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May 14, 2013
Get the Most from Your Clean Show Investment

NEW ORLEANS — Plan for success, spend time wisely, and prioritize tasks

NEW ORLEANS — So much to learn. So many people to see. And so little time.

You’ll face that predicament here at the Clean Show next month, especially now that the show is one day shorter than previous events. You are not alone: Confronted with crowded aisles and hectic booths, attendees too often return home with no more than a confused mass of general impressions.

You can do better. Trade shows can be powerful tools for boosting business profits. The secret is to plan for success, spend time wisely and prioritize tasks.

How to? Read these tips from trade show experts:

TIP 1: SET YOUR GOALS

“Before arriving at the show, make a plan with specific ‘keeper’ ideas,” says Mina Bancroft, a management consultant in Palo Alto, Calif. “Then prioritize them.”

Include specific descriptions of what you want to find at the show. Here are some possibilities:

  • New items of merchandise
  • Line extensions in certain categories
  • Lower costs in existing lines
  • More reliable sources
  • Promotional goods

Select the best and list them in order of importance.

Next step: Translate your goals into an ‘A’ list of vendors to see. “Do some research on the show’s website to identify companies and booth numbers,” says Howard Friedman, a trade show consultant in suburban Los Angeles. “That will assure that you see the most important things.”

It’s also smart to draw up a ‘B’ list of goals, suggests Friedman. “While these items may not be ‘mission critical,’ they can help open your eyes to innovations and new ways to approach problems you may have.” Tackle secondary goals in the remaining time after completing your primary ones.

Bonus tip: Ask yourself, “What is the biggest problem I have in my business?” Write it down and take it to the show to get answers from exhibitors.

TIP 2: STRATEGIZE YOUR WALKING PATTERN

Once at the show, it’s tempting to spend the first hours performing a walk-through. That can be a mistake.

“The last thing you want to do is shop the floor as you shop a flea market, just walking down the aisles and looking at things,” says Peter LoCascio, a Salem, Ore.-based trade show consultant. The clock moves quickly. It’s easy to run out of time before you accomplish what you need to do, he adds. “Too many times, a couple of hours before the show closes, you’ll see people running through the aisles trying to get things done.”

Instead, use the show floor map to plot out your walking pattern so you can see the greatest number of vendors in the least time. Schedule a certain amount of time to each vendor on your “A” list. “You have to be disciplined and focused,” says LoCascio.

Bonus tip: Avoid duplication of effort by allocating tasks among other people from your company or organization who are attending the show.

TIP 3: TAKE CHARGE AT BOOTHS

Deal with booth personnel efficiently. Determine early whether they are willing and able to answer your questions. “When you go into a booth, there is no reason for you to waste your time,” says Bob Dallmeyer, a Los Angeles-based consultant. “Prepare some quick questions that pertain to your buying interests. If the booth people can’t answer those questions, then you have to smartly move on.”

Not all booth personnel are alike. “A well constructed booth has people at various levels,” says Bancroft. “One person will be at ‘in-depth’ level; others will be at beginning and intermediate levels.” No in-depth person at the booth? You need to decide if you have sufficient interest to ask for an appointment with the right person. That can be smarter than wasting your time talking with an individual who does not have the requisite knowledge.

An alternative is to obtain the name and contact information of a person to call after the show’s over. That can be a prudent step anyhow. “Exhibitors often fail to follow up trade show leads in a timely fashion for a multitude of reasons,” says LoCascio. If you are serious about learning more about a product or service, you may wish to obtain the name and number of the local sales person in your territory.

Bonus tip: Save time by stating, “I need to make a business decision,” as you enter each booth. Then state the nature of the decision and ask how the vendor’s products will help.

TIP 4: SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS WISELY

Remember that ‘A’ list of vendors? Make sure you see them all by scheduling advance appointments, either before you leave for the show or when you arrive. “There’s nothing wrong with reaching out and saying, ‘I would like to meet with a specialist on Product X,’” says Friedman. “Engaging before the show is completely fine. That will make your time more productive. And the exhibitor will be delighted.”

Such appointments are important whether you are a current or prospective customer. “If you are already a customer, you will want to talk about innovations, new orders, or things that are upsetting you,” says Dallmeyer. “And if you are considering making a purchase, you will want exclusive time in the booth.”

Bonus tip: Map the show floor to identify the booth locations of your ‘A’ vendors. Clustering your appointments by location will reduce walking time.

TIP 5: TAKE NOTES EFFICIENTLY

Haphazard note taking can result in a confused mass of papers stashed on a shelf back home or in your office. That means you lose information critical to business success, including the names of key contacts.

