Content about Industrial laundry

Updated April 30, 2013:

DALLAS — Industrial laundry equipment manufacturer Kannegiesser USA celebrated the 65^th anniversary of parent company Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH with a special dinner here Thursday night, during which it was announced that Kannegiesser USA President Michael Dreher will retire June 1 and Executive Vice President Phil Hart will assume that role.

Hart joined Grand Prairie, Texas-based Kannegiesser USA in 2004 as vice president of marketing, bringing with him more than a decade of industry and product experience. He was promoted to executive vice president in early 2012.

Dreher, who served as president for 13 years, will retain an advisory role that involves marketing the Kannegiesser brand in the Americas.

Kannegiesser GmbH President and CEO Martin Kannegiesser says both Dreher and Hart have demonstrated abilities in combining leadership and teamwork.

The two men thanked the staff and Kannegiesser for their support in making the U.S. market the company's third largest behind France and Germany.

Kannegiesser USA is planning to display several products new to the United States at the upcoming Clean Show.

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.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — While laundry might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the quality of care at a healthcare facility, it does play an important role.

Every year, hospitals and other healthcare facilities produce more than 5 billion pounds of soiled linens. Laundry managers are consistently updating protocols and procedures to ensure linens are thoroughly cleaned and free of bacteria and other viruses. Studies have shown that a textile can be considered a fomite—an object capable of carrying an organism and serving as a reservoir that can be involved in bacterial transmission. Various types of bacteria can survive up to 90 days on linens, according to published reports.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), there are multiple methods to hygienically clean textiles. Each method, however, requires an equipment mix designed to incorporate the various processes.

In addition, with a large volume of laundry being processed each year, it’s also important for healthcare organizations to ensure they are being as efficient as possible to keep operation costs low.

With proper laundry equipment and processing protocols, the risk of textiles posing as a source of infection to patients and employees can be greatly minimized, as well as reduce utility costs.

IN HOT WATER

Experts say that in order to kill bacteria and other viruses on linen, laundry should be washed with detergent and bleach for 25 minutes in water that is heated to 160 F. Studies have shown that bacteria, viruses and even bed bugs cannot survive this water temperature or chemical mix.

If your facility has chosen to use this method, it must be able to test water to make sure it’s reaching the 160-degree requirement in case the operation is ever audited. To meet this requirement, the laundry equipment will require an advanced control.

Advanced controls are able to show the exact water temperature inside the washing machine to help employees ensure the laundry is being washed at the correct temperature. These controls also allow users to program fill, wash and rinse water temperatures. Additionally, the controls – either networked or wireless – can send data to a computer, which allows managers to print reports to ensure protocols are being properly followed in the wash. This option also enables supervisors to provide documentation should the facility ever need to prove that its washing procedures meet federal requirements.

If a facility is concerned about water usage, some advanced controls allow users to select from as many as 30 different water levels. Programs such as these will help contribute to a reduction in water costs because employees can select the appropriate water level based on load capacity. It’s reported that spray-rinse machines can reduce water usage up to 11% when compared to traditional bath-style rinse models.

HIGH EXTRACTION SPEED

Regardless of which option is chosen to complete wash cycles, it’s equally critical to make sure machines have high G-force extraction speeds.

This extraction helps maximize water removal from linens in the spin cycle. The higher the G-force, the more water removed from linens. Newer machines offer top speeds of 400 G-force, the highest in the industry. When maximum water is removed in the wash, dry times are greatly reduced, further reducing utility costs.

THE DRYING PROCESS

Since textiles are already put through a rigorous washing process, it’s important to use tumble dryer programs that will help linens last longer and avoid expensive replacement costs. The dryer should work as a system with the washer-extractor, using the same control platform to ensure ease of use and optimal efficiency. This will allow staff to increase throughput, and contribute to lower operating expenses.

When selecting a dryer, make sure the manufacturer has achieved the perfect balance between drying temperature, airflow pattern and usable cylinder space for maximum energy efficiency.

Some equipment on the market offers over-dry prevention technology, which automatically turns a dryer off once the linens inside have reached the optimal dryness level. Over-drying wastes gas and can damage linens and garments, causing replacement costs to rise each year.

It’s estimated that 79% of on-premise laundries over-dry linens by more than eight minutes per cycle when using a 75-pound tumble dryer. By eliminating that extra time per cycle, laundries can save nearly $1,000 in gas costs a year and nearly $5,000 in labor expenses. Additionally, textiles experience 31% less fiber loss when over-dry prevention technology is used, according to reports.

MORE ON ADVANCED CONTROLS

Advanced control platforms offer many benefits to maximize efficiency and productivity in the laundry room. Over the past five years, laundry control platforms have advanced. Previously, there were only a few options to choose from when picking laundry cycles. Today’s healthcare facilities have more programming options available. While some facilities may outsource laundry service, others have taken their laundry operations back in-house so they can have full control, reduce costs and increase quality.

Advanced controls help laundry managers identify expenses within their operations and pinpoint specific areas where they can increase efficiency and reduce costs associated with labor, linen replacement, utilities and maintenance. With nearly 50% of costs associated with labor, up to 25% for linen replacement and roughly 13% on utilities, it benefits managers to be able to easily identify inefficiencies or potential problems and correct them fast.

Features such as delayed start allow employees to load washing machines before the end of their shift and have the first load completed by the beginning of the next day. Laundries can complete one extra load per day, allowing for savings in labor costs.

