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March 28, 2013
OPL 101: Technology Wrings Costs Out of Laundry Operations

MARIETTA, Ga. — Improvements are leading to lower labor costs, increased productivity, maximized energy efficiency and enhanced linen life

MARIETTA, Ga. — Sustainability, efficiency, and the bottom line are on the minds of every business owner in the current economy. Laundry operations, whether on-premise laundries or linen services, are no exception.

Technology advances are significantly changing business operations and the way services are delivered in every sector. In laundry rooms, they are helping equipment to run smarter and even to contribute useful data to the decision-making process. Improvements in laundry operations are leading to reduced labor costs, increased productivity, maximized energy efficiency, lower utility costs and enhanced linen life. Here is how these evolving machines enable these cost centers to take up a smaller part of the operating budget, while ensuring that the overall operation runs smoothly.

GETTING A JUMP ON THE DAY

Typically, when laundry operators punch in, the first thing they do is load linens, uniforms or other washables into the machines, start them up, and then enter a 35- to 45-minute “dead” period waiting for the first loads. This is no way to start the morning.

Thanks to an advanced-start function engineered into newer washer-extractors, today’s laundry crew could be greeted in the morning by a machine filled with freshly washed clothes and linens. The advanced-start function allows yesterday’s workers to load up the machines at the end of their shift and to program the washers to turn on the next morning about an hour before the morning shift arrives.

The loads will be just finishing and almost ready for the tumble dryer when the first shift comes onto the laundry room floor. This feature also shortens the previous day’s last shift. The time saved adds up to lower labor costs. In addition, having loads washed before the day starts ensures that parts of the operation that depend on laundry availability can be reliably supplied by mid-morning. More timely availability could enable a smaller inventory of linens and uniforms to handle daily demand for on-premise laundries.

MAY THE G-FORCE BE WITH YOU

The secret to efficient clothes drying is that tumble dryers should be asked to deal with as little water as possible. Low-G-force washer-extractors can leave significant amounts of water in the laundry, which means the tumble dryer has to work harder and longer. When operators run fabrics such as all-cotton terry cloth through a low-G-force washer, there can be as much as 90% water retention.

Water-heavy goods present potential ergonomic problems for workers who have to lift laundry and place it in the tumble dryer. It also requires extra drying time, which means more energy to heat the air. It also reduces throughput. High-G-force extraction removes more water from linens, leading to decreased drying times. This high-speed process can reduce the amount of moisture left in the linens by up to 47%, decreasing gas or electricity usage by as much as 35%.

CAN’T BEAT THE CLOCK

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Using the advanced controls now available on laundry equipment is like having somebody in the laundry room with a notepad, recording information on every cycle run, monitoring machine performance and tracking maintenance history. This can be especially valuable for facilities that run more than one shift.

For example, a chemical company had a customer who complained about the quality of finished laundry. The control system that monitors the equipment in the laundry room downloaded the reports and pinpointed the problem. Reports found that operators on the 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. shift were advancing the machines, skipping the bleach step and skipping a rinse step.

The chemical company was able to show the customer that the problem was not with the chemicals but with how the workers were using the machines. Relying on the control system’s real-time clock, management can download reports and determine exactly what’s happening in the laundry room.

The reports provided by these control systems help administrators better understand and manage workloads and increase throughput. The information also helps determine whether they need to add more machines. Washer-extractors and tumble dryers equipped with advanced controls have a real-time clock telling the operator how long the machine has been sitting idle. Laundry operations paying overtime can check to see whether the extra hours are really necessary.

IN TOTAL CONTROL

The cost of water may not yet be a major issue where you are operating, but it will be a concern in many places before the end of this decade. For many operations, targeting water use is part of a sustainability program. Advanced washer equipment controls enable the operator to match each load with one of 30 different water levels for optimal water and chemical use without compromising cleanliness. This feature can help save thousands of gallons of water each year, which also reduces energy costs since less water is being heated.

Some new tumble dryers make use of moisture-sensing technology to prevent linens from being scratchy and to ensure longer life for linens and uniforms. Operators set the desired moisture level for the finished laundry, usually 4-5%.

Over-drying is one of the biggest wasters of utilities and labor in the laundry room. Impatient operators sometimes check to see whether clothes are dry by stopping the machine and sticking a hand in every now and then. Not only does this waste the operator’s time, stopping and starting the dryer also wastes energy. In addition, improved technology that prevents over-drying can reduce fiber loss by 31%.

