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Spotless reputation
01/02/2011 | Channel: Business
Elite Miljø is determined to remain at the forefront of the development and delivery of quality cleaning
Correct cleaning and preventing the spread of bacteria are both major modern concerns, particularly in the medical and care industries, but also within other public and private businesses and homes. Addressing these issues is specialist cleaners Elite Miljø, which was first founded in 1980 by Bent Poder. Having built up the company from scratch into a major organisation achieving an annual turnover of approximately 400 million DKK, in 2004 Bent sold the business to the present owner, Kivi Tex, a family owned holding company. Today Elite Miljø is one of the Denmark’s largest and most focused providers of cleaning services within three main sectors – cleaning for public and private clients, hospital cleaning and private cleaning for the elderly as part of a welfare programme in Denmark.
The company’s expertise has meant that it has gained both public clients such as Aarhus University Hospital, Ballerup Municipality and Frederiksberg Hospital, and private customers like pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and medical company Coloplast. Alongside its core competency in cleaning, Elite Miljø offers a range of other complementary services. The company is constantly focused on the development of new systems, methods, tools and materials, which are rigorously tested by the development department prior to being introduced across the brand.
Jan Wilken, CEO of Elite Miljø, explains how having the right supply chain is vital to the business: “The supplier’s knowledge and their ability to pass that information onto us is just as important as the product they are selling. For example our chemical supplier, Diversey, provides us with the knowledge of how to use the chemicals correctly and safely. This is worth just as much as the product in itself.” The supply chain also plays a major role in ensuring the quality and efficiency of Elite Miljø’s services, with the company working alongside a few chosen suppliers in order to maintain these values.
One of the key strengths of the business is the Viima cleaning system. At present, Elite Miljø is the only private cleaning company in Denmark to use this system, which includes both cloths and mops. Viima has a unique composition and is constructed from the latest generation of micro fibre technology. In fact, tests from the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden demonstrate that Viima provides three times higher cleaning efficiency compared to conventional micro fibre products. The system enables cleaning to be carried out with the minimal use of water and cleaning agents, and prevents staff and customers breathing in chemical vapours. This also greatly reduces the environmental impact of Elite Miljø’s services in terms of both water usage, and consumption of detergents and other potentially harmful chemicals.
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Viima can also help to reduce cross-contamination as each cloth or mop is only used once in each zone, before being washed under controlled conditions to prevent the spread of bacteria. In order to ensure the optimal use of the system, detailed training in the Viima product makes up one part of Elite Miljø’s in-house staff training programme. “We have a dual training programme - for our leaders we have a leader training course, which is individually designed, and a ‘Viima-academy’. This has up to six modules and is designed to give our leaders ability in using the Viima system. All of our cleaning assistants also have to complete a ten day programme on the basics of cleaning,” explains Jan.
Alongside the expertise of its staff, Elite Miljø places great importance on the quality assurance of its services, which means much more than just a clean floor. Elite Miljø works to preserve its clients’ values and to create a clean and healthy environment for end users by remaining at the forefront of the development and delivery of quality cleaning. With the company recently gaining OHSAS certification, Jan comments on what this means for the business: “We received our certificate for occupational health and safety management (OHSAS 18001) in the middle of December 2010. We believe that this qualification is essential in terms of the future of the business, not only from a corporate social responsibility aspect but also because it means something for our customers. Looking ahead we are considering working towards an environmental certificate in the next one two years.”
Although recognising the competitive nature of the Danish market, in terms of the future progression of Elite Miljø Jan is confident about implementing the company’s five year plan for growth: “This strategy is based on a strong focus on our clients and quality, and continuing to concentrate on our core business of cleaning in order to provide a market leading service. The Danish market is very competitive but we see potential for Elite Miljø to grow through both organic and acquisition methods. We believe that in the coming year we are capable of being one of the top five service companies in Denmark, and are looking to expand our services outside of the country.”
Elite Miljø
Employees: 2000
Services: Public and private cleaning
The company’s expertise has meant that it has gained both public clients such as Aarhus University Hospital, Ballerup Municipality and Frederiksberg Hospital, and private customers like pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and medical company Coloplast. Alongside its core competency in cleaning, Elite Miljø offers a range of other complementary services. The company is constantly focused on the development of new systems, methods, tools and materials, which are rigorously tested by the development department prior to being introduced across the brand.
Jan Wilken, CEO of Elite Miljø, explains how having the right supply chain is vital to the business: “The supplier’s knowledge and their ability to pass that information onto us is just as important as the product they are selling. For example our chemical supplier, Diversey, provides us with the knowledge of how to use the chemicals correctly and safely. This is worth just as much as the product in itself.” The supply chain also plays a major role in ensuring the quality and efficiency of Elite Miljø’s services, with the company working alongside a few chosen suppliers in order to maintain these values.
One of the key strengths of the business is the Viima cleaning system. At present, Elite Miljø is the only private cleaning company in Denmark to use this system, which includes both cloths and mops. Viima has a unique composition and is constructed from the latest generation of micro fibre technology. In fact, tests from the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden demonstrate that Viima provides three times higher cleaning efficiency compared to conventional micro fibre products. The system enables cleaning to be carried out with the minimal use of water and cleaning agents, and prevents staff and customers breathing in chemical vapours. This also greatly reduces the environmental impact of Elite Miljø’s services in terms of both water usage, and consumption of detergents and other potentially harmful chemicals.
')";>
Viima can also help to reduce cross-contamination as each cloth or mop is only used once in each zone, before being washed under controlled conditions to prevent the spread of bacteria. In order to ensure the optimal use of the system, detailed training in the Viima product makes up one part of Elite Miljø’s in-house staff training programme. “We have a dual training programme - for our leaders we have a leader training course, which is individually designed, and a ‘Viima-academy’. This has up to six modules and is designed to give our leaders ability in using the Viima system. All of our cleaning assistants also have to complete a ten day programme on the basics of cleaning,” explains Jan.
Alongside the expertise of its staff, Elite Miljø places great importance on the quality assurance of its services, which means much more than just a clean floor. Elite Miljø works to preserve its clients’ values and to create a clean and healthy environment for end users by remaining at the forefront of the development and delivery of quality cleaning. With the company recently gaining OHSAS certification, Jan comments on what this means for the business: “We received our certificate for occupational health and safety management (OHSAS 18001) in the middle of December 2010. We believe that this qualification is essential in terms of the future of the business, not only from a corporate social responsibility aspect but also because it means something for our customers. Looking ahead we are considering working towards an environmental certificate in the next one two years.”
Although recognising the competitive nature of the Danish market, in terms of the future progression of Elite Miljø Jan is confident about implementing the company’s five year plan for growth: “This strategy is based on a strong focus on our clients and quality, and continuing to concentrate on our core business of cleaning in order to provide a market leading service. The Danish market is very competitive but we see potential for Elite Miljø to grow through both organic and acquisition methods. We believe that in the coming year we are capable of being one of the top five service companies in Denmark, and are looking to expand our services outside of the country.”
Elite Miljø
Employees: 2000
Services: Public and private cleaning