American Laundry News - July 2020

JULY 2020

Late News TXCA & CLE postponed from August to October this year due to COVID-19 HONG KONG — Due to global travel restrictions facing international participants, and business disruption caused by the COVID19 pandemic, Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. reports that the 2020 edition of Texcare Asia and China Laundry Expo (TXCA & CLE) has been postponed until Oct. 14-16, 2020.

TXCA & CLE, which is organized by Messe Frankfurt, the China Laundry Association, the China Light Industry Machinery Association, and Unifair Exhibition Service Co. Ltd., was originally scheduled for Aug. 13-15.

The trade fair will take place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

After consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, the organizing committee decided that deferring the fair to October is the best course of action, as the postponement would make it more likely for overseas participants to attend the fair when the situation is more stable.

ALN

Laundry equipment setup for worker longevity Four industry experts offer ideas on how to arrange plants for employee health, the long haul

BY MATT POE CHICAGO — The laundry industry is physically demanding on plant employees.

Heavy goods, repetitive motions, hours on their feet laundry workers experience many factors on the job that can affect health and safety.

There are ways operators can make the process easier on employees’ bodies so that they remain healthy, like going to work and stay on the job.

American Laundry News communicated with three laundry operators and a consultant to provide their expertise on laundry equipment layout and ergonomics for employee health: Larose Saint Jean, director of St. Michael’s Laundry at the University of Notre Dame Tommy Cocanougher, directorSee SETUP on Page 6

Most laundry activities are repetitive, and ergonomic stations can help avoid the common sprains and strains, say industry experts. (Image licensed by Ingram Image)

Insurance coverage evaluation Changes in the industry, technology mean laundry/linen services should double check insurance policies

BY MATT POE CHICAGO — If 2020 has confirmed one thing, it’s that the unexpected can, and will, happen.

While no one plans on having an emergency, it makes sense to have a plan to recover costs and other expenses in just such an instance. That’s where insurance comes in.

And with all the changes that have taken place in the laundry industry (and the world), it’s a good time to evaluate and update insurance coverage.

For expert advice on laundry and linen services insurance needs, American Laundry News contacted Steven Wright and See COVERAGE on Page 8

(Image licensed by Ingram Images)

INSIDE Columnist at Large In this issue, Eric Frederick talks about how to make employees happy—by asking them.

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Panel of Experts This time, the experts talk COVID-19 best practices being permanently used by operations.

The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management

[[14]]

[12] PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Volume 46, Number 7

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Texcare International postponed from 2020 to November 2021 Event, held every four years, had been delayed from June to October due to COVID-19

Publisher

Charles Thompson Phone: 312-361-1680 E-Mail: cthompson@ ATMags.com

Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director Donald Feinstein Phone: 312-361-1682 E-Mail: dfeinstein@ ATMags.com

Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs Phone: 312-361-1683 E-Mail: bbeggs@ ATMags.com

Editor

Matt Poe Phone: 866-942-5694 E-Mail: mpoe@ ATMags.com

Production Manager Mathew Pawlak

Digital Media Director Nathan Frerichs Phone: 312-361-1681 E-Mail: nfrerichs@ ATMags.com

Advisory Board

David Barbe • David Carter Janice Ayers Davis • Nick Fertig Deana Griffin • Steve Kallenbach Edward McCauley

(Photo: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Jens Liebchen)

FRANKFURT, Germany — Texcare International will be postponed and will take place in Frankfurt am Main from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, 2021, reports organizer Messe Frankfurt.

The quadrennial international trade fair was originally scheduled

for June 20-24. As the pandemic spread and measures were taken to limit the virus, organizers rescheduled the event for October 24-28 “following intensive consultations with partners and exhibitors.”

Messe Frankfurt decided to reschedule the event to 2021

INSIDE: July 2020 • Vol. 46 | No. 7

[8]

Automated Uniform Management Systems

Jewish General Hospital, Montreal’s designated COVID treatment center, makes use of an RFID system

[10] COVID-19 and Laundry Safety

In this column, Bob Bruce shares how COVID-19 has changed safety measures in on-premises laundries

[11] How Will COVID-19 Impact Construction Pricing?

New laundry construction in your future? ARCO/Murray’s Ed Kwasnick shares how the pandemic might affect costs

[15] ALM Hosts Virtual Business Meeting

Association for Linen Management announces the next generation of board leadership, bylaw amendments, online

[16] Career Track [17] Keys to Properly Sizing Laundry Equipment

Seth Willer shares four steps to procure the right machinery for an operation’s poundage, hours, labor, space and costs

[18] Classified Advertising [22] Trade Ticker

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[19] Source Directory

jointly with the German Textile Cleaning Association and the VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies because of the economic situation caused by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic and large-scale event and travel restrictions.

Beyond travel restrictions, organizers say the international textilecleaning industry and laundries are suffering from the economic consequences of the pandemic, particularly in the tourism, foodservice and professional-clothing sectors.

Both these factors contributed to the decision of the organizers to postpone Texcare International to November 2021 in order to provide the industry with an event that can bring new incentives to international textile care.

“We want to do full justice to the expectations which the industry brings to a leading trade fair such as Texcare International,” says Wolfgang Marzin, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt. “The current regulations governing major events, the continuing restrictions on global travel, and the critical economic situation, however, are calling this aim into question.

“At the same time, in the interests of exhibitors and visitors, we want to avoid unnecessary costs at an early stage. None of us took this decision lightly, but we are now directing our energies to supporting the economic recovery at the right moment through the event in 2021.”

Andreas Schumacher, managing director of the German Textile Cleaning Association, calls this a great opportunity for the textilecare companies.

“Texcare International in Frankfurt is the leading trade fair for the industry and our companies have a very considerable interest in holding it in 2021,” he says. “If Texcare International were not to be held, this would be a great loss for companies in the industry, not only in Europe but beyond, and would seriously impede necessary innovations and the modernization of businesses.”

The manufacturers of plants and machinery also place great weight on showing their innovations to an international public.

“Over recent years manufacturers have been developing numerous innovations involving digitalization and intelligent data management,” says Elgar Staub, managing director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies. “These innovations are helping the textile-care industry in difficult economic times to raise its competitiveness.

“In November 2021 Texcare, as a leading international technology fair, will be offering manufacturers of plant and machinery an outstanding and eagerly awaited platform to position the textilecare industry, together with its customers from all over the world, to cope as well as possible with the challenges of the future following ALN the corona crisis.”

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POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Laundry News, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 46, number 7. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Laundry News is distributed selectively to qualified laundry and linen management and distributors in the United States. © Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2020. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Laundry News does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within.

Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Laundry News or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

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Finding the new normal I

am not a fan of the phrase “the new normal.”

It’s an oxymoron. If it’s normal, it can’t be new. Likewise, if it’s new, it isn’t normal.

But that’s just the editor in me talking. I understand the sentiment. Life has changed because of the coronavirus pandemic/ COVID-19, and we’re not going to be conducting business the same as before.

So, what’s the (teeth grinding) “new normal” in laundry and linen services Honestly, it’s too early to tell what’s going to be normal going forward, but in this issue we have several articles that examine how operations are making their businesses work these days.

From The Editor’s Desk MATT POE Like the article “The importance of automated uniform management systems” on page 8. This piece shares how important these systems are in a COVD-19 world and offers a look into how Jewish

General Hospital in Montreal is making use of its system.

On page 10, Bob Bruce from Alliance Laundry Systems shares the effects of the pandemic on safety in on-premises laundries.

On page 11, Ed Kwasnick from ARCO/Murray talks about how COVID-19 might affect construction costs in the future.

And our Panel of Experts (page 12) provides insight into what best practices laundries have put into place because of COVID-19 will become permanent “standard operating procedures.”

While some of this issue is “new,” some of if it is “normal” (like articles on equipment and insurance). In the spirit of normalALN cy, keep it clean, everybody

Letter to the Editor

Writer challenges OPL cost statements I just had to comment on an article that aired in your May 2020 edition of American Laundry News entitled “Efficiency starts with data collection” (page 12). The author makes bold statements about the cost to process laundry in house and even states that “in house laundries are more efficient” than outsourcing.

Now anyone that knows anything about this industry knows the exact opposite is true.

Otherwise, why then are all the inhouse laundries closing up (The author is) referencing the .20/pound as a real cost of NOG processing I guess this is since on-premises laundries don’t even bother to add in utility costs and when they do it is some “allocated”

accounting type of entry that is way off the mark. I know most nursing homes don’t bother to wash even in hot water, so Btu usage comes merely from dryer natural gas usage.

I have yet to see a weigh scale used to weigh the linens put into washing machines in a small OPL. Typically they calculate pounds by adding up the number of loads, multiplying by the nominal weight capacity of the machine.

Talk about underloading This alone can double the number of “pounds” processed by the OPL. Fringe benefits are always estimated. I went into an on-premises laundry that was using the obligatory 30% upcharge for fringe benefits and taxes and when I did the

actual calculation for the people working in the laundry, it was over 80% OPLs don’t properly account for maintenance labor, building insurances, workman’s comp insurance, capital equipment costs, shared administrative expenses and on and on.

If you are going to make statements such as “in-house laundries will cost about 20 cents per pound” and “in-house laundries are more efficient than outsourcing” without a shred of evidence, then this kind of propaganda should be called out for what it is—Fake News.

Edward McCauley President & CEO United Hospital Services Indianapolis

Top Stories Appearing on AmericanLaundryNews.com for the 30 Days Ending June 15 (WE) = WEB EXCLUSIVE

NEWS

COLUMNISTS/FEATURES

OUR SISTER WEBSITES

• TCATA Announces This Year’s Board of Directors

• Maximizing Pounds Per Operator Hour

From AmericanDrycleaner.com:

• Equipment Sales Specialist Joins R.W. Martin Company

• Eric Frederick: Reusable Barrier Isolation Gown Success Story

• Texcare International Postponed Until November 2021

• Strategies to Optimize the Laundry Process

• ALM Hosts Annual Member Business Meeting Virtually

• Wiping Products Supply, COVID-19 Demand

• Study: Reusable PPE Ensures Supply, Best for Environment

• Preparing to Ramp Up After COVID-19

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• Garment Care Copes with COVID19: Opinions from Owners • High Times: Owners Must Deal with Pot Use at Work From AmericanCoinOp.com: • The Biggest Bang for Your Laundry Renovation Buck • Laundry Business Entrepreneurs Grow Their Empire

COLUMNIST AT LARGE Eric L. Frederick, RLLD

Don’t assume, ask what your employees want A

s I write this article, the world is still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The one thing I am sure of is that at some point this problem will pass. An effective cure will be developed, and a vaccine will eventually be available to eliminate this problem. It will then be a time for reflection and a time to celebrate.

I learned many years ago in Memphis, Tennessee, that if the goal is to make as many employees as possible happy, and you have a choice between several different activities, the best way to make your decision is to ask the employees.

This may seem to be obvious, but in the day-to-day world of a busy manager, which activity to choose to do seems like a small and trivial decision. Surely this is a decision that can be made quickly and easily. This is the trap so many managers fall into.

The event that sparked this life lesson was the annual summer picnic put on by the threehospital system I worked “I WAS REMINDED THAT THE for in Memphis. Food and PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT beverage would be made WAS TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE available at each hospital for a period of time on a MORALE AND TO THANK THEM designated day. Each hosFOR THEIR HARD WORK.” pital had its own day and since the laundry was an off-site operation, we were able to choose which facility we would attend.

The laundry was equally located between the main hospital (700 beds at the time) and the North hospital (175 beds at the time).

