It is tough to summarise the paradigm shifts that are taking place in the cleaning industry. One definitely needs to be part of the Clean India shows, which provides an open window on the changing trends, demands, product preferences, new markets, technology development and much more in the industry. A few landmark changes experienced during the 17th edition of Clean India Show held at the Bombay Exhibition Center from February 13 to 15 reveals where the industry is headed. A report:
Industry growth
Numbers don’t lie. In the last 20 years, Charnock Equipments has expanded from a single office to 16 offices across the country. But in 2020 alone, it is set to open in six new locations. In less than five years, IPC India has spread to 15 branches nationwide. Vivek Mata, MD-Charnock Equipments said: “The government finally wants cleaning and hygiene levels to be standardised, leading to the growth of the professional cleaning industry.” Agreed Rajesh Mahajan of Pudumjee Hygiene: “Sectors like food processing now have certain mandatory hygiene guidelines to follow. They are in need of products which fulfil certain certifications, and the cleaning equipment industry is finally getting its due.”
But this increased demand is not haphazard; customers are knowledgeable about what they want. Venu Madhavan, GM-Industry Services, Karcher India, said: “We are less into selling products and more into selling applications. When a customer has a particular cleaning problem, companies now deliver solutions tailored to them. This requires a sense of ownership from the manufacturer, to prescribe the right application for the right problem.”
Massive mechanisation
Considering India’s rapid growth of infrastructure, it will come as no surprise that mechanised cleaning is very much in vogue; mammoth machines that can service vast areas were on display at many stalls across the Expo. Lasgin Saydo, Aiport Sales Manager, Boschung Group, said: “Road-sweeping equipment has generated the most enquiries. We are currently selling the diesel-powered version, but we also have a fully electrical version available, that is already in use in Europe. Its battery lasts for 8-10 hours — the length of an entire shift — without having to be charged.” Boschung was also banking on machines designed to suction up glycol left by aircraft on airport tarmacs; this dangerous chemical needs to be swiftly removed before it comes into contact with humans. As more and more Indians can afford to take to the skies, the scope of airport cleaning is set to grow in leaps and bounds.
Considering India’s rapid growth of infrastructure, it will come as no surprise that mechanised cleaning is very much in vogue; mammoth machines that can service vast areas were on display at many stalls across the Expo. Lasgin Saydo, Aiport Sales Manager, Boschung Group, said: “Road-sweeping equipment has generated the most enquiries. We are currently selling the diesel-powered version, but we also have a fully electrical version available, that is already in use in Europe. Its battery lasts for 8-10 hours — the length of an entire shift — without having to be charged.” Boschung was also banking on machines designed to suction up glycol left by aircraft on airport tarmacs; this dangerous chemical needs to be swiftly removed before it comes into contact with humans. As more and more Indians can afford to take to the skies, the scope of airport cleaning is set to grow in leaps and bounds.
Rajesh Wariar, Deputy GM-IPC India, said: “The manufacturing industry is hungry for heavyduty vacuum cleaners, particularly the food and pharma sectors. There is a huge untapped cleaning potential for this segment, and it will be our focus in the coming year.”
“But”, he continued, “45% of our turnover comes from the FM segment, which is very demanding. It wants highquality products with prompt servicing and quick turnaround time for tasks. Which is why we are exhibiting products that are increasingly designed for a specific task, like a vacuum cleaner that can clean up to 40 feet high, while the operator stands on the ground.”
Madhavan offered more examples of machines designed for efficiency: “Conventional cleaning with water overloads the ETP plant, but iceblasting does not leave behind much residue. For long platforms and metro stations, we have designed a battery operated ride-on machine, with brush-width 90cm, meant specifically for India.”
Robotics
While this made an appearance at the last show, this year, it snagged the interest of buyer after buyer. A&S outsourcing exhibited a robotic duct cleaning machine which is already in use by the Indian Railways. Its founder Akash Chhabria said: “The Railways was facing two problems because of unclean AC ducts: passengers were following sick because of debris, mold and bacteria in the circulated air, and the life of the AC machinery itself was getting reduced.”
His company has deployed robotic cleaning machines in four major railway workshops: Matunga (Mumbai), Ajmer, Ponmalai and Mysore — where the AC ducts of 120-400 AC coaches are cleaned every year. The service provider has the capacity to increase this 3-4 coaches per day. Their robots are also being used by hospitals, hotels and large manufacturing facilities such as Volkswagen.
The company does not sell the robots, but offers their capabilities as service. AC ducts were simply never cleaned until now, because it was dangerous to send a man up into them for manual cleaning; oxygen levels could drop dangerously low. The company’s clients are already reporting better indoor air quality, fewer employee sick days and more productivity.
