ICE

Introduction
ICE first presented to MITIE (Retail) Ltd in November 2009 and over the next year became our sole supplier of cleaning machinery. They brought to the table an enthusiastic approach which was innovative, flexible and accommodating in those times of need. This was a supplier partnership and it was both encouraging and rewarding for both parties. Two specific mobilisations come to mind which I believe gives a good indication of ICE as a company, one which was the largest ever single machinery order placed by MITIE for the Co-operative Group stores and one is this case study for Tesco Stores in September 2010.

Background
MITIE was awarded significant growth in the Tesco store cleaning Tender in July 2010. Up to this point we were using ICE to supply machinery into the existing smaller convenience Express stores. We had chosen the RA431 compact scrubbing machine for these stores, following their presentation. This proved to be a low maintenance, cost effective machine that the operators liked because of the simplicity. ICE had supplied with the machine both pad drives and brushes so we could utilise the machinery in almost every area of the store, achieving that machinery driven approach we were aiming for. This machine later became our utility machine of choice in the large format stores for use throughout the trading day on the shop floor.

Tesco has an agreement term within its Tenders that on site machinery will transfer between suppliers providing they can reach agreement on the net book values etc. Although this seems a fair approach it does have its complications and, in this case, negotiations had not been going well with the incumbent contractor. We were now entering minus four weeks to start date and we were starting to get concerned. I arranged a meeting with ICE and fully explained the situation. Without any firm commitments from MITIE, ICE immediately `got on board` with a contingency plan on our behalf. This involved considerable expense to ICE, surveying the stores, speaking to Switzerland on delivery timescales and eventually taking the ultimate risk in placing an order with Cleanfix without a guaranteed order from MITIE. This showed a huge amount of commitment from ICE and enabled MITIE to have a contingency plan for Tesco who were aware of the situation.   

With two weeks to go to start date MITIE decided to end negotiations with the incumbent and officially place the order with ICE to supply a £1.5 million order for floor cleaning machines into all Express stores across our regions and all large store format stores in the South East and South West Regions of England. This amounted to approximately 230 sites.

Logistics
The machinery roll-out started 2 weeks prior to start date. Fortunately, following the commitment ICE had made by arranging for machinery to be delivered into the UK, this was possible. If ICE had not taken this approach then we would have needed to either go back to the negotiating table with the incumbent contractor and pay well over the net book values for the machinery or request that the customer postpone the start date. Both scenarios would have been unacceptable to MITIE as options.

The machinery for each store had been specified on the surveys initially carried out and, upon delivery, training took place with not only the machine operator but all staff on the shift. This gave us the multi skilling of operatives we were looking for. Every member of staff received a training certificate prior to contract start date.

ICE had taken a simplicity approach and banded the stores into machine bundles so we were aware that a specific store would receive certain machinery. This gave us a very easy communication line with our field teams as we issued them all a matrix which they could refer to if questioned.  As with every multi-site contract, however, there will be unique stores that the bundle matrix does not fit. These idiosyncrasies, which were unknown to ICE, on survey lead to the need to change some machinery for larger or smaller models and this was done without any objection and at a further cost to ICE which was never passed onto MITIE. All unique changes were carried out prior to the contract start date.

Machine types
The machinery we procured was the RA431 compact scrubbing machine for the Express stores. The RA561 tough and powerful machine for hard and soft floors and the RA 900 Sauber ride on scrubber drier were chosen for the larger stores. We also purchased additional machinery including vacs, single rotary machines and car park sweepers from ICE.

Summary
Whenever I am asked to provide a reference for a supplier, the first question I ask is firstly `Did they go the extra mile for MITIE?` and pull out all the stops as a supplier to `Make it happen`. We need our supply chain to, at times, gamble to aid the cause. The world of contract cleaning can throw all types of issues at you and you need to have a supplier who is in there with you when the going gets tough. I found ICE ready and up for the challenge and when we asked them to `step up to the mount` they certainly did so. The commitment they made considering the MITIE policy for purchase ordering went well over and above what was expected and probably saved what could have been a mobilisation disaster. I have no hesitation in recommending ICE as a supplier because there will be some tough times ahead for all of us and we all need suppliers like ICE to support us through difficult times.

Simon Morton
Operations Director, MITIE MFM (Retail) Ltd

Following a competitive tender process, ATG appointed Emprise to supply cleaning and associated services across its entire estate. The 39 impressive venues are located throughout the UK, from established theatres in London’s West End to regional venues accommodating all types of performances, from music bands and children’s shows to ballet and orchestral events.

A smooth transition from ordering to delivering
The flexibility of ICE’s support programme allowed a rapid bespoke response to the specific needs of unusual venues. Within just two weeks, Emprise staff at all ATG venues were mobilised, trained and fully operational, ready for day one of the new contract. ICE’s support network covered all areas of the UK, providing delivery and training in every venue, and a national team for service aftercare.

Innovation sets ICE apart, and is also a significant part of Emprise bids to distinguish them in the contractor market. ICE supported Emprise with the latest technology; the machines offered are the most up to date, reliable and fit for purpose, to ensure a great performance all round. 

Consistent savings
The successful execution of this contract was also reliant upon providing equipment with productivity savings, allowing Emprise to deliver consistently high cleaning standards to the Ambassador Theatre Group. According to Jenny Bates, Operations Director for Emprise, these features are “all part of what makes our relationship with ICE work so well”.

"With a large, varied and challenging contract such as this, success comes from working together to come up with one solution for our clients,” says Jenny. “ICE takes the worry away, and their service stands out from the rest; it’s innovative, supportive and reactive to our needs."

The new Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland is one of the most modern in Europe, using innovative technology for many of its support services. The hospital boasts the first robotic system in the UK to deliver supplies such as linen and food and has an automated pharmacy.

Serco has been using the technologically advanced Cleanfix Robo 40 in its hospital corridors and clinics to support them with the requirement to maintain a hygienically clean environment. Cleanliness is of critical importance in hospitals, serving the dual purpose of ensuring spotless surfaces and assisting with infection prevention and control.

Mike Mackay, Serco’s Contract Director said, “The use of effective innovative technology is an important aspect of any business in 21st century healthcare provision. The Robo 40 allows the cleaning operative to focus on other surfaces and tasks, whilst the robot takes care of the flooring.”

This new, state-of-the-art robotic compact scrubber dryer is one of the most developed cleaning systems available. Equipped with an automatic navigation system, it is ideal for cleaning large areas of up to1200m2 without any manual intervention, leaving personnel free to work on other areas. Built in infrared sensors alert the Robo 40 to the proximity of anything in its way, meaning obstacles are avoided and driven around. This innovative system is extremely user friendly and has three modes of operation – spiral, hall and corridor programmes. 

The Robo 40 also meets the hospital’s environmental obligations, using minimum water and chemical content to clean and dry. Its 28 litre water tank leaves an area of 1200m2 gleaming in just a few hours and its twin counter rotation cylindrical brushes and optimum suction performance result in a perfect clean. Ten minutes start up time is sufficient to begin cleaning areas the size of a triple gymnasium. The unique battery technology reduces battery recharging time to just three hours and provides a six hour run time.

Innovative use of robotic technology within its facilities has resulted in The Forth Valley Royal Hospital winning the estate management category in the Building Better Healthcare Awards 2011.