American Laundry News - June 2023

Q&A: Replacing retiring, experienced employees

How laundry operators can smooth the process of retirement and retain knowledge and experience

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

The tight labor market has made hiring new employees challenging in the laundry and linen services industry.

Adding another wrinkle to this is the fact that over the next few years, more people will be reaching retirement age. So, how can operators aid the retirement process and help retain the knowledge and experience of the individual leaving?

American Laundry News spoke with three human resources (HR)

experts to get their input on this subject: Barbara Holland, an HR advisor for SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management; Katie Rowland, human resources manager for Plymate in Shelbyville, Indiana; and Catalina Dongo, vice president of human resources for UniFirst Corp., headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.

Let’s start with an update on the status of long-time employees. Are they retiring sooner? Are more retiring these days?

HOLLAND: More have stayed in the job market and have retired a little bit later, possibly due to uncertainty and just finances. Maybe portfolios have dropped, various reasons, but we do see kind of a shift toward the boomers.

People are retiring, but I don’t think it’s in the droves that we expected, though. That’s coming, maybe in the next five to six years. Those boomers are going to be getting to that 67—the 100% Medicare retirement or social security retirement benefit. Then you’ll start seeing, I think, moving toward that higher number than it was before.

I do think that you’ve kind of seen a mix of people staying in and are staying a little bit longer, and others are starting to contemplate what it’s going to look like when they retire.

ROWLAND: We are not experiencing that. I think what we see more of is long-time employees working past normal retirement age.

DONGO: First, let me start by saying that we are extremely grateful for our long-time team partners and remain indebted to the commitment and dedication they have shown throughout their years of service at UniFirst. I thank them for continuing to always deliver for our company, our customers and our communities.

We are proud to say that UniFirst has one of the highest employee tenures in the industry. The average tenure for our top 100 managers is 20 years, our service staff 15 years and our route service representatives 15.

To answer the second part of your question, yes, we are indeed seeing more of our long-time team partners retiring this year than in previous years.

We anticipate this trend to continue throughout the next decade as many of our team partners are choosing to retire closer to their retirement age. But we are prepared, as any well-run business should be, with proactive succession planning to ensure business continuity.

Are retiring employees ever enticed by retention efforts? If so, what types? If not, why not?

HOLLAND: Some organizations work at helping people transition into retirement. So, rather than going from working completely full time and then all of a sudden they’re retired, I think that’s part of what you know.

Some people are reluctant about what’s that going to look like when you’ve worked your whole life, it’s hard to imagine. Are you going to be bored? There’s transitioning. I think there’s more around helping people transition into retirement.

Prudential achieves ISO 9001:2015 milestone

IRVINE, Calif. — Prudential Overall Supply, a provider of reusable image work apparel and related textiles, reports it has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for all of its operating units (cleanroom and industrial), distribution center and its corporate services locations through TUV SUD America Inc.

“The entire organization is extremely proud of our ISO 9001:2015 certification for all operating units,” says Prudential CEO John Clark.

“We believe that we are the first national brand in our industry to accomplish this milestone.”

The certification identifies that Prudential has implemented a quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001:2015. TUV SUD America Inc. is a testing and certification organization based in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

The scope of this quality management system includes providing cleanroom apparel and other contamination control products and laundering services for garments used in controlled environments and industrial apparel and other ancillary products for use in industrial applications.

“This achievement demonstrates Prudential’s ongoing commitment to providing best-in-class quality products and services,” adds Clark.

“It is through the efforts of our dedicated team that makes this all possible.”

(Photo: © Spectral/Depositphotos)

HOLLAND

Survey: Laundry industry working to maintain safety

CHICAGO — Ask almost any laundry and linen services provider, and they’ll tell you that the safety of their employees is one of their top concerns.

However, over the past few years, plant safety has taken a backseat to pandemic health worries.

Now that the pandemic is over, for the most part, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new enforcement guidance to make its penalties more effective (see page 4), plant safety is returning to top of mind.

For the most part, according to respondents to the latest Your Views survey for American Laundry News, operations are making progress on safety measures.

“In general, most locations take seriously the safety protocols,” writes a survey taker. “From time to time, we see some violations, but not often.”

However, not everyone who took the survey thinks laundry operations are making enough headway when it comes to safety efforts.

“I think the industry struggles with safety, especially after the COVID pandemic,” writes a respondent. “Turnover is high, laundries are using temps and safety has really never reached the same level of importance as productivity in many operations.

“Laundries try to improve safety by placing signage, which has little to no effect on safety performance. I believe operators don’t really know how to approach safety to ensure that their operation is truly safe rather than safe by accident, relying on luck.

“Measuring safety performance by recordable rate is not a true measure of safety performance. It is much like driving while looking in the rearview mirror.”

Another respondent writes, “The corporate boomer mentality in this industry is destroying the ability for everyone to work together in a healthy way to prevent safety hazards.”

For 86% of those who took the survey, safety training/testing is a standard part of a new employee’s orientation.

When asked if they provide continuing safety education or training for employees, whether annually or more frequently, 80% of respondents indicate the affirmative.

Safety measures in the industry seem to be working at some level because when asked, “When did your operation last record a lost-time injury (a nonfatal traumatic injury that caused any loss of time from work beyond the day/shift during which it occurred),” more than half of respondents say it had been more than 24 months since such an event took place.

That was followed by 20% indicating it had been 19 to 24 months since a lost-time injury while 13.3% say it was one to six months ago.

Both seven to 12 months ago and 13 to 18 months ago were indicated by nearly 7% of survey takers.

When asked if their laundry/linen service had a consultant or other

Do you provide continuing safety education or training for your employees, whether it’s offered once

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

When did your operation last record a lost-time injury (a nonfatal traumatic injury that caused any loss of time from work beyond the day/shift during which it occurred)?

When did your operation last record a lost-time injury (a nonfatal traumatic injury that caused any loss of time from work beyond the day/shift during which it occurred)?

knowledgeable industry resource assess its safety, almost 47% say no while 40% had.

Around 13% indicate they don’t know of a consultant or other resource that had been used.

Finally, in response to the question “Has a regulatory agency ever fined your operation for a safety violation during your tenure,” more than 73% of respondents indicate no while 20% had.

Almost 7% didn’t know if their operation had ever been fined. 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%.

Production Manager

Mathew Pawlak

Digital Media Director

Nathan Frerichs

Phone: 312-361-1681

E-Mail: nfrerichs@ ATMags.com

Advisory Board

David Barbe

Janice Ayers Davis • Nick Fertig

Deana Griffin • Cecil Lee

Edward McCauley

Jim Slatcher

Main Phone: 312-361-1700

Fax: 312-361-1685

Subscriptions

847-504-8175

ALN@Omeda.com

www.americanlaundrynews.com

MAGAZINES LLC, 2023. 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.

Milnor has a better solution through dilution.

When Milnor introduced PulseFlow® technology, CBW® washing was thrust into the future. The idea of balancing time, temperature, mechanical action and chemistry was missing one critical piece of the pie – DILUTION through the efficient use of water.

PulseFlow combines the innovative RecircONE® fast wet down and chemical immersion in the first module with standing bath washing in every spacious process module. Thorough and efficient dilution occurs by way of intermittent high velocity counterflow rinsing and traditional True Top Transfer.

The result is hygienically clean linen using less water (as low as 0.3 gallons per pound/2.5 liters per kilogram) and less energy as proven time and again by hundreds of PulseFlow tunnels in a variety of laundry applications worldwide.

Contact an authorized Milnor distributor or call 504-712-7656 to find out more.

www.milnor.com

Examining laundry trends

In this issue of American Laundry News, we’re looking at trends in the industry.

Specifically, we’re examining two trends: replacing retiring workers and the increase in regional/national laundry entities.

While the pandemic years featured what has been called the “Great Resignation,” with employees leaving the workforce, a trend laundry operations will need to be ready for in a few

years is a wave of retirements.

Beginning on the cover you can read about this trend and how your operation can be prepared.

Then on page 10, we look at the increase in regional and national industrial laundry operations and what it means for the industry.

There’s also advice from the Panel of Experts (16), views of laundry operations (12, 14) and more to help everybody keep it clean.

OSHA issues enforcement guidance changes

Seeks to hold employers to greater account for safety, health failures

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor reports that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new enforcement guidance to make its penalties more effective in stopping employers from repeatedly exposing workers to life-threatening hazards or failing to comply with certain workplace safety and health requirements.

OSHA regional administrators and area office directors now have the authority to cite certain types of violations as “instance-by-instance citations” for cases where the agency identifies “high-gravity” serious violations of OSHA standards specific to certain conditions where the language of the rule supports a citation for each instance of non-compliance.

These conditions include lockout/tagout, machine guarding, permit-required confined space, respiratory protection, falls, trenching and for cases with otherthan-serious violations specific to recordkeeping.

The change is intended to ensure OSHA personnel are applying the full authority of the Occupational Safety and Health Act where increased citations are needed to discourage non-compliance.

The new guidance covers enforcement activity in general industry, agriculture, maritime and construction industries, and became effective at the end of March.

The current policy has been in place since 1990 and

Low-cost opportunities for direct labor employee retention

It seems to me that today our industry, like many others, has a tremendous focus on finding and hiring capable team members. In reading the information on strategies and tactics being deployed to accomplish this, I keep coming back to the question of whether our industry is growing so fast that we keep adding employees or are we losing our current people in the laborcompetitive markets where we work.

