Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 21st July 2011 Issue no. 481
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International News
Products Germgard Lighting demonstrates two-second, bare and gloved hand sterilisation Germgard Lighting has developed, tested, and confirmed by independent testing that a small UVC dispenser - specifically designed for sterilising bare or gloved hands safely and quickly - achieves -6log10 inactivation of all relevant pathogens, including tough-to-kill Clostridium difficile spores. It has developed a simple, proprietary means to protect bare skin from UVC exposure. Sterilisation of gloved or bare hands is implemented within a few seconds including an exposure time of only two seconds. Ecolab adopts automated hand hygiene monitoring technology for healthcare customers Ecolab announced this week that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Proventix Systems to use the nGage RFID (radio frequency identification) system to automate hand hygiene compliance monitoring for healthcare customers. The agreement with Proventix provides Ecolab customers with new options for their hand hygiene compliance monitoring initiatives. WWF and Kimberly-Clark announce new global commitment to responsible forestry Yesterday, Kimberly-Clark and World Wildlife Fund announced the expansion of Kimberly-Clark's membership in the Global Forest & Trade Network, a WWF initiative to eliminate illegal logging and conserve the world's most valuable and threatened forests. Kimberly-Clark will now include its worldwide operations in the initiative, building on its existing GFTN membership in selected countries. The participation scope now includes all wood fibres sourced for all of the company's products sold globally in the Kimberly-Clark Professional, Personal Care and Consumer Tissue businesses.. RCM gears up to look after cleaning needs of Yamaha Motor Racing, Milan
AeroGlass liquid glass technology helps prevent the spread of infection The recent E-coli outbreak in Germany - which rapidly spread to other European regions - again highlighted how air travel can be linked to the rapid spread of infection. Other than temperature monitoring, there is little that can be done to evaluate the health of the individuals who enter an aircraft, but now Frasers Aerospace is introducing a multi-award winning technology which will significantly reduce the bacterial loading present on surfaces within the aircraft and this technology is available for use in other situations too. In updating the market relating to the six months ending 30 June 2011 prior to entering its close period, Bunzl, the international distribution and outsourcing group, announced this week that overall trading is consistent with expectations at the time of the Interim Management Statement in April. |
Welcome to the
Cleanzine - the original Cleaning & Hygiene industry e-news Read by industry professionals in 132 countries worldwide! John and I work across a number of industries and we're often invited along to open days and eagerly attend, expecting to find something new and exciting to discover and report back on. They can involve a long drive and thus lots of valuable time and expensive petrol and sometimes, on the way home, we look at one another and one of us will have to say: "That was a bit of a waste of time, wasn't it?" However, last week we attended one of a series of distributor open days organised by Karcher - not to the German head office but to Banbury in Oxfordshire, where the training and display centre, The Academy, opened a couple of years back, is based. There were several new products and prototypes on show and at one point during our guided tour I exclaimed: "Why hasn't anyone thought of that before!" John commented that whenever anyone uses that phrase, it's a mark of something truly innovative. I couldn't agree more! Unfortunately I can't give you information about that particular product yet, as it's not due for launch for another couple of months - but one that is available now is featured below in this week's news, and there will be several others to read about over the coming weeks. Hope you're as excited about them as we are... Yours,
 This Week's News
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. Based in Naperville, Illinois, with operations in more than 150 countries, Nalco is said to be the world's leading water treatment and process improvement company, offering water management sustainability services focused on industrial, energy and the institutional market segments. The company helps customers reduce energy, water and other natural resource consumption, enhance air quality, minimise environmental releases and improve productivity and end products while boosting the bottom line. 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. This potentially transformational deal represents a landmark commercial milestone for Byotrol, whose technology will be adopted by the Initial Hygiene division of Rentokil, one of the largest hygiene service providers in the world with a range of clients including Government, health and education and commercial organisations. 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. In a keynote address at the 2011 AfricaSan Conference in Kigali, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of the foundation's Global Development Program, called on donors, governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organisations to address the urgent challenge, which affects nearly 40% of the world's population. Flush toilets are unavailable to the vast majority in the developing world and billions of people lack a safe, reliable toilet or latrine. More than a billion people defecate in the open. Treasury announces plans to find £1.5 billion savings across PFI contracts rs - typically 30.The plans followmore 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. Treatment of hazardous waste is essential for public health and a clean environment. Only relatively small amounts of hazardous waste are currently sent for recycling in the UK and recovery and new facilities are needed to allow more to be recycled and recovered to properly implement the waste hierarchy. New cleaner sucks up waste water as it goes and delivers it to where it's needed!
