“Chinese beginning to understand it’s not good to kill your customer.”

This combination of science, technology and entrepreneurship will keep a constant downward pressure on prices, said Gingrich, telling the attendees that in an industry like this, where people actually worry about price, it’s only going to get worse.

Still, there are dramatic new capabilities and opportunities. “You have to innovate to improve quality and cost,” he said, adding that science based standards that measure cleanliness are necessary to help service providers create new value.

“Create a new value, and people with pay for it,” he said.

He said the industry should think seriously about establishing standards so the consumer knows what he’s paying for. “There will be a steady up-migration to more cleanliness and more public health awareness.”

This was reinforced by the opening ceremony recognition by ISSA of 17 companies that have achieved certification as part of the Cleaning Industry Management Standard’s Case Study Program. Ninety industry professionals were also identified as ISSA certification experts.

“This is a great moment for the cleaning industry, as service providers now have a consensus-based organizational designation they can achieve to prove their commitment to quality customer service and management excellence,” said ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel. “We also see this new certification program, the first in the association’s history, as a big step toward successfully identifying and filling the needs of our growing industry.”

Gingrich said the business community has a real opportunity to take this new level of change and “take a leading position to let the country understand what works with regard to what you do.”

As companies pursue this leading position, a powerful trend is emerging, said Andrew Winston, author of “Green to Gold” and presenter of a lecture on the trade show floor titled, “Profiting from Sustainability.” He identified that trend as the “greening of business,” and attributed it to global warming.

While not pointing any fingers, Winston quoted an oil company CEO who said, “The debate is over, we have to deal with greenhouse gases.”

“Global warming is unequivocal and not debatable in the business conversation anymore,” he said. “Companies have to be truthful. They have to know their footprint and offer products that are affordable and sustainable.”

Business has to do things in a different way, said Winston. “This is not going away. It is not a fad.”

As for the cleaning industry, it will change because it has to, said Roger Mc-Fadden, chief scientist with Corporate Express, Inc., a provider of facility maintenance and cleaning supplies.

“The technology is 25 years old, and increased toxic synergies are impacting negatively on our health. The good news is we can fix that.”

Scientists will be product designers, he said, adding that “green chemistry is an emerging science, and a huge amount of money is being invested in technology to make products that are safe and effective.”

Many of these products were on display throughout the exhibit floor, with “green” products and equipment dominating the talk between activists and what some might call conspiracy theorists.

“Our customers represent a range of opinions – everything for thinking it is a marketing ploy, to the belief that this is a significant development in our industry, and as such, an opportunity,” said Joe DeZarn, marketing communications director for Rubbermaid Commercial Products, which committed itself to “sustainability” two years ago and whose Winchester, VA plant produces zero emissions.

“There are tons of plastic on this trade show floor,” said DeZarn, “Our customers are interested in purchasing products that incorporate recycled resin” Recycled content is scarce and inconsistent, he said, but Rubbermaid is working with recyclers to develop the feedstock to sustain an offering of plastic products with recycled content. But there’s more to it than that.

“You must have productivity advantages and ergonomic benefits,” said DeZarn, adding, “Listen to your customers and they will tell you how to make your brand matter.”

One company that does not rely on a “green message” is Procter & Gamble Professional, which instead focuses on helping its customers be more productive with less products.

“Though everybody wants to talk about green, it shouldn’t be a marketing gimmick,” said Alex Morgan, assistant brand manager for P&G Professional. “We do and have always cared for the environment. You can’t clean any better with any less products than with our trio of brands.”

He said everyone else is saying that their products are green and safe, but is it enough? What will the standards be?

“People are asking us for a “green” disinfectant, and there’s no such thing. According to the Federal Fungicide, Insecticide, Rodenticide Act, products that kill things (which is what disinfectants do) can’t be green. But we tell them, don’t panic, the stuff we have will knock out MRSA and a whole bunch of other things.”

Instead of marketing green, P&G Pro Line makes a Green Guarantee, which ensures the environmental safety of its products, packaging and operations. A green line of products indicates a compromise n performance, suggesting that non-green products compromise on safety, said Morgan.

All P&G Pro Line Green Guarantee products provide outstanding performance while meeting high standards for human and environmental safety.

The focus on “being green” in the commercial market has expanded over the past several years and is a decision factor for many companies when it comes to cleaning products.

End users know that fewer injuries and illnesses increase productivity and result in less sick days, said Scot Case, vice president of Terrachoice, which markets the EcoLogo certification process. “Who’s going to argue with increased productivity,” he asked.

Recognizing that people wanted to buy green products, the Canadian government 20 years ago established EcoLogo, which is now the second oldest environmental standard in the world. A science based process to identify environmentally friendly products, EcoLogo helps end users wade through all the information that’s out there, some of which is known as “greenwashing” – false or misleading environmental claims – that can be confusing.

Some people really want green products, others are catching up, said Tom Lyons, a spokesman for SCA, which has been called the second greenest company in the world by a European environmental group. SCA recently launched a new global branding push of its Tork brand, which sells away-from-home paper and tissue products. “In some places like the New York and Chicago school districts, you’ve got to be green,” said Lyons.

Equipment manufacturers, too, are making changes for the environment. The Tennant Co., which manufacturers floor cleaning equipment, is taking a holistic view of facilities while developing Environmental Cleaning Solutions that have little or no impact on the environment.

Tennant’s exhibit included five environmental kiosks that offered distributors and end-users information on how they can conserve water, decrease detergents, increase safety, improve air quality, and reduce noise. The company also introduced a revolutionary cleaning technology named, echo.

Ech2o electrically activates plain tap water, making it behave like a powerful detergent without any added chemicals.

Ech2o offers significant customer advantages including lower costs, ease of use and improved operator safety, plus an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cleaning methods.

Ech2o’s cleaning effectiveness is proven to be the same or better than general purpose cleaners, without the negative environmental impact and health issues associated with producing, packaging, transporting, using and disposing of traditional cleaning chemicals. Ech2o begins as water, and ends as water.

“Our new Ech2o technology is a category-changing advancement for the cleaning industry, and delivers on our goal to offer cleaning solutions that lower cost-of-use, improve health and safety and are more environmentally friendly. It virtually eliminates any negative impact the cleaning process may have on our natural environment,” said Chris Killingstad, Tennant Co.’s president and CEO. The technology will be available on Tennant and Nobles branded floor scrubbers as early as this fall 2007.

Other companies are looking to provide sustainable relationships with their distributors and end users.

“Customers need more than floor care products,” said Greg Bell, JohnsonDiversey Inc.’s director of Global External Communications.

“You have to move from being a vendor to being a business partner.”

To do so, JDI introduced CONNEXION, an e-business solution for enhancing cleaning operations throughout the distribution supply chain.

Without good visibility, supply chain costs can squeeze jan-san distributors between suppliers and customers. Now distributors have the visibility they need and can help customers better manage their cleaning programs.

Better managing the supply chain is one area where costs can be significantly reduced. Jan-san distributors need to offer the online tools and business solutions that help them better manage those costs.

“As the industry continues to evolve, other manufacturers will follow this model to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of their customers. Customers have needs beyond the chemicals and supplies used to keep facilities clean. If we can provide them with the resources and technology to help optimize all facets of their business, everyone throughout the entire supply chain wins,” said Donna Santoro, JDI’s VP for Channel Strategy & Development.

Such distributor tools allows end-users to ensure their staffs are cleaning to consistently high standards, that their cleaning methods are safe for staff, building occupants and the environment, and that the cleaning spend is being carefully controlled, with demonstrable savings.

Something everyone at the ISSA/Interclean 2007 trade show was either looking for or offering. ❑