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Cleaning and facilities management specialists, RCCN, has launched a new commercial freezer cleaning solution that it says is the “only one of its kind available in the UK”.
The Yorkshire-headquartered company has made a significant investment to develop its own unique cleaning solution for freezer warehouses and cold storage units after spotting a gap in the market.
RCCN’s Managing Director, Mark Kiaie commented: “Freezer warehouses and cold stores are very difficult environments to clean so it really is a specialist job and we’re not aware of anyone else doing it.
“It’s something that has been tried several times unsuccessfully by other companies. For that reason, many freezer floors have not been cleaned properly for decades and pose a real health and safety risk from the build-up of ice.”
RCCN worked alongside a team from the large FM organisation Arcus to develop the solution following an enquiry for freezer cleaning services from a major supermarket chain. A six-month R&D project was undertaken to identify products, equipment and a method that would successfully clean large freezer facilities to prevent the risk of slips and falls on ice – the main cause of injury in sub-zero workplaces.
Chief among the challenges to be addressed was the ineffectiveness of standard cleaning products in minus-25 degree temperatures. Other considerations included ensuring emissions from equipment were safe for an enclosed warehouse, and developing a process that would work without switching off the freezer. In addition, with many freezer facilities storing food, it was essential that all cleaning products, equipment and processes did not cause contamination.
Mike Whincup, FM Account Director at RCCN who led the R&D project, said: “Our solution ticks every box. It is an extremely effective cleaning system that is completely food safe and uses non-corrosive products. The lack of downtime is also crucially important as this can save thousands of pounds in both lost stock and the high amount of energy required to re-freeze such large facilities.”
Whincup said RCCN’s success at developing a solution came from a company culture of innovation and ability to think outside the box, with his own experience of working in winter maintenance also giving them an advantage.
He said: “One of the most difficult aspects we looked at was drying the product. Added to that is the fact that often these places haven’t been cleaned for a long time and so have a build-up of grease that can’t be cleaned through usual methods.”
John Donnison, Transformation Director at Arcus Facilities Management, said: “We’re delighted to have worked with RCCN in developing this unique solution for freezer cleaning which has enabled us to support the needs of one of our retail clients. RCCN has overcome several hurdles during this process to ensure a safe, effective and quality end result.”
The new service complements RCCN’s expertise in the industrial cleaning sector, as well as its long experience in high-level cleaning for the education and retail sectors.
Kiaie said: “As a company, we have an excellent track record, our infrastructure is second-to-none and we maintain standards through robust auditing, which is very important in the cleaning industry. We also place a great emphasis on sustainability, only using cleaning products that are 100 per cent green and equipment that is environmentally friendly.”
RCCN currently employs 350 people and plans to grow this to at least 500 over the coming year after recently securing a large contract due to begin in early 2023, as well as rolling out its new freezer cleaning specialism.
Kiaie added: “We invest heavily in everything, continually identify opportunities and deliver successfully on them. The development of our commercial freezer cleaning service is a great example of this.”