Modern gadgets to the rescue! “We are seeing all kinds of new technologies to avoid the traditional business-card exchange,” says Doug Ducate, president of the Dallas-based Center for Exhibition Industry Research. “These include badge-swiping technologies that allow exhibitors to send information efficiently.”

Electronic brochures have, in many cases, replaced paper ones. “At some booths, you can use computers to send yourself information about what you have seen,” says Ducate. “Push a button and the information shows up on your smart phone and sits on your computer back at the office.”

“Old tech,” though, has its place. “Plenty of people still collect business cards and take notes on them,” says Friedman. “These can be great memory joggers to help connect the dots after the show.” A pack of business cards provides an easy reference for making follow-up calls.

Bonus tip: More attendees are entering information into iPads. Digital notes are efficient for later review, and also for passing along key insights to people who did not attend the show.

TIP 6: POW-WOW AT QUIET TIMES

Sometimes, product information is fairly simple to grasp. Other times, though, you may need to devote critical thinking time to technical details.

“When you go to a trade show, the individual who has paid for a booth is trying to sell you something that may be quite complex,” says Bancroft. “That means you must initiate a way to find out more about that item, and you can’t do that at the typical show floor, which is usually a chaos of noise and confusion.”

Solution? Schedule some “quiet time” to make rational decisions, suggests Bancroft. “Ask the booth sponsor to meet you for breakfast or lunch, where the quiet atmosphere allows you to go through the information you need to compare products.”

Bonus tip: Reduce travel time by scouting out a convenient venue for business talks before you meet exhibitors. Use the Internet, or locate coffee areas once you are at the show.

TIP 7: ALLOW FOR SERENDIPITY

Schedule your time, but leave some open space. One of a trade show’s strengths is a potential for ‘serendipity,’ or the discovery of unanticipated knowledge or connections. So, leave time for random encounters.

“Everyone at the show wants to discover new things and meet new people,” says Friedman. “That can be a productive situation: You may meet someone who does something similar to you but who is not a competitor. It can even happen in a lunch line. So, I encourage you to find the opportunity to say hello to people.”

Bonus tip: Allow yourself the chance for fortuitous discovery. After you complete your important work, schedule time to visit less-promising, lower-profile booths.

TIP 8: CHOOSE SEMINARS WISELY

What seminars should you attend? Reaching a decision can be difficult. Every hour you spend at a concurrent session, after all, is an hour off the show floor.

Even so, seminars are important to your bottom line. Their value is reflected in their growing presence. “We have found that 40% of today’s exhibit floor is devoted to concurrent sessions, up from 20% some years ago,” says Ducate. Why’s that? “People are looking to solve technical problems, and they will attend sessions that promise to do that.”

That comment suggests a solution to the seminar conundrum: Attend those that deal with topics of immediate concern to your business. Look at each seminar listing and ask: “Will the information in this seminar help me solve a specific problem?”

Bonus tip: Reach better decisions by calling seminar leaders before the show for more details about a prospective presentation.

TIP 9: SHARE THE WEALTH

Productive trade-show going is a learned skill. Pass along the talent to the next generation. “It’s good for a senior-level person to bring along a junior one,” says Friedman. “The senior person can make introductions and put products in the context of business initiatives. Relationships established at trade shows can be very helpful in the future.”

Sharing such knowledge can lay a foundation for the continuing profitability of your business. And it will help foster a habit of efficient trade show buying. “Time is money today,” says Dallmeyer. “You need to maximize what you do at every trade show.”

April 1, 2013
Emerald Textiles Expands by Adding New LA Service Center

SAN DIEGO — New facility provides greater coverage, larger physical presence for its existing, prospective customers

SAN DIEGO — Commercial healthcare laundry Emerald Textiles has expanded its operation into Los Angeles, adding a service center there to provide even greater coverage and a larger physical presence for existing and prospective customers, the company reports.

“As we continue to expand in the Los Angeles market, this service center will increase our coverage in the greater Los Angeles area,” says Tom Gildred, Emerald Textiles CEO. “Our existing customers will benefit from this additional location and so will any new customers in the region.”

Emerald Textiles operates what it considers to be “the most technologically advanced and environmentally responsible commercial laundry facilities in the United States,” saving a reported 40 million gallons of water and more than 750,000 therms of natural gas annually.

San Diego Gas & Electric and the California Public Utilities Commission have recognized Emerald for its advanced design and energy efficiency.

