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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