The importance of assuring that your existing team is getting what they require from their leaders is unquestionably more important to maintaining staffing levels, the performance needs of your clients and your own operational needs.

There are plenty of gems out there right now to enhance your employee experience and many are both ingenious and clearly impactful. My concern is the cost of many of these could be significant. We can easily agree that increasing our overhead while also raising wages to keep up is not the best answer right now.

applies only to egregious willful citations.

In a second action, OSHA is reminding its regional administrators and area directors of their authority not to group violations and instead cite them separately to more effectively encourage employers to comply with the intent of the OSH Act.

“Smart, impactful enforcement means using all the tools available to us when an employer ‘doesn’t get it’ and will respond to only additional deterrence in the form of increased citations and penalties,” explains Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker.

“This is intended to be a targeted strategy for those employers who repeatedly choose to put profits before their employees’ safety, health and wellbeing. Employers who callously view injured or sickened workers simply as a cost of doing business will face more serious consequences.”

These changes in enforcement guidance are important enforcement tools to help deter employers from disregarding their responsibilities to protect workers and ensure compliance with OSHA standards and regulations, according to the department.

Existing guidance on instance-by-instance citations is outlined in the OSHA Field Operations Manual, and CPL 02-00-080, “Handling of Cases to be Proposed for Violation-by-Violation Penalties.”

So, what we can do now with little or no additional cost appears to be the best option we can pursue.

Within the field of potential options available to us today, one that is buzzing in many companies is the “stay interview.” Unlike an exit interview, these discussions are intended to identify what your employee likes about their workplace experience as well as anything that is not contributing to a positive trend in their overall satisfaction.

It is critical to have these open conversations with your topperforming employees if you want them to continue to set the standard within your operation.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF GEMS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW TO ENHANCE YOUR EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AND MANY ARE BOTH INGENIOUS AND CLEARLY IMPACTFUL. MY CONCERN IS THE COST OF MANY OF THESE COULD BE SIGNIFICANT. WE CAN EASILY AGREE THAT INCREASING OUR OVERHEAD WHILE ALSO RAISING WAGES TO KEEP UP IS NOT THE BEST ANSWER RIGHT NOW.

I won’t press deeply into this as there is detail to be found easily, but one thing important to consider is the frequency of these oneon-one type meetings. The more often these meetings occur, the more likely it is that you can avoid having an exit interview with your employee.

If you are responsive to their dissatisfiers in a meaningful and timely way, they may not feel they have to make a change of employer to improve their employment experience. Compared to the amount of time spent engaged in recruiting, this simple interview could be much more cost-effective.

The more you save, the less you must recruit. I know it sounds facile, but does that invalidate the argument?

Developmental opportunity is an interesting place to consider when formulating an approach to enhanced retention. This is an offering of training and education that prepares current team members for advancement or alternative work pathways.

An illustration could look something like this. I have promoted a team member to material handler, and a class IV forklift operator certificate is required. We can schedule the employee to attend the class at the forklift company’s offered training and achieve the necessary outcome for the price of one student.

In this model, we schedule a class onsite that is open to our team members not yet required to possess the certificate as well as the one moving into the job. The price of a class onsite versus the price of a single student is not usually vastly higher.

Consider possibilities like OSHA training, chemical handling, CDL, the list may be significant and many of your team may genuinely want to be included both for prestige and the opportunity to advance and diversify their skills. A set of stay interviews could verify if there is interest in a program of this nature.

See Column on Page 18

COLUMNIST AT LARGE Richard Engler

MATT POE

Maybe stepping back to part-time and then slowly transitioning into retirement. Maybe taking a couple of years to do that.

You’re helping them prepare for it, but you can also be looking at how are we going to replace these workers that are going to be leaving and taking either a ton of knowledge with them or you just have a lot of reliance on your longtime employees.

It’s that the transition can be beneficial to both the employer and the employee preparing for that eventual date when they are completely gone.

ROWLAND: Each retiring coworker situation is different. I believe if the conditions are right (for example, flexibility, continuation of some benefits), this may be enticing.

But for the most part, if a co-worker’s plan for retirement has gone smoothly, they are ready to go and have little interest in extending their work careers.

DONGO: Yes. In some cases, we encourage our team partners who are approaching retirement age to stay with us. In the case of key employees, we develop structured retention plans that may include financial and other incentives, along with technology-based tools to help them navigate this important life decision.

For some, it may be better to wait; for others, it may be more beneficial to retire. There are a lot of factors to consider from a financial perspective, as well as a personal one. Our goal is to help our team partners make an informed decision and a successful transition should they decide it’s time to retire.

How important is it to show appreciation for the retiring employee? How does that affect the remaining workforce?

HOLLAND: I think it’s huge, especially in your morale from an employee engagement, when people feel valued, when they are appreciated, when people are retiring and they’ve spent quite a bit of time with an organization, acknowledging that, honoring that, respecting them, thanking them for those years of service.

They could have gone to a lot of other opportunities and chose not to. I think it shows the rest of the staff that the company values individuals. They’re not just a warm body performing a function, but people care.

It definitely sends messages to the rest of the staff when you acknowledge people for their contributions to the organization and obviously wishing them well in the next journey of life.

ROWLAND: It is absolutely essential to show appreciation for retiring coworkers. The key being emphasis and recognition for what they have contributed to the organization.

It also sets an important example for those remaining in the workforce, that they are valued, appreciated and will be recognized.

DONGO: It’s very important to show appreciation for all employees, including

those who are retiring. One of our founding Core Values here at UniFirst that we continue to live by to this day is treating people with respect.

My advice is to value your retiring employees, treat them with the utmost respect and recognize their important contributions to your organization. Your remaining workforce will look at the transition as something that they may experience themselves one day, so we are very cognizant of that and committed to making it a positive experience.

This is not only crucial to boost morale and create a secure workplace, but also, it’s just the right thing to do.

At UniFirst, we are geographically dispersed with more than 260 locations across North America. Each location has its own “microculture” and retiring team partners are celebrated and recognized in a variety of ways, each driven by a strong corporate culture.

Some of our locations will host going away parties, lunchtime celebrations or others may use our President’s Club venue to honor these individuals.

When a long-time employee starts the retirement process, what are the first steps a laundry should take to help fill the gap?

HOLLAND: Are we prepared for people leaving and do we have a succession plan? With a tight labor market and some people looking for places where they can land that don’t like the job hop— you’ve got people who like to get their experience and move on—but you do have people who are very comfortable.

If they’re in a good organization, staying with an organization and recognizing that in a tight market, how do you tap into that? What are the skills that you need? Do you have people on board right now that you could be investing in, which I think is a twofold benefit to the organization when you have somebody preparing to retire who might be training in some-

body sharing with them their knowledge?

On-the-job training is a lot easier, and then everybody gets a benefit, better than if you’re building a training program for somebody coming in who doesn’t know anything. It gives that person who’s retiring an opportunity to invest in somebody else, which obviously feels good. The person being invested in feels good.

There are just so many wins in that type of a situation because you’ve got somebody who says, the company is interested in my career trajectory as well.

I think succession planning should not be overlooked because it is a huge way of transitioning into that newer generation now leading in the workplace but having the ability to capture the knowledge that is going to be walking out the door when your retirees leave.

ROWLAND: First and foremost, confirming there is a capable successor for the role/duties. I think most small laundries (as well as small employers) are particularly challenged by this because many of their employees perform duties beyond their normal job description.

That is where planning and preparation is key. Ensuring that you know which coworkers have the desire and capability for other roles is essential. Next, creating a timeline and action plan for the transition. Finally, executing the change.

DONGO: At UniFirst, we begin this process long before an employee retires. Succession planning is key.

We proactively identify critical positions within the company, as well as areas of competencies, skills, and knowledge, that are critical to supporting business continuity and the company’s success.

We proactively identify team partners in these roles who are approaching retirement in the next one to five years and then begin the conversations with these individuals. Communication is key to assessing each individual and their own personal timeline for retirement.

We then identify high-potential team partners who can fulfill the responsibilities of the retiring team partner and prepare them to fill the role.

It’s important for a company to continually drive this process and stay ahead of it to ensure business continuity.

Much of the concern is the knowledge and experience that will be leaving the organization. What can an operation do to help tap into that knowledge/ experience to help pass it along to other employees?

HOLLAND: Sometimes we just don’t even know all the things that people know. Sometimes just sitting down and chatting with individuals about what have been challenging times, what were things that they did to overcome challenging issues, prompting open-ended questions to get an idea from people in terms of what knowledge they have. They’re going to need some prompting because they may not even think it’s that important, but there may be little nuggets that come out in a conversation.

Starting conversations is good, but it’s also identifying the key positions in an organization. What are the skills we’re looking for? And then there may be a mind shift from the old way of recruiting, which was you’re looking for ways to weed people out, you may need to step back and say, what are the skills that are required?

Do we have a pipeline of talent coming into our organization? And if we don’t, then that’s where we’re stepping back and saying, what are the skills that we need? Because we can train certain skills, but we

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

Notice Anything?

InkGo® Is Now Odor Free!

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

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

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

Now that’s worth noticing!

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

Retire

Continued from Page 6

need to identify which ones are important. And then, begin to start looking at how do we look at people who may have a skill. They don’t know our industry. Maybe they don’t know this job, but they have the skill that’s required. So, we start looking at skills-based interviewing to bring people in and then train them to learn this industry or to learn these roles.

