Nilfisk brings cleaning industry together to explore the future of professional cleaning 

Facilities managers, cleaning professionals and industry specialists gathered at Edgbaston Cricket Ground on 16 and 17 September for Nilfisk’s Discovery Day 2026, exploring the technologies and operational challenges shaping the future of professional cleaning.

Taking place as Nilfisk celebrates 100 years of operation in the UK and 120 years globally, the two-day event combined seminars, live demonstrations and discussions with specialists, giving visitors the opportunity to see the latest Nilfisk equipment in action and explore how it could support their cleaning operations.

Productivity was a recurring theme throughout the event, with autonomous cleaning attracting particular interest. Attendees watched robotic floorcare equipment in operation and discussed how it could be integrated into established workflows, with much of the conversation centred on the practical considerations involved in introducing new technology.

Audrey Ball, marketing manager UK & Ireland at Nilfisk, said: “What I enjoyed most about our Discovery Day was hearing the conversations happening around the room. People weren’t just asking what the technology can do, they wanted to talk about how it would actually work on their sites, alongside their teams and the equipment they already have. That’s exactly why we wanted to hold Discovery Day. We can demonstrate a new machine, but it becomes much more useful when customers can challenge us, ask questions and tell us what they are dealing with day to day.

“Reaching 100 years in the UK really gives us a moment to reflect on how much the industry has changed, and Discovery Day gave us a pretty good indication of where the conversation is heading next. Our job is to stay close to that and keep developing solutions around what customers need.”

Interactive conversations with Nilfisk experts gave attendees the chance to discuss the challenges they are seeing across their own operations, from making better use of available labour and equipment to introducing new technology.

The event also featured a demonstration of My Fleet, Nilfisk’s connected fleet management platform, showing how equipment data can provide cleaning teams with greater visibility of machine activity and performance.

Nilfisk was founded in 1906 and established its UK operations in 1926. Discovery Day marked that centenary by bringing together the company’s heritage with the technologies now shaping professional cleaning across the UK.