Jangro expands membership

Jangro has expanded its membership, giving it an even greater number of outlets than any other distribution organisation. Border Janitorial Supplier of Oswestry, Shropshire has joined Jangro in a move to widen its product range, maintain low prices and expand its customer service offer.

Founded in 1985 by current managing director Colin Filer and his wife Lesley, Border has extensive business in the local authority, contract cleaning, food manufacturing and retailing sectors. Colin Filer said:  “Joining Jangro means we can further improve on many prices for our customers, increase our product range, add some premium Jangro products and the popular Enviro range. Jangro also provides COSH sheets, training and DVDs. This move relieves me of time-consuming purchasing, so that I can focus on customer service.”

Border will continue to service businesses in Powys, Shropshire and West Midlands.
 

‘Open as usual’ service for fire and flood victims

Worcestershire-based IT support & solutions provider, OGL Computer, has launched a Disaster Recovery Suite to allow businesses in the region to relocate in the event of a disaster, enabling them to maintain normal operation. The suite includes desks to accommodate up to 24 people, with telephone, PC and Internet connection and access to clients’ files, folders, e-mail and applications is also available.

The Disaster Recovery Suite, located at OGL’s Farm House Centre based at the Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire head office, provides office facilities including printing, faxing, on-site parking, a meeting room, plus a kitchen and shower area, and allows business to use the facilities in the event of a disaster at their premises, such as a fire or flood. Equally important, data is the lifeblood of any business, and the inability to access this data for any significant amount of time would be catastrophic. OGL will therefore also backup and store data in a secure offsite data centre, and in the event of a disaster, businesses will be provided with rapid access to their data via Internet connection, giving them the ability to continue normal operation.

Should businesses or employees not be located in proximity to the Disaster Recovery Suite, OGL is also proposing future partnerships with office space providers in other regions with the intention of providing the same office facilities, coupled with the offsite data backup system.

The data backup and retrieval system is also available independently of OGL’s Disaster Recovery Suite. Known as OGL Offsite Recovery, it provides automatic nightly backup via the Internet of all mission critical data, e-mail, operating systems and applications, to OGL’s Tier-IV aligned data centre: the most secure classification of data centre available in the UK. In the event of a disaster, data can be accessed remotely by key workers from any broadband connection - including OGL’s Disaster Recovery Suite - within 24 hours.

“Adding a Disaster Recovery Suite is the next logical step for our Offsite Recovery Solution,” said OGL’s head of research and development, Paul Colwell. “Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for our customers to get back up and running after a disaster. By adding a Disaster Recovery Suite we are alleviating the difficulty in finding new premises, new equipment and reducing the time taken to continue with normal operation.”
 

The 21 most disruptive cleaning product technologies

New research from IntertechPira has identified the 21 most disruptive cleaning product technologies. The developments have the potential to change the direction of the industry over the next decade.

Worldwide, the cleaning products industry now turns over more than Euro 83 billion annually, and has itself been a driver for the development of innovative chemistry, technology and engineering. From an initial list of 37 technologies that could radically affect the industry over the next decade, a panel of experts identified 21 in the study as having the biggest potential impact and greatest chance of being achieved - giving them maximum potential disruptive impact.

‘10-year forecast of disruptive technologies in cleaning products to 2020’ provides exclusive data and analysis, detailing how current and emerging trends will shape the future of the industry, along with realistic scenarios for how and when the disruptive technologies are likely to be fully integrated into the cleaning products supply chain.

The 21 most disruptive developments in cleaning products include:

• Textile surface treatments will reduce the need for washing.
• The elimination of phosphates in domestic detergents will be extended to include detergents.
• The detergent, REACH and biocide regulations will make it more difficult to introduce new substances into cleaner formulations.
• The low-temperature performance of surfactants will improve.
• Biotechnology (eg genetic manipulation) will enable the molecular structure of renewable bio-ingredients to be modified to improve their cleaning performance.
• The low-temperature performance of enzymes will be improved.
• The compatibility of enzymes with other detergent ingredients will be improved.
• The concentration of cleaning formulations will continue to be increased, reducing the need for packaging.
• The popularity of wipes will increase, particularly for surface- cleaning applications.
• Research techniques such as high-throughput screening, modelling and simulation technologies will be introduced.
• The increased use of microprocessors, sensors and automatic metering of detergents will reduce the energy, water and detergent required.

