INDUSTRY INSIGHT WWW.CHTMAG.COM NEWS NJC LAUNCHES NEW BRAND IDENTITY NJC (Not Just Cleaning), the cleaning and support services organisation, has unveiled its new visual identity. NJC said “The fresh, modern brand is designed to reflect the vibrancy of change that NJC creates in the range of services provided. The new logo represents NJC’s DNA, which is its insatiable appetite to go the extra mile for customers.” Paul Crilly, managing director NJC commented: “After more than 30 years of evolution and growth, NJC is embarking on the next phase of its journey. Our focus on high quality services, delivered by well trained, engaged, empowered colleagues, using technology to drive efficiency and effectiveness, remains unchanged. We are Not Just Cleaning and our heritage remains at our heart, but the scope of our services has expanded over the years, and we wanted our logo to reflect this. I am very excited that we have reinvigorated the NJC brand to reflect who we now are as a business, both visually and culturally, for our people and our customers.” STUDY REVEALS BEST PRACTICE HAND WASHING TECHNIQUE FOR BACTERIA REMOVAL New research demonstrates that the six-step hand-hygiene technique recommended by the World Health Organisation is superior to a three-step method suggested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in reducing bacteria on healthcare workers’ hands. The study was published online in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Jacqui Reilly, PhD, lead author of the study and professor of infection prevention and control at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, commented: “Hand hygiene is regarded 4 APRIL 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY as the most important intervention to reduce healthcare-associated infections, but there is limited evidence on which technique is most effective. This study provides a foundation for effective best practices to implement on the frontlines of healthcare.” During the randomised controlled trial in an urban, acute-care teaching hospital, researchers observed 42 physicians and 78 nurses completing hand-washing using an alcohol-based hand rub after delivering patient care. The six-step technique was determined to be microbiologically more effective for reducing the median bacterial count (3.28 to 2.58) compared to the three-step method (3.08 to 2.88). However, using the six-step method required 25 per cent more time to complete (42.50 seconds vs. 35 seconds). Reilly added: “One of the interesting incidental findings was that compliance with the six-step technique was lacking. Only 65 per cent of providers completed the entire hand hygiene process despite participants having instructions on the technique in front of them and having their technique observed. This warrants further investigation for this particular technique and how compliance rates can be improved.” The researchers recommend authors of international guidance should consider this evidence when making official recommendations on best practices in hand hygiene. The contract cleaning market is set for £100 million growth in 2016, despite the new National Living Wage dampening market profitability, according to a new report from MTW Research. According to MTW’s analysis of 70 top cleaning contractors, contract cleaning sales are set for above inflation growth this year, boosted by a number of key end use sectors including health, care homes, education and private commercial markets. The report forecasts demand growth across several sectors, with more specialised cleaning services leading the way in terms of value growth. Discussing the findings, MTW’s James Taylor commented: “By 2020, our forecast models indicate total contract cleaning market sales will rise by £500 million, underpinned by volume and value growth.” The report identifies a number of key growth trends to support this optimism, with many of MTW’s findings making for positive reading for the cleaning industry and associated cleaning equipment suppliers. The introduction of the National Living Wage is set to reduce profitability in the contract cleaning market in the short term, though is likely to instil some benefits for the market in the medium to long term. Taylor added: “Cleaning companies will need to increase productivity and differentiate through better staff management, more efficient equipment, enhanced levels of monitoring and communication, Internet of Things (IoT) automation and integration of new technologies if they are to succeed.” The report suggests that new technologies continue to offer considerable growth opportunities for manufacturers and contract cleaning companies in 2016. Amongst this optimism the report sounds a note of caution, highlighting a ‘two-tier’ market with non-differentiated cleaning contractors experiencing pricing pressure and low client loyalty. At the lower value end of the market, acquisitions have increased with facilities management companies augmenting their economies of scale. Nevertheless, the general tone of the report is one of underlying optimism with six per cent more contract cleaning companies forecast to enter the market by 2020. The research involved analysis of companies with more than £3 billion of sales and found that just under 50 per cent of contract cleaning companies experienced growth in the last 12 months. MTW point to a core strength in the market, with more than 80 per cent of contract cleaners having either a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ credit rating in 2016, reflecting a generally strong trading environment despite ongoing challenges in some sectors of the market. CONTRACT CLEANING TO GROW BY £100M IN 2016
Cleaning Hygiene Today April 2016
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