American Laundry News - December 2016

JENSEN, ABS team to form Gotli Labs AG

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — JENSEN GROUP and ABS Laundry Business Solutions have joined forces to form a new company, Gotli Labs AG, JENSEN reports.

The purpose of the new company is to consolidate data management in heavy-duty laundries.

Both companies have been offering similar applications for productivity management. JENSEN Cockpit provides real-time information to overview and track-and-trace the entire laundry process together with a wide range of production statistics.

The Production Information Management System (PIMS) by ABS helps to increase the efficiency of available resources by planning and measuring staff and equipment. PIMS is also built to record time and attendance data and export that to a payroll system.

JENSEN says Gotli Labs AG is merging these two products into one solution for production management: Globe— Gotli Labs’ Operational Business Expert.

The new company will operate independently from ABS Laundry Business Solutions and the JENSEN-GROUP, and be headquartered in Steinhausen, Switzerland. ALN

Effective, efficient laundry route service strategies

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

CHICAGO — AmeriPride Linen & Uniform Services, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., provides linen and towels, uniforms, floor mats, and restroom and cleaning supplies to nearly 150,000 customers across the United States and Canada, according to Ben Saukko, spokesperson for AmeriPride and Canadian Linen.

“We are recognized as one of the largest textile rental and supply companies in North America,” he says.

Those goods are processed at more than 115 production facili-

ties and service centers.

And that means a lot of pickups and deliveries. Saukko says that AmeriPride’s fleet includes 2,000 vehicles.

How does a company with so many goods to be picked up and delivered, and so many vehicles, keep track of it all? How does it do it efficiently, both in terms of service and energy use?

“At AmeriPride, we believe that efficient pickup and delivery is achieved as a result of our newer vehicles, our eco-friendly technology, better planning and comprehensive training and service management,” says Saukko.

AmeriPride’s delivery model

Century Linen & Uniform at 101:

Past, present and future

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. — One hundred years ago, Century Linen & Uniform didn’t exist here.

To be honest, it didn’t exist until last year.

Up until 2015, Century was known as Robison & Smith Inc.

“My grandfather, Willard

Smith, started the business in 1915 with [Frank] Robison,” says Dick Smith, president and CEO and the third generation of the Smith family to run the company. “It became Robison & Smith … until our 100-year anniversary, which was October 2015.”

At that point, Dick’s son, Matt Smith, was moving into more of a leadership role within the business.

“I came back in 2012, and I started working on routes, drove routes for a summer,” says Matt. “Before 2012, I worked here for many years through high school, started off washing trucks and opening new

sheets and copy-marking them. I worked in our drycleaning department, and then I came back full time after going to college and working for someone else.

“After riding routes, I got into service management, basically a route supervisor/account manager. Then I worked with our sales team, and then I became one of our regional managers. I did that for 21/2 years. And now I’m vice president of our hospitality and industrial division.”

With Matt moving up in the company, Dick says it was time to “freshen up our identity,” rebrand.

“The name Robison & Smith never said what we did,” Dick says. “It could have been a law firm. It could have been an accounting firm, different things. We were missing a lot of electronic media contact—we were kind of missing the boat on the Internet. It was hard for our sales reps to go to customers, ‘This is so-and-so from Robison & Smith Inc. We are in the blah, blah, blah business.’ Now it’s just Century Linen & Uniform, and it’s just self-explanatory.”

The Smith family acquired

offers laundry and linen service companies that pick up and deliver goods some ideas for creating a more efficient delivery service—

from the fleet to technology to driver training.

The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management

Columnist at Large Eric Frederick discusses the importance

AmeriPride uses newer vehicles, eco-friendly technology, better planning and comprehensive training and service management to be efficient at delivery, the company says. (Photo: AmeriPride)

Most laundries transport goods, seek standard efficiency, says survey

CHICAGO — Most laundry and linen service providers need to transport goods via truck or van, off-site, and those companies are trying to be as efficient as possible within their standard transportation operations.

That’s what respondents indicated in a recent American Laundry News Your Views survey.

Almost 90% of respondents indicate that their laundry and linen service transports to and from their plant via a truck or delivery van. The remainder do not transport soiled or processed goods.

When asked if the nature of their operations requires transport of all goods processed off-site, or just a portion of them, 65.5% say they transport all goods off-site. Just 20% of respondents transport a portion of their processed goods, and 14.6% of those who took the survey say they don’t transport any goods off-site.

What types of delivery vehicles are respondents using? They include step vans, box trucks, semis, trailers and some SUVs. Just 7.4% of laundry and linen services professionals indicate that their companies use alternative-fuel or hybrid vehicles in their fleets.

Survey results also indicate that most respondents aren’t even considering the use of alternative-fuel of hybrid delivery vehicles. Less than one-quarter (20.4%) indicate their companies would “possibly” consider buying or leasing, while the majority (79.6%) of respondents aren’t even considering the option.

So, how have respondents’ laundry and linen services improved transportation efficiency? Some are using technology in the form of route software.

“The change to SPOT POS allows us to have the tablets in each van with route tracking and scanner, which help us be more efficient and accurate,” writes a respondent.

Another writes, “We’re using an in-cab monitoring/coaching/logging device [Inthinc] in all vehicles to record speed and driving habits.”

Other respondents say their companies are making equipment changes.

“To cut down on trips back, we added the trailer to extend time before buying a larger one,” writes one respondent.

“Wheeled carts, and flat floor trucks,” writes another. “And lift gates.”

Other companies indicate they have altered routes and load types to maximize efficiency, such as a consolidation of routes for one respondent.

Another writes, “We changed drivers’ runs to balance workday hours. And we have GPS on our fleet vehicles.”

“We deliver some medical supplies to hospitals, and we sometimes obviously try to have full trucks going out and returning to our site,” adds a respondent from a healthcare laundry and linen service.

While the Your Views survey presents a snapshot of readers’ viewpoints at a particular moment, it should not be considered scientific. Due to rounding, percentages may not add up to 100%.

Subscribers to American Laundry News e-mails are invited to take the industry survey anonymously online each quarter. All managers and administrators of institutional/OPL, cooperative, commercial and industrial laundries are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define operator opinions and identify industry trends. ALN

NSF International launches laundry certification program

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — NSF International has launched a certification program for commercial laundering operations to verify their effectiveness in disinfecting and cleaning bedding, towels, hospital gowns and other textiles used in healthcare operations to ensure removal of pathogens and other bacterial organisms, the public health organization says.

The program is called NSF P467: Hygienically Clean Healthcare Textiles.

“NSF International is the first independent, non-industrygoverned organization to offer a certification for healthcare textiles, continuing its mission to protect and improve public health and safety,” says Ashlee Breitner, program manager of NSF International’s Commercial Laundering and Nonfood Compounds Certification Programs.

“Healthcare facilities are focused on quality and safety

for effective patient care, and NSF International’s Commercial Laundering Certification Program provides assurance that an effective cleaning process has been implemented at certified facilities by auditing the laundering facility and testing textile samples to ensure harmful bacteria and other pathogens are effectively removed on a consistent basis.”

The Grand Junction, Colo., location of Alsco Inc., a linen and uniform rental services company with headquarters in Salt Lake City, was the first to be certified to NSF P467 for HealthAssure® by Alsco sheets and towels used in the healthcare industry.

NSF International says NSF P467 is the second consensusbased protocol developed under the NSF Commercial Laundering Certification Program. The first, NSF P413: Hygienically Clean Napery in Commercial Laundering Operations, was launched in 2015. ALN

Publisher

Charles Thompson

Phone: 312-361-1680

E-Mail: cthompson@ ATMags.com

Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs

Phone: 312-361-1683

E-Mail: bbeggs@ ATMags.com

Editor

Matt Poe

Phone: 231-740-2842

E-Mail: mpoe@ ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

Nathan Frerichs

Phone: 312-361-1681

E-Mail: nfrerichs@ ATMags.com

Advisory Board

Jim Buik • Richard Griffin

Greg Gurtler • Phil Hart

Janice Larson • Tom Marks Gerard O’Neill Richard Warren

Production Manager Roger Napiwocki

National Sales Director

Donald Feinstein

Phone: 312-361-1682

E-Mail: dfeinstein@ ATMags.com

Main Phone: 312-361-1700 Fax: 312-361-1685

Subscriptions

630-739-0900 x100 www.americanlaundrynews.com

American Laundry News (ISSN 1091-9201) is published monthly. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S. 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies: U.S. $9.00; Foreign $18.00. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Laundry News, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 42, number 12. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Laundry News is distributed selectively to qualified laundry and linen management and distributors in the United States.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2016. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Laundry News does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Laundry News or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

MEMBERSHIPS

20-year old Milnor tunnel is still working so well, we couldn’t bring ourselves to replace it.”

Jackson has trusted Horwath Laundry Equipment, the local authorized Milnor distributor, for four generations. President Jim Horwath said, “We would not normally recommend opting out of replacing a 20-year-old workwear tunnel. Milnor’s ability to support their products (well beyond the life compared to most manufacturers), made us comfortable with this solution.”

Recently, Jackson Services installed four new 6464 pass-through dryers, one 48040 M7K 275 lb. capacity tilting washer-extractor, and a 68036 M5K 400-500 lb. capacity tilting washer-extractor. Milnor worked to update the veteran tunnel with new software and integrate it with the new Milnor M-series washer-extractors, pass-through dryers, and rail system. Jackson is proud to say that productivity is increasing steadily. “At times we’ve had to throttle the washroom to slow it down because production is so fast that the rest of the plant has to catch up!”

To find out how Milnor’s long-lasting machinery can save you money, contact an authorized Milnor distributor or call 504-712-7656.

To read about Jackson Services, scan this code.

“Our

– Jesse Jackson, President, Jackson Services, Columbus, NE

Everybody’s on the move

We’re on the move in this issue of American Laundry News

More precisely, we’re taking a look at how laundry and linen services providers like you can move your goods.

If you’re not an OPL, then you probably have to transport linens. The challenge is to provide your drivers with the proper equipment and routes to maximize efficiency.

Maybe you’ve already seen the result of our Your Views survey on page 2. Respondents indicate that their companies aren’t looking at alternative-fuel or hybrid vehicles for an edge in efficiency.

It seems that companies are looking for the right mix of standard equipment and routeplanning software.

From The Director’s Chair BRUCE BEGGS

Editor Matt Poe interviewed representatives from AmeriPride Services to find out how a company with 115 production facilities in the United States and Canada and 2,000 vehicles achieves the best efficiency it can. (Spoiler: It’s

using alternative-fuel or hybrid vehicles as part of its transportation solution.)

Poe also spoke with family members in charge of Century Linen & Uniform. He not only profiles the 101-year-old company, he also offers its take on laundry and linen transportation. (Spoiler 2: Century leases some vehicles, owns others and uses a fleet route manager and software.)

