New technology cleans up at LEO Pharma

LEO Pharma is a Danish pharmaceutical company with products in areas such as dermatology and critical illnesses (cardiovascular conditions). Because LEO Pharma is in the business of producing medical products, there are great demands on cleanliness in the company’s premises.

Action plan

When Coor took over responsibility for service at LEO Pharma, Coor suggested a comprehensive evaluation of its current services. The aim was to discover the potential for improvement from both a quality and a cost perspective. For instance, the ability to start cleaning using microfibre technology was looked into. Microfibre is a kind of textile fibre with extremely high absorption and cleaning capacity, which binds dirt and locks it in using microscopic threads/fibres. LEO Pharma previously cleaned its premises using conventional water-based cleaning.

“A better working environment, more efficient cleaning and a higher degree of cleanliness overall were excellent arguments for changing to microfibre,” says Svend Hirth, Facility Manager at LEO Pharma.

The evaluation was carried out by Coor’s specialist Change Group.

“We drew up a list of changes we wanted to make. Altogether we presented 65 suggestions for improvement, the main one being a switch from water-based to microfibre-based cleaning,” says Andreas Lövgren, head of Coor’s Change Group in Denmark.

Less strain – better results

The new cleaning system had an immediate effect. Instead of simply shifting the dirt around on the floor, which is always the risk in conventional cleaning, the microfibre technology cleans deep down and makes the floors cleaner. For cleaning staff the new system speeds up cleaning and makes it less physically demanding.

“It’s a common conception that more water means a cleaner floor. But with the performance of the microfibre technology, including better cleaning results and an improved working environment for personnel, Coor has shown that simply isn’t the case. With the water-based approach, cleaners constantly have to change water to ensure the floors are clean. The idea now is that they won’t have to walk as much and carry so much water around,” Svend Hirth explains.

When Coor took over responsibility for service at LEO Pharma, the existing cleaning staff were employed by Coor. This did entail certain changes, such as a new structure with group leaders who were given more responsibility.

“The group leaders know what’s needed and can therefore speak openly to the rest of the team, which could certainly be an advantage for us as a client,” says Svend Hirth.

“Coor had the personnel test different systems and then collected impressions, opinions and suggestions for improvement, which engendered a sense of participation and enthusiasm among Coor’s new employees,” says Svend Hirth

Close co-operation with cleaning supplier

To ensure optimum results in the process, Coor held a close dialogue with the company it chose to supply its cleaning equipment, American hygiene and cleaning company JohnsonDiversey.

“The new cleaning system has brought all kinds of benefits. We’re pleased with the new system and anticipate improvements both in the working environment and quality once the system is fully introduced in about six months’ time,” Svend Hirth concludes.

About LEO Pharma

LEO Pharma is a foundation-owned Danish corporation with headquarters in Ballerup, Denmark. The Group has some 3,000 employees in all, and sales in 2006 amounted to DKK 5,245 million. LEO Nordic comprises the marketing companies in Sweden/Denmark, Finland and Norway, and has 110 employees. In the Nordic region LEO Pharma has products in the areas of dermatology, coagulation, infection and cardiovascular conditions, among others. Marketing, communication and clinical research in the Nordic region are managed from the office in Malmö, Sweden.

About the service assignment

In January 2007 Coor took over responsibility for the following services at LEO Pharma:

• mail and freight/courier services
• cleaning
• internal and external waste management
• transport
• drinks machines
• the outdoor environment
• plants
• relocation services.

The assignment entailed Coor taking on approximately 40 employees from LEO Pharma. There are almost 1,200 service users at LEO Pharma in Ballerup.