Distribution versus manufacturing

For many new entrants to the cleaning sector, entry barriers for setting up a production facility may be high, which makes it challenging for them to achieve economies of scale. For them, distribution is an appealing gateway into the cleaning business.

Tony Chazhoor, MD, IP Cleaning India, explained: "For more players to be convinced to invest in production facilities, disposable incomes that can be spent on acquiring cleaning machinery need to rise. Until then, the dealer/channel partner network model will be the most appropriate choice."

Many global players already have an Indian presence in the form of 100% subsidiaries, which has helped them understand the Indian market and purchasing behaviour. While some are tentatively expanding the number of products they manufacture in India, their output is not yet sufficient to meet market demand. Besides, some bigger machines, which are unlikely to sell in large volumes initially, will have to be imported rather than manufactured domestically.

Satish Mahajan, National Sales Head, Comac India, weighed in: "We are still importing most of our machines to ensure consistent quality and value for our customers. We are working on a project to manufacture a few of our fast-moving machines in India and studying its feasibility from the standpoint of captive consumption and meeting other demands. But this is in a very early stage."

In terms of volume, the major cleaning machines being manufactured in India are single-disc scrubbers/polishers and walk-behind scrubber dryers, as well as some ride-on scrubber dryers. For at least some time more, most suppliers will depend on imports for high-end ride-on scrubber dryers, sweepers and pressure washers, ensuring the preponderance of the distribution model.

The ideal distributor

What do companies look for in a channel partner? "Years of experience in the industry, market presence and investment capability in terms of finance and team size," replied Indu Vijaykumar, Director, i-team India.

Rajiv Bhatia, Country Manager & Director, Nilfisk India Pvt Ltd, expanded on his criteria for assessing a potential partner as follows:

• Financial capability to invest in manpower, machines and infrastructure, such that the distributor can take seasonal business cycles in his stride and not be cash-starved if sales happen to fall in one quarter. The ups and downs of the market should not cause the business to suffer due to a lack of working capital.
• Motivation to promote the cleaning equipment business in terms of synergy with his existing lines of business, and how he wishes to maximise his wallet share with his existing customer base.
• Concept selling capability, since the cleaning industry is mushrooming in India and a lot of concepts need to be explained to different industrial and institutional customers.
• After-sales service capabilities in terms of process-oriented service call logging and assignment, service metrics measurement, spares management and, most importantly, his existing customer base's views about the firm.
• A passion to grow his business.

Chazhoor is particular about nomenclature: "Actually, we do not look for distributors in capital equipment sales. Rather, we look for specialised dealers or channel partners for our ecosystem." For him, such a partner should be from the capital equipment business, with in-house sales and service infrastructure, an excellent history and reputation, and extensive knowledge of the local market, evolving industry trends and the demographics of the catchment area.

With this necessary level of scrutiny, it should come as no surprise that it takes an average of 8–9 months to develop a channel partner in a given area.

Every respondent agreed that the most basic quality for eligibility is that the partner understands the importance of keeping a ready stock of machinery, spares and consumables. Adequate sales and service staff must be available to take care of machines throughout their life cycle.

Mahajan makes a seemingly simple but crucial stipulation: "They should have experience in and domain knowledge of the cleaning industry. This industry is very unique and cannot work like other businesses. Partners who have worked within the cleaning industry have a brighter chance of becoming successful compared to those who haven't. Of course, it's not difficult for the latter, but their gestation periods may be prolonged."

A relatively recent criterion is a distributor's willingness to digitise all aspects of business management. Underlying all the above criteria is the readiness of the partner to adhere to the supplier's code of conduct and ethics; any violation will negatively impact the supplier's brand image.

How do suppliers support distributors?

While the above list of parameters may seem intimidating, potential distributors should rest assured that suppliers understand their responsibility to aid and equip their partners in every possible way. They have thought of everything that can ease the entry of the distributor into the cleaning market.

Vivek Mata, MD, Charnock Equipments Pvt Ltd, painted a picture: "Businesses flourish when the entire ecosystem works in sync towards the larger goals of customer satisfaction. Distributors are the most crucial part of the supply chain and have to be elevated to the level of channel partners. We empower distributor partners by involving them in everything, right from the client site due diligence to recommendations for the right fit of equipment and machinery. Specialised technical training is imparted to keep them informed about upcoming technology. They are the extended members of the Charnock family."

Once the partnership is sealed, the induction process for the partner typically begins with sales and service intellectual property transfer in a phased, planned manner. "A cleaning equipment manufacturer should handhold the dealer/channel partner by sharing in-depth product knowledge and providing frequent training. It is imperative that the dealer be given proper technical knowledge, and be made aware of proper segmentation and further sub-segmentation. This exercise will support the dealer in their understanding of the most productive product mix," offered Chazhoor.

The supplier may even help the partner hire the right people, and offer field marketing support to improve brand visibility through the partner in the specified territory. A realistic business plan is drawn up that is agreeable to both parties. The supplier's staff will regularly visit and interact with the partner to identify roadblocks, if any, in the action plan.

It is a mandate for the supplier to ensure the partnership is financially lucrative and appealing to the partner. This can be guaranteed in more than one way.

Said Mahajan: "The company needs to maintain territorial sanctity and integrity of dealers. The terms of territory and other activities need to be designed and specified in the agreement, to have a standard course of action when there are any deviations. Generally, when dealers don't meet the expected budgets, the supplier company hires its own staff in that particular territory or appoints another dealer. This becomes a big demotivation to dealers; they underperform or don't perform and leave. Training and retraining is a must for new dealers. Customer service feedback must be reviewed and evaluated at the end of every quarter."

While suppliers must plan for contingencies, success stories must also be shared with channel partners to keep up their enthusiasm and morale.

Partnership challenges

As in any business relationship, there are bound to be hiccups in the supplier-dealer partnership. As Vijaykumar put it, "Sometimes, our visions are not compatible, or the distributor team is more engaged in their parent business and not available."

The cleaning market is maturing at an exponential rate; new products do not remain new for longer and there is constant churn of innovative solutions. It can be a daunting task for dealers to stay up to date with the latest in the market.

The main challenge that suppliers face is hiring the right talent that can comprehend the technicalities of cleaning products that are vastly different from each other, and then retaining talent with special HR policies and programmes combined with attractive incentive plans.

If the channel partner is from a different sector, it becomes essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the product line, help them suggest what product to suggest for what application, and even accompany the partner for regular customer visits in the area, to ease them into the cleaning market. This takes time, money and resources from both parties without much immediate ROI, but this initial period of intense engagement helps achieve goals in the long run.

Making dealers self-reliant

The ultimate goal of any supplier is to develop their dealer into a well-informed, adequately equipped entity that can function on its own, without repeatedly having to fall back on the supplier for help and guidance.

As Chazhoor put it, "Being an OEM and an expert in the domain, the principals must pass on their sales and service expertise to dealers/channel partners for them to become their extended arms in the marketplace. This is possible only when a level of trust and collaboration is fostered in the relationship."

Suppliers can support their dealer during the first year for most of their installation and customer complaint activities, and depute engineers and technicians to help them understand technicalities and SOPs. This embrace can extend to assimilating dealers in the supplier's CRM application so that they become a part of the organisation in every sense.

Bhatia offers two styles of continual development programmes: for dealers who are performing well, this includes expansion plans and cross-selling initiatives to boost revenues to the next level; for under-performers, it is all about addressing any roadblocks or clarifying any miscommunication, which is not uncommon with remote partners who meet the company staff just once or twice a month.

Distribution versus manufacturing

For many new entrants to the cleaning sector, entry barriers for setting up a production facility may be high, which makes it challenging for them to achieve economies of scale. For them, distribution is an appealing gateway into the cleaning business.

Tony Chazhoor, MD, IP Cleaning India, explained: "For more players to be convinced to invest in production facilities, disposable incomes that can be spent on acquiring cleaning machinery need to rise. Until then, the dealer/channel partner network model will be the most appropriate choice."

Many global players already have an Indian presence in the form of 100% subsidiaries, which has helped them understand the Indian market and purchasing behaviour. While some are tentatively expanding the number of products they manufacture in India, their output is not yet sufficient to meet market demand. Besides, some bigger machines, which are unlikely to sell in large volumes initially, will have to be imported rather than manufactured domestically.

Satish Mahajan, National Sales Head, Comac India, weighed in: "We are still importing most of our machines to ensure consistent quality and value for our customers. We are working on a project to manufacture a few of our fast-moving machines in India and studying its feasibility from the standpoint of captive consumption and meeting other demands. But this is in a very early stage."

In terms of volume, the major cleaning machines being manufactured in India are single-disc scrubbers/polishers and walk-behind scrubber dryers, as well as some ride-on scrubber dryers. For at least some time more, most suppliers will depend on imports for high-end ride-on scrubber dryers, sweepers and pressure washers, ensuring the preponderance of the distribution model.

The ideal distributor

What do companies look for in a channel partner? "Years of experience in the industry, market presence and investment capability in terms of finance and team size," replied Indu Vijaykumar, Director, i-team India.

Rajiv Bhatia, Country Manager & Director, Nilfisk India Pvt Ltd, expanded on his criteria for assessing a potential partner as follows:

• Financial capability to invest in manpower, machines and infrastructure, such that the distributor can take seasonal business cycles in his stride and not be cash-starved if sales happen to fall in one quarter. The ups and downs of the market should not cause the business to suffer due to a lack of working capital.
• Motivation to promote the cleaning equipment business in terms of synergy with his existing lines of business, and how he wishes to maximise his wallet share with his existing customer base.
• Concept selling capability, since the cleaning industry is mushrooming in India and a lot of concepts need to be explained to different industrial and institutional customers.
• After-sales service capabilities in terms of process-oriented service call logging and assignment, service metrics measurement, spares management and, most importantly, his existing customer base's views about the firm.
• A passion to grow his business.

Chazhoor is particular about nomenclature: "Actually, we do not look for distributors in capital equipment sales. Rather, we look for specialised dealers or channel partners for our ecosystem." For him, such a partner should be from the capital equipment business, with in-house sales and service infrastructure, an excellent history and reputation, and extensive knowledge of the local market, evolving industry trends and the demographics of the catchment area.

With this necessary level of scrutiny, it should come as no surprise that it takes an average of 8–9 months to develop a channel partner in a given area.

Every respondent agreed that the most basic quality for eligibility is that the partner understands the importance of keeping a ready stock of machinery, spares and consumables. Adequate sales and service staff must be available to take care of machines throughout their life cycle.

Mahajan makes a seemingly simple but crucial stipulation: "They should have experience in and domain knowledge of the cleaning industry. This industry is very unique and cannot work like other businesses. Partners who have worked within the cleaning industry have a brighter chance of becoming successful compared to those who haven't. Of course, it's not difficult for the latter, but their gestation periods may be prolonged."

A relatively recent criterion is a distributor's willingness to digitise all aspects of business management. Underlying all the above criteria is the readiness of the partner to adhere to the supplier's code of conduct and ethics; any violation will negatively impact the supplier's brand image.

How do suppliers support distributors?

While the above list of parameters may seem intimidating, potential distributors should rest assured that suppliers understand their responsibility to aid and equip their partners in every possible way. They have thought of everything that can ease the entry of the distributor into the cleaning market.

Vivek Mata, MD, Charnock Equipments Pvt Ltd, painted a picture: "Businesses flourish when the entire ecosystem works in sync towards the larger goals of customer satisfaction. Distributors are the most crucial part of the supply chain and have to be elevated to the level of channel partners. We empower distributor partners by involving them in everything, right from the client site due diligence to recommendations for the right fit of equipment and machinery. Specialised technical training is imparted to keep them informed about upcoming technology. They are the extended members of the Charnock family."

Once the partnership is sealed, the induction process for the partner typically begins with sales and service intellectual property transfer in a phased, planned manner. "A cleaning equipment manufacturer should handhold the dealer/channel partner by sharing in-depth product knowledge and providing frequent training. It is imperative that the dealer be given proper technical knowledge, and be made aware of proper segmentation and further sub-segmentation. This exercise will support the dealer in their understanding of the most productive product mix," offered Chazhoor.

The supplier may even help the partner hire the right people, and offer field marketing support to improve brand visibility through the partner in the specified territory. A realistic business plan is drawn up that is agreeable to both parties. The supplier's staff will regularly visit and interact with the partner to identify roadblocks, if any, in the action plan.

It is a mandate for the supplier to ensure the partnership is financially lucrative and appealing to the partner. This can be guaranteed in more than one way.

Said Mahajan: "The company needs to maintain territorial sanctity and integrity of dealers. The terms of territory and other activities need to be designed and specified in the agreement, to have a standard course of action when there are any deviations. Generally, when dealers don't meet the expected budgets, the supplier company hires its own staff in that particular territory or appoints another dealer. This becomes a big demotivation to dealers; they underperform or don't perform and leave. Training and retraining is a must for new dealers. Customer service feedback must be reviewed and evaluated at the end of every quarter."

While suppliers must plan for contingencies, success stories must also be shared with channel partners to keep up their enthusiasm and morale.

Partnership challenges

As in any business relationship, there are bound to be hiccups in the supplier-dealer partnership. As Vijaykumar put it, "Sometimes, our visions are not compatible, or the distributor team is more engaged in their parent business and not available."

The cleaning market is maturing at an exponential rate; new products do not remain new for longer and there is constant churn of innovative solutions. It can be a daunting task for dealers to stay up to date with the latest in the market.

The main challenge that suppliers face is hiring the right talent that can comprehend the technicalities of cleaning products that are vastly different from each other, and then retaining talent with special HR policies and programmes combined with attractive incentive plans.

If the channel partner is from a different sector, it becomes essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the product line, help them suggest what product to suggest for what application, and even accompany the partner for regular customer visits in the area, to ease them into the cleaning market. This takes time, money and resources from both parties without much immediate ROI, but this initial period of intense engagement helps achieve goals in the long run.

Making dealers self-reliant

The ultimate goal of any supplier is to develop their dealer into a well-informed, adequately equipped entity that can function on its own, without repeatedly having to fall back on the supplier for help and guidance.

As Chazhoor put it, "Being an OEM and an expert in the domain, the principals must pass on their sales and service expertise to dealers/channel partners for them to become their extended arms in the marketplace. This is possible only when a level of trust and collaboration is fostered in the relationship."

Suppliers can support their dealer during the first year for most of their installation and customer complaint activities, and depute engineers and technicians to help them understand technicalities and SOPs. This embrace can extend to assimilating dealers in the supplier's CRM application so that they become a part of the organisation in every sense.

Bhatia offers two styles of continual development programmes: for dealers who are performing well, this includes expansion plans and cross-selling initiatives to boost revenues to the next level; for under-performers, it is all about addressing any roadblocks or clarifying any miscommunication, which is not uncommon with remote partners who meet the company staff just once or twice a month.

