Family Owned Firm is Largest Vancouver Island Owned Janitorial Supply Company
From left: Craig Gibson, Wendy Sharp, Tami Frankford, Jeff Frankford and Todd Burnham
PARKSVILLE – It doesn’t matter what a customer needs are for cleaning something, Island Cleaning Supplies has a solution.
The family-owned and operated business is the largest Vancouver Island owned janitorial supply company, and has a large inventory at its 182 Harrison Avenue location, but has access to thousands of products through its online shop.
“We carry a very large selection of products, from commercial cleaning and vacuum equipment to environmentally friendly cleaning products to paper goods,” says General Manager Todd Burnham, a minority owner of the business with his parents-in-law Jeff and Tami Frankford, who started the company in 1994, and Todd joined the firm five years later.
“We are focused on commercial business, and offer deliveries right to their door,” Todd explains. “We serve the general public as well, and if we don’t have a product right here in the store, we can get it through our online shop. Customers can also have their orders delivered to their homes or business from the online shop.”
Island Cleaning Supplies has a wide variety of floor care products and machines
Island Cleaning Supplies has a wide variety of green products available, and they are mindful of how far away suppliers are from the island, since buying from companies in closer proximity means producing a smaller carbon imprint from lower travel distances.
“We also put a big emphasis on trying to buy as much locally as well,” Todd notes. “In our industry, local doesn’t necessarily mean the Island, but we do carry cleaners from manufacturers in BC and we try to do as many Canadian and North American products as possible. That’s very important to us.”
First and foremost, service is a priority for the company, which serves clients across all of Vancouver Island, from Port Hardy to Victoria.
“We like to think that our service is second to none to others in our industry,” he says. “Along with that, we have good partners in our equipment and chemical lines, such as Tennant, Nobles, Beam, Miele, Rochester and Midland Limited who are reputable manufacturers that provide good products and service.”
They also offer central vacuum sales, service and installation.
“We are able to offer good products at a competitive price, and have no minimum orders, unlike some larger competitors,” he adds. “We can handle every customer from the little mom and pop shops to the large municipalities and pulp mills.”
Island Cleaning Supplies has grown steadily, and didn’t lose any headway during the Covid pandemic.
“We were able to get disinfectants and hand sanitizers and keep our customers stocked up,” Todd says, acknowledging that demand for those products has definitely tapered off. “What the pandemic did do was it made some people more aware of their cleaning procedures, and are continuing with improved cleaning protocols.
“It has shed some light on how certain facilities were going about their cleaning, and now maybe they’re doing a better job of doing high rate touch points, hand rails and door knobs. It’s good practice for our normal cold and flu seasons, and anything else that is going around.”