American Laundry News - August 2017

Magnus Textile closes financing

CHELMSFORD, Mass. — Magnus Textile, a textile manufacturer, importer and distributor to the hospitality and healthcare industries, has closed a round of financing from LaunchCapital, the company reports.

LaunchCapital is the venture capital arm of the multibillion-dollar Pritzker/ Vlock family office. The round of financing will go to support product development and the company’s nationwide expansion, according to Magnus.

“The raise allows us to accelerate our product development efforts and to grow the team to reach more customers across the U.S.,” says Dev Ramasubbu, CEO and co-founder of Magnus Textile. “And with the capital investment and support of the Pritzker/Vlock family office, we are further enabled to redefine what is possible in commercial textiles.”

Edward Coady, an investment professional with LaunchCapital, will be joining Magnus Textile as chief marketing officer. Coady was previously an associate with the firm and was based in the Boston LaunchCapital office.

“We firmly believe that Magnus Textile is poised to transform the commercial textile industry,” says Cliff Sirlin, managing director of LaunchCapital. ALN

Laundry emergency procedure preparedness

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

CHICAGO — Parkland Health & Hospital System, also known as the Dallas County Hospital District, uses an on-premises laundry (OPL).

Richard Hoelscher, linen services production manager for Parkland, says the laundry has had emergencies over the years. Fortunately, these incidents have been minor.

“Parkland has had several small fires, but these only involved one piece of equipment each time, were promptly put out by staff with a hand fire extinguisher and verified out by the fire department,” Hoelscher says. “Parkland’s staff performed extremely well during the

Code Red, following the RACE (Rescue, Alert Security, Confine, Extinguish) procedure.”

The reason Parkland has performed so well during emergencies is that it has detailed emergency procedures in place, Hoelscher says. Also, staff undergo training to help ensure all know what to do in the event of a risky situation.

It is essential for laundry operations of all types and sizes to have emergency procedures and training in place for safety, and to ensure the business is able to keep processing linen.

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

For Laura Gracia, safety director for Admiral by Alsco in Houston, emergency procedures

are essential to minimize, if not prevent, injuries and damage to property, ensuring continuance of business.

ARCO/Murray expands two

operational facility and was carefully phased with dock and workflow transitions to eliminate production interruptions and allow for daily truck deliveries, according to the company.

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — ARCO/Murray, a design/build general contractor, recently completed laundry expansions for two uniform, linen and facility service companies, the company reports.

In Wichita Falls, Texas, ARCO/ Murray provided services to Alsco, completing a 10,500-square-foot laundry facility expansion. The construction took place in a fully

The project also included construction of a 4,760-square-foot mezzanine, new loading docks, and a 50,000-square-foot parking lot with truck court addition.

Along with upgraded LED lighting and improved building ventilation, the project scope included the expansion of existing electrical services, ARCO/Murray says.

Preconstruction services included architectural design, structural engineering, mechanical and electrical design, and permitting.

ARCO/Murray

“Each of our plants was assigned to develop a plan accord-

ny

In

Columnist at Large Eric Frederick examines the future of automation and employee wages.

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

says Justin Hearld was project manager and Mike Epperly served as project superintendent.

Ottawa, Ontario, the compa-

completed a 9,000-square-foot facility expansion for Canadian Linen and Uniform Service.

The Alsco Wichita Falls, Texas, expansion included a 50,000-square-foot parking lot and truck court. (Photo: ARCO/Murray)

Angelica Corp. completes sale to KKR

B. Wood appointed president, chief executive officer

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Angelica Corp., a provider of healthcare linen and medical laundry services, has completed the sale of substantially all of its and its subsidiaries’ assets as a going concern to KKR, the company reports.

Under KKR’s ownership, the business is moving forward with the Angelica name and will continue to provide linen services to the healthcare industry, serving more than 3,800 hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities across the country, the company says.

In connection with the closing of the transaction, Cary B. Wood has been named Angelica’s president and chief executive officer.

Wood, who succeeds David A. Van Vliet, has more than 20 years

of experience improving operations, enhancing customer relationships and optimizing overall financial strength while prudently deploying capital to improve both topand bottom-line results, Angelica says.

“I am pleased to be part of the next chapter in Angelica’s storied 139-year history and look forward to working with the company’s dedicated employees to drive growth and success,” says Wood. “Partnering with KKR as our long-term investor, we will focus on quickly strengthening Angelica’s operations and finances while continuing to grow our customer base by providing our AngelTrak® RFID linen manage-

ment system to customers who elect to use this industry-leading technologically based approach that provides optimized and efficient linen services.

“Our top priority is ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional service to our customers. Looking ahead, we are focused on driving profitability, increasing operational efficiencies, implementing best practices and improving our organizational effectiveness.”

Rony Ma, principal on KKR’s credit team, says, “We are enthusiastic about Angelica’s future prospects and are excited to have Cary leading the company as president and CEO. With a stronger financial foundation and the full support of KKR, Angelica is poised to build on its position as an industry leader with a national footprint

and long-term partnerships with key customers. Cary’s significant experience and strong track record give us confidence that he is the right person to lead Angelica through its next phase of growth.

“We look forward to working closely with Cary and the Angelica team to leverage the company’s pioneering technology solutions and best-in-class service.”

Angelica says KKR is primarily making the investment through funds affiliated with its Direct Lending strategy.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel to Angelica, Alvarez & Marsal served as restructuring adviser, and Houlihan Lokey Inc. served as investment banker and financial adviser.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to KKR, along with Jones Day, which served as KKR’s counsel on labor and benefits matters. ALN

opens

industry speakers and panels, and live, interactive demos. Special feature areas for HX 2017 include:

NEW YORK — Attendee registration for HX: The Hotel Experience, slated for Nov. 12-13 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here, is now open at the redesigned website, www.the hotelexperience.com, say show organizers.

“HX gives the hospitality professional an expansive, 360-degree look at the guest experience and how it will impact their property’s appeal, efficiency and profitability,” says Phil Robinson, HX show director.

Organizers say the show will feature more than 400 exhibitors,

• HX360° INNOVATION ZONES. New this year, three fully built-out areas designed by industry visionaries to engage attendees in the latest trends in the key hospitality areas of Lobby & Bar, Food & Beverage, and Spa & Wellness.

• HX: TECH. This ever-popular section is bigger than ever, organizers say, filled with the latest technology impacting the hospitality industry. From digital security and signage to drones and robotic service opportunities, attendees will be immersed in all the latest hospitality tech. Interactive

product demos and presentations round out this hightouch, high-energy area.

• HX: STAGES. The popular HX: Onstage Hotel and Onstage Restaurant returns with rich content, presenta-

of a five-module tunnel system noted on page 24 of the July issue were incorrect. The correct dimensions are 25 by 50 feet.

• In the same issue, the photo of the Jensen JTD tumbler/dryer on page 20 was incorrect. The correct image is shown at right.

American Laundry News regrets these errors and apologizes for any inconvenience they may have caused. ALN

tions and interactive panel discussions.

Registration for HX 2017, including all conference sessions, is $50 through Oct. 16; cost will be $75 thereafter. ALN

Publisher

Charles Thompson

Phone: 312-361-1680

E-Mail: cthompson@ ATMags.com

Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

Donald Feinstein

Phone: 312-361-1682

E-Mail: dfeinstein@ 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

Production Manager Roger Napiwocki

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

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

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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 43, number 8. 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, 2017. 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.

Cary

HX: The Hotel Experience is scheduled for Nov. 12-13 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. (Photo: Richard Merli)

Wood

Ultra and Nanofiltration: The Modern Solution for Ultra Clean Water.

It’s a whole new way to filter water. Using our exclusive hollow-fiber ceramic membrane, the PurePulseTM system operates in in the lower end of the ultrafiltration range into nanofiltration. Filter total dissolved solids and dyes as small as 5 nanometers – no need to cool water. This is innovative membrane technology for the modern age.

Recycle 70-80% of your facility’s water

Filter your water while it’s hot, saving energy

Self-cleaning ceramic membranes have 10 year warranty Reliable and long service life

Less expensive than RO technology

Affordable, low running costs and fast ROI

PurePulse system has a small footprint that won’t change as you expand with additional, stackable membranes.

Patent applied for system.

A ‘Clean’ sweep and wrap

It’s a little difficult to believe that it’s been almost two months since Clean ’17 wrapped in Las Vegas.

It seems like only yesterday that I was walking the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center, visiting laundry and linen services vendor booths, enjoying evening events, taking photos and posting vital information (and a few fun things), talking with laundry operators like you … winning a fortune in the casino.

OK, that last part didn’t happen. I’m not a gambler, so the most I did was throw a few bucks in a slot machine, which I lost within minutes.

If you went to Clean, I know you’re not a gambler, either—

Builds

From The Editor’s Desk MATT POE

when it comes to your laundry operation. You went there to get solid information and ideas and make contacts to help your operation run as efficiently and effectively as possible. But with a sold-out show

(481 exhibitiors on the trade show floor), you couldn’t visit every vendor. Or maybe you couldn’t make it to Las Vegas this year.

That’s why on page 6, you’ll find the start of the Clean Show roundup. I was able to visit with quite a few exhibitors, and you’ll find some of the things I learned on those pages (through page 20).

If you couldn’t make it to Clean, I hope you can glean some ideas for your operation. If you were able to make it, maybe I visited some vendors you didn’t have time to meet.

The Clean Show is a high point in the industry. Now, it’s time to make that show work (and look ahead to Clean ’19!). ALN

Increased automation in the future

There have been a series of recent studies published about how the minimumwage increase in Seattle has negatively impacted the workers it was designed to help. The workers have experienced fewer hours per week, and employers have reduced the number of jobs through automation. Restaurants are moving to kiosks to place orders and accept payment.

So, what will happen in the laundry industry as this trend drives up the hourly rate?

There are many possible solutions that our industry can use to adapt to increasing wages. I am aware of laundry departments that are spun off as a separate company to allow them to reduce retirement benefits and possibly reduce the cost of health insurance. The parent company does not want to affect their executives or more skilled staff but has no concerns about reducing the benefits of lesser paid employees.

Continued from Page 1

Construction included a building addition, loading dock and parking lot expansion.

The project scope included the addition of a 1,000-square-foot mezzanine, new soil and clean loading docks, and upgrades to the building’s storm sewer, plant lighting, fire suppression and ventilation systems.

The site and building construction was completed while the existing plant remained at full capacity.

Alsco also added 10,500 square feet to its Wichita Falls laundry facility. (Photo: ARCO/Murray)

Preconstruction services included architectural design, engineering and permitting. ARCO/Murray says Rick Guth served as project manager. ALN

Crothall up to 13 Hygienically Clean

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Crothall Laundry Services’ Wheeling, Ill., facility is the latest recipient of Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification, TRSA, the association for the linen, uniform and facility services industry, reports

The certification confirms a laundry’s dedication to compli-

ance and processing healthcare linens and garments using best management practices (BMPs) as described in its quality-assurance documentation, a focal point for inspectors’ evaluation of critical control points to minimize risk, TRSA says.

Crothall now has 13 TRSA Hygienically Clean Healthcare-

certified facilities. In addition to the newest designee, they are located in Mobile, Ala. (Coastal Laundry); Phoenix, Ariz.; La Mirada and Ontario, Calif.; Lakeland, Fla.; Augusta and Rome, Ga.; Madisonville, Ky.; Belcamp, Md.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; Johnson City, Tenn.; and Milwaukee, Wis. ALN

I have also seen hospital systems contract out the operation of the laundry to a contract company in hopes of finding better management and reducing the cost of labor. This hope often turns to disappointment because contract companies may have first-class marketing but no operational magic bullets. The cost of labor is dictated by the local labor market and not by the type of management.

“THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF THIS MOVEMENT WILL TOUCH ALL MINIMUM-WAGE INDUSTRIES. WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR EACH MANAGER TO DEVELOP HIS OR HER GAME PLAN.”

I have also seen efforts made to reduce staff through a combination of automation and changes in the packaging of linen. What once was an unacceptable delivery style is now common practice.

When knitted fitted contour sheets first arrived on the scene, laundries tried to fold them like a regular woven contour sheet. The manufacturer attempted to increase the appeal of the product by suggesting that the sheets could be placed into bags and delivered to the nursing units in that manner.

Nursing naturally saw this as a decrease in quality or service, but over the years, more and more laundries switched to this delivery method. Now it is the most common form of delivery for that item. Bagging requires less staffing than folding the sheets.

We are in the early stages of bagging washcloths instead of flatstacking them. The bagging method is 300% faster than the stacking method.

As salaries continue to increase, the number of laundries moving to bagging washcloths versus flat-stacking will steadily increase. Additional labor-saving technologies will be implemented as the cost of labor increases, making the development of other systems more viable.

