American Laundry News - December 2018

The year ahead for laundry/linen services

Registration opens for Clean 2019 in New Orleans

ATLANTA — Registration is open for Clean 2019 being held June 20-23 in the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, reports show management company Riddle & Associates.

Members of the any of the show’s five sponsoring associations can register for $119 a person. The non-member fee is $149. After June 10, 2019, all member and non-member registration will be on site and the fee increases to $169.

Attendees can visit www. cleanshow.com to register online or to download a printable form for registering by mail or fax. Click on “Attendee Information” then scroll down to “Register Now.”

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

For more information, contact Riddle & Associates at 404-8761988 or info@cleanshow.com. ALN

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

CHICAGO — As the U.S. economy goes, so does the laundry/linen services industry, for the most part.

And the economy has been “booming” in terms of employment, consumer confidence, inflation and interest rates.

But what, in particular, affected the industry in 2018? What will 2019 be like for laundry/linen services? American Laundry News spoke with four experts to get their insights into what happened in the past year and what’s in store for the industry.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

David Bernstein, president of Lapauw USA in Park City, Utah, and a frequent

educational presenter on the laundry/linen services industry, says the past year has been very good for the North American economy in general and the laundry industry in particular.

“The economy is very strong, with

extremely low unemployment, high consumer confidence, relatively low inflation and relatively low interest rates,” he points out. “In a word, the American economy can

Overlooked maintenance in laundry operations

efficiency and safety of a laundry operation.

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

CHICAGO — Laundry and linen service operations have a lot of moving parts.

Washers, dryers, ironers, folders, carts, conveyors, boilers, electronics—maintenance staff have many complicated pieces of equipment and systems to keep functioning to ensure goods are being processed.

It should come as no surprise then that some maintenance elements can be overlooked.

Sometimes maintenance can be overlooked simply because of the grand scale of a laundry operation. Other times, it might be willfully overlooked until repairs are absolutely necessary.

Whatever the reason, overlooked maintenance issues can impact the effectiveness,

EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE

Utilities represent a significant, yet often overlooked, expense in any laundry, says Sam Spence, a consultant for TBR Associates based in Saddle Brook, N.J. Even well operated laundries can have combined utility expenses in the 5% range of total revenue, and proper equipment maintenance can help to reduce these costs.

“Be sure to check all steam traps on at least a quarterly schedule,” he suggests. “At 125 pounds of steam, you should expect to see temperatures in the range of 320 F entering and 280 F exiting your traps. If you find little or no difference in these temperatures, the trap is likely stuck open and should be replaced.”

Other inspections Spence suggests include checking steam and air lines on a monthly schedule. Walk through the plant and look for leaking steam and assure that all steam

Parts and Minor Repair Capabilities

In this month’s OPL 101, find out the value of being able make minor repairs for a laundry.

Panel of Experts

In this issue, find out what year-end activities the Experts say should be top of the list.

Response to U.K. C. diff Report

Industry organizations reassuring that laundry methods sufficiently remove C. diff spores.

The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management

While it’s necessary to see the big picture, effective laundry maintenance depends on the details

Experts say the laundry industry is strong ending 2018, moving into 2019

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Most operators say business better over this time last year

CHICAGO — The laundry/linen services industry is doing more business today than it was last year at this time.

That’s what respondents indicate on a recent American Laundry News Your Views survey about the state of business in the laundry/linen services industry.

When asked, “Is your laundry/linen service generating more sales today than at this time last year?,” more than 25% indicate that sales are up “much more” today than at this time in 2017.

The majority of respondents (63.2%) say sales are up “slightly more.”

“Based on my training through the Association for Linen Management, I can say boldly that textile care in the U.S. is doing well,” writes a respondent.

Only about 10% of those who took the survey say sales now are the same as last year at this time, and no respondents indicate sales are lower than a year ago.

That begs the question, why have laundry/linen service sales gone up?

Almost 70% of survey respondents say that their customer bases have increased, while almost 53% attribute the growth to increased prices. Other factors include boosted marketing efforts, additional services/profit centers, decreased competition (each at more than 10%) and a decrease in costs/expenses (5.3%).

Obviously, the reasons for business growth align with what operators say was the best thing to happen to their businesses in 2018.

“Understanding the ineffectiveness in prior thinking toward growing and retaining business,” a respondent writes. “Having fun doing what we do gave us a swagger back.”

“A larger customer base,” another writes, while one operator shares, “Some large new accounts have been acquired.”

And some survey takers shine a spotlight on equipment purchases in the past year.

“We purchased new equipment,” a respondent writes, “one 400-pound washer, two towel folders.”

“A new CBW wash system,” adds another.

However, while most respondents say business is up over last year, there are always challenges in business—some even caused by a good economy.

One of the biggest challenges? Labor.

“With the economy improving, it is getting extremely hard to find production workers and even managers that want to work in the industry,” one writes. “We are a dying breed.”

“Textile care is facing the shortage of manpower due to low unemployment rate,” agrees another respondent. “This is because the majority of the people working in the industry were not actually interested in the job but only to satisfy their needs.”

“Hiring will become more difficult and wages will continue to increase,” writes another survey taker.

One respondent does offer advice on the issue: “Work to keep your current employees. Yes, that means share the wealth. The grass is not greener on the other side of the road.”

Also, one respondent indicates that booming economies don’t always translate for healthcare laundries.

“The healthcare sector, specifically hospitals, are in cost-cutting mode,” they write, “and even though costs for labor are rising fast, price increases can’t be passed on right now.”

Operators whose businesses didn’t increase place the blame on several factors, from higher labor and material costs to consolidation.

When asked about business expectations for 2019, almost 75% of respondents say, “I’m confident my business will keep improving.” Just over 25% think their business will remain the same, and no one indicates they have concerns about declining business.

Survey takers have several reasons to think their business will continue to increase in 2019.

“We have a strong sales force, and if the economy continues the way it is now, I would expect more of the same,” a respondent writes.

Another shares, “We have great owners, a great staff, have retooled our plant in the last four years. Everything points to continued success.”

“I have improved on my managerial and administrative techniques in handling both human and material resources, and this translated to increase in productivity even with little or scarce resources,” adds another respondent.

Laundry operators who see business remaining the same indicate that this is because they have no room for expansion or the laundry is operating at capacity.

One survey taker predicts, “I expect the economy to slow down.”

However, as laundry/linen services continue to experience growth, one respondent shares this piece of advice: “Be kind to others. There is plenty of business to go around.”

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

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

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: 866-942-5694

E-Mail: mpoe@ ATMags.com

Production Manager Roger Napiwocki

Digital

Media Director

Nathan Frerichs

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E-Mail: nfrerichs@ ATMags.com

Advisory Board

David Barbe • Jim Buik

Tony Jackson • Janice Larson Tom Marks

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© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2018. 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.

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Year in review, preview

Iremember as a child, listening to adults talk about how fast the time would go.

Especially once December hit.

Of course, I thought they were crazy to say they couldn’t believe Thanksgiving was done and Christmas was almost here, again. To my young brain, the holidays couldn’t come soon enough.

These days, I blink, it’s December again, and I think to myself, “Didn’t we just do this?”

Today I understand what the adults in my childhood knew: time isn’t going to slow down. So, it’s imperative that we pause at the end of the year to review what has taken place and to look ahead at the new year.

That’s why the lead feature of this issue is about laundry/linen service operations over the past year, and what managers might expect in 2019.

From The Editor’s Desk MATT POE

I was able to pick the brains of four industry leaders to find out what they thought was coming for laundry/linen services in the new year. You can read the full story, but the “CliffNotes” version is that the industry had a good 2018, and that is expected to continue into 2019.

Besides the main feature, we conducted a special Your Views survey (page 2), asking if laundry businesses were doing better now than compared to the same time last year. Again, short version: yes. The how and why are interesting, as are the challenges a good economy presents.

A few people have mentioned the possibility of economic downturn, since the U.S. economy is cyclical, and it has been on the upswing for a while. It always pays to be prepared.

Now, you may be wondering what you can expect from American Laundry News in 2019. I don’t have space to share the details, but you’ll see continued industry coverage in print, online and via podcast; coverage of Clean ’19; and much more.

So, enjoy the holiday season, and remember to keep it clean in 2019, everybody. ALN

IAHTM hosts 2018 annual meeting

NAPLES, Fla. — The International Association for Healthcare Textile Management (IAHTM) held its 2018 Annual Meeting here in October, which culminated with members, guests, presenters and sponsors commemorating the organization’s 50th anniversary during a red-carpet event that included a celebration dinner and the presentation of two lifetime achievement awards.

IAHTM is a nonprofit membership organization for healthcare laundry cooperatives that provides senior-level textile managers with resources and support to maximize their laundries’ efficiencies and control costs without compromising quality or patient focus.

IAHTM President Myles Noel, CEO of Central Ohio Medical Textiles (COMTEX), in Columbus notes a record turnout for the event.

“Nicole Grubich [second vice president of IAHTM and executive director of West Michigan Shared Hospital Laundry in Grand Rapids, Mich.] and her team put together a full educational schedule complete with learning and networking opportunities and some exciting surprises,” he says.

The meeting featured a variety of speakers pre-

senting on a range of relevant industry topics.

“IAHTM’s motto is, ‘Connect, Engage, Succeed,’ and we were again this year pleased to be able to provide attendees an opportunity to meet others, network and learn,” says Noel.

Educational program topics included:

• IAHTM benchmarking results.

• A new testing program from the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC).

• Building a disinfection prevention program.

