Content about Panel of Experts

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

We have chosen to address three common stubborn stains that can best be managed with procedure, machine programs and chemistry. We will outline procedures important to all stain removal and then address specifics for each stain category.

In all cases, it is important to either pre-treat the stain, or begin the laundering process, as soon as possible after staining. The sooner that stains are removed from the fabric, the less aggressive the program required for removal and the greater the possibility for success.

With a few exceptions, it is important to treat stain removal with the warmest temperature appropriate for the fabric and color blends. Chemical activity increases with elevated temperature and stain removal is generally enhanced with higher temperatures. Exceptions to the “higher the better” are situations involving color fading/bleeding, fabric shrinking, protein or blood “setting,” or exceeding temperatures recommended for enzyme products.           

Medicinal Stains — There are a number of medicinal preparations that can be irreversibly set with chlorine bleach if not thoroughly removed prior to bleach process. Chlorhexidine gluconate and iodine preparations must be thoroughly rinsed prior to standard wash cycles. Education of healthcare staff regarding possibility of irreversible staining, vigilance by laundry staff for particular laundry categories, and possible replacements of non-staining materials can provide solutions. Salves and skin-protection preparations compounded with oils may need special attention and are best removed with selective surfactant products.

Food Stains — Food stains are common to healthcare and hospitality linens. Conventional chemistry with increased alkali and detergent usually provides satisfactory results for greasy soils. Protein stains can be removed with a bleach program step if fabric dyes are compatible. There are a number of enzyme detergents and enzyme presoak products that provide good removal of protein and/or greasy stains if soak time is available. Be sure to match specific enzyme product to type of food stain.

Athletic Uniforms — School and professional athletic colors have never been selected for laundry compatibility! Before beginning any aggressive stain-removal program, make sure that both uniform materials of construction and colors can withstand temperatures and chemistry chosen. Always consult manufacturer’s care tags. Temperature and chlorine bleach are two often-exceeded treatments that can do irreversible damage to fabric finish, fading/bleeding of incompatible colors, and overall irreversible color deposition. There are also a small number of hazardous chemistries that are used to strip dyes and field marking colors. These should be avoided by using an enzyme presoak program if team schedules allow.

It is important to identify impact-generated (helmet and plastic padding) stains that are a result of fabric and protective gear colors being physically transferred into the opposing team’s uniform fabric. Impact transfer is usually an irreversible situation.

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

From the perspective of an industrial healthcare linen services provider, the most stubborn stains regularly encountered include bodily fluids, metal and rust stains, tape residue and finally medicinal chemical stains.

We address these difficult stains through a multi-tiered approach, designed to address each particular type of stain. Time, temperature, chemical action and mechanical action are the keys to effective stain removal, and can be adjusted as each case requires. 

As a first step, we work closely with our chemical company to create the proper formulation, or “chemical cocktail,” to remove specific types of stains. Heavily stained linens are identified during soil sort and separated for special treatment.

After the appropriate treatment has been determined, we pre-wash the heavily stained items to remove the first level of soil in our heavy-duty single-batch washers. Hand inspection is employed throughout the process to determine what the next steps are, as well as to ensure quality control. A stringent quality-control program ensures that we effectively launder items until the stains are eradicated.

Because of the intense nature of healthcare laundry stains, there are instances in which items are destroyed in the process of stain removal and those pieces are placed in our linen recycling program. By continually evolving our processes, and working with our chemical vendor, we successfully remove a large number of stains.

TEXTILES: TOM LANGDON, ENCOMPASS GROUP, MCDONOUGH, GA.

Not having had much experience with this topic, I sought the advice of a few long-time laundry professionals. What I found was a little surprising. While most agreed about which substances were the most difficult to treat and remove, their approaches to accomplish this task were completely different.

One approach is stain avoidance. The process starts with sorting the soiled linen from least stained to most stained, or light, medium or heavy soil. By isolating the dirtiest linen, the launderer reduces the chance of contaminating the rest. They also sort by soil factor (whether the stains are protein- or oil-based), as this will determine what wash formula should be used to process the linen. Using this approach, most of the cleaner linen can run through the normal process and be cleaned satisfactorily. They then save the “blood load” to be processed at the end of the shift when the wash formula, along with temperature and process time, can be adjusted.

On the other end of the spectrum is the “one wash” method. Using this approach, the laundry does not segregate its linen because it has optimized its process and system to yield the best overall cleaning results. Of course, if an item that is obviously heavily soiled turns up, they would not process it, preferring instead to rag it out. As stains are the enemy of efficiency, this method works to minimize their disruption on the process.

Stains, after all, are a big problem. Some operators advise that they incur more loss due to stains than to wearing out product through processing. Up to three times more product is “ragged out” because of stains than from actually being worn out.

Regardless of the approach, most operators agree that, in the healthcare setting, Hibiclens, or chlorhexidine gluconate/isopropanol, is the toughest stain to get out. This antiseptic liquid is applied directly to a patient’s skin at the incision site prior to surgery. Its normal state is a clear pink liquid. After being transferred to a textile article and exposed to chlorine bleach during processing, it turns orange-brown and is a difficult stain to remove.

The products themselves play a part in the challenge of dealing with stains. Results from my research rank incontinence products, patient apparel and bath items as the products that experience the most stains. Fabric type is also a factor in stain resistance and stain removal.

Due to advances in finishing chemistry and applications, polyester-rich products actually fare better than cotton-rich items, even though in its natural state polyester has an affinity for oil. These predominantly synthetic-rich products also last longer, which is a plus when exposing them to additional mechanical action and stronger wash formulas that can accelerate the breakdown of cotton-rich fabrics.

Stain treatments are changing. Historically, stain-release treatments were based on C8 fluorocarbon chemistry that has been identified as being harmful to the environment and bio-accumulative. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has requested a voluntary elimination of this chemistry by 2015; manufacturers of these products have been working toward alternatives since 2000. As with most developments, the alternative technologies are more expensive to produce. Some estimates predict as much as a double-digit increase in the cost of stain removal with the new technology as compared to current options.

Regardless of which method you use to process your tough stains, one thing is clear. Stains are here to stay and will become more challenging to treat as the demands for environmentally friendly chemistry becomes the norm.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTION: STEVE CLARK, LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT SERVICES INC., BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.VA.

As with any mechanical industry in the world today, technology is ever evolving and continues to push equipment to its max in terms of production and efficiency. This is no different in the laundry industry—as long as you use it properly.

Forget all the bells and whistles of additional means for energy conservation and get down to the nitty-gritty of what it takes to improve your laundry’s energy efficiency and water consumption with the equipment you already have. Something that laundry managers often forget is the amount of water in an individual cycle’s bath and the amount of that water retained in the linen at the end of the cycle.

First, do you know how many gallons are in a particular bath? If so, then do you truly need that much? Does your machine capacity and chemical makeup require such an amount of water? With advancements in technology and computer programming, every leading manufacturer of equipment is capable of customizing water consumption on a per-bath/per-cycle basis. Obviously, this cycle variation will depend on the material being laundered. Regardless, it would be wise to break down the water level and percentage of drum capacity with your chemical representative to determine if this percentage can be tweaked.

Imagine saving 1 gallon per bath/per cycle and multiply that by the number of cycles you run throughout a given day. For example, one machine removes 1 gallon of water from five baths in one cycle. At 5 gallons per load and two loads an hour, that equals 10 gallons saved per hour, or 80 gallons saved per eight-hour shift.

Beyond the amount of water going into an individual wash cycle, what about the water coming out? The water retention amount per load can destroy your laundry’s efficiency in the drying or finishing stages of the process. For every percentage point of moisture in a given material, expect additional minutes to be spent in a dryer or finisher, thus requiring more labor, gas, electricity, etc., per load.

