The Standard Issue 4 2022

IS AUTOMATED CLEANING
REALLY VIABLE?
Cleaning standards and
expectations have changed since
the Pandemic. We rely on cleaning
operatives to keep spaces clean
so that we can stay healthier.
Although our standards have
changed, staffing levels have
not, with a severe downturn in
availability since Brexit. It's an
ongoing topic of conversation
and one that doesn't seem to be
changing anytime soon.
FM companies, and the like, must
devise better solutions to these
more rigorous standards, high staff
turnover and shortages, but what
are the realistic options?
Cobotics (collaborative robotics) in
cleaning have been more prevalent
over the past year or two than ever
before. And where there seemed
to be a fear of robots taking human
jobs, we actually see benefits over
the longer term. By no means do
we want to replace that human
element in cleaning, as there is
still so much robotics can't do, but
we want to help reduce mundane,
repetitive tasks which take up so
much time.
Alleviating the laborious nature of
vacuuming, mopping and scrubbing
means operatives can hit their
daily targets of deep cleaning,
touch-point cleaning and sanitising,
all while monitoring a fleet of
cobots. As technology and features
improve, and ROI is possible in
as little as 18 months, having a
robotic team member looks more
attainable as pressures grow.
So what are the options on the
market? The most prominent brand
in the UK is Lionsbot, producing
a line of high-quality, easy-touse
automated cleaning robots.
Lionsbots' newly launched R3
Scrub at Interclean in Amsterdam
has increased interest in cobotics
since its arrival in May 2022.
THE STANDARD
A large FM company has already
deployed R3s within healthcare
centres and corporate offices. As
a more compact version of the
LeoBot, the R3 is super quiet and
super efficient, scrubbing up to 1200
square metres per hour. It's also
perfect for dust mopping and can
diligently clean 1800 square metres
per hour. Controlled manually or
through the app, an operative or
manager can monitor and command
each machine remotely.
Additionally, the R3s low water
usage at just 6l per hour means there
is no overuse of water. With the UK
seeing massive droughts this year
which are expected to last well into
2023, it's a resource we need to
save. Reservoirs across the country
continue to be at lower levels than
usual. Nearly half of reservoirs were
classed as exceptionally low for the
time of year, with total stocks at 52%
of total capacity on 20 September.
Hospitals across the UK have widely
adopted LeoBots into their cleaning
regiments, and there are currently
25 deployed in a healthcare setting.
The LeoBots fall into Lionsbot's
mid-sized range of cobotic
machines and have been delighting
patients young and old with their
personalities. But on a serious note,
the LeoBots allow operatives more
time to handle touch-point cleaning
and cross-infection control, with
the cobots dealing with large open
areas such as corridors.
Certainly, your biggest option in
automation is the Rex. This monster
machine comes equipped with
200m Lidar coverage, 10-hours
runtime, 81cm cleaning width
and up to 80kg of brush pressure.
Rex can conservatively clean
1700 square meters per hour and
has been installed in two major
logistics and distribution sites and
a prominent London-based airport.
The scale and nimbleness at which
Rex can clean is truly a sight
to behold.
On a smaller scale, robotic
disc vacuums are becoming
commonplace not only domestically
but within commercial settings.
Travelodge, one of the largest
hotel chains in the UK, completed
a rollout to all 579 of their hotels,
of 7,500 robotic vacuums, between
July and September 2021, to clean
44,000 rooms daily. As it stands, this
is one of the largest mobilisations of
automated cleaning equipment the
UK has seen.
Travelodges' decision to introduce
robotics was driven by the need
to relieve its housekeeping staff
of very time-consuming work
and improve its sustainability as
a company. Each RoboVac uses
600 watts of power compared
with 1,200 watts for a traditional
vacuum cleaner and are bagless.
The simple change cuts down on
waste, and staff love them—it is
seen as a win-win solution for more
efficient cleaning while supporting
the sustainability of our planet.
The future of cobotic cleaning looks
very bright, and with good reason.
Some of the biggest companies
in the UK, in both the Public and
Private sectors, are embracing
cobotics to solve problems.
Whether you are facing staffing
issues, want to improve health,
need to streamline costs or focus on
sustainability, cleaning automation
is proven to work—integration is
not only possible but viable.
WANT TO KNOW IF CLEANING
AUTOMATION AND COBOTICS
WOULD WORK WITHIN
YOUR FACILITY?
PLEASE CONTACT OUR
FRIENDLY KILLIS TEAM ON
0114 269 86 86
OR
EMAIL SALES@KILLIS.CO.UK