The real-time clock feature lets managers see what time each cycle was started and stopped, and the idle-time feature monitors the length of time in between the starting and stopping of cycles. Maintenance reminders are ideal for the engineering staff, as reminders are programmed to alert employees for timely servicing.

REDUCE RISK, LOWER UTILITIES

It would be beneficial for healthcare facilities to take a hard look at their on-premise laundry operation and work with their suppliers and product manufacturers to pinpoint areas where they can increase efficiency and reduce costs, and, most importantly, achieve the best results for their patients.

Consulting Services: David Bernstein, Turn-Key Industrial Engineering Services, Charlottesville, Va.

You owe a duty to your employees to ensure a safe work environment and to minimize or eliminate exposure to hazards on the job. At the same time, you have a duty to your customers to ensure their textiles are processed in an efficient, productive and timely manner.

Most people think of healthcare linen as the primary sharps concern because of the serious health issues that can arise from laundry workers being stuck by needles or cut by other sharp medical devices, but those of you who operate non-healthcare laundries should also be concerned with how the intrusion of these items can present a danger and affect the smooth flow of production through your plant.

Do all that you can to eliminate the intrusion of sharps into soiled linen before that linen reaches your loading dock. Your sales and service teams need to partner with customers to provide education for their management and employees so that they can put the proper controls in place. Taking the time when a new customer comes on board to provide training and education for their team can go a long way toward ensuring the safety of your workers and the uninterrupted flow of goods through your plant.

In the healthcare realm, work with your customers’ infection control and/or environmental departments to ensure that they are using safer medical devices with the latest engineering controls (e.g. sharps containers, needleless systems, self-sheathing needles, etc.). Some customers may initially resist adopting some of these devices based on cost, but having a frank conversation with them about the cost of each exposure may help them to come around.

Those of you processing industrial and non-healthcare linen should be having the same kind of ongoing dialogue with your customers, albeit from a slightly different angle. You may need to approach the topic from an economic perspective. Explain how a sharp knife can injure a production worker, how a fork can puncture the diaphragm of a press extractor and shut down your production (for hours or days), how a screwdriver can damage a washer-extractor or a dryer, etc.

Of course, any of you who run a laundry that processes food and beverage linen have also seen silverware and cooking tools end up in these facilities, and I would suggest that you explain how much money is being wasted on items that end up in your soil room rather than in their dishwashers.

Cultivate an attitude of zero tolerance toward the appearance of sharps in your customers’ soil. It has become common practice in healthcare laundries to, as a part of a written exposure plan, log the appearance of sharps and other foreign objects in soiled laundry and provide a monthly report to your customers. I would argue that you should take this practice further.

Work with your team and your customers’ risk management and infection control departments to develop a list of priority items that, if found among your linen, trigger an immediate call to the customer and an investigation into how the item got into your soil room.

Some laundries charge customers for each foreign item found among their soil, with higher amounts charged for more dangerous items. This type of negative reinforcement can turn a customer off of your service, so I recommend taking a more positive approach. Reward employees who find, report and properly handle sharps, and consider an annual award to those customers who eliminate or reduce the number of sharps and other foreign items sent to your laundry.

In many laundry processing facilities, soil-sort workers are considered the first line of defense against the intrusion of sharps and other foreign objects. With time, constant vigilance, strict monitoring of items that come into your laundry, and innovative partnering strategies, you should be able to achieve continuing reductions.

Uniforms/Workwear Manufacturing: Scott Delin, Superior Uniform Group, Seminole, Fla.

Numerous types of sicknesses can be contracted due to encounters with needles, surgical instruments, cutlery or more. Proactive communication between the laundry and healthcare facility is key to avoiding them.

Every time a laundry discovers sharps in the soiled linen, the occurrence should be documented and reported immediately to the healthcare facility. Prepare and present an incident report to the appropriate department. By physically showing the sharps that came back in the soiled linen, it might be possible to identify the specific department from where they came and prevent future occurrences.

Schedule ongoing educational sessions with individual departments as needed. In an effort to ensure that facilities properly dispose of sharps, laundries should provide their healthcare facilities with collection containers and proper signage at all collection points. These safety measures will result in a reduced amount of sharps coming back to laundry facilities in the soiled linen.

Check back Tuesday for the third and final part!

POMONA, Calif. — Consolidated Laundry Machinery (CLM), which manufactures industrial laundry dryers and other equipment, has hired Martin Pharis as company president. He replaces Vice President and General Manager Carolyn Landsperg, who retired in January.

Pharis brings an extensive and diverse management background, with expertise in both sales and operations, CLM says. He comes from Prudential Overall Supply, where, as a director of production, he was responsible for industrial and cleanroom operations throughout the United States. His primary role was to improve operational efficiencies through process changes, plant revitalization and equipment design.

Previously, he worked in operations at Mission Linen Supply, was a regional sales director for Tingue, Brown & Co., and spent nearly 20 years at Alsco in a variety of operations roles.

“We conducted a thorough search for a leader with deep laundry industry experience, a firsthand knowledge of CLM and its equipment, an extensive understanding of customers’ needs, and a passion for service,” says Jason Farber, principal of Carlin Capital Partners, which owns CLM. “Martin brings everything that we were looking for, and we are excited to help him implement his vision for CLM and its future.”