Clever innovation
Instances of products designed sensitively in response to customer needs abounded in every nook and cranny of the Expo. If on one side, Fiorentini showed off its litter-picker which sprinkles water on what it collects to make the dust settle, elsewhere, Devendra Singh, National Business Manager-Kimberly- Clark was proudly talking up the patented technology which prevents his company’s hand towels from tearing even when wet. While Paolo Scapinello, Export Manager, Filmop (Schevaran) was demonstrating a double-mop that reduces cleaning time and labour, Joseph George, Regional Manager-Unger was describing how colour coding cleaning cloths for various situations prevents cross contamination, the company’s new technology to clean solar panels even 60 feet above the ground, and a revolutionary sting-ray system that enables glass to be cleaned without water!
Hygiene solutions
Perhaps at no other time in recent times has this section been more relevant. Ankit Shah, Director-Askon Hygiene showcased a futuristic hand-dryer which sucks air in via HEPA filters on both sides, and then pumps it out in a V-formation through a motor that works at 30,000rpm motor, drying both hands in 12 seconds. At 1250 W, it is energy efficient; it does not have a separate heating element and uses heat from the motor itself. Independent laboratories have certified its 99.9% kill rate for germs.
Abbas Contractor, Director-Jade shared that a time when the fear of hand-to-hand transmission of diseases is at its worst, sensor-based dispensers are most in demand.
Sustainability
Atlantic Care Chemicals prided itself on launching — for the first time ever — an entire range of chemicals that is environmentalfriendly. Ravichandran L said: “We have removed all inorganic chemicals like persistent organic compounds, volatile organic compounds, halogen derivatives, and parabens, which are cancer-inducing when directly used. It has taken us 10 years of research to achieve this. We have already been recognised by the government as the best company under the sustainable chemical category.”
Contractor said that while fragrances have been more in demand than ever, his company has started avoiding gas or alcohol-based dispensers in favour of eco-friendly diffusers.
Making in India
Gabriele Natalini, Area Sales Manager- Borghi said that at the moment, his firm was only assembling in India. “However, because of the US-China trade war, many companies are thinking of moving production from China to India. For now, we are only selling entrylevel products, but in the future, if we begin to manufacture here, we will also keep bigger products.”
“In the last year or so, single-disc machines and some scrubber dryers are being manufactured in India. The more we produce, the more affordable they will become. It may take a few more years for markets to mature and accept Indian products,” said Mata.
Sumit Nayak, Director – Impressive 9, announced that in the coming years, his firm would be setting up a manufacturing facility for brushes and soap dispenser in Pune, instead of importing the same. However, Archit Puri, Galileo warned:
“Most customers still usually choose foreign products, since they are associated with better longevity. But this year, 25% of my products are Indian-made. This was not the case even one year ago.”
Debtosh Chatterjee of Mrinmoyee Ltd is a vocal proponent of Make-in-India. He claimed that the import of lobby dustbins, as well as most trolleys and handles had drastically fallen in recent years. Why? “Because Indian products are now competitively priced, and import duties are very high. Plastic chips used to go to China from India as raw material and come back as a finished product. But since the Chinese are not buying, their cost has gown down, bringing down the cost of the product.”
Made-in-India and exported
The tides are beginning to turn. Atlantic Care Chemicals is now sending products made domestically to the US and Europe — after having acquired the relevant certifications — under the Made-in-India label. Hitesh Ahire, Head-Sales (India), Zahoransky Moulds & Machines said: “We have been flooded with enquires for those who want to start manufacturing cleaning brushes and brooms; flat brooms and round toilet brushes are particularly in demand for the export market.”
Cleaning tools
This section may come last, but is certainly not the least. Puri said that string mops and microfibre mops are still all the rage. Ahire revealed that in one year, the demand for toilet brushes suitable for Indian-style toilets, and dust-free brooms has doubled. Chatterjee explained why he thought tools — and not machines — would remain at the heart of all cleaning:
“In an office, the floor — where you can use a machine — is just 20% of the area to be cleaned. What about under desks? Cupboards? Chairs? The mop and bucket system will remain. Also, offices are getting smaller and more crowded; we are going to need smaller tools with greater flexibility.”
India is riding the crest of a nationwide awakening to the need for cleanliness, which is showing no signs of abating. As we have seen, Indian manufacturers are investing in their production capabilities, foreign manufacturers are sensing that the time is right to enter this market, and those of the latter who had tied up with Indian partners earlier have begun to establish themselves as independent entities in India. But with the market expanding faster than the number of market players, there is room for everyone, and more.
