Mitie is one of the UK’s biggest and most advanced facilities management companies, employing more than 64,000 people and delivering a broad range of FM (Facilities Management) and advanced security services to clients in central government, national security, banking, tech and nationwide retail.
One critical area of importance is Mitie’s commercial cleaning offering. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how important this is; sanitising public spaces such as airports to reduce the risk of infection played a massive role in keeping the country running.
Challenging perception
The challenge was that cleaning could be viewed as not very sexy, especially compared to all the impressive technology and intelligence behind security services, for example.
The concept of a Cleaning & Hygiene Centre of Excellence (CHCE) was born to help demonstrate how advanced Mitie’s cleaning services are and dispel the image of cleaning simply being ‘mops and buckets’.
More than mops & buckets…
The CHCE would be a flagship destination for showcasing the best practices and technology available in the industrial cleaning sector, including new technologies, robotics, and treatments & methods that were pivotal for keeping the public safe during the pandemic.
Our work on the project began at the concept stage, even before they had identified a location. We had several creative sessions to plan and scope the contents of each zone within the CHCE and the visitor experience as they travelled through the different scenarios.
Trinity Park T2
Once Mitie chose the location at Birmingham’s Trinity Park T2, adjacent to Birmingham Airport, our work extended from the initial concept work to 3D modelling using the floor plans and the design of each exhibition zone’s graphics for hand-over to the Mitie team and fabricators.
Installations include the Immersive (VR) Zone, where visitors can experience high-level cleaning on the exterior of a skyscraper, and the Sector Innovation Zone, where the latest in robotics and AI help bring to life how advanced commercial cleaning can be.
The centre opened in early 2022 to an incredibly positive reception. During its first full year of operation, the Cleaning & Hygiene Centre of Excellence has been instrumental in securing new business and retaining key clients.
See more about the CHCE on Mitie’s website.
What we did:
- Concept work and creative problem-solving
- Planning and scoping
- Exhibition design
- 3D modelling
- Display graphics design and production
- Pre-production preparation