Water retention is affected by the amount of water introduced, the extraction rate of RPMs applying the respective G-force, and the length of extraction time. Due to previously mentioned advances in technology and programming capabilities, most equipment is capable of adjusting the RPMs and the length of extraction time to limit moisture retention to a desired amount for premium linen quality and energy efficiency.

Limit your expenses and help the environment; maximize your efficiency.

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

Greater energy efficiency and water conservation can be achieved through planning and design using the new technology available in equipment such as continuous batch washers, presses, and dryers.

In some areas, utilities companies and commissions have special incentive programs designed to encourage businesses to be as energy efficient as possible. In working with your utility company, it is possible to precisely plan for proper equipment and energy use in order to achieve maximum savings.

Employing “reduce and reuse” principles ensures that the highest possible level of resource preservation is achieved throughout an operation. By incorporating the latest technology, equipment, processes and infrastructure, it is possible to save millions of gallons of water annually and tremendous amounts of natural gas and electricity. Some of the ways to achieve tremendous savings include:

• Utilizing energy-efficient lighting, and motion-sensor lighting where appropriate, throughout the plant and offices to reduce energy use.
• Going green with invoices, by using e-mail instead of paper to conserve ink, energy and eliminate paper waste.
• Using environmentally sustainable, lighter fabrics that not only make sense for the environment but also require less drying time.
• Utilizing gravity-enabled designs in the plant, such as an overhead rail system, that moves laundry through the facility using minimal energy to produce less risk and strain to employees.
• Installing the latest industrial washers that utilize high-tech water systems with the ability to decrease water usage by more than 75%.
• Incorporating high-pressure presses to remove the maximum amount of water from clean goods and greatly reduce drying time, resulting in lower natural gas consumption.
• Employing heat reclamation equipment, which employs energy-transfer principles to raise the incoming water temperature so that a lot less energy is needed for heating.

Through technology and streamlined processes, it is possible to achieve tremendous energy savings, which results in cost savings and reduced environmental impact. That’s good for the industry and good for the environment.

TEXTILES: TOM LANGDON, ENCOMPASS GROUP, MCDONOUGH, GA.

There are a number of relatively new textile products on the market that can help improve a laundry’s energy and water consumption. Technology developments in yarn spinning and finishing chemistry now allow synthetic fibers to have more natural fiber characteristics.

Fasciated yarn is defined by Webster’s as a form of fiber assembly consisting of a core of parallel discontinuous fibers bound into a compact bundle by surface wrapping minor proportion of the discontinuous fibers around the core to form the yarn. The most common type is MJS, or Murata Jet Spinning, named after the Japanese manufacturer that perfected this technique.

By using this process to spin all polyester or CVS (Chief Value Synthetic) fibers into yarn, products have a more “cotton-like” look and feel. Recent developments in finishing chemistry now can impart wicking and moisture management properties on fabrics once considered nonabsorbent. This market trend started several years ago with sheets and pillowcases, but now has spread into most product groups, including incontinent pads and even thermal blankets.

There are a few challenges that any laundry may have to address when considering incorporating these new products into their system. No. 1 is the difference in cost. Depending on the item, replacing an existing CVC (Chief Value Cotton) item with one that is all-poly or poly rich could be a 20-40% premium in upfront investment over the standard linen price. The second challenge is processing. Because manmade fiber products dry faster and absorb less water, they need to be processed separately to achieve their full benefits. In some cases, this may be more trouble than it is worth.

Although there is an upfront investment, adding these items to a line will more than provide payback over time. By its nature, polyester is stronger than cotton and will last longer. There is less weight loss, which helps protect revenues for those charging by the pound. Studies have shown that these poly-rich items are more resistant to staining, so there is savings to be had by reducing rewash cycles or pre-treating.

This past year was the best time ever to add more poly-rich items to your line or convert completely. The unprecedented rise in cotton prices in 2011 closed the gap, so in some cases switching was a wash (no pun intended), or the premium was slight. If you look at these items from a cost-per-use perspective, they still are a good value.

I’ll offer a few statistics. One company that I work with did some in-house testing on the processing of these new, synthetic-rich items and achieved the following results on several product categories (of course, results may vary from laundry to laundry):

Knit Sheets — Drying time was reduced 25-40% as compared to a cotton-rich item, and water retention was cut in half.

Pads — Drying time was reduced by 50% as compared to a cotton-rich item, and water retention was reduced by 20%.

Clothing Protectors — Drying time was reduced by 60% as compared to a cotton-rich item, and water retention reduced by 40%.

If laundries embrace this new technology, they will experience faster drying times and use less water. They will also have products that last longer. Saving money and time while conserving resources, now that’s a win-win.

HOTEL/MOTEL/RESORT LAUNDRY: JR NORRIS, DELTA UNIFORM AND LINEN, ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

As energy prices begin to soar, and with today’s current economic uncertainty, now is an excellent time to implement energy benchmarking and waste reduction in your operation.

Conducting energy audits on a regular basis can help determine the actual condition of your equipment as well as its overall performance. These audits can show where and how energy is being wasted, and can help you identify and prioritize future energy-improvement measures.

Unfortunately, it took some time to get our entire team to recognize the benefits and contribute to reducing wasted resources. In addition to insulating hot water and steam lines and repairing leaky valves, we conducted frequent walk-and-talk meetings with maintenance and laundry managers to identify a starting point.

Since our machines are older, we decided we should determine their energy consumption first. To start the process, we had our local electricity provider complete an audit. It conducted a weeklong audit of our usage and compared peak vs. non-peak times. Through these findings, we learned which equipment was pulling the highest amperage and then made proactive decisions to determine what we could do to conserve.

After the audit was complete, we reviewed all of our older equipment that was wasting the most energy. The most energy-consuming piece of equipment turned out to be a 50-hp air compressor, and, unfortunately, we have two of them in place. In an effort to reduce this waste, we purchased a new 25-hp motor, changed the pulleys and reduced the overall amps being used.

Some may ask why we didn’t purchase a new, energy-efficient compressor. We believe in saving first and purchasing newer equipment after all other options have been exhausted.

For example, we had a 900-pound Ellis washer that had such a hard start-up and used so many amps that it continuously caused problems. We implemented today’s technology and installed a soft-start invert drive. This dramatically reduced our daily amps and allowed room on our circuit breaker to install more equipment on our two different power sources. This method of resolution has proven successful in our operation.

In addition to modifying equipment to conserve energy, we also found that by utilizing our skylights as a natural light source, we were able to reduce the number of hours a day that our overhead lights are on. With the generous amount of sunlight that we have in New Mexico, we tapped into this natural resource. The additional natural light encourages more positive production out of our employees than working under bright fluorescent lighting. To take this a step further, we are installing photocells on our fixtures to automatically reduce lighting usage.

The next energy-saving effort we will focus on is a system for reclaiming water. We have grown significantly over the last few years, and have learned that this system will be a vital contributor for cost savings and water preservation. We are in the process of researching this method to determine our future implementation efforts.

Conserving energy can be as easy as wrapping and insulating lines or identifying and repairing all leaking water and air valves. Enlisting your local energy service provider to provide audits of your current consumption can give you a better understanding of your usage and allow you to easily identify waste. Empowering your team to conserve and promote awareness of energy waste can improve the success of your efforts. Education and implementation is the best way to reduce our industry’s carbon footprint and benefit the environment, but it also can assist in reducing our collective bottom lines.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

Healthcare Laundry: Scott Beaton, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

There are two major differences between institutional and commercial rental laundry plants regarding laundry processing equipment and operational procedures. The overarching difference is that each must serve a different master.