January 2, 2013
TRSA Executive Roundtable - Restaurant/Hotel & Lodging

This meeting is open to executive management only: owner/operators and CEOs and the top-level executives who report to them (such as presidents, VPs and staff directors). TRSA’s Executive Roundtable-Restaurant/Hotel & Lodging will present top executives of textile services operations with an unprecedented opportunity to influence TRSA’s efforts to:
- Support individual company efforts to increase penetration of these markets
- Represent our industry in government affairs that impact our ability to serve them
- Promote textile services operators as increasingly valuable in fulfilling their business needs

 Highlighting the 1 ½-day agenda will be tours of the:
- Alsco plant near Hollywood, a high-volume producer in a historic building
- ADI American Dawn headquarters, hub of a textile product distribution network recognized for filling large orders on tight deadlines

Roundtable participants will receive FREE market and operations research reports for attending, as the agenda will include sessions on TRSA’s new Linen Life, Loss & Replacement white paper and the 2012 TRSA Industry Performance Report.

Register today; attendance is limited: http://www.trsa.org/node/10375
 

October 23, 2012
Educate Users on True Cost of Linen Abuse (Part 3)

CHICAGO — Input from uniforms/workwear manufacturing and chemicals supply

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

steve kallenbachMerchandise control is such a huge area of any processing plant, from choosing the right textile to processing it correctly to getting it back after delivery. Any of these three areas can make or break a laundry, whether you service inside or outside customers!

Product Selection and Placement — Choose the right textile for the application, getting the right product in the right place at the right cost (price).

Buying the cheapest unit-priced product isn’t always the lowest cost. And it isn’t always the best answer for the customer or you. What quality and other attributes do your customers expect, or can separate you from your competition?

What are the positive “wear life” ramifications for your operation? What does an improved product do to your rag-out percentage? As operators, we need to measure true cost and not just textile price. Plus, it is important for you to balance your product selection between marketing and cost issues.

Life-Cycle Costing — This can prove what is right for your operation. If you buy a textile at 30 cents per unit and it has a life of 10 washes, the life-cycle cost is 3 cents per serving. If you buy a textile for 40 cents per unit and it has a life of 20 washes, the life cycle cost is 2 cents per serving. In this example, by spending 30% more on the product, you actually gained 100% servings and your cost is 30% less.

Freight Cost Considerations — This is a huge consideration when looking at cost. And there really is no free lunch.

If your supplier pays the bill, it has to be worked into their cost. Many times, especially in larger metro areas, it is more cost-efficient to cut your own freight deals and pay it yourself. Additionally, consolidating your shipments instead of a lot of small orders can save you a lot of money. This is best handled by buying large put–in buys monthly rather than weekly.

Product Integration — Does it meet or exceed the plant standard? Does the packaging and case pack affect the put-in labor? Does the fabric match your current offering in color, weight and weave? Is it “too good” for the standard, causing the integration period to drive customers to want only your new product?

Processing — Improper soil sorting, chemicals overuse, formula water levels, under-loading, formula time, formula temperatures (heat) or extraction can cause you to inadvertently wear out products prematurely.

Some key results of improper processing are alkaline hydrolysis; shrinkage; redeposition; bleach damage; placket crease; thermal shock; polyester heat damage; excessive linting, pilling or fading; hanger molding; and compression wrinkles.

It is important to work with your product supplier and chemical company in reviewing this issue, as these problems can typically be discovered and solved fairly easily.

Loss and Abuse Recovery — Some companies count their soil, inspect it, and charge for abuse and/or replacement. Other companies don’t count and simply charge an “inventory maintenance fee” to cover average losses.

Answer these two questions: How many pieces are you putting in for inventory maintenance to cover your loads? How many pieces does your loss/abuse revenue (whether direct or in a maintenance charge) cover?

The difference between these two numbers could show you the black hole of missing merchandise. If you are putting in more than you are getting paid for, and you are using the maintenance fee, it would be apparent that one or more of your accounts is abusing the system by either damaging or losing more merchandise than you are recovering through revenue. You may have to isolate these accounts and put them back on a soil count system rather than a maintenance program.

Product Reuse — Most operators do a marvelous job in this area. Examples are using downgraded bar mops for turk towels, dyeing hand towels for automotive cleanup, etc. As you choose products, it is important to consider their “second life.” Otherwise, you must measure your rag-out cost and choose a product and placement that provide the longest life. If you are ragging out products directly from first life to junk, consider a second-tier product.

Facility Security — Flat goods should be held within a fenced “crib,” where only authorized employees can enter. Your backup inventory area should also be secured so that unauthorized personnel cannot get to it. Your stockroom should be secured as well, with only authorized employees allowed within. If you cannot crib your areas, then paint a bold yellow line on the floor.

