ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Tennant Company in the USA has strongly defended its advertising of scrubber dryers using ec-H2O technology against lawsuits filed by German competitor Kärcher

The basis of the lawsuits in Belgium, the UK and Germany is a number of advertising claims made by Tennant, particularly the assertion that ordinary tap water can in scrubber dryers be converted into ‘active water' that then has the same effect as a powerful cleaning agent.

"We are vigorously defending our company, technology and advertising against these baseless claims by a competitor," said Chris Killingstad, Tennant Company's president and chief executive officer.

"We find it interesting that Kärcher would attack our ec-H2O advertising now, after we have been in the marketplace for three years, satisfied thousands of customers and have 2011 projected sales of $130 million to $140 million."

Killingstad continued: "In industries such as retail, warehousing, education and others, our customers have found that Tennant's ec-H2O technology cleans their floors well in many day-to-day situations. Its effectiveness has been validated in laboratories and in the field.

"Our customers also want to use less water and fewer chemicals, save money and improve productivity. Tennant's ec-H2O technology delivers on all of these points. Our customers know it works because they have tested it and used it for themselves." He also insisted the technology has been tested by independent third parties.

Kärcher's claims have been described as "unwarranted and flawed" by Tennant. It says tests sponsored by Kärcher were applied to unrealistic soil samples and failed to control for certain key variables.

When the lawsuit was first issued by Kärcher last month, ECJ spoke exclusively to Markus Asch, deputy chief executive officer of Kärcher, about the action. "When we look closely at cleaning, it is not a real science, it's a process," he said. "From a customer's point of view, they need market players who are professional, who are serving the market in a straightforward way."

Asked why Kärcher is taking this action, Asch replied: "Our customers have to rely on manufacturers who tell them the truth, and if we want to achieve high levels of quality in our industry, everyone has to be professional and transparent.

"What Kärcher wants is to have it clarified in a court of law that what the market is being told is entirely true. If the court is following our direction then Tennant has to withdraw their claims about the system with immediate effect.

"With this action we are seeking confirmation of what is technically sound and correct," he concluded. "This is what the market needs. And we as a leading player consider it also our duty to stand up for the integrity of our industry."