Travel time to each location would be about the same. Crowd size would be much smaller at the North hospital than the main hospital. The laundry had been located at the main hospital for many years before it moved to its new location.

My logical manager’s mind said that the ease of getting the food and participating in the corporate activities at the North hospital was the logical decision, and so when I met with my management team, I proposed that we plan on using that location.

My supervisors voiced concern that the employees might not like that decision. I was reminded that the purpose of this event was to increase employee morale and to thank them for their hard work.

I agreed to survey the crew giving them the choice of all three locations and predicted that my choice would be the one the employees would select. This was the first of many such predictions I would make about employee preferences, and I am proud to admit that I have never been correct.

When the votes can back in, it was an overwhelming decision to go to the main hospital.

When I asked several employees why they chose that location, they all said that the chance to meet up with friends from other departments they had known for years was the most important factor in their decision.

From that point on I learned that my point of view and my thought process was not always compatible with my line staff— that if I wanted to know what they thought or worried about I would have to ask.

In our busy life as managers we are trained to deal with a decision as quickly as possible and move on to the next task. In the case of employee relations, we must learn to slow down and ask our employees what they want.

I encourage you as we come out of this current crisis and decide it is time to celebrate our efforts and success be sure to find out what your employees think would be appropriate for that celebration. ALN Eric Frederick served 44 years in laundry management before retiring and remains active in the industry as a laundry operations consultant. You can contact him by e-mail at elfrederick@cox.net, or by phone at 540-520-6288.

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Setup

material-handling practices. within a facility. To help allevitually ending up where it startSAINT JEAN: Additional Trace the path of products ate some of the stress, operaed to be loaded cleanly onto a personal protective equipment through the plant—try to go tions can consider overhead truck. This helps prevent any (PPE), split staffing teams and linear vs. doubling back, crossstorage systems, cart dumpers double or triple handling, as split management teams. We Continued from Page 1 ing dirty with clean or crossing and the height the washers are well as any inefficient travel now have temperature checks, a path the product has already installed at. paths. masks are required and we do operations engineering in the crossed in its journey through CORFIELD: Sheets, blankets additional sanitizing.

Western United States/Western COCANOUGHER: The the plant. and mats are always high-valAre there any areas of a Canada for Cintas Corp.; Nick “social distancing” creates the A former colleague once said, ue areas. Whenever possible, laundry or improvements that Fertig, director of central launmost impact. Not only does this “We don’t pay our employreduce or eliminate the proboperators often overlook? dry at Rosen Hotels & Resorts impact the direct production ees by the mile,” so the same lem at the source, reduce load SAINT JEAN: Air conditionin Orlando; and Bob Corfield, areas, but it has also directly goes for the product. We need size, use ideal work heights ing. founder of the consulting firm interfered with employees’ abilto limit travel of any product or make a substantial process COCANOUGHER: Don’t Laundry Design Group. ity to socialize at lunch and through the plant and minichange to reduce the impacts. forget our maintenance and breaks, thus impacting their mize distance traveled, touches reliability teams! We often How important do you enjoyment of being with their and handling. This can be modWhat products have you overlook working with our consider it to set up laundry fellow workers at work. eled in many ways, but any used that can help ease the designers and equipment supequipment as ergonomically Many companies are finding way we do it requires a focused impact of laundry operations pliers and wind up with a layas possible for the health of creative ways to stay in closer effort. on employees? out that makes life harder for employees? touch with their employees, Finally assess the use COCANOUGHER: Springthese employees.

SAINT JEAN: Our developing additional activities of upgraded materialbottom platform carts for garFor instance, many manustaff’s safety and that help build and maintain handling tools—carts ments. Add handles to any cart facturers are finally redesignhealth is our top priemployee relationships, and (add handles), castthat rolls. Upgrade casters to ing their equipment to put all ority. We have many fun activities to keep everyers (upgrade to better make easier rolling of carts. diagnostic tools (PLC, etc.) practices in place to one engaged and having a good models), trolley sysUtilize trolley systems such as into a separate low-voltage reduce injuries and time at work. tems (use trolley sysrail trolleys from Material Flow cabinet, and keeping high voltto keep our staff safe.

FERTIG: Social distancing is tems to move goods in Systems to move product in age (>50VAC) in a separate This includes any next to impossible at some stalarger quantities), etc. bulk. cabinet. equipment set up. The Saint Jean tions. As a result, we have built FERTIG: SpringFERTIG: We have used items Most often in diagnosing an location, height, ease and installed partitions on mulloaded carts are an easy like trash grabbers to grab linen issue, they only need access to of use, all are importiple pieces of equipment. way to make a quick impact. that has fallen on the the PLC, so now they tant considerations.

CORFIELD: I think it is too Adjustable workstations so that floor to prevent concan open it without COCANOUGHER: It’s early to fully tell, yet. Clearly associates can perform work at stant bending. While exposure to what is extremely important that ergowhere workers are in close a proper height. not being a product, officially “live electric,” nomics be taken into considerproximity and where strenuous CORFIELD: Observation, one of the easiest and thus they don’t have ation when designing any task, work prevails, PPE, air hanmeasurement and interviews most impactful activito dress up in all the workstation or equipment. As dlers, lifting devices will need provide the basis for where the ties is group stretchNFPA70E PPE, work we can design in maintenance to be employed. “low-hanging fruit” might be ing. in the heat, battle the and reliability benefits, we need located in existing operations.

CORFIELD: In new heavy-duty double set also to design in ergo benefits, What would your top ergoHighly repetitive workstations plants we eliminate Fertig of gloves, etc. which not only impact safety nomic laundry advice be? and documented fatigue curves the problems first: This is a huge and employee well-being, but SAINT JEAN: Utilize job are high priorities. ideal load sizes, auto improvement, but many mancan impact labor content as rotation to allow different musconveyance of material to and ufacturers have been slow to well. cles to be engaged.

What areas of a laundry are from all possible workstations convert their designs. Facility FERTIG: An ergonomic facilCOCANOUGHER: Start. Just most difficult on employees’ (elimination of as many floor operators, the buyers, can force ity is a critical component of a start. First complete an assessbodies, and how can the procarts as possible), automated this conversion if only we will. successful operation. Most, if ment to determine which areas cesses be changed to ease it? transport (we call plant logisFERTIG: The separation or not all, of the functions perhave the lowest-hanging fruit SAINT JEAN: In our laundry, tics) that uses gravity for load detangling of sheets is a big one. formed within a laundry are for your particular operation. our wash line is the most physitransfers, and more.

In the past, this type of equiprepetitive motion. Requiring Develop a plan to implement cally demanding position.

In existing plants, outside ment was faulty and frowned associates to perform an your first project—engage your The loading and unloadthe obvious feeding folding upon. Recent innovations have uncomfortable motion over employees in the develop of ing process is easier if you use machines, we look at ways to made this a staple in my faciliand over again is an easy way a solution and play a part in the proper unloading process, facilitate the exchange of floor ties. The machines are efficient to ensure your facility will be the implementation. Get feedusing the rotation feature, carts and the presentation of and have remarkable uptime. riddled with workers’ compenback after the implementawhich allows the linen to fall processed work to the workstaWe are actually waiting for the sation claims. tion—whether it is handles on out without using a lot of phystion. delivery of a third unit.

Ergonomic stations can help carts, new and different casters, ical strength.

Lifts for small-piece workEliminating this task has been avoid the common sprains and spring bottom buggies, whatCOCANOUGHER: Definitely stations, conveyors and autohuge for us in regard to injuries strains we all experience. ever. loading and unloading trucks. mated wrapping or packaging and also morale. I mean, who CORFIELD: This is vital Implement an exercise and For unloading, utilize systems. Automated wants to pull on knotted wet for both plant productivwarm-up system—this will also the SafeLoad system bagging is a considersheets for eight hours a day? ity and worker safety. We help battle the “social” impact that can be installed in able game changer for CORFIELD: Depending the often perform HIAC (Hazard of the social distancing now Utilimaster-type step most plants. type of plant, we see that soil Identification, Assessment and required. vans. This has a huge sorting is often overlooked.

Control) audits at workstations FERTIG: Perform every impact on unloading, When laying out a Poor sorts or too many in a laundry to determine risk job in your laundry helps control soil sepanew laundry, how can types of items have a and performance. It would be for a full eight-hour ration and speeds the the operation be more direct impact on the irresponsible to not include shift. If the position unload process. ergonomically laid out clean packaging areas. this in modern plant design. was uncomfortable For loading, pre- Cocanougher for employee health But the biggest conErgo-design and plant producfor you to perform, build loads in approand workflow? cern is plants that pretivity are synonymous. then you owe it to priate carts with SAINT JEAN: Install vail on holding onto your team to idenappropriate casters during the a tunnel washer—if poundbatch sizes that are too tify a more efficient day so they can easily be loaded In an operation that is age requirements are met—a large to ergonomically and ergonomic way onto trucks at night. already working, what are rail system, an automatic final handle. Usually this is Corfield to allow it to be perNumerous cart systems now some simple ways to alter layassembling unit, and wet cleandue to machine capacformed. available include carts made to out or workflow to be easier on ing equipment. ity issues (dryer size CORFIELD: Have an owner, properly fit on trucks, lock into employees’ bodies?

FERTIG: During the design of 350-600 pounds) that creprinciple, manager or safety position for safety, and have SAINT JEAN: Avoid or limit of a new laundry, you have the ate loads that are too cumberofficer work every high-risk job adjustable shelves to accommoover-the-shoulder movement. opportunity to design what I some for workers to effectively for two to three days, “underdate varying loads and instill Lower corkscrew and final like to call the “circle of life” in address and are often noted in cover boss” style. Then see what good ergonomic practices durassembly bays. Install risers an operation. workplace injury reports. solutions make sense and start ing the day’s journey. in all baskets. Conduct cross From the moment the soiled out with one at a time.

FERTIG: The loading of training/job rotation, and do linen enters the facility, the How has COVID-19 affected Don’t try fix the world all at washers is probably the most daily stretching. cleaning process should prolaundry setup for employee once.

Small steps work fine. ALN strenuous activity performed COCANOUGHER: Assess ceed in a circular motion, evenhealth and safety?

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Coverage

Continued from Page 1

Larry Trapani.

Wright is vice president of business development for Irving Weber Associates, which provides programs for the textile and linen care industries, based in Overland Park, Kansas. Trapani is president of Brooks-Waterburn Corp., a business insurance provider based in Farmingdale, New York.

INDUSTRY CHANGES IMPACT INSURANCE One factor that has changed in the laundry and linen services industry is technology.

Trapani notes that there is a greater reliance on technology in the industry, and more laundries are investing in technology to improve the operations.

“As technology has emerged, the value of machinery has significantly increased,” adds Wright.

“As consolidation occurs within the industry, plants are adding more routes to their operations, requiring more trucks, drivers, and hours driven.”

And operators need to be sure their insurance policies cover the level of their technology.

“It is important to note that most standard business owner policies have a special limit for computer equipment,” Trapani points out. “This is more than laptops. It includes servers, printers, cameras, as well as software.

Take a look at your policy to be sure you have sufficient coverage for all your gadgets.”

Laundries even need to be aware of cyber liability in this day and age.

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“What if somebody hacks into your payroll software and decides to give themselves a big bonus ” posits Trapani. “Cybercrimes are far more likely to happen to a small business that does not have the sophisticated security a larger firm has.”

Beyond computer technology, improvements in laundry equipment, chemistry and other materials have changed insurance needs.

