How was 2019 for Filta? What were the highlights? What were the challenges?
2019 was a successful year for team Filta but more importantly a successful year for our business partners. We strive at Filta to meet market demands and changes and welcome these changes with our key stakeholders. At Filta the philosophy is simple; Listen to the market, work with our partners and our success will drive off these key partnerships.
Highlights for Filta were the Pacvac Battery Backpack introduction, Unger Pure Water & Unger Stingray trainings, which all lead to market productivity gains. Productivity and solution-based cleaning were drivers for the 2019 year. Among the challengers for the year were rising costs, driven by the US dollar as well as the increased shipping costs both internationally as well as domestic.
What will be the immediate focus for Filta in 2020?
2020 represents some further change for Filta with several further announcements to be made around our distribution focus, with some new partners looking to join the Filta family. It’s going to be another exciting year for team Filta and we can’t wait to make these announcements.
What challenges and opportunities do you see for Filta looking ahead to 2020?
With change comes opportunity. The Filta team recognises the market drive for change has rapidly escalated in the past 24 months.
It’s these drivers for change that will mean as a supplier we have to look globally at strategic partnerships that will adapt to these changes and meet our customers’ expectations.
2020 sees the industry facing many challenges from workload, staff training and education through to securing a key workforce.
It’s with these key points in mind that we strive to collaborate and become more solution focused both as a supplier to the industry but also as a key supporter of training and innovation.
What do you expect will be the big trends of 2020?
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.
What key factors do you think the industry should be discussing in 2020?
Sustainability and technology are the obvious discussions topics for all partners, other key topics are those where we challenge the normal practice and or thinking. It’s an exciting time to be part of the cleaning industry and all parties are being driven to be innovative, ethical around supply chain and process driven about product end of life.
What is one issue you think the industry should urgently address in 2020?
Education. As an industry we need to educate across all levels – end user, supplier, account manager and procurement lead. At Filta, we believe all these parties have an impact on how the product will be used as the greater the understanding of the product the greater the impact it will have on the industry.
There are several layers to this with online training, training days, e-books and videos all playing a part in the upskill of the industry. Yes we need to use technology for this but we also need to gets hands on with the key users and ensure some practical experience is undertaken as well.
Is there one key message you would like to share with the industry?
Cleaning is an industry where we can all make a difference, whether it’s through our attitude towards cleaners and the amazing job these unsung heroes do, or the job suppliers do in helping their day become a little easier through technology and/or design innovation.
Filta is grateful to our business partners and the open, honest relationships we have formed. It’s truly our partners that drive us to be better as a team and as NZ supplier to the industry.
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