But this issue isn’t all about transportation. Inside, you’ll also find articles on accident investigation, rigging, and a Product Showcase spotlighting detergents, chemicals and injection systems.

I hope you’ll make use of this issue to end 2016 on a strong note and to move forward in 2017. ALN

Registration and housing open for Clean ’17

ATLANTA — Laundry and linen services professionals planning to attend Clean 2017 in Las Vegas, June 5-8, can register for the show and make their hotel reservations via the show website, www.cleanshow.com, says Riddle & Associates, the show’s management company.

For the first time, members of the five national sponsoring associations can register for a discounted fee of $119 a person, according to Riddle & Associates. Their membership must be active at the time of registration. The pre-registration fee for nonmembers is $149.

Sponsoring associations are Association for Linen Management (ALM), Coin Laundry Association (CLA), Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA), and Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA).

The deadline for pre-registration is May 31, 2017. After that

date, registration will be on-site at the Las Vegas Convention Center only and the fee increases to $169 a person regardless of association membership.

Clean 2017 has contracted with a number of Las Vegas hotels, many of which are new to the Clean Show package.

Riddle & Associates says to obtain the special rates and amenities the Clean Show offers, reservations must be made through its only authorized housing service, Connections Housing, by telephone 702-675-6584 or toll free 844-216-0057 (in the USA), or on the Clean Show website.

Show sponsors have selected

the following headquarter hotels for their organizations: ALM, Caesars Palace; CLA, Vdara; DLI, Cosmopolitan; TCATA, Renaissance and Westgate; TRSA, Signature at MGM and Westgate. Other hotels offered for the Clean Show are Bally’s, Flamingo, MGM Grand, Paris, Tropicana and Wynn.

Show management says that area hotel rates accommodating every budget range from a low of $49 on a weeknight to a weekend high of $239. Most hotels charge a higher rate for Friday and Saturday nights than Monday through Sunday. Published rates do not include taxes. Most hotels also add a mandatory resort fee of $15 to $32 a night.

Complimentary shuttle buses will provide transportation between the convention center and most official hotels on show days.

Both show registration and

Training program essential for newemployee success

Managing people is often the most challenging part of running a laundry.

Good management starts with a well-documented training program. This starts on the first day before a new employee ever gets near a piece of production equipment. The trainer needs to go over the attendance policy, the dress-code policy, how to clock in and out, and the general safety rules for the department.

These items are essential and must be done on that first day. Failure to do so will result in unhappy, unsafe employees.

Once the employee is allowed to go to a workstation, the trainer needs to show them how to turn on and off the piece of equipment (if it has power), where the safety devices are on the piece of equipment, how to safely operate the piece of equipment, productivity expectations and quality standards.

At this point, I am a firm believer in the Boy Scouts of America approach to training, simply stated: “Show and Do.” The trainer shows and then the employee does. The trainer needs to stay with the new employee until they have demonstrated they can do the job and appear to be comfortable doing it.

The goal of a good training program is to develop a dependable, productive employee who works safely and takes good care of his or her equipment. Poor training will result in poor production, poor-quality product, excessive mechanical problems and accidents, and high employee turnover.

Time invested in training is a smart investment and will improve the bottom line.

I have heard of many accidents caused in the laundry industry because employees did not follow established safety procedures. It is simply not enough for a laundry to have the proper procedures. There must also be documentation that the employee received them and understood them.

A detailed training record of each item covered, signed off by the trainer and the employee, will avoid potential legal problems down the road.

As managers, we never want an employee to get hurt on the job, but in the event of an incident, insurance carriers and OSHA will want to see documentation that the employee knowingly violated established safety procedures. Also, they’ll want to see proof that such procedures were given to the employee, that they were trained in using them, and that it is documented appropriately.

This also is important when dealing with labor issues.

Does the employee understand your attendance policy and management expectations? Do they understand who to call and when to call when they cannot come to work? When is a doctor’s note required? What will happen if they show up improperly dressed? These items need to be covered and documented so the employee cannot complain they were never told and did not know.

WEBSITES

Training needs to be completed for each task or machine the employee is assigned to work on. I recommend a training board in the production manager’s office with the employees’ names down one side and the various tasks or machines across the top. Each time the employee has completed training on a task, they are marked off on the board. It becomes a quick and easy reference as to which employees are trained to do which tasks.

This can become extremely valuable in times of short staffing where there is a need to move employees to different-thannormal workstations to get the work done.

Eric Frederick is director of laundry services for Carilion Laundry Service, Roanoke, Va., and a past president and manager of the year of the Association for Linen Management. You can reach him by e-mail at efrederick@carilion.com.

COLUMNIST AT LARGE Eric L. Frederick, RLLD

Top Stories Appearing on AmericanLaundryNews.com for the 30 Days Ending November 15 (WE) = WEB EXCLUSIVE NEWS COLUMNISTS/FEATURES OUR SISTER

From AmericanDrycleaner.com

From AmericanCoinOp.com:

Dawn can help.

THE FLEET

Of AmeriPride’s 2,000 vehicles, Saukko says that 45% have been replaced since 2010, giving the company one of the newer fleets in the industry.

One of the recent fleet enhancements that have boosted efficiency and reduced its carbon footprint includes using mid-sized sedans instead of cargo vans, which has improved fuel economy from 12 mpg to 29 mpg, he says. Also, the route service team generally makes deliveries using step vans, and AmeriPride’s service managers drive fuel-efficient sedans.

Enhancements to larger delivery vehicles have also boosted efficiency, according to Saukko. Placing trailer skirting on all semitrailers has increased mileage efficiency by 5.3% for the company.

“Adopting aerodynamic double-decker trailers has allowed us to carry 60% more product per shuttle run and increase fuel economy by 1.2 mpg,” adds Saukko.

The company has also programmed all delivery vehicles to shut off when idling for more than a few minutes, reducing CO2 emissions by 7,196 tons since 2012, he says.

AmeriPride is also going the hybrid/alternate fuel route when it comes to its delivery vehicles.

Saukko says the company is in the process of incorporating 36 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks (including 20 new in Vancouver), 26 XL Hybrid hybrid vehicles (including six cargo vans and 20 step vans), three hydraulic hybrid trucks, 14 propanefueled trucks and one all-electric delivery truck into its fleet.

“We are adding nine more all-electric delivery trucks to our fleet by the end of the year,” he says.

“AmeriPride is absolutely committed to the environment and expanding our alternative fuels program across the company,” says Bill Evans, president and CEO of AmeriPride. “The company has a strong track record of piloting and incorporating new technology into our delivery operations. We are setting a new standard for clean operations in our industry and continue to invest resources to leverage and help advance green technologies.”

The company’s latest, the new CNG vehicles, are manufactured by Freightliner Custom Chassis and Morgan Olson, with the conversion completed by Green Alternative Systems. The vehicles are powered by a General Motors 6L engine, and the tanks have 52 usable gallons of capacity.

Compressed natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel that is produced almost completely in North America, according to Saukko. It produces fewer carbon emissions and lowers exposure to fuel price rate increases.

The CNG vehicles are expected to result in 24% less carbon emissions as compared to similar diesel vehicles.

THE TECHNOLOGY

It’s no secret that the laundry and linen services industry has been moving forward in terms of technology and software. That includes advances on the delivery side of the business.

AmeriPride uses both a specialized delivery optimization team as well as routing software, Saukko says.

“Our delivery optimization team works

with local service personnel to restructure routes to reduce miles and increase the stops each service representative can complete during the workday, eliminating 359,000 excess miles each year,” he says. “We also use GPS telematics technology to track our vehicles, and routing software, which will reduce mileage by 5% year over year.”

Richard Warren, president of Linen King in Conway, Ark., says there are many programs in existence that will calculate the shortest distance between points. However, he says the routes provided by the programs will probably be “perfect” examples of the routes the drivers take in the first place.

“What is more practical is tracking the truck by satellite or cell towers,” he says. “Then it can be seen if the truck veers off the obvious route, the speed of the unit, whether the truck is idling too long. You would also be able to determine some personal driving habits, speed in parking lots, and, heaven forbid, if the truck is stolen, you will know exactly where it is.”

Eric Smith, director of sales and marketing for Alliant Systems, a provider of route accounting and mobile computing applications for textile rental operators, says today’s textile rental services environment is more competitive than ever. The availability of systems that collect data—from GPS tracking to merchandise control to electronic invoicing—allows companies to not only collect data, but to also make more informed decisions on what to do with that data, he says.

ers a summary of items delivered, picked up or those that require special attention.

“Creating automated pre-route and postroute checklists that automatically prompt the route service rep for a required response can also simplify daily tasks,” says Smith. “Automating these tasks makes it simpler for a substitute route service rep that may need to step in and run a route.”

Saukko says AmeriPride’s drivers use handheld technology to efficiently manage customer accounts in real time, and its service managers have tablets with exclusive account management technology to make the best use of their time.

Saukko says the company is also introducing Inthinc safety technology, which verbally coaches drivers on safe and efficient driving practices while they are on the road.

“This technology has resulted in a 98% decrease in speeding, a 98% increase in seat belt use, a 95% reduction in idling and a 71% decrease in aggressive driving behavior since its implementation in 2014,” he says.

“I think we need to give our drivers some credit in knowing where they are and their ability to make decisions as conditions change, instead of micromanaging their activities,” Warren says. “That said, we could all use some help with docking procedures, maneuvering in customers’ parking lots, avoiding left turns, etc.”

THE PEOPLE

“While we would caution textile rental operators to not let data decisions alone drive decisions relative to customer relationships, we believe the ability to track information and supply managers with timely and key information regarding exceptions and certain types of transactions will allow them to manage routes more effectively and efficiently,” Smith says.

Advancements in technology, particularly in mobile computing, continue to drive new functionality on the route, Smith says. He adds that most mobile devices carried on the route today are on data plans, allowing for the immediate delivery of signed invoices to the customer.

Smith goes on to say that improvements in Bluetooth scanning technology allows operators to perform bar-code and/or RFID scanning functions on the route in less time, with options to immediately e-mail custom-

While AmeriPride has made substantial investments in its fleet operations to reduce energy consumption and its carbon footprint, such as by replacing vehicles and also employing new technologies, the company also promotes awareness and behavioral change among drivers to increase safety and fuel economy, according to Saukko.

“We thoroughly train our drivers and service managers to understand and operate our fleet and technologies in a way that results in efficient, high-quality service for our customers,” he says. “Driver turnover makes training on new technology and efficient delivery practices a challenge. We place a strong emphasis on ongoing training and education so our personnel fully understand our fleet and technology, enabling them to use it in the most efficient way possible.

“For a company as big as ours that has over 115 production facilities and service centers, it is a challenge to ensure that our delivery operations are standardized across the organization and all locations are operating in the most efficient way possible. We have a large-scale initiative to ‘simplify, standardize and automate’ across the company

to ensure we are taking full advantage of all the tools we have in place.”