Distribution versus manufacturing

For many new entrants to the cleaning sector, entry barriers for setting up a production facility may be high, which makes it challenging for them to achieve economies of scale. For them, distribution is an appealing gateway into the cleaning business.

Tony Chazhoor, MD, IP Cleaning India, explained: "For more players to be convinced to invest in production facilities, disposable incomes that can be spent on acquiring cleaning machinery need to rise. Until then, the dealer/channel partner network model will be the most appropriate choice."

Many global players already have an Indian presence in the form of 100% subsidiaries, which has helped them understand the Indian market and purchasing behaviour. While some are tentatively expanding the number of products they manufacture in India, their output is not yet sufficient to meet market demand. Besides, some bigger machines, which are unlikely to sell in large volumes initially, will have to be imported rather than manufactured domestically.

Satish Mahajan, National Sales Head, Comac India, weighed in: "We are still importing most of our machines to ensure consistent quality and value for our customers. We are working on a project to manufacture a few of our fast-moving machines in India and studying its feasibility from the standpoint of captive consumption and meeting other demands. But this is in a very early stage."

In terms of volume, the major cleaning machines being manufactured in India are single-disc scrubbers/polishers and walk-behind scrubber dryers, as well as some ride-on scrubber dryers. For at least some time more, most suppliers will depend on imports for high-end ride-on scrubber dryers, sweepers and pressure washers, ensuring the preponderance of the distribution model.

The ideal distributor

What do companies look for in a channel partner? "Years of experience in the industry, market presence and investment capability in terms of finance and team size," replied Indu Vijaykumar, Director, i-team India.

Rajiv Bhatia, Country Manager & Director, Nilfisk India Pvt Ltd, expanded on his criteria for assessing a potential partner as follows:

• Financial capability to invest in manpower, machines and infrastructure, such that the distributor can take seasonal business cycles in his stride and not be cash-starved if sales happen to fall in one quarter. The ups and downs of the market should not cause the business to suffer due to a lack of working capital.
• Motivation to promote the cleaning equipment business in terms of synergy with his existing lines of business, and how he wishes to maximise his wallet share with his existing customer base.
• Concept selling capability, since the cleaning industry is mushrooming in India and a lot of concepts need to be explained to different industrial and institutional customers.
• After-sales service capabilities in terms of process-oriented service call logging and assignment, service metrics measurement, spares management and, most importantly, his existing customer base's views about the firm.
• A passion to grow his business.

Chazhoor is particular about nomenclature: "Actually, we do not look for distributors in capital equipment sales. Rather, we look for specialised dealers or channel partners for our ecosystem." For him, such a partner should be from the capital equipment business, with in-house sales and service infrastructure, an excellent history and reputation, and extensive knowledge of the local market, evolving industry trends and the demographics of the catchment area.

With this necessary level of scrutiny, it should come as no surprise that it takes an average of 8–9 months to develop a channel partner in a given area.

Every respondent agreed that the most basic quality for eligibility is that the partner understands the importance of keeping a ready stock of machinery, spares and consumables. Adequate sales and service staff must be available to take care of machines throughout their life cycle.

Mahajan makes a seemingly simple but crucial stipulation: "They should have experience in and domain knowledge of the cleaning industry. This industry is very unique and cannot work like other businesses. Partners who have worked within the cleaning industry have a brighter chance of becoming successful compared to those who haven't. Of course, it's not difficult for the latter, but their gestation periods may be prolonged."

A relatively recent criterion is a distributor's willingness to digitise all aspects of business management. Underlying all the above criteria is the readiness of the partner to adhere to the supplier's code of conduct and ethics; any violation will negatively impact the supplier's brand image.

How do suppliers support distributors?

While the above list of parameters may seem intimidating, potential distributors should rest assured that suppliers understand their responsibility to aid and equip their partners in every possible way. They have thought of everything that can ease the entry of the distributor into the cleaning market.

Vivek Mata, MD, Charnock Equipments Pvt Ltd, painted a picture: "Businesses flourish when the entire ecosystem works in sync towards the larger goals of customer satisfaction. Distributors are the most crucial part of the supply chain and have to be elevated to the level of channel partners. We empower distributor partners by involving them in everything, right from the client site due diligence to recommendations for the right fit of equipment and machinery. Specialised technical training is imparted to keep them informed about upcoming technology. They are the extended members of the Charnock family."

Once the partnership is sealed, the induction process for the partner typically begins with sales and service intellectual property transfer in a phased, planned manner. "A cleaning equipment manufacturer should handhold the dealer/channel partner by sharing in-depth product knowledge and providing frequent training. It is imperative that the dealer be given proper technical knowledge, and be made aware of proper segmentation and further sub-segmentation. This exercise will support the dealer in their understanding of the most productive product mix," offered Chazhoor.

The supplier may even help the partner hire the right people, and offer field marketing support to improve brand visibility through the partner in the specified territory. A realistic business plan is drawn up that is agreeable to both parties. The supplier's staff will regularly visit and interact with the partner to identify roadblocks, if any, in the action plan.

It is a mandate for the supplier to ensure the partnership is financially lucrative and appealing to the partner. This can be guaranteed in more than one way.

Said Mahajan: "The company needs to maintain territorial sanctity and integrity of dealers. The terms of territory and other activities need to be designed and specified in the agreement, to have a standard course of action when there are any deviations. Generally, when dealers don't meet the expected budgets, the supplier company hires its own staff in that particular territory or appoints another dealer. This becomes a big demotivation to dealers; they underperform or don't perform and leave. Training and retraining is a must for new dealers. Customer service feedback must be reviewed and evaluated at the end of every quarter."

While suppliers must plan for contingencies, success stories must also be shared with channel partners to keep up their enthusiasm and morale.

Partnership challenges

As in any business relationship, there are bound to be hiccups in the supplier-dealer partnership. As Vijaykumar put it, "Sometimes, our visions are not compatible, or the distributor team is more engaged in their parent business and not available."

The cleaning market is maturing at an exponential rate; new products do not remain new for longer and there is constant churn of innovative solutions. It can be a daunting task for dealers to stay up to date with the latest in the market.

The main challenge that suppliers face is hiring the right talent that can comprehend the technicalities of cleaning products that are vastly different from each other, and then retaining talent with special HR policies and programmes combined with attractive incentive plans.

If the channel partner is from a different sector, it becomes essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the product line, help them suggest what product to suggest for what application, and even accompany the partner for regular customer visits in the area, to ease them into the cleaning market. This takes time, money and resources from both parties without much immediate ROI, but this initial period of intense engagement helps achieve goals in the long run.

Making dealers self-reliant

The ultimate goal of any supplier is to develop their dealer into a well-informed, adequately equipped entity that can function on its own, without repeatedly having to fall back on the supplier for help and guidance.

As Chazhoor put it, "Being an OEM and an expert in the domain, the principals must pass on their sales and service expertise to dealers/channel partners for them to become their extended arms in the marketplace. This is possible only when a level of trust and collaboration is fostered in the relationship."

Suppliers can support their dealer during the first year for most of their installation and customer complaint activities, and depute engineers and technicians to help them understand technicalities and SOPs. This embrace can extend to assimilating dealers in the supplier's CRM application so that they become a part of the organisation in every sense.

Bhatia offers two styles of continual development programmes: for dealers who are performing well, this includes expansion plans and cross-selling initiatives to boost revenues to the next level; for under-performers, it is all about addressing any roadblocks or clarifying any miscommunication, which is not uncommon with remote partners who meet the company staff just once or twice a month.

Distribution versus manufacturing

For many new entrants to the cleaning sector, entry barriers for setting up a production facility may be high, which makes it challenging for them to achieve economies of scale. For them, distribution is an appealing gateway into the cleaning business.

Tony Chazhoor, MD, IP Cleaning India, explained: "For more players to be convinced to invest in production facilities, disposable incomes that can be spent on acquiring cleaning machinery need to rise. Until then, the dealer/channel partner network model will be the most appropriate choice."

Many global players already have an Indian presence in the form of 100% subsidiaries, which has helped them understand the Indian market and purchasing behaviour. While some are tentatively expanding the number of products they manufacture in India, their output is not yet sufficient to meet market demand. Besides, some bigger machines, which are unlikely to sell in large volumes initially, will have to be imported rather than manufactured domestically.

Satish Mahajan, National Sales Head, Comac India, weighed in: "We are still importing most of our machines to ensure consistent quality and value for our customers. We are working on a project to manufacture a few of our fast-moving machines in India and studying its feasibility from the standpoint of captive consumption and meeting other demands. But this is in a very early stage."

In terms of volume, the major cleaning machines being manufactured in India are single-disc scrubbers/polishers and walk-behind scrubber dryers, as well as some ride-on scrubber dryers. For at least some time more, most suppliers will depend on imports for high-end ride-on scrubber dryers, sweepers and pressure washers, ensuring the preponderance of the distribution model.

The ideal distributor

What do companies look for in a channel partner? "Years of experience in the industry, market presence and investment capability in terms of finance and team size," replied Indu Vijaykumar, Director, i-team India.

Rajiv Bhatia, Country Manager & Director, Nilfisk India Pvt Ltd, expanded on his criteria for assessing a potential partner as follows:

• Financial capability to invest in manpower, machines and infrastructure, such that the distributor can take seasonal business cycles in his stride and not be cash-starved if sales happen to fall in one quarter. The ups and downs of the market should not cause the business to suffer due to a lack of working capital.
• Motivation to promote the cleaning equipment business in terms of synergy with his existing lines of business, and how he wishes to maximise his wallet share with his existing customer base.
• Concept selling capability, since the cleaning industry is mushrooming in India and a lot of concepts need to be explained to different industrial and institutional customers.
• After-sales service capabilities in terms of process-oriented service call logging and assignment, service metrics measurement, spares management and, most importantly, his existing customer base's views about the firm.
• A passion to grow his business.

Chazhoor is particular about nomenclature: "Actually, we do not look for distributors in capital equipment sales. Rather, we look for specialised dealers or channel partners for our ecosystem." For him, such a partner should be from the capital equipment business, with in-house sales and service infrastructure, an excellent history and reputation, and extensive knowledge of the local market, evolving industry trends and the demographics of the catchment area.

With this necessary level of scrutiny, it should come as no surprise that it takes an average of 8–9 months to develop a channel partner in a given area.

Every respondent agreed that the most basic quality for eligibility is that the partner understands the importance of keeping a ready stock of machinery, spares and consumables. Adequate sales and service staff must be available to take care of machines throughout their life cycle.

Mahajan makes a seemingly simple but crucial stipulation: "They should have experience in and domain knowledge of the cleaning industry. This industry is very unique and cannot work like other businesses. Partners who have worked within the cleaning industry have a brighter chance of becoming successful compared to those who haven't. Of course, it's not difficult for the latter, but their gestation periods may be prolonged."

A relatively recent criterion is a distributor's willingness to digitise all aspects of business management. Underlying all the above criteria is the readiness of the partner to adhere to the supplier's code of conduct and ethics; any violation will negatively impact the supplier's brand image.

How do suppliers support distributors?

While the above list of parameters may seem intimidating, potential distributors should rest assured that suppliers understand their responsibility to aid and equip their partners in every possible way. They have thought of everything that can ease the entry of the distributor into the cleaning market.

Vivek Mata, MD, Charnock Equipments Pvt Ltd, painted a picture: "Businesses flourish when the entire ecosystem works in sync towards the larger goals of customer satisfaction. Distributors are the most crucial part of the supply chain and have to be elevated to the level of channel partners. We empower distributor partners by involving them in everything, right from the client site due diligence to recommendations for the right fit of equipment and machinery. Specialised technical training is imparted to keep them informed about upcoming technology. They are the extended members of the Charnock family."

Once the partnership is sealed, the induction process for the partner typically begins with sales and service intellectual property transfer in a phased, planned manner. "A cleaning equipment manufacturer should handhold the dealer/channel partner by sharing in-depth product knowledge and providing frequent training. It is imperative that the dealer be given proper technical knowledge, and be made aware of proper segmentation and further sub-segmentation. This exercise will support the dealer in their understanding of the most productive product mix," offered Chazhoor.

The supplier may even help the partner hire the right people, and offer field marketing support to improve brand visibility through the partner in the specified territory. A realistic business plan is drawn up that is agreeable to both parties. The supplier's staff will regularly visit and interact with the partner to identify roadblocks, if any, in the action plan.

It is a mandate for the supplier to ensure the partnership is financially lucrative and appealing to the partner. This can be guaranteed in more than one way.

Said Mahajan: "The company needs to maintain territorial sanctity and integrity of dealers. The terms of territory and other activities need to be designed and specified in the agreement, to have a standard course of action when there are any deviations. Generally, when dealers don't meet the expected budgets, the supplier company hires its own staff in that particular territory or appoints another dealer. This becomes a big demotivation to dealers; they underperform or don't perform and leave. Training and retraining is a must for new dealers. Customer service feedback must be reviewed and evaluated at the end of every quarter."

While suppliers must plan for contingencies, success stories must also be shared with channel partners to keep up their enthusiasm and morale.

Partnership challenges

As in any business relationship, there are bound to be hiccups in the supplier-dealer partnership. As Vijaykumar put it, "Sometimes, our visions are not compatible, or the distributor team is more engaged in their parent business and not available."

The cleaning market is maturing at an exponential rate; new products do not remain new for longer and there is constant churn of innovative solutions. It can be a daunting task for dealers to stay up to date with the latest in the market.

The main challenge that suppliers face is hiring the right talent that can comprehend the technicalities of cleaning products that are vastly different from each other, and then retaining talent with special HR policies and programmes combined with attractive incentive plans.

If the channel partner is from a different sector, it becomes essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the product line, help them suggest what product to suggest for what application, and even accompany the partner for regular customer visits in the area, to ease them into the cleaning market. This takes time, money and resources from both parties without much immediate ROI, but this initial period of intense engagement helps achieve goals in the long run.

Making dealers self-reliant

The ultimate goal of any supplier is to develop their dealer into a well-informed, adequately equipped entity that can function on its own, without repeatedly having to fall back on the supplier for help and guidance.

As Chazhoor put it, "Being an OEM and an expert in the domain, the principals must pass on their sales and service expertise to dealers/channel partners for them to become their extended arms in the marketplace. This is possible only when a level of trust and collaboration is fostered in the relationship."

Suppliers can support their dealer during the first year for most of their installation and customer complaint activities, and depute engineers and technicians to help them understand technicalities and SOPs. This embrace can extend to assimilating dealers in the supplier's CRM application so that they become a part of the organisation in every sense.