“As improvements have been made in all areas, you can see the differences in a new plant floor plan versus an older plant,” says Wright. “Older plants run in tighter spaces with more risk; newer plants tend to have more space, run cleaner, and have fewer losses on the floor.

“Operators are now finding buildings that conform to their layout versus altering the flow of processing to fit an older, poorly designed building.”

In addition, he says that with a rise in litigation, his company is seeing more property owners and property managers require very specific insurance demands from operators entering the premises.

“Policy language for additional insureds and waivers of subrogation has become more common,” shares Wright. “Standards for hygienically clean goods will also continue to rise.”

IMPORTANT COVERAGES When it comes to important insurance coverage in the industry, Wright says that fleet management and workers’ safety remain the highest areas of risk.

“These areas require a commitment from leadership with dedicated supervision toward ongoing best practices to keep workers safe and productive,” he says.

electrical, plumbing, heating, etc.—improvements a business made at its expense.

4. Liability Coverage: Basically, this insurance covers an operation in the event it is sued for claims like “slip and fall.”

5. Workers’ Compensation: Most states require employers to carry workers’ compensation for their employees. It protects them in the event they are injured on the job. It pays for medical bills and lost wages for injured employees. Premiums are based on payroll—the higher the payroll, the higher the premiums.

COVERAGE EVALUATION

(Image licensed by Ingram Images)

“Operations that make safety a high priority tend to run more smoothly and profitably.”

Trapani says that while there are hundreds of types of coverages in an insurance policy, regardless of the laundry type, the most important insurance needs can be divided into five main categories: 1. Business Personal Property: Business personal property is probably the most important coverage for an operation.

Basically, it is protection for washers, dryers, water heaters, etc. He recommends

having coverage for “replacement cost.” An operation should have enough coverage so that if the entire operation is destroyed, there will be enough coverage to rebuild.

2. Business Interruption: If an incident, such as a fire, takes place and the business is closed for several months, this insurance pays for continuing expenses such as rent, loan payables and more.

3. Tenant Improvements: Tenant improvements covers items such as floors, walls,

So, what does an operation need to do to evaluate its current insurance to find areas where it’s lacking, or where it’s over covered?

“The exercise of comparing exposure and risk with means of protection should be an ongoing dynamic that doesn’t get rushed into the final 30 days before insurance policies expire,” Wright shares.

“Try examining the insurance plans at the six-month mark of a 12-month policy so there’s no pressure to make decisions and there’s time to make capital investments.”

Trapani says the best way to evaluate insurance protection is to review coverages periodically with an insurance professional that specializes in the industry.

“They will know the right questions to ask and properly guide you to areas where you may have See COVERAGE on Page 13

The importance of automated uniform management systems

BY JONAS SCHREINER LAVAL, Quebec — Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals have been scrambling to ensure adequate supply and availability of scrubs for their doctors and nurses.

In her article “Top hospitals are facing a new supply shortage: scrubs,” Jessica Bartlett of the Boston Business Journal explains how the shortage has affected two large United States Hospitals: The Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

According to Bartlett, “the usage of scrubs had increased exponentially in the past several weeks, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital officials wrote in memos circulated to employees. Coupled with supply chain issues, hospital officials say they will have to con-

serve scrubs supplies in the near term At the Brigham, use of hospital scrubs had risen 70% on weekdays and 300% on weekends.”

In the article, Charles Morris, associate chief medical officer at Brigham, and Julia Sinclair, Brigham’s senior vice president of clinical service, weigh in on the issue: “If providers do not have access to the scrubs they require, our ability to perform surgeries and care for patients in the ICU will be at risk.”

During these unprecedented times, it is crucial that hospitals have a system that allows them to track their scrub logistics to ensure clean scrubs are available to their employees at all times. The possibility of scrub shortages that inhibits physicians from providing timely care for their patients is a risk that can be easily prevented if a proper scrub management system is in place.

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Over the past several years, many North American laundries have implemented radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking systems to increase the efficiency of their processes and track their textiles with greater accuracy.

While these systems enable laundries to deliver precise usage and loss reports to their customers, they do not particularly help hospitals improve the transparency of their textile logistics on a daily basis. This remains a blind spot for many laundries, and most worrisome, for the hospitals themselves.

There are a number of vendors who produce RFID compatible dispensing systems. These dispensers are generally controlled through software that in many cases can be integrated with the various software platforms used by laundries.

Such solutions provide much needed inventory oversight for hospital linen managers, while

also providing greater visibility for laundries, allowing them to run a much leaner operation.

Also worth noting is that many of these smart dispensers are designed to help mitigate the spread of infection throughout the uniform distribution process. Several studies have shown that hospital uniforms can be transmission vehicles for the virus if the appropriate precautions are not taken.

According to Professor Ygal Bendavid and Professor Yasmina Maizi of the School of Management at the Universite du Quebec Montreal (UQAM), “The scrubsdistribution systems currently used at most hospitals do not prevent employees from manipulating the scrubs in the shelving areas, bringing them outside the hospital or hiding spare uniforms in their lockers—which would surely be non-compliant with infectioncontrol regulations.”

This is something that is often overlooked by linen managers, but, as Bendavid and Maizi note, it is important to consider “the hidden costs derived from scrubs contamination or shortages, the cost of losing a member of a medical team, and the cost of contaminating a patient.”

By using dispensers that limit unnecessary uniform handling and help ensure that contaminated workwear does not exit the healthcare facility, these risks can be greatly mitigated.

Nobody could have predicted that 2020 would unfold the way it has for the healthcare industry and the world at large, but those who made the decision to invest in uniform dispensers beforehand certainly saw their investments pay off. The Jewish General Hospital, See UNIFORM on Page 13

6/15/20 3:41 PM

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COVID-19 has changed the rules for laundry safety OPL safety has long been a priority, but now it’s more important than ever for employees, author says

BY BOB BRUCE RIPON, Wis. — When you think of public safety, you usually think of police officers, firefighters and healthcare workers. After all, those workers keep you and others safe from things such as burglars and violence, fires and chemical spills, and disease and other traumatic injuries.

But in the aftermath of a pandemic caused by a novel strain of a coronavirus, you might want to add laundry workers to that list.

It was just December 2019 when a new virus was detected in Wuhan, China. But since then, COVID-19 has spread rapidly, infecting more than 8 million people worldwide, including over 2 million in the United States, and killing 437,000-plus, including more than 118,000 in the United States alone.

OPL SAFETY IS NOT NEW Long before anyone had ever heard of the coronavirus, onpremises laundry (OPL) safety had always been a priority. Keeping your laundry equipment clean and well maintained, and making sure your employees know how to correctly use the equipment, should always be a priority.

That includes properly loading the washing machine, confirming the right amount of chemicals are being automatically injected into the washer and ensuring that there are no chemical leaks. Don’t be afraid to rely on your chemical representative for help or to answer your questions and ensure that you are using the correct amount of chemicals in your specific equipment.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines note that although contaminated fabrics, particularly in healthcare facilities, can be a source of microorganisms, reports of diseases linked to contaminated fabrics are so few that the overall risk of disease transmission during the laundry process is negligible.

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest guidelines based on common sense and principles of hygiene. These include: • Avoiding cross contamination by using color-coded carts designated for either clean or soiled linens.

• Minimizing the spread of bacteria during transport.

• Having hand-washing stations readily available.

• Wearing appropriate PPE when handling soiled fabrics.

• Minimizing contamination by partitioning your on-premises laundry room.

• Using hot water (temperature

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of at least 160 F for a minimum of 25 minutes) while doing laundry to minimize bacteria and ensuring the correct tumbler heat temperature.

• Labeling chemicals and soaps to prevent injury.

ADDITIONAL STEPS IN A COVID-19 WORLD With COVID-19, however, safety measures need to be expanded for your onsite laundry. Although there are no federal regulations in place, but rather recommendations, you need to be careful, consistent and thorough in your plan and operation.

According to the CDC, general contaminated clothing should not be shaken, but instead specially handled and laundered using the warmest possible wash temperature. It is generally advisable to use a standard laundering sanitizer additive in washing clothing. We also recommend a high temperature on the tumbler when possible and running a sanitize cycle in between wash loads.

One of the easiest and most important things you can do is to properly wipe down the handles and other contact points of washing machines and dryers that’s especially important if you have multiple people operating your equipment. Be sure you use EPArecommended disinfectants for cleaning to help reduce the risk of transmission and exposure, and always wear gloves appropriate for the chemicals being used for cleaning and disinfecting.

If you’re unsure if your disinfectant is recommended by the EPA, go to https://www.epa.gov/ pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2.

In addition, make sure your employees have access to soap and water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol), and that they wash their hands frequently.

Practice social distancing and leave 6 feet between employees.

That may be easier in a limited service hotel that has only one full-time employee (FTE) doing the laundry. But in select service or luxury hotels, that will likely be more difficult, particularly as hospitality rates start to increase and people become more comfortable with traveling again, causing the need for more laundry to be done.

Moving forward, I would assume that many hospitality chains will start testing employees for COVID-19, if they do not do so already.

While there is still much to learn about the novel coronavirus, the CDC says the virus is most often spread from person to person.

The CDC knows that transmission occurs via respiratory droplets, but it is still unknown how long the air inside a room occupied by someone with confirmed COVID-19 remains potentially infectious.

So if someone in your OPL facility is ill or suspected to be ill with COVID-19, it’s important that you take measures to improve ventilation in that space, and thus help shorten the time it takes for the droplets to be removed from the air.

The CDC also recommends employees wear face masks. You may also want to check with your local or state health department for their specific and up-to-date recommendations as conditions change rapidly and differ from state to state.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY However, I believe it will become increasingly important for OPLs to prove that everything is being laundered properly.

Thankfully, today’s equipment makes it easy to determine that.

Technology-based machines can give you data such as what your pH level is on each and every load, allowing you to prove that the finished laundered items are sanitary. I see that as a next step that hospitality partners will employ to ensure their loyal customers have peace of mind while staying at their properties.

For those working in onsite laundries in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, where many cases of the coronavirus have been diagnosed, attention to detail and cleanliness is more important than ever. In fact, the impact of COVID-19 on those facilities has been drastic.

That’s because people inside those facilities are most at risk for complications and death due to the coronavirus. Nationwide, 33% of coronavirus deaths, or at least 28,100, are nursing home residents and workers, The New York Times reported, adding that the virus had infected more than 153,000

at some 7,700 facilities by midMay. Other news reports show even higher percentages, such as 40 to 80%, depending on region, according to data compiled by The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity.

While there are no mandates in place for proper laundry procedures in healthcare facilities due to COVID-19, it’s clear that you must take huge steps to make sure that everything is clean and sanitized.

Most nursing homes are on lockdown and allow only staff to come in, so it’s important that your machines are properly maintained and operating correctly with the proper amount of chemicals, that your employees are being tested, and that you are taking safety procedures to keep them—and the residents—safe.

To learn more about the CDC’s rules for cleaning and disinfecting community facilities, go to https:// www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/community/organizations/ cleaning-disinfection.html. ALN

Bob Bruce is director of national accounts sales at Alliance Laundry Systems. Bruce has eight years of laundry industry experience, spanning both coin laundry and on-premises laundry markets. He can be reached at bob.bruce Bob Bruce alliancels.

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How will COVID-19 impact construction pricing?

BY ED KWASNICK CHICAGO — As COVID-19 continues to impact the world’s economy, one of the main questions inside the construction industry is, “What will happen to pricing ” Can we expect to see a major reduction in pricing, will it hold steady or potentially increase Before addressing this, let’s start by defining the main factors that impact construction pricing.

