American Laundry News - August 2023

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

Finding employees has been challenging over the past few years, including in the laundry industry.

Unfortunately, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) says that demographic shifts and aging populations mean that worker shortages and hiring challenges will continue for years. That doesn’t mean that laundry and

linen services can’t be successful in filling positions with quality applicants.

They just need to be creative and flexible.

American Laundry News heard from six laundry operations about how they are working to make their hiring efforts successful.

TRANSFORMING TALENT ACQUISITION

Kristin Golden, vice president of marketing for ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry Specialists headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, shares that the company has doubled in size over the past few years and now serves customers across the United States.

“The need for exceptional talent is a priority,” she says. “Determined to build a stronger workforce and ensure future growth, the company embarked on a transformative journey in talent acquisition.”

The following highlights the key steps ImageFIRST took to enhance its recruitment process:

1. The arrival of the talent acquisition manager. In August 2022, the company made a strategic decision and hired a seasoned talent acquisition manager. Their expertise and leadership brought a fresh perspective to the recruitment landscape. With a comprehensive understanding of corporate and field recruiting, the manager wasted no time in making a lasting impact.

2. Reduce open requisitions. With the talent acquisition manager at the helm, the company swiftly tackled the challenge of open requisitions. Through a combination of efficient processes and innovative strategies, they achieved

Staffing Success Stories

remarkable results. In 2022 alone, open requisitions were reduced by an impressive 48%. Building on this success, the team further improved its performance, reducing open requisitions by an additional 36% in the first quarter of 2023.

3. Candidate-friendly offer letters. Recognizing the importance of creating a positive candidate experience, the company revamped its offer letters. The new format put a spotlight on the total compensation package and emphasized the abundant opportunities for career advancement. This approach not only appealed to candidates but also showcased the company’s commitment to nurturing their employees’ growth.

4. Revamping external postings. Realizing the significance of attracting top talent, the company reimagined its external job postings. The new approach made the postings more marketable and highlighted the exciting career advancement opportunities within the organization. Social media platforms became key channels for promoting the company’s diverse workforce and providing visibility into potential career paths.

5. Region-specific talent acquisition specialists. To streamline and optimize its recruitment efforts, the company aligned its corporate talent acquisition specialists with specific regions. This targeted approach allowed each specialist to focus on

Texcare International 2024 shifts days after survey

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany

— Organizer Messe Frankfurt reports that it has shifted the dates of Texcare International 2024 after conducting a detailed exhibitor and visitor survey. The international trade fair for laundry, dry cleaning and textile services will take place Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 6-9, 2024.

The event was originally scheduled for Nov. 9-13, Saturday through Wednesday.

“For us as organizers, it is important to have our ears to the pulse of the industry and the people Texcare serves,” says Kerstin Horaczek, vice president technology shows, Messe Frankfurt.

The result of the survey was a clear vote for a change in the sequence of days, a heavy program on four trade fair days with a majority preference for an autumn date and more opportunities for learning and networking.

“The talks with the industry have once again shown how important it is for them to exchange ideas with each other,” Horaczek continues.

“We are pleased to be able to respond to the changing needs of the participants with the new timeframe and to be able to show them it is in close cooperation that we successfully continue to develop the event. Needless to say, this also applies to the content that will now follow.”

Six laundry and linen service representatives share how their companies are finding success in a still tight labor market

(Photo: © VitalikRadk/Depositphotos)

Coming this fall: TRSA’s Maintenance Management Institute, Annual Conference

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services, has two educational programs for maintenance management and industry leaders.

TRSA’s Maintenance Management Institute (MMI), the industry’s longest-running and most-recognized maintenance management and technology development program, is returning for its 30th year Sept. 26-28 at the Embassy Suites O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois.

Naples, Florida, will be the host city of TRSA’s 110th Annual Conference, Oct. 10-12.

Nestled between the beach and the golf greens the conference will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Tiburon Golf Resort Hotel and will connect industry leaders, allowing an opportunity to mix professional development and industry updates with some social networking including an interactive charcuterie building challenge, the TRSA Open 9-Hole golf tournament and an optional Brewery Tour.

MMI

MMI attendees will network and learn with the linen, uniform and facility services industry’s top engineers, maintenance, plant and general managers.

Jack Smith of North Central Linen Co. attended last year and says, “MMI has very good presentations with knowledgeable speakers on topics discussed. I met some individuals who I might call upon in the future for business help for my local plant.”

The program combines general sessions and breakouts with peer

interaction to enhance attendees’ technical knowledge, along with exploration of management and leadership styles.

Leading off the first day is Richard LeBlanc, managing partner at Brooker International, who will join Christopher Stammer, CEO, Volu Interactive, for an interactive keynote presentation focusing on techniques for problem solving, root-cause analysis and improving communication.

Sessions led by subjectmatter experts within the linen, uniform and facility services industry will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to a Plant Maintenance Program: The Basics to Getting Started from Excel to Automated

• Safety Primer: From Ducts to Conveyors: Hands-on Basics to Fall Protection

• Plant Communications: Technical and Tactical Tools and Techniques

• Monitoring Energy and Resources for Profitability, Sustainability and Compliance: The Basics of Benchmarking and Analysis

• Safety Primer: Lockout/ Tagout: Simple Steps to Stay Safe

The second day will feature a Roscoe Co. plant tour in Chicago where attendees will go through three rotations in small groups allowing for more personal contact

with Roscoe staff and the opportunity for questions at each rotation.

Rotations include mechanical room operations (steam/air/water and wastewater systems), washer and dryer operations (washer/ dryer/chemical), and production floor operations (garment/ flatwork/dryfold systems) giving attendees the opportunity to discuss business philosophies with plant leadership and discover technological innovations that can impact their own operations.

Throughout the plant tour and program, attendees will collaborate with work groups in one of three teams: maintenance, risk/safety and utilities/resource. Each team will complete the plant tour focusing on their group’s theme, allowing for more in-depth discussion on each topic.

The final half day will culminate as the groups will share presentations on strengths, innovation and opportunities that they perceive.

Prior attendees have been impressed with the recently revamped program.

“The program had enough information to either implement change or reinforce current path/ process,” says Dave Beaver, TMC Laundry. James Bickell, HLS Linen adds, “There was a lot of valuable information and great people and instructors.”

Individuals who hold the TRSA Certified Professional Laundry

Manager (CPLM) designation can receive up to 18 credit hours toward recertification by attending MMI educational sessions and plant tours. For more information and to register, visit www.trsa.org/mmi

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The 110th Annual Conference’s extensive agenda will offer general and breakout sessions, as well as Industry Awards recognition, including Operator and Supplier Partner Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Two keynote presentations are scheduled throughout the conference. Walter Bond, a former NBA player is also a motivational speaker, best-selling author, business coach, and co-founder of a leading professional training and development organization. Bond will focus on using motivation to overcome obstacles that stand in your way allowing your business to generate momentum toward winning.

Andrew Davis, CEO, Monumental, recognized as one of the industry’s “Jaw-Dropping Marketing Speakers,” is a mainstay on global marketing influencer lists. Davis has crafted documentary films and award-winning content and will tap into how some threats spur creativity in his keynote entitled, “Shift Cube of Creativity: Why adding constraints sparks innovation, action & delivers out-sized results.”

Four breakout sessions will include:

Publisher Charles Thompson

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Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

Donald Feinstein

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E-Mail: dfeinstein@ ATMags.com

Editorial Director Bruce Beggs

Phone: 312-361-1683

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Editor Matt Poe

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Production Manager

Mathew Pawlak

Digital Media Director Nathan Frerichs

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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

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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.

