Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 6th August 2026 Issue no. 1222
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Microban technology gives VDM that competitive edge
Italian manufacturer, VDM, which boasts distributors in 64 countries, has partnered with Microban to integrate antimicrobial protection into its commercial cleaning trolley range. This, says VDM, has enabled it to achieve critical business objectives while offering a significant competitive advantage over its customers.
The challenge: standing out in a high-stakes market…
For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the professional cleaning sector, the landscape has never been more competitive. Facilities managers and operations directors in the healthcare and institutional sectors in particular, are actively seeking comprehensive risk-mitigation tools. Cleaning trolleys, as mobile hubs that move continuously from room to room and ward to ward, are subjected to heavy daily use and constant human contact. This makes them highly vulnerable to microbial contamination and rapid physical degradation.
This environment places heavy pressure on OEMs to innovate rapidly. However, manufacturers face a classic industrial dilemma: Traditional product innovation cycles are slow, capital-intensive and disruptive. A complete product redesign to introduce new hygienic features can take years and require massive investments in new tooling and supply chain logistics.
VDM recognised that to capture market share and better serve risk-averse healthcare environments, it needed a way to deliver immediate, undeniable value. The challenge was clear: How could it quickly elevate its existing, high-quality trolley range to stand out as a premium, hygiene-focused solution without undergoing a redesign that would delay its time to market?
The solution: built-in antimicrobial technology…
To bridge the gap between rapid market differentiation and intensive manufacturing cycles, VDM had Microban antimicrobial technology embedded seamlessly into the handles of its premium cleaning trolleys during the moulding process. As well as distributing the technology evenly throughout the material - ensuring it cannot wash off, wear away or chip off during heavy use, this eliminated the need for new tooling or logistical disruptions.
By partnering with the industry's leading antimicrobial ingredient brand, VDM says it can now provide trust-backed validation that resonates strongly with customers.
"Integrating Microban into our product line enhances our offering through the intrinsic value of embedded technology," explains Matteo Giuzzi, marketing consultant at VDM. "We can now approach the healthcare sector with our product in a more confident way. Our brand needed to prove efficacy, and this is where Microban was very helpful with lab tests, claims and other guidance, helping create additional credibility and value for our product."
Through this co-branding approach, VDM shifted the competitive narrative from reactive cleaning to proactive product protection, setting a new benchmark for what cleaning equipment should deliver.
The benefits: protection against product-degrading bacteria…
While standard chemical disinfectants work upon contact but leave surfaces vulnerable to immediate recontamination, Microban protection works continuously in the background. It relentlessly inhibits the growth of bacteria on the trolley surface between scheduled cleanings.
Microbes cause degradation, staining and odours. By preventing bacterial growth, the integrated technology protects the structural integrity of the plastic components, helping the trolleys resist breakdown and look newer for longer.
In fast-paced healthcare environments where operational efficiency is critical, these enhanced trolleys offer facilities managers an inherently cleaner, more durable tool that complements existing cleaning protocols without adding a single step to the staff's workflow. The treated trolley components have been tested to ISO 22196, achieving bacterial reductions of up to 99.99%.
Learn more: delivering commercial value…
The partnership between VDM and Microban underscores a vital truth for the modern manufacturing sector: High-impact innovation does not require rewriting the entire blueprint. By enhancing an already premium product line with a trusted ingredient brand, VDM achieved rapid market differentiation with minimal manufacturing friction.
With more than 40 years of experience, VDM delivers a comprehensive range of professional cleaning solutions designed for performance, durability and efficiency. Protected by international patents, its portfolio includes commercial cleaning trolleys, hotel service carts, specialised healthcare cleaning systems and high-performance technical cleaning equipment. It was the first Italian company in the professional cleaning equipment sector to be certified with UNI EN ISO 9001 and UNI EN ISO 14001.
https://www.microban.com/vdm-antimicrobial-cleaning-trolleys
6th August 2026