Through a shared commitment to sustainable development and environmental action, three distinct companies found a remarkable innovation in professional cleaning. Tampere Hall, SOL and Kiilto have a long-standing tradition of collaboration as partners. The new probiotic cleaning solution was finalized together in an environment where cleaning is an essential part of comfort and safety.
Tampere Hall is the first congress centre in the Nordics awarded with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and it continuously aims to develop its environmental actions. Choosing the partners to conduct the daily upkeeping processes, such as cleaning, is important not only for the criteria of sustainability but also for comfort.
“Cleaning is an important part of comfort and safety. As a Nordic Swan Ecolabelled operator it is important for us that used equipment and methods support our actions towards sustainability. With our cleaning partner SOL we have chosen a range of Nordic Swan Ecolabelled Kiilto Pro products for our premises”, tells Marko Koivisto, Property Manager of Tampere Hall.
SOL has been the trusted cleaning partner of Tampere Hall for many years, and the partners share a mutual vision for taking concrete actions to bear the responsibility for our environment. “We have a long and good co-operation with Tampere Hall. Tampere Hall is appreciating and requiring constant improvement, critical observation of operating models, and better procedures from its partners”, tells Tarja-Leena Sipiläinen, SOL’s Service Director. For SOL the immense part of the efforts is using the Nordic Swan Ecolabelled products and working in close co-operation with carefully chosen, responsible manufacturers, like Kiilto.
Marko Koivisto, Tarja-Leena Sipiläinen and Pirkko Heinilä all agree, that long-standing traditions of collaboration between Kiilto, SOL and Tampere Hall have created a fruitful base for innovations.
Achieving common goals through innovative solutions
The forward-thinking and long co-operation between Tampere Hall, SOL, and Kiilto was a fertile starting point for testing the new probiotic all-purpose cleaner, Kiilto Pro Universal Probio, in an environment where responsible cleanliness is one a fundamental requirement. Probiotic cleaning distinguishes itself from conventional detergents by not only cleansing surfaces but also introducing beneficial microbes to the surfaces. These microbes persist on the treated surfaces, actively consuming dirt, and odours even between cleaning sessions. Through their natural enzymatic processes, these probiotics break down dirt into smaller particles, enhancing their efficacy in subsequent cleaning efforts.
“Kiilto was the active party suggesting us to take the product to test at the end of the year 2022”, tells Tarja-Leena Sipiläinen, when asked how they ended up testing the new product. “We had been considering the possibilities of probiotic products for a long time. At the same time, SOL had also expressed their interest in this type of product. Together with SOL, we approached Tampere Hall and specified the characteristics and requirements of the product in their facility. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel was an absolute prerequisite for the product”, Pirkko Heinilä, Account and Developing Manager from Kiilto adds.
The fact that probiotic cleaning agents offer a long-lasting improved level of cleanliness and hygiene and that the probiotics remain effective for a long time between cleanings was an attractive factor to SOL. “Kiilto Pro Universal Probio is entirely new hence interesting solution, and it fits perfectly to our ambitious goals”, Sipiläinen continues.
Marko Koivisto agrees that new innovative solutions are also welcomed by Tampere Hall. “We have long-standing traditions of collaborations as partners with SOL and Kiilto. We were glad to offer an opportunity to test new responsible innovations on our premises. A product that makes the cleaning even more effective between the rounds is very much welcomed to our busy daily cleaning operations”, says Koivisto.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel signifies quality, safety and sustainability
According to SOL, the co-operation during testing went well as Tampere Hall, SOL, and Kiilto were all clear about their responsibilities and communication was conducted promptly. The new probiotic solution has not raised any concerns, quite the opposite, as the feedback from users and Tampere Hall visitors has been only positive. Koivisto thinks it’s due to the ecolabelling: “Kiilto Pro Universal Probio has received the Nordic Swan Ecolabel which means it has gone through strict processes before receiving the certification”.
Due to the common environmental goals of Tampere Hall, SOL and Kiilto, the definitive factor in the process was companies’ interests in sustainability and especially in environmental efforts. “When responsible operators find each other, more impactful actions are achieved in the field of responsibility through co-operation”, Marko Koivisto summarizes and continues: “The collaboration throughout the entire project has proceeded very well. Significant product developments like these don’t happen overnight, and I believe everyone is now very satisfied as the product has received ecolabel and is available for everyday use”.
Tampere Hall is an event company and a bright culture and conference centre situated in the heart of Tampere. It has been voted as the best conference centre in Finland seven times in a row. As one of the largest conference and concert centres in the Nordic countries, they have 675 000 visitors per year and organize approximately 1100 events.
SOL is a capable, innovative and international service industry family business that produces diverse cleaning, premises, property maintenance and security services. SOL has nearly 10 000 registered customers and it operates nationwide in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden. SOL has almost 14 000 employees.
Kiilto is a family-owned company with over a hundred-year history developing, producing and selling chemical industry solutions. It has its our own research, development and innovation functions, which are the base for the agile and valuable co-operation. Kiilto employs around 800 professionals in 9 countries.
In co-operation with: Tampere Hall and SOL Text: Mira Pinta Images: Mikko Uosukainen