CETA Outlook for 2026

by Diane M. Calabrese | Published January 2025

 

 

More power results when more people row. Take crew, which has various configurations of teams. All else being equal, an eight-member team is poised to move faster than a four-member team, even though the former is almost certainly heavier.

Sharing the load and achieving more power applies to teams of all sorts. Horses and mules can do more by pulling together—hence, the power in teams used to move plows and skids and wagons. Coupling engines to move trains across high mountains is a strategy still deployed in places like Eastern Oregon (LaGrande specifically).

Teams of all sorts—even pairs players in tennis—serve as an important reminder: When more individuals share the load, they not only have more power, but they also experience less fatigue.

CETA, the Cleaning Equipment Trade Association, marks 2026 as its 36^th year. Collegiality and collaboration among its members strengthen the results and lessen the effort required for new initiatives and continuing benefits.

Three current members of the board of directors of CETA share their perspective on the outlook for 2026 with an emphasis on how the association plans to help empower its members.

Commenting below are board president Gus Alexander, who is the CEO of FNA Group in Pleasant Prairie, WI; Chad Reiffer, board secretary, who is distribution program manager at Hydro-Chem Systems in Caledonia, MI; and R. Calvin Rasmussen, advisor to the board, who is president of Royce Industries L.C. in West Jordan, UT.

“As we move into 2026, we continue to face an economy filled with uncertainty,” says Alexander. “Market conditions shift quickly, supply chains remain unpredictable, and new regulations challenge how we do business.”

Alexander explains that CETA has always proven resilient. “We adapt, we innovate, and we move forward together.”

In the new year even stronger collaboration among members will be fostered through more opportunities for interaction. And by “championing innovation” the association will further help members “stay competitive” as changes come, explains Alexander.

Robust programs already in place—benchmarking, technical standards and advocacy, and the annual conference (PowerClean^®)–will continue. So, too, will the allied Scholarship Foundation.

“CETA is committed to guiding our members through uncertainty, providing the tools and expertise needed to seize every opportunity the year may bring,” says Alexander. He adds he knows some members are concerned over uncertainty about what will transpire in 2026.

“The truth is, the market will have its challenges, but our strength as an industry lies in how we respond together,” says Alexander. Additive power allows for more movement even across obstacles.

With its provision of resources, programs, and connections, CETA will help members to do more than sustain their businesses. It will help them “capitalize on opportunities that emerge even in uncertain times,” says Alexander.

There are four suggestions Alexander has for members as they meet whatever the new year brings. Stay informed, collaborate, innovate, and prepare for change.

Consider the advice to innovate. Where does a company begin?

“Keep an eye on emerging technologies and sustainable solutions,” says Alexander. “CETA programs and training sessions help you understand the latest advancements and how to apply them to your business.”

How best to prepare for any change that comes? “Regulatory updates and industry standards can feel unnerving, but being proactive ensures you’re ready for compliance and can leverage changes as a competitive advantage,” says Alexander.

 

Essential Industry

Yes, there is uncertainty in economic and societal realms. But it’s also true that “the cleaning industry remains essential for so many critical functions,” says Reiffer.

“Fleet washing, industrial cleaning and degreasing, sanitizing, bird flu biosecurity, invasive species mitigation, property management, disaster restoration, sewer jetting, and so many other tasks are continuously performed and are more essential than ever,” says Reiffer. And it’s the members of CETA who manufacture and distribute the tools.

More education, increased networking opportunities between members at the distributor/supplier/manufacturer levels, and strengthening benefits of membership through strategic partnerships and affiliations are among the ways that the association will help members grow, explains Reiffer. And it will endeavor to get the word about all programs out to the widest group.

Disseminating information through social media channels, regular newsletters, and pages in this magazine is important and will continue, says Reiffer. He adds that communication to boost the association goes well beyond regular meetings of board members.

The board of directors meets regularly as do members of subcommittees. And they often field questions from CETA members via phone and email. Person-to-person connections among the members of the association includes meetings between members—impromptu and scheduled—all arranged to work collectively and ultimately strengthen individual businesses.

Reiffer expects more growth in the benchmarking program in 2026. “The program continues to gain more traction to help members grow their businesses and capitalize on new and existing opportunities.”

Results from benchmarking can become input for refinement of business planning. “Thanks to many great CETA sponsors, members can analyze strengths of their businesses and analyze weaknesses or seek new opportunities for growth,” says Reiffer.