• Bleaching and hygienically clean in the healthcare wash process.

• Healthcare benefit trends.

• Practical strategies for managing growing risk.

• Providing linen management quality to Joint Commission standards.

• A panel discussion reviewing industry linen and equipment.

• Sales and leadership.

IAHTM also recognized Steve Ripley and Alan Schwartz as “2018 Lifetime Achievement” recipients. Ripley is past president of Space Coast Hospital Services Inc., Rockledge, Fla. Schwartz is recently retired as president of Superior Uniform Group, Seminole, Fla. ALN

Health emergency plan

M any managers plan what to do if there is an epidemic outbreak, a massive snow fall, flooding or a tornado. But how many of us have definite plans in place as to what to do when an employee has health problems at work?

In this column, I won’t be talking about a headache or a fever. Instead, I am talking about what you should do if any employee has a serious issue, like passing out at work.

I ran into this problem with one of my long-term employees who was very well liked and a very good performer. She was having trouble managing her blood pressure and suddenly fainted, passed out, at work. She was out for about a minute and then woke up and begged her fellow employees not to tell management or call an ambulance but to just call her sister and let her go home and rest. On the surface that sounded like a reasonable request.

But the more we thought about it, the more it bothered my management staff. As upsetting as it was to have such a longterm employee suffering from a medical problem, we came to realize how much worse it would be on the staff if she went home and died because we failed to get her the medical attention she needed. She was asking us to make a decision we were not qualified to make.

The problem was that this kept happening on a monthly or every-othermonth basis. So, after careful consideration, we developed a policy that was designed to protect the employee, as well as the rest of the staff.

“W E DEC I DED TH AT IF ANY EM PLO Y EE PASSED OUT OR FA INTED O N THE J O B TH AT A N A MBULA N CE MUS T BE CALLED, AND THEY WOU LD M AKE THE M ED ICAL DETERMINAT IO N A S TO WHAT W A S B EST F O R THE PAT IENT ”

We were an off-site healthcare laundry and did not have a full-time nurse on staff, so we decided that if any employee passed out or fainted on the job that an ambulance must be called, and they would make the medical determination as to what was best for the patient.

We also included anyone who became too weak to stand or walk. This policy was used a number of times while I was still in management at that laundry.

I think the policy clarified our responsibilities to each other and those of management. It improved our response time to these events because an ambulance was called for within seconds of the employee having problems.

Employees knew what to do and felt good that they took appropriate actions. We all knew that it was the responsible, medically correct action to take.

The policy also required the employee to have medical clearance before they could return to work. This ensured that appropriate medical attention was given, and that a doctor had cleared the employee to return to work. The fact that all the employees were treated the same regardless of color, sex, national origin or any other protected factor made the policy very effective.

I urge all managers to think about and review their department policy on how to deal with these events. If you have never had to deal with them so far you are lucky. But rest assured, your time is coming.

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•

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It is better to be prepared for this possibility than it is to have to blindly react when it happens. It is better for everyone to be on the same page so that immediate action is taken regardless of whether you are in the department or not.

An empowered staff will always make the right decision.

Eric Frederick served 44 years in laundry management before retiring and remains active in the industry as a laundry operations consultant. 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

Year Ahead

be described as booming. These factors have had a strong positive impact on our industry, especially in the hospitality and industrial workwear sectors. Meanwhile, the continued aging of our population has stoked and will continue to stoke strong sales in the healthcare sector.”

While there have been good opportunities in the healthcare laundry section, there have also been challenges for providers to overcome, points out Randy Bartsch, chairman and CEO of Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service in Seattle. He is also founding member and chairman of the Healthcare Linen Alliance.

“There are lots of pressures, and they start with our customers as hospitals and healthcare providers adjusting to ongoing healthcare reform,” he says. “As an example, the consolidation trends we are seeing are a symptom of this adjustment, not the cause.”

Bartsch says that on the supply side of the healthcare laundry industry, having half the market hanging out a “for-sale” sign shows how uncertain the future of a once very stable industry was.

“As some owners and investors look to exit, others, many backed by private-equity firms, are keen to invest in an industry that they see as fragmented,” he shares.

While the significant increase in private equity is disruptive by its very nature, Bartsch points out that it is important to consider that these investors also envision a much different future for healthcare.

David Potack, president of Unitex, a medical uniform and linen service based in Elmsford, N.Y., believes it’s a time of opportunity for the industry, especially since it has been expanding, with new laundry/linen facilities being constructed.

“There’s been some consolidation, obviously, in the last 12-24 months, which has changed the market dynamic in some areas, but in other areas, it’s created new opportunities for providers,” he points out. “I think, overall, companies are healthy. Operators and vendors report that they both feel the industry is healthy in their sectors, so I think, overall, things are positive.”

Potack believes there are opportunities for more and better products, and clients wanting to centralize procurement, taking a look at how to be more efficient and then working with laundry/linen businesses to provide a broader platform of services.

He says that Unitex is always looking out for opportunities to grow, opportunities to find new or different products to offer to clients that satisfy a current need or a future need.

“Advancing the opportunities that a company like ours can provide makes us a better value provider to our customers,” shares Potack.

“Based on TRSA’s quarterly survey, as well as discussions with members, both laundry operations and associate suppliers, the linen, uniform and facility services industry continues to demonstrate strong growth from both new and existing business,” says Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services.

“Uniform rental is experiencing growth in food processing and personal protective equipment (PPE) due to increased regulation in these sectors, as well as cleanroom, facility services and direct sales. Linen suppliers are focused on new opportunities with restaurants, hotels and long-term care.”

He says TRSA is working with members to identify new markets and opportunities, focusing on potential customers that are not currently using linen, uniform or facility services.

“We believe our largest competition is from online and storefront workwear sales and disposable alternatives, and that the industry will be better off working together to open and expand new markets, instead of just competing only for existing business,” Ricci shares. “If these opportunities were tapped today, the $20-plus billion linen, uniform and facility services sector could be 1.4-plus times larger.”

Ricci says the strong economy has been a significant driver of uniform rental and linen supply growth, but this has also resulted in historic low unemployment, creating significant challenges for employee recruitment and retention.

“In September, the four-week moving average jobless claims number hit a new 49-year low to end the month,” he shares. “Claims are at very low absolute levels, despite a larger population today.”

He points out that greater employment increases the demand for uniforms. It also translates to more meals away from home, boosting the restaurant business, and increases elective use of healthcare services—all of which increases demand for linens and garments.

On the other hand, record low unemployment creates labor shortages and increases wages necessary to recruit and retain workers, Ricci says.

“Our industry must maximize productivity and embrace workforce diversity,” he says. “TRSA continues to break new ground in the industry in these respects, addressing these issues in most professional development events and developing programming for retaining and rewarding young and emerging company leaders.”

Typically, initial jobless claims begin to increase ahead of reces-

sions, Ricci says, being a widely acknowledged leading economic indicator. Continuing jobless claims also remain at low levels and were lower in September.

“Analysts see no fundamental evidence that suggest deterioration in the labor market or wages,” he shares. “These trends are likely to continue, and TRSA will again concentrate on addressing their positive and negative impacts on the industry.”

Ricci says TRSA is fostering relationships among linen, uniform and facility services organizations domestically and internationally to identify opportunities to collaborate on automation and other technologies that can reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies.

THE YEAR AHEAD

In 2019, according to Ricci, consolidation and the impact of private equity will continue to have an effect on the management and direction of the linen, uniform and facility services sector, particularly in the growing hospitality (outsourcing hotel linens) and specialty medical markets.

“During the past 18 months, we’ve seen continued M&A [mergers and acquisitions] in our hospitality and healthcare sectors,” he shares. “Investors are attracted to our industry for its history of growing faster each year than the economy as a whole by serving other stable industries— food and beverage, healthcare—or pivoting to customers that remain healthy as a result of others receding, such as auto service vs. auto manufacturing.”

Ricci says TRSA’s most recent financial survey of operators, the 2018 Industry Performance Report, put 2017 median sales growth at 4.0%, trumping the 2017 U.S. GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 2.2%.

“The industry probably won’t double GDP growth in 2019, but a 50%-plus positive difference wouldn’t surprise me, especially if GDP growth projections fall short,” he points out.

“A National Association for Business Economics survey showed that two-thirds of such economists expect a downturn by year-end 2020, but only 10%

see it coming next year, 56% say 2020, and 33%, 2021 or later. Respondents had a roughly 40% consensus that trade policy represents the biggest downside risk.”

If the economy remains strong in 2019, Ricci sees a possible 4% median growth in the TRSA Industry Performance Report. This represents TRSA members, however, not the industry as a whole, he points out.

“Industrywide, operators should be busier and produce more cost effectively,” says Ricci. “But to what extent? Those that upgrade to handle more business without hiring too many more employees will gain the most. The greatest growth segment of the industry will likely be specialists in work from hotels, as that industry increasingly values the economic gains of outsourcing linen over the expensive convenience of operating on-premises laundries [OPLs].”

A continual focus for laundry/ linen operations, according to Potack, is cost containment.

“I think cost is something that is really one of the challenges going forward in 2019, in figuring out how to manage that or take costs out of your operating equation, whether more efficient operations or distribution logistics, whatever the circumstance might be, company by company,” he says. “I think that’s probably the biggest concern.”

Potential areas for rising costs Potack shares include labor issues and the potential for increases in tariffs, which could impact cost of textiles, equipment and other materials.

