University of Amsterdam & CSU Cleaning Services Implement Cobi 18

AN OVERVIEW

CSU Cleaning Services Supports Academic Excellence

Welcoming tens of thousands of students from around the world each year, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a renowned research university located in the vibrant capital of the Netherlands. Founded in 1632, the public university is one of the oldest in the Netherlands and is distinguished by its international reputation for research. 

UvA welcomes more than 40,000 students and leading academic researchers and faculty each year. With its rich history, cultural diversity, and academic excellence, the University of Amsterdam remains a leading institution in the global higher education landscape.

Roy Boomkamp, operations manager at CSU Cleaning Services, is responsible for cleaning operations at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Together, he and his team ensure the university is clean and conducive to learning and teaching for students and staff. 

SOLUTION

Cobi 18 Supports Cleaning Operations

With the increasing challenges of labor shortages and a commitment to innovation, the team at CSU decided to deploy ICE Cobotics' Cobi 18 autonomous scrubber dryer to support their cleaning operations on the university campus.

With the support of ICE Cobotics' specialists, Cobi 18 was integrated into the UvA's cleaning process. The goal was to see how Cobi could support existing staff and become an addition to their team, while also supporting campus operations to deliver a high-quality clean. 

“We saw Cobi and I immediately thought, that’s an addition to the team,” says Boomkamp. 

The cleaning team was involved in the implementation from the beginning so that they would see Cobi as a supporting force and quickly learn the benefits of implementing innovative solutions to the daily cleaning. 

Boomkamp and his team worked to create efficient routes that addressed the high-traffic areas and solutions for running Cobi in areas where furniture is often moved around. 

Through weekly reports delivered by ICE Cobotics, Boomkamp reviews data collected through Cobi’s i-SYNERGY fleet management software. By reviewing the collected data, Boomkamp can monitor the use of Cobi and determine if adjustments to routes or times of deployment need to be made.  

This helps Boomkamp use Cobi in areas where the most square meters can be cleaned during each deployment. By reviewing the data, he determined that deploying Cobi in the early mornings, before students and staff arrive, is the best time to get the most efficient use out of Cobi. 

RESULTS

Cobi Supports Efficient Cleaning Operations

Thanks to the use of Cobi 18, CSU's cleaning team has been able to work more efficiently. Using Cobi has resulted in a cleaner enviroment as CSU’s staff have more time to clean hard-to-reach areas while Cobi cleans the floor. 

“Because Cobi cleans the floors and my colleagues can get to the hard-to-reach areas, the students experience a cleaner study environment which might increase study performance,” says Boomkamp. 

Involving the cleaning team in the implementation of Cobi from the beginning helped the team understand the benefits and support they would gain by using innovative cleaning technology. 

The initial training also helped the team understand the unique aspects of having a cobot, a collaborative robot, as part of the team and showed them the importance of regular maintenance and collaboration with the machine. 

In addition, with the guidance of ICE Cobotics' specialists, the CSU team has been able to get optimal usage out of  Cobi, resulting in a significant increase in the number of square meters cleaned daily.

“Cobi contributes with its service and helps to maintain a quality clean; it helps my colleagues by taking on some of the workload,” says Boomkamp. 

CSU's implementation of Cobi 18 at the University of Amsterdam has led to measurable improvements in the efficiency and quality of cleaning services. By seeing the machine as a valuable addition to the team, CSU improved its service to the university while reducing the workload for cleaning staff.

With the right guidance and an open mindset, the collaboration between CSU and ICE Cobotics led to the successful integration of autonomous technology into the cleaning process.