contract cleaning association OSB introduced a Code of Responsible Market Conduct for the cleaning and window cleaning sectors. This came about as a result of strike action by the country's cleaning staff early in 2010 and was drawn up by various industry organisations. L'Association néerlandaise de la propreté, OSB, a rédigé du Code de conduite responsable sur le marché visant à promouvoir de hautes normes de professionnalisme, de qualité et d'étiquette dans le secteur. Der niederländische Vertragsreinigungsverband OSB hat einen Kodex für verantwortungsvolles Marktverhalten erstellt, um hohe Standards bei Professionalität, Qualität und Geschäftsetikette in der Reinigungsbranche zu fördern. L associazione di pulizie in appalto olandese OSB ha redatto un codice di condotta per il mercato (Code of Responsible Market Conduct) nel tentativo di promuovere alti standard di professionalità, qualità e di protocollo nel settore delle pulizie professionali. ket has seen healthy growth in recent years but problems have arisen because of the increasing focus on cost reduction, to the detriment of quality of work and working conditions. Strike action by cleaners These conditions led to wellpublicised strike action by cleaning staff in the first quarter of the main focal points of the disputes were workload, quality of work and treatment of employees by their superiors. There was also concern about deterioration of market relations due to reduced cleaning budgets, tough price competition and shortterm contracts. Committee approach So a committee was formed with a view to improving the overall market situation. This comprised representatives from NS (Dutch railways), Schiphol The Code of Responsible Market Conduct for the cleaning and window cleaning sectors in the Netherlands was introduced by the contract cleaning association OSB earlier this year. It's the result of a partnership between a industry organisations representing clients, employers, employees and consultants, and is an invitation to the industry as a whole to improve its conduct in the context of social responsibility - it is not compulsory. The Code appeals to all parties concerned to be aware of corporate social responsibility, with the overall aim being to achieve more professional market competition, improvement of working conditions and enhancing the quality of production and work. The cleaning and window cleaning sectors in the Netherlands employ 150,000 people and achieve a turnover of 4.3 billion euros. The marairport, OSB contract cleaning association, VMS foundation for cleaning industry consultants, FMN Facility Management Netherland, FNV and CNV trades unions, ROC de Friesche Poort regional training centre, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre Rotterdam and the government. The first part of the Code covers good client practice, whereby those clients inviting tenders are jointly responsible for the quality of work and the conditions under which it is carried out. This requires them to use the concept of the most economically favourable tender as a basis for awarding contracts, rather than lowest price. They must also stipulate to potential contractors compliance with the collective labour agreement, and with legislation and regulations - then monitor that compliance. Clients also bear some responsibility for ensuring provision of comfortable working conditions for the contractor's staff. There should be regular dialogue with staff representatives from the service provider in order to evaluate workload and working conditions. And access must be provided to representatives from recognised trades unions. The Code then addresses contract cleaning companies in their role as contractor and employer and covers points relating to their clients and staff. Those signing it must observe the greatest possible care when undertaking all aspects of their work, while adhering to all applicable legislation. Communication with clients and employees must be clear and open. Social aspects are also covered, in that there must be no employee discrimination; staff training and development should be encouraged; and there must be an active health and safety policy in place. Realistic tenders Contractors are also required to base all tenders on realistic figures and in a way which allows them to fulfil their obligations in a responsible and professional way. Employees are expected to make their own commitments under the Code, in that they must demonstrate dedication to their work and represent the sector in a positive way. They should be willing to undertake training, observe all relevant regulations and work in accordance with the client's codes of conduct. As far as consultants are concerned, they are expected to be objective, transparent and independent in their conduct, while exercising care in all procedures. Associations and other industry organisations are expected to encourage their members to subscribe to the Code and it can be featured in training courses if relevant. All parties that have been involved in compiling the Code are expected to be responsible for enforcing it and ensuring compliance. For more details, visit the website: 22 ECJ November 2011

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27 HAND HYGIENE Suddenly, hand sanitisers are being offered everywhere as a quick and easy substitute for soap and water. Following the recent swine flu and E.coli scares, the presence of hand sanitisers in hospitals, shopping centres and offices serves to remind us all of the need for good hand hygiene. This is obviously a positive step, but there is a risk that people might begin to regard them as a 'quick fix' and an alternative to hand washing. But would this be such a bad thing? Global advice on the use of hand sanitisers versus hand washing can be somewhat vague. The UK s Health Protection Agency claims that sanitising gels may be of benefit when used after a hand wash, but adds they should not be regarded as a substitute for soap and water since they may fail to remove all contamination from the hands. The Center for Disease Control in the US also claims clean, running water plus soap should be used where available, but that a hand sanitiser containing an alcohol content of at least 60 per cent may be used instead where there is no convenient water supply. However, a recent study in the US indicated that alcohol-based hand sanitisers may actually increase the risk of Norovirus in healthcare settings. Staff in long-term care facilities where Norovirus has been reported were found to be six times more likely to use hand sanitisers either to the same degree or more frequently than they would use soap and water. Some more effective According to Hagleitner s washroom hygiene product manager Nicole Wolfbeisz, the reason for these findings could lie in the fact that some hand sanitisers are more effective than others. Untrained personnel may not be aware of which hand sanitisers are effective against noroviruses and which aren t, she said. If only partially-virucidal products are used, staff might think they are safe from contamination - but may then go on to spread the virus. Hagleitner offers sept LIQUID PLUS, an alcoholic solution claimed to be effective against MRSA and Noroviruses, plus a range of soaps including septfoamsoap which is aimed at hygiene-sensitive areas such as kindergartens and kitchens. According to Wolfbeisz, sanitisers have become increasingly important following recent health scares and she believes they can help to prevent mass infection. A recent study carried out at the Ernst Moritz Arndt university in Germany found that administrative employees who sanitised their hands several times a day reported fewer common illnesses than their colleagues who did not use the sanitisers. She adds that hand sanitisers provide an effective, convenient and simple alternative Washing v sanitising to hand washing while also offering economic advantages. Hand sanitisers avoid the need for a sink, mountings, water supply, disposable towels, soap and waste paper, she said, They only need a dispenser which means that the everyday costs of hand disinfection are lower. Wolfbeisz concedes that soap and water are necessary for cleaning visible dirt from the hands. But if hands are already clean it is better to sanitise than wash since frequent hand washing can lead to dry hands, especially in the nursing sector, she said. However despite all the benefits offered Continued page 26 Hand sanitisers are becoming increasingly widely used as the public s fear of becoming ill grows higher with each new health scare. However, a recent study has linked the use of hand sanitisers to an increased risk of Norovirus. So are sanitisers a good substitute for soap and water, or aren t they? November 2011 ECJ 25

28 HAND HYGIENE by hand sanitisers, Wolfbeisz admits that they cannot take the place of old-fashioned soap and water. The Food and Drug Administration says hand sanitisers may be used as a supplement - but not as a substitute for hand washing, she says. SCA s product manager hand hygiene and care Peter Bergman feels that washing the hands with water and a mild soap and then drying them with a paper towel is the best choice from a hygiene point of view. Washing is the best policy since this will remove soiling as well as many bacteria and viruses, he said. However, an alcoholbased sanitiser can be a very good substitute provided your hands are not actually dirty. He agrees hand sanitisers offer a number of advantages: for instance, they can be gentler on the hands than soap and water in professions where frequent washing is necessary. They also provide a rapid and convenient hand hygiene solution and one that can be carried around in the pocket. Difficult to kill Hand sanitisers can also be very effective against many bacteria, he said. However, there are some types of viruses such as the Norovirus - that are difficult to kill with a sanitiser so for most situations hand washing is preferred. SCA s new Tork Antimicrobial Foam Cleanser is a two-in-one soap and hand sanitiser claimed to destroy bacteria, viruses and fungi. The company also offers a Tork Premium alcohol gel hand sanitiser said to leave the hands 99.9 per cent bacteria free. Senior segment marketing manager at Kimberly-Clark Professional Richard Millard claims that both hand sanitisers and hand washing have a valid place in a good daily hand hygiene routine. There are occasions where hand washing followed by sanitising is needed, especially in hygiene-critical areas, he said. We believe that good hand washing with hygienic soap followed by good hand drying with single use towels is the most effective method of removing both visible and invisible contamination from the hands. However it is not always the most practical method, L'emploi de désinfectants pour les mains se répand de plus en plus devant notre crainte de contracter une infection ou d'être atteints par un virus. Les désinfectants pour les mains sont considérés comme se substituant bien à l'eau et au savon lorsque ceux-ci ne sont pas disponibles. Néanmoins, il ressort d'une récente étude que l'emploi des désinfectants pour les mains peut entraîner un risque accru de contracter le Norovirus. Nous examinons le rôle des désinfectants pour les mains dans l'application de régimes optimaux d'hygiène des mains. Händedesinfektionsmittel finden zunehmend weitere Verbreitung, da unsere Angst vor Infektionen und Viren weiter wächst. Desinfektionsmittel wurden als guter Ersatz für Seife und Wasser an Orten anerkannt, wo keine entsprechenden Einrichtungen nicht verfügbar sind. Eine vor kurzem durchgeführte Studie hat jedoch die Verwendung von Händedesinfektionsmitteln mit einem erhöhten Risiko einer Ansteckung mit dem Norovirus in Verbindung gebracht. Wir untersuchen die Rolle von Händedesinfektionsmitteln in den gegenwärtigen optimalen Handhygieneregimen. depending on the frequency with which hand hygiene practices are required and the availability of soap, water and towels. He says hand sanitisers offer a suitable alternative for hand washing in certain circumstances. Wider knowledge and understanding by the public is required to ensure that sanitisers are seen as a complementary solution to keeping hands clean, he said. I feel sometimes people believe sanitisers to be the new replacement for washing and drying. They are more convenient - however they cannot replace hand washing completely. He says sanitisers are a good option in crowded environments such as on public transport, in busy offices and airports. Here there is huge potential for hand-to-hand and surface-to-hand germ transmission and it is more about what is practical to use, he said. Of the recent Norovirus study he said: The actual study highlighted in a number of cases, outbreaks of norovirus occurred more often at healthcare locations where more emphasis had been placed on hand sanitising and less often at locations where hand washing had the greater emphasis. As the CDC states in its comments regarding the study, far more work would be needed to prove whether there was an actual link between the outbreaks and heavier reliance I sanitizzanti per le mani stanno diventando sempre più comuni perchè le nostre paure di contrarre un infezione o un virus aumentano sempre di più. I sanitizzanti sono stati riconosciuti come un buon sostituto per sapone e acqua dove questi mezzi non sono disponibili. Ad ogni modo, uno studio recente ha collegato l uso di sanitizzanti per mani a un aumento del rischio di contrarre il Norovirus. In questo articolo vediamo il ruolo che hanno oggi i sanitizzanti nei regimi ottimali di igiene delle mani. on sanitisers. It also comments on the efficacy levels of the sanitisers as there are a variety of different types with different effects on the Norovirus. Kimberly-Clark Professional has recently launched an Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitiser under the KLEENEX brand claimed to be effective against the Norovirus. Vectair s marketing manager Matthew Wonnacott claims that both hand washing and hand sanitisers have their place in a good hand hygiene regime. If you are walking around in an open environment and touch something dirty - such as a park bench - it would be seen as hygienic to sanitise your hands with a small dose of hand sanitiser, he said. However, the individual would still be advised to wash their hands with soap and water at the first opportunity, especially if their hands were visibly dirty. Vectair offers hand sanitisers and soaps including the Sanitex Instant Hand Sanitizer which is claimed to be quick-drying and soft on the skin. According to Wonnacott, hand washing offers several advantages over sanitising. Washing hands with soap after using the toilet and before handling food can reduce rates of diarrhoea by nearly 50 per cent and rates of respiratory infection by about 25 per cent, he said. Using soap breaks down the grease and dirt that carry most germs by facilitating the rubbing and friction that dislodges them. Hand washing with soap, however, does take a considerable amount more time than sanitising with gel products, which is why hand sanitisers are preferred in certain areas such as outside a hospital ward where people need a quick fix. Level of protection Metsä Tissue sales director UK and Ireland Mark Dewick agrees that sanitisers provide a good level of protection where access to soap, water and hand towels are limited. In healthcare environments where hygiene is a minute-by-minute necessity and there is constant exposure to new hand contamination it is simply not practical to wash and dry your hands every few minutes, he said. However, a slovenly use of sanitisers can give a false sense of comfort. Proper methodologies to reach every part of the hand still need to be followed a quick drop in the palm and a token rubbing of the hands is not good hand hygiene since the sanitiser will not work if it does not touch all areas. He adds that washing the hands according to proven methodologies and drying them with a paper towel is still recognised as the most effective way to reduce bacteria spread. Studies prove it time and time again, he said. While sanitisers have a role to play, going back to basics is still the best solution wherever possible. 26 ECJ November 2011

29 FERIA DE LA LIMPIEZA E HIGIENE PROFESIONAL Please visit us at Hygienalia + Pulire 31st January 2nd February 2012 Stand A5, Hall 7

30 NEW! The Precious fragrance range offers both sophistication and intensity, designed to enhance washrooms using a range of sumptuous essential oils. Each fragrance is rich and distinct, and evolves throughout the day offering a carefully selected blend of aromas to capture the senses. Amethyst Amber Sapphire Emerald Ruby For details of our full range visit P+L Systems Ltd Ten St James Business Park Grimbald Crag Court Knaresborough HG5 8QB UK T +44 (0) F +44 (0) info@pandlsystems.com