“Whether you’re in a major metropolitan area that went through a significant minimum wage adjustment, which pushes all wages up, or you were in the scenario where you were potentially in a high growth area, which sounds great but in a very tight labor market having to increase wages to attract and retain talent, both management and hourly talent, it’s a challenge,” he says.

In conversations with friends, colleagues and customers, Bernstein says the No. 1 concern is access to a qualified, affordable, stable workforce.

“Among the concerns listed by

industry colleagues are the rising cost of labor, the near full employment status of our workforce, the need to recruit, hire, and retain technical and engineering staff with the requisite skills to keep our increasingly complex systems running, and a host of other factors that keep many of us up at night,” he says. “These concerns permeate all levels of the industry, including both laundries and suppliers.”

In addition to continuing mobility of workers and pressure to raise wages, Ricci says the severity of labor shortages is likely to be exacerbated by the baby boomer generation leaving the workforce.

“It’s estimated that more than one in three workers in the industry is eligible to retire,” he shares.

He goes on to say that current laundry/linen service operators need to identify potential leaders and allow them to get involved with expanding roles, responsibilities and decision-making tasks, while mentoring them through challenges.

Besides labor, the regulatory environment could also have an impact on the industry in 2019.

“I think that looking at the regulatory environment on the federal level, the current administration has worked pretty aggressively to minimize regulations that may be too burdensome, or just overall business conditions,” says Potack. “I think there’s a potential for risk at the state and local level.”

In the macroeconomic sense, he says, if the federal government reduces aid to states and municipalities, those local entities need to generate certain revenue to maintain infrastructure and governmental operations. Then there’s potential for tax schemes and costs at the local level that can be “potentially problematic.”

“We’re monitoring that for any new regulations that ultimately are really taxes,” Potack says. “In some ways, they deal with relevant issues, in some ways they’re just increases in cost of operation. I think that’s something people are focused on in the more local sense.”

There’s also the potential for global events to impact the industry, he points out.

“I think certainly the trickledown effect of global events, whether it be cost-related in the form of tariffs, trade agreements or lack of trade agreements, could trickle down to cost of textiles, cost of equipment, cost of other products we buy, which, if we can’t pass those costs on, become an economic burden for operator companies like ours,” Potack says.

“If geopolitical events cause an economic slowdown, and that economic slowdown leads to a change in pattern of discretionary income spending, then that certainly could have an impact on the industry.”

In terms of opportunity, Potack

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Tools f the Trade

Low-temperature solid laundry program introduced for hotels

Delivering both performance and sustainability, Ecolab says its new Aquanomic™ 2.0 Low-Temp Solid Laundry Program utilizes advanced analytics and solids chemistry to enhance whiteness, extend linen life, reduce costs and improve hotel guest satisfaction.

The program’s advanced chemistry effectively targets a wide range of stains, from cosmetics and food to body soils, and both the detergent and softener have been reformulated to improve whiteness and help reclaim discolored linen, Ecolab says. The chemistry also provides the softness and pleasant fragrance guests expect.

The solid chemistry is formulated to provide sustainability and employee safety benefits, according to the company. The lightweight capsules are easy to use and store, reducing physical strain for the laundry staff while reducing packaging waste by up to 74%. In addition, the closed-looped dispensing system and the colorand shape-coded capsules provide a safe dispensing

solution for employees.

The new Aquanomic 2.0 Low-Temp Solid Laundry Program can also deliver water savings of up to 40% and energy savings of up to 50%, Ecolab says. When paired with the its StainBlaster™ solution, the company says hotels can reduce linen replacement by 20% or more and realize up to $9,500 in total annual savings.

Through the Aquanomic 2.0 LowTemp Solid Laundry Program, hotels can tap Ecolab’s industry-leading laundry expertise, delivered by representatives on-site, to address their unique operational challenges, the company says. The program offers insights into water and energy use over time, load counts to help optimize efficiency and an out-of-product alarm to notify staff if attention is needed. These actionable insights help to streamline operations by improving productivity and translate into tangible savings, Ecolab says.

www.ecolab.com 800-352-5326

American Boutique collection offers luxury line of sheets, pillow cases, along with environmental responsibility

Thomaston Mills, a manufacturer of hospitality textiles, says it has released its American Boutique collection. According to the company, its new luxury 300 thread-count sheets and pillowcases are produced with 100% American extra-long staple cotton and finished with environmentally responsible

methods.

Created for the European luxury hotel industry, American Boutique is designed to keep customers more comfortable while providing hoteliers a longer-lasting product, says Thomaston Mills.

The company says its new finishing process allows it to retain the highly durable, luxuriously soft, bright white sheets they are known for, while also eliminating the use of harmful chemicals often used to achieve the high European standard American Boutique meets.

The advanced all-natural finishing process softens the cotton while using a new technique that virtually eliminates shrinkage. This ensures that American Boutique linens will shrink as little as a cotton/poly blend, keeping it soft and strong even after repeated launderings, according to the company.

www.thomastonmills.com 877-474-3300

Cloud-based, IoT platform for chemical proportioning, dispensing introduced

Hydro Systems, a manufacturer of chemical proportioning and dispensing systems, has introduced Hydro Connect, its cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform.

Hydro Connect gives chemical providers and end users increased visibility into their operations, optimizes production, reduces costs and increases customer satisfaction, according to the company.

Hydro Connect will be introduced to the industrial laundry market first, with products in facility cleaning not far behind. Built on the Microsoft Azure platform, Hydro Connect populates data generated from the Dositec Central Dosing Systems, currently operating in industrial laundries worldwide.

Data transmits from the unit to the Hydro Connect system using a 3G cellular modem and

a 250 MB/month data package.

The company says benefits of Hydro Connect include scalable solutions across multiple cleaning environments; a proven, reliable and secure platform; and enhanced knowledge to help run a business. This knowledge includes alarm reporting, production reports, chemical usage, cost snapshots and observations/recommendations.

www.hydrosystemsco.com 513-271-8800

Chlorine-Shield Privacy Curtains by Prime Medical offer far more than just “privacy,” according to the company. The Chlorine-Shield privacy panels are designed to not only resist colonization, they can also be removed and replaced in less than a minute, without a ladder, Prime Medical says.

The modular, 72-inch by 64-inch privacy panels with mesh segments overlap to accommodate any room size, and the variable mesh top accommodates 8-, 9- and 10-foot ceiling heights.

The panels are made of 100% fire-resistant polyester, treated with BioSmart® by Milliken (5 ounces per square yard). The mesh top is made of 100% fire-resistant nylon mesh with a half-inch opening (meets fire suppression requirements). Finally, the panels have 100% fire-resistant polyester trim and tape with marine-grade plastic snaps.

All fabric components pass NFPA 701, Prime Medical says.

Every patient deserves more than just privacy during a hospital stay, and it starts with a fresh privacy curtain that is protected by the power of bleach, according to the company.

www.primemedical.com 727-999-2070

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lines are properly insulated. Pipe insulation should be in tact without any frayed seams and should completely cover the pipes.

“An old timer once taught me that the best way to check for air leaks is to simply do a plant walk through after shut down when everything is quiet,” he says. “Listen for air leaks and repair them.”

Maintenance AVIOD THE HIGH COST OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS

Spence also recommends checking the heat reclaimer to confirm temperatures and assure that the coils back flush properly. Ideally, he says there should as much as a 30-degree difference between incoming and tempered water. If inspections show less, the coils may be clogged or the system may not be back flushing properly.

Dryer doors and seals should be on a regular preventative maintenance (PM) schedule as well.

“Another trick taught to me by the same old timer is to blow baby powder around dryer doors when the dryer is in operation,” shares Spence. “If you see the powder pulled rapidly into the dryer doors, you are likely pulling cold outside air into the dryer as well. Inspect the seals and confirm that they are air tight.”

Leonard McAllister, senior director of engineering for Prudential Overall Supply in Irvine, Calif., agrees that laundries can save a lot of energy by simply making sure the basics are followed for maintaining and operating a dryer.

“The air goes through the burner housing and then is forced through the perforation of the basket because of the seals,” he says. “What seals? You mean there are seals? Yes, there are seals. Go back and have your maintenance team show you the seals if they are still there.

“When was the last time you removed the plastic from the dryers? We found in some of our dryers that the inlet probe was not in the right place and was causing the dryer to get temperatures up over 800 degrees and only reading 600 degrees. This caused the plastic to really stick hard and not release when cooled.”

Another factor McAllister points out that can help make dryers more efficient is to check that the load is dropping properly at 1 o’clock when rotating clockwise and 11 o’clock when rotating counter-clockwise.

“When was the last time you looked at the flame?” he asks. “Is it yellow or blue? Hopefully blue. This can be easily adjusted by your maintenance technician, but if not, you can call in a specialist.”

McAllister also recommends taking steps to ensure dryers are being used at maximum efficiency. These steps include adjusting the differential between intake and exhaust temperatures to prevent over drying, being aware of industry standards for drying different types of materials, not rotating drying formulas between loads and ensuring that goods are properly weighed before being placed in the dryer.

“So now let me ask, are you going straight to the flatwork ironer from extract? Are you going straight to the steam tunnel from extract?” he says. “You should be if you are operating the steam tunnel properly and the flatwork ironer properly, keeping you from using the ‘Beast.’”

Beyond the dryer, Spence says ironer exhausts should be checked on all vacuum rolled ironers. The rolls and exhaust ducts frequently become clogged with wax.

Additionally, the exhaust motors can burn out and operators don’t notice.