Saukko says office staff and drivers maintain clear lines of communication with each other via phone, handhelds and tablet technology. In addition, the Inthinc technology reports driver data to management to ensure AmeriPride’s standards for safety and efficiency are being met.

The human side of the delivery equation is vital because most consumers’ experience with a textile rental company is driven by their relationship with the route service representative (RSR), says Smith. Today’s reps are tasked not only with providing prompt and accurate deliveries in a professional manner, but are also asked to manage customer relationships and to proactively identify customer needs. Many route service representatives are strong in managing the customer experience but struggle to keep up with all of the paperwork and manual tasks associated with running a successful route.

He says that eliminating tasks such as manual invoice adjustment and expediting route check-in and settlement is a key area where technology can have a significant impact on the route.

Training is a key component of implementing mobile computing, Smith says.

“Office personnel will see a shift away from invoice adjustment, manually settling routes and filing hard-copy invoice forms,” he says. “From an RSR’s perspective, their job becomes less about paperwork and manual adjustments and frees them up to manage their customers.”

A typical training for a rep would be to have them run their route manually with paper and then meet with them as soon as they check in, Smith says. The rep is then presented with a mobile device with that same day’s invoices where they are asked to replicate everything they did on the route that day. Typically, the route service representative is ready to move forward on the mobile device immediately.

“RSRs that are great with customers but have difficulty with managing paperwork will excel in a mobile computing environment,” he says.

And to excel is what every laundry and linen services company wants in both processing and delivery.

Saukko reiterates that when AmeriPride achieves efficient pickup and delivery, it excels because of its newer vehicles, ecofriendly technology, better planning and comprehensive training and service management.

Route service representatives can stay in communication with the office and customers via handheld devices.

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

AmeriPride says its new CNG vehicles produce fewer carbon emissions and lower the company’s exposure to fuel price rate increases. (Photo: AmeriPride)

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Tools f the Trade

New design lifts, dumps loaded laundry carts fast, safely

Laundry product supplier Tingue has introduced a hydraulic laundry cart dumper to upgrade worker safety and speed productivity in the incoming soil-sort area, the company reports.

The company says its new cart dumper operates at the push of a button. The dumper automatically lifts loaded laundry carts and turns them upside down for emptying onto a sorting table or conveyor, then gently returns the empty cart to floor level for removal. Manual handling of bagged and loose laundry, with its repetitive, heavy lifting and time-intensive procedures, is eliminated, says Tingue.

The new dumper features a sturdy structure of heavy-duty steel, the company says. It’s designed to safely lift and dump linen cart loads to 1,500 pounds with minimal maintenance.

Tingue says the cart dumper fits the industry-standard Poly-Trux® 72P style bulk laundry carts and a variety of other carts with an overall height up to 67 inches and a width up to 29 inches, and is available in custom sizes. The automated cart dumper comes with a 2-horsepower motor as standard, with a choice of left- or right-side controls, and arrives fully assembled and ready to plug in and operate.

www.tingue.com 800-222-9954

Funding co. debuts new equipment financing program

Eastern Funding, a provider of equipment financing to the commercial laundry, garment care, grocery and other industries, reports it has introduced a new financing program, XPRESS-APP.

The company says the new program is designed to provide faster access to loan approvals for replacement laundry equipment.

Through the XPRESS-APP program, on-premises laundry (OPL) equipment loans of up to $125,000 qualify for financing, according to Eastern Funding. The company says XPRESS-APP features:

• A simple one-page credit application.

• Response to credit applications within hours.

• ewer legal documents to sign.

• Online document signing using DocuSign.

• A dedicated group focused on XPRESSAPP loans.

Marc Stern, chief lending officer of Eastern Funding, says, “With XPRESS-APP, we believe that we have introduced to the industry the quickest and easiest way to get your loan approved and funded. The application and paperwork requirements are easy and require shorter time to complete.

“At Eastern Funding, we are constantly looking for ways to provide faster and easier financing options to our customers. The XPRESS-APP program is a perfect example of how we look at our products and processes and fine-tune them to help our customers grow their businesses.”

www.easternfunding.com 877-819-1764

Software module for soil counts available in textile rental

Textile Technologies LLC, which creates software systems for textile rental operations, has added a new product, Soil TES, the company reports.

Soil TES is an easy-to-use touchentry screen for entering soil counts

directly on the soil dock by soil dock workers, according to the company.

Textile Technologies says there is a nominal license and support fee to license this new module.

www.textiletech.com 800-536-7652

G.A. Braun Inc. has made available its new Side-By-Side Steam (SBS) Dryers, the company reports.

Braun says the SBS steam dryers are available in a non-chute or a patent-pending chute-loading system.

In the chute-loading system, sling bags are released and positioned over the chute on the dryer and their goods dropped into the dryer for processing, providing for exceptional turn times and system efficiencies, according to the company.

Braun says the dryers provide for great flexibility with respect to washroom configuration, and there is no limit on the types of goods that can be processed. Additionally, the company says the dryers have the same proven key design and safety features of all its system dryers.

www.gabraun.com 800-432-7286

Workrite Uniform Co. reports that it has updated lines of flame-resistant (FR) clothing developed by women, specifically for women, in industrial and fire service professions.

Manufactured under the company’s Workrite® FR and Workrite® FR Fire Service brands, these women’s collections offer enhanced comfort and improved fit for the wearer, according to the company. Available for purchase from industrial distributors and qualified resellers, the updated Workrite FR and Workrite FR Fire Service women’s lines now include shirts with vertical darts in the front and contoured seams in the back, Workrite says. Additionally, the women’s lines offer pants featuring a lower rise and more tailored fit in the waist,

seat and thighs. With the potential for hazards like flash fire and arc flash in these industries, protective clothing that fits improperly can pose significant dangers to the wearer, the company says. Improperly fitting workwear may catch on equipment, impair movement, leave areas of skin exposed to hazards or increase the likelihood that the clothing will not be worn in compliance with safety standards.

Workrite Uniform says its updated women’s lines are built to address these potential concerns with the backing of a -year history in quality FR manufacturing and a more customized, comfortable fit.

www.workrite.com 800-521-1888

Manufacturer unveils side-by-side steam dryers for all types of goods

Women’s lines of FR clothing updated for industrial, fire service occupations

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full ownership of the business in 1947 after Robison died in an accident. According to Dick, his father, Ronald Smith, followed after his grandfather, Willard.

“[My dad] was a World War II B-17 pilot, went to college, went to the war, came back in 1945 or ’46. I came in in 1973 after college. My father retired 12, 15 years ago, actively anyway. And now Matt’s coming in,” Dick says. “They say if you make it through the third generation of the business, the fourth one is almost a done deal.”

Matt says he’s brought a lot of technology to Century Linen, along with lessons learned from previous employers.

“I have worked on modernizing our process,” Matt says. “Our goal has always been to be the best service provider we can, so really focus a lot on training, too, and helping us expand by being well-known for our service.”

And Century Linen has been expanding throughout its history.

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Robison & Smith started out as a family wet-wash facility, according to Dick. The company had 200 employees just doing wash and returning the wash in buckets, damp, using horse and buggy.

“Dry cleaning became a big part of the business in the late ’50s, early ’60s, and then that faded out and we slowly went into some linen rental,” Dick says. “I came in shortly after we started going to healthcare as a hedge against the linen rental and the typical dips and dives that it takes, as we’re located in a touristy area and it’s seasonal.”

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Today, the company has two plants, both in Gloversville: healthcare, and hospitality and industrial. Until 2006, Century Linen ran everything out of one plant, Dick says. At that point, the company separated the services into the healthcare plant and the food and beverage/hospitality plant.

“That way, we could focus on each industry sector separately, because they are two very different businesses,” Dick says.

Between the two plants, according to Matt, the company has around 3,000 customer accounts. The plants process about 600,000 pounds of goods a week—or about 30 million pounds a year.

He says that it takes about 300 full-time employees working year-round to process and deliver all of the goods.

“Our season, our busiest time of the year, is summer, and we got up to 320 this year, which was a record for us,” Matt says. “Both

plants run in two shifts, but they each have an off day and then one day that runs one shift.”

Most of Century’s business is on the rental side of the market.

“Our healthcare plant is about 90% rental, and our industrial and hospitality plant is 100% rental,” Matt says.

Dick oversees the healthcare plant for Century Linen. The plant is located in the original Robison & Smith building.

“It’s a relatively small facility,” Dick says. “Only about 40,000 square feet, so we really squeeze everything we can out of the building, which is one of the reasons we’re thinking about relocating in the future, if possible. That’s a big investment.”

He says the healthcare plant runs two 11-module tunnel washers and 10 dryers. The plant also has automated rail systems, automated small-piece folders, three ironers and blanket folders.

“We have an array of old equipment, midage equipment and brand-new equipment,” says Dick.

He says Century’s healthcare business is mostly acute-care medical, working with several large network hospitals and their offsite locations.

In line with its mission to “be the best service provider,” Century Linen’s healthcare plant was accredited by the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) in August.

Matt says becoming accredited involved a lot of training and guidelines to follow.

“We stressed to our team the importance of it, and that gave us a lot of discipline in our process,” he says. “Before, there were several different ways things could be done. This is very disciplined; there’s a right way to do everything, and it became our culture.”

The culture of Century’s hospitality and industrial plant is a busy one, according to Matt.

“Hotels are a small part of our business. We do have hotel linen rentals. We do restaurant supplies, which is a growing business for us. We do, of course, food and beverage: table linens, towels, aprons,” he says. “Our fastest growing in this plant is industrial: uniforms and walk-off mats. We’ve really been focusing on that in the last year or two, and we’re definitely making progress in growing that business.”

Matt says the plant has an older, 12-module tunnel washer, along with four dryers and four ironers. Two of the ironers are thermal and two are steam.

In addition, he says the plant has a conventional wash aisle with dryers and an array of different-sized washers, from 450 pounds down to 50. An industrial department han-

Matt Smith (left) and Dick Smith (right) represent the past, present and future of Century Linen & Uniform. (Photos: Century Linen & Uniform)

dles rugs, and Matt says the company uses a steam tunnel for industrial garments.

Like the healthcare plant, the hospitality and industrial plant is small, with only 25,000 square feet of production space, according to Matt.

“It’s a small building,” Dick says. “We keep thinking we have to find a bigger facility.”

Space isn’t the only issue Century faces in conducting its business.

“Distribution for us is a huge knot, and we’re constantly working on trying to improve it,” Dick says. “Last week, we drove 32,000 miles, in total. That includes the cars for sales and service. It’s a huge part of our business.”

It’s also a necessary part of the business. Dick says the company is located in a rural part of New York state.

“A lot of trees, a lot of windshield time,” he says. “But, we have to go get the work.”

