*Cleanzine_logo_2a.jpgCleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 14th August 2025 Issue no. 1175

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International News
Products

Sellars recognised with Future 50 Award

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Sellars, a Milwaukee, US-based manufacturer and marketer of wipes, absorbents and towel and tissue products, has been named a 2025 Future 50 company by BizTimes Media, in partnership with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC). The Future 50 program, now in its 36th year, recognises the fastest-growing privately-owned companies in the Milwaukee region.
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Enhance your skills in effectively managing supplier relationships: online course

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The ‘Supplier and contract manufacturer management course’ online training has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This comprehensive supplier management course is designed to enhance your skills in effectively managing supplier relationships throughout their lifecycle, from supplier identification and qualification to building strong relationships, risk management, continuous assessment and exit planning.
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Micrillon fibre technology clears regulatory hurdle to unlock new category of reusable chlorine-charged textiles

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UMF Corporation has announced a major regulatory milestone which it says paves the way for a new generation of chlorine-charged textiles engineered to support surface-level hygiene.
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Robert Scott expands robotics range with highly advanced robotic sweeper and scrubber dryer

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Robert Scott has announced the launch of two new additions to its fast-growing robotics range - the MT1 Robotic Sweeper and the SH1 Upright Scrubber Dryer.
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Aiper supports Water.org in helping 4,000 people in need gain access to safe water or sanitation

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Cordless robotic pool cleaning technology specialist Aiper, has announced its support for Water.org to help families around the world gain access to safe water or sanitation. Through its donation to Water.org, Aiper is helping 4,000 people in need gain access to safe water and transform their lives.
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Jill Frey, Cummins Facility Services CEO, Named 2025 Trailblazer Award Winner

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Each year, the Women's Business Enterprise National Council – said to be the largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the US - presents the Trailblazer Award to an outstanding female leader in the community, and the Award has this year gone to Jill Frey, the CEO of Cummins Facility Services.
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ISSA Show North America makes Trade Show Executive's Gold 100 Class of 2024


The ISSA Show North America has been made it onto the Trade Show Executive's Gold 100 Class of 2024, which recognises the 100 largest trade shows held in the US. This honour highlights the continued growth, scale and impact of ISSA Show North America as a flagship event for the global cleaning and facilities solutions industries.
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Manual scavenging: a human rights violation

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A report tabled this month in the Indian Parliament offered a sobering reminder of the ongoing indignities endured by sanitation workers in India. Of the 150 hazardous cleaning deaths documented across the country in 2022-23, a Ministry of Social Justice audit revealed that in 90% of the cases, workers were sent into sewers without any protective equipment. Only five received gloves, and a single worker was provided both gloves and gumboots.
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2XL introduces Force ‘no rinse’ food service disinfecting wipes

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2XL Corporation has launched new Force No Rinse Wipes - a wet wipe designed to improve upon the efficacy of kitchen and food service sanitation and disinfection.
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OpenWorks earns CIMS-Green Building Certification with Honours, setting new standard for FM excellence

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OpenWorks has achieved a significant milestone in the facility services industry, earning the ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard-Green Building (CIMS-GB) Certification with Honours - a prestigious recognition of superior performance in service delivery, sustainability and operational excellence.
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Cleaning for a Reason founder Debbie Sardone joins Forbes 50 over 50 for transformative impact in cleaning industry

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ISSA Board and ISSA Charity Board member Debbie Sardone, founder of Cleaning for a Reason, (an ISSA signature charity) has made it onto the Forbes 50 Over 50 Impact list, which honours women making significant social contributions after the age of 50.
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Uni Europa & EFCI issue joint response to EU's Quality Jobs Roadmap and open consultation

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Global property services union Uni Europa, and EFCI, (the European Cleaning & Facility Services Industry trade body) - the European social partners representing workers and employers in the cleaning sector, have submitted a joint response to the European Commission's important ‘Quality Jobs Roadmap and consultation document’, (which can be found here).
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Bullen's new national sales manager is perfect for the role