It may not always be the laundry equipment that causes downtime with operations, points out George Latus, RLLD, manager of laundry services for White River Health System in Batesville, Ark. Sometimes, utilities and in-house services can fail, which may require maintenance crew to double down using their skills and training to aggressively make the necessary corrections that will keep the laundry flow and production process moving through a facility.

“From your heating and air conditioning system, to your compressed air and exhaust system, to your boiler system and your water supply and waste drainage systems, these are all a vital part to your operation,” he says. “Unfortunately, they may not be included in your preventative maintenance program.”

SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE

The mechanical aspect of laundry room equipment is often the focus of maintenance, which means that maintenance of the computer side of the equation can get overlooked. Spence says that production processes dependent information technology and automated systems are continually developing, and their use is more common than ever.

“IT doesn’t just apply to the office anymore,” he points out. “Critical plant functions, including automated wash aisles and tunnels, rail systems and even soil counting systems, depend on PC- or server-based operating systems.”

The key to properly maintaining automated systems, says Spence, is to back up all hard drives and test them regularly. Most office functions, such as route accounting, accounts payable and accounts receivable, are typically server based.

“Whether your server backup is cloud based, off site or internal, it must be tested regularly,” he says. “Never assume nightly backups happen without verification. Similarly, backup hard drives must be maintained for all automated plant systems.”

Spence recommends testing these hard drives at least quarterly by installing them and running the equipment for a day or two.

“It is not uncommon for a manufacturer to install remote software updates, which can render your backup drives useless,” he points out. “You must test and verify to avoid potential plant down time.”

SAFETY

Potential safety hazards can exist throughout any laundry, and maintenance managers should always diligently work to prevent accidents, especially due to potentially overlooked maintenance, Spence says.

“Lint represents one of the greatest hazards to a safe operation,” he points out. “Lint should be blown down from overhead rails, equipment, beams, etc., every night. Be sure to remove the side covers from ironers and folders and blow them out as well. Open dryer ducts monthly and inspect for lint build up. Finally, it is not enough to simply blow your plant down. The lint must be swept up with a dust mop or shop vac.”

Overhead rail systems also represent potential safety hazards, and Spence says I beam-style rails tend to narrow just slightly at bends and can become worn out.

“Check all switches for proper operation and be sure that the stops on all elevation lifts trigger properly when the lift is actuated,” he says. “Trolleys should be inspected on a continuous basis. Remove trolleys from the rails and check for wear and loose bolts. Indicate that a trolley has been inspected

by marking it with a paint dot. Change the color of the paint for subsequent inspections, which will assure that all trolleys are inspected.”

LIMITING MAINTAINANCE

One way to help lessen maintenance items that could be overlooked is to prevent the possibility in the first place. Prevention starts with plant layout and equipment purchases.

“The design of your laundry facility is critical,” says Latus. “It may not seem important at the time, but the placement of your utilities, machinery and the plant layout could be a factor in how well you control your maintenance and production programs.”

A laundry manager may find maintenance and repair crews struggling to make simple repairs if the facility is congested and machines are located in a manner that adds additional difficulty to a repair task, he says. These challenges could include attempting to make repairs from a ladder, lying on the floor or crawling underneath equipment.

The integrity and design of machinery and equipment should be reviewed before purchase, adds Latus.

“Most of your equipment dealers will sell you equipment that should help meet your production goals, plus the machinery may come loaded with many additional features that will set you up with endless programing possibilities, and most importantly, it should be easy for your operators to operate,” he says.

Including maintenance staff or service technicians in the equipment review process may offer a different view of the integrity and design of the future purchase.

“They will look for flaws in the design that are aligned with maintenance and repair issues and the general integrity and durability of the equipment,” Latus points out. “The maintenance staff and service technicians get a great sense of pride when they know they’ve done a great job keeping the equipment running as it should through the preventative maintenance program or general repairs.”

When new machinery and equipment is purchased and installed, the manufacturer provides a recommended preventive maintenance schedule for a reason, he says. The schedule, when followed, helps the maintenance crew or service technicians gather information about the status of the equipment.

“In some cases, necessary adjustments need to be made at this time, or it may be time for the replacement of a part,” shares Latus. “Most facilities will have a main-

tenance program installed on the department’s computer that should allow you to track repairs, inspections, as well as schedule maintenance projects.”

HEED WARNING SIGNS

“We all know what happens when we ignore the little red warning light on the dashboard in our vehicles,” says Latus.

At first, he says a driver may panic and pull into the nearest auto garage for imme diate attention and repair. Others of may not be as aggressive and keep on driving, ignoring the warning sign, wishing the little red light would go out on its own. Even worse, a driver may become complacent and keep driving until it requires major repairs or total replacement.

“As a laundry manager, how do you decide what action to take when your little red light comes on?” Latus ponders. “Do you treat your warning signs aggressively, or are you passive and make repairs when you feel you have the time? Or do you put off making the necessary repairs until it requires you to seek assistance from a service technician?”

Healthcare and central laundry facilities must always be mindful of the warning signs within the facility or plant, he says.

LAST CHECK

Latus says it’s beneficial while the main tenance crew is doing routine inspections for them to take three extra steps while the covers are pulled off the equipment:

1. If an infrared imaging camera is avail able, use it to seek out potential hot spots, bearings, electrical contacts, switches and other devices, that may be showing signs of excessive heat.

2. Remove the buildup of extra grease around bearings and shafts at every opportunity.

3. An over accumulation of lint will create a list of major mechanical and opera tional problems for all your equip ment. The buildup of lint will find its way into every corner and under every cover in your facility if not removed regularly (we won’t mention the high risk of fire).

“If you’re getting 15 to 20-plus years of service out of your equipment and machin ery, then you have a good maintenance program in your laundry facility, and you’ve been paying attention to those factors that could potentially put you, your facility and equipment at risk,” Latus says.

Maintenance, minor repairs, parts keep the laundry turning

BY CHEO CRUZ

DALLAS — In the on-premises laundry world, downtime isn’t an option. No matter if it is a hotel, long-term care facility or athletic club, the laundry doesn’t stop. When a machine in the laundry goes down, it’s not just a problem; it’s a major issue.

Just think about the soft, fluffy towels and robes that spas rely on. When the laundry fails to make its daily throughput because of equipment issues, those fresh robes stop making it into rooms and service grinds to a halt.

While distributors like us do all we can to get facilities up and running as quickly as possible, we all know that small delays can back up production. This is why having some spare parts on hand and staff that’s able to make small repairs is so important.

THE BASICS

One frequent call service organizations deal with is drain valve issues. Obviously, anything that opens and closes can encounter problems. We see a number of calls related to drain valves. Managers should make sure staff is aware of the warning signs of such a problem, as not dealing with them immediately results in wasted water and utilities. Simply put, if you hear or see water draining during a fill, there is a problem with the drain valve.

Having extra valves on hand and being able to make the repair can save a service call. Often the only issue is an obstruction. For instance, in the hotel world, room key cards frequently make their way into the laundry and can get stuck. I’ve also seen staff identification cards, cutlery and even a pocket knife lodged in the valve, preventing it from fully closing. Again, being able to diagnose the issue and replace a valve can save a service call.

Similarly, fill valves can be another frequent issue on washer-extractors, again due to them being parts that are opening and closing. Laundries should have additional fill valves on hand and be able to replace them. This

is roughly a 10- to 20-minute repair. As with all repairs, take your time. Don’t rush through valve replacements.

Laundries should also stock two to four additional hoses and screens. Warning signs of an issue here are slow fill times. While today’s hoses are quite well made, the heat of the hot water used in on-premises laundries can break them down. Be sure to inspect them often. If you are experiencing slow fill times, one or both of the screens could have sediment. Inspecting them only takes a few minutes and can save a service call with a simple cleaning or replacement.

Extra inverter filters should also be kept in stock in the laundry. Keeping these filters clean and replacing them when necessary helps ensure the facility doesn’t incur costly inverter replacement costs. I’m always a bit surprised when I visit a laundry and this simple item is not addressed. One laundry was even using a dryer sheet as a filter.

DRYER PARTS

Dryers are far simpler to keep

operating just by having additional belts and lint screens on hand and being able to swap them out. Inspection is key. Check the belts for wear every couple of months.

Where on-premises laundries typically fall short and end up having to call for service is by not getting a handle on lint. Nothing can be costlier to productivity and efficiency than failing to address lint. Managers should have staff use a shop vacuum to clear lint from around the burners, vents and the laundry in general.

Starving the machine of makeup air can lead to serious problems, not the least of which is inefficiency. If the tumble dryer isn’t pulling make-up air from outside, it will take air from inside the building—basically, air that the property has already paid to cool or heat will be used to dry the linen.

The perils of not taking care of the relatively small task of lint control were apparent at one school we visited for a service call. Their tumble dryer was not working. Upon investigating the issue, we found two inches of

lint caked around the inside and burners.

The end result of not staying on top of the lint for this laundry was costly, as the wire harnesses in the unit were actually melted—the lint had started on fire. This underscores the need to have someone on staff responsible for making sure lint is cleaned regularly. In this case, no one on staff had this task and it was never taken care of.

MAINTENANCE IS THE KEY

While laundries should have someone on staff able to make small repairs, such as belts and valves, as already mentioned, maintenance can head off a number of situations before they become larger problems requiring repairs.

This is where systems that can be configured to send reminders to staff and log maintenance items, such as when bearings were greased, can be valuable assets. They can also help identify areas where staff training is required

to avoid machine repairs. For instance, frequent out-of-balance machine errors can be a sign that staff is under loading washerextractors.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Being able to make a few minor repairs with parts the laundry inventories and doing regular prescribed preventative maintenance will help keep on-premises laundries running smoothly.

