Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 7th July 2011 Issue no. 479
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International News
Products Germgard Lighting demonstrates two-second, bare and gloved hand sterilisation Germgard Lighting has developed, tested, and confirmed by independent testing that a small UVC dispenser - specifically designed for sterilising bare or gloved hands safely and quickly - achieves -6log10 inactivation of all relevant pathogens, including tough-to-kill Clostridium difficile spores. It has developed a simple, proprietary means to protect bare skin from UVC exposure. Sterilisation of gloved or bare hands is implemented within a few seconds including an exposure time of only two seconds. Ecolab adopts automated hand hygiene monitoring technology for healthcare customers Ecolab announced this week that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Proventix Systems to use the nGage RFID (radio frequency identification) system to automate hand hygiene compliance monitoring for healthcare customers. The agreement with Proventix provides Ecolab customers with new options for their hand hygiene compliance monitoring initiatives. WWF and Kimberly-Clark announce new global commitment to responsible forestry Yesterday, Kimberly-Clark and World Wildlife Fund announced the expansion of Kimberly-Clark's membership in the Global Forest & Trade Network, a WWF initiative to eliminate illegal logging and conserve the world's most valuable and threatened forests. Kimberly-Clark will now include its worldwide operations in the initiative, building on its existing GFTN membership in selected countries. The participation scope now includes all wood fibres sourced for all of the company's products sold globally in the Kimberly-Clark Professional, Personal Care and Consumer Tissue businesses.. RCM gears up to look after cleaning needs of Yamaha Motor Racing, Milan
AeroGlass liquid glass technology helps prevent the spread of infection The recent E-coli outbreak in Germany - which rapidly spread to other European regions - again highlighted how air travel can be linked to the rapid spread of infection. Other than temperature monitoring, there is little that can be done to evaluate the health of the individuals who enter an aircraft, but now Frasers Aerospace is introducing a multi-award winning technology which will significantly reduce the bacterial loading present on surfaces within the aircraft and this technology is available for use in other situations too. In updating the market relating to the six months ending 30 June 2011 prior to entering its close period, Bunzl, the international distribution and outsourcing group, announced this week that overall trading is consistent with expectations at the time of the Interim Management Statement in April. Vectair launches 'Green Tea' aircare fragrance
This, as well as the company's other popular, established ranges, is available now for use with the Vectair range of aerosol / non-aerosol fragrance dispensers and systems. These include hand held aerosols, the V-Air non-aerosol continuous odour control system, Airoma and Micro Airoma automatic fragrance dispensers, the Omniscent large space fragrance unit and the Prozone ozone generator. Smell for yourself today... T: 01256 319500 Bio trunking makes a meal out of food factory bugs Strict hygiene control is a top priority in food preparation environments, making a new antimicrobial cable management system that is effective against E-Coli and Salmonella a perfect solution for assisting in ensuring the ultimate level of cleanliness is maintained at all times. Vernacare's 'Austerity Partnership' rewards loyal customers
Vernacare has launched an 'Austerity Partnership' with NHS Trusts to enable hospitals to make sustainable cost savings on medical pulp without compromising on exceptional quality standards or patient care. New pressure washers from Idrobase are going down a storm
Last month, Idrobase chose the successful Pulire 2011 exhibition to launch several new offerings and the company's Bruno Ferrarese tells us that these went down a storm with the hundreds of visitors to the stand. CSSA AGM & Annual Luncheon: informative and fun Members of the Cleaning & Support Services Association attended their AGM and annual lunch in London at the Savoy Hotel last Thursday, formally electing Doug Cooke of Principle Cleaning as Chairman of the UK cleaning industry's leading trade association. Peter Goodliffe of OCS Group was elected vice-Chairman and Michael Rutherford of Victoria General Cleaning Services was elected Honorary Treasurer. It was also agreed that Peter Goodliffe will become Chairman at the end of 2011, and Doug Cooke assume the role of vice-Chairman, to ensure a smooth handover between the two. 'Give Soap a Chance' campaign reaches South Africa
A health campaign created by Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust to cut down on infections in the community has been adopted in South Africa. Higiexpo 2011, Brazil, opens in just a few weeks
PPE assessment: improving your bottom line
