This press release is from the Hygiene Industry Association (IHO)
Manufacturers of cleaning products reported increased turnover in 2018 / Problems due to follow-up costs resulting from legislation remain / Trend for sustainable products and services
At a press conference for CMS 2019 the Hygiene Industry Association (IHO) released the latest economic figures for professional cleaning and hygiene services in the building cleaning sector. The manufacturers of cleaning products and disinfectants affiliated with the IHO account for around 92 per cent of the domestic market. Manufacturers of cleaning products reported increased turnover in 2018 / Problems due to follow-up costs resulting from legislation remain / Trend for sustainable products and services.
The companies in the building cleaning trade are generally optimistic about the market situation. However, they all face the difficult challenge of securing the necessary staff. As a result, the member companies of the IHO are planning additional training measures for new employees. During the last calendar year turnover in Germany’s professional cleaning and hygiene sector exceeded one billion euros. The total workforce numbered over 7,000. Building cleaning products accounted for around 25 per cent of the above figure. At 4.5 per cent, the industry’s spending on research and development last year was significantly above the average for other branches of the chemical industry. In contrast to these positive figures, 2.7 per cent was spent on follow-up costs resulting from European legislation, a rise of 0.2 percentage points. This increase, which has been taking place since 2015, continues to complicate the overall situation within the industry.
Against the backdrop of an overall positive economic situation the association's member companies are optimistic about 2019. Hygiene and cleanliness play an important part in our society. More and more invitations to tender require companies to provide sustainable services and employ sustainable products. As a result, the industry must provide an adequate response to the public debate on plastics, microplastics and recycled plastic material.
The products and services offered by the member companies of the IHO show that we are aware of our social responsibility and our customers’ needs. Innovative, sustainable and, above all, highly effective products are what our customers demand. Not only are our companies working to achieve this goal, but our association also regards it as one of its main tasks.
Commenting, Werner Schulze, Chairman of the Building Cleaning Division of the IHO, said: ”Bearing in mind the increasing resistance to antibiotics, disinfectant products are vitally important for patient safety. On the subject of hygiene in healthcare and nursing, safety is always of paramount importance. The main focus is on protecting patients and staff, and on breaking the chain of infection. Facilities must make every effort to ensure the highest possible levels of hygiene by relying on effective cleaning and disinfectant products."
