Franchise
firm ready to expand into Europe
By ADAM AIKEN
EDP, Deputy business editor
A Norfolk bin-cleaning company that already has a presence in the US, Australasia
and South Africa has moved into mainland Europe for the first time.
VIP Bin Cleaning - a franchise business based in Wymondham that is set to double
the number of its operations over the next two years - has signed a deal in Belgium,
leading to its first non-English-speaking franchise.
VIP's growing operations mean it is now involved in the washing, sanitising and
drying of waste containers ranging from domestic wheelie bins and larger bins
used by restaurants, hospitals and shopping malls up to large compactors used
on recycling sites.
The business' rapid growth now means that it cleans more than two million bins
around the world every year.
Across its franchise operations, VIP recorded sales of £4m in 2008-09.
“The whole concept of bin-cleaning has changed, and we now deal with every
type of bin,” said VIP managing director Mark Harvey.
“It's no longer just wheelie bins we deal with and it's not just domestic
customers we have."
The business has seen a surge of interest since it began life in 1997, thanks
in large part to environmental concerns. The tightening of regulations has meant
a growing number of clients have taken steps to ensure their bins are cleaned
in an environmentally-friendly way.
VIP says that its 80 operations around the world prevent 240,000 litres of dirty
water entering the ground water supply each month.
The company's mobile cleaning units carry their own water supplies and have on-board
water recycling plants that capture, filter and recycle the water used in the
cleaning process.
The technology enables bins to be vacuum-dried using a water extraction system,
with all the water being captured and filtered back into the bin-cleaning unit.
As well as its environmental credentials, Mr Harvey said the business was benefiting
from its policy of looking to offer its franchises to the unemployed via local
authorities - an idea that first came about in South Africa - as well as to more
traditional franchisees.
“We were working with the municipality of Mogale when this first happened,” said
Mr Harvey.
“It developed into a partnership with the municipality and the Umsobomvu
Youth Fund. Through that we were able to give training and support to an unemployed
person, who eventually became a franchisee.”
The formula has since been adopted by local authorities in the north-east of
England, and VIP is in discussions with other authorities both here and abroad
in a bid to implement a version of the model there.
“Many unemployed people have in the past not considered franchises -partly
because of finance but also perhaps because of a lack of awareness of the opportunities
there are for them,” said Mr Harvey.
“But we have a good name in network support and our business is a proven
concept, and so we are now leading the way in dealing with organisations that
are looking to help unemployed people back into work.”
VIP has been working with East of England International (EEI) to help it break
into new markets overseas. EEI is the regional organisation that provides support
to companies seeking to trade internationally.
“We know that it is vital to understand the market, that each is different
and that you need to appreciate the cultural aspects as well as the economic
and legal niceties,” said Mr Harvey.
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