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Learning from

You’d think hiring employees would get easier after the events of the past few years let up.

That’s not the case, and several factors will make hiring difficult for years to come.

That’s why this year American Laundry News has brought you an informal feature series on laundry operation hiring.

It began in February with a look at hiring next-generation laundry employees. In April, we shared the benefits of mentoring programs.

Then in June, we examined how to replace retiring, valued employees.

What better way to draw the series to a close than with hiring success stories?

I had the pleasure of hearing from six laundry and linen services. From highlevel visions to functional strategies, they shared how their businesses have successfully assembled high-quality teams.

Once you’ve put a team together, it’s important to keep them safe. On page 10 you’ll find facility security steps to take I gleaned from two safety and security experts.

Other topics in this issue include customer retention (12) and small-capacity dryers (16).

Remember, we’re here to help everybody keep it clean!

ImageFIRST gains capital to facilitate growth

SAN FRANCISCO and BOSTON — Calera Capital, a middle-market private equity investment firm, reports the successful closing of Calera Capital Image Holdings, L.P., a new single-asset continuation fund of approximately $750 million.

The fund closed in connection with Calera’s sale of portfolio company ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry Specialists, a national provider of linen, laundry, and safety and hygiene services for the healthcare industry, by Calera Capital Partners V, L.P., and other investors.

Managed by Calera, the continuation fund is supported by new and returning limited partners and anchored by funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Blackstone Strategic Partners, TPG GP Solutions and Portfolio Advisors.

Calera and the ImageFIRST management team rolled significant sale proceeds into the continuation fund and Calera made a new equity commitment from its latest flagship fund as part of the transaction.

The continuation fund transaction will provide substantial additional capital to support the continued execution of ImageFIRST’s core organic growth strategy, facilitate expansion into new healthcare markets and adjacent services, and continue the development of the company’s internal infrastructure.

Since Calera’s initial investment in 2018, ImageFIRST has grown pro forma EBITDA by approximately fivefold through both organic and inorganic growth.

Under the leadership of President and CEO Jim Cashman, the company’s growth strategy has focused on providing the highest levels of customer service

Reliability staffing—Key to protecting plant assets

With new equipment and production systems escalating in cost and complexity, keeping your equipment running productively for many years is more important than ever before.

Historically, equipment maintenance was more “mechanically” focused with control systems utilizing simple relay technology. Gone are the days of keeping equipment running with “baling wire and duct tape”! Today’s machine designs are more complex in electronics and controls, and this requires us to move beyond the “simple” into the “advanced” technologies when it comes to equipment maintenance skills, training and techniques. While it is still feasible for our industry to utilize largely multicraft technicians in our reliability teams, we must pivot in the training and skills development processes to keep pace with technology.

while expanding via a combination of organic growth, geographic market expansion and strategic add-on transactions with 25 acquisitions completed since 2018.

ImageFIRST now serves more than 25,000 locations, with an annual customer retention rate of over 95%.

“ImageFIRST is a clear market leader in the specialty and outpatient healthcare laundry market,” says Ethan Thurow, managing director at Calera. “We are excited to continue to support the ImageFIRST team as they continue to grow and develop the business.

“Together, Calera and ImageFIRST share a vision to build on the company’s significant existing market strengths and momentum and expand ImageFIRST into a true multi-service, broad-based healthcare facilities services provider.”

“We look forward to our partnership with Calera and ImageFIRST, and we are excited to have the opportunity to support the company’s ambitious growth objectives,” says Jenna Shen, managing director at Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

Jefferies LLC served as sole financial advisor and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal counsel to Calera, and Baker & McKenzie LLP provided legal counsel to ImageFIRST.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP provided legal counsel to Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP provided legal counsel to TPG GP Solutions, and Proskauer Rose LLP provided legal counsel to Blackstone Strategic Partners and Portfolio Advisors.

Let’s review just a few of the opportunities there are for building top-notch reliability teams: Build the job descriptions and skills requirements properly. Having the requirements written into the job description will give your hiring managers the proper checklist to follow in a screening interview.

WHILE IT IS STILL FEASIBLE FOR OUR INDUSTRY TO UTILIZE LARGELY MULTICRAFT TECHNICIANS IN OUR RELIABILITY TEAMS, WE MUST PIVOT IN THE TRAINING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES TO KEEP PACE WITH TECHNOLOGY.

Identifying and quantifying the necessary skills and assuring there are complementary skills among multiple technicians on your team will provide for proper hiring and development planning.

Simply put, if a person being interviewed does not meet the requirements, don’t hire them. If an employee already on your team doesn’t meet the requirement, build their training and development plan to address those deficiencies.

Utilize training opportunities provided by equipment manufacturers. It’s obviously important that your techs understand the equipment they are tasked with maintaining. For equipment-specific training, one of the best sources for training is the equipment manufacturer.

This assumes your techs have the basic skills—and then factory training can help them understand how each onboard system works with the other systems to make the machine function properly. Troubleshooting should be a primary topic covered in the factory training.

Identify ongoing skills training opportunities. To continue to add value to the multi-craft technician’s role on your team, consider signing up with online training systems.

Numerous entities offer technical training opportunities online, in a self-paced environment, and may even offer CEU credits that can be applied to a degree.

(WE) = WEB EXCLUSIVE

Costs for these programs are generally minimal and the training is invaluable but be sure to provide your teams time each week for learning. This is a less-structured method, so frequent follow-up may be needed.

Recruit aggressively and endlessly. The war for talent has come in full force to our doorsteps. Creative recruiting methods must be utilized to keep the pipeline filled with candidates.

•

•

Working with local or regional technical training schools, attending their job fairs and getting in front of these students in their classrooms will get your message out there and help you identify good candidates for future openings.

From

• Managing Multiple Stores: Mirth … or Mayhem?

• Freshening Up Your Store, from Simple to Elaborate

Consider inviting some of these classes of students to tour your facility and set up a workshop for them in real-world maintenance and reliability work.

One organization that represents multiple technical training schools is FAME—the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education. More info on FAME can be found on their site at www. fame-usa.com.

See Column on Page 18

COLUMNIST AT LARGE Tommy Cocanougher

MATT POE

Success

Continued from Page 1

understanding the unique requirements and dynamics of their assigned region. By being closely connected to the local talent pools, they could tailor their strategies accordingly and attract the best candidates.

6. Engaging HR associates. Recognizing the importance of collaboration and ongoing development, the company initiated weekly calls with local HR associates. These calls served as platforms for engagement, training and the exchange of recruitment ideas. By leveraging the collective knowledge and experiences of the team, they enhanced their recruitment efforts and fostered a culture of continuous improvement.

7. Investing in local recruiting sources. Understanding the value of local connections and community engagement, the company decided to support initiatives aimed at enhancing local recruiting sources. It works to strengthen relationships with local communities, colleges, and universities and participates in regional career fairs. The company proactively posts job openings on platforms like Handshake, forged partnerships with educational institutions, and supported initiatives such as the NJ DOL Veteran program.

8. Ongoing training and development. ImageFIRST’s onboarding does not stop at Day 1. Education and training are a critical part of associates’ success. With a structured curriculum around each role in the organization, associates begin their education at orientation and continue with a curriculum throughout their tenure, enabling them to succeed in their job and advance their careers within the organization.

