Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 2nd May 2024 Issue no. 1112
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International News
Products Autobella: Idrobase Group’s new international strategy
ETS campaign charts research into hand drying over 15+ years
Hand drying discovery roadmap - A 15-year story, charts the numerous pieces of research undertaken into the merits of different hand drying methods and their implications for hygiene and cleanliness in the washroom and beyond. Industry trends independent distributors should know about
Healthcare Cleaning Forum: 2024 programme announced
UMF|PerfectClean National Hygiene Specialist Excellence Award winner
Discover CA Dry, Comac’s new range of professional vacuum cleaners
Sellars adds new product to Toolbox WaterWeave Series
Meet Koala Kare's innovative KB300 series of baby changing stations
Cintas launches search for 2024 America's Best Restroom
Karcher opens regional distribution centre at Tatu City, Kenya
The move was made to develop the business into a full subsidiary, which includes a regional distribution centre at Freight Forwarders Solutions (FFS) in Tatu City, the 5,000-acre mixed-use Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on Nairobi's doorstep, positioning Kenya as a hub for East Africa. Essity completes divestment of its shares in Vinda
RinseKit unveils groundbreaking US Truck Stop Shower Map to support truckers nationwide
Evonik’s pioneering, industrial-scale biosurfactant plant in Slovakia now operational
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Welcome to the Cleanzine
Regular readers of my Leaders will perhaps already be aware of my concerns about supply chain disruption - and with that I’m not just referring to the supply of products and equipment for our industry, but the supply of its people too: those whose job it is to work on cleaning contracts, along with folk who have to travel by road from one place to another, be they service engineers, equipment demonstrators, salespeople or anyone else who, unlike me, isn’t mainly home-based. Living on the outskirts of London as I do, a single journey by car will often take me over the ‘raggedy’ border of the Ultra Low Emission Zone several times. Luckily my car is ULEZ compliant, (until the goalposts are moved, which I’m sure they will be if Sadiq Khan remains in office!) which means I’m not fined for driving into the zone. Every time I do drive into it though, I think of those not only in our industry but everyone - individuals and companies, who are now far worse off financially thanks to the the zone's recent expansion.
It’s not just ULEZ that’s making it difficult for us to go about our daily business either, but the burgeoning miles of rarely-used cycle lanes taking up valuable road space, 20mph speed limits along roads that can safely take much faster traffic and the LTNs (Low Traffic Neighbourhoods) which bar traffic to non-residents and effectively ‘kettle’ traffic into already very busy routes.
Driving in and around London is now something of a nightmare – an expensive one for those unable to afford a ULEZ-compliant car – with journey times taking far longer than they used to and the resultant frustration of those sitting in the air-polluting traffic jams taking its toll on our mental health and physical wellbeing and leading to road rage incidents. It’s only going to get worse if things are allowed to continue the way they’re going! I tend to avoid politics in these Leaders as a matter of course, but considering the damage the current Mayor of London’s road policies are doing to individuals and businesses, I’m willing the good people of London who have the opportunity to vote in today’s mayoral elections, to do so – and with it vote in one of the candidates who aren’t supportive of this drive to make our journeys by road far harder than they need to be!
Further away from London, the border checks between continental Europe and the UK, which came into force this week, have been receiving mixed press to the extent that I’m not quite sure what to believe. I think we’ll need to assess that one further down the line, when things have settled a bit…
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This Week's News
Heath & Wiltshire celebrates 50 years with brand refresh Heath and Wiltshire, the South West England-based cleaning and facilities management services organisation, is celebrating a significant milestone as the company commemorates its 50th anniversary with a brand refresh and new trading name. As part of its strategic development, the company will now trade under the name HW Facilities, while retaining its registered company name. Founded in 1974 by current chairman, Tom M Marriott, the organisation has transformed significantly in terms of services and reputation and is now a trusted partner for multi-million-pound contracts, serving household names and servicing over 500 contracts in both the public and private sectors. Window cleaner's 29-storey fall: employer again failed to inspect and replace protective equipment The US Department of Labour has determined that an East Boston window cleaning company's failure to inspect and replace damaged or defective equipment contributed to an employee's fatal 29-storey fall from a building in downtown Boston's financial district in October 2023. The department's Occupational Safety & Health Administration found that Sky Safety wilfully exposed employees to fall hazards by not ensuring personal fall protection systems and a rope descent system workers used were in proper working condition at the 100 Summer Street work site. Research Award recognises importance of surfactant stability Research that could be used to inform surfactant formulation has been recognised as the best paper published in 2023 in the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents. The Distinguished Paper Award is an annual honour presented by the American Cleaning Institute. The authors of the research include Dan Lundberg, AstraZeneca R&D, Maria Stjerndahl, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Krister Holmberg, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. Eliminate C. auris in less than one minute Independent testing shows that UMF|PerfectClean's Klorese cleaner-disinfectant combined with a PerfectClean wiper eliminates the deadly fungus Candida auris (C. auris) in less than one minute.
