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SoftBank Robotics EMEA has signed a strategic partnership with Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies (BCHS), part of Bunzl plc, one of the fastest-growing international distribution and outsourcing groups.
Under the agreement, BCHS will now offer Whiz, Europe’s first industrial cobotic vacuum sweeper, to their facility management (FM) and cleaning clients.
David Cousins, Managing Director of BCHS, said: “We see huge potential for Whiz to make a real difference to our clients by increasing cleaning performance and helping to meet heightened expectations around hygiene as a result of Covid-19. Whiz will enable our customers to meet and exceed service level agreements, through greater levels of consistency and improvements in operational efficiency and agility.”
Whiz is a simple to use and reliable self-driving cleaning solution designed for vacuuming. It works alongside cleaning teams, taking over repetitive, heavy-duty vacuuming of large areas of flooring, and freeing up workers to focus on high value tasks which make a real difference to service delivery and client satisfaction. For example, the sanitisation of hard surfaces, such as door handles and lift buttons, which is critical in preventing the transmission of Covid-19.
Whiz can clean up to 500 m² per hour and covers 1,500 m² on a single charge. It delivers greater efficiency and consistency in cleaning performance than traditional approaches, where cleaning teams deploy a ‘spot cleaning’ method to clean large areas of flooring.
Nils J.van der Zijl, VP Sales & Marketing at SoftBank Robotics EMEA, said: “We always look to work with forward-thinking cleaning solutions providers that are committed to delivering innovation and business value to their clients – and to helping them navigate these extremely challenging times. BCHS, being the UK’s leading cleaning and hygiene supplier, are exactly that and we’re excited to be working with their talented and experienced teams.
“We’re seeing a real surge in demand for Whiz amongst FM providers and cleaning clients across the whole region as the pandemic continues to disrupt economies and businesses. Contractors and facility management teams are facing huge pressure to deliver improved cleaning performance and consistency, to ensure buildings are safe and hygienic, and to encourage people back to work, as and when lockdown restrictions are eased. Whiz has a big part to play in this, freeing up cleaning staff to focus on high-traffic, high-touch areas, and picking up the slack when team members are absent.”
