AUGUST 2015
Late News Alliance Laundry Systems completes $400M finance facility RIPON, Wis. — Alliance Laundry Holdings LLC, the parent company of Alliance Laundry Systems, recently completed a new $400 million assetbacked finance facility to support its business operations in North America and select European markets. Mike Schoeb, Alliance Laundry’s president and CEO, says, “Financing is a key component of maintaining and growing our leading market share, specifically within our vended laundry segment in North America. This new facility will allow us to expand those services to the European market.” This is the sixth issuance completed by Alliance Laundry since 1998. The company says the new facility is backed by a pool of equipment loans, leases and trade receivables for the purchase of commercial laundry equipment. Alliance Laundry says it has originated more than $2 billion in equipment loans since the inception of its captive finance business supporting its distributor and customer network. “We have a long track record of success financing within the commercial laundry industry,” says Bruce Rounds, Alliance ALN Laundry CFO. Volume 41, Number 8
Changing textiles changes laundering practices BY MATT POE, EDITOR CHICAGO — They say that change is the only constant in the universe, and that’s certainly true when it comes to textiles. Textile manufacturers consistently work to find newer and better materials that make their products more effective for the end-user. And that means changes in how the textiles are laundered. Mark Mann, vice president of the USA Business Unit for MIP Inc., which manufactures reusable healthcare textiles, uses the simple cotton undershirt as an example. “There was a day when we all wore cotton undershirts, and they took long to wash and even longer to dry,” says Mann. “And then, one day, Under Armour came out with this new high-tech material that was more comfortable. It was cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It wicked sweat away. It provided all these things, but it weighed about 10% of what your old cotton shirt weighed.” He also points out that the new product is processed differently than the old cotton shirt. No bleach is used, and the dry time is shorter, and the shirt offers a better performance and useful life.
Industrial uniforms and chef apparel are becoming more colorful. (Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)
Changes are taking place across all sectors of the textile industry: hospitality, industrial, food and beverage, and healthcare. Launderers need to stay on top of these changes—and how those innovations will change the laundering process.
What Steve Kallenbach, director of Market Solutions for ADI American Dawn, a manufacturer and supplier of a range of textiles and linens, sees happening in hospitality is an image upgrade. He says that years ago, standard
bed linen was T-130 (the number reflects its thread count) and then T-180. The standard now is T-200 and leaning more toward the T-250 tone-on-tone product, and even T-300 in some cases. And See TRENDY on Page 6
RFP equipment acquisition success in details BY MATT POE, EDITOR ATLANTA — When it’s time to purchase new laundry equipment, either to outfit a complete laundry system or as an upgrade, how do you go about it? That’s an important question. Once you’ve identified your goals regarding the equipment purchase, you could talk with vendors to find the machines you need to do the job. The problem with that is that verbal requests and instructions and specifications can be misunderstood or not remembered correctly later on.
By submitting a written request for pricing/proposal (RFP) to vendors, you are better assured that you will be purchasing the right equipment for your company—the equipment to meet your production and operational goals. Gerard O’Neill, president and CEO of American Laundry Systems, a division of E&O Mechanical, discussed, in depth, equipment RFPs and their importance and value during his recent Clean Show seminar titled The 411 on Equipment Acquisition. The following advice comes from that presentation and can help you
put together a more effective RFP the next time you need to purchase equipment. GET IT IN WRITING
While it may seem obvious, if you don’t go through the RFP process, you can’t reap the benefits. O’Neill stresses that verbal instructions and proposals are not adequate. “This will come back to haunt you,” he says. At every point along a verbal trail, there is the chance for someone—including you—to forget some detail. That can lead to problems later on.
www.americanlaundrynews.com
INSIDE Columnist at Large How does washroom chemistry factor into good laundering?
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HOSPITALITY
According to O’Neill, when handled correctly, an RFP can clearly detail the parameters of the project in terms of finances, benchmarks, expected outcomes and results sought. “The proposals provide a basis for choosing among seeming equals,” O’Neill says. “The RFP and subsequent analysis of the RFP results will quickly show that not all are created equal.” Also, the information provided by vendors in a written proposal, including its organization and level of detail, can reveal the quality of a See RFP on Page 4
The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management
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Panel of Experts
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Leadership, from the CEO to lead employees, can be found and trained.
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