American Laundry News - January 2020

Late News

HandCraft to open new

RICHMOND, Va. — HandCraft Healthcare Linen & Uniform Specialists plans to open a new plant in Wilson, N.C., that is expected to employ 125 to 150 people.

The Richmond, Va.-based company will invest $15 to $16 million in the plant to be located at the Wilson Corporate Park near I-95, according to Keith Nichols, company president.

The Wilson plant will provide sanitization and laundering primarily for medical facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. It will open in what is now a 97,000-square-foot industrial park shell building, which the company purchased for $2.82 million from Wilson County Properties Inc.

HandCraft says it will extensively upfit the building to accommodate, among other things, a ceiling conveyor system that continuously delivers bags of laundry through its high-tech washing process.

The company plans to open the Wilson plant by mid-October 2020, with most of the hiring occurring about two weeks earlier. ALN

Senior living community reaches ‘moonshot’ laundry goal

Karen Venis, CEO. “Laundering facility and personal linens for 130 residents is no simple task, in fact we spend 18.5 hours per day laundering linens for our residents— that’s 6,752 hours per year!”

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Sayre Christian Village (SCV) is a nonprofit senior living community located here with a valuable new employee named Elle.

How valuable is this employee? Without Elle, SCV wouldn’t be able to process the laundry and linens generated on campus and provide expected levels of comfort and care for residents and their families.

Elle is Sayre’s brand new 65-pound UniMac washer-extractor.

“With 130 residents to serve at the healthcare facility alone, laundry is an essential component of our daily operations at Sayre Christian Village,” shares

Sayre Christian Village has been serving older adults here and the surrounding Bluegrass region for more than 35 years. Elise Hinchman, vice president of marketing and development, says the facility is dedicated to providing quality housing, rehabilitation services and long-term nursing care reflecting Christian compassion for 375 residents on the campus.

SCV is the only nonprofit lifeplan community in its county, which means that it provides independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing care, memory care and also short-term, longterm and out-patient rehab all on the same

Unconnected connectivity

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

CHICAGO — Humans have been trying to be “connected” wirelessly for a long time.

Some historians point to the use of pigeons to send messages in the mid-19th century as a starting point.

However, in today’s online world, “wireless” has a different meaning: connecting computers and communication devices without wires in order to transmit data. Technological visionaries have been improving wireless technology, connecting almost everything via Wi-Fi, since the late

Columnist at Large

In this issue, Eric Frederick offers ways to overcome resistance to change in a laundry.

Laundries Care

A look at a few laundry/ linen businesses and the good causes they supported in 2019.

Panel of Experts

Meet the new panelists for 2020; learn about who they are, about their businesses and more.

The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management

Wireless trend making laundry equipment more connected, impacting operations

North Carolina plant

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Sayre Christian Village kept donors informed of its washer-extractor fund progress. (Graphic: Sayre Christian Village)

Fundraiser helps nonprofit keep laundry processing on-premises

ARTA to hold second Green Conference Feb. 26-28

SHAWNEE MISSION, Kan. — The American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) will hold its 2020 Education Conference Feb. 26-28 at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando. Members and nonmembers are welcome.

In 2010, ARTA held its first Green Conference, and this year’s conference will revisit the issue of sustainability and focus on research, trends and issues that affect an organization’s ability to market the benefits of reusable textiles.

ARTA says CEOs, managers and marketing/sales staff should attend this conference.

WHY FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY?

According to ARTA President Gabriel Boardman, it’s critical for the textile services industry to understand and leverage sustainability issues.

“How do we position textile services in the 2020s with an eye toward 2050? The industry offers a reusable product for a world that will experience severe water restrictions,” he says.

“As launderers, we are truly ‘Guardians of Water’ and can process and clean textiles in the most efficient manner possible. When our customers choose

reusable linen and uniforms over single-use disposables, they choose the green option and reduce landfill waste.

“The ARTA 2020 Education Conference is designed to educate suppliers and operators on how they can improve their ‘Green IQ’ with regards to manufacturing, operations, education and marketing efforts.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: BEN MEAD, HOHENSTEIN INSTITUTE AMERICA

One of the conference’s keynote speakers is Ben Mead, managing director for Hohenstein Institute America. Mead has OEKO-TEX® responsibilities and promotes Hohenstein’s expertise as a global leader in textile research and testing. He also serves as the company’s liaison with governmental agencies, industry collaborations, and trade associations.

As ARTA keynote, Mead will share his perspectives on sustainability and the importance of research and standards.

He previously consulted with a variety of brands and industry associations, including Textile Exchange and AFIRM.

In those roles, Mead was responsible for establishing partnerships with industry leaders and experts to increase engagement in green chemistry and sustainable textile processing. He started his career working for Nike, where he helped develop a restricted substances program.

Mead has degrees in chemistry and textile chemistry from North Carolina State University and a certificate in green chemistry from the University of Washington.

IN ADDITION ...

The ARTA conference agenda also includes tabletop exhibits, Welcome Reception by MIP, and Sponsor Reception. Optional activities include a Feb. 26 plant tour and a golf scramble on Feb. 28.

The conference will follow a Wednesday to Friday format. Wednesday afternoon will feature a plant tour, followed by a Welcome Reception hosted by MIP. Education sessions run all day Thursday and end at noon on Friday.

HOW TO REGISTER

The room rate is $209 USD per night and is being offered three days after the conference for those members who wish to make the trip a vacation.

Registration is open; pay online at www. ARTA1.com/Attend ALN

F&B Conference in February

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services, reports it is bringing executives and upper management who focus on the food and beverage market together to tackle tough questions, providing takeaway strategies and approaches moving forward, during its inaugural F&B Conference at The Westin Las

Vegas Hotel and Spa, Feb. 5-6, TRSA says it has added the F&B Conference to its professional-development opportunities in response to member requests for enrichment specific to this rapidly growing market. Attendees for this event will benefit from opportunities to build skills, learn best practices from industry leaders, and spend time collaborating and sharing information.

Day one of the agenda will feature tours of Alsco Inc. and Brady Linen Services LLC. Following the plant tours, management teams will gather for debriefing sessions that allow for comparison of operations, thereby enriching the discussion of alternative approaches to similar tasks among conference attendees. The day will finish with a CEO/Executive Roundtable and networking reception.

Day two will begin with keynote presenter Robert Byrne, senior manager of consumer insights at Technomic, a research and consulting firm that serves the food service industry. In addition to Byrnes’ presentation,

the second day also will feature these sessions:

• Garments: Customer Wants and Needs

• Linen’s Role in Restaurant Sustainability Practices

• Hygienically Clean Food Service Certification

Panel discussions pay professional growth dividends in the form of networking and information sharing. The F&B Conference agenda includes these interactive opportunities:

• Breakout sessions featuring topics such as table linens, napery, garments and facility services

• Customer panel featuring restaurateurs and chefs, facilitated by Katherine Jacobi, president and CEO of the Nevada Restaurant Association

TRSA shares that attendees can boost the value of their professional-development dollars by bundling this event with the second annual Hospitality Conference, scheduled for Feb. 4-5, at the same location.

