Business Report :
The digitization of the facilities in every sector has been slowly gathering pace as focused. But with a new focus on workplace cleanliness and hygiene, the digitization of cleaning is finally taking off.
In Bangladesh, the cleaning services market has been slow to digitize. It remains very labor intensive and as much as 90 per cent of cleaning costs is attributed to labor expenses. Cleaning has often been overlooked by digitization programs in favor of optimizing service lines where labor is more expensive or scarce. Offices, courts, households, factories, educational institutions, city corporations and the health sector should go for automation in cleanliness. They now need to use machines instead of the traditional broom sticks and mop-buckets. The government should focus more on the health sectorespecially for cleaning. Let’s say you used to clean your room with brooms and mops. But those days are past as machines have taken over the job. You have a vacuum-cleaner to clean your room. Everything has become technology-based nowadays. Then why cleaning will not be modern?
Saidul Islam, Managing Director of Duster Limited, one of the country’s leading distributors of cleaning equipment, said this during a recent discussion on cleanliness in various parts of the country and increasing pollution due to dust in the air. Duster Limited has been providing American, Dutch and Singapore branded cleaning machines to various companies in Bangladesh since 2014. The aim of the organization is to provide cleaning machines in all places including hospitals, schools-colleges, city corporations, upazilas, municipalities, divisional cities. It is time for the government to use modern cleaning equipment in these places. Because what can be done with hundreds of people, can be done in two or five machines at less time and with more efficiency as there is no alternative to automation in cleaning.
There are many businesses in the country, how did the idea of entering into this business come about?
Saidul Islam: Business actually starts from the thought of doing something new or solving any problems. There are almost all kinds of business going on in our country. When we thought of doing a business, it came to mind how to keep houses, industries, offices-court clean and tidy. It seemed to us that there are many opportunities to work with cleaning equipment in Bangladesh. As there is enough scope to grow in this business, we thought to click on this which resulted in the birth of the company DusterBangladesh.
When do you plan to go into production locally?
Saidul Islam: Eight years ago, we started the journey. Currently we are in a good position and we tend to think bigger for this Industry. We are planning to manufacture cleaning machines and parts in Bangladesh locally. Hopefully after 2025, we will be able to turn this dream into a reality. That is why we are working to bring foreign investment. Our initial target is to bring about $50 million investments. When production takes place in the country, the price of the product will come down to half of what it is now as we have to pay 55 per cent import duty fee for some products. Local manufacturing will get rid us of this which will help us to make our products available for everyone.
For which brands Duster Bangladesh is working as a distributor?
Saidul Islam: We are working as distributors of several companies in Bangladesh. Among them, world famous brands like Tennant (American famous brand, for Industrial Equipment), Green Machine (for city cleaningequipment), Klenco, i-Team and Hoover are also distributed by Duster Limited. The productsare such as; Industrial Scrubber Dryer, Industrial Sweeper, City Sweeper, High Pressure Washer, Vacuum Cleaner and Household Cleaning Equipment. At the moment, Duster has been supplying products to major industries in the country, such as electronics, food, chemicals, Textile, Garments, Agriculture, ceramics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.
What sectors are you currently supplying products to?
Saidul Islam: We are currently supplying products in 4 main sectors of the country. Such as: industrial zone; Commercial area, meaning large buildings including offices, shopping malls; Metropolitan cities and for households.
In our country, roads are still cleaned with brooms but it is not enough. Lots of dust and sand fly in air which actually has no impact for cleanliness. People have to walk with their noses covered with face masks or handkerchiefs to avoid dust particles has to be covered. Cleaning roads need to have automation.
Why did you choose these sectors?
Saidul Islam: These are the main areas for a country to work on cleanliness. The purpose of coming with household cleaning is-since ourfactoriesare clean, office or shopping malls are clean, the roads is clean. But the houses we live in are left out of the discussion. So, our goal now is to work to keep the house clean. Many people wipe the house in a bucket. After wiping the bucket with fresh water for the first time, the house is being wiped with the same dirty water for the second time. In fact, this does not give you a germ-free cleaning. So, we believe there is a need for a house cleaning machine. There is another class of people who are interested in new technologies. These products are also very attractive for them.
What is the current market size in Bangladesh in this sector?
Saidul Islam: The market size of this sector is being created in Bangladesh. In the next few years, the market for this sector will exceed Tk 400 to 500 crore per annum. The current market size averages Tk 60 to 70 crore per year. We are the market leader although there are also a couple of local companies. However, they have other businesses besides this one.
