In another step towards a sustainable future, the Middle East Cleaning Technology Week (MECTW) was the place to be for the main players in the region’s cleaning industry.Held from 2 – 4 November and touted as one of the most anticipated events on the cleaning sector calendar, the exhibition was the first of its kind in the region - a global forum uniting the cleaning and hygiene industries. This year’s event was held at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre, and comprised of the main show, the CMEP (Clean Middle East Pulire) Expo, and for the first time also included two additional platforms, the Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo and the Gulf Car Wash-Car Care Expo.

The three shows together hosted +160 regional and international exhibitors with a footfall of over 4,349 attendees over the three days of the event. In line with the sustainable future vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and with a focus on generating awareness on cleanliness and hygiene, laundry and dry cleaning, and car wash and car care sectors throughout the region, MECTW used the three trade shows as a platform to unite industry thought leaders, decision-makers and investors from across the globe.

One of the guest speakers at the event, Duncan Wadell, Chairman, Global FM, shared a key insight to the function of the cleaning industry in the infrastructure of any economy. “It’s an incredibly strong role that we play within our marketplace, to our customers and to the industry – and the skills we develop are relevant all around the world from Paris to Australia to the Middle East. It’s a small world when you think of it, but it’s substantially larger when you consider how much we, as an industry, contribute,” he added.

With a core objective of getting closer to achieving the goal of a sustainable future for the region, the event brought together the main players of the cleaning industry, promoting innovative technology, the latest products and services, and scientific cleaning practices to potential buyers in the MENA region.

The 3rd edition of the CMEP Expo focused on facilitating international industry best practices, enhanced product offerings, new business opportunities and recognising new technology trends relevant to the industry across different organisations, government bodies, large-scale manufacturers, etc.

                                          A glimpse of Clean Middle East Pulire Expo

Exhibitors at the event covered all types of cleaning functions, from waste disposal to machinery, tools and equipment, along with general hygiene products as well. And many of the exhibitors found the exhibition to be beneficial. “Clean Middle East Pulire has been an extremely well-organised event, and this kind of an exhibition is beneficial as it gives us the opportunity to interact with many of our suppliers, as well as overseas customers who are interested in Intercare. It provides a good opportunity for the audience to view all our products under one roof, and also encourages healthy competition within the industry, helping it to further grow,” said John H. Colley, Chairman and Founder, Intercare Ltd.

         The Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo was a welcome addition to this year’s event

Given the growth of the commercial laundry business in the region, due to the thriving hospitality and healthcare sectors, the Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo was a welcome addition to this year’s event. It provided an opportunity for industry manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers, to connect with the aim of forging successful business partnerships. The exhibition showcased top of the line laundry products, equipment, technologies, and ancillary products and services including advanced laundry machines, dry cleaning systems, chemicals, accessories and more, with an emphasis on energy and water conservation. “We were very pleased with our participation and results of this inaugural show of Middle East Cleaning Technology Week. The interest and quality of the participants were very strong. ”Having a focused effort related to laundry certainly was a driving factor and we look forward to growing in the coming years with this show,” said Rick Pyle, President, International Alliance Laundry Systems.

While the cleaning industry in the Middle East is known to be a relatively young market, this is even more so when it comes to the car wash and car care segment. With a focus not only on cars but trucks, buses and fleets as well, the Middle East market proved to be ideal in terms of further development of this category. Featuring enhanced car wash and maintenance products, services, accessories and technology with attention to the requirement for an environment-friendly approach, exhibitors included manufacturers, distributors and related business divisions from across the region as well as prominent international markets.

“MECTW has proved to be a brilliant platform in showcasing our expertise in the field of car wash, and our participation has helped generate a significant number of leads. The expo has created awareness about the technological advancement in the car wash industry by bringing all major players under one roof and helping customers understand how their contribution in choosing the right methods can make a huge difference in standing by UAE’s water conservation mission,” said Abdulla Al Shehi, Chief Executive Officer, Q2 Wash & Q2 Trade.

Visitors to MECTW ranged from facility management companies to housekeeping professionals from the hospitality, healthcare, government and retail industries, as well central laundry professionals, laundry managers, entrepreneurs and industrial, chemical and environment-specific cleaning businesses. The Gulf Car Wash Expo also saw the attendance of professionals from the auto industry, along with car wash operators, transportation authorities and large dealerships to name a few.

There was more to MECTW than just the exhibition. Initiatives like honouring the city street cleaners and the hospitality, laundry and soft services industry were received very well among those who attended. Taking place alongside the exhibition was also the 3rd edition of International Cleaning and Hygiene Conference, and the first edition of the Gulf Laundrex Conference and Gulf Car Wash-Car Care Conference.

The synergy between the three trade shows was evident and visitors got an opportunity to not only reconnect with their clients but also build a strong bond with new ones.

Work on MECTW 2016 has already begun with an anticipated growth of 30 per cent.