There will also be increased pressure to reduce other costs in the laundry. The second largest cost in the laundry is textile products. Emphasis will be on smarter purchasing and longer life. A manager may increase his or her washroom chemical cost per pound to increase linen life. Greater emphasis will be placed on machine maintenance to ensure maximum return on investment.

Employee productivity monitoring, especially real-time monitoring, will help to control costs. The possible effects of this movement will touch all minimum-wage industries. We are in the early stages and now is the time for each manager to develop his or her game plan.

Eric Frederick has retired from active laundry management after 44 years. He is available as a laundry operations consultant. He is a past president and two-time manager of the year of the Association for Linen Management. You can contact him by e-mail at elfrederick@cox.net or by phone at 540-520-6288.

COLUMNIST AT LARGE Eric L. Frederick, RLLD

CLEAN SHOW REPORT

Leaving Las Vegas (with laundry news)

Convention Center.

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

LAS VEGAS — Attendees of Clean ’17 left here with a grand haul.

Not a haul from the casinos (although some may have had a lucky streak), rather, a haul of information about products and services that the 481 vendors brought to the show.

“I’m impressed by the technology,” says first-time Clean attendee Brian Polatsek, CEO of EcoBrite Linen in Skokie, Ill. “I found that I’m interested in a steam tunnel. I didn’t think I would, but I’m impressed by the quality.”

Technology was the word on the floor, as vendors dazzled potential customers with virtualreality tours, equipment demonstrations and industry innovations.

“The best thing is the innovation,” says Randy Wendland,

corporate director of textile management services for ABM Healthcare Support Services in Royal Oak, Mich. “There are some game-changing products out here, from UV technology to high-tech software. It’s been phenomenal.”

Of course, not all of the 12,563 attendees were focused on the new and improved in the laundry and linen services industry.

“I came here because this is my chance to see the principals of my vendors, to have that contact,” says Bill Kartsonis, president of Superior Linen Supply in Kansas City, Mo.

And attendees were sure to find almost anything they were looking for on the show floor. Show organizer Riddle & Associates says Clean ’17 boasted the largest floor sales since the 2007 show in Las Vegas. Vendors covered 227,006 square feet of exhibit space in the Las Vegas

Sponsors for the Clean Show are the Association for Linen Management (ALM), the Coin Laundry Association (CLA), the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute (DLI), Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA) and TRSA, the association for the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

Many companies took advantage of Clean ’17 to introduce brand-new products, roll out newly improved products or exhibit well-established product lines. Still others exhibited at the biennial show for the first time.

American Laundry News presents this report describing just some of the companies and the products they exhibited in Las Vegas. With a sold-out show, this article isn’t intended to be allencompassing.

Readers are encouraged to follow American Laundry News in print and online (www.american laundrynews.com) during the coming months for product announcements from these companies and others.

Continental Girbau

Continental Girbau opened eyes at Clean with several new products. However, its new virtual-reality technology, GirbauMax, really turned heads. This allows users to access and design, via virtual reality, industrial, commercial and vended laundries. More than 150 booth visitors signed up and engaged in

the GirbauMax experience.

“The show was a huge success, with leads totaling over 800 and business opportunities more than doubling over the last Clean show in 2015,” says President Mike Floyd.

Girbau Industrial automation products were in constant

Attendees crowded onto the Clean Show floor after the ribbon-cutting opening. (Photos: Bruce Beggs, Nathan Frerichs and Matt Poe)

What would Las Vegas be without showgirls, even on the trade show floor?

Attendees at Clean ’17 learn about new products, reconnect with colleagues

Featuring a compact design and flexibility that allows Whistler Laundry to automatically feed, iron, fold and stack a variety of items, the Compact fits perfectly into its designated spot at the laundry. Configurable for one, two or four working lanes, with one lane for sheets, two for table linens and four for small items, including napkins and pillowcases, it executes up to three-lane primary folds and single- or two-lane cross folds. A bypass option allows goods to exit the front or rear of the machine, and the Compact offers left or right discharge and front or rear stacker orientation to meet specific needs. Finally, it automatically adjusts ironing speed and moisture removal — processing goods with no dryer preconditioning.

Contact Girbau Industrial for a FREE ESTIMATE and discover how production automation can boost productivity and profits in your laundry! (800) 256-1073 • www.girbauindustrial.com

Steve Wheeler, Co-Owner, Whistler Laundry Inc., British Columbia, Canada

operation, as well, including the FT-Maxi towel folder, the new DRB Feeder and FRB Folder, the ST-1302 Dryer and the Compact 5-in-One—a machine that automatically feeds, irons, folds, stacks and accumulates.

Also on hand were Continental’s commercial/ on-premises laundry products, including soft-mount E-Series Washers, hard-mount G-Flex Washers, complementing dryers and Express Ironers.

The new 80-pound-capacity E-Series Washer debuted, as well. The freestanding machine, recently added to the E-Series line, offers a soft-mount design for simple installation, highextract speeds reaching 400 G-force, utilizing Inteli Control.

Positek RFID

With techology at the forefront of Clean, Positek RFID had success demonstrating its radiofrequency identification (RFID) system at its booth.

The company showed how its bundle readers, tunnels and portals will track thousands of pieces with lightning speed and guaranteed accuracy. Any tagged textile that is loaded onto conveyor belts

or into carts, containers, pallets or other bulk moving solutions can be scanned.

The company also showed how its state-of-the-art hardware and tags utilize the latest innovations in RFID technology to ensure that a laundry’s solution works accurately and reliably, is durable enough to withstand high-volume textile management workflows, and is flexible enough to grow as a company grows and evolves.

ADI American Dawn

ADI American Dawn reports it had a highly successful Clean Show engagement, having unveiled its new disposable paper product initiative.

This strategic alliance with VonDrehl is set to disrupt the current market distribution model—with no minimums on orders, according to the company.

Additionally, ADI reports high interest in its newly designed HACCP apparel program, complete with multi-colored stock selections of hidden-gripper, spun-poly cover garments.

Lavatec Laundry Technology

Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc. introduced a new Ride-On Shuttle, the LT50 110-pound continuous tunnel washer and the osLaundry software system at the 2017 Clean Show.

“We enjoyed many good conversations with customers and others about our new and existing equipment, including the TT-series Ecodry dryers,” says Keith Ware, Lavatec vice president of sales. “As expected, the Ride-On Shuttle was a hit with everyone. It was located along the main aisle and it stopped people in their tracks. That led to them coming into the booth to learn more about it.”

Ware says the Ride-On Shuttle gives an operator the ability to control washers, dryers and the rail system from the safety of a technology-driven cockpit. It has built-in sensors for the operator’s safety in case he needs to leave the shuttle.

Lavatec staff received positive feedback on its osLaundry software, says Ware, which can be integrated into all of the company’s new equipment.

Ware also says his staff answered many inquiries about the row of TT-series Ecodry dryers that took up residence along the back end of the booth. Ecodry dryers have undergone a few changes, such as large glass windows that allow a clear view of linens being dried, built-in smart technology, and a line burner that covers the entire drum.

Clean Cycle Systems

Clean

Filters reports solid booth traffic during Clean ’17, along with increased interest in its economic models for OPL and coin laundries, the Lint Lasso Series and OPL Small Wonder Models.

“It’s always a very important show for us because we get to see our dealers,” says Michael Reilly, president. “Just to maintain the relationship is a primary reason, and then you pick up a lot more leads. Larger companies have sales reps that are calling on their customers, their dealers. Smaller companies, you don’t really have somebody covering the whole territory.”

The CCS Lint Lasso “inline” duct filter displayed in Las Vegas spotlighted new stainless models, custom capabilities and models for 4-inch to 18-inch ductwork.

The company says its Small Wonder OPL-200 and -300 models are available in more than 10 sizes, with capability ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 CFM, offered in a choice of fiberglass or stainless steel.

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

Milnor debuted two products in its booth at the Clean Show: MWT-Series rigid-mount washer-extractors and Premier Series dryers.

Premier Series dryers are available in gas, steam or electric heat. The dryers come in units up to 120 pounds of capacity.

Milnor showed more than just two new lines, though. The new MWF100J7 features 220 pounds of capacity, and the company says it’s the largest-capacity washer-extractor in the series.

Also on display was the 76039 8-module CBW tunnel, featuring PulseFlow technology.

Besides laundry equipment, the Milnor booth also featured a display that premiered PurePulse Water Recovery Systems, with its ceramic, hollow-fiber membranebased filtration technology filter in the lower end of the ultrafiltration and nanofiltration range. The company says this filtration delivers ultra-clean water, critical for commercial and industrial textile care operation.

Spartan Fleet Vehicles and Services

Spartan Fleet Vehicles and Services showcased its Utilimaster 20-foot Walk-in Van at the Clean Show.

Cycle Systems Lint

The company says its MWT Series features models up to 60 pounds of capacity, while

“At Spartan, across our Utilimaster and Spartan Upfit Services brands, we are dedicated to designing vehicles and supporting products that enhance the productivity and effectiveness of our fleet customers,” says Tom

The line for attendee registration was non-stop on Clean’s opening day.

Booths were packed much of the time during the show.

Notice Anything?

InkGo® Is Now Odor Free!

InkGo has been reformulated to remove its odor… and to improve its performance.

InkGo is still the environmentally friendly,* safe way to remove ink stains from all types of fabric. It’s still great at removing autoclave tape and adhesives. And since it’s odor-free, InkGo is more pleasant to work with.

Does odor really matter? As more drycleaners position themselves as good environmental stewards, keeping chemical odors in the plant to a minimum can help them differentiate from their competition. And odor-free is a real plus if you’re working on ink for an extended period of time.

Now that’s worth noticing!

*InkGo is Biodegradable and is California Prop-65 and California VOC Compliant.

Become a STAIN WIZARD at ALWilson.com

To learn more, visit ALWilson.com or call 800-526-1188 A. L. WILSON CHEMICAL CO.

Ninneman, Spartan Fleet Vehicles and Services president.

The Utilimaster 20-foot Walk-In Van, customized to serve the laundry and linen service market, has a multitude of features designed to make both soiled- and cleanproduct transportation safer and easier, the company says.

The van includes a 10.1-inch in-dash radio back-up monitor unit with a 360-degree camera vision system, 100% interior and exterior LED lighting, and curbside shutter door option for product staging and two-wheel hand cart storage. The van also features a number of Utilimaster-patented designs to keep cargo safely in place, including SafeLoad , locking cart and locking garment rail systems.

IPA

IPA (Innovation+Passion+Automation) manufactures automated surgical scrub and linen dispensing equipment for healthcare providers.

In Las Vegas, the company showed off its scrub- and linen-dispensing systems.

According to IPA, its ScrubEx surgical scrub dispenser has been proven to reduce replacement costs by up to 90% and laundering costs up to 40%.

Along the same lines, it says its AlEx linen distribution system typically reduces replacement costs by 25% and processing costs by 20%.

Throughout the show, IPA highlighted its ability to help hospitals to increase productivity, support infection control efforts and provide tangible cost savings by reducing replacement and processing costs for surgical scrubs and linens.

EDRO Corp.

EDRO Corp. put the spotlight on its C80 and C110 C-SERIES tumbler dryers.

The company says the units are assembled using high-quality and robust components to ensure a long and useful machine life for the laundry operator.

Available in gas, steam (C80, C110) and electric (C80 only) versions, EDRO says its commercial series dryer range is designed to meet the needs of virtually every on-premises and commercial laundry facility.

The company says standard features of the C-SERIES range include simple design; fully insulated front, side and rear pan-

els; large door opening for easy loading/ unloading; fewer moving parts; mounting holes for easy installation; and a self-cleaning lint screen for easy cleaning.

WSI Washing Systems Inc.

Clean Show attendees got an eyeful from WSI—an eyeful of optimization technology, that is.

The company highlighted its Wash-Eye system, which provides real-time, comprehensive information. WSI says the system can “transform any plant’s potential into reality” with its data-collection and -analysis capabilities.

Wash-Eye works in the plant, in the cloud and on a device, according to the company. In addition, WSI says its data professionals offer around-the-clock support and updates.

Tingue

Laundry product supplier Tingue demonstrated how its products work with Mato Lacing’s line of belting for feeders, folders, flatwork ironers and other laundry machinery.

Tingue became the exclusive North American distributor for Mato Lacing in 2016, and the product is now standard equipment included with every order.

The company says Mato Lacing firmly attaches belt sections together using an all-stainless steel, flat profile design with unibar fasteners to reduce contact between the linen and the lacing.

Also unveiled during Clean were new guide-tape spools for flatwork ironers from Tingue machined from durable, waterproof, PVC plastic to resist wear and offer extended service life versus the wooden guide spools commonly included with the laundry finishing machinery.

The company says the new spools are sized to OEM specifications, fit all flatwork ironer models from all manufacturers, and are available in custom shapes and sizes in quantity.

Davis Packaging

Representatives from Davis Packaging showed Clean Show attendees how its wrapping equipment could protect clean linens.