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Speciality cleaning products manufacturer The Bullen Companies, has appointed Steven DeVito as its national sales manager.
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Clario C3 Dispensing System

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The Clario name has long been associated with great value. The new Clario C3 hand hygiene dispensing system furthers this legacy by combining advanced functionality to drive down cost with a sleek, modern aesthetic—all within a hygienic closed-loop system.
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Welcome to the Cleanzine

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It’s that time of year again when John Austen and I get to spend a little less time discussing and publicising what’s going on in our industry, do some essential housekeeping on our hardworking servers, (which have been slowing up a little) and have a much-needed break. Yes – this is our final broadcast before our break and I couldn’t be happier about having some time off. 
  
If you’re one of those who’ve emailed me a press release over the past month and are relieved to see that it’s finally got some coverage in Cleanzine you’ll already be aware that I finally regained access to my emails after a full month of being locked out in the aftermath of an outage experienced by my service provider. I don’t recall having been this stressed over work since I accidentally deleted half the content of a cleaning magazine I was editing some 30 years ago, just a few days before we were going to press. As I’ve done over the past month, I managed to get by but they were both tough calls and involved many sleepless nights. 
  
I’m disappointed that there’s a lot of important news I just don’t have room for today, but I’ll do my best to include it in our next broadcast. Our strapline when we launched Cleanzine 23 years ago, when the Internet was in its infancy and e-zines were extremely rare, was ‘First with the news’. Letting you, our readers down, by not being able to bring you the news as it’s broken over the past month, has been difficult to deal with, so some of my break will be spent creating a foolproof back-up so this type of thing doesn’t happen again. 
  
We’ll be back on 4th September and do keep your news coming in the meantime. Anything crucial I’ll endeavour to post on our Facebook page and also 'tweet' it out via X.

 

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Yours,

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Jan Hobbs



This Week's News

ASTM International advances harmonised recycled content standard for vacuum cleaners

* ASTM-vacuums.jpegASTM International is developing a proposed standard, (WK95744), aimed at harmonising European and American test methods for recycled content in vacuum cleaners. WK95744 is being developed by the Durability-Reliability Subcommittee (F11.30), part of ASTM's vacuum cleaners committee (F11).

According to ASTM member and F11.30 sub-chairman, Mike Schutte, the proposed standard will align test methods between ASTM International and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), based in Geneva, Switzerland. This harmonisation effort will establish a unified global standard applicable across the Americas, Europe and Africa.
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Disappointing response from UK Government re. our sector’s concerns on employment rights

* Disappointing.jpgThe UK Government has responded to the FM Open Letter - penned several weeks ago by Cleanology’s CEO Dominic Ponniah and Think FM’s managing director Malcolm Hills and signed by 128 other members of the cleaning & facilities management industry, in which concerns were voiced that key elements of the proposed Employment Rights Bill will have a devastating impact on our sector. To say that the response is disappointing is something of an understatement…

If you missed Cleanzine’s initial coverage on this, you can read it here 

Commenting on the response written on behalf of the Government by Justin Madders MP (pictured), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Rights, Competition & Markets (you can read it below) Dominic says:
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Birmingham City Council applies for Contempt of Court proceedings against Unite the Union

* Birmingham-refuse.jpegBirmingham City Council has applied for contempt of court proceedings against Unite the Union due to what the Council describes as: "Persistent evidence of a breach of the Court Order which the Union has agreed to and is required to comply with".

"We are taking this step to ensure the safety of our city and the safety of our workforce, including those who are on strike," says the Council.
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Audit results for first half of 2025 show high levels of compliance with CHSA Accreditation Schemes

* Audit-results-CHSA.jpgThe Independent Inspector has completed 83 audits across the CHSA's Accreditation Schemes during the first half of 2025. Compliance with the Standards and Technical Regulations of the Accreditation Scheme continues to be high.

