American Laundry News - April 2024

Examining cost controls in laundry & linen services

Cost-per-pound, cost-percustomer strategies to help operators maintain or improve financial health

BY MATT POE, EDITOR

It’s a fact of business: costs continue to rise.

From goods to products to services, laundry and linen service costs go up every year.

That’s why operators need to learn the true costs of processing linens and adjust so that the business can continue to put out clean, quality goods to benefit the business and its customers.

“Our basic management philosophy and corporate mission is ‘you can’t manage,

what you don’t measure’ in our industry,” says Eddie Lefeaux, CEO of Westport Linen Services, a healthcare laundry in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Using this as a starting point, American Laundry News gathered information on some best practices for laundry operators to examine their costs per pound and customer and how to use that information to help ensure financial stability.

MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE

Any type of analysis starts with measuring key indicators.

“Tracking every measurable expense starting with utility consumption, productive labor, linen injection, delivery expenses and measuring against budgeted standards are essential in measuring your true costs per pound,” says Lefeaux.

“By tracking delivered pounds by the return received pounds daily allows us to forecast linen injection and linen consumption by each customer. We then use our service teams to help control inventories, work in utilization, and eliminate abuse and waste at the customer’s accounts.”

“Actively gathering and tracking all costs per pound, per customer, per item or even per item per customer should be part of each laundry’s best practices,” says Rudi Moors, a 32-year laundry industry veteran and founder of Beyond Washing, a strategic services consultancy in Greenville, North Carolina. “There are various companies out there that provide tools and programs to do so.

“In my past role, the ones I encountered most were Spindle and Laundry Dashboard. I know that both also track employee performance, and that the latter also tracks (individual) machine performance.”

Moors agrees that gathering and track-

ing cost information is vital in a laundry operation.

“Measuring is knowing and knowing is half the battle,” he says. “It will tell the operator a lot of things.”

Moors says gathering and tracking information will help figure out whether the company makes money or not, and if not, where to look first, such as:

• What works and doesn’t work?

• Which customer(s) is/are not profitable?

• Which items (even per customer) are not profitable?

• How are the individual employees performing?

• Which machine(s) is/are not performing as expected?

• Cost of utilities?

• Cost of materials?

• Labor cost?

• Etc.

“With accuracy from precise data, we can compare each client to industry benchmark standard by the service type of acute, long term or various healthcare departmental practices,” shares Lefeaux.

As an example, he says that if an acute care facility is averaging 19 pounds per adjusted patient day, the laundry can examine inventory par levels by the department and compare the line consumption to its patient census and suggest best demonstrated practices for that area.

So, what are some key measurements and cost analyses to make?

“First things first: do you know your costs per pound or costs per customer?” asks Gerard O’Neill, president and CEO

Shasta Linen electrifies half of delivery fleet

• What is the PPOH (pounds per operator hour)?

FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Motiv Power Systems, a manufacturer of mediumduty electric trucks and buses, reports in late 2023 it completed the delivery of five electric vehicles to Shasta Linen Supply, a commercial linen supply company delivering linens, uniforms, and other textiles to more than 1,200 business and professional firms in California.

“Community and sustainability go hand-in-hand for the team here at Shasta, and electrifying our fleet with the Motiv vehicles brings us one step closer to cultivating a cleaner and greener environment,” says Noël Hammer Richardson, president and CEO of Shasta Linen Supply.

Shasta is paving the way as Californiabased companies begin to transition to electric in accordance with the state’s Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) regulation.

ACF requires fleets to have 50% of their vehicles be all-electric by 2031, and Shasta’s five Motiv trucks now make up half of their fleet.

Shasta has taken its existing business and retrofitted the infrastructure to support the trucks from Motiv, now in operation across local routes in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.

See Costs on Page 6

With the delivery and deployment of the Motiv-powered vehicles in late 2023, Shasta has already driven 9,600 miles, reduced an estimated 15,800 pounds of tailpipe emissions and saved $4,800 on fuel costs.

(Photo: © soleg/Depositphotos)

Organizers say Texcare International on course for success

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany — Organizer Messe Frankfurt says the laundry, dry cleaning and textile service industry is looking forward to Texcare International here Nov. 6-9.

The event will take place again after a long break due to the pandemic, and registration is already very good, according to organizers, who share that 247 exhibitors from 30 countries have already registered.

This is significantly more than at the same time of the planned previous event in 2020.

“We are delighted with the strong response from the industry,” says Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim, director of Texcare. “Texcare will have an enormous range this time.

“In addition to the major manufacturers of machinery, chemicals and textiles, there will also be many new companies, for example from the robotics and IT sectors.

“With exhibitors from all over Europe, Asia and North America, we are once again achieving a very high level of internationality. Visitors can therefore expect a comprehensive overview of innovations from all product areas of textile care.”

Texcare 2024 will take place in

Hall 8 and the Galleria. The exhibition area will remain virtually unchanged compared to the previous event.

Among exhibitors that have registered are Alliance Laundry, Christeyns, Danube, Domus Laundry, Girbau, Ecolab, JENSEN, Kannegiesser, Lavatec, LG Electronics, Metalprogetti, Milnor, Multimatic, Sankosha, Texfinity and Veit.

Elgar Straub, managing director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, sees Texcare 2024 firmly anchored in the calendar for the machinery and plant engineering industry.

“The Texcare industry is also currently facing major challenges,” he says. “These, from the constantly changing requirements of legislators to labor shortages and difficult trading conditions due to geopolitical changes, underline the need for international industry representa-

tives to finally be able to meet and exchange ideas at the world’s leading trade fair Texcare International again.

“Top themes at Texcare will include digitalization and automation and how these can help customers to achieve greater flexibility, sustainability and quality in their production.”

Andreas Schumacher, managing director of the German Textile Cleaning Association, is looking forward to Texcare and emphasizes the opportunities for textile care companies.

“It is important for our industry to finally meet in person again,” he says.

“Particularly in view of the current challenges, such as rising costs, especially in the energy sector, and the shortage of skilled labor, I think it is essential to experience the industry’s innovations and discuss ideas for new business areas together.

“It’s great that so many exhibi-

tors have already registered. We are looking forward to our leading trade fair.”

Organizers say the comprehensive range of products and services at Texcare is aimed at commercial laundries, textile service providers and dry cleaners, as well as hotels, hospitals, care homes and other businesses that professionally handle their own laundry.

The textile care industry is not immune to challenges such as labor shortages. Digital technologies are increasingly helping to compensate for this situation and optimize work processes. Automation is therefore one of the top themes at Texcare International 2024.

Other important industry topics are the circular economy and energy efficiency—both levers for making processes in laundries and dry cleaners more efficient and sustainable. The focus will also be on new developments in textile hygiene.

Nine months out, nearly 250 exhibitors have registered for Texcare International 2024. (Photo: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH)

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More production, less consumption.

Counting the costs

From The Editor’s Desk

I can’t stand looking at prices today.

Gas, food, clothing … everything costs more than ever.

While I can’t do much about prices, I can do something about how much I spend.

I’ve looked at vehicles with better fuel efficiency, lower-cost food items and ways to make the groceries last longer, etc.—without sacrificing quality. Sacrificing quality costs more in the long run.

Laundry and linen services need to scrutinize their costs and operations, too, in order to maximize operational costs per pound, per operator and per customer.

That theme runs through this issue, starting with the cover story.

I reached out to laundry operators and consultants to share their expertise on ways to best determine costs and help increase margins—again,

without sacrificing quality.

The four industry representatives go through many ways to calculate and improve costs, but there are many more options available.

So, think of this feature as a starting point to help you with cost control.

Besides the plant, operators must keep a sharp eye on a laundry’s delivery fleet. Fuel costs, like everything else, so it’s vital to use available tools to track fleet efficiency (page 16).

Two operators are adding electric vehicles to their fleets to help with efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Shasta Linen Supply (page 1) has electrified helf of its delivery fleet with Motiv Power Systems, and Mission Linen Supply recently ordered step vans from Xos Inc. (page 23) .

I hope these articles and the rest of this issue help you keep everything clean.

Crothall becomes Core Linen Services

Improvements are constant in the laundry game

I have written in the past about how I love this time of year.

No bundling up to go to work. Doors in the plant can be left open without fear of a wintery blast coming through them. The plant floor is a comfortable temperature to work in.

Of course, the best part of spring is it’s baseball season. I do love me some baseball. The sounds and action of a live baseball game are worth the long winter’s wait.

When my grandson was around 18 months old, I took him to his first Major League Baseball game. He was on sensory overload.

All the sounds around him. The beer man letting us know who had the coldest beer. Hot dog vendor peddling his dogs, the obnoxious fan who has a comment on every move the players make.

My grandson had his head on a swivel, smiling ear to ear. He made it through all nine innings but was quickly asleep on my shoulder before we made it back to the car.