Systems shared included the Mini Bundler, the Deluxe Table Top and the Deluxe Dual Role Console. The company says its equipment wraps linens so that customers don’t have to worry about separation, spills or contamination.

A highlighted item, self-adhesive carry handles, allows customers to simply peel and stick a handle onto linen packages for easy carrying.

Royal Basket Trucks Inc.

Royal Basket Trucks displayed a variety of linen transportation carts in its booth.

Company representatives pointed out cart functions, such as collection, sorting and transportation.

Attendees were able to get up close to examine a variety of the company’s carts. On hand were poly trucks, liner basket trucks and wire basket carts.

Also on display was a tambour door truck with cover and shelves, which the company says is ideal for linen storage and transportation.

Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry—a family of brands including Maytag Commercial Laundry, ADC™ and Whirlpool Commercial Laundry—showcased machines at this year’s Clean Show.

“We always look forward to being part of this spectacular event that brings the entire industry together,” says Trey Northrup, general manager of Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry. “Long after the show, we will continue to build a network of support that allows our customers to harness the power behind the Whirlpool Corporation.”

The interactive booth experience offered solutions for the on-premises, multihousing and coin-op markets.

Products shown in the booth included the redesigned Maytag® Commercial Laundry Top-Load Washer, with a ½-horsepower PSC motor, traditional flexvane agitator and quad-gear transmission, and the Front-Load Washer.

ADC™ products included the EcoWash Washer Lineup, available in both rigidand soft-mount configurations, offering a solution for any OPL or coin laundry need. The company says the Heavy-Duty ADC™ i-Series Dryer Lineup offers versatility and customized solutions to help maximize staff efficiency, optimize dry time and increase throughput.

Finally, the new Whirlpool® Commercial Laundry Top-Load Laundry Pair is engineered with commercial-grade components to deliver optimal performance, the company says.

Datamars

Radio frequency identification (RFID) company Datamars released its LaundryChip 401 in Las Vegas.

The company says LaundryChip 401 is the culmination of its 30-year expertise in RFID technology, meeting the extremely demanding requirements that an industrial laundry expects from a transponder.

“In today’s market, industrial laundry

facilities, textile rental companies, hospitals and hospitality chains need transponders that both endure the harshest industrial laundry conditions and are as small as possible, allowing them to be easily embedded in flat linens and garments,” says Brian Zapach, president of Datamars U.S. “We have responded by introducing our slimmest UHF transponder ever.”

G.S. Manufacturing

G.S. Manufacturing produces laundry carts for the institutional, healthcare and hospitality laundry industry.

During Clean, the company debuted a simple feature on its enclosed carts to aid nursing staff in the distribution of linens.

The innovation is a magnetic latch on the doors. The purpose, say company representatives, is to make it easier for nurses to close cart doors and help maintain the cleanliness of linens.

Before, staff would have to keep a free hand to work a latch. Now, a simple nudge can close the doors so linens aren’t exposed.

Superior Uniform Group

Fashion Seal Healthcare®, a signature brand of Superior Uniform Group Inc., unveiled its new patient apparel catalog at the 2017 Clean Show in Las Vegas. The company says the patient apparel selections were designed to enhance patient comfort and include an assortment of exciting new styles, colors and patterns.

Featuring more than 140 styles, the 48-page, full-color glossy catalog is a complete guide to patient apparel for both acute and non-acute environments, according to the company.

“We are very excited about the roll-out of our new patient apparel catalog. The catalog features fashion-forward, modern styles intertwined with classic, timeless styles that patients have come to know,” says Peter Benstock, president of Fashion Seal Healthcare. “Our customer-first approach has allowed us to enhance the patient experience while providing the superior performance healthcare laundries demand.”

Chicago Dryer Co.

Chicago Dryer Co. launched seven new products in two booths on the Clean Show floor.

In its high-production booth, the company demonstrated the Edge Hi•Maxx cornerless, triple-input spreader-feeder; Skyfeed, a premium spreader-feeder with

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compact buffer for continuous linen flow; and the Air Chicago Elite towel and gown folder.

In addition, the booth featured the ATM2 fully automatic washcloth separator-stacker and CHI•Trac, a quality assurance linen inspection system.

In the OPL/specialty linen booth, Chicago Dryer spotlighted its tapeless deep chest ironer, called Powerhouse HI•Q, and Laser Plus, a mid-range ironer for specialty linen.

Parker Boiler Co.

Parker Boiler Co. brought its 9.5L-WW (low-NOx) water-wall design, 9.5 horsepower, 150 psi steam boiler for attendees to inspect in Las Vegas.

Parker says it conducted extensive testing on this new vertical water-wall design in 2015 and 2016.

The company says standard, heavy-duty 1-inch tubes are used that have 0.12-inch wall thickness. The tubes are bent around the flame, creating a water-wall furnace. A large half-inch-thick, seamless horizontal steam drum is used for a steady water line and clean, dry steam production.

Parker says that the sealed combustion design raises efficiency with lower excess air and minimizes heat loss to the room.

A low-NOx metal fiber burner is standard for 20 ppm and precertified to AQMD 1146.2. Units will be available from 9.6 to 24 horsepower.

It also has up to 4 inches of insulation, a 5:1 turn-down ratio, digital pressure control, reflex prismatic sight glass, and two sides that do not require access, which allows it to be placed in the corner of a room, saving floor space. Parker says the unit’s footprint is similar to a vertical tubeless boiler.

Jensen Group

The Jensen Group says that it

featured what was likely its largest booth ever in Las Vegas. The company says it increased its booth size by 33% compared to the Atlanta show to showcase its latest options in the automation of heavy-duty laundries.

One of the highlights at the show was the new Jenfeed Express Plus. The company says it’s the fastest feeder on the market, using cornerless feeding technology. Jensen says the result in the hospitality sector is increased poundage per operator hour, providing high speed at high quality.

Other laundry solutions the company displayed at its booth include the new Hybrid ironer, a high-speed roller for mats, the first robot for towel folders, and exciting new laundry process automation for the washroom section.

Beck’s Classic Manufacturing Inc.

Beck’s Classic representative at Clean, Jeff Bloom, really enjoyed the trade show in Las Vegas.

“The feeling I get is everyone is more relaxed, enjoying themselves,” he says. “It’s a great vibe on the floor.”

While things were relaxed and enjoyable, Bloom kept busy talking to attendees about his company’s products: reusable healthcare textiles.

One product line the company put in the spotlight was its Arid Collection of reusable underpads. Beck’s says the product is laundry-friendly and focuses on the dryness and comfort of patients.

The company also drew attention to its “Position-EAZE” Slider Drawsheets. The drawsheet is made of spun polyester for durability and stain resistance. Beck’s says it also sews surgicalgrade polyester to the drawsheet to make patient repositioning easier and less risky.

Hydro Systems

Hydro Systems, a manufacturer of chemical proportioning and dispensing systems, introduced its FM-800 Flush Manifold series for commercial laundry and

other similar applications during Clean. The company says the FM-800 minimizes leak points and is designed to optimize safety and reliability by completely flushing chemical products to the washer.

“Delivering incomplete chemical dosages due to leaks or inadequate water supply is a big concern for laundries. It can impact safety, waste chemical and produce poor cleaning results, all of which negatively affect the entire business,” says John Goetz, global product manager. “Our FM-800 series safely mixes and accurately delivers liquid laundry chemicals and water to the washer without leaks over the life of the install.”

The company says the FM-800 can accommodate between two and eight chemical products. The unit simplifies installation with straight and 90-degree hose barbs using a push-to-connect interface. The modularity of the FM-800 enhances flexibility with longer lead wires and allows for expansion over time as facilities grow.

Hydro Systems has published the FM-800 maximum temperature (140 F) and pressure ratings (85 pounds per square inch) to ensure the unit is properly used and maintained.

Southwest Laundry Equipment

Southwest Laundry Equipment, a domestic and international supplier of commercial laundry parts and maintenance materials, highlighted an ironer pad in Las Vegas.

Representatives say the company’s Steel Master Pad is the most durable ironer pad on the market.

Given the design to retain a roll’s circumference, Southwest says Steel Master Pads provide true graduation, resulting in a superior finish on linen with fewer wrinkles.

Other advantages of the steel pad include reaching ironing temperatures more quickly and retaining heat longer than synthetic pads, thus requiring less boiler horsepower.

Another benefit, according to the company, is that because of the decreased resistance the pads yield to extract moisture from linen, ironer vacuums can be more efficient. Consequently, goods are drier and ironer covers last longer.

Leonard Automatics

Leonard Automatics says representatives spoke with key customers and made some new contacts at Clean 2017.

“I was very pleased with the reception we received at the Clean Show,” says CEO Jeff Frushtick. “It was a pleasure to say hello to friends and customers.”

The company demonstrated a variety of finishing equipment, including its new LF136

and LF136C large-piece folders, capable of high-speed folding, cross-folding and stacking.

Leonard also showed its VTP 32-XS steam tunnel finisher, its flagship tunnel with double the steam injection zone for even greater garment conditioning. The new model adds hot-air agitation in the steam zone, providing a more thorough relaxation and conditioning of the fabric.

Also demonstrated was the company’s IM series, small-footprint tunnel finisher, capable of superior garment finishing.

In addition, Leonard displayed its Stack N Store small-piece draping stacker and the LCW Cart Washer, showing its selfcontained design with no external tanks able to clean up to a 75-inch-tall cart.

Energenics Corp.

Energenics utilized its booth space to show off its filters and cleaning systems.

The company offers several products to help control dust and lint. These include lint filters for dryer exhaust, the In-Line Space Saver series, and an indoor air pollution filter series to remove lint and dust from work space called Lint Scrubber.

Besides its filter systems, Energenics also informed attendees about its sanitizing Kartwasher cart-washing systems for linen carts.

Dexter Laundry

At the 2017 Clean Show, Dexter Laundry says the “showstopper” in the booth was its new O-Series line of on-premises products, which gives customers “Total Control” over their businesses and laundries.

Dexter says O-Series controls offer technology and reporting systems to help limit downtime and keep the laundry running efficiently. Added features like moisture control, combustion sensing and specialty cycles set the O-Series line apart as the most advanced line of Dexter onpremises products ever offered.

The company says the new O-Series line is an addition to the current line of Dexter onpremises products and will available for sale later this year.

Dexter also showed that its

stack washer-dryer family grew with the addition of the T-350 SWD. Available in 20-, 30- and 50-pound capacities, the company says its stack washer-dryers deliver the same commercialgrade performance customers expect from a Dexter standalone washer and dryer in half the space. This makes them ideal for installations with limited space or in need of more capacity.

With a dry-to-dry time of less than one hour, they maximize laundry throughput while saving on utility expenses. The company says the T-350 SWD and the upgraded T-450 SWD will be available for sale later this fall.

OMNI Solutions

OMNI Solutions garnered attention on the show floor with SULAOS: Smart Ultraviolet Light Advanced Oxidation System, which dissolves organic materials from water through an enhanced oxidation process for tunnel washers.

Using a combination of methods involving ultraviolet light, the system produces potent oxidizers, including hydroxyl radicals, which react with contaminants, removing all traces of them from treated water.

The company says the system reduces bacteria in laundry water from more than 200 colonyforming units (CFU) to less than 1 CFU, without increasing total dissolved solids (TDS).

OMNI adds that reducing water and natural gas usage through SULAOS provides significant dollar savings and ensures linens and the laundry water are hygienically clean.

G.A. Braun

G.A. Braun announced four new laundry options in Las Vegas: a side loader, a tunnel washer press, a spreader-feeder and side-by-side dryers.

The company says the Braun Advantage® 900-pound Side Loader is available in a fourpocket configuration. The use of Braun’s proven and patented cylinder door-locking system, crush-hazard protection, an automated step, and the sleek, ergonomic design of

Company representatives spent much of the show talking with interested attendees.

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this machine have answered the requests and needs of the market, according to the company.

The new SmoothFlow® Batch Tunnel Washer Press features a waterless membrane, inverter drive electric belt and high pressure, adjustable up to 50 bar, says Braun.

The company says its new Precision Series® Spreader/Feeder

serves a wide variety of flatwork laundry processing needs from hospitality, healthcare, commercial linen providers and general industrial laundries. Unique to the new spreader/feeder is a single-motor servo spread drive technology coupled with the company’s new spread detection and speed-synchronized spread belts.

Finally, Braun announced the expansion of its Side-By-Side (SBS) Dryers. The company says its SBS tunnel system dryers are now available in natural gas or steam, in a non-chute or

a patent-pending chute-loading system, in 300-pound processing capacities.

Braun says 500-pound SBS dryers will be available the fourth quarter of this year.

Monarch Brands

Linen and microfiber products provider Monarch Brands highlighted a new sheet collection and bundled bar mops in Las Vegas.