In a job analysis, you can do lots of things. You can ask questions. You can observe. There are ways of looking at how people do their jobs so that you can figure out where is the gap between what we have and what we think we’re going to need so that we can start paying attention to that.

The problem is something like succession planning and identifying those types of things can be anywhere from a year to three years of going through that process It’s not like you just want to sit down, figure this out and we’re going to go hire somebody. This is the transition period for that retirement person’s succession. Planning usually takes any from where from one to three years.

It’s important for us to kind of get ahead of it. What do we need to start doing now so that we’re prepared at Point A? This is planning they need to do for any type of retirement to have it in their processes.

ROWLAND: Mentor programs can be very useful in this situation. Creating documented procedures or “playbooks.” Lastly, providing the employee the time, tools and training they need to be successful.

DONGO: Succession planning is the best tool we have to help bridge the gap between talent leaving an organization and protecting institutional knowledge to ensure all that knowledge isn’t leaving with the retiring employee.

Companies should be actively working to identify retiring employees and simultaneously cross-training high-potential employees to ensure every job in the company can be done by two or three people.

You never want to leave your organization vulnerable to loss of knowledge.

In today’s challenging hiring market, what are some strategies a laundry can employ to fill the position opened by the retirement?

ROWLAND: Review the job description to ensure it still meets the needs of the organization. Then review and adjust before you begin recruiting.

DONGO: One of the best strategies to fill open positions, whether caused by retiring employees or other factors, is to invest in developing your own existing talent pool.

It’s always easier to fill key open positions with internal talent already assimilated to your culture and committed to delivering successful outcomes.

What are some things an operation should avoid when filling or “covering” the position?

HOLLAND: Don’t put things off thinking that it doesn’t matter right now, or, we’re busy, I’ll get to this later. Don’t avoid prioritizing this.

You don’t want to be six months away from somebody’s retirement and now starting to think about how am I going to replace this person.

Don’t put it off because you may find

yourself in a really challenging place, where now they’re leaving and you don’t have the skills to replace it. That’s going to affect the company’s ability to meet demand or respond to demand.

From what I was reading about the market, it’s expected that this industry is going to be growing for those who want to grow or take on or have the capability of taking on new work. Are they going to be prepared to do that?

ROWLAND: Making a rushed decision when you aren’t prepared. Promoting tenure over skill/knowledge.

DONGO: First, I’d like to offer eliminating the word “covering” from all your vernacular. To me, that means they are just temporality filling in, rather than truly embracing and fulfilling the role and all the responsibilities that come with it.

I’d also say some of the more challenging aspects of filling a position tend to be with bringing in new talent from the outside and cultural assimilation, particularly with higher-level roles.

What I mean by this is, companies must be able to delicately balance the new energies and ideas that come in from the outside, while respecting the history of how a successful company got to where they are today. How we land in that middle ground, pushing ideas forward but honoring the company’s history, is key.

What are some advantages, positives, a company can consider when an employee retires?

HOLLAND: I think in some places, relationships continue even beyond retirement. If you have a good relationship with your organization, people leave and retire, they can still continue to be your brand advocates after they left the organization. If you’re in smaller places, you may run into these people on a regular basis, so there’s still connectivity within the community with those individuals.

So, I think having a little bit longer view of the relationship is important.

Change in our work environment today

is very different from it from even five years ago. Usually, we say 10 or 15 years ago, that’s what we compared to, but with COVID, all of a sudden we got thrust into completely different work environments and organizations are still figuring out what that looks like.

How do we respond, and what does our workplace look like going forward? And the new generation of people coming up, how is that going to change the workplace? So, I think there’s excitement in there. There’s opportunity for fresh eyes looking at how the organization can not only thrive that may have a positive impact on the community around them because the newer generations of people in the workplace.

From a corporate social responsibility perspective, that is very important about what the organization does for the community. I think that there’s a lot that organizations can do in simple ways. That is a shift in the workplace from people retiring who maybe didn’t care as much about those things as your newer generations.

Some or all of those things are going to impact what that workforce looks like, and the question is, is the organization prepared to respond to questions around that? What do you do for your community? What are the things that you’re doing?

If organizations aren’t prepared in that work environment of those individuals with those kinds of expectations coming in, it can be a hard time to say how is our workplace going to look like? What’s this going to impact?

We want to be ahead of this. We want to be thinking about this in advance, or we’re going to be responding in a more reactionary way.

ROWLAND: In some cases, it allows a department or company to reevaluate the expectations and accountability of the role. It is easier to make changes with a new coworker vs. an existing one.

DONGO: Retirement is an emotional experience, but it doesn’t have to be scary or negative for either the employee or the employer. It can be a great opportunity for

a retiring employee to look at their professional contributions with pride and open a new chapter of personal growth.

For a business, it can mean opportunities to look at your business through a new lens, gain new perspectives, new ways of doing business, to perhaps restructure, or the opportunity be more inclusive and diverse, and this includes diversity of thought, skills, talent, and abilities, as well as cultural diversity.

Any final thoughts to share?

HOLLAND: The one thing that I would add would be considering your different talent pools. I think sometimes we get stuck in how we consider who are going to hire, what we’re looking for. But I do think that there are untapped talent pools that really could bring satisfaction.

So, for example, we have a focus on veterans and second-chance hiring—people who have had criminal records—and people with disabilities. Those are just three that we happen to focus on, but they’re talent pools that I think in some industries, and in the right positions, really can be a win-win for both sides.

DONGO: The best advice I can give to others is to be proactive by creating a solid succession plan for your company. Get in front of it and plan for it.

For the individual retiring, it’s a very emotional time in their lives so be sensitive to that. Communicating with retiring employees is key to understanding their needs.

At UniFirst, we also like to provide retiring individuals with technical support from a total rewards perspective. We work with our outside vendors to facilitate webcasts, seminars, and other online and in-person learning experiences that cover important topics like Medicare, financial planning and other topics to help prepare them for retirement.

Some call retirement an end of an era, but I like to tell people it’s the beginning of a new era in their life. It’s truly bittersweet for both the employee and the employer.

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

TRENDING: From small,

laundries

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

Many laundry and linen services started as small, mom-and-pop businesses.

Then the industry grew and larger companies emerged.

Laundries consolidating or organizing into larger regional or national entities isn’t new, but a scan of the business headlines indicates the phenomenon has been accelerating over the past few years. American Laundry News reached out to operators and organizations to get their thoughts on the trend and how it affects the industry.

RISE OF ORGANIZATIONS WITH LARGER FOOTPRINTS

Bryan Bartsch, president of Ecotex, a provider of healthcare laundry services across Canada and the United States, says the trend toward larger regional or national companies in the industrial laundry industry can be attributed to several factors, including:

1.Economies of scale. As companies grow larger, they can take advantage of economies of scale, which means they can produce goods or services more efficiently and at a lower cost. For example, larger companies can purchase equipment and supplies in bulk, negotiate better prices with vendors and streamline their operations to reduce overhead costs.

2.Access to capital. Larger companies may have easier access to capital than smaller, local businesses, which can enable them to invest in new technologies, equipment and infrastructure.

3.Standardization. Industrial laundry companies that operate across multiple locations can implement stan-

dardized processes, procedures and quality control measures, which can improve the overall consistency and quality of their services.

4.Brand recognition. National or regional companies often have better brand recognition than smaller, local competitors. This can be a competitive advantage, as customers may be more likely to choose a well-known brand over an unknown or less established one.

5.Regulatory compliance. Compliance with regulatory requirements can be a significant burden for smaller companies, especially those operating in multiple jurisdictions. Larger companies may have more resources and expertise to navigate complex regulatory environments and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

“As a result of these factors, we are seeing a consolidation trend in the industrial laundry industry with larger companies acquiring smaller ones or driving them out of business,” Bartsch adds.

Ed Kwasnick, director of business development for national construction company ARCO/Murray, says that from its perspective, the company sees a lot more activity from the national and regional companies than it does from local independents.

“And that makes sense when you think about it,” he says. “The larger companies have greater resources to build new facilities, renovate existing plants, upgrade equipment, etc. They also have more locations, and at any given time, one of those locations probably needs some attention from a capital investment perspective.

“Local independent companies typically have one or two locations, and major capital investments are a big hit to the bottom line. Therefore, they tend to delay plant renovations, expansions or new facil-

independent

to regional/national entities

What consolidation and organization on a larger scale looks like in the industry

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

ity construction due to the expense and impact to the operation.

Kwasnick says one exception to this is if an independent is in major growth mode. If it is growing quickly and needs additional capacity to fuel that growth, it will make a large capital investment because the return on investment (ROI) works out.

“However, if they aren’t growing, the ROI is lengthy, and it becomes financially (and emotionally) difficult to make the investment,” he adds. “Based on my observations, growth is key.

“Companies that continue to expand their business through organic growth and acquisition, whether they are a national company with multiple locations or an independent with a single plant, have the financial means (e.g., internal capital reserves, access to external capital, shorter ROI, etc.) to make major capital investments in their laundry operations.”

Kwasnick says companies that are not growing are less willing to make large capital investments, which then leads to a series of challenges including older laundry technology, lower plant efficiency, higher operating costs, higher maintenance costs and other financial impacts that make it even more difficult to invest in large capital projects.

