Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 6th December 2012 Issue no. 549
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  International News
Products Buc-ee's New Braunfels bathroom is America's best
P&G has new fibre sourcing goals for tissue-towel and absorbent hygiene products The Procter & Gamble Company has announced new fibre sourcing goals for the pulp it purchases for its tissue-towel, baby care, and feminine hygiene brands. These new goals help deliver progress toward P&G's long-term environmental sustainability vision, which includes having all products and packaging made from 100% sustainably sourced renewable or recycled materials. Northern European regions the most innovative, reveals new study Northern European regions are in the lead when it comes to innovation in Europe, reports EurActiv. But there is a considerable diversity in regional innovation performance - not only across European countries, but also within the member states, according to the European Commission's Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2012, published earlier this month. Unsurprisingly, the most innovative regions come from the most innovative countries in Europe. |
Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 148 countries worldwide! Some 18 months after joining the cleaning industry I attended my first British Institute of Cleaning Science Annual Dinner. I think it was in 1993/94 and Dame Shirley Porter was the after dinner speaker (I believe in her capacity as President of the Institute - although Colin Hasson and other industry stalwarts might correct me on both counts). The main gist of Shirley's talk was that if the industry wanted to be taken seriously by the general public and the establishment, it needed to be less fragmented. She reeled off a list of the various industry associations and said that they should work more closely together, as despite their various differences; they had a common interest - the need to ensure that our buildings and open spaces are kept clean, safe and hygienic. Some years later the idea of having one secretariat rather than each association running its own was put to me and I could see it made sense - just think of all the money it would save! Indeed as general secretary of the Association of Building Cleaning Direct Service Providers some years later, like the proverbial turkey voting for Christmas, I recommended it to the National Executive Committee. The ABCD still has its own very able General Secretary but other associations have gone down the route of using a joint secretariat and this is being handled very professionally by Andrew Large and his team at the Cleaning & Support Services Association. This week I received a press release announcing that the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association, which for years has been ably run by Graham Fletcher, was to join them. "We're heading in the right direction," was my first thought. The release is below and you will also see a response to it from past CHSA Chairman John Balshaw. John feels that the various industry associations can experience some issues if there is an umbrella organisation handling their administration... if for example, a contractor damages a floor whilst cleaning it, he or she could look to the equipment or chemicals supplier for compensation because, perhaps, what had been supplied wasn't right for the job. As John said, each would normally ask their particular association's legal help line - paid for as part of association membership - to deal with the dispute. His question: "How will that type of situation be handled if one secretariat's dealing with everything?" made me ponder a bit. As you will see from John's email, he has other concerns that he is voicing and as Cleanzine wasn't party to the negotiations or decisions I cannot comment on that side of things. However, I still feel that there is a case for having just one secretariat and such is the immediacy of Cleanzine that we are able to bring you both sides of the argument in the same issue. And just as Shirley Porter did all those years ago I'm throwing it open for discussion.
Please get in touch either by emailing me or posting a comment on our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/Cleanzine Yours,
    This Week's News
Bacterial test results provided within seven hours Hygiena International has further developed its highly successful ATP bioluminescence system to specifically measure bacterial contamination, giving results within a working day or shift. The development involves the company's low cost but highly sensitive EnSURE hand-held luminometer, combined with its new versatile MicroSnap Total test. This system enumerates bacteria on solid surfaces as well as in raw, cooked and liquid foodstuffs, such that results are available in seven hours or less. Tests of Canadian hotels indicate high levels of contamination
An investigation by the Canadian Broadcasting Company has uncovered significant levels of contamination in a variety of hotels throughout Canada.