Visit www.trsa.org/fandb for additional information.

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

Phone: 312-361-1681

E-Mail: nfrerichs@ ATMags.com

Advisory Board

David Barbe • David Carter

Janice Ayers Davis • Nick Fertig Deana Griffin • Steve Kallenbach Edward McCauley

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

Subscriptions

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American Laundry News (ISSN 1091-9201) is published monthly. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S. 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies: U.S. $9.00; Foreign $18.00.

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POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Laundry News, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 46, number 1. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Laundry News is distributed selectively to qualified laundry and linen management and distributors in the United States.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2020. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Laundry News does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within.

Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Laundry News or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

MEMBERSHIPS

Education Conference to focus on improving ‘Green IQ’ of attendees, leveraging sustainability in manufacturing, operations, education, marketing efforts Event

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Gathering good advice

O

ne of the ways American Laundry News brings you the most relevant information possible is to utilize an editorial advisory board.

The editorial advisory board advises me on what’s going on in the industry that needs to be covered and offers ideas for features, angles and story/news sources.

They also present ideas for questions and surveys, and suggestions for podcasts. In addition, they present critique/constructive feedback on our content.

Who are these people? Experts in the laundry and linen services industry, including operators, suppliers and distributors.

Every few years, it makes sense for new members to join the board, so, it’s my pleasure to introduce the new Editorial Advisory Board:

• David Barbe, Director of

The Editor’s Desk MATT POE

Engineering, UNX

• David Carter, VP North American Sales, Pellerin Milnor Corp.

• Janice Ayers Davis, VP Strategic Planning, TLC Tri-State Laundry

• Nick Fertig, Director of Central Laundry, Rosen Hotels and Resorts

• Deana Griffin, President, The

Griffin Group Inc.

• Steve Kallenbach, CMODirector of Market Solutions, American Dawn

• Edward McCauley, President/ CEO, United Hospital Services

This also means it’s time to say goodbye to those who helped guide content for the past several years:

• Jim Buik, Roscoe Co.

• Tony Jackson, Kannegiesser ETECH

• Tom Marks, Western State Design

These folks have been invaluable in helping me as I came on board, learned the industry and learned what was needed from a laundry/ linen services publication.

Please join me in welcoming the new folks and thanking and saying goodbye to those who have served.

It’s all to help everybody keep it clean! ALN

Healthcare Linen Alliance grows with new member facilities

expanded its service areas, driven by members adding new facilities.

What type of change agent are you?

During my 44 years of active management in the laundry industry, I got to work with a lot of managers and supervisors as we implemented changes to our process or organization. Over the years I came to see the same type of reactions to change from various people. I will attempt in this article to define several of the types and how best to handle them.

The first type can be recognized by the frequent use of the following statement: “We tried that before and it did not work.” This statement is designed to prevent the group or the boss from looking further into the idea. If you think the idea is a good one, then you must push through this initial resistance.

The best way to do so is to thank them for their opinion and then ask, “What caused the idea to fail in the past?” Many good ideas fail because of poor planning, staff resistance or lack of proper resources.

Understanding what went wrong in the past helps the group to determine if there is a way to make it work in the future. Asking the question will surprise them, and making them analyze why it failed in the past will be something they are not prepared to do. Getting their input into the idea and looking at it from a cost/benefit perspective will help overcome the resistance from this type of person.

The second person is what I call a passive resister. They might say that is a good idea, but the staff, or several key team members will never accept that type of change. The truth is that they do not want the change but will never put themselves in the position to have to defend their feelings.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The Healthcare Linen Alliance (HAL), one of the largest commercial

healthcare linen service providers in the nation with 10 member companies, reports it has

Century Linen & Uniform Service recently built and opened a state-of-the-art facility in Johnstown, N.Y., and took over the closed Clarus plants in Syracuse, N.Y., according to HLA. In part, the expansion was born out of demand for a rapid onboarding of new customers made necessary by other linen providers exiting the market.

In less than a month, Century brought on new customers representing more than 15 million pounds of volume annually. Several of those new customers required processing millions of pounds of linen due to existing providers going out of business

See HLA on Page 6

The best way to handle this person is to go around them. If they say Jane will never accept that idea, then go to Jane and discuss it with her. If you can get Jane to agree to work with you on the project, then in your next meeting you can say that you talked to all those that had concerns about the idea and they agreed to try it.

You will never win over a passive resister. They will always be against the idea and in private they will talk it down to anyone who listens. Such a person is a real drag on the organization.

Fortunately, I have found that this type of manager or supervisor, when faced with the team actively planning and working together to implement the planned change, will often find themselves another job. They cannot stand this lack of respect because their ideas were not followed.

The opposite of the passive resister is the over-enthusiastic adopter. These people are always looking for change. I have often called these people my great idea generators. They may approach you every day with a new idea on how to improve the operation.

The challenge with this type of person is to get them to slow down and understand the risk benefits of what they are proposing. I love this type of person, and if they give me one or two good ideas a year, it is well worth my time in dealing with their many ideas.

The final type of person I will cover in this piece is the over planner. This type of employee embraces the need for change, loves the process of planning for the change but is never comfortable with actually implementing the change.

They always feel there is more planning and more what-if scenarios to be looked at and added to the plan. It is difficult for them to understand that even after our best planning efforts, some things will need to be changed on the fly. Unanticipated problems will arise that will require us to adapt our program to deal with these issues. The best way to deal with them is to set a start date and hold to it.

I am sure you could add to my list, and I have not attempted to define each type I have run across, but I’ve given you the four major types that I experienced during my 44 years of management. You may want to reflect and see if you fall into one of these groups yourself.

As a manager or a supervisor, your job is to help your organization improve and respond to industry challenges. You may not always succeed with each idea, but doing nothing is never 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.

From

COLUMNIST AT LARGE Eric L. Frederick, RLLD

Alliance says expansion result of responding to current, new customer needs

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Fundraising

campus.

Hinchman says Sayre uses its on-premises laundry to process the facility’s linens (sheets, towels, etc.). In addition, the SCV does personal laundry for 130 residents on a daily basis on the campus.

Laundry staff processes the linens and laundry for SCV on two shifts: 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and an eight-hour evening shift, usually 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

But the laundry can’t get processed when the equipment doesn’t work. That’s what happened with the facility’s 16-yearold, 65-pound UniMac commercial washer-extractor earlier this year.

According to Hinchman, it became difficult to find replacement parts and costlier to repair because of the washer-extractor’s age. Besides the washer-extractor, Sayre has three commercials dryers and not much else.