“I was presented with an opportunity to lead a company that I know well and that has a great history as an equipment supplier in our industry,” Pharis says. “In CLM, I see a solid foundation from which much potential for growth exists, and I look forward to building on that which CLM does well and improving in areas where we can provide even better products and value-added services to our customers past, present and future.”

Landsperg retired to spend more time with family and to pursue volunteer work, CLM says. She spent her entire career in the laundry industry, the last 20 with CLM.

The manufacturer says it remains committed to “continuous innovation and improvement” of its customizable industrial dryers and related equipment.

Hotel/Motel/Resort Laundry: Charles Loelius, The Pierre New York, New York, N.Y.

First, it is an honor to be once again selected for this Panel (Editor’s Note: Charles served on the Panel in 2010), and I hope to continue to share the benefit of my experience with the readership of American Laundry News.

I have been in the commercial laundry industry for 30 years, having operated healthcare, hospitality and uniform plants throughout the United States. The laundries have ranged in size from 10 million to 40 million pounds annually, and have operated in both union and non-union environments.

I have a wealth of experience in production, distribution and service management, as well as budget preparation and financial analysis—skills honed during my seven years on Wall Street.

During the past nine years, I have concentrated on the hospitality side of laundry management, presently operating an OPL for Taj Hotels at the Pierre New York, as well as serving as a consultant for our sister property, Taj Boston.

I have served on the faculty of NYU, teaching laundry and dry cleaning operations as part of NYU’s Hospitality Management program. I also maintain several industry-recognized certifications in laundry, dry cleaning and linen management.

As director of Laundry Services for The Pierre New York, I am responsible for the day-to-day service, production, distribution, maintenance and procurement for this Five Diamond hotel’s laundry and dry cleaning operations.

During 2012, the laundry processed 2.5 million pieces of rooms and food-and-beverage linen, which represented a 23% increase over 2011. Additionally, it processed more than 350,000 pounds of garments during 2012, representing a year-to-year increase of 11%. Increases in productivity were achieved without any increase in expenses.

The biggest challenges I face at the Pierre today are similar to the challenges faced by the entire industry: providing the best possible products and services at the lowest possible cost.

Consulting Services: David Bernstein, Turn-Key Industrial Engineering Services, Charlottesville, Va.

I am senior vice president of Turn-Key Industrial Engineering Services, a consulting firm that has been serving the laundry, healthcare and hospitality industries for nearly 15 years. We are an industrial engineering firm that designs, builds, retrofits and improves the processes and profitability of laundry facilities throughout the world, using professional design, lean manufacturing and project management techniques.

As our name implies, we perform these services “turn-key,” which means we can deliver a multitude of services, including facility design, RFP development, project management, process improvement and Lean Six Sigma implementation. Our team of Lean Six Sigma-certified engineers and consultants have extensive experience in the industry, and have helped our clients save money, labor and increase throughput, often without the need for added expense or equipment.

As the fourth generation of my family in this industry, I have a lifetime of experience and more than two decades of professional work in laundries, starting with my tenure as vice president and, later, president of Consolidated Laundry Machinery Co. I worked in all aspects of CLM’s manufacturing, sales and marketing of laundry machinery, and helped our customers with specification, layout, upgrades and improvements to their plants.

I moved into industry advocacy and education as the director of Plant Operations, Customer Service and Information Technology for the Uniform and Textile Services Association (UTSA). The industry was under close scrutiny by OSHA, Congress and safety regulators at that time, and I led the effort to create an industry-wide health and safety program that reached more than 65,000 employees in more than 1,000 plants nationwide, produced an industry-specific safety training DVD, and created a stronger, more positive relationship with OSHA and Congress for the industry.

Following UTSA’s merger with TRSA, I spent more than three years as the chief operating officer at F-MATIC, where I helped lead the development of several new sanitary supply products and product lines, improved and diversified the company’s international supply chain, reduced operating expenses and increased revenues.

I am a two-time past chairman of the UTSA Plant Operations Committee, a former member of the board of directors of the Western Textile Services Association, a long-time instructor at the industry’s Production Management Institute (PMI) and Maintenance Management Institute (MMI), and a recent addition to the faculty of the American Laundry and Linen College (ALLC). I am also honored to be among an elite group of industry leaders to have been named to the Plant Operations Hall of Fame.

I hold a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego, and live in Park City, Utah, with my wife and two daughters. I am an avid cyclist, skier, sailor and private pilot.

What challenged our clients in 2012 was the continuing difficult economy and the need to find ways to adapt. Laundries in all segments of our industry fought to increase productivity and safety, while dealing with ever-increasing costs of doing business, challenges from unions, and increased regulation. These challenges will no doubt continue in 2013 and beyond, and I expect my colleagues and I, both at Turn-Key and on the esteemed Panel of Experts, will increasingly be called upon to assist the industry with meeting them head-on.

Among Turn-Key’s accomplishments in 2012 were designing and breaking ground on a new healthcare laundry for a client in Florida, designing a new state-of-the-art hospitality laundry for a major international resort and entertainment firm, and helping numerous operators (both large and small) reap the financial and productivity benefits resulting from the implementation of process improvement and the application of Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

Commercial Laundry: Richard Warren, Linen King, Conway, Ark.

I work for Linen King, which owns laundries in several states. We provide COG (customer-owned goods) service, as well as linen rental to hospitals. I am the general manager of the facility in Conway, Ark. I have been here since Linen King acquired the facility from my previous employer in 2007, and am honored they kept me. I have worked at this facility since 1994.