31 PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE For every need From Kennedy Hygiene Products comes a line of hand washing dispensers and consumables - from the 350 ml Alphamouss dispenser with a three-in-one gel tailored for The Sapor concept of hand hygiene is based on the use of dry soap. Used in conjunction with a dispenser, the soap is grinded into powder accord- ing to dosage so each portion is dispensed individually and hygienically. The Sapor system works independent of temperature, even in extreme heat or cold. Soap in this form is also said to be extremely durable and the company says dry soap is highly skin-friendly. The dispensers are available as the plastic Nova model or as the Standard metal unit. Tel: info@sapor.de hotels, gyms and spas to the 2.5 litre Savona Wopa range available with apricot hand cleaner soap for industrial applications. At the heart of the line is the Savona unit, which can dispense liquid or foam soap and comes with electronic no-touch technology as an option. This model can dispense regular soap, foam soap lotion, cosmetic hand lotion, after-work skin conditioner, anti-bacterial soap lotion and hand sanitising gel. Tel: sales@kennedy-hygiene. com Fully virucidal Disinfection products specialist Aseptix says the virucidal efficacy of ManuGuard, its line of hand disinfectants for critical environments, has been extended. The line of gels and liquids, available in fragranced and unfragranced versions, now carries the full virucidal claim according to European Norm EN This means they are effective against all enveloped and non-enveloped viruses including Noro-, HIV-, HBV-, SARS-, Influenza-, Polioand Adenovirus. Along with broad spectrum efficacy, the ManuGuard range of hand disinfectants also boasts maximum skin friendliness. The ethanol based formulations contain advanced skin moisturisers which makes them feel like a cream. They have been designed specifically to meet the needs of heavy users of hand disinfectants. Tel: info@aseptix.com Dry soap La solution d'hygiène des mains de Kennedy Hygiene comprend le distributeur Alphamouss utilisant un gel à trois composants. Aseptix a accru l'efficacité de sa gamme de désinfectants des mains ManuGuard, à usage dans des environnements critiques. Le principe Sapor repose sur l'emploi d'un savon sec en poudre avec un appareil distributeur. Zu den Handhygienelösungen von Kennedy Hygiene gehört der Spender Alphamouss mit einem Dreifach-Gel. Aseptix hat die viruzide Wirkungskraft von ManuGuard, der Produktreihe mit Händedesinfektionsmitteln für kritische Umgebungen, erweitert. Das Sapor-Prinzip basiert auf dem Einsatz von puderförmiger Trockenseife in Verbindung mit einem Spender. Le soluzioni per l igiene della mani della Kennedy Hygiene includono il dispenser Alphamouss che eroga gel tre-in-uno. La Aseptix ha potenziato l efficacia virucida della sua linea di disinfettanti per le mani per ambienti a rischio ManuGuard. Il principio della Sapor si basa sull uso di sapone secco in polvere in congiunzione con un dispenser. November 2011 ECJ 29

32 PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE D'après de Symposium européen du papier-tissu, les serviettes en papier contribuent à chasser les bactéries quand on se les frotte sur les mains. Les armoires à serviettes Vendor s IQ de Vendor International utilisent une technologie brevetée permettant de faire l'appoint de serviettes à tout moment. Pour améliorer l'hygiène des mains sur le lieu de travail, Metsä Tissue a introduit le service de conseil Katrin Hygiene. Laut dem European Tissue Symposium hilft das Trockenreiben der Hände mit Papierhandtüchern beim Entfernen von Bakterien. Zur Verbesserung der Handhygiene am Arbeitsplatz und Senkung von Fehlzeiten hat Metsä Tissue ein neues Servicemodell mit dem Namen Katrin Hygiene Beratung eingeführt. La European Tissue Symposium afferma che gli asciugamani in carta aiutano a rimuovere i batteri grazie allo sfregamento contro le mani. L unità di asciugamani a distribuzione continua IQ della Vendor utilizza una tecnologia brevettata che permette di rabboccare gli asciugamani in carta in qualsiasi momento. Per migliorare l igiene delle mani nei posti di lavoro e per ridurre le assenze per malattia, la Metsä Tissue ha introdotto il servizio Katrin Hygiene Consultancy. Dry to prevent bacteria According to ETS, the European Tissue Paper Industry Association, paper hand towels have physical properties that allow the removal of bacteria along with moisture when they are rubbed against the hands. Good hand hygiene depends on both effective hand washing and hand drying, as studies show residual moisture left on the hands after washing provides an interface that actually facilitates the transmission of bacteria. Tel: roberto.berardi@ europeantissue.com Continuous towel Vendor's IQ continuous towel cabinet uses patented technology to guaranteed continuous availability of scrim reinforced paper towel. Like a traditional roller towel dispenser the IQ produces a loop of paper towel and uses a portion control mechanism. But instead of a single roll which needs to be replaced when used up, the towel in the IQ cabinet can be topped up with a new cassette of folded paper. Used towel is rolled up in the towel cabinet, completely separated from the new towel to ensure hygiene is maintained. There are three models - the Classic, the Automatic and the Sensomatic, which provides a clean towel when a hand is waved in front of the cabinet. Tel: info@vendorinternational.com Consulting on hygiene The latest initiative from Metsä Tissue is the Katrin Hygiene Consultancy service - a service model for inspecting customer facilities, reviewing current solutions, rating hygiene levels and offering a report which is focused around suggested changes and improvements. The company then helps customers to monitor improvements as suggestions are implemented. When making recommendations the company takes cost-in-use and environmental issues into account. Metsä also has a new hygiene education centre - the Katrin Academy - to train customers and their employees in hygiene best practice. Training can also be delivered on customer sites if necessary. katrin_hygiene@ metsätissue.com 30 ECJ November 2011

33 PRODUCTS: HAND HYGIENE Promoting hygiene tains emollient ingredients such as glycerine and betaine which means it can be used frequently on the hands without causing chapping or soreness. Tork Extra Mild Foam Soap is fragrance-free and contains no sulphates that could irritate the eyes. Tork Mild Foam Soap contains natural skin lipids to prevent dryness. Tel: Classic or Green Stoko Refresh is a line of small, handy dispensers from Stoko Skin Care for hand hygiene, skin cleansing and skin care products - and also for toilet seat cleaning products. One dispenser can handle lotion, gel, spray or foam - there is no need to change dispenser if product requirements change. Two sizes are available, for 500 ml and 1000 ml bottles. The company also has a range of skin cleansers that are certified with the EU Ecolabel: Stoko Refresh Green Line. Tel: stoko-refresh@evonik.com Cleans and conditions With the launch of its new foam soap range, Tork manufacturer SCA says it is making good hand hygiene practices easier to carry out. The range comprises Tork Antimicrobial Foam Cleanser - a soap and disinfectant in one plus two eco-labelled foam soaps. All three products are housed in a dispenser that has been purpose-designed to allow children and people with reduced hand strength to access the soap. Tork Antimicrobial Foam Cleanser contains 40 per cent ethanol to destroy bacteria, viruses and fungi. It also con- The newest addition to the Dreumex One2clean range is Wash & Care hand cleanser and conditioner that eliminates the need for moisturising creams. The heavy-duty paste combines natural walnut shell scrubbers with penetrating moisturisers. It is effective for the removal of tar, grease, lubricants, diesel, brake fluid, cement, etc. The skin care ingredients it contains include lanolin, aloe vera, jojoba, wheat germ extract and vitamins A, C and E. Available as a three-litre cartridge for use in the One2clean dispensing system. Tel: mail@dreumex.com La nouvelle gamme de savons Tork proposée par SCA comprend un nettoyant antimicrobien à mousse et deux savons à label écologique. La gamme Stoko Refresh réunit les petits appareils distributeurs les plus récentes de Stoko Skin Care. Le nettoyant et soin des mains proposé par Dreumex est destiné aux usages sévères et comprend aussi un conditionneur. Die neue Tork-Produktreihe mit Schaumseifen von SCA umfasst einen antimikrobiellen Schaumreiniger und zwei als umweltfreundlich gekennzeichnete Seifen. Bei Stoko Refresh handelt es sich um die neueste Produktreihe mit kleinen Spendern von Stoko Skin Care. Der Wash & Care Handreiniger von Dreumex ist auch für hartnäckigen Schmutz geeignet und enthält Feuchtigkeitscreme. La nuova gamma di saponi in schiuma Tork prodotti dalla SCA include Antimicrobial Foam Cleanser e due saponi con il marchio eco-label. La gamma Stoko Refresh è la linea più nuova di piccoli dispenser prodotti dalla Stoko Skin Care. Wash & Care Hand Cleanser della Dreumex è destinato agli usi industriali e incorpora un ammorbidente per le mani. November 2011 ECJ 31

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35 HAND HYGIENE Standardising hand hygiene compliance The numerous studies that have taken place worldwide can now leave us in no doubt about the key role hand hygiene has to play in safeguarding us from infection and crosscontamination - whatever the setting. Any shortfalls in hand hygiene practice are most acutely highlighted in the healthcare industry of course, where the consequences have resulted in high instances of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). So now everyone is convinced about hand hygiene - how do we ensure healthcare professionals all know how to wash their hands properly, and wash them to a standard that adheres with guidelines set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO)? And equally important, how to monitor hand washing practices and maintain those high standards of compliance? Glanta, a spin-out company from Trinity College in Dublin formed just one year ago, has developed a system based on image processing technology that actually measures hand hygiene - called Surewash. It was invented by Professor Gerry Lacey, a senior lecturer at the college. Founder and ceo Sean Bay explained the thinking behind it. "Surewash focuses on the technique of hand washing, and is based on the WHO's standard which involves a number of very definite steps. Research has proved bacteria count is at least 50 per cent lower when people wash their hands properly. What we are offering is a sustainable training programme with the aim of a culture change in hand hygiene." The Surewash training module comes in the form of a cart on wheels that can be moved around a hospital from ward to ward. On the cart is a video screen, where staff stand and perform the hand washing poses laid down in the guidelines. The technology in the system understands the poses the hands are making and is looking for prescribed movements as laid down in the system's templates. It also looks for the right kind of motions being made by the hands, and it can differentiate if there are slight variations on the correct technique. The training element takes just five minutes to complete, and when each pose is carried out correctly the user sees a large green tick on the screen so can move on to the next one. Sean Bay called on expertise from the gaming industry when developing the user interface: "We found that breaking the process down into component parts engages people much more effectively. And giving them visual feedback when they do it correctly is motivational - it makes them want to move on to the next pose." Surewash also features an assessment module, which takes just 30 seconds and can be carried out at regular intervals as staff pass by the unit. Real-time feedback is given on hand washing technique and it's this regularity which Bay feels is another key element. "Good hand hygiene practice cannot be delivered with one presentation. It needs to be consistent and training must be sustained. Surewash can be used literally all day, every day. It's an effective source of quick, repetitive training. And because it can be placed in the ward, it keeps staff in their workplace and its speed means they are back at work as quickly as possible." Monitoring and reporting The technology behind Surewash also means varying degrees of reporting are possible. For example, it can highlight the pose most staff are having trouble in mastering. Comparative data is also available, for example between teams of staff, different wards, etc. Software is available in many languages and can be updated as necessary with customised/varying messages, explained Bay. "This keeps staff members engaged and they can be updated on new messages the hospital management wants to deliver to them while also checking, of course, that their hand hygiene technique is still spot-on." There are plans in early 2012 to introduce Surewash Audit, a system whereby small screens are placed above sinks in hospitals and hand washing data is analysed far more closely. "Reporting and data can be customised according to needs and this will offer hospitals the ability to monitor hand hygiene ECJ rend compte d'une nouvelle technologie de dernière technique pour améliorer la conformité et la standardisation en matière d'hygiène des mains, notamment dans des applications médicales. Il s'agit de la technologie Surewash, de l'entreprise Glanta. Das ECJ berichtet über SureWash von Glanta: eine hochmoderne Technologie, mit der in Anwendungsbereichen wie dem Gesundheitswesen die Einhaltung der Handhygiene verbessert und die Methode standardisiert werden soll. ECJ reports on a state-ofthe-art technology aimed at improving hand hygiene compliance and standardising technique in applications such as healthcare. practice much more closely, analyse trends as they emerge and take action on issues of concern before they become too serious," explained Bay. Having trialled at a number of hospitals in Ireland and the UK, Glanta is now taking Surewash to market and is keen to establish relationships with key players in the hand hygiene sector - hand soap and paper towel manufacturers for example. "Surewash is highly complementary to those products," Bay says. The company is also seeking distribution for the system across Europe and beyond. Bay concludes: " We aim to be supportive in helping hygiene professionals achieve 100 per cent in hand hygiene compliance. Surewash offers the opportunity to have a single standard hand hygiene protocol." Contact Sean Bay by sean.bay@ surewash.com. Or visit the website: www. surewash.com ECJ fa un relazione su Surewash, una nuova tecnologia sviluppata da Glanta molto all avanguardia e finalizzata a migliorare le tecniche di conformità e di standardizzazione dell igiene delle mani in applicazioni tipo il settore sanitario. November 2011 ECJ 33

