Laundry Review

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Revolutionary laundry franchise opportunity launched in SA

European laundry company Jeff recently launched one of their innovative franchise business models, Mr Jeff Laundry, in South Africa, promising a shake-up of the local laundry and dry-cleaning sector by offering these services via an app.

Mr Jeff Laundry provides convenient, quality laundry and dry-cleaning services for its customers of every type, with young people short on time being among the company’s most loyal customers around the world. By using the app or website, customers can choose the exact location, time and day of pickup. A driver visits the client’s house and collects the garments and later delivers them back, cleaned and ironed. This service can be accessed via on-demand or monthly subscription options.

Founded in Spain in 2015, Jeff has already expanded to 32 countries across Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and southern Asia with 1 780 hubs already sold.

“The app offers a unique opportunity for South African entrepreneurs looking for a business opportunity with quick return on investment,” said Jeff CEO Eloi Gómez. “Our research shows that 78 percent of people regard laundry as their least favourite household chore. We are literally transforming the face of household chores.”

Gómez says the typical franchise will recoup its investment within 19 months, with a profit of around R45 000 a month after 12 months. Local franchisees will also receive strong marketing and partner support from Jeff, with zero royalties and marketing fees for the first year. “With our digital approach and our subscription plans, we intend to change the traditional function of the laundry-cleaning sector.”

Specifically designed for the urban customer who always needs to be connected to tech solutions, Mr Jeff has won over a new market segment as 60 percent of its customers have never used another laundry service before.

The Jeff brand has proven successful to date, as the company’s workforce has already grown to 500 direct and more than 3 500 indirect employees worldwide. Service options include on-demand solutions as well as monthly subscription. With two payment methods available, credit card and cash payments, Jeff’s services are accessible to the unbanked population in South Africa as well.

Young entrepreneurs Eloi Gómez, Adrián Lorenzo and Rubén Muñoz from Valencia, Spain founded Jeff in 2015 to offer a comfortable, fast laundry and dry-cleaning home delivery via an app. The app is available for Android and iOS devices and works through a monthly subscription system and one-off orders from stores that are distributed across different cities, forming a network of franchises that completely change the traditional laundry model.

Entrepreneurs interested in opening a Mr Jeff Laundry hub in South Africa can email the company at: franchises@mrjeffapp.com

Running a best-in-class hospitality laundry operation

Hotels rely heavily on linen throughout their day-to-day operations. Due to the pace and nature of hospitality businesses, stains of all kinds inevitably appear on sheets, cloth napkins and towels. Because the cleanliness of a business’s linens can make the difference between a rave review and a scathing write-up, it is imperative to optimise laundry programmes to properly remove stains. The best defence against stains is a first-rate laundry programme that combines effective stain-fighting products with sustainability-focused programmes and intelligent monitoring.

Making laundry effective, efficient and environmentally friendly Hospitality managers should consider these products and practices as they aim to make their laundry programmes best-in-class:

1. Smart stain-fighting: the right products at the right time Handling stains effectively prior to the first wash allows businesses to extend linen life and avoid water- and chemicalwasting rewashes. This, in turn, saves time and money and promotes environmental sustainability. Diversey’s Clax ® Magic presents a comprehensive range of stain-removal solutions for a wide array of stain types, including: • Clax Magic Protein – for blood, food and other protein-based stains • Clax Magic Multi – for a variety of stains, such as makeup, ink and grease • Clax Magic Rust – for rust and ironbased stains • Clax Magic White – for bleachable stains like coffee, wine and fruit juice

2. Low temperature laundry programmes: cooler is cleaner As consumers are increasingly expecting businesses to support sustainability, laundry programmes should focus on ways to reduce water, energy and chemical consumption. About 80 percent of energy consumed in a standard laundry programme is used to heat water during the wash phase, so it is logical that low temperature wash programmes reduce environmental impact, while also curbing energy costs. Diversey’s Clax ® Advanced lowtemperature laundry programme has been proven to reduce waste and costs while improving performance. Across six luxury hotels, the programme: • Reduced water usage by up to 35% • Reduced electricity by up to 15% • Reduced wash time by up to 16% • Reduced CO 2 emissions by up to 100 metric tons • Extended linen life by up to 30% The sustainability benefits of a lowtemperature laundry programme like Clax Advanced are undeniable. When coupled with the cost savings and boosted performance, lowtemperature linen care becomes a no-brainer for hospitality businesses.

3. Real-time remote monitoring: the next level of laundry management By tapping into the global reach and information-collecting power of the Internet of Things (IoT), Diversey’s IntelliLinen™ solution (part of our Internet of Clean™ platform) transforms laundry management. It provides real-time alerts and feedback about key metrics like energy use and operational costs.

With these actionable insights, managers can easily see where consumption can be reduced, where chemical dosage can be more consistent and where re-wash levels can be reduced. With IntelliLinen, businesses can immediately implement corrective actions to better control costs and uphold sustainability. By setting thresholds, laundry managers will also be notified when and where overspending occurs.

By implementing the solutions above, hospitality businesses can ensure that their laundry programmes keep linen unblemished while minimising their carbon footprint and motivating customers to return again and again.

To read more about Clax Magic, visit diversey. com/solutions/fabric-care/clax-magic

The importance of keeping industrial spaces clean and safe

Having clean and orderly workplaces in

an industrial setting like a warehouse

serves a purpose beyond meeting health

and safety standards. Emma Corder, MD of

Industroclean, says that the downside to not

meeting basic cleanliness standards has

far-reaching consequences.

