Tennant South Africa

TENNANT TALES EDITION 3 (July 2006)

 
Cleaning equipment and detergents : sales, rental in Southern Africa
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Welcome back to our Tennant Tales cleaning newsletter. At Tennant we believe that success comes from teamwork. As a result, for this edition, we requested input from all our cleaning experts around the country. Our dealers and representatives have a lot of knowledge and expertise to share with clients and it is through sharing these experiences that an invaluable contribution is made to customer education. We hope you enjoy this edition and remember - you can call upon the Tennant team any time a cleaning solution is required.

In this edition:
  1. New products
    Sorma SA ventures into the Health Market
  2. Success stories
  3. Tips - Vacuum cleaners daily care
  4. Use the right vacuum cleaner for the right application
Sorma SA ventures into the Health Market

Sorma SA, with a comprehensive range of cleaning equipment from cloths, mops, buckets, trolleys, chemicals etc to sweepers, scrubbers and heavy equipment, combined with its national network of service and support capabilities, will soon be launching a Healthcare System (SHS-Sorma Healthcare System) encompassing a total Healthcare Facility.

The System will provide a reduced Chemical Range specifically for Hospitals and Clinics and Solutions for the removal of Biohazardous Waste.

Conventional systems are not consistent in their application and are often only confined to high risk areas such as Wards and Operating Theatres. The use of wet and dry mopping processes contradict the spread of infection and there is a lack of continuous education and training.

Each System will be provided with a Manual covering the complete spectrum of a Healthcare Facility and it is intended to be a user friendly guide to the roles of cleaning, chemicals and equipment in the cleaning and control of infections in Healthcare Environments. It also forms the general standard of duty to be performed in these facilities by Healthcare Personnel and Auxiliary Staff.

The System will be endorsed by leading Healthcare Professionals, Nursing Personnel and National Contract Cleaning Companies.

The system incorporates The Innovative FaSTTM System
  • Uses up to 70% less water, reduces the risk of costly slips and injuries, less claims etc-ideal for Hospitals and Retail
  • Does nor require measuring or mixing, reduced shrinkage and waste - delivers the correct mixture every time
  • Biodegradable packaging material saves up to 90% storage space, less shrinkage
  • Cuts cleaning time by 30% i.e. less dumps & refills, uses 90% less detergents and covers a greater square meterage
The SHS Index/Sub Index comprises an onion shape in design. The outer layers constitute the external properties of a Healthcare Facility such as vehicle entrances, car park, entrance matting and develop from your low risk infection areas such as Doctors Consulting Rooms, Common Areas etc to Medium Risk Areas such as General Wards etc to High Risk Infection Areas such as the Operating Theatre and CSSD.

The SHS is underpinned by Continuous Training and Education, aimed at NQF levels of 1 and 2 and above. The objective is to reinforce the importance of personal hygiene, the chain of infection and the process of cleaning in Healthcare Environments. These courses are all certified to uphold Tennant's high standards.

Our mission is to provide a holistic Healthcare System that exceeds the quality, service and delivery expectations of our Clients.

We at Tennant are committed to providing you with:
  • a quality user friendly Healthcare System
  • at an affordable price
  • that meets all the legal and Clinical requirements.
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Diverse labelling company - FaST TM scrubbing technology
by Grant Durose, Durban office

T3 scrubber using FaST technologyDiverse labelling Company, part of the Astraflex group recently upgraded their floorcare equipment from the Tennant 5200 to the new T3 FaSTTM unit. Over the last 3 years they maintained their surfaces comprehensively. Following their recent installation of an epoxy coated floor, they needed to improve the systems in order to maintain it.

As a printing business, the operation never shut down to allow cleaning time, and this made cleaning difficult, inefficient and inconvenient to the workers.

Opting for the FaSTTM system now allows the cleaning operator to spend far more time on the floor cleaning and protecting the expensive finishes. Using less water means that the floors are left drier therefore increasing safety aspects to their staff.

Rose, the cleaning operator could now scrub merrily away regardless of how busy DLC´s printing floor is.
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Premier Foods now using FaST TM scrubbing technology
by Alex Theodiridis, Johannesburg office

Premier foods demonstrationPremier Foods recently invited Tennant SA to do a cleaning demonstration at their food distribution facility in Johannesburg. Being involved in food substance packaging and distribution, Premier foods required a clean and dust free environment.

We demonstrated the 5400 FaST TM autoscrubber due to its unique capabilities and features. Forklifts, trolleys and staff are continuously moving around the floor which at the best of times, make scrubbing and cleaning difficult.

Alex Theodirids and Premier foods managerFaST TM scrubbing technology use less water which leads to the floors drying quiker and in turn, does not require any work flow interruptions in this busy environment.