MONEY NOT GOING DOWN THE DRAIN

One problem with technology is that sometimes management doesn’t want to invest in it. But that ignores real dollars-and-cents benefits. There is a big difference between lowest cost and lowest price. Whether a laundry service or an on-premise laundry, operations that resist upgrading or that choose a less expensive machine can spend $100 per month for the next 12 to 15 years on additional energy, water, and labor.

Break down the budget of a typical laundry operation. About half of every dollar spent in the laundry goes to labor. Another 10-12% goes to equipment, 10-12% to linen replacement, 8-12% to chemicals, and 10% to utilities. Equipment maintenance completes the cost schedule at 3%. Spending money wisely on equipment can affect the other pieces of the cost pie, reducing them while making better use of the laundry workforce by increasing productivity and throughput.

October 25, 2012
Heidel House Resort & Spa Increases Laundry Efficiency

GREEN LAKE, Wis. — Resort destination addresses challenges of increased drying times and linen-replacement costs

GREEN LAKE, Wis. — The Heidel House Resort & Spa has been located here since 1945. It sits on 20 picturesque acres of wooded land on the shores of Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake. It started as a restaurant, quickly grew into a family-run retreat, and by the 1970s had become one of Wisconsin’s most popular destination resorts.

Like most high-end resorts and hotels, the Heidel House offers only the highest-quality linens and towels for guest use. But by offering these luxury fabrics, challenges have arisen in its on-premise laundry.

Luxury materials contain a higher percentage of cotton, which absorbs and retains more water than other fabrics. This means heavier loads of laundry with increased dry times, labor and machine use.

Another issue was increasing costs for linen replacement. The resort had older dryers with controls that only offered a few dry settings. Linens were being over-dried, and some were even scorched. Replacing these linens can be costly, according to Jean Westhuis, Heidel House’s executive housekeeper.

To help combat these challenges, the Heidel House partnered with equipment manufacturer UniMac.

THE DRYING SOLUTION

Company representatives recommended installing a 75-pound tumble dryer equipped with a UniLinc™ control system, which includes OPTidry™ Over-dry Prevention Technology.

The tumble dryer was the right fit for the resort because it offered some of the industry’s leading features. For example, its multiple burner heat system provides quick, stable temperature control, ensuring high-quality drying for linens. Additionally, the dryer has a self-cleaning lint filter, which reduces fire hazards.

OPTidry connects sensors located within the lifters to a rotary transfer switch. The result is a pinpoint dryness reading throughout the entire load, which allows the machine to automatically shut off once dryness levels have been reached.

According to research, hotels over-dry laundry by more than eight minutes per load. If this extra time were eliminated, a laundry using a 75-pound dryer could save hundreds of dollars a year in utilities and labor costs. Also, the linens experience 31% less fiber loss when over-drying is eliminated, providing significant savings for on-premise laundries (13-25% of an OPL budget is spent on linen replacement).

“In my first year on the job, we had a number of linens and towels that were ruined from overheating,” Westhuis says. “Using the new tumble dryer with over-dry prevention technology, we’ve yet to see a damaged piece of linen.”

And while the OPTidry-equipped tumble dryer can dry the same volume of linens as the resort’s older tumblers, the loads dry faster, increasing throughput.

TOTAL CONTROL MANAGEMENT

OPTidry is available only through UniLinc. The total control management system records more than 100 functions using a time-and-date stamp of activities. Westhuis can use a computer to download real-time reports that provide operational details.

Upon her first review of reports, she learned employees were regularly using improper drying cycles. By reviewing the dates and times of the improper uses, she was able to pinpoint the staff members responsible and provide a training session for corrective action.

Westhuis also commented how the reports show the amount of time between the end of a cycle and when the tumble dryer door is opened. This information was used to identify linen quality issues. For example, when the linens laid in the tumble dryer for an excessive time, they acquired unsightly wrinkles that were not up to the hotel’s standards.

Additionally, UniLinc alerts provide managers with important maintenance information in order to make sure machines are running at maximum efficiency. The system is available on both washers and tumble dryers, simplifying training and providing a truly networked laundry room.

UPDATING FOR THE FUTURE

The Heidel House faced issues that many other hotels and resorts are dealing with today. By taking a proactive approach to find a solution to the problem, the resort is now saving money through lower natural gas use and less frequent linen replacement. In addition, monitoring laundry operations has never been easier.