The CHSA operates Accreditation Schemes for manufacturers of soft tissue, plastic refuse sacks, cotton mops and cleaning chemicals. It also operates an Accreditation Scheme for distributors.
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ACI advises that "overly inclusive" definition of 'microplastics' be reconsidered to align internationally

* ACI-microplastics.jpgThe California Department of Toxic Substances Control's (DTSC) Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program proposal to add microplastics to the Candidate Chemicals List lacks some important scientific considerations, according to comments submitted by the American Cleaning Institute (ACI), the trade association for the cleaning product supply chain.

In the comments, ACI highlights that:
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Clean-Tech Expo - innovations in cleaning technology

* Cleaning-Tech-Expo.jpgThe inaugural edition of Clean-Tech Expo – a trade fair dedicated to professional cleaning technologies and hygiene solutions in Central and Eastern Europe - took place this March at Ptak Warsaw Expo - Poland's largest exhibition and conference centre. Held alongside World Hotel and EuroGastro fairs, it created an exceptional synergy between the cleaning, hospitality and gastronomy sectors, offering excellent networking opportunities and cross-industry collaboration.

Taking up 15,000sq.m of exhibition space, the Expo hosted 64 exhibitors from eight countries and attracted 4,455 visitors – despite only being in its first year.
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America's Best Restroom 2025: finalists revealed and voting ends today

* Americas-Best-Restroom.jpegCintas Corporation is inviting us to vote for our favourite amongst the nine finalists in America's Best Restroom 2025 contest. This 24th annual competition celebrates innovative and hygienic public washrooms across the US; it's time for us to help decide who will take the crown and we need to do so before voting closes on 15th August.

"For over two decades, this contest has honoured businesses that understand the value of clean and memorable restroom experiences," says Emily Ramos, director of marketing at Cintas. "This year's finalists showcase the perfect balance of creativity, cleanliness and customer care. We're excited for the public to help determine the winner."
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Tennant's European Innovation Event Summit showcases future of hybrid cleaning

* Tennant-European-Innovation-Event.jpegTennant Company's European Innovation Event Summit, held last month at the Gansow factory in Reggio Emilia, Italy, brought together over 30 industry guests including leading facilities professionals, partners and suppliers from across Europe, for an immersive two-day exploration of Tennant's latest technologies, strategies, and innovations.

The event featured:
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Do you have what it takes to win an ISSA Excellence Award for innovation?

* Call-for-Innovation.jpgThe ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo is taking place 29th - 30th October at the International Convention Centre Sydney, and the organisers are calling for entries for the ISSA Excellence Awards. Celebrating groundbreaking products and services in the industry, the Awards –open exclusively to exhibitors - will shine a spotlight on ingenuity and excellence during the event.

Looking for products and solutions that drive superior performance, productivity, safety and sustainability across the sector, a distinguished panel of industry experts will select winners across six key categories, while the highly anticipated People's Choice Award puts the power in the hands of Expo attendees, who will cast their votes live on the show floor.
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Logistics UK establishes partnership with NaVCIS to fight vehicle crime

* Freight.jpgIn a bid to counter rising levels of crime against commercial drivers, business group Logistics UK has established the first official partnership of its kind with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS).

NaVCIS is the national specialist policing unit that bridges the gap between policing and industry, providing advice, information and guidance to improve safety levels and reduce the incidence of crime across industry. As Maddi Solloway-Price, Logistics UK's head of road freight policy explains, the partnership aims to assist member organisations in identifying and mitigating against potential risks to vehicles and staff while delivering for customers:
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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.

Search The Cleanzine:

How to contact us at The Cleanzine:

Jan Hobbs
Publishing Editor
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07980 288 373

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John Austen
Publishing Director
Media & Communications
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07766 707 888
 
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Hospital Hygiene

Hospial Corridor

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

New head of operations will support further expansion at The Clean Space

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The Clean Space has appointed Colin Hawkins as head of operations. This appointment underscores the company's commitment to further enhancing operational performance and service excellence across all contracts; and aligns with its recent restructuring designed to facilitate future growth and expansion.
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Profits under pressure: UK Cleaning industry hit by financial double-whammy with increased Employers National Insurance and Minimum Wage

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The new Employers National Insurance (ErNI) and minimum wage is hitting the cleaning industry's bottom line hard. CleanLink Software, a UK software provider specifically for site-based and contract cleaning businesses, has explored the impact on one of its long-standing clients Coastline Contract Services and the industry as a whole.
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Haringey gets stuck in with chewing gum clean-up!

