by Brianna Crandall — January 30, 2015—The last few years were difficult for many professional cleaning contractors, but things are definitely looking up, according to predictions just released by Tornado Industries, a Chicago area-based manufacturer of professional cleaning tools and equipment.
“Overall the entire [professional cleaning] landscape is improving,” says Sean Martschinke, a CIMS ISSA Certification Expert (I.C.E.) and product manager for Tornado. “While there will be challenges, 2015 will likely be a good year for many in the professional cleaning industry.”
Among Tornado’s 2015 cleaning contractor predictions are the following:
- Improving business outlook: The recession hit the cleaning industry hard, as it did most American industries; however, 2014 was a turning point: businesses that cut back on professional cleaning services—or eliminated them entirely—will return to more normal cleaning levels and frequencies.
- More spaces to clean: Commercial building construction is expected to increase in 2015 according to the Dodge Construction Outlook; more buildings means more facilities needing professional cleaning.
- Fuel savings: Cleaning contractors are already benefiting from reduced fuel costs; these savings are expected to continue through 2015.
- Growing market segments: Some market segments will grow faster than others, opening new doors for cleaning contractors. Among them are health-care-related facilities. “As the number of elderly Americans grow[s],” says Martschinke, “there will be more healthcare facilities in operation, which all need to be cleaned.”
- Low bids off the table: With the poor economy, many customers were forced to cut cleaning costs, which often meant selecting the lowest bidding cleaning contractors; with the improving economy, more customers will select contractors based on experience, training, and expertise, with costs important but not the primary concern.
- Green cleaning: Expect green cleaning to become the norm in 2015; facilities managers will expect cleaning contractors to use environmentally responsible equipment, chemicals, and cleaning methods.
Tornado Industries, a Tacony Company, has been engineering quality cleaning equipment for more than 85 years. The company has a long history of developing innovative products and applying the latest technology to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve safety. Many of the company’s products are assembled in America with globally sourced parts.
