Clean India Show, Chennai –Newer Dimension,Wider Response

Around 4000 visitors from different sectors and industries across the country visited the three-day Show for understanding the latest in cleaning technology and products, participating in the seminars, as well as doing business.

There has been a distinct shift in attitudes towards cleaning. Visitors at CIS 2008 looked for equipment suitable for their premises, unlike what was noticed during the 2006 and 2007 Shows. Visitors both corporates and institutions then cited budget constraints to investing in cleaning equipment or hiring cleaning services. It reflected a conservative approach towards cleaning which was largely attitudinal. Most of them took refuge in budgetary limitation in spite of including cleanliness and hygiene practices in their social corporate responsibility.

However, the ceiling on budgets did not come up this year. Visitors spent time in each stall to understand the operation of equipment, its capacity and technology. Environment-friendly chemicals generated interest in many. Products like eco friendly floor cleaners, hand sanitisers and air freshener were on the limelight.

Among large equipment displayed at the Show, the road sweeper at Manmachine Karcher’s stall, though made a delayed and ‘crashing’ entry, had visitors stop by. The government and municipal bodies looked at civic cleaning solutions and were much satisfied with the presence of such machines. The Compactor from Neel Metal Fanalca took the welcoming post just outside the exhibition hall.

Along with corporates and industrial houses there were small eating outlets and institutions sourcing equipment. Saravana Bhavan, a leading food chain in Chennai, have placed orders for floor cleaning machines. If at one end multinationals are striving to meet international standards, smaller companies like eateries are also meeting cleaning requirements to stay ahead in the race.

A major hit in the equipment section and an instant crowd puller at the Show was the street sweeping machine, Glutton from Christrian Lange SA, Belgium, marketed by Clean World Equipment Co, India. A gluttonous affair indeed – the machine was seen gobbling everything fed to it and quietly swallowing it down to its bin. It had a magical effect with people queuing to view as large pet bottles, garbage, small soft drink cans… disappeared into the machine.

Besides, investing in cleaning equipment, chemicals, as part of corporate planning, many companies are looking at total solution providers. Though a few participants from Facility Management/Housekeeping sectors: All Services Under One Roof, PCI Environmental Services and Handiman were at the Show responding to this trend, there was definitely a need for more such companies at the Show.

CIS has been expanding with every consecutive show, constantly expanding horizons to include new solution providers. Waste management is one of the burning issues facing many sectors including the Municipal Corporations, hospitals, railways and hospitality industry. The new entrants to this year’s Show were from the Waste Management sector – Ramky Group and Neel Metal Fanalca.

Seminars

Seminars on ‘Food Safety’ and ‘Cleanliness and Hygiene in Healthcare sector’ on the third day were well attended by quality participants. Presentations on Food Safety were made by Abhay Desai, Director-Marketing, JohnsonDiversey and Dr M. Manoj Beno, Medical Director, Billroth Hospitals, Chennai. Talking at the second session were Nabhojit Ghosh, Executive Chef, Taj Coromandel, Chennai, Dr. C. Ventakaraman, Head of Certification, Chennai Office, Bureau Veritas Certification India Pvt. Ltd (BVQI) and Dr Richard Joseph, Advisor, Schevaran Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, Chennai.

Reactions

Rajan Sivadoss, Asst. Facility Manager, CBRE-Chennai: We learnt about this show couple of months back. We basically visited the show to select cleaning equipment and chemicals for a new facility in Peringudy, Tamil Nadu. On visiting the show we were able to pick up new ideas and methods to provide cleaning solutions.

P.R. Mehra, MD, G4S Facility Services Pvt. Ltd: It was more of a learning process. There is a lot to learn, especially for the FM services sector. The show, from its earlier days has improved. It was more of equipment then and now it is developing into processes around facilities by which people are realising that cleaning of office is more technology related which enhances the environment leading to more productivity. It also helps learn about the apt and eco friendly products to be used for cleaning facilities thereby ensuring the health of the staff.

M. Jayasree, Purchase department of Infosys Technologies, Chennai: We visited the show to pick up a couple of cleaning equipment and chemicals from JohnsonDiversey and other companies. We also had the opportunity to mingle with top officials and could clarify doubts with Eureka Forbes.

Chetan Ghetia, Purchase & Project Associate, The Galaxy Education System, Rajkot: We came to the show with our team looking for modern cleaning solutions for six schools in Rajkot and one in Jamnagar, Gujarat, with a total school area of 25 lakh sq. ft. We are subscribers of Clean India Journal. We have been doing manual cleaning in all our schools and are now in the process of installing automated cleaning systems. We bought bio-degradable chemicals and equipment from JohnsonDiversey, Karcher, Eureka Forbes and Roots and also auto-janitor systems for the toilets.

