the region’s leading cleaning industry magazine...

Special Supplement

LAUNDRY &DRYCLEANING

OCTOBER 2015

The Region’s Leading Cleaning Industry Magazine

Protek and UniMac-a partnership for all markets and sectors

4 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | OCTOBER 2015 www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

Contents

09-A note from our Laundry Care sponsor - Linencraft: Linencraft talks about the growth potential of the laundry industry in the region.

20 - Water Conservation: OPL and Central Laundries talk about the measures taken by them to conserve water.

24 - Site Visit: A look at how Bubble Laundry meets the demands of the market.

28 - Interview A Q and A with Imran Khan, the Cluster Laundry Manager, from the Jeddah Hilton, Waldorf Astoria Jeddah

Show Preview:

07

09

10

14

20

23

24

26

28

30

News

Sponsor’s Note

Cover Story

Show Preview

Water Conservation

Market Overview

Site Visit

Healthcare Sector

Interview

Tips10

09

20

28

24

THE SMARTCHOICE FOR LAUNDRY

Visit ipso.com for more information

Professional Laundry Equipment Trading (PLET)P.O.Box: 2246, Dubai, U.A.E.Tel: 04 6085578, Mob: 050 4503667Email: [email protected], Web: www.alhathboor.com

Authorized IPSO Smart Partner for UAE , Oman, Qatar & Bahrain


Editor’s ColumnDear Readers,Welcome to another edition of the Laundry and Dry Cleaning supplement. And there’s a lot in store, inside the magazine, this time around as well.

It’s an exciting time for the Middle East’s laundry industry, with a steady increase in hotels and hospitality industry, the growth potential in the market is tremendous. And a show like Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo couldn’t have come at a better time. In its inaugural edition, Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo provides the latest solutions, products and equipment in the market under one roof. Read about what one can expect in our special sneak peek inside. The show’s Laundry Care Partner, Linencraft also gives us a low down into the scope of the market in the years to come. And read about the region’s dry cleaning market by Mohamed Al Mutawa, Managing Director and Alicia Al Mutawa, General Manager of ‘Alessia The Couture Cleaner’.

Our cover story focuses on the partnership of Alliance Laundry Systems and Protek FZE, their passion for laundry and how they continue to innovate and develop new solutions to overcome traditional challenges and meet the needs of a very wide customer base.

Through this edition, we have also shed light on an emerging issue faced in the industry – water conservation. The feature, ‘Making every drop work’, talks about the measures taken by OPL and Central Laundries towards conservation of water. The site visit to ‘Bubble Laundry’ features how the laundry understands the challenges faced by the hospitality professionals and are able to offer a unique range of services to meet the specific demands of the industry. And finally get a glimpse of the laundry industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a special interview with Imran Khan, the Cluster Laundry Manager, from the Jeddah Hilton, Waldorf Astoria Jeddah.

Happy Reading

Megha S Anthony Editor

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT FOR LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING Oct. 2015General ManagementPublisherMedia Fusion LLC, P.O. Box: 80260DUBAI, UAE. Tel : +9714 2970512, Fax : +9714 2970513Website : www.cleanmiddleeast.aeRegisterd with: Licence No: RAKIA 92 - MFZ 04 08 1070. Media Fusion FZE

CEODr. Kayyum Ali BohraE-mail: [email protected]

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AccountsSankesh Pandey, E-mail: [email protected]

EditorialEditorMegha S. AnthonyE-mail:[email protected]

Design & Production Art DirectorMohd.Toufique Mohd. Ebrahim SulaimaniE-mail: [email protected]

Database & Circulation ManagerDeepak NairE-mail: [email protected]

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OCTOBER 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 7www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

News

IRG System Released Ultra-Thin UHF RFID Silicone Tag in Middle East IRG System, a unique supplier of RFID is pleased to announce more durable and thinly designed UHF RFID silicone tags that meet all customer needs concerning extreme environmental elements such as high temperature and pressure. UHF RFID tags have increased the sales of RFID market in 2014-2015. Clients prefer the widely operational UHF technology due to the fascinating features of unique identification and the cost-efficient operation. With IRG

System’s UHF RFID Products customers are able to scan entire carts in but (soiled or clean) — up to 950 items in less than 10 seconds.