One is customer-based, high-volume, and driven to make a profit, while the other exists to provide a service for a captive audience. Due to these differences, the degree of necessary automation varies substantially.

The other major difference is that commercial/rental plants wash and process linen to meet the needs of both regulatory and customer-based demands. They deliver linen in a manner that guarantees and produces a positive net operating margin. This is driven by the fact that they are in business to make a profit.

Rental laundries typically spend more on their equipment, training and education of their workforce than an institutional facility. Pounds per operator hour, or PPOH, become the mantra. The old adage “time is money and money is time” comes to mind. These large, high-volume shared-service laundries and commercial plants tend to be highly automated, with batch washers, shuttle conveyors and pass-through dryers greatly reducing manual-labor requirements.

Commercial rental operations realize quickly in this competitive, price-point-driven market that financial investment and reinvestment is key in both manpower and equipment. This must take place to be competitive and sustainable in an ever-changing business climate.

A rental plant usually realizes that it takes a financial investment to achieve an efficient operation and, as a result, spends money to make money. Institutional laundries would benefit greatly if they would also utilize this model and invest in their infrastructure to best serve their internal customers.

Chemicals Supply: Marlene Williams, Anderson Chemical Co.

As a chemical formulator, my comments will focus on procedural differences between institutional and industrial laundries. Institutional and industrial facilities both launder linen, but the purpose and focus of each is in response to different expectations.

Institutional laundries provide a service within organizations. Industrial laundries are typically focused as independent businesses. This results in different orientations, chemical programs and procedures.

Major concerns for commercial laundries include optimization of production orientation. This would include labor and labor cost as a percent of revenue, utilities, water and chemical costs, production cost per machine, and overall profitability.

Formula times and rewash numbers can be well balanced to provide optimum profit. Hot water, high alkali, and bleach can provide lower pounds of rewash, but at the expense of linen integrity.

Major concerns for institutional laundries include: maintaining facility par, quality of results depending on potentially lower water temperatures, machine programmability, correct choice of program, and chemistry.

While most institutional facilities have well-trained staff, problems can arise when machines and chemical supply malfunction if a staff person does not make timely corrections. Because of a lesser focus on cost per piece, spotting and special pretreatments or machine formulas may be utilized. The luxury of time for rework and special formulas can result in higher volumes of good quality work without the expense of fabric damage.

Linen Supply: Stephen Marcq, General Linen Service

I see substantial differences between equipment and procedures in commercial vs. institutional plants. In commercial plants, for example, it is common to see newer, larger, more energy- and water-efficient machinery, i.e. continuous batch washers vs. smaller washer-extractors, six-roll ironers vs. one-roll, and so forth.

It is more common to see things like heat reclamation and water treatment equipment, as well as use of steam vs. thermal oil, electric and so forth on ironers. The reason is likely because the commercial plant can typically gain economies of scale, lower the per-unit production costs and thus generate a sufficient return on investment on the large up-front expense, although available space also has something to do with it.

The biggest procedural difference I see is that many institutional plants, by their nature, do a larger number of small loads, turning product sometimes several times per day, whereas a commercial plant may have one machine dedicated to a specific item operating eight hours or more daily.

The institutional plant often can customize the finishing procedures and requirements to the exact specification required, whereas the commercial plant has to find some middle ground to suit its mix of customers.

Commercial Laundry: Tom Gildred, Emerald Textiles

Differences in equipment and procedures between a commercial laundry plant and an institution-based laundry are substantial and exist for a variety of reasons.

The equipment in a commercial/rental plant is usually larger in scale and capable of processing huge amounts of volume (pounds) per hour. In newer facilities, or those that invest in newer equipment, tremendous energy efficiencies are achieved that result in energy and water savings. This positively impacts the environment and reduces operating costs.

Equipment in an institution-based laundry is smaller in scale and handles wash loads of lesser volume. In-house laundry facilities sometimes occupy revenue-generating space that might otherwise be used for additional operations within the organization.

Processes and procedures in a commercial plant are typically more automated, so less labor is required to process the laundry. This improves efficiency and decreases the risk of strain and injury to employees. Another difference in a commercial facility is rental pool linen. Large rental pools require fewer linen purchases on a regular basis and offer a consistent, flexible supply of product to all customers as needed.

The chemical mix in a commercial plant is also handled differently because of the opportunity to use each pocket in a continuous batch washer for specific purposes with specialized chemicals. This allows the precise timing, titration and temperature required to achieve the highest levels of cleanliness.

Handling larger wash loads also allows for the production team to run the same products through folding or ironing consistently, which improves efficiencies lost when switching the products that are being processed.

Finally, the focus in a commercial laundry operation is generally specialized and, because of its scale, designed to comply with OSHA, Title 22, and state and federal regulations.

In an institution-based laundry facility, processes are typically labor-intensive, and require more employees, because they are less automated and staff may or may not be assigned exclusively to the laundry function. Since the task of laundry is usually just one aspect of operations in the organization, it may be more difficult to be focused on compliance, efficiency and quality control.

In part, some of the reasons for these differences exist because of specialization as well as the scale and volume of each type of laundry facility. There are economies of scale realized when a commercial plant is focused on processing linen for multiple large healthcare or hospitality customers, vs. operating a laundry department in-house to process only the linens needed by that organization.

Uniforms/Workwear Manufacturing: Steve Kallenbach, American Dawn

Typically, the equipment and procedures in processing textiles is about the same—whether in a rental laundry or an OPL (on-premise) hospitality or healthcare laundry—but does depend on the volume/poundage of each facility. When it comes to boilers, heaters, reclaimers, sewage treatment, washers, dryers, tunnels, ironers or presses, the equipment manufacturers supply our industry as one. And the chemical companies typically use formulation based on textile/application/poundage vs. market.

While one would think that the processes for these two business channels are equally alike, there are many different practices, based mostly on profitability and/or quality expectations.

The rental channel always has two common goals: growth and profitability. They are sometimes in opposite order, but always present together. This becomes a delicate balance between efficiency and quality. To illustrate, let's look at linen napkins.

A rental laundry typically wants to achieve acceptable market standard quality at the lowest cost. It’s in the business of making profits through textile rental, and therefore measures every microbe of wear life, processing cost, merchandise field recovery, and total merchandise costs (including acquisition) all the way to electricity and building costs.

In comparison, an OPL must maintain the internal (typically single-department customer) quality standard, and is part of a much bigger picture (a small department of a large enterprise). Its building, energy and overhead costs may be charged by estimate or calculation to the whole. Additionally, its quality standards are typically set by one of the other departments that it serves, are not negotiable, and are expected to be maintained, without as much weight given to cost.

The sheer difference in service dynamics and accounting in an OPL drive fairly significant differences in labor management, water/energy/chemical management, textile selection, and inventory management (which typically doesn’t fall under the control of the OPL), all the way to formula times, pressing speeds, and water temperature/steam use.

Additionally, because the perceived quality of OPL customers (key departments) is allowed to be as high as requested, much more finishing (such as pressing vs. tunneling) occurs.

Material handling and delivery also differs between the two types. An OPL typically delivers the goods to another on-premise department (i.e. Guest Services) using carts, rails and perhaps a small vehicle — and goods are many times picked up by the department being serviced. A rental laundry has many more carts (for separation by route/customer) as well as sort railing and numerous route trucks for delivery within a large geographical area.

Numbers will tell a big story here, and both have their place in the textile services markets. Cases can be made in either direction as to what is most efficient and profitable for the enterprise.

Tomorrow: Answers from the textile/uniform rental, consulting services, and equipment manufacturing sectors...

