Travelodge employs robot cleaners across UK properties

The robots assist housekeeping staff and are better for the environment

UK-based operator Travelodge has deployed thousands of robot cleaners to support its housekeeping teams across 579 properties in the UK.

The 7,500 RoboVac Buddies, developed by Sheffield-based company Killis Ltd, are being used to help reduce the workload for housekeeping staff, who clean nearly 44,000 rooms every day.

Each housekeeping team member will be allocated one of the yellow machines, which have been designed to vacuum specific areas.

The robots feature an industrial booster battery, allowing them to vacuum several rooms with one charge, and a dust collector, which can be emptied at the end of the shift.

According to Travelodge, the robots are better for the environment and make less noise than a traditional corded vacuum cleaner, using 60 watts of power rather than 1200 watts.

The RoboVac is also bagless which means there is less waste to landfill.

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Travelodge chief executive Craig Bonnar said: “We’re very excited to kickstart 2022 by revolutionising the hospitality sector and supporting our housekeeping teams with the roll-out of the UK’s first hotel RoboVac Buddy recruitment programme. Housekeeping is the most important and physically demanding job at Travelodge and we are always looking for low-cost and innovative ways to support our colleagues.

“Automating vacuuming with the introduction of the Travelodge RoboVac Buddies is a fun, win-win solution that helps us to drive a greener, cleaner and more efficient room clean. The army of Travelodge RoboVac Buddies have settled in really well and are a massive hit with our hotel teams and customers.”

Killis Ltd managing director Tibor Killi added: “We’re delighted to work with Travelodge and create the UK’s first hospitality spec RoboVac. This is the largest cleaning equipment mobilisation in our company’s history and it has been an honour to be making history with Travelodge within the hospitality world.”

For more information, visit www.travelodge.co.uk