The company says its new Lulworth Sheet Collection represents its commitment to bolster its institutional lineup. Monarch says it has leveraged its Chinese

retail line partners to develop a softer sheet line that will hold up to the rigors of commercial use. The sheets come in either T-200 or T-180. The company says the T-200 sheets are creaseresistant because of the 60/40 cotton/poly blend, and are guestready out of the box. The T-180 sheets have a 55/45 cotton/poly blend, and Monarch says they are an economical institutional product.

Monarch’s other highlighted product, Qwick Wick Bar Mops, are pre-washed and bundled in packages of one dozen, packaged five dozen per carton.

The company says the bar mops are ideal for premium routes that demand virgin bar mops. Also, Monarch says the smaller product counts are preferred among smaller operations in industries which rarely need massive wiping inventory.

Consolidated Laundry Machinery

Consolidated Laundry Machinery (CLM) was all about its cutting-edge technology in its Clean Show booth, and it highlighted a new interface.

The company says the interface allows operators to monitor operations via mobile devices, such as an iPad.

During the show, the company also informed attendees about other technology found in its dryers, which results in fast drying times, contributing to increased output and tremendous energy savings over time.

Representatives say that customers continue to buy CLM equipment because CLM dryers are known as the workhorses of the industry that last for decades due to robust engineering and use of the highest-quality materials.

Chem-Tainer/Maxi-Movers Chem-Tainer Industries Inc. highlighted the poly cart, truck and transportation solutions that its Maxi-Movers division provides the laundry and linen industry.

Christopher Glen, vice president of sales and marketing for the company, noted the strength of the industry at the show.

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“But, the industry is a little off, in my opinion,” he says. “However, that’s most likely because we’ve had two great years. Now it’s getting back to ‘normal.’”

The company says it continues to use the experience and knowledge gained from being the first and oldest poly cart manufacturer to improve and innovate.

Softrol

Softrol offers a complete line of solutions, including chemical, rail, management information, advanced sortation solutions and control systems.

In Las Vegas this year, the company highlighted its Total Plant Management system with LOIS.

The Total Plant Management system offers state-of-the-art rail systems for both soil- and cleangoods transfer, as well as material handling for the wash aisle, according to the company.

LOIS is a mobile app that lets

operators view plant operations from anywhere, Softrol says.

The company says LOIS features dashboards for each product line, so laundry managers can view production information at a glance. With drill-down capability for date ranges, more extensive reports can be viewed for comparisons and past production performance.

Lapauw USA

Lapauw USA says Clean ’17 was one of the busiest and most successful for the company because of the new products and

new initiatives unveiled.

“I’ve been coming to this show since 1983, and this was the most successful show I’ve ever had,” says David Bernstein, president.

The company says its new tunnel washing systems created a lot of buzz, bringing the attendees to its two booths to learn more about the announcement and to see new and existing products.

Announced at the show were the IronMAX, a gas-heated ironer with redesigned aspects to enable the largest ironing surface possible; the IronPRO, a chest-heated OPL ironer; and the TowelFold, a machine that can sort up to three different sizes of product, fold them accordingly and stack them in three separate piles, Lapauw says.

The company says it also saw a renewed interest in the Mediwave, a cleanroom washerextractor that is hygienic and ergonomic. In addition, the company says there was reinvigorated interest in the HotSTREAM, a tunnel finisher.

Spindle

Spindle, which provides operation management software, showed off a new product for smaller operations at Clean.

The Internet of Things (IoT) Kit has everything needed to connect a piece of equipment to the cloud, according to the company.

Once connected, data from the equipment is shown on SpindleLIVE, a visual workplace tool that helps to increase productivity, the company says.

Spindle says with the kit connected, management will begin to receive data on the piece of equipment to track time and efficiency.

U.N.X Inc.

U.N.X. Inc. provides laundry chemicals for all types of laundry markets it serves, and the company announced a new technical development at Clean—the MAXX series of laundry chemicals.

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

The company says these detergents will produce superior results on nearly every type

With a sold-out floor, the Exhibitor Locator proved essential.

of soil a laundry operator may encounter.

U.N.X. adds that the formulation of these products allow for superior quality results achieved at a reasonable use cost.

Kannegiesser ETECH

Kannegiesser says this year’s Clean Show in Las Vegas was very exciting with an integrated booth. In April of this year, Kannegiesser acquired overhead rail systems provider E-Tech Inc., based in Minneapolis, and the newly formed North American company is Kannegiesser ETECH.

“We like the team, they are very complementary to each other,” says Martin Kannegiesser, president and CEO of parent company Kannegiesser GmbH.

The company says the booth was 11,700 square feet to highlight the combined company and products. Each day featured presentations on the company’s monorail and controls, explaining the eVue software package.

For the first time in a U.S. exhibition, Kannegiesser says it displayed a buffer feeding system designed for processing hotel sheets. The other highlight was a rollout of the ErgoFeed threestation, cornerless feeder for maximum throughput in a healthcare application.

On the small-piece folder front, the company showed off its upgraded XFM Speedline folder. Finally, the company displayed its Vectura Stack Management System, which collects and organizes folded stacks coming from ironer lines or dry folding machines.

Rennco

Rennco showcased two machines at Clean ’17: the Model VerticL-PP dual packaging system and the Texwrap L-bar sealer with shrink tunnel.

Rennco says the Model VerticL-PP dual packaging system uses generic center-folded rolls of readily available poly film, providing significant cost savings compared to pre-made bags. The company says bag sizes can be easily adjusted using a touch screen in a matter of seconds, without changing the roll.

The second machine displayed was a Texwrap (a Rennco sister company) Automated L-Bar Sealer with Shrink Tunnel set up to wrap folded and stacked linens. Polyolefin film will shrink up to 60%, allowing variance in stack height, width and length within the same production run.

Coupled with an ID Technology (a Rennco sister company) Print and Apply Labeler, linen bundles can be grouped and distributed by area code using RFID technology, to partially automate shipping.

McClure Industries

McClure caught the eyes of attendees with a burned cart in its booth.

The purpose? To show the fire-retardant capability of its Sanitrux line of carts.

The cart in the booth was scorched on the outside, but inside, it was untouched.

According to representatives, that shows that linens inside would be less likely to ignite in a fire.

The company points out that this is especially important for laundries that process linens soiled by grease and oil.

The DECC Co.

Clogged dryer panels reduce efficiency and increase dry times

and costs. DECC showed attendees at Clean how its product can help reduce plastic buildup.

The company’s dryer panel coating turns panels into nonstick surfaces. DECC says the coating reduces plastic buildup and decreases downtime due to maintenance and cleaning.

In addition, the company says the coating helps maintain “likenew” dryer efficiency and airflow for a longer time.

DECC says its product is also long-lasting, with customers having had panels perform well for more than four years.

WET-TECH, New Horizons in Ozone Solutions

WET-TECH took advantage of the Clean Show to share how ozone works in a laundry.

Representatives educated attendees on “cell lysing,” which is the destruction of bacteria cells with ozone. Simply put, ozone piped into the wash pokes a hole into bacteria cells, rupturing and destroying the bacteria.

“Using ozone reaches hygienically clean levels in industrial and commercial laundries,” says Jack Reiff, company president.

The company says its Enviro-

Saver II Ozone System can help laundries reduce water, electric and chemical usage.

MODRoto

Laundry product manufacturer MODRoto unveiled its new Linen Locker, which secures soiled laundry inside a durable, lockable, weatherproof plastic bin to guard against theft and eliminate risk of contact with the elements while providing easy, ergonomic access for removal. The company says the indoor-

outdoor Linen Locker is rotationally molded as a rugged, one-piece enclosure standing 80 inches tall with a convenient, non-removable, full-height, side-entry door that allows route truck drivers and/or housekeeping staff to quickly gather the laundry placed inside without significant bending, reaching or heavy lifting.

The locker was developed for use at restaurants, hotels, catering halls and other foodservice facilities, and can hold 54 cubic feet of table linens, uniforms, aprons and other soiled linens.

The company also says it serves as an attractive collection bin for wet towels and other soiled linens at fitness centers, athletic facilities and aquatic facilities, and as a charitable donation collection bin suitable for indoor/outdoor installation.

Brim Laundry Machinery Co.

Brim Laundry Machinery Co.

showed off two products on the trade show floor: tumblerdryers and slim, tilting washerextractors.

The Pacesetter CPG-400 and CPG-600 tumbler-dryers can use less than 1,800 Btu to remove a pound of water, at the rate of 19 pounds a minute, the company says. Brim credits the low Btu usage to its Geyseric gas burner, axial airflow design and a fully modulating proportional gas train.

The units come in 400- and 700-pound capacities, with standard two-door, one-way tilt

pass-through design.

Brim focused on the “slim” part of its 66/40 Slim Tilting Washer-Extractor. Why slim? Because the unit has a footprint 10 inches narrower than previous units.

Railex Corp.

Railex showed off its garmentmoving systems in Las Vegas.

For industrial laundries, the company has overhead speed monorail and screw conveyor systems. Railex says these are designed to move garments, linens and uniforms.

For institutional settings, such as correctional facilities or food processing plants, the company highlighted its overhead garment and garment bag conveyors. Railex says the conveyors offer options for loading and unloading, as well as elevated sections to free up floor space.

Kemco Systems

Kemco Systems has provided systems with technologies to recover waste energy and recycle process wastewater for almost 50 years. The company highlighted these technologies at Clean, saying the highly efficient systems reduce energy consumption and costs, conserve freshwater resources and minimize laundries’ environmental impact.

The company says its wastewater heat recovery system recovers potentially lost thermal energy by capturing the heat from wastewater and using it to preheat incoming fresh water.

Also highlighted at Clean 2017 was the patent-pending Ceramic Microfiltration followed by Reverse Osmosis system. The company says this system will remove 100% of fats, oils and greases, and total suspended solids, while removing dissolved substances, such as total dissolved solids and surfactants. This allows for up to 95% recycle of treated wastewater.

Voltea

Voltea, which provides Membrane-Capacitive Deionization (CapDI©) for tunable, salt-free and chemical-free water softening and desalination, displayed the first-ever IS-24H (Industrial Series-Horizontal) to the market at Clean.

“I am delighted to introduce the world to Voltea’s IS-H series,” says CEO L. Bryan Brister. “Our engineering and design teams have made a big step forward in product performance while dramatically reducing capital equipment costs.”

The company says that engineering advances to its CapDI systems include improvements in electronic controls, redesigned piping significantly reducing interconnected dead volume, and the use of Voltea’s SingleBlock© technology for module connections.

Voltea says these advances required a repositioning of its modules to a horizontal orientation.

JP Equipment Inc.

In the JP Equipment booth, representatives showed off Inwatec’s garment-scanning and -sorting products from Denmark.

What really garnered attention was the X-ray garment scanner.

Using X-ray technology, the scanner detects foreign elements in laundry, such as pens, needles and scissors. The foreign objects are sorted out of the laundry and into a rejection bin.

delivers benefits such as a sickle fan blade that increases performance and efficiency; a totally enclosed drive system that is patent-pending, called the iDrive, to allow for precise and consistent planning for cleaning ranges; and an extended, slim shroud that expands the effective cleaning area.

Penn Emblem

Penn Emblem displayed a variety of products at the show in Las Vegas. The booth featured a new product collection, including its new thermal ID labels

and printers.

Other items Penn presented to attendees included embroidered and woven emblems.

At the show, Penn Emblem continued its 70th anniversary with decoration solutions for companies and organizations all over the world.

Encompass Group LLC

At Clean 2017, Encompass Group announced its new UltraLinks Plus larger-size blanket in two new colors to appeal to a broader audience.

Aspen Green and Tan

UltraLinks Plus blankets are 74 inches by 102 inches to accommodate the more common use of 42-inch-wide mattresses in healthcare facilities, the company says.

The company says the soft, 100% synthetic fabric provides lasting patient comfort and warmth and carries color retention properties that ensure long-lasting, vibrant colors. The quick-drying fabric offers energy savings, while the tight weave minimizes the risk of snagging

The company says the machine can scan up to 2,800 pieces an hour.

JP’s sister company, JPE Inc., is the exclusive sales representative for Inwatec’s products in the United States.

EzProducts International Inc.

EzProducts International (EzPi) used the Clean Show floor to display its permanent tagless systems for textile labeling, heatsealing, decorating and mending options.

The company uses bar-coding, which it says saves time and money, and allows customers to maintain the history of each garment.

In addition, EzPi says its products eliminate the labor of applying and removing paper tags and the cost of paper tags.

The company says it uses heatseal presses for consistent pricing and finishing.

Spartan Chemical Co. Inc.

Spartan Chemical shared information about its complete line of laundry products with Clean attendees in Las Vegas.

One highlight was the Clothesline Fresh Laundry Care Program.

The company says the line of products is an “environmentally preferable approach” to cleaning laundry. This is because the line uses ingredients that have been designed to be environmentally friendly.

