After Interclean Amsterdam was officially opened this morning the jury of the Amsterdam Innovation Award announced the overall winner of the Amsterdam Innovation Awards 2022. This year’s special prize is for Essity, for its Tork Biobased Heavy-Duty Cleaning Cloth. In the jury’s opinion “This is not just about product development but about the company’s core values – and product development comes about as a direct result of those values.” The category winners are Alani for its Coreless Centre Pull Paper Towel (Hygiene & Health), Gausium Robotics for its Scrubber 50 Pro (Smart Technologies & Digitalisation), Arcora for its Pu-Pad Light (Workforce & Ergonomics) and Essity for its Tork Biobased Heavy-Duty Cleaning Cloth (Sustainability & Environment). The Visitors’ Choice Award went to Kärcher’s for its BVL 5/1 BP.

Michelle Marshall, chair of the Jury: “Essity has identified key objectives among customers: the reduction of CO2 emissions, the reduction of water consumption, reduction of waste generation, reduction of energy consumption, use of certified products. It takes a life cycle assessment approach in the development of new products and also seeks to reduce carbon footprint. Crucially, it aims to help its customers reduce their carbon footprint too. Essity can back up all its claims through independent certification – it is recognised and acknowledged by many organisations. The technology that is being used with this Biobased cloth can now be used to expand the range and offer products in different formats in order to offer greater flexibility. The compressed packaging makes for easier handling – important for the cleaning staff. And the environmental impact of the packaging has not been forgotten either. It’s made from fibres that are 100 per cent recycled and plastics that are at least 30 per cent recycled.”

Category nominees and winners:

With the development of this new cloth Essity is aiming to reduce consumption, waste, pollution and emissions. The fact the packaging is made from fibres that are 100 per cent recycled and plastics that are at least 30 per cent recycled completes the sustainability picture for the customer.

Other nominees in this category:

The Scrubber 50 Pro is a great reflection of how robotic technology in the cleaning sector is progressing. It is suitable for use in a wide range of applications – in both small or medium-sized spaces – it can negotiate obstacles well and can even return to finish the job later. It also uses AI to detect spills or stains and then spot cleans them automatically.

Other nominees in this category:

Floor cleaning is one of the most time-consuming tasks performed by cleaning operatives and when cleaning different surfaces pads often need to be changed. Operatives are sometimes unsure as to which pad is best and mistakes can happen. The Pu-Pad Light removes that uncertainty and there is also an ergonomic benefit for the operatives because they do not have to bend down constantly to change pads.

Other nominees in this category:

The jury felt this was the product in this category that has the potential to make the greatest impact. Then there are its environmental credentials and the fact that it absorbs 10 times its weight in water. Because it is coreless it reduces waste after use and helps the cleaning operatives by removing that waste.

Other nominees in this category:

In recent months fellow professionals and industry partners were able to vote for their favourite innovation on the Interclean website. The nominee with the most public votes would win the Visitors' Choice Award. The prize this year is going to be awarded to Kärcher’s BVL 5/1 BP.

At the Innovation Lab at Interclean Amsterdam a special display shows the nominated and winning products and provides more background information on the innovation and the company behind it.

The proceeds of Interclean’s Amsterdam Innovation Award are going to be donated to Amref Flying Doctors, to support their projects in Africa.

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