“T here are two important factors to take into account when it comes to warehouse maintenance,” she says. “The first aspect is investment. If you have laid out capital and bought your own premises, you’d want to protect your asset. By implementing proper maintenance processes and keeping the warehouse clean, you will protect your capital layout.

“Companies are also protecting themselves against other forms of loss if their reputation is tainted because negligence led to a workplace injury or fatality. That could easily lead to reputational harm, lost business and productivity, as well as creditworthiness issues with insurers.”

Industrial firms – from manufacturers to logistics providers – come under close scrutiny because of their work environments having heightened threats of injury. Workplace safety is, therefore, a key area of focus for labour and industrial inspectors tasked with monitoring compliance.

Corder suggests a rigorous cleaning schedule to prevent the build-up of grit, grime, and dirt.

When applying this approach to a warehouse floor, for example, always start with clearing out loose debris with a floor sweeper. Follow this up with a scrubber-dryer that will give a deep clean to remove hard-to-lift dirt and grime. These machines simultaneously dry the floor, thereby reducing the possibility of slips on a wet floor.

When it comes to the maintenance and cleaning of floors, safety is always a big concern in every workplace environment. Loading zones are usually a heavy-traffic area.

“Here, a clean environment keeps everyone safe. The build-up of dust can affect machinery, which in turn, could damage the floor. Scuff marks are another common issue on warehouse floors, but this can be remedied with regular cleaning.

It is important to remember that flooring is a costly investment. Some industries prefer epoxy coating over concrete floors, but if this is neglected, you may have to redo it in five years.” Corder recommends investing in suitable sweeping, scrubbing and vacuuming systems, if cleaning is done by an in-house team.

“The most important step in the cleaning process is to sweep first. This should be done 80 percent of the time, while wet cleaning, which includes scrubbing should constitute 20 percent of cleaning time. It is also important to utilise the correct chemicals, as this not only affects whether the cleaning will be effective but may also have an effect on the well-being of staff.”

According to Lee O’Reilly, Industroclean’s SHEQ manager, there

African Cleaning Review January/February 2020 are many risks when not having proper maintenance measures in place. O’Reilly advises warehouse managers to conduct regular safety audits of their workplaces.

“The risks are numerous,” she explains. “You may not be able to obtain liability insurance from an insurance company. There is an increased risk of fire in a cluttered environment. Make an effort to separate items that are in use from those that could be moved to a storage section to prevent creating a safety and fire risk. Your employees are more vulnerable to injury due to hazards such as falling objects or slippery and dirty floors.”

Simple cleaning schedules will go a long way to ensuring that warehouse spaces are kept clean and free of grime and dust. Corder says the simplest way to ensure that cleaning is done regularly, and to the standard required, is to consult with a company that has the expertise to advise on these tasks. “Industroclean has many years of experience within a multitude of different industries and has a keen understanding of what is required and where the pitfalls are. It is advisable to focus on procurement of the right equipment from a compliant supplier,” Corder concludes.

Be part of the official African delegation to visit the bustling city of Amsterdam and the world’s largest professional cleaning exhibition

Holland’s capital city is a hub for happy cyclists, beer-drinkers, tourists and art-lovers. Amsterdam’s go-to bohemian vicinity brims with coffee shops, bars and restaurants, and the renowned Albert Cuypmarket is well worth a visit.

During May 2020 the world of professional cleaning will gather in Amsterdam at what is regarded as the world’s largest exhibition of its kind. This is your opportunity to view the latest cleaning technology and updates on global trends and developments while connecting with cleaning professionals from over 143 different countries. The exhibition floor stretches over several halls and is divided into eight specific segments, namely: high pressure; laundry; management; mobility; steam cleaning; washroom; waste solutions; window cleaning; and healthcare. The other three segments – machines, equipment and detergents – are fragmented and can be found in every hall.

The first Interclean exhibition took place in 1967 and it has since developed into the world’s leading trade fair for the professional cleaning industry.

“I have really enjoyed the trip, learned a lot about new technology and will surely implement some systems. The trip was very well organised.”Awie Human, Branson Chemicals

“Thank you for an amazing trip. It was well planned and executed. It was fun and also very beneficial.”Simon Barrett, SB Marketing

Tour departs Saturday 9 May 2020

Interclean 2020 tour package: • Five-night 4-star accommodation in Amsterdam, including breakfast • Direct flights to and from Amsterdam • Hotel/airport transfers, welcome drinks on arrival including activity • Day-trip sightseeing tour to Rotterdam in luxury coach including tour guide and lunch • Transfer – hotel to RAI exhibition centre on opening day • Three-day city tram pass • Two-hour evening canal cruise through Amsterdam city canals including drinks and snacks • Farewell three-course dinner including all drinks at a traditional Dutch restaurant

To book your travel package or for more information contact: Steve Braham Tel: +27 11 646 9322 | Mobile: +27 83 265 1268 Email: steve@swbagencies.co.za Full tour package rates: Single delegate: ZAR36 000 Twin delegates sharing: ZAR29 500 per person

Land only package: Single delegate: ZAR23 500 Twin delegate sharing: ZAR17 000 per person

Tour package rates subject to exchange rate fluctuations