As India expands its infrastructure footprint and businesses increasingly prioritise sustainability, efficiency, and asset longevity, functions once considered purely operational are beginning to assume greater strategic importance.
Maintenance and cleaning, in particular, are moving beyond their traditional association with hygiene and housekeeping to become critical enablers of productivity, resource optimisation, workplace safety, and long-term asset preservation.
This shift is being driven by a broader change in how organisations think about value creation. Whether it is manufacturing facilities, transportation networks, commercial properties, or public infrastructure, there is growing recognition that preventive maintenance and efficient resource utilisation can directly influence operational performance and lifecycle costs.
At the same time, rising expectations around hygiene and sustainability are reshaping the role that cleaning technologies play across industries.
In a conversation with Brand Beats, Puneet Sharma, Managing Director, Kärcher India, spoke about the changing perception of cleaning, why the category is emerging as a strategic business function, the opportunities that lie in resource efficiency and preventive maintenance, and how sustainability and technology will define the next phase of growth for both the industry and India at large.
Building Emotional Relevance in a Functional Category
Functional categories face a simple challenge: performance must come before emotional connection. For brands in these sectors, credibility is earned through results, not storytelling alone.
“Even functional categories can create meaningful emotional connections when they focus on the impact they have on people’s lives. Customers may purchase products for practical reasons, but the outcomes they value are often emotional comfort, confidence, safety, convenience, and peace of mind.”
Sharma’s answer draws a clear distinction between marketing and value creation. “For brands, credibility must always be built on performance and trust. Emotional relevance should emerge naturally from the value delivered rather than from marketing alone.”
The Investment vs. Expense Argument
One of the biggest challenges for B2B cleaning brands is that cleaning is often viewed as a cost rather than a value driver. Sharma argues that the conversation should focus less on what cleaning costs and more on what it protects and enables.
“Whether it is a manufacturing facility, public infrastructure, commercial property, or a home, proper maintenance helps protect assets, improve operational efficiency, and extend service life. The real conversation should not be limited to the cost of cleaning but should also consider the value that effective cleaning and maintenance create over time.”
For Sharma, cleaning contributes directly to productivity, sustainability, and long-term asset performance.
“As organisations increasingly focus on productivity, sustainability, and lifecycle management, cleaning becomes an important contributor to long-term performance. Through innovation and efficient cleaning solutions, our objective is to help customers achieve better outcomes while making responsible use of resources. When viewed from that perspective, cleaning becomes an investment rather than an expense.”
The Underrated Opportunity: Resource Efficiency and Cultural Change
Sharma sees three major opportunities shaping the future of the cleaning and maintenance ecosystem. “One of the most significant opportunities lies in helping customers achieve better outcomes while using fewer resources. Resource efficiency is becoming increasingly important across industries, and cleaning technologies can make a meaningful contribution in this area.”
He also points to a growing shift toward preventive maintenance.
“There is also growing recognition of the importance of proactive maintenance and asset care. Organizations that invest in preventive approaches often realise benefits in terms of efficiency, sustainability, and long-term cost optimisation.”
The third is arguably the most systemic: “Another important opportunity is building greater awareness and understanding of cleaning and maintenance across all sections of society. Creating a culture that values cleanliness requires engagement at every level, from industries and institutions to local communities. At Kärcher, we actively support this through training and grassroots initiatives that promote best practices and skill development in cleaning and maintenance.”
The Defining Shift of the Next Five Years
Sharma’s prediction on the single shift that will redefine the cleaning and maintenance industry over the next half-decade is not about AI, not about consumer demographics, and not about digital transformation, even though all three are legitimate candidates.
“The most significant shift will be the increasing integration of sustainability into core business strategy. Sustainability is no longer a separate initiative; it is becoming a key driver of innovation, competitiveness, and long-term value creation. Customers, businesses, and communities increasingly expect organizations to deliver strong performance while using resources responsibly and minimizing environmental impact.”
For Sharma, sustainability is no longer a standalone initiative, as he mentioned, “At Kärcher, sustainability is an integral part of how we innovate, operate, and create value. I believe the organisations that successfully combine innovation, efficiency, and sustainability will be best positioned to lead in the years ahead.”
A Customer First Leadership Philosophy
Asked about the one principle that has remained constant throughout his career, Sharma points to creating genuine value for customers.
“One lesson that has remained consistent throughout my career is that long-term success is built on creating genuine value for customers. Industries evolve, technologies change, and markets become increasingly competitive, but organisations that remain focused on understanding and addressing customer needs are best positioned for sustainable growth.”
At Kärcher, that customer focus is paired with a lifecycle-oriented approach to innovation and sustainability.
“At Kärcher, innovation has been a cornerstone of our success for decades. We also believe in a lifecycle-oriented approach to products and solutions, guided by principles such as reducing resource consumption, reusing wherever possible, and supporting responsible recycling practices.”
India’s Infrastructure Boom and Where Cleaning Fits In
India is in the midst of one of the largest infrastructure buildouts in its history, spanning highways, metro networks, airport expansions, smart cities, industrial corridors, and logistics parks. For Kärcher, this is more than a backdrop for growth. It is a long-term demand signal.
“Large-scale facilities, transportation networks, manufacturing plants, and public infrastructure require efficient and reliable maintenance solutions. We see cleaning technology playing a vital role in supporting operational efficiency, asset preservation, workplace safety, and resource conservation.”
For Sharma, cleaning technology is becoming a critical part of maintaining, protecting, and sustaining India’s growing infrastructure over the long term.
“At Kärcher, innovation has always focused on helping customers achieve better cleaning results with greater efficiency. As India’s infrastructure footprint expands, technology-driven cleaning solutions will become an increasingly important part of maintaining these assets responsibly and sustainably.”
Looking at India’s broader growth story, Sharma sees rising consumption, manufacturing expansion, and technological adoption reinforcing one another, with technology acting as the key multiplier.
“If I were to highlight one particularly transformative factor, it would be technological adoption. Technology has the potential to enhance productivity, improve efficiency, enable innovation, and support sustainable growth across industries.”
What makes India’s case particularly compelling, in his view, is the openness to innovation.
“Growth is increasingly becoming part of the country’s mindset, whether through digital transformation, infrastructure development, manufacturing expansion, or national initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which has significantly elevated awareness around cleanliness and public hygiene. I believe this collective ambition and willingness to embrace change will play a critical role in driving India’s next phase of economic growth.”
The Misconception That Needs to Go
Sharma believes one of the biggest misconceptions about cleaning is that a surface that looks clean is actually clean.
“The most persistent misconception is that cleaning is purely a visual task, the belief that if a surface looks clear of dust, it is completely clean. Traditional manual cleaning methods are excellent for basic daily maintenance, but true hygiene is an exact science.”
He also notes that hygiene expectations remain significantly higher than before the pandemic.
“What we are seeing today is a more mature understanding of the role cleanliness plays in everyday life, business operations, and public spaces. While the heightened urgency associated with the pandemic has moderated, expectations around hygiene standards remain significantly higher than before.”
For Sharma, the value of professional cleaning extends beyond appearance to health, safety, productivity, and asset protection.
“When executed with professional-grade technology, proper cleaning directly drives health by eliminating deep-seated allergens, ensures safety by creating hazard-free environments, and boosts daily productivity by fostering fresh, clutter-free spaces.”
Written by Rishi Prajapati