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37 PEDRO CHIDICHIMO Among the many burning platforms of our cleaning and sanitation industry are operational efficiency, people management and sustainability. Throughout the year, I have shared with European Cleaning Journal my experience on these areas, and in this last edition of the year I would like to focus on the most critical burning platform for facility management companies: service quality. Though marketers of tangible products define and measure quality with increasing discipline and precision, their peers in the service industry still have difficulty in measuring and controlling quality. In my regular meetings with customers in this industry, I am often surprised to see some senior executives fail to understand that quality is the customer s perception of a delivered service. The deployment of services especially those with heavy reliance on labour often differs among employees and customers, and from day- to-day. In most services in our industry, quality is defined during delivery of a service, when there is interaction between the two human beings: customers and our personnel. For this reason service quality is highly dependent on the performance of employees, an organisational resource that cannot be managed in the same way the quality of tangible goods is determined. Profit benefits My research and personal experience reveal that delivering high service quality produces measurable benefits in profit, cost savings, and market share. Therefore, an understanding of the nature of service quality and how it is achieved in organisations is among my top priorities. One important lesson I have learned is the importance of developing a service quality model for our companies, based on five principles: 1. Process consistency - Quality in service delivery must be consistent over time. Streamlining the cleaning process and teaching it to the service delivery teams through training on a regular basis ensures quality results. You need very motivated and capable people to succeed in service delivery. My philosophy for cleaning excellence training is very straightforward: keep it simple, make it visual, and give a value to it. 2. Standard Tools and methods - I enjoy working with my ipad as much as any five year-old. The same principle applies to an individual in a service-oriented task. Service delivery teams need three levels of enablers: first, a harmonised, standard range of work tools that are best in class, simple and efficient, productive, environmentally friendly and safe. Second, they require a cleaning method that is simple and intuitive. Third, they need the support of key specialists and training leaders to address specific cases or issues. The higher price of quality tools, Excellence in service delivery In the last of his exclusive series of articles for ECJ, Pedro Chidichimo of Diversey writes about the importance of service quality and customer satisfaction as components of measurable profit for a company. He advocates the development of a service quality model for facility management/service contractor companies, based on five simple principles. methods and a supporting structure always delivers higher quality service deployment. 3. Measurement Quality in services is not designed at the manufacturing plant and then delivered intact to the consumer. Most services cannot be counted, measured, inventoried, tested, and verified in advance of sale to ensure quality delivery. But be assured that customers are constantly measuring the cost of a company s service and the value they get for it. In times of budget constraints, spending control is often tightly enforced. There is a clear need to have value reporting mechanisms in place to prove that not only are personnel checking the box in the spreadsheet attached to the toilet door, but are also adding value. This is achieved through a more complex equation that encompasses a mix of satisfaction/ perception surveys, consistency checks, cost of service, frequency and independent certifications of quality. 4. Feedback Communication breakdowns are always the root cause for misunderstandings. Constant communication between the leadership at the customer site and the site Dans le dernier de sa série d'articles pour ECJ, Pedro Chidichkimo, de la société Diversey, souligne toute l'imporance d'une qualité régulière dans les prestations de services. Il ajoute que des dispositions de communications constantes doivent être en place au sein de la direction, appuyées par un mécanisme de rapportage efficace. In seinem abschließenden Artikel für das ECJ betont Pedro Chidichkimo (Diversey) die Bedeutung von drei Aspekten: qualitative Beständigkeit bei der Serviceerbringung, kontinuierliche Kommunikation der leitenden Mitarbeiter und die Erfordernis von wirksamen Meldemechanismen. Nel suo ultimo articolo per ECJ, managers is imperative. Use mechanisms to collect feedback such as questionnaires and regular face-to-face meetings. Act upon the findings immediately, share them with the customer and with other operations for best practice cross-fertilisation. 5. Corporate Support Strong procurement and site-to-site logistics management from the headquarters is essential. The right products and tools need to be ready and in good condition when the service needs to be delivered. Whether using distributors or outsource fleet management to third parties, make sure the basics are not overlooked. Secondly, innovation and sustainability support can enhance customer loyalty when introduced spontaneously. Let me close this article and this year by saying all of our industry s burning platforms are there to remind us that customer satisfaction is the most important thing we need to focus in business. All of my previous articles on sustainability, innovation and people management were written with a heartfelt intention to help our industry succeed with customers. I hope I have achieved that goal. Pedro Chidichimo della Diversey enfatizza l importanza di essere costanti e consistenti nella qualità dei servizi e delle comunicazioni costanti fra i dirigenti, e inoltre l importanza della necessità di mettere in atto dei meccanismi di informazione efficaci. November 2011 ECJ 35

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39 SWEEPERS Sweeping changes In recent years, indoor and outdoor sweeper technology has advanced considerably, making it easier for the customers to find the right solution for their sweeping requirements. Once the need for sweeping has been established, the choice for the most suitable equipment is driven by a number of criteria that relate to air quality, safety, cost of operation, versatility and sustainability. Latest trends and developments have created new applications and benefits - explains Tennant in this article written exclusively for ECJ. Mechanical sweeping was the first technology chosen for large area cleaning. Later there was migration to scrubbing as hygiene standards increased. There are still numerous applications where water can t be used for hard surface cleaning, eg, in cement factories or when high-voltage is used in the production process (aluminium production), sweeping is generally used to clean premises. It is also commonly used in warehouses, parking areas and a variety of applications where the material or waste of the production process is dry and not compacted on the floor. Why choose sweeping for indoor hard floor cleaning? Or alternatively, why choose dry sweeping before scrubbing which is actually wet sweeping? Depending on the amount of debris, there are three alternative technologies that can be used to remove debris: a cylindrical scrubber dryer, a scrubber dryer with a pre-sweep option or a dedicated sweeper can be used. Where the type of soil requires scrubbing (eg, oily soil), the sweeping operation removes the debris off the floor before scrubbing. If the debris were left on the floor it would get caught in the squeegee and the result might not be up to standard, leaving streaked or unsafe floors. So, sweeping either prepares the floor for another type of maintenance or delivers the required finished result. Indeed, depending on the industry segment, sweeping can result in an acceptable level of clean that will not require any scrubbing afterwards, especially when the debris being removed is similar to ordinary dust, sawdust, sand and other dry debris. In certain industries, such as the food production or handling sector, healthcare and retail, cleaning standards are being raised and certain levels of hygiene have to be attained. In those cases, sweeping alone will not be enough. Sweeping removing debris from the floor - is typically done with walk-behind or ride-on sweepers with optional side brushes. These have long bristles that extend outside of the machine frame and allow for excellent edge and corner cleaning. The rotating side brush moves the debris in front of the machine and by its forward motion the debris comes into contact with the main broom that rotates against the travel direction. This main brush acts as hundreds of brooms that throw the debris directly into the hopper, either by direct throw (for the larger sweepers) or by overthrow (smaller sweepers). Once the debris is in the hopper, the dust has to be contained in the machine. All sweeper manufacturers use some sort of filtration system. The latest development however, is a cyclonic dust control system on indoor sweepers. This three-stage filtration system uses a first-stage filter for removing large debris, a cyclonic pre-filter for smaller particulates and finally removes the remaining dust (as small as 0.5 micron) from the airflow in the third stage of the filtration. Although some manufacturers use water on the side brooms for indoor sweeping, that might cause concern for slip-and-fall accidents. On outdoor sweepers (mechanical or air sweepers) however, this is less of a worry. There, the latest innovation offers improved dust containment through atomisation of water, reducing the amount of water used and the number of refills per working shift. When a customer is faced with the decision to select a dedicated sweeper, the choice is obviously determined by the particular sweeping needs and largely influenced by different aspects that matter to the customer s specific situation: Air quality Indoor air quality can be largely improved by the sweeping operation. Based on cus- Continued page 38 November 2011 ECJ 37

40 SWEEPERS tomer requirements, manufacturers today spend a lot of R&D effort on the development of dust filtration technologies that maximise dust control while sweeping. The latest development in this area as described above is a three-stage filtration system that provides a longer, more effective air filtration, assisting in containing dust that would otherwise get into the environment. In the outdoor or street sweepers segment, we see a similar focus on air filtration and dust containment. Of course the element of air quality is important in city centres as well. In this respect, another development in street sweepers is the move towards electrical vehicles. The use of battery-driven machines that can run for a full shift without recharging is important as it enables municipalities to comply with the ever more stringent standards for carbon emissions they are faced with. It helps to make the city a healthier place to live, work and play in. Safety The safety aspect is largely related to the operator comfort. Here, several innovations and developments have increased safety of the sweeping operation. Noise levels of sweepers have become lower in recent years, thus reducing the impact not only on the operator s well-being but also on the working environment, allowing for sweeping 24/7 and even when people are present. Optional cabins can also protect the operator from noise and dust, or falling objects from the Quelles sont les évolutions les plus importantes à avoir marqué la technologie des balayeuses ces dernières années? Ce rapport ECJ spécial examine des domaines tels que les innovations pour la contention de poussières en intérieur et en éxtérieur ; la réduction du bruit ; la réduction du coût total de l'exploitation et de la propriété de ces machines ; et leur contribution à un environnement durable. Nous explorons la polyvalence accrue de ces équipements, marquée par l'adjonction d'accessoires d'hiver pour machines de plein air, et d agencements supplémentaires pour machines d'intérieur. Was sind die wichtigsten Entwicklungen der letzten Jahre auf dem Gebiet der Kehrmaschinentechnologie? Dieser ECJ-Sonderbericht untersucht Aspekte wie Innovationen bei der Stauberfassung in Innenräumen und Außenbereichen, Geräuschverminderung, Verminderung der Gesamtbetriebskosten und Nachhaltigkeit. Außerdem betrachten wir die zunehmende Vielseitigkeit von Geräten, wie z. B. zusätzliche Winterausrüstungen für Außenbereichsmodelle und Zusatzausrüstungen für Innenraummaschinen. environment. These cabins nowadays come with climate control, air filtration, tilted steering and adjustable seats that improve the operator experience considerably. In terms of handling, the trend is towards replacing mechanical controls with electronic ones and even one-button operation for ease of use and productivity. Developments in outdoor sweepers show a similar focus on ease of use, noise reduction and easy maintenance. Electric street sweepers combine these with zero exhaust emissions for unobtrusive use in city centres. Total cost of ownership There are several ways in which recent developments in sweeper technologies assist customers in reducing the total cost of ownership of their sweeping solution. In itself, sweeping is less expensive than scrubbing: there are no water refill cycles that take time, there is no introduction of a cleaning medium (water, detergent) and there is no need to dispose of potentially harmful waste water, since there is only dry waste. With easy-access maintenance points and no-tool brush changes, sweepers are increasingly easier to service, resulting in higher productivity. Less downtime is also achieved by the optional bumpers and protection guards that withstand the most demanding environments for long machine life. A multiphase filtration system captures more dust before it reaches the final-stage canister filter, lowering the need for replacement. Quali sono i più importanti sviluppi nella tecnologia delle spazzatrici che sono stati ottenuti negli ultimi anni? Questo rapporto speciale di ECJ prende in esame aree quali le innovazioni nel contenenimento della polvere nei luoghi chiusi e all aperto; riduzione delle emissioni di rumore; costo totale della riduzione del costo di proprietà delle macchine e sostenibilità. Esploriamo inoltre la maggiore versatilità delle attrezzature, per esempio gli accessori extra per l inverno per i modelli da esterno e gli extra per le macchine da interni. With tight budgets for municipalities there is pressure on cost in use and service. With the latest electric street sweeper they purchase the fuel upfront (ie, the battery) knowing that the machine is easily accessible and requires much less maintenance. There is also considerably less maintenance on electric utility vehicles - similar to electric cars - since there is no need for oil change, engine filter change, etc. Versatility These days, most sweepers can be tailored to meet the customer requirements. They can get exactly what they need for their particular application. Machines can be equipped with an optional side brush for a wider sweeping path or with an extra suction wand for reaching hard to sweep places. Indoors, they can be used on hard floors, but also on carpets. Compact sweepers can be used in a wide variety of places and even move through doorways and narrow aisles. Picking up small to big debris make sweepers suited for varying environments and applications. Lastly, the cabin prepares sweepers for use in any type of weather conditions, for example when cleaning car parks. On outdoor sweepers we see an increase in use of add-on equipment such as a snow plough or separate scrub option to reach under benches, as well as other tools to expand the use of the machine. Sustainability The sustainability aspect plays an increasing role in today s cleaning operation. Battery-operated sweepers both indoor and outdoor - do away with exhaust fumes. By pre-sweeping or using dust containment techniques, less water is used in the cleaning process. In a facility where the soil doesn t require scrubbing with water, sweeping will only result in dry waste. A medium scrubber dryer will easily require the disposal of around 100 litres of waste water after a shift. In general, every increase in hygiene requirements will result in more waste. If some of the cleaning can be done by sweeping, at least the disposal cost will be reduced considerably. Obviously, recently introduced electric street sweepers can be the sustainable choice for urban and other outdoor hygiene as they generate zero exhaust emissions and use less water for dust control. All in all, the sweeper segment remains an important one in the cleaning industry. There are benefits to be gained from choosing a sweeper depending on the application, the floor type and the volume and type of debris. Many manufacturers continue to focus on innovating technologies that maximise productivity, increase safety and reduce costs, all with the sustainability aspect in mind. 38 ECJ November 2011