Whenever possible, I like to get to the games as early as the gates will open. These are the very best baseball players in the world. They can hit further, throw harder and catch better than any other human on our planet.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Crothall Laundry Services, a provider of outsourced laundry and linen management services to the healthcare and hospitality sectors based here, reports it has rebranded to Core Linen Services.

As part of the continued evolution of the organization, the rebranding to Core Linen Services is a significant milestone in the company’s 33-year history.

Crothall, founded in 1991, says it provides mission-critical laundry and linen management services nationally with 29 operations that process 500 million pounds of linens annually.

The company says it utilizes the highest quality and sustainability standards and processes that adhere to Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and The Joint Commission guidelines.

The move to the new brand and company name is one that had been planned since the sale of the company to H.I.G. Capital in 2020.

“This is an exciting time for the organization as

we complete the final step of our evolution to a fully independent service provider in the healthcare and hospitality industry,” says Michael Barner, Core Linen Services’ CEO.

“I am excited about the name change and how Core exemplifies our company’s commitment to excellence in all we do.

“Core is more than a name, it is our foundation and the values we represent for our customers and associates: a passion for excellence, trust and mutual respect, collaboration and inclusion, development and employee safety, and social responsibility.”

“Core Linen Services is the clear leader in the laundry and linen management sector serving healthcare institutions through the combination of best-in-class operations, scalable data-driven processes and a stringent focus on quality,” says said Anthony Chambers, managing director at H.I.G.

“We are excited about this recent brand change, moving to the next chapter of growth for the organization.”

COLUMNISTS/FEATURES

OUR SISTER WEBSITES

It is amazing to see each one of them hit the ball out of the ballpark and do it five of 10 hits in warm-up. The pitchers are popping the catcher’s mitt on every throw. I just love that sound.

Their coaches standing by to consult them on every pitch or swing of the bat.

Wait a minute, why would the greatest athletes in the world need coaching? They have already thrown a million pitches in their lifetime, hit a million pitches since tee ball.

We have already established that there is no one better in the world than these players at baseball. Yet, they are getting coached after every pitch. Why do they need so much coaching?

The answer is simple. They are never as good as they can be. There is always improvement to be made.

The same can be said about the laundry business.

There are always improvements to be made—both improvements in the quality of the product we produce or improvements in the working environment employees are working in. We never have the perfect setup.

We may be performing these tasks at the best we know how today, but that doesn’t mean we can’t improve in the future. We may feel our quality is the best in the market today, but that doesn’t mean that our competition may not make a breakthrough and soar right by us if we are overly satisfied with our current product line or finished product.

Another major aspect of baseball is the mental game. Players must learn to handle pressure and the changing situations of the game.

It is just as important for laundry managers to constantly be working on our mental game. The situation in the laundries is changing day to day and how we handle them sets up our present and future successes.

One bad interaction with an employee, while it may help you make it through today, can have grave consequences on future employees’ thoughts concerning your management skills and abilities.

We should always be working on these skills. Books and seminars are good sources to help with these skills. Joining peer groups of other laundry managers is also a good source of personal and professional growth.

Like every good baseball player, we should always strive to be better and always be coachable.

• New Service Accepts Unclaimed Laundry

David Griggs serves as general manager for Superior Linen Service’s healthcare division based in Oklahoma.

COLUMNIST AT LARGE David Griggs

MATT POE

New brand, company name planned since sale to H.I.G. Capital in 2020

Costs

of American Laundry Systems in Derry, New Hampshire, an independent consulting company that was established in 2003.

“If not, then let’s start there. The best advice I can give is to measure, measure, measure. Measure utilities, measure productivity of all staff (production, maintenance, sales, admin, drivers, customer service, etc.) even management.

“This does require some investment of equipment and software (to make your life easier) plus time and effort and/or can be done manually with pen and paper.”

O’Neill’s next piece of advice is for a laundry operation to first measure and compare against itself. He recommends doing this for four to six consecutive months.

“Establish a baseline, and then tackle the low-hanging fruit first and then go to the next level and the next and so on and so on,” he says.

The low-hanging fruit, according to O’Neill would be total and productive labor, linen replacement costs, and energy/utilities—what he calls The Big Three.

“Measure your labor for total labor and direct labor,” he says.

In PPOH, total labor includes everyone in the plant:

•Management and supervisors.

•Drivers.

•Customer service.

•Production employees.

•Maintenance/janitorial staff.

•Administrative staff.

Direct labor is production staff only (no supervisors, managers or maintenance staff).

“To calculate your PPOH divide your volume (in pounds or pieces) by the number of hours it took to perform the work and then divide that resulting number by

the number of people/employees it took to do the work,” O’Neill says. “Here you would use both total staff numbers and then direct labor staff numbers.”

His example is a plant that does 200,000 pounds per week (40 hours a week) with 50 total staff and 25 direct labor staff. Divide 200,000 by 40 for 5,000 pounds per hour, and then divide 5,000 by 50 for 100 total PPOH, and then divide 5,000 by 25 for 200 PPOH for direct labor.

“Do this for four to six months, or longer if you have the patience, and you will start to see trends and notice when your PPOH numbers are up and or down from the average,” O’Neill says.

“Now you can analyze and see what customers are being processed at what times and are they the reason for spikes in PPOH,

etc., or is it machine downtime or turnover, and the list goes on and on ‘ad infinitum.’

“But at least now you have started to measure and created a system and established a baseline to work with.”

He says that laundry operations should compare themselves to published industry standards or to peers, operators, cost group members, etc.

“But be sure to take ‘some’ of those numbers with a grain of salt as there are operators out there who inflate and do not count all staff as they should for bragging rights or for some reason or another,” O’Neill cautions.

“It is critical that you really do measure against yourself first and then to others second.”

Once the measurements and bench-

marking are accomplished, he says an operation can now measure utilities, chemical usage, linen replacement, lost and damaged linen or uniforms, machine downtime, maintenance efficiency, machinery efficiencies, etc.

“As you can see, we have opened Pandora’s box, so to speak, where you can go with all of this, and it is a very worthwhile exercise no matter the cost in equipment or software that is available to help you manage and track all of this information,” he says.

“No matter the expenses, within reason of course, or the time and effort taken to accomplish your baselines for PPOH, energy/utilities, linen replacement, machinery efficiencies, etc., the results will literally astound you once you start to analyze and see the trends, problem areas, even discover problem customers.”

O’Neill says that at this point, an operation can address these in turn by using the PPOH numbers or the energy/utility numbers in Btus per pound and gallons per pound and so on such that profit margins per pound or per piece or per customer will increase dramatically.

“I have seen increases of 10-20% on average and even higher in plants that did not measure anything except on the direct labor production side alone,” he shares.

O’Neill concludes, “If you are not doing this, then you need to start and you need to start now.”

ANOTHER COST PER POUND, CUSTOMER APPROACH

“One of the best ways to approach the cost per pound analysis is to look at it from something that everyone knows and in many cases brags about in their operation: pounds per operator hour (PPOH) production ratio,” says Doug Story, owner of MorganBrooke, a laundry consultancy in Sylva, North Carolina, has more than 35 years of experience working with industrial and institutional laundries.

“I have heard this talked about at trade shows and meetings, but something that I have not heard too much about for understandable reasons is the cost per pound

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

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Costs

Continued from Page 6

per operator hour production ratio.

“PPOH is one of those great measures of productivity, but as part of our operations, shouldn’t we have a number that is also a measure of the cost per pound of those items being processed?”

The PPOH is the result of every operation in the laundry, Story says. It is the accumulative effort of everyone and every system in the plant.

The simple PPOH calculation is the total number of pounds processed divided by the labor hours required to produce the work.

“However, I look at it this way,” shares Story. “PPOH equals cart pack plus finishing (folders, ironers, dryers, etc.) plus washing process plus soil sort plus soil delivery.

“It is an accumulative process, if any one of these areas falters, the PPOH will suffer for the whole plant.”

Story moves from PPOH to the cost per pound per operator hour (CPPOH) as a comparative ratio for use by a laundry.

He says the simple calculation would be to take the total cost for the number of pounds processed and then divide it by the labor hours required to produce the poundage.

“However, I look at it the same way as we do the PPOH except that in each factor of the equation we are looking at how much it costs against the pounds processed,” Story points out.

“CPPOH equals cost per pound on a clean linen cart plus cost per pound through finishing plus cost per pound of the washing process plus cost per pound soil sort plus cost per pound soil delivery.”

He says that this is simplistic in that it just touches the final number, but in each of these numbers, there are key factors (depending on how a laundry has set up its financials and on how detailed it wants to do analysis). For example:

• Cost per pound soil delivery: Labor, truck, carts, fuel, etc. are a few of the

costs against the goods being delivered.

•Cost per pound soil sort: Labor, equipment, slings, etc.