The tests - said to be the largest such examination of Canadian hotels ever undertaken, included 54 hotel rooms in six different hotel chains representing budget, mid-range, and luxury hotels. CHSA announces changes to secretariat from 1st January 2013 The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association has this week announced that it will be outsourcing its secretariat to the Cleaning & Support Services Association from 1st January 2013. Commenting on the change in secretariat, Stephen Harrison (CHSA Chairman) said: "I am delighted that Andrew Large, CEO of the CSSA, will be assuming responsibility for the management of the CHSA secretariat. As a past Chairman of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association I am amazed to learn that the Council of CHSA are to abandon the Association's heritage, put at risk the Association's autonomy and ultimately, despite what they may say, jeopardise its very existence by passing the management of the Association to the Cleaning & Support Services Association. In this matter CSSA cannot be held responsible. They have made no secret of their intention to take over the running of as many Associations as possible. They have already taken over the management of the secretariat British Cleaning Council, the Industrial Cleaning Machine Manufacturers Association and the World Federation of Building Service Contractors. So their intentions are there for all to see. There is little doubt, therefore, that the Council of CHSA knew exactly what they were doing. So why have they done it? Global product launch from KGS
The Swiss manufacturer says that its KGS Flexis pads are the only pads in the world to contain Ferrzon, which in turn is thought to be the only substance that can scratch a diamond - and that because of its structural properties, Ferrzon technology is superior to diamond when used on steel and other very hard materials, as well as being more versatile and efficient than diamond for floor maintenance, grinding and polishing. NCL introduces Ultra Concentrated Speed Stripper
Bolt quickly penetrates and easily removes even extreme floor finish build-up, with application time and labour cut to a minimum thanks to its excellent wetting and slow drying features. The use - and misuse - of floor buffers and floor scrubbers The question put to our panel of experts a month ago about how to 'make good' six floors of metal tiles that had been scratched by a buffer, led to a great deal of discussion but sadly no cheap solution to the problem! Here one of our experts, Rafael Cobos of the highly respected consultancy Futureclean Assured Systems discusses why buffing machines need to be handled with care... Would you like salt with that? Colder than average months in October and November are already driving sales at workplace equipment supplier Slingsby's purpose built salt facility as increasing numbers of businesses and organisations choose to prepare early for bad weather. Met Office figures show that 2012 has been one of the coldest years since 1996 and several inches of snow have already fallen across parts of the UK. Now bookmakers are slashing odds on a white Christmas and say there is a 10-1 chance that the UK's coldest ever temperature of -27.2C could be broken this Winter. Autumn Statement leaves green economy out in the cold, says CIWM With the green economy representing one of the few areas of economic growth and potential for the UK, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management is disappointed to see it so poorly supported in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement that was made yesterday. "Waste and resource management has an essential role to play in delivering a sustainable, low carbon future but the green economy got the cold shoulder from the Chancellor," says CIWM chief executive Steve Lee. LCC Support Services signs up for ICE's new rental model Industrial Cleaning Equipment , the Southampton-based cleaning equipment and service specialist, has welcomed LCC Support Services as a valued new client - in what is believed to be a groundbreaking 'first' for the industry. Jangro launches smart cleaning training programme
Trilogy system... the cleaning revolution!
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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
Conference to hear from expert behind British athletes' 2012 success Facilities management employers are invited to a free conference next Wednesday, 5th December, which will look at the talent strategy behind the British athletes' success this Summer. Ambitious plans announced for Facilities Show 2013 What is said to be the world's largest dedicated facilities management event will return to Birmingham's NEC in May 2013. Facilities Show 2013 will run from 14th - 16th May in association with the British Institute of Facilities Managementd. The annual flagship event hosts a plethora of free educational content that includes the CPD Seminar Theatre, Facilities Show Seminar Theatre and the Energy Solutions Theatre. ICE's new ServiceSmart Lite makes keeping track of cleaning contracts easier Industrial Cleaning Equipment , the Southampton-based cleaning equipment and service specialist, has launched ServiceSmart Lite - a new asset management tool that provides comprehensive on-line tracking and support to clients.
Don't trouble with computer spreadsheets that will either crash, or keep bringing up last year's arrangements, plan it all out at a glance - with the free Greyland Wallplanner! Genie will reappear in different form Genie Management Group, the Aylesbury based contractor support company, will be rebranding to OrangeGenie Group and realigning its operational brands to Genie Umbrella, Genie Accountancy and HSE Passport. David Bellamy OBE steps down as President of BICSc
Forum announces five-point plan for jobs and growth
British Cleaning Council welcomes new London Living Wage The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, marked the start of Living Wage Week by announcing a new rate for the London Living Wage earlier this month. Further funding for employer ownership of training will help burst skills bubble As the UK Skills Minister, Mathew Hancock, announces pledges a further £150m pot of funding to enable employers to create the training schemes they need to grow their companies, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's chief executive highlights the need for skills and training to form an integral part of discussions about long term business planning. Nurses should clean 'only when relevant' says poll Nurses should be able to help clean healthcare establishments where relevant but dedicated cleaning should be 'left to the experts' according to a new opinion poll. CK Group Cleaning Services wins Museum of London
Located over three sites, London Wall, Docklands, and the archeological offices based in Islington, the Museum of London tells the story of one of the world's greatest cities and its people. Time to get on the acquisition trail (but take a different path) Plimsoll's latest acquisition analysis has looked into the acquisition attractiveness of the UK's largest 692 cleaning equipment & materials companies. The study has identified 81 firms as classic acquisitions - underperforming businesses that predators would usually look for. |
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