July 18, 2012
Panel of Experts: Consider Impact Before Over/Under-Loading Equipment (Part 2 of 2)

CHICAGO — Input from equipment manufacturing, healthcare laundry and chemicals supply sectors

EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING: KIM SHADY, LAUNDRYLUX CORP, NEW YORK, N.Y.

kim shadyLoading capacity of washers and dryers is quite ambiguous. I was recently in a laboratory with multiple brands of washer-extractors. One of my objectives was to determine load size vs. rated capacity and the effects of under-loading.

The first laboratory result proved that based upon weight, you cannot load a washer beyond the rated capacity of the machine. In fact, it is difficult to place 50 pounds of dry terry cotton towels in a 60-pound washer. In nearly every machine tested, based upon weight, a machine will accept only 85% of the rated capacity. On some washers, because of the shape of the drum, only 75% is achievable. If you test poly/cotton sheets, the weight of the load is even less, as the polyester material has less weight for the amount of volume or space it takes in the wash wheel.

The lesson learned: Don’t expect the actual weight of a load to be equal to the rated capacity of the front-load washer-extractors.

The second laboratory test was to determine what happens when a small load (50% of capacity) is run in a washer. The results demonstrated the water used per actual pound of linen increased. Hence, it is more costly per pound to process. Also, the chemical dispenser did not know the load was smaller, again causing the cost per actual pound processed to increase.

Third result in the test was the washer’s ability to balance the load and advance the cycle to extraction. In some washers, there were multiple attempts to balance the load prior to extraction. This wasted time and water. In some cases, the washers never reached an acceptable balance level and the extraction speed was reduced, hence more residual moisture and longer drying times. As you can see, under-loading is expensive. And more loads per day must be processed, adding even more water, energy and labor costs.

We also tested load sizes in dryers. The objective was to determine drying time and energy cost for terry towels in a fully loaded, 60-pound-rated capacity washer in two different-sized dryers (capacities of 67 pounds and 83 pounds). The test results proved the larger dryer was faster and used less energy to dry the identical load.

At the end of the day, washers can’t be overloaded, while under-loading will significantly raise the cost per pound processed. Dryers can be overloaded, having the same effect on higher costs as under-loading washers.

At the end of the day, supervision and processes are critical. Unless, of course, the washers are smart enough to override human error!

HEALTHCARE LAUNDRY: SCOTT BEATON, KAISER PERMANENTE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

scott beatonOne of the most important variables affecting wash quality results is mechanical action. Much of the mechanical action controlled by the laundry is affected by loading practices within a given size and type of washer.

Washer loading is expressed as pounds of fabric per cubic foot of cylinder volume. Loading varies with fabric type and with machine type. Overloading and under-loading can affect soil removal and fabric strength and create excessive wrinkling. It can also influence the costs for labor, chemicals, water and energy.

In order to provide consistent standards, load factors are normally based on the weight of clean, dry fabric processed.

Overloading is not conducive to good laundry performance. Supplies cannot be distributed properly throughout the load, and the tightly packed condition of the textiles impedes dilution, lowers soil removal, and results in poor mechanical action.

Additional water levels per operation and longer rinses may be required to remove loose soil and chemical supplies remaining in the load. If these additional steps are not employed, loads may require rewashing.

Overloading of continuous batch tunnel washers may result in jamming up the machine and halting production. Under-loading also can result in poor performance due to less mechanical action and can lead to excessive costs.

Some fabrics must be under-loaded because of their bulk as compared to their weight. Garments containing polyester blends typically are loaded at 3.5 to 4.5 pounds per cubic foot to minimize wrinkling and provide for easier finishing.

All in all, load weights should be determined for each individual plant per machine by weighing soiled loads and comparing the soiled weight to the clean weight for the same load after processing. If proper soil sorting is being practiced, the ratio (soil weight/clean weight) should be consistent by classification/machine and need only be recalculated periodically.

CHEMICALS SUPPLY: MARLENE WILLIAMS, ANDERSON CHEMICAL CO., LITCHFIELD, MINN.

marlene williamsMachine load sizes are designed to optimize machine performance, chemical use, fabric wear, and performance outcomes. There are prices to be paid for load sizes that vary widely from recommended protocols.

Under-loading of machines is largely a matter of wasted resources rather than performance outcomes. Running less-than-capacity loads results in additional loads needing to be run to accommodate total laundry weights. Waste in water (and expensive heated water), chemicals, and labor raise the cost per pound significantly when loads are not full.

