Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th April 2024 Issue no. 1111

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Graffiti Stop from Dresden makes successful use of Systeco Tornado ACS

German service provider Graffiti Stop carries out all kinds of activities, including the cleaning of tiles and joints in public and private pools and bathrooms, the extensive cleaning of rental homes before they are handed over to new tenants, and rust removal.

But the Dresden company's core business is professional graffiti removal - a service that accounts for 75% to 80% of its orders.

Demand for this service increases to grow. Lots of customers appreciate Graffiti Stop's environmentally-friendly approach and the fact that this form of cleaning does not harm substrates in any way. Customer requirements can be taken into account very carefully, and different layers of paint or ink can also be removed separately, depending on whether the patina should be maintained or whether bricks should look as new. One of the tools used by the company is the Systeco Tornado ACS system - an effective, gentle, granulate-based vacuum-blasting system.

Entirely chemical-free and without using high pressure, the equipment can be individually tuned to each surface through the choice of granulate and by adjusting the drive power, and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

"From paper to sandstone, from clinker to glass surface: there is no surface that we cannot clean," says Lars Kühnel, managing director of Graffiti Stop, "Except for film, because that is too soft."

The granulate can be reused up to 80 times and is not harmful to the environment or the sub-surface. Because of this 'soft' procedure, the vacuum blasting system is also suitable for use on and in historic buildings. Depending on what the operator or the owner indicates, the graffiti removal process can be carried out so that it preserves the patina of the substrate or the stone can be cleaned deep into the pores, so that it looks like new again.

In addition, lead-containing or other toxic ink or paint is also collected by the vacuum-blasting system in a closed circuit and filtered to be disposed of separately afterwards.

The equipment works without moisture and is suitable for mobile use. Since no dust is generated and no waste water or the like has to be removed, application during the normal use of whatever is being cleaned, is possible.

"I am fully convinced of our process," emphasises Lars Kühnel. "We are eco-friendly and employee-friendly, that is, we do not impose high demands or stressful situations on our staff. Hearing, visual or respiratory protection is not necessary with our system and there is no hard physical labour involved... I think this is the most eco-friendly and effective device that is commercially available at the moment."

Depending on the number of layers of paint or ink, one device has a capacity of two-five square metres per hour.

The total equipment range currently consists of three sets: Top, Premium and Elite. These complete solutions for graffiti removal differ in terms of accessories, the amount of granulate and the guarantee.

"The purchasing process went smoothly and problem-free and we quickly earned back the purchase costs," says Lars. And according to him, the operating costs are very low. "The staff are still the highest cost item," he reveals. "The device itself is very efficient: we only have power, generator (diesel) and granulate costs."

At Graffiti Stop, ecological responsibility and chemical-free working are high on the agenda. But the company sees the combination of environmental protection and sustainability as the most important trend in current public opinion concerning graffiti removal. Public authorities and large companies in particular are increasingly requiring sustainability. And lots of other customers are attaching greater value to this subject as well.

"There are people who say they want an eco-friendly solution, no matter what the cost," says Lars. "And there are also people who say that they did not even know that there was an eco-friendly solution. That's nice, because that's what we're here for!"

It is only on rare occasions nowadays that the process itself does not matter and only the price is important.

Graffiti Stop offers all customers a demonstration on location so that they can see exactly how the system works. Photos of the situations before and after cleaning are taken to demonstrate exactly what has been done.

"And the great thing is: everyone's happy. We only have positive conversations and only see happy faces," is Lars's short summary of his experiences.

The company has big plans. It is aiming to have an outlet in every German federal state within 10 years and it is also working closely with Systeco to further optimise the equipment, for example by developing more accessories or by answering the question of how the working speed and the number of square metres per hour can be increased. Some options only become clear after longer use, for example when the machine has been running for eight hours or more.

Many clients also want a quick response. Currently, the usual reaction time in the market for graffiti removal is between five and six weeks. It is Graffiti Stop's goal to respond within 48 hours. The service provider has developed a system that allows the field staff to send a quote directly to the customer through the office staff.

"Our record so far is two minutes and 11 seconds," says Lars. "The total process, from the moment of order confirmation by the customer to the graffiti removal, emergency removal, and the preparation of the bill for the customer took one hour and 40 minutes,.

"There is no other provider that reacts so quickly."

Lars says that the technical equipment available to the field staff also plays an important role. He has provided all employees with iPads so that they can really work according to the motto: switch on and start.

T: + 49 30 32 70 21 57
W: www.sys-teco.com

8th March 2018