“And if the combination of lack of growth and lack of capital investment continues long enough, that company will likely reach a point where selling the business to a larger competitor provides a better ROI than reinvesting in the company,” he adds. “It’s a very interesting cycle.”

Healthcare Linen Services Group (HLSG) operates 20 laundry processing facilities in 19 states across six brands (Superior Health Linens, Textile Care Services, Logan’s Healthcare Linens, Logan’s Uniform Rental & Services, Reino Linen Service and The Linen King).

“Technically speaking, the word ‘national’ is somewhat of a misnomer,” says Joe LaPorta, CEO of HLSG. “At best, there are several larger regional players who have been acquisitive.”

He says that several factors are driving this, but the top reasons are:

1.Private equity ownership has increased, and growth is a major part of their thesis playbook.

2.Smaller laundries are struggling to stay competitive because of the ongoing investments in equipment, wages, and technology.

3.Margin pressure continues to be intense and by being a part of a larger laundry company you leverage economies through scale in turn drive costs out of the system hence allowing operators to stay competitive.

4.Customers want a provider partner that can service larger areas and grow with them.

5.Back up plant redundancy in case a plant has issues.

LaPorta says that the increase in more plants becoming part of national operations affects the laundry and linen services industry by lowering costs to the plants through better costing from vendors, providing more resources to assist plants in

planning and investment and projects and increasing quality as there is additional oversight and focus on quality.

He says the benefits of laundries being part of a national organization include:

1.Capital resources for updates and equipment.

2.Expertise resources for assistance with planning, strategy and sourcing.

3.Sharing of plant resources, supplies and people.

4.Back up plant redundancy.

5.Lower costs basis because of volume buying.

The challenges to being national, according to LaPorta, are:

1.Driving standardization among operators.

2.Different cultures and markets.

3.Oversight and accountability over a larger geographically.

“Customers can benefit from the benefits listed above as well as deal with one team who often can offer more competitive pricing,” says LaPorta.

He adds that national operations maintain the connection with customers in a twofold manner.

“Typically, we have local team as well as a corporate presence,” he says. “Our company has call mechanisms to ensure that we stay connected.”

While a laundry may be associated with a national organization, local management helps ensure quality goods for customers from plant, sales and route reps.

“The business is still managed by a local GM and then another level above via

a corporate team,” LaPorta shares. “Both levels have quality standards that must be maintained.”

He points out that for acute laundry services, there are no true national companies. The larger players are regional.

“I think both models could work, but with our customer base also consolidating, the needs are changing positioning in the favor of a larger laundry processor,” concludes LaPorta.

ACUTE HEALTHCARE LAUNDRY’S REGIONAL FOCUS

The Healthcare Linen Alliance (HLA) agrees the acute healthcare linen sector is down to only a few large regional operators that include Unitex, Emerald, Novo, Ecotex, HLSG, Crown, and Crothall, as well as ImageFirst and Cintas, which dominate the outpatient linen market.

Other smaller, independent companies like Century Linen in upstate New York, and Up To Date Laundry in Baltimore, also recognize the value of growing their regional influence by expanding to become multi-plant operations.

Why is the focus on regional, versus national operators? As there are no acute healthcare hospital chains that are national in scope, there is not the same value for the creation of national acute healthcare linen providers.

Health systems today remain regional, or multi-regional, in scope, and as a result,

Chemistry program helps Imperial Linen Services earn the trust of Houston’s business community

GREENVILLE, N.C. — If you have stayed at a major chain hotel property in Houston, chances are you’ve experienced having bright white linen and towels courtesy of Imperial Linen Services Inc. (ILS).

Located in suburban Stafford, Texas, it has played a major role in Houston’s hospitality sector for 80 years. For the past decade, ILS has teamed with UNX-Christeyns as its washroom chemistry partner to deliver a superior solution that is winning over its customers.

Leadership of the family-owned and -operated company begins with President Gayle Page and his son Michael, who serves as vice president and comptroller.

Gayle assumed control of what was then known as Imperial Laundry & Cleaners Inc., after his father died in 1973. He ended the drycleaning portion of the business and in 1993 started Imperial Linen Services Inc., dedicated solely to commercial laundry services.

Michael joined the company full-time in 1996 after earning a finance degree at the University of Houston. Combined, the two have steadily built up the business over the years with expansion in mind and an eye on the future.

“My father focused on the dry cleaning and uniform side of the business after he opened it in 1943,” Gayle recalls. “I would help out after school and during the summer. After graduate school, I was in Chicago for a year and came back to work here.”

In those days, Imperial Linen Services operated on Houston’s east side from a 20,000-square-foot building. Through the years, they have worked with a wide range of companies in the food service and healthcare industries, as well as with some in the events and fitness markets.

But the majority of their customers today are in the hospitality world, and ILS moved to their gleaming new 50,000-square-foot home in Stafford in 2015.

“Most of the hotels we service are in Houston, but several are in Austin, and we recently expanded to include the San Antonio market,” Gayle says. “This facility was constructed with two phases in mind.”

He’s now in his mid-80s but still goes to work every day and proudly shares building blueprints with some visitors.

“We have enough land behind this building to connect and add another 50,00075,000 square feet to our operation,” he says

PERSISTENCE AND PERSEVERANCE PAY OFF

As the hospitality market continues to strengthen, so goes business at ILS. The COVID pandemic deeply impacted the Houston community three years ago in 2020.

The fourth-largest city by population in the United States, the cancellations of convention business and tourism travel led to major cutbacks with any business tied to hospitality. Houston is recognized as a top10 U.S. hotel market, but occupancy rates had fallen to only 22% in April 2020.

In 2021, the recovery period began with month-by-month improvement led by utility companies and others in the critical energy sector. The bounce back was later bolstered by strong convention traffic, busi-

ness meetings and the return of business travelers themselves.

Combined with tourism visitors, figures by the end of 2022 had rebounded to the point where they exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

“Hospitality is a seasonal business and during the summer months, we are very busy,” acknowledges Michael. “We survived the COVID pandemic and in 2022 processed 21 million pounds of laundry.

“We anticipate that number will rise to 23 or 24 million this year.”

“We have been really fortunate to develop strong personal relationships and partnerships with our hospitality customers,” adds Jessica Garland, ILS’s vice president of sales and marketing.

“Our clients are very loyal, and many of them have been with us for over 10 years. I think our response time is a key component because they know if there is an issue, we will fix it quickly.”

In addition to the new building easily handling the workload, it was designed with capacity and other important things in mind. Energy conservation, environmental issues and employee considerations are three key areas that were addressed and are paying dividends.

PARTNERSHIP BUILT ON BETTER CHEMISTRY

The partnership with UNX-Christeyns began as an association through Houstonbased distributor Team Systems. Mike Moore sold his company to UNX-Christeyns in 2017 when he retired. But his son, Adam— who like Gayle Page, started working in the industry during his high school days—continues to service the ILS account.

“I was not happy with the product and service of our previous chemistry partner,” recalls Gayle. “I knew Mike for 20 years and he introduced us to UNX-Christeyns.

“They have been a true blessing and we have developed a close, amicable relationship with company president Rudi Moors. Between him, Adam and Bradly Bolton (vice president, business support), if we need something they are here for us.”

Moors explained how the positive relationship with ILS allowed UNX-Christeyns

to take their wash chemistry program to the next level together.

“Linen, utilities and operating costs have risen significantly in recent years and are impacting our customers’ revenues,” says Moors. “That’s why we work to bring our customers a complete concept, not just chemicals.

“By using our unique wash chemistries, dosing equipment, water re-use systems and our washroom management information systems together, they now have a complete package to help manage the entire process more effectively.”

Kevin Stromatt, ILS’s vice president of operations, agrees with Moors.

“When we switched to UNX-Christeyns, you could see the difference in the quality and color of the linens,” emphasizes Stromatt, including bedsheets, pillowcases, towels, washcloths and food and beverage items such as napkins and tablecloths.

He started at ILS as the service manager in 1999. For the next 10 years during his free hours, he simultaneously worked part-time for the Houston Astros as the ballpark manager and supervised their laundry operations.

“The chemistry program UNX-Christeyns developed for us produces bright white linen and alleviates the need to use bleach except for heavy-duty stains,” says Stromatt.

“Since the switch, we are able to produce the bright whites at a lower temperature and the great chemistry keeps the cotton blends in place. The chemistry basically pays for itself.”

In reducing peroxide amounts by 25-30% and extracting heat out of wastewater, ILS is lessening their impact on the environment, saving on energy costs and extending linen life.

They do it with top-of-the-line equipment, and with UNX-Christeyns’ controlled pHbalanced chemistry system, they have lowered the water consumption rate by more than 40% compared to the previous suppliers.

CAPACITY EXPANSION TO MEET EQUIPMENT DEMANDS

Their wash equipment includes a pair of Milnor continuous batch washers (CBW) utilizing either a press or washer-extractor. A third CBW is slated to be up and running later this year.

Also on the floor are six Chicago Dryer Co. models, with four more being added to the mix.

Like the hotels, there are no days off at ILS. Running and maintaining the equipment requires a highly skilled team, and the company’s investment in its employees is on par with the technology in the building.

With a 24-hour turnaround commitment to their customers, the 150 employees typically work 10- or 12-hour shifts three or four days a week, depending on the volume the facility receives each day. Many have worked at ILS for 15, 20 or 25 years, including a majority who returned to work after COVID restrictions eased.