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The London Borough of Haringey is tackling the sticky issue of chewing gum on local streets, backed by a £27,500 grant to support cleaner, fresher public spaces. Plans are now in place to remove gum and restore pride in Haringey’s pavements. The funding, provided through environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, will support efforts to clean up chewing gum and reduce littering.
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Churchill launches decarbonisation resource hub for supply chain partners

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Churchill Group has launched a bespoke resource hub for its vendors, designed to support the measurement and reduction of supply chain emissions. Developed in partnership with sustainability consultancy Acclaro Advisory, the initiative marks a significant step forward in the Group's mission to embed sustainability at the core of its operations and foster a collaborative approach to climate action.
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Ivor Smith

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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sad news of the passing of Ivor Smith, former managing director of Norfolk based Anglian Chemicals, last Sunday.
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Employers falling short: one in 10 employees have to pay for HSE training themselves

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New data from Astutis has revealed that a growing number of UK employees are funding their own health & safety training from their own pockets. The report revealed that 1 in every 10 employees funded their own training, raising serious concerns about under-investment and culture gaps across industries such as construction, logistics and manufacturing.
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Supply specialists strengthens its operations with six new hires

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Following a successful year and as a show of commitment to its continued strong growth, PPS - a family-owned and operated supplies business, has announced a sextet of new hires across a variety of its core departments – including one from a competitor.
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Mountain rescue team training turns into litter pick...

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One recent Sunday, during a team training exercise in Waterfall Country, Wales, members of the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team were forced to abandon their session to deal with the remnants of what appears to have been someone’s barbeque. As our picture shows, the supposedly-beautiful landscape was littered with plastic bottles, crisp packets, disposable BBQs and even broken glass.
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Veolia Westminster displays pride with London's most colourful clean up achieving 56% recycling rate

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Veolia Westminster tells us it is proud to be an important part of the Pride in London parade, making sure the streets are clean before, during and after the parade by collecting 14.7 tonnes of recycling… that in partnership with Westminster City Council, it has achieved a recycling rate of 56% in one of Westminster's largest clean-up operations of the year.
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Invoice finance solution helps secure Abbee’s expansion plans

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Abbee - whose robotic cleaning systems facilitate multiple units to operate collaboratively across expansive environments - has partnered with Optimum Finance to secure a tailored Invoice Finance facility, supporting its rapid growth and ongoing innovation in the commercial cleaning sector.
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Churchill appoints Ausra Baltrusaityte as service delivery director

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Churchill has appointed Ausra Baltrusaityte as service delivery director, strengthening its leadership team with a proven expert in aviation and complex service environments.
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Smarter buildings need smarter minds: The real role of AI in facilities management

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Just as the invention of the steam engine sparked the first Industrial Revolution, Artificial Intelligence is poised to transform the way modern businesses operate. The facilities management sector is no exception, as it begins adopting AI and collecting vast amounts of data, but to what end?
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Delphis Eco reveals outstanding green claims record following Which? report

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Sustainable cleaning products manufacturer Delphis Eco has welcomed the recent greenwash witch hunt undertaken by the publication Which?.
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Events & Exhibitions

CMS
23-26th September 2025
Berlin
Website

INTERCLEAN
22-24th October 2025
Shanghai
Website

ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo
29-30th October 2025
Sydney
Website

Hygienalia
4-6th November 2025
Valencia
Spain

Website

ISSA Show North America
10-13th November 2025
Las Vegas
Website

The Cleaning Show
18-19th February 2026
Manchester
Website

Clean-Tech Expo
10-12th March 2026
Warsaw
Website

INTERCLEAN
14-17th April 2026
Amsterdam
Website

The Workplace Event
28-30th April 2026
NEC
Birmingham UK

Website


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