Industrial cleaning systems: do you choose centralised or decentralised?
The first question you should ask yourself when you want to purchase an industrial cleaning system is: ‘Do I want to clean centrally or decentrally?’. It is important to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of both systems in your specific business situation.
When answering this question, two factors are decisive:
- Do you have a new building or an existing premises?
- What is the number of tap points required?
Recouping the investment
In new buildings, Elpress essentially recommends always making use of a centralised cleaning process if the number of tap points is greater than 4. Centralised cleaning – in which there is a central place in the business for the chemical store and the booster unit – is actually safer, more efficient and space-saving. Elpress presents the advantages of centralised chemical cleaning for you:
- Greater safety: there are no concentrated chemicals on the shop floor.
- More efficient and more constant chemical consumption: because the dosing takes place centrally, the concentration of cleaning agent is exactly matched to the necessary quantity. In the case of decentralised cleaning, the dosing is regulated by tap point, which makes this less efficient and constant.
- More efficient working: centralised cleaning requires fewer actions by the employee, because jerrycans do not have to be constantly moved.
- More cost-effective purchase of chemicals: because you purchase larger quantities and do not need to make use of smaller, loose jerrycans. This also limits the chemical waste and ensures a lower burden on the environment.
Recouping the investment
Centralised cleaning requires a higher investment compared to a decentralised cleaning system, partly because a more extensive network of pipes is needed. However, this investment has a real payback period and ultimately saves money.
In a new building, a centralised cleaning system is relatively simple to achieve because the system and the pipe network can be efficiently incorporated into the building.
When do you opt for decentralised?
In an existing premises, the investment in a centralised system is relatively higher because a lot of modifications have to be made. Consider the laying of a pipe network and the creation of a central room for placing the dosing pump and storing the chemical. That’s why decentralised cleaning is often chosen in existing business situations.
Precisely because of the lower investment costs, a decentralised cleaning process is often the best choice for businesses that need fewer than 3 tap points. A centralised system is only interesting when at least four employees make use of it.
Advice on the setup of your possible cleaning system in 3 steps
Do you want to know which cleaning system suits your business? Then download the no-obligation Cleaning System Selection Plan, run through the 3 steps in the plan and see immediately which possible setup is suitable for your situation.