“Gayle and Michael Page have given us the opportunity to be successful and the ability to grow, and I think that accounts for the longevity we have in our building,” reflects Stromatt.

“We understand success begins with our employees, and Gayle has a gift for communicating and being on the same page with everyone here.”

“We have cultivated a family environment,” adds Garland, who has worked at ILS for more than seven years. “Our employees refer friends and relatives to work here, and I think that’s due to several things. We have a clean and modern work environment, offer flexible hours, and still do traditional things like holiday work parties and lunches for birthdays.

“Doing these little things is beneficial to retaining our workers, which is really important in a tight labor market.”

Stromatt says all these elements are connected to ILS being well-positioned in the marketplace.

“Our hospitality customers are happy because the linen life is extended, and the cost of replacement is reduced. That’s huge in an industry that operates on thin margins,” he adds.

“The UNX-Christeyns chemistry system creates a brighter white product and presents a crisp presentation in the hotel rooms. We receive a lot of positive feedback about this from our hotel customers. This has resulted in a great partnership with UNXChristeyns.”

LEFT: Imperial Linen Services projects processing between 23 and 24 million pounds of linen this year. CENTER: Adam Moore (far left), of UNX-Christeyns, with the ILS management team: President Gayle Page, VP and Comptroller Michael Page, and Vice President of Operations Kevin Stromatt. RIGHT: Servicing hospitality customers in Houston and Austin requires a steady commitment from the 150 employees. (Photos: UNX-Christeyns/Imperial Linen Services)

Trending

Continued from Page 11

healthcare linen providers have mirrored this regional, or multi-regional dominance.

Providing better service coverage for hospital clients has been a catalyst in the regional consolidation that has been witnessed over the past 10 years.

The trend of consolidation is not going away.

HLA was formed in 2016 so its members could better meet the service demands of larger, regional health systems. The Alliance is made up of six members that own and operate 38 dedicated healthcare laundries in the United States and Canada and processing more than 1.2 billion pounds annually.

The consolidation of independent and single-plant healthcare laundries into larger regional operators is being driven by a few different factors.

Rick Gaffney, director of business development of the Alliance asked some of his members to comment on the major factors driving this trend.

Randy Bartsch of Ecotex remarks that consolidation has led to cost savings due to economies of scale, improved efficiencies, streamlining of processes and reduced redundancies. Large regional operators can often negotiate better prices on supplies and equipment and consolidate resources across multiple locations and wider service areas.

Larger, well-financed regional operators have easier access to capital to fund growth and expansion and invest in new technologies and equipment, allowing them to be more competitive. By operating more efficiently they have the potential to offer better pricing to customers.

As local, state and federal regulations and compliance requirements become more complex, large regional operators gain an advantage in navigating these requirements.

Gary Fuller at Century Linen manages four healthcare laundries and comments that having a larger regional footprint

gives them economies of scale and creates synergies allowing them to streamline their operations.

It allows them to attract better talent at a higher level for managing different business responsibilities. An example is they now have a director of environmental, safety and health. As part of a smaller operation in the past, their managers were often required to wear many different hats.

He adds that they have better purchasing power with vendors and that also gives them better quality control and consistency on products. That helps them with standardization and compliance with their regional customers as well.

Mark Carter of Up To Date Laundry operates two healthcare plants in Baltimore.

“The healthcare market sector of our industry provides a very predictable and sustainable revenue stream,” he says. “It allows us to focus more on our customers and provide better quality and service.

“We believe investing in technology, equipment and facilities is the key to remaining competitive and growing our regional footprint. These capital investments allow us to make more efficient use of labor and provide safer workplaces for our team. Having multiple plant operations and distribution centers allow us to meet the supply chain surety requirements in this region.

“In a changing healthcare environment, our ability to service all sectors, acute, non-acute, EVS, apparel and distribution services helps us to meet the complete needs of our customers.”

Carter says that its customers realize how critical its services are in emergency situations like a pandemic, hurricane, flood, etc. Up To Date Laundry can duplicate systems that provide consistency to its customers in quality, services and products.

“I also believe our impact on jobs helps support the communities we operate in,” he adds. “As regionally focused providers, our growth and investments alongside our local customers create long-term partnerships that are vital for success.

“HLA members together have a tremendous impact in communities across

the country and our ability to service customers in a majority of the major markets positions us well to meet the needs of multi-region and national health systems.”

Karl Fillip of NOVO Health Services operates 12 healthcare laundries in the Eastern half of the country. He recognizes the consolidation in the industry and adds that with acquisitions over the past few years, they have expanded their geographical footprint.

One factor driving this trend has been the consolidation of healthcare systems. As systems consolidate and grow their geographic footprint, they are looking for vendors that can service them across the multiple regions in which they operate.

At the same time, as integrated delivery networks (IDN) and group purchasing organizations (GPO) expand, their purchasing power also grows, driving consolidation on the vendor side. This all coincides with supply chains looking to streamline their operation and reducing the number of vendors they have as part of that vendor consolidation process.

Fillip says it is only natural that as the industry looks to meet the evolving demands of its customers, the formerly disaggregated healthcare laundry industry would rapidly consolidate to meet those demands.

Additionally, he says the barriers to entry and costs of staying competitive from a capex standpoint have made it far more difficult for smaller operators to stay competitive. This has created an environment where only the larger, well-capitalized players can remain competitive long-term, leading to multiple smaller operations selling to larger players.

The consolidation of the market is helping to create more standardized practices across the industry. This allows for a more standardized level of service to be deployed across large healthcare networks.

Fillip goes on to say that these changes have also helped to ensure that market dynamics stay healthy by balancing supply and demand across the country. A balanced supply and demand equation is critical for the well-being of the healthcare linen industry.

Operators need to make a fair profit that warrants the continued reinvestment required

to do healthcare laundry the right way.

The primary challenge, Gaffney shares, is the integration of various businesses with different operating methodologies and cultures. Execution risk around these consolidations can have negative effects and can potentially unravel the benefits of consolidation.

The secondary concern is grounded in the idea that not all growth is good growth. Consolidation through combining best-in-class operators is a clear recipe for success, but consolidation for the sake of consolidation can have tremendous negative consequences.

As such, consolidators need to make sure they are focused on buying quality assets that fit with their overarching mission and then focus on the proper integration of those businesses. The real work never starts until after the acquisition is complete and if you get too focused on the consolidation play and on making every acquisition/integration a success then you are likely to face a lot of challenges.

The primary benefit for the customer, Gaffney shares, is the option to use fewer or even a single vendor across their entire network. This naturally brings standardization in terms of billing and service. This also streamlines the supply chain and allows for one centralized avenue for managing their linen programs system-wide. This comes down to culture and integration of acquisitions. Key relationships will evolve at the highest levels because of consolidation, however maintaining the right relationships at all levels of the organization requires a strong cultural foundation, instilled in everyone.

In summary, the trend of industry consolidation will make it difficult for some independent businesses to survive and thrive in an ever more competitive market, shares Gaffney.

Some mix or all of these factors that have been mentioned are driving the consolidation of independent commercial healthcare laundry operators to merge into the large and growing platforms of the regional operators in the industry.

Organization helps overcome challenges in life, laundry

Callaway County Extended Employment in Missouri offers adults with disabilities job opportunities, including a laundry facility that opened in 2020

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

FULTON, Mo. — Callaway County Extended Employment (CCEE), located here, is a sheltered workshop.

The organization’s purpose/mission statement reads, “CCEE is a Callaway County based nonprofit organization providing employment and vocational training for qualified individuals with special needs.”

“We hire adults with disabilities and support them as they achieve their greatest potential in the workplace,” says Marla Mason, general manager of CCEE. “Many of our employees would not be able to hold a job anywhere other than a sheltered workshop.

“Businesses like ours allow individuals to gain meaningful employment, camaraderie with other employees and vocational training if they want to try to find employment elsewhere at a later time.

“There are very few places as uniquely diverse as a sheltered workshop where individuals with disabilities receive the accommodations they need to ensure success as they use the varying abilities they possess.”

One of the extended employment opportunities is for individuals to work in the laundry.

“The purpose/goal of the laundry is to provide opportunities for employment within the special needs community and provide quality industrial laundry service to the local community,” shares Brain Jones, laundry facility manager.

Besides the opportunities it provides for adults with disabilities, CCEE’s laundry is unique in that it started in 2020—just before the pandemic hit.

STARTUP

The laundry facility was developed with grant money from a local mid-Missouri family, shares Mason.

“Much of what we do is fueled by grant money in the sheltered workshop arena,” she adds.

“We started our laundry to diversify our

business model and to increase our profile in the local community,” Jones says.

In preparation, CCEE talked to local businesses and some government agencies to gauge interest in the venture. Then, officials talked to and toured other sheltered workshops that had already gone down this path to determine how to proceed.

“The commercial laundry facility was to be a main stabilizing income for the workshop,” Mason says.

“It started strong, but when COVID-19 hit, we lost momentum as many people

stopped using the hotels that we were supplying services for.”

Following that, several of the businesses in which the CCEE laundry had hoped to serve closed down, such as the local hospital.

“It was a hard time for everybody,” agrees Jones. “The hotels we had contracted with didn’t have people staying there. Our local hospital closed its doors.

“Other contracts we were in negotiations for simply fell apart due to lack of funding on their end as the economy made its

downturn.”

CCEE leaned on its existing business and government programs to keep the laundry afloat during the turmoil.