She says that due to its nonprofit status, Sayre has gotten very good at making a dollar stretch. In fact, the village’s maintenance team had patched and repaired the old washer as many times as they could, but it was finally beyond repair.

But also because the village is a nonprofit, funding isn’t easy to come by. With the washerextractor going out of commission, SCV was looking at the possibility of having to send linen out to be processed.

“SCV Healthcare Center needed a new industrial washer desperately, but the $13,000 required was not in the budget,” says Hinchman. “If they had to rely on just one washer for the Healthcare Center, they knew that they wouldn’t be able to provide the level of comfort and care that residents and families were used to.”

Sayre Christian Village opted to raise the necessary funds to

purchase a new washer-extractor.

Hinchman says the entire staff rallied around the “one campus, one mission” approach as the development team put together a series of fundraisers for the campaign. Half of the washing machine was funded by SCV’s own staff fundraisers, and that’s what they’re most proud of.

Here are just a few of the ways SCV raised funds over the three-month span:

• Community yard sale

• Golf umbrella sale

• Facebook birthday fundraiser

• Facebook peer-to-peer fundraiser

• Dine to Donate fundraisers at various restaurants

• The Burl Concert Fundraiser & Sponsorships

• Private donations from staff

“The campaign was successful because it was a very urgent, very immediate need that would affect both residents and staff,” Hinchman says. “We knew we had to ‘eat the elephant one bite at a time’ to get the team to believe that we could earn this large amount of money needed.

“It just happened to be the same summer as the first man on the moon moonshot anniversary. There was so much buzz around that historical anniversary that we piggy-backed off the idea. The washer became our own moonshot goal. There was real anticipation, anxiousness and excitement building as we raced to raise the money.”

She says SCV opted to replace the machine with the newest UniMac 65-pound commercial washer-extractor because of its previous experience with UniMac and the outstanding service received from local distributor REM Laundry Systems.

“Our new machine is the same 65-pound capacity but is much more efficient and has created time savings with shorter and fewer cycles,” Hinchman shares. “We are able to do more loads now because of the high speed of

the machine. The quality is great.

“The same amount of time is spent; however, we are keeping up much better and getting residents personal items back in a much more timely manner.”

She adds that SCV is grateful to REM Company, folks like the staff at The Burl where it held its concert and to all outside donors.

But why was the new machine named “Elle”? It played off the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

Facebook fans were asked to name the washer-extractor since the campaign had been featured for three months on the platform, and followers were excited that the “mission” had been accomplished, according to Hinchman.

Fans had three choices for the name:

A. Apollo B. Armstrong

C. Elle (for Apollo 11)

The winning name was “Elle,” and the machine features a nameplate that reads: Elle

Named in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 11

Moonshot Mission

Installed August 7th, 2019 ALN

looking for the right opportunities to expand strategically, and we believe that our ability to scale quickly and assist businesses in our community was a win for everyone involved.”

suddenly.

Within seven days, the Alliance says Century surveyed and assessed all of the locations of the potential new customers, and ordered, prepped and processed linen to facilitate installation and seamless operations.

“We have an agile and professional, customer-centric team capable of decisive action, and we were pleased that we could lend a helping hand to businesses in need,” says Richard Smith, CEO of Century in New York. “We are always

Novo Health Services, an HLA member headquartered in Georgia, added an 8 million-pound customer in Richmond, Va., with just 30 days’ notice.

Quickly gathering a large install team and partnering with another Alliance member, Up To Date Laundry Inc., they surveyed, prepped and processed linen, providing a seamless install and uninterrupted operations for the healthcare system customer.

In the Midwest, a hospital in Peoria, Ill., was given short notice that its provider was discontinuing service. With a two-week timeframe, Alliance says mem-

ber Midwest Healthcare Linen Service stepped in to survey, prep, install and begin servicing the facility quickly to ensure ongoing service.

Encompassing facilities up and down the West Coast, HLA says member Emerald Textiles has experienced rapid growth and added significant capacity through opening new facilities, upgrading plants and a strategic acquisition plan. Recent Emerald acquisitions include a plant in St. George, Utah, as well as Mediclean Linen and Laundry in Los Angeles.

The company also invested heavily in upgrading existing facilities in Los Angeles and Turlock, Calif., in the third quarter of the year and recently completed its “greenfield” expansion in Livingston, Calif., which opened this fall.

Emerald’s focus on outstanding quality and service to its customers has facilitated explosive growth in its service area along the West Coast as well as adjacent states, shares the Alliance.

As demonstrated by these recent events, Healthcare Linen Alliance says its members are unrelenting in responding to the needs of existing and prospective customers alike. Committed to the industries they serve, members of the Alliance are aggressively scaling their businesses and seeking new opportunities across the nation.

Alliance members serve the United States and Canada, and HLA says the group now collectively produces more than 750 million pounds annually, serving more than 2,100 customers and more than 120,000 hospital beds.

Millie Johnson (left), lead housekeeper at Sayre Christian Village, and Robin Elliot, director of dietary and housekeeping, show off its new washer-extractor named “Elle.” (Photos: Sayre Christian Village)

Grayson Jenkins and the Roughriders perform during the benefit concert at The Burl to fund Sayre Christian Village’s new washer -extractor.

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1990s.

This includes wirelessly connecting commercial laundry equipment, which has changed plant operations.

“Wireless has expanded the ability to collect data throughout a laundry,” says Jon Witschy, sales manager for Spindle, a provider of real-time laundry operation software. “This provides greater visibility to operating parameters that may help improve efficiency and thus reduce operating costs.

“Wireless also reduces infrastructure costs (no wiring or the labor to install it) and makes it easier to move or replace equipment, since there is no need to run new signal or network cables to new connection points or equipment locations.”

“Industry 4.0” and the “Internet of Things” are phrases that reference the evolution of connectivity with system components, he says. Devices (e.g., sensors, meters, motors, controls, etc.) can now be purchased with wireless capability and IP addresses for plug-and-play recognition of the components and parameters being recorded.

“New remote sensors and internet-friendly controls have appeared in the marketplace that greatly enhance speed as well as ability to communicate,” says Bob Fesmire, president of laundry equipment manufacturer Ellis Corp.

“At the Clean Show, we introduced our Uptime Control Management System remote sensors that work with a magnet that can help determine not only if a component will fail but, based on history and well-written algorithm, when.”

Manufacturer VEGA Systems USA adds that connectivity of machines will reduce maintenance, energy and labor costs. Additionally, wireless connectivity provides insight into hidden costs and the ability to have a much greater control on the

margins in the laundry operation.

Keith Ware, vice president of sales for Lavatec Laundry Technology says wireless technology has allowed equipment manufacturers and operators to more easily connect both equipment and employee monitoring with more reliable speed and data transfer.