Avoiding that dreaded downtime is the ultimate goal, and with a team approach focused on staff being aware of warning signs and having the ability to do minor repairs, this will keep washer-extractors and tumble dryers turning and those fluffy robes moving out the door. ALN

Cheo Cruz is the service and installation manager at Dallas-based UniMac distributor Commercial Equipment Co. He has 17 years of commercial laundry experience and can be reached at Cheo@ ceclaundry.com Cruz

When OPLs have parts, staff on hand to make small repairs, downtime, danger can possibly be avoided

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

PANEL OF EXPERTS

Evaluating year-end priorities

ing the year. I cannot stress the importance of this enough.

This is a super question! It illustrates both the weight of responsibility and the threat of it overpowering your mission.

First, I would offer perspective on the concern, “I have a lot going on….” That is exactly right, and it indicates the value and the level of involvement in your program. You may substitute any time perspective behind this phrase, and it will fit and still be true. That phrase is applicable on many levels as well, such as job duties, life in general and the world we live in now.

It is only a problem if the perspective changes from engaging the challenges and enjoying the process to one of fatigue and a desire to set down the load and rest. Whenever you feel this way, the first thing to look at is if you should be doing the things that are driving this. Delegation perhaps?

If you do not have anyone trained to do this task, then you have a great opportunity to develop, mentor and teach. For me, this is always a motivator, and it is critical to the larger mission: ensuring that we have redundancy in our program and that we are prepared for change.

If your operation has a peak of tasking during the year end, consider the possibility of spreading out these items to other times. If you reset your maintenance cycle to an arbitrary annual cycle, say July 1 to June 30, you will be better able to focus on that task rather than dividing your attention.

Your team will appreciate not having another thing to stress over for the holiday season.

That being said, the most important things for end of the year involve strategic examinations of the year behind you, the year ahead and the five-year plan.

With that comes the absolute imperative of ensuring you orchestrate celebrations and recognition of each success of the team and the operations dur-

Imagine that the team had accomplished only one positive metric for the entire year. Now imagine that leadership did not acknowledge it. While it is a given that the metrics that were not improved upon will be reviewed and addressed, imagine the level of disappointment in ignoring what was achieved.

Consider the motivational impact and the validation of the effort required to make the metric move. How likely is the team to reinvest in something that was not important enough to acknowledge, recognize and celebrate?

Not taking the time to recognize and celebrate successes will be a sure-fire way to guarantee the team will move away from engaging to fatigue as noted previously.

What is your current cost for producing a pound of finished linen? What is your reject rate? What are your replacement costs? Determining these financial issues will aid in formulating plans for either staying with current suppliers and systems or making some changes.

dry. Our resort has 1,682 villas, so the end count is over 300,000 items to account for. We need to make sure we know the par levels of every item and have the order ready for January delivery to maintain proper par levels.

holiday celebrations, all of which take up a lot of time planning and executing.

In the laundry, we have one annual celebration where all of the laundry associates have a large potluck lunch to celebrate our diversity and to acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments from the year.

We will always end the year on a positive note, ready to take on a new year and new challenges. Best of luck to all of you and best wishes in 2019.

Most of us have a lot on our plate this time of year, and I am not talking about holiday meals. There is end-of-the-year inventory and equipment maintenance, as well as scheduling conflicts to accommodate vacations, days-off requests and holiday coverage. So, how do you decide what important things need to be done before the end of the year?

Well, the book Thriving in the Workplace For Dummies has a great chapter on prioritizing. There are basically five steps:

1. Start with a master list.

2. Determine the top priority A-level tasks—things that will lead to significant consequences if not done today.

3. Categorize the rest of the tasks.

4. Rank the tasks within each category.

5. Repeat this process each day.

What will be on your list will depend on where you fall in the hierarchy of your facility. For most people, a year-end review of wins and losses is important for making changes in policy for next year.

There is also the matter of your employees. Is there a need to make changes in the coming year?

And don’t forget to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the department during the past year. In all the confusion of holiday time, it is easy to forget the value each person brings to the table.

So, prioritize, manage, set goals and expectations, and thank your employees in word and deed, for they are your most valuable asset.

Another critical year-end piece is to contact all vendors we do business with and make sure that all invoices are in and accounted for in 2018. You do not want to have invoices that should have been paid in 2018 now affecting your 2019 budget.

We have an obligation not only to the company, but also to the homeowners’ associations of the resort not to be over budget at the end of the year.

Each year we compete for capital dollars with all of our other resorts for approval to make improvements, such as new equipment, so at the end of the year it is important that all projects have been completed that were approved and to verify the timeline for all capital expenditures for the next year.

At year’s end, there are many critical items to be addressed in a vacation ownership environment.

At the top of our list is to conduct a full year-end inventory of all linen on the property, both in the linen closets and in the laun-

We will have a planning session in December to get a timeline for any project, as we will not know the actual timeline for the month the project will begin until late December. It is possible we may see that one of our projects has been assigned for January.

Finally, there are many different celebrations that always take place in December, from our associate resort-wide celebration to various

F

irst, review the financial information (revenue) of your customer base. Communicate to your customers by thanking them for doing business with your company in 2018. Customers could be external or internal relationships.

Second, do some type of yearend performance review of your employees and give an appropriate appreciation for your strong performers. Bonuses are nice; however, they are not essential. You just need to present some form of acknowledgement that you appreciate what your teammates did for the successes in 2018.

Budget reviews should be completed with financial plans established for 2019. P&Ls (profit and loss statements) should have been analyzed, comparing 2017 and 2018 financial results, understanding successes and areas of improvement.

The financial differences (positive and negative) should be understood and documented. Financial plans should be established with metrics (and goals). Those financial plans should also have steps on how to achieve the expected results in 2019.

Finally, identify “Your Wildly Important Goal” for your company or group. There should be one overall goal for your team—established, communicated and with steps on how to accomplish this goal for 2019.

“I have a lot going on at the end of the year, like inventory and equipment maintenance. What do you think are some of the most important things I need to do for year-end?”

Consulting Services

Michael Dodge

Gotli Labs (GLOBE) Minneapolis, Minn.

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Chemicals Supply Rich Fosmire Epic Industries, a Division of Simoniz USA Bolton, Conn.

Healthcare Laundry Richard Engler, CLLM John Peter Smith Health Network Fort Worth, Texas

Year Ahead

believes there’s more of an understanding at the customer end for the need for a professional outsource partner.

“I think customers are making qualitative decisions, which is, in the end, beneficial for the betterrun organizations and companies that have grown their business and reinvested in their companies to prepare for these opportunities,” he says.

As indicated earlier by Ricci and Bernstein, Potack says there is a correlation between the overall economy and the health of laundry/linen services.

For example, in the food and beverage and hospitality sectors, as the economy continues to progress, more people go out to eat, more people go on vacations, and more people stay at hotels, which is a direct corollary to the food and beverage and hospitality sector of laundry/linen services.

“On the healthcare side, healthcare continues to grow as a percentage of GDP, so providers in the healthcare space, to the extent

they’re focused on their business and have reinvested and have the ability to add clients and enhance services within their clients, I see good opportunities as well,” Potack points out.

Bartsch doesn’t think the healthcare laundry industry will look much different at the end of 2019 compared to now.

“Consolidation will continue,” he says. “There will be fewer hospitals and fewer larger health systems providing care with fewer laundries and fewer, but larger, companies providing linen services to them. But for the majority of us, soiled laundry will

continue to arrive and clean linens will continue to be shipped.”

Of course, technology will be another factor impacting the industry in 2019. Bernstein says that there was a time when the North American laundry industry was known as a late adopter of technology, but that is no longer the case.

“As someone who has embraced technology, I am looking forward to seeing how the industry uses technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning to better serve its customers, improve productivity and reduce costs,” he shares.

In addition to greater adoption of technology in 2019, Bernstein says he is also looking forward to the biennial Clean Show in New Orleans in June.

“Although the trade show industry in general has lost considerable steam over the past decade, ours in an industry whose products are better seen and explained in person, and the Clean Show provides the perfect forum for end users and suppliers to come together for important face-toface interactions, all of which lead to mutual understanding and improvement,” he says. “Besides, the Clean Show allows all us of the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones.”

While the industry is strong and continues to grow, operators do need to keep their eyes open for any signs of change.

SMOOTHFLOW

“Aside from the industry issues we are adapting to, at a macro level it’s starting to feel a lot to me like 2007 and 2008, and I am wondering if we are fast approaching the end of this business cycle,” Bartsch says.

“Inevitably the economy won’t be as strong as it is today,” Ricci points out. “Companies should start contingency planning, assessing their vulnerabilities, but not abandoning their core values or plotting a total shift from business as usual.”

He says that this planning can help ensure that if a downturn does take place, laundry/linen services can act faster, which is critical in a recession, and avoid panic, which can lead to less rational decision-making.

Open Helicoid Cylinder Design

Enhances the wash pie by providing mechanical action consistent with that of an open pocket washer without the limitations imposed by transfer scoops or an archimedean design.

Safety

Monoshell helicoid provides for a large transfer opening and the unique friction drive system eliminates the need for access hatches and operator entry into the processing vessel. Braun also provides patent pending chute loading dryers.

Energy

Our standard systems afford the ability to support low and high temperature chemistries with limited energy consumption. We also offer a steam generator package to avoid the costs associated with boiler rooms and stationary engineers. As a full line dryer manufacturer we offer industry leading production and energy efficiency while optimizing the use of facility space.

