FEBRUARY 2016
WASH acquires distributor Great Lakes Laundry EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems, a laundry facilities management service company, has acquired Great Lakes Laundry, a distributor of commercial and coin-operated laundry equipment and accessories throughout the Midwest, the company reports. According to WASH, the acquisition will expand the company’s footprint into the Carolinas and will add several new WASH branch offices throughout the Midwest. “Our acquisition of Great Lakes Laundry is a significant step in our continued nationwide expansion. It will enable WASH to better serve our customers in the Midwest and to deliver our best-in-class services to new customers,” says Adam Coffey, president of WASH. “We are delighted that Great Lakes President Dan Naumann will be joining WASH to facilitate this transition and to oversee the growth of our commercial operations in the United States.” WASH will acquire all divisions of the Great Lakes Laundry business, including its route laundry and distributorship, according to the company. In 2012, WASH partnered with the multi-family route division of Great Lakes Commercial Laundry Sales to expand ALN its services. Volume 42, Number 2
Healthcare laundry equipment installed ‘cleanly’ at Institute Employees required to shower and wear scrub outfits, disinfect tools BY MATT POE, EDITOR GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent biomedical research and science education organization here. VAI was established in 1996 and has grown into an elite research and educational institution that supports the work of more than 300 scientists, educators and staff. With all that personnel on hand, there is plenty of laundry to be processed, from scrubs to mops. However, in early 2015, VAI had a problem. The institute’s 15-year-old IPSO washer broke down—the only washer on hand. Dave Marvin, maintenance technician at VAI, called Brookstone Laundry Equipment See VAN ANDEL on Page 12
Having to pause drilling for a fundraiser wasn’t the oddest part of the installation at the Van Andel Institute, as evidenced by the outfit worn by Brookstone LLC employees. (Photos: Brookstone Laundry Equipment LLC)
Laundry equipment financing made easier Manufacturer-sponsored financing offers knowledge, experience and ease BY MATT POE, EDITOR CHICAGO — In recent years, laundry operations in need of new equipment or upgrades have found it more difficult to obtain financing, according to some industry experts. That has left some owners and managers in a bind to replace outdated or broken machinery, or to start up a new plant or an onpremises laundry (OPL). And the owners and managers have had to find new, creative ways to finance capital purchases. The method that has made
equipment purchases possible when commercial banks wouldn’t provide financing? Manufacturersponsored finance programs. “The mere existence of today’s manufacturer-sponsored finance programs is the result of an unwillingness and lack of understanding by typical commercial banks 25 years ago,” says Kirk Stone, vice president-vendor group, U.S. Capital Corp. “Lenders like U.S. Capital and our competitors know the laundry business and spend the majority of our time and resources assisting owners and prospective owners with competitive financ-
—KIRK STONE U.S. CAPITAL CORP. ing solutions to help them get the equipment they need to operate their businesses efficiently. Very few banks will offer startup financing unless they secure the loans with mortgages on other
www.americanlaundrynews.com
INSIDE Columnist at Large Eric Frederick discusses the challenges of lint in a laundry.
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“THE ... EXISTENCE OF TODAY’S MANUFACTURERSPONSORED FINANCE PROGRAMS IS A RESULT OF AN UNWILLINGNESS AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING BY ... COMMERCIAL BANKS.”
unrelated properties, etc.” “Equipment companies have developed relationships with thirdparty finance companies,” adds Keith Ware, vice president of sales with Lavatec Laundry Technology. “This allows laundries to deal with lenders that understand the equipment, its value and life cycle.” Tina Gough, UniMac finance brand manager for Alliance Laundry Systems, says that for the laundry industry, it’s difficult to determine the value of the business and how much that equipment is worth. “Manufacturers that specialize in the laundry industry, they know how to analyze that market and the value of the business, the See FINANCING on Page 10
The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management
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[16] PRODUCT SHOWCASE
Late News
Panel of Experts
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How to make the case for capital improvements to management.
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