Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 1st September 2011 Issue no. 485
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
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International News
Products Ecolab and Nalco in merger agreement Yesterday Ecolab and Nalco Holding Company announced that the board of directors of both companies have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Nalco will merge with a subsidiary of Ecolab in a transaction valued at approximately $8 billion, including assumed Nalco net debt. Gates Foundation launches effort to reinvent the toilet On Tuesday the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced the launch of a strategy to help bring safe, clean, sanitation services to millions of poor people in the developing world. Defra launches consultation on draft national policy statement on hazardous waste The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has issued for consultation a draft National Policy Statement on the provision of major new infrastructure for Hazardous Waste. |
Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 148 countries worldwide! John and I were saying yesterday that it seems like a lifetime since we broadcast our last issue. Of course 11th August wasn't actually that far back but I suppose it would seem that way when you consider we've been producing Cleanzine week in, week out, for almost 10 years, with 'dailies' broadcast from some of the exhibitions. This is our 485th issue! Although when we started we were aiming at UK readers, we now have more than 80,000 readers in 148 countries throughout the world. Although 40,000-plus of you are in the UK, a further 20,000 of you are reading this from the US, while the other 20,000 of you are living in other countries - many of which I've never visited. We'd love to receive and then broadcast your news - whichever part of the world you're from. After all we face many of the same problems and it may be that you have the solution to an issue that has had us all flummoxed for years - why not try sharing? One gentleman who's got in touch with us is Ed Selkow, who hails from the US. He's agreed to share some of his thoughts with us over the coming months. The leading, preaching, and teaching you'll get from Ed is on an entirely different level not generally available from others who offer advice. They may have had success in owning a janitorial business once or twice or held important positions with large companies. Their experience may bring some helpful insights. However, Ed's journey through our industry has been so long, broad, deep, and wide, that he can offer expertise he feels no-one else can match. He can tell you who to listen to and which are a waste of your hard-earned money. Ed started as a kid with a mop and a bucket. As a starving college student, he thought he was just taking on a temporary job to pay for tuition, books, and dorm expenses. Little did he know the incredible business opportunities that were possible in the janitorial industry. But Ed's a smart guy. He started to learn faster and better ways of doing things, how things worked in the business, and what doesn't. He got to know his clients. He sought out the advice of industry leaders and listened to them. After 35 years of making friends and solving problems, Ed has stacked up an impressive depth of experience and knowledge of the janitorial industry. Through his own personal success (and just as importantly, his failures), he believes he has truly mastered every phase and level of the entire lifecycle of this industry. And he has the war stories and the battle scars to prove it. Ed has been inside an extensive array of 25 janitorial companies of all sizes, from startups to huge national corporations. He owned seven of them completely or in part, and held various leading roles within the others. You can read Ed's first Cleanzine blog further down the page... Yours,
  This Week's News
EU prepares to re-open REACH 'can of worms' The European Commission is preparing to review the controversial REACH regulations, which for the first time required chemicals manufacturers to justify that their products were safe in use. Kimberly-Clark expands network of global innovation centres Kimberly-Clark Corporation has announced plans to establish a Global Innovation Centre in Bogota, Colombia, the first facility of its kind in the region. The centre will develop products using local and regional insights to meet broader consumer needs around the world. This development follows Kimberly-Clark's recent announcement of its Korea Global Innovation Centre and marks a significant expansion of the company's worldwide innovation capabilities.
There is a movie I have watched 50 times and I cry each time I see it. It is called 'You Can't Take It With You'. In the movie a quirky old man teaches a powerful, wealthy industrialist what is important in life. This film was produced in the 1930's so I don't really mind giving it away but what comes out is the value of a man's life can be measured through the relationships he has accumulated by the end. SERV Hampshire blood runners clean up with spill packs SERV Hampshire blood runners are cleaning up any accidental spillages with the latest high tech blood spill packs. Set up in 2006, SERV provides a free out of hours transportation service for NHS Hospitals across Hampshire. Its riders and drivers mainly carry emergency blood supplies - hence the name 'blood runners'. But SERV will transport any urgent consignments needed by doctors, hospitals and laboratories for the medical or surgical treatment of patients. BCC's Sustainability Conference 2011: an update Plans for the British Cleaning Council Conference 2011: 'Social Responsibility', which takes place on 11th October, have been moving on apace during Cleanzine's Summer break, with an important new speaker added to the line-up and the final sponsors having signed on the dotted line.