Textiles: Tom Langdon, Encompass Group

I am vice president of sourcing and purchasing for Encompass Group. I have spent the past 30 years in a variety of roles and responsibilities in the textile industry.

For the last 20-plus, I have traveled the globe, extensively developing and sourcing all types of textile products. My product experience spans from retail home fashions, to protective and military apparel, and into the medical textile products area. I am experienced in woven, non-woven, and knit manufacturing techniques along with all aspects of printing, dyeing and finishing.

My educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree from the Stetson School of Business at Mercer University, along with various continuing education certificates in customs, compliance, CTPAT, supply chain management, and ISO 9000 registration. I sit on the Techtextil North America 2012 Symposium Advisory Council and chair the Medical Educational Section. I see my role on the panel as giving readers the layman’s perspective on each monthly topic and how obtaining the actual textile items is affected.

Two of our biggest challenges in 2011 were the unprecedented run-up in raw-material costs and mitigating the impact to our customers. We also were faced with some historic geopolitical changes in the world, of which the unrest in Egypt created some specific obstacles to our industry.

I was already scheduled to visit Egypt at the end of January 2011, the week before the Mubarak regime fell. I remember spending the first half of the Super Bowl on the phone with my travel agent rearranging my itinerary to cancel the Egypt portion of my trip. Later, I found out that the head of the largest government-owned textile mill in Egypt was removed from his post and arrested.

Probably our greatest accomplishment realized was in educating our customers and others in the industry on market conditions. This entailed explaining how contributing factors such as the price of cotton, energy, and currency exchange rates affect the price, quality, and availability of laundry textile products.

Encompass benefited from an intercompany market update I published monthly, which helped our sales force reach out to all of our customers as well. The price of cotton became such a hot topic at one point that it even made it on to NBC’s The Today Show.

Let’s all hope we have a much calmer and more stable 2012. I look forward to participating on this panel and appreciate being selected.

Linen Supply: Stephen Marcq, General Linen Service

I’m the director of business development for General Linen, with corporate offices and the processing plant located in Somersworth N.H. I’ve been with the company for approximately 22 years, starting as a production manager. I worked as a production and depot manager for several other companies before returning in 1992.

While most of my time with General has been on the service side of the business, I’ve done everything from load diapers (remember those?) to running the service department and then the sales department, which has given me a well-rounded background that has served me well.

Today, I work extensively with the sales and service teams to manage, retain and expand our business presence with large corporate accounts, and especially with a variety of multi-site operations, both healthcare and hospitality. Setting up various customized programs designed to appeal to the particular needs of off-site management or ownership is an accomplishment I am particularly proud of.

We have 3,800 customers in four states, serviced from our main plant and two additional service centers in New Hampshire and Maine. Our plant mix consists mostly of hospitality and healthcare business, with lesser amounts of industrial and dust control.

With both of those areas affected by the economic downturn over the last few years, and healthcare especially hit hard in the last 6-12 months, a major challenge right now is in maintaining margins and sales increases while retaining customers in an increasingly competitive, cost-conscious environment.

We have implemented route optimization software to reduce distribution and delivery expense, installed a stack economizer to reclaim waste heat, increased our sales team, set up a key/multi-site customer and corporate visit program, and have many other projects in progress or in the works.

Our mixed-plant status can be, at times, both an asset and a liability. When one segment is down, we have historically grown in another and been able to protect jobs and revenue. But gaining maximum production and delivery efficiencies can be harder for a mixed plant as well, something that we are doing our best to address.

I am honored to have been selected to serve on the panel, and I am looking forward to contributing during 2012.

Hotel/Motel/Resort Laundry: JR Norris, Delta Linen

I’m the operations manager for Delta Uniform and Linen, the largest family-owned and operated commercial laundry in Albuquerque. I am honored to have been chosen for this panel.

The Randall family established Delta Linen in 1948 as a small drycleaning business. The decision was made to take the business into industrial linen rental, and Delta Linen has since flourished. It now services more than 300 restaurants, casinos and fine hotels, and is growing daily. Delivering clean and wrinkle-free linen and hospitality wear with 24-hour-a-day customer service has contributing greatly to our success.

I worked as a general manager in the restaurant business for almost 20 years, sitting on the other side of the table in dealings with linen companies. This experience has helped me greatly with my transition from restaurants to linen service and having the ability to under a restaurant’s needs. It encourages me daily that Delta Linen has had the same beliefs and integrity for more than 60 years!

I have faced several challenges after diving headfirst into the linen business, but that’s been the fun part. The biggest has been working with and understanding the quality and maintenance aspects of hotel linens.

I have seen sub-par cotton quality coming from many manufacturers over the past 18 months. We have had to change several processes, including how we order and wash, to ensure the longevity of the textiles. Because of this, production has almost been more challenging than the cleaning of the products themselves.

We were blessed with continued growth this past year despite the hard economic times the country faced. We have taken on several new, large accounts, along with a new contract with a resort. And we recently renewed our contract with the largest casino in New Mexico.

We continue to strive for the best every day, with the mind-set and commitment that our service is our contract and it is as good, if not better, than a golden handshake. I intend to see that Delta Linen maintains this philosophy for many years to come.

Tomorrow: Introductions to representatives from the equipment manufacturing and chemical suppy sectors, plus a member at large...
Click here for Part 1.
Click here for Part 2.

Healthcare Laundry: Scott Beaton, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

I am the Kaiser Permanente Northern California regional product manager for linen and laundry, overseeing and maintaining a system that serves 21 Northern California hospitals with more than 27 million pounds processed annually.

Previously, I was operations manager for Sodexo in Stockton, Calif., one of the largest COG healthcare laundries in its laundry division. The plant processed more than 44 million pounds of linen per year while serving 30 hospital and 47 clinic customers in accordance with HLAC and Title 22 healthcare standards.

I’ve been in the commercial laundry industry for more than 20 years, having operated healthcare, hospitality and uniform plants throughout the West. I developed and implemented initiatives that contributed to increases in productivity and quality at each location while operating in union and nonunion environments.

I began my career at ARAMARK as a group merchandise control manager and worked at several different facilities throughout the Southwest in merchandise control and production. I later joined UniFirst Corp., where, as Western regional production trainer, I was responsible for the development of production managers and the implementation of all production-related best practices and procedures in the region.

My goals this year include enhancing the patient care experience and healing environment through enhanced linen quality and product upgrades. I also plan to increase the velocity and utilization of products by training stakeholders through the implementation of best practices at the user level while at the same time reducing our carbon footprint.

It’s an honor to be selected for this Panel. I hope to share the benefit of my experience with you.

Equipment/Supplies Distribution: Steve Clark, Laundry Equipment Services Inc.

Most of my laundry knowledge comes from hands-on experience, which I hope to be able to share while serving on this panel.

I grew up in the laundry industry; my father worked for Economics Laboratory for 32 years. I began transporting and installing laundry equipment when I was 16, and worked as a service technician for Ecolab in my early 20s. The latter position allowed me to understand general laundry procedures, applications, and the challenges that laundries face on a daily basis.

After several years, I decided to move into sales as a territory manager with Diversey and explored the chemical aspects of the industry. All of this experience primed me to open Laundry Equipment Services Inc., a commercial/industrial laundry equipment sales and service company. We supply new and refurbished equipment, as well as ancillary items, to hospitals, hotels, resorts, nursing homes, prisons, Laundromats, etc. We also have a large coin-operated division and parts department.

Operating LES allows me the diversity of managing a great group of employees, training customers, designing locations, constructing and/or rebuilding laundry facilities, and doing so within budgets. We focus on proper equipment sizing, correct equipment mixes, professional installations and continuous service after the sale.

