Cleaning branch monitor: second quarter of 2007

The turnover of cleaning companies increased by 5 percent in the second quarter of 2007, which was not as much as the increase in the first quarter. Still the sentiment among companies is positive and they remain optimistic in their expectations for the third quarter.

Turnover continues to go up

Companies in the cleaning branch managed to increase their turnover eleven quarters in a row, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. This time it was by almost 5 percent. Since the turnover increase was considerable higher in the first quarter, turnover over the first half of 2007 increased by 6.5 percent.

The lowest turnover increase was produced by companies cleaning buildings, namely 4.3 percent. Turnover in business services as a whole saw a growth rate of almost 11 percent, more than twice as much as in the cleaning branch.

Year-on-year turnover changes

Less vacancies open

In the second quarter of 2007 there have been more vacancies filled, than new vacancies. As a result, the number of unfilled vacancies decreased by 400 to 2.9 thousand, compared with the first quarter. In the first quarter still the number of unfilled vacancies rose fast. Compared with the second quarter of 2006 the number of unfilled vacancies in the cleaning branch was up slightly.

Number of new and filled vacancies

Orders increase further, opinions more positive

Business Sentiment Survey results of July show that the sentiment among cleaning companies has strongly improved. They received more orders in the second quarter than in the first quarter of 2007. Hence their opinions on these orders also improved. Selling prices have also gone up, and they hired more personnel. Their opinions on the current economic climate were slightly less positive than in the preceding quarter; however, in the previous quarters the frame of mind of companies strongly improved.

Opinions on orders received and economic climate

Increase in orders received and turnover expected

Companies of the cleaning branch are optimistic in their outlook on the third quarter of 2007. They expect another turnover increase, because of a further increase in orders. Companies do not expect a change in selling prices. The number of companies expecting to hire more personnel has risen slightly compared with the preceding quarter; the majority is optimistic, on balance. The expectations of the cleaning branch match those of overall business services.

Expectations for the second quarter of 2007