The Heart of GSF USA

At GSF USA, our heart lies with our staff members who keep our company going and our customers happy. We hire individuals who not only embody our vision and goals but continuously seek growth and career development opportunities. Studies show that companies that prioritize employee satisfaction and engagement are 21% more profitable than their peers. When your employees feel good about coming to work, it reflects the culture of the company and the work that is done.

One of GSF USA’s more recent clients, Germantown School District, which is comprised of four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, chose GSF USA to maintain their schools and help prioritize the health and safety of those who enter it daily. “Germantown School District chose GSF USA because of our strong culture and ability to grow and develop our people. They were drawn to our innovative approach to chemistry and technology and the trust they’ve built from our work in multiple other school districts. Simply put, we deliver on what we say we’re going to do,” said Vice President of GSF USA, Kurt Kuempel.

There are so many roles to fulfill at GSF, each one offering opportunities for growth and advancement. When asked about his role as GSF’s Wisconsin Branch Manager, Mark Streitmatter said, “My favorite part about my job is that every day looks different. I get a chance to train and develop people while promoting to our team that this is more than just a job; it’s an opportunity to have a career.” A chance to advance in the workplace is important, not only for employee retention rate but also to help motivate people to want to expand their skill sets. At GSF USA, over 50% of Operations Managers were developed and promoted from within the company.

Another client, U.S. Cellular Plaza, chose GSF USA because of how its team structure stood out from other contractors. Creating a culture of employees that love what they do and show it through their work is an added value that customers appreciate. “GSF’s culture is unique in the industry because we empower our teams to be able to do the work,” said Kuempel “, We spend a lot of time training and developing at ‘GSF University’ and teaching them to be held accountable for the work that they do every day.”

Providing high-quality and sustainable cleaning solutions is at the core of GSF USA’s mission. This means that employees prioritize being well-trained in how to professionally clean each area, use cleaning equipment and supporting one another to ensure that the facilities they work in are getting the services they need. “Sustainable cleaning is important to our customers, so they know they’re coming into a building that has everything from good indoor air quality, to being properly clean and disinfected and creates a welcoming environment,” said GSF’s Director of Educational Services, Scott Mackall.

Our employees’ stories show that at GSF USA, we stand behind our mission. We view our staff as more than just people we hire, but as a team that we care for, support and want to help grow. Offering educational programs, onsite training and advancement opportunities is just the beginning of the core of our values and the heart of our company. Want to join our team? Check out our job openings!

GERMANTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADUATES TO SAFER AND SUSTAINABLE CLEANING SOLUTIONS

CHALLENGE

Germantown School District in Wisconsin is comprised of four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school as well as Germantown Virtual School for students grades 6-12 living in the state of Wisconsin. More than 3,700 students are enrolled at the district, which has a goal to “Empower and Inspire Every Student to Success.”

The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased cleaning and disinfecting and the use of new equipment like electrostatic sprayers to address SARS-CoV-2. However, many conventional cleaning chemicals contain ingredients that can create unsafe conditions for cleaning professionals, students, staff and visitors. Germantown School District began looking for a better way to clean that would adequately protect against pathogens of concern while also prioritizing occupant safety and environmental sustainability.

SOLUTION

Germantown School District selected GSF USA, a global cleaning services company, to oversee its cleaning program. GSF’s Green Seal®-certified Écologique cleaning program swaps traditional and potentially caustic cleaning chemicals with safer electrochemically-activated solutions (ECAS) from PathoSans®. ECAS are made with an on-site generation system using salt, water and electricity.

PathoClean® is a cleaner/degreaser and PathoCide® is a sanitizer/disinfectant. GSF USA operates two generators and 15 satellite units across the district’s buildings. Employees fill spray bottles with the cleaner and disinfectant. Staff can also safely use the disinfectant with equipment like electrostatic sprayers to quickly disinfect classrooms, hallways and bathrooms.

“Switching from multiple cleaning chemicals to two easy-to-use solutions from PathoSans greatly streamlines the cleaning and disinfecting process,” said Mark Streitmatter, Branch Manager, GSF USA. “The two solutions take care of the majority of the cleaning needs of the district and do not create safety risks because they are made with three simple ingredients.”

RESULTS

With the help of GSF USA and PathoSans, Germantown School District can be confident in:

Cleaning performance. The PathoClean cleaner has reduced the buildup of detergent residue on surfaces throughout the school that are common when using traditional cleaning chemicals. Meanwhile, the fast kill time of the PathoCide disinfectant helps GSF’s employees quickly yet effectively disinfect surfaces. The two products enable GSF to clean for health and appearance, making Germantown School District inviting and safe.

Good indoor air quality. Many cleaning chemicals release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and cause eye and lung irritation. The district previously had to have a separate disinfectant that was compatible with electrostatic sprayers, since the droplet size can impact health and safety. Now, the school has two solutions that are compatible with all surfaces and equipment, do not contain added fragrances or other caustic ingredients and do not emit VOCs. This supports better indoor air quality (IAQ).

Stable chemical supply. The PathoSans solutions are produced in house and on demand with easy-to-source ingredients. This means GSF will always have readily available supply of cleaner and disinfectant, eliminating any disruptions in the cleaning process.

Its commitment to sustainability. Because the PathoSans solutions are made up of water, salt and electricity, they are not harmful to the environment. Additionally, eradicating the shipment of cleaning chemicals to the district’s buildings eliminates the greenhouse gases associated with the transportation of these supplies.

“We’ve been impressed with the never-ending supply of cleaner and disinfectant that the PathoSans generators provide,” added Streitmatter. “The system makes inventory management much easier, as we just need to ensure that we have salt at the ready to continue producing the electrochemically-activated solutions.”