“With these concerted efforts, the company witnessed a remarkable transformation in its talent acquisition process,” shares Golden. It attracted a more diverse and skilled pool of candidates, and its enhanced employer branding enabled the company to stand out in the competitive market. As a result, the company experienced exponential growth and secured its position as an employer of choice.

“The story of this company serves as a testament to the power of strategic thinking, innovation and a commitment to creating an exceptional candidate experience,” she concludes. “It demonstrates that investing in talent acquisition is not just a necessity but a gateway to future success.”

REFERRAL BONUSES

Tommy Cocanougher, director-operations engineering solutions for Cintas Corp. Western North America and vendor relations rep for European suppliers and a columnist-at-large for American Laundry News, says that a strategy that can prove successful for production and service hiring is the use of referral bonuses.

“People want to work where they know people and can have an instant connection,” he points out. “People who enjoy their jobs and like the company they work for will work hard to bring their friends on board. Rewarding these people who reach out to their friends and help recruit them

ONCE A NEW PERSON IS ON BOARD, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT INITIAL TRAINING IS COMPLETED PROPERLY WITH FREQUENT FOLLOW-UPS AND ENGAGEMENT FROM NOT ONLY THE DIRECT SUPERVISOR BUT FROM OTHERS, INCLUDING HR AND THE LOCATION KEY MANAGEMENT TEAM.

to join the company can provide another avenue of recruitment and can lead to long-term employment for many.

Cocanougher says that each market must set its referral bonus amounts and how its system will work (e.g., the new hire must remain employed for 90 days before the bonus is paid, etc.) but this effort can help in the current talent search.

“Once a new person is on board, it is important that initial training is completed properly with frequent follow-ups and engagement from not only the direct supervisor but from others, including HR and the location key management team,” he says.

“The spirit that is felt on a new person’s first day must be continued in order to maintain the excitement and motivation of the new challenge.

“A structured, planned training program with engagement from the entire team will help with this.”

RECRUITING REPS, TECHNOLOGY

Renee Mendoza, human resources director, says American Textile Maintenance has been working nonstop on hiring personnel to support its growing business.

The company is in Southern California, operating in the counties of Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura and San Bernardino.

“The company is headquartered out of Los Angeles, where a lean staff of human resources professionals support recruiting and staffing needs for all locations,” shares

Mendoza.

“We currently have four plants, three depots and one distribution center to support with a headcount of 970 and growing. Each plant has a full-time HR representative that supports production worker staffing and orientations.”

American Textile Maintenance has a fulltime recruiter on staff that recruits for all positions and is a regular at community and college job fairs across Los Angeles counties.

The HR team uses online job sites such as Indeed, ZipRecruiter, El Clasificado, and Monster, and social media including LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

“Internally, we use BambooHR as our applicant tracking system that has automated new hire onboarding forms and sets up new hires on our payroll in an HRIS (human resources information) system,” Mendoza says.

“We partner with EDD (California Employment Development Department) utilizing onsite interviews and their job boards. We partner with three community colleges and LA Trade Tech (Los Angeles Trade-Technical College), utilizing oncampus job fairs and their websites to hire part-time and full-time workers. We hire interns from these channels as well.

She says the company also uses its business agent relationships with local unions, reaching out to them for member referrals for production, route service representatives and engineers.

“We have also used staffing agencies to help us staff up for quick needs that come

up from time to time and for class A drivers,” she adds.

“HR and our recruiter meet with our engineering team and service managers for weekly reviews of interview and selection status updates.

“The company also launched a successful employee referral program in 2021, resulting in a good turnout of new employees and referring employee payouts.”

Mendoza says the company’s hiring managers are all training in interview and selection skills to assure that compliant, equitable and behavior-based questions are used to find the best fit for its teams.

“Recruiting is not easy, but with the right tools, and trained interviewing team, and support from the community, we have been able to hire the right people,” Mendoza concludes.

INVESTING IN WORKPLACE CULTURE

When John C. Gallagher started Gallagher Uniform in 1893, he started a company that for the next 130 years would provide exceptional uniform and facility services to customers and invest in its team members by creating a winning workplace culture in Battle Creek, Michigan.

His value and emphasis on the importance of investing in workplace culture have been passed down through five generations of Gallagher family leadership.

Gallagher’s Human Resource Manager Jennifer Rosa knows, firsthand, what investing in culture looks like in the dayto-day at Gallagher and how this culture exhibits its three internal core values of honesty, integrity and trust.

And that culture begins with family leadership.

“By being hands-on and committed to

See Success on Page 8

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the daily work that happens, they are very visible and engaged with all associates making it truly more of a ‘family-friendly’ environment where everyone is passionate and supportive of the company’s goals as a result,” shares Rosa.

“Everyone holds each other accountable to (build) a strong focus on mutual respect and communication. Associates have a lot of fun while still getting the work done each and every day to deliver top-notch service to our customers as a No. 1 priority.”

What unique aspects of the workplace culture make Gallagher stand out from other organizations?

“While we are smaller in size (in comparison to many companies), and we act like the family-owned business we are and love, we can still offer competitive wages and benefits,” shares Rosa. “We operate very much like a large corporation without the ‘big corporate feel’.”

A key to the company’s culture, she points out, is to encourage employee development and growth.

“We have always encouraged promoting from within and have many examples of associates that have started and grown throughout the company through internal job postings,” says Rosa.

“We also conduct annual ‘stay interviews’ that help leadership be more engaged with associates to understand where their long-term interests and training needs may be.

“Our plant team has also created a cross-training program that allows individuals to learn multiple areas with the potential for wage increases as a result.”

Another key feature of Gallagher’s culture is employee recognition.

“We recognize birthdays and anniversaries on our company TVs for all to see each month,” says Rosa. “We also celebrate successes through our ‘kudos board’ at our daily huddles and recognize the great things happening in our weekly newsletter that goes to all associates.

“For milestone anniversaries (every five years), we allow each associate to select a jacket that we embroider their service years on and celebrate them at the annual company meeting.”

Finally, the company hosts several employee events every year, and Rosa has a few favorites.

“Easily our annual Christmas parties that we host,” she says. “These (parties) are always a big hit by many.

“We do a special dinner for adults but also have a fun ‘Breakfast with Santa’ for the kids. It’s always so much fun to see the Gallaghers making pancakes and serving the staff and families that attend. Other favorites have included hockey and baseball game outings.”

FAMILY BUSINESS ROOTS

Plymate, a uniform rental and service company based in Shelbyville, Indiana, points to its Central Indiana Top Workplaces 2022 Award presented by the Indianapolis Star as evidence of its success.

The company says the award reflects the team and the organizational excellence it demonstrates daily.

“We believe that employee culture is only as good as what we put into it,”

Plymate shares. “Every team member at Plymate is dedicated to creating the best experience for our customers, their coworkers, and themselves.”

As a fourth-generation family-owned business serving much of Indiana, the company provides hundreds of other workplaces with apparel, employee uniform services and floor mat programs.

“We’ve achieved the perfect scenario of big company capabilities with small company values,” says Ben Warnecke, Plymate’s vice president and general manager.

“Being locally owned and operated, having a genuine connection to our community, and staying true to our family business roots is a driving force for our positive company culture.”

The culture is reflected in the experience of its team. Plymate says the loyalty of its workforce is exhibited in its high coworker retention rate. Their attention to customer satisfaction is the core of the company’s philosophy—tenured coworkers who think “customer first” set it apart from the rest.