•Cost per pound washing process: Water, chemicals, steam, equipment, labor, etc.

“There is a lot of data gathering; however, if you do this analysis, you will have the whole picture of your operation broken down into two numbers,” Story says.

“Two numbers that can be used to measure the efficiency versus the costs of the operations. Efficiency is just not a measure of how much work one can produce, it is also a measure of costs and quality (rejects and returns).

“So, you might want to add rejects and returns to the metrics that are high on your daily ‘keep an eye on’ reviews.

“To those of us who really enjoy drilling down in the numbers, can you imagine how detailed you can get with today’s systems and how easy it would be to understand the impact of price or production changes will have on the economics of each area in your plant?

“This could be a valuable tool as we all work to manage our operations in very volatile times.”

Story shares an anecdote that illustrates his points.

“In Akio Morita’s (president and found-

er of Sony) book, Made In Japan, he told the story of how he had bought the rights to build and sell the small portable AM radio the U.S. company Panasonic had invented and didn’t think it would go anywhere,” he says.

“His company received orders for several hundred thousand from a U.S. retailer, and he and his engineers calculated that they could not produce those numbers at the quality level needed by the customer without spending a significant amount of money on the upgrades.

“So, rather than do that, he created a pricing structure that made lower volume orders cheaper than the higher volume orders of radios. The retailer liked that, and the rest is history. Panasonic died as an American company and Sony grew.

“This story tells a lot of things but in this case, increased production does not necessarily mean more efficiency in terms of costs, etc.”

Story says that cost per customer should be part of a laundry’s strategic planning within the business.

Each of the factors that follow should be part of an operation’s goals and objectives, where the laundry is setting goals and then comparing the actuals against the goals.

“A concept that many young businessmen find most surprising to learn is that one of the most expensive components of doing business is adding or putting on new customers,” he says.

“Knowing this adds a new dimension to the analytics one must look at in their efforts to increase the sales and revenue of a free-standing laundry operation.”

A few factors Story suggests a laundry should look at as it develops its sales strategies include:

• Capacity Utilization Rate (CUR). This is a measure of actual output versus potential output. If the CUR is at 100%, the laundry will have to look at other avenues, e.g., adding a shift, more equipment, etc., increasing the

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

cost per new customer in terms of these additions, but perhaps only for the short term as production builds. If the CUR is 50%, then the addition of new customers may aid in mitigating the cost of the new additions by the savings achieved at increasing the CUR/productivity in the operation (e.g., 10 equally sized customers processed over eight hours versus 12 equally sized customers processed over eight hours in the same operation).

•Customer Acquisition Cost. The total investment in dollars to acquire a customer and generate revenue. This includes all costs, marketing, sales salaries, entertainment, etc.

•Customer Retention Rate or Churn Rate. A measure of the customers that have been retained and lost over a given period.

• Accumulative (or Lifetime) Customer Value. Amount of revenue generated by each customer. This can aid in understanding what it takes to keep a customer and the development of new ideas and products a laundry can provide that can aid the customer and build revenue for the operation as well.

Story also recommends that laundries employ Customer Feedback programs that measure the good things and perhaps the not-so-good things customers say or feel about the company.

“These feedback programs can generate scores that are indicative of your overall

image to the customers in terms of your product, quality and service,” he says.

“Hopefully, your organization will gain insight from this data and use it to take enhancement actions for the good things and corrective actions on those that are still not quite perfect.”

Story notes that J. Paul Getty, once the richest man in the world, is credited with saying, “Take care of the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves.”

“In application, these ratios, values and feedback programs we discussed are a way to take care of the pennies as they are being used and generated in the operations and with the customers,” he says.

The factors Story shared can be broken down into three areas with seven metrics.

“There are many more, but these can be some of the key metrics that in my opinion contribute to all the other financial metrics,” he says.

1.Operations: PPOH and CPPOH are ways to measure the efficiency and productivity of an operation and put a financial number on the operational parts (i.e., soil sort, wash aisle, etc.) of the process as well as on the whole process.

2.Sales Planning: The capacity utilization rate is a method that can put a focus on what is needed in terms of new sales to improve the CUR or perhaps even suggest additional production capacity to meet new customer sales and/or organic growth sales

expectations.

3.Customer Metrics: Knowing customer acquisition costs, customer retention rate and accumulative (or lifetime) customer value are just a few of the financial factors that if kept good track of will give a solid picture of how things are going “out there” as well as an early warning system in the event there are issues building within the plant and/or the customer base. The customer feedback program is not a financial factor, but it can be an aid in how you move forward and how you allocate resources within an organization.

“It is my opinion that having these seven metrics at your disposal on a continuous basis will give you the information needed to respond to almost any issue within the plant as well as with your customer base,” says Story.

ENSURING FINANCIAL STABILITY

The bottom line is that laundry operators need to go beyond measurements and cost analyses and make use of the information to help ensure the financial stability of the business.

“If expenses exceed budgeted allowances, management must investigate, respond and react with a corrective plan of action to meet the targets,” Lefeaux points out.

“For example, when diesel fuel rises, delivery route efficiency must be examined and maximized to achieve peak opti-

mization.

“Sometimes routes will be consolidated or delivery frequency may be modified to complete the tasks.”

“The gathered information should tell the operator exactly where and how to act and where and how to reduce losses or improve profitability,” Moors says. “It will allow the operator also to benchmark with the industry and/or within the own group (if consisting of more than one location).

“Is a price increase required and if so, how much? General or rather per individual customer(s)? Perhaps per item, overall or for certain customers? Does the operator need to let go of non-performing employees? Or invest in new equipment with a strong ROI? Are certain costs need to be brought under control? With the help of long-term vendor partners? And so on.

“Of course, other parameters like AR (accounts receivable) and AP (accounts payable) need to be well managed. All measures should establish or increase profitability.”

Moors points out that if a laundry is losing or not making enough money with a customer and there’s nothing that can be done about it (costs are under control, a general or selective price increase is not accepted), then the laundry should let go of the customer.

“The race to the bottom must come to an end,” he says. “Our industry needs to start putting out decent prices leading to financially healthier operations.”

Dialing in chemical representative/ laundry relationships

Five laundry/chemistry insiders share how to create, maintain effective partnerships

BY MATT POE

The laundry and linen services industry is based on many factors. A key factor in the successful processing of goods is relationships, and one of the most important relationships is that of the chemical representative and the laundry operator.

How involved should a chemical rep be in a laundry’s washroom operation?

American Laundry News reached out to operators and chemical suppliers and communicated with five professionals on this subject.

Miriam L. Avila is operations team leader for Roscoe, a uniform rental company in Chicago; Chad Dare is executive vice president of sales for Pariser Industries in Paterson, New Jersey; Steve Tinker is senior vice president of research and development, marketing, for Gurtler Industries Inc. in South Holland, Illinois; Graham Skinner is vice president of large laundry sales for UNX-Christeyns in Greenville, North Carolina; and Leonardo Gastelum is director of national accounts, customer care, for Norchem Corp. in Los Angeles.

In general, how involved should a chemical representative be in a washroom operation?

AVILA: I think is vital that the chemical representative is involved as much as possible, hands-on inspecting and verifying that everything is running smoothly.

Interacting with the wash floor operator and quality inspectors. Looking for opportunities to enhance quality and or savings.

DARE: Very. Customers should be able to rely on their rep’s core competencies and industry expertise as it relates to the entire laundry operation.

One size will not fit all, and it is the

responsibility of a good representative to determine that customer’s needs and how best to complement their existing abilities to produce beneficial outcomes.

TINKER: Good wash formula design, taking into account time, temperature, mechanical action, and chemical action, requires a broad understanding of the entire laundry operation.

For example, wash formulas that are focused on reducing chemical cost could be designed to make up for the lower chemical action by increasing both time and temperature.

However, that could cause an unwanted increase in energy usage and a decrease in production, or pounds of clean laundry produced per hour. So, understanding all of the factors that can affect the overall operation are a key responsibility of a well-qualified chemical representative.

Good chemical reps can act as a consultant that reviews your overall operation, from soil sort to washing to final finishing, to make sure that the process is running smoothly at maximum efficiency, producing the highest possible quality at the lowest possible overall cost.

SKINNER: Chemical reps should be seen as active partners in achieving quality outcomes in an operation. In many cases, they can see a problem coming in advance, of its arrival.

The chemical program, plant procedures and equipment condition are all interdependent on each other, to achieve these outcomes. Good discussion and dialogue across these three aspects are important and something the chemical rep should be a part of.

GASTELUM: The involvement of a chemical representative in a washroom operation can vary depending on several factors, most significantly the specific needs of the laundry, but also the expertise

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

of the representative and the level of support desired by the laundry operators.

While there is a lot of machinery and software that run a washroom, our industry has set a standard and the expectation that the chemical rep is most often the link that connects them all.