An assessment of personal protective equipment can identify opportunities for improvements that can positively impact the bottom line of many businesses. Rubbermaid's new Hygen clean water system turns dirty water into clean
Rubbermaid Commercial Products has introduced the new Hygen Clean Water System, which features what the company believes is the first ever integrated water filter that generates cleaner water, cleaner mops and cleaner floors. EU to start taxing road freight to contain pollution EU member states have been given final approval to start applying the 'polluter-pays' principle when setting road tolls for heavy goods vehicles. But the freight sector is complaining of an additional burden as countries are not obliged to reinvest the tax revenues in greening road transport. IPC Media chooses Principle Cleaning Principle Cleaning Services is continuing to add prestigious contracts to its growing portfolio of media companies and has recently won a three year contract for daily office cleaning for IPC Media's landmark building, Blue Fin Building. HSS Outsource: time/money-saving solution for cleaning and FM contractors HSS, the national supplier of tool and equipment hire and related services, is launching HSS Outsource, an innovative new service that offers a long-term equipment hire solution and promises to help facilities managers save time and money when it comes to equipment management. The proposition launches first in the troubled cleaning equipment sector going to the heart of FM's everyday problems. Mega I: RCM's new walk-behind scrubber-drier
Ramon Hygiene Products are adding further new products to their successful cleaning and hygiene range to provide quick and easy cleaning solutions for glass, stainless steel, ceramic tiles and mirrors. The new Glass Clean Frames and Microfibre Mini Mops offer simple and professional cleaning in just one single movement. Designed for use in any area where polished or gloss surfaces require routine maintenance. What exactly engages employees? A new Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development report published recently, delves deep into the issue of employee engagement. It acknowledges that employee engagement is an important driver of sustainable organisation performance, but goes further by exploring 'what' employees engage with and 'where' in the organisation their focus of engagement is located, or, what is their 'locus of engagement.' MITIE wins integrated FM contract in Norway MITIE, has recently been awarded a seven-year integrated facilities management contract with the Norwegian Maritime Competence Centre in Alesund, Norway. |
Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 132 countries worldwide! In this week's news we cover the launch of this year's British Toilet Association Innovation Awards, while visitors to washrooms along New York's Coney Island boardwalk are experiencing innovation of a different kind: alleged moves by the city's authorities to redcude people's toilet tissue consumption. According to the New York Post, the city is so strapped for cash that it's rationing toilet paper in some of its women's washrooms - but not by controlled usage dispensers or anything highly technical. Instead, dispensers have been left empty and washroom attendants are handing out a few sheets of tissue to each washroom visitor - regardless of what they've come in to do! I haven't seen anything like that since I first visited some of the old 'Eastern Bloc' countries prior to Perestroika! Back then I got into the habit of carrying my own tissue around with me and was embarrassed once when an attendant who assumed I didn't know the score and would expect to find tissue in the cubicle, ran after me shouting and even tried to follow me inside. The Post carries a comment from Danish visitors Benedikte Friis and Ann Damgaard, who said they had been enjoying their visit to Coney Island until they had to use the washrooms. "It's very weird that someone decides how much paper you get because they don't know what situation you're in," said Friis, 22. "You might need more!" Indeed. My advice to Friis, Ann and anyone else who is likely to encounter a shortage of tissue supply - wherever they are in the world - is to always carry some of their own. For while the supply might not actually be rationed, there is never a guarantee that it won't already have been used up... Yours,
 This Week's News
