The latest from the professional cleaning industry.
 Baudoin wins innovation prize
The Travelator Cleaner from Baudoin Wash-Systems was declared the best innovation for the professional cleaning industry at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN exhibition in Amsterdam. It was chosen to be awarded the overall prize from the three category winners – the other two being Kärcher and Alpheios International.
The results were announced at a gala ceremony on the first day of the show, hosted by Dutch television celebrity Pernille La Lau. Before the winners were revealed famous trend watcher Adjiedj Bakas treated the audience to an entertaining and thought-provoking gaze into the future. A cheque for €12,000 was also presented to the African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF) Flying Doctors’ sanitation project – all registration fees received from exhibitors for the show were donated to the charity. It was then up to the chairman of the jury Michelle Marshall, editor of European Cleaning Journal, to reveal the winners.
Designed to bring mechanisation to a traditionally manual and labour-intensive task, the Travelator Cleaner is a machine that cleans large areas of travelator glass in airports and shopping centres. It adjusts automatically to different travelator heights and cleans using six round microfibre pads. It won the category ‘Equipment/tools for cleaning, care and safety’.
Michelle Marshall explained why Baudoin was declared the winner. “The sheer originality of this product was what impressed the judging panel most,” she explained. “The Travelator Cleaner brings mechanised cleaning to a new sector of the industry – large expanses of glass which are hard-to-reach and difficult to tackle for cleaning staff. This new machine makes this task infinitely more ergonomic and it makes more sense in terms of productivity and cost-efficiency.”
Sales manager for Baudoin Bart de Bonth was thrilled to win the award. “Winning the Innovation Award was a fabulous token of appreciation. The accompanying publicity attracted a lot of additional visitors to our stand and winning definitely generated extra leads.”
Winner in the category ‘Machines, accessories and components’ category was Kärcher for its stand-on scrubber dryer BD 50/40 RS. In the category ‘Cleaning management and training solutions’ Alpheios International won with its Vive Sustainability Scan.
• Read more: detailed news on the winners
Dutch cleaners' victory
After holding strike action for nine weeks, cleaner members of the FNV Bondgenoten trade union in the Netherlands have reached a settlement - winning the pay increases and education allowances they were campaigning for.
The settlement consists of a 3.5 per cent pay increase over two years, which is 1.5 per cent more than the general wage settlement agreed for the rest of the workforce in the Netherlands by the trade union. Temporary workers who went on strike will get their jobs back, and Dutch language lessons are to be introduced for all new entrants to the industry. If they complete the three-month course they will receive a €750 bonus.
In addition a union advantage fund of €1.4 million will be set up and every member of the cleaning section will be paid a bonus. Another fund will be established to compensate the strikers for the loss of their holiday entitlement so they do not suffer too much from being on strike for such a long period.
New REACH breakthrough
The European Commission has broken the deadlock on setting criteria for identifying hazardous chemicals, requesting companies to table plans to substitute them even if no alternatives have been clearly identified.
Environment commissioner Janez Potocnik and industry commissioner Antonio Tajani announced they have found a common approach to identifying and managing Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs).
The agreement clarifies the authorisation procedure for hazardous substances on socio-economic grounds. Under the REACH regulation, even if a substance presents a risk to human health or the environment, authorisation may be granted if the socio-economic benefits are proven to outweigh risks arising from its use and if there are no suitable alternatives.
Under the Commission's new procedure, "all available information is to be considered and will be used in a so-called 'weight of evidence approach'".
In addition, companies that have been unable to identify alternative solutions for a dangerous substance will have to show they have carried out in-depth investigations and must indicate a timeline within which alternative substances could become available.
Guidance to come
Now that this deadlock has been broken, the Commission says it will shortly give "the long-awaited draft guidance on authorisation" to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) - which is responsible for the implementation of REACH - to allow it to make progress on registering chemicals and managing SVHCs.
Meanwhile the ECHA has launched a new version of its online registration system REACH-IT. The system is now accompanied by a tool allowing companies to verify the technical completeness of a dossier before submitting it.
Visit it at: http://echa.europa.eu/reachit
Afidamp elects 2010 board
The Italian cleaning machinery, equipment and chemical manufacturers’ association AfidampFAB has elected its board of directors for 2010. The president is once again Michele Redi of IPC Ready System.
Daniele Bonini of Isal serves as deputy vice president. Members of the council are Gianfranco Bonotto of Tre Colli; Maurizio Cigola of IPC Soteco; Matteo Marino of Kemika; Giampaolo Ruffo of Comac; and Antonino Siclari
of Delfin.
For details: www.afidamp.it
 Ash cloud clears for Amsterdam show
After the Icelandic volcanic ash had darkened the skies and brought European air traffic to a grinding halt just days before, the cloud cleared and the sun shone for ISSA/INTERCLEAN in Amsterdam recently. The industry’s most important trade exhibition attracted almost 23,500 visitors and a record 651 exhibitors.