“Trusting the people you work with is paramount,” the company concludes. “Doing the right thing is a fundamental value that everyone embraces at Plymate. We are proud to have earned statewide recognition for our ethical business conduct.”

FLEXIBILITY

Michael Flores, vice president of human resources for Prudential Overall Supply headquartered in Irvine, California, readily admits that looking at the company’s data for onboarding and retention over the past couple of years, it’s not as successful as he would hope for.

“But we just have a wonderful team

here, and we were able to get all of our product out and all of our routes out,” he points out. “And so, we got together as a team and we really did a great job.

“For whatever gaps we had in hiring, we made up for with our core teams. That was really great to see, and that was a great win for us.”

He says the other “great win” for Prudential in the current hiring market is that it forced the organization, especially hiring managers, to get creative and try new things.

“To reach out in new ways, look for new pools of candidates, interview differently, onboard differently,” shares Flores. “I think that on the back end of all of that, we have a better organization today than where we were two-and-half, three years ago.”

He says that today’s applicants seek more flexibility in terms of what they’re looking for, and they seek more growth and learning opportunities.

“I think that the labor market if you’re a candidate is really strong,” he shares. “We still have probably 9 million jobs open across the U.S., and those individuals that are job seekers, they know that they can really press employers to be more flexible in terms of what they have to offer simply because of supply and demand of labor.”

One way Prudential has improved its hiring process is by what Flores calls “velocity.”

The company used to wait until it had 10-12 resumes, identify the top three or four and then call them.

“That process simply didn’t work over the last two to three years,” he points out. “What we’ve gotten much better at is as we’ve run different job postings, as we’ve gotten applicants that come in through the

door, as we’ve gotten more referrals, we now are equipped to drop whatever it is that we’re doing and to get attention over to that candidate—especially those top candidates—as quickly as possible.

“It’s made us a lot more aware of the importance of identifying and connecting with those potential new team members as quickly as possible. Where a typical role used to take probably 50 days, now we can reduce that down to a couple weeks and in most cases, especially in production, it’s actually much faster than that.”

Flores also says that Prudential’s hiring managers have become better at telling the company’s story.

“They represent the company in a different way,” he says. “They share their own experiences differently. Our managers are much better equipped today in terms of explaining benefits. They’re really more of an employment salesperson because they know that, especially for those top candidates, they know that they have other options.

“They now play a role of advocate for the organization to tell that story and hopefully get that person on board with us.”

Flores says the company also made some smaller changes to its hiring policies to reach more applicants, such as allowing visible tattoos and beards.

“We learned to be flexible, and it really helped us identify this idea that what we want to put in front of our customers is the right talent, the best talent that we can,” he shares.

“Sometimes that comes in different forms and different visions than maybe what we’ve held onto previously. Those small changes have opened us to consider a much larger candidate pool, and some of those folks have turned out to be just amazing staff members and they provide fantastic service to our customers.

“They might look a little bit different than they did years earlier, but ultimately it’s the satisfaction of our customers that we are primarily concerned with, and we’re glad that we made that change.”

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

WE LEARNED TO BE FLEXIBLE, AND IT REALLY HELPED US IDENTIFY THIS IDEA THAT WHAT WE WANT TO PUT IN FRONT OF OUR CUSTOMERS IS THE RIGHT TALENT, THE BEST TALENT THAT WE CAN. SOMETIMES THAT COMES IN DIFFERENT FORMS AND DIFFERENT VISIONS THAN MAYBE WHAT WE’VE HELD ONTO PREVIOUSLY.

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Laundry operation security risk assessment

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

Laundry and linen service safety usually relates to the working environment, keeping employees safe from accidents.

But there is more to safety at an operation. The security of a facility, keeping workers safe from internal and external threats, can be overlooked by both employers and employees.

With workplace violence increasing over the past few years, it makes sense for leadership to assess the laundry’s security measures.

American Laundry News spoke with two safety and security experts to learn about the types of security threats laundry options face and how facilities can improve security measures.

SECURITY THREATS

Donald Bock is principal of Seabright Safety Solutions Inc. in Santa Maria, California, which specializes in consulting on safety, loss prevention processes, operational remedies, and production expertise designed specifically for the textile rental industry.

He says one of the greatest risks in a commercial laundry is the threat of a fire, and the implementation of a security system can drastically reduce that risk.

“Fires can develop through exothermic chemical reaction in the soil area or in the finishing area of a plant,” Bock says. “Installing security cameras that monitor the soiled linen areas and the storage of clean linen that has not been completely finished (either bundled or bagged for delivery) can be instrumental in reducing this risk.”

Operators can engage alarm or monitoring companies that utilize thermal imaging cameras as well as cameras showing

the area clearly, he says. These cameras, properly aimed at the soil and finishing areas can reveal the development of exothermic reaction by measuring temperatures or showing developing smoke.

“With the implementation of recent technology, operators who utilize this methodology can be alerted to the developing risk by receiving a text or phone call,” Bock shares.

In addition to the ongoing concern of exothermic reaction, or what is called “spontaneous combustion,” he says there is also the potential risk of arson.

“Arson is a real threat in the industry and is an example of opportunistic vandalism,” Bock explains. “While arson is not typically a daily concern it can and does occur.

“The installation of security cameras on the exterior of the building can be a deterrent to this type of vandalism. Cameras installed on the interior walls can also record a breach of the building by vandals intent on creating damage.”

Opportunistic vandalism may be just local youth who are seeking a thrill, but it may also be the work of a disgruntled employee, he points out.

“In either case, the resulting fire can be devastating,” shares Bock. “To avoid the potential for arson, be sure to install cameras to monitor both the exterior and interior.

“Ensure that all doors are closed and locked while the building is unoccupied. Lock up all flammables in cabinets designed for storage of flammables.

“During business hours ensure that all guests enter through the main door to the business and require them to sign in, identifying their business with the organization. Ensure that all trash and refuse is

See Security on Page 14

Part of a linen service provider’s safety measures should include guarding against internal/external threats

(Images licensed by Ingram Image)

PANEL of EXPERTS

Improving laundry customer retention

what machinery improvements can be made to reduce labor while not taking away from the quality of products we produce for our laundries?

oMaybe it is time to set up weekly meetings to go over ideas and solutions. As a team, discuss options for improvement, growth and retention.

oWhat can we do and implement as a team that will guarantee bacteria/ contaminant-free products are delivered on a daily/weekly basis?

•Delivery and storage—What new ideas can we offer that may impact labor costs, delivery costs, and storage costs and space?

oInstead of delivering in bulk, can we now deliver by man?

oBar codes or RFID—Can we offer these options to our customer base as a way to maintain integrity in the life and quality of the product?

oIn an effort to reduce storage, can we offer lockers or vending units to dispense product as needed to avoid losses, hoarding and insufficient quality?

I don’t know about you, but ever since I have started traveling again, I have noticed BIG changes in multiple airports, hotels and even towns/cities I pass through on my way to and from visiting customers.

One big thing I have noticed since traveling again is that many of the restaurants one would visit to grab a meal have reduced their hours or even, unfortunately, closed their doors. Hotels that used to serve breakfast now only offer pre-packaged breakfast items. Restaurants in many cities offer menus with limited choices. Travel is not what it used to be for sure.

However, with that said, in my most recent travels, on a more positive note, I have noticed many changes happening out there. For example, in airports, some of the once-closed establishments have reopened either with limited hours or under a new brand with new extended hours.

Restaurants in many of the cities I visit have changed their storefront look and inside décor. They have also introduced new limited menus and new hours to attract or bring back their once loyal cus-

tomer base.

