This is my busiest travel time of the year. There are many shows and conventions taking place around the world so I have been on the move most of the last few months. The Purlire show took me to Verona, Italy, and on the way back to Seattle I stopped in Baltimore for the CMI Expo and to instruct a FCT Certification Seminar. Next, I was back home in Washington to attend the National School Plant Managers Association’s annual convention and trade show in Spokane, WA. Then down to San Francisco, CA for the Building Owners and Manager Associations annual convention. And, even as I write this my bags sit next to me packed and ready for a flight to Long Beach for the CMI West Coast Expo. So, go on a tour with me.

Pulire Expo
Italy was beautiful as always. I stopped by Venice on my way to the show in Verona and had a little time to myself to take in the sights.

One of the more popular events with attendees at the Pulire Show in Verona is a contest where the attendees vote to choose the most innovative product on display at the show. I don’t always think that the products selected to be in the contest or even the winner for that matter, is all that innovative. I often find what I think are more innovative products hiding in the small booths in the back of the exhibit hall.

First I’ll tell you about the products that were considered finalists this year and then which product attendees chose as the most innovative. Then I’ll talk about a few other products that I thought were pretty innovative as well. Finalist included:

–	A solar powered spinning magic mirror that disorients birds so they can’t land or perch on a building or other surface.
–	A multi-colored two pail mopping trolley that snaps together or apart for that matter, for more compact shipping.
–	A hydraulically driven single disk hand held polisher for use on stairs, walls and along edges. Intended for hand polishing of stone surfaces, but has many other uses as well.
–	An intelligent electric hand dryer that adjusts air temperature and length of the drying cycle to the needs of the user.
–	Star shaped synthetic floor pads.
–	An internal – equipment mounted battery charger.
–	A foam spraying restroom cleaning cart.
–	A wet vacuum with a vapor steamer built in.
–	A chemical for attracting and killing flies or bugs of some type.

And The Winner is:

The foam spraying restroom cleaning cart.

Now here are a few other items that I found, but didn’t make the cut:

–	An upright vacuum cleaner that allows the operator to easily swap out the brush with synthetic pads for polishing or dry scrubbing of hard floors.
–	A scooter mounted dust mop to help you make short work of those long hallways.
–	A floor machine with a light on the front of it so you can see what you’re doing. Why didn’t any body think of this before?
–	Plastic towel dispensers that look like marble
–	A wall mounted hand disinfectant sprayer for use in restrooms, restaurants, health care facilities, schools, day care centers and other locations where soiled hands can cause cross infection or contamination.
–	A small battery powered riding cart for transportation and or hauling small loads long distances with in a facility.
–	A dry wand for backpack vacuums that is actually as productive and easier to use than a dust mop.
–	Nano-technology silicate based protective coatings the makes surfaces easier to clean.
–	Micro fiber pads for cleaning hard floors and carpets
–	A digital hand held device that can test surfaces for bacteria levels and give you the results in 60 seconds.
–	Micro-fiber pads and cloths with abrasive fibers for floor scrubbing and use on heavily soiled surfaces.
–	Chemical dispensing systems for solids and powders instead of liquids

National School Plant Managers Association’s 8th Annual Convention
Lou Tice, President of The Pacific Institute, Seattle, WA. was the keynote speaker at the National School Plant Managers Association’s 8th Annual Convention and Trade show in Spokane, WA. His presentation “What An Adventure” was an eye opener for attendees and in my opinion the highlight of the show. “How and what you think impacts your life and future,” Tice told attendees. “What you tell yourself and hold to be the truth will control your life. If you tell yourself there is no way to accomplish something, your mind will work to prove you right to protect you from failure.” Tice encouraged attendees to start with the belief that there is always a better way, an easier way, a more economical way to accomplish a project, task or assignment.

“Start with the premise that a solution to every problem or challenge does exist,” advised Tice. “Learn to set goals for what you want, free of the burden of worrying about how you will accomplish them. Once you know what you want, then you can begin to work on finding the resources you need to make it happen. Forget about the how to start with, have the vision and set the goal. Then invent the how. You don’t need to know how to start with, what you need to know is how to invent the how,” said Tice.

Other tidbits of advice from his presentation include:

–	Change starts on the inside and causes you do what it takes to fix the outside.
–	Don’t use a lack of money, education or experience as an excuse. Do it anyway.
–	People act according to the beliefs they hold to be the truth. The absence of the truth will set you free.
–	Visualize the future and you will become dissatisfied with the past and the present. See in your mind the way you want things to be and then invent the way.
–	You are stuck in the level of belief of those you work with. Be careful who you listen too.
–	You move toward what you think about. Your present thoughts and beliefs can deprive you of your future.
–	If you accept things as they are you learn to accept the status quo as normal.
–	When you do things for others that they should do for themselves you deprive them of the opportunity to learn how to do thing for themselves.
–	Change the way you think and you will change what you can accomplish.
–	Always bite of more than you can chew. Set goals for yourself that are beyond your capability. That way you will be forced to find ways to accomplish them.
–	Creativity and desire will take you there if believe in yourself and keep trying. Know in your heart and mind that you can and will find a way.
–	Don’t leave yourself an escape route.