Performance is typically not a problem when under-loading unless chemical use results in high foam generation during light loads. Extra foam can result in poor mechanical action with subsequent poor results. In front loaders, high foam levels can result in foam being forced into machine areas that are not typically rinsed. This foam residue, if not cleaned during special cleaning cycles, can provide food for bacteria and accompanying malodors.

Under-loading dryers can result in poor drying or no drying if dryer sensors do not recognize moisture amounts from small loads.

Overloading, on the other hand, is a self-defeating process. A myriad of problems results from overloading, including higher number of rejects, more rewash, lesser quality (lesser soil removal), and setting of stains.

Negative selection, i.e. removal of some stains while leaving other stains to be set in the dryer, is a function of overloading. Lack of mechanical action results in soils not being put into solution and carried away from fabric, excessive fabric wear in some areas of the machine as fabric does not move, and problems with inadequate dilution of chemical resulting in over/under-dosing of chemistry depending on overload dynamics.

Add more labor, chemical, water and time to rewash problem fabric and it becomes clear that running standard load sizes optimizes the laundry process.

Click here for Part 1!

April 18, 2012
Panel of Experts: Boosting Laundry Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation (Part 2 of 2)

CHICAGO — Input from chemicals supply, equipment manufacturing and uniforms/workwear manufacturing sectors

CHEMICALS SUPPLY: MARLENE WILLIAMS, ANDERSON CHEMICAL CO., LITCHFIELD, MINN.

This well-designed question recognizes that optimization of laundry programs and procedures, as well as incorporating new technology options, can facilitate a laundry marlene williamsmanager’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and water conservation. From the chemical supplier’s standpoint, there are two major sources of help available today.

First, technology (proprietary software) to analyze a laundry operation is a strong tool for chemical representatives and laundry managers. A knowledgeable chemical representative can provide valuable assistance with this type of computer analysis, improving not only energy efficiency and water consumption but also creating savings in all areas of program expense.

Secondly, a knowledgeable review of laundry facilities with improved practices and procedures can provide major economies for no additional cost. John White, an industry expert with 35 years of laundry experience, offers a number of valuable tactics:

  1. Work with a knowledgeable chemical supplies representative; this should be your starting point. Experienced reps can help you because they work with many different operators and will be able to give you ideas for savings, ideas that are working for others.
  2. If you’re still using “old school” washing techniques (180-degree water, lots of alkali and bleach, long cycles, lots of rinsing, etc.), be aware that chemistry has dramatically changed. Talk to your rep about low-temperature washing. Consider enzyme washing, allowing for lower wash and bleaching temperatures. Your supplier should be bringing these innovations to you for your consideration.
  3. Replace one rinse step in all your cycles with a medium-speed extract. This will save one high-fill for every load of laundry you process, and, over time, can result in thousands of gallons of water—much of it hot—saved.
  4. Understand the relationship between pH and temperature in the bleach bath. A good rep will be able to set your cycles up to bleach in much lower temperatures by lowering the pH of the bleach bath.
  5. Lower your water levels 1 inch when washing/bleaching, and 2 inches when rinsing. All water levels are adjustable, and the good reps know how to do this. One inch less water in the wash step will not make any difference in quality, but due to the shape of the wash wheel, will save you up to 30% of the hot water you would otherwise use in a typical wash step (same for bleach step and 2 inches on rinse steps).
  6. Focus on sorting laundry by soil load and staining. Unsorted linens must be washed according to the worst pieces. If unsorted, every load becomes a costly heavy-soil load.
  7. Program cycles so that your final rinse temperature is between 115 and 120 degrees (typically it is much lower). This means that the linens will be pre-heated (but not too hot to handle) when they go into the dryer. This will save about five minutes of dryer time/energy per load.
  8. Don’t under-load washers or overload dryers. Weigh loads and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  9. Airflow is far more critical than temperature when it comes to dryer time. Clean lint screens after every load, and periodically have dryer vents professionally cleaned. Lint can easily clog dryer vents and choke off 80% or more of your airflow.
  10. Finally, most dryers can be retrofitted with flue sensors that will shut the dryer down when the load is dry, saving on energy and fabric damage.

EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING: KIM SHADY, LAUNDRYLUX CORP, NEW YORK, N.Y.

From the perspective of smaller OPL facilities, more new equipment applications have become available in the past several years than have been introduced in the past decade. I’ll break these energy savings into three kim shadycategories: electricity, natural gas, and water.

Electricity — The amount of electricity used to operate an OPL washer or dryer may be less than 2 cents per load. There is very little reward for making improvements to electricity use. Evaluating cycle times in the washer could be one area for savings. Washers with higher extraction rates (G-force) can reduce drying times for more savings.