Latest addition to the impressive list of speakers is broadcaster and political commentator Daniel Finkelstein, who will be discussing his experiences at the heart of the coalition government. He will join: Passengers offered hygiene packs as airport strike looms Passengers flying out of Melbourne Airport, Australia, were urged last week to collect a free hygiene pack as low-paid cleaners fighting for fair wages prepared for industrial action that could result in dirty food courts, filthy toilets and over-flowing garbage bins. South African cleaning strike over, pay deal signed The South African Transport & Allied Workers Union (SATAWU)) representing workers cleaning sector has finally reached an agreement on wages with the industry's employer associations. The parties signed a three year agreement, which as well as an 8% increase across the board, includes the following: Bunzl makes further acquisitions in North America and Europe Bunzl, the international distribution and outsourcing group, announced on Wednesday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a substantial business based in the Netherlands with operations also in the US and other parts of Europe and has also completed an acquisition in Canada. Facilities Management market strengthens in 2011 A new report on the Facilities Management market from MTW Research, has found that most sectors within the FM market are experiencing positive demand patterns in 2011, though average profitability of less than 4% of turnover, reflects an industry still under pressure. The research, based on more than 60% of industry sales, suggests that the FM market has now turned a corner in terms of performance in 2011, with 'total facilities management' services set to underpin market growth followed by an upsurge in demand for single service and 'niche' FM providers. By 2015, the report forecasts market growth of 12% led by a number of key sectors in the private commercial market. WFBSC 2012 Congress surging ahead
The World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) has revealed that over 600 delegates have already signed up for their 2012 Congress, due to be held in Curitiba, southern Brazil, from 10-14 October 2012. Terminix enters joint venture with SIS in India In a move that marks the first non-franchise expansion outside North America for the renowned Pest Control expert, Terminix has entered into a joint venture with Security & Intelligence Services (India) to perform pest and termite control services in India. The joint venture will serve both commercial and residential customers. Toucan-Eco beats chemical price increases
Getting your strategy right in the UK Cleaning Equipment & Materials industry Some 185 companies in the UK Cleaning Equipment & Materials industry are following a strategy that has led them into a blind alley and they must change quickly or risk disappearing altogether. That's according to a new study assessing the strategic, financial and commercial performance of the top 793 companies in the market. David Pattison, author of the new Plimsoll Analysis explains: "It's undoubtedly tough out there with demand still subdued and costs rising all the time. With too many companies chasing too little market, many are finding it difficult to pass on rising costs to customers. As a result we have seen profitability fall with average margins in the market now down to 1%". 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
Train windows, a breakthrough (not literally!) For as long as trains have had windows, there have been problems with both getting them clean and keeping them clean. Say to anybody the words 'train windows' and their immediate response is "Dirty." After a lot of development and testing there is now a simple, but effective solution that does not require outside contractors. It is a 'spin off' from the Ship's Bridge Window technology from Kleentec Marine. T: Mark on 01772 512343 BTA Conference Wednesday 21st September There has never been a more important time to discuss toilets! The British Toilet Association needs your input! Contract Cleaning Market Report - UK 2011-2015 Analysis
The UK contract cleaning market, which experienced sustained growth to 2008, has experienced a marginal decline of around 3% 2008-10. The market was estimated to be worth around £5.3 billion in 2010 with indications of moderate return to growth in 2011. Take up the offer of a free audit
Kärcher announces September UK Roadshows
Kärcher has announced a series of roadshow events to take place at various UK locations in September. The Kärcher Professional Roadshow will be used as a launch pad for several new products from its pressure washer, vacuum, floorcare, sweeper and industrial ranges of cleaning machines. Byotrol signs four year, multi-country, multi-product agreement with Rentokil Initial In a statement issued yesterday, Byotrol, the developer of antimicrobial hygiene technologies, announced that it has signed a potentially £multi-million contract with Rentokil Initial. The four year contract covers multiple countries and a range of products. Treasury announces plans to find £1.5 billion savings across PFI contracts A plan to deliver at least £1.5 billion savings across the 495 operational Private Finance Initiative projects in England was announced yesterday by the Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Sassoon. These savings can be fully recycled back into frontline services by the contracting authority. MITIE to inspire British start-ups to success MITIE has joined a roster of leading companies as a founding sponsor of StartUp Britain, a Government-supported initiative to help aspiring entrepreneurs in the UK. Choosing the right high rise cleaning contractor: A guide
Sydney, Australia-based company Prorax offers the following tips on choosing a contractor for high rise exterior building cleans. CK Group passes the ball with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust But only in a good way! Team building exercises can take many different forms these days, far from the original 'boilerhouse' meetings held in hotel conference rooms. Some of the imported ideas now include group breaks, weekenders, and paintball eventing. |