According to IntertechPira, the most certain technologies - those with the highest impact and greatest probability of being introduced - are concerned with legislation. The study panellists were convinced that the detergent legislation banning the use of phosphate builders would be extended to automatic dishwashing detergents and eventually to institutional and industrial detergent cleaners within the next decade. They were less sure that it would be extended to include sustainability, but all agreed legislation would restrict the introduction of new technology by dramatically increasing the costs of introducing new compounds. Biotechnology is tipped as very likely to disrupt the market. 

According to IntetechPira, consumers’ preference for using cleaning products that contain natural ingredients will drive the search for renewable sources other than palm oil, coconut oil and tallow, which have some environmental issues of their own. Novel sources, whether plant-based or from new fermentation technologies, would need to compete on price with synthetically sourced detergent alcohols, as their performance is similar and to a certain extent they are interchangeable.
 
However, the take-up of renewable ingredients might be higher if genetic engineering techniques could be used to modify the structure of the ingredients to improve their performance. The production of surfactants directly from living organisms was considered interesting by the panellists, but they believed that considerable work is needed to increase output and reduce costs.

One area of biotechnology that has already made a big impact is that of enzymes. IntertechPira expects enzymes to improve the low temperature performance of detergents. If compatibility between enzymes and other cleaning ingredients improves, we could see enzymes used more widely to enhance the performance of cleaning products. 

However, the use of enzymes to produce other detergent ingredients in situ, reducing the quantity of other detergent ingredients required is less certain according to the study.

One of the most important ingredients in cleaners are surfactants. The panellists stated that key improvements could be made in the areas of: 
their low-temperature performance; their dissolution of grease; and their rinsing ability. Some of these improvements might be introduced through the use of biotechnology.

New developments around the formulation of detergents involve their means of delivery and, to an extent, depend on associated developments in machine technology. The prediction that single-dose, multifunctional, controlled-release laundry detergents (similar to automatic dishwasher detergent tablets) will become popular is one such development. At the same time, panellists see a potential for single function products (eg boosters, whiteners, etc) that the machine or operator could add to the wash separately. IntertechPira expects the move to concentrated detergents will continue although consumers will need to be persuaded that the higher concentration products represent good value for money. Clearly, there is a limit to product concentration, and it is believed that current formulations are close to that limit.

Another future disruptor according to the study is the treating of textiles and surfaces to reduce the need for cleaning or to make dirt removal easier - both are believed to have some promise, although it is less clear what the technologies might be. If the treatment can also reduce the need for ironing, there could be clear consumer benefits.

Replacing water was not one of the 21 technologies chosen, and its omission is significant. The panellists were adamant that water will remain the cleaning solvent of choice. IntertechPira expects steps will be taken to reduce its use, and, in some parts of the world, to reuse wash water, but it is very unlikely to be replaced.
 
However, the introduction of smart technology in washing machines to optimise usage of energy, water and cleaning is seen as highly likely and significant.

In general, only about half of the potentially most disruptive technologies identified in the study were within the direct control of the traditional detergent companies. IntertechPira expects many of the external factors identified - legislation, environmental pressures, design of cleaning machines - will be at least as influential, and potentially even more disruptive than the developments brought forward by even the most competent, innovative and experienced manufacturers of cleaning products.

Methodology

Drawing on their experience and background knowledge, the authors built a list of 37 technologies that could radically affect the industry over the next decade. They prepared statements describing each technology and the results it might achieve, and circulated the list to a panel of selected experts. The panellists were asked to score each technology on its probability of success (POS), ie the likelihood of that technology being introduced in the next decade. 

