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FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany — Sustainability will be the dominant theme of Texcare International — World Market for Modern Textile Care when it returns here in two weeks.

Show organizer Messe Frankfurt says all international market leaders—including the Alliance International brands, Barbanti, Beirholms Vaeverier, Ecolab, Girbau, Heprotex, Jensen, Kannegiesser, Kreussler, LG Electronics, Lavatec Laundry Technology, Macpi, Miele, Multimatic, Pellerin Milnor, Renzacci and Veit—have registered to exhibit during the May 5-9 show.

Altogether, Messe Frankfurt expects to welcome around 250 exhibitors and 15,000 trade visitors. As in previous shows (the event is staged every four years), the proportion of manufacturers from outside Germany will exceed 60%; the most important exhibitor nations besides Germany are Italy and the United States, Messe Frankfurt says.

“Texcare International is the leading meeting place for the sector,” says Wolfgang Marzin, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt. “Only in Frankfurt do the top companies from all around the world launch so many new products. Only here is it possible to make so many business contacts. And only at the world’s leading trade fair for the sector can visitors gather so much detailed information.”

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS SUCCESS

One of the main objectives of industrial textile care is sustainable economic development because business success depends greatly on efficient machinery and plant coupled with effective processes and durable textiles.

As an information platform, Texcare International plays a key role by offering a comprehensive overview of the latest trends in the mechanical engineering sector, as well as in the fields of detergents and textiles, Messe Frankfurt says.

Plant and control systems that provide energy at the right time and in the right quantity are the key to the future. Thus, steam-on-demand is the starting point for highly efficient, low-loss heating processes. But other developments in the field of consumption-dependent control technologies are also expected at Texcare.

Recycling is another key issue and includes highly efficient recovery systems for the optimum use of heat energy, as well as the best possible circulation system and practical, economical process-water treatment processes. Additionally, existing technologies, such as solar energy and bioenergy, are generating new impulses in the world of industrial textile care.

IT’S IN THE WASH

Sustainability is also of great importance to manufacturers of detergents and washing additives. With the development of effective low-temperature processes, the chemical industry is making a significant contribution to the reduction of energy consumption.

New, customized concentrations of active agents improve washing results while cutting the need for post-treatment or rewashing. Other important issues at Texcare will include ecologically harmless “green” detergents, washing and impregnating agents. Discussion will be offered on a variety of topics, including nonhalogen solvents that are not marked as hazardous, as well as alternatives to hydrophobizing agents.

Moreover, increased attention is being given to the ecological balance of a product and the sector will pay increased attention to systems such as carbon footprint, cradle-to-cradle and life-cycle assessment.

MODERN COLORS, DESIGNS

Instead of the monotone royal blue and standard twill fabric of the traditional boiler suit, modern colors and designs, as well as multi-faceted materials and surfaces, now characterize the image of trade and industry. Elegance and style have conquered large sections of the workwear sector. Even protective clothing is oriented more than ever before to fashion.

Exhibitors from the textile and apparel industry, as well as the accessories and finishing sectors, will present the latest trends for a modern, functional and professional appearance. Concepts for corporate fashions will also play an important role.

Designs and colors are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Fabric manufacturers are taking up decorative elements from the 1970s, using striped patterns in herringbone and satin weaves, creating new Panama looks, reinventing the cavalry style and interpreting denim for workwear applications.

In addition to vintage-look hues, the current color spectrums are supplemented by fashionable natural and earth shades. Other highlights are classics from the world of suits and costumes, such as black, graphite, anthracite and night blue, which are now playing a leading role on the workwear stage.

Streetwear trends mainly influence the collections. The outfits are more robust in appearance, the pockets bigger, the cut more casual although practical, the material combinations and color mix less conventional, and the details more stylish.

INTEGRATING PROTECTION, COMFORT

In the past, the focus was on providing comprehensive protection against as many possible dangers at work as possible. Now, aspects such as moisture management, breathability, climate comfort and freedom of movement are growing in importance.

The latest developments in the fiber, yarn and textile industry diminish the symptoms of physical stress by minimizing the effects caused by perspiration and an increased core-body temperature. Special mixtures make it possible to produce fabrics for modern protective clothing that combines quality protection with a comfortable wearing climate. Additionally, the industry is working on further improvements to the elasticity of protective and professional clothing.