The versatility of a chemical rep’s expertise and know-how is critical. Despite whether it is expected of them by the customer or is something unrelated to their direct role, chemical reps must take the initiative to learn the washroom from start to finish to understand the impact it has on the wash operations and quality of the finished goods.

This would mean that, overall, chemical reps should be moderately involved in the washroom, at a minimum, with an emphasis on providing technical support and expertise to optimize cleaning and hygiene processes.

How often should a rep contact and visit the laundry? Why?

AVILA: I think every other week is a good balance for visits, allowing us and the rep time for feedback and or changes and to address any issues.

DARE: It depends to a large degree upon the size and nature of the operation.

Dispensing systems require routine oversight and maintenance. Powder programs require less oversight.

Obviously, overall laundry linen tonnage, the quantity of different soil classifications, the customer’s requirements and the related chemical will play a role in setting up appropriate service scheduling.

TINKER: Generally, a once-per-month visit is recommended. The length of a service visit can vary from four to eight hours; however, for very large operations, that service call could be completed over a couple of days.

But don’t consider the time factor of a service call as a measure of the quality of a service call. Thoroughly trained, experienced chemical reps can delve into problem-solving quickly and effectively, proposing a plan of action to resolve issues.

Another thought: well-designed and engineered chemical dispensing systems with proven service life and robust performance are key.

If your rep is spending too much time testing, calibrating and/or repairing their chemical dispensing system, they may not be paying attention to the laundering operation and process to identify potential concerns, quality issues or formulations that are out of balance.

SKINNER: Barring special projects, emergency calls or contract stipulations, once a month would be the absolute minimum. For very large, high-volume plants, once a week spot check may be required. I have found that twice a month for medium to large plants is a good balance, giving a visit for titrations, formal reports, water analysis check and inventory. The other is for inventory control, follow-up, quality checks, preventative maintenance, etc., or some variation of this.

GASTELUM: Depending on the demands of the customer’s operation, a schedule can be determined (and fine-tuned) to ensure the needs are satisfactorily met.

Regular virtual contact and routine in-person visits that range from once a month to every other month are typical for maintenance visits of operations that don’t require frequent support.

When demand is higher, biweekly to monthly is preferred to maintain relation-

ships and help address issues promptly.

Except for the start-up of a new customer, a rep that needs to be present weekly as a result of recurring issues is an indicator that operations should be evaluated for optimization or expectations reset with the customer.

Who should the rep be working with at the laundry? Why?

AVILA: Wash floor operators, quality control inspectors and operation team leaders.

DARE: The rep should work first and foremost with the department head and/ or their designees.

Additionally, a rapport should be developed with administrators and general managers to establish familiarity with the key players in ensuring program success.

Lastly, respect and time should be paid to the floor personnel to get their frontline input.

TINKER: Gurtler Industries recommends that our representatives meet with the owner or general manager at the beginning of the service call to review any recent concerns that may have developed since the last service visit and at the end of the service call to review all of the actions and recommendations that we included in our service report.

During the service call, the rep should interact with line management or leads in each department, (such as soil sort, washroom, finishing department, maintenance, etc.) to make sure that any issues are reviewed.

SKINNER: Obviously, the general manager and operations manager. Having a good working relationship with the maintenance team is very important as well.

Serving as an extra set of eyes in the plant, the chemical rep can help assist in issue discovery usually before it happens.

Other, sometimes overlooked, staff members the chemical rep should interact with are floor leaders and personnel doing the job. They are a great lens when it comes to gauging quality. They are in front of it all day, every day.

GASTELUM: At each visit, the rep should work regularly with the laundry manager, supervisors, chief engineers and maintenance staff.

It is also important to interact with the staff operators who process the textiles and garments.

Doing this ensures visibility into what the operators are seeing daily from all viewpoints and provides insight into challenges that may arise, such as quality or machinery issues, when troubleshooting.

Should the rep be advising on formulas? Equipment? Washroom practices? Other segments of the wash aisle? Why or why not?

AVILA: Yes, they have the expertise and knowledge to help direct and recommend formula changes or if they see any equipment or performance concerns.

DARE: Yes. At the end of the day, the rep must take direction from the customer; however, the vendor’s offer should include providing advice and best practice recommendations in a professional and supportive manner.

TINKER: For certain the chemical rep should advise and/or develop wash formulas; however, this should be a cooperative relationship with management to make sure that the overall goals of the management team are well understood.

Laundry chemical cost can be only a few percent of the overall operational costs

of a laundry; however, misapplied chemicals or poorly designed wash formulas can affect the other 95-plus percent of operational costs, perhaps driving water and sewer costs out of line, using too much natural gas due to unbalanced hot water use, or increased wash formula times will drive down wash aisle productivity.

Your chemical rep should be inspecting the wash equipment looking for issues, such as leaking drain valves that can cause both a quality issue and an increase in water and energy costs.

He or she should also make sure the soil sort operation is designed appropriately. A new textile or garment or customer may call for a new soil sort classification and a

new wash formula to maximize processing efficacy.

SKINNER: When it comes to formulas, absolutely. That’s part of the total package.

Knowing the extended needs of the customer and the particulars of the plant and equipment usually sets some of the formula parameters.

Procedures in the washroom room can have a dramatic effect on quality as well. Helping the plant leadership team coach and guide front-line staff in proper handling and best practices can really accelerate great outcomes.

See Chemical on Page 17

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PANEL of EXPERTS

Cultivating trust in laundry teams

TConsulting Services

Stephanie Gregg Vizient, Little Elm, Texas

his is a very sensitive and personal question for me as I have struggled with delegating the work to others in my career because I’m reluctant to give up control.

One of the best things said that helped me in my own journey is, “The most effective leaders are able to be out and no one in the organization notices a change because the teams take ownership and accountability for their circle of influence.”

Giving up control and trusting others to complete the job is paramount to a successful culture.

If you set the expectations from the beginning, train staff and give them the tools to do their job, encourage and coach along the way, and celebrate in their success publicly and correct privately, the result will be a team that wants to work for you because they know you trust them and believe in their abilities.

Rental

W. Kirby Wagg Performance Matters, Sarasota, Fla.

In the fast-paced world of the textile rental laundry industry, trust is not just a desirable quality, it’s essential for smooth operations and business success.

As an industry veteran with over four decades of experience, I’ve witnessed, firsthand, the challenges that arise when trust between supervisors and employees falters. The sentiment of supervisors feeling unable to trust their team members to get the job done is a common concern that can hinder productivity and morale.

However, at Wagg’s Linen & Uniform in Canada, we found effective strategies for cultivating trust within our organization.

One of the core principles guiding our approach to fostering trust is the empowerment of employees, especially route reps. We recognized that trust is a two-way street. It begins by giving the route rep the autonomy and authority to make decisions independently when they are dealing with a customer concern on route whether collecting receivables or adjusting customer inventory.

Rather than micromanaging every aspect of their work, we empowered them

“One thing my supervisors say is that they feel like they can’t trust employees to get the job done. What can we do to cultivate trust?”

to take ownership of the situation. This not only instilled a sense of responsibility but also demonstrated our confidence in their abilities.

We provided guidance, mentoring and support rather than dictating every step of the process. We encouraged open communication and dialogue, where route reps felt comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns and suggestions.

By creating a culture of transparency and collaboration, we fostered a sense of belonging and mutual respect within the team.

When employees feel supported in their professional growth, they are more likely to demonstrate dedication and loyalty to the company (I had three of the best route reps in the industry with me for over 30 years).

At Wagg’s we often provided opportunities for our route reps to experience a managerial role such as route managers or plant managers.

We recognized the importance of recognition and appreciation in building trust. We made it a priority to celebrate achievements, milestones, and successes, whether big or small. By acknowledging and rewarding our reps’ contributions, we reinforced a positive work culture where trust and camaraderie thrive.

Another key aspect of cultivating trust is fostering a sense of accountability among employees. By setting clear expectations, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing measurable goals, you create a framework for accountability within the organization.

When employees have clear expectations and the necessary resources and

support to fulfill their obligations, trust naturally follows.

Stay interviews (one-on-one conversations) are a key component to the process. These can be casual encounters, or they can be more scheduled. Either way, it shows your concern for their well-being.

In conclusion, building trust in our industry requires a multifaceted approach that prioritizes empowerment, communication, recognition and accountability. I have seen, firsthand, the transformative impact of these strategies on our organization’s culture and performance.

By empowering employees and fostering a supportive work environment, you cultivate a solid foundation of trust that will drive your success.

Trust between you and your employees is not built overnight, but with dedication, commitment, and the right strategies, it can become the cornerstone of a thriving workplace culture.

WJay Juffre ImageFIRST, King of Prussia, Pa.

hat a rabbit’s hole this question produces. It is best to look at this from a few different angles (although, there are probably many).

