3M, the technology company offering innovative solutions to major markets worldwide, have strengthened their focus towards the cleaning and hygiene and facilities management industries in order to help companies achieve efficiency and reduce costs.
Given the wide expanse of 3M’s product range, it was an absolute must to visit the 3M Gulf office in Dubai to understand 3M products firsthand and see how the product portfolio can help clients achieve long-term cost benefits.
Dirt control
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Syed Amin, Sales Specialist,
Commercial Care Division, 3M
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The overall 3M strategy to keep any facility clean is simple and effective, based on primarily preventive measures followed by subsequent corrective measures. “Why allow the dust to come inside when u can prevent it,” says Syed Ameen, sales specialist of 3M, Commercial Care, Safety, Security and Protection Services while referring to the Nomad Entrance Matting System, 3M’s flagship product for the Building and Commercial Services Division. The 3M Nomad Entrance Matting System consists of the Scraper Matting and the Carpet Matting systems, with each system doing its specific job of helping to keep the facility clean. The outdoor and foyer Nomad Scraper Matting System in turn comprises different mats that form 3M’s first line of defense against dirt and sand by scraping dirt, sand particles and moisture off shoes. The Nomad Carpet Matting system designed for indoor use consists of different kinds of carpet matting that form 3M’s second line of defense, as they remove any remnants of moisture and small dirt particles that are not removed by the outdoor scraper matting.
According to Syed, the environmental and energy advantage of a 3M Nomad Scraper Matting system is its capability of removing up to 72 percent more dirt and water than other traditional matting. Less dirt and water entering a facility means an improvement in overall appearance, longer life of the floor surfaces and reduction in interior maintenance cost.
“The very fact that dirt is not allowed to come inside helps to save on water and chemicals required for cleaning,” says Syed.
In fact, the installation of a 3M Nomad Matting system helps an upcoming project to contribute to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System (LEED® EB v2.0-EQ Credit 10.1 Green Cleaning: Entryway systems).
Not all mats will keep floors clean although they do remove dirt and sand from shoes for some debris still remains on the mat’s surface that gets carried into the building by people walking in, informs Syed, which is however not the case with 3M mats. “In a mall or airport or in any facility for that matter, it is very important to control the dust at the main door itself. In comparison to traditional mats, the open construction of 3M’s Entrance Matting system traps and hides the dirt below the matting surface until it is cleaned, while also allowing water to disperse until it evaporates or is extracted.”
There are different types of matting that can be used in various areas of the facility, depending on the traffic level. For instance, for heavy traffic areas, the extra-duty backed Nomad Scraper Matting 8150 is most suitable, whereas the Nomad Optima 9900 Aluminium Frame Matting is most suitable for facilities like shopping centres, airports and hotels that have a recessed-well entrance.
Syed points out the increasing popularity of 3M’s Entrance Matting systems that have been installed in leading facilities like the Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, Dubai Mall and the Meydan Racecourse.
Wasl, the asset management group owned by Dubai Real Estate Corporation (DREC), also has 3M mats installed at the main entrance of the headquarter building and a few other places. Malik Rehan, FM Quality Inspector at DREC Wasl says:”The experience that I have had with these mats is exceptionally good. The mats were installed a couple of ago and they still look as good as brand new. They are doing the job very well and are a great value for money.” Malik Rehan,
As the facility management industry struggles to take on the challenge of trying to cut down maintenance costs, given today’s scenario of budgetary constraints amidst the global economic downturn, it makes sense to invest in matting systems that provide a clean entrance and interior for a longer duration. “There’s no point in going in for a low-end matting only to replace it after 6 months. 3M matting systems are fire retardant, have passed the electrical property test and are resistant to chemicals as well and last as long as ten years,” says Syed.
Together, the Nomad Entrance Matting and the Carpet Matting Systems continually provide a cleaner floor at the entrance and throughout the building, protect floors from damage due to tracked-in soil and other debris, reduce time and effort needed to clean and maintain floors and minimize expensive slips and falls as it reduces dirt and water on hard floors.