TEXCARE FORUM

Apart from the activities surrounding what is sure to be a busy exhibition floor, the international Texcare Forum will give the sector an opportunity to find out about the latest developments in the fields of science and research, as well as to exchange ideas and opinions with colleagues from home and abroad.

The Association of the Textile Service Industry (Industrieverband Textil Service – intex) and the German Dry Cleaning Association (Deutscher Textilreinigungsverband – DTV), in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt, will treat attendees to a free educational program for two hours each afternoon.

For the first time, each day of the Forum is individually themed. The conference will be of particular interest to dry cleaners and laundries on May 5-6 and to textile service companies and laundries on May 7-8. Here are some of the topics (tentative):

• May 5, Future Day — Professional textile care in 2012; E-DryClean: online instruction for European dry cleaners; experiential marketing of dry cleaning; how textile service providers can face the challenges of the future.
• May 6, Innovation Day — Teamwork between research and practice; recycling of personal protective equipment from the standards and certification perspective; innovative control options for laundry and finishing processes using test fabrics; antimicrobial textiles from laboratory to practical usage.
• May 7, Sustainable Day — Holistic view of sustainability; ISO 26000 standard; energy efficiency; efficiency management in commercial laundries; water and energy savings for laundries.
• May 8, Market Day — Regulatory and market trends for European textile services; the U.S. textile services market; HORECA (hotel/restaurant/café) market and the potential for textile services; professional textile services and the market demand in 2030; workwear developments.

WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION

Texcare will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 5-8 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 9. Admission tickets can be purchased quickly and easily online at Texcare.com. Cost in advance is 15 euros (roughly $20) for a one-day ticket, 35 euros (roughly $46) for the entire show. If purchasing at the box office, cost will be 22 euros (roughly $30) for a one-day ticket, 48 euros (roughly $63) for the entire show.

For additional show information and updates, visit Texcare.com.

American Laundry News will be attending the show — Watch for updates beginning May 7!

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!

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) has launched an international initiative to lead the textile services industry to new heights in sustainability and environmental protection with the unveiling of its Clean Green certification program.

The new program recognizes companies that meet TRSA requirements for achieving efficiencies in water and energy conservation and adopting best management practices for reusing, reclaiming and recycling resources.

The certification gives the industry’s business-to-business customers third-party verification that the uniforms, tablecloths, bed sheets, floor mats, towels and other reusable textiles they procure from Clean Green-certified companies are laundered in an environmentally friendly manner, TRSA says.

Textile services companies will pay a per-plant fee to be considered for certification.

“Contracting with a Clean Green laundry is a commitment to sustainability and statement of conscientiousness about natural resources, part of managing a supply chain with maximum environmental protection in mind,” notes Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO.

More business owners and operators are modifying their production technologies, processes and work habits to improve efficiency and conserve supplies. “Clean Green prompts them to consider how their choices of outsourced functions such as laundry affect their total environmental impact,” Ricci observes.

Businesses that opt for work uniform rental service and linen supply from textile services companies—as opposed to assigning staff to wash work clothes at home or using smaller on-premise or commercial laundries for linens—have chosen the superior route for minimizing natural resources depletion, according to TRSA.

Textile services operations with the highest-speed, largest-capacity equipment are most likely to exceed Clean Green standards due to such machinery’s energy and water efficiencies, TRSA says. Because these industrial-scale laundries have hundreds or even thousands of customers, they are large enough to economically deploy the latest technologies for removing pollutants, recovering heat and reusing rinse water, among other resource-saving functions.

Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply, based in Jessup, Pa., is the first launderer in the world to be certified Clean Green.

For more details about the TRSA program that is open to members and non-members, go here.

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...

HYANNIS, Mass. — Cape Cod Commercial Linen Service (CCCLS) has announced that it will be acquiring another local property, with plans to create a state-of-the-art commercial laundry facility that will open in April.

The Hyannis-based commercial laundry company that has been servicing Cape Cod hotels, resorts, restaurants and other commercial businesses for more than 25 years will be closing its two current facilities and merging them into the nearly 30,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by a wholesale plumbing supply company.

