Content about Texas

FALL RIVER, Mass. — Following three years of ownership by Stonebridge Partners, American Dryer Corp. (ADC) has named Joe Bazzinotti its new president and CEO, the company says. Bazzinotti has brought four years of positive change to ADC while playing a number of vital roles, including vice president of operations, chief operating officer and president.

“We have gained a tremendous amount of respect for Joe and his exceptionally capable management team,” says David Schopp, a partner in Stonebridge Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. “We believe that ADC is well positioned to take full advantage of the rebounding economy and look forward to renewed growth in the business.”

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Don Rakow Jr. has joined the staff of Kannegiesser USA as project engineer, the company says.

He comes to Kannegiesser with more than 10 years of project engineering experience.

His background ranges from performing single machine installations to total plant design and machinery installation. His projects have taken him around the world to locations in South America and Asia, which will serve him well with the company’s German manufacturing and North American installations, Kannegiesser says.

Rakow Jr. has a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is also a registered professional engineer.

MMI is a year-round learning initiative combining classroom, hands-on and distance learning for those involved with maintaining and operating industrial, linen and health care laundries. The initial in-person experience consists of 2.5 days of classroom including Core Topics classes plus General Electives, orientation, interactive sessions, hands-on tours and group projects. Over the next year, internet-based learning takes place including group and individual projects with assessment. Students then return for their second MMI hands-on seminar for another 2.5 days of personal instruction and peer interaction.

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.

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — The assets of bankrupt Washex Inc., including the rights to the “Washex” name, file cabinets filled with engineering prints and machine drawings, and other assets will go on the auction block here next week.

(UPDATED 11/11/10 with additional project details)

ABILENE, Texas — Ground has been broken here for Texas Healthcare Linen (THL), a 48,000-square-foot medical laundry facility that will serve partners Hendrick Health System (HHS), Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center Health System in Odessa, along with other healthcare facilities in the region.

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

Equipment/Supplies Distribution — Donnie Weiland, Tingue, Brown & Co., Alvin, Texas

“At what points during the laundering process are workers most vulnerable to injury or even death, and what precautions should be taken to minimize the risk? I want to make sure I am doing everything I can to protect my staff.”

Equipment/Supplies Distribution: Donnie Weiland, Tingue, Brown & Co., Alvin, Texas

Luckily, the only thing hurt was Ralph McMillan’s pride.

McMillan tells me his Texas company, RAMCO Laundry Machinery, was nearly victimized in a scam perpetrated by someone claiming to be from the United Arab Emirates.

While no money or equipment was lost, he asked if I would alert the industry to the possibility of similar scam attempts.

An individual from “Orion General Trading” contacted RAMCO by e-mail in November, claiming to represent a client who was interested in buying two flatwork ironers.

This year’s contributors introduce themselves, describe their operations, identify challenges and list their accomplishments for 2009.

Textiles: Elizabeth Easter, Ph.D., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Washex Inc., a longtime manufacturer of automated laundry processing systems and computerized data-management systems, reportedly closed its Wichita Falls plant and laid off its remaining employees on Friday.

It’s unknown if Washex, headquartered in Wichita Falls since 1973, has ceased business operations, however, as the company has released no official statement.

WACO, Texas — Ray D. Supak, 61, retired textile care manager for the Waco VA Medical Center, died May 17 at a local hospital, according to the Grace Gardens Funeral Home Chapel.

Supak was a Registered Laundry and Linen Director (RLLD), a former facilitator at the American Laundry & Linen College (ALLC), and a member of the Association for Linen Management (ALM), the association reports. He served 37 years at the Waco VA Medical Center before his retirement, according to a published obituary.