BackWhat’s Driving Industrial and Institutional (I&I) Cleaners?
As 2020 has reminded us, pathogens, zoonotic disease, infections, foodborne illness – and a whole host of other pathogens – have the ability to disperse worldwide affecting our global health. While the problem seems large, the sources are small: germs, bacteria and viruses may be found in schools, hospitals, shopping malls, public gathering places, supermarkets, restaurants, manufacturing plants, and just about anywhere we might imagine. Whenever, wherever…the renewed demand for the vital practice of proper hygiene is driving consumers and brands’ bottom line. Luckily delivering improved health and hygiene is more effective, and better smelling, than ever.
“I&I” Market Trends
According to Markets & Markets Forecast Report, the global industrial cleaning market size is projected to reach USD 58.2 billion by 2024 from USD 46.8 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 4.5%. The growth in the manufacturing and healthcare industries, coupled with the demands for hygiene and cleanliness at the workplace, is driving the industrial cleaning market. Yet, there’s a twist to this!
The Industrial & Institutional markets have traditionally been steered by cleaning efficacy, brand loyalty, and price. Today, many of these underlying factors are taking a back seat. What was once a purely functional category is now being powered by fragrance & creative innovation. While industrial-strength cleaning products are generally more chemically reactive than those used at home, and successfully scenting them can be challenging, technological breakthroughs are allowing for the creation of highly effective formulations tailored to the emerging CONSCIOUS CONSUMER. Proprietary research reports that a whopping 70% of the Consumers want natural or eco-friendly values – products that are good-for-you, good-for-earth & sustainable (AGILEX). And, nearly 57% of consumers say they would be willing to pay more for these sustainable or eco-friendly products (WGSN).
Consumer trends are rapidly trickling down the industrial spaces. Microtrends from Detoxing The Home, to Hero Ingredients, to Back-To-Basics are increasing the demand for products that utilize natural ingredients that both smell great and have antimicrobial efficacy, such ingredients as oakmoss, cinnamon, birch oil, thyme, mint, sea salt, among many others. Olfactive development, based on Naturals, Clean, and EPA Safer Choice Fragrance Collections, offer amazing innovative scents.
According to Alice Rebeck, a Perfumer/Wizard in the I&I category, “Consumers want more selection and better scents for their cleaning experience, often natural perfume. New product innovations create the point of difference to maximize produce effectiveness, grab consumer’s attention, and signal safety!”
Finding The Right Fragrance Partner
Fragrance development in I&I bases can be tricky, and product margins are small, so it is vital to find a fragrance manufacturer that has an extensive history of providing effective, economical industrial fragrances for leading products and brands in the industrial & institutional category. The challenge most often encountered is price. Typically low cost options for sanitizing and general cleaning are crucial for larger scale spaces. A fragrance partner with expertise in the category can help brands navigate from low cost functional offerings to the new normal, Conscious Consumer demands.
Also crucial, the chosen fragrance oils manufacturer, perfume maker…fragrance company (whatever you wish to call it!) should have a wide team of experts in innovative scent formulation, regulations, technology, and consumer insight. Ask Alice and she’ll share: “Fragrance was a necessary afterthought to combat a strong base odor. When the true impact of Covid 19 became apparent, and many cleaning products were impossible to get, a whole new world of offerings and possibilities opened up.”
As these Perfumer/Wizards move into new I&I olfactive territories like the future smell of clean, fresh air, outdoors, ocean, gourmand…the right partner is one that can create fragrance beauty within the properties of the specific product, including: malodor neutralization, high pH, low pH, bleach-stable, hydrogen peroxide stable, packaging parameters like clear or opaque containers, and on and on! Perhaps most important are the various regulations governing the product, such as EPA Safer Choice Labeling and IFRA 49 compliant.
Now you understand where the wizardry comes into play!
The Future of I&I is Here
As manufacturers retool their lines to make hand sanitizer and soap, and brands rethink the necessary products for global health and safety, we are emboldened by the positive reactions of people meeting today’s demand. The line between I&I and general consumer products has been permanently blurred and we forecast both markets will benefit, and both markets will offer innovative, beautiful scents that will inspire everyday lives.
How will you create a warm, welcoming environment while trying to maintain the cleanliness and safety of a large commercial area?
Agilex Fragrances has an extensive history of developing amazing fragrances and technologies for leading brands in the industrial & institutional market. Ask us how we are creating innovation for I&I. We are happy to share our insights. Let’s Collaborate.
