Almost three in 10 (27%) UK manufacturing leaders say their organisation has experienced production delays or downtime because of cleaning or hygiene issues, according to new research commissioned by leading commercial cleaning company Mrs Buckét.
The survey of 250 senior decision makers in manufacturing, responsible for cleaning and hygiene within their facilities, highlights the potential operational and financial impact of how cleaning provision is managed across manufacturing sites.
Increased costs was the most identified consequence of cleaning and hygiene issues, cited by almost half (47%) of respondents.
This was followed by quality or contamination concerns and health and safety concerns, both cited by 31% of manufacturing leaders.
Almost a quarter (24%) said cleaning and hygiene issues had resulted in additional staff time being required, while 23% identified compliance risk as an impact.
The findings come as manufacturers continue to face significant pressure to control costs, maintain productivity and minimise operational disruption. Other manufacturing research has similarly highlighted the importance of reducing downtime and improving operational resilience across UK industry.
The survey also examined how manufacturers measure the performance of their cleaning provision, revealing a potential gap in the use of data to monitor standards.
While many organisations measure cleaning performance in some form, 14% of manufacturing leaders said their organisation has no formal measurement in place.
Rachael Flanagan, CEO and founder of Mrs Buckét, said: “Cleaning is often viewed as something that happens around the production process, rather than something that can directly influence it. These findings show that the two are much more closely connected.
“When cleaning standards slip, the consequences can go far beyond an untidy facility. Increased costs, quality and contamination concerns, health and safety issues, compliance risks and, in some cases, production delays can all follow.
“For manufacturers, cleaning should be treated as an operational priority and measured in the same way as other areas of the business. Having clear standards, regular audits and meaningful performance measures gives businesses the visibility they need to identify problems early, rather than waiting for cleaning to become a production issue.
“The fact that 14% of those surveyed have no formal way of measuring their cleaning provision shows there is still an opportunity for manufacturers to take a more strategic approach to this essential part of their operation.”
The research forms part of Mrs Buckét’s wider focus on helping manufacturing businesses understand how effective cleaning and hygiene provision can support operational performance, compliance, workforce wellbeing and business continuity.
Find out more about the survey here.