Spartan also says Clothesline Fresh Laundry products contain the latest in cleaning technology, providing high cleaning performance at a lower cost to laundry operations.

SonicAire

It was breezy over at the SonicAire booth. That’s because the company’s dust-control fans were on display and running.

In Las Vegas, the company highlighted its 1-horsepower fan.

Representatives says that just like the SonicAire 2.c, the smaller fan is an “acrobat,” with a size and maneuverability that allows it to clean spaces that are virtually impossible to reach otherwise.

In addition to being such a compact barrier fan, the company says the SonicAire 1.c

and tearing.

Encompass also says the synthetic fabric has stain-resistant properties to help reduce costly relaundering. And the reversible blanket design allows healthcare staff to spend less time while making the bed.

The company also introduced the C2 Coverage+Comfort Collection of patient gowns. These new gowns are designed to increase patient modesty and comfort by offering more coverage across the back, a generous fit, and modern clinical features.

Felins USA Inc.

Felins USA, a packaging company, debuted its TPS L-Bar Sealer in Las Vegas.

The automatic shrink-wrapping system is made for single garments, like medical gowns. The company says garments can be hand-fed or can be processed via automatic inline operation. The machine automatically adjusts bag length to the fold of the garment.

Felins adds that the sealer has a compression option available to remove excess air before sealing.

Venus Group

Venus Group highlighted a luxury sheet for hospitality and institutional markets at the Clean Show.

Performance Twill with Invictus Technology has a cotton/polyester combination that provides the feel of cotton with the strength of polyester, the company says.

Venus says the Invictus Technology is a patented weave of premium, ring-spun cotton fiber and textured polyester. The company says the combination improves the strength of the fabric, resulting in a long-lasting product.

Venus says that in customer testing with more than 200 launderings, the product showed no signs of pilling, linting, or drop in high tensile and tear strengths.

Ellis Corp.

Ellis Corp., which provides laundry and wastewater systems, had a combined presence with its divisions, which include Ludell and Vega Systems.

For the Vegas show, the company highlighted the Ellis SideLoading washer-extractor.

The company told attendees about what it calls the cornerstone of the product’s design—a reliable Rexroth Hydraulic drive, able to operate under some of the toughest conditions, every day.

The side loader also has Network Ready Controls, allowing the machine to have an option for the Ellis One Touch

control or the Ellis Intellitrol.

Other features representatives pointed out were power doors to increase operational safety and optimal speed and automatically lubricated bearings to help reduce maintenance and prolong machine life.

Ellis says the side loader has models with two, three or four pockets, and it’s available in 450-, 675- and 900-pound capacities.

A.L. Wilson Chemical Co.

Attendees visiting the A.L. Wilson booth learned how to “become a stain wizard.”

Representatives highlighted products like its Laundry Two: RiteGo laundry spray spotter and Laundry TarGo. The company says RiteGo aids in the removal of normal stains, while TarGo helps remove tough, oil-based stains.

Besides highlighting the effectiveness of its products, A.L. Wilson also shared how they are eco-friendly and physically safer. It says its products are chlorinated solvent-free (aligned with alternative solvents) and California 2013 VOC and Prop65 compliant.

JB Industries

JB Industries, a manufacturer of finishing equipment, introduced its KING model ironer, with a 32-inch diameter roll that has a chest that wraps 278 degrees around the roll.

The company says the feature gives the ironer the same or better production of a 52-inch diameter chest-type ironer in the space of a 32-inch ironer.

The company also announced a cooperation with The Right Source Co. and RGM Enterprises to assemble the LACO line of self-contained, gas-fired, thermal fluid chest-type flatwork ironers with patented Air-Stream flexible chests.

The main manufactured parts such as chests and rolls are imported from Belgium, and assembly is completed in Florida using purchased components from the United States.

JBI says the line is available in three different roll diameters and ironing widths from 68 inches to 138 inches, for use in on-premises laundries and party rental stores.

PSP Industrial Laundry Equipment

PSP used the Clean Show to highlight a vast inventory of pre-owned industrial laundry equipment.

The company also showed off rigging, installation and consulting projects it has completed throughout the year.

In addition, visitors to the PSP booth were able to see the company’s 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Florida. The warehouse contains all of the company’s equipment, and it’s where PSP’s team of technicians repairs, tests and prepares machines prior to loading.

EcoTex/ClearWater Tech

ClearWater Tech, part of the EcoTex family of ozone laundry technology, introduced its NatureWash HD System in Las Vegas.

The company says the system is designed for semi-commercial washers up to 50 pounds of wash capacity.

The system is a compact, wall-mounted unit enclosed in stainless steel with automated operation. The company says the unit can be used in assisted care, hotel/motel, and fluff-and-fold laundries.

B&C Technologies

B&C Technologies highlighted its TS series of drying cabinets, designed to efficiently hang-dry delicate garments that should not be tumble-dried.

The company says the dryers are perfect for pillows, embellished items, knit silk, satin and any fabric that can’t handle friction that comes with traditional tumble drying. Delicate items can be dried efficiently without mechanical action using either manual or automatic drying modes with accurate temperature and humidity sensing.

According to B&C, a threefan system and inverse pressure drying allows for shorter drying times and lower costs.

The TS-63 offers 20 pounds capacity and swing-out hanging rails with 50 feet of hanging length; a single hanging bar is

also an option. The TS-93 has a 32-pound capacity and 90 feet of hanging space.

The programmable temperatures range from room temperature to high-temp programs, up to 195 F, which greatly reduces allergens and bacterial contaminants, the company says.

UniMac

UniMac®, an Alliance Laundry Systems brand, took advantage of the Clean Show to provide attendees with a look into its TotalVue® system, which it says gives on-premises laundry managers a complete view into laundry operations.

The networked system, which requires UniMac machines equipped with the UniLinc® control, monitors the performance of all washer-extractors and tumble dryers in the facility, as well as multiple locations (if applicable), according to the company. The end results are reports that make it simple to measure the key performance indicators impacting the laundry’s efficiency (both in labor and utilities).

UniMac says that as a cloudbased solution, it also offers a real-time look at operations from anywhere in the world, through a personalized Internet portal. This accessibility gives management the power to make immediate changes.

Reports are easily exported, printed or e-mailed to other stakeholders, such as a hotel general manager, property manager or facilities engineer.

Laundrylux

The Laundrylux booth featured a virtual reality tour of the company’s offerings, ranging from concept stores to payment options.

Of interest to the laundry and linen services market is the Electrolux Efficient Dosing System.

Attendees learned how the system automatically calculates the correct amount of detergent to use according to the weight of the soiled linens.

The weight is determined by the Automatic Saving System, says Electrolux. For each wash cycle, this system weighs the linens, adds the correct amount of water and determines the appropriate energy consumption for the load.

Ecolab

Ecolab introduced several innovations at the show to help commercial laundry managers improve operations, profitability and enduser satisfaction.

Ecolab introduced enVision , a process-intelligence platform that enables laundry managers to monitor critical washing parameters 365 days a year and leverage process insights for better quality control, while reducing operational costs and improving plant productivity. It also debuted OxyGuard 40, a hospitality wash program that combines low-temp washing (effective at 104 F) with exclusive molecular innovation.

Performance™ Industrial XXL is a new, patent-pending, soil-removing technology that includes dedicated surfactants specifically formulated to eliminate a variety of heavy-duty industrial soils, says Ecolab.

The company also introduced products for water recycling and filtration. Blue Ocean™ recovers up to 4,000 gallons of hot water per hour at commercial laundries. AquaBatch and AquaDrain™ is a synergistic duo filtration system designed to eliminate hair and lint and improve customer satisfaction.

Finally, Ecolab introduced AdvaCare™ Disinfectant, a U.S. EPA-registered (1677-193) disinfectant for use in preventing cross-contamination of pathogens common to healthcare and food processing facilities on textiles and in laundry wash water.

Gurtler Industries Inc.

Gurtler Industries reports it found Clean ’17 to be extremely valuable. Representatives say they were pleased with the number of attendees on hand who were able to make buying decisions.

To those qualified individuals, Gurtler presented its Synergy Technology. The technology maximizes oxygen bleach performance by using less, according to the company. This is accomplished by using a synergistic activator that energizes oxygen bleach.

Gurtler also spotlighted its Wastewater Division, created to help laundries treat wastewater effectively and at a cost savings.

Things did slow down a little on the show’s final day in Las Vegas.

Imagine the impact on the environment if every hospital replaced paper napkins with a Traynap™; and if every restaurant replaced paper napkins with a Lunchkin™. Add to this, the (recycled polyester) Greenie ® , and we can save the world… one meal at a time.

TR SA’s annual conference headed to Miami Beach

ALEXANDRIA, Va. —

Presenters providing unique insights into linen, uniform and facility services trends, plus two informative and entertaining keynote speakers from outside the industry, will educate

attendees of the upcoming 2017 TRSA Annual Conference, Sept. 12-14, in Miami Beach, says the association for the linen, uniform and facility services industry ( www. trsa.org).

According to TRSA, the conference agenda appeals to the complete range of industry management professionals: owner-operators,

executives, directors, general managers and other laundry-based department heads. All will benefit from education sessions and personal interaction with other TRSA members to discover big-picture ideas to improve their workplaces.

In addition, TRSA says that by attending a committee meeting

at the conference, participants share ideas on specific issues and markets and drive TRSA to foster improvement of industry best practices.

Chief among industry-specific presentations will be a panel of top executives from international linen, uniform and facility services companies, including two European

operations, TRSA says. This interactive information-sharing forum, What Would You Ask Industry CEOs?, will take place on Thursday, Sept. 14, as the conference’s final business session.

Facilitated by TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci, the panel will discuss issues and concerns facing the industry and share their personal insights and perspectives.

When registering for the conference, each attendee will submit a question to the panelists as if they were seeking a position with the questioner’s company. Other opportunities to question panelists will follow as well.

Companies scheduled to be represented on the panel (Alsco Inc., Aramark Corp., Bardusch GmbH & Co. KG, Cintas Corp. and Lindström Group) are multiplant operations that all have a presence outside North America, although most are better recognized as U.S. market-share leaders.

TRSA says breakout sessions include:

• How to increase revenue with top-notch customer service.

• Succession strategies to protect and perpetuate your business.

• Trials, tribulations and best practices regarding employment law.

• Linen, uniform and facility services industry bottom-line performance.

The first keynote speaker at the conference, Rich Karlgaard of Forbes Magazine, is a futurist, entrepreneur and author, according to TRSA. He will highlight the most important economic trends affecting your company as he describes how the business and technology world is likely to unfold over the next two to 10 years.

The other conference keynoter is Dave Barry, the Pulitzer Prizewinning humorist. This newspaper columnist and best-selling author uses humor to present fresh insights into even the most serious concerns. He offers a wacky point of view on relationships, work, kids, technology and more.

Another conference highlight will be the Chairman’s Reception and Awards Dinner, honoring individuals and companies for their exceptional service to TRSA and the industry. Members are nominating their colleagues or companies for one of 10 of these high industry honors.

The dinner is just one of a variety of social opportunities at the conference, including the opening welcome reception and optional recreational activities and tours.

Three-day schedule packed with education sessions

Dave Barry

Rich Karlgaard

AHE

2017 conference focuses on solutions

sphere that focuses on sales to a solution center atmosphere that focuses on learning and relationship building.

CHICAGO — The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) of the American Hospital Association will be hosting its EXCHANGE 2017 Conference & Solution Center in Orlando, Sept. 17-20, according to the association.

AHE is the professional organization of choice for individuals responsible for caring for the patient and resident care environment across all care settings, including hospitals, long-term care, continuing care retirement communities and ambulatory care.

The association says the conference is for professionals in healthcare with an interest in the environment of care across the continuum of care including:

• Environmental services directors, managers and supervisors.

• Professionals in healthcare support services, including risk management and facility management interested in expanding their environmental services and infectionprevention knowledge.

• Nurses, infection preventionists and other clinicians with an interest in the healthcare environment.

• Contractors, vendors and manufacturers looking to expand their environmental services knowledge.

“Over the last few months, the AHE executive committee, planning committee and staff have put some serious hours into analyzing and reinventing the EXCHANGE conference program—as a result, we’ve developed a program with unprecedented value,” says 201617 AHE President Gary Dolan. “We worked with outside consultants to figure out what we were getting right (there was a lot) and where we could make some improvements.”

Here are the highlights of what attendees can expect this year, according to AHE:

• Leadership-focused content.

EXCHANGE will cover content that focuses on evidencebased best practices and techniques, but this year’s program will focus more on the skills that make great leaders who can build teams, while reducing costs and staff turnover.

• Preconference workshops. The association has extended the Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional (CHESP) review course to a full day of review. Plus, AHE says it has brought back the threeday Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technicians (CHEST) workshop (Sept. 14-16) and one-

day Certificate of Mastery in Infection Prevention for Environmental Services Professionals (CMIP) in-person session (Sept. 17).