Upon high school graduation, I had no idea what to do. Some said I had no clue. The first real job I had was in a shirt laundry. They must have liked me, because I was promoted to washman. It seemed like wherever I went, there was always a laundry that needed help, and I was fortunate to be able to provide that for them.

I got involved with an industrial laundry and learned a lot during the years I was with them. My production experience started in an industrial laundry. For several years, I owned a small group of leather and fur cleaning stores. For many years now, I have been in the healthcare laundry service, both OPL and commercial.

From time to time, I talk to people about careers in laundry. It certainly doesn’t sound like a sexy career, but it is a good industry, and is generally more stable than many other industries. There are also many companies that supply our industry with textiles, machinery and chemistry, so being involved with a laundry can be rewarding.

Our workers really enjoy coming to work, and reducing the big pile of unfinished linen. An hour or so later, that pile is ironed, folded, and looks, feels and smells nice, with the workers ready for another load. Frankly, it takes a while to learn the rhythm, but when it starts to work, it is fun.

Tuesday: Introductions to representatives of the chemicals supply, equipment manufacturing and uniforms/workwear manufacturing sectors...

NEW YORK — Industrial laundry workers who wash linen for New York’s hotels, hospitals and restaurants recently voted to ratify a new master contract among 14 laundries in the New York metro area, reports the Laundry, Distribution and Food Service Joint Board, Workers United/Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The contract includes significant wage gains for laundry workers, a majority of whom are African-American women and Latina immigrants, and will also grant them continued free employer-paid individual medical, dental and vision insurance and a pension, the union says. Laundry workers will be part of one multi-employer contract, which sets the standards for a majority of laundries in the New York metro area.

Wilfredo Larancuent, regional manager of the Laundry, Distribution and Food Service Joint Board, Workers United/SEIU, says he’s proud of what the group has accomplished. “This contract makes real improvements for laundry workers and their families and continues to raise standards for the industry.”

Elected worker representatives from the laundries bargained the contract with employer representatives for more than a month, the group says. A strike vote was held at the laundries, but the contract was settled prior to the strike deadline.

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.

HEALTHCARE LAUNDRY: SCOTT BEATON, KAISER PERMANENTE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

It has been my experience that most linen users do not fully comprehend the costs involved in linen replacement and laundry processing. Products are misused, abused, given to patients and in some cases thrown away.

It is vital to continually conduct departmental surveys with the help of the linen management team and laundry/linen vendors to illustrate to end-users the annual costs of linen abuse and misuse.

It is during these types of audits that a number of poor linen practices can be discovered and observed, such as:

• Housekeepers using good-quality washcloths as rags
• Housekeepers using towels as liners underneath buckets on their carts
• Nursing and staff using bath towels and other linen products to clean up spills
• Unacceptable linen (stained/torn) being placed in soiled-linen hampers or thrown into the garbage
• Linen with bodily fluids/blood being “red bagged” and sent out with infectious waste
• Finding linen in visitor lounges
• Hoarding of linen in storage closets
• Too much linen being taken into patient rooms as a matter of convenience
• Bath towels being used as liners beneath plants
• Thermal blankets being used to cover air conditioning units and the areas under windowsills to trap cold air

To minimize these occurrences, help the end-users develop a facility-wide action plan.

Initiate an intensive public relations and linen awareness program for all staff. It should be part of new-employee orientation as well as continuing education.

Utilize the assistance of both the linen management team and linen/laundry vendors. Help them to initiate “Linen Awareness Days,” which have been proven effective in increasing end-users’ knowledge. Typically, a “manned” exhibit is set up outside the cafeteria, and employees participate in contests that touch on issues concerning laundry/linen costs, misuse, and abuse.

COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY: TOM GILDRED, EMERALD TEXTILES, SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

The costs associated with linen abuse can be surprisingly high, and while the decision makers in our customer organizations are often aware of those costs, sometimes the hospital staff benefits from awareness and education in this area. Communication, training and a strong partnership are the keys to limiting unnecessary expenses associated with damaged linen.

First, it’s important to discover, or uncover, the issues. One way to do this is through regular floor tours with the hospital team, during which improper handling is identified and documented. Hospital tape applied to sheets is a primary offense. This practice can ruin as many as 10 sheets that follow one that has gone through the ironers.

Substantial savings can be realized through simple suggestions such as using sheets or bath blankets that have been taken out of service as rags to pick up spills, clean up paint and grease, or wax floors. It also might be a good opportunity to offer the benefits of a microfiber program, which is not only green and sustainable but also more effective for the hospital housekeeping team.

Sharing findings with the nursing staff and end-users on a regular basis should have the largest impact on cost control. One can gain further support by offering solutions to hospital administration, which may lead to a stronger partnership in the long run. Over time, cultural changes promoting sustainability and cost containment should have a significant impact on reducing linen abuse.

Another important step is regularly monitoring internal laundry facility processes and quality control programs to ensure that best practices are employed, as well as to eliminate the possibility of processing becoming a factor in damaged linens. Documenting those processes and programs to provide customers with evidence of quality control is another good step to ensure communication and solid partnership.

Sometimes a complaint comes in that “The laundry is ruining my linen.” The majority of linen replacement is due to linen damage and abuse occurring at customers’ facilities. Processors are well served to implement and adhere to a strong quality assurance program that demonstrates their commitment to customers. When issues arise at the facility level, it’s important to make it a policy to acknowledge and address problems in a timely manner and to communicate with the customer about the resolution as quickly as possible.