If a supervisor were to tell me they can’t trust employees to complete a task, the

first thing I would ask is, “Why do you feel that way?”

Did we not train them to do the job correctly? Did we hire untrustworthy or lazy people? Is there something about the job that makes it too difficult to complete?

Are we concerned they may not be able to do it as good as the supervisor? How much time did we really spend with these employees building trust?

The point being you must unpack why any supervisor would feel they do not trust employees to complete a task.

Also, we must remember that trust is a two-way street and typically earned. The best way to cultivate trust is to spend time doing it. Too many companies, hire people quickly and then spend zero time trying to get to know them or position them for success.

Starting with the hiring process, is part of the process based on hiring people who are honest and trustworthy?

As silly as it may sound, when interviewing people, I always think to myself, “Would I trust this person with my family?” “Does this seem like the type of individual who I’d invite over to my home for dinner and leave them alone while I went out to pick up some pizza?” If the answer is no, why would I let them work for the company?

Once you find the right candidate and hire them, ensure the supervisors take the time to train them on the job at hand and get to know them as employees and people.

The supervisor should also objectively observe what aspects of the job they do well. This will help build the trust they are looking for.

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

Healthcare Laundry

Textile/Uniform

It also goes without saying that trust is a two-way street. How much do the employees trust the supervisor if he or she insists on doing the job for them instead of letting them try and complete it?

Ultimately the simple definition of trust is doing what we said we were going to do. We hired the employee to do a job. Let’s keep our end of the bargain.

Also, trust them to make a mistake or two and learn from it. We hired or promoted someone to supervise (supervise and train them). Let’s make sure they are doing just that as well.

BUniforms/Workwear Manufacturing

uilding trust between supervisors and employees is essential for a healthy and productive work environment. Here are some strategies to cultivate trust:

Set Clear Expectations: Ensure that expectations for performance, deadlines and quality of work are communicated clearly to employees. When everyone understands what is expected of them, they are more likely to meet those expectations.

Those expectations must be established early on—ideally during training. Set the realistic bar and make sure they understand the goals.

Empower Employees: Give employees autonomy and ownership over their work.

When employees feel trusted to make decisions and take initiative, they are more likely to feel valued and motivated to perform well. A high-performing employee makes for a successful mission, environment and bottom line.

Provide Support and Resources: Ensure that employees have the necessary resources, training and support to do their jobs effectively. Feeling supported by their

supervisors and having access to the tools they need can boost confidence and performance.

Employees who feel they don’t have the right tools to meet the expectations will not only fail but could bring down others around them.

Encourage Open Communication: Create an environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Encourage regular one-on-one meetings between supervisors and employees to discuss progress, challenges and goals.

Everyone seems to have an “open-door” policy. Make sure yours is legit.

Follow-up on EVERY SUGGESTION. Let the suggesting employee know why their idea may not be a viable solution, but under no circumstances should their idea be ignored.

Lead by Example: Supervisors should demonstrate trustworthiness in their own actions and decisions.

Consistency, honesty and integrity from leadership set a positive example for employees to follow. Be available to your employees. Answer their calls, their e-mails, and their suggestions.

Recognize and Reward Success: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements and successes, both big and small. Recognizing employees’ contributions shows appreciation and reinforces positive behaviors.

Address Issues Promptly: Address any issues or concerns that arise in a timely and respectful manner. Ignoring problems can erode trust and morale within the team.

Promote Collaboration: Foster a collaborative culture where teamwork is encouraged. When employees feel supported by their colleagues and see the value in working together, they are more likely to trust each other and their supervisors.

Provide Opportunities for Growth: Invest in employee development and provide opportunities for learning and advancement. When employees see a path for growth within the organization, they are more likely to be committed and engaged.

Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from employees about their experiences within the organization. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and demonstrate a commitment to fostering trust and transparency.

By implementing these strategies, supervisors can help cultivate a culture of trust where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered to perform their best.

To foster a positive and productive work environment, trust plays a vital role. However, building trust can be challenging.

From my personal experience, I have found that four basic principles can help cultivate trust between employees and supervisors: Communication, Consistency, Recognition and Empathy. Effective communication is crucial to building trust. Supervisors should encourage open and transparent communication, and communicate regularly with employees about expectations, progress and challenges.

This helps create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns and ideas, which is essential for building trust.

Consistency is a key factor in building trust. Supervisors should demonstrate reliability in their actions, decisions and communication.

Consistent behavior and adherence to established policies and procedures help employees feel secure and understand what to expect from their supervisors.

Supervisors who exhibit consistency in their approach to problem-solving and decision-making build credibility over time, which strengthens the trust employees have in their ability to lead effectively.

Recognizing and appreciating employees for their hard work and contributions is a powerful trust-building tool. Supervisors should acknowledge achievements, whether big or small and express gratitude for the efforts put forth by their team members.

This positive reinforcement not only boosts morale but also communicates that supervisors value and recognize the unique contributions of each employee.

Celebrating successes and publicly acknowledging individual and team accomplishments create a positive and supportive work environment that enhances trust. This could be as simple as verbally letting an employee know that they are doing a great job or as elaborate as an award for the employee of the month or quarter.

Demonstrating empathy and understanding is crucial for building trust in supervisor-employee relationships. Supervisors should take the time to understand the unique challenges faced by each team member and show empathy toward their personal and professional situations.

A supportive and empathetic approach fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty among employees, creating a trusting atmosphere where individuals feel comfortable approaching their supervisors with concerns or seeking guidance.

This could be as basic as remembering the employees’ names or making small talk with them during a daily walkthrough.

I think it’s safe to say that conflicts are bound to arise in any organization with more than two employees. The laundry industry is especially prone to conflicts due to the prolonged time spent with co-workers, who are often also family members.

The laundry environment can be tough, and working for long hours sorting soil or in front of an ironer while the weather is scorching hot is not easy either. However, trust plays a crucial role in effective conflict resolution.

See Experts on Page 15

Commercial Laundry Rodrigo Patron

Lace House Linen, Petaluma, Calif.

WW Services—History of facility services, uniform solutions

Third-generation VP shares the company’s legacy of excellence, innovation, sustainability

BY FRANK MARESCA JR.

WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Since its humble beginnings as a laundry provider in 1924, WW Services has grown into a comprehensive facility services and uniform solutions company.

With a rich history spanning nearly a century, WW has consistently adapted to meet the changing needs of our customers.

Through its evolution and diversification, WW Services has embraced technology, comprehensive service offerings, a commitment to sustainability and excellence, and a vision for the future.

DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION

WW Services has come a long way since its inception.

In 1948, the company expanded its services to include dry cleaning, marking a significant milestone in its journey.

However, it was in 1973 that WW experienced a transformative moment by introducing uniform rentals to local businesses. This division quickly became a crucial part of WW’s operations, propelling it toward accelerated growth.

Over the years, WW has further diversified by offering facility services and custombranded apparel options, ensuring it can confidently cater to its customers’ requirements.

Most recently, in 2022, WW Services became Connecticut’s fastest-growing onsite van-based First Aid and Safety provider, expanding its service offerings to meet the evolving needs of our clients.

TECHNOLOGY

WW Services has always been at the forefront of technological advancements.

One notable example is the implementation of RFID (radio-frequency identification) tracking, which allows for accurate deliveries and ensures efficient inventory management.

This commitment to utilizing state-ofthe-art technology sets WW apart in the industry, providing customers with peace of mind and reliable service.

MARKETS

WW Services serves a wide range of industries, including outpatient medical offices, pharmaceutical companies, food production plants, colleges and universities, municipalities, automotive businesses, manufacturing facilities, aerospace companies, and office buildings.

With a dedicated team and a fleet of 20 routes on the road, WW Uniform Services ensures timely and efficient delivery of uniforms.

We are currently servicing all of Connecticut, the five boroughs of New York City, Massachusetts and Rhode Island through WW Uniform Services.

We are open six days a week. WW Uniforms routes all run four-day work weeks but have a staggered schedule, so the routes are not on the road all week.

WW First Aid and Safety along with WW Drycleaning work Monday through Friday.

The company’s production facility is open six days a week. We have two shifts Monday through Friday and a half of a shift on Saturday.

The uniforms division operates four 450-

pound open pocket washers, two 600-pound gas-fired dryers, a 100-pound washer, two 50-pound dryers, and a semi-auto-assisted sorting system. We have 15 routes on the road.

WW First Aid and Safety along with WW Drycleaning work Monday through Friday.

The drycleaning division has two processing locations with two drycleaning machines, shirt pressing stations, pant pressing stations, and four routes on the road.

Additionally, WW First Aid and Safety services Connecticut, further solidifying our position as a comprehensive facility services provider.

SUSTAINABILITY AND EXCELLENCE

WW Services takes pride in its commitment to sustainability and excellence.

As a certified green and hygienic company, we prioritize environmentally friendly practices while maintaining high standards of cleanliness.

