ICC Sydney buzzed again on Thursday 30 October, carrying forward the momentum and innovation that set Day 1 alight. As the Expo floor reopened, attendees poured in with renewed purpose, ready to soak up the final wave of expert insights, product launches and collaborative energy.
On the floor, exhibitors ramped up live demos. Robots, smart dispensers and sustainable product solutions drew steady traffic. Conversations over coffee and impromptu meet-ups at booths underscored that the Expo is more than a showcase, it’s a working lab for ideas, partnerships and problem-solving in real time.
Workshops throughout the day offered hands-on learning opportunities. Participants left with fresh frameworks for pitching clients, optimising operations and staying ahead of evolving regulation landscapes.
Panel discussions continued to stir insights: from emerging risks in facility hygiene and leveraging data and automation to verify cleaning quality, to balancing sustainability with cost-effectiveness in a tight market. Each session reinforced how the future of cleaning lies at the intersection of technology, accountability and trust.
The day launched in the Business Solutions Theatre, where workshops and panels picked up from Day 1 learnings, digging deeper into practical strategies for tomorrow’s cleaning challenges. Attendees gathered early for sessions on workforce development, ESG-linked procurement and compliance shifts, proof that the sector’s leaders are not just talking about innovation, they’re building it.
Lorraine Rogic kicked things off with a marathon three-hour practical workshop that unpacked The Ultimate Guide to 2025 Regulatory Changes for Cleaning Professionals. In this interactive workshop, attendees gained clear guidance on how to understand, prepare for and navigate new legal requirements across WHS, HR, EPA and Fair Work with confidence.
In one of the day’s most insightful sessions, Dr Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, Doug Hoffman and Jason Green explored Healthy Spaces Ahead: The Evolution of Professional Cleaning Practices.
Macgregor-Skinner highlighted cleaning’s vital role in public health, noting that the industry is “cleaning for health, safety and wellbeing.”
Hoffman called for a holistic approach, viewing buildings as living systems where air, surfaces and contaminants interact.
Green emphasised the power of innovation through low-allergen methods, sustainable products and data-driven tools that make the invisible measurable. Together, they revealed a future where cleaning drives health, trust and performance.
The session closed with a challenge from Macgregor-Skinner: to view cleaning as a vital component of building performance and community wellbeing. As attendees left the theatre, it was clear this vision had resonated. The future of cleaning is smarter, greener and more human-centred, a shift that will shape how every facility defines ‘clean’ in the years ahead.
In One Size Fits None! Standardisation vs. Customisation in Cleaning Services, industry leaders Matt Marsh, Kim Puxty and Peter Rundle debated whether cleaning providers should follow rigid standards or tailor services to client needs. The discussion cut to the heart of how cleaning contracts are structured, exploring how standard protocols help maintain consistency across sites, while custom approaches can deliver better outcomes and stronger client relationships.
“What is said versus what people can afford are two different things,” said Rundle. “You have to read, interpret and work out a way to deliver the service that customers are looking for within the price parameters.”
The take-away? There’s no one-size-fits-all model anymore. Success will rest on flexibility built into frameworks, not just checklists.
In another session from dynamic duo Macgregor-Skinner and Hoffman, the topic, Mould Matters: Navigating the New Standard for Safer Buildings was addressed in an engaging workshop about the emerging threats of mould under tightened safety regimes.
“We do not wait for the flood, we do not wait for the heavy rain, we do not wait for the water damage – it is dampness and where it comes from that we must define,” Macgregor-Skinner said.
With updated standards on the horizon, the session offered practical strategies for mitigation, monitoring and remediation. Attendees walked away with a clearer roadmap to ensure their buildings comply and remain safe, healthy and compliant as regulations evolve to better protect occupants.
As the day progressed, the tone shifted toward the future. Leaders explored how cleaning companies can build trust through transparency using data, verification systems and clear communication to clients and communities. Questions about standards, measurement, client expectations and ROI underscored just how strategic cleaning has become.
Two more sessions rounded out Day 2: Slip and injury – You have 3 options: lose small, lose big or don’t lose, There is no win with Paul Morrall and Bruce Whiteley, and the final panel with Lorraine Rogic and Dr. Denis Boulais who shared their expertise on Shifting Realities: Protecting Health, Safety, and Wellbeing in Cleaning.
With the official close of the Expo floor came a final flurry of networking, hallway conversations, last-minute deals and handshakes with new collaborators. The atmosphere remained electric, fuelled by two days of learning, discovery and connection.
As the doors closed on Day 2, one thing was clear: this was so much more than just a trade show. It was a moment of collective purpose. The cleaning and hygiene sector in Australia has always been vital, and gathered under one roof at the ICC Sydney, its capacity to innovate, lead and raise standards felt amplified.