Building an honest, communicative partnership with customers can aid in working together to provide and maintain high-quality linen and greater patient satisfaction.

LINEN SUPPLY: STEPHEN MARCQ, GENERAL LINEN SERVICE, SOMERSWORTH, N.H.

The best time to talk to your customers about the costs of linen abuse is right now! Really, it starts in the sales process for new customers, and by ensuring that linen conservation requirements are introduced correctly at a new-account installation.

It’s harder to break a customer of a bad habit than it is to start good ones. By helping your customer take better care of your items while they are in his possession, you lower your own linen replacement and processing costs, which allows your (his) pricing to remain lower longer. It truly is a win-win for both sides, and a great way to partner with customers for mutual benefit.

Whether it’s a new or existing customer, start by ensuring there are enough soil containers to ensure the customer can pre-sort linen to your requirements. Typically, storing soiled garments, kitchen towels, aprons, tablecloths and napkins in their own separate containers will help prevent damage from improper storage.

Make sure that soil bags are stored in a dry, secure area in between pickups. Provide laminated bilingual signage with a picture of the item over each bag, and install them. Make sure that items used are appropriate for their intended use. Most of us wouldn’t want to rent a bath towel to an auto detailing shop, for example, but perhaps a #2 grade is appropriate for that application. Also, ensure that items in service are being used for their intended purpose, i.e. don’t allow napkins or washcloths to be used for cleaning tasks.

If your system allows, identify abusers through your soil room, and single them out for special attention and increased management visits. At scheduled account visits, include linen conservation evaluation and discussion as part of your regular talking points. Sometimes, selling or giving away bags of rags for heavy cleaning tasks is a great solution.

Remember, too, that the employee who sees your customer most often is your route service representative (RSR). Leverage that relationship. Ensure your RSR maintains the conservation initiatives you have in place and talks to his contact about results and opportunities often.

Make sure that your conservation message is reaching the right ears. The people using the product are the usual targets for the message, but make sure the people paying the bills are in the loop, too. If you reach both end-users and payers, you will have covered all your bases and helped set yourself up for the best possible outcome.

Billing for damaged items is a last resort that can be viewed as problematic. If you’ve laid the proper groundwork and gained the understanding and support from the customer during the process, you can and should expect to be paid for misused or damaged rental product. The alternative to not billing when appropriate is to simply include the cost of damage in every customer’s pricing, which essentially penalizes the good customers who have to pay some of the freight for the abusive ones.

Lastly, consider negotiating and agreeing on some form of recurring damage billing for abusers who can’t or won’t change their operation, to help avoid billing fluctuations and associated pain.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

ALBANY, N.Y. — Bates Troy Healthcare Linen Services , a Binghamton, N.Y.-based industrial laundry, and employee Stephen Schrauger were honored here Sept. 10 as New York State Industries for the Disabled (NYSID) 2012 Corporate Partner of the Year and Employee of the Year.

For more than 35 years, NYSID — a not-for-profit member agency organization — has met the purchasing needs of state and local government agencies while advancing employment for New Yorkers with disabilities. NYSID acts as a “virtual storefront” for a statewide network of 165 community rehabilitation agencies and private-sector business partners to employ skilled people with disabilities in production facilities and community-based jobs.

Bates Troy, a third-generation, family-owned industrial laundry and dry cleaner, has long been committed to employing a diverse workforce. Through a partnership with ACHIEVE and Country Valley Industries (CVI), individuals with disabilities in Broome and Tioga counties have had the opportunity to work on NYSID Preferred Source laundry contracts at the CVI production center in Johnson City and the Westside Binghamton Bates Troy facility since 2003.

“We are proud and honored to receive this distinguished award from NYSID,” says Ara Kradjian, Bates Troy’s chief operating officer. “Our partnership with them has been valued, fruitful and ongoing for a decade now, and it will continue.”

More than 100 Binghamton residents fold and process laundry each day for customers that include SUNY Upstate Medical University, nursing facilities, veterans’ homes and the Greater Binghamton Health center.

Schrauger recently celebrated a decade of working with the Bates Troy partnership. He takes great pride in helping the laundry satisfy its healthcare customers.

“I work on the bath blanket folder,” he says. “I really like my job. Thank you for the money. I like money. I’m going to buy a bike.”

CHICAGO — Fire is a constant threat to those working in the institutional or industrial laundry industry. And nearly half of managers who responded to this month’s AmericanLaundryNews.com Wiresurvey—45.5%—say their laundry, or one under their administration, has suffered a fire during their tenure.

For two-thirds of respondents, their operation’s most recent fire started in a dryer. Equal shares (16.7%) experienced fires that started either in an ironer or in a cart containing textiles. No one who took the anonymous survey reported having suffered a fire related to chemicals or the laundry structure.

Based on those results, it’s not surprising that laundry equipment presents the biggest worry (50%) for managers concerned about fire potential. “Other” was next on the list at 30%; every respondent who chose this response pointed to lint as the factor. Equal shares of 10% worry about textiles or a boiler or water heater. No one who took the survey is concerned about the fire potential of laundry chemicals or the structure.

