Zep Inc.'s (ZEP) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 13% as the commercial cleaning-products company reported improved sales in many of its markets while higher materials costs hurt margins.

Chief Executive John K. Morgan said increased sales in segments such as automotive, home improvement retail, vehicle wash offset volume declines within end-markets such as government, institutional and janitorial.

The company--whose products range from Armor All Professional products used at car washes to insecticides sold by mass retailers--has been grappling with soft demand from small-business customers and high commodities prices that have outpaced its ability to raise prices

More at source: Wall Street Journal

Jairo Hernandez of Lynn, Mass., filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board's regional office in Boston against the Service Employees International Union Local 615. He filed the charges for himself and his coworkers at Complete Cleaning.

SEIU Local 615 officials claimed collective bargaining privileges with Complete Cleaning even though workers nearly unanimously oppose the union hierarchy in their workplace, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which is providing free legal assistance for the workers in the case. Under federal law, it is illegal for a union to claim such a status without the consent of the majority of the employees.

More at source: Legal News Online

In a case that promises to be a bureaucratic nightmare for police, a kleptomanic caretaker in the southern German city of Stuttgart has admitted stealing around 25 tonnes of office supplies over several decades, and keeping them in his flat.

As well as ordinary office supplies, the 69-year-old man collected cleaning materials, dozens of brooms and brushes, toilet paper, whole rolls of paper towels, aluminium boxes and ladders.

He filled his living room with his haul, and when that was full, stuffed his cellar, storerooms and a garden shed full of the stolen stationery and supllies. Initial estimates have valued the accumulated booty in the six figure region, but he apparently had no intention of selling it.

More at source: The Local DE

Nine janitors were fired from a downtown Toronto office building after a change in management undefined and they believe it’s because they wanted to keep their union.

Amphora Maintenance Services fired the workers after it took over cleaning services from Hallmark Housekeeping at 8 and 10 King St. E., according to a union complaint filed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board. The workers and their union are holding a rally in protest outside the buildings Monday at noon.

A company can legally fire previous contractors’ employees, but the union alleges that Amphora only did so because the employees were reorganizing, SEIU Local 2 representative Diego Mendez said.

More at source: Toronto News

Court records say a state investigator determined that Gibbs charged state sales tax for his cleaning services for about 18 months but didn't turn over the money to the state.

More at source: The Republic

ZURICH, Mar 27, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Exelerate® ZTF, a patent-pending cleaning solution that dissolves low trans fat oil residue from processing equipment and surfaces, is now available to food manufacturers throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Exelerate ZTF’s thixotropic gel technology clings to equipment and surfaces to help dissolve low trans fat soils, making it easier to remove soils in hard-to-reach areas, including fryer hood vents, walls, ceilings and plant catwalks.

“The increased use of low trans fat oils in food processing operations has created new cleaning challenges,” said Andreas Weilinghoff, senior vice president and general manager of Ecolab Food & Beverage, EMEA. “As the oil mist from frying and baking processes comes into contact with equipment and surfaces, extremely stubborn soils build up, making surfaces very slippery and difficult to clean. Exelerate ZTF offers the optimized cleaning performance necessary to help avoid low trans fat oil residue.

More at source: MarketWatch

An audit shows that over a four and half year period of Johnson's leadership the district bought more than $800,000 in janitorial supplies and security equipment from a business owned by Enos.

According to the audit, many of the items were sold to the district at prices that were inflated by 400 to 800 percent.

TUCSON - In the Southwest, we can't ignore the dust and pollen that fills our air, inside and outside of our homes - and that means allergies! According to WebMd.com:

• One in five people in the U.S. have either allergy or asthma symptoms.
  Allergies have cost the health care system and businesses close to $7.9 billion.
  Four million workdays are lost each year as a result of hay fever.
  Indoor pollution in U.S. homes exceed levels of outdoor pollution by two to 100 times.

Read more and video at source: KVOA-NBC

NEW YORK (NBC) – Spring cleaning is just around the corner, and a little checking on your home might stop a big repair bill, especially with your roof.

"Look for loose shingles, look for, check in the attic potentially for any leaks, see if you see leaks through your ceiling, those are all signs you need your roof looked at," said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List.

Most roofs last twenty years, but they might just need new weatherproofing or shingles.

While you're outside, inspect walls for holes to make sure critters can't creep inside. You might be surprised at how small a space they need.

Back indoors, look for water leaks.

More at source: NBC

This isn’t an anti-entrepreneur rant. It’s also not a piece to discourage anyone from launching their own business. It’s a warning for those who seek to launch their startup to understand some of the lesser-discussed reasons why 99% of new businesses are Dead On Arrival.

More at source: Tech Crunch