Bhatia offers two styles of continual development programmes: for dealers who are performing well, this includes expansion plans and cross-selling initiatives to boost revenues to the next level; for under-performers, it is all about addressing any roadblocks or clarifying any miscommunication, which is not uncommon with remote partners who meet the company staff just once or twice a month.

The Clean India Show 2025 offered a glimpse into how technology, robotics, AI and digital platforms are transforming the cleaning and facility management landscape in India.

Bots to Big Machines

At the Kinetiq RRobotics (Star Engineers India Pvt. Ltd) booth, the future quite literally looked back at you. Newly launched AI greeting robots stood at the entrance, ready with a cheerful “Hi” as visitors approached, their screens lighting up with multilingual responses and quick, fluid voice recognition.

You could talk to them, ask them questions, even watch them process information in real time. Not far from them rolled a group of delivery robots, their tray shelves neatly stacked with cups, chips and chocolates, gliding through the crowd like friendly attendants.

The mix of warmth and automation at the stall made it one of the most striking examples of how robotics is being designed not just to work — but to engage, assist and coexist with people.

“Rather than replacing people, these robots are meant to complement human labour by taking over repetitive, low-value tasks.”

The company’s immediate target segments include hospitality, corporate offices, pharma and food manufacturing, where human presence is restricted, as well as warehousing and e-commerce fulfilment.

Smart Engineering Enters Cleaning Equipment

If the robotics pavilion revealed automation in motion, a short walk away the focus shifted to the quieter strength of smart engineering. Stas Chem Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a 40-year-old group rooted in chemical manufacturing, brought a different kind of innovation to the exhibition — BLACK, the company’s newly launched brand for cleaning tools and machinery.

The lineup included around 12 freshly introduced machines and three additional product lines, with multiple SKUs planned under each category. The new launches include single disk scrubbing and polishing machine, advanced vacuum cleaners and scrubber driers.

“All machines are assembled in-house and all development labs, quality control processes and compliance certifications are maintained internally,” said Ayush Saxena, Director at Stas Group.

AI At Work

Amid the heavy-duty machines, the exhibition also revealed discoveries unfolding in a quieter digital space – like a digital map of India’s loos, stitched together through AI, rewards and a simple idea called World of Loo (WOLOO).

WOLOO stood out at the exhibition as a digital ecosystem built to solve one of India’s most persistent challenges – clean and reliable public sanitation, especially for women.

Founded by Manish Kelshikar, the company’s journey began in 2019 with an intention to create safe, hygienic, women-friendly washrooms.

“We started with building our own washrooms called the ‘women’s powder room’. The first of these spaces opened in Mumbai,” said senior manager Shreya Kumbhavdekar.

An Integrated System

For exhibitors and visitors navigating the complexities of housekeeping, laundry services, sanitation contracts, or multi-site maintenance, Zoho FSM (Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd)’s digital intervention was easily understood. Its core idea is simple: Bring every moving part of a service operation onto one integrated system.

As the team explained, many small and mid-sized cleaning businesses today still coordinate technicians through informal channels — mostly WhatsApp messages, scattered notes, and manual scheduling.

“The result is predictable with missed slots, double-booked staff, delayed assignments, and no visibility into what is happening in the field. We fill this gap,” they said.

Built as a mobile-friendly, multilingual platform, available in Hindi and over 25 languages, Zoho FSM enables businesses to schedule, assign, track, invoice and close jobs from a single ecosystem.

The platform supports both Android and iOS, with a web interface for back-end teams, making it accessible to operations of every scale.

One of its standout capabilities is intelligent dispatching — the system allows managers to assign technicians based on proximity, skill set, availability, and potential scheduling conflicts.

“On-the-ground staff can update job status, upload images, and collect customer feedback directly through the app, creating a complete record of every visit,” the team members explained.

According to the Zoho team, the steady footfalls not only brought leads and sign-ups, but rich conversations with cleaning businesses of all kinds.

Many visitors, they noted, were openly relieved to discover that such a platform existed, because they had long been juggling operations manually without realising a dedicated solution could streamline everything.

As India builds a technology-led future for its aviation sector, the focus is shifting toward sustainable and secure operations that can manage this rapid scaling. Keerthana Sundar, Special Correspondent, Clean India Journal, explores how autonomous robots are redefining the standards of hygiene and passenger experience at airports, in conversation with Anil Sathe, Chief Growth Officer, Kinetiq Rrobotics Pvt. Ltd.

Imagine an airport terminal where a multilingual AI guide assists a lost traveller, or an entertainment-enabled robot distracts a restless child during a flight delay. Whether it is broadcasting real-time security reminders or ensuring floors are cleaned based on real-time dirt detection, these machines are the new nervous system of the modern airport.

How do AI cleaning robots ensure a consistent standard of hygiene within high-traffic airport terminals?

A. Airports are defined by constant footfall. Traditionally, maintaining these spaces requires a fleet of equipment: single-disc vacuum cleaners, scrubber dryers and sweeping machines. This combination of four or five different products is the current standard.

However, the new range of Kinetiq AI-driven autonomous robots, specifically our Kinetiq cleaning Robots like CleaniBot S55 & CleaniBot C5, can handle all these applications with a single unit, as it has good back-up with Lithium Ion Battery & has fast charging mechanism.

The core advantage is real-time mapping. In a high-traffic area, our robots perform an accurate mapping of the space in real-time. This is the most important factor: The robot detects dirt as it happens and responds autonomously with precise water & detergent dosing.

In an environment as vast as an airport, manual cleaning often misses spots or struggles to keep up with spills in food courts. AI ensures every square metre is cleaned to the same standard. This creates audit-ready digital logs that help airports demonstrate compliance with global hygiene and safety standards such as ISO 41001 (Facility Management) and ASQ cleanliness benchmarks.

We are achieving a level of hygiene that, while not strictly ‘hospital grade’ due to the different detergents used, is remarkably close to it. No area is skipped; spill zones and high-footfall areas receive extra priority.

What impact does this technology have on water and detergent consumption?

A. While AI-driven cleaning is a relatively new entry to the market, the thumb rule for Autonomous Robot cleaning it saves up to 25% to 30% in water and detergent usage.

For large international terminals, this translates into millions of litres of water saved annually — supporting ESG goals while directly lowering operating expenditure.

This is because you are no longer performing a repetitive, overlapping job without a plan; you are standardising the process. Every drop is accounted for, and the robot only applies what is necessary based on the data it collects.

Airports operate 24/7. How does the Cleani-bot series handle maintenance without disrupting passenger flow?

A. These robots are designed to complement the airport aesthetic—they are sleek and professional, fitting perfectly into an airport setting. Powered by lithium-ion batteries, they feature fast-charging capabilities; a three-hour charge allows for extensive operation.

For example, a 30-litre robot can cover approximately 3,500 to 4,000 square metres per hour.

Crucially, they use Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and 3D cameras for dynamic obstacle avoidance and predictive path planning.

This reduces slip-and-fall incidents, one of the most common airport liability risks, by ensuring wet areas are cleaned and dried systematically rather than reactively.

This allows them to operate safely during peak hours rather than just at night. They are not just cleaning; they are learning the environment every day through AI to optimise their routes.

They can even perform dual operations, such as scrubbing and vacuuming, or dedicated mopping, ensuring high productivity in totality.

“Imagine a worker that never gets tired, slashes costs by 30% and makes your customers twice as happy. These AI robots handle the grunt work so your team can focus on the ‘human touch’ that keeps travellers coming back!” – Anil Sathe

Beyond cleaning, how do Greeting robots like the Nova and Mini series streamline the experience for international travellers?

A. Language barriers are a significant hurdle in global travel. Multilingual greeting robots can bridge this gap. These units can be integrated with platforms such as ChatGPT to provide real-time flight information, directions to smoking zones or washrooms, and even local tourism tips.

We also feature a ‘Follow Me’ function, where the robot leads a passenger directly to their destination, such as a specific boarding gate or an airport lounge.

They can also be used for ‘Smart Restaurant’ solutions within the terminal. A robot can autonomously plan the optimal route and lead customers to their target table.

This creates a premium, futuristic first impression and reduces the pressure on human information desks.

Airports using digital wayfinding and interactive service robots have reported higher retail dwell time and improved passenger satisfaction scores, which directly correlate to increased non-aeronautical revenue.

How does the LuckiBot series enable a ‘Smart Airport’ vision?

A. The LuckiBot acts as a mobile IoT sensor. It collects data on crowd density, air quality and traffic flow, feeding this into the airport’s Smart Control Room.

This data can also integrate with airport digital twins, enabling planners to simulate passenger movement, optimise queue layouts, and proactively redesign bottlenecks.

This enables predictive maintenance and energy optimisation, effectively becoming the ‘nervous system’ of the terminal. It can also be linked with advertising screens to increase exposure for merchants’ promotions or integrated with tax refund systems to display rules to passengers.

What are the primary challenges you have encountered during robot deployment?

A. The biggest challenge is the ‘excitement factor’. Passengers, particularly children, are enamoured with the machines. It is quite common for people to stop the robots for selfies or even try to place children on them. We have seen families put their toddlers on autonomous robots because it looks fun.

While this shows the technology is being welcomed, we need a ‘co-working’ mindset where the public respects the robot’s workspace.

Forward-looking airports are already introducing robotic usage guidelines, signage, and public awareness programs to normalise human–robot collaboration. It requires patience from the buyers, sellers and public.

As we adapt, these robots will move from being ‘celebrities’ to being standard co-workers in the terminal ecosystem.

Kinetiq’s philosophy is to ‘Amplify Human Capability’. How does this address concerns about job displacement?

A. This is a vital point. Robots are not here to take jobs; they are here to eliminate the ‘dirty, dull and dangerous’ tasks. Most Facility Management companies currently operate at 80% to 85% of their required manpower. This gap leads to fatigue and stress.

By deploying robots to handle repetitive floor care or waste transport, we allow human staff to focus on tasks that require a human touch, judgment and empathy.

We are also creating new career paths for engineers to maintain and manage these robotic fleets. Facility teams are being upskilled into roles such as Robot Supervisors, Fleet Managers, and Automation Coordinators —creating a future-ready workforce.

We are not removing people; we are empowering them to work more efficiently.

What airport tasks are best handled by the CarryBot series?

A. The CarryBot is designed for the niche, physical tasks that are often overlooked. Consider waste management: transporting garbage from one end of a massive terminal to the disposal point is a significant job.

CarryBot can act as a garbage collector, moving from shop to shop to collect waste and deliver it to the last mile without manual intervention.

It can also handle duty-free stock movement, catering supplies and maintenance kits, removing thousands of manual trolley trips per day.

This significantly reduces musculoskeletal injuries and manpower attrition — two major hidden cost drivers in airport logistics operations.

How do these robots align with the sustainability goals of modern airports?

A. Sustainability is about more than just conserving electricity. It is about measurable resource management. With robots, you have real-time data on water and detergent consumption.

You are supporting the human ecosystem by reducing staff fatigue. Every action is documented — This data enables sustainability reporting, carbon tracking, and continuous improvement —turning cleaning and logistics into measurable business intelligence.

You know exactly when a floor was cleaned or when waste was moved. This accountability helps airports reduce their carbon footprint and optimise their staff deployment year-on-year.

How is Kinetiq preparing for future mega-hubs such as expanded International airports?

A. We are not just selling a product; we are providing an automation roadmap. Our robots are modular and upgradeable, designed to scale as terminals expand.

They integrate into future smart-city systems and run on low energy. As airports become ‘self-learning’ through the data these robots collect, they will be able to redesign layouts and predict congestion more effectively than ever before.

In the future, airports will not just be smart — they will be self-optimising, where robots continuously learn, adapt, and redesign operations in real time.

Kinetiq Rrobotics’ Solutions at a Glance

1. Cleani-Bot — Floor Maintenance: Real-time mapping, scrubbing, vacuuming, and mopping; 24/7 operation with 3D obstacle avoidance.
2. Greeting — Passenger Support: Multilingual assistance, “Guide Me” navigation, flight information, interactive terminal maps, crowd density sensing and air quality monitoring.
3. LuckiBot — Delivery & IoT: Smart restaurant delivery and integration of coffee vending machines at the boarding gates.
4. CarryBot — Logistics: Waste management, duty-free stock transport and maintenance kit delivery, with “Follow Me” navigation.

The country’s Union Budget, presented earlier in the year by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, doubles down on a familiar ambition — build bigger, build faster, and build across sectors. From high-speed rail corridors and logistics networks to industrial clusters and urban expansion — the blueprint for growth is firmly anchored in infrastructure.

But as cranes rise and concrete spreads, a quieter, less visible layer of this growth story is beginning to come into focus: What happens after the build is complete?

For India’s cleaning ecosystem, the Budget does not offer direct policy triggers. Yet it sets in motion a chain reaction. Every airport terminal, warehouse, hospital, metro station or industrial hub being planned today becomes, eventually, a space that must be cleaned, maintained and managed — not occasionally, but continuously.

The result is a sector that sits just outside the spotlight of policy, but increasingly at the centre of execution.

Industry voices suggest that the opportunity is real, expanding and inevitable — but also gradual, uneven and shaped by on-ground realities of cost, scale, skills and adoption.

Think Upkeep

As infrastructure creation accelerates, a key theme emerging from the industry is the need to align construction with long-term upkeep.

“India’s strong push toward infrastructure creation through record capital expenditure is undoubtedly a positive step for economic growth. However, while we are building world-class transport networks, logistics hubs, airports, industrial parks, and urban infrastructure at an unprecedented pace, the conversation around long-term maintenance of hygiene and cleanliness at these locations is still evolving,” says Vedant Matta, Director-Sales of Charnock Equipments Pvt Ltd.

Vedant points out that globally, infrastructure planning integrates mechanised cleaning, facility management and predictive maintenance at the design stage. “In India, however, maintenance technologies are often introduced only after the asset becomes operational,” he says.

This, he notes, can lead to inefficiencies, higher costs and faster deterioration of public infrastructure. “As the country expands its asset base, there is a growing need to embed modern cleaning technologies, smart facility management systems, and data-driven maintenance planning into infrastructure projects from the outset. This will not only extend the lifespan of assets but also ensure hygiene, safety, and sustainability in high-footfall environments such as airports, metro stations, hospitals, and public buildings,” adds Vedant.

“As the country expands its asset base, there is a growing need to embed modern cleaning technologies, smart facility management systems, and data-driven maintenance planning into infrastructure projects from the outset.”
— Vedant Matta

According to Sahil Jain, Managing Director of Columbus Cleaning Machines Pvt Ltd, the cleaning industry will not see an immediate spike, with most benefits expected to accrue over the long term. “The government’s focus on infrastructure development, civic spending and smart cities is expected to create opportunities over time. However, cleaning is not something which has come into direct focus as infrastructure projects will not generate immediate demand. But once they get commissioned, that will obviously add something to the industry segment,” says Jain.