Natural Gas — Assuming natural gas is your heat source for a dryer, ironer or water heater, this is your largest utility cost. To evaluate areas to trim costs, start with your water heater/boiler. There have been many improvements in efficiency, so is your unit outdated? Could reducing water temperature by 5 or 10 degrees make a difference on an annual basis?

The traditional 75-pound dryer in small OPL facilities has gone through significant energy updates in the past few years. Several companies have slashed gas consumption by 20% through new, energy-efficient axial airflow designs that do not sacrifice drying time. This may be the biggest gain for energy efficiency in the past five years.

Also, the extraction rate has a major role in reducing dryer gas use. Upgrading from 100 to 300 G-force can cut drying time by 25-30%, along with similar amounts of natural gas.

Residual moisture controls are gaining popularity to save time and natural gas in the dryer. No longer does the drying time have to be input by hand. Residual moisture controls automate the process, while preventing the dryer from running past the point where linens are dry.

Large laundries have long understood the energy benefits of ironing vs. drying sheets. When ironing sheets properly, the amount of energy used to remove a pound of water is less than the amount a dryer would use to do the same. With new OPL ironers requiring just one person to feed, fold and stack, there can be energy savings, labor savings and huge improvements in quality.

Water — OPL washers are using newer digital technology to measure water levels, providing more precise control for each fill. This also allows the programmer to experiment with finding the optimum water levels and acceptable cleanliness quality. This experiment could bring surprising results in lower water use. Some washers are smart enough to adjust water levels based upon the linen load size, while at the same time adjusting chemical dosing to keep the ratio to water accurate.

Other water savings may be found with ozone systems. Ozone has proven to reduce water consumption and significantly reduce the need for hot water.

UNIFORMS/WORKWEAR MANUFACTURING: STEVE KALLENBACH, AMERICAN DAWN, LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

This is the central question surrounding one of the most important dynamics of the decade: “green” reusable textiles and related processing. My responses will relate mostly to energy and costs that directly impact textile-processing costs.

steve kallenbachEnergy — Over the past 15 years, our industry has reduced energy costs by more than 40% through the use of heat reclaimers, direct-fire water heaters, continuous batch washers (vs. washer-extractors vs. modular washer and extractor units), high-efficiency gas dryers (vs. steam dryers), as well as energy-friendly textiles.

Additionally, chemical companies and plant managers have worked together to find balanced formulations that assist in energy efficiency. An example of this might be in extraction. Once a washer-extractor achieves extraction speed, it is much more efficient to extract the textile a bit longer, if it reduces dryer time (gas usage) while still protecting textile life.

In some cases, textiles have been built to withstand more energy-efficient processing. In others (example: Signature table linen), fabric has been developed to wash cleaner at lower temperatures, thereby lowering energy costs and even processing time. The most recent textile improvement impacting energy efficiency is microfiber fabrics. They take much less time to dry, thereby reducing gas and electricity costs.

Laundry managers need to follow the best in class: 1) know the industry standards, 2) know your own plant’s performance, and 3) engage with your chemical and textile vendors to continually improve efficiency.

Water — Just like energy, our industry has reduced water usage by more than 40% through the use of water reclamation systems and better chemical formulations, soil sorting (to control the amount of rewash) and textiles.

Water reclamation systems reuse some of the last flushes of a formula as the first flush of the next load. Chemical formulation is a key to water efficiency. We put our chemical suppliers in the delicate position of keeping costs down while keeping our textiles clean. Many times, this balance is off, and some plants have a tendency to “over wash” certain textiles. Additionally, some textiles simply clean better, due to raw-material quality, fiber content, weave, topical soil release, etc.

Managers can discuss these issues with their textile and chemical suppliers, in order to choose the right product for the job. Just like energy efficiency, water conservation and efficiency should first be measured against the known industry standards, and managers should engage with their related suppliers to improve both formulation and textiles.

Technology — In all areas of conservation, support technology has improved drastically over the past 20 years. Retrofitting machinery to allow constant monitoring of efficiencies is now available, and the return on investment is sensible in most cases. Additionally, the industry has developed a number of major software packages that can assist managers in monitoring and managing their plant efficiencies.

Maintenance — Aside from education on standards and available efficiencies, the maintenance of equipment and support technology is more important now than ever before.

Plant maintenance managers of yesteryear were measured on downtime of equipment related to production flow. While this will remain the platform for production flow efficiency, maintenance of the future will center more around equipment efficiencies, simply because they can now be monitored constantly.

