Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) and Technical Concepts (TC) introduced new products to help waste and cleaning professionals at the 2010 ISSA/Interclean Show, Amsterdam. The companies jointly offer a broader product portfolio for cleaning systems, surface care, skincare, air care and recycling solutions. Samir Jhaveri, Vice President, Global Strategic Business Development, Technical Concepts-Rubbermaid Commercial Products, spoke to CIJ.
Will Rubbermaid be looking to expand it’s presence in India?
The combined entity of Rubbermaid and Technical Concepts is definitely looking to expand it’s presence in India. We will be doing this by leveraging our current relationship and distributor partners in India. With the current flurry of construction going on in the hospitality and healthcare industry as well as the service related industry we believe that we are extremely well positioned for explosive growth in the region.
Furthermore, with the increased awareness to hand hygiene, we believe that we can leverage our hands-free bundle which involves both Rubbermaid and TC products.
The Green movement is a reality in India and we feel that we have a product bundle that meets the needs of the ultimate end user while providing the buyer/decision maker a compelling value proposition to select the Rubbermaid-TC solution.
What are the new products being targeted for the Indian market?
We are constantly studying trends in all major markets around the world. These trends drive our product development teams and result in end user driven product solutions. Some of the common trends are increased awareness around health and wellness, sustainability, need to offset rising labor costs through productivity. At Rubbermaid we are busy developing global solutions to address all these trends and soon the market will see a steady stream of innovation to address the needs of the market place.
The specific new products targeted for the India market fall under the TC banner (eco urinal and the supporting sustainability bundle; auto door and other skin care solutions rounding out our hands free restroom experience). We also launched a cohesive range of dispensers for air care and surface care this system will allow the decision maker in an office building, hotel, hospital or a restaurant provide his/her patrons/tenants with a family range of products that makes the washroom experience more pleasant.
Since the entire Rubbermaid Commercial products experience is really new to India we are expecting to penetrate the foodservice, hospitality and property management segments with the appropriate product bundles.
What are the new product offerings from RCP and TC?
Washroom dispensing technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Automatic sensors that trigger controlled dispensing and help to
reduce cross contamination is becoming increasingly popular. Automated dispensing also helps to control consumption and improve operationg efficiency for washroom providers while delivering flexibility for washroom users. Programming technology using micro-chip circuitry allows dispensers to be programmed at timed intervals, with optional visual audible warning indicators providing an alert to battery and refill replacement requirements, has become commonplace. More recently, alternative power sources have also been introduced to address environmental concerns, while refills are being designed with less packaging and waste. The latest product innovations from TC include these features.
The Duet Air Care system combines contemporary, innovative and functional dispensers that alternate aerosol fragrance refills that each last up tot 180 days. The AutoFoam Soap system provides reliable metered dispensing using box-free refill pouches that reduce packaging waste by up to 80% over standard bag-in-box systems. The TCellTM Air Care system pioneered the use of alternative power technology to deliver continuous air freshening and odour control.
Other products/systems introduced are Elements a high end solution for recycling multiple waste streams; HYGEN product bundle which is focused on reducing cross contamination and HAI (hospital acquired infections) while providing the user a very cost effective cleaning solution; an innovative skin care bundle addressing the needs of industry (launched in January 2011); a skin care system that is designed to work with both liquid and foam formulations a highly innovative and flexible solution; a new microfibre cleaning system; convertible frame truck and the convertible platform truck.
All of these products have applications in the Indian market; some of the solutions will need educating the market while others will be readily accepted by the market.