In the near term, increased public capital expenditure could provide indirect support. “When they increase the public capital expenditure, it basically also acts as an impetus to the private sector infrastructure development,” adds Sahil.

According to him, this expansion is expected to create demand for cleaning services and systems. “If you have more warehouses, you will obviously need scanning machines, cleaning manpower, cleaning systems in place,” he adds.

“The government’s focus on infrastructure development, civic spending and smart cities is expected to create opportunities over time. However, cleaning is not something which has come into direct focus as infrastructure projects will not generate immediate demand. But once they get commissioned, that will obviously add something to the industry segment.”
— Sahil Jain

Big Change

As infrastructure scales up, the cleaning ecosystem is being pushed to evolve alongside it.

Vedant highlights that India’s cleaning ecosystem has historically been labour-intensive, largely because labour availability made manual cleaning economically viable. However, the scale and complexity of infrastructure being created today — large airports, metro systems, industrial corridors, logistics parks, and mega manufacturing facilities — are fundamentally changing operational requirements.

“The Union Budget’s continued focus on infrastructure expansion and rising capital expenditure is reinforcing the creation of large, high-footfall public and industrial assets that demand far more efficient and standardised maintenance practices. In such environments, manual cleaning alone is no longer sufficient. Facility operators increasingly require mechanised cleaning equipment, automation, and productivity-driven solutions to maintain large areas efficiently while meeting higher standards of hygiene and safety,” says Vedant.

The Budget positions robotics and AI as “core productivity drivers”. According to Anil Sathe, Chief Growth Officer at Kinetiq RRobotics, adoption on the ground is evolving in phases. “The mid-market is still evaluating, but the shift from ‘cost’ to ‘capability’ has clearly begun. There is a marginal shift in the outlook towards robots as productivity and efficient tools. However, large enterprises in India have already moved from discussion mode to piloting robots to measuring productivity and efficiency gains,” says Anil.

He adds that with millennials in decision-making roles gradually handing over to Gen Z, “we will witness a paradigm shift in the use of AI and robotics in the coming years and this will be very fast”.

On India’s ambition to become an automation execution hub, Anil believes that the country is “on the cusp,” with talent and adaptability already in place. However, he emphasises that policy support, infrastructure consistency and hardware localisation will be critical to scaling that vision.

However, Anil emphasises that the ecosystem will need to adapt, with greater focus on application-level and technician-focused training to support large-scale deployment and maintenance of robotics. “We have the necessary skill set available in the country, and with proper government funding and initiatives, this can be realised into the workforce seamlessly,” he says while underlining the need to align training with real-world operational requirements.

“India is on the cusp and a boost due from government policy and initiatives would be a major step in the right direction. India has the talent and adaptability to become an automation execution hub.”
— Anil Sathe

Opening Avenues

As infrastructure expands and policy direction supports technology adoption, the shift toward mechanised and robotic solutions is becoming more visible — though it remains closely tied to economics and real-world viability.

Vedant notes that while the budget may not directly legislate mechanisation, its broader policy direction — supporting infrastructure growth, manufacturing and technology adoption — “creates the right ecosystem for this transition”. “As the scale of assets increases, the economics naturally begin to favour machine-assisted cleaning systems that improve productivity, reduce dependence on large labour pools, and ensure consistent quality,” he says.

For Charnock Equipments Pvt. Ltd., Vedant describes this as a “significant inflection point”, adding that it will accelerate the adoption of mechanised cleaning across sectors.

At the same time, Anil highlights that adoption — especially in robotics — is evolving alongside funding access and business models. “MSMEs will adopt and will see a shift towards automated solutions as more local and government funding and initiatives are made accessible to the robotics sector. The market will evolve through Capex-led investments, but the real trigger will come from flexible models such as pay-as-you-use (PAYU) and Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS),” he explains.

However, the transition is still strongly influenced by return on investment. While AI is already widely used in computing and design, Anil points out that robotic cleaning solutions still lag due to ROI constraints. “Once the price differential between mechanised and robotic solutions breaches approximately 40%, we will witness a shift towards robotic cleaning solutions. For wider adoption, robots need to deliver a clear 12–18-month payback. When the monthly cost aligns with 1.5–2 manpower equivalents, the decision becomes much easier,” adds Anil.

Early signals of this shift are already visible. “The budget has improved intent and enquiry levels. We are seeing more serious conversations, especially at leadership levels, though conversions still depend on ROI clarity. With infrastructure expanding, this shift towards AI and robotic solutions is beginning to reflect in sales funnels, supported by measurable data from proof-of-concept deployments across sectors,” says Anil.

Adoption is also likely to vary by sector. “Healthcare, food and pharma and education will lead adoption because hygiene is non-negotiable. In these environments, the value of consistency and compliance is immediate and measurable. At the same time, airports are already among the fastest and largest adopters of robotics, driven by large infrastructure players such as Adani, Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao (GMR) and Gunupati Venkata Krishna Reddy (GVK),” says Anil.

Work In Progress

While the Union Budget continues to emphasise strengthening the country’s manufacturing ecosystem and industrial supply chains, industry voices suggest that the path toward localisation remains gradual and constrained by current market realities.

Vedant notes that the policy direction presents a significant opportunity for the professional cleaning equipment industry. “However, the current consumption volumes of mechanized cleaning machines in India do not justify the costs associated with producing completely indigenous equipment and are acting as a deterrent for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) like us to operate full scale end to end manufacturing units in India,” he says.

At present, certain high-end machines and critical components are still largely imported, particularly those involving advanced electronics, specialized motors, fleet management and automation technologies.

For now, import dependence remains significant. Matta explains that certain high-end machines and critical components continue to be largely imported, particularly those involving advanced electronics, specialised motors, fleet management and automation technologies.

A similar reality exists in robotics. Shares Anil, “India still lacks the infrastructure and capabilities for mass-scale production of robotics… and we have very few indigenous products in the market.”

However, he highlights that the country has strong software capabilities and skilled manpower, which are currently playing a key role in adapting robotics solutions for the domestic market. “We are on the right track to take a big leap,” he adds.

At the same time, access to policy incentives remains uneven. Sahil points out that manufacturing incentives are largely designed for large-scale industries, particularly sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronics. “For a country as big as India, the cleaning machines industry is still very small. They give PLIs and incentives to big companies and the others like us where investments are lower generally do not get a lot of incentives from the government,” he says, noting that such benefits are typically linked to investments running into thousands of crores and large-scale employment generation.

Matta, however, sees a long-term shift underway. As domestic demand becomes more predictable, he says, there will be increasing incentives for localisation, supply chain development and technology investment within India. “For us, the opportunity lies in gradually strengthening local manufacturing while combining global technology with Indian engineering and cost efficiencies,” he says.

Over time, he adds, this could help reduce dependence on imports and position India not just as a large consumer market, but also as a competitive manufacturing hub for professional cleaning equipment.

Next Phase

As the Budget continues to emphasise infrastructure, industrial expansion and services, industry experts stress on the combination of policy direction, workforce readiness and operating models that will shape the future of the cleaning and automation ecosystem.

Vedant feels that if one policy direction has the potential to significantly transform the professional cleaning industry, it is the government’s continued emphasis on large-scale infrastructure and industrial development through sustained capital expenditure. He adds that India’s flagship initiative, “Swacch Bharat Abhiyan,” should gradually move towards the use of mechanised cleaning equipment to ensure more efficient and effective maintenance of cleaning standards across the country.

Vedant also highlights the growing importance of economic clusters such as manufacturing zones, logistics parks and integrated commercial hubs. “The development of these clusters will create significant opportunities for automated and industrial cleaning equipment. These environments operate on the synergy of vast built-up areas, high operational intensity and continuous movement of goods and people, all of which require consistent and efficient maintenance,” he says.

Anil emphasises that the next phase of growth will be driven by partnerships rather than standalone product sales. “The future lies in partnerships — especially with integrated facility management and facility management companies — where robotics is embedded into service delivery rather than sold as standalone products,” he says.

Anil added that companies are increasingly adopting a multi-point go-to-market approach, combining direct and indirect sales while working closely with facility management firms, which he described as “a great catalyst in this growth process.”

At the same time, workforce capability remains central to this transition. Matta is of the strong view that training and skill development will be absolutely critical as the industry moves towards mechanisation.

The Budget’s focus on linking education to employment in service sectors is therefore a positive step, creating opportunities for an influx of fresh manpower and structured skill development programmes.

According to Vedant, these can help workers transition from manual roles to machine operators, supervisors and facility management professionals, improving not just efficiency but also safety and long-term career prospects. “Ultimately, the future of the professional cleaning industry in India will depend not only on advanced equipment, but also on a well-trained workforce capable of operating and maintaining these technologies effectively,” he says.

Industry experts Steven Yu, Divya Ramraika and Anil Sathe discussed how robotics, AI and automation are gradually reshaping India’s facility management and cleaning sectors, while addressing operational efficiency, workforce shortages and the realities of deploying robots in complex Indian environments.

The first hour is usually chaos. People gather around, pull out their phones, click selfies and watch the robot move through the corridor like a celebrity entering the building.

But once the excitement settles, the machine quietly gets to work — cleaning floors, avoiding obstacles, mapping spaces and becoming what industry experts call the “101st worker” inside the facility. And that, perhaps, is where India’s robotics story is beginning.

It was this transition — from curiosity to operational support — that formed the centre of a recent discussion hosted by Clean India Journal featuring Steven Yu, Senior Vice President at OrionStar; Divya Ramraika, Managing Director at Kinetiq Rrobotics Pvt. Ltd; and Anil Sathe, Chief Growth Officer at Kinetiq Rrobotics Pvt. Ltd.

The discussion explored how robotics, AI and automation are gradually reshaping India’s facility management and cleaning sectors while addressing labour shortages, operational efficiency and the realities of deploying robots in complex Indian environments.

Why India

At the heart of the discussion was a question both simple and significant: “Why India?”

For Steven Yu, the answer came from years of observing the Indian market evolve. Before entering the robotics business nearly a decade ago, he had worked with Indian telecom companies during the country’s mobile phone boom — an experience that revealed both the scale of the Indian market and its willingness to embrace technology rapidly.

“That was when I realised India is truly a vast market,” he said, recalling how quickly Indian consumers adapted to mobile technology. He now sees a similar shift unfolding in robotics.

According to Steven, changing workforce patterns and growing labour shortages are creating the right conditions for automation-led solutions, particularly in repetitive sectors such as cleaning and facility management.

“Doing the same work every day is not ideal for human beings. This is where machines can contribute,” he observed, adding that younger generations are increasingly unwilling to take up repetitive labour-intensive work.

At the same time, he rejected the common perception that robots are designed to replace workers.

“Robots are tools to help people work more efficiently,” he said, explaining that workers can instead learn to operate robotic systems and move into newer roles.

Growth Opportunity

India’s infrastructure story is growing faster than its operational systems can keep pace with. For robotics companies entering the country, that gap between expansion and execution is emerging as one of the biggest opportunities for automation-led technologies.

Divya Ramraika highlighted what he described as a “huge vacuum” in the country.

“While infrastructure growth has accelerated, advanced automated cleaning systems are still relatively new in the Indian market. At the pace with which our country is developing, we need robots for our large infrastructures,” he said.

For now, he believes partnerships with global robotics companies remain the fastest route to adoption while helping India gradually build local manufacturing and software capabilities.

Smart Navigation

Robots operating in neat, predictable environments is easy. The real engineering challenge begins in India — where crowded hallways, moving trolleys, heavy footfall and constant interruptions are part of the everyday landscape.

Divya said the company is investing heavily in software capabilities that allow robots to map and understand operational spaces more intelligently.

“Dedicated software teams train the robots to identify where they need to move, which areas require cleaning and which zones are designated for service operations,” he explained.

Equipped with LiDAR systems, cameras and sensing technologies, the robots continuously scan and interpret their surroundings while functioning.

“If there is some obstruction, it can stop, take a detour through another route and continue the work,” he said.

Rather than stopping permanently, the robots are programmed to reroute themselves and continue operations with minimal interruption. The systems can detect moving humans, chairs, walls and other obstacles before responding through automated navigation adjustments.

According to Divya, Indian public spaces are precisely where robotic systems can be most effective.

“In airports, malls and hospitals, the robots operate through predefined cleaning routes while revisiting areas periodically depending on footfall and operational requirements,” he explained.

The systems are also equipped with AI-enabled visual detection capabilities that help identify localised dirt, spills and garbage in real time.

Labour Shift

The cleaning industry has traditionally depended on manpower-heavy operations, but the pressure points are becoming increasingly visible.

As workforce shortages deepen and facilities become more complex to manage, the conversation is gradually shifting from manpower availability to operational efficiency, accountability and real-time data.

Having witnessed the shift from manual cleaning to mechanised systems since joining the industry in 2007, Anil Sathe described autonomous robotics as the next logical progression.

“The journey from mechanised cleaning to autonomous robotics is now beginning,” he said.

Contrary to the perception that India has abundant manpower, Anil argued that labour shortages are already becoming a major operational challenge.

“If companies require 100 people, very often only 80 are available,” he explained, adding that those 80 workers are then expected to complete 100% of the work.

This growing manpower gap within facility management has created what he described as an operational vacuum — one that robotics and AI-driven systems are beginning to address through “robotic co-working”.

“Most of the top leadership is looking forward to this type of innovation where they can handle efficiencies properly,” he observed.

According to him, once organisations begin understanding efficiency management through automation, robotics could emerge as one of the industry’s biggest focus areas.

Measurable Outcomes

Anil pointed out that while large workforces are already deployed across the cleaning industry, most operations still lack measurable quantification.

“With robotics and AI, every process can be quantified,” he explained.

Facility management companies traditionally evaluate operations through square-foot coverage, but robotics takes that further by generating real-time operational data and measurable performance insights.

The shift, according to experts, is no longer only about replacing manual effort with machines. It is increasingly about visibility, consistency and measurable operational outcomes.

Common Myths

For many, the biggest concern around robotics in India is not the technology itself, but whether machines can realistically function amid crowded corridors, unstable connectivity and constantly moving public spaces.

According to the experts, however, most of those fears are built more on perception than reality.

Addressing one of the biggest misconceptions around robotics, Anil said, “People think robots stop because Wi-Fi is not available or internet is not available. That is one of the biggest myths.”

The systems function as AMRs — Autonomous Mobile Robots — operating through sensors and navigation technologies rather than internet-based commands.

“Whether it is a delivery robot or a cleaning robot, each machine is equipped with multiple sensors that continuously monitor movement and surroundings,” he explained.

At the same time, he acknowledged that introducing robots into facilities comes with an adjustment phase because people are still adapting to working alongside machines.

“The most exciting thing that happens is everybody wants a selfie with the robot,” he remarked.

