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The way we clean our workplaces is changing rapidly - with the COVID 19 pandemic driving the importance of cleanliness and hygiene like never before. Yet, the pandemic isn’t the only factor contributing to the new trends we are seeing in the janitorial and hygiene sector. 

Looking to the future, there will be many considerations for businesses and how they keep their spaces clean. From both a hygiene and cost perspective - having the right systems, products and training is imperative. But with so many products, chemicals and guidance it can be difficult to know where to start.

These latest trends will show you how to get ahead of the curve and create a janitorial system that suits your business…

Sustainability and green cleaning

Becoming more sustainable is high on the agenda for most companies. The way the majority of businesses clean at the moment leaves room for improvement on their eco credentials. With companies looking to reduce their environmental impact and improve their sustainability, there’s a few strategies that will make a big difference. Switching to environmentally friendly cleaning products and methods, as well as the implementation of recycling and waste reduction programs will help. 

Here’s how we can help:

• Environmentally friendly cleaning products: from cloths to toilet paper
• Expertise and training when switching to concentrates to reduce single use plastic
• High quality tech led systems and products to reduce waste 
• Eco friendly cleaning supplies with no harsh chemicals 

Innovation leading to automation and technology 

Advancements and innovation in the past few years have led to technological breakthroughs in most sectors. However the commercial cleaning and janitorial space will benefit from the technology and systems - transforming it into a fully modernised function with enhanced reporting and visibility. 

Robotics can be used to automate many of the repetitive and time-consuming tasks associated with cleaning, such as vacuuming and scrubbing floors. In addition, sensors and other technology can be used to monitor the cleanliness of a facility in real-time and provide data that can be used to improve cleaning processes. This takes pressure from human resource and the admin involved in manually cleaning and checking - with technology automatically reporting and integrating into the data suite for enhanced visibility. 

Training for a changing workforce

With the nature of the workforce changing, there’s more demand for highly skilled and trained employees. As mentioned previously, automation is leading the way in replacing the repetitive, low skilled tasks - so training and development on how to work within the systems and integrate with technology is increasingly important. Understanding how to interpret the data that technology led products share and how to effectively report and manage cleaning systems will become more prevalent. 

For more information on how we can help you revolutionise your commercial cleaning process - email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cleaning has become something of a social media frenzy with the rise of Mrs Hinch and ASMR videos. But before the glamourization, cleaning wasn’t exactly engaging: seen only as a necessity and treated as such. We chose a product, often based on cost or preferred brand and then cracked on with the clean as we’ve always done - even in our professional environments. 

With increasingly stringent health and safety regulations, the covid epidemic and an increasing awareness around the chemicals in products we’re using - the way we clean our spaces has changed drastically over the past few years. Standards have got higher, systems have got slicker but budgets have got tighter… 

So with this in mind, here are our top tips on how to clean a commercial building.

Create a cleaning system

Having a system to follow ensures that your space has a level of cleanliness that is easily maintained. The standard process means that no matter who is cleaning your space, the results will always be the same. It also means that your product consumption should remain consistent too - which can be monitored with regular reporting to ensure there are no anomalies. A huge benefit of this is always having the correct level of product in place so you don’t find yourself running out of toilet paper at a crucial time! 

Not all tasks need doing every day

You won’t need to do a deep clean every single day. Knowing what tasks need doing and when will help you to streamline your system - saving you time and costs on both products and cleaning fees. Make a note of what needs doing daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly - and note that higher usage areas will need cleaning more frequently. Bonus: a clean desk policy will make your cleaners life much easier as they won’t have to clean around clutter.

Look for sustainable alternatives

Innovation in the janitorial space has skyrocketed recently with some genius products and clever reporting suites. Not only do these cut down consumption of products and chemicals, they also save on costs to replace the products at end of life: some items now have renewable batteries so you don’t need to replace the entire unit. By increasing the lifespan of your janitorial products and looking into concentrates, you can make your everyday cleaning more sustainable and cost effective too. 

For more information on how to clean a commercial building, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Speak to any marketing or brand manager and they will all tell you how difficult it can be to maintain brand consistency across marketing materials. When you have many people getting involved by ordering leaflets, creating presentations and buying business cards - it can become a branding nightmare! 

The whole purpose of a brand is to create an identity for your organisation. For this to happen, a level of consistency needs to take place so that your brand can achieve familiarity within your target audience. So having control is key… 

How to make managing brand consistency easy

So you have your brand guidelines, logo, fonts, colours and visual assets all saved in a folder somewhere on your desktop. This is actually a good start, attempting to keep all of your collateral in one place. It’s even better if this is a shared drive that everyone has access to. 

