Study: Hospital laundering practices may expose patients to infection-causing bacteria

New study results published online in the American Journal of Infection Control found that 93% of tested laundered towels used to clean hospital rooms contained bacteria that could result in healthcare-associated infections.
more

Workshop showcases how antibacterial products are judged effective

Antibacterial experts and manufacturers of antibacterial soaps are showcasing the latest methods for demonstrating the effectiveness of antibacterial hand soaps and sanitisers in killing disease-causing germs.
more

Europe Gesture Recognition & Touchless Sensing: worth $4.82 Billion by 2018

Analysts say that Sensing Technology is driven by several factors, such as:

* Hygiene
* Low maintenance costs
* Government measures for water conservation
* Tourism and hospitality industry ...and many more
more

Trojan batteries and watering system to equip new Pacific Floorcare auto-scrubber

Pacific Floorcare has selected Trojan Battery's deep-cycle flooded T-1275 batteries and the HydroLink single-point watering system for use in its new S-20 automatic floor scrubber.
more

Sobeys of Canada teams with Betco and Quick Request to improve store cleanliness

Sobeys, one of Canada's largest grocery retailers, has partnered with cleaning specialist Betco, to adopt a cutting-edge smartphone technology called Quick Request, to better manage the cleanliness and appearance of Sobeys stores.
more

Romex launches new module to manage risk to drivers

According to the Health & Safety Executive's 'Driving at Work' publication, the biggest cause of occupational fatality is driving on business. There are more than 20 people killed and a further 250 seriously injured every week.  The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents states that: "Drivers who were using a mobile phone were nine times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident," while the National Safety Council in the US notes that:
more

Trojan Battery adds REMS batteries to network of distributors for France

Trojan Battery Company, the renowned manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries, has announced a distribution agreement with REMS Batterie Industrielle Services, expanding Trojan's presence in France. As a Trojan authorised master distributor, REMS joins Accus Plus to distribute and service Trojan deep-cycle batteries in the region.
more

WFBSC's first CEO Forum takes place in Rome

The World Federation of Building Service Contractors held its first CEO Forum in Rome recently. Building Service Industry leaders from as far afield as the US, Brazil, Japan and Germany discussed two fundamental issues for the future of the BSC sector.
more

'Greenness' - a way to prove your products' claims!

The European Commission has proposed EU-wide methods for companies to measure and communicate their 'greenness' and the environmental footprint of their products. The voluntary scheme, called Building the Single Market for Green Products, will make use of the EU Joint Research Centre's controversial 'lifecycle assessment' method (LCA) for calculating the environmental performance of a product.
more

Georgia-Pacific to acquire Buckeye Technologies

Buckeye Technologies and Georgia-Pacific have announced that they have reached a definitive agreement for Georgia-Pacific to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Buckeye Technologies' common stock, as well as its five manufacturing facilities, global sales offices and approximately 1,200 employees, for $37.50 per share in cash. The transaction, subject to completion, is valued at approximately $1.5 billion, including debt.
more

Healthcare cleaning chief calls for national training & qualifications for cleaners in NHS hospitals

The Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals' National Chair Denise Foster is calling for the introduction of nationally recognised qualifications and training standards for all NHS cleaning staff. Currently no vocational qualifications are required to work as a cleaner in the NHS and many hospital cleaners start work with little knowledge or understanding of the complex processes involved.
more

Profits down as UK cleaning firms feel the pinch

A study into the profitability of the UK's largest Cleaning Equipment & Materials companies has revealed a widening gap between firms making outstanding profits and those losing money.
more

Two become one

SCA Hygiene Products has announced the migration of two of its key brands into one. Lotus Professional, a brand of former Georgia-Pacific EMEA, will migrate to the existing SCA Tork brand. This means Lotus Professional products are set to have new Tork names and packaging. However, inside the pack nothing has changed and customers will find the same quality products.
more

Soapbox: Lyn Crowther FCMI,FBICSc, Founder/Owner, Cleanwise Training and Management, asks:

Why Choose the CSSA Management Diploma?

How many employers can be confident that they are producing the managers and leaders they need for the future?
more

Hill-Rom launches new hospital hand hygiene monitoring solution

Nearly every major public health organisation agrees that ineffective hand-hygiene (hand washing or using disinfecting sprays, wipes or gels) is one of the most significant contributors to the problem of hospital-acquired infections.
more

Outdoor area maintenance an important part of CMS 2013 Berlin

Be it green area maintenance, clearing leaves, providing winter access or cleaning forecourts, as far as the specialists of the cleaning trade are concerned, outdoor area maintenance is an integral part of the cleaning, maintenance and conservation work required in maintaining a property - and the international cleaning trade fair CMS 2013 Berlin will be showing the machines and equipment, cleaning agents and disinfectants needed to ensure the best results.
more

Street cleaning machines in India 'not fit for purpose'

The Times of India is carrying a story about cleaning equipment being 'left to rot' in Varanasi, India, but unlike the proverbial UK cleaning cupboard in which unused equipment is often found to reside, this equipment isn't a cheap and ineffective chemical or difficult-to-use small machine, but two expensive street cleaning machines that don't appear to be fit for purpose, which were purchased two and a half years ago.
more

Ecolab expands research centre in Brazil

Ecolab, has doubled the size of its Research, Development & Engineering (RD&E) Centre in Campinas, São Paulo, taking it to 1,300 square metres.
more

In Kind Direct Charity Household Essentials Campaign - urgent stock appeal

Throughout June and July, In Kind Direct is running an urgent campaign for stock donations from the industry.
more

Proandre launches new range of stainless steel products

Proandre strives to offer the market the most innovative and cutting edge solutions, responding to customer needs with products that combine design and quality.
more

Rome to the Dome - pedal power style!

For some years now, intrepid cyclists have been taking on the challenge of riding from the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, to St Paul's Cathedral ('the Dome') in London, England, raising huge sums for various charities. On Saturday, a group is going to embark on this epic journey all over again. For some it will be a fairly regular trip, while others won't know what they're letting themselves in for...
more

Interview with Martin Scott, Exhibition Director, Cleaning Expo

Cleanzine: We’ve had calls from people in the industry who are accusing you of creating a split within the industry by setting up a rival show to the established Cleaning Show, which as you know is moving to London’s Excel for 2015. People are saying that your show will effectively take money from the British Cleaning Council, which normally benefits from a percentage of the profits from the established show which it helps to run. What’s going on and why?
more