In an earlier posting a Contributor has insinuated that a court case exists which undeniably documents the fact that the “Solution products” are identical to those of One Step®. I suspect if such a court case/court judgment existed, it would beyond a doubt support and document (naturally with supportive laboratory tests ascertaining that the formulations are identical as well as the cleaning integrities of the respective products) the insinuation made! Please do step forward and provide proof of such (Which court, court case file number, laboratory test results, etc.).
As everyone in the industry knows (maybe with the exception of the contributor!), Mr. Ed Crawford entered into a Licensing Agreement with Solution Glöckner GmbH towards the beginning of 1998 for the exclusive sales rights of the One Step® products in Europe. Mr. Crawford sent Solution Glöckner GmbH the raw materials required for producing these. The last shipment of raw materials was shipped to Solution Glöckner GmbH in the beginning of 2000. In November 2000, Mr. Crawford was forced to terminally cancel this Agreement with Solution Glöckner GmbH, this without rebut.
In December 2000, Solution Glöckner GmbH did national advertising in the major trade magazines in Germany claiming that there was a name change from One Step® to Solution® with the insinuation that there was only a name change and that One Step® products/formulas would be sold as Solution® in the future. Solution Glöckner GmbH was served with a cease and decease from the following court in Germany.
(Landgericht – 1. Zivilkammer, Limburg a.d. Lahn, Germany Case # 1 O 617/00).
It seems that many companies were mislead by this information. A distribution company in Germany purchased Solution® product from Solution Glöckner GmbH believing they were receiving One Step® product under a different name. As this was/is not the case, the company sued Solution for damages and won the case. It is clearly documented in this case that the accused did not deliver the so called “One Step®” products with a name change, but that in the case of products labeled “Solution®” that these are a different cleaning product.
(Amtsgericht Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Luwigshafen am Rhein, Germany Case # 2 a C 156/01).
Different companies have tried to ride the coat tail of success the One Step® products have brought to the market. Some will, and have tried nearly everything, to either copy cat or put down the One Step® products in some fashion or form. Solution Glöckner GmbH was charged with fraud for selling product that was labeled One Step® but did not contain such. This happened during the time period Solution Glöckner GmbH had sales rights in Europe of the One Step® products. The district attorney seized files of Solution Glöckner GmbH and based on evidence it found were going to press charges. Solution Glöckner GmbH was offered “to pay a fine or face charges”. Solution Glöckner GmbH paid a fine and the charges were dropped. (Staatsanwaltschaft Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Case # HR 151/00 B)
“Copies of these court case cases can be requested respectively through the courts”.
It was further insinuated that the products are identical by “specific gravity”, etc. If they were identical, for example, then their applications/dilutions would be identical too. My challenge to those who claim Solution Products have a better dilution ratio is to conduct a test by mixing both products “Say at the ratio of: 20:1, or even higher!!” and test the integrity and performance of both products side by side. The results will speak for themselves!!
In regard to the term “Micro-Splitting”, this is actually synonymous with One Step® products. One Step® products revolutionized the cleaning industry in Europe. The One Step® “Micro-Splitting” cleaning technology was the first to be recognized and instrumented “detergent, enzyme and solvent-free” cleaning system in many countries in Europe. Trade Associations and schools in Germany which cater to janitorial and facility up keep, for example, teach and educate their students about the use of “Micro-Splitting” products as well as detergents, enzymes, etc. I hope that in the near future training schools in the UK will adopt a similar policy. Solution may use this term as a “marketing tag” on their labels by there own admission however, this is certainly not the case with “One Step® Products”.
Karl Nilchibar