Dick says the company leases certain vehicles and owns many more. The company has its own garage to do fleet maintenance and repairs, largely because of its location.

“There aren’t any major chains that are near us,” says Dick. “We have a very intricate system. Matt has done a great job organizing routes for the hospitality and food and beverage part. On the healthcare side of it, we have a full-time transportation manager that oversees the fleet and the maintenance. We use FleetMatics tracking to help monitor what the best routing is and what actually is going on and where the vehicles are at a particular time so we know what to expect.”

According to Matt, Century Linen has done a lot to modernize its processes with advances like tracking software. For example, the company added handhelds for its route service reps.

“[The handhelds] have a lot of really neat features,” Matt says. “One of the most interesting to me is called ‘Notes.’”

Basically, what’s entered into the Notes feature is instantly communicated back to the office, he says, whether the information is a simple customer service change or it’s something that needs manager follow-up.

“Before, it used to come in handwritten on an invoice or stapled to an invoice and it would be a day before we got it, if it didn’t get lost,” Matt says. “That’s a really neat feature that’s improved our customer service a ton. And it’s all documented. We can adjust

invoices on the fly. We can take payments through the handheld. We can view history.”

Matt also says that RFID technology is used internally to help make the company productive and to keep track of inventory.

“All of our garments and walk-off mats have RFID chips in them,” Dick adds. “We’ve had that for several years now.”

“But now, we’ve also made it a sales tool,” Matt says. “We now open that information up to the customers. They can log in through our portal and check scans themselves. See who’s using the service, see who may be missing a garment, see whose garments are in for repair, see how many times a particular garment has been turned in.”

While Matt has made strides in moving Century Linen toward the future, there are other plans and goals, Dick says.

“From the healthcare side, we plan on continuing to grow with HLAC accreditation. Our next step there will be Hygienically Clean from TRSA (Textile Rental Services Association of America), and then probably Clean & Green,” he says.

The company also has plans to upgrade some of its older equipment.

“And a newer building is still a possibility,” Dick says. “It’s just that we’re so restricted with the size and ceiling height that we’re limited in what we can do productively. We need to do something about that to remain competitive.”

The future of Century Linen also includes having Matt learn more of the business.

“I’ve gotten in-depth with this side. I’d like to get to know healthcare more. Learning more about that side of the business,” he says. “My dad mentioned what we’re going to do for a facility is a big decision for us. Do we keep them separate? Do we combine them into one, efficient, high-tech plant? Keeping up with technology and growing that way, but making sure that through it all, we remain the best in terms of service and doing what’s right for our customers.”

While Century Linen has grown over the years, and has its eyes on the future, both Smiths focus on quality and service.

“I never wanted to have a big company. I just wanted to have a good company,” says Dick. “I’ve always kind of lived by that and I always will. As long as we remain a good company, I’ll be very satisfied with that.” ALN

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Preventing future incidents through accident investigation

OSHA regulations and to determine the total cost of accidents.”

According to Holt, the basic elements of an accident investigation are:

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — No one wants an accident or injury to happen in his or her laundry.

But it happens.

When an incident occurs, there are key steps that need to take place immediately to secure the scene and offer aid to any injured employees.

What takes place after those immediate steps can be vital to preventing an incident in the future.

Russell Holt, chief compliance officer for Superior Linen Service Inc. in Tulsa, Okla., and Caleb Paige, safety director for Faultless Healthcare Linen in Kansas City and St. Louis, covered how to conduct a useful accident investigation during the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) webinar titled Injury Prevention Through Accident Investigation.

Paige says, “If any of us have been involved, on some level, to the immediate response or follow-up to accidents or employee injuries, whether these have been in our internal plant operations or externally in our service and transportation business sectors, appropriate immediate response to accidents or injuries can be somewhat intimidating due to the basic human emotions we all experience when being involved in a traumatic event, such as witnessing a co-worker involved in an accident and sustaining bodily injury.”

He says that for a baseline response to accidents and injuries, immediate actions should include the following:

• To provide emergency response, such as determining the severity of the situation and injury and initiate action accordingly.

• To protect the employees involved from further harm, doing things such as securing the area or possibly evacuating the area, depending on the situation.

• Begin investigation to determine what happened and to ultimately implement controls to prevent this type of accident from happening again.

“We all know that an accident investigation can’t do anything for the person already injured, the machine already damaged or the product already destroyed. The value in an accident investigation is in preventing future accidents,” Paige says.

Although accident investigations are performed reactively, these investigations allow companies to be proactive in approving their safety programs and initiatives, something a laundry does to prevent or reduce loss, he says.

“The main purpose of an accident investigation is to find the cause and fix the problem or hazard to prevent the accident from recurring,” Paige adds. “We’ve all heard accidents don’t just happen, they’re caused.

“Accident investigation must also be performed in order to complete workers’ compensation claims, to comply with legal and

• To develop the accident sequence, which is to document the sequence of events that led up to the accident.

• Analy e the facts, which are discovered through the sequence.

• Determine the causal factors, which are facts that helped to produce the accident. Causal factors help answer the question, hat happened to cause this accident?”

• Recommend corrective actions.

Even a “near miss” should be fully investigated, Holt says, as indicated on the OSHA website. Near-misses are considered an incident because given a slight change in time or position, injury or damage could have occurred.

“From my research, I found that there’s a correlation between an increase in near-miss reporting and a reduction of workers’ comp claims. Furthermore, a company can continuously hone their accident investigation skills and eliminate known hazards that are discovered during a near-miss investigation that will lead to a safer work environment,” he says. “Of course, the intensity of a nearmiss investigation should be relevant to the potential harm that could have occurred if it was not for being a near-miss.”

There are three basic goals that Holt sees for an accident investigation. The first goal is to determine the accident sequence without placing blame.

Of course, the question that frequently comes up is, ‘How do we keep from finding fault when an individual disregards a major safety policy?’” he says. “The answer is to be fair and consistent with how we enforce our safety policies. We must enforce our safety policies, regardless if there’s an accident or not, or the safety program is going to fail. One of the outcomes of a good accident investigation is to find out, in my opinion, why the policy wasn’t followed in the first place.”

The second basic goal, according to Holt, is to recommend corrective actions. Accident investigations determine corrective actions so that future accidents are prevented and the overall safety program is improved.

The third goal of an accident investigation is to update the overall safety program. Holt says by identifying hazards from the worker level up to the management systems level, a safety program can be updated and improved.

Holt says there are four components to an accident investigation program. First, he says it’s best to have a written policy to standardize a program.

“Elements of a written safety plan should provide information about responding to an accident scene, controlling the accident scene, investigating the accident, determining root cause or causes of the accident and, finally, communicating the results of the investigation,” Holt says.

Second, the laundry should have trained emergency responders who are prepared to respond to an emergency, administer care and prevent more damage from being done.

He says most facilities probably don’t need a dedicated medical staff, but they should have employees trained and ready.

The third component of an accident investigation program is to train all employees on how to report accidents and nearmisses. Holt says safety managers, supervisors and employees assigned to the accident investigation team should be trained in accident investigation techniques.

Finally, have an accident investigation kit ready.

“This is a grab bag with basic stuff,” he says. “It can range from a simple camera with a clipboard to a full setup with tools and equipment. Having a kit made up enables the investigator to have all the equipment he or she needs to start an investigation as soon as an accident occurs.”

When it comes to an accident investigation team, Holt recommends choosing someone to lead the team before an accident actually happens and to train the team on the proper accident investigation process.

“If a company has a safety manager, it’s been our experience at Superior Linen Service that it’s best to have that person lead the investigation by offering the department managers or supervisors support and guidance as the manager or supervisor conducts the bulk of the fact finding,” he says. “The key to any investigation is to find the person or persons who are in the best position to discover what really happened and determine how to prevent whatever the root cause of the accident was from happening again.”

So, what is the appropriate method to conduct an accident investigation? Holt recommends an analytical approach.

“The analytical approach includes using fact gathering to develop scenarios to determine what happened before and during the accident,” he says. “Accident investigations are not meant to just document the occur-

rence. The purpose of an accident investigation is to ask questions, interview, analy e, probe and discover what happened.”

If an investigation team doesn’t use analytical techniques, it s easy to only find lower-level causal factors and miss the systemic factors, Holt says. In contrast, by using the analytical process, the investigator is far more likely to discover the root cause of the accident.

Holt says that following the analytical process helps an investigator write a good accident investigation report. The report should document that the facts and analysis are correct, the accident sequence has been determined, and corrective actions have been developed to avoid recurrence of the accident.

“Learning from accidents is one of the important aspects of accident investigation,” he says. “The report helps to preserve the process and documents the corrective actions, which help with communicating the lessons learned and improving the overall safety program. And, if done correctly, no accident should be repeated.”

After securing the scene of an accident and providing care, says Paige, that’s when an accident investigator starts to collect evidence.

“This is where the investigation process begins,” he says. “As we’ve seen in our own real-life investigations of accidents, these don t always follow a specific sequence, but having a pre-established, formatted sequence to follow allows for greater organization and process efficiency. And as the investigation proceeds, we can assign findings and evidence into the proper sequence we’ve already established.”

Evidence, says Holt, is anything that can be used to gain knowledge or facts about the accident. There are four types of evidence:

Reactive investigations can help laundries be proactive in the future, experts say

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physical, paper, people and photographic.

Physical evidence can be extremely large, such as equipment, or small, such as debris or tools. Paper evidence is any type of written documentation that is related to the accident, such as policies, procedures, training records, maintenance records, accident records, job hazard analyses and so on. People evidence is usually in the form of statements or interviews from witnesses or interviews of what others saw during the accident.

“These statements should be taken as soon as possible,” he says. “Getting witnesses to write out and sign their statements is always good practice.”

Holt says photographs may not provide much knowledge about the accident as the other three types of evidence do, but they are a valuable means of documenting and transferring knowledge to the accident investigation.

“We want to collect as much information as possible and then dissect that information as we work our way through the investigation to remove what’s not needed,” says Paige. “We’ve all heard the saying ‘less is more.’ For purposes of accident investigation, it’s important to train staff to provide as much information and detail as possible. So, think along the lines of ‘more is more’ in an investigation.”

Holt says at this point, it’s time to develop the accident sequence. This is the events and causal factor analysis timeline approach.

“Analyze each event to determine its significance,” he says. “Analyze each condition related to the event and ask what caused this event. What was happening during this

event? Why did this event occur? Analyze to see if a causal factor or relationship involved in the accident, if corrected, would have prevented the accident.”

The complexity of the accident will determine the time invested in conducting the investigation, Holt says. The first basic step is to document the sequence of events that led up to the accident, because if an accident investigator determines the correct, chronological accident sequence, it will be easier to apply analytical techniques to find the cause of the accident.

“Although it’s possible to determine causal factors and recommend corrective action without an actual accident sequence of events, it’s important to understand how and why the accident happened,” he says.