The Cape Cod Commission approved the project in early January.

A key addition to the new facility is a Milnor tunnel system that will reduce the laundry’s energy and water consumption by nearly 50%, the company says. This will make CCCLS a certified “green” laundry under the Laundry Environmental Stewardship Program (LaundryESP), which prides itself on reducing the consumption of energy and by-waste production.

Also added will be a Chicago® Powerhouse ironer.

Closure of CCCLS’ two locations will be gradual, enabling the company to provide uninterrupted customer service.

A comprehensive development plan has been established. CCCLS is encouraging its customers to contact the business for complete details.

CHICAGO — For January’s AmericanLaundryNews.com Wire survey, respondents had the opportunity to look back at 2011 plus examine their priorities for 2012.

Increasing productivity is the top laundry priority for 36.4% of respondents, while equal shares of 27.3% are intent on building on quality staff or marketing their service to attract more business.

The remainder—also 27.3%—has “other” top priorities, including planning and building a new laundry, and improving linen quality.

None of the respondents see adding or replacing equipment, creating greater energy savings, or improving distribution or route management as being their top priority.

Respondents are confident they will accomplish their chief task. Roughly 36% say they will, without a doubt, and the remaining 63.6% say there is a good chance.

Approximately 27% accomplished all of their 2011 goals, and 54.5% accomplished some of them. The remaining 18.2% didn’t set goals for last year.

Respondents had the opportunity to share the “best” and “worst” things that happened to their operations in 2011.

Some of the “best”:

• “Set up soap dispensing systems for satellite washer on hospital units, saving (thousands of) dollars compared to individual boxes of soap.”
• “(We were) 3,600 room nights over last year.”
• “We added (more) dryers, allowing equipment to keep up with production workers.”

And some of the “worst”:

• “Half of staff retired.”
• “Several employee accidents.”
• “Unexpected cost increases.”
• “Bought the wrong lift gate on our delivery truck.”

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

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

To sign up for the Wire, click the “Subscriptions” button at the top right-hand corner of this page and follow the instructions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These are costs that are certainly rising and becoming a growing expense for laundries. Bringing in experts to make suggestions is prudent. This can be done at no cost more often than not, and you might unearth wonderful savings that you did not consider.

Something else that may be of value is looking at modern equipment. Water usage is greatly reduced through modern techniques vs. older, traditional equipment.

Meeting and talking to peers is wise. A sharp operator can learn from others and not have to reinvent the wheel. These peers may have come up with an excellent idea that is applicable to your application, as well as stimulate thought-provoking discussions about water, fuel and other energy usage.

Lastly, good maintenance prevails. Are all heat pipes insulated? Are any valves leaking? The basics pay off.

And the old adage of “that which is emphasized is what gets emphasized” is of importance. If you, as a leader, are talking up the containment of these costs, your key people will understand that they are not merely words but a message of extreme importance.

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

In other words, you’re asking about the things that on-premise, commercial or industrial laundry workers could be doing that use more energy, natural gas or water than is needed.

On one hand, our industry considers textile processing and finishing to be a “science.” As a science, a process could be established and followed, and a sustainable, efficient and consistent result expected and obtained … with every laundering. On the other hand, however, textile processing and finishing has so many variables that science becomes difficult to apply. It’s more of a delicate juggling of product, process, equipment, chemistry, standards, people and even weather.

While operations can set process and standards for efficient and consistent outcomes, it is difficult to keep the balance in place all of the time. Washing textiles involves 10 key factors, any of which can throw off the balance of cleanliness, wear life, electrical energy use, water use, gas use, finished appearance and, finally, cost!