Room cleaning services at hotels previously halted due to COVID are now being brought back to life. As for food in hotels, once again overnight guests are being offered a freshly cooked breakfast instead of prepackaged meals. Changes are happening.

This has caused me to pause and think about healthcare and the commercial laundry business. What are we as operators doing to tackle reductions or losses in our customer retention rates? Are we adapting to the new way of doing business because unfortunately since COVID, it is no longer business as usual.

As operators, we need to take steps and implement new strategies to not only keep our customer base but also take care of their new demands as well. These new demands are due to the challenging everchanging environment we now live in.

Today’s mantra is, “Do more with less!” Belt tightening is the new thing these days. Waste, slack in productivity, looking for cost savings and ways to be more efficient are now being addressed in an effort to save not only our business but our customer’s business as well.

What are we doing to help our customers retain their customers and grow their base while at the same time taking care of business in-house?

It is time to think outside the box and take all the new guesswork out of the equation. Ask questions that will better serve our customer base and assist them in

their customer retention.

•Revisit the product line and programs we provide to our customers.

oAs the needs of our customers have changed, are we supplying the right product mix to meet their needs while not adding to their bottom line? Sit, talk and review.

oWhat new items can we offer our customers in an effort to satisfy the new needs/demands of their customer base?

oHow can improve our delivery methods and way of doing business to help with their new demands?

oWe need to revisit our customers and make sure they have the correct products to meet their current needs. Since COVID, needs may have changed, and the current product mix may not meet customers’ expectations.

• Now that germ warfare has been elevated to a new level, what are we doing to ensure bacteria-free products are being delivered to our customer base?

oWhen was the last time we took a good, hard look at our plants to see what changes we can make internally to ensure we are delivering hygienically clean products to our customers daily/weekly, whether it be machinery, engineering, product flow and even internal staffing?

oWhen was the last time we met with our engineering team to see

The bottom line here is we need to realize things have changed and will continue to change at a faster pace than we were used to in the past. Our customers have choices, and now that the way of doing business continues to evolve, so must we.

We need to do EVERYTHING in our power to offer solutions to retain customers and business and make our base happy. If their customers are happy, they retain business and have a good chance of growing. As they grow and retain, so do we.

I am happy to say that several months back when getting off the plane early evening in Philly trying to grab a quick bite was tough due to all the closures and labor shortages in airport eateries, but not tonight.

Change is in the air because Geno’s has finally extended their hours at the airport and is now open for business. Cheesesteak with onions anyone? They have retained my business for sure.

Patron

n recent years, we’ve come to realize that unexpected challenges such as shortages and supply-chain disruptions can some-

I

“I’ve noticed reductions in our customer retention rates. What could have changed in the wants/needs of today’s laundry customers, and what steps can I take to hang onto more of them?”

Lace House Linen, Petaluma, Calif.

Scott Delin Fashion Seal Healthcare, Seminole, Fla.

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

times be difficult to navigate, despite our best efforts and plans.

However, we’ve learned that these obstacles are typically not impossible to overcome. To find solutions, we must think outside the box, coming up with creative and unconventional ideas that will ultimately benefit our clients.

This type of thinking doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be as simple as offering an alternative item or adjusting delivery times to accommodate a request.

For instance, we can suggest “similar” color options for napkins that are currently out of stock or recommend a complementary tablecloth color that is readily available. We can also provide additional deliveries and communicate to our clients that we are open to unconventional, but practical, ideas and are eager to work with them.

Instead of giving up and blaming supply-chain issues, we can ask questions, propose different alternatives and strive to understand our client’s needs. These efforts can make all the difference in keeping their business.

And yes, we know that retaining 100% of your customers is not always possible, but we have found that our willingness to be flexible and collaborate with our clients during challenging times has helped us retain their business and prevent account losses.

this is very short-sighted.

Every day, the focus of everyone in the company must be on retaining customers for the long term.

Customers are also struggling to find staff, and the lack of training means that they do not learn what is necessary to retain their customers and deal with suppliers. Their expectations of our (laundry) service have increased, with them expecting better service.

This means, among many

things, on-time deliveries, quality, the proper products and knowing what to expect over the next four or five years and beyond.

Primarily, the focus must be on all your company employees; they must always be No. 1 in your mind. Proper training, a safe work environment, and making sure they understand the tasks at hand.

Take the time to train your employees, find out their wants

and dreams, and then you can guide them in retaining the customers.

If your employees trust you, then everything else is so easy; they will perform their jobs better than you expect.

Agreement extensions mean that you are providing all of the previously mentioned (quality service) and you are communicating with your customers about what the expected cost will be over the term of the agreement.

RSRs (route service representatives) can perform this task as they are the front line of your organization. They have the trust of the customer and are the best to discuss extensions.

If for some reason they are not comfortable with this task, then a supervisor must take this on.

Today’s laundry customers want/need their provider to be

See Experts on Page 15

Servicing your customers means so many things: ontime deliveries, quality products, the correct quantities, being a single supplier, communicating all the various aspects of your service, and, most importantly, retaining that customer for years or decades.

Companies have become hesitant to discuss agreement extensions, thinking that they do not want to “rock the boat.”

It is such an important part of business that management must (or someone in your organization) get comfortable with discussing agreement extensions with your clients.

Our world has changed, with the pandemic ruling our lives for the past three years and companies struggling to find quality staff to fill all the roles we have in our industry, training is not, but must be, a priority.

The world has sped up again, with people not spending time on the “little things,” thinking they are not “big things.” Laundry companies feel that they are servicing the customer now and that they will be a customer forever;

Textile/Uniform Rental

W. Kirby Wagg Performance Matters, Sarasota, Fla.

Security

Continued from Page 10

contained and covered.”

Bock also says there is always an activeshooter threat, most often resulting from a disgruntled employee or ex-employee.

“The installation of security cameras can be a deterrent and an action plan in the event of an active shooter should be a component of the organization’s Emergency Action Plan,” he says.

RISK ASSESSMENT, STRATEGIES

Jeff Slotnick is founder and president of Setracon Inc., a security risk management company based in Tacoma, Washington, and he has been in leadership roles for ASIS International, a community of global security practitioners.

“There is a three-legged stool to security,” he says. “There’s equipment, people, and policies and procedures. So, a video camera on a wall is nothing without a person watching it or a policy and procedure surrounding how we utilize it. Each of those is equally important.

Slotnick says the first thing a facility needs is to have a good set of policies and procedures.

“What are the things that can impact your organization and, in my industry, what starts that process is a comprehensive risk threat and vulnerability assessment,” he shares. “This is not a checklist that somebody goes through. It’s actually more similar to a security audit.”

A professional in security goes through the facility and they look at the security systems in place and analyze what is being done well and where the facility should be in other areas.

“It starts with identifying what your problems are,” Slotnick says. “Identifying what your risks are and identifying what assets you’re trying to protect—people, equipment, reputation, all those different things.

“Once we’ve identified that, then we develop the policies and procedures that

help us to know what to do when an incident happens. When the incident is ongoing, that’s not the time to think about what we’re going to do. The time to think about that as before.

“And so, you have to have the policy, people in the policy and procedure.”

He uses an active shooter event as an example. Elements that need to be spelled out include lockdown and evacuation procedures.

“Do we have considerations for those that are disabled, a person that is blind or deaf or some other disability in the workplace? They need special assistance if you’re going to lock down and evacuate.”

Communication is a critical part of a security plan.

