NATIONAL REPORT—Old habits die hard. Most of us in the United States were raised in houses that used upright vacuum cleaners. Chances are your mother used an upright at home, and your grandmother before her. Now, you use an upright, not just at home, but also at your job. A recent survey by “Sanitary Maintenance” magazine found that 80 percent of cleaning equipment distributors named uprights as their company’s best-selling item. The alternative to uprights, canister vacuums, accounted for just 2 percent of sales. The situation is completely different in the rest of the world, where canister...

DUNEDIN, FLA.—Leveraging the power of the Internet, sophisticated handheld technology and its own innovative software, Mintek Mobile Data Solutions is helping to change the way some of the world’s leading hotel companies manage their assets. At the core of the Dunedin, Fla.-based company’s solutions is its Lodging Asset Management Suite—WinTrack PM, Maintenance Portal, Asset Director, Work Order Kiosk and Alerts. “Increasingly, hotel and management companies are recognizing the potential savings possible through implementation of a comprehensive, automated asset management plan,” says Mark Sokol, director of product marketing for Mintek. “Some of the most important benefits include extended asset...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—In response to customer requests, the Buffalo Niagara Marriott is adding PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms for their guests who suffer from asthma and allergy conditions, or who simply want the most comfortable stay possible. The PURE program provides guests an environment where every surface is treated to minimize contaminants, irritants and odors. “We are excited to be the first full-service hotel in western New York to offer our guests PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms,” says Dick Schroen, general manager at the Buffalo Niagara Marriott. “It is also great to be working with Buffalo-based PURE Solutions, the leader in...

BOISE, IDAHO—ProTeam Inc., a Boise-based producer of commercial vacuum systems, is partnering with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide indoor air quality technology to hotels in the Florida Green Lodging Program. ProTeam’s full line of vacuums includes HEPA-media upright vacuum cleaners. The company also is a corporate leader in promoting cleaning systems that improve indoor air quality and enhance health and safety. “The last thing anyone wants while vacationing or attending a conference in Florida is to get sick because of poor indoor air quality or cleaning,” says Mathew M. Wood, ProTeam president. “Our efforts...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Sherwin-Williams has introduced its new ProGreen 200 low VOC paint that exceeds GS-11 standards. At 50 grams per liter VOC, the product complies with environmental regulations and is ideal for new commercial construction. Available in an egg-shell finish, this low-odor, low-VOC product can be used in occupied areas. Sherwin-Williams Harmony Interior Latex line is a combination of high-end performance, high-style appeal and environmental friendliness in a product that’s low in odor and has zero VOCs. Harmony Interior Latex—formulated without silica and with anti-microbial properties that protect the paint film—offers a complete interior paint line, from primer...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. was ranked 20th on the 2006 Business Ethics magazine annual list of the “100 Best Corporate Citizens,” one of 16 companies to make the list for seven consecutive years. “We are honored to once again be a part of this prestigious list, and even more so, to be part of the very select group that has been chosen in each year,” says Douglas M. Baker, Ecolab president and c.e.o. “Ecolab is committed to operating under the highest standards of corporate behavior. This award is a terrific acknowledgement of our work; it means a great...

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO—Enviro-Solutions introduces ES59, a highly effective, sustainable, and environmentally preferable soy hand cleaner for use in all types of facilities. ES59 is a medium- to heavy-duty hand cleaner. It contains scrubbing particles made from walnut shells to safely remove ground-in grease on hands and skin. A premium, safe, and high performance hand cleaner, ES59 has a pleasant fragrance, is concentrated so it is economical to use, and contains emollients to help prevent dry skin. For more information, visit Enviro-Solutions.

MIAMI—The Hampton Inn-Jacksonville (N.C.) recently became the 750th lodging property to have M-Tech’s PMWorks preventive maintenance service installed as part of its overall property management solution. ASP-based PMWorks is powered by M-Tech’s HotSOS (Hotel Service Optimization System, pronounced hot sauce. PMWorks runs in a property’s regular Web browser and enforces enterprise-level standards to deliver a more consistent guest experience at all types of properties. “This is yet another milestone representing the acceptance and success of our PMWorks service in the hospitality industry,” says Luis C. Segredo, president of Miami-based M-Tech. “We’re pleased and honored that the 750th hotel...

PITTSBURGH—The Holiday Inn Select is the first hotel in Pittsburgh to offer its guests what CNN recently predicted to be a trend in the hospitality industry—PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms. The hotel, soon to be re-branded as a Crowne Plaza, added a block of PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms which will be available to their guests. The contemporary, suburban, full-service hotel is just seven miles to downtown Pittsburgh and features the latest in lodging, decor and technology with superior accommodations, executive suites and extended stay residences. “The staff at the hotel is very excited about offering this new amenity...

MEMPHIS—Natureplex LLC has introduced SleepTight Bed Bug Killer to the lodging industry. The new bio-pesticide is aimed at the growing global bed bug problem. With SleepTight, Natureplex becomes perhaps the first bio-based product company to re-enter the battle against bed bugs, once thought to be largely eradicated in the United States. Natureplex expects SleepTight will be a new tool in the fight against an old foe. During past infestations, bed bug numbers were largely decimated by powerful chemicals like DDT. However, DDT has long been banned. Company officials hope to appeal to increased environmental concerns with a product...