The business: Rosemor International, Rosemor House, Farnham Drive, Caversham

Park Village.

The boss: Efi Rosen, 55.

What’s your business about? “We manufacture and

market cleaning machines for escalators and travelators and it’s a big revolution.

“The Rotomac 330 is the first and only machine in the world that is capable of cleaning and

drying vertical and horizontal parts of escalators.

“Escalators are the fastest way to move people but are very difficult to clean and before we introduced the machine the steps had to be taken off to be cleaned, which took days.

“Now the whole process can be done on site. The machine climbs up the steps and cleans them up, and the job is done in virtually a few hours.

“We are also just about to introduce the Rotofast, the new purpose-built machine and the fastest to clean travelators like the ones you find in airports.

“We have just demonstrated it at Heathrow Airport this week and it will be launched at the ISA Interclean exhibition in Amsterdam, the biggest cleaning show in Europe, next week.

“The machines are designed by aircraft engineers, so they are manufactured in south Germany where there is a precision aircraft firm, and we then market them from our Reading headquarters.

“We have reached 15 countries so far and in the next two years, we are planning to introduce the products to 30 countries.”

Do you have any employees? “We are a team of five in Reading.”

How did you start? “We started 19 years ago when we introduced jet washers in the UK.

“I’m a qualified design and mechanical engineer.

“And then two years ago we were approached by an Americam cleaning equipment and manufacturing company to introduce these two machines to the UK.

“We took on the challenge and to our surprise we became very popular – Gatwick and Heathrow airports, Selfridges and Canary Wharf in London, The Bull Ring shopping centre in Birmingham and Eurostar now use the machines.”

Is it difficult to start a business? “It is very hard because people do not like changes and it’s difficult to convince them it’s a good idea, but once they see it, it’s all right.

“You also have to always have fresh ideas and listen to people, and your service must be excellent.”

What do you like about being your own boss? “The super thing about it is bringing innovation and a solution to people.

“We also do a lot of training, so helping people is the most wonderful thing.”

Do you think the Government and local authority do enough for businesses? “I think the Government must do more to help people set up their business.

“It also needs to educate people, especially young people, to create new ideas, and it is only beginning to do that.

“Many people did not realise there is support but at the moment they have to look for it and many are failing because they don’t know how to look for help.”

What is your view on the economy? “We are going, and have been going for the last year, through a lot of consolidation.

“We should also all be very proactive and think ahead on how to generate interest – over the last two or three years, a lot of businesses were reactive, not proactive. Today, the customer has got much more choice and you have to be very strong.”

How is the future looking for your business? “If we work hard to reach the people and if we put the effort and use all the resources we can – like the internet and doing more exhibitions – then there’s a fantastic future ahead. It’s a very exciting challenge.”

What would be the biggest threat to your business? “If we did not come up with fresh ideas and did not look after our existing customers.”

What is the key to your success? “Enthusiasm and communicating with people.”