DECEMBER 2017
Late News Emerald Textiles’ Otay Mesa building purchased SAN DIEGO — A group affiliated with the ownership of commercial healthcare laundry Emerald Textiles has purchased the large Otay Mesa facility that houses its processing plant, the company reports. Last year, the commercial healthcare laundry says it increased its footprint by 45,000 square feet when it took the remaining space in the building. The expansion was required based on increasing demand for the company’s services. Emerald CEO Tom Gildred says that purchasing the building was the next logical step. “We are thrilled with the growing appetite of the Southern California healthcare market for Emerald’s products and services,” Gildred says. “We believe our growth has been fueled by our commitment to cleanliness along with our focus on taking care of our customers and employees.” Emerald says it utilizes the most advanced technology and provides a higher standard of cleanliness, industry compliance and customer ALN satisfaction.
Laundry employing people with disabilities upgrades for better production, efficiency Once close to shutting down, facility now adding business BY HALEY JORGENSEN YAKIMA, Wash. — Founded in June 1964, Yakima Specialties Inc. is a nonprofit organization that trains and employs adults with disabilities, empowering them to achieve their highest potential in life and in the workplace. Yakima Specialties is not governmentfunded. Instead, it operates like a business. It is home to Yakima Specialties Janitorial, Yakima Specialties Woodshop and Yakima Specialties Laundry, and the Supported Employment department. The four departments serve more than 100 individuals per year through the efforts of 30 staff members. Operating like a business can create some challenges, as it did for the 30-year-old commercial laundry employing 32 team mem-
bers. For years, the laundry was in the red, and was a few months from being nearly inoperable. For the first time in 30 years, after some equipment upgrades, Yakima Specialties Laundry is meeting bottom-line expectations. Director Tom Gannon credits this success to hardworking team members, a compassionate executive board, and new soft-mount washers. EQUIPMENT UPGRADE
The problem at Yakima Specialties Laundry? The laundry’s ailing hard-mount washers were suffering constant breakdowns. “The laundry was at a crossroads,” says Gannon. “We had to replace equipment or shut down and displace 27 workers with disabilities.” Instead, he encouraged Laundry Manager Sylvia Campbell to somehow maintain proSee YAKIMA on Page 6
A production worker at Yakima Specialties Laundry loads a new Continental E-Series washer with winter jackets in support of the “Coats for Kids” program. (Photos: Continental Girbau Inc.)
Creating effective wash formulas Production requirements, water quality, chemistry, more go into quality processing BY MATT POE, EDITOR CHICAGO — When Graham Skinner was general manager of laundry services at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., he was always on the search for the most effective wash formulas. “I looked for minimal end-user issues as it relates to stains, etc.,” he says. “These are time-consuming. I would pay more to have reductions in these areas. Cheapest price does not always produce the best outcome.” In order to create those formulas to produce the best outcomes, Skinner worked sideby-side with his chemicals suppliers—and he looked for specific qualities in those suppliers.
(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)
“I want my chemicals supplier to be a good steward of utilities,” he says. “I also want them to be an experienced professional. Tactfully and discreetly share best practices from their experience in the industry and other facilities
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INSIDE Columnist at Large In this issue, Eric Frederick looks at some of the most valuable laundry work: planning.
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when they see areas for improvement in my facility.” Skinner also looked for suppliers who See WASH on Page 6
The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management
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Panel of Experts Our experts offer their advice on fine-tuning operations to increase their PPOH.
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Disaster Planning Develop an emergency response plan to get through a disaster and continue business.
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