About Us

HISTORY

Our founders recognized more than 65 years ago that an educated sales staff and professional distributors can bring real value to those charged with cleaning and maintaining commercial facilities.  The training and education of distributor sales people became the foundation for Multi-Cleans' on-going growth and success in the decades that followed.

The Beginning 1934-1946: 

An $85 loan and a dream….

The roots of the company started as the M&C Company back as early as 1934, where company founder Norman McRae and Ed Coulter took out an $85 loan to start making floor cleaning compounds and machines to make the job of cleaning easier.  In McRae’s words “From my personal experience I was certain there could be improvements in the compounds and in the machines as well-particularly from the viewpoint of the men who worked with those machines.” 

Accelerating Growth 1946-1960: 

The MULTI-CLEAN METHOD….

The company fully incorporated under the name Multi-Clean with the opening of a new state of the art factory for manufacturing cleaning equipment and chemical products in 1946.  In 1952, Multi-Clean became a force in the cleaning industry by acquiring General Electric’s Industrial Vacuum Cleaner Division. 

The company developed a distributor training program built around the famed Multi-Clean METHOD which was considered highly sophisticated at the time.

Steady Growth 1960-1975: 

Focus on Professional Distributors….

The company achieved success by building a network of loyal distributors and investing in sales training that showed how to bring people, machines, and chemicals together to improve the process.  The company was always cognizant about insuring that there were not too many distributors serving any one area.

HB Fuller Years 1972-1984: 

Stability but lackluster growth….

In the 1970’s, Multi-Cleans' founders sold the company after receiving a “too good to refuse” offer from Fortune 500 adhesives manufacturer, HB Fuller Company.  After nearly a decade, HB Fuller decided Multi-Clean products did not fit into its core competency. 

Hako Minuteman Acquisition 1984: 

The focus on Multi-Clean brand chemical products….

In 1984, Multi-Clean was acquired by Hako Minuteman, an up and coming American manufacturer of cleaning equipment that was only 4 years old at the time.  The company had ties to the European cleaning equipment powerhouse HAKO, which wanted to enter the American cleaning equipment market. 

A Time of Change 1984-2005: 

Multi-Clean Brand Recognition….

Multi-Clean brand equipment was slowly integrated into the highly successful Hako Minuteman line over the next few years allowing the Multi-Clean chemical line to expand and prosper. Chemicals with the name ‘Multi-Clean’ meant quality and performance which allowed us to shed the Highland Park facility and purchase a modern building located in Shoreview, Minnesota.

Revitalization 2005-2010 and Beyond:   

Building the Multi-Clean Brand….

Today, the Multi-Clean brand consists of a comprehensive line of cleaning and floor maintenance products sold exclusively through authorized distributors worldwide.   Revitalizing the brand is built upon the notion that delivering value means going beyond the expected.  That means forging partnerships with like minded distributors that encourage their sales people to take on a consultative role with their customers.  Our tag line “Your Guide to Clean” embodies our message of value with a foundation of offering the best Support, Training, Education, and Products. 

True to our heritage, Multi-Clean remains a company focused on the value that only a professional distributor can bring to the cleaning process.

Why We are Different:

We believe that the best way to maximize value is to deliver Multi-Clean brand products through authorized distributors.  We aim to be distinctly different than other manufacturers that sell direct or through multiple distribution channels in every market.   By staying true to our selective distributor distribution strategy, the value of the Multi-Clean brand is maintained and distributors can earn a fair profit.

Affiliations 

Multi-Clean is a division of Minuteman International, Inc., and member of the HAKO Group of Companies.

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