Because so many of our customers are financially challenged by the economy, we’re forced to continually look for ways that they can save money. Our biggest challenge is keeping our customers operating safely while maintaining quality with the lowest costs possible, but it’s one we conquer.

Textile/Uniform Rental: David Dersheimer, SITEX Corp.

I am the plant manager for SITEX Corp. in Henderson, Ky. SITEX is a well-established uniform and linen rental company that has been serving customers in Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee and Indiana for more than 50 years. We provide outstanding image programs for our customers and reference that in our company’s tag line – SITEX, The Image Makers.

I am responsible for the day-to-day production, maintenance, and safety of our Henderson operation. I’ve been with SITEX for six years.

I’ve been in the commercial laundry industry on the production side for 29 years, and have worked for companies that produced from 3 million to 30 million pounds annually. I served one company briefly as a service manager. I have extensive experience in work measurement and production standards, as well as safety.

One of our challenges over the last couple of years has been dealing with the continued increase in the cost of raw materials that go into our end products. With the volatility in the cotton and petroleum markets, we have all seen price increases on our rental textiles as well as processing supplies.

SITEX has been able to maintain operating expenses by carefully researching alternate textile products and operational supplies and procedures. We have been able to offer our customers alternate and, in some cases, better products to suit their needs. I would consider this challenge met to be a success.

I am excited about what 2012 holds for my company and our industry, and I am proud to have been selected to serve on this panel. I hope that my experience and input helps my peers not only meet but exceed their expectations in 2012.

Tomorrow: Introductions to representatives of the consulting services, commercial laundry, and uniforms/workwear manufacturing sectors.

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

Chemicals Supply: Carrie Armstrong, Ecolab Eagan, Minn.

Optimizing the laundry processes and following the recommendations will help with the reduction of higher-than-necessary utility costs. The following are common errors in laundries leading to additional costs; these are in the order of processing, not necessarily in order of magnitude.

• Incorrect Sorting, or No Sorting, of Soiled Linen by Soil Content, Soil Level and Linen Type — Not sorting will result in all loads washed in heavier formulas than necessary, which generally requires higher temperatures and more water exchanges and leads to reduced linen life. If heavy-soil contents are washed on a regular soil formula, rewash/stain percentage will increase. This results in additional rewash/stain loads processed, some of which would not be necessary if properly sorted. Reclaim formulas generally feature higher temperature and extended wash times, resulting in added utility costs.

• Not Loading to Optimal Capacity — Under-loading and overloading results in additional washes. Under-loading does not utilize the capacity of the machine, thus wasting utilities. Overloading results in additional rewash due to inadequate soil removal (which can also be the result of under-loading).

• Incorrect Wash-Formula Selection — Wash formulas are developed for the soil types, soil levels and fabrics for optimal soil removal. Each is specific in time, temperatures, water and chemicals for each classification. Not selecting the correct wash formula is similar to incorrect soil sorting.

Selecting a heavy-soil formula for a light-soil classification results in increased utilities, as these formulas generally include higher temperatures, additional water exchanges and extended wash times. Selecting a light-soil formula for heavy soil will result in added rewash.

• Wash-Formula Structures — The formula structure and programming of the wash machines are critical for cost control and require optimization. Times, temperatures and water exchanges may be reduced given the textile types and soil levels being processed. An extensive review of wash formulas may result in changes in flushes, rinses, time or temperature. Additionally, ensuring that all machines are programmed identically will result in more consistent results.

• Incorrect Extract Times — Too-short extract time results in the textile being too wet, thus requiring extended dry times. Extract times that are too long use energy unnecessarily.

• Incorrect Dryer Formulas and Loading — As with incorrect washer loading and formula selection resulting in added utility costs, this same concept carries over to the use of the dryers. Overloading will result in extending the dry times, adding to energy costs, plus it shortens linen life.

• Rewash and Stain Reclamation — Not having an established rewash and stain reclaim program results in increase of utilities. Rewash encompasses textiles that have fallen on the floor, mis-feeds through folder/ironer, are still dirty, etc. Stain reclamation is the category for which the wash formula has not been adequate to remove the stain. A reclaim formula generally requires higher temperatures and extended times.

• Postponed Equipment Maintenance — Leaking drains, water valves, steam valves, etc. result in added utility costs.

• Chemical Program — New technologies and laundry product programs are available that can offer customized solutions to reduce water and energy costs. Lower-temperature washing, sanitizing and disinfecting products can shorten processing times.

At each point of the laundry process, errors occur that can increase utilities cost. Continued monitoring and training of personnel will help keep these in control. In addition, your chemical supply representative can consult on ways to help with laundry efficiency.

Long-Term-Care Laundry: Gary Clifford, Pines of Sarasota, Sarasota, Fla.

From my experience, the single most wasteful error is the improper loading of washers and dryers. If you run your machines under-loaded, you will waste not only energy, fuel and water but also chemicals and time.

It doesn’t take any more time or effort to load at the proper levels if you just do it! I realize that everyone wants to be busy, or at least look busy at all times. However, it is clearly beneficial to accumulate and process the correct size loads. The time spent waiting can then be appropriated to wherever you need it.

As an example, the first time I did a late-hour check on laundry at my first OPL in healthcare, the night washer was not sorting everything, just throwing whatever was in the bags in the washers and washing them on the setting for heavily soiled linen. He figured he could eliminate a step that way and save himself a lot of work.

Maybe he did save time and effort, but what a terrible waste of chemicals and utilities. After the proper sorting and loading procedures were reviewed with him, along with the reasoning behind them, it was never a problem again and our chemical expense dropped noticeably.

For those of you working at long-term healthcare facilities, make sure you have adequate washes for heavily soiled linens. A separate setting for this is essential in eliminating rewashes and quality-control problems. Even if you have to hold heavily soiled linen in the sorting cart for a while to get a full load, you can certainly save a lot by doing so.

You will also find it helpful to schedule a recovery load for trying to save badly stained linens prior to taking them out of circulation. Even if you only save half a load, it is linen you may normally would have thrown out.

It is also important not to overload the washers or you will waste your chemicals and utilities on rewashing. It is a bit of a balancing act, but one that can be easily accomplished with education, cooperation and teamwork.

Be sure that you do not ignore proper loading and temperature settings on your dryers. Over-loaded and under-loaded dryers waste a lot of energy and fuel and can also lead to lost time and excessive wear of your linens. And be sure your temperature settings are correct for the loads you do. Too much heat is as bad as too little heat for your linens and is extremely wasteful. Today’s dryers feature multiple settings, so be sure to use them correctly.

Involve your representatives from your laundry chemical, linen and equipment companies to help you fine-tune everything to get the best, most efficient results for your investment. They will be glad to help with this important task. With their help and your attention to the details, you can be sure you are not wasting energy, fuel or water.

Tomorrow: Answers from the commercial laundry and equipment manufacturing sectors.
Click here for Part 1.
Click here for Part 2.

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

Consulting Services: David Chadsey, Laundry-Consulting.com, Winter Haven, Fla.

There is a wonderful buffet restaurant in our town called Fred’s. It offers Southern-style cooking with ribs, ham, chicken and fish plus all the greens and vegetables known to Dixie. Fred has a policy—probably borrowed from his grandmother—that he calls “Waste Not, Want Not.” If upon ordering, you agree to eat everything that you take from the buffet, the restaurant gives you $2 off the price of the meal.

Fred has figured out that if he uses all of his resources to meet the needs of his clients, his business can operate at lower costs and make him more money at the end of the day. Waste in the laundry industry is not a half plate of fired okra gone to scrap, but Btu out the stacks and water down the drain.

