American Cleaning Institute President and CEO Melissa Hockstad has been selected to serve as vice chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers' Council of Manufacturing Associations, which includes 260 manufacturing trade associations representing 130,000 companies worldwide. "I am proud to enhance the voice of cleaning product manufacturers and chemical producers through my engagement at the Council of Manufacturing Associations and look forward to tackling issues and policies that can ultimately enhance their ability to formulate, innovate and compete in today's marketplace," Hockstad said.

Procter & Gamble has rolled out Dawn EZ-Squeeze, an inverted dish soap container that is designed to be easier to use and waste less product. Product packaging proclaims "No flip, no mess," and its inception was spurred by data finding 67% of consumers are using dish soap more frequently with each wash by applying it directly to dishes, said Jennifer Lo, P&G's North America brand director for hand dish products.

Unilever's Dove ranks No. 1 in the Brand Intimacy COVID Study's health and hygiene category, followed by Olay, Lysol, Colgate, Pantene, Listerine, Ivory, Purell, Scope and Head & Shoulders. The study is produced by the MBLM agency and scores brands on their emotional connection to consumers.

Procter & Gamble's net sales during its second fiscal quarter grew 6%, despite inflationary pressures forcing price increases, said Andre Schulten, chief financial officer. "The consumer is very resilient and very focused on these categories of clean home and health and hygiene," said Schulten.

Many Americans expect to exercise additional caution about germs even after being fully vaccinated, and businesses can respond with strategies including increased daytime cleaning for infection prevention. Wintertime cleaning operations should encompass certain tasks, including focusing on floors, making sure indoor air quality is being monitored and making sure workers are fully trained, writes Kurt Kuempel of GSF USA.

Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Henkel, L'Oreal and Unilever have joined other consumer packaged goods companies in signing a letter to the UN requesting a binding treaty regarding virgin plastic reduction. The letter also demands downstream solutions such as upgrades to the plastics recycling infrastructure.

Eastman Chemical says it will build a plastics recycling facility in France that will process up to 160,000 tons of plastic waste each year starting in 2025. The facility, which could cost $1 billion and would be the largest of its kind in the world, will use a process known as molecular recycling, the company says.

Join hundreds of attendees across the cleaning product supply chain at three networking receptions during the 2022 ACI Convention, Jan. 31-Feb. 5 at the Grande Lake Orlando. Monday of Convention Week will feature our Kickoff Reception, while the Taco Tuesday Fiesta will be a highlight of Day Two. The major networking highlight of the week is the ACI President's Reception on Wednesday evening. Online registration is still open on ACI's Convention website, while onsite registration will be available during Convention Week. For more information, contact ACI's Meetings Department.

ACI is excited to announce our return to an in-person Charity Duck Race during the 2022 Industry Convention. The February 2 event, sponsored by Shell Chemical LP, benefits Clean the World, a leader in global health, recycling discarded hygiene products and distributing them to communities in distress around the world. Decorated ducks "swim" down the Grande Lakes Orlando's Lazy River towards the finish line with their cheer squad on the sidelines. ACI members, make sure you have a duck in the race by visiting the ACI Convention website.