Having overseen nearly 20 to 25 proof-of-concept deployments across India, Anil described this initial excitement as a “good chaos” that accompanies almost every implementation.

“Our first job is to take this one hour of excitement in a positive way,” he said, adding that once the novelty fades, the robot gradually becomes part of the workforce.

Imperfect Spaces

India’s challenge is not just scale, but unpredictability. Floors vary, layouts shift constantly and public spaces rarely stay still long enough for automation to function in perfectly controlled conditions.

Steven Yu said navigation technology and hardware systems are evolving rapidly to handle increasingly complex environments.

“Currently, the navigation algorithms solve most of the problems. We are now introducing 3D LiDAR-based systems for smoother and more intelligent movement around obstacles,” he said.

When asked how the robots would respond to potholes or damaged flooring, the experts clarified that while the systems can detect potholes and navigate around them, they are fundamentally designed for flat surfaces.

The software can also identify different floor types within the same property.

“You can define that one area has wooden flooring and another has marble flooring. Accordingly, the robot can take decisions and use suitable accessories while cleaning,” they explained.

Beyond Cleaning

As robotics adoption expands, the conversation is also shifting toward sustainability, battery ecosystems and long-term manufacturing ambitions.

Talking about water recycling, Steven informed that OrionStar currently offers two categories of cleaning robots.

“In one category, dirty water is collected separately and discharged after use. The second category — expected to enter India later this year — will feature water recycling technology,” he said.

According to him, the system filters dirty water internally, removes solid particles and recirculates treated water back into the cleaning process, functioning similarly to an STP-based recycling mechanism.

The robots currently operate with water tank capacities of around 35 litres for standard office applications, while larger machines ranging from 25 litres to 45 litres are also available.

The discussion also turned to lithium battery systems, which experts admitted is becoming an important subject within India’s growing electronics ecosystem.

“The robots currently use lithium batteries manufactured according to European standards,” Steven said, adding that future localisation of battery manufacturing in India remains part of the long-term roadmap.

In terms of cleanliness, what has been the norm for international MNCs for years, is now being adapted even by MSMEs besides corporates in India. There is a growing understanding of the need to maintain clean shopfloors.

Sahil Jain, Managing Director, columbus Cleaning Machines Pvt. Ltd, elaborates on how the impact of maintaining clean spaces could help in the elimination of visual and distractive clutter; enable efficient access to materials; create positive mental impact for a sense of calm and productive mood and maintain a professional attitude.

Selecting the right cleaning machine depends on factors like floor type, debris type, area size, and budget. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work in industrial cleaning.
— Sahil Jain

Cleaning machines used in shopfloors

In industrial shopfloors, the type of floor cleaning machine needed depends on factors like the floor material, the type of dirt or debris present, and the size of the space. Here’s a breakdown of cleaning machines commonly used in industrial settings and the tasks they are best suited for:

1. Floor Sweepers: Sweepers are used to collect and remove dry debris such as dust, dirt, metal shavings, and small trash. They are ideal for quickly covering large, open spaces or concrete and asphalt floors.
2. Scrubber Dryers (Walk-Behind or Ride-On): Scrubbers use water, detergent, and rotating brushes to deep-clean floors, breaking down dirt and grime. They are excellent for sticky messes, oils, grease, and other substances that require deeper cleaning. Essential in factories or production areas where floors are exposed to oils, grease, food production residue, or manufacturing byproducts. Ideal for concrete, tile, or sealed floors.
3. Industrial Vacuum Cleaners: Designed to capture fine dust and debris that sweeping or scrubbing machines might miss, especially in areas with limited access for scrubbers. Some models handle both dry and wet debris, making them versatile. Perfect for environments with fine powders such as wood dust, metal dust, or chemical powders, or in areas that require a high level of cleanliness, such as clean rooms, electronics factories, or hazardous material zones. HEPA-filtered vacuums are particularly effective in industries where air quality is crucial.
4. Pressure Washers: High-pressure water jets blast away dirt, grease, and other tough contaminants. They’re ideal for cleaning stubborn stains or heavily soiled areas. However, they are not suitable for areas with a high risk of water damage, such as certain machinery, electrical systems, or environments with hazardous substances. They can also damage sensitive flooring, such as epoxy-coated floors commonly found in pharmaceutical companies or wooden flooring.

Best machines for specific needs

Selecting the right cleaning machine depends on factors like floor type, debris type, area size, and budget. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work in industrial cleaning. Solutions are tailored to match specific client requirements.

A range of accessories, including batteries, brushes, and squeegees, are available for scrubbers, along with specialized kits for industrial vacuums—such as HEPA filters, H-class filters, pre-filters, and anti-static kits—ensuring compatibility with diverse cleaning needs.

Operational cost efficiency is prioritized through high-capacity ride-on machines equipped with 100L tanks and 390Ah battery options, providing up to 8 hours of runtime on a single charge. This setup helps reduce both capital expenditure and labor costs.

Improved efficiency and reduced costs

A recent project in a railway wagon manufacturing facility led to a 30% reduction in cleaning costs. By optimizing machine selection, the facility transitioned from three machines with three operators to two high-efficiency ARA100 ride-ons, maintaining cleanliness and safety while lowering operational expenses.

In the metals industry, specialized equipment is available to collect liquids such as oil and coolant along with metal chips, efficiently separating them for reuse or resale—minimizing waste and maximizing resource recovery.

In a non-woven fabric board manufacturing unit, airborne fabric fluffs from cutting and processing posed both a health risk and cleanliness challenge. A customized industrial vacuum system was integrated into the production line, effectively capturing lint at the source and improving workplace safety and hygiene.

An advanced airflow management system in the latest sweepers enhances dust control by integrating vacuum motors in the side brushes to capture airborne particles during sweeping. The ride-on models feature a self-leveling main brush to adjust for uneven factory or paver block flooring. Machines use an overthrow principle for maximizing hopper capacity, improving productivity, and reducing downtime.

Machines are designed with the lowest noise levels while providing the highest coverage area, brush, and suction pressures to ensure superior cleaning performance. A robust build with a steel chassis and high-quality components extends machine lifespan, reducing breakdowns and maintenance costs. This not only lowers overall ownership costs but also reduces environmental impact by minimizing plastic waste.

Maintenance, Operations, Effectiveness

A streamlined design focuses on essential components, eliminating unnecessary complexity for improved functionality and maintenance. Scrubber dryers feature just two operation buttons — one for water/brush and another for suction. Large ride-on machines have swivel recovery tanks for quick access to vital components and batteries. Simple electrical wiring and basic mechanical operations enhance ease of maintenance.

Each machine is supplied with easy-to-understand operation and maintenance manuals, along with self-help troubleshooting videos. A language-free, symbol-oriented maintenance card is included for daily and weekly upkeep, complemented by stickers on machine parts for easy reference. A yellow circle indicates daily cleaning, while a yellow square marks weekly maintenance tasks.

A highly capable team of technicians is always available for support, ensuring machines operate at peak efficiency with minimal downtime.

Enzyme-Based Solutions: Decoding What is Truly Sustainable

Kshitiz Chaudhary, Founder & MD, Cizar Hygienecare Pvt. Ltd.

When evaluating enzyme-based cleaning solutions, buyers should start by closely examining the ingredients. A genuinely sustainable product should use biodegradable, non-toxic components, free from harsh chemicals, and pH is a factor when you can understand if it is safe or not.

There could be the claim that a cleaning chemical is enzyme-based, hence considered an eco-friendly cleaning chemical, but you can use enzymes to enhance the efficacy of your present toxic chemical-based cleaning chemicals. Buyers should look for full ingredient disclosure.

Beyond ingredients, efficacy and dilution are where enzyme-based products distinguish themselves. A good formulation will work effectively at high dilutions, reducing both cost-in-use and packaging waste and environmental impact.

Additionally, the contact time required for action should align with the intended application — fast-acting for daily cleaning, longer dwell times for deep cleaning or organic digestion. In sum, enzyme cleaners can offer powerful, sustainable alternatives to traditional chemicals when chosen based on transparent formulation, proven performance, and responsible use recommendations.

Choosing Equipment-Compatible Chemical Solutions

Sahil Jain, Managing Director, columbus Cleaning Machines Pvt Ltd.

Certain chemical solutions, while effective at cleaning, can inadvertently damage cleaning equipment if not chosen carefully. Harsh acids and bases — such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide — can corrode steel and degrade seals, leading to premature equipment failure.

Strong oxidisers like hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, or bleach may deteriorate plastics, rubber components, and sensitive fittings if not properly rinsed.

Solvent-based degreasers, often used to remove oily residues, can be particularly aggressive — drying out gaskets, softening tubing, or affecting pump seals. Even alcohols like isopropanol, though commonly used, can weaken machines over time.

These risks highlight the need to balance cleaning power with chemical compatibility to avoid compromising equipment performance.

Also, for particularly challenging or aggressive environments, we always suggest choosing the right SOPs along with specific machines like stainless steel chassis or oil-resistant squeegees and rubber guards.

On the other hand, certain formulations can help maintain and even extend the life of cleaning equipment. Neutral-pH detergents and low-residue disinfectants are generally safer for internal components and reduce the risk of buildup or clogging.

Degreasers, often water-based or emulsifying types, offer strong cleaning action for oily surfaces without the material damage associated with harsher solvents. Anti-foaming agents, when incorporated into cleaning solutions, also play a crucial role by preventing excessive foam generation that can disrupt sensors, or cause suction motors to fail.

Selecting cleaning agents with both performance and material safety in mind ensures operational reliability and extends the service life of critical cleaning equipment. We always advise customers to perform small-scale compatibility and efficacy tests before full-scale implementation, especially when using a new chemical or cleaning a new material.

Preserving Equipment in Critical Environments

Saleel Kodambadan, Sr. Manager – Training & Business Operations (Kerala), Tennant Company

When evaluating chemical solutions for critical area cleaning, it is essential to choose products that do not compromise the performance or longevity of cleaning equipment.

Chemicals should be tested and proven non-reactive with sensitive internal components like seals, pumps, tanks, spray nozzles, and dosing systems. This is especially important for machines that rely on automated chemical dosing, where the viscosity and concentration of the solution must remain consistent to ensure accurate delivery.

Using incompatible chemicals can lead to equipment breakdowns, inaccurate dosing, clogging, or even void warranties.

Equally important is choosing low-foam, non-corrosive, and residue-free formulations that meet hygiene and environmental standards. In critical environments such as pharmaceutical cleanrooms, hospitals, and food processing units, these solutions must leave no films or residues that could affect sterility or compliance.

Choose chemicals certified by recognised agencies like NSF, CE, or REACH, and aligned with cGMP, HACCP, or ISO cleanroom classifications. Most importantly, ensure they come with documented compatibility for specific equipment types — such as floor scrubbers, vacuum cleaners, or high-pressure washers — to maintain operational efficiency and support compliance goals.

Understanding Green Chemistry and Certification

Sandhya Shrivastava, PhD, Director, Bhavan’s Research Center, Retd. Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Bhavan’s College

Green chemicals, also known as environmentally friendly or sustainable chemicals, are substances designed to minimise harm to human health and the environment, as these aim to reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances during the design, manufacture, and application of chemical products.

Their relevance is growing rapidly, in almost all sectors as the general public, industry, and regulatory bodies are getting more concerned and cautious about environmental safety and sustainability.

Though there are multiple areas where green chemicals are being used, there is a focused approach for using the green chemicals in the areas of cleaning and disinfection, as most of the currently used chemicals are harsh, contributing to not only pollutants, but also leading to development of antimicrobial resistance.

Key Features

1. Non-toxic or low toxicity, biodegradable: Traditional cleaning agents such as bleach, ammonia, phenols are being replaced by biodegradable actives, such as hydrogen peroxide, organic acids (viz. citric, lactic, or acetic), enzymes (viz. proteases, amylases, lipases), plant-based surfactants (viz. coconut, corn-derived).
2. Environmental Footprint Reduction: The green chemicals degrade rapidly in natural environment, bioaccumulation and residual toxicity for aquatic life is minimal. Chemical burden in wastewater is reduced. Rate of development of resistance to antimicrobial agents is also lowered.
3. Use of solvent-free or benign solvent systems: Using water-based or green solvents like ethanol, glycerol, or ethyl lactate, as against chlorinated or petrochemical-based agents.
4. Compliance and Certifications: Products that follow sustainable cleaning chemistry principles are often certified under BIS Eco Mark (India), ECOCERT (Europe), US EPA Safer Choice (USA), etc.
5. Limitations of using Green Chemicals: Higher cost (H₂O₂ vs phenolics), lesser efficacy (less potent, slow-acting), shorter shelf life (as are more sensitive to temperature, light, or contamination), standardisation and certification challenges.

Transitioning to Sustainable Cleaning Options for a Microbiology Laboratory

• Reduction in environmental footprint: Green disinfectants like hydrogen peroxide or plant-based quats can replace harsher compounds like glutaraldehyde or chlorine-based agents.
• Use of chemicals that degrade more readily, simplifying downstream waste treatment.
• Improves safety for staff, thus helps with alignment with biosafety and regulatory requirements.
• Aligns with ESG goals and sustainability mandates.

In conclusion, with numerous research laboratories and industries working on green chemicals, integration of green cleaning chemicals in all walks of life is a practical and ethical step toward safer, more sustainable practice for meeting one-health objective.

While initial adoption may require planning and investment, the long-term benefits — safer workspaces, regulatory compliance, and reduced environmental footprint — make the transition both necessary and worthwhile.

With increasing awareness and the growing availability of certified products in India, now is the ideal time for creating awareness and for institutions to embrace green chemistry.

Prioritising Ingredients to Align with Sustainability

Vanchinathan Sivaswamy, Head-Sales, SAARC, Rossari Professional

1. Biodegradable Ingredients: Our formulations incorporate ingredients that break down naturally and quickly in the environment, minimising ecological impact.
2. Non-Toxic Composition: We ensure our cleaning chemicals are free from harmful substances such as phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, VOCs and synthetic fragrances, promoting safety for both users and ecosystems.
3. Use of Renewable and Natural Raw Materials: Rossari Professional emphasises sourcing ingredients derived from renewable resources, reducing dependency on petrochemical-based components and supporting sustainable supply chains.
4. Elimination of Hazardous Chemicals: Our products are formulated to exclude persistent and hazardous substances, adhering to global safety and environmental standards.
5. Low VOC Emissions: We develop products with low or zero VOC content to improve indoor air quality and reduce atmospheric pollution.
6. Certifications and Eco-Labels: Our products often carry recognised sustainability certifications like Green Seal reflecting our commitment to environmental responsibility.
7. Concentrated Formulations & Eco-Friendly Packaging: We focus on creating concentrated formulas that reduce packaging waste and transportation footprint, paired with recyclable and eco-conscious packaging options.
8. Fragrance and Dye-Free Options: To promote health and environmental safety, many of our cleaning solutions are fragrance-free or utilise natural scents, avoiding synthetic dyes and fragrances.

