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After Interclean Amsterdam was officially opened May 9th, 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.
The jury’s opinion of Essity’s Tork Biobased Heavy-Duty Cleaning Cloth
Michelle Marshall, chair of the Jury says, “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 recognized and acknowledged by many organizations. 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."
Category nominees and winners:
Sustainability & Environment
Category winner: Essity’s Tork Biobased Heavy-Duty Cleaning Cloth
With the development of this new cloth, Essity is aiming to reduce consumption, waste, pollution and emissions. The packaging is made from fibers that are 100 percent recycled and plastics that are at least 30 percent recycled.
Other nominees in this category:
- Maya Professional’s Eversea Multipurpose Cloth
- Spectro’s Ecodos Dosage Bottle
Smart Technologies & Digitalization
Category winner: Gausium Robotics’ Scrubber 50 Pro
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:
- Vileda Professional’s Swep EviSense
- LionsBot’s R3Scrub
Workforce & Ergonomics
Category winner: Arcora’s Pu-Pad Light
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:
- Kärcher’s BVL 5/1 BP
- NEXBOT from RCM
Hygiene & Health
Category winner: Coreless Centre Pull Paper Towel from Alani
Because it is core-less, it reduces waste after use and helps the cleaning operatives by removing that waste.
Other nominees in this category:
- Consensus’ EnozoPRO
- Ar-Co Chimica’s Aladin GT5
Winner of Visitors’ Choice Award
In recent months fellow professionals and industry partners were able to vote for their favorite 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 members of the Amsterdam Innovation Awards Jury consist of:
- Michelle Marshall, chief editor of European Cleaning Journal (Chair)
- Antonio Borreda, director of Revista Limpiezas Spain
- Ronald Bruins, chief editor of Servicemanagement
- Pierre Deschamps, chief editor of Batiment Entretien
- Rob Geissler, publisher of Sanitary Maintenance
- Rob den Hertog, special advisor
- Reinhard Knittler, publisher of ReinigungsMarkt
- Chiara Merlini, chief editor of Cleaning Community
RAI Amsterdam supports Amref Flying Doctors. The proceeds of Interclean’s Amsterdam Innovation Award are going to be donated to Amref Flying Doctors, to support their projects in Africa.