New technology kills bacteria that cause hospital infections Early results from a comprehensive multi-site clinical trial demonstrated that the use of antimicrobial copper surfaces in intensive care unit rooms resulted in a 97% reduction of bacteria that cause hospital acquired infections. This particular study also found a 40% reduction in the risk of acquiring an infection. Study results are to be submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency for review and approval. Initial study results were presented at the World Health Organization's 1st International Conference on Prevention & Infection Control (ICPIC) in Geneva, Switzerland, last Friday. Cleaning firms urged to prepare for new agency worker regulations Time and attendance software specialist Auto Time Solutions, is urging cleaning businesses that use temporary staff to ensure they are well prepared for new legislation, which will give temporary workers the same pay and rights as permanent employees. The Agency Workers Regulation, which becomes law from October this year, is set to have profound implications for temporary agency workers, employers and agencies. Under the new EU regulations agency staff that have worked for 12 consecutive weeks at a company will be entitled to the same pay, overtime allowances, annual leave and breaks as permanent staff doing the same job. Fimap receives from QCB Italy, 'Top Peformance 2010' quality award
This award, founded in 2005, is assigned each year to the organisation which, having been certified for at least three years, has demonstrated at each review, consistent quality performance at a level that meets the judges' strict criteria. Toilet Innovation Awards open for entries The 2011 British Toilet Association Innovation Awards, which are now open for entries, will recognise innovation in three key areas of 'away from home' toilet provision: new products, new services and efficiency improvements. The BTA wants to hear about innovation that really improves the use or provision of publicly accessible toilets. Anyone can nominate a provider or supplier or their own organisation or company by sending an email to [email protected] by Friday, 30th September, 2011. Nominations must include details of why the product, service or efficiency should be awarded a BTA Innovation Award. All nominations will be acknowledged. BICSc Education Conference helps set new environmental and training standards
New environmental and training standards were discussed and developed during the British Institute of Cleaning Science's highly successful inaugural education conference for the cleaning and FM industry. The conference, entitled 'Green and keen cleaning workforces - setting new environmental and training standards in the cleaning industry', examined key themes of sustainable workforces, training and the environment. The event, sponsored by sustainable hand hygiene expert, Gojo, was held in the conference centre, at the Old Trafford football stadium in Manchester on 23rd June. Ecolab recognised with IFT Food Expo Innovation Award Ecolab has received a 2011 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for Exelerate ZTF, which is thought to be the industry's first and only cleaning programme designed to address zero trans fat oil build-up in food processing environments. Presented to Ecolab by the Institute of Food Technologists at its Annual Meeting & Food Expo, the award recognises outstanding innovation in products, ingredients, applications, equipment, instruments, technology and services. "Frying or baking food with zero trans fat oils has the unexpected consequence of coating processing equipment and environmental surfaces with a stubborn residue. Ecolab's Exelerate ZTF helps food manufacturers clean zero trans fat residue from processing equipment and surfaces in half the time of other cleaning methods. The gelled produc Idrobase Group closes first half of the year 26% up Italian pressure washer specialist The Idrobase Group, has closed the first half of 2011 with a +26% increase over the same period of 2010. This is an increase in revenue that goes even beyond the ambitious objectives of growth (+12% on an annual basis) announced by Bruno Ferrarese Gazzignato and the eight million Euros turnover hypothesized for 2011. The Group has experienced a constant ascent throughout its 25 year existence, interrupted only by the global crisis of 2009, which Bruno says didn't damage the company as much as it damaged other manufacturers in the industrial cleaning sector. Indeed, by early 2010, the Group had improved on its 2008 results. Cleaning team celebrates after gaining nationally recognised awards
Cleaning staff working at a Shropshire dairy are celebrating after gaining nationally recognised industry standard awards. Servicemaster managing director David Edwards says: " Nom Dairy is a leading international yoghurt manufacturer supplying a number of the UK's major supermarket chains. Wallgate develops new sanitaryware control package
Wallgate, which has offered washroom solutions and water management systems for over 30 years, has announced the launch of its new Sanitaryware flushing control packages. This new electronic flushing system is aimed at assisting clients and reducing installation costs and consists of WC, cistern, flush valve, electronic controls and associated cables. This new package offers the choice of activation by Piezo touch button or no-touch infra-red sensor, can control up to four WC's and is ideal for all public markets. Coventry 'cleaning show' takes place next Thursday One for UK cleaning professionals... Coventry-based Astley's is holding a cleaning show next Thursday 14th July and is promising to show you significant savings on the products you use every day, through innovation, rationalisation and the selection of the right product for the job. The team is also offering to help solve your cleaning problems. Confirmed exhibitors include Bay West, Clover, Contico, Deb, EcoTech, Jeyes, Kimberly-Clark, Metsa, Nilfisk, Polyco, Prochem Europe, Robert Scott, Unger and Vectair, so there will be lots to see. Brightwell rises to the challenge
