Thomas Stuecken, chairman of OspreyDeepclean Ltd commented “Another excellent show with increased visitor numbers and, most importantly, key decision makers. We also noted a steady flow of international visitors. We’ve already rebooked for 2019.”

Highlights included the free-to-attend seminar programme which attracted over 1,000 visitors who gained expert advice on health and safety, growing your business and an insight into the future and the new frontier of robotics. Speakers included numerous industry experts and advisors from HSE, as well as popular sessions on How to Grow your Business and the Future of FM.

Karen Nicolson, marketing manager of Nilfisk UK explained “We had an excellent show and there was a real buzz around the hall with good attendance from all market sectors - a great forum for doing business. It is clear that the cleaning industry is progressive, and responsive to market conditions and trends as contractors and clients seek intelligent cleaning solutions to improve productivity and lower the cost of cleaning. Relevant and engaging, the seminar programme and show overall captured the mood and satisfied the industry’s demands.”

The Window Cleaning Challenge was as always very popular, with over 30 contestants taking on Terry ‘Turbo’ Burrows, however Terry’s Guinness World Record still remains unbeaten. Winners on the day Steve Fox, Glenn Bailey and John McClean each walked away with £250 cash with 14.02 seconds, 14.63 seconds and 16.39 seconds respectively. Terry even attempted to break his own record, but wasn’t able to get under the 9.14 seconds he set in Blackpool in 2009.

Matt Hodgkins, general manager of Unger UK and sponsors of the Window Cleaning Challenge said “The London Cleaning Show at ExCel was a great success and provided the opportunity to meet a wide range of customers from across the industry, as well as end users.  It was a huge success for Unger, where we showcased and launched new Unger products.

He continued “We were honoured and delighted that Stingray was awarded the Cleaning Show Innovation Award - Window Cleaning Category. This is a testament to the team who developed this revolutionary tool to help cleaning professionals clean indoor glass faster and better.”

The full list of winners of the Cleaning Show Innovation Awards, which are judged and presented at the Show, were as follows:

Best Cleaning Product – Quick and Easy by Arrow County Supplies

Best Floor Cleaning Product – for the first time awarded to two winners ICE with the ICE R Scrub 75 and Nilfisk for their Liberty A50

Best Outdoor Cleaning Product – Easy!Force and Easy!Lock by Kärcher

Best Carpet Cleaning Product – Valet Battery Upright by Truvox

Best Window Cleaning Product – Stringray Indoor Cleaning System by Unger

Best Washroom Hygiene Product – Interchangable Dispensers by Dolphin Solutions

Best Sustainable Cleaning Product – Eco Silver Paper by Eco Silver Paper

Best Management System – ICE Locator by ICE

 

Feedback from exhibitors has been incredibly positive with nearly all praising the quality of the people who attended and confirming that they had taken considerable orders during the event. Many companies have already booked their stands for the UK’s largest cleaning and hygiene event in 2019 when it returns to London 19-21 March.

"There’s been a lot of talk of late saying events are dying out, but the phenomenal success of the Cleaning Show only goes to show this isn’t the case. People still buy from people, and in the case of our industry in particular, where the right situation-specific solution is of critical importance to our customers, nothing beats face to face conversation.  It's been a great show and a fantastic shop window to show industry professionals representing businesses large and small the unique strength and depth of the product range, complete cleaning solutions and services that Kärcher provides – even back in 1935 Alfred Kärcher knew it was the people in our company that make it a success and that still rings true today" said Craig McKay, Professional Business Unit Director, Kärcher UK.

The next event for your calendar is the Manchester Cleaning Show which will be held 11-12 April at Event City. The Manchester event attracts a more regional crowd, but is expected to see over 2,500 trade visitors.

63% of attendees were from cleaning industries with contract cleaners, carpet cleaners, domestic cleaners and window cleaners accounting for 36% of total attendees and distributors, wholesalers and support services accounting for a 20% of total attendees.

In 2017, there was an increase in attendees to 37% (over 2,000) from vertical markets including 350 educational establishments, 250 hospitals and health authorities, almost 200 leisure facility providers, almost 200 residential and nursing home providers, 260 shopping centres and 230 local governments and civil service providers.

Visitors spent on average 4.5 hours at the show with over 80% looking for new and innovative products and services. 71% of visitors when surveyed said that they would be expecting to spend money on purchases as a direct result of their visit to the Cleaning Show and 90% saying they would be looking to attend again in 2019.