Are you utilizing all the water and energy consumed in your plant? Following are a couple of the most common offenders. In addition to checking these sources of potential waste, tracking and benchmarking your total therms and gallons used per pound of linen processed with other similar operations is time well spent.

Steam Boiler

Many plants utilize steam for multiple energy requirements. Heating wash water, the ironer and the garment finisher are the most common needs. Once the boiler comes up to pressure, the more you are able to maximize the throughput of those ma-chines, the more efficient the plant will be.

I have seen laundries running multiple shifts be down as long as two hours between production periods. All that time, energy is wasted as the boilers continue to run and maintain temperature in the equipment served.

Poorly managed production efficiency of flatwork systems is also a source of boiler waste. Running two lanes of pillowcases on a 136-inch finishing line nearly doubles the energy cost of the task. The goal should be to maximize coverage of the rolls during every process. Covering the rolls width-wise and minimizing gaps between goods provides the most efficient use of the ironer.

Boiler stack economizer systems are another component of boiler efficiency. These economizers capture the Btu that would otherwise be discharged from the boiler exhaust stack. The systems enable most operators to recoup their investment in less than two years.

Water Temperatures and Wash Formulas

I was trained in the old school of hot-water wash aisles and rinse till it clears. Times have changed. Most major chemical suppliers offer a variety of products that work well in temperature ranges of 130-140 F. If you are still washing in 160-plus F water and are not bound by regulation to do so, you may want to have a discussion with your chemical supplier.

If 160 F water is a requirement for you, simple heat-transfer technology can recover a significant amount of energy before the water is discharged to your municipality. In our age of “green initiatives,” there are a host of options available to recover Btu from wastewater.

How many rinses do you really need in a conventional washer-extractor for light- and medium-soil goods? What are the most efficient water level settings for your specific equipment? Elimi-nating one 12-inch rinse in a 450-pound open pocket will save about 130 gallons of water per cycle. At 10 loads per day, with a rate of $10 per 1,000 gallons for water and sewer, eliminating one rinse reduces water costs nearly $5,000 per year in that one machine alone.

Use it if you need it, but don’t just leave it on your plate.

Equipment/Supplies Distribution: Russ Arbuckle, Wholesale Commercial Laundry Equipment SE, Southside, Ala.

With the ever-higher costs of energy, water, and wastewater disposal, laundry managers need to examine ways to reduce these costs. Operational practices that are wasteful can be a significant piece of the puzzle that managers need to investigate.

One of the most common ways that laundries may be wasting energy is over-drying.

Older drying tumblers typically do not have auto-dry or moisture-sensing features, and the operators most likely use the same temperature and time settings regardless of laundry type.

Obviously, terry towels will need longer dry times than sheets, pillowcases, etc.

If the drying tumblers do not have these auto features, managers should be examining the dry times currently used by their laundry workers.

Spending some time studying the dry times being used for different wash loads and then running some test loads with reduced times may allow for shorter dry cycles and result in overall energy savings.

Another way to reduce energy costs is to be sure that lint screens are cleaned regularly. Check these screens for the gummy material that clogs the openings in the screens. By using a scrub brush and hot water, you can remove most of this gummy material and allow for greater airflow and thus shorter dry times. If cleaning the screens does not remove the clogs, consider replacing them.

The finishing of flat goods on flatwork ironers can be another area where energy costs can be reduced. Checking the conditioning times being used and experimenting with shorter times may result not only in reduced energy costs but increased production as well.

Adjusting wash-water temperatures and water levels may provide for cost savings. Work with your chemical representatives to try processing using reduced wash water temperatures as well as different water levels without impacting overall wash quality. Here, you can reduce overall cost, increase production, and improve the bottom line.

Tomorrow: Answers from the textile/uniform rental and uniforms sectors.

“Our resort has upgraded its linens everywhere, from the guestrooms to the pool to the five-star restaurant. So, the pressure is on to clean, handle and store these goods so they give us the longest useful life possible. What advice can you give me about processing high-thread-count linens?”

Consulting Services: David Chadsey, Capital Equipment Consulting, Winter Haven, Fla.

The hospitality industry is extremely competitive. One of the ways that properties have sought to differentiate themselves is by using high-quality textiles throughout their scope of services.

Events seem to blend together for me after having worked more than 25 years in this industry. But it seems to me this whole high-end-hospitality-linen rage started a decade ago with the luxury pillow-top bed. Oh, yes, the indulgent extravagance of a bed with a built-in pillow top.

Unfortunately, many of the pioneering hospitality decision-makers didn’t work in operations. In many properties, the discovery that standard-sized sheets do not fit on thicker mattresses was a stark revelation upon install.

No problem. Purchasing comes to the rescue with wider, longer sheets. But these sheets don’t fit width-wise down the ironer. Uh-oh. As an average, full-function finishing line costs about $250,000, many laundry operations were left to figure out temporary solutions until capital resources were made available for new equipment. Today, the ironing line of 130 inches wide plus is the specification standard in nearly all hospitality applications.

Who can forget the national media coverage several years ago that told America that hotels don’t launder their bedspreads after every guest checkout? Oh my! Again, sales drive the train and property differentiation comes first. “Here’s an idea—let’s put a duvet-covered quilt on every bed. Then we only have to wash the cover.”

Wash and iron, Mr. Hospitality Exec. Ironing a duvet cover, as those working in hospitality have learned, is like ironing a mega pillowcase on steroids. Again, operations were instructed to figure it out. Soon, everybody learned that high quality comes with a price—more labor, more utilities, and more equipment.

For decades, the T-180 sheet—and blended, at that—was the standard throughout the hospitality industry. No longer. The Holiday Inn Express that I stayed in recently had tuxedo T-220, 100% cotton bed linen. In many ways, cotton is easier to wash—the fabric loves to open up and surrender stains in hot water. But finishing is another issue.

It seems like the industry already went through this in reverse nearly 50 years ago. If you want cotton flatwork to look nice, it has to be ironed. Fifty-pound washers and tumble dryers in the basement simply will not provide a high-quality finish.

Pay attention, folks. If the high prices of cotton continue, I would expect the major mills to introduce new “looks and feels like cotton” polyester bed linen any day.

Through all of this change, Milliken led the charge in table linen, producing amazing imitation cotton food-and-beverage products. This product line has come a long way from the original Visa introduction. Most of this high-end, spun-poly-type fabric provides exceptionally long life, stable color, and ease of processing.

Uniforms: Barb Herman, SanMar Corp., Issaquah, Wash.

First, from a textile perspective, the task here really starts during the decision-making process to upgrade your linens (or any other textiles).

If a resort has an on-premise laundry (OPL) with commercial washing and finishing equipment, then the biggest part of this decision is the balance between image (look and feel) versus fabric durability in dye fastness, shrinkage, shape hold, snagging, soil/stain release, and the ability to wash and finish the product at high temperatures.

Many “high-end” linens are designed for look and feel, but are not built, and will not withstand, the rigorous processing needed to properly clean and finish the goods.

The wash floor chemical suppliers and dryer/ironer manufacturers operate in OPL and rental (linen supply) channels. They are well aware of the processing standards, chemical usage, and machine operation, as well as fabric performance testing that can be offered to evaluate potential premium linens for your operation.

With “high-thread-count” linens comes the risk of damage in both use and processing. The smaller denier of the yarns is what provides the look and feel, but it is simply not as durable as more-commercial products. More care needs to be taken in how these goods are processed in an OPL.