Benchmarking, the continuing education grant program, and the annual innovation award introduced in 2025 are among the many CETA initiatives that can be expected to keep growing. The award for innovation serves to highlight the ongoing research and development of manufacturers.

Showcasing some of the results of innovation at the annual meeting serves as a reminder of all that’s happening in the realm of the positive. “Distributors and associate contract cleaning members benefit through exciting new cleaning technology, sales growth, and efficiency thanks to continuous improvement and innovation,” says Reiffer.

The continuing education grant program helps defray the cost of training and certification. “Grants enable members to ease the financial burden of seeking training and/or certification for their employees,” explains Reiffer

“As new business opportunities or pathways emerge, education is crucial for our members,” says Reiffer. The grants program acknowledges and supports the priority of continuing education.

 

Community Ties

Sharing the load—both in the literal and figurative sense—is at the core of functions members of CETA tackle.

There’s the physical work of contributing to the association—its committees, seminars, etc. There’s also the metaphorical contribution of being there as a colleague and collaborator—and possibly a competitor—and part of a group that acts on its shared interests.

“CETA’s greatest strength has always been community,” says Rasmussen. “In uncertain times, information and collaboration become even more valuable, and CETA exists to provide both.”

“Members gain access to real data, industry expertise, and peer insight that help transform uncertainty into action through the association’s programs and annual conference and trade show,” says Rasmussen.

“When the environment around us is unpredictable, having measurable benchmarks and trusted relationships gives our members something solid to stand on,” says Rasmussen. CETA ensures no member need stand alone.

In fact, efforts to modernize member engagement and data sharing are going full throttle. They include upcoming enhancements to the benchmarking and industry metrics program that “will allow participants to analyze trends faster and identify profit opportunities earlier,” says Rasmussen.

“We’re also developing digital education modules and on-demand access to committee resources, making CETA’s knowledge base available year-round instead of just at conferences,” says Rasmussen. “The goal is simple: give our members timelier insight, more flexibility, and more ways to connect opportunity with action.”

Being ready for anything in 2026 definitely means being ready to follow an opportunity borne of a challenge. Toward that end, the benchmarking program is a powerful tool, says Rasmussen. “It allows distributors and manufacturers to compare performance, uncover blind spots, and identify growth strategies based on real industry data.”

The opportunities for in-person meetings as well as real-time updates on industry trends, regulatory developments, and product innovation combine to keep CETA members informed and current on issues affecting the industry and their businesses. That’s very important.

But just as important, the many formal and informal activities help connect members with one another, says Rasmussen. “Many of our members have discovered new partnerships and ventures through CETA introductions and committee work.”

Even with a community as solid as the one built of CETA members, there remains trepidation among some about what’s to come in 2026. Has Rasmussen as a company leader and a past president of CETA any advice to them to ease concern?

“I’d tell them what I tell my own team, that the companies who stay informed, engaged, and adaptable will always find opportunity in challenge,” says Rasmussen. “The strength of CETA lies in its people: business owners, manufacturers, and service professionals who believe in learning from one another.”

Know what can be controlled. And determine to control it. “We can’t control economic cycles, but we can control our readiness,” explains Rasmussen. Participating in the CETA community in all ways possible “gives members the tools and perspective to weather anything that comes.”

Keep up to date with CETA via CETA.org. Not a member yet? The website is also the entryway to joining.

Already a member? It’s not too early to mark the calendar for PowerClean^® 2026, which will be held in Orlando, Florida, October 9–11, 2026, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel.

 

Listening to the Customers

Maximum connectivity of everyone and everything in the digital world means that manufacturers can gain lots of insight into what customers would like to find in products they buy. The standards—durability, longevity, minimal downtime—still apply.

Yet in addition to the universal wants of customers, there are some refinements manufacturers should consider, or refinements about which they should at least talk to customers.

Before going over the top with digital components, a manufacturer should be sure digital components that can turn equipment on remotely or a built-in tracker is what customers want.

Yes, it might be possible to start heating water while walking back to a truck for an ancillary. But is it safe? And do trackers really help locate stolen equipment, or are they simply disabled by thieves?

Contract cleaners don’t want to go back to mops and buckets of hot water, but digital components where analog would do should be considered carefully by manufacturers. That is at least until AI allows digital components to repair themselves.