Water Efficiency

Exceptional wash pie balance associated with these solutions allow for low water consumption (.4 to .7 gallons/lb., depending on soil type), while affording extremely low rewash rates (2% or less). This is not only efficient, but it improves linen life. All water used in the process is reused at least three times in the process!

Hygiene

The unique combination of material science and the monoshell design enhance system resistance to microbial/bacteria growth. All process piping is stainless steel and this system avoids double drum stagnant surfaces.

Reliability

Braun has been supplying tunnel system solutions to the industry for well over 35 years, and does so providing easy to use, heavy duty equipment that “stands the test of time”. We also provide the most comprehensive post sale support system to insure that our clients maximize performance and equipment longevity.

For more details on the proven Science of Braun’s unique features and functionality, go to www.gabraun.com/science

“Obviously, from an economic/ political perspective, as much as we like to not believe it, economies go in cycles,” agrees Potack. “We have to be prepared for any future downside, whether it’s minor or major, so that comes back to continuing to stay true to the fundamentals of how you operate the business in a most cost-efficient manner so that you’re prepared, maybe, for an economic downturn in a way that you come through it ready for the next cycle up. That’s something we always think about.”

Still, he thinks the industry is in a positive place right now, and there are trade associations and a lot of good educational content available for companies to be able to improve themselves.

“I think the industry has really evolved over time in a way that’s positive, so I think, overall, we’re excited about 2019, and we’ll see where it takes us,” Potack says.

“My crystal ball is not as accurate as others’, as evidenced by the fact that I was unable to predict the winning numbers of the recent $1.6 billion lottery or buy Apple stock when it was $14 per share,” Bernstein laughs. “That said, I remain bullish on the industry and its ability to remain strong in good economic times like these, as well as in times when the economy is not quite as strong.”

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TRSA’s Annual Conference visits California wine country

net promoter score of 74 (anything above 50 is considered excellent).

dent of the Roscoe Co. in Chicago.

NAPA, Calif. — TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services, held its 105th Annual Conference & Exchange at The Meritage Resort & Spa here Oct. 16-18.

Nearly 250 linen, uniform and facility services executives and guests gained insights from presen-

tations on technology and family business, plus thought-provoking panel discussions and break-out sessions. They also participated in social events and in the recognition of industry leaders at the annual industry Awards Dinner

TRSA says attendees raved about the program, which drew a

“TRSA’s Annual Conference is an excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new connections in the industry, celebrate those who have contributed to our industry and learn about new best practices,” says Jim Buik, presi-

Gerard van de Donk, managing director of ABS Laundry Business Solutions/LSI Inc., adds that the conference offered attendees a prime opportunity for networking.

“Every time, it is valuable to meet and talk with the executives in our industry,” he says. “That is helping us to define

our road map toward creating history together.”

The conference began with a keynote address by Vivek Wadhwa, a technology expert and columnist for The Washington Post and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Wadhwa’s speech looked at technological innovations. Specifically, he examined how those advances are disrupting industries today and how they will continue to do going forward. From the outset, Wadhwa promised a stirring glimpse of what’s to come.

He elaborated on a range of topics, from medical/genetic engineering breakthroughs to progress in robotics, water treatment, nanotechnology, energy and more. For example, he notes that the cost of solar energy is dropping exponentially. Within five years, he predicts that the costs for both solar technology and battery storage units will drop by 50% or more.

Breakout sessions were devoted to current topics. Andrew Wittmann, CFA, senior research analyst, institutional equities and research, Robert W. Baird & Co., presented “Textile Services Bottom Line Performance.” During the session, he reviewed trends in textile service markets, including employment rates and the pace of business expansion by commercial laundries.

Joseph Shelton, partner, Fisher & Phillips LLP, gave an overview of trends in personnel issues such as sex discrimination and how employers can avoid lawsuits and maximize compliance with overtime rules and other mandates associated with the Fair Labor Standards Act in the session “Employment Law Trials, Tribulations and Best Practices: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You.”

The panel “Global Opportunities and Challenges in the Linen, Uniform and Facility Services Industry” featured Enrique Jacques, COO, LAVARTEX SAPI de CV, Mexico City; Jose Luis Jacques, CEO, LAVARTEX SAPI de CV, Mexico City; Joe Sullivan, national technical operations manager, Spotless Laundries, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and Chris Sander, CEO, Johnson Service Group.

Due to flight delays, Sander was unable to attend the conference. Joseph Ricci, president and CEO, TRSA, reported on the European linen, uniform and facility services market based on a report submitted by Sander.

Topics ranged from uncertainty over the recent election of a new president in Mexico to Australia’s 27 years of recessionfree growth—fueled largely by exports of mineral ores. In addition, the panel addressed concerns among European operators over rising labor and environmental-

Buik

compliance costs.

The Annual Conference also included the announcement of two top award winners. Steve Larson, vice president of the North America Division of Alsco Inc., received the Operator Lifetime Achievement Award, TRSA’s highest honor for a linen, uniform or facility services executive. David Hart, CEO of Mountville Mills Inc., received this year’s Maglin/ Biggie Lifetime Achievement Award, the association’s highest honor for an associate member executive.

Both men received their awards during conference’s annual Awards Dinner on Oct. 17. They spoke briefly to thank customers and colleagues, while reflecting on the factors that fueled their respective career success stories.

Also recognized for their contributions to TRSA and the industry were outgoing Board Member Alexis Miller, Regent Apparel, and outgoing TRSA Chairman David Potack, Unitex. Potack now assumes the post of immediate past chairman.

The winners of other awards, including those for Years of Service, Clean Green Innovation and SafeTRSA Safety Excellence, will be announced during TRSA’s Legislative Conference March 20-21, 2019.

In another popular program at the Annual Conference, attendees participated in a lively discussion with industry veterans who spoke as part of a “Legends of the Industry” panel. They included:

• Bruce Boynton, former senior vice president of operations, UniFirst Corp.

• Alan Bubes, former president & CEO, Linens of the Week.

• Bill Evans, former CEO, AmeriPride Services Inc.

• Tom Storm, co-founder, Washing Systems (WSI).

• Donald Struminger, chairman of the board and CEO, Mohenis Services Inc.

The closing keynote address was delivered by family businessman and vintner Michael Mondavi, founder of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate. Mondavi reviewed key milestones in the development of the California wine industry, Napa Valley and the challenges and opportunities associated with running a family business.

In addition, nearly 20 laundry decision-makers sat down for direct talks with 15 supplier-company counterparts during two rounds of TRSA’s Executive Exchange program.

Operators say they appreciate the concise and focused discussions these meetings provide. Vendors say the exchange meetings provide excellent opportunities to share industry solutions with prospects and current customers.

Vendor participants in the exchange meetings included:

• ARCO/Murray

• Automation Dynamics LLC

• Ellis Corp.

•

• Fashion Seal, a brand of Superior Uniform Group

• Girbau Industrial

• Kemco Systems Co. LLC

• Hunt Textiles Inc.

• JENSEN USA Inc.

• M&B Hangers

• Leonard Automatics Inc.

• Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc.

• M+A Matting

• Softrol Systems Inc.

• WSI

In addition to education and networking, TRSA held its Annual Membership Meeting during the conference for the nomination, election and swearing-in of new

officers and directors.

Buik took over as TRSA’s new chairman. He served as vice chairman in 2017-2018.

Buik has been active in linen, uniform and facility services associations. He’s a graduate of TRSA’s Executive Management Institute (EMI). He has served on various committees, task forces and boards and was chairman of UTSA, which blended with TRSA, from 2003 to

2005.

Buik has been a pioneer of industry technologies and best practices. Through association programs he has shared Roscoe’s experience in developing these innovations, including marketing automation, wastewater treatment and employee skill certification.

Additional officers and directors sworn in at the meeting include:

• Noel Richardson, Officer-Vice Chair, Shasta Linen Supply, Sacramento, Calif.

• Jim Kearns, Officer-Treasurer, Alsco Inc., Salt Lake City.

• Bob Dudley, Director, APPEARA, Norfolk, Neb.

• Scott Finkelstein, Director, Ace Uniform Services Inc., Baltimore.

• Dan Sanchez, Director, Medline Industries Inc., Mundelein, Ill.

In addition, Directors Randy Bartsch, Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, and P.J. Dempsey, Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply, were re-elected for second terms and will be officers serving on the TRSA Executive Committee.

The next TRSA Annual Conference is scheduled for Sept. 17-19, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor. ALN

“Your dryers are long-lasting. The PLC control is easy to use, helping to reduce cycle times, considerably.”

“CLM equipment has a good reputation: sturdy, reliable and e icient.”

“I’m really happy with my CLMs; they’re more than 20 years old and they just keep running.”

Since 1983, the CLM brand has delivered the most cost-e ective, most money-making shuttle conveyors, vacuum feeders, mat rollers, towel folders and its mighty line of 200-1200 lb. dryers. Come to the brand where long-lasting and low-maintenance equipment is standard.

CHICAGO — Organizations associated with healthcare laundry/linen services in the United States are reassuring operators about the effectiveness of their processes against Clostridium dif-

ficile (C. diff) after a report questioned the effectiveness of laundering in the United Kingdom.

In October, Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology published a report that concluded C.

diff spores were able to survive laundering processes used by the U.K. National Healthcare System (UKNHS). The U.K. study found that conventional NHS laundering methods for hospital

bed sheets left significant C. diff spores behind, increasing the risk of contamination.