For instance, in the past, if a drainpipe were open and leaking profusely, it might not be caught and your maintenance department might not focus on it because the equipment was running. In the future, the equipment must not only run, it must run efficiently, because a rightly upgraded and retrofitted wash machine will be able to “broadcast” the presence of an open/leaking drain to plant management.

Textiles — Great plant managers take a more active role in monitoring textile placement as it relates to efficiency, not only in wear-life (life-cycle) costing but also in choosing the right textile for the job.

A simple example of this is allowing a diesel engine mechanic to wear a lightly colored shirt. This textile choice leads to heavy-soil formulation and rewash. Enough of this textile misuse and plant efficiency is impacted.

Other plants overbuy cotton toweling, putting premium textiles into accounts that simply don’t return them. Because these products are typically heavier in content, the plant washes fewer of them per load, thereby lowering both energy and water efficiencies. In some cases, it’s better to put a standard-quality product into an account that needs just that.

December 28, 2011
Panel of Experts: Waste Not, Want Not (Part 4 of 4)

“What would you say are the most common errors in laundry processing that lead to higher-than-necessary energy, fuel or water costs?” Answeres from the commercial laundry and equipment manufacturing sectors.

“What would you say are the most common errors in laundry processing that lead to higher-than-necessary energy, fuel or water costs?”

Commercial Laundry: Rick Rone, Laundry Plus, Sarasota, Fla.

Utilities in general are usually the second-largest item on any laundry’s budget, so any and all energy and utility costs should be scrutinized carefully and thoroughly. The single biggest error we make is taking the proper operation of our plants for granted!

rick roneOne of the largest expenses for laundries is natural gas. Whether it is used for firing hot-water heaters, steam boilers, thermal fluid ironers or dryers, natural gas has been deregulated and can be purchased from suppliers other than your local pipeline. Once you are confident that you are purchasing at the best price, you can concentrate on the day-to-day efficient operation of your plant.

If your dryers are set by time and temperature, is everything working properly? Have you been maintaining your thermostats and sensors? If a load is not completely dry, is your staff leaving the load in for a complete extra cycle?

Is your staff cleaning the lint filters as often as necessary? When was the last time you had all your gas burners checked with a combustion analyzer and recalibrated?

Check with your washroom chemical supplier to see if it has any new products that might let you wash at a lower temperature, thus saving money.

When was the last time you confirmed that your steam traps were working correctly? This item alone can be a significant resource saver.

When you process sheets through your ironer, how close together are they? If they are not almost leading edge to trailing edge, then you are probably running your iron faster than you need to, and therefore at a higher temperature than necessary. This wastes gas and causes additional wear and tear on your equipment.

Not everyone needs nor can afford an efficient tunnel washing system. If your plant is using conventional washers, are all drains sealing correctly? A leaking drain will cost the operator in both time and utility cost.

Are all level controls set and working properly? Quite often, the greater mechanical action available in an open-pocket washer will let you set your water levels to a lower point.

Have you ever watched your drain during high-speed final extract? If your washer is programmed for more time than necessary, you are not being as frugal as you could be. If you see the water cease coming out of the drain in five minutes, there is no reason to continue the extract cycle.

One potentially huge savings may be derived from reducing sewage or water disposal fees that are usually at least three to four times the cost of water acquisition. When towels leave the washroom, they are customarily at about 40% or more in moisture content. Your utility company should not be charging disposal fees on that water because it will be evaporated in your dryer. There is precedent, and you should have no problem requiring your utility supplier to modify the sewage charges.

Labor is the largest line item on almost everyone’s budget, and we all deal with labor issues daily. Utility costs traditionally rank second. Take the time to review your plant’s operation. Apply common sense and you will find many additional cost-saving avenues that are available to you.

Equipment Manufacturing: Chuck Anderson, Ellis Corp. San Diego, Calif.

There are many areas in the laundering process that need to be monitored. Some common errors I see in processing that lead to higher-than-necessary energy, fuel and water costs are:

chuck anderson• Pre-sort — ­ I don’t think there is enough emphasis placed on the importance of a good pre-sort department. Stains, rips or tears can be identified in pre-sort before the article is processed, saving energy, water, chemicals and labor. We routinely see textiles make it all the way through the laundering process, and it is the room attendant who rejects the article.

• Washing — Make sure that your operators are utilizing the proper formula for each classification of textile being processed.

