When we think of cleaning industrial facilities we generally envision large heavy industries with big dirty machines and buildings, and this type of account remains a segment of the industrial market. Today an industrial customer can be a small to large, high tech manufacturer or assembler, 3D printer, nano or bio lab or an international aerospace or pharmaceutical giant with hundreds, thousands or even millions of square feet of production, lab, office, warehouse, high tech computer and or cleanroom space.

With over several hundred thousand manufacturing establishments with millions of employees accounting for roughly 8 percent of the U.S. workforce and billions in wages each year, industrial clients are a large and potentially profitable market with special cleaning needs.

Cleaning tasks start with the basics such as office, restroom and floor care and progress to more challenging areas that require the use of specialized chemicals, equipment and procedures found in controlled access and cleanroom environments.

Pricing and Production Rates
There are many factors that should be taken into consideration when bidding industrial locations. Pay and hourly billable and cost per sq. ft. rates will be slightly higher (15% – 30%) than rates charged for commercial office cleaning. It is impossible to give exact numbers as rates depending on the geographic location, industry served, specifications, contract terms, competition and other factors. A study of prevailing wage rates for specific types of cleaning workers in each county will give you an idea as to the high end of the wage rate for the area. (more…)

Filed under: Bidding and Estimating, Safety, Self Employment by William Griffin
Originally Published: CMM June 2016

The world’s largest cleaning show was held last week in Amsterdam, NL. In case you missed it, here’s a review of some of the highlights.

ISSA INTERCLEAN – Amsterdam is truly an international show with 28,000 plus attendees, from over 80 countries visiting 800 booths over the four day event. The booths and aisles that are spread out over 11 different display halls at the RAI Exhibition Center were busy from opening to close on the first three days of the show. Even a cleaning freak like me can only look at so much cleaning equipment in one week without going into overload mode. I skipped the last day of the show as both my head and my feet were sore and I needed a break.

The Amsterdam show takes place every two years and is a regular event on my schedule because this is where new cleaning products are introduced that will show up in distributor warehouses and janitor closets around the world over the next 3 – 5 years. I don’t know why Europe leads the way in cleaning technology, but this is a definite trend that I have noticed over the last 20 years. I attend the ISSA INTERCLEAN Show to gain a better understanding of where the cleaning industry is headed and this year was a real eye opener. Amsterdam is one of my favorite places to visit with friendly people, great food and weather and something to do for everyone. (more…)

Filed under: Self Employment, Technology, Trade Show by William Griffin
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