Supply & Demand: Construction pricing is highly sensitive to the forces of supply and demand. Cutting pricing is inherently risky and can equate to a lot of work for little or no reward.

Thus, when demand is high, construction pricing increases to reduce this risk.

When demand decreases, however, contractors are willing to pursue riskier projects at reduced pricing to keep their businesses moving forward.

Backlog: Backlog is the amount of construction work currently on the books. When the economy is strong, backlog and pricing increase, creating a buffer. This buffer causes a lag in how quickly construction is impacted by, and reacts to, current economic conditions.

Labor Costs: Construction is labor intensive. It is difficult to run wire, hang pipe or lay block without skilled labor. Because of this, a large portion of construction costs are determined by labor expenses.

Wages increase as the cost of living goes up and construction costs follow. This explains why the cost of construction is higher in New York City, Northern California and other regions with a higher cost of living.

Commodity Pricing: Commodity pricing plays a role in determining construction costs as well. When oil prices go down, so do petroleum-based products, such as insulation, asphalt and roofing materials. When steel prices increase due to new tariffs, the cost of joists, metal panels and pipe increases accordingly.

No single factor drives construction pricing. Numerous economic forces have varying degrees of influence, and this makes predictions about pricing somewhat challenging.

We currently know that demand for new construction is decreasing due to a contracting economy.

Contractor backlog is beginning to shrink, and commodity prices are low. These three indicators point to an impending reduction in construction pricing.

Because the construction industry typically lags the economy, an economic inflection does not equate to an immediate reaction.

Instead, prices hold steady while the industry works through its backlog and assesses the economic

situation. Then, as backlog levels begin to deplete, contractors are willing to take more risk and lower their pricing to secure additional work.

Once the forces of supply and demand, backlog, labor costs, and commodity pricing reach a new equilibrium, construction pricing will level off, maintaining this new baseline until demand begins to increase once again.

construction experience.

Ultimately, success is determined by working with a proven construction partner that can lower your risk and improve your return by: • Clearly defining the scope of work.

• Locking in firm pricing early in the process.

• Developing creative solutions.

• Minimizing project delays.

• Delivering as promised.

Ed Kwasnick

ALN

Ed Kwasnick is director of business development for national construction company ARCO/ Murray.

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So, what will happen to construction pricing Currently, it has leveled off and will stay flat as contractors continue to work through their backlog. Then we expect pricing to become more aggressive as backlog begins to shrink.

However, these are unprecedented times. Predicting when and how prices might decline is, at best, a guessing game that does not necessarily lead to a fruitful

5/28/20 1:09 PM

6/15/20 3:44 PM

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PANEL OF EXPERTS

Permanent laundry changes due to COVID-19 Textiles Timothy Voit

in necessary until that happy time we have a vaccine or cure. We are all looking forward to a beer at the ballpark or bar then, and a better haircut.

Thomaston Mills, Wyncote, Pa.

Commercial Laundry

A

s it became apparent in early March that our country and our world were facing an unprecedented health crisis, we, like other companies, had to urgently think of the health of our workers and how to keep them as safe as possible.

Thankfully, like most manufacturers in the United States, our employees generally already worked at a social distance from each other, but we decided to sit down with both plant managers to figure out how to further enhance our protocols.

First, thankfully we have four manual sewing stations and talented seamstresses who were able to craft masks for all of our employees from our own sheeting fabric, which is incidentally one of the best fabrics for both ventilation and breathability.

Secondly, we staggered times for punching in at our timeclock, for our lunch and breakrooms, so everyone could be socially distant even when not at their work areas.

Third, we made sure the common areas were cleaned regularly and all employees cleaned their own work areas before any other employee used the same equipment.

Fourth, we identified our highest risk employees and found out ways they could provide input and value while working from home.

Finally, we created paperwork routines for our office and dock so that contact between our employees and freight carriers was limited.

The outbreaks in meat packing plants all across the country show that crowded indoor spaces can lead to tragic outcomes for workers and their communities. The area near our office was an early outbreak area, and I personally know victims who haven’t survived and other seemingly healthy victims in their early 50s who barely survived.

As we move forward and lockdowns ease, continued vigilance

David Griggs Superior Linen Service, Muskogee, Okla.

“I

mprovise, Adapt and Overcome” is a slogan the United States Marine Corps uses as a philosophy. COVID-19 has required laundries and business of all kinds to also adapt this philosophy.

Healthcare laundries have always strived to protect our employees from contaminated soil linen by putting them in personal protective equipment (PPE).

The use of gowns, gloves, mask and eye protection is our normal operating procedure.

On our “clean side” of the plants, we have strived to protect the linen from our employees— we clean our conveyor belts and floors; we maintain proper air flow to ensure we are not allowing contaminated air from our soil area. We package the clean linen in plastic or at least cover the transport carts to ensure the linen will be “hygienically clean” when it arrives at our customer base.

COVID-19 has now made us look at another critical area of our job. How do we protect our employees from each other? I know in cold and flu season we experience high call-ins for sick days due to employees having the flu. But I never really thought about them getting it from each other.

COVID-19 has brought attention to the fact this may very well be a real possibility. Measures we put in place now may pay huge benefits going forward in keeping our employees healthy.

Here are some the changes we have made to help protect our employees from each other that I feel will pay dividends going forward: 1. Increased cleaning of the break room and spacing employees out while on break.

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2. Employees working within 6 feet of each other must be wearing a mask or have some type of protective barrier.

3. Wiping down machinery with sanitizing wipes at every break or when employees rotate to different machines.

4. Hand sanitizer at every workstation. Employees will clean their hands more when it is easily available to them.

5. Temperature checks of all employees when their shift begins. This small change has made employees more comfortable working around each other.

6. Having hand sanitizer and mask available for all visitors to our plant.

Chemicals Supply

lenging and reducing contact in the building by directing foot traffic to specific directions when possible.

Masks and individual hand sanitizers have been provided to employees to eliminate any obstacles for individuals to follow public health guidance that will aid in protecting themselves and others from illness.

The COVID-19 situation continues to develop and evolve. Ecolab closely follows updates and adheres to guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While it is unknown how long the COVID-19 risk will continue, having a greater awareness of the health and safety of our workplaces protects employees and minimizes disruptions in business operations that any communicable illness can impose.

Lauren Hunker

Consulting Services

Ecolab, Eagan, Minn.

David Bernstein

E

colab has always placed a heavy emphasis on safety and cleanliness in their facilities to ensure a healthy work environment for employees. However, in the wake of COVID-19, all practices and protocols were evaluated, and adjustments were made to activities that previously were viewed as low risk to employee safety.

The immediate response to COVID-19 in manufacturing and R&D facilities was to promote social distancing and further increase cleaning frequency and thoroughness. Starting at the door, there are reminders for employees to conduct a health self-evaluation.

The first defense in keeping employees safe and prevent the spread of illness is to avoid introduction into the building in the first place.

Hand sanitizers are even more prevalent throughout the building, in addition to updated and increased cleaning protocols of communal spaces.

Social distancing is being administered by designating shifts where they previously did not exist or reducing the number of individuals per shift, requiring employees to sign up to use a space in which social distancing would be chal-

“As we start to work in the ‘new normal’ of COVID-19, what are some best practices being permanently installed by operations for safety and cleanliness?”

Propeller Solutions Group, Park City, Utah

F

irst and foremost, I hope that you, your families, your colleagues and team members, and their families are, and have been, safe and healthy throughout the past few months as we have endured this pandemic separately but together.

The phrase, “we’re all in this together,” has been repeated so many times over the past few months that it sounds cliché, although I think truer words have never been spoken.

That is why, as we work to reopen our local, state, and national economies, it is so important that we take care to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of our team members, customers, and the communities we serve. As with all things, this begins at home which, in this case, means our laundries.

Industry publications, trade associations, safety experts, consultants, insurance companies, governmental agencies, certifying bodies and your own team members have for years made the safety of personnel a value and a priority, but if we are being honest with ourselves, we

know that lapses have occurred.

With time, people naturally become comfortable in their work environments; comfort leads to complacency, and complacency leads to diminished adherence to safety rules, including hygienic practices.

Pre-COVID audits of every size and type of laundry bear this out, with consultants taking pages of audit reports to remind management of their own safety rules and those of local, state, and national governments.

As laundries around the world re-open, team members have a greater respect for these rules and compliance is near 100%. We hope it stays that way.

Beyond the pre-COVID rules for personal protective equipment, considerations for bloodborne pathogens and the like, the “new normal” for the foreseeable future requires operators throughout the industry to find new, innovative and important ways to keep their team members and their customers safe and healthy, starting with the arrival of employees to work each day.

Interim guidance from the CDC for critical infrastructure operations like laundries is to do all that is possible to ensure that only uninfected workers come to work each day.

This means that only those who are asymptomatic and have not had a positive test result for COVID-19 can begin work.

In many cases, laundry operators are checking the temperatures of employees before they begin their workdays; however, it must be stressed that those who are infected but asymptomatic may not have an elevated temperature. With this in mind, additional precautions are being implemented in laundries to protect all workers and their customers.

Laundries have always been places where employees are supplied with and trained in the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand hygiene, but whereas PPE for hygiene was primarily employed in the soiled areas of the laundry, we are now seeing the use of face masks, face shields, barrier garments, gloves and other PPE expanded throughout entire facilities.

There is also an increased and enhanced focus on hand hygiene throughout laundry facilities.

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Additional handwashing and sanitizing stations are being added throughout plants, with an increased emphasis on touch-free sanitizer and soap dispensers as well as faucets, toilets, light switches and even areas where employees clock in and out for their work shifts.

Once workers enter the facility, social distancing must be maintained. According to the CDC’s web site, “current information about the asymptomatic spread of SARSCoV-2 supports the need for social distancing and other protective measures within a work environment.”

In other words, areas throughout a laundry and the production methods employed are being changed as much as possible to ensure the maintenance of appropriate distancing between workers.

We are seeing this throughout laundries including, but not limited to, soil reception, soil sorting, the washroom, finishing and folding areas, storage, and pack-out. A variety of means of reminding workers of these distancing requirements are being implemented, not the least of which is the use of signs and floor markings.

In areas where distancing is difficult, we have seen a number

of innovative ways of trying to decrease or eliminate the possibility of the asymptomatic spread of COVID-19. This includes the use of plexiglass, strip curtains and other physical barriers between workers, as well as requirements for workers to wear masks over their nose and mouth and/or face shields.

In some cases, this also means that personal cooling fans are being removed and ventilation systems being modified to minimize the risk of virus spread.

In addition to the modification of work areas, emphasis must also be placed on ensuring that break rooms and cafeterias do not become vectors for the spread of the virus.

One way to keep this from happening is to stagger break times, but it may also be necessary to remove some tables and chairs from a break room to ensure proper distancing or to provide temporary break rooms in other areas (e.g. conference rooms, training rooms, etc.) or by using temporary tents, outside tables and chairs, or other measures.

Just like in work areas, the use of signs and visual indicators will help remind workers to be vigilant, even during break times.

There are likely myriad other

ways that laundry operators are trying to ensure the safety of their employees and their families, but the previous are some of the measures that seem most prevalent, and perhaps permanent, as we continue to navigate our way through these uncharted pandemic-infested waters.

Stay safe and healthy, my friends.

Hotel/Motel/ Resort Laundry Phil Jones Hotelier Linen Service, Lakeland, Fla.

T

his has certainly been something we have never seen before during our lifetime, as it would have been hard to imagine hotels, restaurants, theme parks and businesses closing for extended times.