“Since the U.K. study was published, we’ve received a number of queries from our accredited laun-

dries about the effectiveness of HLAC’s standards in reducing the burden of C. diff,” says Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) board member and healthcare epidemiologist Carol M. McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC. “Operators want to know if the U.K. findings were cause for concern in the U.S. and Canada. We’re reassuring them that following CDC guidelines

sufficiently removes C. diff spores from textiles.”

McLay noted that there are major differences between HLAC processing standards and how the U.K. processes healthcare textiles, including temperature levels, durations of processing time and chemical concentrations.

HLAC’s comments echo an earlier review and published document by the Association for Linen Management (ALM) that notes, “A close look at this study reveals the U.K. approach to processing healthcare linen relies primarily on thermal applications.”

According to the ALM review, “In the U.S., laundry processors have long relied on the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

ALM says those recommendations state, “The antimicrobial action of the laundering process results from a combination of mechanical, thermal and chemical factors. Dilution and agitation in water remove substantial quantities of microorganisms. Detergents and surfactants function to suspend soils, reduce water surface tension and also exhibit some microbiocidal properties.”

The U.K. study, titled “From ward to washer: The survival of Clostridium difficile spores on hospital bed sheets through a commercial UK NHS healthcare laundry process” concludes that “processing infected linen in commercial washer-extractor cycles

disseminate

levels of C. difficile spores and may be contributing to sporadic outbreaks of C. difficile infection (CDI).”

“Therefore, even in the study’s assessment, the findings are conditional,” says Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services.

Ricci says that additional facts mitigate the findings even more:

• The conclusion is based on one wash formula’s inability to meet the NHS standard. This standard indicates that water temperature and the amount of time that linen is washed are the true indicators of wash quality.

• Best-management practices dictate that the quality of the wash process is maximized by using a complete wash formula that includes temperature, chemistry and mechanical action, which are customized to address various soil levels and generate hygienically clean textiles. In addition, heat from drying, ironing and finishing these linens also contributes to the linens’ cleanliness. Perhaps the only valid conclusion that can be reached from this research is that the one wash formula tested in the study is inadequate to remove C. diff.

• Most outsourced, professionally laundered healthcare linens and uniforms are processed using a tunnel washer, not washer-extractors used in the research.

• Most healthcare-related wash formulas are designed to account for time, temperature, chemistry and mechanical action that appropriately eliminate C. diff. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of a disinfectant specifically formulated to kill off C. diff spores.

• TRSA has been collecting microbiological testing data since 2014 on linen and uniform service laundries that have achieved and maintained the Hygienically Clean certification by eliminating bacteria on soiled linens to negligible levels; there have been no positive identifications of C. diff.

• C. diff contamination linked to linens is extremely rare. The best way to protect a facility and patients is to partner with a Hygienically Clean certified laundry.

Furthermore, the American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) says it has recently completed research (soon to be published) on killing C. diff spores on cotton swatches in tunnel washer programs, typical of the professional laundry process in North America.

This study will reveal improved spore removal and destruction compared to the washer/extractor study from the U.K.

ARTA says its research will be instrumental in showing the efficacy of laundering programs that:

• Utilize sodium hypochlorite bleach processes.

• Eliminate the use of chlorine bleaches in response to the prevalence of CHG-based surgical preps and hand washes.

• Use Peracetic acid-based bleaching as an alternative to sodium hypochlorite.

The association does point out that it has not yet evaluated the adherence, removal and destruction of C. diff spores from synthetic and synthetic-blend cloths in tunnel washers. ALN

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Happy famiglia at EXPOdetergo

BY TI M B U RKE

MILAN, Italy — EXPOdetergo International 2018 was all about “famiglia,” and that means family. It was a real Italian family affair for laundry owners at this every-four-years show, staged here October 19-22.

This laundry equipment event was, in no particular order, styl-

ishly dressy, brightly lit (almost to gleaming) and, yet, with an overwhelming family atmosphere, nearly carnival-like.

Booths and aisles were always busy with exhibitors talking to attendees, practically always in Italian, and also plenty of networking was going on between business associates, cronies and partners at in-booth back tables

and side rooms.

And then in the mix, everywhere, were the family business owners, with their children along, balloons and gelato in hand, and parents pushing strollers; couples hand-in-hand; and multigenerational families taking in the bright show.

EXPO catered to the local Italian family owner for sure. In

between the carnival feel, there were important equipment rollouts to the European market, ones that will eventually also be seen at the Clean Show in New Orleans.

The stylish EXPO locale sat far north of the center of Milan, an architecturally rich, yet upbeat city of fashion.

Inside the exhibit halls, equipment was showcased as richly as

dishes of cold gelato on display behind glass.

A woman who owns a laundry operation in a town nearby Milan, walking the aisles with her family, says in broken English that she is, “Here to find a tunnel washer.”

With Italian colors of red and green festooned everywhere, almost everyone speaking Italian only, and the sounds and smells of rich expresso (which the locals just step up and order at coffee bars as “Cafe, uno!”), this show couldn’t have been mistaken for anything but an all-Italy and allItalian affair. (Anyone sampling the rich gelato ice cream could attest to that as well.)

All told, 277 exhibitors, many local from Italy, stretched out their wares in roomy, carpeted booths across two spacious exhibition halls opened up and made to almost feel like one big hall. Over four days, 20,756 visitors from 113 countries made their way through exhibits in the Fiera Milano Exhibition and Trade Centre.

Well-known U.S.-based companies such as Dexter Laundry, Pellerin Milnor Corp., Whirlpool Corp. and more were here, along with the Italian firms and others, to show equipment, but also to have a presence in the European market.

As Matt Hericks, international sales manager for Dexter Laundry, points out, “We’re here looking for good partners.”

Rick Kelly, vice president of sales and marketing for Pellerin Milnor Corp., says this show is, “Very active with the first day commercial laundry. Trends in commercial laundry include people discussing ecological and automation, which is still a relatively new concept.”

Speaking of new, Whirlpool Corp. showcased its newly rolled out Maytag Multi-Load Washer line in 65-pound for on-premises laundries (OPL) at the EXPOdetergo show.

“We have a lot of brand experience, strong marketing,” says Matt Conn, senior manager, commercial laundry product development and marketing for Whirlpool Corp. “We want to grow in the commercial laundry space.”

“We will serve commercial industrial markets such as hospitals, prisons and hotels,” adds Nick Koukourakis, senior product development manager for Whirlpool Corp.

Swiss company Datamars also showed off new technology at the show called Portal +, a thin radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

“We want to make RFID invisible to the user,” explains Riccardo

EXPOdetergo International 2018 hit all the right laundry ‘flavors’ with attendees in Italy

Track Career

BEACON FALLS, Conn. — Eric Mueller has returned to Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc. as vice president of Engineering. Based in Cincinnati, he reports to Lavatec’s President Mark Thrasher. Mueller has more than 25 years of experience in the industry. Originally hired by Cintas Corp., he became Lavatec’s director of engineering in 2005. During his time at Lavatec, he was responsible for customer equipment needs. He also handled on-site assessments to determine system design and managed the installation and engineering of equipment drawings using AutoCAD.

Most recently, the company says Mueller served as senior corporate sales engineer with Kemco Systems. In that position, he developed layout drawings for equipment installation and scope of work to meet customers’ needs. In addition to coordinating turnkey installation for all mechanical, elec-

tric and construction trades, Mueller oversaw system upgrades and the retooling of operating laundries and food processing facilities. He also worked with Kemco’s engineering department to improve system design.

“I am thrilled to be back at Lavatec,” Mueller says. “When I left, they were manufacturing the lowest cost of ownership machine in the marketplace. This reputation continues with the added benefit of greatly enhanced controls. I look forward to contributing to the further refinement of our product line, as well as to improving internal efficiencies to provide greater focus on our customers.”

Kilgore promoted to Continental’s director of customer experiences

OSHKOSH, Wis.—Continental Girbau Inc. recently promoted Laurie Kilgore, of Omro, Wis., to director of customer experiences.

In this newly created position, the company says Kilgore spearheads the development and evaluation of strategic, tactical and operational customer engagement

plans, programs and initiatives. In doing so, she leads the organization in its ongoing commitment to the customer and nurtures Continental’s customer-centered culture, according to Continental President Mike Floyd.

“Continental takes pride in developing lifelong distributor and customer relationships,” Floyd says. “We’re a company that’s quickly expanding our product and brand offering. By moving Laurie into this new position, our goal is to continue that growth while maintaining and enhancing our company culture and our customers’ positive experiences.”

Kilgore agrees. “I look forward to working closely with distributors and customers, as well as the Continental team, in order to benchmark and improve customer-service procedures and practices across all departments,” she says.

Kilgore, who joined Continental in 1995 just after the company was formed, has managed the customer care department since 2006. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she’s also played a critical role in streamlin-

ing communication between Continental and its parent company, Girbau Global Laundry Solutions, based in Vic, Spain. Additionally, Continental says she regularly assists Spanish-speaking customers throughout Mexico and North America. She holds a bachelor’s degree, with a major in Spanish and minor in office administration, from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.

Gurtler hires market development manager for Northern California

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. — Gurtler Industries Inc., a manufacturer of advanced detergents and specialty chemicals for the commercial laundry industry, has added James (Jimmy) Jensick to its staff, the company reports.

Gurtler says Jensick joined the company in September and will be manager of market development in the Northern California area. He has four-plus years of experience in the laundry industry.

Mueller rejoins Lavatec as VP of engineering

Kilgore

Jensick

Mazzolini, general manager of Datamars. “We’re rolling this out here and at Clean ’19. We go to mostly laundry. We’re pilot testing it in Germany now and soon in the U.S. and U.K.”

