The energy was electric at ICC Sydney on Wednesday 29 October as the global cleaning industry converged for ISSA’s flagship cleaning and hygiene event, the largest of its kind in Australia. Over two dynamic days, professionals from across the commercial cleaning spectrum, from manufacturers and distributors to BSCs and suppliers, come together to experience the latest innovations shaping the future of clean.
Rainclouds couldn’t dampen the mood as crowds streamed through the doors, setting the tone for an expo alive with energy. Across the bustling floor, exhibitors unveiled next-generation robots, smart dispensers and sustainable cleaning systems. From colour-coded microfibre to data-driven machines, every corner revealed something new to spark curiosity.
The buzz was immediate. Attendees clustered around demonstrations, swapped ideas over coffee and queued for panel sessions packed with expert insights. By mid-morning, the floor was alive with conversation and the unmistakable sense that this year’s ISSA Cleaning & HygieneExpo had captured the industry’s momentum in full swing.
The day began on a high with an inspiring keynote hosted by the ISSA Hygieia Network and delivered by author and leadership coach Sonia McDonald. Drawing on her own journey, McDonald explored her theme, The Hourglass of Resilience, sharing powerful insights built around focus, courage and the art of the juggle, a message that set the tone for the day ahead.
“Attention goes where energy flows,” McDonald said. “Great humans make great leaders, so don’t wait for adversity [in order] to show courage.”
After her keynote, McDonald joined a panel of industry leaders that included Linda Lybert, Lorraine Rogic and Kathryn Groening, for a lively discussion on ‘Overwhelm and de-stressing’.
“It’s about having that thick skin and getting on with it,” Rogic said . “We’ve all got resilience, it’s just tapping into it and giving yourself permission to use it.”
“You learn to bend and shift and have empathy,” Groening added.
Rogic also said there’s no such thing as failure, as long as you’ve learned a lesson.
Later, in the Business Solutions Theatre, David Azar and Jennifer Semple led a compelling discussion on sustainability in cleaning with their session, Green Clean vs Mean Clean. The panel dug into pressing issues such as greenwashing and the growing demand for products to truly deliver on their environmental claims.
“Transparency is essential,” Semple said. “If there’s no transparency around why a claim was made, then you have a right to ask some questions.”
In the panel on Invisible risks, visible impact, Liezl Foxcroft, Linda Lybert, Professor Brett Mitchell and Carrie Spinks recognised cleaning as essential in healthcare and aged care, but that many still underestimate the impact of targeted, high-quality cleaning in preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs
The conversation turned to artificial intelligence in cleaning during the session Robots & Care: The future of AI in healthcare and aged care cleaning, where Tom Culver, Joe Azzi and Tom Pembroke shared insights into the challenges and successes shaping this rapidly evolving field.
“Hunanoids will be so smart in using their sensory technology where they can see and smell things on the floor that humans can’t. And that technology is nearly here,” Culver noted.
Ending the day with a future focus, panelists Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, Alissa Shida and Dr. Greg Whiteley entered a discussion called Proving Clean: The future of cleaning verification and client trust. Experts debated whether high-tech solutions are worth the investment, how to communicate cleaning results to clients and the public and what the future holds for standards and regulations in cleaning verification.
Whiteley surmised: “What we need are systems that give us a quantitative measure that tells us how clean things are, using ATP testing and fluorescent markers for different processes to gather reliable and defensible numbers.”
Much of the excitement was saved for the end of the day, where visitors and exhibitors took a well-deserved break with drinks and canapes as ISSA announced the winners of this year’s Excellence Awards.
This year’s winners are:
Innovation Cleaning Agents – Speedy Clean Biodegradable Wipes, Whiteley
Innovation Equipment (winner 1) – PUDU MT1, Pudu Robotics HK Limited
Innovation Equipment (winner 2) – DRYFT, Cleanstar
Innovation Service & Technology – ATP Test (Kikkoman A3), Restore Solutions
Innovation Janitorial – SYR SmartGuard Double Bucket, JTY Australia
Innovation Paper & Dispensing – Egal Pads on A Roll, Johns S Hayes
Innovation Environmental & Sustainability – CleanLIFE Vinegar Wipes
Lauren Micallef, Oceania manager at ISSS said, “From the moment the doors opened, the enthusiasm was palpable. It was exciting to see such strong engagement and enthusiasm from exhibitors and attendees alike. There was so much interest in the breadth of panel discussions on day 1, and I know that visitors will be just as impressed with our Day 2 agenda.”
The ISSA 2025 Cleaning & Hygiene Expo continues on 30 October.