Stains on lighter fabrics become one of the most volatile issues for OPLs. Whites can be bleached to remove stains. However, lighter colors will fade drastically with typical commercial bleaching, and most fabric manufacturers warn against the use. Darks typically fade faster and show inconsistency in inventory as wear occurs. It is important to test products through the expected life cycle before making a decision to purchase.

With regard to storage, it is important to have proper shelving, cabinetry and carts that can be easily kept clean and neat. Goods should be organized in such a way that your housekeeping staff can handle them without the risk of product falling on the floor, or in areas around your resort that might cause staining.

The shelving and material-handling equipment (such as carts) should be segregated as “clean” and “soiled” so that you keep your soil redeposition in check. Finally, you will need to train your housekeeping staff to assist you in spotting stains and heavy soil, and in separating linens and toweling while cleaning rooms, so there is no redeposition in typical wash loads.

Moving from standard-grade linen to high-end also dictates that you inspect and maintain your washers, dryers, ironers, sorters and accumulators in such a way that they are kept clean and free of burrs that might cause snagging. The higher the thread count, the higher the risk.

Upgrading linen can certainly enhance the image of a resort and bring new and repeat customers. Let’s face it. We all want to sleep and bathe in comfort. Taking the time to identify the proper product by qualifying and testing, setting the processing and handling standards, maintaining the storage and handling equipment, and constantly training staff to be part of the overall image of your resort can be the difference in a successful upgrade.

Tomorrow: High thread count does not equate to more durability. In fact, the opposite is true …
Click here for Part 1.

“Equipment, chemicals, etc., play a huge part in our laundry’s success, but our most important asset is our people. We have to work well as a team. In what ways can I improve my team-building skills and learn how to spot trouble that could drag down staff morale and curtail production?”

Textile/Uniform Rental: John Shoemaker, General Linen & Uniform Service, Detroit, Mich.

One of the great things that should be done is having a weekly staff meeting. First of all, “weekly” staff meetings don’t happen 52 times a year. You have seven major holidays, vacations, some passes around budgeting time, and a few high-profile customer plant visits that take precedent.

So, these “weekly” staff meetings are more like 38 or 39 times a year, but when lead properly, they are a time for bonding.

The facilitator needs to make sure he/she is in charge to prevent a donnybrook amongst the pugilists defending their home turf. This open forum often leads to every member of the group seeing others’ needs, and makes for a more palatable final resolution. This helps with morale.

Another wonderful idea is having “inside/outside” days. Have the plant supervisor ride a route that is having problems with a plant-related issue. Have a district service manager sort the route that has faded garments labels. This will lead to constructive criticism rather than finger pointing. The DSM will now say, “You are right, these labels are too hard to read, and it needs to be addressed” rather than “The stupid plant is mis-tying all of my garments and screwing things up.”

When you are facilitating such meetings, you can see the benefits. Trouble spots will emerge before you, allowing a more cohesive team-building effort in which everyone has buy-in and is rooting for the success of the team.

Hotel/Motel/Resort Laundry: Phil Jones, Sheraton Vistana Resort, Orlando, Fla.

There are several ways to improve your team-building skills. One is by challenging yourself to read at least one new book per month. I always choose a book by a successful leader in some field such as business or sports. You will find valuable pieces of information on how to build and maintain a team from those who have done it. Try to take away at least one or two principles from each book.

Look at how you might implement those practices in your organization and then share what you propose to the team. Ask many questions and get 100% involvement in the changes. Your team must be able to provide open feedback on the processes—including having the ability to change or stop a process if it does not work.

We make our associates feel like they are business owners with an equal say in the operation, and have open discussions in our morning meetings on how processes are working.

Another way to improve team-building skills is to benchmark with other organizations that have successful teams. We take our management team on field trips to visit other laundries or some of our vendors to see teamwork in action. It is one thing to talk about how teams operate, but it is quite another to see it up close.

Just as I take one or two principles from the books I read, I ask my team to do the same after our visits. They are responsible for coming up with suggestions for improving our team and then implementing those changes.

Holding regular team meetings is an important way to gauge if trouble is brewing within your organization. A change in the level of engagement during meetings can be an indicator that something is off-center.

Your team becomes quieter or doesn’t respond the same way as in the past may be a warning sign. If your team has gotten quieter or doesn’t respond in the same way it has been, that may be a warning sign. If your team no longer asks questions or makes suggestions during the meetings, or there are side conversations going on, those could be signs of unrest that you need to address quickly. There is nothing wrong with openly asking what’s going on and what you can do.

Equipment/Supplies Distribution: Russ Arbuckle, Wholesale Commercial Laundry Equipment SE, Southside, Ala.

As in any labor-intensive endeavor, your people play a key role in just about every aspect of your successful business. In most cases, there will be many different types of people, personalities and even cultures. Blending this potpourri into a productive, cohesive unit is, in my mind, one of the most difficult business tasks.

Repairing or even replacing malfunctioning equipment, upgrading/updating processes and operations, or even revamping complete infrastructure, while difficult, does not involve the one thing that can make or break productivity—the clash of individual personalities.

Building a successful team is not something that can just be learned from a book.

Understanding the individuals and how each meshes with other team members is critical to maintaining morale and, subsequently, production.

It is important for human resources, supervisory staff and even owners to understand the individuals who make up the team. They need to be aware of things that can create dissension.

Understanding the personalities can make it easier to determine which are right for which tasks and put like-minded individuals together on specific jobs.

Management must be vigilant in watching for signs of tension, or even hostility, among team members. These signs can come in many forms, and it is up to you and your staff to learn to recognize them early on so that you can intervene immediately.

By not allowing these tensions to fester, your chances of “keeping the peace” and preventing loss of production are much greater.

Promoting team spirit helps to keep personalities cohesive as they all strive toward the same goals. Defining these goals, as well as introducing direct benefits for achieving them, helps to keep the spirit alive and well.

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

“Equipment, chemicals, etc., play a huge part in our laundry’s success, but our most important asset is our people. We have to work well as a team. In what ways can I improve my team-building skills and learn how to spot trouble that could drag down staff morale and curtail production?”

Consulting Services: David Chadsey, Capital Equipment Consulting, Winter Haven, Fla.

The truth is everybody wants to be part of a group. It is part of our DNA. No matter who you are or what you do, you want to be on a winning team.

Great organizations understand this natural inclination, and they build on it. Team building in the workplace not only increases productivity and return, it adds to the personal fulfillment of all those who work for you. When those people leave at the end of the day (or their shift), the successful corporate team is further magnified to all the families represented in your organization. In my house, when Momma’s happy, everybody’s happy.

Team Identity

Your team needs to have an identity. What do you want your organization to be known for? Quality Linen On Time Every Day? Amazing Customer Service? Or maybe Efficiency and Speed to Market?

If your parent organization has a corporate identity, your department can align itself with this overall team concept. The first step in team building is team identity; it is the core of whom you are and what your team members strive to achieve.

In the 1970s, an unusual group of Pittsburgh Steelers defensive linemen became known as the Steel Curtain. Just like you, there were days when those fellas did not want to come to work. They got tired. They got hurt. But they had an identity as a unit that would not compromise control of the line of scrimmage. Something special rose up in them based on that identity that is still recognized 35 years later.

Communicate the Vision

From initial employee orientation, through training and regular staff meetings, managers need to communicate the vision of the team’s identity. Policies and practices should be reinforced by the purpose.

“We answer the phone before the third ring because we have the best customer service in the industry.”

“Our production standard on the small-piece folder is 800 pool towels per hour because we are committed to on-time delivery.”

“We monitor wash water temperatures and chemistry because we are committed to quality.”

Whether you love or hate Walmart, you know it has low prices. The team has an identity that is reinforced by all levels of management every day.