In preparation for next year’s Clean Show, John Riddle, president of show organizer Riddle & Associates, and David Cotter, CEO of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA), manned the Clean Show booth in Italy and passed out New Orleansstyle plastic beads reading “Clean 2019.”

With that teaser for next year, I could end this show wrap-up with the word “Ciao!”

Which means goodbye. But that doesn’t describe EXPOdetergo, or this part of the world, where everything revolves around famiglia—it is, truly, a family affair. ALN

Tim

Attendees were able to see laundry equipment in action at the exhibits in the Fiera Milano Exhibition and Trade Centre. (Photo: EXPOdetergo International)

Nick Koukourakis (left), senior product development manager, and Matt Conn, senior manager, commercial laundry product development and marketing for Whirlpool Corp., stand next to the newly rolled-out Maytag Multi-Load Washer line. (Photo: Tim Burke)

Riccardo Mazzolini, general manager of Swiss company Datamars, demonstrates pushing a cart through an RFID scanning system. (Photo: Tim Burke)

Dexter Laundry’s Russ Cooper (left), manager of technical support, and Matt Herricks, international sales manager, at EXPOdetergo. (Photo: Tim Burke)

Burke is editor of sister publication American Drycleaner

Russ Poy, vice president, Alyssa Kelly, advertising coordinator, and Rick Kelly, vice president of sales and marketing, greet attendees at the Pellerin Milnor booth. (Photo: Charles Thompson)

Nearly 21,000 attendees, many families, explored the EXPOdetergo International show floor in Milan, Italy. (Photo: EXPOdetergo International)

Important equipment rollouts to the European market will eventually also be seen at the Clean Show in New Orleans.

(Photo: EXPOdetergo International)

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

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

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

Synergy Group hosts 2018 dealer network for manufacturers, dealers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Synergy Group—Pellerin Milnor Corp. and Chicago Dryer, along with Energenics Corp.— hosted its North American dealer network at the Omni Hotel here Sept. 25-27.

The biennial sales meeting provided manufacturers and dealers a valuable opportunity to review product lines, discuss the laundry industry’s innovations and listen to guest speaker Steve McClatchy discuss time management and productivity.

Synergy attendees were also able to tour the hotel’s onpremises laundry, which employs a Milnor PulseFlow®tunnel system and Chicago flatwork finishing equipment.

To wrap up the conference, attendees toured the Kentucky Derby Museum, where Milnor and Chicago also distributed awards for outstanding sales achievements in 2017-2018.

The President’s Award, presented by Pellerin Milnor and Chicago Dryer, is reserved for the individual who has made the most outstanding contributions to the success of Milnor, Chicago and the individual’s own dealer organization. This year’s President’s Award recipient was Frank Costabile, president of PAC Industries, and was accepted by Joe Leo, vice president of sales and marketing, on his behalf.

As part of EVI, Skyline will have the opportunity to collaborate with other EVI business units in the region in the pursuit of new growth opportunities. Its addition is consistent with EVI’s goal to build the largest commercial laundry distributor with a comprehensive product offering and a robust service department to best serve customers.

Henry M. Nahmad, EVI’s chairman and CEO, says his company welcomes the two new teams and looks forward to working with them and suppliers in the pursuit of growth.

Both transactions are expected to close upon satisfaction of closing conditions, and EVI expects the additions to be accretive to its fiscal year ended June 30, 2019.

The additions of Worldwide Equipment, Skyline Equipment and the distributor not yet identified publicly will bring to nine the number of laundry equipment distributors that EVI has acquired since executing a buy-and-build growth strategy with the completion of fiscal year 2016.

Previous acquisitions include Western State Design, Martin-Ray Laundry Systems, Tri-State Technical Services, Aadvantage Laundry Systems, Scott Equipment and Industrial Laundry Services.

World Emblem celebrates 25th anniversary with in-house event

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — World Emblem, a supplier of emblems and apparel decorations, kicked off its 25th anniversary celebration on Oct. 5 with an in-house event, the company reports.

President and CEO Randy Carr broadcasted a short speech thanking World Emblem’s loyal and dedicated team members, particularly those who have worked for World Emblem for 15 years or longer, during the celebration.

World Emblem was founded by Jerold Carr in 1993. Jerold’s sons, Jamie and Randy, have been deeply involved in the company since its inception.

After Jerold’s passing in 2000, Randy became the new CEO of the company. Jamie covers the markets in Canada and Michigan, as well as being a shareholder. Randy currently oversees all business initiatives, IT projects, expansions and acquisitions.

October was National Women’s Small Business Month, celebrating the accomplishments of women in business and encouraging others to buy “Women Owned.”

Bates Troy employee honored with New York organization’s Joslin Award

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Bates Troy Inc. employee Michael Kildare has been recognized with a Joslin Award by New York State Industries for the Disabled (NYSID) for his outstanding performance on Preferred Source contracts, the company reports.

Through the Preferred Source Program, Bates Troy, a healthcare linen service, drycleaning and tailoring, and fire and water restoration company, says it has met the needs of numerous government healthcare locations while opening employment doors for people like Kildare.

Now in its 15th year, NYSID’s Joslin Awards Program annually recognizes those who have overcome individual challenges to experience meaningful employment, personal growth and better choices.

Bates Troy says Kildare has not missed a single day of work since he began working a year ago. In this relatively short period of time he has learned to operate many of the folding machines and is very efficient in the hand-fold process. He is simply a very good employee who hopes to do more over time, says Bates Troy.

In addition to working with Bates Troy during the day, Kildare also helps his stepfather demolish houses after work for the City of Binghamton. If he didn’t have his job at Bates Troy, he would pass out newspapers at nursing homes to be of service to others.

The Joslin Award is named for William B. Joslin, who served as CEO of Human Technologies in Utica and as a member of NYSID’s board of directors for many years, to honor his unwavering commitment to Preferred Source employment opportunities and empowered lives.

MIAMI — Commercial laundry and drycleaning equipment distributor EnviroStar Inc. (EVI) reports it has executed definitive merger agreements to acquire substantially all the assets and certain liabilities of fellow distributors Worldwide Laundry Inc., also based in Miami, and Skyline Equipment Inc., based in Houston, Texas, using a combination of cash and EVI stock. The purchase prices were not announced.

The proposed acquisitions are unrelated to EVI’s other pending acquisition involving a Western-based distributor announced in late September, Michael Steiner, EVI executive vice president, tells American Trade Magazines.

Worldwide is a distributor of vended and on-premises laundry products and a provider of installation and maintenance services to customers in southeast Florida and select countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The proposed acquisition will increase EVI’s market share in southeast Florida and will provide access to key brands of vended and on-premises laundry products that expand EVI’s existing product offering, the company says.

It will be EVI’s second acquisition of a Florida-based business, which will further increase its leading market share position in that state, EVI says. With the added leadership, experience and resources of its primary Florida business unit, Steiner Atlantic, EVI expects to pursue domestic and international growth opportunities in the sale, installation and service of vended and on-premises laundry markets.

Skyline is a distributor of on-premises and vended laundry products and a provider of installation and maintenance services to healthcare, hospitality, correctional, institutional, and vended laundry customers in the central and southern regions of Texas.

In recognition of the team’s hard work, World Emblem says it will hold a special celebration at each location for employees. The celebration will include newly designed, limited-edition 25th anniversary emblems with new polo shirts. Randy Carr will also outline his vision for the company in the future.

Besides its headquarters here, the company has locations in Atlanta; Ontario, Calif.; and Decatur, Ill.

International plants include Aguascalientes, Mexico, and Mississauga, Ontario. World Emblem says it also has a strategic partner in the United Kingdom, J&A International.

Penn Emblem accepts National Women’s Business Enterprise Council Certification for 2019

TREVOSE, Pa. — Penn Emblem, which provides emblematic decoration for companies and organizations, accepted its National Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBENC) Certification for 2019 in October, the company reports.

President and owner Randi Blumenthal-Joseph has been the president of Penn Emblem since 2010 and continues to inspire the women at Penn Emblem every day, according to the company.

WBENC fosters women-owned businesses, believing that supplier diversity promotes innovation and fuels economic growth globally. WBENC’s national standard of certification is an extensive process that includes an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. With diversity comes innovation, bringing together leaders from all backgrounds.

As a company that stays at the forefront of its industry, encouraging women to take leadership roles within has been a top priority, Penn Emblem says.

LOVELAND, Ohio — Washing Systems (WSI), which provides solutions for the commercial laundry industry, has been awarded the Platinum Level under the State of Ohio EPA’s Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Program, the agency reports.

WSI was recognized with the award, which is the program’s highest distinction, for its ongoing efforts in environmental stewardship. Platinum Level recognizes organizations that have expanded their environmental programs beyond their own facilities to make a positive impact on the surrounding community.

This marks the third occurrence WSI has been honored under the program. WSI has also been recognized with a Platinum Level award in 2017 and a Silver Level award in 2014.

EnviroStar to acquire two more distributors in Miami and Houston

WSI earns Platinum Level distinction from Ohio EPA’s E3 Program

Synergy Group dealer network attendees toured the Kentucky Derby Museum. (Photo: Pellerin Milnor Corp.)

From left: Mario Ciotoli, ACHIEVE Community Contract Manager; Katie Tucci NYSID Central New York Account Representative; Michael Kildare; Brian Kradjian, president and CEO, Bates Troy Inc. (Photo: Bates Troy Inc.)