Usha Ramalingam, Corporate Executive Housekeeper, The Rain Tree, Chennai: We got learn a lot of new practices at the Show. We found that the dealers/ manufacturers were not only selling the product but also providing training for the same. Though we could not meet all the exhibitors at the Show, post-event we are having interactions with them, as we are opening up a new facility.

K. Sainath, Sr. Manager, Fourrts (India) Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, Chennai: If one has to see or know about the machines then it is only at a show like this. This is the first time such a show is happening in Chennai. We have interacted with chemical and equipment dealers at the show and have understood the pricing structure. Since we do not have contact with direct dealers we face problems. We surely will learn more about the cleaning industry through the pages of Clean India Journal.

P. Muthukrishnan, Advance Engineer, India Pistons, Chennai: I basically came in search of good floor cleaning machine for our factory. We have epoxy flooring and we were able to spot dealers for supply of the machine.

C.V. Bhaskara Reddy, Sr. Engineer, Bosch Ltd, Bangalore: Compared to the Bangalore show two years back, the Chennai show was much better and informative. The Clean India Challenge was specially very useful. It put to test the skills of the housekeeping company, which is really commendable. We were also looking at FM companies and there were only two or three of them at the show. We do have one now but are looking at renewing the contract for the coming year.

Aarti Oberoi, Manager-Housekeeping, Dishman, Ahmedabad: It is at shows like this that we get to learn about the latest equipment and technology in cleaning. The show has improved a lot in terms of seminars and new companies displaying their products. It give a great exposure to the cleaning market.

P. Vasudevalu, Manager-Facilities Management Department, Reliance Retail, Chennai: It has been informative to our line of application. We usually don’t buy equipment or any other product but recommend to our downstream vendor. We were looking for carpet cleaning equipment and we found one at Innovative.

Special Seminar:Southern Railways and Indian Cleaning Industry

In a first-of-its-kind forums, the Clean India Show 2008 provided a unique platform for the Southern Railways and the Indian Cleaning Industry to deliberate and provide solutions to the imminent cleaning and hygiene needs of the railways. S. Anantharaman, Chief Commercial Manager/Passenger Management, Southern Railways, made a presentation on the cleaning practices adopted by the railways for tracks, platforms, coaches – inside and outside, toilets and yards. He explained how both mechanised and manual cleaning are being done but have failed to achieve the desired standards and results.

“Cleanliness is the avowed motto of the Railways and it is taking initiative to ensure it. It’s very easy to talk about cleanliness but difficult to achieve it.” Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry and parts of Andhra and Karnataka come under the SR. It is determined that 10,000 passengers generate 144 cubic feet of garbage and nearly 21.6 tonnes per day of garbage in SR.

Putting it more precisely, he said in Chennai Central itself the amount of garbage generated each day could fill two and a half average marine containers. “SR has taken a decision to maintain hygienic conditions using modern technology. We realise that we cannot deal with a problem of such proportions using conventional or conservative methods. We have to progress to modern methods.”

The commitment of the SR towards cleaning practices is evident with the General Manager of SR spending close half a day at the exhibition. He convened a meeting of the top officials soon after returning to his office to discuss solutions and what all could be adopted to maintain cleanliness.

The SR saw the context of this seminar with the cleaning industry to bring forth ideas to solve cleaning problems. “We want the management principle or co-makership of private-public partnership to achieve a level of cleanliness that would benefit all.”

Initiatives

Identifying the area for cleanliness

• Categorising stations
• Deployment of activities (machine vs manpower)

Appointment of agencies for maintenance of cleanliness

To maintain hygiene using modern technology

Strategy

Demarcation of sanitation functions

• Development of infrastructure
• Garbage disposal mechanisms
• Modern systems and processes for cleaning
• Provision for adequate drainage and water supply

Motivation

• How to motivate the people involved in cleaning
• How to use the facilities in a more responsible way which will not come in the way of cleanliness
• A deterrent action against erring people

Ensuring adequate supervisors

Action Plan

Development of infrastructure

• Provision for: high pressure jet cleaners, adequate dustbins, proper pathways incinerators, waste disposal systems, effluent treatment plants…
• Rehabilitation of sewer lines, septic tanks using modern technology
• Station platforms, circulating and concourse areas should be paved with kota / marble stones, keeping in view of mechanised cleaning systems.