Advanced cleaning technology is not just about speed — it ensures consistent quality, reduces resource consumption and pays back its investment in under two years.

How does investing in advanced cleaning equipment reduce overall cleaning time and labour costs?

The implementation of ride-on scrubber dryers provides a reduction of over 50 per cent of working time compared to standard walk-behind scrubber dryers. The faster working speed enables time saving and labour cost savings.

The extra costs for the purchase of a ride-on scrubber dryer will be balanced within two years, with return on investment achievable in 18 to 20 months. Using ride-on scrubbers instead of walk-behind scrubbers leads to higher cost effectiveness.

Comparison between Walk-Behind and Ride-On Scrubber Dryers

• Working Width: 55 cm (walk-behind) vs 66 cm (ride-on)
• Cleaning Speed: 2.5 km/h vs 4–6 km/h
• Practical Coverage Area: 1500 m²/h vs 2770 m²/h
• Increased Efficiency (Surface): +1270 m² with ride-on
• Time Saving per Hour: 32 minutes (54%)
• Time Saving per Year: 640 hours

On a medium-sized area of 30,000 sqm

• Walk-behind machines (5 units + 5 operators): ₹1,65,000 per month
• Ride-on machines (3 units + 3 operators): ₹1,35,000 per month — an 18 per cent saving
• Higher the area, higher the savings.

How does modern cleaning technology improve cleaning quality and consistency?

Modern cleaning technology provides a level of quality and consistency that is difficult to achieve with manual labour.

Automated machines are programmed to follow precise patterns and apply the correct amount of pressure, detergent and water, ensuring a uniform clean across all surfaces. This eliminates the risk of human error, such as skipping a spot or applying too much or too little cleaning solution.

columbus machines come with HACCP compliant tanks and advanced features like microfibre technology and specialised brushes and squeegees that capture microscopic dirt particles and allergens, leading to a deeper and more hygienic clean.

This is particularly important in sensitive environments like hospitals and food processing facilities, where a high standard of cleanliness is non-negotiable.

“We want to push forward, not just lead the way. We therefore focus our attention on the essentials: What are the innovations that solve real problems? How do we implement them without making the machines more frail? And last but not least, the supreme discipline of engineering: How can we simplify existing solutions to such an extent that our machines become even more robust and sustainable?”

How does automated or smart cleaning equipment impact energy, water and chemical usage costs?

Sustainability is a key feature of all modern cleaning equipment. Less material consumption thanks to purist engineering, targeted use of recyclable materials, intelligent metering systems, energy-efficient, smooth-running gearboxes with minimum three-years warranty – these are just some of the parameters through which we are continually optimising the sustainability of our products.

The most important, however, is and remains the durability of our machines. Because only what lasts a long time can really be green.

Water-saving features, such as smart-dosing systems, Quick-Stop, splash guard and the special columbus-patented Water-Stop brushes can reduce water consumption by a significant margin.

Similarly, chemical-dosing systems ensure that the precise amount of cleaning solution is used for each task, preventing wastage and reducing the overall cost of chemicals. This not only benefits the environment and surface but also leads to substantial long-term savings.

Energy-efficient motors, low-noise operation and timed cleaning cycles reduce power consumption. These optimisations directly contribute to lower utility bills and chemical procurement costs — further enhancing the bottom line while supporting environmental goals.

What role does equipment durability and low maintenance play in long-term profitability?

The initial investment in advanced cleaning equipment might seem high, but its durability and low maintenance requirements make it a profitable long-term asset.

High-quality machines are built with robust materials that can withstand rigorous daily use, reducing the frequency of repairs and replacements. This minimises downtime and ensures that cleaning operations run smoothly without interruption.

Moreover, all our machines are designed for easy maintenance, with modular parts that are simple to replace. This reduces maintenance costs and the need for specialised technicians.

The combination of durability and low maintenance ensures a longer lifespan for the equipment, providing a greater return on investment and contributing significantly to the company’s long-term profitability.

The country’s Union Budget, presented earlier in the year by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, doubles down on a familiar ambition — build bigger, build faster, and build across sectors. From high-speed rail corridors and logistics networks to industrial clusters and urban expansion — the blueprint for growth is firmly anchored in infrastructure.

But as cranes rise and concrete spreads, a quieter, less visible layer of this growth story is beginning to come into focus: What happens after the build is complete?

For India’s cleaning ecosystem, the Budget does not offer direct policy triggers. Yet it sets in motion a chain reaction. Every airport terminal, warehouse, hospital, metro station or industrial hub being planned today becomes, eventually, a space that must be cleaned, maintained and managed — not occasionally, but continuously.

The result is a sector that sits just outside the spotlight of policy, but increasingly at the centre of execution.

Industry voices suggest that the opportunity is real, expanding and inevitable — but also gradual, uneven and shaped by on-ground realities of cost, scale, skills and adoption.

Think Upkeep

As infrastructure creation accelerates, a key theme emerging from the industry is the need to align construction with long-term upkeep.

“India’s strong push toward infrastructure creation through record capital expenditure is undoubtedly a positive step for economic growth. However, while we are building world-class transport networks, logistics hubs, airports, industrial parks, and urban infrastructure at an unprecedented pace, the conversation around long-term maintenance of hygiene and cleanliness at these locations is still evolving,” says Vedant Matta, Director-Sales of Charnock Equipments Pvt Ltd.

Vedant points out that globally, infrastructure planning integrates mechanised cleaning, facility management and predictive maintenance at the design stage. “In India, however, maintenance technologies are often introduced only after the asset becomes operational,” he says.

This, he notes, can lead to inefficiencies, higher costs and faster deterioration of public infrastructure. “As the country expands its asset base, there is a growing need to embed modern cleaning technologies, smart facility management systems, and data-driven maintenance planning into infrastructure projects from the outset. This will not only extend the lifespan of assets but also ensure hygiene, safety, and sustainability in high-footfall environments such as airports, metro stations, hospitals, and public buildings,” adds Vedant.

“As the country expands its asset base, there is a growing need to embed modern cleaning technologies, smart facility management systems, and data-driven maintenance planning into infrastructure projects from the outset.”
— Vedant Matta

According to Sahil Jain, Managing Director of Columbus Cleaning Machines Pvt Ltd, the cleaning industry will not see an immediate spike, with most benefits expected to accrue over the long term. “The government’s focus on infrastructure development, civic spending and smart cities is expected to create opportunities over time. However, cleaning is not something which has come into direct focus as infrastructure projects will not generate immediate demand. But once they get commissioned, that will obviously add something to the industry segment,” says Jain.

In the near term, increased public capital expenditure could provide indirect support. “When they increase the public capital expenditure, it basically also acts as an impetus to the private sector infrastructure development,” adds Sahil.

According to him, this expansion is expected to create demand for cleaning services and systems. “If you have more warehouses, you will obviously need scanning machines, cleaning manpower, cleaning systems in place,” he adds.

“The government’s focus on infrastructure development, civic spending and smart cities is expected to create opportunities over time. However, cleaning is not something which has come into direct focus as infrastructure projects will not generate immediate demand. But once they get commissioned, that will obviously add something to the industry segment.”
— Sahil Jain

Big Change

As infrastructure scales up, the cleaning ecosystem is being pushed to evolve alongside it.

Vedant highlights that India’s cleaning ecosystem has historically been labour-intensive, largely because labour availability made manual cleaning economically viable. However, the scale and complexity of infrastructure being created today — large airports, metro systems, industrial corridors, logistics parks, and mega manufacturing facilities — are fundamentally changing operational requirements.

“The Union Budget’s continued focus on infrastructure expansion and rising capital expenditure is reinforcing the creation of large, high-footfall public and industrial assets that demand far more efficient and standardised maintenance practices. In such environments, manual cleaning alone is no longer sufficient. Facility operators increasingly require mechanised cleaning equipment, automation, and productivity-driven solutions to maintain large areas efficiently while meeting higher standards of hygiene and safety,” says Vedant.

The Budget positions robotics and AI as “core productivity drivers”. According to Anil Sathe, Chief Growth Officer at Kinetiq RRobotics, adoption on the ground is evolving in phases. “The mid-market is still evaluating, but the shift from ‘cost’ to ‘capability’ has clearly begun. There is a marginal shift in the outlook towards robots as productivity and efficient tools. However, large enterprises in India have already moved from discussion mode to piloting robots to measuring productivity and efficiency gains,” says Anil.

He adds that with millennials in decision-making roles gradually handing over to Gen Z, “we will witness a paradigm shift in the use of AI and robotics in the coming years and this will be very fast”.

On India’s ambition to become an automation execution hub, Anil believes that the country is “on the cusp,” with talent and adaptability already in place. However, he emphasises that policy support, infrastructure consistency and hardware localisation will be critical to scaling that vision.

However, Anil emphasises that the ecosystem will need to adapt, with greater focus on application-level and technician-focused training to support large-scale deployment and maintenance of robotics. “We have the necessary skill set available in the country, and with proper government funding and initiatives, this can be realised into the workforce seamlessly,” he says while underlining the need to align training with real-world operational requirements.

“India is on the cusp and a boost due from government policy and initiatives would be a major step in the right direction. India has the talent and adaptability to become an automation execution hub.”
— Anil Sathe

Opening Avenues

As infrastructure expands and policy direction supports technology adoption, the shift toward mechanised and robotic solutions is becoming more visible — though it remains closely tied to economics and real-world viability.

Vedant notes that while the budget may not directly legislate mechanisation, its broader policy direction — supporting infrastructure growth, manufacturing and technology adoption — “creates the right ecosystem for this transition”. “As the scale of assets increases, the economics naturally begin to favour machine-assisted cleaning systems that improve productivity, reduce dependence on large labour pools, and ensure consistent quality,” he says.

For Charnock Equipments Pvt. Ltd., Vedant describes this as a “significant inflection point”, adding that it will accelerate the adoption of mechanised cleaning across sectors.

At the same time, Anil highlights that adoption — especially in robotics — is evolving alongside funding access and business models. “MSMEs will adopt and will see a shift towards automated solutions as more local and government funding and initiatives are made accessible to the robotics sector. The market will evolve through Capex-led investments, but the real trigger will come from flexible models such as pay-as-you-use (PAYU) and Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS),” he explains.

However, the transition is still strongly influenced by return on investment. While AI is already widely used in computing and design, Anil points out that robotic cleaning solutions still lag due to ROI constraints. “Once the price differential between mechanised and robotic solutions breaches approximately 40%, we will witness a shift towards robotic cleaning solutions. For wider adoption, robots need to deliver a clear 12–18-month payback. When the monthly cost aligns with 1.5–2 manpower equivalents, the decision becomes much easier,” adds Anil.

Early signals of this shift are already visible. “The budget has improved intent and enquiry levels. We are seeing more serious conversations, especially at leadership levels, though conversions still depend on ROI clarity. With infrastructure expanding, this shift towards AI and robotic solutions is beginning to reflect in sales funnels, supported by measurable data from proof-of-concept deployments across sectors,” says Anil.

Adoption is also likely to vary by sector. “Healthcare, food and pharma and education will lead adoption because hygiene is non-negotiable. In these environments, the value of consistency and compliance is immediate and measurable. At the same time, airports are already among the fastest and largest adopters of robotics, driven by large infrastructure players such as Adani, Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao (GMR) and Gunupati Venkata Krishna Reddy (GVK),” says Anil.

Work In Progress

While the Union Budget continues to emphasise strengthening the country’s manufacturing ecosystem and industrial supply chains, industry voices suggest that the path toward localisation remains gradual and constrained by current market realities.

Vedant notes that the policy direction presents a significant opportunity for the professional cleaning equipment industry. “However, the current consumption volumes of mechanized cleaning machines in India do not justify the costs associated with producing completely indigenous equipment and are acting as a deterrent for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) like us to operate full scale end to end manufacturing units in India,” he says.

At present, certain high-end machines and critical components are still largely imported, particularly those involving advanced electronics, specialized motors, fleet management and automation technologies.

For now, import dependence remains significant. Matta explains that certain high-end machines and critical components continue to be largely imported, particularly those involving advanced electronics, specialised motors, fleet management and automation technologies.

A similar reality exists in robotics. Shares Anil, “India still lacks the infrastructure and capabilities for mass-scale production of robotics… and we have very few indigenous products in the market.”

However, he highlights that the country has strong software capabilities and skilled manpower, which are currently playing a key role in adapting robotics solutions for the domestic market. “We are on the right track to take a big leap,” he adds.

At the same time, access to policy incentives remains uneven. Sahil points out that manufacturing incentives are largely designed for large-scale industries, particularly sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronics. “For a country as big as India, the cleaning machines industry is still very small. They give PLIs and incentives to big companies and the others like us where investments are lower generally do not get a lot of incentives from the government,” he says, noting that such benefits are typically linked to investments running into thousands of crores and large-scale employment generation.

Matta, however, sees a long-term shift underway. As domestic demand becomes more predictable, he says, there will be increasing incentives for localisation, supply chain development and technology investment within India. “For us, the opportunity lies in gradually strengthening local manufacturing while combining global technology with Indian engineering and cost efficiencies,” he says.

Over time, he adds, this could help reduce dependence on imports and position India not just as a large consumer market, but also as a competitive manufacturing hub for professional cleaning equipment.

Next Phase

As the Budget continues to emphasise infrastructure, industrial expansion and services, industry experts stress on the combination of policy direction, workforce readiness and operating models that will shape the future of the cleaning and automation ecosystem.

Vedant feels that if one policy direction has the potential to significantly transform the professional cleaning industry, it is the government’s continued emphasis on large-scale infrastructure and industrial development through sustained capital expenditure. He adds that India’s flagship initiative, “Swacch Bharat Abhiyan,” should gradually move towards the use of mechanised cleaning equipment to ensure more efficient and effective maintenance of cleaning standards across the country.

Vedant also highlights the growing importance of economic clusters such as manufacturing zones, logistics parks and integrated commercial hubs. “The development of these clusters will create significant opportunities for automated and industrial cleaning equipment. These environments operate on the synergy of vast built-up areas, high operational intensity and continuous movement of goods and people, all of which require consistent and efficient maintenance,” he says.

Anil emphasises that the next phase of growth will be driven by partnerships rather than standalone product sales. “The future lies in partnerships — especially with integrated facility management and facility management companies — where robotics is embedded into service delivery rather than sold as standalone products,” he says.

Anil added that companies are increasingly adopting a multi-point go-to-market approach, combining direct and indirect sales while working closely with facility management firms, which he described as “a great catalyst in this growth process.”