However you still need to ensure that a similar look and structure is applied to all of your marketing materials. Just giving your team access to a loose set of guidelines won’t guarantee you the results you need. You need a way to ensure consistent design placement every time.

Introducing our core print platform

The Fenns core print platform is really easy to use, even if you’re not a marketeer! It’s perfect for those who have busy roles, don’t have design experience and just want their print order to arrive on time and on brand. 

All it takes is a quick set up and then you have your own login per user and can set authoriser status for those brand managers who don’t want to relinquish full control! You then make predetermined amends to your designs and order your amount through the portal. No back and forth with account managers, no long email chains, no lost quotes. It’s all right there in front of you.

How do I get set up?

First you need to share your master designs with us. These can be business cards, leaflets, brochures and even event pull up banners. If you don’t have master designs, we can create these for you. Essentially they just need to be a standardised design in your branding that you will use consistently for this mode of communication: EG a recruitment leaflet

What can I amend on the design?

You can easily amend text, imagery and directions across all designs. The software is intuitive so if you set up locations, each time you select a different one the contact information will change automatically to match. 

However all branded elements like font choices, colours and sizing will remain uniform. This is how the platform ensures consistency. 

How do I place my print order?

Once you are satisfied with the content of your design, you can save it and share a proof with anyone who needs to see it. Then, you place an order with your desired quantity through the portal and choose which cost centre you would like it attributed to. You're not subject to large minimum order quanitities, so it helps to keep costs down and from a sustainability point of view you won't order more than you need. 

Your order is then placed through our portal and your items will arrive in due course!

For a core print demo, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

You might have read our blog about why Amazon isn’t the best place to buy your business supplies - if not, it’s a great place to start! However our focus this time is on Janitorial supplies and why Amazon’s offering isn’t as good as it seems… 

Buying janitorial and sanitation products for your business from Amazon may seem like an easier way to get your supplies. From an ordering perspective, it can be pretty simple as we’re used to buying on Amazon in our day to day lives. Often we know the brands we want to use too so a simple search and click gets the job done quickly. However, here are the reasons why buying janitorial supplies from Fenns will suit you better.

Expert advice and support

Our head of janitorial has over 15 years experience working alongside customers with very stringent industry specific needs. From knowledge of the latest solutions and innovations in the janitorial space to advice and guidance on how to save money on your current supplies. Alongside this, if you decide to try any of the new services or we really shake up your janitorial supplies - we offer in-depth training for your team.

Consolidate your supply chain with single source solutions

As Fenns is a single source supplier, we can supply janitorial along with our other services. With this comes time and cost savings as well as delivery consolidation to help reduce your carbon footprint. Unlike buying from Amazon, you’ll only receive one invoice too which will save on administration time for your finance team. We can also schedule deliveries and repeat orders so you’ll never run out of essentials. 

Clear visibility on spend and consumption

Our account managers can run reports to showcase your spending patterns and we’ll work with you to hit any goals around cost reduction or sustainability criteria. We’re happy to conduct a review of your current procurement practices and see where we can help you. We can also set you up on a core list of products with different authorisation levels so your team can only buy certain products and spend so much in a time frame. 

For help with your janitorial supplies, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

No matter your reasons for having a rebrand, there’s a lot of parts you need to manage inorder to execute the roll out effectively. Treating your brand like an asset you want to grow and develop requires a strategic approach. While it’s great to get all of the ‘fun’ parts complete like visual identity and tone of voice - poor roll out can really let you down and could mean your new brand falls flat. 

It’s essential to have a plan so that everyone is on the same page and the launch of your new brand is a success. A team effort and clear communication is needed to ensure your internal and external communications are well thought through. Here’s our top tips on how to launch your new brand successfully…

Communicate why you are having a rebrand

Firstly, having a compelling reason to rebrand is key to getting buy in and belief from your internal team and important stakeholders. Whether your rebrand is essential due to merger or acquisition or your business is diversifying and going in a new direction and you want an updated proposition to reflect it - the why is important. It’s not like decorating your living room to the latest trend, a rebrand should reflect and communicate your business goals. 

Keep track of all of your visual assets impacted by the rebrand

This is important as having a disorganised approach to updating your visual assets will at best look lazy and like you’ve done half a job of the rebrand - and at worst it will confuse your customers and prospects. If you have multiple sites and physical touch points this could become increasingly costly with signage, vehicle wraps and printed materials. Knowing the commitment before a rebrand will help you to determine whether it is worth it from a cost perspective, really pressure test your reasoning to rebrand and allow you create a plan to achieve an effective update across all materials. 