It’s important to post “Authorized Personnel Only” signs. Cover this issue in your orientation documents and then reinforce your security rules at every employee meeting. Specifically, it should be against company policy for a route person to pull his/her own load or fill his/her own garment orders. It isn’t that route personnel typically “steal” the goods. Many times, uncontrolled merchandise ends up at your customers and they are not billed for it. Any good route person worth his/her salt has extra goods on the street. We just shouldn’t invite this practice.

There must be a proper paper trail in order to control inventories. This means even if a manager is filling a “shortage,” there should be a signed document from a manager one level higher granting authorization. Personally, I would authorize this sort of activity only at the general manager level. All movement of merchandise to and from your operation should be secured with a properly executed inventory control document. Train your plant employees to fill these orders only with proper authorization.

Many operators install video equipment and signage at all exits to monitor all merchandise movement. If this is done thoroughly and talked about in your meetings, employees will be motivated to assist you in merchandise control and understand that this is a high cost.

Put-In Management — Start with any control period (week, month, quarter), and calculate your total starting inventory. Now add organic growth: the invoiced increases in pieces per product, as well as new items added to accounts. Subtract invoiced decreases in pieces by product, as well as item cancellations from accounts. Now subtract your product “down-grades” and “rag-outs” from the mix, by product. The inventory balance is what you should have in stock. If you are still short product to fill your loads, you have identified a “black hole.”

Stockroom Management — Set up visual standards for your grading and establish at least three grades: near new (A), standard (B) and utility (C). Keep new and near-new goods separated from standard goods. If an order comes in for standard goods and cannot be filled, it should not be an easy task to fill with new. Implement a second-level management authorization to fill B grade orders with A grade garments. And if goods need to be ordered, the highest level of management should be in the review/approval cycle.

Route Control — In some cases, shrinkage can occur through theft. But in most cases, shrinkage occurs when extra (free) merchandise is given to customers. Try auditing suspect routes unannounced. Validate the goods being sent out on the load, and have a manager count them. When the truck comes in, count in the soil, count in all clean return, and balance it against the load sheet. Discuss any discrepancies with the route person and the owner and/or general manager present. Take it seriously, and they will, too.

Taking a “route ride” is probably the most effective way to get a handle on extra merchandise. This is an audit of the route person rather than the customer. At the customer site, look for extra inventory and how the soil is coming in. Are bar towels being used for grill pads? Are shop towels being used to wipe off Bondo putty? Document the ride-along and review findings with the route person and key management.

Inventory Correction Initiatives — One way to make merchandise control fun to have an annual or semiannual “inventory correction and account growth” contest, to balance inventories with invoices.

Typically, routes are paid new-business commission on “add items” only, not increases. In this case, authorize commissions for contest length (six weeks is recommended) on all inventory increases. This allows the route to fix the invoice by adding the additionally used inventory instead of bringing it back. The commission will motivate any route person, as he/she never gets extra money for fixing invoices.

Given the choice of bringing goods back and putting them into your “amnesty cart,” experience has shown that most route personnel prefer to fix the invoice and make some money. Additionally, when customers are faced with either sending the goods back or paying for it, they will typically approve adding it to their invoice.

As you think about your own operation, use these 12 steps to evaluate and measure where you are.

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

marlene williamsTextiles are vulnerable to attack from a multitude of misuse situations. One that is easily overlooked is the laundry environment: a chemical, thermal, and mechanical constant for every wash cycle.

Laundry chemistry and machine programs have significant impact on textile fiber damage or longevity.

Matching fiber and soil classification types to machine chemistry and programs can optimize soil removal, fabric wear, and overall product quality. Utilizing a “one program fits all” approach or demanding unreasonable rewash percentages easily takes a toll on fabric life.

High alkalinity, temperature, and extended wash cycles can deliver extremely low rewash results, but the toll on the fibers can often be found in the dryer. Changing from a conventional program to a neutral, reduced-temperature program reduced the amount of dryer lint by almost 25% in a number of nursing home laundry tests.

Allocating time and effort to review soil classification by machine chemistry and programs can pay big dividends. Periodic review of textile replacement costs is satisfying to track. Even more satisfying is the excited customer who calls to tell you that because of his/her/your new program, they have to purchase rags—they aren’t making them in their laundry anymore.

September 18, 2012
American Dawn Inks Deal to Produce Luxury Hospitality Bedding, Bath Textiles

LOS ANGELES — Five-star hotels, resorts, spas and cruise lines are target markets

LOS ANGELES — Textile supplier American Dawn recently streamlined its divisions under a single management team and is now working to expand its market share in hospitality textiles.

