This article is part of the results of The Biggest Fleet 2024. Click here for all results

How did you get into cleaning robotics?

I have been working in the cleaning industry for almost 25 years now. During this time, I have seen many innovations, and it is inevitable that you will automatically come into contact with the latest technologies. Autonomous cleaning has been with me for eight years and fascinates me daily.

Do you have robots at home?

We have two microbots at home. One model for vacuuming and a second, newer model that also does wet cleaning to a level that I find acceptable. As cat lovers, modern technology helps us keep the apartment clean, which is a real challenge with three Maine Coon cats at home.

How does your company go about bringing
cleaning robots to market?

Our goal is not just to sell our customers a cleaning robot. Even though that is, of course, our main task. For us, robotics means more than that and must always be thought of as part of a solution. Remote control, automation, elevator integration, communication with the building infrastructure, and VDA5050 are just a few examples of the solutions we want to offer our customers. Of course, working with partners like FieldBots is also an essential part of the overall solution. This is where the strengths of the PHILON team come into play because we are happy to pass on our knowledge to our customers in the form of consulting, project management, and implementation.

Where can we find the largest fleets in your market and why?

We recently won a significant order from and with ROSSMANN. The first 40 devices have already been delivered and operated in North Rhine-Westphalia. Another 130 units will follow throughout Germany at the beginning of 2025. I am convinced that our PHANTAS robots will attract the attention of other customers in the coming weeks because the customer made his decision for this model precisely because of its simplicity, flexibility, and reliability. Of course, the cleaning result was also evaluated. Compared to other products in this class, the Phantas, our service, and our know-how stood out and ultimately led to success.

How would you describe your market compared to other markets or continents?

I think other countries and continents are much more comfortable with robotics than we are here in Central Europe. This may be due to our legal regulations and requirements. An enormous focus on data protection certainly plays a role here as well. Moving cameras can almost cause a German to break out in a cold sweat. I think digitization and automation have not yet fully arrived in the business world. Interestingly, things often look different when it comes to software and the use of artificial intelligence. However, as soon as physical movement comes into play, the reluctance in our market is still clearly noticeable. The positive thing about this caution is perhaps that there is no blind euphoria in Europe when it comes to robotics. I have noticed that in North America, things are often done first – and then the wounds are licked later. By the way, one market that I previously didn’t even have on my radar is Africa. There is industry here, too, and there is hospitality and education here, too. The same applies to South America. We still have a few blind spots and plenty of growth potential.

How far are we from the widespread
introduction of cleaning robots? What will
“The Biggest Fleet” tell us in one year, five years,
ten years?

We still lack a product that can solve several tasks at once. The current robots are too specialized for this. There are various research approaches, from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and other institutions, in which attempts are being made to combine air quality measurements or real-time inventories with cleaning, for example. So far, however, none of this is tangible and it is far from being market-ready. I see a multi-zone solution like this as a prerequisite for a broad willingness to invest – thus, for a broad robotics rollout. I hope something will happen in this area in the next year or two. I don’t want to look much further into the future. Fortunately, the leaps in innovation in our industry are too great for that.

What are the biggest obstacles that cleaning
robots have to overcome?

There are widespread fears regarding data security, primarily concerning Asian robotic products. However, this caution often lacks a technological basis. Political posturing certainly plays a role here. A second point is that robotics manufacturers often come from a software background. They then put much effort into developing a mechanical shell around it. They often lack know-how in the field of cleaning technology, which is ultimately reflected in the cleaning quality of the products. On the other hand, established cleaning machine manufacturers are heading in the opposite direction. They are trying to build (software) logic into their shells. The result is very similar. Although the robots clean excellently, they need help with navigation or problem-solving skills. Further hurdles are time-consuming deployments and, in addition, active management of the devices is needed to maintain or improve cleaning quality. Interestingly, however, these hurdles, which can only be overcome through technology, also open the door to new profiles of young employees who would otherwise not be interested in the cleaning market as their professional future.

Are microbots a thing in your markets?

Microbots definitely have their place. Large and cost-intensive robots can only be installed in some environments. Just think of hotel corridors or angled environments with stairs in between. These scenarios cannot be mapped by one device. So, there is no way around microbots here. For us at Philon, the decisive factor for liability reasons was that microbots are also B2B certified and approved. That is why we have only been active in this area for six months. However, we can already see that our customers receive the small robots well.

What’s next in cleaning robotics? What is the following discipline of cleaning automation
after vacuuming and wet mopping?

We have already discussed combined robots that can perform multiple tasks, active fleet management, and the role of the robot manager. What I think is an exciting idea is a kind of modular system — in principle, a platform solution that allows users to configure robots with different capabilities, not unlike a LEGO® brick or puzzle. Regardless, I think cleaning sanitary facilities and facades will be the subject of future automation. When it comes to facades, I am thinking of cleaning large glass surfaces, brickwork, or plastered surfaces. There is a massive demand for a robotic solution here, if only for risk prevention.

This article is part of the results of The Biggest Fleet 2024. Click here for all results