Let’s examine each of them individually:

• Soil Type — Wash loads are typically sorted by regular level or high-level soil, and by food oils vs. petroleum. Formulas for each are different. If an operator either mixes these sorts or uses the wrong formula, the outcome is non-cleanliness, staining and/or odor. The result is customer dissatisfaction and, many times, rewash. The idea that you would wash/process a textile twice for just one service is a complete overuse of energy, gas and water.
• Textile Color — Most folks know that you shouldn’t wash blacks and whites and colors together, but textiles vary with mixed designs, so sorting for color is more important than in the past. If an operation washes a textile that might redeposit color from a dark to light portion of that textile or even the entire load, the outcome could result in stain- recovery rewash (or even textile replacement).
• Textile Fabric Content — Formulas are written differently depending on fabric or composition (such as 100% cotton, cotton/poly blends, 100% poly, microfiber, rubber, etc.). If product is mixed or if formulation is misapplied, the outcome can be poor textile wear, unsatisfactory cleanliness, staining, color redeposition, lint redeposition, pilling and more. One of the results is rewash. Duplicated effort wastes resources, time and money.
• Mechanical Action (Load Percentage Factor) — Some types of product, such as towels, allow 100% or more of machine capacity for the load. Others, such as uniform shirts, have proven best results at 70%. If a machine is under-loaded, the result will typically be textile wear. If a machine is overloaded, the result will typically be poor cleaning. This results in rewash.
• Water Level — If the formula for a specific textile type calls for a low level and the machine is either programmed incorrectly or is incorrectly putting in high level at that step, the result is diluted chemical mix. If the load step is calling for high level on a flush step, and the machine can only deliver low level (due to misprogramming, malfunction, or water supply), the outcome can result in poor cleanliness, redeposition and even fiber loss. Any of these issues typically result in rewash but also textile replacement.
• Water Temperature — Water delivery to the wash aisle can vary, depending on equipment, capacity, weather and timing. If a formula calls for 160 F, and your water delivery is over capacity or the steam-up is slow, a ma-chine will simply “vamp” while it waits … wasting valuable electrical energy. If your water heating (whether boiler, direct-fire water heater or combination) is too small to keep up with your flow capacity, the wash floor will simply spin while waiting for water to either arrive or to reach temperature.
• Water Quality/Softness — If you are lucky enough to get your city water “soft,” this may not have effect. But most plants have to soften their water. Hard water can cause all sorts of issues, from tinting to ineffective cleaning, bleaching and odor. This, of course, results in rewash. On the other hand, water treated too soft simply wastes electrical energy in the process.
• Processing Time — This is one of the most mis-measured areas of our business. If your machines’ timers malfunction, if they are waiting for water due to capacity, if it takes longer than normal to steam up, or if your valves or drains are open or leaking, then the step times are affected, causing major electrical energy and water misuse. Additionally, if your formula step times are written to be most cost-effective (short), the textiles will not be clean, again causing rewash.
• Chemistry — Our industry focuses so much on cost that we sometimes compromise the chemistry. In some cases, cheaper chemicals may get you lower cost for that load, but if you have to rewash a good percentage or if you have greater customer dissatisfaction, your costs are actually higher. Improper water level, water temperature and mechanical action can also contribute to bad chemistry, with the same result.
• Weather — Many plant/production managers (especially those who have relocated to different climates) don’t realize that climate and humidity change can cause varying quality levels. This is particularly true on the dryer or finish floor, where gas is the driver. If the wash load isn’t extracted enough (because the weather got colder) and then hits the dryer floor with too much water in the textiles, your dryer operators may increase dryer time (gas usage) to compensate.
  
  Additionally, there are key areas of a production plant where energy, gas and water are potentially being wasted.
• Dryers — Many textiles simply need to be conditioned before pressing. If over-dried, they will not press to an appropriate finish. This not only wastes gas on the dryer floor, but can also cause rewash, wasting the entire cycle of energy, gas and water. In some other cases, dryer malfunction due to poor maintenance can cause overheating or even basket flame impingement. This is one of most costly areas of wasted gas.
• Steam Tunnel — Several of these machines are designed to take garments directly from the washer-extractor. Oftentimes, the tunnel speed and temperature are tweaked to compensate for moisture that could have been eliminated earlier in the process. When the temperature is too high, the textile, decoration/emblem and identification label can be damaged. Also, the tunnel may be underutilized if the dryer floor completely dries the product.
• Ironer — Proper use of this finishing equipment is a cross between engineering, speed, temperature, maintenance, textile conditioning, quality expectations, people and weather. Any of these variables can save or waste energy or gas, increase or decrease quality, and directly impact labor costs.
• Shirt Press — Whether executive or production presses, these units can deliver a much higher finish than a tunnel, but cost more in labor and resources to operate. If the unit is at temperature but running at a lower- than-standard rate, the result can be costly in steam (gas use) and labor. Additionally, overheated presses can cause costly emblem and identification tape issues and eventual replacement.
• Boiler/Water Heater — Many boilers and water heaters in our industry are old. While they still operate well in terms of output, they may not have the energy or gas efficiency of new technology. Equipment companies can audit your equipment and offer you a comparison of current vs. future energy use.
• Routing — As our industry has grown, and especially with consolidation, efficient routing has not been well maintained. Additionally, some market sectors require customer accommodations in the form of numerous runbacks. The assigned route typically handles these runbacks instead of the truck that may already be in that area on that day, causing fuel waste that many times goes unchecked.