As an investigation proceeds, investigators identify all the causal factors, not just the main cause, says Holt. Once the sequence is determined, causal analysis can take place. He says the goal of the causal analysis is to find all of the causes, including the systemic causes, not just immediate and superficial causes.

“During an accident investigation, it’s necessary to break these events down surrounding the accident into workable pieces and dissect each one to determine which event or fact is significant to understand which ones require more structured thinking,” says Holt. “The events or circumstances that contribute to an accident are called causal factors. Correcting these causal factors at whatever level they may occur is what ensures that a particular incident will not recur.”

Paige says that one method to help identify root causes, and finding what is often referred to as the root cause or core cause, is to use something called the “Five Why” technique.

“Just like its name, this is simply asking

Baltimore

BALTIMORE — Up To Date Laundry Inc. plans to build an additional healthcare laundry processing facility in East Baltimore at Hollander Business Park, with an anticipated grand opening of July 2017, the company reports.

“When we relocated to our DeSoto Road facility in 1999, our hopes were to one day reach 40% to 50% of its capacity. Well, that ship has sailed, literally,” says Nancy Stair-Carter, CEO of Up To Date Laundry.

Up To Date Laundry says it

will have the potential to add 72 million pounds of processing capacity and 400 new jobs once all phases of the buildout are complete, over the next five years.

Up To Date Laundry partnered with FRP Development Corp., Sparks, Md., a full-service real estate development company specializing in land acquisition, construction and property management, to lease the 79,600-square-foot manufacturing facility built in a Maryland Certified Enterprise Zone, according to the company.

“FRP is excited to have the opportunity to construct this laundry facility for such a storied company in Baltimore,” says David H. deVilliers III, vice president of FRP.

“We chose this location to

‘why’ five times,” he says. “You start with the statement of the situation and ask why it occurred. You then turn the answer to the first question into a second ‘why’ question. The next answer becomes the third ‘why’ question and so on. By refusing to be satisfied with each answer, you increase the odds of finding the underlying root cause of the event. Though this technique is called ‘Five Whys,’ five is a rule of thumb. You may ask more or less whys before finding the root of a problem.”

“Assessing accountability at each level of our organization’s structure enables us to further identify gaps or exposure areas in our overall safety system and culture,” he says. “Once each level is assessed, we can develop initiatives accordingly and begin implementing these controls.”

When people are injured, Paige says there should be some pressure at all levels to bring awareness to injuries, hazards and the need for improvement to keep employees safe, happy and healthy.

“One way to accomplish this is through safety stand-down, as some companies call it, or awareness communication,” he says. “Taking a break from what we have going on, from other business, to stop and look at an accident or injury that happened and give it its proper time and emphasis.”

Once a set of corrective actions have been developed, the action steps must be implemented, Holt says.

Holt says that determining the accident sequence and the causal factors help the accident investigators to determine corrective actions that will prevent similar accidents.

“Corrective action should be initiated, documented and followed up or audited to ensure that they are performing as intended,” he says. “Each step is linked to the step before it. Once all the facts are gathered and analyzed, the accident sequence is determined; once the accident sequence is determined, causal factors become clear; once causal factors are established, corrective actions can be developed. It’s a logical progression.”

While an accident investigation isn’t conducted to assign blame, there are levels of accountability, according to Paige.

“It does no good to conduct an excellent accident investigation, find causal factors and develop useful corrective actions if your company fails to implement corrective actions, or implements them very slowly,” he says. “The best way to ensure that corrective actions are acted on is to track them.”

Paige says that a laundry should establish timelines for completion of corrective action. He adds that it’s important to work with staff that will be completing the work to help develop and implement realistic timelines for completion.

“Consider using a database to track corrective action,” he says. “Consider things such as a field for the description of the action, anticipated completion date and then going back to parties responsible for completion and implementation.”

Accidents happen, even in laundries. Accident investigation and follow-up can help avoid future incidents and injuries. ALN

constructing additional

facility

continue our commitment to the City of Baltimore by providing jobs to areas that can benefit from additional employment opportunities and by building our facilities focusing on sustainability of the environment,” says Mark Carter, president of Up To Date Laundry. “We’re confident that we’ll be serving the healthcare community in the Mid-Atlantic region for another 70 years,”

Up To Date Laundry launched its business in Baltimore in 1946, servicing ships arriving at the Baltimore Harbor from New York and Virginia, as well as the retail clientele of the local community, before getting into healthcare laundry processing.

The company says it is working closely with the Baltimore Development Corp. (BDC) and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development in support of the goals associated with the “One

Baltimore” program to create jobs in East Baltimore.

“We congratulate Up To Date Laundry on their continued success and, specifically, on this expansion,” says William H. Cole, president and CEO of BDC. “In addition to BDC’s loan program, Up To Date Laundry was also able to take advantage of our façade improvement grant, which is now citywide. These programs exist to help businesses, like Up to Date Laundry, grow, thrive and create new jobs right here in Baltimore.”

Up To Date Laundry received financing for the project from Revere Bank.

“We have been a partner of Up To Date Laundry though the upgrade of their current facility and we are very proud to support their continued growth,” says Ken Cook, co-president and CEO of Revere Bank.

This project is in conjunc-

tion with the expansion of laundry services that Up To Date Laundry provides to the Johns Hopkins Health System in support of the HopkinsLocal initiative, the company says. Launched in fall 2015, HopkinsLocal harnesses Johns Hopkins University and Health System’s economic activity to promote growth and employment in Baltimore.

“This expansion is an example of what we hope will be accomplished through our HopkinsLocal commitments,” says Kenneth Grant, vice president of general services for Johns Hopkins Hospital and vice president of supply chain management for Johns Hopkins Health System. “In supporting the growth of this local womanowned business, we are excited about the new jobs this will create for our communities most in need of job opportunities.”

“CORRECTING THESE CAUSAL FACTORS AT WHATEVER LEVEL THEY MAY OCCUR IS WHAT ENSURES THAT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT WILL NOT RECUR.”

—RUSSELL HOLT SUPERIOR LNEN SERVICE INC.

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Looking back, looking ahead

It is hard to pinpoint the most significant issue in laundry and linen services this past year as each laundry operation is unique and faces its own specific issues and nuances, and must, therefore, contend with its own order of priority as to their remedy.

In general, laundry operators will be faced with ongoing and deepening concerns relating to the safety of their employees and customers, sustainability of their supply and consumptive resources, and the bottom-line profit and/or operating efficiency of their respective operations. Additionally, linen costs will continue to increase beyond their historically high levels.

Safety concerns will continue to be addressed through management’s heightened awareness and the attention given to worker education and procedural disciplines.

Similarly, infectious control guidelines and protocols will enhance the already significant progress and track record our industry has made in its efforts to provide consistently hygienic linen to its customers.

The increased availability and economy of sustainable chemistry and related laundry supplies will be an evolving, important part of every laundry manager’s purview.

Whether a laundry operation is a “non-” or a “for-profit” one, the need for greater efficiency will remain a paramount concern for its management. It will be more and more incumbent upon laundry managers to quantify their total laundry-related costs as a function of the total pounds of linen processed and, through comparison with other similar operations and available industry standards, determine where they relatively stand and reasonably could be.

In the coming year, the already significant cost of replacement linen is likely to be a growing concern; therefore, every laundry operation will need to determine how it can significantly offset this cost increase by best minimizing its energy footprint and utilizing developing technologies to maximize labor productivity while continuing to safely provide clean and sanitary linens to its end-users.

conservative industrial uniform rental laundry is one of the more impacted service segments during an economic leveling period. If it changes nothing, its business will remain strong, with reasonable, but slowing, growth.

While healthcare is still the fastest growing segment, this “industrial” operation is simply not equipped to extend directly into healthcare, especially since they likely don’t own an ironer. However, the micro-segment of microfiber room cleaning would require no new equipment, just a slightly new packaging/delivery process, and some education in marketing and sales.

Simply put, organic penetration is current business along with balance in chasing new money.

Following the recent recession, we’ve all enjoyed fantastic growth in 2014 and 2015. We built stronger infrastructures and brought in bigger inventories to support our growth.

The past two years have seen U.S. GDP at 3.5% and higher. During 2016, U.S. GDP has leveled to under 2%. Not recessionary at all, but certainly noticeable.

The year 2017 is expected to bring steady growth with slight improvement.

During these economic resets, it’s important to do three things. First, look at your metrics in every area to make sure your infrastructure is efficient to your standards and expected outcomes. Look at inventories to see if they need to be adjusted to a different level of actual growth.

Second, look beyond just your core competencies in the market and see if you can adjust your marketing to extend into new areas of product and services. In other words, follow the new money. Our economy is stable and growing modestly. Good businesses are now looking at new markets and segments they can serve without major investment or restructure.

Here’s an example. A typical

With just a little repositioning, any laundry could enter this portion (room cleaning/housekeeping) of the healthcare market, with immediate measurable success, a market that is currently growing at seven times the rate of our economy. That is chasing the new money.

Third, and perhaps the biggest growth opportunity in our markets, is organic penetration. Study every account and look at what “could” be delivered to a model account, versus what you are actually servicing. This is the most profitable and stable growth you can chase, with very little investment, mainly focus.

Growth will be our biggest challenge in the coming year, and we simply have to adjust some habits to stay vibrant.

So, first, take a look at your operational efficiencies. Then, look at organic penetration in current business. Finally, look where you can grow into extended markets for new, untapped money (without major investment). Here’s to a successful 2017 and beyond!

First, there have been several large national and regional acquisitions:

• G sale to intas largest sale in the history of our industry)

• Arrow sale to Uni irst

• oyne sale to multiple companies Prudential and intas

Next, the unemployment rate and new workers in the labor force. Let’s face it, service turnover is a major issue within the industry. It’s harder to find strong route service rep candidates than ever before. This leaves many managers either running routes or training new hires on routes. It’s become a systemic problem with a number of theories.

Despite the anemic economic recovery, the unemployment rate is still low enough to cause a challenge for business owners to find qualified route service rep candidates.

Many companies are struggling with the younger workforce and their view of service jobs within the commercial laundry industry. Some people blame it on the new millennial overall work ethic. Regardless of the reason, I’ve heard over and over again how the new labor force worker does not find the route service rep job appealing once they’ve been in the position for a short period of time after hire.

to 12 months of an employee’s tenure.

Third, training. The informal initial training for new hires is not aligned with the new employee’s view of quality onboarding. Informal “tribal knowledge” handed down from previous trainers isn’t cutting it, and the younger workers are voting with their feet.

Finally, continued growth in the healthcare sector. Many laundry companies, especially regional independents, have a major focus on servicing this high-growth sector. It’s resulted in significant revenue gains.

What’s to come in 2017?

