From Manpower to Mindset
When Clean India Journal began its journey, cleaning in India was largely measured by how many people were deployed. Two decades later, it is measured by productivity, consistency, hygiene, safety and lifecycle cost. Few have witnessed this shift as closely as Vivek Mata, Managing Director, Charnock Equipments Pvt. Ltd, a certified professional and a veteran with over two decades in the professional cleaning industry. In this article, he traces the change and the growth.
The industry has evolved from being largely manpower-driven to becoming increasingly mechanised, process-oriented and professional. Mechanisation has grown, but the more fundamental shift is in how cleaning is perceived — from a low-visibility support function to a strategic investment in hygiene, productivity, safety and asset protection.
This mindset change has allowed technology to find acceptance across diverse facilities, from manufacturing and healthcare to airports, retail and commercial complexes.
Battery Power
Better batteries, compact designs and improved machine efficiency have made mechanisation practical, enabling higher productivity and more consistent results. The move from corded to battery, from bulky to manoeuvrable, from high noise to low noise, has made it possible to clean during operational hours, in congested spaces and with less fatigue.
Focused Cleaning
The second major shift has been in tools and automation. The shift towards application-specific mechanisation is significant. Instead of one cleaning approach for every environment, facilities can now select equipment according to the area, surface and required outcome.
Whether it is a compact scrubber for a retail aisle, a ride-on for a warehouse, a single-disc for healthcare or a specialised machine for escalators, selection today is driven by application. This has made cleaning more efficient, systematic and measurable. It has helped link cleaning performance directly to hygiene standards and audits.
“Cleaning has shifted from headcount deployment to a strategic investment in technology, productivity, and safety”— Vivek Mata, Managing Director, Charnock Equipments Pvt. Ltd
AI In Cleaning
Looking ahead to the next 10 years, a clear convergence of AI, robotics, automation and sustainability shaping Indian cleaning. Robotics, particularly in large and repetitive cleaning environments, has the potential to improve productivity, consistency and operational efficiency while allowing manpower to be deployed towards more skilled and complex tasks.
Combined with AI and connected technologies, robotic cleaning will become smarter — enabling better navigation, utilisation tracking, performance monitoring and data-driven decision-making. The future is not simply autonomous cleaning; it is intelligent cleaning, where people and technology work together to deliver better outcomes with optimum resources.
Growing Robotics
As mechanisation and robotics grow, the ecosystem around technology becomes equally important. Operator training, after-sales service, availability of spares, and understanding total cost of ownership will determine whether technology delivers value on the ground.
CIJ: A Platform That Built An Industry
For an industry that was once fragmented, the role of a common platform has been critical. Vivek Mata credits Clean India Journal for playing that role.
“The Clean India Journal has helped give the professional cleaning industry a strong platform for knowledge-sharing and dialogue. By bringing manufacturers, facility professionals, service providers and end users together, it has contributed to greater awareness and professionalisation. Clean India Journal has not merely documented the industry’s evolution; it has been part of that evolution,” Vivek said.
More than any single event or exhibition, it is the continuity of this association that stands out for him — a two-decade-long dialogue around ideas, new technologies and raising professional standards. In an industry where service providers, OEMs and end-users often operate in silos, that continuity has mattered.
It is a journey Clean India Journal has chronicled from the beginning — and will continue to shape in the decade to come.
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