Assignment of the month

UCLL, University Colleges Leuven-Limburg

It started, as it often does, with a customer visit in response to a request via our website. People wanted to know if they could take a look at the sports floors due to the ongoing slipperiness problems.

We visited last June and found that the sports floors were indeed quite saturated. The measurements showed this as well. After inspecting the cleaning equipment and supplies present, we saw that the proper cleaning agents and pads were present. The machine, on the other hand, was a modest model “laggard.” On a total area of 3,000 m², including two sports halls of 1,600 and 800 m² respectively, this machine is not efficient enough. It requires a high physical labor effort and is very time-consuming. Due to lack of time, the floors were not cleaned adequately. This caused saturation and consequently slipperiness.

After determining the cause, we recommended revitalizing the sports floors. A revitalization removes the saturation and thus immediately brings back the proper roughness and gloss value. However, revitalization alone is not the solution. Regular maintenance must also be improved, otherwise it will be unsafely slippery again in no time. This is why we recommended using another cleaning machine. This would allow us to work more efficiently. Soon our cleaning robot also came up. With these dimensions and with two different (but connected sports halls) a robot is the perfect solution.

This also got the customer very excited. Saving hours, increasing the quality of the sports floor, less physical labor and preventing complaints. All this with the investment in one machine. A simple calculation showed that it was very justifiable for the customer. Wash….

Fast forward to January 2021….

The pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. So did this tender process. However, together with the customer we picked up the thread in January and came to an agreement.

Before we installed the robot, we ensured through the revitalization that both sports floors met all sports-technical requirements. This was also evident from the inspection we carried out on the sports floors.

The robot installation process is a matter of teaching the robot which surface to drive. This seems easier than it is and we will definitely come back several times then to “fine tune” all the programs. The two sports halls have different surfaces and also have partitions. So various programs can be programmed. This gives the customer the opportunity to use the robot variably. Time left over in one hall section? Put the robot on its starting spot and it flawlessly does the work, allowing an employee to work on his or her other tasks. In addition, the robot always works with the same brush pressure, amount of water, detergent dosage and walking speed so it is very consistent.

Can you also come and look at another location?

The robot has been running satisfactorily for several weeks now, and we received a request to look at another sports hall on campus. Here they had a problem along the same lines. Slipperiness was causing many complaints and unwanted slips. Because one works here under a different foundation, the whole above process was not known here. Therefore, they were already investigating whether the sports floor should not be replaced. However, the sports floor was only five years old! After a short visit and inspection with a test piece, it appeared that the revitalization would solve the problem.

All in all, it appears that with good advice from a specialist, one can save large costs. As icing on the cake, they opted for a cleaning robot in this sports hall as well!

We look back on a very pleasant cooperation and are happy to continue this annually. Thus, after a simple request via the website, we have another satisfied customer for the long term!

Courtesy of Britt Breyne, Sports Officer UCLL/HHH

Photo: Britt Breyne (UCLL/HHH) with a certificate and Jan van den Hurk (Veiligesportvloer.nl)