The Window Cleaning Hall of Fame

Mr. Mawlam,

Thanks for joining us today for this Q & A session. I think that window cleaners around the world today are going to learn a lot about window cleaning.

1- Where do I start? First, how did Ionic Systems come about?

Ionic Systems is simply the most recent step in my window cleaning career, a journey that began soon after I left the Royal Air Force in 1985. Like many, my first steps as a window cleaner served to provide a living for my young family, but in time as my business developed, window cleaning was something that I became passionate about. In 1991 my business changed its name to “Over The Top” to reflect our move from residential and route work to High Rise roped access specialists. It was in 1995 that we began manufacturing anchorage equipment.

In 1997 we launched The Reach & Wash System and started “The British Window Cleaning Academy”. For a while our reputation in the UK gave momentum to Reach & Wash System sales, but in time and especially once we began to export the product line, a new trading style was needed to give credence to our new area of expertise. The subsequent name change to Ionic Systems and the new corporate logo underlines our single minded commitment to water treatment solutions for the window cleaning industry. In turn customers can be confident that we are the leaders in the field of Waterfed poles rather than followers.

2- - I have heard that Ionics was the first to apply carbon fiber to a water fed pole, is that true? How did that idea come about?

When we began in 1997 we became the UK distributors for the Tucker Pole. For many years the Tucker pole had been the best waterfed pole in the world, however, it was the only waterfed pole in the world and in my experience the aluminum pole was too bendy to be truly efficient for work at greater heights. I knew that carbon fiber was more rigid, and so after I sourced a supplier of carbon fiber tubes I proposed a joint venture to my friends at Tucker Manufacturing to develop a new composite pole. When Tucker declined they gave me the green light to develop the new composite pole range on my own. Even though I knew that severing the link to the Tucker Pole brand would inevitably lead to the emergence of our first competitor, the promise of a superior pole and the belief that waterfed poles was indeed the future of window cleaning. So yes, in 1999 Ionic Systems was the first company to manufacture carbon fiber poles.

3- How do you see the water fed pole changing window cleaning around the world?

Simply, that window cleaning will become safer! I have always been driven by safety, in fact, although I originally developed the first vehicle mounted Reach & Wash System for use in my own window cleaning business, the safety benefits for all window cleaners was clear. The knowledge that I have played a part in getting window cleaners around the world to work more profitably from the safety of the ground will fulfill me until the end of my days.

4- With DI and Pure water technology, is there still room for improvement in window cleaning?

The one true thing that I have learned in my life is that nothing is forever! Though I haven’t seen it yet, I have no doubt that someday there will be another ground breaking advance in our industry. If it comes along during my working lifetime then I hope that I will not be blinkered enough to dismiss it at an early stage, and if I do, that I leave it to those who developed it, that they my prosper from their innovation.

5- I believe you started something with the British Window Cleaning Academy that had never been done before and that would be a nationwide program to improve the image and skill of window cleaners. How difficult was it to set that program up? How was it done ( city by city, or county by county )

The British Window Cleaning Academy is something that I am particularly proud of. The BWCA, established in 1997 was the very first accredited City & Guilds NVQ Centres for window cleaners in the UK. The accreditation process itself took 18 months, going back to school myself to become a qualified trainer and assessor. Today the BWCA offer 15 courses covering all aspects of the window cleaning business in the UK, for further information see www.bwca.co.uk.

6- What effect did that education have on the industry as a whole?

Only commercial pressure can change an industry! Education has been a slow burner, but twelve years since its launch enough window cleaners now present BWCA training certificates with their quotations that window cleaners who cannot provide any type of formal trade training qualifications are failing to win new business. In turn more window cleaners are coming forward for training and so standards are rising and accidents are falling, this is the healthy effect that education will have on the industry.

7- I was fortunate enough to attend the seminar you gave in Leesburg Virginia, I learned more in a few hours than I had in many years on my own. There seems to be a lot to know about water alone. Why hasn't the info you taught been published anywhere? I mean, we have the American Window Cleaner Magazine, IWCA has the Professional Window Cleaner Magazine, the UK has the Professional Window Cleaner Magazine. I have never seen what you taught published. I am certain even a booklet with this info would sell well.

Then just maybe I will write it.

8- I think that you come to window cleaning from a different angle. Can you explain your concept?

Great question! For me, my time during the active part of my window cleaning career (when I cleaned windows every day) was about just one thing, making money! As much money as I could possibly make during a 45 hour week. Paperwork was done during the early evenings. You see, those 45 hours of my life would pass by whether I worked efficiently or not. If you only take the time to analyze everything you do and then apply efficient solutions to make the work easier, quicker, and less labor intensive. Combine efficiency with quality and you will have a competitive edge in any market then you will win more business and more money will be the reward.

9- You've seen window cleaning in both the U.S.A. and England. How does it differ from one country to the other?

The principle difference here in the UK is that we have more of a window cleaning culture, simply because windows are cleaned more regularly and once you have a customer, provided that you don’t do anything wrong you’ll likely keep them for many years. Residential properties are cleaned once or even twice every month and it’s socially a sign of good housekeeping to have a window cleaner call regularly. Because there is so much work here prices are generally lower and also because competition is higher.

Full time residential window cleaners at the top of their game clean windows on about thirty houses per day, though they rarely clean the inside of windows and there are no screens. I think that the other principle difference is also due to the abundance of work, but window cleaners here tend to specialize in one area of work, residential, retail, light commercial, national contracts, high rise, educational facilities, hospitals, residential care homes, hotels etc. Also some specialize only in waterfed pole work, others in rope access, or platform work, very few dabble in a little bit of everything.