The percentage of foreign visitors had also increased – in 2008 67 per cent came from outside the Netherlands while this year this figure had increased to 71 per cent. There was a marked rise in visitors from South Africa and Central & Eastern Europe. And of the 23,415 visitors 76 per cent were authorised buyers.
For the first time this year there was an element of segmentation at the show, with separate Washroom and High Pressure areas. The organisers say both exhibitors and visitors were pleased with this idea.
The next Amsterdam show takes place from May 8-11 2012. For details visit the website at www.issainterclean.com
• ECJ is the official media partner for ISSA/INTERCLEAN. Read our review of the show here.
China Clean grows
The organisers of the China Clean exhibition which took place in Shanghai earlier this year have announced a growth in visitors of almost 10 per cent and a rise in exhibitor numbers of over 20 per cent.
This year’s event saw a total of 177 exhibitors from more than 20 countries taking part – up by 21.2 per cent on last year. Countries represented were Germany, Italy, USA, Spain, Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
There were 6,904 professional visitors, which was a 9.8 per cent increase on 2009. The number of overseas visitors was 355 and they came from countries including Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, America, German, Italy, French, Spain and Australia.
The next China Clean Expo will take place from March 29-31 2011 in Shanghai.
For more information visit: www.chinacleanexpo.com
 Diversey hosts climate summit
More than 100 European business leaders met in Amsterdam at the end of April to outline their efforts to address the environmental and economic risks of climate change. The event was hosted by Diversey, and the company also released its 2009 Global Responsibility Report at the event. Chairman Curt Johnson introduced the programme.
Speakers included senior executives from leading European corporations, including Kempinski Hotels, Ahold, Bunzl, Check Safety First, Hectas, Inpacs, NH Hotels and OCS. Curt Johnson gave the opening address with a challenge to the international business community to rethink its approach to climate change.
“The ability of industry to successfully address climate change will hinge on creating a collective mindset that carbon emissions are waste,” he said. “Every successful business finds ways to minimise waste. By treating greenhouse gas as a form of waste, we create a sea change in our perspective on how to address climate change.”
Keynote speaker was Donald Pols, a climate expert with the World Wildlife Fund in The Netherlands. To put into perspective the impact companies
can have, Pols said the members of the WWF’s Climate Savers program together reduced 50 megatons of CO2, equivalent to one-quarter of the emissions of The Netherlands.
“The companies and associations who joined us today agree that sustainability is good business and are pursuing it with excellence in their daily operations,” said Diversey president and ceo Ed Lonergan. “We can make a huge difference in the world by reducing the environmental impact of our operations while also creating value for our shareholders.”
To view the Global Responsibility Report visit www.diversey.com/2009GRR
General assembly sets priorities
UNI Property Services, the global trade union for cleaning workers, held its general assembly in Switzerland recently to discuss its strategic priorities for the coming year. The affiliates discussed socially responsible public procurement, professional illness and third party violence, and equal opportunities.
Socially responsible public procurement is seen as a priority topic but the unions say they are facing opposition from employers who say that during the recession it is impossible to suggest this approach to clients. Participants concluded that better inter-union collaboration on a local, national and European level and a broad and stronger regulatory environment should be key objectives. Suggestions were also made to use European Works Councils (EWCs) as a platform to raise this issue and to introduce social levies on companies not respecting labour and social laws.
Cost benefits
The working groups also agreed on the need to convince employers about the cost benefits of implementing effective policies to tackle professional illnesses and third party violence. Harassment was also raised as an important issue to be faced given the high majority of women and ethnic minority workers in the property services sector. Better implementation of existing health and safety legislation and monitoring by trade unions were identified as key objectives.
Discussions surrounding equal opportunities focused on issues facing women workers such as lack of child care, unsocial hours, low wages and in particular the low status image associated with the cleaning sector. Pregnant workers often suffer from lack of social protection and undocumented workers and migrant workers are often at a disadvantage due to a lack of knowledge about local labour laws and rules as well as a low level of literacy and language skills.
Participants concluded that the sector's image must be improved and it should be regarded as a skilled profession. They also agreed trade unions need to play a role in protecting undocumented and migrant workers by
providing them with information and representation.
www.uniglobalunion.org
Copper branding
Antimicrobial Copper has been launched as a new global brand to enable manufacturers to signify their products are capable of continuously killing pathogenic microbes and reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections.
Antimicrobial Copper and Cu+ are the unifying brand name and logo denoting products made from materials capable of reducing surface contamination with an efficacy that will not diminish. At the end of their service life, items containing Antimicrobial Copper are 100 per cent recyclable without loss of properties.
www.copperinfo.co.uk
Spanish review
According to the organiser Afidamp Servizi, 10,620 cleaning professionals attended the Pulire España exhibition which took place in March. This is despite a drop in exhibitor numbers by over 40 per cent and 49 per cent less space.
Alongside the exhibition a conference programme was organised, which was supported by many of the associations.
The next Pulire España will take place from February 28 to March 1 2012.
Visit www.pulire-es.com
 Carbon Trust approval
The Dyson Airblade hand dryer has become the first hand dryer to be awarded the Carbon Reduction Label from the Carbon Trust. To secure this label, the machine’s total carbon footprint was measured and certified.