The FRV 30 can cut water consumption and therefore your bills, as waste water can be drained off through the 5m suction hose and directed to wherever it is needed. As John said when the machine was so ably demonstrated by Jeff Hilton outside Karcher's training centre last week: "You can even use it to water the flower beds!" 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. The FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing and energy services company was named as a founding sponsor of StartUp Britain alongside other blue-chip businesses including Barclays, Microsoft and Intel. MITIE has pledged its support and commitment to back British start-ups as part of its response to the Government's call for an 'enterprise-led' recovery. V-Air Zero - Neutralising odours in an environmentally friendly way!
Vectair has announced the launch of V-Air Zero, an odour neutraliser that brings freshness to a variety of locations. It is now available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America and is recommended in environments where persistent malodours occur - such as busy washrooms, areas with tobacco odours and animal odours.
Commercial Janitorial continues to grow by providing green cleaning services
Green cleaning is not new to the office cleaning industry and has actually been increasing, thanks to those janitorial companies that embrace this culture and incorporate it into their daily cleaning practices. One company, Commercial Janitorial, has taken it a step further. After being asked by more and more clients to devise a cleaning plan that takes into account Green Seal Certified chemicals, microfibre cloths and HEPA filtration vacuums, the company made the decision to incorporate green cleaning practices into its core business. However, travelling down the 100% green road is not always an option. Having a clever balance between traditional cleaning styles and new green initiatives has elevated Commercial Janitorial in the marketplace from being a local Phoenix, Arizona company to having clients nationwide. 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. High rise towers and buildings over our cities establish the progress of our civilisation, making us feel proud of our improved level of intelligence quotient. But, maintaining and cleaning skyscrapers can be more than just a daunting task. 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. CK Group (formerly City & Kent) and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust went back to basics with a good game of football! However, last week we attended one of a series of distributor open days organised by Karcher - not to the German head office but to Banbury in Oxfordshire, where the training and display centre, The Academy, opened a couple of years back, is based. There were several new products and prototypes on show and at one point during our guided tour I exclaimed: "Why hasn't anyone thought of that before!" John commented that whenever anyone uses that phrase, it's a mark of something truly innovative. I couldn't agree more! 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
IEHA releases the Master's Programme The Board of Directors of the International Executive Housekeepers Association recently met and approved the programme framework for two new IEHA educational designations, Master Certified Executive Housekeeper (Master CEH) and Master Registered Executive Housekeeper (Master REH). Toilet Innovation Awards open for entries The 2011 British Toilet Association Innovation Awards, which are now open for entries, will recognise innovation in three key areas of 'away from home' toilet provision: new products, new services and efficiency improvements. The BTA wants to hear about innovation that really improves the use or provision of publicly accessible toilets. BICSc Education Conference helps set new environmental and training standards
New environmental and training standards were discussed and developed during the British Institute of Cleaning Science's highly successful inaugural education conference for the cleaning and FM industry. Idrobase Group closes first half of the year 26% up Italian pressure washer specialist The Idrobase Group, has closed the first half of 2011 with a +26% increase over the same period of 2010. This is an increase in revenue that goes even beyond the ambitious objectives of growth (+12% on an annual basis) announced by Bruno Ferrarese Gazzignato and the eight million Euros turnover hypothesized for 2011. Cleaning team celebrates after gaining nationally recognised awards
Cleaning staff working at a Shropshire dairy are celebrating after gaining nationally recognised industry standard awards. Coventry 'cleaning show' takes place next Thursday One for UK cleaning professionals... Coventry-based Astley's is holding a cleaning show next Thursday 14th July and is promising to show you significant savings on the products you use every day, through innovation, rationalisation and the selection of the right product for the job. The team is also offering to help solve your cleaning problems. BCC announces keynote environmental speaker at Conference 2011 The British Cleaning Council has announced that Dr. Peter Redfern of Nottingham Trent University will be addressing the BCC Conference 2011 on how businesses and other institutions can implement large-scale sustainability projects. Beaver Floorcare makes sure Wolverhampton Civic Hall doesn't slip up! Click the image to watch the video
LCC Support Services, the UK national cleaning & support service contractor has been growing at the phenomenal rate of £1m for each of the last seven months. Growth at The Facilities Show highlights industry optimism The Facilities Show 2011, in association with the British Institute of Facilities Managers (BIFM), has once again demonstrated growth and diversity within the facilities management industry. Eco-Works, a biologicals company based in Bath, has released details of its new expanded range of green cleaning products that are suitable for environmentally conscious cleaning and facilities management companies. DSA saves £millions on facilities management The UK Driving Standards Agency has signed a four year total facilities management contract with Interserve, the services, maintenance and building group, which will save it some £9m over the contract lifetime. |