“How do you notify people that you have something going on?” says Slotnick.

“Do you have two-way communication so not only can you inform people about lockdown, but they can report to you if they see something suspicious in the parking lot, when they’re on the job, and they see something that doesn’t belong? How do they notify leadership that they’ve observed something?”

Then he says operations need to test those policies and procedures with the people on the job through regular training, drills and exercises.

“A policy is not any good unless we train it, we exercise it,” Slotnick says. “Leadership can’t be asking themselves, ‘What do we do?’ They need to be leaders. They need to be strong. They need to be able to show they know what they’re doing and act decisively.”

The frequency of training depends on how many policies and procedures a facility has in place, he says. However, he recommends practicing at least one critical policy and procedure quarterly.

“There are other methods of training,” points out Slotnick. “In the interim, there

are newsletters, web pages, employee information documents where you can cover a protocol as a sidebar.

“If you have a safety committee, they can include it in their documentation. If you have an internal website, you can have an entire section of the website dedicated to emergency response and emergency response protocols.”

Then there is equipment like cameras, integrated systems and door-locking mechanisms.

“And do you have an access control system and access control policies?” Slotnick points out. “How do people get into your building? How does a visitor, vendor, contractor, family member, employee enter the building? Where do they enter from? Is your facility completely open?

“We could have 20 doors that people are coming in and out of or there could be a centralized main entrance where everybody passes through a receptionist into a waiting room or into the work areas of the of the organization.”

Besides entry points, he says facilities need to think about screening procedures. Are bags and backpacks being checked? Is there a camera on the outside of the door of the locker rooms to see who enters and who exits?

“Or do you need cameras monitoring

the work area, not for monitoring people but monitoring behavior,” Slotnick says. “There’s a big difference.”

With advanced security systems, everything can be integrated, he says—cameras, access control system, policies and procedures, and emergency notification.

“There are also eyes that are available for cameras and systems where a firearm can be detected in a parking lot,” he says. “If somebody pulls into the parking lot with a vehicle and they get out and they have a long gun or a handgun or a club in their hand, the AI (artificial intelligence) detects it and can initiate a lockdown and notify first responders and send out a message and lock all the doors.

“This is all an integrated system. It happens on recognition so that you know it’s very comprehensive, and the risk assessment will identify a lot of that.”

Slotnick shares that many organizations, instead of doing a risk assessment and investing in security technology will hire a security guard.

“What they do is they hire guard, and they put a guard out front and think, ‘Well, if I’ve got a guard, I’ve got security,’” he shares. “No, you don’t. You have a guard, and a guard is expensive.

“A single guard 24/7, 365 days a year is about a $200,000-a-year investment. So, are we smarter in investing in technology? I would say yes because you’re spending $200,000 but you don’t get any more, essentially. But with technology investment, you can do a lot of those same things.”

For Slotnick, improving facility security is about creating change.

“You know, how do we create change in our organizations? Because people that are not in my industry generally don’t value security or value risk until the risk occurs,” he points out.

“And most people are not even informed of risk until they’re made aware of it.”

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

Experts

Continued from Page 13

visible and know what to expect. You do this by having the respect of your employees, and they will retain your customers.

companies and/or individuals to either do their laundry under a commercial pricing plan or putting in larger machines for the companies to perform the wash/ dry/fold themselves.

Speaking with them, they indicate they shop the local laundromats to find not just the lowest cost but the ones closest to the business they are servicing.

More and more, one person from a family takes all of the wash for the family and spends a few hours at the laundromat

where they find availability of washers during their chosen time.

In my area of Florida, where there are lots of choices of commercial laundry companies, the answer has always been three-headed: price, quality and speed. If you do not get all three consistently, you look to change companies.

I recommend trying a reservation system for your laundry to see how it is received by your regular customers and commer-

cial clients. In my area, it would work like the following outline:

•One- to two-hour time slots would be reserved during the regular customer’s chosen timeframe. Your regulars are guaranteed income and are usually very clean and respect the machines.

•They can choose which size(s) of machines they want to use, and these would be marked as reserved.

•If they do not arrive by 15

minutes after their reservation, they lose their spot and washers are open again on a first come, first served basis.

In my personal experience, I have leased out the entire laundry so I could make sure there was no delay when I ran a condo rental business in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Everybody wants the cleanest environment both inside the laundry and the machines themselves and while entering and exiting the laundry.

Fortunately, at ImageFIRST

we have not seen a decline in our customer retention rates, but everyone should be continuously monitoring the changes in the marketplace.

The pandemic was a game changer and various sectors of the economy were impacted differently. Healthcare customers, for example, saw an increase in their revenues and profit margins; they also saw a greater need to rely on their commercial laundry provider.

Currently, many health systems have seen huge declines in their profits and are transitioning back to disposables where possible. Many of them are under the gun to save money.

Hospitality and food and beverage have made a comeback, but business owners and managers are being more particular when it comes to suppliers. Uniform customers tend to be and flow with the economy.

Regardless, whenever one sees a dip in customer retention, the key approach is to dig into why. Why are customers leaving you and choosing another supplier?

Try not to paint with a broad brush like price. Sometimes that is correct, but dig into things like quality, ease of doing business, service levels and other possible causes.

Ultimately, if the customer sees value in your program, why would they go through the pain of switching to something else?

During 2022, I had the opportunity of both attending The Clean Show in Atlanta and touring and speaking with various laundry owners.

I see lots of dry and fold brought in by a customer doing laundry for other family members and short-term rentals such as Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.

Laundry owners in tourist areas are marketing to these

Small-capacity dryers

ADC

ADC says its AD-758V Dryer is an industry workhorse within the on-premises laundry (OPL) space. It’s a 75-pound capacity dryer that features an 8-inch diameter vent connection plus 175,000 Btu/hour heat input and 1000 cfm airflow.

It’s mostly used in the replacement and new construction markets and is frequently matched with a 55-pound capacity washer.

The AD-758V is available in gas, electric and steam heat and features an extra-large door opening for easy loading and unloading of linens.

The unit offers a full-length lint drawer. Its rugged steel door with gasketless glass ensures the glass won’t fall out due to wear and tear on rubber gaskets, according to the company.

Rather than chains, ADC products use V-belts and pulleys for smooth, quiet operation. Additionally, the cabinets

have a hard surface and long-lasting finish as a result of electrostatically powderpainting and baking before final assembly.

www.adclaundry.com

269-923-3000

GIRBAU NORTH AMERICA

According to Continental Girbau, its dryers deliver premium features that work in concert to dramatically increase laundry productivity, reduce textile wear and enhance drying quality.

Available in 25- to 95-pound capacities, Continental Dryers match up perfectly with Continental washers and feature standard reversing to reduce roping and tangling, a multiple-burner heat system that efficiently and quickly reaches desired temperatures, programmable microprocessor controls and dual-timers

on some models, and Linen Life Extension moisture sensing to prevent over-drying and damage to fabrics.

Built for durability and longterm performance, Continental Girbau says its dryers are backed by a top-notch factory warranty.

www.gnalaundry.com

800-256-1073

PELERIN MILNOR CORP.

Milnor offers a variety of dryers capable of meeting the production requirements of various

laundries.

The company says its line of Premier Series small-capacity dryers offers high performance with important features such as double pane glass door and fully insulated cabinet for thermal efficiency, stainless-steel baskets and fronts for durability, front serviceability for easy maintenance, selfcleaning lint screen, and Sensor Activated Fire Extinguishing System (SAFE)—raising washroom safety to a high standard.