41 professional people Ultra 100 BS-GS/120 B-G Ultra 100 BS-GS/120 B-G: Comac scrubbing machines designed to last long Comac presents the new generation of large size scrubbing machines that combines the convenience and manoeuvrability of small size machines with the performances and advantages of its category, to achieve excellent cleaning results. The applied innovative technical solutions and the functional design contribute to make the new Ultra models suitable for people that are looking for a scrubbing machine able to meet hard cleaning needs of large areas, being at the same time extremely user friendly. For further information visit our web-site An ISO 9001:2008 Organisation certified by Q.C.B. Italy

42 PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS Robust for industry The KM 130/300 R and KM 150/500 R vacuum sweepers have been developed by Kärcher for use in the building materials and metal processing industries, foundries and other applications that generate a large volume of dirt. The sweepers can run on diesel, liquefied petroleum gas or batteries - both models have a robust steel chassis and hydraulic transmission. The main roller brush mounting is infinitely variable to enable optimum cleaning performance while minimising wear and tear. Basic operating functions (drive, sweep, sweep with sidebrush) are selected on a single rotary switch - the EASY operation concept. The basic KM 130/300 R has a sweeping width of 1,300 mm with one side brush and up to 1,550 mm with two, while the corresponding figures for the KM 150/500 R are 1,500 mm and 1,800 mm. The KM 150/500 R comes with an optional third side brush that is attached on the right-hand side to an arm that swivels in all directions for sweeping in lateral spaces and on top of steps and ledges. An optional water spraying system prevents dust from swirling up around the side brushes. Finedust covers can be fitted if no moisture is required. Tel: info@karcher.com Next edition of ECJ - February/March 2012 For Astro turf A new accessory for sweeping artificial grass and turf surfaces on sports grounds has been added by Eureka to its Compact 1150 sweeper. This is a dirt container equipped with a sieve-type bottom, which retains all debris on sand-filled synthetic grass, without retaining the sand. The sand is decompacted and lifted by the main broom, as well as all foreign debris, broken-down fibres, etc. The sand is then evenly distributed back into the surface. Tel: info@eurekasweepers.com Pour les aires dégageant un volume de saletés important, Kärcher a lancé les balayeuses aspiratrices KM 130/300 R et KM 150/500 R. Eureka a développé une solution spécifiquement conçue pour le nettoyage de gazon artificiel sur sa balayeuse Compact Für Bereiche mit einem hohen Schmutzaufkommen hat Kärcher die Kehrsaugmaschinen KM 130/300 R und KM 150/500 R auf den Markt gebracht. Eureka hat eine Lösung speziell zur Reinigung von Teppichrasen mit der Kehrmaschine Compact 1150 entwickelt. La Kärcher ha lanciato le spazzatrici a estrazione KM 130/300 R e KM 150/500 R per aree che generano grandi volumi di sporcizia. La Eureka ha sviluppato una soluzione specifica per la pulizia dell Astro turf per la sua spazzatrice Compact ECJ November 2011

43 PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS Two sweepers in one The CS140 Twin Action sweeping machine - aimed at urban and industrial areas - has been designed by Comac to effectively offer two sweeping machines in one. At the heart of the sweeper is the patented TwinActionSystem, which combines a strong mechanical action to collect large pieces of waste with efficient suction for pick-up of finer dust. This, the manufacturer claims, reduces water consumption significantly while also making it suitable for use in the most challenging conditions. Particular focus was given to environment and safety in the machine's development. Water consumption is low because it is used in a nebulised state only to control dust without wetting the ground. Fuel consumption and atmospheric emissions have also been reduced thanks to the hydraulic system and the Perkins industrial engine. Tel: com@comac.it offers area performance of up to 3,525 square metres per hour. This high area performance, says Hako, is possible thanks to the large 50.5 cm wide main broom with a diameter of 25 cm. The side brush ensures thorough cleaning along walls. There is a choice of quiet industrial petrol engine or a maintenance-free battery drive. The E version of the Hamster 650 comes complete with an onboard charging system and integrated charging cable - meaning batteries can be recharged at any time and at any plug socket. Tel: info@hako.com Space and comfort According to ISAL, its PB 111 sweeper offers modern look and comfort, despite its small dimensions. Sweeping width is 1,200 mm, with two side brushes, and performance is up to 8,000 square metres per hour. The machine is suitable for indoor cleaning but it has also been designed to sweep in outdoor areas such as car parks thanks to its big wheels. Battery and petrol versions are available and the sweeper can be equipped with a vacuum cleaner with flexible hose and lance to reach inaccessible areas. Tel: isal@isalsrl.it Industrial compact For the cleaning of smaller and medium-sized areas Hako has expanded its range of vacuum sweepers with the Hako Hamster 650. With dimensions of 68.5 cm wide, this model Pour le nettoyage de rues et de zones industrielles, Comac a introduit le CS140 Twin Action, qui combine l'aspiration et l'action mécanique. La gamme de balayeuses Hako a été étendue pour inclure la Hamster 650 pour des superficies petites à moyennes. La balayeuse PB 111 de la société Isal traite jusqu'à 8000 mètres carrés à l'heure et se vend en deux versions. Zur Reinigung von Straßen und Industrieflächen hat Comac die CS140 Twin Action vorgestellt, die mechanische Wirkung mit Saugwirkung verbindet. Hako hat das Angebot an Kehrmaschinen um die Hamster 650 erweitert, die für den Einsatz auf kleinen und mittelgroßen Flächen gedacht ist. Die in zwei Ausführungen erhältliche Kehrmaschine PB 111 von Isal kann bis zu 8000 qm pro Stunde kehren. Per la pulizia delle strade e delle aree industriali, la Comac ha introdotto la macchina CS140 Twin Action, che combina l azione meccanica con l azione aspirante. La gamma di spazzatrici della Hako è stata ampliata con l aggiunta della macchina Hamster 650 adatta per la pulizia di aree di piccole e medie dimensioni. La spazzatrice PB 111 della Isal spazza fino a metri quadrati all ora ed è disponibile in due versioni. November 2011 ECJ 41

44 PRODUCTS: SWEEPERS La maîtrise des poussières a été au centre des préoccupations de Nilfisk dans le développement de ses dernières balayeuses, les SR1601/1900/2000. Johnston Sweepers a introduits des ensembles interchangeables d'hiver pour ses balayeuses de taille moyenne C400 et compactes CN101. La nouvelle balayeuse TR de Factory Cat est proposée avec l'equipement Turf Grooming qui convient pour le nettoyage de gazon artificiel. Staubkontrolle spielte für Nilfisk eine wichtige Rolle bei der Entwicklung der neuesten Kehrmaschine, der SR1601/1900/2000. Johnston Sweepers hat zwei austauschbare Winterausrüstungen für die mittelgroßen C400 und die kleinen CN101 Straßenreinigungsfahrzeuge eingeführt. Die neue Kehrmaschine TR von Factory Cat ist mit einem Turf Grooming-Paket erhältlich, mit dem sie zur Reinigung von Teppichrasen umgerüstet werden kann. Il contenimento della polvere è stata la priorità assoluta per la Nilfisk nello sviluppo delle sue nuove spazzatrici, i modelli SR1601/1900/2000. La Johnston Sweepers ha introdotto degli accessori invernali intercambiabili per le sue spazzatrici stradali: C400 di media grandezza e CN101 compatta. La nuova spazzatrice TR della Factory Cat è disponibile con il kit Turf Grooming che rende possibile usare la pulizia dell Astro turf. Tackling dust control Addressing the issue of dust control on its newest industrial sweepers, SR1601/1900/2000, is Nilfisk-Advance with its Five Stages Dust Control System. Those stages are: patented DustGuard at the side brooms; vacuumised main broom chamber; airflow labyrinth; nanofibre technology dust filter; and airflow restoration system. DustGuard tackles dust at its main sources, which are the side brooms, though a fine 'fog' or mist that is applied to suppress dust. Dust control can be addressed before dust gets to the filter - through an airflow labyrinth, dust is forced to make three abrupt directional changes so that the heavier particles settle in the hopper with the other debris being swept. Tel: mail.com@nilfisk-advance.com Interchangeable packs As winter fast approaches, Johnston Sweepers is aiming to solve the costly problem of clearing snow and ice with its demountable winter packs for the C400 midsize and CN101 sub compact sweepers. The interchangeable functions mean machines can double-up as sweepers or snow clearing vehicles without the extra expense and storage issues of holding two separate units. The packs include a snow plough for the C400 and a snow blade and spreader for the CN101, which Johnston says can be fitted in around 20 minutes at the first sign of snow, and removed just as quickly when normal sweeping duties are resumed. T h e C400 is available with a 3,500 mm snow plough to clear snow from narrow streets and pedestrian areas where access is limited. The CN101 pack features a 1,500 mm snow plough at the front and a grit spreader unit at the rear, which can be fitted in 10 minutes. The new compact packs can also be retro-fitted to both machines. Tel: dorking@johnstonsweepers.com Sweeps sports fields The new TR sweeper from Factory Cat is available with a turf grooming package for the maintenance of artificial turf. The TR features increased airflow and special brooms for improved performance, and oversized tyres to work on the softer surface. Because it is battery powered there is no risk of damage from hydraulic fluid or petrol fuel spills. Tel: sean.goff@factorycat.com 42 ECJ November 2011

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46 Mats Colour Symphony Logomats beyond your imagination. For further information contact or visit

47 WEB MARKETING You own or manage a business devoted to cleaning or cleaning supplies. Your task list to manage the business is already miles long. Do you really need to think about web marketing? After all, it s not your area of expertise and your business success has been largely based in hiring reliable staff and/or outside consultants who do know what they are doing. Why wouldn t web marketing be in the same category? Don t kill the messenger, but the sad news I have to deliver is that web marketing is in a different category for two main reasons. Businesses - all businesses - now will live and die in large part by how well they tame the internet to their business needs. In the old days, poor decisions on where you placed advertising would impact your bottom line, but rarely did they deal a death knell. In contrast, web advertising done the wrong way can quickly bankrupt your company. Similarly, search engine optimisation and website development pursued blindly or worse can be an enormous drain on time resources - above and beyond the financial toll. Sourcing web marketing talent has become more difficult because there is a lot of hot air posing as know-how. And if you choose to go down the route of building in-house web marketing staff you need to know that the universe of information and best practices they need to remain current in is constantly growing and changing. This usually means that it is only the largest companies that can afford to keep such an in-house team of web 'experts' up-to-date as required. Actually this brings up what could be called the third 'reason' on why you need to know a bit about the web so you can hire and manage talent wisely. First and foremost you need to know enough about the web and how it works today to also know what it cannot do for your type of business a subject that web marketing experts rarely bring to the table. Source up-to-date talent For the lion s share of companies in the cleaning industry, the answer is to invest in bringing the internet knowledge base of those sourcing talent up-to-date so they can not only source intelligently but manage the team they have enlisted with the modicum of web knowledge required. Without doubt, the single largest problem when it comes to search engine optimisation is that out of date search engine optimisation (SEO) practices are widespread and accepted as conventional wisdom. Let s take the example of the subject line of most of what I call 'SEO spam'. Because I am on the other side of the pond where online marketing had become a major factor a bit earlier and because I sign up for web marketing courses, etc to keep in the loop, I probably receive more of such SEO spam than you or most. But perhaps you too have received an with a subject line (and usually the body of the itself) that promises you, as it does me, 'top search engine rankings'. Continued page 46 In the first article of a new series written exclusively for ECJ, Amy Munice of Global B2B Communications in the USA offers advice for businesses on making the most of their internet activity. Here, she focuses on marketing and search engine optimisation. Getting up to speed with search engines November 2011 ECJ 45

