How was 2022 for Cleanstar/XPOWER? What were the highlights? What were the challenges?

2022 was a great year for Cleanstar/XPOWER, with the successful marketing campaign “Inspired Origins” by Indigenous artist and footballer, Jy Farrar.

We introduced several new and innovative products, reached new industries, and now that supply has improved again, we can continue to trade with confidence.

There are always challenges, notably the drop in the dollar has resulted in increased product costs. Generally, in an economy that is marked with increasing cost inputs, such as fuel and freight, the flow-on increase in the cost of doing business is unavoidable, but certainly prevalent.

In saying that, we have been in business long enough to know that we roll with whatever comes at us and we work hard to maintain our supply and customer service.

What do you see as the main challenges the market is facing in 2023?

Rising costs are going to be the main challenge, followed very closely with staffing. I know that there are many cleaning companies who are unable to find enough cleaners as more people want to work from home.  This is something the governments need to address as many cleaning businesses are suffering

What are Cleanstar/XPOWER’s main priorities for 2023?

Our main priorities are to keep doing what we do. We will continue to grow, launch new products, reach new industries, and sell more to our existing clients.

We continue to strive to be number one in customer service in the industry and we are very proud of our loyal and hardworking team. 2023 will also allow us to launch a range of new and innovative products that will streamline productivity. We have been working hard on these products for several years and are very excited to see it come to fruition soon.

What do you expect to be the big trends of 2023?

For Cleanstar/XPOWER, the main discussion is ‘right to repair’. This topic tackles the issues in Australia about lack of training and skills and the potential introduction of a law, where goods and equipment should be able to be fixed or repaired before the decision is made to dispose of it. This is based on laws from Europe, and we wholeheartedly support it.

We have opened the discussion with INCLEAN, Griffith University, and government about this issue.

As consumers and businesses, it is important to have the right to repair equipment rather than replacing product and disposing of the waste back into landfill. At Cleanstar/XPOWER, we carry an extensive range of parts and accessories for all our electrical equipment, as we always have (for the last 17 years) and at reasonable prices.

Many businesses would prefer the user to dispose of a machine that is not working (often for simple reasons) and instead buy a new one.  We would rather encourage training to repair product, which in turn helps the environment, the economy, and upskills people.

How do you see the cleaning industry evolving in 2023? 

I know that areas like robotics and battery powered products are an area that cleaning companies are looking at to save time and money and compensate for staff shortages, but concepts like this take time.

People are always the biggest asset to a business, and I hope that the industry and organisations can bring in more people and upskill them

I think every industry and business after lockdowns have had to recalibrate and assess where they are at and make some changes. Changes and diversions need to be made to stay successful.

Are there any key sustainability commitments Cleanstar has made for 2023? 

We have implemented the use of recycled and recyclable products and packaging. We are heavily into compostable products with our Bonnie Bio bin liners, garbage bags, and gloves.

Our focus also remains on campaigning for right to repair laws. By repairing existing equipment it creates less waste and landfill. Implementing sustainability procedures and changing our way of thinking does take time but it is at the forefront of all our minds, business and personal.

What’s the biggest challenge facing leaders today?

Leadership is always difficult at the best of times but fundamentally you need to stay true to who you are. Try and not to get defocused from what you want to achieve within your business and do it with dignity and honesty.

You need to trust your staff, lift them up, let them make decisions and take responsibility for the decisions they make.

This breeds trust and confidence and allows for long term employees. Good staff need and want to be multi-skilled, and we need to keep rewarding those who are hardworking and loyal.

As a leader or business owner, you can’t overthink the future, or focus on the doom and gloom. As leaders, we need to stay on our mission to keep our businesses operating efficiently, keep the supply chain running smoothly, and remember why we started our businesses or got into leadership roles in the first place.

In business there are significant turning points, which you may not understand at the time, but with time and gut instinct you know what is good for you and your business.

Is there a message you would like to share with the industry?  

It’s a simple message really: Support Australian-owned brands and businesses. This way the profits stay in Australia, which benefits everyone. Our staff are all based in Australia and by supporting us, it affords them a good standard of living and stability, especially during the tough times ahead.

I would like to thank all of the cleaners in Australia who work very hard to keep everything clean and hygienic and keep the country going. I am very proud to be part of this industry.

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