The FM industry has to fulfill the responsibility of providing an internal environment that is not only clean but safe and sustainable as well. To facilitate the building management in this regard, 3M has also come up with Safety-Walk Wet Area matting systems that are ideal for shower rooms, ablution areas, sauna and locker rooms. The matting is covered with an antimicrobial coating that inhibits the growth of fungus, mildew and other microorganisms and subsequently prevents the formation of bad odor.
The aqua matting system is of particular importance to this region as the prevailing atmospheric humidity provides an environment conducive for fungus and other microbes to grow. “3M’s hydrophobic antimicrobial coating helps in providing a substratum that does not allow bacteria and fungi to grow, thereby making it safe for people to walk barefoot in areas like shower rooms, ablution areas and saunas. Again the open, coiled vinyl construction allows water to drain through, leaving the matting dry and comfortable to walk on.”
Green cleaning
For the cleaning industry in terms of floor care, 3M has floor pads for quick stripping, stain removal, foam scrubbing, spray cleaning and buffing as well as for burnishing harder finishes and heavy-traffic floors. In addition, the company has come up with Scotch-Brite Purple Diamond Floor Pads for daily cleaning of marble and terrazzo floorings and Sienna Diamond Floor Pads for immediate cleaning after floor installation when it gets damaged due to high traffic or low maintenance. 
According to Syed, 3M Diamond Floor Pads differ from those of competitor companies in terms of superior efficiency and long-lasting value. “3M Diamond Floor Pads have abrasives like micro industrial diamonds evenly spread throughout the pad whereas other traditional pads have abrasives only on the surface of the pad. This means that 3M floor pads provide long-lasting efficiency right till the last day, i.e. when the pad needs to be replaced.”
In fact, with 3M Scotch-Brite Purple Diamond Floor Pads, regular day-to-day cleaning can be carried out only with water, thereby reducing the need for chemicals.
3M supports the ‘green drive’ by not only manufacturing products that eliminate the need for chemicals altogether but also manufactures chemicals that are ‘green’ in nature. 3M has come up with concentrated products that can be diluted and dispensed using the 3M Twist ‘n Fill Cleaning Chemical Management System. “Each 2 liter bottle of concentrated glass cleaner makes 115 ready-to-use liters (equal to 160 glass cleaner bottles), so the company saves on 160 bottles, labels, cartons, and storage and transportation charges. Clients get a dispenser free of cost, which suffices for all kinds of chemical concentrates. 3M Twist ‘n Fill Cleaning Chemical Management System helps clients save money and increase their cleaning efficiency. The system also ensures that the right dosage of cleaning chemical is used, no more no less, as tested in 3M laboratories,” explains Syed.
For instance, the 3M HB Quat Disinfectant Cleaner is a concentrated product to be diluted and dispensed using the 3M Twist ‘n Fill Cleaning Chemical Management System. It remains effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis for up to one year when stored in a sealed container at room temperature. A 2 liter concentrate of this product yields 180 ready to use gallons.
Another concentrated disinfectant cleaner that is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria as well as viruses and fungi is the 3M Quat Disinfectant Cleaner Concentrate. The solution is active against viruses causing Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV-1, the AIDS virus and inhibits the growth of mold and mildew and their odors. This product meets AOAC efficacy standards for hospital disinfectants.
3M Neutral Cleaner is again a concentrated product (A 2 liter concentrate yields 207 ready to use gallons) that comes with a Green Seal GS-37 Environmental Certification. In fact, the 3M Twist N Fill cleaning chemicals are substantiated by the LEED Claim that the use of this product helps contribute to LEED® EB v2.0-EQ Credit 10.3 Green Cleaning: Low Environmental Impact Cleaning Policy.
With a LEED ratification under their belt, it won’t be long before the market share for 3M’s product portfolio increases dramatically in the Gulf region, as developers vie with one another to get their projects LEED accredited.
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