48 WEB MARKETING What s wrong with that? you say. That s exactly what we want, isn t it? The problem is that 'top search engine ranking' is more or less fiction. The way today s internet works (to use the geeky terms - 'personalised search algorithms', 'local search algorithms', weight of social media rankings, etc) means that the search results your universe of prospects will see when they 'Google' (or whatever search engine they use) will vary. What one prospect s search page number one returns to them will predictably vary from what another prospect s results will return. Let s call that example red flag number one of out-of-date search engine knowledge. Red flag number two of out-of-date SEO is probably 'keyword metatags'. Take a look at the page source of your company web site and that of all your top-of-mind competitors. me: info@globalb2bcommunications.com if you want to know how - it is easy to do in seconds and available to everyone.) Whenever I do sampling, at least at the time of this writing, my sampling shows me again and again that more than half go to great pains to list 'keyword metatags'. "What s wrong with that?" you ask, as I was recently by a highly paid SEO advisor. Firstly, Google s official spokesperson, Matt Cutts, tells you not to use keyword metatags. He did so in and those who watch Google closely will tell you that when such announcements are made the changes have been in existence for quite some time. Dans le premier d'une nouvelle série d'articles exclusifs pour ECJ, Amy Munice, de la société Global B2B Communications, offre des conseils sur la valorisation par les entreprises de leur activité sur Internet. Dans le présent numéro, elle se concentre sur le marketing et l'optimisation de moteurs de recherche. Im ersten Artikel einer neuen, exklusiv für das ECJ verfassten Serie, bietet Amy Munice von Global B2B Communications Unternehmen Ratschläge zur besten Ausnutzung ihrer Internetpräsenz. Hierbei konzentriert sie sich auf das Marketing und die Optimierung von Suchmaschinen. Then I ask: what s with the laundry lists of unrelated keyword metatags - all the same on every web page - with few of them having anything to do or being mentioned once in the body of the web page? You find words like 'sale' or 'service' or 'reliable'. These are tell-tale signs that understanding is lacking - even pre on what keywords were and are. Did somebody really think that a person would go to his or her search bar and type in 'service' to find their company s offerings? That is what a 'keyword' is - the word or phrase you expect someone to type into their search bar to find you. The bigger problem - and a topic to be elaborated on in great detail in a later article - is that these listings of keyword metatags, while at best doing nothing for your search engine optimisation efforts, are like a poker player showing their hand to all opponents at the table. While keyword metatags do not 'count' in helping your site be found on search engines they do tell a savvy competitor a lot about what your business is up to. Doing anything that aids your competitors abilities in web competitive analysis are the absolute last things you want to do because web competitive analysis is the main thing that does matter on today s web. Some other tell-tale giveaways of out-ofdate knowledge on search engine optimisation to be heeded by those sourcing SEO help Continuing with keywords. What does it mean when your SEO consultant tells you, Nel primo articolo di una nuova rubrica curata in esclusiva per ECJ, Amy Munice della Global B2B Communications offre consigli per aiutare le imprese a sfruttare al meglio le loro attività in internet. Questo articolo si concentra principalmente sull ottimizzazione del marketing e dei motori di ricerca. rightfully so, that keywords and key phrases are very important? Then they politely ask you what your keywords are without suggesting that they will do keyword research to augment and strategise your site s keywords throughout the site. To me it means that they have absolutely no idea that choosing the best keywords today depends on having the best mathsbased search engine optimisation tools at your disposal that will identify these best keywords. A variant of this problem is that your SEO expert presents you with a list of keywords culled from free Google data. Why is that a problem? Where is the competitive advantage in using data freely available to you and all your competitors? Fresh content critical Call it out of date, call it clueless - it will not help your business get ahead. Red flag number three - your web designer presents you with a turnkey site that he or she has created and declared as 'optimised for search engines'. Then they give you no means to add to or change the site. It is true now and has been true for quite some time that adding fresh content and having the means to do so is critical to any search engine optimisation strategy. Giving you a static non-expandable website is delivering to you a product that is obsolete upon the day of delivery. Red flag number four - when you ask your SEO consultant what their support will include, they show you the free Google reports that are readily available, perhaps packaged with their SEO company s logo. Then, they put a high price tag on what are essentially one-click reports. You can pay them to do so, but why? As a business person, do you think it is a sign of integrity to take advantage of someone s ignorance by giving them an item freely available and charging them a small fortune for it? This is obviously a rhetorical question but I believe it's a very necessary one. Red flag number five - when you ask, the SEO consultant cannot tell you how the local search algorithm, personalised search, social media, or mobile devices should figure into your website design or verbiage, and they more or less avoid the question. And in fact, the usual way to avoid this question is to give blanket assurances that they will get you 'ranked number one'. There are many more red flags of out-of -date SEO knowledge. Knowing what not to purchase does not tell you what to look for. That will be the subject of the next article in this series. Amy Munice is the founder of Global B2B Communications and ALM Communications. Contact her at: info@globalb2bcommunications.com. Tel: ECJ November 2011

49 Household, Industrial & Institutional Ingredients Exhibition & Conference Household, institutional and industrial cleaning products have to fulfil many different requirements depending on the application. Selection of appropriate ingredients and skillful formulation are a prerequisite for the development of more innovative, cost-effective products. Growing regulatory requirements and health, safety and environmental drivers can restrict the choice of ingredients available to formulators, providing a major challenge to innovate and maintain product performance. The Formulators Event 29 February 1 March 2012 NMM Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK More recently, escalating raw material costs have added further pressures in the search for effective ingredients. H3i will address many of these issues and more in an exhibition, supplier product profiles presented by selected exhibitors and the BACS H3i Seminars, a range of technical presentations on highly topical issues. For all enquiries visit In association with the British Association for Chemical Specialities (BACS)

50 Babyminder tables have been tested to and exceed these safety standards: EN12221, EN :2008, EN (2006), EN15372 (2008) It s time for a change Infant safety seat PROZONE PROZONE In a league of its ozone...

51 BUSINESS: NEWS German ELENA database closes THE GERMAN Federal Economics Ministry and the Ministry of Labour has announced it is to close the controversial Electronic Wage Verification System (ELENA). This database is operated by the state pensions agency and requires employers to submit data about pay, work absence, reasons for dismissal and disciplinary action. It was created to streamline the approval and administration of state welfare benefits such as unemployment compensation, education support and child allowances, and reduce the overall level of paperwork demanded from employers. But the system became the target for privacy rights groups and its development costs escalated. Since ELENA went live employers have also submitted over 500 million reports and clocked up more time in maintaining the system than under the former manual procedures. Looking for more info on important topics? Search back issues of ECJ online at journal.com Late payment implementation EU MEMBER states are to be asked to pursue early transposition into national law of the late payments directive, scheduled initially for European Commission vicepresident Antonio Tajani made the announcement recently. Delays in payments have long been an issue of concern for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially since disruption to cash flow can mean the difference between solvency and bankruptcy. This challenge of late payments is becoming even greater in the current economic climate as payment delays grow and other sources of finance are drying up. Europeans overwhelmingly against immigration AN INTERNATIONAL survey of 23 countries by Ipsos has found opposition to immigration in numerous countries across the world, with majorities often considering its effects to be negative and its scale excessive. European nations were typical of this trend. Majorities in countries as diverse as Germany, South Africa, Russia, Turkey and the United States were found to consider immigration to have a "very or fairly negative impact". Anti-immigration sentiment was particularly strong in Europe, with over 65 per cent of Spaniards, Italians and British polled strongly or partly agreeing that "there are too many immigrants in our country". Sweden and Poland were the only European countries surveyed that did not have majorities who considered immigration to have a negative impact. In no country did a majority consider immigration to have been beneficial. Majorities in most EU countries surveyed agreed that immigration had made it more difficult for citizens to find employment and "placed too much pressure on public services," such as health care and education. Anti-immigrant sentiment has put significant strain on freedom of movement within the EU. In August, the European Commission approved Spain's measures to exclude Romanian workers from its labour market. The Spanish unemployment rate is by far the highest in the EU at 21 per cent. Controls criticised The Dutch and Danish governments, whose parliamentary majorities are dependent on the support of far-right anti-immigrant parties, have pushed particularly hard to limit immigration. In the case of Denmark, the unilateral imposition of new border controls was harshly criticised by the European Commission and Germany. While anti-immigration sentiment, according to the poll, is broadly shared across Europe, there are significant national differences. The number of foreigners in some countries, particularly Belgium, France and Germany, has grown relatively slowly over the past decade or has even declined. Other countries, often traditionally lands of emigration, have seen spectacular increases in foreign residents. According to Eurostat, between 1999 and The future is small business, says influential think tank POLICYMAKERS should prepare for a future in which big manufacturing business no longer exists and has been replaced by a string of micromultinational' SMEs, according to a policy brief from an influential European think tank. The brief by the Lisbon Council claims the 20th century logic that required large foreign talent pools to achieve a global reach has been "stood on its head" and larger companies are now bogged down in bureaucracy and overstaffing, with slow decisionmaking processes. "The result is that large companies are under pressure to deliver more with less - a fact which may well account for the jobless economic recovery we have seen in 2010 and 2011," the brief says, claiming such large companies will be incapable of delivering the jobs that politicians hope for. By contrast, it claims SMEs that use the internet and new business platforms can enter the global markets with a minimum of bureaucracy and overheads their numbers increased from 1.2 million to 4.2 million in Italy, from less than 120,000 to 420,000 in Ireland, and from 650,000 to 5.7 million in Spain. Un sondage effectué dans 23 pays a montré que l'immigration suscite des oppositions dans de nombreux pays du monde. D'après un groupe de réflexion européen, les décideurs politiques ont à se préparer à un avenir où il n'y aura plus de grandes entreprises manufacturières car elles seront remplacées par des "PME micromultinationale". ELENA, une base de données qui a suscité de vives polémiques en Allemagne parce qu'elle faisait obligation à des employeurs dans ce pays de soumettre diverses données sur leurs salariés, sera mise hors service. Les Etats membres de l'ue sont invités à avancer la transposition en droit national de la directive relative aux paiements en retard. A l'origine, ce texte devait passer dans les législations nationales en Eine internationale, in 23 Ländern durchgeführte Umfrage ergab, dass die Immigration in zahlreichen Ländern der Welt auf Ablehnung stößt. Laut einer europäischen Expertenkommission sollten sich politische Entscheidungsträger auf eine Zukunft vorbereiten, in der große Fertigungsbetriebe durch eine Vielzahl von mikro-multinationalen KMUs ersetzten wurden. In Deutschland wird das äußerst umstrittene ELENA-Verfahren, wonach Arbeitgeber verschiedene Daten über Mitarbeiter an die Zentrale Speicherstelle melden müssen, eingestellt. Die EU-Mitgliedstaaten wurden angewiesen, eine frühzeitige Umsetzung der Richtlinie gegen Zahlungsverzug in nationales Recht anzustreben. Sie war ursprünglich für 2013 geplant. Un sondaggio internazionale effettuato in 23 nazioni ha rivelato opposizione nei confronti dell emigrazione in numerose nazioni di tutto il mondo. I decisionisti dovrebbero prepararsi per un futuro nel quale non esisteranno più grandi imprese di produzione ma che verranno rimpiazzate da una serie di medie e piccole imprese micromultinazionali (in inglese SME) come dichiara un gruppo di esperti europei. In Germania, il tanto controverso database ELENA, che richiedeva ai datori di lavoro di inserire numerosi dati relativi al personale, sta per chiudere. Gli stati membri dell EU sono stati avvisati to pursue early transposition of the late payments directive in legge nazionale iniziamente programmata per il November 2011 ECJ 49

52 BUSINESS: FINANCE In need of cash The banks stand accused of starving SMEs of the finance they need for their own futures and to help get Europe back on its feet. Hartley Milner explores how the money-supply crisis is impacting on smaller businesses and what is being done to help them. Europe is looking to rally its vast army of small to medium size enterprises in the fight back from the deepest and most destructive financial crisis since the 1930s. In return, businesses are calling on politicians to better equip them for the fray with tax cuts, less restrictive regulation and red tape, help with training, job creation and finding new markets, and measures to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. But by far their loudest shout is for improved access to finance. Credit streams are fast drying up as the banks are battered by sovereign debt worries and the rising cost of servicing their own borrowing. Any money they do release tends to favour larger firms, which are seen as a safer bet. Figures from the European Commission show the proportion of unsuccessful loan applications rose between 2007 and 2010 in 19 of the 20 member states for which data is available. With the banks woes deepening across the continent, indicators only point to the lending crisis deepening. So it comes as no surprise that surveys show growing pessimism among Europe s SMEs, which make up more than 99 per cent of the region s business community. They accuse the banks of stifling their growth, bringing on cash flow headaches and costing jobs, as well as holding back the recovery. One small company that went to its bank but was shown the door is HC&MS, which Les PME et les entrepreneurs qui les dirigent sont soucieux de jouer leur rôle dans le reprise économique de l'europe, mais en sont retenus par un manque de financements. Hartley Milner, rédacteur d'ecj, examine leurs difficultés et les interventions en cours pour les aider. KMUs und die sie leitenden Unternehmer möchten ihren Anteil zum wirtschaftlichen Aufschwung Europas beitragen, fühlen sich jedoch durch einen Mangel an Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten behindert. ECJ-Korrespondent Hartley Milner untersucht ihre Misere und was zu ihrer Hilfe unternommen wird. employs 12 people servicing 16 regular cleaning contracts in south-east England. Operations director Darren Grace said times were tight, but the company was in control of its cash flow and solvent, though it has had to lose one employee. It faces familiar challenges in our industry having to find cash for cleaning products, fuel, advertising, accountancy, etc, with less work coming in. In August, the firm applied to Lloyds TSB for a loan of almost 12,000 euros to finance an advertising campaign and equipment upgrade. The bank said they were not prepared to lend to us because we had been with them for under a year, even although our accounts showed that we were a profitmaking company, Grace explained. I asked to apply again in two months when we would have been with them for a year, but they said we couldn t re-apply for six months. I think they were just placing hurdles in front of us. As a small business we do want to grow, but it is frustrating when we are held back. We don t have the means to finance expansion and that s why we look to the banks. But the banks have gone from one extreme to the other. They lent large sums of money to people who had no way of paying it back and now they re depriving decent, hard working small businessmen of the means to expand." Bank pledges Lloyds TSB told the ECJ that small businesses were at the core of its activities. Emile Abu-Shakra of its commercial division said: We are absolutely confident that we are lending to businesses, though there are good reasons why we are not able to provide the original type of funding requested from time to time. Even then, we may be able to look at alternative forms of finance. The bank pledges to help 100,000 startups every year with funding and other support in line with its small business charter. In the year to June, it had actually backed 167,000 new ventures. But more help is urgently needed, according to Andrea Benassi, secretary general of the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. SMEs across Europe are very heterogeneous, ranging from very traditional, family-run businesses to high-tech and fast growing enterprises and start-ups. To address their specific financing needs, there is no one size fits all answer, he said. Therefore, a broad range of tailored financial programmes and instruments is needed to provide targeted support to Europe s SMEs and help to improve their access to finance. Le piccole e medie imprese (SME) e gli imprenditori che le gestiscono desiderano ardentemente fare la loro parte nella ripresa dell economia in Europa, ma vengono frenati dalla mancanza di opzioni finaziarie. Il corrispondente di ECJ Hartley Milner esamina la loro difficile situazione e i mezzi in atto per venire loro in aiuto. The European Commission says it is responding to these calls with initiatives to guarantee loans from financial institutions. These include the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), which has a budget of more than one billion euros to provide access to finance for up to 400,000 SMEs until More than 140,000 loans have been handed out since the programme got underway in 2007, the majority going to help start-ups, the Commission says. Richard Pelly, chief executive of the European Investment Fund (EIF) which manages the programme, said: Every euro of funding under the CIP guarantee facility has translated into 17 euros of SME loans; this is a good indicator for the broad impact of the programme which should be maintained in the next financial framework. The Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises initiative enables member states to use their structural EU funding to finance small and medium-sized businesses via equity, loans or guarantees through a revolving holding fund. To make this sustainable, loan repayments to financial intermediaries are recycled to provide further lending. A more recent stimulus, the First Loss Portfolio Guarantee, has already had an impact on lending, according to the EIF, and it says it is now launching a risk-sharing pilot scheme to meet the financing needs of highly innovative SMEs and expanding its range of venture and growth capital instruments. The EC is also seeking to grow Europe s network of 75,000 business angels, who invest their own money and experience in start-ups they find promising. The angels invested three billion euros in 2006 alone. Funding and support for entrepreneurs were key features of European SME Week last month. Conferences, workshops, exhibitions and advice sessions were held across 37 countries in line with the Small Business Act for Europe. Since the act was adopted in 2008, the Commission says considerable progress has been made to help businesses, with measures including public authorities required to pay suppliers within 30 days. Other EU funding sources include: The Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development support for applied research and the commercialisation of the results PROGRESS programme (to 2013) micro-credit for small firms and people who have lost their jobs and want to start their own businesses Grants for projects or organisations that promote the interests of the EU or contribute to the implementation of EU programmes or policies. For more about EU funding, go to www. ec.europa.eu/youreurope/business 50 ECJ November 2011

