Emprise Cleaning sweeps the board with Waitrose

~ expands long term partnership to operate across all 222 stores ~

Emprise Services Plc, a specialist support services company focusing on cleaning and security, is delighted to announce it has successfully developed and expanded its contract with MML, who procure services on behalf of Waitrose Supermarkets.

The development of this contract will now see Emprise deliver cleaning services across the entire Waitrose portfolio of 222 shops nationwide including its head office and warehouses. The original rolling contract, awarded over 45 years ago, was extended in February 2009. As the Supermarket chain has expanded opening an additional 24 shops, Emprise has been retained as the supplier of choice to service the new sites.

The expanded contract will now involve over 1,300 Emprise staff. The soft services solution delivered by Emprise includes a range of cleaning services such as daily, early morning and periodical cleaning in addition to window cleaning and ongoing janitorial services. Emprise also provides specialist cleaning services through a 'support services SWAT team'; a specialist dedicated team to deliver reactive works, kitchen deep cleans and jet washing.

In addition to cleaning responsibilities which form the core of the contract, Emprise also undertake the management of on-site paper, plastic and cardboard recycling management at Waitrose's Bracknell distribution centre.

"Emprise has provided the flexibility to evolve the contract and support our growing service requirements as the Waitrose brand and shops have grown" said Neil Harrison at MML. "Their continued presence across the entire Waitrose estate is testimony to the high standard of service provided and the good relationship we have developed."

"We see this continued development of the contract as a credit to our staff and their work," commented Lesley Shearman, Divisional Managing Director at Emprise. "Waitrose is our oldest contract, spanning more than 45 years. We are delighted to have successfully sustained and enhanced our long term partnership with Waitrose through MML and look forward to further developing it in the future."

Emprise was first chosen by Waitrose in 1961 to clean Waitrose Dorking and since then the Company has continually developed the partnership to include more shops in addition to now holding the cleaning contract for a number of John Lewis department stores and distribution centres.

John Lewis Partnership (JLP) incorporates John Lewis department stores and Waitrose Supermarkets. JLP employs over 64,000 people across 26 department stores, 187 supermarkets and its distribution service.

Maintenance Management Limited (MML) is the organisation responsible for the contract management and procurement of JLP services. MML took over the procurement of support services contracts for John Lewis in 2003 and Waitrose in 2006.