Keep consistency across your brand with an asset plan

Consistency is key when you’re creating a strong brand. Following on from the above point, if you’re committing to a rebrand then ensuring all of your visual assets are consistent with your new branding is important. A strong launch plan will ensure assets are updated in tandem and fits with your marketing campaign around a relaunch. We’ve all seen the phased approaches where stores rebrand at a casual pace and end up with inconsistent signage - it can fall flat with some sites looking under invested. Inturn this can cause poor sentiment within your target audience and mistrust. 

Collaborate with your team

Keep your team in the loop throughout the rebranding process and ensure all communication channels are open. When your rebrand feels like a team effort it’s much easier to get buy-in and support - they can also flag up ideas and considerations that you may have missed as they’re on the ground day in and day out. Also, if your team has contact with customers then it is necessary that they are onboard with and can communicate the rebrand effectively. 

Create a brand management process

A rebrand can be a complex and lengthy process. You need:

• a well thought through plan
• brand strategy aligned with business goals 
• a well-managed project management process
• clear deadlines
• a strong marketing strategy covering all marketing channels

Without the above your rebrand can quickly go off the rails, impacting your market share and business negatively.

Have a launch campaign

Don’t want your rebrand to fall flat - or upon deaf ears? Make sure you plan your rebrand launch and explain why you rebranded. Minimise the risk of customer confusion or lack of knowledge through a carefully planned launch to share the story behind the rebrand. Give your customers a narrative they can follow to understand why you rebranded. This brings your customers along for the ride and strengthens brand recall and loyalty.

For help with your rebrand - contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Ensuring your team has the right uniform can be difficult when certifications and quality standards come into play. Not only are you concerned about comfort, warmth, durability and in some cases branding - international health and safety standards can further complicate workwear procurement! 

We’ve put together a list of the main workwear quality standards and what they mean so you can purchase your workwear with ease… 

EN ISO 20471 - High visibility clothing

This comes in three different classes, showcasing how adequately the garment offers protection. Three is the highest classification, offering the most protection. For the garment to meet the ISO 20471 standard, all reflective parts must reach at least class two with the ability to reflect light. Clothing with this standard must be tested after washing to ensure the materials are durable. 

EN 17353 - Workwear with enhanced visibility

This clothing class is not as strictly monitored as the ISO 20471 which is designed to be worn in more high risk areas. However it is still important to note that EN 17353 clothing is designed to be worn in medium to high risk environments and is essential for the visibility of employees. 

EN 342 - Protection against cold temperatures

Working in cold temperatures isn’t pleasant and can cause serious health problems if adequate protection isn’t worn. Choosing garments at the standard of EN 342 will ensure protection - but the overall uniform is important too! Considerations around insulation, waterproofing, permeability and any accessories like gloves, boots and hats to stop losing heat. 

EN 343 - Breathable, wind and waterproof clothing

This clothing class is versatile and designed to keep you safe and warm whatever the weather. Some jobs need to be carried out in snow, torrential rain or heavy winds - so ample protection needs to come from the workwear your team is wearing. Again there’s three classifications for protection and three is the highest. This is shown in the two values next to the visual - the first indicates waterproofing and the second indicates breathability. 

EN ISO 11611 - Protection when welding

This standard specifies the minimum requirements for protective clothing needed for welding or performing similar tasks with comparable risks. This time there’s only two classes, one and two, with class two being the highest. 

EN ISO 11612 - Protection for clothing against heat and flame

This certification is for the flexible materials used to make coveralls to protect the body, not hands and face, from heat or flames. With the exception of hats and gaiters, garments for the protection of the head, hands or feet are not covered under this criteria. 

EN ISO 14116 - Protection for materials against heat and flame

This certification specifies the performance requirements for materials, material combinations and items of protective clothing with limited flame spread properties. These are designed in order to reduce the likelihood of the clothing catching fire and limiting the risk of a hazard. 

IEC 61482-2 - Live working

This symbolises clothing that will protect against the thermal hazards of an electric arc. The certification involves two test methods. 

The first test method: open electric arc tests the fabric and garment in order to determine the ATPV/EBT value of the clothing. 

The second method: a box test determines the electric arc protection class of the fabric and the garment through the use of a forced and controlled electric arc. There are two different classes, with class two being the highest and offering the best protection.