On many occasions I have seen textiles processed on the wrong formula, or different classifications of textiles sharing a formula because nobody took the time to build a classification-specific formula. Processing this way leads to longer-than-necessary formula times or shortened formulas that lead to rewash, both of which waste energy and reduce the linen’s useful life.

Check washers for door-seal leaks, steam leaks, leaking drains, etc. These all lead to increases in energy and water usage.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of using a scale in your laundry. Many times, I see the scale has been removed from the laundry, or it is piled with other items from the laundry for use as a storage area. Also, I hear that the operator has been loading the machine for so many years that he/she knows exactly how much to load by look and feel—yeah, right. Under-loading and overloading washers lead to higher processing costs, machinery wear and tear, and increased rewash.

• Drying — Review your dryer times. Most linen is over-dried by several minutes, wasting valuable energy. I would choose a benchmark of, say, 25 minutes and test each classification and document your findings. You can also weigh the textiles before and after drying to get an idea of the pre-dry and post-dry moisture content. I have many customers who utilize summer and winter drying formulas to maximize efficiency.

Make sure that dryer lint collectors are being blown down and cleaned frequently, and that there is adequate make-up air to the dryer burner.

• Flatwork — I routinely see operators pulling pieces off the folder due to wrinkles and mis-folds. Make sure your padding is in good order (note: old sheets do not replace padding) and the folder is properly tuned. Reprocessing items run through the flatwork system is one of the biggest wastes of energy and time that I see.

• Clean-Linen Storage — Once linen is processed, make certain that it is immediately wrapped, covered or stored in a contamination-free environment. Too many times, I have seen linen that had to be reprocessed because it was exposed to a nightly blow-down by engineering.

Click here for Part 1.
Click here for Part 2.
Click here for Part 3.

November 2, 2011
Texcare Asia Preview: Back to Beijing

BEIJING, China — Suppliers from China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United States have confirmed their participation in Texcare Asia, the region’s foremost trading platform for modern textile care. It is scheduled for Nov. 17-19 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.

Held every other year, the trade fair consistently attracts key players such as Castic-SMP, Dow, Hoffman/New Yorker, Jensen Group, Maxi Companies, Primus, Pony, Via-trade and Weishi, says Messe Frankfurt, the show’s organizer.

These suppliers and more—the exhibitor list stands at approximately 110 companies—will present a range of sophisticated, energy-efficient washing, drying and ironing technologies in a trade space of more than 10,000 square meters (approximately 32,000 square feet).

China’s laundry and dry cleaning market presents what Messe Frankfurt calls “significant opportunities” for suppliers of resource-saving technologies as the Chinese government implements a raft of measures to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2020.

This has created a demand for environmentally friendly products such as centralized laundry systems, advanced dry cleaning machines, green solvents, energy-saving dryers, and water reclaimers.

Alliance Laundry Systems will launch Over-Dry Prevention Technology (OPT)—which it debuted in the States earlier this year—at the fair. The innovative technology shortens drying time and decreases utility consumption while extending linen life, Alliance says.

“We get to see customers, new and old, from across the Asia-Pacific region at Texcare Asia,” says Kitty Zhang, area sales manager for Alliance. “It is the ideal venue to launch our latest energy-efficient products.”

The Jensen Group from Switzerland hopes to impress visitors with innovations in sustainable laundry automation. “Representatives from our three core technology centers—washroom, flatwork and garment technology—will be at the fair to show how our tools can increase efficiency and boost productivity,” says Gerda Jank, head of marketing at Jensen. “These products will be especially interesting for visitors working in heavy-duty laundries.”

Shanghai Sailstar Machinery Co. is confident that its new SGS Cleaning System will be a popular draw.

“As governments enact ever more legislation to combat climate change, we expect our green SGS Cleaning System will generate a lot of excitement,” says Ivy Zheng, Sailstar’s marketing manager. “This system enhances energy conservation in medium- and large-scale laundry plants. It maximizes output, making washing more economical.”

The fair’s long-standing professional reputation continues to attract new exhibitors wanting access to China’s developing textile care market, Messe Frankfurt says. One such company is German-based BÖWE Textile Cleaning GmbH, which manufactures 12-30-kilogram dry cleaning machines for commercial use and 70-200-kg dry cleaning machines for industrial use.

“Texcare Asia has an established reputation for facilitating trade. We are looking forward to participating in the fair and increasing the visibility of our brand in China,” says Frank Ziermann, managing director.

