As a manufacturer, how are you positioned to serve BSCs as the economy drives more of them to enter non-commercial markets?

Healthcare and education have always been large markets for Nilfisk-Advance brands, so we are well-positioned to offer building service contractors the products they need to meet their market goals. The lower decibel level and high filtration equipment are needed in the healthcare and education markets, allowing them to conduct daytime cleaning.

Dave Ditty and Bob Doyle
National Account Managers for Advance and Clarke brands
Nilfisk-Advance
Plymouth, Minn.

As outsourcing of cleaning services increase, building service contractors will be challenged to meet the increased demand for products, and services, that meet green and the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements.

David Parkes
General Manager - Commercial Division
Sanitaire/Electrolux
Bloomington, Ill.

Tom Morrison
Vice President of Marketing
Kaivac Inc.
Hamilton, Ohio

We are already actively involved with the healthcare and education markets. But, we are making some changes that specifically address the needs of these two markets. First, we are introducing smaller, more versatile machines that are easily transported. This will allow our equipment to be used in all types of settings, both large and small.

We are also working on technologies that help reduce or eliminate the amount of chemical necessary to clean surfaces. The education and healthcare sectors are becoming more environmentally-concerned and we want to work with them, helping to minimize cleaningís impact on the environment as well as keep their facilities clean and healthy.

We fill in current "gaps" in green programs where contractors might currently be using aerosols or products that are not necessarily environmentally preferred, products like stainless steel cleaners, furniture polish and fabric deodorizer. Non-commercial markets can have additional needs for RTU that commercial markets don't necessarily have, such as a spray deodorizer for fabrics that require odor elimination without extraction cleaning.

Luke Bobek
Director of Industrial & Institutional Sales
Earth Friendly Products
Addison, Ill.

Matt Wood
CEO and President
ProTeam
Boise, Idaho

ProTeam has long served the education and healthcare markets, and continues to refine our products and outreach efforts to meet the demands and regulations of these industries. In addition to our standard high-filtration products, we offer HEPA and even ULPA filtration vacuums for sensitive environments, and partner with the American Lung Association and Healthy Schools Campaign to educate schools and the public on the importance of indoor air quality on occupant health.