Our dedication to excellence is recognized through the “Award of Excellence CT Employment.” With a long-tenured staff and a robust system of checks and balances, WW ensures that every item processed meets the highest quality standards.

PAST AND FUTURE

As WW Services celebrates 99 years of business, our success as a family-owned operation is a testament to the hard work of our team and the loyalty of our customers.

Adapting to change has been a key factor in our longevity, whether it is through

the addition of new services or realigning operations to prioritize customer needs.

As we enter our centennial year, WW remains committed to evolving alongside our customers, ensuring their continued success for the next century.

Our greatest successes have been our growth year after year and 98% retention year after year.

Employee retention is our No. 1 success and is also how all the beforementioned was achieved.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In conclusion, WW Services’ journey from a small laundry provider to a leading facility services and uniform solutions company is a testament to its adaptability, commitment to technology, and dedication to customer satisfaction.

With a diverse range of services, a focus on sustainability, and a reputation for excellence, WW stands tall as a trusted partner for businesses in the Northeast.

As we embark on our centennial year, WW looks forward to continuing its legacy of service and innovation for generations to come.

We have consistent and clear expectations to be around for another 100 years. I’ve been watching my children grow in the company with hopes to see them take reigns one day.

Frank Maresca Jr. is vice president and a third-generation family member of WW Services in Wallingford, Connecticut.

(Photos: WW Services)

When there is trust between supervisors and employees, conflicts can be addressed promptly and resolved amicably. This prevents the development of lingering issues and fosters a foundation for open and honest discussions.

It goes without saying that trust is crucial for every work environment, but it’s not something that happens overnight. It takes time and genuine effort, particularly when it involves earning the trust of superiors.

It can be difficult to navigate cultivating trust when it appears that there is little to none to start with, but there are different ways to go about fostering that trust in manageable and measurable ways.

As with most things, communication is the cornerstone of all relationship-building tactics. But above all, it is important to be open and honest in your communication with your team. Make sure everyone knows what’s going on and feels included.

It’s also important to set clear expectations and goals so everyone knows what they’re working toward. Setting the example encourages employees to demonstrate that same culture in their interactions and with the management team, in turn.

Giving your team members the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work is another way to show employees that you value their input and thereby create an environment of doers.

Equally, offering support and feedback regularly can direct the employees to align with the goals and expectations, while not forgetting to celebrate their successes

along the way.

Trust goes hand in hand with respect. By creating a culture where everyone feels valued and respected, you inherently begin to cultivate a trust that prompts supervisors and employees alike to cooperate and overcome conflicts as they arise.

Encouraging accountability and learning from mistakes, especially from the standpoint of a supervisor, can show employees that there is not a culture of punishment but instead improvement.

After all, we’re all human, and mistakes happen. It’s how we grow from them that matters.

Remember, trust goes both ways. Show your team that you trust them, and they’ll trust you in return. Together, you can build a workplace where everyone feels supported and appreciated.

TEquipment Manufacturing

his is an interesting statement that I think should be looked at in multiple ways.

First, you must pinpoint when and how trust was broken. Are we effectively communicating our goals and objectives, and have we given our supervisors the right tools and education to manage employees?

Maybe it’s time to get more involved in how tasks are being communicated to the troops, are supervisors talking to the employees or at them?

Our words, tone and body language have everything to do with the results we receive. Make sure your supervisors are listening to the employees and providing the right feedback.

If not already doing so, have one-onones with your supervisors and employees as frequently as possible to make sure everyone is on the same page and communicating well—consistent communication

and information sharing build trust.

Providing feedback on the health and direction of the organization and getting employees involved in making decisions, or at least sharing their ideas, makes employees feel like part of the team and can help cultivate trust.

Roll up your sleeves and provide assistance or guidance with tasks to show you care and know what it takes to do the job. This will also help you glean insight into whether the tasks are realistic and manageable.

Keep everything performance-based and don’t take things personally.

I’ve seen many times when a line employee is moved up to supervisor due to tenure or being at the right place at the right time and the supervisor is not fit for the job or there is animosity among the

team if they all once worked side by side and feel the employee did not deserve the supervisor position.

If possible, investigate team-building activities, which can help build trust between your supervisors and employees.

Finally, review your policies, procedures, and standards, and make sure everyone has a copy and that they are posted in a prominent place so everyone knows what their job responsibilities are. We all know trust must be earned and does not happen overnight. Be patient, compassionate, and fair, and focus on the best in people. Trust will come with the right nurturing.

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”—Ernest Hemingway

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Cost control in motion for laundry/linen delivery

How data analytics empower cleaning distribution fleets to confront operational expenses

BY KATERINA JONES

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — While inflation has been kept in check for much of the broader economy over the last few months and diesel prices have declined, the cost of diesel fuel may have negative ripple effects across the economy, particularly for cleaning distribution fleets.

Demand for domestic transportation of goods is expected to increase in the coming months as cleaning companies cut much of their excess inventory over the last few years and have focused on reshipping and restocking, along with construction projects spurred by President Joe Biden’s stimulus plan that increases the use of diesel trucks.

This means diesel consumption will increase at a time when prices have crept back up and geopolitical tension has placed a further strain on diesel supplies.

The national on-highway average for trucking’s diesel fuel was $4.146 per gallon as of Nov. 27, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

While prices have fallen slightly, a colderthan-normal winter has placed even more pressure on supplies of diesel, making prices more difficult for cleaning distribution fleets to absorb.

The trend is likely to place even more pressure on cleaning distribution fleets operating on razor-thin margins at a time when overall costs are rising and they’re looking at every way possible to keep bottom lines healthy.

COSTS KEEP RISING FOR CLEANING DISTRIBUTION FLEETS

According to ATRI’s (American Transportation Research Institute) recent report, the cost of operating a truck in 2022 was $2.251 per mile, surpassing $2 per mile for the first time in the history of ATRI’s studies.

Sure, a lot of this increase was due to high fuel costs, but other cost centers saw jumps by double-digit percentages as well, including repair and maintenance, truck and trailer lease or purchase costs due to the increase in equipment costs, and driver wages, according to ATRI’s analysis of the operational costs of trucking 2023 update.

The report also indicates that the cost of trucking, with fuel included, increased by 21.3% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Truck and trailer payments, repair and maintenance, auto liability insurance premiums, tires, and driver wages all set record-high marginal costs in 2022 (National Private Truck Council [NPTC] Benchmarking Report).

On the private fleets side, the overall cost of trucking was listed as the third most prominent challenge in this year’s NPTC 2023 Benchmarking Report, compared with the fourth overall challenge the previous year.

All of this means cleaning companies are now leveraging better data and analytics to pay closer attention to their truck replacement opportunities.

Gone are the days of basing replacement decisions off experience-driven guestimates—today’s industry is centered on data technology driven by asset management firms that provide a holistic view to scru-

tinize how every individual spec impacts utilization and the bottom line.

As evidence of this, the December 2023 Truck Life Cycle Data Index (TLDI), calculating the cost savings associated with replacing older-model units with the latest truck equipment, shows that fleets can realize a first-year per-truck savings of $15,347 when upgrading from a 2019 model year daycab truck to a 2024 model, according to the Fleet Advantage Truck Life Cycle Data Index, December 2023.

Across a fleet of 100 class-8 trucks, this equates to $1,534,700. This also represents a 12% decrease in emissions.

MAINTENANCE & REPAIR COSTS ESCALATING

Parts and labor cost data recently showed that significant cost challenges continue to impact cleaning distribution fleets.

According to data from American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council, on a year-over-year basis between the fourth quarter of 2022 and Q4 2021, parts and labor costs rose by 14.4% and 10.8%, respectively, and combined expenses were up 13%.

Earlier in 2022, annual comparisons between quarters showed that combined parts and labor costs were up 15.3%, parts costs rose 15.8%, and labor expenses increased by 14.6%, (FleetOwner.com, “Maintenance and repair costs rise, but rate of increase slows,” March 2, 2023).

One way cleaning distribution fleets are overcoming these cost challenges, especially for maintenance and bottom-line economic trends, is by leveraging predictive modeling. Predictive data leverages science and

analytical trends to create algorithms and formulas that combine economic insights along with data mining trends to arrive at a forecasted output that is scrutinized for more accurate fleet planning.

When making critical business decisions, predictive modeling can be extremely beneficial in cleaning distribution fleet executives’ leverage of past and present data. These cleaning companies have relied on data to leverage key insights to help determine a company’s “tipping point,” the point at which it makes more financial sense to replace an aging truck in the fleet with a newer, more efficient and safer model.

However, today, tech-savvy cleaning companies are using predictive modeling to help forecast this tipping point by looking into the future and selecting specific dates to gain visibility into the future life cycle performance and replacement economics of each truck.