With read ranges of up to 8.5 meters without requiring a direct line of sight the increased sensitivity of IRG’s UHF tag renders unparalleled performance for confined field applications. Bulk-scanning accuracy of 99 per cent is easily achieved. IRG System Provides UHF Laundry Tags in wide-selection

of covers: silicone, heat sealed and also plastic. IRG System provides complete RFID solution with its own RFID readers and user orientated software for item inventory and asset tracking. IRG System’s software ensures quick and easy handling for all age groups thanks to its easy operation. Its rapid data handling speeds up the logistic process and ensures quick access to the database.

“IRO RFID products open a new way to companies how to save money, time

and precise industrial processes with innovative tools. Our target is to serve customers with the latest technology and increase efficiency with the reduction of costs. Our main focus is to provide solutions to customers by monitoring problems as a benefit of our service.”

IRG System is a very unique RPM manufacturer by providing individual services to their existing and prospective customers all around the world.


PHS Besafe has won the contract to supply protective workwear for Aggregate Industries, a leading UK provider of building and construction materials, reported an international laundry and dry cleaning website.Aggregate industries has more than 4,000 service employees and 200 sites throughout Northern Europe and the Channel Islands.

PHS Besafe is now the mandatory supplier for all Aggregate Industries’ sites and is responsible for providing, laundering

and maintaining up to 20,000 garments on a weekly basis.

Tony McGovern, PHS Besafe’s commercial manager, said that the contract follows a successful two-year trial period of providing services to two of Aggregate Industries’ most challenging depots.

PHS Besafe was able to assess the company’s requirements and match the clothing it supplied to the specific requirements of each environment. This

included supplying flame retardant garments for welders and specialist arc protective clothing for electricians.With more than 15 years experience of supplying and laundering protective workwear, PHS Besafe’s team

was also able to train Aggregate’s staff in laundering processes that would ensure that garments retained their protective properties, thus increasing their lifespan while still remaining fit for purpose.

PHS Besafe won protective workwear contract

World’s first laundry-folding robot unveiled in JapanNow household chores are likely to be made easier with the invention of a Japanese robot that will not only wash and dry clothes, but also sort them out, fold them up and put them away neatly in the cupboard.

According to reports, the world’s first laundry bot – dubbed ‘the laundroid’ - has been created by a team of Japanese technology companies in a bid to eliminate the tedium of carrying out one of the least popular household chores.

A public demonstration of the automated laundry robot washing a white

shirt took place for the first time in Tokyo at the 2015 Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, an international technology trade show.The device – created by Panasonic alongside the technical company Seven Dreamers and Daiwa, Japan’s biggest homebuilder – is able to wash and dry clothing, before identifying each individual item and folding it up neatly.

News

I t gives us great pleasure to be supporting the inaugural Gulf Laundrex

2015 and Middle East Cleaning Technology Week, at what is an exciting time for our industry.

With growth in the UAE steady and a competitive but collaborative industry environment, the outlook for the laundering industry is bright. The population of our market (UAE) is increasing, the retail sector expanding, airports adding capacity and EXPO 2020 investment in full-swing. It’s a positive time.

The importance of our industry in supporting a vast number of other industries to thrive – from hotels to healthcare – should also make us proud. Our sector currently accounts for approximately 2.5% of UAE GDP and the Abu Dhabi Consulting Group predicts that figure will rise to 4% by 2018. The continued diversification of the UAE economy is of great benefit, and testament to its strong, stable governance.

Linencraft has been in operation since the early 1990s. Originally established as part of the Emirates Flight Catering Group, we’ve grown from a single facility laundering three tonnes a day to three separate facilities with a combined capacity of 190 tonnes per day. Our customer base has grown to now include hospitality, retail, healthcare, aviation and institutional industries. However, most pleasing is the fact that, with more than 20 years behind us, half of our original team of staff is still with us today. Without them we certainly wouldn’t be where we are today.

While there have been challenges along the way, we’ve been able to maintain steady growth over the years by taking the time to understand exactly what our customers value across the board, and how we can then deliver in line with their priorities – not ours. Not surprisingly, service consistency and quality control are always front-of-mind.

Growing our relationship with the healthcare industry has been a great driver of progress in the way we manage and improve our own quality controls. Few industries are as quality-conscious as the healthcare industry, so the need to understand and continually improve processes across our

business verticals is critical. Our healthcare linen is laundered in a separate, dedicated facility, away from any possible contamination.

