Why two Singapore cafeteria chains have introduced tray returning and floor cleaning robots
“We are the robots…:” Already happening in Singapore, robots are being used to help to clean floors and form part of a lean coffee shop chain with very few human staff. Image by Alejandro Linares Garcia (Creative Commons License: Attribution-ShareAlike)
In the last 60 years, the cafeteria layout has usurped seated service in many cafés. For many, cafeterias mean trays, picking your own sandwiches or cakes, and filling your own teapots. A popular method in many superstore cafés, it allows for higher footfall, speedier service, smaller staffing numbers. In Singapore, two coffee shop chains have gone even further: robots instead of cleaners and waiters.
Coupled with a Wi-Fi enabled Roomba vacuum cleaner, Amazon’s Alexa could change the way you clean your floor
Take one Amazon Alexa powered Echo system, then a Wi-Fi enabled Roomba. Then sit back and tell your Roomba to do the rest. Images by Quality Stock Arts and George W. Bailey (via Shutterstock).
Vacuum cleaning can be a physically demanding task. If you’re not battling with the flex, you’re trying to wrestle with the accessory brush on the stairs. If you’re lucky, you might have a robotic vacuum cleaner which makes light work of your floor. This month, a new type of Roomba vacuum cleaner has hit the shops in the USA. They are Wi-Fi enabled and compatible with Amazon’s Alexa system, on the retail giant’s Echo devices.
How cleanliness forms part of the Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire’s Bus 18 initiative
As part of the Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire’s Bus 18 initiative, cleanliness will be given equal billing to punctuality and reliability. Three of the participants (including First West Yorkshire, as seen in Bradford in this image) will offer free travel or pay your taxi fares if your bus didn’t show. Image by Tupungato (via Shutterstock).
Whether you’re doing a full trip on the 320 to Wigan, or catching a 33 to see The Mighty Crusaders, cleanliness is next to punctuality in the world of bus operations. If the lateness of your bus doesn’t spoil your day, the ‘joys’ of seeing half eaten butties or sprawling free newspapers could wind you up. Both factors haven’t escaped the attention of ABOWY, the Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire.
The Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire represents the county’s bus operators. These include a number of independent operators as well as the big guns, like First West Yorkshire, Arriva Yorkshire, and Yorkshire Tiger. In a bid to raise punctuality and cleanliness standards on the buses, ABOWY have launched Bus 18.
Introduced on the 24 March this year, Bus 18 is about improving the journey experience. The biggest strides have been made with cleanliness. In cooperation with Cordant Cleaning, First West Yorkshire have raised their game. This has attracted compliments from passengers. As well as serving West Yorkshire’s largest bus operator, Cordant Cleaning also work for eleven other FirstGroup divisions.
As for punctuality and reliability, passengers can be compensated for heavily delayed or missing buses. On First West Yorkshire, Arriva Yorkshire, and Transdev operated routes, your next journey could be free (if you waited for 20 minutes or longer). If your last bus is later than 20 minutes or non-existent, you could claim the cost of your taxi fare back (from First, Arriva, or Transdev).
We think ABOWY’s move is a welcome one (could Merseytravel introduce a similar scheme?). As for the 33 bus for Thatto Heath Crusaders, it is every fifteen minutes during the day and half hourly on Sundays (no evening service). The stop you want is Elephant Lane, just before it passes Close Street. Then walk towards Close Street: the ground is a few yards on the right hand side.
Thatto Heath Crusaders’ next home fixture will be versus West Hull on the 06 May 2017. Kick off is 2.30 pm.
Numatic’s iconic Henry vacuum cleaner now has a cordless counterpart
Now available in cordless forms: Numatic’s Henry vacuum cleaner. Image by David Simmonds (Creative Commons License: Some Rights Reserved – Share Alike).
Numatic’s Henry and Hetty cleaners are already an icon in most homes and offices. Now, alongside rivals Dyson and Bosch, Numatic have introduced a cordless vacuum cleaner. Yes, Henry has gone cordless. We kid you not.
Clean Hire are proud to announce their sponsorship of Thatto Heath Crusaders
It’s official: Clean Hire are the proud sponsors of Thatto Heath Crusaders
We at Clean Hire, as you may well know yourself are based on the outskirts of St. Helens. In our eyes, it is the centre of the Rugby League universe (sorry if we’ve offended anyone who think otherwise). It is the home of The Mighty Saints – St Helens of course – who have an enviable record in Super League. The secret behind their success is a number of local clubs in lower professional or amateur leagues. On our doorstep, Thatto Heath Crusaders is one of them.
A little look at Comac’s battery scrubber dryers, designed for numerous kinds of spaces
Behold the mighty Vispa 35B: the smallest battery scrubber dryer available for hire by Clean Hire.
Vispa 35B
The Vispa 35B is our smallest battery scrubber dryer. It is the best one for these hard to get to spaces and alcoves. It only has a 12V battery which is about as powerful as some household appliances.
Omnia 26B/32B
Next up in the size scale are the Omnia 26B and 32B scrubber dryers. They take a 36V battery with the two models powerful enough for intensive cleaning operations. These are the most powerful walk-behind Comac battery scrubber dryers we have for hire.
Innova 60B, 65B/M, 75B/M
The Innova 60B, 65B/M, and 74B/M battery scrubber dryers have a choice of manual and automatic options. Comac’s entry level ride-on scrubber dryers are a good all-rounder for cleaning floor spaces up to 6,000 square metres. They come with a 24V battery.
Flexy 75B/85B
The Flexy 75B and 85B scrubber dryers are suitable for intensive cleans on spaces up to 3,000 square metres, inside and outside. They have a built-in headlight, taillights, and a reverse beeper to warn pedestrians of its presence.