Leveraging growth within the existing customer base through an intense focus on facility product and service offerings. ustomers are purchasing highmargin paper products, restroom services, gloves, can liners, cleaning chemicals and safety products today—just from someone else outside of our industry.

016 has been an eventful year for our industry for a number of reasons.

The heavy-labor component is a concern, causing significant turnover within the first three

ompanies are reali ing that solving overall customer needs is simply providing good service. They’re also starting to make this a major priority, rather than these products/services only being a fringe offering outside of uniforms or linen. The commercial laundry industry has an under-optimized service opportunity with a captive audience, which happens to be its current

“As I’m sure many do this time of year, I start to review the year that’s passed and look ahead, too. What do you think was the most significant issue in laundry and linen services in 2016? What do you think is going to make an impact in 2017?”

Chemicals Supply

Scott Pariser Pariser Industries Inc., Paterson, N.J.

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Consulting Services

Chris Mayer Performance Matters, Plymouth, Minn.

Textiles

Steve Kallenbach ADI American Dawn, Los Angeles, Calif.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

DETERGENTS, CHEMICALS INJECTION SYSTEMS &

SANI WASH

Sani Wash now offers Softy, a highly concentrated softener that imparts a softness and fluffiness to fabrics while reducing static cling, the company reports.

The product leaves the fabric with a smooth hand, displays excellent re-wetting characteristics and reduces wrinkling, making ironing easier, Sani Wash says.

In addition, the company says Softy has a wonderfully pleasing fragrance that leaves fabrics smelling incredibly fresh and clean.

www.saniwash.com 800-288-7264

a cost. High wash temperatures are necessary but can cause issues when finishing the linen. The cost of this high temperature is a big factor.

The company says properly sized ozone installation can aid in the wash process while reducing costs of operation. Ozone infused correctly into the wash can significantly reduce required temperatures, helping to provide better fabric finishing, according to Wet-Tech.

The ozone infusion can help reduce water consumption and wash transfer time while produc-

ing a higher disinfection rate than found with standard wash chemical procedures, the company says. www.wet-tech.com 508-831-4229

GURTLER INDUSTRIES

Gurtler Industries, a manufacturer of advanced detergents and specialty chemicals for the commercial and institutional laundry industry, has made available the next generation of eco-friendly detergents and builders designed for the tough soils in the industrial uniform market, the company reports.

and mining industries, kitchens, food processing plants and more, according to the company.

Gurtler says its scientists took the technology of the Gurtler Environmental g LINE of products and advanced it to the next level of performance.

Besides ork• lean, the company says it offers a full line of processing chemicals, injection systems and personalized service across the United States, anada, Mexico, the aribbean and Australia.

www.gurtler.com 800-638-7300

ANDERSON CHEMICAL CO.

Anderson hemical o. says the INTEGRA System® is the company’s proprietary chemical staging and delivery technology. It is a system-by-system approach for handling laundry and kitchen cleaning.

The company says the systems are fashioned around a simple and effective concept—wallmounted holders containing super-concentrated liquid chemistry in inverted 1-gallon capsules.

cleaning device, according to Anderson. Once the inverted gallon capsule is empty, the operator still has an 8-ounce reserve to keep operations going.

The company also says the capsules are lass- recyclable.

oncentrated products allow INTEGRA Systems® to be cost usage-competitive, according to Anderson. Product formulas are flexible enough to be used with multiple products/pump systems and can be used in all soil levels and water conditions.

The INTEGRA Program® offers both conventional and Safer hoice-recogni ed products, according to the company.

www.theintegraprogram.com 800-366-2477

M&M TECHNOLOGIES INC.

WET-TECH

Wet-Tech designs, manufactures, installs and services energy- and water-saving EnviroSaver II Ozone equipment, including the HF Series Ozone generators, the company reports.

The company says that the generators significantly aid tunnel washers used by high-production laundries (pictured above).

Tunnel washers save on water, time and manpower, producing a continuous flow of large volumes of linen in a short period of time. However, according to Wet-Tech, this high production comes at

ork• lean super-concentrate is a nonNPE laundry detergent, Gurtler says.

ork• lean utilizes a unique synergistic blend of multiple surfactants to emulsify and suspend oily soils from manufacturing and assembly facilities, mechanics’ shops, oil

Each capsule contains a SurSeal valve that is opened only when placed into the INTEGRA® holder or Activator. This closed system allows the liquid to flow safely into an 8-ounce reservoir from which it is pumped to the

M&M Technologies Inc. says that when used in the wash process, PROTE luid Repellent helps renew and maintain the repellency of barrier fabrics used in surgical gowns and isolation gowns. It significantly reduces staining and helps protect the healthcare provider, according to the company.

M&M Technologies’ newestgeneration product, PROTEX ®-PM Fluid Repellent, works the same way as the original product, and the company says it is even more efficient and more

[Wet-Tech]

COMPILED BY MATT POE, EDITOR

[Gurtler Industries]

environmentally friendly.

Most surgical gowns and linens are treated with a repellent finish when they are manufactured. This finish is an important element in the design of the garment, as it helps protect the healthcare provider by causing fluids to roll away and thus these fluids are less likely to be absorbed, the company says.

Repeated laundering depletes this mill-applied finish, according to M&M Technologies. The loss of the original finish can result in staining and strikethrough.

PROTEX 2000 is the same finish that is applied in the textile mill. The repellent finish is consistently maintained at a high level, so, therefore, the life of the textiles is extended, according to the company.

M&M Technologies says PROTEX 2000 “loves” heat, so steam sterilization only enhances its effectiveness. The product is a fiber treatment and does not affect the breathability or comfort of the fabric.

In addition, the company says the product is cost-effective.

PROTEX 2000 costs only pennies per item for each laundering but its use results in a significant increase in the life of the treated items.

www.fluidrepellent.com 800-658-5958

HYDRO SYSTEMS CO.

Hydro Systems’ Dositec multiwasher chemical dispensing system can dispense 10 chemicals to up to 10 washing machines at once or can be configured specifically for tunnel washers with up to five channels, the company reports.

The system offers remote monitoring and control capabilities that allow customers to access critical chemical data and make adjustments from anywhere an Internet connection is available.

Jerry Roberts of Walter E. Nelson says the system greatly simplifies the process of pumping chemical accurately in large laundries and reduces maintenance costs dramatically.

Walter E. Nelson is a janitorial, paper and chemical distributor in the Northwest. It provides a wide range of commercial-grade janitorial, sanitation and laundry products and equipment.

To grow its laundry chemical business, the company says it determined it needed a multiwasher dispensing system with enhanced features and reporting in order to exceed its customers’ expectations in large laundries.

Specifically, Walter E. Nelson desired a dispensing system that provides remote access to critical laundry data, such as formulas, volume of washes, average projection rate, etc. Until recently, few manufacturers offered this type of system, which drove costs up and limited innovation and customer

service, according to Roberts.

“The remote management functionality reduces chemical maintenance and response costs by approximately 80% in comparison to our previous system,” Roberts says. “Other systems also require significantly more parts to maintain and higher repair and labor costs than the Dositec system.”

Roberts says he likes being able to respond to clients in real time and make chemical changes immediately from anywhere in the world. He no longer is required to call his technicians

at multiple locations who would then respond to the site to manually make adjustments.

“The Dositec System gives us real-time information that allows us to address issues immediately,” Roberts says. “For example, we can see from the Dositec reports function that a machine is running a formula at a lower or higher production rate than normal, which allows us to notify a wash house supervisor that an operation review is needed. We can also address wash results issues with on-the-spot formula adjustments if necessary. This has

UPGRADE

CHALLENGE

•

allowed us to improve our quality of service to customers.”

www.hydrosystemsco.com 800-543-7184

A.L. WILSON CHEMICAL CO.

According to A.L. Wilson Chemical Co., when dealing with laundry stains, The Laundry Two deliver results.

RiteGo laundry spray spotter quickly penetrates to absorb ground-in soil, oils and greases, collar and cuff stains and more, all without brushing, according to the company. Then, Laundry

TarGo removes any tough, oil-based stains that remain behind.

Both Laundry TarGo and RiteGo are chlorinated solventand NPE-free, biodegradable, noncombustible and California VOC and Prop65-compliant, A.L. Wilson says.

www.alwilson.com 800-526-1188

SANTEC

Santec reports that it is introducing Craft and Momentum (contains NPE-free emulsifiers) to its Linden series of laundry products.

The company says both products contain a high concentration of emulsifiers with high levels of alkalinity and silicate alkalis, which make them a one-shot product for use in the healthcare and hospitality industries.

Craft and Momentum are manufactured with a blend of nonionic surfactants, phosphate-free water softeners, soilsuspending agents and optical brighteners, which Santec says allows the products to combat a wide range of soils most laundry facilities are seeking to clean.

G.A. Braun was recently appointed as the exclusive laundry equipment supplier for the Pacific Northwest’s largest hotel project, the new Hyatt Regency Convention Hotel in Seattle, Washington. A 45 story, 1264 room property with 10500 square feet of meeting and ballroom space, spanning almost a city block and will process approximately 12 million pounds of laundry annually.

The company says these products are the backbone to Santec’s three-product system that allows its customers an economical choice in their cleaning solutions.

www.cleanneeds.com 908-912-2500

SUNBURST CHEMICALS

Sunburst Chemicals’ patented PTC 903 Bleach Activator’s exclusive formulation, when combined with a source of peroxide, generates a more effective bleaching system by producing peracetic acid inside the wash wheel, even at low temperatures, the company reports.

Activator’s oxidizing properties result in superior stain removal and brighter whites and colors without harming textiles. Straight peracetic acid products are hazardous, and PTC 903 eliminates that danger, according to Sunburst.

[A.L. Wilson Chemical Co.]

Due to lower pH of the wash solutions, and the milder bleaching over chlorine bleach, Sunburst says it has observed significant reduction of dryer lint, an indicator of reductions in tensile strength loss.

The company says PTC 903 Activator provides many benefits, including:

• Safer on fabrics, safer on equipment, and much safer for employee handling, as it requires no special personal protective equipment beyond safety glasses.

• Odorless, eliminating the “vinegar” smell in linen processing plants.

• Equivalent performance in bleaching all types of goods.

• Reduced temperatures in wash cycles (120-145 F), bleach and reuse cycles.

• Reduces alkalinity usage and sour usage.

• Lower-pH environment, which reduces pH and TDS of waste water.

Sunburst says PTC 903 Bleach Activator serves as an alternative to traditional peracid products but allows for a safer, more effective way to generate hygienically clean linens at a lower cost.

www.sunburstchemicals.com 800-899-7627

Both the OMEGATRON and DELTATRON offer low-level alarms and visually verifiable functions with full volumetric measurement of every injection— no overuse of chemical.

The company says TUNNELTRON is a quick, reliable tunnel injection system that features proof of flow and delivery for every chemical and destination. It offers complete injection in less than 30 seconds with no tunnel hold, the company says. The TUNNELTRON also offers simultaneous injections, simple alarm messages and quick summaries.

