NOVEMBER | SECTOR FOCUS
HYGIENE & SANITATION
Perhaps no sector has
been placed more firmly in the limelight by Covid-19 than the hygiene and sanitation sector . As the pandemic has rolled on , the few events that have managed to go ahead have been placed under unprecedented scrutiny in the provision of safe and clean spaces to attendees .
With traditional revenue streams shut off , plenty of suppliers have turned to providing masks , sanitising stations and more in order to keep trading . But those companies which were already supplying hygiene and sanitation services to events have a head start on the many companies which have pivoted to it .
A1 Event and Exhibition Cleaners is a family business formed in 1947 , which has provided sanitation services and products to live music , outdoor events and exhibitions for more than 70 years . Managing director Martin Cottrell says this helps set them apart from companies that are trying to make a quick buck by selling cheap hand sanitiser .
“ Lots of people have jumped into the market , selling hand sanitiser with fancy names ,” he says . “ They were getting a load of alcohol , chucking it in a jug with some gel , making the stuff and selling it at ridiculous prices . It might do the job , but it ’ s vastly overpriced .”
A1 , says Cottrell , only sells NHS-grade cleaning products
Cleaning and sanitation services are more important than they ’ ve ever been . How are companies within the sector , both old and new , adapting to the changing landscape ?
Words : Stuart Wood
which are used in hospitals , and come from suppliers they have partnered with for more than 30 years . Its most recent client was the London Marathon , which went ahead in a reduced capacity this year and was only welcome to elite athletes . The company also provides sanitation and hygiene services to London venues Printworks , Magazine London and The Drumsheds , which hosts Field Day Festival .
Cottrell says cutting corners in the current climate is dangerous , and A1 takes every precaution to make sure it provides a safe cleaning service : “ When this all started , we actually stepped away to protect our staff ,” he says . “ We wanted to assess the seriousness of it first and figure out how we , as a company , would need to adapt .
“ We stepped back and spent a lot of time working with the Event Supplier and Services Association ( ESSA ) and speaking to infection control , as well as chemical manufacturers . We went on a learning curve to make sure that what we did , we did correctly .”
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Photography : Andrew Baker for Virgin Money London Marathon
This attention to detail when it comes to the science of cleaning is shared by another supplier . AnyBrand is a new arm of hospitality business Boxbuild , launched in response to the Covid-19 pandemic . The company partnered with HeiQ Viroblock , a Swiss manufacturer of anti-viral textiles , to create a durable face mask tested
47