Kunshan Yingelan Commercial Laundry Equipment is another company exhibiting at the fair for the first time. The Taiwanese firm will present its front- and rear-tilt automatic washer-extractors, front-input and rear-output auto-fast-dryers, dry cleaning machines and solvent recovery dryers, along with finishing and ironing equipment.

“Texcare Asia provides textile care specialists a professional platform for trade,” says Lin Qingguo, vice general manager of Yingelan. “By joining the fair, we hope to get a better understanding of the textile care market in China; this will be useful in marketing the Yingelan brand.”

The 2009 event featured 133 suppliers from 17 countries and regions and welcomed 5,977 visitors from 51 countries and regions, including the United States.

To learn more about Texcare Asia 2011 or to register, visit texcare-asia.com or send an e-mail to texcareasia@china.messefrankfurt.com.

June 9, 2011
Clean ’11 Product Debuts: Jensen USA, Gurtler Industries, UniMac

LAS VEGAS — Companies often use the Clean Show to unveil new products or services to the industry. Here is a sampling reported to American Laundry News:

Jensen USA: Butterfly Fox Garment Folder

Jensen recently launched the new Butterfly Fox for the feeding, folding, sorting and stacking of garments.

In combination with the automatic Lobster system hanger, it is possible to automate the entire work process chain, Jensen says. With many options, the Fox can be configured to meet all requirements to perfectly fold heavy garments, microfiber textiles, overalls and bib overalls, the company adds.

The Butterfly Fox folds, sorts and stacks basically one’s entire professional wardrobe – in one hour, as many as 900 pieces can be processed. The Fox contains fewer moving parts in the new hanger-unloading unit, which facilitates constant high performance and offers the greatest availability.

March 16, 2011
ADC Donates Drying Cabinet to Hometown Fire Station

FALL RIVER, Mass. — The Fall River Fire Department recently received a state-of-the-art drying cabinet for its Flint Reney/Eastwood Fire Station, donated by locally based equipment manufacturer American Dryer Corp. (ADC).

The specialized cabinet called the EcoDry ADFG is designed for the drying of firefighter turnout gear, critical to the safety of first responders.

The turnout gear is built to withstand heat and fire, says Fall River Fire Chief Paul Ford. Once the heavy insulated and tear-proof fabric gets wet, it can take days to fully dry.

June 23, 2010
Looking for a Bottleneck? Start at the Beginning (Part 1 of 3)

“I’ve noticed my plant’s production has begun to lag and I believe that it’s being caused by a bottleneck somewhere in the workflow. Where are the problem areas most likely to be and how can I prevent such delays from occurring in the future?”

Textile/Uniform Rental — Kurt Rutkowski, Universal Linen Service, Louisville, Ky.

Production bottlenecks can occur in many different areas.

June 18, 2009
Technology Recovers Dryer Exhaust to Save on Energy Costs

NEW ORLEANS — Commercial laundries looking for new ways to cut costs can check out a new option at the Clean Show. AquaRecycle, a company specializing in wastewater filtration and water recycling, took the opportunity provided by the show to introduce ThermalRecycle, its system that’s designed to save energy by recovering and recycling heat from a laundry’s dryer exhaust.
   

April 17, 2009
Adjusting Work Schedule, Plugging Leaks Among Ways to Corral Dollars (Part 1 of 3)

“My budget has been cut, and I’ve got to find ways to keep my costs down. Can you suggest operational changes I can make to cut or at least control costs without having to purchase anything or cause a major upheaval in my laundry?”

Equipment Manufacturing: Dan Goldman, Wascomat Laundry Equipment, Inwood, N.Y.

February 1, 2006
What Challenges Lie Ahead in 2006? (Part 4 of 4)

What issue or issues most greatly affected your operation and, more generally, your specific industry segment during 2005? What are the primary issues that your operation and your industry segment will face this year?

December 12, 2005
As Utility Costs Rise, You're Wise to Seek Energy-Saving Solutions

As laundry utility costs continue to rise, operators are wise to seek out energy-saving equipment and chemicals to boost their bottom line.

A quick check of the industry reveals just some of the opportunities worth exploring:

January 12, 2001
NAILM Chapter Ponders Dryer Safety

CHICAGO – Regular maintenance and educated use of dryers and tumblers will go a long way in keeping a laundry’s drying operation efficient and safe, a representative from a leading laundry equipment manufacturer advises.

Andy Lubahn, a regional parts and service manager for Alliance Laundry Systems, Ripon, Wis., spoke to the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM) during an educational meeting at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.