U.N.X. says all three systems can be networked together for consolidated, real-time reporting, using Excel.

www.unxinc.com 252-756-8616

COMING UP IN JANUARY’S PRODUCT SHOWCASE... HEAT-GENERATING EQUIPMENT

Experts

customer base.

Cost pressure from healthcare increases and Department of Labor (DOL) regulations. The Department of Labor has released final overtime regulations, effective Dec. 1, that increase the salary threshold for exemption from $455 per week to $913 per week. On an annual basis, this is a salary increase

from $23,660 to $47,476 per year. Also, studies show that employers’ healthcare expenses are expected to rise by 5-6.5% in 2017.

Major 2016 acquisitions will impact 2017. We may see a slowdown in larger purchases of local independent commercial laundries. These national companies will need time to digest and integrate the new acquisitions into their overall structure. This may be a significant resource challenge, causing them to focus on integration rather than new venture opportunities. ALN

[U.N.X. Inc.]

U.N.X. INC.

U.N.X. INC. says its new, superconcentrated detergents, along with the second generation of NPE-free detergents, are some of the best the company has ever formulated.

These detergents will produce superior results on nearly every type of soil a laundry may encounter, and the formulation of these products allow for superior quality results achieved at a reasonable use cost, according to the company.

In addition, U.N.X. says it designs and builds its own dispensing systems. The DELTATRON can operate up to five washers with eight different chemicals. It dispenses exact amounts and combinations to precisely process any type of goods.

The OMEGATRON delivers up to 10 chemicals to 10 washers, and both units will hold any washer with a problem to ensure properly cleaned linen, says U.N.X.

Often overlooked but can make or break equipment installation or removal, expert says

BY RO BB IE TIPPETT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Every project that requires the removal and/ or installation of equipment has some aspect of rigging.

If you talked to facilities that have completed capital-intensive projects, you will find a wide range of stories regarding the success or shortcomings associated with the moving aspect.

Rigging can literally “make or break” a project financially, and there are many other ramifications that can manifest if the appropriate due diligence is not applied to the rigging scope of work. There are a few simple ways to take control of this process to ensure that the rigging work at your job site is safe, efficiently run,

and completed without damage to the site or infrastructure.

Keep the following four situations in mind as part of your project-planning process.

LACK OF INDUSTRYSPECIFIC EXPERIENCE

There are many good and qualified rigging companies

throughout the United States. That being stated, experience with industry-specific equipment can’t be assumed. There are many rigging companies that have never seen commercial laundry equipment and don’t have the proper knowledge regarding its handling.

Not knowing how to properly handle this equipment, as with any type of equipment, can result in damage to the machinery and/ or injury to personnel. Prior to attempting to rig equipment, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) should be consulted as part of the project management and planning process.

HAVING THE PROPER TOOLS FOR THE TASK AT HAND

Once the rigging task has been surveyed and the rigging route walked, it is now time to decide what tools and/or equipment will be used to complete the activity.

Leanlaundriescreatemorevaluefor customerswhileusingfewerresources

ufacturing,andespeciallyinlaun-

EmersonBearing Bostoncreates commerciallaundry divisionBearingBOSTON—Emerson Bostonhascreatedaspecialdivisionfor thecommerciallaundry industry,thecompany reports.EmersonBearing Bostonsuppliesbearingsandrelatedproducts,cateringtooriginal equipmentmanufacturers (OEM)andmaintenance, repairandoperations (MRO)markets.demandDuetoincreasedandafast-growingcommerciallaundry customerbasestretchingacrosstheU.S.and Canada,EmersonBearing Bostonsaysitestablished adedicatedCommercial Laundrydivisionledby marketingspecialistMike Quinn.Thecompanysaysthe newdivisioncatersto industriallaundries,includingthosethatlaunder uniforms,bedlinens,and restauranttablecloths, aswellason-premises laundryfacilitiesofhotels, hospitals,universitiesand otherorganizations.Accordingtothecompany,Quinnassistsclients indeterminingwhichbearingtechnologieswouldbe mostsuitablebytakinginto considerationthespecifications,recommendations, maintenancestrategies, fatiguelife,andwearresistanceofbearingsinrelation totheapplication. ALN

withtrainingofmanagementand front-linestaff.Everyonehastobe

thinkof‘lean’inman-

When using a crane for moving equipment, the OEM should always be consulted so that weights, dimensions and pick points are clearly understood. A failure to understand each of these items can result in potential injury to staff, damage to equipment, and delays in the execution of a project.

is to happen with our plant that theywouldassistus,”saysMason. “We also, as a company, look at whatthatmeanstous.” establishedShenotesthatthecompanyhas all the necessary processeswithitsoutsidesources. “Because we’re such a large facility,wehavetobesurethey’re abletohandleit,orhandlesome of it,” says Mason. “To this day, knockonwood,wehavenothad touse[otherlaundriesformajor disasters],butifwedohavesituationswhereequipmentbreaksand soon,ouroutsidepartners,local

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The crane company and/or rigging company will then decide on what size crane is needed. Most applications will require a forklift and/or skates. Again, the OEM should be consulted as to where to position the skates and forklift.

Utilizing undersized equipment to rig can become a hazardous situation. Utilizing oversized equipment can present challenges to the job site, and job timeline as well.

FAILURE TO CONSULT WITH THE OEM

Failure to communicate with the OEM could possibly result in issues such as equipment being damaged, facility structural damage and catastrophic damage.

True, heavy-duty commercial laundry equipment is heavy; therefore, knowing the weights and appropriate load factors of what is being moved is critical. For example, having the right size of crane, proper lifting straps, spreader bars and properly rated eye bolts can make the difference in success or failure.

Having the right crane for lifting the machinery is most important, but we cannot overlook where the crane is placed, what type of ground it is sitting on, and what is in the crane’s operational space and surroundings.

When rigging with a forklift, the same rules apply as stated previously. Can the floor, asphalt and/or concrete support both the

PRODUCTSHOWCASEDETERGENTS, CHEMICALS & DETERGENTS,INJECTION & INJECTION SYSTEMS

Rigging: Vital aspect of every project

lift and machine being moved?

The OEM can also be helpful in developing a load plan with the trucking and logistics planners that will optimize the rigging sequence of events. A failure to plan and communicate can only have a negative impact on all aspects of a project.

SAFETY

Safety is extremely important and can’t be overstated. We all want to go home safe at the end of the day.

A safety plan should be developed for all rigging jobs, and this plan should include a pick plan and a job safety assessment. This should apply to all parties involved and be reviewed with these entities in advance of the project being executed.

Surprises are not something that operators want to experience, and injuries are something that simply aren’t acceptable in any way, shape or form.

We must look at the whole aspect of the job from start to finish. Rigging paths, machine weights, machine dimensions, access points, proper tools and equipment, personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout, etc. Remember, there are many questions that can be answered by the OEM. Safety starts once the job has been conceived.

As can be seen from the information presented, rigging is no small task. It can be the difference between a successful project and one that is riddled with issues.

Take the time to plan, and make certain that you have experienced project managers and the right service providers to support the demands of your specific project. A little extra effort, and possibly a few extra dollars, are typically time and money well spent.

ALN

Robbie Tippett is project field supervisor for laundry equipment manufacturer

Braun.

Only by knowing the weight of this ironer

a company choose the right straps with which

G.A. Braun’s Robbie Tippett.

Moving a tunnel washer requires careful planning and the right equipment to support the massive pieces.

Employees

Tippett

Track Career

Milnor regional sales mgr. retires after

long career

KENNER, La. — Pellerin Milnor Corp. Regional Sales Manager John Rasimas is retiring after 25 years as a regional sales manager and 41 years in the industry, the company reports.

Rasimas began his career in the laundry industry after returning from the Vietnam War, where he served active duty in the Army as a captain and helicopter pilot, according to Pellerin Milnor. In the fall of 1975, he followed in his father’s footsteps and took over the eastern New York state territory for Statewide Machinery.

Rasimas attended the very first Clean Show in 1975 to get a taste of the industry and turned his experience into an impressive 41-year career.

After establishing himself in the New York territory, Pellerin Milnor says Rasimas then built the foundation of Metroland Industrial Equipment Co. (MIECO), a Milnor dealer that formally started with the 1981 Clean Show.

In 1991, he was hired by Pellerin Milnor to serve as a regional sales manager and spent 25 years managing its operations serving the northeastern U.S. coast and eastern half of Canada.

Rasimas says he is most looking forward to spending time with his family (including his five grandchildren), playing golf, learning to weld and traveling upon retiring.

However, before ending his 25 years spent on the road, the company says Rasimas will make one last visit as a regional sales manager to Synergy 2016 to personally shake hands with and say goodbye to his Milnor and dealer family.

Tingue names

Zollinger sales representative

has named Aaron Zollinger sales representative, the company reports.

Serving laundries in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and southeastern Nebraska, Zollinger is responsible for helping laundry owners and on-premises laundry (OPL) managers achieve the fastest production rates and finest finish quality in the safest, most efficient manner possible, Tingue says.

Zollinger offers a wide range of premiumquality laundry supplies, hands-on product installation services and laundry machine maintenance support, according to the company. Formerly with Burlington Northern Santa Fe

Railway (BNSF) as conductor responsible for mechanical maintenance and repairs and for the overall safe, on-time arrival of freight at its destination, Zollinger brings seven years of experience preventing and solving difficult mechanical issues, often working around the clock as needed.

Zollinger serves a territory where many of the laundries rely on tourism, Tingue says.

“For these hotel and resort laundries, it’s all about high quality and on-time arrival with no downtime, regardless of the distance or the weather,” says Zollinger. “I’m used to working in these conditions and am grateful to find that Tingue operates like this as standard procedure.”

Zollinger is a graduate of Spokane (Wash.) Community College. He resides in Denver with his wife and two children.

Thermopatch appoints Lin as marketing associate

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Thermopatch, which specializes in supply-

ing garment/textile identification labeling systems, has appointed Drian Lin to the position of marketing associate, the company reports.

Lin’s responsibilities will include monitoring social media campaigns, e-mail marketing, website development and the expansion/enhancement and development of marketing material, says Thermopatch.

Lin has a bachelor’s degree in communications-public relations from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. The company says that Lin also spent one summer interning at Syracuse Media Group as a creative consultant.

As a recent college graduate, Lin can provide new, innovative ideas and strategies to tackle the new digital media landscape, along with the company’s current marketing needs, Thermopatch says.

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Laundry product supplier Tingue

Rasimas

Zollinger

Lin

Penn Emblem hires new director of IT

PHILADELPHIA — Penn Emblem Co. has hired Robert Cholodofsky as its new IT director, the company reports.

Penn Emblem says Cholodofsky will be responsible for developing the company’s IT strategies, allowing the company to grow.