EN 1149-3 & EN 1149-5 - Protective clothing with electrostatic properties

These certifications are for protective clothing with electrostatic properties. 

EN 1149-3 - electrical discharge

This standard is for the breakdown of electrostatic charges from the surface of the clothing materials.

EN 1149-5 - materials performance and design

This certification ensures the requirements for the materials and design of electrostatic dissipative protective clothing. These garments are then used as part of a grounded system to prevent incendiary discharges.

EN 13034 (Type 6) - Protective clothing against liquid chemicals

This certification is for PPE clothing that will provide limited protection while working with and around liquid chemicals. As these garments only offer limited protection, they’re best to be used in places where contact with chemicals is limited to low volume splashes and sprays. 

EN 13758-2 UPF 40+ - Protection against UV rays

Products sold with this certification provide protection against the sun’s rays - both UVA and UVB. The products are labelled with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF value), which corresponds to the protection capability. 

For example, a UPF 20+ factor indicates that a maximum of 1/20 of the sun's harmful rays penetrate the clothing. This means you can expose the protected skin to the sun's rays 20 times longer than you would without protection. The highest UPF label that the clothing can carry is UPF 40+, which corresponds to a maximum penetration of 2.5% of the sun's harmful rays.

It’s important to note that the protection capability is reduced if the product becomes worn, if the care instructions are not followed or if the clothing becomes wet. 

For more information on workwear classifications, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

When you hear the term branding - we often think of the tangibles like logos, colours and straplines. While these are all important parts of building your brand, there is a lot more to a brand than its appearance. Instead focusing more on the perception of your brand, its values and the emotions you want to invoke in your target audience will stand you in better stead. 

Appearance and visual identity can change but the fundamental essence of your brand, its values and purpose, should not shift. So therefore the experience your brand creates should be consistent with the promise your messaging creates - and also consistent each time a person engages with your brand. 

How do I achieve brand consistency? 

Firstly, knowing and communicating your brand values and purpose to your internal team is a great place to start. Once they are onboard with the organisation’s goals and standards, you can then start to communicate this with your target audience. A set of clear brand guidelines will help anyone creating marketing materials for your brand - ensuring they stay on message and within the visual identity of the brand. 

What if I’m having a rebrand?

The visual identity of your brand can change over the years. Having a brand refresh or changing the look of your brand isn’t a small undertaking - but realistically it’s important to stay with the times and can be a great way to signify shifts in brand strategy or new goals. Being strategic in your approach to the rebrand is crucial. Communicating to your internal team, current customers and target audience is important to the success of your brand’s continuation. Clear and simple messaging is the best way forward and as long as the new branded elements reflect the essence of your brand then it is likely to go down well. 

What are the benefits of having a consistent brand?

Like with anything worth having, it usually takes consistent effort to achieve - and a strong brand is no different. Here’s some of the benefits you can reap after consistent brand effort…

1. An easily recognizable brand
2. Your audience trusts your brand more
3. Your audience feels connected to and more engaged in your brand
4. You can shape customer perception 

How can Fenns help?

We work with you to align your brand and business goals, and then create a marketing strategy to help you grow your brand and increase your revenue. 

Contact us today to grow your brand - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

With so much jargon and conflicting advice, it’s difficult to know the best way to keep your workspace clean. Having an understanding of the buzzwords and knowing the difference between terms that are used interchangeably is important. Especially when it comes to meeting safety requirements and knowing what products you need to use.

Simple misunderstandings between commonly used terms can be the difference between using the right product for your goal and environment. So here’s what you need to know…

Sanitisation

This is defined as “reducing or eliminating pathogenic agents on the surface of something”. In the case of cleaning products, sanitisers are designed to reduce bacteria on a surface by at least 99.9% within 30 seconds. 

Disinfectant

Defined as “cleaning something, usually with chemicals, to destroy bacteria”. With regard to cleaning products this means disinfectants are designed to kill a wider range of microorganisms than sanitisers. 

Effectively, disinfectant is a step up above the sanitisation process and is much more powerful. 

When should I sanitise?

Sanitisation is necessary in high use environments and shared spaces - especially like the office if employees eat at their desk. It helps to reduce germs and bacteria but products should not make antiviral claims as they do not kill. 

When should I disinfect?

Disinfection is more for frequently touched surfaces that can be a breeding ground for germs, bacteria and viruses. Think of this like the canteen area or toilets as disinfectant aims to kill the microscopic organisms which could affect your health. 

Can I just disinfect everything?