For the past two years, raw materials and energy have been subject to ongoing cost increases, which ultimately has led to higher prices. With the global economy remaining unstable, global dispensing solutions provider Brightwell has looked into alternative ways to keep its costs under control. One of the key areas reviewed in order to offer a more sustainable cost/quality ratio is the moulding process. Some 90% of the company's products are manufactured in-house and this includes the injection moulding of all plastic components, which allows the company to closely analyse and monitor its key component costs. These calculations have enabled Brightwell to take measures to introduce several cost reduction programmes which will ultimately assist it in offsetting some of the increased costs. The Cleanzine Archive Search We keep an extensive archive of news stories and product information that have featured in past issues of The Cleanzine. If you would like to run a search of the The Cleanzine web site using the search tool below please just go ahead by entering in the name of the person, product or company or any other key words that you are looking for. How to contact us at The Cleanzine:
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Our weekly updated Hospital Hygiene features current developments and product solutions cleaning and hygiene industry manufacturers are coming up with. Read More. Recent UK News
BCC announces keynote environmental speaker at Conference 2011 The British Cleaning Council has announced that Dr. Peter Redfern of Nottingham Trent University will be addressing the BCC Conference 2011 on how businesses and other institutions can implement large-scale sustainability projects. Beaver Floorcare makes sure Wolverhampton Civic Hall doesn't slip up! Click the image to watch the video
LCC Support Services, the UK national cleaning & support service contractor has been growing at the phenomenal rate of £1m for each of the last seven months. Growth at The Facilities Show highlights industry optimism The Facilities Show 2011, in association with the British Institute of Facilities Managers (BIFM), has once again demonstrated growth and diversity within the facilities management industry. Eco-Works, a biologicals company based in Bath, has released details of its new expanded range of green cleaning products that are suitable for environmentally conscious cleaning and facilities management companies. DSA saves £millions on facilities management The UK Driving Standards Agency has signed a four year total facilities management contract with Interserve, the services, maintenance and building group, which will save it some £9m over the contract lifetime. Annual recruitment survey finds return of war for talent and huge skills gaps in UK Employers struggling to fill vacancies, are being inundated with unsuitable candidates, while talented individuals are staying put, concluding that the grass is greener on their own side of the fence in these volatile economic times. These are the top line findings from the annual Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Resourcing & Talent Planning survey, produced in partnership with Hays. Living wages for London cleaners (or the Olympic city will be a filthy city)
Sandy Aird, Managing Director of London based Enhance Office Cleaning, has hit out at the many employers who do not pay the City's cleaning staff a fair day's wage. Special Offer! Need to find those high value cleaning and security contracts?
Tennant UK Cleaning Solutions celebrates opening of new Head Office
Tennant UK Cleaning Solutions, part of Tennant Company, has announced the opening of its new UK Head Office Building in Northampton. Acumen proves key in Newcastle-under-Lyme winning waste management award
The successful partnership between Acumen Distribution and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has led to the Council winning The Waste Management Award at the 2011 Government Business Awards. The Government Business Awards recognise effective business practice in local and central government. Tackling 'cowboy' suppliers: a day in the life of CHSA's auditor Through its Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes, the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association is tackling industry cheats head on and is relying on the Schemes' auditor, Gordon Butt, to show them up. Businesses overlooking financial cost of workplace injury and illness British businesses are losing their competitive edge because of a failure to tackle the risks of injury and illness in the workplace, the UK's leading professional health and safety body has warned. |