Mechanised cleaning process through specialised agencies

Awarding of periodical contracts

• Rag picking, Garbage disposal, One time cleaning and Pest control

Tools and equipment

• Scrubber and flipper for platform surface and circulating area
• Soft and hard choke cleaning machines for cleaning of drains
• Closed container/trolleys and dustbins of appropriate design and size for keeping garbage
• Vacuum operated sweeping machines to be used in large stations

Launching of special drives

• Aim to keep station area and drains clean
• By efficient supervision, ensuring cleanliness at all times
• Staff responsible for cleaning (safaiwalas or contractual) should wear conspicuous colour uniforms for easy identification
• Ensuring adequate stock of all types cleaning materials
• Ensuring proper usage of cleaning machines for quality
• Launching mass awareness through press
• Ensuring compliance of all above through surprise checks

The session after the presentation was opened to the Indian cleaning industry to provide solutions. The question answer session that followed:

Sunil Kapoor of Manmachine: Under the PPP, the Railways would like the contactors to procure the machine. The specific size of equipment, if not the type, is basically not drawn. Therefore the contract ends up as a shrunk contract. The money goes out of the Railways but the cleaning is not seen. Hence, when such a contract is signed up, if the actual size of the equipment is defined, it would help the industry.

RAILWAYS: To avoid spurious machines being used, the contract should mention the specification and give broad parameters of machines. We are already specifying in the case of mechanised cleaning of coaches. We will look into other areas also.

RAILWAYS: We entered into contract with private agencies in major stations for cleaning the stations premises, waiting rooms and station yards. We have specified the machines to be used. Measures are also being taken for rodent control. Compared to earlier years we have already improved, we hope to improve further.

Bhanumoorthy Reddy (running a cleaning agency): The contract agreement and tender forms needs to be changed. The tender is being given for a very short period which makes it difficult for contractors to invest in good mechanised cleaning equipment. Hence the contractor opts to L1 policy where he may not follow the rules or statutory requirement; just sign and take up the job. L1 should not be the criteria.

RAILWAYS: We are already going for contracts valid for three years instead of one year so that the industry can invest in machines and manpower. Coming to L1, it is not the policy of the Railways to go for L1. We have elevated criteria in the tender itself. Then we consider the L1 within the elevated criteria. There is a committee of officers who consider the best and cheapest.

Mazhar of Mazaf International: As Anantharaman has rightly pointed out, it is only while the train is on the move that cleanliness is the main problem. The contract agencies clean the coaches only at the stations where the train halts, why not have safaiwalas on the train for every three to four coaches to take up the cleaning when the train is on the run. It would help the industry to perform better.

RAILWAYS: For long distance train, we already have the railway safaiwalas travelling on trains like GT, Tamil Nadu. In some short distance trains like Shatabdi we have them. Now we have started another practice where the agency cleaning the trains will also have their staff on board to ensure continuous cleaning. There are about seven to eight such staff, who ply on 24-coach trains. This is being followed only on day trains.

Sumeet Khurana: What about toilets?

RAILWAYS: We are facing a real problem. We have advised people not to use the toilet when the trains are parked but it is going on. As a measure we are using jet cleaning machines and drains which are pushed into the train. We have tried using new techniques like biological toilets but it has not worked out.

Sumeet Khurana: I have some ideas and not solutions which could be realised in partnership with the railways. Siblia is a big industrial vacuum system. These have big vacuum suction systems which can be stationed anywhere in a corner at the railway system. A dirty railway track, a suction system or a vacuum unit placed at a corner in the railway station, fixed piping at various points not only for track but for multiple application like for cleaning the roofs and on 100 metres on eith er side have fixed / flexible points collection for the entire width of the track. The problem of night soil and track cleaning can be addressed with this very high speed suction system pick up and collect it into pre-separators which can be lifted. This is something I saw at a railway station in Europe and thought it could be adopted.

RAILWAYS: Will it be able to suck water?

SK: The suction sy stem collects everything irrespective of its nature. It should cost in the range of र 60-70 lakhs but then it would depend on the number of collection point and the size of the system. It has no moving parts and hardly any maintenance as it is running on a low rpm motor. The machine can be operated in both direct and battery. The hose has a thickness of 100mm. The model I am talking about has capacity of 16 cubic metres per hours of sucking sand, so when it comes to collecting trash the capacity may go down. So we are talking about a capacity of around 10 cubic tonnes and can have multiple collection points. Even if there is excess of water it can be quickly directed into another collection point.

Arun Thapar, MD, Inventa Cleantech Pvt. Ltd spoke on coach cleaning with automatic coach washing plant, first of its kind in India. Using around 2000-4000 litres water, in this system the rake passes through the plant and in 30 minutes the whole exterior is washed. This requires only one operator. This water can also be recycled. There are various stages which takes care of the entire exterior include the under carriage. One of such coach washing plant is likely to commence at Hathia station soon. He also discussed several other systems for coach cleaning within and other areas.