Fleets can analyze any number of criteria, including truck make, model and type, as well as utilization characteristics such as usage location and fuel metrics.

This critical insight helps predict the savings over the next one, two or three years and shows where unit replacements would present operational cost savings over the predicted time allotment during that time span.

With this data analytics technology in hand, cleaning distribution fleet executives can work with their asset management partners to identify where long-term cost savings can be found in the investment of newer trucks with safer technologies, even though the cost of equipment has increased on the front end.

And with safety features more readily

available on today’s new trucks, additional cost savings in accident avoidance and insurance can also be realized.

COMPARING COST OF DIESEL TO ALTERNATE FUELS

Lastly, with environmental regulations on the minds of many cleaning distribution fleet executives, many are wondering when it makes the most sense to bridge over to alternate fuel technologies like electric vehicles.

This bridge is different for every company, and data technology and analytic tools are now being utilized to help cleaning distribution fleets take into consideration various inputs including equipment cost, charging, cost of energy, cost of diesel, grants, tires, depreciation, etc., and converts them into a cost per mile (CPM) to determine the total cost of operating an electric vehicle over its lifetime, allowing cleaning distribution fleets to make an informed decision about which type of vehicle is more cost-effective for their fleet.

In many cases, the data shows that diesel trucks are more cost-effective for their operations, but now they have the data tools available to make the right comparison.

With the availability of the right data analytics, as well as strategic input from asset management partners, cleaning distribution fleets are best equipped to make the right decisions to offset operational and diesel costs no matter the fluctuating price of fuel.

Katerina Jones is chief marketing officer for Fleet Advantage, a provider of truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing and life-cycle cost management.

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

GASTELUM: The chemical rep should be adept at providing formula recommendations, titrating chemicals, and the installation, calibration, and maintenance of the dispensing equipment.

They should regularly perform quality, equipment and inventory audits with each visit. They should be identifying areas for improvement and optimization of detergent usage, water and energy efficiency, and overall wash quality.

By collaborating closely with laundry management, the chemical rep can implement recommendations and achieve desired outcomes.

A knowledgeable rep should also be able to advise on best practices for laundry operation, including proper dosing procedures, water temperature, cycle times and load sizes.

They may also provide training to laundry staff on the safe handling and use of chemicals, as well as troubleshooting assistance for resolving common issues.

How can a laundry operator and the rep create a solid working relationship?

AVILA: Good communication, being available when needed for emergencieså and hands-on working together while servicing the account.

DARE: Communication! Working together to establish procedures and standards for the account builds trust and accountability. Without it, the overall program will likely not achieve its best possible results.

TINKER: Communication is the key— helping the line management make sure that their goals are met while also communicating with upper management.

Previewing the goals of the service call with management and following up with action steps keeps the information flowing from month to month. I recommend developing an approach that has long-term goals.

For example, perhaps management is concerned that there is too much overtime labor cost. The chemical rep can suggest changes to the operation designed to reduce labor costs, such as designing wash formulas that are 10% shorter in time, allowing for higher throughput in the wash aisle.

The chemical rep can establish goals, test new wash formulas or new chemistry and measure quality and time savings, and report the findings to management over the course of a few months.

SKINNER: Trust, respect, and unbiased communication and cooperation. Good follow-up on issue resolution, on both parts, will always win the day.

GASTELUM: A solid working relationship can be established by open communication, regular meetings, joint problemsolving, and training and education.

When a chemical rep shows initiative and a willingness to work together, as well as advise on matters that support the operations as a whole, it demonstrates to the operator how important they are to the chemical rep.

This goes the distance when developing trust and respect that elevates it from a customer-supplier relationship to a strategic partnership. When the care is shown in the holistic actions of the rep, it carries weight when conflicts arise and joint troubleshooting is needed.

What are some signs a rep is getting too

involved? Not involved enough? How can these be addressed before the relationship is strained to the breaking point?

AVILA: I don’t think getting too involved would be an issue. That is added value if you start to see product quality decline, a spike in chemical cost and not receiving detailed service visit reports immediately after each service visit.

DARE: Customer push-back, if one is open to recognizing it, will let one know that they are approaching a sensitive area.

At a certain point when resistance is apparent, a rep should respectfully defer to customer management and simply put their recommendations in writing to document the recommendations made without appearing to be overbearing or aggressively defensive.

There will be times when one must accept the customer’s direction on implementation as it is never good to be “so right that one is wrong,” but is always wise to document and save such correspondence should it become necessary to share with alternate or new management.

TINKER: A chemical rep should only be as involved as upper management wants.

Again, good, two-way communication is the key. An annual review of the service goals and results is a good way to make sure that the service provided by the chemical rep is matching the expectations of the management team

SKINNER: The pendulum of involvement in the plant will almost always shift back and forth depending on the issue(s).

Finding that Goldilocks spot will come from candid and objective communication without posturing. Clearly defined expectations will help as well.

GASTELUM: Signs of too much involvement include micromanaging; frequent, unscheduled visits; and overstepping boundaries.

When a rep is being relied on for matters that are the responsibility of other vendors or the laundry operators themselves, then it can certainly put tension in the relationship. Particularly if the expectations to repair or service items that fall out of the purview of the chemical rep are placed on them.

This is a critical point for resetting expectations with the chemical rep to establish the procedures needed to prevent recurring issues or conflicts.

Signs of too little involvement include a lack of communication, infrequent visits and limited support. Operators want to know that at a minimum, the rep will satisfy their service commitments.

Operations are bound to experience challenges and issues, so addressing issues early and with honest communication can prevent relationship strain from building over time. Regular check-ins and clear expectations can help strike a balance and foster a healthy partnership.

Please share anything else you consider important in the chemical rep/ laundry relationship.

DARE: As service providers, one must balance being a business/vendor representative with being committed to the customer’s best interests and results.

This requires an open mind, a critical eye, tact and sincerity, and if done properly, will result in long and successful customer relationships.

TINKER: A good rep will communicate new chemistry, technology, systems and industry trends to their customers as they are developed, making sure that the customer understands the potential benefits.

MIP USA adds three team members

WILMINGTON, Del. — MIP USA

Inc. reports it has added Alex Duke, Todd Racino and Carmella Cadusale to its team.

Duke has been appointed as MIP USA’s regional textile specialist, West Coast. With more than 20 years of industry experience holding highlevel sales positions from companies in both textiles and equipment, he brings valuable proficiency and strong connections within the field to the team and MIP USA customers.

Racino is now MIP USA’s regional textile specialist, serving the Northeast territory. He comes to MIP with 17 years of experience in the linen and uniform rental industry and more than 20 years in sales.

The company says Racino’s expertise in the linen industry will be of immense value to MIP customers in the Northeast.

Cadusale is the new marketing manager for MIP USA. She has a decade of experience in overseeing general marketing operations for both commercial and nonprofit sectors, specializing in endto-end marketing strategies.

Track Career

LAVATEC adds sales, marketing coordinator

BEACON FALLS, Conn. — Equipment manufacturer LAVATEC reports that Kim Thrasher is the company’s new sales and marketing coordinator.

She previously worked for companies in the medical device industry. Cardusale plans to create high-quality resources and impactful solutions to empower MIP’s commitment to its customers.

MIP USA is dedicated to creating a team that supports the healthcare industry in putting people first with uncompromising efficiency, dignity and quality of life.

She is responsible for managing research and assisting the regional sales team with equipment-related inquiries and price quotes and reports directly to company President Mark Thrasher.

Kim has accumulated five years of sales and marketing experience working for two marketing agencies in Connecticut and New York.

She has managed the website for certified, high-quality commercial spare parts and consumables for the industrial laundry market since it began operations in early 2022.

“NewChapterParts prepared me for this new opportunity because I learned valuable insights and gained a unique perspective that I can use to my advantage in my new role,” Kim says. “The direct interactions with customers and understanding their point of view were crucial in helping me build and maintain strong relationships with them.

She studied international business and double minored in marketing and German before receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Roger Williams University. She then earned her MBA at Suffolk University.

During her time in college, Kim served internships at LAVATEC and has since been instrumental in the success of the company’s e-commerce platform, NewChapterParts.

“I have always had a deeprooted connection to LAVATEC. From my time with summer internships to working at trade shows, the business has been an integral part of my life. I am excited to bring a fresh perspective and range of experience to this new opportunity.”

In her free time, Kim loves trying new restaurants, spending time with friends and traveling.

She also loves taking long walks with her fiancée and their goldendoodle, Louie. Kim and Dan are busy planning their wedding in May.

TRSA to host HR, Health and Safety Summit in Milwaukee

ALEXANDRIA, Va. —TRSA, the trade association for linens, uniforms and facility services, is hosting its HR, Health and Safety Summit on April 30 at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee.

The one-day event will feature expert speakers, panel discussions and roundtable sessions on topics such as mental health, employee retention, compensation, safety culture, chemical safety and more.

