Janitorial Services and Carpet Cleaning
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Industry Overview
The US janitorial services and carpet cleaning industry consists of about 50,000 janitorial companies and about 9,000 carpet and upholstery cleaning companies with combined annual revenue of about $33 billion. Major companies include divisions of companies such as ServiceMaster and ABM Industries, private companies such as UGL Unicco and Stanley Steemer, and franchises such as Coverall Cleaning Concepts and Jani-King. The industry is fragmented: the 50 largest companies generate less than 30 percent of revenue.
Competitive Landscape
The level of commercial business activity and income growth drive demand for cleaning services. The profitability of individual companies depends on good marketing. Large companies have an advantage in serving large customers. Small companies can compete effectively in local markets, especially for small business and residential customers. The janitorial services and carpet cleaning industry is highly labor-intensive: average annual revenue per employee is about $30,000.
Products, Operations & Technology
Janitorial services include general services of cleaning, trash pickup, floor polishing, and the specialty services of cleaning carpet and ducts and washing windows. Operations consist of crews cleaning buildings and houses by hand or with the help of basic equipment like floor polishers. Operations are highly labor-intensive.
Carpet and upholstery cleaning firms account for about 10 percent of industry revenue. This work uses specialty equipment and is slightly less labor-intensive than regular janitorial work. Water, steam, and/or various chemicals are injected into a carpet and removed by vacuum along with dirt and stains. Some companies use proprietary application/extraction systems. Cleaning companies buy supplies and equipment from distributors and manufacturers. Some carpet cleaning companies also offer water damage restoration services, leather cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, and cleaning for cars, boats, and RV interiors.