The detailed assessment covered the amount of carbon emissions (CO2 and other greenhouse gases) produced from the Airblade’s materials and manufacture, transport, in-use and end of life. As part of the certification, Dyson has committed to reducing the dryer’s carbon emissions further in the next two years.
“Good design and environmental responsibility go hand in hand,” said James Dyson, who designed the Airblade. “By considering the environment from the start, our engineers develop machines that are more powerful, perform better and work using less energy and materials.”
Chief executive of the Carbon Trust Tom Delay commented: “Product carbon footprinting will help to deliver the lower carbon products of the future, by informing design decisions that drive out carbon emissions. We commend Dyson for their commitment to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the Airblade hand dryer.”
For details visit the website: www.dysonairblade.co.uk
ISS best in outsourcing
The Global Outsourcing 100, which annually ranks the world's best outsourcing service providers, has placed building service group ISS at number six on its list - stepping up one place from last year.
The independent evaluation team from the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) assessed over 600 international businesses on criteria such as size, growth, customer satisfaction, depth of competence and management. ISS achieved its ranking due to its global presence, high customer satisfaction, leadership and training
of employees.
"We are very pleased by this great recognition of our ongoing efforts to meet customer demands. We are proud to move up the list and to be the professional and reliable outsourcing partner of choice," said ISS Group ceo Jeff Gravenhorst.
 Swine flu changes hygiene behaviour, survey finds
A significant percentage of people have changed their behaviour with regard to hygiene after the outbreak of Swine flu, or H1N1. That’s according to the 2010 Hygiene Matters study by SCA, which analysed habits in 10 countries.
The global hygiene and paper company questioned 500 people in each of the participating countries – Australia, China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, the UK and the USA. There were four themes: ‘Everyday life in the wake of the pandemic’, ‘Hygiene in the school environment’, ‘Hygiene information for the masses’ and ‘Hygiene and health information of tomorrow’.
Among the findings was the fact that 77 per cent of the respondents wash their hands more frequently than before. And 51 per cent feel toilets in schools need to be improved. Besides schools, those questioned also mentioned restaurants (42 per cent) and public transport (37 per cent) as public areas where they regularly notice a poor level of hygiene.
From these comments SCA concludes that the implementation of more rigorous cleaning regimens is high on the agenda for facility services department. “In an office building, for instance, protocols might call for increased object cleaning such as computer keyboards, door handles and extra toilet seat cleaning.” Said Dr Rolf Andersson, senior advisor in hygiene for the company.
China has seen the most remarkable change in behaviour – 39 per cent stated they travel less than before the outbreak of the flu epidemic. This is in direct contrast to the Mexicans at just 13 per cent.
For more information and to see a copy of the report: www.sca.com
Targeting hotels with H&S package
Cleaning and hygiene systems supplier Diversey has partnered with a specialist in health and safety risk management audit systems to offer a package solution to the international hotel industry. Its company JohnsonDiversey Consulting has licensed the E-Cristal system from Check Safety First.
Starting in Turkey JohnsonDiversey Consulting will help hotels standardise, manage and improve standards of health and safety - with services encompassing general safety, swimming pool safety, Legionella control and food hygiene.
The next phase of the partnership will see JohnsonDiversey Consulting making the services available to the Portuguese hotel sector.
For more details: www.checksafetyfirst.com
SCA exceeds one sustainability target
SCA has exceeded one of its ambitious sustainability targets a year early and taken new steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The company made the announcement in its 2009 Sustainability Report, published recently.
A 15 per cent reduction in water consumption and a 30 per cent reduction in its organic wastewater content was pledged by SCA by 2010, using 2005 as a base year. By the end of 2009 water consumption had decreased by 4.9 per cent while organic content of wastewater had reduced by 40 per cent – exceeding the company’s target by 25 per cent a year earlier than expected.
The company’s holistic approach to sustainability is paying off, said president and ceo Jan Johansson. “The year 2009 has been a difficult period distinguished by the recession and financial crisis,” he said. “In this harsh competitive environment, SCA has secured more customers and contracts through our pronounced and transparent sustainability strategy. Young coworkers choose to work at SCA for the same reasons.”
The 2009 Sustainability Report also revealed a 2.2 per cent reduction in carbon emissions. However SCA has pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 using 2005 as a base year.
For information: www.tork.co.uk
Virtual training
The Virtual Academy in Business Services is a pilot project just launched in the UK set to alter training in facilities management (FM) by bringing employers together in raising workforce skills.
Developed by Asset Skills, the government-backed Sector Skills Council for FM, the Virtual Academy will act as a link between business and training providers, offering practical assistance on training issues.
By acting as broker/facilitator, the Virtual Academy aims to put the right people onto the right courses. For example, three companies may wish to put 100 cleaners on to a nationally accredited cleaning course. Through the Virtual Academy, they can collaborate and choose the right training provider, according to region or number of learners, and economies of scale can be achieved.
For more details visit the website: www.assetskills.org/virtualacademy
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