| The cleaning industry has grown and matured a lot | | | | improvements in this area may have to come |
| over the past 20 years. What about the future? | | | | through regulation. |
| What will the cleaning industry look like 20 years from | | | | And it is not just the natural environment that is |
| now? | | | | becoming more of a concern. People are also |
| By all accounts the industry is expected to keep up | | | | demanding a chemical free, 'non toxic' environment |
| the phenomenal growth rate that it has seen over | | | | for themselves and their pets and are looking for |
| the past 20 or 30 years. Most cleaning industry | | | | cleaning solutions that don't aggravate asthma or |
| sectors are expected to grow by around 20% per | | | | dust allergies. |
| year over the next few decades. | | | | Productivity is set to improve as equipment and |
| Many cleaners continue to worry about low cost | | | | cleaning product manufacturers continue to produce |
| competitors who operate illegally and unprofessionally, | | | | better tools and solutions to the way that common |
| damage the industry and make it more difficult to | | | | cleaning tasks are performed. The trend is moving in |
| make a profit. Others believe that these fears are | | | | the direction of better quality equipment with longer |
| unfounded and that the industry will clean itself up | | | | life cycles and more ergonomically minded designs. |
| and that improved regulations will force out | | | | Most market players are still unsure whether there |
| unprofessional operators. | | | | will be a trend towards consolidation with the large |
| Many of the more respectable cleaning firms support | | | | chains and franchises gobbling up smaller players and |
| licensing and increased regulation and would be | | | | strengthening their positions. No matter what, there |
| prepared to pay the compliance costs as profit | | | | will be a steady stream of independent cleaning |
| margins would go up due to the weeding out of | | | | operators coming into this market. It looks certain |
| some of the cheaper illegal services. | | | | that the cleaning business will always provide good |
| The movement towards environmentally friendly | | | | opportunities for small businesses. |
| cleaning practices will definitely be picking up speed. | | | | Overall the future of the cleaning industry looks |
| People are happy to point the finger at any business | | | | positive and it is difficult to see any threats to the |
| using significant volumes of chemicals and businesses | | | | business that may slow down growth rates. If you |
| will have to slowly change to meet this emerging | | | | are looking for a great business with a solid future |
| customer demand for 'green services'. However, | | | | and little risk going forward, don't hesitate to give the |
| customers are often not prepared to pay a higher | | | | cleaning business a try. |
| price for a 'greener' service so any major | | | | |