Half of the fires cited in the survey caused minor damage. One-third caused moderate damage, and the remaining 16.7% caused major damage. Some descriptions:

• “Resident comforter was poly filled and had a tear in it.”
• “Lint fire in plumbing area under the ironer was caused by a bad bearing. Improved housekeeping program.”
• “Spontaneous combustion of dietary rags sitting in dryer. Dryer was left running at end of shift. Maintenance department found the fire. Dryer was destroyed and replaced. All loads MUST be complete and unloaded before end of shift now.”
• “Clean kitchen mops were not cooled properly.”
• “Operator hit wrong button.”

Eighty percent of respondents say their laundry has had a fire drill either within the last month (40%) or last six months (40%). Everyone who responded to the survey believes his or her facility is safer today than it was at the time of the most recent fire.

While the Wiresurvey presents a snapshot of readers’ viewpoints at a particular moment, it should not be considered scientific.

Subscribers to Wiree-mails are invited to take a brief industry survey anonymously online each month. All managers and administrators of institutional/OPL, cooperative, commercial and industrial laundries are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define operator opinions and industry trends.

CHICAGO — Your company is weighing its laundry services options, and pursuing a new plant is a possibility. So what should the average laundry manager know about plant design?

American Laundry News recently invited several engineering, construction and consulting firms with laundry services expertise to respond to some questions about this issue.

ALN: How does designing a laundry for renovation differ from designing a laundry from scratch?

GLEN PHILLIPS, P.E., PRESIDENT AND SENIOR ASSOCIATE, PHILLIPS & ASSOCIATES, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.

Phillips & Associates has to go through all of the discovery steps whether the project is a new design/build project or a renovation project. There is not much difference, except a renovation project already has a shell that could be renovated for use after the fact. A totally new project takes longer to plan and usually costs more money.

DAVID BERNSTEIN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TURN-KEY INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.

As mentioned earlier, planning for an entirely new facility allows the new operation to be designed from the inside out, ensuring the most efficient use of space and layout of equipment. The renovation of an existing facility, on the other hand, can be fraught with its own particular challenges, especially in maintaining productivity, efficiency and safety during the renovation process.

In these cases, operators need to be sure to include careful pre-planning of construction, utility upgrades, equipment arrival, rigging, installation and start-up schedules in order to have as limited an impact as possible on the existing operation.

Third-party vendors should receive training by your company’s safety director so that they are aware of your practices, rules and unique circumstances. Training should be documented and provided to all third-party workers prior to granting entry onto the production floor. Be certain that you also obtain appropriate insurance certificates listing your company as an additional insured.

Another instance to be considered is the one in which a new plant is desired but the costs associated with buying land, erecting a new facility and installing the necessary infrastructure are prohibitive. In this case, the best approach is to find a building that meets the production, staffing, utility and space requirements of the operation, but only after taking the critically important step of undergoing a rigorous and detailed pre-design phase to determine the specific requirements for the building search.

BOB CORFIELD, PRESIDENT/CEO, LAUNDRY DESIGN GROUP, PHOENIX, ARIZ.

Well, consider that you have to “undo before you can do” and that’s the start of it. Can your facility withstand a major or minor construction delay to enable a retrofit? If it can, and there is enough space to accommodate all critical elements (sorting, washing, drying, clean transport, finishing, and packing of additional volume), then there can be a considerable cost benefit for a plant to retrofit, rather than build new.

Retrofit projects are also usually a much faster process during decision-making. A retrofit will limit what you might be able to do, and so with fewer decisions to make, decisions are made more quickly.

New plants take much longer in development. Since you might be able to do almost anything, you need to be diligent in what the new plant will be designed to do today—and then what it might need to be in the future.

Because of the budgets involved, there are many more stakeholders whose concerns will need to be addressed. Then there are the decisions related to construction: do you build from greenfield, modify an existing structure, do you own, or lease the site? Finally, a new plant often must get city planning and local code compliance reviews for traffic, noise and more, which can take months or years to clear.

ED KWASNICK, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, LAUNDRY DIVISION, ARCO/MURRAY NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CO., OAKBROOK TERRACE, ILL.

The biggest difference is that renovating an existing laundry or converting an existing building into a laundry has certain inherent boundaries and constraints, including:

• Building footprint and height
• Building column spacing (distance between structural columns)
• Existing utility sizes (water main, sewer, electrical main, natural gas main)
• Floor slab thickness and condition
• Quantity and height of docks
• Dock location
• Office location
• Building construction

You need to either work with these existing constraints or work around them. If you build a laundry from scratch, these existing constraints do not exist. You get a clean palette with which to paint, and can customize the building footprint, height, column spacing, etc. to meet your specific needs.

GERARD O'NEILL, PRESIDENT/CEO, AMERICAN LAUNDRY SYSTEMS, HAVERHILL, MASS.

Designing a renovation is completely different and a most challenging process compared to designing a laundry from scratch. When renovating an existing running facility, we have to ensure that we do not shut down the operation. All the work has to be done off hours or when the plant is not in operation.

Safety is another big challenge as all the construction areas have to be properly taped off and equipment must be “tagged and locked out” to ensure the safety of all the people working in the laundry plant.

Along with all the challenges come the rewards. Retrofitting/renovating an existing laundry is much cheaper than going out and building a laundry from scratch. We have seen approximately 50% reductions in project budgets/costs by retrofitting a laundry vs. building from scratch. As long as we have the space to expand within the same location and we can get additional utilities (if required) to support the new plant, retrofit/renovation of existing laundry is, most of the time, the way to go.

ALN: What aspect(s) of laundry plant design can be the most challenging and why?