OPERATIONS

CCEE’s laundry operation offers services to hospitality management clients (hotels, catering, etc.), government agencies and healthcare providers.

“These markets are of an appropriate consistency and volume of laundry to maximize our potential and assure quality of service,”

Callaway County Extended Employment’s laundry operation offers jobs to adults with disabilities. (Photos: CCEE)

CCEE’s ironer will dry, iron and gatefold items as large as a king-size comforter.

The organization uses a bus outfitted with a hydraulic lift for pickup and delivery.

Jones shares.

To provide that quality service, the laundry operates a single shift five days a week.

“This could change if demand increases,” Jones points out. “We have 30 employees and five staff at present. We are in the process of increasing our workforce in the wake of COVID-19 as well.”

In addition, he says CCEE’s laundry facilities are Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compliant for linen and laundry management and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliant in its handling of laundry.

The organization’s laundry facility has three washers. One unit is rated for 61 pounds per load and the other two are rated for 132 pounds per load. Its three dryers can handle 132 pounds each.

“We have one rolling iron that will dry, iron and gatefold items as large as a king-size comforter,” says Jones.

“We soften/condition our water to make the detergents as effective as possible and chemically test the laundry on a routine basis to ensure the quality of the end product.”

He adds that the laundry uses a chemical injection system to automate the addition of chemicals to safeguard employees and keep every load consistent.

“We have a high-capacity surge water heater to maintain the hot water at CDCspecified temperatures for sanitation,” Jones adds.

For pickup and delivery, CCEE uses a hydraulic lift-equipped bus that has been adapted to this purpose.

“Our drivers are all trained to operate this vehicle and are class E licensed,” says Jones. “We can generally (assuming no excessive soil) pickup laundry in the morning and have it laundered, quality checked, sorted, folded, packaged and returned within 24 hours.”

SERVICE-MINDED

CCEE is a service-minded organization, serving its employees and customers, including with its laundry operation.

“Every job we do at Callaway County

Extended Employment is about serving businesses while providing steady, appropriate work for our employees with disabilities,” Mason says. “The reason we exist is our employees.”

Adults who work at CCEE have a range of disabilities, and the organization works to find the appropriate job, if possible, for each person.

“Some have developmental disabilities— that would mean disabilities diagnosed young in life,” says Mason. “Others have disabilities because of accidents or traumas. Others have mental illness-related disabilities or other illness-induced disabilities.

“That is a qualification for employment here. Each employee must go through vocational rehabilitation to be evaluated before hiring can take place.”

Once CCEE qualifies the individuals, it hires each one, and then it supports them beyond what other businesses would with the goal being to ensure their success, Mason says.

“Making our employees successful is our goal and we do it very well,” she adds.

“My job is to apply for grants and stabilize our business financially. To do that we also have fundraisers. We are a nonprofit 501(c)3.

“It really is a great job and every day I thank God for the opportunity to be here. I love my employees and I get great joy when I see the team doing their work with excellence, to the best of their ability.”

THE FUTURE

While CCEE is successful in providing work opportunities for adults with disabilities, it has challenges to overcome to make the laundry operation a successful, permanent opportunity.

“To this date, our laundry business has been very sporadic,” shares Jones. “We have seen very busy times when local hotels have failures of their onsite laundry facilities. During those periods we see many hundreds of pounds of laundry a day.

“We are exploring more business opportunities all the time. We would love to see this venture take off.”

Besides the ironer, the operation uses one 61-pound washer, two 132-pound washers and three 132-pound dryers.

CCEE has a high-capacity surge water heater to maintain CDC-specified temperatures for sanitation.

PANEL of EXPERTS

be an excellent way to improve cash flow and manage physical warehouse space.

While supply-chain challenges remain a real concern for our industry, it is possible for laundries to successfully adapt to these realities by using the array of tools and strategies at their disposal.

•Friendly, ongoing communication with current competitors so you can share with each other.

need to be revisited and tweaked to meet our growing demands needed to run our daily operations efficiently?

Companies from all sectors need to build more resilient and adaptable supply chains that can withstand unexpected challenges.

Beyond the widespread disruption in global supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (primarily due to factory shutdowns, transportation restrictions and consolidation of demand on certain products such as PPE and other medical supplies), there were also many other isolated events that have highlighted vulnerabilities in the global supply chain.

For instance, the Suez Canal blockage in March 2021 caused significant disruptions in global shipping routes and prevented over 400 ships from passing through the canal—a major trade route between Asia and Europe.

The increased frequency of extreme weather disasters and ongoing geopolitical tensions like the U.S.-China trade war also contribute to the challenge of finding consistency and security in this era of increasing globalization.

This article highlights some concrete steps that institutional laundries can take to mitigate these risks and ensure they have the necessary supplies to operate, regardless of a potential disruption in their supply chain.

Firstly, it is essential to have a diversified supplier base that focuses on transparent communication and strategic geographical diversification. With these, facilities can stay informed about potential supply chain disruptions and work proactively with suppliers to find solutions.

This can involve exploring alternative sourcing options or adjusting production schedules to accommodate delays or shortages. By spreading sourcing across multiple regions, both customer and supplier can reduce their exposure to an event that is isolated to a certain region.

It is also advisable that laundries invest in data analytics and artificial intelligence technology to gain real-time insights into supplychain performance to identify potential issues before they become major disruptions. High-quality analytics use algorithms to predict demand patterns based on factors such as lead time, demand variability and order frequency, which then helps optimize stock levels by minimizing the amount of inventory on hand requirements.

Having efficient demand-planning analytics makes it easier to work with suppliers to leverage vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs, which in many cases can

By maintaining transparent communication channels with vendor partners, diversifying global sourcing, and leveraging technology to optimize VMI programs and predict potential disruptions, laundries can build resilient and reliable supply chains that can weather any challenges that may arise.

Snow is gone and spring has sprung. My snow shovels are neatly put back on the wall and unused gas is drained from the snow blower before putting it aside until next season.

Now off to the garden center to pick up some much-needed stone for the garden and flowerbeds around the house. Unfortunately, the particular color of stone needed is out of stock and the garden center is not sure when more is due in.

•Are we forecasting/planning our monthly, quarterly or annual needs properly, or are we fooling ourselves by continuing to shoot from the hip and pray we have enough inventory on hand to service our customers?

•Are we complacent with how things are and the information we share with our suppliers, or do we want to get proactive and aggressive with sharing more current and accurate information that can be used for future production planning?

With the market conditions as they are today and the new way of doing business, we need to make sure we share our forecasted needs and as much information as possible with our vendors/suppliers.

The magnitude of these issues can be very regionally based on location and type of laundry business.

Necessary parts for large, older equipment, in particular tunnel washers, and long lead times have been an issue in my local area for more than a decade, yet it serves as a microcosm of the overall supply-chain issues that have been occurring even after the pandemic.

First, research and find everyone who sells the items you are having trouble keeping in stock.

Next, see if there are any alternatives to these items that can be substituted.

Third, speak with the supplier and have a heart-to-heart conversation regarding specific lead times they can “guarantee” their company can live up to.

Additionally, increase your par stock and storage to accommodate the longer lead times that occur currently.

Lastly, and in my case, what worked very well was being friendly with other laundry managers to share needed parts and agreeing to keep extra (high-value) parts for each other and communicating when they are available. We all know how important it is to keep our machines humming and in working order. Below is a bullet point list that I find helpful.

•Expand your supplier list—online business shopping with Amazon Business or even skipping your current supplier and going direct to manufacturer.

•Research alternative products and discuss with your end users (if applicable).

•Speak with supplier regarding specific lead times for each product and adjust your inventory accordingly.

•Increase par stock and storage area to accommodate longer lead times.

When I questioned the owner of the garden center as to how the lack of product happened, his response was that their supplier was having trouble getting enough product to support the needs of his customer base due to not having proper forecasting on his needs for stone from his customers.

With supply and demand issues being on the rise, and inventory levels low, this particular stone plus several other items are on backorder.

This made me stop and think, “Wow, does that not sound familiar? Seems to be a familiar battle cry with many manufacturers of multiple products these days, whether it be apparel, furniture, some food products and more. Welcome to the club!”

Ever since COVID, the way we do business has changed. Supply chains and delivery methods are being pushed and tested to limits not experienced in a very long time.

Political unrest in countries that manufacture products used in our laundries unfortunately seems to be on the rise thus impacting goods being manufactured in a timelier manner.

Labor shortages are another pain point influencing our supply and demand flow needed and expected from within our customer base.

So, what can we do as laundry operators to ensure we have product when needed to guarantee there are no hiccups in our ability to service our customers?

•First and foremost, we need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and audit our internal methods and/or systems for placing orders with our suppliers and ask ourselves some pointed questions.

•Do we have systems in place for forecasting our monthly, quarterly or annual needs?

•Are our systems up to date or do they

This information is critical in allowing them to plan and forecast their manufacturing and production lines as well. By providing a proper accurate forecast, it will assist our suppliers in guaranteeing the parts and products needed will be available to ship to you on a timely basis so as to run your business and operations running efficiently.

Being transparent and sharing as much information as possible on our needs with our vendor/supplier partners will drastically help in eliminating issues with product shortages and backorders.

If we continue to be unwilling to share as much information as possible, they will not be able to improve upon their forecasting and production planning. If we expect our suppliers to have product for us when needed, we need to trust and share information. This lack of confidence will only enhance supply issues going forward.

