VITAL FOR OUR HEALTH & WELLBEING
Keeping our homes clean is very important; but did
you realise how critical it is for society to have clean and hygienic
public and industrial places such as schools, hospitals, offices, stations,
airports and food and beverage production sites?
Companies in the professional cleaning sector of A.I.S.E. contribute to securing high levels of cleanliness and – where appropriate – disinfection IN ANY PLACE OUTSIDE THE HOME, helping to reduce or eliminate contact with serious and potentially fatal infection agents.
Cleanliness and hygiene in any place outside the home would be impossible without the products and services provided by the companies that make up the professional cleaning sector of A.I.S.E. These companies – large and small – make the detergents and maintenance products and services that help to ensure hygienic hospital equipment, safe food and beverage production, healthy public transport environments, hygienic hotels and schools, clean and pleasant offices.
THE PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SECTOR AT A GLANCE
A.I.S.E. represents the vast majority of companies active in the industry. Of those, more than 450 companies are involved in the professional cleaning market with 85% being SMEs.
Delivering products and services to all kinds of customers
Representing almost 20% of the value of the total sector in Europe, with about € 8,7 billion turnover, the PC&H sector is dynamic. It is spread out as outlined in the below chart with a broad variety of applications.
SMEs: Very dynamic actors in the PC&H sector
The sector is also characterised by the presence of many Small and Medium sized Enterprises which help deliver targeted cleaning solutions. SMEs are also important contractors for major companies in these sectors. With their specialist knowledge and proximity to their clients, they are ideally placed to create and supply ‘niche’ products.
WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT PROFESSIONAL CLEANING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Companies in the professional cleaning market provide a wide variety of products and services for professionals who are often dealing with very specialised cleaning and hygiene needs.
Hygiene and Safety
Products and services meet specific cleaning needs and are part of a complete delivery system requiring special packaging, dosing and control equipment.
Tailor-made products and services
Professional customers can have unique operational demands requiring customized solutions, taking into account, for example, local water hardness or specific soil conditions.
Service and training
Service in the professional cleaning sector is at least as important as the product itself. Services offered include environmental safety information, advice on cleaning techniques and training of personnel.
Distribution and sales
The diversity of customers, in terms of size, activities and organization, presents special challenges and obliges the professional cleaning industry to be creative and flexible in terms of distribution and sales models.
FOCUS ON SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Product safety is an absolute priority and stringent controls and regulations apply to the sector to help to ensure the safety of workers (human exposure) and of the environment (water, air, soil, etc.). In Europe, the applicable legislations, mostly regulations, include amongst others:
Classification, Labelling and Packaging,
Biocides,
Detergents,
REACH,
Medical Devices,Seveso,
Packaging Waste, Worker Protection, et al
Safe use of products
Companies in this sector have a key responsibility to provide accurate, up-to-date safe use information to their customers so that they are informed about the precautions required in handling and sorting products.
A.I.S.E. members in the professional cleaning sector have been proactively communicating safe use information to their customers for over 20 years using
application pictograms specially developed by A.I.S.E.
Sustainable cleaning solutions
A.I.S.E.'s PC&H member companies prioritise the delivery of targeted sustainable cleaning solutions to a broad variety of customers. The approach taken is detailed in
A.I.S.E. PC&H sustainability statement.
Efficacy and environmental safety are imperatives when it comes to professional cleaning products. The industry has made considerable progress towards more sustainable cleaning solutions in these three key areas:
- Controlled design
- Concentrated forms
- Delivery efficiency
The Charter for Sustainable Cleaning is a voluntary initiative of A.I.S.E. This successful European industry sustainability scheme is open to all actors active in the cleaning, maintenance and detergent industry including the PC&H sector. For details on how to join the Charter scheme please visit:
www.sustainable-cleaning.com
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP & ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS
Professional cleaning companies often work in close partnership with counterparts in complementary industries, including the professional textile services (
ETSA), cleaning services (
EFCI) and machine equipment industries (
EUnited). The total market value represented by these different sectors is a key component of the EU economy and delivers tangible public health benefits.
PC&H TOOLKIT
Getting to know the professional cleaning sector
Industry events
Useful links & Contacts
A.I.S.E. Network & Members
Useful Links
- European Commission DG Growth
- European Cleaning Machines Association (EUnited Cleaning)
- European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI)
- European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE)
- FoodDrinkEurope
- European Medical Technology Industry Association (Eucomed)
- European Textile Services Association (ETSA)
National Associations