Milnor adds the intelligent and simpleto-use control system provides one-touch program selection to minimize user error.

Premier Series dryers are available in a variety of sizes, including the 50-pound (23 kg) capacity M-50p and 80-pound (36 kg) capacity M-80p. Milnor says the dryers provide high productivity and industry-leading efficiency with trans-axial airflow, variable drum speed and direct spark ignition features. The innovative design

Pellerin Milnor Corp. Girbau North America

results in shorter dry times while saving money on utilities.

The series is offered in gas, steam and electric heat options. Additionally, an optional Automatic Airflow Compensator (AAFC) adjusts exhaust fan speed to improve exhaust flow with increased back pressure due to installation issues.

www.milnor.com

504-467-9591

DOMUS LAUNDRY USA

DOMUS says its DTT-100 Eco Energy & Dynamic is designed for establishments that require drying capabilities on a smaller scale without sacrificing performance—ideal for businesses with limited space or lower laundry demands.

DOMUS DTT100 is designed to be efficient, reliable, and user-friendly, the company says, and it includes energy efficiency, reducing consumption.

Features include air recycling, thermal insulation, and efficient drying in the Eco-energy model, and 7-inch

touch screen, reverse action, stainless steel drum, cool down, and anti-wrinkle technology in both models.

These dryers are not stacked models. Instead, they are standalone units that can be placed side by side, making them suitable for businesses with space constraints.

DOMUS says its dryers are built to withstand the demands of commercial use, ensuring longevity and minimizing maintenance requirements.

It offers comprehensive customer support and after-sales service to ensure the satisfaction of clients. Additionally, the dryers offer a range of customizable settings, such as temperature control and drying cycles, to accommodate various fabrics and laundry needs.

Additionally, DOMUS

Connect is a free tool that allows owners to remotely control their machines and generate graphics that display performance and results.

www.domuslaundry.us

305-477-1680

MIELE USA

Built for easy operation and efficiency, the PT 7186 Octoplus Dryer from Miele Professional offers users program run times as short as 37 minutes and a load size of 18 pounds, according to

the company.

The patented Honeycomb Drum, which preserves and prolongs the life of garments, along with the PerfectDry system, which monitors the moisture of the drum, helps to dry clothing gently and evenly, avoiding any under- or over-drying.

Fit for a range of applications, from hospitality to hospitals, Miele says this dryer prioritizes user convenience and ease of use with versatile, programmable controls. www.mieleusa.com

888-996-4353

B&C TECHNOLOGIES

B&C Technologies says its DE Series

dryer line, available in 30-, 50-, 75-pound capacities (and more), is designed to exceed the demands of continuous use and stands up to the rigors of the most challenging laundry.

All dryers come standard with a stainless-steel drying cylinder, fully enclosed fan-cooled motors, cast iron pulleys and a heavy-duty steel base. The DE line has the option of either a standard manual timer controller or an easy-to-use microprocessor.

The large door allows for fast and easy loading and unloading while the welded steel, fully enclosed cabinet offers energysaving insulation and quiet operation.

B&C adds that the exclusive humidity sensing system directly measures the remaining moisture, preventing over-drying, saving time, money and wear on the goods.

The company B&C Technologies

See Dryers on Page 18

Domus Laundry USA

Miele USA

TRSA

Continued from Page 2

• A panel of ESG experts.

• Economic and Industry Update, Robert W. Baird Facility & Industrial Services Research Team and Andrew Wittmann CFA, Director, Senior Research Analyst.

•Advanced Technologies to Enhance Plant Safety, Brian Varner, Risk and Safety Consultant.

• A subject matter expert will disclose the latest Cyber Security threats and how to prevent them from impacting business. The final general session will include a panel on leadership and strategic planning from the Next Generation Executive’s

Column

Continued from Page 4

perspective.

During The State of the Association and annual membership meeting, TRSA leaders will provide an annual update on the association’s finances and member-driven initiatives. Attendees will participate in the re-election of four board members and gain insight into the development of TRSA certification programs, including in-person and virtual events, information-sharing opportunities and industry-specific training.

Industry executives are invited to bring their spouse or significant other. In addition to golf and beach time, special activities are planned to include a welcome meet and greet, morning yoga class on the beach and chef-led cooking class.

Registration is open, and attendees will save $100 if they register before Sept. 1. View the in-depth session descriptions and register at trsa.org/annual conference.

Dryers

Continued from Page 17

shares that when paired with its highspeed washer-extractors, the DE line of dryers can dry as fast as 20 minutes.

www.bandctech.com

850-249-2222

are easy to reach and simple to use with multi-lingual capabilities and state-ofthe-art reporting. Plus, the company says every dryer is designed with innovative technology such as its Moisture Detection System and Fire Response System, which operates without the need for water.

Dexter’s O-Series dryers are available in multiple sizes to fit every need, including 30-, 50- or 80-pound capacities. These dryers are easy to install and come with multiple electrical configurations, venting options and a reversing door feature. Both the 50- and 80-pound dryers offer a reversing tumbler option that decreases linen roping and reduces dry times.

Like all Dexter dryers, the O-Series dryers are built with high-quality materials and balanced radial airflow for maximum efficiency, according to the company.

With heavy-duty bearings in a cast iron housing, Dexter says there is no doubt that its dryers are built to withstand even the harshest laundry environments.

www.dexter.com

Create a career path for your techs. No one wants to be stuck in the same job, the same role and in the same pay grade for a career. Building a career path for your tech teams is important to help them see there is a way to improve their lot in life. Consider various levels of roles, from entry-level to intermediate to advanced-level techs, each with increasing responsibilities and compensation, but be sure to have increasing requirements to go along with the earning of the advanced roles.

The Bottom Line: Reliability leadership and stability is critically built around having the right people on your team.

Without a solid team of technicians that are skilled, continuing to learn and being taken good care of, your plant will struggle to produce reliably and effectively. Focusing on proper staffing, training and continuing development will provide a foundation for your plant to be successful.

Tommy Cocanougher is director-operations engineering solutions for Cintas Corp. Western North America and vendor relations rep for European suppliers. He directs engineering, reliability, quality and safety initiatives across 200-plus industrial sites across North America. He has more than 28 years of experience in the industrial laundry industry.

UNIMAC

In almost every on-premises laundry, maximum throughput depends on the speed and efficiency of the operation’s tumble dryers. That is why UniMac says its 75-pound capacity tumble dryer, equipped with the UniLinc Touch control, is the workhorse of many medium- and high-volume laundries.

UniMac says the UT075 achieves the perfect balance between drying temperature, airflow pattern and usable cylinder space for maximum energy efficiency, shortening drying times and reducing utility and labor costs.

With the UniLinc Touch control, ease of use goes next level. The intuitive touchscreen control uses real words to make it simple to operate and also offers 34 languages to ensure all staff members can use it. This removes any ambiguity, shortens training time, and helps ensure correct cycles are used to protect the finished quality, according to the company.

UniMac says the efficiency story gets even better with its OPTidry system, which eliminates costly over-drying by drying to a set moisture level and beginning the cool-down process. Many operations unknowingly suffer the effects of overdrying, which is inefficient in both utilities and labor.

www.unimac.com

800-587-5458

DEXTER LAUNDRY

Dexter Laundry says its O-Series dryers are designed to give laundry managers TOTAL CONTROL over their operation. The controls

JENSEN USA

800-524-2954

JENSEN says its JTD series tumbler/ dryers are designed for strength and durability with decades of proven experience and hardy ruggedness and life cycle.