The summit is designed to help laundry managers and executives improve their human resources and safety practices, comply with the latest regulations, and enhance their employee engagement and performance. Attendees also will have the opportunity to network with peers, share best practices and learn from industry leaders.

The keynote speaker for the summit is Joyce Marter, a mental health thought leader and the founder of Joyce Marter Enterprises. Marter will share insights and strategies on how to promote mental wellness in the workplace, reduce stress and burnout, and foster a positive and productive work environment.

The HR track will include Jason Keck, a partner at Fisher Phillips, who will discuss the new HR laws and how they affect the laundry industry; Katie Cosgrove, a partner at Cosgrove Partners, who will talk about people strategy, succession, retention and development; Lori Stanger, the vice president of people and culture at Wildman Business Group, who will cover compensation trends and best practices; and Kortney Overzet, the vice president of people devel-

opment & culture at Spindle, an expert in fostering a culture of sustainability and employee engagement within organizations, will lead a conversation on new trends in retention of employees.

The Health and Safety sessions will start with learning valuable insights from SafeTRSA Award winners on fostering a strong safety culture within your organization. Stephen Jenkins, the director of safety and health at Cintas Corp., will lead a session focused on ergonomics and how to optimize workstations, equipment and processes to prevent injuries and promote employee health.

Representatives from several supplier

partner chemical companies will discuss the safe handling of chemicals.

Additionally, Brian Varner, the owner and founder of Safety Solutions for Healthcare, will discuss the importance of safety metrics and how to effectively measure safety performance using dashboards and data-driven insights.

After the two breakout groups finish, attendees will gather for a presentation by Jacob Geyer, the chief insurance officer at CompScience, who will demonstrate how artificial intelligence solutions can help improve production ergonomics and reduce workers’ compensation claims.

In addition, Samlane Ketevong, the direc-

tor of certification and accreditation at TRSA, and Varner will introduce the TRSA Health & Safety Self-Audit and Certification Program, a new initiative to help laundries achieve excellence in safety performance and management.

The summit will conclude with a networking reception, combined with the TRSA & WATS Midwest Production Summit, which kicks off the next day (May 1) at the same location allowing attendees to mingle with speakers, sponsors and fellow laundry professionals.

To register, visit the event website at trsa. org/hr-hs, or contact TRSA at 877-770-9274 or info@trsa.org.

(Photo: TRSA)

DUKE

RACINO

THRASHER

CADUSALE

Cintas acquires Kentucky-based SITEX

CINCINNATI — Cintas Corp., which provides products and services such as uniforms, mats, mops, and towels, headquartered here, reports it has acquired SITEX, a Kentucky-based, family-owned supplier of uniform and facility service programs.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SITEX was founded by the Sights family in Henderson, Kentucky, in 1961. Currently, Wes Sights serves as CEO of SITEX, which has five different locations servicing customers in a four-state region, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

“The Sights family has grown SITEX into a strong regional provider of quality apparel and facility service solutions to their customers in the central Midwest,” says Scott Garula, president and COO of Cintas’ Rental Division.

“They’ve built a successful company with a well-earned reputation for delivering outstanding customer and employee experiences. We look forward to welcoming SITEX’s customers and employees to Cintas in the coming months.”

“Our customers and employees have always been and remain our primary focus for any decision we make,” says Wes Sights, CEO of SITEX.

“The opportunity for SITEX to become part of the industry-leading Cintas team allows us to offer more services and products for our customers and capitalize on Cintas’ supply chain support while still delivering the highest level of service.”

In memoriam: Jim Vaudreuil, Huebsch Services

EAU CLAIRE, Wis., and EAGAN, Minn. — Huebsch Services, a uniform rental and floor mat service, reports that CEO and fourth-generation owner Jim Vaudreuil died March 2 after a reoccurrence of

esophageal cancer.

The company says he loved working with people and spent almost five decades in the family business.

Vaudreuil applied his intellectual curiosity for innovation, dedication to environmental stewardship and outstanding leadership skills to transform the company into a locally and nationally recognized industry leader.

“He will be dearly missed by so many,” Huebsch says in a statement.

Vaudreuil served as president and CEO of Huebsch Services since 1980 and celebrated 125 years of the company’s continuous family ownership in 2016.

TRSA says he was instrumental in the development of the uniform rental industry’s initial integrated barcode tracking system and the industry’s first integrated mat tracking system utilizing RFID (radiofrequency identification) technology.

Vaudreuil received the TRSA Lifetime Achievement Award on Oct. 12, 2023.

“Huebsch Services values the long-standing relationships we have built with our customers, vendors and community partners,” the company adds.

“We remain committed to serving our coworkers, customers and communities as an independent, local, family-owned business dedicated to excellence.”

Vaudreuil enjoyed hiking, skiing, sailing and other outdoor pursuits

He is survived by his wife Christine, daughter Isabel and many more family and friends.

There are no services planned since Vaudreuil had a celebration of life before death with family and loved ones.

Donations can be sent to Mount Ashwabay, 32525 Ski Hill Road Bayfield, Wisconsin 54814.

Mission Linen Supply orders step vans from Xos Inc.

LOS ANGELES — Xos Inc., a provider of medium-duty electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and fleet management software, reports it has received a purchase order from Mission Linen Supply for 22-foot step vans.

“We are thrilled to partner with Mission Linen Supply on this significant step toward electric fleet adoption,” says Dakota Semler, CEO of Xos. “Mission Linen Supply’s commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with Xos’s mission.

“Our electric step vans are setting new standards for the textile and linen industries, and we are confident that they will bring immense value to Mission Linen Supply’s operations.”

Mission Linen Supply is a commercial laundry company that was founded in 1930 and services the healthcare, hospitality, and industrial markets as well as many others.

Mission has been a leader in the industry in terms of preserving natural resources and operating sustainably, and the company is excited to incorporate Xos’s 100% batteryelectric step vans into its fleet.

The order is for twelve Xos SV Stepvans, ideally suited for a variety of applications

such as parcel delivery and linen services. Mission Linen’s delivery of step vans will be some of the first 22-foot body step vans from Xos, further expanding use case options for the Xos SV platform.

“Mission Linen Supply has always been at the forefront of incorporating sustainable practices in our business model, and integrating Xos’ electric vehicles is a natural extension of our commitment to provide environmentally friendly goods and services,” says Tony Mancuso, vice president of corporate services at Mission Linen Supply.

Cintas named one of FORTUNE’s World’s Most Admired Companies

CINCINNATI — Cintas Corp. reports that it has been named one of FORTUNE’s 2024 World’s Most Admired Companies, ranking second among all companies in the Diversified Outsourcing Services category.

This is the 16th time that Cintas has been recognized by FORTUNE for this honor.

“We are proud to be recognized by our peers and industry experts as a well-run and successful organization,” says Todd Schneider, Cintas president and CEO.

April

9-11 JENSEN

In-Person Seminar: Flatwork Finishing Technology

Panama City, Fla.

Info: 850-248-4115

10-11 TRSA

14th Annual Legislative Conference & Industry Awards Dinner

Washington, D.C.

Info: 703-519-0029

Calendar of Events

11 Association for Linen Management

Webinar: Beyond Clean: Elevating Laundry Services through Value Added Services Richmond, Ky.

Info: 859-624-0177

16-17 JENSEN

In-Person Seminar: L-Tron & DTX - Platinum Plus

Panama City, Fla.

Info: 850-248-4115

17-19 ARTA

Education Conference

San Diego, Calif.

Info: 863-660-5350

18 JENSEN

In-Person Seminar: JWE/JTD Standalone

Washer Dryer

Panama City, Fla.

Info: 850-248-4115

23 TRSA

Fleet Safety Summit San Antonio, Texas

Info: 703-519-0029

23-25 JENSEN

In-Person Seminar: Washroom Technology

Panama City, Fla.

Info: 850-248-4115

30 TRSA

HR, Health and Safety Summit Milwaukee, Wis.

Info: 703-519-0029

“Being recognized again for this award is a reflection of our unique culture and commitments to providing excellent products and services to our customers, developing our employee-partners, creating value for our shareholders and being a good corporate citizen in the communities we serve.”

Of the companies in the Diversified Outsourcing Services category, Cintas has been ranked first in the following categories: people management, use of corporate assets, quality of management, and quality of products and services.

To determine its 2024 World’s Most Admired Companies List, FORTUNE partnered with global management consulting firm Korn Ferry to identify and rank the Most Admired Companies. Companies among an initial pool of 657 candidates were divided into 52 industry groupings.

Approximately 15,000 senior executives, outside directors and industry analysts were surveyed to rate their peers on nine attributes, ranging from social responsibility to the community and the environment and financial soundness to the quality of products or services. The top finishers in each industry were named to the World’s Most Admired List.

VAUDREUIL

(Photo: Xos Inc)