BERNSTEIN

One of the most challenging aspects of laundry plant design can be breaking people out of rigid thinking or the unwillingness to consider new paradigms. Our industry is plagued with an attitude of “That won’t work in a laundry” or “That’s the way we’ve always done it,” which has no place in the planning and design of a new facility.

We encourage our clients to think outside the box, offering and encouraging suggestions for solutions that, under old paradigms, might seem unworkable. Once all options are on the table, we can apply critical thinking, data collection, and analysis to determine which offer benefits and solutions considering the goals and vision for the project at hand.

CORFIELD

I would say planning and budgeting are the biggest challenge. Whether a new plant build or a major retrofit, it is challenging to know all aspects to your proposed plan. Will there be utility constraints, access and rigging limitations, what items can be moved and what cannot, are there code issues that you may need to comply with, does your existing infrastructure support your goals?

Then once you have what appears to be a good plan, look seriously at the constructability issues and develop a budget that is reasonable and achievable for the goals you want to achieve. If you are not certain what brand or type of equipment you might get, then your budget needs to take into account the worst-case scenario. Asking for too little during budgeting and then needing to compromise can mean missing your goals considerably and risk having your project cancelled or fail.

Lastly, know enough about your design that if a budget issue cuts or limits your project, you can identify the essential elements and keep your targets in site.

KWASNICK

Designing a mixed laundry facility (linen and industrial) is very challenging. The diversity of product mix, the different pieces of equipment and material-handling systems, and the various product flows within the same building make the process of designing the plant to be both flexible and efficient very challenging.

O'NEILL

Getting the laundry owner/operator to understand the benefit of new technology and the value of his investment is one of the most challenging aspects. More often than not, the owner/operator tends to pursue the cheapest option rather than the option that provides the best value (return on investment). It becomes part of the job of the laundry consultant/designer to clarify the benefits of new technology, provides pros and cons, and explain why the new investment is critical for the future business needs/growth.

PHILLIPS

Usually, the powerhouse requires the most time to plan and execute. The powerhouse is the heart of any laundry and, if it is not done correctly, can cause the most aggravation during the start-up phase of the plant.

ALN: How might the design of an on-premise laundry differ from the design of a textile rental plant that serves clients across a broad area, and vice versa?

CORFIELD

An OPL is usually limited by space because it serves only a few outside customers (if any), but if we are discussing an off-site cooperative or central laundry vs. commercial, there is almost no difference if they are processing the same type of work (healthcare vs. hotel resort, etc.). The only real consideration is that an OPL or co-op will be highly specialized, while a textile rental plant might be set up to take on a broader mix of work.

Generally, a textile rental plant will be physically larger, as a commercial laundry business can serve hundreds of customers and therefore needs considerable more storage, inventory and cart-assembly area. A commercial business will also have more trucks for routes for those deliveries.

KWASNICK

On-premise laundries are typically built to process smaller volumes of goods with a limited number of classifications. They are built for a specific purpose: to produce laundry for the “mother ship.” They typically use less automation, more labor, and more utilities (per pound). This is partially due to the fact that they are processing less laundry, which means the up-front investment in automation has a longer ROI. I would say OPLs are typically more “old school” in their design and operation.

Large rental plants are more flexible in their design. They process a higher volume and greater diversity of products. Reduction in labor and utility costs due to automation and utility conservation is more prevalent. Systems to track, control and offset inventory losses are used to reduce costs. Productivity tracking systems are used to improve employee productivity and production scheduling. Rental laundries are typically more “new school” in their design and daily operation.

O'NEILL

The biggest difference is the amount/volume of work that is being processed through each plant. The typical OPL is designed for low volume and more flexibility in the operation, while a central textile rental plant is designed for high volume, similar type of work, and high productivity. The ROI on high-productivity, high-efficiency equipment is much quicker in central rental plants when compared to most OPLs.

PHILLIPS

If an on-premise laundry is being considered, that is fairly easy since the presumption is the facility has a central power plant and a big chunk of time can be eliminated from the planning scope. In essence, the planner only has to deal with a production facility, thus eliminating work in another area.

BERNSTEIN

There are two critical differences between the design of on-premise laundries and off-site facilities (whether company-owned, co-op, or textile rental). Specifically, on-premise laundries often offer challenges of space, without the logistical demands that are placed on off-site operations.

ALN: Are there any particular laundry design trends that have become more prevalent in the last few years?

KWASNICK

In recent years, the pendulum has swung from all-steam to steamless laundries. However, the trend seems to be moving back toward a hybrid solution of using less steam instead of going steamless. Steam still makes sense for certain types of equipment and systems (steam tunnels, presses, tunnel washers, etc.). Using steam, but on a limited basis, helps reduce long-term fuel consumption and up-front installation costs.

Wide ironers are becoming more prevalent. A wide ironer gives you the ability to do two lanes of tabletops simultaneously, which equates to a lot more productivity per ironer. Self-contained thermal ironers are also popular. They can maintain higher temperatures and operate at high speeds, again equating to greater productivity.

Press-to-dryer rail systems are becoming more prevalent. This is an efficient, cost-effective way to store work-in-process goods after they come out of a tunnel extraction press. The goods drop into slings, are queued on a rail, and are then loaded into a dryer automatically. This system allows you to use fewer dryers with your tunnel washer system.