Simple answer is no - ideally you should use this method:

First clean - reduce all surface area dirt so that you have an easier time removing germs. 

Next sanitise or disinfect as required. It’s also important to note that even spaces that only require a surface clean will still need to be disinfected periodically to maintain a healthy workspace. 

99.9% - that’s enough to be safe?

Actually, 99.9% isn’t what it’s cracked up to be! While it’s enough for some tasks, bacteria spreads at a much more rapid rate so leaving that 0.1% may still be enough to wreak havoc on your hygiene efforts… This is where log kill reduction comes into play! 

As the amount of bacteria in a space can be very large, scientists have created a mathematical function called the logarithm to help with explaining bacteria reduction. When we are using disinfectants, the purpose is to kill microbes such as bacteria and viruses on surfaces. So for a product to be deemed suitable, we need to measure the level of kill.

So then, while 99.9% kill rate sounds successful, if your starting number is 1,000,000 bacteria, you’d still be left with 1000 bacterias after disinfecting. If you use 99.999% kill rate disinfectant, that’s leaving only 10 bacterias. 

It’s therefore essential to note that most official disinfectant tests require a 4 or 5 log reduction in numbers to pass the test. A 5 log (99.999%) reduction is considered the gold star in terms of reducing the possibility of human disease transmission as far as possible. 

For help with keeping your workspace clean and safe, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped us in our efforts to send much needed aid and support to the Ukrainian Refugees in Poland. Our Communications Manager, Kerry Parry, coordinated the appeal by teaming up with Changing Lives Together to offer our support.

We’re pleased to share that we have delivered two loads of supplies - one in conjunction with Orbit International and UK Container Maintenance LTD. The other was full of donations from our team and wider network - a special thank you to Longton Light Alloys for a generous donation. 

Our Head of Sustainability, Stephen Wiles, was able to provide much needed space and lots of church volunteers to the efforts! They worked with Changing Lives Together to repack donations – they then got an army together (including Fenns volunteers) to move almost 3000 boxes into transport. 

Kerry Parry would like to share her thoughts on the cause: 

"The situation in the Ukraine really hit home with the team at Fenn’s and we were keen to offer support. With the help of our suppliers, customers and local businesses pulling together, we are proud of what we’ve achieved and hope it goes some way to make a small difference to the refugees in Poland and surrounding border countries."

Thank you again to everyone who has helped with the fundraising efforts. We’re proud to be a part of such a supportive network that wants to do good in the world.

One of the items of workwear that we get a lot of questions around is coats. Knowing which ones to select for your uniform kit isn’t always as simple as which one looks best or which is the most budget friendly. 

Different roles have different needs and will require a range of waterproofing levels. If you’re stationed outside all day in torrential rain, then you’ll need much more protection than someone who works in a role where they’re called back inside as soon as a downpour starts. 

So if you’re in the market for a new coat for your uniform kit then here’s what you should consider…

What conditions do your team work in?

Rescuing a stranded driver during a snow drift requires a different type of protection to a person who works at height in windy conditions. Also, knowing how long they will be exposed to the elements will dictate the non-negotiables in your coat. Consider the external situations, health and safety essentials and comfort before looking at elements like branding, fashion trends and non-essential nice to haves. 

Working in snow

Having a thick insulation to keep your team warm as well as ensuring the external layer is waterproof to keep them dry. For extra comfort, having a fleece lining is great and you can find coats with fleeces that are detachable so can be used for different purposes. Mobility and visibility is also important so choosing fabrics that are reflective but breathable and people can still complete the tasks of their role is important. 

Working in rain

When working in the rain, waterproofing is essential. You may not want as much insulation as a full on winter coat so a waterproof shell may be a better option with room to layer up underneath as necessary. Check particularly around the zips and seams when you are looking for full waterproofing as these areas can be make or break in terms of keeping you dry. Material breathability is also important as you want to be comfortable but not overheat. 

Working in windy conditions

Windbreakers are essential for working at heights and out in the elements. Not only can the wind cause a chill, but even the slightest of breeze can throw you off balance. Having extra accessories like long cuffs and higher collars to provide protection is essential to keeping chills away. Additional thought into material could help as breathability is important as well as keeping cool or having the option of a detachable insulated layer inside. 

Branded elements

The material you use will dictate the style of branding and individualisation of each of the pieces. For some materials, having sewn on logos won’t be possible as they could damage the waterproofing exterior. Also, for coats which require high visibility, you may be restricted to certain colours for reflectivity. 

For help with sourcing the best workwear coats for your needs, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.