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54 Equipe System Shopster System Endless configuration possibilities. The modular cleaning trolley that is one-by-one fitted to your needs. Orbit System Configure your Shopster at Maximum number of cleaning methods on the minimum size of a trolley. Scandic System The most durable cleaning trolley; made of stainless steel. Change attachments quick and easy without tools. Your professional equipment for dry-cleaning. Also available with maximum capacity for recycling and waste disposal. The perfect trolley for every cleaning task. All the VERMOP trolley systems offer a range of different trolleys to cater every need. Find more information on the VERMOP trolleys in our catalogue and on our website. VERMOP Deutschland GmbH Tel info@vermop.com

55 TROLLEYS Which trolley goes where? Cleaning trolleys are ingenious inventions. They are sufficiently lightweight and easy to push while also housing a wide variety of tools, chemicals and waste disposal facilities. A trolley s configuration will depend greatly on the environment in which it is to be used. When cleaning a small room that is a short distance from the cleaning cupboard, for instance, the trolley will be a simple affair housing only a few essentials. But where long distances are involved and complex cleaning operations need to be carried out, the configuration of the trolley will be more of a juggling act. It should not run out of supplies, since repeated trips to the cleaning cupboard will be costly from a labour point of view. However, if the trolley is too heavy to push it could slow down the operator - and even lead to back or skeletal injuries. So, how does the configuration of a trolley differ from environment to environment? And which are the hardest sectors for which to provide trolleys? According to Crisp Clean Services design manager Dave Hudsmith the type of flooring present and the level of hygiene required play major roles in determining the type of cleaning system to use. Carpeted office areas, for example, need no mopping systems but do require waste collection facilities and a vacuum cleaner, he said. Hospitals tend to require a flat mopping system either in the form of a double bucket wringer or a dosing system that uses a clean mop for every 10 to 20 square metres. Hospitals also often require segregated waste collection, whereas heavily soiled areas such as school entrances and passageways are ideally suited to a flat mop double bucket system since this will be highly effective at removing large amounts of soil. Another consideration will be the impression the trolley is likely to make on the public and whether this matters, he adds. Public areas often demand that the trolley does not become an eyesore or that harmful chemicals are secured out of view, he said. For this reason, part or fully-enclosed trolleys What is the ideal configuration for a cleaning trolley in an office, a school or a hospital? Ann Laffeaty asks trolley manufacturers how they adapt their products to fit specific locations. have often become a prerequisite. However the underlying trolley configuration can be broken down into the same basic elements according to the cleaning method, storage and waste requirement. In restricted access areas trolleys also need to be as small, lightweight and as manoeuvrable as possible says Hudsmith. The addition of large fixed wheels at the rear of a trolley to enable it to be taken upstairs is another typical requirement, he said. Crisp Clean Services offers a range of trolleys from a simple single bucket flat mopping system to a multi-function trolley that can carry several mops and segregate various different forms of waste. According to Hudsmith, one aspect of a Continued page 54 November 2011 ECJ 53

56 TROLLEYS trolley system that is often overlooked is the material used in its construction. In a hospital environment it is astonishing to see the condition of some plastic-based trolley systems being taken onto wards, he said. The plastic quickly accumulates dirt, germs and bacteria and the complexity of some of the mouldings makes cleaning the trolleys practically impossible. In these situations a stainless steel frame offers a much simpler construction with the clear advantage that it is capable of being cleaned and sterilised. Vileda s technical services group manager Jorg Dunkel agrees hospitals need to be supplied with trolleys that have a metal frame with no dirt traps. However, he claims hospitals are among the easiest sectors for which to provide a trolley solution. In public areas such as hospitals and airports the customer understands the need for a trolley which means the cleaning system will be very well organised, he said. Configured to suit needs According to Dunkel it is important that a trolley should be configured to suit the needs of the individual cleaning site. If the customer decides to use pre-prepared mops in place of the mop-and-bucket method the trolley will look very different, he said. Also, if there are carpets on the cleaning site say in an office or hotel - then the wheels must be bigger, otherwise too much force is needed to push the trolley. Covered trolleys also create a better impression in a hotel or office. It is also important to consider the wastecollection system in a trolley configuration, and whether it needs to fulfil transportation tasks such as bringing paper towels, toilet paper and soaps on to the site. He says a compromise is often required between providing a full range of cleaning products and limiting the size of the trolley to make it sufficiently compact to store. In a hospital the main focus will be on cleaning, whereas in an office it is often hard to find sufficient storage space in the building for trolleys, he said. Vileda s Origo 500 modular series is said to allow for up to 1.2 million different trolley configurations. The company s latest developments include covered trolleys and lockable boxes. Covered trolleys are becoming more and more important as an increasing Quelle est la configuration idéale d'un chariot de nettoyage pour un établissement scolaire? Un supermarché? Un bureau, et un hôpital? Que font les fabricants pour adapter ces équipements à des environnements aux accès limités ou impliquant l'exécution de tâches de nettoyage spécifalisées? Nous interrogeons des fabricants de chariots de nettoyage sur les secteurs qui sont les plus difficiles à satisfaire dans leur métier. Wie sieht der ideale Aufbau eines Reinigungswagens für den Einsatz in einer Schule, einem Supermarkt, einem Büro und einem Krankenhaus aus? Wie werden Wagen von den Herstellern an Umgebungen mit beschränktem Zugang oder in denen spezielle Reinigungsaufgaben ausgeführt werden müssen angepasst? Wir befragen Hersteller, welche Bereiche am schwierigsten mit Reinigungswagen zu versorgen sind. number of customers move towards daytime cleaning, said Dunkel. A covered trolley also creates a better impression in an office and can also help to prevent the misuse of detergent in a care home for example. He says other environments where specialist trolleys are required include operating theatres - where trolleys need to be particularly compact and clean rooms in the pharmaceutical industry. Here we offer stainless steel trolleys that can be autoclaved. According to marketing manager of Tecno Trolley Systems Paola Zorzo all sectors have their own specific needs but flexibility plays an important role. No sector poses a major challenge when it comes to providing a trolley: this is what we continue to invest in R&D for, he said. By listening to the needs of the end-users and pulling together the work procedures in their sector we can come up with the trolley configuration for them. He says clearly-segregated recycling, storage and cleaning sections are constants that need to be considered in any trolley configuration. These areas should be able to be closed off from one another whether by drawers, doors and sides, he said. Lids, doors and drawers should also be lockable using just one removable key to allow the operator to protect all substances and working equipment. He said there is a growing trend towards the 'one-trolley-fits-all' approach. Our Magic trolley has many combinations to allow the operator to create their ideal trol- Qual è la configurazione ideali per un carrello di pulizia da usare in una scuola? In un supermercato? In un ufficio o in un ospedale? Come fanno i produttori ad adattare i loro carrelli agli ambienti dove l accesso è limitato o dove devono essere eseguiti dei lavori di pulizia specializzata? Chiediamo ai produttori quali sono i settori che presentano più difficoltà nella fornitura dei carrelli. leys for disinfecting, cleaning and maintenance needs, he said. The trolley can also comprise a separated waste collection and a transport-managing linen service plus almost any other application. According to IPC Ready System s sales director Mariano Adriano it is difficult to configure a trolley for a specific environment or industry. The configuration will change depending on the different habits and needs of every country, he said. However, he adds that there are some general considerations to be made in specific sectors. Hygiene is of course a major factor when configuring a hospital trolley since the contamination risk is very high, he said. The trolley here would mainly be used for quickly disinfecting contaminated areas so there would either be a microfibre mop replacement system together with a Velcro tool, or a standard mop replacement with pockets made of polyester-cotton yarn. The trolley would also need to have handles made from fibreglass/aluminium and the material used to produce the trolley s plastic components should be anti-bacterial. IPC Ready System s HDS Suite features antibacterial plastic products for the healthcare sector. The company also offers the DS Drop pre-treated mop system. In a school or supermarket, says Adriano, the trolley system would need to include separate areas for clean and dirty water and for detergents. Trays might also be useful to contain cleaning products such as cloths and microfibre mop replacements, he said. We would also suggest a 120 litre bag support with compartment for refuse with its own lid. This is for aesthetic and security reasons and to avoid the spread of bad smells. He says useful accessories in a school or supermarket would include handles for dust and wet flat mops, Kentucky mops, a multi-purpose clamp and a wet-floor sign. A similar trolley configuration would work in an office, he says, though here he would suggest the addition of waste and recycling compartments for collecting rubbish from individual desk bins. According to Adriano, IPC Ready System trolleys can be adapted to suit any environment including clean rooms where equipment that produces no static energy is required. Aluminium frames with Velcro and disposable mop replacements would be the recommended solution here, he said. He adds that the most difficult market for which to provide trolleys is the contract cleaning sector. In order to keep costs low and be more competitive while also increasing their profit, the cleaning sector restricts our efforts to create professional cleaning systems, he said. The biggest challenge is letting our customers understand that they should evaluate the product first and then the price. 54 ECJ November 2011