• Solution center. AHE says it has shifted its exhibit hall from a marketplace atmo-

• Conference within a conference. A conference-wide interactive learning event like no other, according to AHE.

More information about EXCHANGE 2017 can be found at the conference website, www. ahe.org/Conference/2017/home. shtml.

ALN

ing to their location and needs,” Gracia says. “The plan should be reviewed and revised when changes occur and/or reviewed and revised at least yearly.”

Brian Keegan, safety and sustainability officer for AmeriPride Services Inc., headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., says his company focuses on preventing the common emergencies under

the company’s control and makes sure it is prepared for those not under its control.

“AmeriPride/Canadian Linen is very proactive when it comes to practicing emergency procedures,” he says. “We have daily measures and controls in place in order to prevent emergencies from occurring. Our employees are trained from day one on the best way to deal with emergencies and can receive advanced training on the use of AEDs [defibrillators], etc.”

Parkland employees receive training annually to respond to

disasters, emergencies and code alerts, Hoelscher says. The training is online, in the classroom and in the laundry. Fire extinguisher training is hands-on using electronic BullEx training equipment.

“We also participate in fire (Code Red) drills, evacuation and other disaster drills,” he says. “Our staff have particular responses to each code, such as remaining observant during Security Watches; codes Gray, Pink and Brown; reporting to a designated classroom, which has no windows, during a Code

The Most Comprehensive Guide to Industry Operations

Laundry Operations and Management provides an overview of all aspects of laundry operations: a primer on procedures, technologies and transactions of production, sales and service. It is the only resource that explains how every manager and employee a ects every stage in the laundry process. Nowhere else will you nd as many insights for industry newcomers and veterans alike about industry best practices for processing linens, uniforms and other items.

Black; locking doors during codes Silver and Orange; etc.”

Keegan says AmeriPride develops its emergency training and programs by studying root causes, identifying current best practices and then modifying policies and procedures based on the best practices and root-cause analysis.

“We communicate our safety policies and procedures starting on day one and throughout our ongoing in-person and online training, during regular monthly safety training and meetings, at special events, and during regular fire and emergency drills,” he says. “We also discuss specific safety topics in special sections of our quarterly newsletter and corporate intranet.”

Keegan adds that branch management has a crisis communications plan, and that the company has developed a mobile phone crisis application to help branch managers react and respond to emergencies.

George Latus, manager of linen services at White River Health System, Batesville, Ark., says that in a medical center environment, the system’s safety philosophy is omnipresent. Safety procedures are well-documented.

“We definitely stress to laundry employees that careful attention to safety procedures is key to their safety, but also can impact the whole facility,” he says. “When we don’t follow safety procedures, it jeopardizes the safety of patients and all who work in the hospital. This fact is well-communicated to staff.”

Latus says laundry safety procedures drive off the facility’s procedures, but adds that those procedures are specific to the risks associated with a hospital environment laundry. In the laundry, he says, changes to safety procedures are communicated during monthly in-service meetings or to “refresh” on current processes.

“New employees go through training on safety procedures,” Latus says. “Also, nobody works by themselves, so we always keep an eye on one another and identify any safety lapses.”

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

Keegan says that essential emergency preparedness should

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

start with the basics, like the development of an emergency action plan and evacuation plan to meet OSHA and insurance company requirements.

“There is a lot of good information from OSHA and insurance providers on how to deal with immediate emergencies,” he says.

From there, procedures can evolve into a crisis management plan in which the laundry provides more training and support to branch management from outside consultants, vendors or corporate office specialists.

“This crisis management plan will include how to deal with specific issues after the immediate crisis has passed,” he says.

Latus says laundry operations definitely need basic safety procedures in place in the event of fire or electrical issues.

“In a medical facility such as ours, we have additional safety guidelines to avoid contact with sharps, should one accidentally find its way into the laundry, as well as what to do in the event that someone is stuck,” he says.

Along with the essential safety procedures is an incident analysis, according to Latus, during which the laundry will seek to uncover the root cause of the incident and either retrain or reassess procedures to prevent a similar mishap.

For Gracia, communication and knowledge among staff is key for laundry emergency procedures.

“Identify ‘first responders’ and provide adequate training, and instruct employees on how to report and/or request immediate help,” she says. “When using a paging system, instruct employees on what to say when paging for assistance. If you have a ‘pull’ station for siren, instruct employees on when and how to use it.”

In addition, Keegan says every company should have a business continuity plan, and possibly business interruption insurance matched to a risk.

“This business continuity plan provides specific, individualized plan(s) (based on a common template) to address the full range of business disruption topics, from the loss of a boiler to having your servers hacked,” he says.

Should Parkland’s laundry be unable to operate for any reason, Hoelscher says the facility has reciprocal agreements with other laundries within and outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“If needed, we also have contacts with vendors for additional new linen,” he says. “We have contracts in place to provide trucks, water in tankers, generators and other emergency supplies as needed. However, Parkland has never had to send its linen to another laundry to be processed.”

Parkland has frequently provided emergency services for

other hospital laundries, some more than once, according to Hoelscher.

“Most occurred when they had equipment breakdown or replacement,” he says. “One was when their laundry had a fire and Parkland processed their linen for a full year. Another is still in progress due to damage to a laundry facility caused by a tornado in January 2017.”

Hoelscher says Parkland has redundancy in almost all of its essential equipment: air compressors, boilers, thermal heaters, hot-water generators, water

—GEORGE LATUS, WHITE RIVER

HEALTH SYSTEM

reclamation, washer-extractors, tunnel washers, dryers, ironers, folders, etc.

“The system also has an excellent laundry maintenance team

and large spare-parts inventory, as well as backup systems in place should the computers fail for the rail system and tunnel washers,” he says. “Parkland employees are cross-trained to cover other positions in the laundry and distribution if short-staffed in any area.”

During utility outages, Hoelscher says Parkland staff has always been able to serve its patients by utilizing linen conservation practices, hand folding, emergency reserve linen, new linen that was pre-washed, other usable non-premium linen, running extended hours, and

rescheduling employees to come in early the next day when the utility was restored.

OVERLOOKED EMERGENCIES

Some areas where emergency procedures are needed in a laundry are obvious. However, there are other situations that laundries might overlook, which could be just as serious when it comes to safety and business continuity.

“I think an overlooked area might be in ergonomics in unloading machines or handling

bdsparts.com

“I

pull-type carts,” Latus says. “In operations the size of ours, utilizing 150-pound washer-extractors, it only takes a wrong twist or turn in pulling out items from a load that size to strain a muscle. It’s a matter of keeping staff well-informed of doing things the right way, even something seemingly as simple as unloading a machine.”

Gracia believes that many

laundries overlook the potential for minor events to develop into life-threatening ones.

“As an industry, I don’t believe we characterize our risks appropriately,” Keegan agrees. “We focus on the major risks and fail to promote appropriate behaviors into our everyday activities that are necessary to eliminate or fully mitigate our risks.”

He says there is a gap in regular confirmation, by auditing or testing, that procedures are being followed.

“I believe our industry could do some analysis to find out

which of these procedures are being overlooked and then put together some recommended guidelines on how to address,” Keegan says.

SOUND ADVICE

To start improving emergency procedures, Keegan recommends tracking incidents using a database tracking and investigation software. Complete the rootcause analysis for incidents and near-misses, and then focus on developing procedures for eliminating the root cause.

“Also, have audit procedures

in place to confirm that corrective actions are being performed and root causes remain at bay,” he says.

For Latus, safety is about keeping employees happy and engaged.

“Unhappy employees become disengaged, sloppy and forget about the safety procedures that are a part of the safety program as a whole,” he says.

A laundry in the design stage should consider visibility of the whole operation, Latus says.

“Though the soil-sort area and finishing areas of our laundry are separated, our design utilizes windows that enable staff and me (when I am in my office) to see the whole area,” he says. “I think this keeps employees connected to one another and vigilant that safety procedures are being followed.”

Latus is also a firm believer in using monthly in-service meetings with staff to continue to make safety a focus and update on any changes to procedures.

Gracia believes laundries looking to enhance their emergency procedures should look to other laundries with solidly established safety guides.

“I would share our plan with them as a guide to build their own plan,” she says.

Hoelscher says staying prepared and having plans and contingencies in place are vital for handling emergencies. He adds that while some disasters are unavoidable, good management can prevent and mitigate the damage of many emergencies.

“After all disasters, a followup is conducted, documentation is reviewed, expenses allocated and plans are adjusted to be even better prepared for the next,” says Hoelscher. “You never know what is coming up next.”

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

“AFTER ALL DISASTERS, A FOLLOW-UP IS CONDUCTED ... YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT.”

—RICHARD HOELSCHER, PARKLAND HEALTH & HOSPITAL SYSTEM

Ark., B.C. laundry facilities re-accredited

K-Bro Linen, Linen King plants pass HLAC inspection

PLAINFIELD, Ill. — The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) has re-accredited the K-Bro Linen Systems operating plant in Burnaby, B.C., Canada, and the Linen King operating plant in Springdale, Ark., HLAC reports.

Edmonton, Alberta-based KBro Linen systems is the largest owner and operator of laundry and linen processing facilities in Canada, according to HLAC.

“K-Bro enjoys a distinct reputation in the industry,” says John Scherberger, HLAC board president. “We are proud to be able to place them among our roster of leading healthcare launderers that have received HLAC accreditation.”

HLAC accreditation means the K-Bro/Burnaby laundry meets HLAC Accreditation Standards, which the organization says are established as the minimum acceptable practice for the preparation of hygienically clean, reusable healthcare textiles for patient care, implemented and executed by accredited laundry facilities processing reusable healthcare textiles. The facility is accredited until 2020, having successfully passed a voluntary inspection relating to its complete textile processing cycle.

K-Bro’s Calgary facility received re-accreditation in September 2016.

“HLAC accreditation makes for a firm and fast connection with our healthcare customers,” says Linda McCurdy, K-Bro president and CEO. “Knowing we’re accredited tells them that we share the same goals when it comes to patient safety. It’s a clear advantage that those without HLAC accreditation cannot share.”

The Springdale, Ark., plant is one of five locations for Tulsa, Okla.-based Linen King, which processes more than 50 million pounds of textile products annually for hospitals, medical and hospitality facilities in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

“Linen King subscribes to the motto, ‘Do one thing and do it well,’” says Scherberger. “In their case, this means to focus exclusively on the highest laundry standards available, whether it’s to serve their healthcare or their hospitality customers. HLAC accreditation helps them to meet those standards.”

Linen King’s Springdale facility, which services Northwest Arkansas, is accredited until 2020, having successfully passed a voluntary inspection relating to its

complete textile processing cycle.

“The HLAC designation provides our customers the peace of mind that comes from knowing their laundry services partner is meeting or exceeding the highest standards as established by an independent, healthcare-specific accrediting agency,” says Leonard McCullough, CEO of Linen King. “As you can imagine, cleanliness, safety and best practices are paramount in our industry, and

healthcare systems place a huge emphasis on this type of accreditation.”

An independent contractor, trained on HLAC standards, con-

ducts inspections for accreditation. Both inspections included rigorous reviews of each plant’s complete textile processing cycle. From handling and transport-

ing soiled healthcare textiles to in-plant processing and delivery back to the customer, more than 600 standards have to be met to receive HLAC accreditation. ALN

PANEL OF EXPERTS

Keeping up with advancing technology

• What does it cost?

• What is the ROI?

• Does it maximize efficiency?

• Does it maximize our throughput?

• Does it improve capacity?

• Does it make us better?

equipment that would improve productivity.

W

ith the numerous exhibits of laundry and drycleaning equipment on display at the Clean Show, it is easy to see how one could fall victim to sensory overload. I have been in the business a very long time and still find the amount of information needed to digest to be daunting. For someone new to the laundry business, the process has to be incredibly challenging.

For anyone, new to the business or not, looking to select new equipment to either build, expand or upgrade a laundry, it is of paramount importance to find an established, reliable manufacturer/distributor with whom you can partner.

Your best methodology in determining a reliable and reputable partner is to look at their track record. Visit a laundry that the manufacturer/distributor has outfitted or built. Talk to the owners or managers. Are they happy with their equipment? Did they receive what was promised? Did the manufacturer/distributor provide guidance and assistance with layout and design? Did the manufacturer/distributor provide after-installation follow-up? Are they available when you need them?

Talk with, and do your due diligence on, more than one manufacturer/distributor. There are many well-established companies in the market, so don’t overlook any.

Talk with experienced operators in the field to get their opinions on what works and what doesn’t. Firsthand knowledge is hard to beat.

You will have to know your budget, your desired capacity and overall vision. Since the largest cost in a laundry is labor, particular attention should be paid to modern technologies. Ignore the bells and whistles and get down to equipment basics:

Most manufacturers/distributors want to share in your success and will not sell you equipment that is impractical for your operation. They are, by design and necessity, experts in the field and are an invaluable asset to any growing laundry.

