ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

ECJ celebrates its 20th birthday this month. To celebrate our birthday we look back at the key trends affecting the industry over the last 20 years, with the help of some of the best-known names in the industry. Today, José del Pino of INPACS.

The major trend over the past two decades was definitely  globalisation, causing a rigorous consolidation of all leading players. In the cleaning industry, manufacturers and customers have been heavily affected by this development, acquisitions and mergers have drastically reduced the number of distributors. This will probably continue more in southern Europe with its highly fragmented markets.

Another important process has been the opening up of the eastern European markets leading to significant growth over the past 20 years.

Sustainability demands become more and more decisive, being reflected in various aspects within the professional cleaning industry like ecological product solutions and ethical work conditions across the entire supply chain.

The professionalisation of processes and services via ISO standards and electronic solutions connecting suppliers with end-users is an important development. Globally rising hygiene standards are approaching heterogenetic markets and allow a certain standardisation while preserving specifications on a local level.

Globalisation has brought forward strong relationships in terms of cooperation as well as network building both on a national and international basis.

However, there is still on-going inequality of cleaning standards in different countries. There are markets with a high level of sophistication demanding complex cleaning solutions and others focusing merely on basic standardised products.

We assume that despite the diversity, certain global standards for professional cleaning will eventually be established.

The e-commerce sector will definitely be more important. It will drive comparability and help and drive professionalisation through the whole industry.

www.inpacs.com