Second, they were asked to assess its impact, ie the effect the technology would be likely to have on the industry if it were to be introduced. The panellists were also asked to list any technologies that had been omitted, and were asked for their views on key consumer drivers. The authors analysed the responses and identified the disruptive technologies that were most likely to affect the industry over the next decade. A total of 21 technologies was identified as being particularly significant.

The panellists were people who are active in the cleaning products industry, working in different segments - domestic and industrial detergents, ingredients suppliers, formulators and consumers - and were based in Europe, North America and the Middle East.

www.pira-international.com
 

Total FM contract at Channel 4

Mitie has signed a new three year plus one contract to provide an integrated facilities management offering to Channel 4. Mitie currently delivers front-of-house, mail & courier, cleaning & waste, and landscaping services, and with this new contract will add security and engineering maintenance to its offering. Channel 4’s decision to bundle the majority of services under the Mitie umbrella will translate into around 10% annual savings for the broadcaster.

Under the new contract Mitie will employ 79 people to service Channel 4’s landmark 120,000 square foot headquarters where 750 people work. This figure is expected to reach 1000 within the next year as buildings are consolidated.

Mitie’s relationship with Channel 4 began in 2007 and evolved with individual contracts added in 2008 and 2009. The new integrated FM contract will cut down on management costs at Channel 4 by consolidating services and reducing the number of providers. This new partnership sees Channel 4 and Mitie embarking on a behavioural change, promoting innovation, fresh thinking and collaborative decision making, always with Channel 4’s business objectives at its heart.

Debra Ward, managing director of Mitie’s client services business, said: “This is an outstanding win for us and we’re delighted to be extending our relationship with Channel 4, having worked with them since 2007. Both companies have a true focus on people and the total FM contract will allow us to work together in true partnership. The whole team will be working to the hotel philosophy of having a common goal and focus.”

Julie Kortens, facilities manager at Channel 4, said: “Following the outsourcing of its transmission facility, Channel 4 is in the process of transforming its headquarters building and Mitie will play an integral part in delivering both the physical and cultural change. As partners for the last three years Mitie has consistently shown it understands Channel 4’s DNA, and operates as part of our team.  We embraced the transition to an integrated service model because Mitie understands our company and is an innovative partner for the future.”

www.mitie.com

Interserve ‘highly commended’ at environment awards

Interserve has been ‘highly commended’ in two categories at the Environment and Energy Awards 2011. It was highly commended for the NQA Environmental Leadership Award for Cultural Change as a result of its Renewables framework - a business-wide, chief executive-led initiative which sets out the guiding principles to address social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, helping drive value for clients and the company itself.

The second award was in the NEMEX Renewables Innovation category for the Stoke Bardolph project working with Severn Trent Water. This award recognises the organisation that has shown the most innovative approach towards the installation of small scale, embedded renewable energy systems.

Steve Dance, executive director and Interserve’s sustainability champion, said: “We are delighted to have been highly commended in two award categories. It is recognition for just how engrained the sustainability culture now is within the entirety of our business.”

www.sustainability.interserve.com

Back to college

Delphis Eco has won the non food nomination for TUCO (The University Caterers Organisation) Purchasing Ltd and NEUPC (North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium) as a preferred supplier of ecological cleaning products to higher education organisations nationwide.

This is the first time Delphis Eco has been nominated for these contracts, estimated to be worth circa £2 million and is testament to the fact that universities recognise the need to be more environmentally focussed.

Delphis Eco's broad range of EU Ecolabel accredited products are proven to work in all aspects of university catering from canteens and fast food hubs, to restaurants and pubs.

Mark Jankovich, managing director of Delphis Eco, said: “University students are the next generation of leaders and we are delighted that they are focussing on the environment and recognise the impact non- ecological cleaning chemicals have on our planet. Through 3663 we look forward to working very closely with TUCO and the NEUPC to deliver products for a sustainably cleaned university environment.”

www.delphisworld.com