ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Katja Scholz in Germany brings us reports from Craft Day and the CMS exhibition in Berlin.

In September there were two highlights for the contract cleaning sector taking place simultaneously in Germany:  on ‘Craft Day’ the achievements of Germany’s craftsmen and women took centre stage for the 13th time and the international cleaning trade fair CMS opened its doors again after a Covid-enforced break.

Craft Day

Over 100 trades promoted the achievements, diversity and career opportunities in skilled craft occupations within a wide range of activities. Businesses and skilled craft organisations from across the whole of Germany showed, through activities and events, that skilled crafts make our country what it is – from culture to the energy transition.

This year the focus was on the contribution made by skilled crafts to the culture of the country.   With just under a million companies, 5.6 million craftsmen and craftswomen and more than 130 occupations requiring apprenticeship training, skilled craft is an important part of the economy for the future of the country.

The contract cleaning trade also played its part: apprentices from the sector undertook preparatory professional cleaning of the lettering over the entrance into the historic House of German Skilled Crafts in central Berlin and made it shine with renewed brightness. The historic building, dating from 1908, is the headquarters of the Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH). The cleaning activity was initiated by the Federal Association of Contract Cleaners (BIV) and captured on film. The resulting film was then shown on Craft Day.

“It is always a special honour to clean historically important buildings. This helps us to highlight not only the particular features of our trade but also above all to highlight one of our core functions: cleaning is conservation and represents a key element of sustainability”, said Tanja Cujic-Koch, an employer from Berlin and member of the BIV Federal Board.

The German skilled craft sector also added a further special highlight in parallel with Berlin Art Week:  in a pop-up gallery on Tempelhof Field there was an exhibition of items reinterpreted by a Berlin artist and curator working together with skilled craft companies. This joint activity provides the skilled craft with an artistic monument which creates new perspectives and approaches. Since 2011, Craft Day has always been held on the third Saturday in September.

CMS Berlin

This year it was that time again: following cancellation due to the Covid pandemic in 2021, CMS Berlin opened its doors again.  The international trade fair this year attracted just under 21,000 visitors and 420 exhibitors from 25 countries who occupied over 31,000 square metres of indoor and outdoor display areas.

The cleaning trade fair is one of the most important meeting places for the sector, where visitors can benefit from a complete market overview of products, systems and techniques currently available across the whole range of commercial cleaning technology. When the fairs are held, the focus of the industry is on innovations and technical developments in cleaning machinery, appliances and cleaning, care and disinfectant products.