Ecolab VP Praises Korea’s Good Sanitation
By Jane Han
Staff Reporter
With dusty skies and streetside trash, what often meets the eye of Seoulites may not speak too highly of local sanitation conditions. But, an executive of the world's leading cleaning company says the country is in pretty good shape.
``My first visit to Korea was in 1984 and since then, many improvements have been made along with economic growth,'' Phillip Mason, Ecolab's executive vice president of Asia Pacific and Latin America, said at a press conference last Friday.
Ecolab provides cleaning solutions and systems primarily for hotels, restaurants, hospitals and educational facilities.
Spreading over 160 countries, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Disney, Hyatt and Marriott are some of the company's major clients.
The company founded its Korea branch in 1986, and total annual sales reached $25 million last year. It opened a training center ``Ecolab University'' last week in Seoul.
The regional executive said, along with the start of its new local institution, the sanitation company would strengthen its presence in Korea, where the sanitation related industry is worth around 240 billion won and is growing 10-15 percent annually.
``The more people eat away from home the more people will focus on better healthcare, and our services will be needed,'' said Mason.
The aging society is also an added factor that calls for better solutions as the elderly are more vulnerable to illness from unclean conditions. ``It's a silver industry,'' he said.
The vice president also emphasized brand protection of clients, recalling the food poisoning accident with CJ Food System last summer.
He stressed that a company's trustworthy image can hit rock bottom through one sanitation mishap.
``Korea's market is good, but it must do more to get to a world class level,'' he said.
Mason has worked in the Asian market since the '80s not only maintaining the commercial industry, but also through major events, including the Seoul Olympics in 1988.
He hinted on the company's move into Korea's world top semiconductor market, as sterilization is critical in its production environment.