Anantharaman: There are equipment manufacturers but what SR is looking for is a single window service provider which would bring in a synergy to all th ese equipment and evolve the use of these equipment. It would be very useful and ultimately we would have someone responsible for the final product which is cleanliness. Piecemeal management to various issues which we have been discussing may not be the answer to the kind of burgeoning needs of traffic and passenger pressure. I would like the industry to take a stance and form a marriage of equipment manufacturers and facility management companies and bring forth solutions.

Sunil Kapoor discussed various kinds of equipment that could used in the circulating area, concourse area, platforms and track cleaning at small, medium and large stations. Among the new systems, he spoke of the dry ice blasting system which is anti-corrosive and anti-rust.

Manoj Nag Choudhury, DGM- Eureka Forbes discussed the applications of various machines at the railway station, tracks and coaches.

Christian Lange of Christian Lange SA introduced the new Glutton to the railways.

Both the Railway officials and the cleaning industry felt that the interaction had been very fruitful. Concluding the session, Editor Mangala Chandran said that more such sessions could be organised by Clean India Journal at regular intervals.

Clean India Challenge

A contest of this kind should not be only for housekeeping companies. Even hotels would like to participate in it,” said Usha Ramalingam, Corporate Executive Housekeeper, The Rain Tree, Chennai, one of the judges at the Clean India Challenge held on the second day of the Show. “Why just hotels, even the students of the Cannon School of Catering and Hotel Management will participate in the Challenge,” said V. Shantha, Professor and second judge at the Challenge… The third judge was Krishnan Vaidyanathan, Manager-Facilities, Aspire Systems, Chennai, who said that such contests boost the morale and put to test the soft skills of the housekeeping personnel.

Not just the judges, the hotel staff, students, housekeeping companies and visitors alike were excited as they watched, the contestants of the Clean India Challenge go through rounds of quizzing.

The panel of judges had difficulty in choosing the winners from the three final teams. ISS Integrated Facility Services Pvt. Ltd bagged the rolling trophy emerging as the overall winner followed by PCI Environmental Services which topped in the question-answer session.

With Pioneer Education as the knowledge partner, the Challenge was steered by Saji Sebastian, Director, Pioneer Hospitality Services. The two-hour competition which began with the teams warming up going around the exhibition hall so as not to miss out on any details which the quiz master Saji Sebastian was sure to quiz on. The Challenge was equally challenging for the spectators as random questions were opened to students sitting in the audience.

The Challenge ended to a nail-biting finish with ISS receiving the trophy and a cheque of र 10,000. The team paraded proudly around the exhibition hall to a rising applause.

On conclusion, Jeneish M.K., Manager, The Dusters, the third team said: “This is the first time any of us took part in such a competition. Hence, we were all nervous, which is probably why we lost. Besides, we provide FM services to software companies and the questions at the Challenge were related to the hospitality industry. We neither had any experience or answers to them. What we liked best about the Show and the Challenge was that we got to see so many machines, meet new people and also hear about the use of different machines. Even in the Gulf, from where I just returned, I have not come across such a Show. The Challenge was a wonderful opportunity for us and we have learnt a lot. We look forward to the next Challenge and hope to win it this time.”

His team mates included Mohamad Ibrahim-Supervisor, Santosh-Janitor, K. Venkatesh-Janitor and Sambatham P.- Janitor

Commenting on their victory, Vinoth Kumar, Asst Training Manager, ISS Integrated Facility Services Pvt. Ltd team, said: “The Clean India Challenge was an exciting opportunity and a wonderful experience for the boys. Winning the Challenge was like winning a jackpot for them and has instilled a sense of pride in them. Ever since they have come back from the show, they have been riding on the CIC wave and have been discussing points they lacked and have been talking about bettering their performance for the next Challenge. They have been talking about their experience of not just being part of the CIC but also the entire show to their colleagues and how good it was to see other companies and new products. They are now awaiting the announcement of next year’s Challenge. Taking part and then winning the competition was a moral booster for the team and for all the boys in the company as a whole.”

Vinoth Kumar’s team included Balaji-Supervisor, Velu-Janitor, Riaz-Janitor and Satya-Janitor.

Satish Laxman, Manager, PCI ES, felt that his team could not score in the first half but in the rapid question round they went far ahead on the score board. “Though we scored well, we lost in the overall performance just because we did not ‘argue’. The first lesson that we are taught in FM is not to answer back or argue with either our superiors or clients. We just answered to what we were asked and listened to what we were told. We did not go to clarify or explain over and over again. May be next time we will also emphasise on our answers and clarify our stance to the judges.” The others in his team were Rajeev Sharma-Supervisor, Sugukumar-Janitor, Malesh-Janitor and Riyaz-Janitor.