“This allows laundries to capture data that helps manage the operation on a second-by-second opportunity,” he points out. “Laundry managers can instantaneously see production results, employee performance, and equipment efficiency and operating parameters.”

VEGA Systems USA shares that it produces wireless options more in washing equipment and finishing lines, and a lower amount is ordered and installed on standalone machines. In other words, wireless connectivity is ordered/ installed more so on equipment systems.

However, the company says that information reaches users more quickly and, therefore, better information and quicker information is available. In addition, all data can be sent to any management information system (MIS) system.

“Quite simply, you can’t manage what you can’t measure,” adds Randy Radtke, content and media relations manager for Alliance Laundry Systems. “Laundry management systems like TotalVue are catalysts that jumpstart operational improvements by reporting key metrics.

“Managers invest large sums in highly efficient laundry equipment. Leveraging wireless technology helps ensure they are realizing the savings and efficiencies they were sold on, not the least of which, is labor efficiency.”

Of Spindle’s customers, Witschy says 20-25% make use of wireless technology with its software; however, that number is growing as new installations come online and as early adopters upgrade from their original wired hardware.

“Plenty of users also utilize wireless technology for other systems on the plant floor—even just for internet access,” he points

out. “The facilities who have not added wireless are perhaps unaware that it has become reliable at reasonable costs or are unaware of the availability of this technology.

“Other than the number of wireless access points required to set up a network, there is not really a difference in implementing wireless in an OPL versus a commercial laundry.”

per pound. TotalVue puts that and other KPIs [key performance indicators] at management’s fingertips, enabling them to do things like benchmark against other properties or industry averages.”

While wireless connectivity has many benefits, there are drawbacks to consider.

“A smart laundry is the future of laundry management, but there are many ways to accomplish this connection and wireless is the most risky,” shares Amanda Konczal, director of marketing and customer support for laundry equipment manufacturer Dexter Laundry Inc.

as the automatic improvement of operations.

“In reality, the data collection is still just a tool,” he points out. “They must review the information collected to make educated decisions on changes that are required in the operation, which can lead to performance improvements.”

“I think operators get a lot of good data, such as run time, efficiency, maintenance schedules,” Fesmire adds. “The critical item is to find the data that is most pertinent to your operation that you can act on. Lots of data points are good; positive actions around the data that drive change are better.”

VEGA Systems USA says it delivers 30% of its machines with wireless connectivity options, and laundries that take advantage of the technology do so because manual typing or filling in Excel sheets isn’t necessary anymore.

Laundries that don’t use wireless, according to the company, don’t because the level of initial investment is increased. Also, some customers opt not to invest in wireless features because they traditionally have not.

Radtke says that managers not tapping into wireless connectivity and its volume of data access are missing an opportunity improve efficiency and reduce costs. In addition, the technology provides insights into process breakdowns that can potentially impact quality and linen life.

“In this world where online reviews make or break a hotel property and other facilities, superior finished quality for linens is non-negotiable,” he points out. “For years, laundries operated with no true metric of a cost

“Laundries are dirty, noisy environments. By noisy, I don’t mean sound (although they are), I am talking about electrical noise from components such as inverter drives. This electrical noise interferes with the wireless communication while the lint and other debris accumulates on the components. Not to mention, laundries are often in basements surrounded by concrete walls that block wireless communication. All of this results in potential service disruption.

“The most robust method to connect laundries to the cloud or a manager’s computer is via a wired system or transferring data via a USB.”

She goes on to say that laundry operators who have had a poor experience maintaining a stable wireless connection may overlook the benefits that connectivity delivers.

“A connected machine provides owners with ultimate flexibility,” Konczal shares. “For example, owners of Dexter Laundry’s O-Series washers can track how long the machine sat after the cycle was complete before the door was opened. This is a great way to determine if your workflow is properly balanced.”

Another caution that Witschy mentions is that laundries sometimes view the collection of data

When considering a wirelessly connected plant, there needs to be a detailed requirement of what is necessary to collect, Ware says.

“What are the operators going to do with the information, is it being disseminated, and how often is the data required?” he says. “I believe this is similar to most technology.

“Everyone is focused on the power and speed of a laptop computer, but most of us use them for Excel sheets, Word and e-mail. Don’t buy high technology just to say your operation has it; decide what the plan is on how to use this information.”

Konczal recommends that laundries consult an IT or networking expert before investing in a wireless connection.

“Your laundry may be the perfect site to maintain a stable wireless connection, or it might not,” she points out. “If it isn’t, there are solutions available that provide all the benefits of a connected machine, without the headaches of a wireless system.”

“We live in a connected world, and easy access to machine and operations data has become a key element to efficiently running a business,” concludes Radtke. “We will continue to see this trend expand in the on-premises laundry world, as managers observe the results, firsthand.”

“[WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY] ALLOWS LAUNDRIES TO CAPTURE DATA THAT HELPS MANAGE THE OPERATION ON A SECOND-BYSECOND OPPORTUNITY.”

—KEITH WARE, LAVATEC LAUNDRY TECHNOLOGY

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Notice Anything?

InkGo® Is Now Odor Free!

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Caring about more than laundry

Operations, suppliers offer aid to various worthwhile causes

C OMPI LED BY M ATT POE, EDITOR

CHICAGO — There’s more to life than laundry and linen services.

Especially when people need assistance.

Both operations and suppliers around the industry are well aware of this and step up throughout the year to help vari-

ous causes.

What follows are just of few of the laundry/linen businesses and the causes they supported toward the end of 2019.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS, RESEARCH

In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month this past October, Mission Linen

Supply, a provider of linens, uniforms, laundry services and supplies based in Santa Barbara, Calif., raised a total of $8,550 to support breast cancer research, education, awareness and support services.

Companywide, Mission raised funds through the sale of pink apparel, including shirts, sweatshirts, scrubs and more to cus-

tomers and employees. The company donated a portion of the proceeds from each sale to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), for a total donation of $1,150.

In addition to these companywide efforts, Mission’s plant in Salinas, Calif., launched a fundraising campaign of its own. The plant’s efforts included weekly events, such as selling tri-tip plates, building a “wall of hope,” a door-decorating contest, two car wash events and a rummage sale. As a result, the plant raised an additional $7,400, which it donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF).

Mission participates in Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October, and each year the company looks for new ways to expand its efforts and contributions.

“We are honored to once again offer our support to such an important cause,” says Mission President and CEO John Ross. “We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the many customers and employees who contributed this year and helped us make a difference.”

SUPPORTING PATIENTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS

As part of its “A Canvas for Good” initiative, highlighting the company belief that “business is personal,” SanMar Corp., a provider of activewear and accessories based in Issaquah, Wash., held a fundraiser for Virginia Mason Hospital’s Bailey-Boushay House in Seattle.

True to its core value of “Making a Difference,” the company raised $130,000 through a two-week Charitable Giving event to help the organization.