On the positive side, there are alternative-fuel and electric vehicles available that offer efficient transport options, if the operator has the capital to invest.

Tuesday: Answers from the chemicals supply and long-term-care laundry sectors.
Click here for Part 1.

BEIJING, China — The growing China laundry services industry is in the market for high-production equipment, so a Texcare Asia show that traditionally has featured smaller laundry machinery “grew” this year to include seven tunnel washers in the exhibition.

Demand for high-quality, energy-efficient equipment is on the rise, thanks in part to the Chinese government’s push to reduce the country’s CO2 emissions by 45% by 2020.

And as China’s middle class grows more affluent and the country becomes a more desired international tourist destination, the hospitality industry is capitalizing by building more hotels. For example, Marriott recently announced plans to open one hotel in China each month for the next three years.

“There are so (many) people and so (many) needs, so they look for bigger machines,” says Bengt Bruce, president of laundry equipment manufacturer B&C Technologies, Panama City, Fla. “That’s why you see tunnels here.” Bruce was on hand to assist Accurate Technologies, the Thailand-based manufacturer for which B&C is a distributor in the United States.

“I’m amazed about the interest for our products,” says Bruce. “In general, I see a trend in the industry that you would see more quality out of the Chinese manufacturers. Overall, in the last three years, I have seen a big change. Overall, it’s a very good exhibition.”

Tony Regan, senior vice president for sales and marketing for American Dryer Corp., Fall River. Mass., took note of the increased number of China-based companies exhibiting equipment here this year.

Will their stronger presence make it more difficult for foreign companies to compete for business here?

“I’m going to say no, because as the market opens up even more and there is growth going on, we just have to approach it differently, we being the Americans, Europeans and the other parts of the world coming to China,” Regan says. “I think there still is potential for everybody.”

In September, the Jensen Group opened a large manufacturing facility in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, as its new base in China. The 91,000-square-foot plant includes a sales and servicing center.

“Our machine systems are more than a match for future laundry requirements, a fact that is entirely in line with our promise to offer sustainable laundry automation,” says Kai Anderson, Jensen’s regional business director. “We are extremely pleased with the number of visitors and are confident that we have the right solution for every laundry requirement.”

Consultant Glen Phillips of Minnesota-based Phillips & Associates attended Texcare Asia to meet with several Chinese manufacturers interested in participating in projects with his firm, as well as to visit with American and Canadian vendors attempting to gain a foothold here.

“China today is 40 to 50 years behind the Europeans and Americans in the delivery of quality laundry service,” says Phillips, whose firm has advised several Chinese national entrepreneurs in laundry projects. “Some of the international in-house hospitality laundries are acutely aware of the quality aspects of delivering quality linen service, but most are ambivalent about the benefits that service brings, particularly if the general managers don’t demand better service.”

Of the seven reported tunnel manufacturers on the floor, three were from Europe/USA and the remaining four were “copycat” Chinese manufacturers, Phillips says.

“Close inspection of these (Chinese) machines revealed welding flaws and errors, wiring irregularities that violated UL (Underwriters Laboratories) codes, and under-designed drive and safety features.”

He believes the Chinese-made machines were designed and built to meet certain “Chinese price points” without regard to good design and safety features.

Chinese manufacturers are “very naïve in the technical aspects of the laundry industry, particularly in the proper use of chemicals when dealing with contaminated healthcare textiles.”

