Interclean’s latest study defines 4 industry trends facilities managers, cleaning professionals and service providers should watch out for in 2023. Most of these trends are in line with B+N Zrt.’s aspirations, as we have been work around the clock on future-proof professional solutions.
The future looks to be a mix of challenges and opportunities, but cleaning and hygiene remain matters of great importance for citizens and businesses alike – Fmnewsroom writes referring to Interclean’s latest study. The trends highlighted by the professional platform of the facility management industry are familiar for the experts at B+N Zrt. as they have been addressing these issues for years now.
The drives of sustainable cleaning
The perception that sustainable products cost more and do not perform as well as their polluting counterparts is expected to be an ongoing and passionate discussion in 2023. However, one of the key drivers for going green seems to be that end users are expressing a willingness to pay more for sustainability-focused products. In compliance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives companies are also willing to adjust day-to-day facility processes to prolong the lifespan of products, reduce plastic waste, and save energy overall.
As Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi told in a recent interview, at B+N we do our utmost to promote sustainability. To this end, we are constantly improving our work processes and methods to minimize our impact on the environment. We believe that the technology we use must be put at the service of sustainable development.
Skilled workforce is indispensable
The lack of frontline workers leads to service providers improving the appeal of cleaning, including investments into ergonomic equipment or making efforts to show how appreciated cleaning as a professional is.
Realizing the ambiguity surrounding this profession B+N Zrt. has started the campaign ’Look around and see’ to raise awareness of the valuable work of cleaners years ago. „We at B+N believe that cleaners should not go unnoticed as they are essential for us to live the comfortable and safe life that we take for granted” – as Erika Kókai, marketing director points out.
Revolution of robotization
Smart facilities with centrally managed autonomous cleaning machines, cobots and robots to aid humans in complex and dangerous tasks offers a very different set of job prospects for cleaning staff than a facility five years ago did – the study highlights.
B+N introduced ROBIN, its first autonomous cleaning robot developed by the in-house R&D department of the company in 2019. The robot cleaner can free up cleaning crews to tackle other tasks that only a human can complete. ROBIN is currently on duty in hospitals, museums and at the Budapest International Airport as well as at the airport in Prague.
Thanks to our inventions, our toolkit has been expended with a portable UV disinfection device. A major advantage of these appliances is that they are not labour intensive at all and ensure consistent disinfection quality.
Rising operational costs
The increasing costs of sourcing materials and transporting them internationally have had a significant impact on pricing. With businesses unable to pass all of their increased costs on to their customers, profit margins have thinned, and operational cuts have been made. The study forecasts that as the issues of material and energy supply continue into the coming year it is likely that more costs will have to be passed on to customers, alongside other cuts to operations and activities.
B+N with its 7 subsidiaries became a leading facility management provider company in the CEE region. Being a market leader and a stable, reliable and continuously growing company and making the most of the synergies of this network gives us a significant competitive advantage.