What Facility Managers Can Learn from Global Cleaning Industry Innovations
How robotics, sustainability, and training innovations are redefining the industry. May 23, 2025
The professional cleaning industry offers insights into broader facility management trends, particularly around technology integration, labor challenges, and sustainability initiatives.
During the NFMT and Clean Buildings Conferences earlier this year, Daniëlle Inostroza from RAI sat down with Corinne Zudonyi, Chief Editor for the Cleaning Market, to share insights from Interclean Amsterdam, the world’s largest professional cleaning and hygiene trade show, that reveal how European trends are influencing U.S. cleaning practices.
Robotics and data-driven technologies are increasingly deployed to optimize cleaning tasks. Robotics not only help alleviate labor shortages but also streamline operations, allowing one machine to complete multiple tasks with greater energy and water efficiency. Predictive maintenance, informed by IoT sensors, is another fast-growing trend, helping facility managers target resources where and when they are needed most.
Sustainability is no longer optional in Europe; it’s an operational requirement. Regulations mandate lower carbon footprints and incentivize the use of biodegradable materials, ultra-concentrated chemicals, and smart waste management practices. Facilities benefit not only from reduced environmental impact but also from lower utility bills and more efficient supply usage.
Training innovation is another area facility managers should watch. The use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) training programs is becoming commonplace in Europe, particularly for healthcare and high-risk environments. These technologies improve safety, enhance knowledge retention, and offer more engaging onboarding experiences for new staff.
Facility managers in the United States can expect these trends to influence operations in the coming years. Listen to the full conversation to learn how proactively adopting data-driven tools, sustainable practices, and innovative training solutions can help facilities stay ahead of regulatory demands, workforce challenges, and cost pressures.
Corinne Zudonyi is the editor-in-chief of the cleaning market, which includes Facility C
[embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=a0UDPORJV7Y&si=QAJWIRIUNt_zKR3n[/embed]leaning Decisions, a sister publication to Facility Maintenance Decisions.
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