O'NEILL

Shuttle-free wash rooms, use of self-contained thermal ironers, and use of tunnel washers with extra-wide presses are some of the design trends that have become more prevalent in the last few years. Also, the trend of steamless/less steam laundry plants has started to pick up in the last two years. All of the aforementioned ideas are tried and true and the payback can be considerable when compared to the “now” obsolete typical ideas that have been used for years. If your budget can handle it, then you should absolutely investigate it.

PHILLIPS

After years of discussing water shortages, water reclamation, rising energy costs, gas conservation and the like, laundry operators are finally starting to see the practical side to some of these issues. A complete dissertation could be written on this topic alone.

BERNSTEIN

One of the most significant trends we’ve seen in recent years is an increased emphasis on the health and safety of our industry’s production employees, and this translates directly into the design process of new laundries.

We are also seeing a greater emphasis on automated systems, which clearly also impacts the design of new and renovated plants. The industry’s vendors have done a nice job of stepping up the sophistication, productivity, usability and affordability of automated systems. At the same time, our industry is doing a better job of educating production, maintenance and management personnel.

Finally, at least among our clients, we are seeing a trend toward leaner, balanced operations with less work in process. Whereas clients used to tell us that they wanted to design material-handling systems and floor space to accommodate four (or more) hours of work in process just in case something went wrong, now clients are designing their plants considering Lean Manufacturing and Lean Six Sigma principles of “pulling” work through the plant, rather than “pushing” it through. The result is less wasted space, smaller rail and conveyor systems, and more pounds processed per square foot of facility.

CORFIELD

While there is a certain buzz around steamless or “less steam” laundry design, I think the two biggest trends have been the size and sophistication of monorail sortation and clean distribution systems, and batch washer size.

When I began in the industry in the late ’80s, sort decks for healthcare were 12-16 sort classifications. We now see 36-54 sort classifications on automated sort decks. This ability to achieve the lowest common sort type makes large plants highly efficient, even with small classifications.

Large batch washers (those over 50 kilograms or 110 pounds) entered the North American market in the mid ’90s. Most new plants consider 150 pounds the new minimum, with 220-250 pounds the new maximum. While washing is one consideration, it has been the extraction of those larger loads that has challenged the industry. With wider presses achieving lower moisture levels and faster cycle times, large batch systems will be the norm for plants at 15 million pounds and higher.

ALN: What advice can you give a laundry services manager who is being asked to be involved in plant design for the first time?

O'NEILL

Listen, listen, listen! Do not go down that all-too-familiar road of “This is the way we/I have been doing it for 20 years.” This attitude must change if you are to take advantage of the new ideas and concepts that are being used in our industry today in the cutting-edge plants that your competitor is building. If you want to stay in business for a long time and stay competitive, then listen to what your “consultant” is saying and see for yourself the results that your peers in the industry have been enjoying for quite some time.

PHILLIPS

Take the lead and plan, plan, plan. The laundry services manager will have to live with the plant for some time to come, so it is imperative for the laundry services manager to contribute to the planning discussion. Phillips & Associates has developed a complete design-planning checklist that could become the basis for an entire article on the planning process.

BERNSTEIN

I can offer three key pieces of advice:

1.  Speak your mind— As an experienced laundry services manager, you understand the day-to-day needs and challenges that you’ve faced in your operation. Consultants, engineers, architects, equipment providers, and others involved in this process need your perspective and experience to ensure that the final design meets all your requirements. Do not hesitate to provide your opinion and perspective, because just as there are no dumb questions, there are no wrong opinions!

2. Ask questions and listen to the answers— Involve your staff in the plant design processes and ask them their opinions on designs, solutions, equipment, etc. Just as your experience can aid the professionals you’ve brought in to assist in the technical details, the experience and opinions of ground-level team members oftentimes result in some of the most innovative solutions.

3. Keep an open mind— Time after time we hear people in our industry telling us, “That’s the way we’ve always done it,” or “That may work someplace else, but it won’t work here.” In some cases, they’re right, but in others, they were glad that we pushed back and encouraged them to take a second look at an idea and the data that supported its implementation. Considering the realities of today’s world, it pays to be open-minded and consider options that, at first blush, may seem a bit out there. The result may just be a safer, more efficient, more productive, and more profitable laundry.

CORFIELD

First, know what your goals are and be clear on them. Then get your passport updated, get a good suitcase and hit the road—start visiting plants similar to your type of work. See things for yourself, talk to plant folks who do what you do. See what works for them (and what does not) and get educated about what might work for your new plant or retrofit. These road trips will be invaluable, and you can defend your decisions one way or another with your management team or board with first-hand understanding.

If traveling is not an option, get a reputable independent consultant that can help you navigate this process. Making key decisions without the experience to know if your approach is viable can be costly. Before you finalize your plan, seek an independent review of the project by your peers who have gone through anything similar. You may not take their advice, but having a few sets of experienced eyes take a look at your project is always valuable.

KWASNICK

Remember three letters: SRM. They stand for Simple, Repeatable and Manageable. Your laundry design should be simple. If it looks complicated on paper, it will be even more complicated in practice. The design should allow your processes to be repeatable. If you can repeat the same efficient, high-quality process day after day, you will be successful. Lastly, it should be manageable. A manageable laundry is flexible and able to meet your customer’s ever-changing needs.

It’s OK to be on the leading edge of technology and push the envelope. But don’t get out on the “bleeding” edge of technology. That’s where people get hurt.

Surround yourself with experience and expertise. But remember, you know your own business better than anybody. You need to determine the final course and direction for your laundry.

Click here for Part 1!