People from multiple fields, including education and healthcare, mix in the lobby of our Compliance Campus in Issum, Germany.
Events

Smart to Clean: Bringing Education and Professional Cleaning Together

Issum, July 2, 2025 – Nearly 50 professionals from the education, political, industrial, and cleaning sectors gathered at the Compliance Campus for the networking event “Hygiene in the Spotlight of Care”, focused on improving hygiene standards in schools and care facilities.

Co-hosted by Bundeselternrat, Hygiene Veltkamp, OPHARDT Hygiene, Kleen Purgatis, and the WEPA Foundation, the event provided a timely and much-needed platform to discuss hygiene concepts and solutions—against the welcome backdrop of the Campus’s air-conditioned halls during peak midsummer heat.

A Platform for Progress

Participants explored new ideas, shared challenges, and reviewed emerging trends in hygiene and cleaning. Among the notable guests were Stefan Rouenhoff (Member of Parliament and Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) and Stephan Wolters (Member of the State Parliament, North Rhine-Westphalia), who contributed valuable political perspectives to the conversation.

A group of people from the fields of education and cleaning gather in a classroom to learn more about hygiene innovations.

Factory Insights & Expert Talks

The afternoon began with an exclusive guided tour of OPHARDT Hygiene’s production facilities, offering attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the manufacturing process for modern hygiene dispensers.

From 3:00 PM, the focus shifted to expert-led presentations:

  • Stefanie Veltkamp (Hygiene Veltkamp) shared actionable recommendations for hygiene in facilities serving individuals with disabilities.
  • Ingmar Lohmann (WEPA Foundation) presented an innovative, child-friendly hygiene education concept that brings hygiene to life for young learners.

Tackling the Blind Spots: Panel Discussion

A central highlight was the panel discussion, where:

  • Klaus Zscherpe (OPHARDT Hygiene)
  • Mareen Dimter (Kleen Purgatis)
  • Aline Sommer-Noack (Bundeselternrat)
  • Stefanie Veltkamp (Hygiene Veltkamp)

examined why hygiene remains underprioritized in educational contexts—and how stakeholders can collectively address this “blind spot” going forward.

Innovation Showcase & Networking

Running alongside the presentations was a compact industry exhibition, where participating companies demonstrated their latest hygiene solutions for schools and care facilities. Attendees made the most of the opportunity to engage directly with solution providers.

From 5:00 PM, the event transitioned into informal networking over cool drinks and light snacks—allowing space for deeper conversations, new partnerships, and shared vision-building.

From left to right: Thomas Houcken (OPHARDT Hygiene), Stefan Rouenhoff (Member of the German Bundestag), Stephan Wolters (Member of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament), Heiner Ophardt (OPHARDT Hygiene)

Conclusion

The overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants confirms what organizers already believed: hygiene remains a vital, yet often overlooked, area of innovation and cooperation in education and care.

At the same time, the event made one thing clear: continued awareness, engagement, and investment are essential to ensuring that hygiene in schools and care settings is treated with the importance it deserves.

On behalf of OPHARDT Hygiene, we extend our sincere thanks to our partners and all participants for their contributions to this meaningful and forward-looking event.

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