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58 PRODUCTS: TROLLEYS La gamme de chariots de nettoyage Alpha de Filmop est dotée d'un panier supérieur verrouillable pour un maximum de sécurité, sûreté et hygiène. Splast a développé une boîte de désinfection remplie de têtes de balayage humide imprégnées pour ses chariots de nettoyage. Vermop propose le Shopster Stairs, un nouveau chariot de nettoyage capable de négocier des escaliers pour atteindre des zones difficiles d'accès. MagicArt est la nouvelle gamme de chariots de nettoyage pour l'hôtellerie proposée par TTS. Elle se distingue par un design contemporain. IPC Euromop a introduit un plateau verrouillage à couvercle et à clé dans sa gammes de chariots. Les chariots Crisp Clean sont fabriqués en acier inoxydable et peuvent être personnalisés selon les applications. Die Reinigungswagen der Produktreihe Alpha von Filmop bieten durch einen abschließbaren Aufsatzkorb optimale Sicherheit sowie Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz. Splast hat einen mit imprägnierten Moppköpfen gefüllten Desinfektionskasten zum Einsatz mit seinem Reinigungswagensystem entwickelt. Neu von Vermop ist der treppengängige Reinigungswagen Shopster Treppe, der leichtes Arbeiten in Bereichen, die bisher schwer erreichbar waren, ermöglicht. Bei MagicArt handelt es sich um die neue Produktreihe mit Hotel-Reinigungswagen von TTS im zeitgenössischen Design. IPC Euromop hat Antares, die Produktreihe mit Reinigungswagen, um eine Ausführung mit abschließbarem Deckel erweitert. Crisp Clean Reinigungswagen werden aus rostfreiem Edelstahl hergestellt und können dem jeweiligen Verwendungszweck angepasst werden. La linea di carrelli per le pulizie Alpha della Filmop è dotata di un cestello superiore che si può chiudere a chiave per la massima sicurezza. La Splast ha sviluppato un secchio di disinfezione contenente mop preimpregnati per essere usati con i suoi sistemi di carrelli. La novità della Vermop è il carrello Shopster Stairs, in grado di superare le scale per accedere alle aree difficili da raggiungere. MagicArt è la nuova linea di carrelli per le pulizie dal design contemporaneo prodotti dalla TTS. La IPC Euromop ha aggiunto alla sua gamma di carrelli Antares un vassoio con coperchio che può essere chiuso a chiave. I carrelli Crisp Clean trolleys sono prodotti in acciaio inossidabile che non arrugginisce e possono essere personalizzati in base alle necessità di utilizzo. Safety priority Safety in the workplace has been a major priority for Filmop in the development of its trolley products. The Alpha line, for example, offers a number of options for locking away chemicals or potentially dangerous cleaning tools such as scrapers. Systems can incorporate a central cabinet accessible via a lockable door or drawers. The most recent innovation in this area is the lockable top basket, which allows operators to lock away smaller four- or eight-litre buckets that would usually sit on top of open trolleys - full of potentially dangerous chemical solution. The top basket can also hold spray bottles thanks to a special insert that keeps them in an upright position, and easy to access. The basket is locked using a lid with removable key. Tel: filmop@filmop.com Easy disinfection New from Splast is a disinfection box for use on trolleys to hold impregnated mops for wet cleaning. The box holds up to cm or cm mop heads. Tel: mop@splast.com.pl Up the stairs The newest addition to Vermop's Shopster cleaning trolley range is the Shopster Stairs, which boasts all the func- tions of a conventional cleaning trolley with the footprint of a double bucket model. The Shopster Stairs can negotiate steps, which makes it suitable for working in hard-to-access areas. For the operator, going up and down stairs is not a problem thanks to two large 200 mm castors and the height-adjustable ergonomic steering handle. This new trolley can be configured using Vermop's Shopster Configurator and it can accommodate all conventional floor cleaning methods. Tel: info@vermop.com Marketing tool MagicArt is the new range of hotel cleaning trolleys from TTS - the company says they incorporate Italian design and elegance to make them a powerful communication and marketing tool for any hotel housekeeper. Seven collections are available and trolleys can also be customised with logos or any other illustrations. Tel: info@ttsystem.com Under lock and key The newest accessory for the Antares trolley from IPC Euromop is the closed tray with lid and key. This is designed for use in high traffic areas such as hospitals, airports and stations, or in areas where the air may be polluted (laboratories, factories and heavy industry for example). The new trays are available with closed-end bottom to store buckets, detergents, cloths or other materials; or with an open bottom which is suitable for storing a 120-litre waste bag or other bulky tools. The company's All In Evolution trolley systems boast maximum security, wide 20-litre drawers for storing disposable gloves, toilet tissue, cleaning cloths, chemicals, etc, or a grid for mop impregnation. Tel: info@euromop.com Rust free All trolley ranges produced by Crisp Clean Services are produced from rust-free stainless steel - claimed to be easy to clean and maintain as well as being strong and easy to manoeuvre. W i t h the market moving increasingly towards customised systems the company has developed its capabil- ity to cater for customers' individual requirements. The degree of customisation can vary from simply needing to include additional waste facilities for used mops and cloths, incorporating height adjustment for waste storage, buckets and pushing handles through to the design and development of complete new trolley systems. Tel: info@crispclean.co.uk 56 ECJ November 2011

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60 WORKFORCE: CLEANERS' RIGHTS Campaigning for The cleaning sector in Ireland is remarkably diverse in that it employs people from many countries around the world - there are over 20 nationalities in Dublin alone. Representing staff in the cleaning industry is the trades union SIPTU, based in the capital city, and earlier this year it decided to target the sector specifically with a campaign that became known as Fair Deal for Cleaners. ECJ visited the SIPTU headquarters to find out more about the background to the campaign, and how it attracted media attention throughout the country. The campaign organiser is Ethel Buckley, and she explained how vital it was for the union to target the contract cleaning sector specifically in order to achieve any success. "The cleaning industry came to our attention because of a very nasty dispute in 2008 at one of Dublin's most famous public buildings - which was a government contract at the time. A non-unionised cleaning contractor was then appointed and attempted to reduce terms and conditions, in breach of TUPE regulations. SIPTU put a picket on that building, a group of extremely determined women campaigned against the changes and eventually won their case. A unionised contractor then took on the job." She continued: "Problems around TUPE European Cleaning Journal editor Michelle Marshall visits the trades union representing contract cleaning workers in Ireland - SIPTU - to find out about how it started its successful Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign earlier this year. came to the fore in Ireland in the early 2000s, when mass immigration from new EU member states started. Ireland was one of the few countries to have a completely open border and all workers were made welcome to our labour force, and to our trade union. "However, we were concerned employers would use the immigrants vulnerable status to exploit them and to drive down wages and conditions in unionised sectors. As predicted, service industries became undermined." Bitter dispute Matters were brought to a head in 2005 when there was a bitter dispute concerning Irish Ferries, which wanted to replace over 500 members of its existing workforce with agency workers. A national day of protest over the broader issue of job displacement was held and that brought over 100,000 people out onto the streets of Dublin. It was as a result of this unrest and under the Social Partnership Agreement that the Irish government formed the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) - with the aim of working towards a national culture of employment rights compliance. Buckley explained: "In 2008 NERA started to release statistics about the various industries it dealt with, obviously related to employment rights. Contract cleaning came out as one of the worst sectors, based on inspections it carried out. Among the worst areas of non-compliance were employment law, statutory rates of pay, holiday pay, breaks and working time." This put the spotlight on the cleaning sector in Ireland for the first time, so SIPTU decided to fund a Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign. "The unionised, responsible contractors were fully supportive of what we were doing because they were being undercut by those businesses not complying with regulations. We also felt it was time to tackle this sector because it s very much in the country to stay it can t be exported and it s extremely labour-intensive." Before a successful campaign could be started, however, the issue of union density had to be tackled. Trades union membership across the cleaning industry was fairly low, with variances according to the sector the cleaners were working in hospitals and the public sector were more unionised for example. Buckley explained: "We rely very heavily on activists (we call them 'leaders') and we needed to develop those in order to get the campaign going. As it was, SIPTU was not reflective of the industry today, in that there were too many Irish members. We had to make ourselves more reflective of demographic changes." Lead organiser for the union is Gerry Flanagan, who was responsible for much of the face-to-face contact SIPTU has had with the cleaning staff. Having worked in other industries prior to joining the cleaning campaign, he quickly realised they would have to adopt a different approach. "Traditionally we have met with large groups of around 100 people, but we knew that with the cleaning sector that would not work. We needed to identify leaders and have more intensive engagement on a smaller scale. So typically we were speaking to groups of between three and four people. "We would have two organisers present this enabled us to establish the likely support and assess how much involvement we would have in the workplace. We could identify leaders on each site and develop their leadership skills, giving us a basic infrastructure to move forward with." SIPTU representatives then carried out 500 one-to-one meetings with cleaners in order to ascertain the issues of most concern to them. They expected wages to be the number one concern, so were surprised when it was actually number seven on the list of points surveyed. 58 ECJ November 2011

61 WORKFORCE: CLEANERS' RIGHTS cleaners' respect "One of the early messages we got from cleaners was that they lacked dignity and respect," continued Flanagan. "They feel cleaners are invisible and their work is undervalued. People don t see them as human beings that s how they feel. Often nobody in the building where they work even knows their name." Also high on the list of complaints was lack of communication. "It was also interesting to note cleaners are often dissatisfied with the quality of products supplied to them with which to do their job." Having established the issues the cleaners wanted to address, it was time to take the campaign public. Here, SIPTU found it was those cleaner 'leaders' themselves who proved to be most effective in putting their case forward. "Therefore we equipped them with the skills to convey their own message," explained Flanagan, "with media training and any other back-up they needed." That approach has proved to be highly successful - those leaders have appeared on TV, on radio and even in parliament, all as part of the Fair Deal campaign. "We have been honoured to discover that some of our cleaners are exceptional leaders," said Gerry. "And their message is much more powerful than any from a trades union leader. It has inspired an extremely positive response." On International Justice Day in June SIPTU member cleaners were extremely proactive around the streets of Dublin and gained significant media coverage for the Fair Deal campaign - this included an interview on prime-time TV about how cleaners' work is undervalued. The union also signed a Responsible Contractor agreement with market leading service provider ISS. Buckley explained the background to this. "SIPTU has found a persistent problem of non-compliance with employment law in the cleaning sector. However we do now have a core of firms that are committed to better methods. Being recognised as a 'responsible contractor' means ISS complies with all rules and regulations related to its workforce." Union responsibilities She went on: "The company also encourages interaction between trades unions and its cleaners, and itself positively engages with SIPTU rather than simply tolerating it." The union is now keen to invite other credible firms to join the scheme and Buckley is highly aware of its own responsibilities in entering into an agreement of this nature. "My part of the bargain is to talk to every cleaner at the company, organise them and implement an infrastructure. And of course, to deliver a product that is of real benefit to ECJ rapporte sur la campagne réussie qui est actuellement menée à Dublin par le syndicat représentant les agents de propreté, le SIPTU. La campagne Fair Deal for Cleaners (conditions équitables pour les nettoyeurs) vise à sensibiliser aux mauvaises pratiques d'emploi et faibles salaires du secteur. Son succès à ce jour est impressionnant. Das ECJ berichtet aus Dublin über die äußerst erfolgreiche Kampagne Fair Deal for Cleaners. Sie wurde von SIPTU durchgeführt, der irischen Gewerkschaft, die Reinigungsbranche vertritt. In ihrem Bestreben, mit dieser Kampagne ein Bewusstsein für schlechte Beschäftigungspraktiken und niedrige Gehälter in der Branche zu schaffen, hat die Gewerkschaft eindrucksvolle Erfolge erzielt. all parties." Buckley and Flanagan say the Fair Deal campaign is inspiring some real change within cleaning companies and when those changes take place, it's quickly noticed by the staff. "Simple measures like consulting the cleaners before major changes are made are very much appreciated by the workforce," Flanagan pointed out. And SIPTU has seen membership in the cleaning sector improve dramatically - it says the number of representatives has increased 10-fold in just one year. Not only that, attitudes among business owners to the trade union are gradually shifting and SIPTU says some employers now see unionised sites as being the least confrontational, and the ones that operate most efficiently. "Because everything is organised, staff are on a level with each other and they act as a group. Historically, contractors are not used to dealing with unions productively but now employers increasingly see that we have spent a long time gaining understanding of how the market works." Buckley is keen to emphasise: "Of course we understand that cuts sometimes have to happen on a contract but we expect to be involved in negotiations and consultation. And if cuts in budget must be made, then the specification for the cleaning contract must be amended accordingly." The campaign is currently focused only in Dublin but Flanagan has ambitions to take it nationwide if resources allow. In Dublin he would like to achieve 70 per cent density over the campaign s term, which is set at three years. Many of the companies involved in the Dublin initiative operate in other parts of Ireland, however Flanagan is realistic about the potential limitations for cleaning companies and the issues they face in terms of price pressure etc. "We acknowledge that conditions need to improve for them too in order for real, widespread change to take place." Da Dublino il corrispondente di ECJ ci informa sulla campagna di grande successo organizzata dal sindacato SIPTU che rappresenta i lavoratori del settore del cleaning. La campagna Fair Deal for Cleaners ha lo scopo di aumentare la consapevolezza sulle cattive pratiche nell impiego del personale e i salari bassi nel settore, e il sindacato ha ottenuto un livello altissimo di successo. November 2011 ECJ 59

62 Available at all participating dealers. Reduces fuel consumption by 20 %: the new HDS compact class with eco!efficiency mode. The new HDS compact class assists your operation, and not just by cleaning. Through reduced CO 2 emissions, it also protects the environment. This is achieved with the eco!effi ciency mode. In this mode, the high-pressure cleaner switches to the effi cient 60 C operation, through which fuel consumption is reduced by a whole 20 %. A clean side benefi t: 20 % more also remains in your purse. Kärcher eco!effi ciency achieve more with less.