Communicating the team vision is critical. As a leader and manager, if you can effectively communicate your identity and vision, your people will amaze you. Well-coached team members will step up and fulfill corporate vision in areas you may not have even addressed.

Execute the Plan

This is the hard part. I have never met a laundry operator who wanted a reputation for getting “Most of the Linen Clean Most of the Time.” Nobody has the goal of “Delivery Guaranteed On-Time, Except When We’re Late.”

Executing the team plan requires a systematic approach to performance. There are a lot of resources available to help you formally execute your plan. Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, ISO 9000 and Miller Heiman are a few that have been popular in recent years across a wide range of industry sectors. Accessing professional, process-oriented support will provide your organization with the structure to help build a successful team.

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

The greatest attribute of any manager is the ability to understand and be understood. Open communication is the best way to improve employee morale and spot trouble.

Praise motivates people! Research shows that in order to increase motivation and ensure top performance, we need to praise at least five times more often than we find fault or criticize. Try not to praise and criticize in the same meeting or conversation. I encourage you to go out and find at least two employees to praise today!

Be consistent and timely. Whether you have daily, weekly or monthly meetings, stay on time and follow up on previous goals and achievements. If action items are not repeatedly addressed, the team will feel the meetings are a waste of time.

Be certain that the purpose and objectives of the team are clearly defined. The team must be aligned around common objectives. People enjoy working toward a clearly defined goal. Write the major objectives on a whiteboard each week to keep the team focused.

Share information and delegate. Many times team leaders or managers have a difficult time delegating and/or sharing information because they fear losing their authority. But if leaders don’t delegate and share information, they lose their time, energy and ability to lead.

Continuously coach and support the development of your team leaders. This may involve hiring outside professionals, or sending your team leaders to “boot camp,” but this will pay dividends in a more productive and motivated team.

Encourage suggestions and ideas. Maybe you have been looking into how to improve production in a certain area. The person doing the work may actually already have the idea since they are involved in the task each day.

Get involved! Make time this week to roll up your sleeves and work the ironer for a couple hours or help load and unload the washers and dryers. This will build camaraderie with your employees and help break down barriers.

Tomorrow: Answers from the uniforms and commercial laundry sectors.

“I know that my laundry operation is due to be inspected sometime soon, but I’m not sure how to get ready for it. Where should my focus be? In what areas are we most likely to get nailed if our operation is deemed substandard?”

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

I would want to know first, what type of inspection and by whom. The best answer is that if you are doing things properly from the beginning, you will have no reason to panic. Focus instead on the various things that can be done prior to inspection.

There are numerous free resources available to assist in building, remodeling and maintaining a safe, clean facility.

Traditionally, your workman’s compensation insurance carrier will be more than happy, if you ask them, for a courtesy inspection. It will review your complete facility and offer recommendations to make your plant a safer workplace environment.

This is extremely important, as it will show your carrier that you are indeed partnering with them on the safety of your employees, saving both of you time in lost labor as well as money.

Most of us have at least one steam boiler. Again, your insurance carrier (you should be carrying boiler insurance if you have this equipment) will be able to send a boiler inspector to your plant for a courtesy inspection before you get notice of a state or county inspection. Traditionally, you will also find your local fire department quite happy to provide a free inspection.

Additional avenues that can be explored include the complete visual and mechanical inspection of all machinery.

Are any machines utilizing temporary wiring (extension cords)? Are all emergency stops in proper working order? Are all chemicals in the correct storage containers, and are they in the proper location?

At this point, take a close look at your maintenance department. What about all the chemicals used? When maintenance is working on a specific piece on equipment, do you have a tag-out/lock-out procedure in place and is it being followed? Your ladders and other similar devices around your plant, are they in safe working order?

Do you have a contract with a local fire extinguisher company? Take a look at all your fire extinguishers. Have any been used and not refilled or replaced?

We all have carts around our plants. Are they blocking emergency exits?

There have been too many reports of workers in this industry getting severely injured or even killed. Major areas of concern should be those with the highest possibility of causing injury/death.

These are most of the areas that should be taken into consideration regularly, not just prior to a pending inspection. Safety needs to be a part of every employee’s job description.

Hotel/Motel/Resort Laundry: Phil Jones, Sheraton Vistana Resort, Orlando, Fla.

One of the best ways to prepare is to treat every day as if there will be an inspection. If you wait until you know an inspection will be happening soon, you will most likely miss the one thing the inspector looks for.

Our facility has a standard operating manual given to all employees, covering all policies and procedures for each piece of equipment or area in which an employee may work. Information as simple as proper starting and stopping of machines is covered, including the locations of emergency stops. A key to an inspection may well be how an employee understands the operation and safety of a machine.

Our employees also go through an annual certification on safety that is documented for an inspector to review. The safety class is conducted both on a hotel-wide theme during their new-hire training and then on-site with our laundry trainer.

A key to passing an inspection is your partnership with maintenance mechanics. Our property requires a daily log of all work on equipment to verify maintenance and mechanical issues. This includes verifying that a piece of equipment has been properly locked out/tagged out. All mechanics must also be certified on safety on a yearly basis.

The final piece is to have your employees take ownership of the laundry as if it is their home away from home. Cleaning everything from the floors to wiping down the equipment is a way of life at our laundry. There is a sense of pride that exists when our operation is clean. We treat each day as if the president of our company will be visiting.

Consulting Services: David Chadsey, Capital Equipment Consulting, Winter Haven, Fla.

There are several different inspections that can occur throughout the year for a laundry operation. Understanding what the inspectors will be looking at and looking for is the key to being prepared.

Who is coming is central in understanding what areas of the operation will be inspected and at what level. Let’s take a look at what specific inspections might entail.

Corporate Supervisor: Environmental Services, Rooms Director

These are your own people. Unless there is a specific issue that is leading them to the laundry, these folks come in only when they have to.

Your immediate supervisor may be looking for production and cost reports, but typically these folks want a tour. Be prepared to show them the whole shebang, from mechanical room to loading dock.

Make sure engineering has plenty of notice. You want their shop area in order. If there is a piece of equipment in service or waiting for a part, put the panels and covers back on.

Don’t neglect the shipping area. These folks will recognize the packaging that arrives in their areas of responsibility. This is probably the only area of the laundry that is familiar to them. They love to see “their linen” staged and ready to ship.

If you are looking for capital dollars within the next budget year, this is an excellent opportunity to point out where those dollars will improve your efficiency.

Current and Prospective Customers

A laundry inspection is almost always part of the process in securing new customers. Current customers will also typically inspect the laundry operation at times of renewal. It is important to step back and try to see the laundry through their eyes and from their perspective.

What are the specific processes that their linen goes through to ensure it is returned hygienically clean, and meeting their requirements for quality? If there is something unique that you offer to better meet their need, this is the time to show it off.

In addition to the processing features of a plant, COG (customer-owned goods) customers are interested in inventory control procedures. Walking them through the process helps educate them on your procedures and improves understanding.

Educated customers are typically easier to work with. Understanding your basic processes can help explain why turning their truckload of pool towels in two hours may be a challenge.

Compliance-Oriented Inspections

There are specific requirements in processing healthcare linen, which vary by state. If you are anticipating an inspection along the lines of Joint Commission or any compliance-oriented inspection, a key resource for being prepared is the Association for Linen Management’s Guide to Assessing Healthcare Laundry Quality.

The guide provides laundry management with guidelines, regulations and standards applicable to healthcare laundry services. State-specific standards are available with information on how to determine if your plant is in compliance.

The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council publishes standards for healthcare textile processing and provides accreditation for independent healthcare laundry operations.

Friday: Answers from the equipment manufacturing and long-term-care laundry sectors...