Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 22nd October 2026 Issue no. 1231
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Tennant introduces Its first autonomous robotic vacuum: the P1 VAC
On Tuesday, Tennant Company announced the launch of the P1 VAC, the company's first autonomous robotic vacuum. Designed to make robotic cleaning approachable and practical for everyday commercial environments, the P1 VAC combines autonomous vacuuming and dust mopping with a side brush that sweeps debris from walls and edges into the machine's cleaning path.
The compact platform helps facilities maintain consistent cleaning standards, increase productivity, and make better use of existing labour resources.
The introduction of the P1 VAC expands Tennant's growing autonomous cleaning portfolio and underscores the company's continued investment in robotics innovation through Tennant Company Robotics. As organisations face ongoing labour challenges and increasing expectations around facility cleanliness, the P1 VAC provides a simple and accessible way to automate routine floor cleaning tasks while enabling staff to focus on higher-value responsibilities.
As Tennant's first autonomous soft-floor cleaner, the P1 VAC expands its robotics portfolio beyond hard-floor solutions into a new growth category, advancing Tennant's plan to introduce 10 new products within 24 months to build a $250 million robotics equipment business by 2028. Together, these investments advance Tennant's strategy to lead the industry transformation to autonomous cleaning equipment.
The P1 VAC is the first model in Tennant's new P-Series, a family of autonomous cleaning robots that complements Tennant's existing portfolio by addressing more customer applications and price points to maximise market coverage. P-Series machines combine reliable cleaning performance, intuitive operation, and Tennant-backed support to help organisations adopt robotic cleaning quickly and confidently.
The series is designed both for customers introducing robotics into their cleaning operations and for organisations seeking to expand automation across more applications within their facilities.
"The P1 VAC was developed with a straightforward goal: make autonomous cleaning easier to adopt and easier to operate," explains Pat Schottler, Tennant Company senior vice president, robotics. "Customers are looking for practical solutions that help them maintain cleaning standards while making the most of available resources. The P1 VAC delivers dependable cleaning performance in a solution that is intuitive, productive, and backed by Tennant's expertise and support."
The P1 VAC autonomously performs routine vacuuming, sweeping and dust mopping tasks, helping facilities maintain a consistent standard of cleanliness day after day. Intelligent navigation and sensing technologies enable the machine to safely operate in dynamic environments while delivering repeatable cleaning routes and reliable cleaning coverage.
Brandon J., building & grounds director for the Cumberland School District in Wisconsin, (which served as a product testing partner for the P1 VAC) says:
"Before using the P1 VAC, routine vacuuming and dust mopping took a significant portion of our team's day, especially in high-use areas like our gymnasiums and hallways. Now we can automate those routine cleaning tasks and spend more time focusing on maintenance projects and other priorities throughout the district. The flexibility it gives our team has been one of the biggest benefits."
Key benefits of the P1 VAC include:
* More time for people… Automates routine floor cleaning so staff can focus on guest services, occupant support, sanitation, and other responsibilities where people add the most value.
* Consistency you can see… Repeatable cleaning routes and intelligent cleaning technologies help deliver reliable cleaning results across operators, shifts and locations.
* More cleaning; less intervention… Autonomous operation, opportunity charging, rapid recharge capability and a dual-compartment 10-litre debris collection system help maximise productive cleaning time.
* Robotics designed for everyday teams… Intuitive controls, streamlined maintenance procedures, flexible cleaning options and mobile app management make robotic cleaning easier to adopt and operate.
The robot's compact footprint allows it to clean areas that can be difficult for larger autonomous equipment to access, while edge-cleaning capabilities help maintain cleanliness along walls, corners and baseboards. Facilities can schedule routes, monitor cleaning progress and manage operations remotely - helping reduce the need for ongoing supervision while improving overall cleaning consistency.
The P1 VAC is now available to order.
22nd October 2026