However, with that said, our suppliers need to relay any production issues with us so we can plan accordingly as well to avert any possible shortages or backorders.

Transparency is needed from both sides in order to avert any hiccups or delivery issues. If we are unwilling to share our needs with our vendor/supplier partners, there is no guarantee there will be product available for you when needed, and if our suppliers are not honest with us in sharing any delays on their end with production or delay in delivering product, we need to have a Plan B in place.

Take the time to discuss with your suppliers what it takes to develop a true program that will allow product to be shipped and delivered on a timely basis. Have an open mind in being willing to commit to a contract for product whether it be confined for you or not.

Make sure, if not already in place, the trust factor is there, and that you respect and trust what your suppliers tell you. If you do not, then maybe you are not deal-

“My suppliers are still having issues providing the parts and products I need. How can I better ensure I have the necessary supplies to keep my operation running?”

Keeping supplies on hand, on time

Consulting Services Cliff Beiser Champions Touch, Kissimmee, Fla.

Textiles Jeffrey Courey

George Courey Inc., Montreal, Quebec

Uniforms/Workwear

Manufacturing

Scott Delin Fashion Seal Healthcare, Seminole, Fla.

ing with the proper supplier and need to find someone else.

The days of taking orders are gone. We need to deal with suppliers who will look out for our interests and make sure our needs are addressed as needed.

Well now that I know my garden center is out of stone and they have no clue when more will arrive, I guess I need to go to Plan B. MULCH! I hate mulch.

them very quickly. A heightened awareness by all your staff to reduce the risk of shortages must be a top priority.

Consider stocking more high-use products and parts or make a financial commitment with your suppliers to warehouse them. We have an exceptional array of suppliers in our industry that want to see the laundries profitable: make them your friends!

On the side of rental laundries that supply products to their customers, one overlooked aspect to manage purchases is the practice of regular inventories by route service reps (RSRs) or service staff at the clients’ locations.

vide you with the necessary information to make an informed decision about what parts to stock at your location.

Keep a list of preferred as well as backup vendors and always be in close communication with all of them to manage a future crisis. One idea is to post on each piece of equipment the model and serial number as well as the contact information of the supplier(s) that can be contacted.

Our industry is very tight and informed; your parts supplier wants to keep you in business, keep them close!

tive in securing the necessary components to keep their operations running efficiently.

One way to ensure operators have the required components is to work closely with suppliers. A good supplier will be able to provide valuable insights into the availability of critical spares and provide advice on alternative solutions to potential shortages.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, operators of laundries and their supplier partners have all adjusted strategies around supplychain issues that have strengthened their abilities to service clients. These creative approaches will, and have, increased profit margins for laundry companies.

To better ensure the necessary supplies to keep operations running in an effective manner, you must maintain close relationships and constant communication with all your vendors who will fill in on a contingency basis as well as supply parts and products regularly.

Organize your vendors list with a who, what, where list so the team members in your company all know the preferred vendor for a particular item and can access

There are many accounts (mainly food & beverage) that will keep an inventory of products that is much too large: bar wipes, dish towels, napkins, microfiber cloths, aprons, shop towels, and bath towels are all examples of rental items that your customer feels they have paid for and can keep an overabundance of them.

If regular inventories are not performed, eventually someone at your client’s location will assume that you are overcharging them. To avoid losing that client through the perception of overcharging, make inventories a priority and keep them accurate!

Next to the team members, the equipment is the lifeblood of your laundry, and it must be in top-notch working order to ensure on-time deliveries as well as maintain superior quality. A preventative maintenance program must be in place, either with your own staff or outside contractors.

Keeping accurate records of regular as well as downtime maintenance will pro-

To better ensure you have the necessary supplies to keep your business running and most importantly, keep your business profitable, communication between your team members and your suppliers is of the utmost importance.

Plant operators can ask their suppliers for recommendations on which spares are essential to keep in stock and which ones they can afford to order when the need arises. By doing so, plants can create a plan of action to mitigate the impact of any potential supply-chain challenges on their operations.

In addition, the maintenance department should be vigilant about the condition of their equipment and the frequency of maintenance checks. By carrying out regular checks, operators can identify any signs of wear and tear on components and replace them proactively before they become critical.

Fla.

As a crucial element in the hospitality, healthcare and industrial sectors, laundry operations must always be ready to function at full capacity.

However, the laundry industry can be affected by various supply-chain challenges, including the availability of critical components, delivery delays, and price fluctuations. As a result, operators must be proac-

Furthermore, maintenance should have a list of critical components that require more frequent inspections and replacements, such as bearings, filters, belts and motors.

In today’s environment, it is very important to dig your well before you’re thirsty. Be proactive in securing the necessary components to ensure that operations run smoothly.

Working closely with suppliers and carrying out regular maintenance checks can help mitigate potential supply-chain challenges and ensure plants continue to run efficiently.

Hot Topic Trio: Coming Economic Downturn, Human Resources Success, Fire Safety in Laundries

We’re Heading for Recession!

Now What Do I Do?

Bryan Cutsinger, assistant professor of economics at Angelo State University in Texas, and Mike Knowles, COO of Superior Linen Service in Oklahoma, talk the economy, the possibility of recession and ways to ride out the downturn.

Human Resources Challenges

Events of the past three years have changed workplace dynamics along with employee attitudes and expectations.

Human resource managers

Annette Jones from Huebsch Services and Katie Rowland from Plymate Inc. talk challenges and solutions in laundry HR today.

Every FREE episode...

Laundry Facility Fire Safety

Bill Sullivan, fire protection engineer for the City of Madison Fire Department in Wisconsin, and Markus Tarin, CEO of MoviTHERM, an innovator in fire detection technology, based in Irvine, California, talk about steps to take in the event of a fire along with detection/ prevention ideas.

offers engaging, industry-specific conversation with an expert, including business-building tips you won’t find anywhere else. And you can listen anytime, either online or download for later! Give

Track Career

Cintas’ Thompson retires, Rozakis promoted

CINCINNATI — Cintas Corp. reports that Michael L. Thompson, executive vice president (EVP) and chief administration officer (CAO), will retire on Aug. 31, and ceased being an executive officer of the company as of May 31.

Jim Rozakis, currently president and chief operating officer (COO) of the company’s rental division, will be promoted to Cintas EVP and COO, effective June 1.

“I want to thank Mike for his tremendous contributions during his incredible 29 years with Cintas,” says Todd Schneider, Cintas president and CEO. “Over his career, Mike has successfully taken on many challenging areas and created opportunities that have made our company significantly better because of his leadership.

“I value Mike’s perspective, dedication, and friendship and will miss working with him every day. I wish he and his family all the best in the future as they enjoy this new phase in life.”

Thompson joined Cintas in 1994 as a financial analyst and has held a variety of ascending roles in the years that have followed, including director of corporate development, corporate controller, vice president and treasurer, senior vice president of rental facility services, senior vice president of business transformation, senior vice president and chief information officer (CIO), and most recently, EVP and CAO.

Throughout Thompson’s Cintas career, he helped optimize the company for ongoing growth while also prioritizing the customer experience.

Cintas says it will not fill Thompson’s CAO role at this time. Thompson’s responsibilities and areas of oversight will be distributed among the company’s executive administration.

Rozakis will move into the COO role, which has been unfilled since Schneider, the last EVP and COO, was appointed president and CEO in June 2021.

Rozakis is a 24-year Cintas employeepartner whose strategic acumen and commitment to excellence have continually pushed the company forward, it says. He came to Cintas in 1999 as a sales associate and rose through the rental division’s sales and operations ranks, including roles as sales vice president, group vice president, senior vice president and most

recently, rental president and COO, a position he has held since June 2020.

Since assuming his most recent role, Rozakis has led the business to remarkable success, according to the company.

Assuming leadership less than three months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Rozakis guided the rental division to record sales and profits through the expansion of new workwear and facility services offerings that helped Cintas customers remain open and operating in a safer, healthier and more efficient manner.

“Jim’s vision and focus on our customers and employee-partners has had an incredible impact on the rental division and it has created our road map for Cintas’ future,” Schneider says.

“Coupled with his drive and his commitment to excellence, Jim is poised to help lead Cintas’ businesses to even greater success in his new role as our Cintas chief operating officer.”

Braun hires West Coast regional sales manager

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — G.A. Braun Inc., an equipment manufacturer, reports it has added Matthew Dodge as a regional sales manager.

He studied business administration and management at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, and recently held the position of midwest area manager for Biesse America.

“Matt brings to our customer base exceptional experience in providing clients the best in consultative services and determining equipment solutions to help grow their businesses,” shares Ray Burke, Braun’s executive vice president, sales.

Dodge’s area of coverage will be Braun’s West Coast territory spanning the states of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

Girbau North America welcomes Kramer, Paulick

OSHKOSH, Wis. — Laundry equipment manufacturer Girbau North America (GNA) reports it has hired Barb Kramer as national accounts coordinator and Paige Paulick as inside sales associate.

As national accounts coordinator, Kramer handles multiple duties in support of national accounts sales and customer relations, including order processing, assisting customers with inventory and product inquiries,

and generating and distributing reports.

Additionally, she supports GNA’s sales team, interfaces with distributors and customers, and forecasts upcoming national accounts needs.