The company has negotiated a new licensing agreement with leading cosmetic, skin care and fragrance company Borghese Inc. to produce a luxury collection of hospitality bedding and bath textile products.

Available in 2013 in the United States and Canada, the complete line of Italian-inspired Borghese luxury hospitality collection will be licensed under the “Villa di Borghese” brand. The target market includes five-star hotels, resorts, spas and cruise lines.

“By creating unique products for the hospitality industry, we plan to leverage the Borghese brand’s incredible heritage of Italian beauty, luxury and style to expand our business,” says Steve Kallenbach, director of market solutions for American Dawn.

“We are excited to reach a broader range of customers by expanding our luxury hospitality bedding and bath textile collection,” says Neil Petrocelli, vice president of marketing and sales, Borghese. “Our innovative and meticulously designed products capture the exquisite sense of beauty, fashion and style that Italy is known for now in our line of products for luxury hotels and spas.”

August 28, 2012
What Do We Do When the Power Goes Out? (Part 3 of 3)

CHICAGO — Input from uniforms/workwear manufacturing and linen supply sectors

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

Typically power interruptions come with myriad issues, like the aftermaths of storms and major weather events. Laundry plants are a major operation, from an energy, water and sewer supply steve kallenbachperspective. To have an on-site backup system in place (electrical, steam, water, sewer) would be a daunting and expensive proposition. Laundries do, however, lean on sister operations, suppliers, and, many times, competitors when catastrophe occurs.

National and regional companies have a distinct advantage here, since their locations can back each other up. Using relay trucks, they typically truck laundry back and forth, just like a depot situation. Not quite as easy as it sounds, but most, if not all, of these larger companies have contingency plans in place.

Smaller independents should have a plan in place as well. This means you reach out to another independent or national in your geographical area (typically one far enough away that they don’t directly compete) and make a contingency plan to back each other up in the case of a catastrophic event.

Our industry is an amazing community. When catastrophe occurs, everyone jumps in to help, regardless of competitive situation. But it does behoove an independent to draw up a more formal plan of action, and even an agreement to support, with another company. Many times, the cost of processing can be set for each other, so that both parties have their costs in place.

Typically, regardless of the support in place, a laundry has to “put in” at least one day’s supply of textiles into the system to recover immediately. Make sure that your suppliers have healthy inventories of “route-ready” goods in place for your core merchandise. If you have the cash on hand, it may even be a good idea to have these goods on site, and secured for emergency purposes.

Communication is the biggest issue in these situations. All of your associates need to be accounted for, not only that they are OK, but that they are going to be able to show up for work. All of your customers need to be called, not only to make sure they know you'll be open and on which day, but to ascertain their special inventory needs for cleanup, etc.

Whether you manage a large national location or an independently owned operation, you should have a detailed plan of action, starting with an outline on Processing Support, Logistics Support, Route Ready (New) Textiles, Employee Communication and Customer Communication.

A final word of advice: whether you are billing out extra merchandise in an emergency or for normal operations, make sure you have an accounting method in place so you know whether you got your goods back after the storm. The cost of catastrophe is many times seen in lost textiles. Your typical merchandise control rules go out the door during crisis. Don’t let them! Make sure goods are accounted for, regardless.

Your emergency contingency plan should be thought out, written out, reviewed and tested in training. The key in any catastrophic crisis is to carefully think through your plan of action beforeit happens.

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

Having a written, updated disaster plan in place will help identify problem areas in advance, and direct you toward anticipating problems (including power outages) and having procedures in place to effectively deal with them.

stephen marcqThe Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA) has provided excellent and recent information about creating one. This is a great time to either get to work on such a plan for your company, or pull the current plan out and update information as needed.

Speaking from the customer service side, communication, both internal and external, can be critical during the first hours of a power outage.

One key short-term issue is accessibility to your computer system and software without power. For example, being able to contact your customer base from offsite phones could be helpful, but you need access to the information in your database to do so.

Also key is the ability to receive calls, faxes and e-mails. With many companies now using VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) systems, your phones go out along with computers when the power does.

Having small backup generators in place can help maintain continuity and allow key customer service and billing/invoicing functions to continue.

Printing or uploading invoicing to handhelds a day in advance at minimum is good practice, as is fully loading delivery trucks a day in advance. Both these steps will buy additional time, during which power will hopefully return and production will have resumed.

