Professional cleaning is becoming more technologically advanced

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24th of May 2016 Article by Markus Asch

Markus Asch, vice chairman of the management board at cleaning equipment manufacturer Kärcher and president of EUnited Cleaning, writes his latest blog for the ECJ website. He looks back at ISSA/Interclean in Amsterdam earlier this month and the main trends emerging there.

Have you heard? At this year's ISSA/Interclean, there were more intensive discussions than ever before among experts within our industry regarding the future challenges facing cleaning companies.

In the course of these discussions one thing became clear: professional cleaning is becoming more and more technologically advanced. The subject of constantly increasing networking of people and machines and the corresponding impact on our industry took centre stage at stands and forums across the trade show.

Consequently both the interest in and range of digital services like fleet management systems are on the rise; even the Internet of Things, up to now dominated by global tech giants, is becoming established in the field of cleaning technology.

What is happening here is more than just a reflection of our society and how it is changing - we ourselves are becoming the drivers of change. And this change gives us the opportunity to add value to our industry and to the work of building service contractors. This in itself is another welcome development, since despite extensive mechanisation, cleaning is and always will be a task carried out by people. Even in the future.

That is why we need people who enjoy and take pride in their work, and who see in it more than just a way to earn a living. And we need enthusiastic junior staff. Thus high-tech automation offers a dual opportunity and I am pleased to see how this chance is grasped.

It was clear in the run-up to ISSA/Interclean that it would be an ideal platform for these discussions, as the trade show was set to be bigger than ever: more exhibitors on a larger area and of course more visitors. The reporting prior to the trade show provided some indication of this; however the already high expectations were even exceeded.

This is a good sign for the companies within the industry and for the people employed by them. The demand for professional cleaning is growing and cleanliness is increasingly seen as a value in itself - far more than just a means to an end. The growth of ISSA/Interclean, our industry's summit, is clear proof of this.