“This donation will surely make a difference in the lives of so many people in our community,” says Jeremy Lott, SanMar’s president.

For the past 27 years, BaileyBoushay House has supported patients living with HIV/AIDS by providing resources to improve their personal wellbeing and overall living situations.

“Bailey-Boushay House is so thankful to SanMar and its employees,” says Brian Knowles,

Alsco donated to the Wichita Falls Faith Mission and its New Beginnings program, an eightmonth recovery program designed for women seeking victory over addictive behaviors.

(Photo: Alsco Inc.)

director of Bailey-Boushay House. “The gift is life-changing for our clients. This generosity will impact the health and safety of the most vulnerable individuals in our community.”

The money raised will help with treatment assistance, finding housing solutions for those who are homeless, outpatient medical services, and supplies like food and clothing.

The overall goal of the program offered at Bailey-Boushay House is to prevent the spread of the disease by providing the best multifaceted support possible to those who need it.

From September 9 through 20, all eight of SanMar’s distribution centers around the country and the Eastpointe Headquarters in Issaquah participated in creative and sometimes delicious ways of giving. Each location provided unique opportunities for making donations, having fun and most importantly providing hope.

AIDING AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION® CAMPS

Cintas Corp., a provider of workplace first aid, safety supplies and training services based in Cincinnati, is donating 78 first aid cabinets to support American Diabetes Association® (ADA) Camps, which deliver education and camp fun to kids in a medically safe environment.

“Summer camp is a rite of passage for every child, but it doesn’t come without risks, ranging from bug bites and insect stings to scrapes and bruises,”

says Katie Gough-Edwards, marketing director, first aid and safety, Cintas.

“We’re proud to partner with the ADA to support the more than 6,500 children across the U.S. who attend ADA camps. Our well-stocked first aid cabinets have the supplies necessary to not only treat common camp injuries, but they are also equipped with treatment if a camper or staff member experiences a dramatic change in blood glucose levels.”

Cintas will install 78 ANSI Class B first aid cabinets at ADA Camps across the country, complete with the following products: WoundSeal® Liquid Bandage, Glucose, Pain Away®, QuikHeal™ Hydrocolloid Bandage and hand lotion.

For 70 years, the ADA has run camps across the country serving more than 100,000 children and their families.

HELPING THE HOMELESS, DISPLACED

The Wichita Falls, Texas, branch of Alsco Inc., a linen and uniform services company, recently donated to the Wichita Falls Faith Mission. Since 1958, Wichita Falls Faith Mission has stood as a place of faith, hope, and love for the homeless and displaced in the area.

The Wichita Falls Faith Mission New Beginnings program is an eight-month recovery program designed for women seeking victory over addictive behaviors. The goal of New Beginnings is to transform the minds and hearts of those in the program to avoid falling back into destructive patterns. Participants find renewed hope as they discover a higher purpose for their lives.

“Wichita Falls Faith Mission

recently opened Victory House to help women transition out of homelessness,” says Lindsay Wise, human resources manager, Alsco Wichita Falls. “Being that this is a brand-new home program, we wanted to be sure that it got off to a great start.

“By breaking the cycle of addiction for one person, their entire family benefits. Faith Mission’s New Beginnings Program helps many women break that cycle, and our entire community reaps the benefits of that new hope.”

“The donation from Alsco helps us further our mission by providing funding for our New Beginnings program, which equips women with the tools to overcome addiction,” says Lyka Bennett, assistant director of development, Wichita Falls Faith Mission.

“Program participants are provided shelter, food and a recovery and work therapy program in a Christian setting at no cost to them. We wouldn’t be able to provide this program without the help of generous supporters like Alsco.”

STANDING UP FOR MEN’S HEALTH

The team at Penn Emblem Co., headquartered in Trevose, Pa., came together this November to stand up for men’s health— prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

Throughout the month, various employees grew their mustaches and beards out and collected donations along the way. A total of $2,065 was collected and donated to the Movember organization.

Penn Emblem sends tremendous gratitude to all who participated and donated for this cause,

saying the donations will help Movember fund groundbreaking work in prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

Movember has “funded more

than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research, and transforming the way health services reach and support men.” ALN

SanMar Corp. held a fundraiser for Virginia Mason Hospital’s Bailey-Boushay House in Seattle to support patients living with HIV/AIDS. (Photo: SanMar Corp.)

Mission Linen Supply raised money to support breast cancer research and promote awareness through the sale of pink apparel. (Photo: Mission Linen Supply)

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PANEL OF EXPERTS

2020 Panel of Experts ready to share views, experience

challenging, as there is currently limited infrastructure for end-oflife product management.

Another challenge we continue to encounter—and overcome—is sourcing U.S.-made raw materials for our products. The combination of foreign competition and domestic policies has unfortunately led to a more limited U.S. textile industry.

different plants in the United States, Canada and abroad. I am a strong proponent of values-based management, Lean manufacturing and process-driven success.

In 2019, we successfully launched several products, including our Nautilus ceramic recycling system and Ellis’s new Uptime Machine Management Control System for all of our products.

ing an analytical, data-driven and some might say, nerdy, approach to solutions. That should also help explain the propeller beanie in our company logo.

I am thrilled and honored to contribute to the American Laundry News 2020 Panel of Experts. I’ve had the privilege of growing up in the industry and am a long-term fan of this publication.

I am part of the fourth generation of family leadership of Regent Apparel, a uniform manufacturer supplying the textile rental industry since 1921.

Shortly after immigrating to San Francisco from Europe, my great grandfather started the business by supplying his brother’s linen supply company with waiter and busboy coats. We have expanded our operations significantly over the past century and now service industrial laundries throughout the country with our extensive line of hospitality and industrial uniforms, along with a robust custom garment program. My experience in the industry dates back to summer breaks spent turning chef hats and packaging our products.

I joined the business full time nearly 10 years ago and currently serve as general counsel and director of sustainability. Throughout my career at Regent, I have also held roles in operations, business development and marketing.

I am fortunate to have had opportunities to visit many of our customer’s plants and have developed a deep understanding of the commitment and hard work required to successfully operate a commercial laundry.

Regent has been at the forefront of sustainability in the uniform industry, and last year we implemented the first phase of our uniform take-back and recycling program. We also continue to explore new technologies and innovations that can be incorporated into our supply chain to improve the sustainability profile of our products and remain cost effective.

Our sustainability initiatives have been both rewarding and

Regent takes pride in working closely with our suppliers to support this industry here and will continue to do so in the years to come.

Our greatest challenge as a business right now is finding talent. It is an entirely different situation in the low-unemployment era.

One of the greatest challenges we as an industry are faced with is a huge amount of tribal knowledge leaving (retiring). This is in management, as well as what touches us the most as manufacturers: engineering and maintenance talent.