The JTD series is available in 45-, 60- and 90-pounds and higher capacities.

Standard design features for the JENSEN JTD series include standalone design, touch-screen PLC controls with easy setup and copying of programs through a USB port, reversing cylinder, vertical sliding doors for ease of loading and unloading, builtin lint filter, fire suppression is standard on gas models, stainless steel cylinder, smart indicator light keeps the operator informed of the machine status, and much more.

Gas, steam or electric heating sources are available.

www.jensen-group.com

850-271-5959

UniMac

Dexter Laundry

JENSEN USA

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

TRADE TICKER…

Cintas named a USA Today Climate Leader 2023

CINCINNATI — Cintas Corp. reports has been named to the inaugural USA Today Climate Leader 2023 list in recognition of its commitment to and success in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions intensity in recent years.

To determine its first-ever Climate Leader list, USA Today teamed with Statista, a global provider of market and consumer data.

They identified the U.S.-headquartered companies that met the inclusion criteria that achieved the greatest reductions in their core emissions intensities—the measurement of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions as a factor of revenue—between 2019 and 2021.

Cintas lowered the emissions intensity of its Scope 1 direct and Scope 2 indirect emissions from 113.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars of revenue (MTCO2e/$M) in fiscal year 2019, to 89.3 MTCO2e/$M in fiscal year 2021, which ended on May 31, 2021.

In fiscal year 2022, Cintas lowered its emissions intensity by an additional 7.5%— to 82.6 MTCO2e/$M—to bring its fouryear emissions intensity reduction to 27%.

More information about Cintas’ emissions performance and data methodologies is available in its 2022 ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) Report.

“Rallying around our sustainability vision—A Shared Drive for Better—has been important for us and our business,” says Todd Schneider, Cintas president and CEO. “Our history of identifying opportunities and solutions through our culture of positive discontent has had a major impact on lowering our environmental impact.”

Enterprise-wide initiatives like an LED lighting conversion project and an ongoing dedication to Operational Excellence and Reliability initiatives have all helped contribute to the decrease in GHG emissions intensity.

Other more recent initiatives—including the rollout of its first electric fleet vehicles and its SmartTruck fleet routing optimization program—are expected to help contribute to ongoing emissions intensity reductions.

In Sept. 2021, Cintas announced its ambition to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050 and has continued to build out its enterprise-wide sustainability strategy.

“We never stop challenging the status quo in everything we do to deliver A Shared Drive for Better,” says Christy Nageleisen, Cintas vice president of ESG. “As we continue on our ESG Journey, and especially our Path to Net Zero, we will continue to embrace opportunities that elevate sustainable solutions.”

In memoriam: Alan Gordon, Gurtler Industries

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. — Alan Gordon, a veteran of the laundry chemical industry, died April 20 in Jacksonville, Florida, reports Greg Gurtler, president of

Gurtler Industries.

He was 79.

Gordon joined Gurtler Industries in 1999 as the senior vice president of corporate accounts.

He helped develop Gurtler into an industry leader as a manufacturer of commercial laundry products both in the United States and Canada.

He retired from Gurtler in 2022.

“Alan’s dedication and drive made him very successful as well as the associates that he led and worked with throughout his career,” says Greg Gurtler. “He will be greatly missed by the entire Gurtler Industries Family.”

Gordon was born in Philadelphia and raised in Havertown, Pennsylvania, where he was a standout football player and wrestler at Haverford High School.

He earned a full scholarship to play football at Tulsa University where he studied for several years.

Gordon met the love of his life, Judy, in Philadelphia in 1964 and they were married in 1966 in Baltimore. He and Judy raised their children in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he was often found on the tennis courts or at the soccer fields coaching his son.

Gurtler says Alan was known to have a big personality that was only matched by the love and pride he had for his family.

Through his later years he and Judy, always together, enjoyed spending time and watching their grandchildren grow up while becoming close friends and confidants with their adult children. Work had them on the move later in his career from Chicago back to Philadelphia and finally to Jacksonville where his children and families are located.

Gordon is survived by his wife of 56 years Judy, daughter Amy Gordon Cromwell (Tim), son Ivan Gordon, three grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Cintas center wins Governor’s Safety and Health Award

CINCINNATI — Cintas Corp. reports that its distribution center located in Ashland, Kentucky, has earned its third Governor’s Safety and Health Award.

The award is a special recognition presented by the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet to companies for their outstanding safety and health performance. It also encourages companies to develop programs designed to reduce and eliminate occupational injuries and illnesses.

The Ashland distribution center earned its most recent award in May for achieving 949,381 hours of work time without suffering lost time to injury or illness over the two years from June 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022.

“Our Ashland distribution center has a

AWARDS AND HONORS … FINANCIAL REPORTS

tremendous culture of prioritizing safety and health among its 170 employee-partners and leadership team,” says Stephen Jenkins, Cintas director of safety and health.

“Receiving another Governor’s Safety and Health Award is a testament to the distribution center’s outstanding efforts to implement best practices, foster a safetyfirst mindset and proactively address potential hazards.

“They are a great example of the continued success we can achieve keeping our employee-partners safe and healthy when we all work together.”

Andrew Glass, the distribution center’s safety coordinator, and Rachel May, production coordinator, accepted the award on the facility’s behalf during the 2023 Governor’s Safety and Health Conference and Exposition held in mid-May in Louisville.

The Ashland distribution center is one of Cintas’ 124 Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)-certified locations across the United States. VPP is a program run by the U.S. Occupational and Safety and Health Administration that recognizes employers and workers who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below National Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries.

VPP certification is rigorous, and businesses must demonstrate that management and employees work cooperatively and proactively to prevent workplace accidents and that they display a joint commitment to hazard prevention and control, perform ongoing analysis and implement effective training programs.

In addition to submitting detailed annual reporting, locations must also undergo a thorough on-site inspection by OSHA and third-party assessors every three to five years to maintain certification.

Superior Linen Service achieves decade of safety

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Superior Linen Service, a provider of linen and laundry solutions, reports that its Springdale location has reached 10 years without a lost-time accident.

This achievement highlights the company’s strong safety culture and dedication to employee well-being.

Superior Linen Service’s Eastern Division has maintained an impeccable safety record since May 5, 2013.

The accomplishment has been recognized with the fifth OSHA SHARP certification and the esteemed Accumulative Years Safety Award from the Arkansas Department of Labor, endorsed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

“Our 10 years without a lost-time accident is a testament to the commitment and dedication of our team,” says Russell Holt, chief compliance officer.

“Safety is a top priority for us, and this achievement reflects the effectiveness of our safety protocols and our culture of vigilance.”

The company says its strong safety culture empowers employees to prioritize safety in their daily operations.

Toby Rychel, a plant maintenance technician, says, “The safety culture causes me to slow down and think before I try to fix something.”

Mark Pearson, a route service representative, adds, “We are all trained to do things the right way to keep us safe and to watch out for our co-workers, which shows how much the company cares.”

Superior Linen Service says it is proud of this milestone and remains committed to maintaining a safe work environment for its employees.

The company adds that its achievement underscores its dedication to safety and sets an example for others in the industry.

Jamie Link, Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet (left) and Jacqueline Coleman, Kentucky Lt. Governor, presents the Governor’s Safety and Health Award to Andrew Glass, Cintas Safety Coordinator, and Rachel May, Cintas Production Coordinator. (Photo: Cintas Corp)

GORDON