As we begin to recover, our operation has looked closely at how we can safely operate and keep our employees at a low risk when we resume the business of processing laundry.

We changed our breakroom, moving tables to maintain a 6-foot clearance for social distanc-

Coverage

Uniform

Continued from Page 8 too little or too much coverage,” he says. “It is important to be truthful when you review your coverage.

“I have found recently that insurance companies are denying claims if an insured misrepresents information. You may pay more for insurance, but at least you will have coverage that you can count on.”

Wright says that many laundry operators haven’t spent enough time planning for disaster recovery, which includes insurance coverage.

“Is there a communication plan with staff? With customers?

How will processing be moved or outsourced? Have insurance policy coverages been assessed to provide an immediate means for recovery and cash flow ” he asks.

In addition, Wright finds that the replacement cost of equipment, contents, is often undervalued.

“It’s important to use data such as a balance sheet to keep the limits reflective of the values,” he shares.

Ideally, Trapani says a laundry should have a standard business owner insurance policy with a top-rated company.

“Have coverage that would make the customer whole after a loss,” he says. “In other words, carry high enough limits that they

ing and also the number of seats at each table. This also meant that we would need to stagger who took breaks and when so that only enough for the number of tables and seats would be on break at a given time.

The cleaning of the area with specific cleaning materials and the amount of times for high-touch areas in the breakroom were increased.

All visitors must enter through our front entrance and are required to wear a mask during their visit. Only visitors with a valid reason would be allowed to enter the laundry processing area.

Each visitor is given our guidelines that need to be followed during their visit.

We placed signs in different languages throughout our facility reminding our employees about social distancing and washing hands and our management team was trained on how to properly coach someone if they were not following the proper guidelines. At this particular time this includes all employees wearing masks until at least phase three of the recovery plan is in place.

There were several concerns that we needed to address in the processing area such as social

Continued from Page 8

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are fully protected. Also, have a workers’ compensation policy with payroll of all employees.”

Wright adds that any insurance plan should be continually updated in terms of value for buildings and equipment.

Also, it should be a plan that

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incorporates safety and training as common culture. Prevention is always better than regret.

“Work with an insurance professional who knows the industry and is willing to share best practices and experience,” he conALN cludes.

Montreal’s designated COVID treatment center, is one of those hospitals, and their head of laundry services, David Diachidos, was kind enough to share his experience with this equipment.

Diachidos’s initial concerns were similar to those of the two Massachusetts hospitals mentioned earlier: “Since the pandemic hit North America, hospital uniforms became a very hot commodity. The demand for scrubs went up very acutely overnight, and there was no supply in the market to back it up we had to do more with less.”

He commended the hospital’s uniform distribution and management system as the indispensable tool that helped them cope with the situation.

“Fortunately, we had a uniform distribution system from ABG Systems on-site ABG’s system allows us to operate in an extremely lean fashion,” shares Diachidos.

“Rather than sending uniforms to many different locations and having to overstock these units, only the uniforms that are needed are used. The machines also control the inventory by blocking users from taking more uniforms until they have returned their previous sets, and of course, ensure 24-hour availability of all sizes for all employees.

“The system also helps us ensure a higher level of hygiene during the

13

distancing. We moved the towelfolding machines so that there was at least 6 feet of spacing between the machines.

We added plastic spacers between the pillowcase machine feeding stations as a layer of protection between the employees.

We added the same type of plastic spacers along the sorting line as well. The spacers are removable so you can adjust based on the number of employees working in the area.

More hand sanitizers were added throughout the building so that easy access to sanitizing was available, including all bathrooms and exit areas. All hand sanitizers were checked as part of the increased cleaning process to make sure they were always filled and working.

Finally, our electronic information board provides daily safety practices with a heavy emphasis on COVID-19 information, such as what to do if you begin to feel ill during the day.

I am sure there are many more changes and improvements to come as we continue to cross uncharted waters, but to all I end with hoping all of you are staying safe through these trying times for ALN our industry.

uniform distribution process by limiting uniform handling to the end users. The uniform distribution system has helped us weather this storm and ensure exceptional service to the brave health care workers on the front line.”

Hospitals that use RFID dispensing systems are able to cut costs in three main areas. Studies have shown that uniform loss will decrease by up to 90%, resulting in lower uniform replenishment costs.

The increased control translates into lower levels of uniform usage, which reduces laundering costs.

Lastly, full inventory transparency eliminates the need for excess safety stock, allowing for a reduction in overall stock levels.

Pandemic or no pandemic, when coupled with the numerous soft benefits of these systems (inventory mix optimization, usage reporting, restock notifications, user accountability, etc.), automated dispensing will not only drive cost savings, but ALN increase efficiencies as well.

Jonas Schreiner is business development manager for ABG Systems North America, based in Laval, Quebec. He has a strong background in finance and economics and is well versed in RFID implementations for the healthcare and commercial laundry Schreiner industries.

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14 JULY 2020 | AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS

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GIRBAU INDUSTRIAL

Girbau Industrial says its TBS50 Continuous Batch Washer is highly configurable to meet the labor, efficiency, quality and productivity needs of virtually any medium- to high-production laundry operation.

Available in five to 12 modules, each with 110 pounds of capacity, the TBS-50 processes from 1,000 to 3,000 laundry pounds per hour. Girbau Industrial says that thanks to its smart, dual-drum modular design, the TBS-50 is less costly and simpler to install than comparable machines on the market, uses less water and energy, runs quietly, and delivers a quality wash for any fabric type.

Girbau Industrial

Each module is individually programmable for water temperature and levels, duration of the wash cycle, mechanical action, bath partitions, rapid draining, chemical injection and closing parameters, among others.

Offering detailed management over the wash process, the TBS-50 control allows users to manage more than 999 client accounts and offers 99 washing programs.

Real-time data regarding the wash process is viewable from the main screen, and from easily accessed sub-screens. www.girbauindustrial.com 800-256-1073

G.A. BRAUN

G.A. Braun

(IoT) and robots to match machines to site requirements, assuring the perfect utilization of resources. The systems deeply integrate big data and artificial intelligence to comply with the unprecedented trend of industrial evolution and innovation. www.sealionamerica.com 860-316-5563

PELLERIN MILNOR CORP. washer, without the limitations Milnor says its PulseFlow imposed by transfer scoops or an Technology has been successArchimedean design. fully employed in the laundry Braun adds that its monoindustry since 2009. With low shell, stainless-steel design freshwater usage and utility savprovides perpetual cleaning of ings, PulseFlow technology offers the cylinder, affording an envilower operating costs and higher ronment for the effective and production rates. hygienic processing of linens.

The non-porous, stainless-steel tub, tanks, and process piping minimize the growth of biofilms. Also, there are no stagnant bath or outer drum surfaces, which can become incubation chambers for microbial growth.

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

Braun tunnels are available in processing classificaFor light soil linen, the comtions of 100-150 pounds and pany says water consumption is 200-220 pounds. as low as 0.3 gallons per pound, www.gabraun.com and for most heavy soil linen, the 800-432-7286 expected water consumption is as SEA-LION AMERICA COMPANY low as 0.5 gallons per pound.

Sea-lion America Company PBW washers (110-, 150- and says its SDX tunnel washer sys260-pound capacities) feature tems are available in 130-pound True Top Transfer with perfoand 175-pound batches up to rated transfer scoops that lift the 16 modules. The systems feature goods out of the water, drain excellent mechanical wash action the free water, and then slide the and reliable bottom transfer progoods into the next compartment, cessing. thus introducing them to cleaner Low water consumption is water. achieved via a built-in water reuse Additional features include system, and a wide variety of large cylinders that provide signifgoods can be processed thanks to icant space for superior dilution the combination of single-drum and excellent mechanical action and double-drum technology. that accelerates dilution.

The company says its SCADA PulseFlow tunnels are paired control platform provides for full with either a single-stage press wash system programming and or centrifugal extractor, making complete system monitoring. them flexible for all types of comSea-lion says its automated mercial laundries. systems make good use of the www.milnor.com Internet, the Internet of Things 504-467-9591

G.A. Braun says its SmoothFlow Batch Tunnel Washing Systems offer “new technology, backed by science.”

The systems utilize Braun’s Tunnel Infusion Technology .

This trademarked technology for delivering aqueous chemistry to each processing zone optimizes agitation and Sea-lion America Company mixing. When combined with Braun’s unique “Open Helicoid” cylinder design, the company says it affords mechanical action consistent with that of an open pocket

0720aln_p14-17-Product Showcase-ALM Virtual-Career Track-Girbau-FINAL.indd 14

JENSEN USA

With more than 3,200 in tunnels in operation, JENSEN says it offers unique concepts such as the Universal tun-

ture and time for each batch to ensure proper disinfection. www.jensenusa.com 850-271-5959

LAVATEC LAUNDRY TECHNOLOGY

JENSEN USA

Lavatec Laundry Technology’s newest tunnel washer is the LT130, with batch capacity of 286 pounds. The company says that like its other machines, it offers a low operating cost for the industry.

The LT130 manages up to 114 wash programs with touch-screen controls, is freely programmable and comes with a fault diagnosis system to maximize uptime, says Lavatec. Maintenance is made easy with four motor-powered drives for chamber rotation that never need lubrication and does not use chains or sprockets.

The LT130 can handle all temperatures and disinfection processes, with counterflow or standing bath waterflow designs

nel washers with FlexWash and FlexRinse Technology, which features total batch integrity; the patented Universal Mediline, which features no enclosed process tanks on the tunnel and the “TopDrain” style extraction press with no external tanks for maximum hygiene level.

Lavatec Laundry Technology In addition, JENSEN offers options such as QuickSoak and UVClean. With that offer the most flexible wash QuickSoak, the company says parameters for all laundry needs, goods that tend to “float” on according to Lavatec. The compatop of the water (such as barny says it specifically designs each rier gowns or Gore-Tex items) tunnel to meet customers’ needs, are forced underwater due to with the ability to fill and drain the very efficient, precise and and provide chemical injection faster soaking in the first comand steam in every compartment partment, higher mechanical if requested. action, faster soil removal and an www.lltusa.com improved distribution of chemi203-632-8777 cals. No extra maintenance or VEGA SYSTEMS USA utilities are required.

Available in a large variety of sizes, As technology allows for lower VEGA Systems says its SmartLine water consumptions, a result Tunnel Washer is an industrial can be a biofilm buildup in the tunnel washer built to uphold high last compartment, and possibly between the tunnel and the press. JENSEN says UVClean can be installed in double drum sections to prevent bacterial growth and without any chemical supply.

Also, bacteria cannot VEGA Systems USA become resistant to UV radiation. And finally, the process tracks the temperaSee TUNNELS on Page 16

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AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS | JULY 2020

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15

ALM hosts annual member business meeting virtually RICHMOND, Ky. — Because of the postponement of its 2020 IMPACT Conference due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, the Association for Linen Management (ALM) held its annual member business meeting virtually for the first time in history May 14.

During the meeting, ALM announced the next generation of board leadership to continue the association’s efforts of providing essential education and resources for the industry, along with sharing bylaw amendments.

In addition, the association provided educational and program updates.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BYLAWS Prior to the virtual meeting, ALM members voted for the next president-elect, secretary and treasurer to the ALM board of directors, as well as amendments to the association’s bylaws.

James Mangini, RLLD, is the new president-elect. Mangini has 15-plus years of experience in the industry as the director of linen services for Maine’s largest medical center, Maine Medical Center Linen Services.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve as the president-elect of ALM,” says Mangini.

