INCLEAN NZ asked some of the industry’s senior executives their predictions on the local and international trends set to shape 2020.
Ranmalee de Silva, Application Engineering Specialist, 3M Commercial Solutions Division, Cleaning & Workplace Safety
In 2019, there were changes with a lot of large cleaning contracts in New Zealand, so there will be new contractors looking after new sites which will come with their own challenges.
Manufacturers and suppliers of cleaning products and equipment may need to spend more time in 2020 training and educating new site contractors on technology and innovations that they haven’t encountered previously.
David Welch, New Zealand Category Manager, Bunnings
The challenges we see facing the industry relate to environmental impact and sustainability. Products which minimise their environmental impact without compromising efficacy should be the focus of all suppliers in this space.
The biggest challenge and opportunity will be to make sure we are creating an even stronger offer for customers to meet their changing needs, while considering wider industry changes.
Rosemary Pritchard, Managing Director, Cleaning Systems
2019 saw the release of two legal documents which will impact our industry. The 10th edition of the Standard Sale and Purchase Agreement and the Healthy Homes Standards released by Tenancy Services.
The Healthy Homes Standards will play a significant role in improving the wellbeing of New Zealanders and their families. There are obligations on property managers, landlords and real estate agents within these documents around moisture, indoor air quality and toxicology matters which will have a significant impact on the landscaping of the cleaning and restoration industry.
Grant McLauchlan, Managing Director, CrestClean
Public expectations about standards of hygiene and cleanliness are increasing, particularly in the busy developed cities. It will only take a public health issue like the coronavirus outbreak to reinforce this growing awareness of the importance of maintaining high standards of cleanliness at workplaces and public facilities.
Lee James, General Manager, Filta Cleaning Products
Productivity is a key word for 2020, all stakeholders want to achieve the best result for their client with the right tools in the best time frame for all parties. As an industry we need to drive change at all levels. This means meeting the needs of the clients with products and or technology, especially ones they aren’t aware of and the impact this could have on their day to day function as a business.
Jamie Teague, National Sales Manager, Makita New Zealand
Customers are becoming more aware of the issues related to having too much weight in a product. In some cases, a few 100g can be the difference in deciding one product over another, particularly for handheld products like stick vacuums and blowers. This will continue to be a factor in the decision-making process and as OHS requirements continue to dictate the specifications of products; we will see more products become compact.
Kerry Boon, Sales and Marketing Manager, Proquip NZ
Robotics and the use of telemetrics are both clearly in the rapidly developing phase which is the same in many industries. There are some great products out there already and the ISSA Amsterdam Show has a podium dedicated to robotics, which will be on display again in May 2020.
I still see the benefits of current robotic technology are seen in large sites and contracts which we don’t have a large quantity of in New Zealand compared with overseas. This of course will change as technical hurdles are overcome and Proquip are already part of that development. Watch this space!
Read INCLEAN NZ’s inaugural Industry Leaders Forum in the upcoming February issue.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at info@13.238.154.125.
Sign up to INCLEAN NZ’s newsletter.
