BUTLER NEWS

Over the last 10 years or so, the carpet industry witnessed a steady erosion of the floor covering market. As it came to grips with the reasons behind it, the CRI started working diligently to put tabs on the reasons to avoid or remedy them in the future. Previous beliefs were based on surveys of carpet retailers who consistently cited installation as the industry's number one problem. Consumer market surveys were used and the number one issue we found with carpet as to why people were de-selecting it, was a cleaning and maintenance issue. "You can't clean and maintain carpet" was the overwhelming sentiment.

Of course, we knew that carpet could easily be cleaned and maintained, but something was out there permeating that prevailing thought. What was discovered through some preliminary testing was bad cleaning products. In fact, most cleaning product manufacturers didn't even realize their products not only didn't clean very well, but left residues behind causing rapid resoiling.

Our initial tests of products purchased off the supermarket shelf and at local distributors showed less than a handful of two dozen tested better than water. The protocol that was put together has literally raised that segment of the industry by leaps and bounds. Products were reformulated and today we know of over 100 that have been tested and can proudly say they clean carpet.

We expanded the SOA program to include extractors once NASA's XRF technology became available and, again, we have been able to distinguish good cleaning products.

The protocol that is in place is indicative of what transpires in the cleaning and restoration field. And not only does it replicate these conditions, but it is a protocol that is repeatable, a critical factor in any pass/fail procedure. From the beginning, we realized the need to have soil in particulate sizes that represent the broad spectrum of soil types. Wehad a major vacuum cleaner manufacturer gather soil samples from across the country and then analyzed them for particulate size and individual characteristics. There is not a perfect soil type, but what we have for this standard is representative of a wide variety of them.

Bottom line, professional cleaners and the consumers they serve are the primary beneficiaries of the CRI SOA chemical and equipment testing programs. For the machine manufacturer, the SOA Program is a tool to back up the marketing claims you make about your equipment. We have also found that many manufacturers have used the SOA testing as a way to enhance their research and development in order to make better equipment. This is a win-win for everyone.

Again, it backs up any marketing claims you make about your machine, but it also ensures to your customer that the product they are using has been tested and is certified. Some of the mills have independently started tying portions of their warranties to the use of SOA certified products, so being certified would enable your customers to meet those requirements.

Aside from having the equipment eligible to meet warranty requirements by some of the carpet manufacturers, equipment should be tested as a way to certify that it removes soil, does not leave behind too much residual moisture and does not damage the carpet.

No, but not all of them have tested out initially at the levels they are currently listed on the website. In other words, some truck mounts initially tested at the bronze level and by making enhanced modifications to the truck mount unit or cleaning process, were able to resubmit their machines and earn the higher levels.

No, we test equipment that is submitted by the manufacturer as is. The pass/fail criteria are the same for all machines in the extractor portion of the SOA. We follow recommended procedures.

We recognize that all of these examples may make a difference, but we test the equipment as it is submitted to the lab.

It is a marketing opportunity for those who choose to pay the Space Foundation a set fee to use the tag in their marketing efforts. Surveys show that NASA resonates well with the general public and the fact XRF is a NASA technology that has been transferred into a commercial use has provided this opportunity.

Again, the Space Foundation seal is more about a marketing opportunity. The ability to display the Space Seal is a way for your customers to differentiate themselves from competitors in the marketplace with a symbol that is universally recognized and carries weight with the consumer.

We are currently working diligently on putting into place parameters that would work to certify machines that are no longer in production by manufacturers. Typically, manufacturers of truck mounts units will not need to test each of their variations unless there are significant variations in the equipment. For example, if a truck mount unit has passed the test and a similar truck mount unit has been enhanced, the enhanced specifications/features would be reviewed by an independent Review Board. The similar enhanced unit could obtain SOA certification based on the judicious decision of the Review Board. Certainly various wand designs affect performance and we are currently looking at ways to test wands on their own merit and include it in the SOA program.

Again, we are looking into a wand certification program that would handle such a scenario.

They would if there were not significant variances that would lower the unit's performance.

The opportunity to test equipment is always open to individuals and/or companies.

Yes.

No.

Pay a small annual renewal fee. GRI member fee is $50. A non-GRI member is $75.

All the machines of that specific model that receives certification will be certified.

At the present time, the testing lab is located in Dalton, Georgia. The GRI Board has dictated that all programs should be supported by at least two labs with Professional Testing to receive a three-year exclusive due to their huge investment in R&D. to date, no other labs have expressed interested in this program.

Once the manufacturer gets a specific model certified irrespective of where they are sold, shipped or used, they will be certified. Generally, it is the equipment manufacturer that submits equipment to be certified and not the customer and/or companies.

Currently there is just one lab certified. This lab is audited on an annual basis by a professional quality assurance company which assesses the operating procedures and conditions as per an approved test protocol. If, and when, another lab comes on board for testing, the testing conditions will be identical.

The annual fees are for the manufacturer of the equipment, not the owner.

We are currently working on a wand certification program that would deal with this scenario. This program might encompass a nominal fee. If you interchange approved wands, the machine will retain its certification.

Certification goes to the model that the manufacturer produces. If a customer opts to change devices such as wand, they can notify CRI's Review Board and have the changes certified if they meet the criteria for approval.

As with any major testing and certification program, every day inspection of certified equipment in the field would be cost prohibited. It is critical for the owner to be honest and for CRI to have trust in the decision by the owner that the modified machine will perform at least to the certification level identified in the original SOA certification approval.

If CRI obtain excessive complaints, over a period of time, from consumers of SOA certified equipment cleaning performance, this policy as stated may require modifications.

Requests can always be made to test.

Yes, the testing lab uses the same water supply and water temperature to each truck mount being tested. Each test is performed with the truck mount water temperature specified and set by the unit owner.

The approval is perennial as long as the annual renewal fee is paid and no maior changes are made to equipment that might reduce the cleaning performance.

Through an audit system that is currently being discussed within the CRI Cleaning & Maintenance Issues Management Team.

All claims regarding carpet physical performance should be directed to the manufacturer of the carpet. As an example, a claim against the cleanability of a carpet would be addressed by the manufacturer of that individual carpet.

The Service Provider that performed the cleaning using a SOA certified truck mount unit should address a claim against the quality of cleaning.

CRI provides the SOA certification based on performance data generated in a testing lab using the operating settings as per the owner of that equipment or cleaning system. No warrant contract is offered, or implied, indicating the level of cleaning performance in the field.

Your basic question is "why obtain a SOA certification since CRI does not cover everyone's potential liability."

The SOA certification provides the equipment manufacturer with a listing on CRl's website that his equipment has the features of cleaning carpets at the bronze, silver or gold level. The certification level of performance is issued by an non-profit carpet trade association based on a peer-reviewed test protocol performed by an independent testing lab.

This information is public and may be used by an SOA approved service provider.

That's not a question for CRI to answer.

Sincerely,

Wemer H. Braun, President
Carpet and Rug Institute