Kärcher supports countless industrial customers across the most diverse range of sectors, with an annual turnover of more than EUR 300 million in this area. Bettina Biebl, Vice President Global Sales Management Professional, explains, "We often hear people ask 'Oh, does Kärcher do that too?' This is an incentive for us to increase awareness of our portfolio of consultation services and individual solutions for industrial cleaning." Looking at a few sample projects, it is clear that investing in cleaning technology soon pays off.

A textile company in Asia was faced with the problem that the cutting tool it was using had to be replaced every four months. The cost: EUR 100,000. By installing a vacuum system that removes the fine textile fibres from the blade, the useful life could be extended by one month. "We have had similar success with vacuum systems in the food industry," explains Biebl. "Ice cream tubs that are not filled by the production system, for example, often grind production to a halt." The reason: the jammed tubs have to be removed. A vacuum system, on the other hand, removes them automatically, allowing production to run smoothly.

A solution that increases workplace safety was also developed for the drinks industry. The problem here was that loose labels would often find their way into the machines and bring them to a standstill. Removing them manually involves a high risk of injury to personnel. By implementing a vacuum system, separated labels are removed mechanically.

"Regardless of the industry, the result is always the same: whenever processes and technologies are analysed, there is always a need for improvement. And the return on investment soon materialises," asserts Biebl. Whether it's an industrial bakery that can produce goods for longer by virtue of reducing time spent on cleaning thanks to a belt cleaning solution, or a chemical company that has reduced the time involved in tank interior cleaning from almost four days to four hours, it pays to think outside the box – always.