63 HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS The pressure on sustainability Reducing water and energy consumption are widely regarded as important moves in increasing the sustainability of any operation. Water, in particular, is now an increasingly sought-after commodity. As water shortages continue to bite in various countries around the world, companies are looking at ways to reuse and recycle water wherever possible. Yet high pressure cleaners use large quantities of water as well as consuming plenty of energy, particularly in the case of hot water cleaners. So does this make them inherently unsustainable? On the contrary, says Nilfisk-Advance s senior group product manager for professional high pressure cleaners Andrew Caddick. At first glance pressure washers do seem to entail a large consumption of water and electricity as well as diesel oil in the case of hot water pressure cleaners, he said. However, the real calculation needs to take into account the consumption of water compared with the time taken to clean. Using a pressure washer will be quicker than carrying out a manual clean with a hose pipe. It has also long been proven that using a private pressure washer to wash your car consumes between six and 10 times less water than the use of a simple hose pipe at low pressure. The additional pressure and water flow provides a level of cleaning performance that cuts cleaning time. Water savings Nilfisk-Advance recently carried out tests using two 160 bar high pressure cleaning machines, one operating at 1,200 litres per hour and the other at 700 litres per hour. Simple reasoning would have it that the 1,200 litres per hour machine would be less sustainable and more heavy on resource consumption, he said. However, for an identical cleaning task the 700 litres per hour machine required one hour 12 minutes to clean compared with only 26 minutes for the 1,200 litres per hour machine. Meanwhile in pure water consumption terms, more than 500 litres of water were saved by using the High pressure cleaning systems use plenty of water and energy - but they also reduce the need for chemicals and speed up the cleaning process. So how sustainable are they? Ann Laffeaty finds out. larger machine. And of course, the reduced cleaning time led to a reduction in electricity and labour costs. He says the picture is similarly unclear as far as hot water versus cold water pressure arguments are concerned. It may be tempting to argue that a hot water pressure washer is less sustainable than a cold water machine since this will potentially consume more fuel and lead to higher emissions of exhaust gases, he said. However, in a typical application where oils and greases need to be cleaned away, the use of hot water will reduce cleaning time by up to 40 per cent compared with a cold water pressure washer. According to Caddick, where detergents are required for high pressure washer tasks, these will have been designed by the machine s suppliers to be as sustainable as possible. For example, when Nilfisk-ALTO detergents were developed a level of 80 per cent biodegradability within 14 days was a key specification, he said. He goes on to claim that Nilfisk-ALTO was the first supplier to come up with an environmentally efficient boiler. Today we can still boast efficiency levels of up to 93 per cent which equates to less waste and less pollution in terms of exhaust gases, he said. Dibo managing director Pierre van den Borne supports Caddick s view that high pressure cleaning actually reduces the amount of water used compared with manual cleaning methods. By adding pressure to the water it gains more power and becomes more effective, he said. When using a hot water pressure washer the temperature provides more supplementary power which also results in Continued page 62 November 2011 ECJ 61

64 HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS lower water consumption because the cleaning effect is improved and the time to finish the job is shortened. He adds high pressure cleaners mostly reduce the need for chemicals as well. However, this depends on the surface that needs to be cleaned and the type of soiling that needs to be removed, he says. Sometimes the use of chemicals offers advantages as they speed up cleaning and reduce the amount of water required. According to van den Borne, sustainable cleaning can be defined as a task that is carried out swiftly and well, and with the lowest possible consumption of chemicals and energy. However, you need to make the right choice for the specific cleaning job in every case, he said. As a manufacturer it is our job to keep the energy use of our machines as low as possible. As an example he quotes the GreenBoiler which is claimed to offer efficiency levels of 92 per cent and reduce fuel use by 18 per cent compared with an average boiler. He claims the company is continuously looking for ways to make its machines more sustainable. Our customers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of working with environmentally-friendly machines, he said. Our JMB-H WWC has become very popular and the GreenBoiler has been in high demand in the five years since it has been released. Kärcher s environmental matters public relations manager David Wickel says high pressure cleaners are often assessed wrongly from a sustainability point of view on account of the amount of water they use. Pressure cleaning is actually an eco-friendly cleaning method, he said. It is an envi- ronmentally friendly alternative to using chemicals and leads in many cases to better cleaning results in a much shorter time. It is also very efficient because high performance can be achieved even on irregular surfaces. Efficiency factor Like other manufacturers, he stresses that high pressure cleaning requires less water than when using a hose. The narrow diameter of the nozzle reduces water consumption by around 85 per cent in comparison with an ordinary hose, he said. Pressure cleaners also save chemicals because under higher pressure, detergent consumption can often be reduced. Furthermore, pressure cleaners as a rule have dosing devices that enable detergent to be added precisely and in minimal quantities. He says the sustainability of high pressure washing systems depends greatly on the individual machine. The energy consumption of high pressure cleaning machines depends on the power rating of the device: entry-level machines use about 2kW while an especially powerful model may use up to 10 kw, he said. Efficiency is a relevant factor here and an optimal combination of water pressure, throughput and accessories can make an enormous difference, especially when comparing pressure washers made by different manufacturers. In practice, cleaning with one machine can be done twice as fast as with another in the same category. Using less time can reduce both water and 62 ECJ November 2011

65 HIGH PRESSURE CLEANERS power consumption. Kärcher s new compact-class hot-water pressure washers have an eco!efficiency setting and water temperature can be varied between 20 C and 155 C as required. Since many types of soiling can be removed at temperatures of around 60 C, the eco!efficiency mode can be set permanently on the master switch to reduce fuel consumption by 20 per cent, said Wickel. Aquila Triventek s managing director Torben Andreasen agrees that high pressure cleaning is a sustainable cleaning system. It is fast, effective and extremely versatile, he said. If you can eliminate harmful substances in the waste water by using a hot water high pressure washer, any excess water can be sent directly into the public sewers. He concedes that using high quantities of water is bound to be seen as a negative from a sustainability point of view particularly if the water to be disposed of has been polluted. However, he says the company s TD302REC machine addresses this since it is capable of recycling and reusing more than 95 per cent of its water consumption. This high pressure cleaner collects the dirty water that may contain harmful substances, such as chemicals from graffiti paint or from a workshop floor, said Andreasen. It then cleans it and reuses the clean water over and over again, which means it keeps water consumption to a minimum. No chemicals needed He adds that hot water high pressure cleaning systems can also eliminate the need for chemicals. The hot water dissolves the dirt and other substances to be cleaned away, he said. This means that the only real environmental impact comes from emissions from the oil burner, where the environmental exposure on a long-term basis is easier to assess than the outlet of hazardous harmful chemicals. He says the company s own heavy-duty high pressure cleaners generally run on diesel engines with relatively low consumption. However high pressure cleaning is one of the fastest ways to clean, so the environmental impact should be measured per square metre per hour, he said. In this case, high A quel point les systèmes de nettoyage haute pression sont-ils durables? Et que font les fabricants pour les rendre plus durables? En examinant les dispositifs de contrôle de détergent, consommation de carburant, usage d'eau etc., nous essayons d'établir ce qui est fait par les fabricants pour rendre ces appareils plus écologiques. Wie nachhaltig sind Hochdruckreinigungssysteme? Und welche Schritte unternehmen Firmen, um sie in dieser Hinsicht zu verbessern? Wir betrachten Reinigungsmittelregelung, Kraftstoffverbrauch, Wasserverbrauch usw., um herauszufinden, wie Hersteller die Umweltfreundlichkeit ihrer Produkte verbessern. pressure cleaning and sandblasting emerge as the most environmentally correct methods of cleaning. Aquila Triventek is currently working on various sustainable high pressure cleaning projects. For example, our SPUMA high pressure washer is specially developed for environmentally friendly weed killing through a mixture of water steam and biodegradable organic sugar foam, he said. We are also ready to produce high pressure washers in which the engine and oil burner both run on biodiesel, cutting down CO2 emissions and reducing harmful outlets of carbon monoxide. Our future goal is to manufacture all standard models running on biodiesel engines and oil burners, and we are committed to developing new tools, nozzles and methods to make high pressure cleaning even more sustainable. Fino a che punto i sistemi di lavaggio ad alta pressione sono sostenibili? E cosa fanno i produttori per renderli più sostenibili? Esaminiamo il controllo dei detergenti, il consumo di carburante, l uso di acqua ecc. per scoprire cosa stanno facendo i produttori per rendere i loro prodotti più ecologici. November 2011 ECJ 63

66 PRODUCT REVIEW Désormais disponible en Europe, le système de pulvérisation électrostatique ESS peut servir à la restauration, au nettoyage d'installations agro-alimentaires et au contrôle anti-infectieux. Vileda Professional a ajouté des produits de gestion des déchets à son portefeuille grâce à sa coopération nouvelle avec Rothopro. KleenRite Equipment a développé la machine 2240 pour le nettoyage d'escalateurs et de trottoirs roulants. Le système de nettoyage interne de vitres HiFlo se signale par sa flexibilité et son économie. GOJO Industries Europe a développé une gamme de distributeurs à codage couleur pour simplifier la conformité aux exigences d'hygiène des mains. Thomil a ajouté à son assortiment un détergent de machine à laver la vaisselle pour eaux douces et demi-dures, et un rinçage pour machines à laver la vaisselle. Jetzt ist auch in Europa das elektrostatische Spraysystem ESS erhältlich, das bei der Sanierung, der Reinigung in der Nahrungsmittelindustrie und der Infektionskontrolle eingesetzt werden kann. Durch die neue Kooperation mit Rothopro hat Vileda Professional das Angebot um Abfallmanagementprodukte erweitert. KleenRite Equipment hat die 2240 Reinigungsmaschine für Rolltreppen und Fahrsteige entwickelt. Laut Unger bietet das Fensterreinigungssystem für Innenräume HiFlo Flexibilität und Kosteneinsparungen. GOJO Industries Europe hat eine Produktreihe mit farbkodierten Spendern entwickelt, die die Einhaltung der Handhygiene erleichtern sollen. Thomil hat ein Waschmittel für Geschirrspüler für weiches bis mittelhartes Wasser sowie eine Spülhilfe für Geschirrspüler in sein Angebot aufgenommen. E ora disponibile in Europa il sistema spray elettrostatico ESS che può essere usato per il restauro, la pulizia dei processi alimentati industriali e per il controllo delle infezioni. La Vileda Professional ha aggiunto al suo portfolio dei prodotti per la raccolta dei rifiuti grazie alla nuova collaborazione con la Rothopro. La KleenRite Equipment ha sviluppato la macchina per pulire le scale mobili e i tappeti mobili Il sistema per il lavaggio delle finestre negli interni HiFlo prodotto dalla Unger offre flessibilità e risparmio nei costi. La GOJO Industries Europe ha sviluppato una gamma di dispenser codificati in base al colore e progettati per semplificare le norme dell igiene delle mani. La Thomil ha aggiunto alla sua gamma di prodotti un detergente per lavastoviglie per acqua dura e di media durezza e un brillantante per lavastoviglie. Exclusive sprayer Now available in Europe through Lensmate is the ESS electrostatic spraying system - designed in the US and suitable for restoration, remediation, industrial food process cleaning and infection control applications. The heart of the ESS system is the patented Maxcharge air atomising induction charging nozzle that produces spray droplets said to be 900 times smaller than those produced by conventional sprayers. Each droplet receives an electrical charge that pulls the droplet towards the nearest object at 75 times the force of gravity. This causes what ESS calls a 'wraparound' effect, where droplets change direction to coat all sides of an object evenly. In practical terms this means the spray reaches the underside, the backside and all the nooks and crevasses of surfaces. Tel: sales@esseurope.com New in waste Vileda Professional has started to supply waste management products for the first time, thanks to a new strategic agreement with Rothopro - which specialises in the production of solutions in this sector. The range covers all needs for interior and exterior usage from HACCP hands-free pedal bins to multi-purpose durable bins and wheeled 100-litre containers. It has been designed to meet the challenge contemporary buildings and interiors place upon the products used inside them. For example, Geo and Iris metallic bins combine the durability and performance of plastic with the aesthetics of stainless steel. Tel: vileda.professional@ fhp-ww.com On the move New from KleenRite Equipment is the 2240 escalator and moving walkway cleaner, featuring an adjustable head that can clean treads between 22 and 40 inches. The machine also comes with both restorative and maintenance cleaning brushes, onboard accessory storage and a 15-feet vacuum hose with attachments. There is an optional powered spotting tank to allow for cleaning up spills. Tel: sales@kleenritemfg.com Indoor is easier Unger's HiFlo has been developed to make indoor window cleaning easier. The flexible pad holder can also be used to clean hard-to-reach areas - the pad is simply fixed to the velcro holder and pure water is sprayed onto it. Pure water dries without leaving streaks so no drying with a squeegee is necessary. To make the system more cost effective, all indoor cleaning tools are arranged in a starter and a master kit. The starter set contains the flexible aluminium pad holder, the polish pad and the new HiFlo thread adapter for aluminium telescopic poles. The master kit has additional tools, such as the Sprayer on a Belt for easy dosing of water; the ErgoTec belt and pouch for easy storage of spare pads; and the two-section 2.5-metre pole TelePlus. Tel: ungereurope@ungerglobal.com Simple compliance GOJO Industries-Europe is launching a range of colour coded dispensers created to simplify hand hygiene compliance and help reduce cross contamination. Colours and visuals are used to distinguish the GOJO TFX Touch Free and FMX Manual soap dispensers and PURELL hand sanitiser dispensers, along with posters for workers to use as a reference point. The new range forms part of the GOJO Hygiene Management System for Food Processing Facilities, which also incorporates the SIGNOL hand wash counter to monitor the frequency of staff hand washing and identify compliance issues. Tel: info@gojo.co.uk Send news about product launches, with photos, to Michelle Marshall, ECJ editor: michelle@ europeancleaning journal.com Water based Thomil has launched two new dishwashing products - Delta LV detergent for soft-medium hard waters and Split LV rinse aid for use at low temperatures. Delta LV is a concentrated liquid with high degreasing and destaining power, suitable for washing crockery, cutlery, glassware and kitchen utensils made of china, glass, stainless steel or plastic. Available in packs of 4.5, 12 and 24 kg. Split LV rinse aid can be used to dry and polish crockery, cutlery and glassware. It is said to work at low temperatures without generating foam, and no scale deposits are produced thanks to the acidic ph. It comes in four, 10 and 20 litre packs. Tel: profesional@thomil.com 64 ECJ November 2011

67 Reader registration form November 2011 To receive European Cleaning Journal free of charge (subject to qualification), complete the form below. Name... Job title... Company... Address... Postal code... Country... Tel... Fax... Please tick just one box in each section. Your company s main business activity: Factory & industrial premises Offices & commercial premises (including banks) Contract cleaning/cleaning services Distributors/wholesalers Health authorities/hospitals/nursing homes Central and local government Hotels/catering/recreation (including leisure centres) Education establishments (including universities, schools & colleges) Other (please specify) Number of company employees: Are you personally responsible for purchasing or specifying machinery, materials, products, equipment or support services used in the cleaning and maintenance of non-domestic establishments? Yes No None of the above Web site... Please sign here only if you wish to receive a regular copy of European Cleaning Journal (the publisher reserves the right to accept or refuse application). Signature... Date... Fax your completed form to European Cleaning Journal on Or, register online at

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