Ultra 85B/85BS/100B
Finally in our little look at Comac’s battery scrubber dryers, we look at the Ultra 85B, 85BS, and 100B scrubber dryers. They are the highest end machines we offer from the Comac brand. They are best suited to medium and large areas up to 5,000 square metres, including warehouses and forecourts.
Scrubber sweeper company Tennant purchases Italian rival with help from private equity fund, Ambienta
Expanding: Tennant Co’s portfolio.
Over the last month, our friends at Tennant Co., the multinational scrubber sweeper giant, have purchased its Italian rival, the IPC Group. Its acquisition, valued at £287 million, will be funded by private equity partners, Ambienta.
How a collection of 300 vacuum cleaners are proving to be a headache for Steve
A modern day cylinder vacuum cleaner. Image by Cheshmeh Studio (via Shutterstock).
Many moons ago, we looked at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in Heanor, Derbyshire. The visitor attraction is undoubtedly the place to go to if you love your vacuum cleaners. Claiming to have the third largest collection of vacuum cleaners in the United Kingdom is Steve Cook. The 38-year-old from Swindon has 300 items in his collection.
He has been interested in vacuum cleaners since he was a child. One day, his father, a school caretaker at the time, brought home a Hoover Constellation vacuum cleaner. Steve had a bash at trying to repair the dome-shaped cleaner. Though his attempt at electrical repairs was unsuccessful, it became the first of many additions to his collection.
The rarest model in his collection of 300 vacuum cleaners is the Hoover Powerdrive. Released in the mid-1970s, few models were manufactured. A halfway house between a Hoover Junior and a Hoover Turbopower vacuum cleaner, it cost the equivalent of £600 in today’s money. Steve has spent over £10,000 on vacuum cleaners in the last thirty years. One of his finds include a Moulinex Major – purchased for the princely sum of £2.00 at a carboot sale in Peterborough.
Courtesy of The London Economist blog, here’s what Steve Cook has to say about his collection in video form.
We wonder how he manages his to keep his floor clean, or find enough space for them. His 300 vacuum cleaners are almost taking over his one bedroom flat. So much so that he has stored some of his collection in a lock-up garage.
How eight Mumbai teenagers created a new approach to train cleaning
Thanks to eight teenagers, the daily commute to Mumbai could be cleaner. Image by Albert Bonjoch (via Shutterstock).
It’s a late Saturday afternoon aboard the Liverpool Lime Street train to Wigan North Western. After its return journey, the train’s next stop will be Allerton depot, where it will be cleaned for the next shift. It is strewn with litter from doorway to fold-up table. With bits of newspaper and drinks cans sharing the third carriage with St. Helens Central bound passengers. These days could be over, thanks to eight Mumbai teenagers who have created a novel approach to train cleaning.
Their invention hasn’t only impressed engineers; it has been seen by India’s railway minister, Suresh Prabhu. The teenagers, aged 12 to 14 years old, have invented a system where rubbish can be deposited through a vent. Their system has split vents in each compartment of the coach. With a foot pedal, passengers can deposit their waste into the vents. Then the refuse would be sucked up by a system similar to a vacuum cleaner. Having attracted the interest of India’s railway minister, it aims to make train cleaning easier.
The rubbish is sucked in with the vacuum system, where it is collected in waste chambers underneath the coach. Each coach will have three waste collection chambers. The students estimated that each passenger generates five litres of waste. For example, a British Rail Mark III coach (74 standard class seats) would potentially carry 370 litres of waste – slightly more than a small wheelie bin.
In the UK, our trains tend to have litter bins beside the doors. Our use of saloon style carriages rather than compartments could make installation difficult. Installing a similar system where most carriages have airline seating would make for tighter legroom (which is no good for tall passengers). On a diesel multiple unit (such as those seen on the Wigan Wallgate to Southport route) this would mean less space for its underfloor engines. Clean Hire, 22 February 2017.
Tefal takes on the vacuum cleaner market alongside Dyson with a new bagless cleaner
A Non-Stick Frying Pan: one of Tefal’s best known product lines. Image by Family Business (via Shutterstock).
Tefal: what is the first thing you think of when you hear the name Tefal? The first thing that springs to mind is cheese toasties. Teasmades and kettles. Anything to do with cheese and bacon or both, or chips. The brand name is a portmanteau of the first three letters of Teflon and the first two letters of the Aluminium. But vacuum cleaners???
We have learned from the Which? Magazine website how Tefal’s creation will give James Dyson and Co. a run for their money. As with Britain’s market leading manufacturer of cyclonic vacuum cleaners, Tefal’s models are bagless. It is claimed their models have powerful suction capabilities, capturing 99.98% of dust.
Their most powerful cleaner, the Tefal Air Force Extreme TY8865HO has a 6200 rpm motor with a delta shaped brush head, headlights, and a lithium battery. It is a lightweight rechargeable cordless cleaner with a powerful motor, a bit like a Jack Russell Terrier at full tilt. After charging, the vacuum cleaner is operational for five minutes shy of an hour. The recommended selling price for the 25 volt cordless vacuum cleaner is £270.
Should every home have one?
There has been favourable reviews for Tefal’s entry into the high powered world of vacuum cleaner manufacturing and design. We like the sleek slimline looks and think the Air Force Extreme range are a useful sidearm for your home. Get one for the stairs: there’s no need to worry about the hose or tripping over the flex.
The Tefal Air Force Extreme range of vacuum cleaners are readily available from most electrical shops and online retailers. Please note that some models come under the Rowenta name.