All of us came to this industry via different paths, and my path started at the front door of the house in which I grew up. That’s because my father and grandfather both manufactured and sold laundry machinery, which meant that many of my summers and school holidays were spent working at Consolidated Laundry Machinery (CLM), visiting laundries, participating in industry events and getting to know several generations of industry operators and vendors.

association for linen, uniform and facility services, and the Western Textile Services Association.

I instruct each year at ALM’s Laundry and Linen College and at TRSA’s Production Management Institute (PMI) and Executive Management Institute (EMI).

I am a proud member of the UTSA Plant Operations Hall of Fame, and I have earned multiple TRSA Volunteer Leadership Awards through my work on the Education Committee and as chair of the Production Summit Task Force.

I am the president and COO of Ellis Corp., a fifth-generation family business that has been making equipment for the laundry industry since the early 1920s. Ellis manufactures washerextractors, dryers, tunnel washers, automation equipment such as shuttles, conveyors, many different types of wastewater treatment and water recycling systems.

Ellis also owns Ludell Manufacturing, which I also oversee. Ludell manufactures water and heat recovery systems, including heat reclaimers, direct contact water heaters and a variety of other heat transfer equipment. We have two factories, one near Chicago and one in Milwaukee.

I received a bachelor of communications from Boston University and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago.

I have been in the laundry business since I was 15, when my first job was a janitor and parts cleaner at the Ellis factory. Over the years, I worked my way up on the sales and operations side to my present position.

I also spent several years at Ecolab both as a corporate accounts sales person and in other capacities.

I have been involved in designing, manufacturing and selling of many different types of laundry machinery over the years and have been fortunate to visit many

I am very thankful and honored to be chosen to be a contributor to the American Laundry News Panel of Experts. I embrace the challenge of providing beneficial content to the ALN readers!

My professional career in the industry began nearly 30 years ago when I joined Consolidated Laundry Machinery, first doing the company’s marketing, then as vice president, and eventually as president. During my tenure there I was involved in all aspects of the company’s operation, including manufacturing, R&D, sales and more, and I also helped our customers specify machinery, layout their new and upgraded facilities, and make improvements to their plants and their operations.

I have a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego, and I live in Park City, Utah, where my wife and I enjoy skiing and cycling, as well as hiking with our yellow Labrador retriever.

Propeller Solutions Group opened its doors in 2019, and our first year has been a busy one. Starting a new business and finding capable talent to support it is always challenging, but even more so in this booming economy.

A s president and chief propellerhead of Propeller Solutions Group, I am honored to have been chosen as a panelist for the 2020 American Laundry News Panel of Experts. This will be my second time contributing to this column, and I am looking forward to another year of stimulating questions and the interchange of ideas with all of you.

Propeller Solutions Group is a premier provider of engineering, training and consulting services for the laundry industry. We help clients increase revenue, maximize throughput and improve efficiencies by developing the most costeffective solutions to common and not-so-common operational, sales, service and IT issues.

We came up with the name for our company not only because we like to say that we help our clients reach new heights, but also because of our reputation for tak-

Following my tenure at CLM, I continued my work in the industry as a director of the Uniform and Textile Services Association, chief operating officer of F-MATIC, senior vice president of Turn-Key Industrial Engineering, and most recently as president of Lapauw USA.

My experience and specialties include plant operations, production management, process improvement, sales and marketing, customer service, equipment specification, plant layout, technology, and route sales enhancement.

I am Lean Six Sigma certified, and I apply the concepts of Lean in all aspects of my professional life, especially in helping find ways to improve my clients’ operations, throughput, revenue and profits.

Throughout my career it has been important to me to give back to this industry that has taken care of my family for several generations. I am a current member of the board of directors of the Association for Linen Management (ALM), and I am a past board member of TRSA, the

I am honored to be working with the team that is being assembled and am blessed to be working with amazing clients for whom we have already done various projects that include facility planning, process improvement, RFP development and more.

I am looking forward to helping ALN’s readers address challenges that are facing the industry in general as well as particular market segments. There are a number of challenges facing our industry,

Our new panelists introduce themselves and their operations, share their accomplishments, and discuss the challenges of their industry segments.

Uniforms/ Workwear Manufacturing

Alexis Miller

Lettis

Regent Apparel, South San Francisco, Calif.

Equipment Manufacturing

Bob Fesmire Ellis Corp., Itasca, Ill.

Consulting Services

David Bernstein Propeller Solutions Group, Park City, Utah

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not the least of which is the need to attract, train and retain talented associates in all aspects of operations, but most significantly in the areas of engineering and maintenance.

Beyond that particular field, we are also challenged by the rise in minimum wage across the United States, which is driving operators to reduce headcount through a variety of means, including automation, robotics and process improvement.

I look forward to helping address these and other issues with you, ALN’s readers, in the year to come. In the meantime, I hope 2020 is a year filled with happiness, health, prosperity and good times with friends and family.

Long-Term Care Laundry

I am the general manager of Superior Linen Service’s Healthcare Division located in Muskogee, Okla. We process 15 million pounds of healthcare linens annually.

I have been in the laundry industry since 1984. The bulk of this time was spent in maintenance and production. I am very fortunate to work for a company that invested its time and resources to promote an employee from the morning maintenance person to plant manager and now to the general manager.

I am honored to have been chosen to participate in this panel for the second year. I know answering the questions each month has made me look at our facility and has opened our eyes to our own issues.

en industry, and I strive to have the most competent, professional technicians in the industry.

In 2019 we hired an additional five competent professionals to our service team, allowing us to increase our coverage and eliminate downtime for our customers. Additionally, we took on particularly difficult installations that we have not done in the past and were able to complete them with great success. It is always nice to execute on a plan.

As good as our communication is with our customers, I always believe it can be better. We are challenged to get the correct message to the correct person. The method (phone, e-mail, text) in which our customer prefers to communicate also needs to be considered. I always challenge my employees to communicate often and effectively with our customers.

increasingly more difficult to remove and became a quality challenge for our customers.

We developed a truly new, innovative solution specifically designed to remove food oil in a low-temperature wash process. This solution enables our customers to deliver exceptional quality to their customers while realizing the benefits of a more operationally efficient wash process.

Challenges we face are derivatives of our own customer’s challenges. When our customers come to us with a quality issue, we need to provide them solutions fast.

The development process of a new product takes time, depending on the complexity of the issue and solution. Therefore, it is important to us that we can solve customer problems quickly by identifying trending issues and starting the development process early so that solutions are readily available and quality issues can be remedied quickly with minimal disruption to our customers’ operations.

sales background, I am able to get “under the hood” with textile experts and can bring some of their insights to this year’s questions as well.

I have a passion for moving our industry forward toward a more sustainable future. Unfortunately, the tide of low price/low quality products, many of which shed micro-plastics at a high rate into our water supply and are completely non-biodegradable, is still strong.