If not, you will have already started to implement other parts of your disaster plan, such as reaching out to competitors you have reciprocity agreements with, borrowing or ordering additional products, etc.

Most power outages last a day or two at most, and as long as you can talk to your customers, print invoices and communicate internally and externally, you should be OK.

Click here for Part 1!

Click here for Part 2!

July 17, 2012
Panel of Experts: Consider Impact Before Over/Under-Loading Equipment (Part 1 of 2)

CHICAGO — Input from uniform manufacturing, commercial laundry and at-large sectors

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

The answer is yes, you can. But in overloading and under-loading, there are some ramifications.

steve kallenbachSometimes, the outcome might outweigh the costs, but it’s definitely something to be mindful about before proceeding as a regular part of your production process.

First, there are five key elements in washing textiles: mechanical action, temperature, water level, time, and chemistry. If you increase or decrease one of these elements, it will impact other elements of the cleaning process.

Additionally, in many cases, it will add wear and tear to your machinery.

When you increase (or over-load) your washer-extractor, you decrease the amount of “open” area for the textiles to tumble—commonly referred to as “mechanical action.”

This decreases the textile cleanliness outcome, doesn’t take out stains (likely causing early replacement), and will definitely add to mechanical stress on the machine, especially if the load is over 100% of the stated capacity.

You can sometimes offset this inequity by increasing the formula time and/or the chemistry, but while the overload may reduce the amount of loads, your true operating costs may actually increase.

Sometimes, you have to consider more than just weight...volume, perhaps. Large items that absorb little water (such as mats) will have less negative impact than items that hold lots of liquid (microfiber toweling) when loaded strictly by weight.

Additionally, the soil type can dictate the load factor, if you are trying to provide more than normal mechanical action to remove heavy soil, etc. If you know the relative absorption of the product as well as the soil factor of the load, it will assist in your management call to either overload or under-load. Either way, you need to closely monitor your quality output and make adjustments continually and accordingly.

You also need to monitor rejects and rewash. The load factor may actually cost more than just following the usual formulation instructions, as it could result in double processing! One old trick in loading full-drop wash wheels is to visually load the machine to three-quarters full level.

When you under-load your washer-extractor, you increase the mechanical action significantly. While this is not an efficient use of resources, and may cost you significantly more to produce, the practice can also break down the fibers of your fabrics and cause all sorts of textile wear issues, such as heavy pilling, tears, etc.

While the appearance on the surface may lead you to believe that you are either cleaning product better or producing faster, the hidden reality is that you could be damaging your machines or your textiles.

In the end, this all comes down to customer satisfaction and relative costs. My advice: Be careful, be calculated, get the opinion of your chemical supplier, monitor the quality and textile life closely, and track your machine maintenance.

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

tom gildredWhile there may be no “magic” answer to this question, I believe the real answer is “it depends.” Several factors that impact decisions regarding loading capacity should be considered when defining the formulas for processing. Some of these include quality standard, type of machinery, category of linen, and the degree of soil present.

Depending on your objectives, and the four factors I’ve mentioned, it might make sense to load either slightlyheavier or slightlylighter to achieve your goals. For instance, terry cloth items absorb more water, which is important to remember when considering overloading this type of item, as the additional water will make it even heavier. Other less-absorbent items, such as gowns, could be managed in heavier loads.

Certain products are well suited for under-loading in the drying process to ensure a quality finish without wrinkles, while some items may be overloaded with no problem—in fact, it may be desirable. Each type of load has its own custom formula, including how much of the product to include in the load. This formula is best determined by the particular item’s specifications and its level of soil in order to achieve the quality required.

Both overloading and under-loading are strategies that can be used to achieve optimal efficiency and quality. The right combination of load capacity, chemical mix, water temperature and processing time ensures production efficiency, optimum throughput and the proper quality levels.

MEMBER AT LARGE: DOUGLAS STORY, SWISHER HYGIENE

douglas storyI think we should first define what overloading a washer means. Is it 100 pounds in a 100-pound wash wheel, or is it 200 pounds in a 100-pound wash wheel? Well, you could be loaded correctly in both cases.

If the load is not soiled, or is lightly soiled, you could load to 100 pounds and it would be correct. But, if it is a load of wet bar towels, loading a 100-pound washer to 200 pounds could result in just processing 100 pounds of dry, clean bar towels, so that loading is correct as well! Simply speaking, you have to know the average soil load of the fabrics that you are processing in order to properly load the washers.

As for loading in general, I don’t think the standards are set in stone but the warranty on the equipment is. If one overloads the washer too much, you may end up with mechanical issues. In reality, one could, on occasion, overload a washer by 10-15% of rated capacity, but it should be an exception and not a standard operating procedure.

