The much-anticipated ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo made its return to the market, and the wait was worth it.

Held at the International Convention Centre, (ICC) in Sydney, the show reported a 25 per cent increase in ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo attendees.

“We heard from many visitors and exhibitors that ‘this was the best show to date’ and the momentum for this event was high from the start,” said Lauren Micallef, ISSA Oceania manager.

“Our pre-registration numbers were up 58 per cent against our last expo, with many members commenting on the ‘buzz’ they were hearing throughout the industry.”

This year saw the largest overseas attendee representation with more than 20 countries represented,  including France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, and more.

“It was also exciting to see the growth in attendees from across all states and territories in Australia,” said Micallef.

“All making the trip to be part of the only show in Australian dedicated to the cleaning and hygiene industry.”

Gareth Marriott, managing director, OCS Australia and New Zealand, said it was great to see the industry come together again.

“There was so much positive feedback after being in lock down for such a long period of time,” said Marriott.

Marriot added the event provided innovational products and a focus on sustainability.

“It was great to see the number of robots on offer and the solutions they provide.”

Craig Dowell, director of sales & marketing, ABCO Products, said the event has been much-needed for the industry.

“Needing to see the latest innovations, the face-to-face contact and technical advice on products that will empower not only the cleaners and companies but also the community.”

With almost 40 per cent of visitors stating that their primary reason for attending the show was to expand business networks and meet new suppliers, the expo did not fail to deliver with more than 88 of the country’s leading exhibitors, the largest number to date, present on the show floor.

“We had a lot of people approaching our stand. New customers and people we hadn’t seen before,” said Nora Potter, founder, Ecofy.

This was supported by Kristine Collins, Product Manager, SEBO who said the company “saw good numbers come through and quality leads.”

Stuart Nicol, ISSA Advisory Council chair, said it was terrific to see the continual support that the ISSA Cleaning and Hygiene Expo is receiving and the that the industry is getting behind the show.

“We saw returning exhibitors, as well as a number of companies that hadn’t exhibited for a long time, not to mention new players.”

First time exhibitor, Ben Antecki, brand manager, ACCO Brands, said the team was highly impressed by the event.

“This was our first ISSA Cleaning and Hygiene Expo that we had exhibited at and sponsored, and we were highly impressed with the event, from the organisation and promotion to the environment on the show floor and the number of attendees we had visiting our stand.”

Micallef said the environment was energised by the efforts of the speakers, workshops, attendees, sponsors and exhibitors many of whom had taken up bigger and grander stands, had interactive product demonstrations and as well as new product launches.

“The ISSA show in Sydney this year was exceptional with good attendance and high value attendees.”

“We had great responses to the new products that we launched, and our stand was very busy for the whole show,” said Bruce Lees, general manager ANZ, Rapid Group.

This year companies took the opportunity to bring their team’s and run events either side of the expo to maximise their experience.

“RapidClean held our annual conference in conjunction with the ISSA show as this enabled our store owners, throughout Australia and New Zealand, to attend the workshops and see the new and innovative products being exhibited. They then take the knowledge that they gained back to their customers,” said Lees

Education sharing was a strong theme this year.

The speaker theatre showcased more than 40 industry thought leaders sharing their expertise and knowledge across a variety of industry topics.

The theatre had a continual stream of people with most sessions having between 70-100 per cent attendance.

Popular topics included ‘tips on how to create a successful tender and quote’, ‘navigating the insurance maze’, ‘cleaning and consumer behaviour’, ‘why it’s important for facility managers and contractors to collaborate’, ‘harnessing technology and innovation’, ‘the risk of working with chemicals’ and ‘how the unseen is now the seen in cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease management’.

“Our speaker session with Michael O’Loughlin drew in a large crowd with the audience wanting to uncover more information about what to look for and why to invest in indigenous services,” said Adam Mercer, director – business development, ARA Indigenous Services.

“We also had numerous attendees visiting our stand over the two days. It was great to see the interest and investment that the market wants to make in relation to indigenous products and services.”

Alongside the speaker theatre the event ran four workshops ‘LinkedIn: boost your brand awareness’, ‘differentiate and elevate your business in a hyper intensive market’, ‘the packaging challenge workshop’ and ‘GBAC risk management approach’. All sessions were well attended and received highly positive feedback.

“I brought team members with me from interstate to attend the show,’ saidMatt Marsh, Managing Director, Sebastian Group.

“It was an opportunity for them to uncover the latest products and trends in the market, which we could take back to our business. They also registered for key workshops throughout the two days which they found to be highly informative and beneficial.”

Day one concluded with networking drinks and the presentation of the 2022 INCLEAN Excellence Awards.

This year, the awards received a record number of entries across six innovation categories including Large Equipment, Small Equipment, Services & Technology, Chemical Agents, Paper and Dispensing and Janitorial Items.

“It was outstanding to see the number of entrants and products on offer and it clearly demonstrates a passionate industry moving forward,” said Micallef.

Day two concluded with networking drinks hosted by ISSA.

“This was the best show by far! If you didn’t make it to the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo this year, we are sorry you missed out, but we hope to see you next year,” said Greg Whiteley, executive chairman, Whiteley.

The ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo will return in 2023 to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 1 November 2023 and Thursday 2 November, 2023.

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