At the same time, workforce capability remains central to this transition. Matta is of the strong view that training and skill development will be absolutely critical as the industry moves towards mechanisation.

The Budget’s focus on linking education to employment in service sectors is therefore a positive step, creating opportunities for an influx of fresh manpower and structured skill development programmes.

According to Vedant, these can help workers transition from manual roles to machine operators, supervisors and facility management professionals, improving not just efficiency but also safety and long-term career prospects. “Ultimately, the future of the professional cleaning industry in India will depend not only on advanced equipment, but also on a well-trained workforce capable of operating and maintaining these technologies effectively,” he says.

This in-depth feature from Clean India Journal explores how regional airports like Ayodhya, Pune, Trichy, and Ahmedabad are redefining hygiene through a blend of technology, planning, and people power.

With case studies spanning automated cleaning, green design and agile staffing models, the report highlights how smart facility management is becoming mission-critical in ensuring safe, clean and passenger-ready terminals across the country.

As India’s aviation sector expands across metro and Tier II & III cities, the load on airport hygiene systems is more pronounced than ever.

From managing unpredictable crowd surges at Tier-2 airports to integrating robotics in sprawling terminals, the pain points are consistent: manpower limitations, delayed security clearances, misuse of sensor-based fixtures and a rising demand for cleanliness meeting compliance and comfort.

Through a cross-section of case studies from the fully automated systems of Ahmedabad to the people-led adaptability of Ayodhya, Clean India Journal interacts with airports as they redefine cleanliness to a strategic, real-time response system.

Redefining Airport Hygiene

Each of the stories in the following pages reveals a unique formula. Pune’s green-led master planning, Trichy’s scale-ready infrastructure, Ayodhya’s preparation mode, DTSS’s flexible manpower tactics and Tenon’s high-control zone delivery — all anchored in real-life operational pressures.

Together, they paint a larger picture of how India’s airports are not only responding to hygiene demands, but setting new benchmarks through design, technology and planning.

As passenger expectations rise and the spotlight on public hygiene sharpens, airport facility management is no longer invisible. It is central, visible and mission critical.

“Clean, efficient and well-managed hospitals are not just about hygiene — they are about healing, dignity and trust.”

— Sanjeev Kumar

The strong odour of phenyl which greets patients on entering hospitals is a thing of the past. Nowadays, the chemicals used for critical cleaning in hospitals are anything but smelly, yet they achieve the required level of hygiene and sterilisation. This transformation of large private institutions and smaller government facilities has been a pleasant surprise.

DTSS achieved this in Puducherry through awareness and consistency, using videos and posters to bring about a significant change in hospitals. This change has led to moments where patients being discharged share their happiness with housekeeping staff through warm embraces and generous words of praise. This previously unheard-of change in behaviour is particularly significant in smaller cities across India.

Setting New Standards

The government of Puducherry took a major step in strengthening its public healthcare infrastructure with the construction of the Super Speciality Hospital for Women and Children in 2011. To sustain the hospital’s operational excellence and maintain high standards of hygiene and safety, the government adopted a progressive approach — outsourcing non-clinical functions to professional facility management specialists.

DTSS was awarded the contract in 2024 to manage non-clinical operations completely at two of Puducherry’s largest government hospitals — together spanning over 5 lakh sq. ft. and 1,100-plus beds.

The Rajiv Gandhi Government Women & Children Hospital (RGGW&CH) has 500 beds and is spread over approximately three lakh sq. ft., while the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital & Post Graduate Institute (IGGGH&PGI) has 626 beds spread over approximately 2.4 lakh sq. ft.

DTSS transformed the hospital environments, setting a new benchmark for public healthcare facility management and earning the coveted Swachh Bharat Award for excellence in cleanliness and hygiene. And all this in just nine months.

Working With a Vision

The engagement was conceived as a comprehensive IFM partnership — integrating diverse non-clinical services under one accountable, technology-enabled system.

DTSS’s scope included:

• Mechanised Cleaning & Housekeeping
• Facility Engineering (MEP)
• Linen & Laundry
• Biomedical Waste Management
• Diet Production & Patient Service
• Front Desk Management
• Security & Surveillance
• Landscaping & Garden Maintenance

The project aimed at addressing core challenges within the system, including fragmented service delivery and multiple vendors, deferred maintenance and infrastructure risk, pressure concerning hygiene and infection risk, cost pressure and inefficient processes, regulatory and accreditation compliance issues, unsatisfactory patient and visitor experience and challenges with the legacy workforce.

“DTSS’s integrated approach brought in measurable improvement in hygiene, safety, and patient satisfaction — essential metrics for any modern healthcare facility,” said Sanjeev.

9 Pillars of Transformation

DTSS focused its efforts across nine strategic areas to deliver systemic improvement:

• 1. Service Integration: Unified all non-clinical services under one management system.
• 2. Preventive Maintenance: Established planned asset care programmes for all MEP systems.
• 3. Advanced Cleaning Technologies: Introduced robotic floor cleaners and mechanised systems for consistent hygiene.
• 4. Skilled Workforce: Deployed 450-plus trained personnel certified in hospital cleaning and infection control.
• 5. Hygienic Diet & Laundry: Ensured hygienic, traceable, and patient-focused diet and linen services.
• 6. Front Desk Experience: Professionalised patient reception and visitor management.
• 7. Healing Ambience: Improved landscaping and interior greenery for a soothing environment.
• 8. Key Performance Indicator Monitoring: Used measurable metrics to track service quality and compliance.
• 9. Digital Enablement: Integrated CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) software for real-time monitoring and reporting.

Tangible Outcomes Delivered

The transformation quickly yielded clear results, with the most significant improvement being in infection control and hygiene standards. There was also:

• A reduction in the average patient stay and improved operational reliability.
• Enhanced patient and visitor satisfaction due to visible cleanliness and ambience.
• Integrated services that led to cost savings and better accountability.
• Digital dashboards that enabled transparent governance and regulatory compliance.
• Full alignment with the Swachh Bharat Mission’s vision for cleaner healthcare institutions.

Value Additions

DTSS’s model extended beyond optimising hospital operations — it strengthened the entire healthcare ecosystem.

For instance, maternity wards often presented challenges due to body discharge from the birthing process. Compounding this, the disposal of sanitary napkins by flushing them in toilets frequently caused clogging and added to unhygienic conditions for new mothers and infants.

This unsanitary practice has been slowly rooted out with constant displays of videos and posters to patients and visitors alike on the dangers of this method of disposal. The fact that the housekeeping team is burdened with the removal, cleaning and disposal of used sanitary napkins is driven home constantly to sensitise all within the hospital walls.

Let’s take a look at the value-adds:

1. Patient-Centric Outcomes

• Enhanced healing environment through cleaner, safer spaces that reduce HAI risks.
• Improved patient comfort and satisfaction through well-coordinated support services.

2. Operational & Administrative Efficiency

• Reduced management complexity with a single-point IFM partner.
• CAFM dashboards provided real-time visibility into performance metrics and compliance.
• Optimised resource utilisation lowered operational costs without compromising quality.

3. Compliance & Accreditation Readiness

• Strengthened adherence to NABH, Infection Control, and Biomedical Waste Management standards.
• Continuous internal audits improved readiness for external inspections and accreditations.

4. Workforce Empowerment & Local Employment

• Over 450 local employees were upskilled in hospital hygiene, infection control and biomedical waste handling.
• Training and certification programmes improved workforce retention and employability within the healthcare services sector.

5. Environmental Sustainability

• Adoption of green cleaning chemicals, energy-efficient tools, and responsible waste segregation.
• Reinforced the government’s commitment to sustainable public health infrastructure.

6. Public Health & Community Confidence

• Cleaner and well-managed hospitals strengthened public confidence in government healthcare services.
• The Puducherry IFM model now serves as a replicable framework for other states to modernise public hospitals through PPP-driven solutions.

Recognition and Awards

This remarkable transformation was nationally recognised when both hospitals — RGGW&CH and IGGGH&PGI — were awarded the Swachh Bharat Award for excellence in hospital hygiene and sustainable facility management.

Today, the organisation serves 100-plus hospitals across India, including Manipal Hospitals, Apollo Hospitals, Bombay Hospital, Indraprastha Medical Corporation, and Tata Medical Trust, continuing its mission to deliver safe, sustainable and patient-centric healthcare environments nationwide.

“Clean, efficient and well-managed hospitals are not just about hygiene — they are about healing, dignity and trust. DTSS’s work in Puducherry proves that public healthcare can be managed to a high standard,” added Sanjeev.

The event, organised by VIS Group and Messe Frankfurt and powered by Clean India Journal, saw intense competition, particularly in the Sustainability Leader of the Year and Champion of the Year categories, which received the highest number of entries. Due to the high calibre of submissions, jury's choice and special awards were instituted to recognise more well-deserving winners.

The CREFM Masterstroke Awards are unique as they focus on the recognition of successful operational models rather than just general performance. They aim to identify and honour the successful models adopted by service providers and FM professionals, celebrating those who are leveraging innovative products, solutions and processes to create a lasting impact.

Climbing mountains in sustainability

Our applicants have climbed mountains in the sustainability category. A few notable mentions are:

Team Prakriti from Sasken Technologies Ltd has achieved a commendable 86% reduction in GHG emissions. Beyond operations, their scalable initiatives, like the Kaizen engagement framework and the digitisation of grassroots women's empowerment programmes with SEWA, are notably significant.

Dusters Total Solutions Services Pvt Ltd achieved measurable environmental results. In FY 2024–25, the company achieved significant milestones, as below:

• Scope 2 emissions reduced from 414.99 tCO₂e to 395.70 tCO₂e.
• Scope 3 emissions reduced from 1,343.18 tCO₂e to 1,298.31 tCO₂e.
• Continuous improvement in energy efficiency, notably achieving 25% energy savings at the DCW Thoothukudi site through HVAC system optimisation.
• Formal adoption of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to a Net-Zero Carbon goal by 2040.
• Reporting aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) frameworks.

World Trade Centre – Kochi, managed by Brigade Group, has initiated green energy power procurement from 2024 from KINESCO for common areas, which is around 3.3 lakh kWh per month. They quantified a lot of their sustainable initiatives; their total water savings per year with the usage of waterless urinals is 2,340 KL.

The jury

The esteemed panel of jury included Dilip Lalwani, who has served over 25 years at Sodexo India and in the healthcare and aviation industries previously; Pallavi Chaudhari, who comes with a distinguished industry career and is currently a respected academic leader at DY Patil Deemed to be University; Prof Dr Wilson Lukose, who brings over 28 years of academic and industry expertise and is currently principal in-charge at Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Hotel & Tourism Studies; and Lt Col Navinder Narang, distinguished veteran, corporate leader and acclaimed author, having served in senior leadership roles within the ICICI group.

Clean India Journal extends its hearty congratulations once again to all the winners and participants of the CREFM Masterstroke Awards.

The winners

Champion of the Year (FM Service Provider)

• Winner: Compass Group – Support Services
• Runner-up 1: Tenon FM
• Runner-up 2: BVG India
• Runner-up 3: Unify FM Pvt Ltd
• Jury's Choice: PSM Facility & Facile Facility Management

Champion of the Year (FM Professional)

• Winner: Pranay Thakar – Adani Group
• Runner-up: Harshalata Mishra – Jio World Centre
• Jury's Choice: Oliver Andrew – TCS Ltd

Sustainability Leader of the Year (FM Service Provider)

• Winner: World Trade Center – Kochi
• Runner-up 1: Sasken Technologies Ltd
• Runner-up 2: Dusters Total Solutions Services Pvt Ltd

Sustainability Leader of the Year (FM Professional)

• Winner: Abhishek Dole – Bajaj General Insurance Ltd
• Runner-up: Sayantan Sinha – JMD Ltd
• Special Award: Arulkumar U – My Home Constructions Pvt Ltd

Best Sustainable Model – Commercial Space

• Winner: Wipro Limited (Coimbatore)
• Runner-up: World Trade Center – Chennai
• Jury's Choice: Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd
• Special Award: OCS Group India

More than a decade ago, when Fransiska Barla left her village for Ranchi, she was looking for work that would help her family get through each day.

Before joining Manipal Hospital, she took up domestic work for about a month — sweeping, washing utensils and whatever came her way. "It was difficult in the beginning; I had never worked before this," said Fransiska.

In 2015, she joined Duster Total Solutions Services (DTSS), the facility management company responsible for the services at the hospital.

Experience teaches

"Initially, I began with the most basic responsibilities — cleaning clothes, women's washrooms. Over time, I moved to ward cleaning, learning each task step by step."

Fransiska learned everything on the job. From understanding hygiene protocols to handling cleaning chemicals in precise dilutions, her knowledge came from observation, practice and persistence. Today, she speaks of chemical compositions and cleaning techniques with clarity.

Fransiska's sincerity did not go unnoticed. "They liked my work." Referring to her seniors in DTSS — Sameer and Subodh Sir — she said: "They asked me if I would like to be a supervisor of the housekeeping team."

The transition, however, was not easy. "It was very difficult initially. I would cry too. But my seniors supported and encouraged me."

"If you scold, the workers' mind doesn't work. If you explain calmly, they understand."

Empathy, not authority

Fransiska's promotion to supervisor in 2019 marked more than a professional shift — it changed how the world addressed her, and how she saw herself.

She remembered being addressed as "Ma'am" very early, which felt unfamiliar. "When people suddenly started wishing me 'Good Morning Ma'am', it felt strange," she remembers. But over time, the hesitation gave way to comfort and eventually to pride.

Today, Fransiska oversees nearly 150 staff members, all women. Her day begins before her shift with checking attendance, assigning duties, conducting briefings, and ensuring every area is covered.

But what defines her leadership is not authority — it is empathy. "If someone does not do the work properly, I explain it with patience." She consciously avoids scolding. "If you scold, their mind does not work. If you explain calmly, they understand."

Her approach comes from experience — of having once been inexperienced, unsure and naïve.

Even as she manages a large team, she remains conscious of the limitations. "We are not very educated, but we try to gain knowledge through everyday experiences."

Lead by example

In a workforce where staff is all women, Fransiska's journey carries a deeper significance. She is not just managing teams — she is quietly setting an example.

Her message to other women is simple and grounded: work with sincerity, support your family, and don't hold yourself back.

Cleaning, for her, is not just routine — it is directly linked to the safety of the patients. "In a hospital, hygiene is most important. If it is not clean, patients can get infections."

Her understanding of cleanliness goes beyond surface-level — it is about ensuring that every space, from washrooms to wards, is maintained in a way that does not put patients at risk. "We are well aware of what cleaning agents to use and in what proportions. Different surfaces require different approaches, and we are mindful of that."