Water levels, electric motors, brakes and space capacity can all be negatively affected by overloading a washer, and all this is in addition to the poor-to-horrible quality the washer will be producing.

What happens to the fabric when you overload a washer? Here are a few things:

  • Mechanical action is reduced or eliminated
  • Distribution of water is limited

It is possible that not all the fabric in a horribly overloaded washer will even touch water during the process. I learned this lesson in college after trying to wash all my jeans and heavy shirts on the cheap at a Laundromat. I still had powdered soap on my very dry jeans as I unloaded the washer. What a mess.

  • Distribution of chemicals throughout the washer is uneven

This can damage areas where concentrated chemicals contact the linens.

  • Fabrics are not adequately cleaned and cannot be considered hygienically clean or sanitized

In spite of the accounting calculations on the enhanced productivity, overloading may create mechanical and quality issues that would override most savings over a longer period of time.

As for under-loading, it is just a waste of labor, equipment and operational efficiency! The industry is starting to create washers and dispensing systems that can actually compensate for various load sizes, but I still find it a waste in terms of equipment and time expenditures.

If you have a 100-pound washer, use its capabilities to the maximum. This will ensure that you are using labor, chemicals and time optimally in your efforts to produce a quality product at the best possible price.

A few points about under-loading:

  • Chemical concentrations are too high
  • Mechanical and chemical wear on fabrics is excessive
  • Water use per pound processed is excessive
  • Energy use per pound processed is excessive
  • Labor cost per pound processed is excessive

So, whenever possible, load your washers to within 10-15% of the rated capacity of what would be considered the clean, dry weight of the fabric. And for goodness sake, use a well-calibrated scale to make sure you are adding the right poundage to your washers.

Loading your washers as they should be loaded will go a long way to maximizing the overall efficiency of your washroom operation.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

July 5, 2011
Sycuan Casino Upgrades Garment Inventory Tracking System

LOS ANGELES — Timed to its renovation, Sycuan Casino will upgrade to InvoTech Systems' GIMS Ultra-High Frequency RFID Uniform System to automate tracking of the casino's 20,000 apparel items—there are 1,600 team members in eight departments changing uniforms—via bulk electronic scanning.

“We do not have an in-house laundry facility, so it is important we track our team members’ garments to control our assets for the tribe,” says Vanessa Barbarin, purchasing manager for Sycuan Casino. “Our current InvoTech GIMS barcode system tracks team members’ uniforms and gives us greater accuracy, accounting for lost or damaged garments, which has a big effect on our operation’s bottom line. The new UHF RFID system will move Sycuan Casino to the next level of efficiency as we renovate the casino for a new look. The GIMS software will tell us exactly what our spend and savings are, and create a more efficient process. The cost reduction of lost and damaged garments will go directly to the bottom line.”

The UHF technology makes it possible to track the inventory in large batches rather than by single-piece barcode scans, the company says. InvoTech will install automated UHF-RFID readers in the hallway between the casino’s loading dock and its uniform department.

“As clean and soiled uniforms are pushed through the hallway in bulk, the direction of the uniforms is detected to record if they are going to the laundry, or returning clean. This will reduce manual errors and ensure the casino always has accurate reporting of appropriate par stocks in inventory,” says Jeff Welles, vice president of InvoTech.

No computer or user input is required; a light flashes to confirm the uniforms were processed into the GIMS Uniform System. InvoTech will also provide portable UHF-RFID handheld readers for the casino’s monthly physical inventory.

April 18, 2011
California-Based Airline Taps Mission Linen Supply for Napkin Service

BURLINGAME, Calif. — Virgin America has awarded a two-year contract to Mission Linen Supply, which will supply white linen napkins for passengers flying the new airline.

BURLINGAME, Calif. — Virgin America has awarded a two-year contract to Mission Linen Supply, which will supply white linen napkins for passengers flying the new airline.

Virgin America serves San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Cancun, Dallas-Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Cabos, New York, Orlando, San Diego, Seattle and Washington D.C.

Mission Linen Supply plants in Chino and Sacramento, Calif., and in Dallas will provide the linen service for the California and Texas airports.

May 18, 2010
Private Investment Firm Acquires Consolidated Laundry Machinery Co.

LOS ANGELES — Private investment firm Carlin Capital Partners (CCP) has acquired Consolidated Laundry Machinery Co. (CLM) from its president and founder, Leonard Bernstein, CCP announced May 17. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

CLM is a manufacturer of industrial-grade dryers and related finishing equipment, primarily serving the textile services industry. It was founded in 1962.

