After securing the sole distribution rights for the Avidbot Neo robotic floor scrubber, Millennium Services Group has deployed more than 36 of the machines in shopping centres around Australia, with plans to roll out another 40 over the next year. INCLEAN assistant editor Lizzie Hunter reports.

Launched in May 2017, the Avidbot Neo robotic floor scrubber is already making its mark on the Australian floor scrubber market.

Thomas Mort, director of Avidbots in Australia, believes the Australian market has embraced the robotic technology more than other countries due to increasing labour costs and the need for centre owners to control cleaning costs.

“Australia’s cleaning industry has one of the highest labour rates compared to other countries around the world,” he said.

“These rates increase every year by about 3 per cent and some centre owners look to reduce these increases and save on labour costs through this kind of technology.”

Wayne Crews, national business and acquisition manager at Millennium Services Group, discovered the Avidbot Neo robotic floor scrubber with Mort in 2016 after meeting with Avidbots’ Canada-based founders Pablo Molina and Faizan Sheikh (who established the company in 2014).

“We wanted a product that would support the cleaning industry in Australia while at the same time, keep innovation flowing through Millennium.”

Less than a year on from securing the sole distribution rights for the Avidbot Neo in Australia, more than 35 of the machines are in shopping centres around Australia. The company is aiming to roll out another 40 nationwide this year, targeting large public facilities including airports, stadiums, warehouse complexes, retail centres and universities.

This article first appeared in the January/February issue of INCLEAN magazine. Click here to continue reading.