Windows of opportunity
June 1st 2008

Fresh from a busy Interclean,Unger's Matt Hodgkinson says the buoyant UK market for both traditional window cleaning products and water-fed pole equipment remains challenging, but believes the firm's kit covers all bases – whether you're a one-man band or major contractor

Many UK window cleaning equipment suppliers tend to sit in one of two camps – selling either traditional ladder-based kit, or specialising in water-fed poles and related equipment.And it's the same with window cleaners themselves: although some will use both ladders and poles, it is more common for firms to use either one method or the other.Unger's strategy is to supply products across the spectrum.

"The market gets to a point where it is split between traditional methods and poles," says Hodgkinson."We have the opportunity to attract and retain both segments."

Choosing a system Is it the expense of investing in a pole system that can create the divide in the marketplace? "It depends on how you see it.As a percentage of set up costs, poles themselves aren't a major factor, but the associated equipment costs – for example, truckmounted pure water systems – can be prohibitive for smaller operations." Hodgkinson believes Unger's portable pure water systems (either deionised or reverse osmosis versions) help bridge the gap.

"The benefit of the system is its portability. It's not bolted to the floor of a van and in terms of investment, there are substantial savings to be made versus a truck mount.The majority of window cleaners have a domestic and commercial client base.Using a portable system means they can transport it in their own car or small van, take it to site, leave it on site or at home/work unit, whatever suits them. It means their vehicle isn't tied to the water unit and vice versa – pure water precisely where you need it.

And that can be a big plus for cleaning inside buildings."Hodgkinson says that despite a lower price-tag, performance is comparable with truckmounted units.

On the pricefront, Hodgkinson says the company understands not every window cleaning firm can splash out on the most advanced poles – especially in several different sizes.He says this is where Unger's entry-level HighFlow Advanced range comes into its own."They are the 'new rubber' of the modern era," he claims."And it opens up the commercial market to those who might struggle to break into it using traditional methods."

What do clients want ? Hodgkinson says regardless of methodology chosen by the window cleaner – poles or ladders – the commercial client is in charge when deciding how they want their windows cleaned, despite those using traditional methods arguing that it is difficult to see whether windows are cleaned properly from the ground.

"It's the client's choice and many commercial premises want to minimise the risk of accidents. It's accepted that you can't see as well from the ground, but equally, you can't fall off the floor. It's the lesser of two evils." He says compared to hiring access equipment such as MEWPs for both window cleaning and high level cleaning, the cost of which is passed on to the client, ground-based solutions prove attractive, and availability is constant,making even the top-end solutions, such as the HiFlow CarbonTec pole, a relatively low cost alternative.

Despite all the pole and pure water-related advances, Hodgkinson says Unger's hand tools remain at the core of its business."At the present,we think we've taken the squeegees and applicators as far as they can go, developing bicomposite grips, lightweight materials and better ergonomics," he says."But we're still looking for ways to improve them if possible.We want to keep one step ahead because it means our window cleaners have the edge. And that's why we're in business."

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