“Our educational platform is second-to-none and has had a tremendous impact on my professional growth. I look forward to working with our great membership as we continue to promote the reusable textile industry.”

Nicole Grubich, RLLD, CLLM,

will be the new secretary. Grubich has been an ALM member for 18 years and is a leader in the industry, as well as within her region of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

She is the executive director of West Michigan Shared Hospital Laundry.

“As a member of ALM for almost 20 years, I am elated to serve the association as board secretary,” says Grubich. “I look forward to continuing the amazing work ALM has done over the years. I’m so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you ” Jason Hartsell was re-elected as ALM board treasurer and will continue his work in guiding the association’s financial planning. Hartsell is the director of operations for United Hospital Services in Indianapolis and a veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge for his deployment to Afghanistan.

“I’m honored to be elected to serve as ALM’s treasurer for an additional term and continuing to be a part of such an outstanding organization,” says Hartsell.

“ALM continues to be a leader in providing information and training to laundry and linen operations across multiple markets.

“It’s been a privilege to be a part of so many new and exciting programs released recently, including benchmarking, new certificate and training programs, and an entire eLearning suite. All the while, ALM continues to serve as a resource the textile industry relies upon for information.”

Besides the elections, ALM

members voted to remove the Practice Guidance Council from standing committees, due to the move from an ALM committee to the separate organization, the Textile Research Council.

They also voted to add the Leadership & Advisory Council, which will create a diverse body of industry leaders attuned to changes in the industry across all service segments and provide an incubator for the development of volunteer ALM leaders.

Cindy Molko, RLLD, CLLM, and Shane Woodson, CLLM, are exiting from the board as past-president and secretary, respectively. ALM is pleased to announce that they will both be remaining within the ALM family through their work as subject matter experts for various ALM projects and programs.

“Cindy has been a tremendous value to ALM and to the industry at large. She brings a lot of talent to us and we’re so glad to keep her on in other capacities, including on the Textile Research Council.

Much thanks to her,” says ALM Board President Judy Reino.

“Shane has performed an amazing job keeping our records as we have gone through some changes, all for the better, and he has helped usher us through those changes and maintained needed documentation. We will miss them both from the board but are happy they will still be working with us regularly.”

PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL UPDATE Executive

Director

Linda

Fairbanks also gave updates during the virtual meeting about the many programs and educational opportunities offered by ALM. As mentioned earlier, the 2020 IMPACT Conference has been rescheduled for November 2-5, and will still be held at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Additionally, both Laundry & Linen College tracks, Textile Care Services and Laundry Processing and Operations, will be held concurrently September 21-25, 2020, in Richmond, Kentucky.

Fairbanks made two important announcements that will impact all professionals in the industry.

The first, that beginning in June 2020, the number of required questions for the LaundryMarks benchmarking platform will decrease, thereby increasing how many participating laundries are able to pull full reports.

“We are, like most programs, evolving,” says Fairbanks. “When you first start on anything, you want everything, but after learning the extent of your constraints, you realize you have to scale it back.

We are in the process of decreasing the data demanded in LaundryMarks. Laundries may still enter all the data points however, by making fewer points required, many of the laundries will be able to move ahead with reports and comparisons.”

Currently, 93 laundries are registered within LaundryMarks, and fiscal year 2019 data entry opportunity will be available soon.

Fairbanks then moved on to

talk about ALM’s TRAIN eLearning System, which offers selfpaced, interactive instruction to engage learners. ALM announced its Certified Laundry and Linen Manager (CLLM) certification available through TRAIN during the 2019 Clean Show.

During this virtual meeting, there was another certification announced: Mastery of Healthcare Linen Management (MHLM).

“At last, linen managers will have credentials to highlight the value they bring to their organization,” says Christina Horsley, ALM director of events & education. “Those who enroll in this new certification will learn about healthcare linen management practices, linen utilization, cost management and so much more.”

Fairbanks says the first course of the Linen Mastery certification, Evaluate and Select Hospital Textiles, is available now, with the full certification available later this year.

She concluded her presentation with an ALM fiscal update. The association remains strong, working with the hospitality industry to restore trust for travelers, and with the reusable textile industry to ensure the continued availability of needed linens and (personal protective equipment) PPE. ALM event revenues and investments are down due to COVID-19, but the agility within ALM has made it possible to adjust events, including contingency plans to make those events virtual if a fall surge demands ALN further travel restrictions.

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Career Mattocks hired as VP sales for Hermes BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Hermes Commercial Laundry Equipment, a laundry equipment distributor located here, reports that in March it named Robert Mattocks its vice president of sales.

He will report directly to company owner Mark Wilkins.

Hermes says Mattocks Mattocks brings more than 15 years of account management and sales experience to his new post.

Most recently, he was the national channel sales manager for laundry payment systems maker Card Concepts Inc. (CCI).

Mattocks says he couldn’t be more excited to continue his laundry industry career with the Hermes team.

“Continuing the rapid growth of Hermes will be a big challenge, and I feel we have all the pieces in place to take our initiatives to the next level,” he says.

Hermes distributes equipment for Speed Queen, Yamamoto, Sankosha, B&C Technologies and several other lines.

Knox joins Meese as regional sales mgr., Western U.S./Canada MADISON, Ind. — Meese Inc., a designer and developer of plastic rotomolded products, has named Steve Knox as its regional sales manager for the Western U.S. and Canada.

Meese says Knox joins a dedicated team of sales profes-

Tunnels

Continued from Page 14

sanitation requirements.

Along with its state-of-the-art control system and remote 24/7 link-up, the company says the washer consists of a fully welded and thicker one-piece inner drum, including the system’s pick-up and drop wash action. This design has a proven high wash quality, shorter wash times and reduced detergent consumption.

VEGA says the unique outer

sionals offering the company’s Poly-Trux line of ergonomically designed, antimicrobial rotomolded solutions for linen transport, materials handling and storage.

During Knox’s career in sales and sales management in the Western U.S., he was able to bring new ideas to help target new markets and expand OEMs and distributors’ core businesses.

His broad direct manufacturing and product experience ranges from electronics to elastomers (rubber) to ergonomics and specialty metal.

“We are excited to have Steve on the Meese team,” says Dan Rodriguez, national sales manager at Meese. “He brings a deep range of sales experience across a wide variety of industries and companies. He will be an immediate asset to our team.”

Knox, an active outdoorsman, loves hiking, camping, and off-roading, as well as enjoying the study of anything geology Knox related.

Knox earned a bachelor’s degree in international business from California State University, Fullerton, and resides in Corona, California.

Track

company as project and service coordinator.

He had previously worked for Brim Laundry Machinery for 15 years as the parts manager.

Marchand The company says he brings with him a vast knowledge of laundry machinery.

During his break from Brim Laundry Machinery, Marchand worked in the optical industry with automated CNC machines.

With this venture he increased his knowledge of automation and mechanical functions.

He assisted a team of technicians, salesmen and customer service reps in day-to-day operations. With his help, the U.S. optical division quickly became the leader for this worldwide company.

Marchand’s responsibilities at Brim will include updating support materials, scheduling machine installations, coordinating service, leading special projects and providing support where needed.

Brim adds project/ service coordinator

Equipment sales specialist joins R.W. Martin Company

HUTCHINS, Texas — Brim Laundry Machinery Co. Inc., which manufactures, rebuilds and maintains heavy-duty laundry equipment, reports that Cory Marchand has returned to the

KENT, Ohio — R.W. Martin Company, located here, reports that Steve Dabney has come on board as an equipment sales specialist. In this role, he will promote and represent the com-

drum design reduces standing water by approximately 13 gallons per batch. Also, water management technology reuses excess water, allowing for continued water reduction. An easily accessible auto-lubricating chain drive system allows for simplistic maintenance and long-term operation, the company says.

VEGA says the result of its tunnel washer design minimizes resource consumption and maximizes production throughput. www.vegasystems-group.com 855-834-2797

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Kannegiesser ETECH

KANNEGIESSER ETECH Kannegiesser ETECH says its PowerTrans VARIO is a modern batch washer that combines flexibility, performance and low total consumptions.

pany’s new and pre-owned commercial laundry machinery, parts and supplies for the textile care industry.

He will also support R.W. Martin’s company-wide strategic sales and marketing plans as he acquires new accounts and fosters client communication and retention.

Dabney has more 21 years of industrial sales experience. He started his career as an independent manufacturers’ representative at WEBB Process Equipment Company in Cleveland, where he eventually became president, CEO and co-owner.

While there, he balanced relationships with eight to 12 exclusive manufacturDabney ers, while contributing to more than $3 million in annual sales. He also increased the company’s business by 30% in one year, and by 50% in the first six years.

He’s looking forward to leveraging this industrial sales experience in a new industry.

“I was looking for a direct sales role with a small private company, so I was excited to find this opportunity with R.W. Martin,” Dabney says. “I’m happy to be part of the team, so I can apply my sales experience to help drive the company’s continued growth.”

“Steve is a great fit for our organization,” says Chip Ottman, president of R.W. Martin Company. “He has a proven track record in industrial equipment sales and shares our core value of partnering with customers to understand their

business needs. Steve appreciates that creating value is the best way to grow our business.”

Dabney received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration with a minor in political science at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He resides in Brecksville, Ohio, with his wife and two sons.

With the diversity to fit in any market segment, the VARIO is built to maximize washroom production efficiencies. The versatility of a complete standing bath washing and rinsing system allows for color changes without the need for empty pockets, according to the company.

With the large drum volume and straight wall design, the PowerTrans tunnel creates the perfect hygienically clean wash environment while keeping each batch separate.

In addition to performance, the reduction in resources provides advantages and savings in overall utility consumption, says Kannegiesser ETECH. It is built to reduce waste with intelligent water management, maximized loading volumes and efficient rinsing times. Customers are also able to produce the highest possible output within the available space due to the efficiently designed footprint of the systems. www.kannegiesser-etech.com 612-722-1366

CLEC promotes Husain at Dallas location RIPON, Wis. — Commercial and Coin Laundry Equipment Co. (CLEC), a factory-direct distributor of Alliance Laundry Systems equipment, recently promoted Sam Husain to director of operations for its Dallas facility.

Husain, who joined the CLEC team in 2018 as a regional sales manager, has since amassed an impressive track record, including selling the first Speed Queen Laundromat franchise in the Dallas/ Husain Fort Worth area.

“Sam is a true professional in every sense of the word,” says Craig Dakauskas, president of CLEC. “The CLEC Effect, which is the term we use for our commitment to the pinnacle of customer service, is part of Sam’s DNA. He truly embodies the type of customer experience we seek to deliver.”

Gifted in the customer service arena, he previously worked for AT&T, Chase Bank and Wells Fargo Bank before joining the CLEC team.

ALN

ALN

6/16/20 9:09 AM

AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS | JULY 2020

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17

Keys to properly sizing laundry equipment Four steps to procure the right machinery for an operation’s goods, hours, labor, space and costs

BY SETH WILLER OSHKOSH, Wis. — All industrial, commercial and on-premises laundries process different items, utilize different pieces of equipment, strive toward unique quality goals and operate at varying levels of efficiency.

When it comes to purchasing new equipment or replacing old equipment, proper sizing is critical. Before you do anything, reach out to your equipment distributor and begin a dialogue.

The best way to properly size a laundry, and its equipment, is through back-and-forth conversations on the type and number of items being laundered, the laundry’s hours of operation, labor required, space available and ownership costs.

By considering all the variables, you’ll select the best equipment to suit your needs, now and into the future.