The Manager commented regarding the clean floors, quick drying time. We at Tennant were proud to make a contribution to the productivity through supplying a complete cleaning solution vs just another scrubber at Premier Foods.
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New T7 scrubber delivered to Coca Cola, Fortune Umtata
by Grant Durose, Durban office

T7 rider scrubberChris Louters from Umtata recently contacted the Durban office regarding their scrubbing requirements. As part of our continued service, it is standard procedure to do a site inspection. Upon arrival the next day, we discovered that one of our competitors were on-site busy with a demonstration of their equipment.

As it so happens, we actually supplied SAB Umtata (Coca Cola´s next door neighbor) with a 7100 about a year ago. After establishing Coca-Cola´s needs and a demonstration, we met with the SAB depot manager who was kind enough to act as a Tennant referral.

Coca Cola Umtata ordered the T7 Scrubber 2 days later. Our recent follow-up indicated a very happy customer, as they were very impressed with the T7´s performance and capabilities.
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Vesuvius South Africa purchase T6600D sweeper
by Juan Minnaar, Johannesburg office

T6600D sweeprApproximately 6 months ago, I did a cold call at Vesuvius South Africa. Eventually I managed to speak to Mr. Gert Coetzee, the factory manager. He advised me that they used Tennant´s products in the past and might require a sweeper in the near future.

The old machines were still on-site. I took this up with our Director at Tennant (Ricky Bodmer) after which he accompanied me to visit Mr. Coetzee.

After agreeing that a trade-in is possible, we did a complete customer needs analysis and site survey resulting in us recommending a Tennant T6600D sweeper. The demonstration took place in beginning June 2006, with the final order on 7 July 2006.
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TIPS - Vacuum cleaners: daily care
One of our representatives in the Johannesburg office, recently received a service request from one of his clients in Glen Hove. The client lodged a request that his Tennant (TM370) be inspected as the client noticed the following:
  1. There was no suction
  2. It made a loud noise
Upon arrival our representative discovered the following:
  1. The vacuum cleaner was stuck in a corner of the store room with a lot of dust on it.
  2. Upon opening the panel that covers the vacuum cleaner bag, our representative found that the vacuum cleaner bag had been cut open at the bottom to empty it, and stapled together again for re-use. The back of the bag was also torn open.
  3. The exhaust filter and second filter at the bottom of the machine was completely blocked.
  4. The "beater cylindrical brush" barely had room to move as it was tangled up with carpet filter, waste materials and strings.
Tennant´s representative cleaned the machine, and tried to get it working but unfortunately the damage was done.

Vacuum cleaners, like any other electrical equipment needs proper care in order for clients and cleaning contractors to get the most out of their equipment. We recommend the following as standard practice when using ANY cleaning equipment, in particular vacuum cleaners:
  1. After use, clean the machine and store in a dry, clean place.
  2. Please read the instructions and replace the filter bags regularly. Trying to save costs by re-using filter bags will end up costing more than just buying a new filter bag and replacing it on a regular basis.
  3. Clean the various filters as per instructions accompanying the machines. It will ensure excellent performance and longevity.
  4. Remove any fibres, strings and waste materials from the brushes as that will allow the brushes to move freely and not burn out the vacuum cleaner´s motor.

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Choose the right vacuum cleaner for the right application
By Des Reddy, Johannesburg:
G1 upright vacuum cleanerDes received a call from a client in Lenasia, South of Johannesburg regarding a vacuum cleaner they were using. The client was experiencing the following:
  1. Carpet pile was falling flat during vacuum cleaning
  2. Carpets did not look clean after vacuuming.
  3. The machine they used made a lot of noise.
  4. The area requiring cleaning was very big.
Upon probing the client, Des discovered that they were using a barrel vacuum. Armed with a G1 upright vacuum and a demo filter, Des set out to visit the client. Wet extraction carpet cleanerUpon arrival at the client, Des discovered that the barrel vacuum was not the right equipment for the specific application. Barrel vacuums are known not to pick up carpet pile, hence not cleaning underneath the pile. This resulted into the carpets always looking dirty.

Des did a demo showing the client, that with the G1 upright vacuum cleaner, carpet pile is actually lifted and the dirt in between and under the carpet pile is removed. The G1 worked efficiently and fast with the carpet looking new after cleaning. By using the proper machine the large carpeted area was cleaned in less time. The G1 carpet cleaner also have reduced noise levels which did not only impress our client but her co-workers as well.

Combined with a wet extraction machine, the desired results were achieved leaving our client with a clean office.

Visit the Tennant South Africa site for more information
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