If you have a smallpiece folder that is only capable of folding bath towels, and you hand-fold hand towels, patient gowns and baby blankets, you should look at a small-piece folder that can fold multiple products. Some of these folders will sort and stack multiple different products, which will reduce the labor needed for sorting, as well as improve the labor efficiency of hand-folding.

The technology at Clean was definitely interesting, and can be intoxicating. The equipment vendors have done a great job responding to the needs of their laundry customers to develop new technology that improves quality, increases productivity, uses less energy, is safer and is more space-efficient.

To determine where you’ll get the best bang for your buck, you need to figure out and quantify the opportunities in your laundry. You don’t want to spend thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on a piece of equipment that you won’t fully utilize or that has features that won’t be useful for you.

Start with an assessment of the equipment and products that you currently have. Make a list of your equipment, its age, capability (optimal throughput by product), annual cost to maintain, safety concerns and energy consumption. Next, compile a list of the products you produce, the quantity needed, how they are folded and finished, and any concerns you have related to those products, such as the fold doesn’t fit on your current carts or the product is too thick to go through your current folder consistently.

Putting these two lists together, you can determine where you have opportunity for additional

In general, if you can move product from hand-folding to machine-folding, you will improve labor efficiency—the caveat being you need to have enough volume of the product to fully utilize the folder.

If you currently hand-fold thermal blankets with two people producing 200 blankets per hour for five hours every day, you would use 50 labor hours per week folding thermal blankets. If you bought a folder that could produce 300 blankets per hour with a single operator,

electricity, water and sewer vary widely from city to city and from year to year. Do the work to get accurate measurements of your consumption for each of those categories. In some cases, that means using monitors to measure consumption; in others, it’s a matter of getting the consumption data for that piece of equipment and entering accurate data for load sizes and determining what you’re actually consuming through each piece of equipment.

Once you know what you’re using, you can compare that to what the new piece of equipment would consume doing the same volume of work. Multiply those consumption differences by the cost of the utility you’re measuring and you’ll know what your potential savings are.

needs and give you the best return on investment.

you would reduce your labor for folding thermals by 33 hours per week, but you’d only have 3.3 hours of work per day for that folder. If you didn’t have other product that you could use the folder for, your return on investment (ROI) would be very long, and that money could probably be used more efficiently.

When it comes to energy savings, you’ll need to do the math. The cost of natural gas,

Energy savings alone may not justify the purchase, but with older equipment, when you consider the annual maintenance cost (parts, labor and downtime), safety concerns and increased labor efficiency, you may find that the new piece of equipment will enhance your bottom line immediately.

Finally, use your available resources. The equipment manufacturers and distributors have created tools for assessing your needs and the ROI for new equipment. Once you’ve completed your internal data gathering, work with the vendor to build a case for what type of equipment will best serve your

he Clean Show has always been a busy few days, and for someone new to laundry, I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed.

The exhibition in general has grown and seems to break attendance records every two years. That is very good for our industry and conveys the importance placed on companies preparing to display interesting technology trends and advancements.

As an equipment vendor working the show, we typically don’t have a lot of time to walk around and see all of the various booths. I was even overwhelmed by the number of attendees to visit this year with particular interest in a fully integrated approach for their laundry.

The question at hand is a loaded one and can’t be answered for everyone, as each case is different and all laundries have a unique set of business attributes.

Coming to the Clean Show is a good start for an overall introduction to the products and

“Every year, laundry equipment and software manufacturers show technological advancements at Clean to improve performance and efficiency. How can I keep up with the advances and not get left behind (or go crazy trying)?”

T

Equipment/ Supply Distribution

Chuck Rossmiller Medline Industries, Sun Prairie, Wis.

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Healthcare Laundry

Charles Loelius CleanTex, Irvington, N.J.

Equipment Manufacturing

Tony Jackson Kannegiesser ETECH, Grand Prairie, Texas

offerings to determine which direction would best apply to your situation. The key is to figure out which equipment or product will yield the most efficiencies while providing a good return on investment.

The most frequent question I ask customers is, “What is your biggest headache in the plant, and what production bottleneck are you trying to solve?”

To keep the show productive, attendees should gather information and meet the sales representative for the specific products. The next step is to have the vendor visit your plant and assist with finding solutions to best fit your application. Most vendors have tools for calculating production efficiencies and can assist with recommending the right fit and best technology.

The key is to not try to solve everything during the show and use it as a time to gather information and learn about new and exciting trends to help your business.

Would they proceed with the new equipment or continue to utilize what they had? Are there any options on the equipment they would eliminate/include? Are they on pace to hit their goal ROI?

All of these are important questions and factors to consider. What better source of honest feedback than someone currently utilizing your possible future purchase?

Having recently completed a laundry renovation and starting my second, I found this to be the best method of separating fact

from fiction. A confident manufacturer will invite you to do just this. Their best sales tool is the plant manager currently utilizing their equipment to great success.

Remember, new doesn’t necessarily mean better. Take your time, do your homework and speak to other industry professionals. Not all equipment works as intended in each laundry. Some advancements may be overkill in your facility.

See your possible purchase in action and speak with those that use it each and every day. Validate any listed advance-

ments, and make a wellinformed decision based on your location’s needs and goals.

At every Clean Show, I am amazed at some of the scientific advances of machinery, product and product tracking (RFID or related).

So, in figuring out what might work for any operator, I use four baselines:

1. Has the product or machinery been proven “in the field,” and are there reputable prooftest analyses available that can be verified via direct conversation with the testing operator(s)?

Advancements in the field of laundry remind me of computer advancements in the ’90s. As soon as you purchase and install the latest “state of the art” piece of equipment, that same manufacturer is busy marketing version 2.0. Apparently, in the time it took you to install your purchase, your equipment became obsolete, with the newest version offering deeper utility savings and higher quality and production capacity that puts last year’s model to shame.

The real questions are: Do these “advancements” apply to your laundry, and if so, to what extent?

If you recently purchased a new car, you usually do not find yourself rushing back out to purchase next year’s model. The same applies to laundry equipment. Equipment has a useful life, and barring any major technological advancements, your current setup may offer similar savings that justify utilizing your current equipment vs. continual upgrades.

When considering replacing/ upgrading equipment, visit other facilities that currently utilize the machines you are looking to purchase. Get their management’s honest feedback.

Have they experienced the savings, increased quality and higher production output promised by the manufacturer? If given the opportunity to do it again, what would they change?

Reduced Downtime

L

aundry technology is a fascinating, fast-forward, exponential dynamic in our industry.

2. Does the investment in this

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Decreased Dry Time

A

Improved Bottom Line

Long Lasting Performance

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Textiles

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new technology deliver an ROI (return on investment) that meets the operation’s needs?

3. Is the cost of acquisition within my financial scope?

4. If the technology exists within a product (like flameresistant uniforms, antimicrobial sheets, etc.), is there market acceptance with the bigger players in the industry (or does it have to be explained thoroughly and resold in order to become adopted)?

In the product arena, we do see a number of new supplier entrants who don’t understand “IL” (industrial launderability) for our industry. They may be reputable, but they haven’t done their homework.

For instance, it’s great to have a wonderful, soft, fluffy finish on certain textiles, but if that new product cannot withstand IL wash and finishing temperatures (without impacting the wear life, color, size, etc.), then the “new” product won’t matter. Product is where it is critical to have proven, verifiable field tests, and typically, the operator

needs to test it again—at their own facility.

Newer laundry machinery, with technological advances, is easier to analyze.

Is the advance relevant to your operation and product/ customer mix; will the customer “see” a difference in their product quality, or will the operation gain better efficiency/costing/ profitability with the new machine? At the current growth rate of the operation, can the new machine sustain the production levels for enough time to pay for itself? What is the ROI schedule? Will the machine last for many years after it’s paid for (given recommended maintenance)? Are there operators already using the new machine? Can you talk with them directly (do you know them, or know someone who knows them)?

Think about new cars and new models. If you are buying a brand-new car, you thoroughly look at the blogs on the product, and you do competitive comparisons of similar cars. Our industry may not have blogs on equipment, but operators do talk to each other, and it’s certainly recommended here.

With regard to your “financial scope” already noted, does the operator need to finance the purchase of the new machine? If

so, the cost of financing needs to be figured into the ROI. More than ROI, can the operation afford to spend this amount of money? That’s a simple question to answer.

There is no question that our industry needs technological advances in products, in machines and in merchandise tracking. Fantastic advances have been made to date, and I believe our industry will look much different in the coming generations. We may not even recognize it in 20 years.

So, my advice in looking at technology advances: look hard, study, test, analyze, and if the four baselines are answered to your satisfaction, and it feels right, jump in!

basic assumptions of how their laundry is organized and operated. However, stopping to consider the payback of some of these innovations will eliminate many of them from consideration.

What I’m saying is that if you are building a new laundry from scratch, investing in the newest technology is probably a good idea. However, if you have a fully operational laundry already, the payback is quite different.

I’m not a finance person, so calculations of a financial nature are best discussed with an accountant. But, I can do simple math. For instance, I can figure out that replacing all one’s washers with new ones for a 2% gain in production is not a good idea. If you need new washers anyway, great, but ripping out pretty good ones for slightly better isn’t very bright.

There isn’t a substitute for doing the research and working out the math.

or wastewater discharge quality. Only you can truly understand the priorities of your situation.

Since I work for a chemical company, I see new compounds and wash formulas all the time. Most of our own representatives can’t agree on the best way to wash anything. That’s because water conditions, soil conditions and types of washers are never the same from one laundry to another. At least with chemicals and formulas, it’s a low-cost investment with little risk to try changing products and wash formulas. Discuss products and techniques with chemical vendors and see what improvements they can offer.

There are truly wonderful innovations being introduced to our industry all the time. Many are quite revolutionary and will cause any laundry owner or operator to stop and reconsider

Everyone’s situation is quite different. We have customers that are space-limited to the extreme. That’s their driving consideration. Others have labor issues that are unique to their area that complicate any technological changes. Some laundries have utility supply problems that cause them to concentrate on lowering water consumption

Large equipment changes or big software purchases are quite different. If you are addressing a breakdown or responding to an injury, you have to make decisions right now and do something. No such urgency exists when considering upgrades, improvements and big investments. If you aren’t sure, think about it some more. Get presentations from vendors, competitive vendors. Sometimes putting off a decision for a while is the best approach.

But sometimes a new product appears that is the perfect solution to a nagging problem you’ve had for years! ALN

Track Career

AmeriPride Services elects Wright new board director

MINNEAPOLIS — AmeriPride Services, a textile rental services and supply company, elected Jeff Wright to the board of directors at its June 14 quarterly meeting, the company reports. Additionally, Wright was appointed to the board’s Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee.

AmeriPride says Wright served for more than 15 years as EVP, CFO and board member for G&K Services, and he is a former chair of the TRSA board. He is also a former board member and chair of the Audit Committee for the Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Wright currently serves as a board member for E.A. Sween Company (Deli Express), Lubrication Technologies Inc. and Hawkins Inc., according to AmeriPride. He previously served as treasurer for BMC Industries, VP and treasurer for Employee Benefit Plans Inc. and audit manager for Arthur Andersen & Company.

Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in

accounting from the University of St. Thomas. AmeriPride says he will replace a retiring independent director on the board and that his position is effective immediately.

Tingue appoints Twarek Western sales representative

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Global laundry product supplier Tingue has named Seth Twarek as a sales representative, the company reports.

Covering the Western region of Arizona, Utah, and parts of Nevada and Idaho, Tingue says Twarek helps laundry managers in hospitals, hotels, resorts, textile services companies and other facilities operate their machinery and equipment as efficiently, safely and cost-effectively as possible while producing the fine-quality linens customers and guests demand.

Twarek is a former conductor with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

(BNSF), says Tingue, where he was responsible for overall operations, maintenance, repairs and on-time deliveries.

Twarek resides in Buckeye, Ariz., with his wife and two daughters.

Leonard Automatics welcomes new controller

DENVER, N.C. — Leonard Automatics has hired Lon Walters as its controller, the company reports.

Walters has more than three decades of experience working at manufacturing companies, ranging from $2 million to $120 million in sales, according to Leonard. He began his career with the international “big four” accounting firm, Ernst & Young, doing audit, tax and consulting work.

Leonard says Walters’ experience brings plant controllership, accounting and product costing experience to the company and will help Leonard keep a solid financial position as it continues to grow.

Walters is joining the company as a result

of the retirement of Patti Grove, who was Leonard Automatics’ controller for 16 years.

Lewis earns MBA, promoted to VP of sales

ACWORTH, Ga. — Matt Lewis, Softrol Systems Inc., has graduated from the executive MBA program at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, the company reports.