STEP 1: COUNT EACH PIECE OF LINEN Laundries have their own

unique inventory of items with specific weights, profiles and dimensions. Determine the laundry’s piece count in each category, such as king sheets, duvets, towels, etc. Then multiply the number of pieces by weight for total laundry volume.

STEP 2: DETERMINE HOURLY WASH CAPACITY Divide total laundry volume by hours per week of operation.

Girbau Industrial distributors are able to calculate hourly wash capacity, time on task, utility and labor costs. This information flows into recommendations for washing/drying, ironing and folding equipment, as well as production workflow.

STEP 3: EVALUATE COST OF EQUIPMENT OWNERSHIP You’ve narrowed down your needs and know your equip-

ment options. Now evaluate the cost to own those pieces of equipment in terms of labor and efficiency.

Keep in mind the most expensive part of laundry room is its labor. So while you’re planning, see how you might minimize labor in the laundry.

You can do this in a number of ways, including: 1. Over equip the laundry’s wash capacity to produce more in less time.

2. Increase the laundry’s linen par. If you have a linen inventory buffer, you can run fewer hours per week and it costs you less over time.

3. Add automation. If you have the laundry volume to justify it, go with automation every time

STEP 4: JUSTIFY THE AUTOMATION Any time you purchase new equipment, you need to justify it. The same holds true for automation. Consider these

guidelines: All-in-One Flatwork Finisher—When a laundry processes between 180 and 260 washing pounds per hour, it might be time for an all-in-one flatwork finisher that automatically irons, folds and stacks.

An all-in-one eliminates almost all hands-on flatwork folding and stacking. An all-inone machine has the capability to process (iron, fold and stack) up to 180-plus sheets per hour with a single operator.

Towel Folder—Laundries processing 250-500-plus laundry pounds per hour should consider adding a towel folder.

Generally, a typical laundry operator can sort, fold and stack different-sized towels at a rate of 120 pieces per hour.

By adding an automatic towel folder, a laundry can fold and stack at least 800 differentsized pieces per hour, with just one operator.

So remember, all laundries process different items and there are a number of variables

to consider. Sizing the laundry properly is critical for the laundry to meet their production and efficiency goals now and into the future.

Reach out to your local distributor for assistance. They will provide their expertise and guide you along the way. Your distributor is your partner before, during and after the ALN sale.

Seth Willer specializes in on-premises, commercial and industrial laundry design, equipment, workflow and productivity. As Girbau Industrial national sales manager, he works closely with laundry facilities to develop highly efficient and productive laundries for an array of industries, including hospitality, vacation rental and Seth Willer healthcare.

Every FREE monthly episode offers:

• Topics of specific interest to laundry/linen managers like you • Engaging industry-specific conversation with an expert • Business-building tips you won’t find anywhere else • Convenience of listening anytime, either online or downloading for later • Information and insight to get a leg up on competitors – give us a listen!

NEW! Key Performance

Indicators

Bill Brooks, director of customer solutions and business development for commercial laundry equipment manufacturer Alliance Laundry Systems, talks about important KPIs in a laundry/linen service.

Proper Laundry Equipment Usage

In this episode, Keith Ware, vice president of sales for Lavatec Laundry Technology, talks about ways to ensure laundry machinery is handled properly to get the most life out of the equipment, and your linens.

Laundry Hiring and Training

Sylvia Williams, human resources manager for Prudential Overall Supply, a uniform and facility services company headquartered in Irvine, California, joins us to talk about strategies for seeking out employee candidates and training them for long-term growth.

Listen in at: americanlaundrynews.com/podcasts 0720aln_House Podcast AD half_horiz.indd 1

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American LaundryNews .com

Sales Engineer for Equipment Manufacturer CHICAGO America’s leading manufacturer of flatwork finishing equipment is seeking a Chicago-based regional sales engineer to work with our outstanding distributor and end customer network. Excellent opportunity for long term growth in our fourth generation company. Salary and benefits commensurate with prior sales success, willingness to learn and laundry industry experience. Travel from Chicago’s manufacturing headquarters included as part of job responsibilities to serve our customer base.

Send confidential resume to: Mr. Belden belden@chidry.com

More than

5,250

unique visitors monthly!

GO TO: www.AmericanLaundryNews.com

6/16/20 9:05 AM

AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS | JULY 2020

www.AmericanLaundryNews.com

Source Directory APPAREL FINISHING

19

A convenient guide to sources of products and services

CARTS, TRUCKS & BASKETS

CARTS, TRUCKS & BASKETS

1 ST C L A S S C A R T S F O R 1 S T C L A S S P R O P E R TIES

Lake Wales, FL 33859 Toll Free: 800.683.4116 Local: 863.638.3200 Fax: 863.638.2443

CARTS, TRUCKS & BASKETS

Quality

Visit DuraCast.com to explore what Dura-Cast can do for you!

...for the Long Haul.

Precision built, all welded, anodized aluminum carts, specifically engineered for the extremes of loading, handling, cartwash and off-site transport in your busy laundry. Available in a wide range of models and sizes, and always to your custom requirements.

For more information:

G.S. Manufacturing 1-800-363-CART (2278) www.gsm-cart.com

BEST LAUNDRY TRUCKS & CARTS • Laundry Trucks • Bushel Trucks

®

INDUSTRIAL / INSTITUTIONAL LAUNDRY TRUCKS

• Exchange Carts • Flare Carts • Security Carts

ON-TIME DELIVERY & QUALITY SERVICE! Diversified Plastics, Inc.

South Carolina & Georgia • 800.768.7636 sales@dpiroto.com • dpiroto.com

Ask about our Spring Lift Platforms, Vinyl Cap Covers and many other options to customize our products to your particular needs!

l-800-275-2436 maxi-movers.com

Email:sales@maxi-movers.com

MISSED OUR DEADLINE?

www.AmericanLaundryNews.com TO PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE

We sell direct to all parties!

Visit our website for other models and avaliable options.

McCLURE INDUSTRIES, INC.

800-752-2821 • www.mcclureindustries.com email: kim@mcclureindustries.com

M.I.T. POLY-CART 211 CENTRAL PARK WEST, NEW YORK, NY 10024 800-234-7659, FAX: 212-721-9022 WWW.MITPOLYCART.COM

GO TO:

0720aln_Classifieds-FINAL.indd 19

is the only molded cart to pass rigorous independent laboratory testing for NFPA fire codes  Made of durable fiberglass making the cart life at least twice that of a poly cart  Easy to maneuver even in tight spaces  Built with quality components to last years longer than other carts

M5112 6 different capacities designed to specifically handle the requirements of large industry and institutional needs. And our 10 factories nationwide reduce delivery times and cost.

• Spring Lifts

Source Directory listings in American Laundry News are sold on an annual basis at the following rates:

 Sani-Trux

www.

americanlaundrynews .com

2020 Listings Regular Boldface Four Line Listing per Year $935 $1,170 Display and additional line rates available upon request

All Caps $1,170

All Major Credit Cards Accepted

6/16/20 9:05 AM

20 JULY 2020 | AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS

www.AmericanLaundryNews.com

Source Directory DRYERS – 100 POUNDS OR LESS

CART-WASHING SYSTEMS

ENERGENICS KARTWASHERS

HIGH PRESSURE FOGGING - LOW WATER CONSUMPTION Designed to wash and sanitize all popular laundry carts • 30 second dwell • Disinfection by fogging • EPA registered device • Up to 40 carts/hour

Concentrates wash effectiveness on the cart interior

A convenient guide to sources of products and services

Fast automatic washing, sanitizing and drying insure optimum cleaning • Low water usage • Self chemical production on demand • Exceeds healthcare certifications • No residue

1470 Don St. • Naples, FL 34104 • 800-944-1711

www.energenics.com

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

HEALTHCARE LINEN TRANSPORTS

HEALTH CARE LINEN TRANSPORT CARTS “In-House” or “Over-The-Road Transport”

DRYERS – 100 POUNDS OR MORE Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

Ergonomic Aluminum - Tough Fiberglass – Ultimate Stainless ALL SIZES & CUSTOM CAPABILITIES

800-826-1245 | www.tqind.com | TQcarts@TQind.com America’s #1 Trusted Source Since 1961!

ELECTRONIC REPAIRS

What Every Laundry Needs In A Cart Washer:

LINT COLLECTORS & FILTERS

A cart washer that works continuously for 15-20 years. The ability to install your cart washer in a cross-contamination barrier wall. A cart washer that really, truly cleans each cart of bio-contaminents inside and out. One that uses existing utilities - no remodel costs. Time selectable efficient cycles that use a minimum amount of water.

DLF-500 4,000-35,000 CFM Established: 1985

McCLURE INDUSTRIES, INC.

email: kim@mcclureindustries.com 800-752-2821 • www.mcclureindustries.com

Lint Lasso 4” to 18” Duct

DRYER BOOSTER & EXHAUST FANS

Established: 2011

OPL-Series

CLEAN CYCLE SYSTEMS 960 Crossroads Blvd., Seguin, TX, 78155 800-826-1245 • CCsystems@tqind.com www.cleancyclesystems.com

1,000-10,000 CFM Established: 1991

www.cleancyclesystems.com • 800 . 992 . 0697

ENERGENICS CORPORATION

TALK TO OUR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING STAFF ABOUT YOUR NEEDS

›› Our In-Line Lint Filter mounts inside, saves space! ›› OPL Duct Mounted Lint Filters 1,000 to 2,700 CFM ›› Fiberglass or Stainless Steel Dry Filters ›› Hundreds Sold Annually 1470 Don St. • Naples, FL 34104 • 800-944-1711

www.energenics.com

MATERIAL HANDLING / CONVEYORS Gardner Machinery Corporation P.O. Box 33818, Charlotte, NC 28233 Ph.: (704)372-3890; Fax: (704)342-0758 www.gardnermachinery.com

MAT ROLLERS

contact us to book your ad

TODAY!

classifieds@atmags.com

Source Directory listings in American Laundry News are sold on an annual basis at the following rates:

0720aln_Classifieds-FINAL.indd 20

www.AmericanLaundryNews.com 2020 Listings Regular Boldface Four Line Listing per Year $935 $1,170 Display and additional line rates available upon request

All Caps $1,170

All Major Credit Cards Accepted

6/16/20 9:05 AM

AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS | JULY 2020

www.AmericanLaundryNews.com

Source Directory PARTS

A convenient guide to sources of products and services

PARTS & SUPPLIES

CINCINNATI LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT

21

SMALL-PIECE FOLDERS

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

We stock all the parts you need!

We have something for everybody!

Parts for All Major Manufacturers AJAX • CISSELL LAVATEC • ALLIANCE IPSO • HUEBSCH JENSEN HYPRO/SUPER SYLON HOFFMAN • VOSS PERMAC

SURFACE DISINFECTION

2648 Spring Grove Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45214 Phone: 513-542-5000 • Fax: 513-542-5022 www.cincinnatilaundry.com cle@cincinnatilaundry.com

Your #1 AJAX Source!

ENERGENICS DISINFECTION

PRESS MEMBRANES LAUNDRY SPARE PARTS

THE WORKHORSES OF YOUR DISINFECTION PROGRAM

(844) 447-5559 // www.maxi-press.us

• “Quick Kill” Hypochlorous Generator • “UV-MAX” Ultraviolet Disinfector • “UV-Conveyor” Ultraviolet Conveyor Belts 1470 Don St. • Naples, FL 34104 • 800-944-1711

PRESSES – EXTRACTION

www.energenics.com

Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

WASHERS – CONTINUOUS BATCH Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

WASHER-EXTRACTOR – 100 POUNDS OR LESS Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

WASHER-EXTRACTOR – 100 POUNDS OR MORE Pellerin Milnor Corp.

