Meet the Members: David Garcia

David Garcia’s career has taken him from direct selling to a respected industry statesman.

David’s career in the cleaning, hygiene and waste sector spans more than half a century ago and includes building a respected, multi-million pound business and senior roles with the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) and the British Cleaning Council (BCC). His professional life has combined entrepreneurship, association leadership, charitable fundraising and a sustained commitment to raising standards across the industry.

In his very early days, he worked in stockbroker’s office, then a period of direct selling but it was a move into the retail carpet business that really got his career underway.

Thanks to David’s knack for sales and his people skills, he worked his way up from estimator, though the ranks to ultimately Managing Director of the 167 branch retailer.

David then decided he wanted to spend more time with his growing family by changing his role into one that that did not involve constant weekend working.

At that point, David moved into the polythene sack business subsequently to found Polaris Plastics with a former customer in the late 1980s.

The company specialised in refuse sacks, bin liners, food bags and associated products, serving the away from home market rather than domestic consumers.

With David as Chairman and Managing Director, Polaris developed into one of the UK’s leading suppliers in its field.

Its products supported cleaning and waste management in workplaces, hospitality venues, healthcare settings and other professional environments through a network of distributors and buying groups.

The company’s success reflected David’s detailed knowledge of the market and his ability to build lasting relationships within a sector in which quality, consistency and reliability are essential. He retired from Polaris in 2018. The business continues to thrive.

David explained: “The key to the success of Polaris was being trusted. I was very honourable in business ( as I am generally) and could be relied on. Customers knew that they'd only had to tell me something once and it happened.

“I also enjoy talking to people. If I don't get on with someone, I want to know the reason why’.

“If someone said to one of my customers, ‘who'd you buy from?’, instead of saying Polaris, they would say David Garcia. That was my modus operandi, really.”

David continues to play an influential role in the wider industry. He was Chairman of the CHSA for three years, then became Treasurer and was elected Vice-President in 2018 in recognition of his contribution. Both positions he continues to hold.

Through these roles, he has supported the association’s work to represent suppliers and distributors, promote professionalism and uphold standards in cleaning and hygiene products.

David is particularly proud of two initiatives. He was the driving force behind the CHSA undergraduate bursary scheme, established to support the children of employees of member companies through higher education, enabling the CHSA to give something tangible back to the people and families who underpin the association’s membership.

He also took responsibility for the CHSA’s annual gala ball, which has become a very popular fixture in the industry calendar, bringing members together while raising substantial sums for charity.

David’s long association with the BCC led to his election as Deputy Chair in 2023, and he became Chair in June 2025. He has made unity a central theme of his tenure, arguing that BCC members and the wider industry can exert greater influence by pooling their experience, expertise and collective voice.

David said: “I am delighted to continue making a positive contribution.

“I have always enjoyed the industry. Doing what I do now keeps me very much in touch with lots and lots of people.”

More than 50 years after entering the industry, David remains closely involved in shaping its future and championing the people and organisations that keep Britain clean, safe and healthy.