Price pressures abound that push end users away from investing in long-term value and favor cheap items they will have to buy frequently and end up costing them more over time. It is a dilemma we will all need to solve together as China will no longer take our waste, clean water is becoming more scarce and international trade patterns are changing.

It’s an honor to be selected to the panel, and I very much look forward to the dialogue.

After a varied career, including MEP engineering and energy procurement consulting, I founded EcoBrite Linen to service the healthcare market.

We started with a focus on the long-term care industry, and currently service the acute care, as well as the post-acute care/nursing home industry. We are currently the second largest healthcare laundry in Chicagoland, and we are growing rapidly.

One of the key attractions for me to enter this industry was the opportunity to achieve process improvement, automation and energy efficiency that has not yet been realized.

What I found out shortly after starting is that our industry has a camaraderie, cohesiveness and an openness to sharing of ideas that is really refreshing. There are some amazing people that I had the opportunity to get to know who are willing spend time working together as a group for the greater good.

I am a data junkie, and I am a big believer in the value of RFID technology.

The laundry industry, along with the healthcare industry, faces new challenges across many fronts, both on the revenue and cost sides. Getting in front of them and bringing awareness to challenges, threats and opportunities is something American Laundry News does exceptionally well.

I feel that as a newcomer with my diverse background I can provide a fresh and different perspective. I am honored that I was asked to join this panel and sit among the experts, and hope I can add some value and pay forward the advice, support and encouragement that I receive from this industry’s experts.

Improving production and safety is an infinite goal with new challenges daily. I hope I can share the experiences I have gained on my journey toward improving our laundry daily.

I am a proud veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps prior to entering the laundry industry.

I am a product development chemist in the Textile Care division at Ecolab. I have a little over a year’s experience in my current role, in which my responsibilities are to develop new solutions and work with the team to bring them to market. This process involves spending time in the field to fully understand our customer’s business and the commercial laundry industry to ensure our products deliver value to our customers.

At Ecolab, we place a high value on sustainable solutions. Therefore, our initiatives of delivering products that reduce water and energy consumption are directly aligned with the challenges of increasing operational costs our customers are currently facing.

Hello, everyone. It is my pleasure to be on the Panel of Experts for 2020.

I have had the pleasure of working in several different sized laundries during the last 26 years. Currently I have begun a new phase, as I am working in a commercial as opposed to a hotel-type laundry.

Hello and thank you, it is an honor to be considered an “expert.” I am humbled and excited to be part of this panel.

I have been working for our family business, Equipment International, in some capacity for 15 years. I spend most of my time working with customers on solutions for their laundry operations. I am passionate about suggesting the correct equipment to help our customers’ long-term success.

Equipment International was founded in 1965 by my grandfather. We distribute and service industrial laundry equipment in the Chicagoland area, northwest Indiana and Western Michigan. Our customers range from small on-premises laundries to industrial applications that process thousands of pounds a day. We also have a 14-person parts and service team dedicated to keeping equipment running properly and eliminating downtime.

One of our greatest accomplishments has been an investment in great employees. I recognize that we are in a service-driv-

Prior to my current role, I worked on our Laundry Anchor team leading phase 0-1 projects supporting both our on-premises and commercial laundries, as well in a commercialization role in the food and beverage division. In these roles, I contributed to two patent applications and a publication in the Food Protection Trends Journal (Vol. 38, No. 2, p 96-103).

At Ecolab, we strive to deliver high-quality results for our customers through innovative and sustainable solutions. In an R&D role, we are tasked with developing new solutions to unique challenges as the market changes with new soils and substrates, customer and industry objectives, or regulations.

Outside of my job-related activities, I have co-led the Ecolab outreach partnership with a local organization that provides resources to women to empower them to achieve economic independence.

In 2019, a major accomplishment of Ecolab’s Textile Care division was the delivery of a new detergent for F&B oils on spun polyester. As the food industry transitioned away from hydrogenated oils, these soils became

I ’m the chief marketing officer for Thomaston Mills, a manufacturer of bed and bath linens for hotels, hospitals, dormitories and other institutional linens. Prior to my current position at Thomaston, I was the international sales manager for over 20 years, overseeing exports to customers in over 40 countries.

Overall, I have almost 25 years of experience working in institutional linen care and have been intimately involved with our end customers who launder hotel and hospital linens and enjoy some great friendships that go back decades with them.

Having visited customers as far afield as Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean, I have seen many issues that laundries and linen rentals struggle with on a daily basis and are common throughout the world.

I have helped develop new sheet and towel products with our manufacturing staff, several of whom have 40-years-plus experience in textile manufacturing and finishing with an eye to making items with long term durability under harsh laundering conditions.

Despite my marketing and

I believe I can bring a unique perspective to the conversation, as there are many differences between the two types of operations. I look forward to having the chance to discuss laundry issues and hopefully provide valuable information, especially if you are reading this and are newer to the laundry business.

My biggest challenge during the past year has been working to transition a recently purchased laundry operation that was a hospital laundry and converting it to a hospitality operation.

I am sure that there will be many challenges for all of us in 2020, and together we can all learn and improve during the year.

Commercial Laundry

David Griggs

Superior Linen Service, Muskogee, Okla.

Hotel/Motel/ Resort Laundry

Phil Jones

Hotelier Linen Service, Lakeland, Fla.

Textiles

Timothy Voit

Thomaston Mills, Wyncote, Pa.

Equipment/ Supply Distribution

Kyle Zabrin

Equipment International, Morton Grove, Ill.

Chemicals Supply Lauren Hunker Ecolab, Eagan, Minn.

Brian Polatsek EcoBrite Linen, Skokie, Ill.

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expansion, renovation

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. — Gurtler Industries Inc., a manufacturer of advanced detergents and specialty chemicals for the commercial and institutional laundry industry, reports it has completed the first phase of a planned expansion and renovation of its corporate headquarters located here.

The increase in footprint and upgrading of facilities was necessary to accommodate continued growth of the company, Gurtler says.

“We recognized several years ago that to in order to continue serving our current customers and support our record growth, we needed a larger building.” says President Greg Gurtler. “At the time, our only option was to look for another location to purchase or build upon. But during our search process, the opportunity arose to expand at our current location, and we were able to stay in South Holland, while meeting our goal for increased space.”

Gurtler added approximately 68,000 square feet of space by purchasing the building and land of its southern neighbor, which relocated to another state. The acquisition allows Gurtler to keep all office, laboratory, production and warehouse space at one location, split between two adjacent

pre-owned industrial plant equipment and remanufacturing services for the textile care industry, reports it is completing the final phase of its transition to a new headquarters earlier than expected.

The strategic move to the Carmen Industrial Park, located at 4675 Mogadore Road in Tallmadge, Ohio, in Portage County, stems from the company’s growth in the last five years and underscores its commitment to remaining in Portage County, according to R.W. Martin.