P.O. Box 400, Kenner, LA 70063 504-467-9591, Fax: 504-468-3094 www.milnor.com

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Company

www.

americanlaundrynews

.com

Source Directory listings in American Laundry News are sold on an annual basis at the following rates:

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Page

Company

Page

Direct Machinery......................................................................................18

Norchem Corp.............................................................................................5

GA Braun ................................................................................................... 11

Pellerin Milnor ............................................................................................3

Girbau Industrial.........................................................................................7

R&B Wire Products .................................................................................15

The Griffin Group .....................................................................................18

Stanco Industries .....................................................................................18

J.P. Equipment .........................................................................................18

UniMac .........................................................................................................9

Lavatec Laundry Technology .................................................................24

Vega Systems ...........................................................................................18

Monarch Brands .......................................................................................23

Washburn Machinery ..............................................................................18

2020 Listings Regular Boldface Four Line Listing per Year $935 $1,170 Display and additional line rates available upon request

All Caps $1,170

All Major Credit Cards Accepted

6/16/20 9:05 AM

22 JULY 2020 | AMERICAN LAUNDRY NEWS

www.AmericanLaundryNews.com

• 87% reduction in total water consumed (blue water).

• 83% reduction in solid waste generation at healthcare facility (results in reduced landfill costs). End users can count these improvements as a credit toward improving their sustainability programs.

Recovery of lost instruments was also included for disposable gowns, because instruments are often sent to the landfill with disposable drapes, towels and gowns.

A second end-of-life scenario considered reusable gowns reused in other industries.

Transportation was included within each of the applicable stages of the life cycle.

Prudential Cleanroom Services recently opened its new 73,200-square-foot plant on a 4-plusacre tract of land in Hillsboro, Oregon. (Photo: Prudential Overall Supply)

Prudential Cleanroom Services opens facility in Oregon IRVINE, Calif. — Prudential Cleanroom Services, a provider of cleanroom laundry service systems that is a division of Prudential Overall Supply, reports it has opened its Hillsboro, Oregon, Cleanroom Laundry Processing Facility.

“Our team is excited to show our customers and prospective customers our newest facility in Hillsboro, Oregon,” says CEO John Clark. “The site employs 87 full-time employees.

This location provides our Northwest customers with additional products and service offerings and will help with our company’s expansion into additional markets.”

Prudential moved into its new purchased location from a nearby leased building that no longer satisfied the company’s growth requirements.

The new state-of-the-art Cleanroom Laundry Processing Plant is a 73,200-square-foot commercial laundry facility, which sits on a 4-plus-acre tract.

The project converted an existing warehouse building into a cleanroom laundry processing facility that includes offices, industrial space, employee areas, loading docks and 80-plus parking spaces on site for staff.

The company says the Hillsboro plant is its largest cleanroom laundry processing facility.

Study: Reusable PPE ensures supply, is also better for the environment MISSION, Kan. — Hospitals scrambling to buy reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) can rest assured a permanent switch to cloth protective attire not only ensures adequate supply, but it is also better for the environment.

A study published in the AORN Journal in March compared the life cycle of reusable versus disposable surgical gowns. Reusable (cloth) surgical gowns are laundered after each use and undergo a quality inspection before being returned to the hospital for use. Hospitals pay up to 50 cents a pound to send disposable surgical gowns to the landfill.

The life cycle assessment (LCA) research was spearheaded by the American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) and the International Association for Healthcare Textile Management (IAHTM) and was conducted by Environmental Clarity LLC. Disposable and reusable surgical gowns were studied from their inception as raw materials in the earth to manufacture of the coverall product, to use/reuse, then to final end-of-life disposition. The scope and the results emphasize transparent, science-based life cycle analysis.

The study found that when reusable surgical gowns are used, versus disposable alternatives, the environment wins.

Choosing reusable surgical gowns results in: • 64% reduction in natural resource energy consumption.

• 66% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (measured as CO2 eq emissions).

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Crown launches city-specific informational pages on linen services for potential customers

NASHUA, N.H. — Crown Uniform and Linen, a commercial laundry service for New England, reports it has launched new city-specific pages to help customers find information on a city-by-city basis.

The reality is that New England is more than just the larger cities such as Boston or Providence, and the company says the new pages help customers in smaller cities start the learning process.

“We’re proud of our website and recognize it’s the first place many new customers go to learn about our best-in-class commercial laundry, linen and uniform services,” explains Plato Spilios, co-president at Crown. “We want people in many of the smaller cities in New England to know and recognize us as options for solving their commercial laundry solutions.”

Persons who would like to view the new pages can visit the sitemap at https://crownuniform.com/sitemap/. There, sample pages can be browsed such as the page for Waltham, Massachusetts (https://crownuniform.com/waltham/), or Nashua, New Hampshire (https://crownuniform.com/nashua/).

The Crown representative can overview the business’ needs and then correlate that with Crown linen services.

Private investment firm Architect Equity acquires Faultless Brands LOS ANGELES — Architect Equity reports that it has acquired Faultless Brands, owners of Faultless, Niagara and Magic laundry products, Bon Ami and Kleen King cleaning products and Trapp Fragrances.

Faultless Brands is based in Kansas City, Missouri, and has been family owned for over 130 years.

“We are pleased to complete the acquisition of Faultless Brands,” says Dionisio Lucchesi, managing director of Architect Equity. “The business has a rich history of internationally recognized brands, a global distribution footprint and compelling growth plans that we are excited to support.”

Architect Equity is a private investment firm comprised of an integrated team of investors and operators that provide immediate liquidity solutions to public and private business owners. Under Architect’s ownership, target companies benefit from industry relationships, operational resources and an M&A platform to support further company growth.

Sean Williams, CEO of Faultless Brands, says, “We believe that Architect Equity is an excellent partner to help take our brands and business to the next level by supporting innovation and other growth initiatives across our portfolio.”

TCATA announces this year’s Board of Directors from April board meeting TAMPA, Fla. — The Textile Care Allied Trades Association

(TCATA) reports that it voted in this year’s Board of Directors during its April board meeting.

The association says the following members were unanimously approved onto the board: • Michael Leeming, Parker Boiler: VP Machinery Manufacturers • Peter Limoncelli, Yankee Equipment Systems: VP Distributors • Gene Williams, American Laundry Products: VP Supply Manufacturers • Bill Schitzner, Quality Fabricators: Treasurer • Bill Odorizzi, Sankosha USA: Ex-Officio • Bill Brooks, Alliance Laundry Systems: Machinery Manufacturers • Orville Johnson, FabriClean Supply: Distributors • Kelly Kelleher, Kelleher Equipment: Distributors • Matt Lamons, Loomis Brothers Equipment Co.: Distributors • Mack Magnus, M & B Hangers: Supply Manufacturers • John Silverman, Tschopp Supply: Distributors • Charles Thompson, American Trade Publications: Related Trades The Board of Directors has been meeting regularly with Board President Fred Schwarzmann (A. L. Wilson Chemical), TCATA CEO Leslie Schaeffer and TCATA Business Manager Luci Ward via Zoom since the beginning of the year.

Continental Girbau names Aadvantage Laundry Systems as 2019 On-Premise Laundry Distributor of the Year OSHKOSH, Wis. — Continental Girbau, one of eight brands of manufacturer Girbau North America (GNA), recently recognized Aadvantage Laundry Systems in Garland, Texas, with the On-Premise Laundry Distributor of the Year award.

Aadvantage, led by CEO Mike Zuffinetti and President Ryan Smith, a division of EVI Industries Inc., received the On-Premise Laundry award for outstanding sales and service performance within the on-premises laundry market.

Founded in 1966, Aadvantage is among the largest volume distributors in the world, says Continental. A full-service provider of parts, service and sales, Aadvantage serves the vended, multi-housing, industrial and on-premises laundry markets, providing turnkey solutions, including laundry design, financing, installation, business projections, demographic studies and highly efficient laundry equipment.

“Aadvantage delivered stellar customer service and onpremise laundry sales in 2019,” says Joel Jorgensen, GNA vice president of sales. “Aadvantage leads its territory with market-best technical service, parts and support spearheaded by a customer-centric approach of excellence. This consistently results in impressive sales.”

In memoriam: Erik de Vuyst, Lavatec Laundry Technology BEACON FALLS, Conn. — Lavatec Laundry Technology reports that Erik de Vuyst, the company’s senior field service engineer and a valued employee since 1993, died on May 27 after a long illness.

He would have turned 72 the next day.

“Erik was a truly special man,” recalls Mark Thrasher, president. “He was kind, funny and such a joy to be around.

“He was the hardest working man I have ever met, and he would go out of the way to help anybody. Erik’s dedication to Erik de Vuyst his job and Lavatec was second to none.

He will be missed by everyone here and his wife, Nyesha, whom he was married to for 17 years.”

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the family plans to hold a memorial event in the future.

ALN

6/16/20 9:08 AM

G ER IN M M M O U C SS I

ANTIMICROBIAL MICROFIBER CLOTHS

TH

™

SilverSure features SILVADUR® patented silver technology that uses silver ions to eradicate the presence of undesirable bacteria and microbes from the surface of the cloth.

Available in two sizes and four colors.

Treated with SilvaDur by DuPont

Created by Monarch Brands

How do you prepare customers for the new normal?

Microfiber has to be your weapon of choice to combat viruses and bacteria. As laundry professionals, most readers are well aware of the benefits of microfiber. However, are your customers educated? Have they used microfiber flat mops before? Do they understand why its important not to use the same cloth everywhere? We have developed an educational sheet to inform your customers regarding the proper use of microfiber in the workplace. Available in English and Spanish language, printed fullcolor copies can be provided with every microfiber system order.

Visit monarchbrands.com or scan to learn more about the technology and order information.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE POST-COVID CUSTOMER?

Our goal is to inform your customers with regards to: • • • • •

What the CDC found about the superiority cleaning with microfiber A practical, efficient guide to room cleaning with microfiber Why color coding is essential to mitigate cross-contamination The do’s and don’ts of microfiber usage and care in the workplace The science behind microfiber construction that makes it so effective

Post-Covid Microfiber Essentials SMARTRAGS

FLAT MOPS

HARDWARE

With the correct tools and education in place,

your customers will be armed to combat COVID-19 now, and help mitigate any Fall resurgence. So, talk to us. We’ll recommend microfiber packages that work for every size and type of customer, from local restauraunts to hospital system EVS operations. Also, when minimums are met we will work with you to create your own branded material and product lines.

IRREGULAR

RUN OF MILL (ROM)

ROUTE READY

These bar mops are perfect for wipe-and-toss in heavily soiled environments. Weaving defects such as over-stitching or IR cuts reject perfectly good wiping tools from circulation.

We buy these at a deep discount and pass the savings on to you. Packed: 100 doz/bale.

When bar mop production runs are over and inspections have been completed, mills have excess yarn. Run Of Mill (ROM) bar mops contain every bar mop that comes off the loom after the first quality run has been finalized, so are more economical than Grade A1 bar mops.

Route Ready bar mops are optically white and packed in bags of 25 so you never have to pre-wash or recount them prior to use.

Typically, laundries save 70¢/doz by freeing washroom and finishing floor operators from a whole wash cycle.

STARTING AT

STARTING AT

STARTING AT

$1.75 PER DOZ

$2.35 PER DOZ

$2.95 PER DOZ

(215) 482-6100 info@monarchbrands.com ALN_Full_Page.indd 1

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