The inaugural INCLEAN Awards, presented at the AUSCLEAN 2011 industry dinner, reflected suppliers’ sustainable ambitions while also underscoring the great strides made in training.

The Innovative Cleaning Agents category was won by Diversey’s Bio-Floor; the Innovative Equipment category by Hako’s Integrated Environmental Cleaning concept; the Innovative Paper and Dispensing category by Enviro-LCS’s Sanisorb; the Innovative Services – Training category by Lennox Institute’s Diploma for Women; and the Innovative Services – IT category by Valorem’s Kevah Works.

The judging committee was headed by international cleaning industry consultant Bill Griffin, supported by World Federation of Building Service Contractors’ Australian representative John Grant; green cleaning consultant and educator Bridget Gardner; and Havencab CEO Frank Boross, a highly experienced BSC executive and an innovative thinker.

INNOVATIVE CLEANING AGENTS

A very competitive segment, this category covered chemical cleaning systems. The entries reflected the changing marketplace, notably the move away from more traditional products to innovative, alternative offerings.

The short-listed products were:

Diversey’s Bio-Floor
Biofloor is a no rinse cleaner fortified with bacteria to remove grease and soil build-up off kitchen floors thus reducing the risk of slips and falls.

Diversey’s Opti-Fill
Suma Optifill is a maintenance-free, manual ware washing program for 2 – 3 compartment sinks that delivers an accurate dilution without the need for equipment or permanent water connection. Using super concentrates in a spill proof pack, this system reduces wastage.

Equipe Solutions’ BrightLogic
BrightLogic commercial laundry system can be used in a wide range of sites, from small commercial to large capacity industrial operations. Its reliability is enhanced through protection and security of electronic circuitry while extra pumps are easily added, with up to 10 pumps being controlled by the one interface.

Peerless JAL’s Microseries
Microseries reduces the environmental impact its users have on the environment through carbon emission offsets; the use of microfibre technology resulting in less chemicals and water used; truly green chemicals; environmentally responsible 100% recyclable packaging; and super concentrated chemicals.

INNOVATIVE EQUIPMENT

The Most Innovative Equipment category entries highlighted the great strides manufacturers have made in designing machines that markedly cut the use of water, energy and chemicals.

The short-listed products were:

Alco Batteries’ Discover Battery EV Traction Dry Cell Technology
A deep cycle battery designed to suit the floor machine industry, the EV Traction exceeds industry health and safety requirements and is 98% recyclable. An innovative positive and negative plate formula resists premature battery sulphation and exceeds conventional battery life cycles.

Duplex Cleaning Machines’ range of Steam machines
They include the Jetvac Junior, Duplex 280, Steam Pressure, and Salla Steam models. Today’s steam cleaning and hygiene technology can be applied very effectively to a broad range of tasks – these machines cover both specific and multi-purpose requirements. In essence, steam can be applied to the most demanding specific infection control jobs while also being used to enhance traditional commercial hard floor cleaning.

Equipe Solutions’ LG Commercial Laundry Equipment
LG commercial washing machines is said to be the only commercial laundry machine with a direct drive motor. There are no belts and pulleys, thus eliminating noise, vibration and maintenance issues relating to belt replacement as well as making the machine more energy efficient. Its water circulation system and drum design minimises water usage and increases wash performance.

Hako’s Integrated Environmental Cleaning concept (IEC)
IEC is a complete environmental cleaning solution.  It offers anti-bacterial tanks (certified to ISO22196) increasing hygiene and safety standards; daytime cleaning technology to reduce evening energy consumption; certified and patented aqua control brushes for up to 50% water and chemical reduction; and Hako’s Aquaforce chemical free cleaning system.

INNOVATIVE PAPER & DISPENSING

While a number of entries were received for this category, the judging committee was unanimous in short-listing just one entry.

Enviro-LCS’s Sanisorb
A locally developed and sourced product, Sanisorb reduces the use of harmful chemicals in sanitary bins. Those chemicals traditionally are sodium metabisulphite and gluderaldehyde – dangerous and harmful. Sanisorb is an inert naturally occurring mineral with unique properties for odour absorption. Its packaging is impervious. There are no harmful liquids to spill. Sanisorb is sold to other Australian washroom companies as well as being exported worldwide.

INNOVATIVE SERVICES – TRAINING

The short-listed companies were:

Jena-Dyco’s Remediation of Clandestine Drug Lab Residues course
Jena Dyco’s Remediation of Clandestine Drug Lab Residues (Meth Lab Cleanup) course is the first of its kind in Australia. The course teaches technicians how to safely and completely remediate properties that have previously been used as clandestine drug labs.

Joined Forces’ Online OHS
The responsibility to provide a safe working environment is a major industry issue. A simple, effective and on-line solution to complying with OH&S standards, Joined Forces’ Online OHS is innovative, comprehensive and affordable.

Lennox Institute’s Diploma for Women
An evolutionary training programme, it is a world first in combining the internationally recognised Team Management Systems (profiling tools) as part of the training programme.

A 2010 Construction & Property Services Industry Skills Council survey re. employment and development of women in the cleaning industry showed that programmes for potential management candidates were required to strengthen existing skills and develop areas of deficiency to include benchmark management skills. Lennox Institute was approached by CPSISC and from there the Diploma of management for women in the cleaning industry was born.

INNOVATIVE SERVICES – IT

There was just entry short-listed… the worthy winner being Valorem’s Kevah Works, a web-based system for managing work and quality assurance. Work can be scheduled as periodical activity, ad hoc jobs or extra work (including value). Customisable forms for QA inspections or any other site reports. Issues raised can be scheduled as jobs providing the complete QA work flow from identifying issues to tracking their resolution. The web-based management of Work and QA combined frees up hours of supervisory time on each site each week.