“As a company, we are lucky to have Barb on our team for many reasons,” says Customer Experience Key Account Manager Alivia Murkley. “Her positive attitude, dedication and hard work shine through in everything she does.”

“What I like most about GNA is everyone has been so friendly and welcoming,” Kramer says. “It’s the little things at GNA that make me smile.”

In her new role as inside sales associate, Paulick is responsible for managing inside sales and leadqualification processes, as well as juggling customer relations, product pricing and reporting duties.

She regularly interfaces with end users, distributors and other GNA staff members, analyzes and reports on industry trends, performs competitive analyses, and assists with product and parts orders and tracking.

She comes to GNA with a strong background in customer service and proficiency in managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

Paulick earned an associate’s degree in communications and media studies from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2021.

“We are excited to welcome Paige into the GNA family,” says Pam Kuffel, director of strategic business solutions. “With her experience and personality, we are confident she’ll take the inside sales role to new

Column

Continued from Page 4

heights, making it even more effective.”

Paulick maintains she was interested in joining GNA in an entry-level role to gain the skills and experience needed for her to pursue a sales or marketing position.

“I liked the fact that GNA has a lot of opportunity for growth but still very much has a family-friendly culture,” she says.

Gurtler hires managers of market development

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. — Gurtler Industries Inc., a manufacturer of detergents and chemicals for the commercial laundry industry, reports it has hired Amir Amini and Brad Van Prooyen as managers of market development Amini, from Massachusetts, will manage market development in the New England area.

He has a Bachelor of Science in textilechemistry engineering, a Master of Science in international business and engineering, and brings with him 13 years of experience in the laundry industry in Europe and the United States. Van Prooyen will be manager of market development in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan areas. He brings with him 16 years of experience in the laundry industry.

Finally, a quick thought on building a personal connection with your team. In these days of self-directed work groups and team assignments, the need for leaders to be connected is much more important than ever before.

Make a point of rounding on everyone daily and addressing them by first name, whether you have the time to do it or not. You are not part of the team if you are not on the field with them, and they absolutely notice.

The goal is simple: engage each person and learn one thing that they are interested in. Ask about their shoes, ask about their car or how their family is doing. Keep it professional and keep it light. Revisit and expand each time you round and before long your team will know you are with them and you care.

I do not think you will find a more powerful employee retention component than taking an engaged personal interest in them as people first and employees second.

My experiences with working for leaders who know I am a whole person and engage with me in that manner are very hard to leave behind.

Richard Engler is the general manager of the North Heights Linen Service in Amarillo, Texas. He has worked in healthcare linen and laundry, both in house and as a contractor, for various organizations during the past 30 years.

ROZAKIS

AMINI

PAULICK

DODGE

THOMPSON

VAN PROOYEN

Classified Advertising

2023 CLASSIFIED RATES: One- to fivetime rate: $3.00 per word, boldface $3.05 per word. Minimum charge: $50.00 per ad. Call or write for our six- and 12-time rates.

If box number is used, add cost of five (5) words. Display classified rates are available on request. All major credit cards are accepted.

DEADLINE: Ads must be received by the 1st of the preceding month. For example, for a June ad, the closing date is May 1st.

Must accompany order.

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

Healthcare Linen Services Group opens new headquarters

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — Healthcare Linen Services Group (HLSG), a provider of healthcare linen management solutions, reports it has opened its new corporate headquarters here.

In conjunction with the new headquarters, HLSG has also launched its state-ofthe-art training center, the Linen Technical Institute, designed to foster professional growth and development for its employees.

The company says the new facility will serve as the central hub for HLSG’s operations and will enable the company to better serve its customers with improved quality and efficiency.

“This facility represents a significant milestone for our company, and we are excited about the opportunities it presents for us to continue delivering exceptional linen management solutions to our valued customers,” says Joe LaPorta, CEO.

HLSG adds that its new headquarters and the Linen Technical Institute will not only enhance the company’s operations but also strengthens its position as the employer of choice for employees who are looking for real career development.

Prudential Overall Supply celebrates 91st anniversary

IRVINE, Calif. — Prudential Overall Supply, a provider of reusable image work apparel and related textiles, reports it is celebrating its 91st anniversary.

Founded by John D. Clark in 1932, Prudential has grown from a one-man operation to a national brand serving customers throughout North America.

Prudential’s third-generation CEO, John Clark comments, “Our team looks forward, but never forgets that Prudential was founded during the Great Depression.

Through numerous economic recessions and challenging world events, Prudential has flourished over our 91-year history.

“Achieving what few companies have ever been able to achieve: national growth, dedicated employees, over 28,000 customers, and we continue to reinvent the company by expanding and diversifying our offering.”

Clark continues, “We thank every supplier for their dependability, every customer for the trust they instill in Prudential, and we are ever grateful to each employee for their hard work and effort so that we can best serve our customers.”

By providing premium quality work wear and safety uniforms, career apparel and casual wear, cleanroom garments and related services, Prudential says it can outfit entire organizations.

The certified Clean Green, on-time, weekly service also addresses facility image and safety requirements by offering floor mats, wiping towels and facility products throughout the United States.

Industrial laundry, distributors receive awards from Girbau

OSHKOSH, Wis. — Laundry equipment manufacturer Girbau North America and its subsidiaries Girbau Industrial and Continental Girbau report that they recently presented 2022 awards for business partner and distributors of the year.

Ser-Clean Laundry Services, an industrial laundry in Miami, has received the 2022 Girbau North America Business Partner of the Year Award, while Lavanett in St. Laurent, Quebec, earned its Canadian Distributor of the Year Award.

AAdvantage Laundry Systems in Garland, Texas, received the 2022 Distributor of the Year Award from both Girbau Industrial and Continental Girbau.

Girbau North America says Ser-Clean Laundry Services received the 2022 Business Partner of the Year Award for

superior sales and service performance within the hospitality laundry industry.

Ser-Clean provides the Miami hospitality industry with premium, customerfocused laundry services. Established in 2020, Ser-Clean is owned by Pablo Cano Ponte, Jessica Montagno, Micaela Varela, Sebastian Romero and Facundo Yebne.

“Together we decided to develop a new concept of hospitality laundry that’s customer-focused and delivers premium service,” says Varela. “We guarantee our quality and service is superior and we invest in Girbau Industrial technology for that reason.”

“Ser-Clean has enjoyed rapid growth because its owners are experienced in the laundry and hospitality industries and understand what their clients want in a laundry services provider,” says Girbau North America Vice President of Sales Joel Jorgensen.

“The Ser-Clean team goes beyond by providing a superior end-product that sets them apart. GNA is proud to work with such a successful team committed to customer service.”

Lavanett received its third consecutive Canadian Distributor of the Year award for exemplary performance in the on-premises and vended laundry markets within Quebec.

Owned by Earl Eichen, Lavanett employs 20 team members and provides laundry and textile care solutions, parts and service to customers throughout Canada.

“Lavanett once again captured GNA’s attention in Canada,” says Jorgensen. “Earl and his team work hard to provide targeted laundry solutions to a wide array of markets, as well as unrivaled service after the sale, which is a huge part of their success equation.

“GNA congratulates them on another great year representing the Continental Girbau, Girbau Industrial, LG Commercial, Econo and Poseidon brands.”

Together, GNA and Lavanett have

enjoyed a 22-year partnership, according to Eichen.

“It’s hard to believe our first order with GNA dates back to May 2001,” he shares. “During this time, GNA has introduced several different series of equipment lines and constant upgrades on existing ones.

“These innovations have allowed us to penetrate different markets and gain a greater share of existing ones. We are selling equipment into markets now that we didn’t know of years ago.

“Due to its reliability, the reputation of Continental Girbau equipment has steadily grown and we often find that customers find their way to us as a result, whether through word-of-mouth or via our website.”

AAdvantage Laundry Systems received its second consecutive Continental Girbau On-Premise Laundry Distributor of the Year Award for outstanding sales and service performance within the on-premises laundry market.

The company also received the 2022 Girbau Industrial Distributor of the Year Award for outstanding sales and service performance within the industrial laundry market.

AAdvantage, a division of EVI Industries Inc., is led by President Ryan Smith and is among the largest volume distributors in the world, according to Jorgensen.

“In 2022, the AAdvantage team excelled at identifying opportunities for Continental, LG Commercial and Econo brands within a variety of on-premise laundry applications, including nursing homes, hotels, beauty salons and vet clinics, among many others,” he says.

“This past year, AAdvantage kicked it into high gear selling and servicing GI laundry solutions. A premier distributor, AAdvantage made the infrastructure commitment and the investment to support the growth of their customers. In 2022, it all came full circle.

“We couldn’t be happier for the AAdvantage team and their success. AAdvantage has an outstanding sales team, backed by one of the industry’s best service departments. Customers always get the support they need before, during and after the sale. They are a top-notch distributor and we are proud to work beside them.”

A full-service provider of laundry equipment parts, service and sales, AAdvantage serves the on-premises, industrial, vended and multi-housing laundry markets, providing turnkey solutions, including laundry design, financing, installation, business projections and demographic studies.

“What sets us apart is our team’s willingness to focus on our core values,” Smith says. “We call those values CARPE: communication, accountability, respect, professionalism and excellence. We believe if we strive every day to focus on those things internally and externally, it breeds success.

“Our sales team focuses on not just selling machines but providing solutions to customers. We build credibility on the front end and couple that with high-level service after sale. It gets us lots of referrals and repeat business.”