The company will now operate solely out of its new 34,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art remanufacturing facility constructed in 2018, with the corporate office scheduled for completion in November 2019. The 6,200-square-foot office expansion, originally slated for 2020-21, was fasttracked to accommodate the company’s growing sales, marketing and customer service operations.

R.W. Martin says the new space reflects the company’s innovative culture as it strives to be a great place to work.

The sustainable, contemporary workplace features technology-enabled conference rooms and offices where teams can collaborate with customers, partners and staff, both remotely and face-to-face.

“The efficiencies gained by having our shop, parts, sales and administrative teams together is another piece of the new business model that ensures R.W. Martin’s growth going forward,” says Chip Ottman, company president. “Today’s markets demand quick information and faster order turnaround. The centralized operation concept was implemented with those demands in mind.”

Architects Inc. of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and construction was performed by Campbell Construction Inc. of Wooster, Ohio. Paul F. Keller Construction of Stow, Ohio, managed the new office construction.

ImageFIRST acquires healthcare clients of PureTex Solutions Holdings

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. — ImageFIRST, a provider of laundry services for the healthcare industry, reports it has acquired the healthcare clients of PureTex Solutions Holdings LLC, a textile rental and laundry services provider in Orlando.

Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

PureTex has been supplying healthcare textile rental services to outpatient facilities throughout central Florida. With the purchase of these healthcare clients’ contracts, ImageFIRST says it has immediately begun the transition of these clients’ textile rental and laundry services.

The ImageFIRST Tampa team, lead by General Manager JC Ryan, is handling the transition and beginning service of these customers.

“We are excited to expand our Florida presence through this acquisition,” says Jeff Berstein, chief executive officer of ImageFIRST. “We are confident that the ImageFIRST Tampa team will delight these new clients with their great service.”

buildings.

The purchase kicked off nearly 18 months of renovations to both buildings and the surrounding grounds.

The renovations to the newly acquired building include removing almost all existing structures and utilities under the roof, installing new mechanical and electrical systems, adding skylights and new energy-efficient LED lighting, rebuilding two shipping and receiving docks, and building a new lunch and locker room for employees.

The new space now serves as a finished goods warehouse and order fulfillment center.

Over the last 18 months with the new space Gurtler has also increased production, planning and order fulfillment staff to accommodate a growing customer base.

Other improvements to the grounds and existing building included replacing and widening of the tanker receiving driveway, replacing the asphalt parking lot with concrete, rebuilding four shipping and receiving docks, and enhancing the front façade of both buildings. All told, more than 250 yards of concrete was poured across all site improvements.

With the new dock space, Gurtler says it has increased its bulk product shipment capacity by 50%, allowing for an ongoing increase in bulk laundry chemical shipments.

The next phase of improvements, slated to start this winter, includes the addition of 5,000 square feet of new office space, a 40% increase in new pallet racking, and upgrading blending and packaging equipment.

R.W. Martin Co. makes office move to accommodate growth

KENT, Ohio — R.W. Martin Co., a provider of new and

R.W. Martin’s operations previously occupied a remanufacturing facility in Ravenna, Ohio, various warehouse space in the Kent/Ravenna area, and a 9,500-square-foot main office located at 310 Park Avenue in Kent’s historic West River neighborhood that has served as the company’s headquarters for 51 years.

The new facility was designed by David Pelligra &

ImageFIRST shares that it continues to expand its national footprint through a combination of organic and acquisition-driven growth, and the acquisition of these medical clients is the fifth add-on acquisition that ImageFIRST completed in 2019.

ImageFIRST has 41 locations nationwide that serve more than 14,000 medical facilities every week. ALN

January

5-6 TRSA

F&B Conference Las Vegas, Nev.

Info: 703-519-0029 26-28 American Reusable Textile Association Education Conference Orlando, Fla.

Info: 859-624-0177

February

4-5 TRSA

2nd Annual Hospitality Conference Las Vegas, Nev. Info: 703-519-0029

Info: 863-660-5350

March

Association for Linen Management IMPACT Conference

Colorado Springs, Colo.

Info: 859-624-0177

23-25 G.A. Braun

Service School: Washers Syracuse, N.Y.

Info: 800-432-7286, ext. 219

25-26 TRSA

10th Annual Legislative Conference Washington, D.C. Info: 703-519-0029

Gurtler completes Phase I of headquarters

Gurtler acquired neighboring property, which allowed it to keep all office, laboratory, production and warehouse space at one location, split between two adjacent buildings. (Photo: Gurtler Industries Inc.)

R.W. Martin’s new office space was fast-tracked to accommodate unprecedented growth and remain in Portage County, Ohio, according to the company. (Photo: R.W. Martin Co.)

BAR MOPS

We carry a full line of Laundry bar mops. Custom colors, weights, and private labeling are available with minimums.

SOLID NAPKINS

Spun poly napkins perform consistently over time, are wrinkle-free, and are less likely to stain. Custom colors available. 20” x 20” - Packed 25 dozen/case.

TABLE LINEN

Our restaurant linen lines are woven from spun polyester and benefit from being stain resistant, colorfast, and wrinkle-free. Linens are packaged in manageable carton sizes for laundries, and are Internet-ready packs for retail sales opportunities.

Packed four 6 packs/case

IRREGULAR

These bar mops are perfect for wipe-and-toss in heavily soiled environments. Minor weaving defects such as over-stitching or imperfect cuts reject perfectly good bar mops from circulation. We buy these at a deep discount and pass the savings on to you. Packed: 100 doz/bale.

STARTING AT $1.75 PER DOZ

When bar mop production runs are over and inspections have been completed, mills may still have excess yarn. Run Of Mill (ROM) bar mops contain every bar mop that comes off the loom after the first quality run has been finalized, so are more economical than Grade A1 bar mops.

BISTRO NAPKINS

Spun poly bistro napkins are quickly becoming a staple of restaurants who would like to add a little sophistication to their ambiance. 18” x 22”

Packed 25 dozen/case.

Route Ready bar mops are optically white and packed in bags of 25 so you never have to pre-wash or recount them prior to use. Typically, laundries save 70¢/doz by freeing washroom and finishing floor operators from a wash cycle, you gain production time to focus on other laundry room bottlenecks. STARTING

Color Price

Part Number

TL-42X42-WHITE White $25.75

TL-52X52-WHITE White $40.50

TL-62X62-WHITE White $51.00

TL-72X72-WHITE White $82.25

TL-85X85-WHITE White $106.75

TL-52X114-WHITE White $80.50

TL-42X42-BLACK Black $25.75

TL-52X52-BLACK Black $40.50

TL-62X62-BLACK Black $51.00

TL-72X72-BLACK Black $82.25 TL-85X85-BLACK Black $106.75 TL-52X114-BLACK Black $80.50