Performed by contract services organisation Integrated Pharma Services, the testing is further proof that Klorese and PerfectClean are the perfect combination for cleaning and disinfecting any surface in a healthcare facility. The Riverside Company, a global private investor focused on the smaller end of the middle market, has closed the acquisition of Arbeidsmiljø og Energiteknikk AS (AET), a Norwegian distributor of third-party consumables and laboratory / cleaning equipment, from RA Service AS and management.
The investment is an add-on to Riverside's portfolio company Dastex Reinraumzubehör GmbH & Co, a specialist cleanroom garment and consumables distributor in Europe. “At this stage of the election cycle, there are now two questions to be asking: 1. How big will the Labour majority be? The answer to the first question seems to be anything from a small working majority to nearly 300 seats, depending on which opinion poll you read! What is clear, however, is that Labour is almost certain to be forming the next UK government. Metsä Group's 2025 Sustainability Awards launched in the UK Metsä Group has announced the launch its 2025 Sustainability Awards - the biennial Sustainability Awards program founded in 2023 in partnership with the Cleaning & Support Services Association, with the aim of shining a spotlight on sustainability across the cleaning & hygiene industry. In 2023, the inaugural Sustainability Awards program culminated in a glittering Awards ceremony at the famous Cutty Sark tea clipper in Greenwich, where participants joined together to celebrate the industry's commitment to sustainability and to recognise those leading the way in best practice. The entries exceeded expectations and the organisers have high hopes for the awards in 2025. Minnesota custodian Bob Galewski wins 2024 Cintas Custodian of the Year contest Congratulations to the 11th annual Cintas Custodian of the Year contest winner, Bob Galewski, from Wabasha-Kellogg High School in Wabasha, Minnesota!
After thousands of votes were submitted, Cintas Corporation confirmed Bob as this year's grand prize winner. This week, he celebrated with students, teachers, administration and his family in a surprise ceremony, which included him being presented with a $10,000 cheque on behalf of Cintas. Emerging victorious! Resilient floorcare firm enjoys rapid revenue rise post-administration Victor Floorcare, the renowned supplier of commercial cleaning equipment, has announced a remarkable 72% surge in revenue from 2022 to 2023, also doubling its turnover in the previous year. The company, once on the brink of dissolution, has emerged as a 'phoenix from the ashes' since being bought out of administration by IIC Products in 2020. Genesis Biosciences reformulates Evogen concentrates Genesis Biosciences has modernised the formulas of its Evogen concentrates, making the range 100% bio-based. The company's Evogen products combine innovative eco-benign chemistry and application-specific beneficial bacteria to offer effective cleaning across a wide range of industries including facilities management and wastewater treatment. The range's performance-driven and environmentally-responsible microbial and antimicrobial technologies are designed to provide sustainable alternatives to the traditional harsh chemicals often used in cleaning products. Water offers an eco-friendly approach to weeding A common problem in gardens and other outdoor areas, weeds can make your facility or other open spaces for which you're responsible, look unkempt and create a bad impression.
They need to be dealt with, but many chemical solutions and weed killers currently used, come with health and environmental risks. Now Morclean has developed equipment to tackle the problem of weeds using just hot water. OCS secures 7-year award for TFM services with SCTS and COPFS OCS has secured a 7-year contract to provide total facilities management services to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service, which between them span 74 sites. The clients have the option to extend the contract for up to another two years. SCTS is an independent body that provides administrative support to the Scottish Courts, devolved tribunals and the Office of the Public Guardian. The COPFS is Scotland's prosecution service and death investigation authority. 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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clicking the link above. Hospital Hygiene 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
Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners welcomes Lorraine Larman as the new Master
Support The Hygiene Bank and help make a 'major difference'
SOAPBOX: Logistics UK responds to Defra comments on border checks
NIC Group granted power to deliver Apprenticeships in house
Sodexo secures Crown Commercial Services Healthcare Framework place
Impact Environmental Group hosts transatlantic training event
Nicky Biggart elected chair of CHSA Accreditation Schemes
Smarter, dynamic cleaning using IoT and process management apps
“Facilities management continues to evolve with emerging workflow and process automation software and innovations in Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and cameras digitising the sector. UK apprentices to benefit from Mitie investment
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