David Tingue, CEO of Georgia-based Tingue, Brown & Co., attended the show in support of his company’s Hong Kong operation, now in its third year. Tingue, Brown supplies a variety of flatwork ironer products.

“It’s a very full conference hall, but it’s very easy to see this show, the way they have it laid out,” Tingue says. “I’m impressed by how many ‘big equipment’ guys are here vs. what I saw a few years ago. You’ve got all kinds of different manufacturers that, frankly, I’d never heard of.

“We need to see their business grow, so we can get the (orders for) after-market supplies they need to buy from us,” Tingue says. “It’ll trickle down to us soon.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — When striving toward a properly equipped hotel laundry facility, owners and operators have a number of factors to consider, including the right equipment mix, new technologies, types of machines and unique industry challenges.

The proper selection of commercial laundry equipment can have a significant impact on several key operational factors—namely time, money and utilities.

Hard-Mount vs. Soft-Mount Washer-Extractors

There are generally two types of washer-extractors: hard- or rigid-mount and soft-mount. Hard-mount machines cost less, but the installation can be expensive. Soft-mount machines may cost more initially, but are easier to install.

Soft-mount washer-extractors generally don’t need concrete supports, and the suspension system eliminates the need for machine bolt-down. Therefore, upgrading to high-speed washer-extractors can be accomplished without having to replace the existing floor, saving a day or two during the installation process.

Additionally, soft-mount washers can extract much more water than hard-mount washers. Certain soft-mount washer-extractors feature high-speed extraction of up to 350 G’s (G-force) to help cut energy usage and drying time.

An Additional Challenge

Unlike a long-term-care facility or athletic club, the linens and towels make up much of the hotel guest’s experience. If a hotel has scratchy, dirty or uncomfortable bed linens or towels, odds are the guest won’t be a repeat customer. For hotels, every time a guest checks in, the linens need to be in top shape to help ensure repeat customers.

Manufacturers realize this and are doing their part to develop chemical injection systems that take the guesswork out of laundry. By working closely with a local chemical supplier, hotel owners and operators can determine the appropriate type and amount of detergent needed to clean the laundry and meet resident or guest expectations. Incorporating a chemical injection system into the machine will help dispense the precise amount of detergent needed, which ensures the correct amount of chemicals are added to the water and helps guarantee clean laundry.

Check-Out Time

Maximizing the effectiveness of hotel laundry operations requires a good distributor partner, the proper mix and types of equipment and a solid understanding of industry challenges. An efficient laundry room can save a hotel money, time and utilities, positively affecting its bottom line.

Click here for Part 1.

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. — Steam generators now supply the busy Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust laundry, where 4.5 million pieces of linen are washed every year. Two energy-efficient Clayton generators have been installed at the Trust’s Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge, England.

Each generator is capable of producing nearly 4 metric tons of steam per hour and designed to operate unattended. Fuel to fire, the boilers can be either oil or natural gas.

Because of Clayton’s forced-circulation monotube coil concept, it isn’t necessary to contain large volumes of water. Advantages include lower operational costs and fast response time.

When the steam generator is in stand-by mode and completely cold, start-up within approximately five minutes is possible, the company says.

Its low water-storage requirement eliminates the possibility of a steam explosion, Clayton adds.

The laundry is vital to Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust, a leading international center for biomedical research and medical education. As well as being the local district hospital for 480,000 people, the Fulbourn Hospital is also being developed as a major center for treatment and research on a European scale.

“The laundry is one of the essential back-up services which are needed to support the medical work of the Trust,” says Malcolm Creek, estates manager at Fulbourn Hospital. “It is important, therefore, to have a reliable source of steam to keep the laundry running.”

Two generator models EOG-254 are positioned side by side, and the feedwater treatment equipment is mounted on a skid base, which was preassembled as a packaged unit for ease of installation.

The feedwater equipment includes a hot well, chemical injection system, and transfer pumps with interconnected piping, valves and fittings. The hot well provides feedwater for the steam generator and acts as a reservoir for returned condensate.

The hot well is a partial deaerator capable of removing most of the oxygen, which is a major cause of corrosion in feedwater, Clayton says. The hot well is steam-heated to maintain the temperature at around 95 C (203 F).