“Learn to live your life as an adventure and it will set you free,” said Tice. Tice received a well deserved standing ovation for his presentation. This one presentation alone was worth the cost of admission. For more information on Lou Tice or The Pacific Institute, visit: www. thepacificinstitute.com or call: 1-800-426-3660.

Peter Schwartz Speaks at BOMA’s Annual Convention
Futurist Peter Schwartz was the keynote speaker for the Opening Luncheon of the Building Owners and Manager Association (BOMA) Annual Convention held in San Francisco, CA June 28 to July 1.

According to Schwartz, although things will change, much of the future will be an evolution or layering of the past. We will still live in apartments and home and work in buildings made of concrete, steel and glass in many of today’s major metropolitan areas.

Some key and interesting points from Schwartz’s presentation that will have a direct impact on the cleaning industry and the customers we serve in the future are outlined below.

–	People will live longer and be healthier, expect 100 to 150 years of age to be common. We will learn to prevent many diseases and regenerate body parts.
–	The end of retirement is upon us. People will have multiple careers and be able and want to work to a much older age than is customary today.
–	The U.S. population will be more diverse in the future. We will continue to see waves of immigrants, primarily of Asian and Spanish decent. This will change the demographic as well as the face of the nation.
–	At UC Berkley, 45% of the entering class in 2003 is of Asian decent; these are our future business and government leaders. Since 1992 in CA, the state has opened one new classroom per day.
–	America is still young, compared to other countries. Our population is and will continue to be vigorous and healthy which provides a good base for workers and soldiers. In contrast, Europe has an aging and shrinking population that will need to be taken care of, rather than produce goods and services.
–	There has been a movement out of poverty during the last 50 years and there is no reason this shouldn’t continue. With the current rate of growth in individual income, in 2054 our population will be twice as rich as it is today. We won’t eliminate poverty, but more people will see a rise in their income and net worth and there will continue to be boom and bust cycles.
–	Even though manufacturing jobs and plants are being eliminated today, as robotic and other technologies advance, manufacturing will return to the U.S.A. (with fewer people involved). Technology will enable us to make things faster, cheaper and better than other less educated and technologically advanced countries.
–	A global middle class of 2 to 3 billion people will develop as China and other countries see increases in productivity and wealth.
–	Expect to see a tremendous growth of talent and population in major metropolitan cities of the country. These are great places to live today and that will remain constant in the future.
–	We will be connected. You will be able to reach anyone, anytime, anyplace and we will give up some privacy for this capability.
–	Biotechnology will bring us new, efficient and clean ways to manufacture items, much as nature makes thing now. We will design and build things from the bottom up, one atom at a time. These new manufacturing processes will be 1000’s of time more efficient than they are today and generate no pollution. Manufacturing will be cleaner, greener, and more productive. Buildings, fashions, icons and designs will remain stable and endure, but continue to evolve. Cities and buildings will be layered in time, in that older buildings that are 100 years old will be remodeled and exist next door to new modern structures.
–	Keyboards and wires will disappear; other forms of interaction with computers, buildings, and vehicles will be developed that are less intrusive and obvious. Examples include gestural, voice and other types of interfaces.
–	We will still have run down neighborhoods, a drug problem and crime.
–	Some city icons (locations and buildings) will be frozen in time, the White House, the Space Needle; distinct and recognizable buildings will endure.
–	Expect to see more personalized communication and data flow. You will get your news real time, however you want it, wherever you are. The electronic books and newspaper will be reality and give you real time updates as things happen right in front of your eyes.
–	Hydrocarbon fuels will become obsolete and be replaced by clean hydrogen powered fuel cells.
–	Expect big advances in biotechnology, including the ability to control plant and animal evolution at the atomic and molecular level. There will be hybrid crosses between animal and plant species.
–	Nano and micro robotic technology will become a reality that impacts all aspects of our life.
–	Much of the technology that we are talking about already exists, but isn’t widely known or utilized for economic, political and other reasons.

Although Schwartz was upbeat and positive, he also mentioned the reality that nothing is guaranteed. Our future is still at risk of being impacted by war, economic disruption, disease, rapid climate change, and other catastrophic global disasters. Uncertainty is a reality that will continue to exist.

Filed under: Trade Show by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM June 2003