Among the many days that have passed in routine, one moment has stayed with her. During a round in a private ward, a patient noticed her work and appreciated the cleanliness of the premises. "I do not remember the patient's name, but I do remember his room number was 124. I felt very happy that day."

Family support

With parents and siblings to support, the responsibility rests entirely on her shoulders. "My family is very happy now."

Her income supports not just daily needs, but also her siblings' education — making her a key pillar in her family's progress.

Where work was never small

If there is one belief that defines her journey, it is this: dignity lies in how you approach your work. "Never consider work a burden," she says. "When you earn your own money, it feels good."

Fransiska sees this as the beginning. "I now aim at becoming an executive," she said.

"We can reflect on ten years of innovation, excellence, and a commitment to creating sustainable cleaning solutions that bring joy to people's lives," says Vanchinathan, enumerating the various milestones Rossari Professional has achieved and its transition.

From humble beginnings to global success

Rossari Professional's dedication to research and development, coupled with our unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, has allowed us to expand our reach across geographies, and our innovative cleaning solutions are trusted by our customers and associates.

Sustainable solutions for a greener future

We understand the importance of sustainability in today's world. Our products are not only effective in delivering cleanliness and hygiene but also environmentally friendly. Through continuous research, we have developed cutting-edge formulations that minimise the impact on our planet. From biodegradable ingredients to eco-friendly packaging, our commitment to a greener future is unwavering.

Innovation that ignites joy

One of the ways we add a touch of delight to cleaning is through our selection of fragrances. In addition to the aromatic offerings, we have developed smart cleaning solutions that simplify the entire process. Thus, combining passion for innovation with a deep understanding of customer needs, we have changed the game in the cleaning industry.

Empowering partnerships

Rossari Professional's success is rooted in strong partnerships. An extensive network of distributors, retailers, and customers has fostered collaborative relationships that fuel our growth. By listening to partners' needs and providing exceptional support, we have built a community that thrives on shared success.

Looking ahead to a bright future

As Rossari Professional celebrates its 10th anniversary, we think the journey is only beginning. With a clear vision for the future, we are expanding our product portfolio and embracing emerging technologies to remain at the forefront of innovation, ensuring that we shall continue to be a trusted name in cleaning for years to come.

Rossari Professional's prowess in surface hygiene and cleaning chemicals, combined with Hako's advanced machinery, aims at integrating technologies into cleaning processes, allowing for increased efficiency and effectiveness. By adopting smart technologies, such as advanced sensors and automation, the cleaning process can be streamlined, resulting in substantial time savings and improved results.

Rossari Professional, known for its commitment to quality and innovation, can now leverage Hako's established expertise in producing high-performance cleaning equipment.

"Together, we can make new offerings that elevate cleaning standards across various sectors. By combining our expertise, we are not only enhancing the technology available but also ensuring that our clients receive superior service. Together, we are committed to delivering sustainable and effective cleaning solutions that meet the highest standards."
— Vanchinathan S, Head of Sales – SAARC

Through the partnership, they plan to introduce eco-friendly cleaning solutions that minimise water and energy consumption while utilising biodegradable chemicals, aligning with global green initiatives.

Hako's lineup includes the Scrubmaster and Sweepmaster series, which incorporate state-of-the-art features designed for optimum effectiveness and ease of use.

Hako Scrubmaster and Sweepmaster series

The Hako Scrubmaster and Sweepmaster series represent the pinnacle of modern cleaning technology. Here are some notable features:

Scrubmaster series

• Efficient cleaning: equipped with advanced scrubbing technology that ensures deep cleaning of all surfaces, reducing labour costs and time.
• Intelligent water management: this feature optimises water usage, reducing waste and environmental impact.
• User-friendly control panel: designed to simplify operations, enabling quick adjustments, and making the machines easy to operate for all users.
• Compact design: perfect for navigating narrow spaces, making them ideal for various environments, including hotels, hospitals, and commercial spaces.

Sweepmaster series

• Powerful suction: these machines effectively pick up debris from various surfaces, ensuring a thorough clean without missing a spot.
• Versatile applications: suitable for indoor and outdoor use, making it an ideal choice for municipalities and large facilities like warehouses.
• Ergonomic design: designed for comfort and reduced operator fatigue, enhancing productivity during operation.
• Robust build quality: engineered to withstand rigorous daily use while delivering consistent performance over time.

Enzyme-based solutions: decoding what is truly sustainable

Kshitiz Chaudhary, Founder & MD, Cizar Hygienecare Pvt Ltd

When evaluating enzyme-based cleaning solutions, buyers should start by closely examining the ingredients. A genuinely sustainable product should use biodegradable, non-toxic components, free from harsh chemicals, and pH is a factor when you can understand if it is safe or not. There could be the claim that a cleaning chemical is enzyme-based, hence considered an eco-friendly cleaning chemical, but you can use enzymes to enhance the efficacy of your present toxic chemical-based cleaning chemicals. Buyers should look for full ingredient disclosure.

Beyond ingredients, efficacy and dilution are where enzyme-based products distinguish themselves. A good formulation will work effectively at high dilutions, reducing both cost-in-use and packaging waste and environmental impact.

Additionally, the contact time required for action should align with the intended application — fast-acting for daily cleaning, longer dwell times for deep cleaning or organic digestion. In sum, enzyme cleaners can offer powerful, sustainable alternatives to traditional chemicals when chosen based on transparent formulation, proven performance, and responsible use recommendations.

Choosing equipment-compatible chemical solutions

Sahil Jain, Managing Director, columbus Cleaning Machines Pvt Ltd

Certain chemical solutions, while effective at cleaning, can inadvertently damage cleaning equipment if not chosen carefully. Harsh acids and bases — such as hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide — can corrode steel and degrade seals, leading to premature equipment failure. Strong oxidisers like hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, or bleach may deteriorate plastics, rubber components, and sensitive fittings if not properly rinsed.

Solvent-based degreasers, often used to remove oily residues, can be particularly aggressive — drying out gaskets, softening tubing, or affecting pump seals. Even alcohols like isopropanol, though commonly used, can weaken machines over time. These risks highlight the need to balance cleaning power with chemical compatibility to avoid compromising equipment performance.

Also, for particularly challenging or aggressive environments, we always suggest choosing the right SOPs along with specific machines like stainless steel chassis or oil-resistant squeegees and rubber guards.

On the other hand, certain formulations can help maintain and even extend the life of cleaning equipment. Neutral-pH detergents and low-residue disinfectants are generally safer for internal components and reduce the risk of buildup or clogging. Degreasers, often water-based or emulsifying types, offer strong cleaning action for oily surfaces without the material damage associated with harsher solvents. Anti-foaming agents, when incorporated into cleaning solutions, also play a crucial role by preventing excessive foam generation that can disrupt sensors, or cause suction motors to fail.

Selecting cleaning agents with both performance and material safety in mind ensures operational reliability and extends the service life of critical cleaning equipment. We always advise customers to perform small-scale compatibility and efficacy tests before full-scale implementation, especially when using a new chemical or cleaning a new material.

Preserving equipment in critical environments

Saleel Kodambadan, Sr Manager – Training & Business Operations (Kerala), Tennant Company

When evaluating chemical solutions for critical area cleaning, it is essential to choose products that do not compromise the performance or longevity of cleaning equipment. Chemicals should be tested and proven non-reactive with sensitive internal components like seals, pumps, tanks, spray nozzles, and dosing systems. This is especially important for machines that rely on automated chemical dosing, where the viscosity and concentration of the solution must remain consistent to ensure accurate delivery. Using incompatible chemicals can lead to equipment breakdowns, inaccurate dosing, clogging, or even void warranties.

Equally important is choosing low-foam, non-corrosive, and residue-free formulations that meet hygiene and environmental standards. In critical environments such as pharmaceutical cleanrooms, hospitals, and food processing units, these solutions must leave no films or residues that could affect sterility or compliance.

Choose chemicals certified by recognised agencies like NSF, CE, or REACH, and aligned with cGMP, HACCP, or ISO cleanroom classifications. Most importantly, ensure they come with documented compatibility for specific equipment types — such as floor scrubbers, vacuum cleaners, or high-pressure washers — to maintain operational efficiency and support compliance goals.

Understanding green chemistry and certification

Sandhya Shrivastava, PhD, Director, Bhavan's Research Center; Retd Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Bhavan's College

Green chemicals, also known as environmentally friendly or sustainable chemicals, are substances designed to minimise harm to human health and the environment, as these aim to reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances during the design, manufacture, and application of chemical products. Their relevance is growing rapidly, in almost all sectors, as the general public, industry, and regulatory bodies are getting more concerned and cautious about environmental safety and sustainability.

Though there are multiple areas where green chemicals are being used, there is a focused approach for using green chemicals in the areas of cleaning and disinfection, as most of the currently used chemicals are harsh, contributing not only to pollutants, but also leading to the development of antimicrobial resistance.

Key features

1. Non-toxic or low toxicity, biodegradable: traditional cleaning agents such as bleach, ammonia and phenols are being replaced by biodegradable actives, such as hydrogen peroxide, organic acids (citric, lactic or acetic), enzymes (proteases, amylases, lipases) and plant-based surfactants (coconut, corn-derived).
2. Environmental footprint reduction: green chemicals degrade rapidly in the natural environment, and bioaccumulation and residual toxicity for aquatic life is minimal. Chemical burden in wastewater is reduced. The rate of development of resistance to antimicrobial agents is also lowered.
3. Use of solvent-free or benign solvent systems: using water-based or green solvents like ethanol, glycerol or ethyl lactate, as against chlorinated or petrochemical-based agents.
4. Compliance and certifications: products that follow sustainable cleaning chemistry principles are often certified under BIS Eco Mark (India), ECOCERT (Europe), US EPA Safer Choice (USA), and others.
5. Limitations of using green chemicals: higher cost (H₂O₂ versus phenolics), lesser efficacy (less potent, slow-acting), shorter shelf life (as they are more sensitive to temperature, light or contamination), and standardisation and certification challenges.

Transitioning to sustainable cleaning options for a microbiology laboratory: considering the nature of operations, a microbiology lab requires continuous cleaning and disinfection. Thus, a transition to green chemicals will lead to:

• Reduction in environmental footprint: green disinfectants (like hydrogen peroxide or plant-based quats) to replace harsher compounds like glutaraldehyde or chlorine-based agents.
• Use of chemicals that degrade more readily, simplifying downstream waste treatment.
• Improved safety for staff, thus helping with alignment with biosafety and regulatory requirements.
• Alignment with ESG goals and sustainability mandates.

In conclusion, with numerous research laboratories and industries working on green chemicals, integration of green cleaning chemicals in all walks of life is a practical and ethical step toward safer, more sustainable practice for meeting the one-health objective. While initial adoption may require planning and investment, the long-term benefits — safer workspaces, regulatory compliance, and reduced environmental footprint — make the transition both necessary and worthwhile. With increasing awareness and the growing availability of certified products in India, now is the ideal time for creating awareness and for institutions to embrace green chemistry.

Prioritising ingredients to align with sustainability

Vanchinathan Sivaswamy, Head – Sales, SAARC, Rossari Professional

When evaluating cleaning chemicals for sustainability, we prioritise ingredients and formulations that align with eco-friendly and health-conscious standards. Here are the key points we consider:

1. Biodegradable ingredients: our formulations incorporate ingredients that break down naturally and quickly in the environment, minimising ecological impact.
2. Non-toxic composition: we ensure our cleaning chemicals are free from harmful substances such as phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, VOCs and synthetic fragrances, promoting safety for both users and ecosystems.
3. Use of renewable and natural raw materials: Rossari Professional emphasises sourcing ingredients derived from renewable resources, reducing dependency on petrochemical-based components and supporting sustainable supply chains.
4. Elimination of hazardous chemicals: our products are formulated to exclude persistent and hazardous substances, adhering to global safety and environmental standards.
5. Low VOC emissions: we develop products with low or zero VOC content to improve indoor air quality and reduce atmospheric pollution.
6. Certifications and eco-labels: our products often carry recognised sustainability certifications like Green Seal, reflecting our commitment to environmental responsibility.
7. Concentrated formulations and eco-friendly packaging: we focus on creating concentrated formulas that reduce packaging waste and transportation footprint, paired with recyclable and eco-conscious packaging options.
8. Fragrance and dye-free options: to promote health and environmental safety, many of our cleaning solutions are fragrance-free or utilise natural scents, avoiding synthetic dyes and fragrances.

At the core of our offering is Ross, our specialised housekeeping range. These cleaning and floor-care formulations deliver consistent results for daily upkeep as well as intensive maintenance, ensuring spotless surfaces and fresh, well-maintained spaces across hotels, campuses, commercial buildings, and industrial sites.

For kitchen hygiene, Kico brings food-safe dishwashing, degreasing, and sanitisation solutions that keep professional kitchens compliant, safe, and efficient. It supports everything from restaurants and cloud kitchens to industrial canteens and hotel food production areas.

Our laundry care system, Osmo, is engineered for high-volume performance. With detergents, softeners, stain removers, and system-based wash programmes, Osmo ensures fabric longevity, hygiene, and bright results for hospitals, hotels, and commercial laundries.

In healthcare and infection-sensitive zones, Dr Nanoxa provides targeted infection control solutions. These disinfectants and sanitisers are precisely developed for frequent use, helping hospitals, clinics, labs, and public spaces strengthen their infection prevention protocols.

"At Rossari Professional, we go beyond supplying products. We work as strategic partners — constantly revisiting needs, evolving solutions, and ensuring consistency across every touchpoint. Our system-driven hygiene ecosystem empowers organisations to operate with confidence, efficiency, and sustainability at scale."
— Vanchinathan S, Head – Sales, SAAR

For retail and B2B supply channels, Proclear offers consumer-friendly and bulk hygiene products that bring commercial-grade cleaning to households, offices, grocery stores, and hygiene retail chains.

Under paper products, Concord and Greenworld supply durable tissues, dispensers, and bulk hygiene essentials that balance quality with sustainability — ideal for institutions with high daily consumption.

To elevate ambience, our Airoseal fragrance range delivers sophisticated, long-lasting air-care for hotels, washrooms, corporate environments, and lounges.

Supporting daily freshness and packaging hygiene, Freshee, our aluminium range, includes rolls, containers, and food-grade packaging widely used in food service, catering, and home applications.

Our extensive mops, tools and equipment category equips housekeeping teams with ergonomic, durable, and performance-driven tools that simplify maintenance in large and complex facilities.

Strengthening sustainability goals, Naturesani waterless and odourless urinal bowls eliminate flush dependency and washroom odour, making them ideal for high-footfall public and commercial environments.

Across categories, Rossari Professional integrates chemistry, tools, and system-driven processes to deliver hygiene with consistency and sustainability — helping organisations maintain cleaner, safer, and more efficient environments.