In conjunction with earning his MBA, Lewis was promoted in January to vice president of sales-strategic markets for Softrol. He previously served as national sales manager, with a focus on independent accounts and new market growth.

Lewis started with the company in 2012. Softrol says he is pioneering new sales opportunities for the company, while improving the service levels of all existing products.

The company says Lewis’ main focus is to grow the business to outside markets and create better awareness of Softrol’s product offerings.

Lewis and his wife, Katie, reside in Rome, Ga., with their 3-year-old, Davis. ALN

Walters

Wright

Twarek

Lewis

Huebsch names Metropolitan Laundry Machinery Distributor of the Year

RIPON, Wis. — Huebsch, a brand of equipment manufacturer Alliance Laundry Systems, presented Metropolitan Laundry Machinery Sales Inc. with its highest honor, the 2016 Distributor of the Year award, at a June 5 ceremony in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel during Clean ’17, the

company reports.

This is the 13th time that Richmond Hill, N.Y.-based Metropolitan has won the award.

“Huebsch distributors consistently lead our industry in quality of service to customers,” says Kathryn Rowen, North American sales manager for Huebsch. “So, in winning this honor for the 13th time, Metropolitan truly stands out as the best of the best.”

Huebsch says the “best of the best” position showed in the company also winning awards for:

• Top Sales Achievement

• Top Regional Sales Growth (Northeast)

• Million Dollar Distributor

“This award is an incredible honor, and one that is earned by every member of the staff at Metropolitan,” says Marc Katzman, president and COO of the distributorship. “We pride ourselves on representing the Huebsch brand with the highest level of integrity. Each day, we work to earn the trust and respect of our customers with every interaction, whether it’s in sales, service, parts or answering questions over the phone.”

“Marc and the entire team at Metropolitan embody the level of professionalism that exemplifies who a Huebsch distributor is,” Rowen says. “They go above and beyond to partner with their customers every day, and it shows in their performance year after year.”

Metropolitan last won the Huebsch Distributor of the Year Award in 2012.

Serving the Northeast since 1968, Metropolitan Laundry Machinery is the largest Huebsch distributor in North America, the company says.

Metropolitan also has a branch office in Union, N.J.

ARTA

presents awards

during Clean Show breakfast

LAS VEGAS — The American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) and the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) recently hosted their fourth “Breakfast at Clean.”

This year, besides a meal and a chance to socialize at the Las Vegas Convention Center, site of Clean ’17, ARTA says the June 6 event featured several award presentations, including the first-ever Nate Belkin Award for Excellence in Marketing Reusable Textiles, which was presented to LacMac Ltd. of London, Ontario.

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(From left) Kathryn Rowen, Huebsch North American sales manager; Cliff Ross, vice president of sales for Metropolitan Laundry Machinery Sales; Larry Vladimir, Metropolitan regional sales manager; Marc Katzman, president and COO of Metropolitan; Jill Katzman; Keith York, Huebsch Eastern regional sales manager; William Bittner, vice president of North American sales for Alliance Laundry Systems; and Mike Schoeb, president and CEO of Alliance. (Photo: Alliance Laundry Systems)

Les Major (left) and Shelley Petrovskis (center) of Lac-Mac Ltd. accept the inaugural Nate Belkin Award from ARTA President Brendan O’Neill. (Photo: ARTA)

Lac-Mac Ltd. was established in 1920 and is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of reusable protective technical products for various market segments, according to ARTA. The company specializes in high-performance, liquid-proof, breathable personal protective equipment (PPE) products.

For more than 30 years, Lac-Mac has been a licensed manufacturer for products using a family of technical GORE® fabrics, ARTA says. In addition, the company manufactures protective products under the exclusive R.MOR. Tex® brand for the operating room.

ARTA says the new award will be presented biennially to the member company that best exemplifies ARTA’s mission. Nate Belkin, Ph.D., founded ARTA in 1982 while working for Fashion Seal Healthcare. He died in 2010.

For the second award, Gerald (Jerry) Benstock, chairman emeritus of Superior Uniform Group and Fashion Seal Healthcare, was honored with ARTA’s Appreciation Award for his role as a founding supporter and friend of ARTA. Benstock was pivotal in ARTA’s formation by providing Belkin the support and time for the endeavor, the association says.

Finally, the ARTA MVP Award was presented to an association past president, Don Pedder, honored for past and ongoing contributions to ARTA.

Pedder established the association’s biennial education conference in 2006 and developed the organization’s sponsorship program. He also supported the creation of a Canadian ARTA, or CARTA, and later oversaw the merger of ARTA and CARTA.

Today, he works with Centurion Medical Products, consults for laundries, and serves as an HLAC inspector.

ARTA President Brendan O’Neill presented the awards.

Southeastern Laundry Equipment is UniMac’s 2016 Distributor of the Year

Wis. — Laundry equipment manufacturer

UniMac named Southeastern Laundry Equipment its 2016 Distributor of the Year during the 2017 Clean Show, the company reports.

UniMac presented Southeastern with the award during a June 4 ceremony at Top Golf in Las Vegas.

The company says Southeastern has developed a track record for exceptional sales performance that spans decades and is evidenced by continually winning the top UniMac honor year after year. The Marietta, Ga.-based company posted dominating numbers in sales growth year over year, total sales volume and market penetration.

“Excellence as a UniMac distributor goes far beyond sales figures,” says Bill Brooks, UniMac North American sales manager. “Southeastern displays excellence in service, support, customer education, and basically going above and beyond to ensure each customer is completely satisfied.”

Trebor Brown founded Southeastern in 1976. Since then, the distributorship has grown to employ more than 50 staff members and has won the top UniMac honor 24 of the last 27 years.

“Our strength as a company is forged in the relationships that our staff has worked hard to develop,” Brown says. “I firmly believe Southeastern’s reputation and UniMac performance is the result of having the best team in the industry, one that is committed to the customers we serve.”

Southeastern provides commercial laundry equipment sales and service to most of Georgia, Florida, Alabama and southern Tennessee. It also has one of the largest parts departments in the Southeast, staffed by six full-time employees, according to UniMac.

In addition to the Distributor of the Year award announcement, the company also named REM Co. its Partner of the Year. This award is given to a distributor that combines high sales achievement and UniMac brand promotion.

“Mark Moore and REM Co. are industry experts and fantastic partners with a long family history with UniMac,” Brooks says. “Mark’s assistance and feedback in developing new product innovations, and his great vision have created

winning products and strategies for UniMac.”

Based in Versailles, Ky., REM Co. serves customers in Kentucky and Tennessee. The company has more than 40 employees.

Pellerin Milnor partners with HJ Weir for distribution ‘across the pond’

LAS VEGAS — HJ Weir Engineering is now the exclusive authorized partner in the United Kingdom and Ireland for Pellerin Milnor Corp.’s batch washers, the company reports.

On the opening day of the Clean Show here, Ross Weir, managing director of HJ Weir, and James W. Pellerin, chairman and CEO of Pellerin Minor Corp., announced the start of the exclusive partnership, agreeing that HJ Weir

RIPON,

Pictured with the UniMac Distributor of the Year Award are (from left) Joe Cole, Southeastern Laundry Equipment, sales and marketing manager; Trebor Brown, president of Southeastern; Derek Huseboe, UniMac Southern regional sales manager; and Chase Brown, vice president of Southeastern. (Photo: Alliance Laundry Systems)

Ticker Calendar

is now the sole, exclusive distributor for Milnor products in the U.K. and Ireland.

HJ Weir has joined hands with not one but two family powerhouse brands this year, says Ross Weir: Laco for ironers and now Milnor for washers.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Milnor family brand,” says Ross Weir. “There was a real synergy with business ethics and vision for the future. We agreed to the U.K. partnership because we always want to offer our customers the best-quality products that last. We didn’t have a batch washer offering, and we always wanted to have the full solution under one roof.”

such as PulseFlow™ batch tunnel washers,” says James W. Pellerin. “We are confident this new relationship will be found to offer value appreciated by U.K. laundry professionals.”

EnviroStar acquires MartinRay Laundry Systems

MIAMI — EnviroStar Inc. (EVI), a distributor of commercial laundry and drycleaning equipment, has executed a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of Martin-Ray Laundry Systems Inc., a distributor of commercial, industrial, and vended laundry products and provider of laundry installation and routine maintenance services based in Denver.

Payment of the $4 million purchase price will be split between cash and shares of EnviroStar common stock. The transaction is expected to be accretive to EVI’s earnings.

Martin-Ray generated approximately $11.5 million in revenue for the 12 months ending March 31, EnviroStar says. The Colorado company distributes key equipment brands, including Pellerin Milnor, Chicago Dryer Co. and Speed Queen.

EnviroStar says the acquisition—which closed June 20—establishes its presence in the Mountain States and provides a business unit from which to execute on future growth in the region.

August

6-10 TRSA

Executive Management Institute (EMI) Hyattsville, Md. Info: 703-519-0029

6-10 TRSA Production Management Institute (PMI) Hyattsville, Md. Info: 703-519-0029

24 Association for Linen Management Webinar: Ask the Experts Part 3: Linen Services Richmond, Ky. Info: 859-624-0177

24-25 KeeWes Equipment Co.

Annual Trade Show Quapaw, Okla. Info: 800-383-9274

25-27 Performance Matters

Coaches Clinic–Charlie Class Charlotte, N.C. Info: 704-277-6857

27 TRSA Webinar: How to Use Incentives and Recognition Programs to Drive BehaviorBased Safety Success Alexandria, Va. Info: 703-519-0029

27-29 Texcare Asia

International Trade Fair for Modern Textile Care Shanghai, China Info: www.texcare-asia.com

Weir believes the partnership with Milnor is a first step in what is to be a long business relationship: “We already have had requests for Milnor products, and we look forward to meeting many more laundries to showcase the full range,” he says.

“Together we will tackle such opportunities in the U.K. as have been met throughout the world by Milnor products,

Martin-Ray serves more than 1,500 customers in the healthcare, hospitality, commercial and vended laundry markets. Led by Jim Hohnstein, Bill Mann and Timm Mullen, Martin-Ray will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of EVI under its current name, from its present locations, with its existing employees, and with the added benefit of operating under EVI’s entrepreneurial and growth focused culture.

The men say they are excited to join the EVI family. With EVI’s capital and relationship resources, they are confident that Martin-Ray will achieve its ambitious growth objectives and contribute to EVI’s success.

ALN

29-30 TRSA Canadian Plant Tours and Roundtable Toronto, Ontario Info: 703-519-0029

September

12-14 TRSA Annual Conference Miami Beach, Fla. Info: 703-519-0029

October

10-12 Jensen

Senking Service Seminar Panama City, Fla. Info: 850-271-5959

11-12 TRSA

Production Summit & Plant Tours Columbus, Ohio Info: 703-519-0029

Precision built, all welded, anodized aluminum carts, specifically engineered for the extremes of loading, handling, cartwash and off-site transport in your busy laundry. Available in a wide range of models and sizes, and always to your custom requirements.

For

1-800-363-CART (2278) www.gsm-cart.com

ALN

Ross Weir (left) of HJ Weir Engineering shakes on the partnership with Pellerin Milnor’s James W. Pellerin. (Photo: Pellerin Milnor Corp.)

Experienced technician in laundry equipment or ironers repair; decent English necessary; inside position; advancement to foreman possibilities; west side of Chicago; compensation negotiable; reply via email to markjosephcamo@gmail.com; or by phone, 312-320-7441–leave name and phone # or email.

HEALTHCARE LAUNDRY VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

SIX FIGURE SALARY PLUS BONUS AND BENEFITS! Linen King, a leading healthcare laundry group with facilities throughout the Mid-South, is seeking a Vice President and Director of Operations to help sustain its record growth and expansion into new markets. The qualified candidate will have impeccable character, high-level working knowledge of healthcare laundry operations / management / equipment, a proven track record of improvements in productivity, profitability, certifications and growth, as well as a record of stability. An extremely attractive compensation package plus benefits await the right candidate. Please send cover letter, resume and salary history to: Leonard@thelinenking.com.

A reputable commercial laundry equipment supplier in Florida is looking for a Sales Person to join our team. The Sales Person will achieve maximum sales profitability, growth and account penetration within an assigned territory by effectively selling the company’s products and/or related services. Personally contacts and secures new business accounts/ customers. Compensation will be commissioned based and has no maximum. Experience in the laundry industry is a plus. Send Resume to oemjobs@yahoo.com

FOR LEASE - ORLANDO FL

COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY FACILITY.

19,000sf +/-.1920 Cypress Lake Drive. Prime location. PRISTINE FACILITY within professional business park. Reception area, offices, conference rooms, huge warehouse with mezzanine, loading docks. Will consider sale. (321)403-0655

Gardner Machinery Corporation P.O. Box 33818, Charlotte, NC 28233 Ph.: (704)372-3890; Fax: (704)342-0758 www.gardnermachinery.com

PRESSES – EXTRACTION

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