April 6, 2010
Groups Honor Cruise Ship, Hotel for Green Initiatives

LOS ANGELES — The port of Venice, Italy, this week presented Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity with the environmental Venice Blue Flag award for the third straight year, while the Hyatt Regency Irvine announced that it has received The California Integrated Waste Management Board’s 2009 Waste Reduction Award (WRAP).

December 22, 2009
Cintas Agrees to Settle Class-Action Lawsuit Alleging Living-Wage Violations

LOS ANGELES — Cintas Corp. has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that it violated the City of Los Angeles Living Wage Ordinance, and Workers United/SEIU, which claims to represent 70% of laundry workers in California, says the settlement will cost the company a record $6.5 million.

More than 500 Southern California Cintas laundry workers are due to receive back wages, the union says.

March 30, 2009
Cruise Line Partners with Hanger Maker to Green Ships’ Staterooms

LOS ANGELES — Crystal Cruises has partnered with the Hanger Network, creator of EcoHangers, to green the guest staterooms on its ships.

EcoHangers are environmentally sound alternatives to the 3.5 billion wire hangers and the 5 billion plastic hangers that fill America’s landfills each year, Hanger Network says. EcoHangers are 100% recyclable and manufactured in U.S. EPA-regulated laboratories.

January 2, 2009
Don’t Let Tough Economic Times Sway You into Taking On Ill-Fitting Accounts (Part 2 of 2)

“With the economy in the shape that it’s in, we’re looking for new business anywhere we can find it. But aren’t there times when serving certain accounts doesn’t make sound business sense? Can you suggest some criteria that I can use to weigh the pros and cons of providing textile services to a new account, whatever and wherever it may be?”

September 30, 2008
Prudential Overall Supply Completes Labor Agreement with UNITE HERE

IRVINE, Calif. — Prudential Overall Supply has reached a new labor agreement with UNITE HERE that provides employees with expanded pay and benefits, the company reports.

The three-year contract affects employees in seven California plants, including Van Nuys, Carson, Cerritos, Riverside, Vista, and two Los Angeles locations. The agreement provides employees with pay increases and enhancements to benefits, and settles all outstanding contract issues between Prudential and UNITE HERE, the company says.

September 24, 2008
It’s Everywhere, but What Exactly Does That Buzzword ‘Green’ Mean? (Part 1 of 2)

“What ‘green’ laundry products are available for my operation? Are they truly ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly’? What’s the difference? I hear the term applied most often to chemicals, but can’t equipment or textiles carry that description, too?”

Textile/Uniform Rental: Steve Kallenbach, American Dawn, Los Angeles, Calif.

July 5, 2007
CLM President Leaves Company for Personal Reasons

LOS ANGELES — David Bernstein, president of Consolidated Laundry Machinery Co. (CLM), has left the company effective June 29. His departure has been planned for some time, the company says in a press release, and other key long-term employees have assumed his duties.

Bernstein “is relocating his family to Park City, Utah, in order to serve the critical needs of his wife and children,” CLM says.

He joined the company as vice-president in 1997 and was promoted to president in 2002.

February 8, 2007
Maytag Launches Nationwide Search for Next Repairman

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Maytag Corp. is launching a nationwide search for a new Maytag Repairman as part of a brand revitalization under its new owner, Whirlpool Corp.

Created in 1967, “Ol’ Lonely” is the longest-running live-action advertising icon on American television. Only three actors have portrayed the Maytag Repairman since its creation: Jesse White, from 1967 to 1988; Gordon Jump, from 1988 to 2003; and Hardy Rawls, whose contract ends next month.

February 5, 2007
Managers Balance Environmental Responsibility with Effective Cleaning

Laundry operators are called on to perform a delicate balancing act each and every day: clean their goods in an efficient, cost-effective way while conserving resources and preventing pollution.

They aren’t always successful, as the Ohio laundry president who was recently fined $5,000 and sentenced to probation for improper wastewater handling can attest.

With costs related to water and energy continuing to rise, equipment and systems intended to better utilize or even reuse resources grow more attractive.

September 17, 2006
U.S. Justice Department Clears Joint Venture

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice announced this summer that it won’t oppose a new venture allowing 10 textile maintenance companies to bid jointly to provide textile rental and laundry services to national healthcare outpatient centers.

Based on representations made in the proposal by Linen Systems for Healthcare, the Justice Department concluded that the joint venture isn’t likely to produce anticompetitive effects and could create a new competitor for national accounts, according to the Department’s Aug. 8 press release.