During his 20-year career in the information technology field, Cholodofsky has worked in the IT departments for companies such as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and his most recent company, Toll Brothers Inc., according to Penn Emblem.

With Toll Brothers, Cholodofsky held many relevant roles, his most recent being vice president of IT.

He says he looks forward to “using technology to solve business problems” and “further developing Penn Emblem’s IT department and business.”

Cholodofsky is a graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor of science degree in finance. He also holds an MBA in computers and information systems from Temple University, according to the company.

After beginning his design education on a drafting board, he was one of the first designers to switch over to CAD software, the company says. He entered the industry in 1989, working in sales and design positions for G. A. Braun and American Laundry Machinery before joining Ellis.

Systems

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Tom Vanden Heuvel has been named the new president of Kemco Systems, the company reports.

Vanden Heuvel will be responsible for the overall organization and operations of Kemco, with a focus on profitable sales growth and process improvement, the company says. Carroll Gorrell will continue his role as chief executive officer and support

Vanden Heuvel in all areas of Kemco’s operation.

Kemco says Vanden Heuvel’s natural leadership and nearly two decades of progressive management experience merges seamlessly with the company’s model.

Prior to joining the Kemco team, Vanden Heuvel held both vice president and business unit president positions at Crane Water, a division of Crane Co.—a $2 billion publicly traded, diversified industrial company, Kemco says. He had full P&L responsibility and transitioned the Crane Water team through

the integration to private equity-backed Newterra Ltd. Vanden Heuvel led the combined business with $35 million in sales and an employee base across four sites. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin. ALN

ITASCA, Ill. — Ellis Corp., a manufacturer of commercial laundry, wastewater and water heating systems, appointed Thad Southwick to the position of sales engineer/project manager, the company reports.

Southwick will coordinate with Ellis laundry and wastewater equipment divisions, along with Vega Systems and Ludell Manufacturing, to ensure all aspects of projects are carried out and fulfilled to the full satisfaction of customers. This includes facility layout and design work.

A vital component of the job, according to Ellis, will be to understand the needs of the customer and keep communication at the forefront so everyone involved is engaged and informed throughout a project, from inception to completion.

The company says that the position is actually a homecoming for Southwick, who worked for Ellis from 1998 to 2013 as a sales manager with his own territory.

Ellis Corp. welcomes industry veteran back to sales staff

Vanden Heuvel named president of Kemco

Vanden Huevel

Open house, plant tour highlight August fete for Bryan Steam’s 100th

PERU, Ind. — Bryan Steam LLC hosted an open house this summer for its employees, North American representatives, vendors, and local and state dignitaries to celebrate its 100th year in business, the company notes. More than 300 guests attended the August event.

Speakers from the Boilermaker’s Union, the City of Peru, Miami County Economic Council, Indiana State House of Representatives, Governor’s office and both houses of Congress gave presentations, the company reports.

Guests also enjoyed plant tours, a golf outing, and food that included a cake in the shape of a Bryan boiler.

Bryan Steam, originators of the “flexible water tube” design, was founded in 1916 as the Bryan Harvester Company by George Bryan. The company began by producing cars and steam-powered tractors.

In 1922, the company stopped such production after the rise of the gasoline engine. Bryan Harvester then refined and marketed the bent water tube boiler and became Bryan Steam LLC.

Bryan Steam offers a broad range of boilers to meet customer needs, including gas-, oil- and gas/oil-fired boilers, as well as electric, condensing, low NOx and knockdown boilers.

Washington-based linen company earns TRSA’s first Hygienically Clean Food Service certification

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Service Linen Supply of Renton, Wash., is the first laundry facility to receive Hygienically Clean Food Service certification from the Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA), the association reports.

Service Linen Supply rents tabletops, napkins, towels, garments, floor mats and other reusable textile products with laundry service to restaurants, cafeterias, foodservice contractors, caterers, snack and beverage bars and similar businesses in Washington and Oregon.

The association says the Hygienically Clean Food Service standard requires laundries to adopt the same practices to ensure laundry cleanliness as TRSA’s Hygienically Clean certifications for textile services working with food manufacturers and processors, healthcare providers and hotels.

“This certification approves our complete textileprocessing cycle, from picking up soiled textiles at customers’ locations and transporting them to our laundry plant for cleaning, to our laundering processes, to delivery back to the customer,” says Robert Raphael, Service Linen Supply co-president. “Fundamentals of our business, such as facility layout, personnel training and customer service, have been thoroughly evaluated.”

“Our customers can be confident our operations meet or exceed the highest standards for processing food service textiles in the industry,” adds Co-President David Jassny. This includes confirmation of the operation’s adherence to safety and health standards (legally mandated and voluntary best practices) and other regulations and guidelines.

The certification verifies performance consistency, he says, “confirming our ability to produce a consistent and smooth flow of hygienically clean textiles.”

TRSA says Hygienically Clean food certifications refer to the Codex (United Nations/World Health Organization) decision tree for identifying and addressing hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) in laundry production and service processes. The certifications also incorporate a HACCP-Codex checklist in assessing the need for personal protective equipment and the Global Food Safety Initiative

in detailing best practices for garment inspection and transportation.

In addition, Hygienically Clean food standards call for gauging the cleaning of hard surfaces that contact textiles by measuring the level of microorganisms present in these areas.

“Our emphasis is on verifying processes and quantifying the outcomes that various technical approaches achieve,” says TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci. “In some laundry functions, different procedures effectively implement a single best practice. Laundered product testing evaluates the success of the range of techniques that a laundry chooses to deploy.”

SEMINOLE, Fla. — Superior Uniform Group Inc.® has been named to Fortune’s Top 100 List of Fastest-Growing Companies for 2016, the company reports.

Superior Uniform Group ranked 24th on the multinational business magazine’s list, which ranks public companies based upon revenue growth rate, EPS growth rate and total return for the three-year period that ended June 30.

“We are proud to be included alongside such prestigious global companies,” says Michael Benstock, CEO. “It is through the dedication of our team members at all of our divisions, and our strong partnership with our customers, that Superior Uniform Group is able to achieve accolades like this.”

The company’s signature brands are Fashion Seal Healthcare, Superior I.D. and HPI Direct.

SanMar donates $121,000 to charities that fight to end homelessness

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — SanMar Corp., a supplier of apparel and accessories, recently made a difference in each of its eight communities around the country by fundraising for organizations that support local homeless populations, the company reports.

SanMar says the home office and distribution centers

Superior Uniform Group named one of Fortune’s 100 ‘FastestGrowing Companies’

Bryan Steam hosted an open house and plant tour of its Peru, Ind., facilities for representatives, vendors and local dignitaries. (Photo: Bryan Steam)

joined forces to raise $121,000 for deserving charities.

“One of our SanMar Family Values is to make a difference, and it was truly inspiring to see everyone come together and raise money for such wonderful organizations,” says Marty Lott, founder and CEO of SanMar.

“I challenged our teams to come up with new, inventive ways to build excitement and a bit of competition with our fundraising efforts. I’m amazed by the results and take great pride in knowing that these efforts by SanMar employees will truly make a difference in the lives of many of our neighbors.”

Employees in the company’s home office here spent two weeks participating in fundraising activities, competitions and events, the company says. There were raffles, an online auction, collections to dress manag-

ers in superhero costumes, a chili cook-off, SanMar Oktoberfest and other functions.

The team raised $88,000 for Friends of Youth, an organization that has been helping young people in challenging circumstances get their lives back on track by providing shelter, programs and support at 21 sites in 18 cities in and around the east side of Seattle.

Each of SanMar’s eight distribution centers hosted events to support local charities, focusing primarily on organizations that help homeless youth and veterans. The warehouses raised a combined $33,000, the company says. Games, bake sales, barbeques and other events generated the funds.

The total amount donated includes funds raised by SanMar employees and a company match.

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industry, according to Riddle, and brings together more than 11,000 people from around the world to see the industry’s latest products and equipment.

Calendar

December

2 Textile Rental Services Association TRSA CEP/Executive Roundtable-Healthcare Nashville, Tenn. Info: 703-519-0029

6-9 Kannegiesser 2016 Service Seminar Fort Worth, Texas Info: 972-641-3163

hotel reservations can be made on the Clean 2017 website: www.cleanshow.com. Those who prefer to make these arrangements other than online will find forms and instructions for how to do so on the website.

As of early October, Riddle had sold space in the convention center covering 200,606 square feet to 307 exhibiting companies, including 22 new to the Clean Show.

It’s the world’s largest exposition for the laundry, drycleaning and textile services

Show attendees can compare working equipment to determine what best suits their operational and business needs, and can see and touch “virtually every product” the industry has to offer, Riddle reports.

On top of that, there will be more than 25 hours of educational sessions presented to appeal to all industry segments.

For more information about Clean 2017, visit the show’s website or contact show management: Riddle & Associates, 2751 Buford Hwy., Ste. 100; Atlanta, GA 30324 USA; telephone 404-876-1988; e-mail info@ cleanshow.com.

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15 Textile Rental Services Association Webinar: VETS 101 for Employers Alexandria, Va. Info: 703-519-0029

January

26 Association for Linen Management Webinar: Ask the Experts: Part 1 Productivity Richmond, Ky. Info: 859-624-0177

February

8-9 Textile Rental Services Association Production Summit & Plant Tours Houston, Texas Info: 703-519-0029

23 Association for Linen Management Webinar: Managing from Afar Richmond, Ky. Info: 859-624-0177

March

20-21 Textile Rental Services Association Leadership & Legislative Conference Washington, D.C. Info: 703-519-0029

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PARTS, PARTS, PARTS

Huge stock of parts for most laundry equipment & boilers. Also traps, valves and lubricants. Overnight delivery. Steiner-Atlantic, 800-333-8883 Fax: 305-751-8390 parts@steineratlantic.com www.steineratlantic.com

WASHEX PARTS

Hard-to-find Washex parts, on-site rebuilding, tech support.

LAUNDRY PARTS CENTER 800-352-4492 Fax: 305-827-3991

Ozone Sales Positions Available

Wet-Tech, the ozone people is seeking qualified sales people to assist in generating quality leads in OPL and industrial laundry facilities. We offer competitive commissions and support. A laundry background is required. Qualified candidates can call 508-831-4229 or email jackreiff@wet-tech.com

GENERAL MANAGER

For more than 85 years, Mickey’s Linen has been a market leader in linen & uniform rentals. We are seeking a results driven General Manager to lead the growth of one of our existing locations.

The ideal candidate should have a demonstrated sales, and customer service background within the industry. We are looking for a passionate leader to build, develop and actively manage a strong team.

Qualified candidates should email resumes and salary requirements in confidence to our HR Department: careers@mickeyslinen.com

Pellerin Milnor Corp. P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

SMALL-PIECE FOLDERS

Pellerin Milnor Corp. P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com