A focus on greener energy is another area in which we’re proud to have delivered results more recently. Implementing more environmentally friendly fuel options has reduced our emissions and, we hope, will provide cost benefit through increasing the lifespan of our plant - due to cleaner and more energy-efficient operation. No doubt there is more we can do in this area and we continue to focus on this – with the flow-through benefit to customers’ front-of-mind.

There’s more we can do as an industry too, to raise our profile and communicate our evolution and the benefits of what we do. From technological change to environmental sustainability and branding, MECTW is a great forum for us to engage as an industry and with others, to generate ideas, share successes and solve challenges. The very fact we have MECTW shows just how far the sector has come since the announcement of Expo 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Victor Bastian,Assistant Vice President,Linencraft

A note from our Laundry Care sponsor - Linencraft

Sponsor’s Note


Victor Bastian,Assistant Vice President, Linencraft

COVER STORY


Partnership is a word that is often overused in business, but it is one that precisely describes the

relationship between Alliance Laundry Systems, the world’s leading commercial laundry equipment manufacturers, and Protek FZE.

Both companies are passionate about laundry, continuing to innovate and develop new solutions to overcome traditional challenges. Both also have the knowledge, experience and expertise to meet the needs of a very wide customer base.

And both have an appetite to continue to learn and grow, as true thought leaders. Indeed the success of the UniMac brand in the region is in no small way down to the trust, commitment and like-minded thinking that exists between the two businesses.

UniMac is a brand that has gained an enviable reputation in recent years as the expert ‘choice’ of the On-Premises Laundry (OPL) professional, especially in hotels. And deservedly so. But UniMac is not only the preserve of OPL or the

“The strength and breadth of our commercial laundry solutions are unrivalled, and confirms our position as the world number one, able to offer our customers a total solution from a single platform in even the most challenging markets.”Rick Pyle, President of Alliance International

Protek and UniMaca partnership for all

markets and sectors

Serious about laundry.


hospitality sector. It is also proven in other markets and sectors, from hospitals to prisons, and from outsourced (ie off-premises) to vended solutions.

World-class hotels UniMac machines are installed in some of the region’s best-known hotels, with Alliance recognised as the preferred supplier to many of the major brands including Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. World-class hotels demand and expect five star laundry. And so do their guests. No matter how brief their stay, or what facilities they might have time to enjoy, the one area a guest cannot fail to encounter is the hotel’s linen. Whether it is the perfect table linen at breakfast, the quality of the bed sheets, the softness and freshness of the bath towels, or the smartness of the staff uniforms, good laundry leaves a lasting impression.

The ‘experience’ within a hotel is not simply about whether the food tastes delicious. It does not matter how sumptuous the fayre; the whole experience can be ruined by a bed sheet that is as rigid as cardboard or a bath towel that smells of chlorine.

Top quality hotels have therefore come to learn the power of Alliance and its UniMac machines in delivering world-class solutions that deliver a quality laundry

using less power and energy without sacrificing performance or productivity. Its machines can, in effect, do more with less: less water; less energy; fewer chemicals; and fewer staff. And this all adds up to less cost.

Hotels are of course not the only segment where looks and appearance are important. First impressions within a spa or restaurant are also important. The softness of a towel can make all of the difference to an operator looking to deliver a ‘luxury’ experience; the crispness of a napkin and cleanliness of the table linen similarly sends a positive signal to the diner that reflects well on the restaurateur.

Hospitals and healthcareBut it is not only in the hotel and hospitality sectors that its equipment is finding favour. Its machines can be found in hospitals and other healthcare establishments where the need is not only for linens that are clean, but often hygienically clean.

It is an alarming statistic that up to 15 percent of nosocomial infections that lead to an average of five extra days in hospital and, in extreme cases, to the death of the patient, are due to unsatisfactory linen hygiene – linen that has been washed and

“We are now a one-stop-shop for all of your laundry needs, including laundry consumables, laundry chemicals, flatwork ironer supplies, laundry hangers, spotting chemicals, genuine spare parts and RFID based Uniform Room Automation Systems.”Sajal Nanda, Managing Director, Protek


12 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | OCTOBER 2015

COVER STORY

www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

yet still presents a potentially fatal risk.The elderly and children are particularly prone to infection due to their less efficient immune systems, and studies indicate that linen is a major factor for the transfer of infections and so-called ‘superbugs’.

The importance of laundry within a hospital or care environment is therefore critical. Getting it right can, quite literally, save lives; getting it wrong, on the other hand, can have disastrous consequences for patients, staff, and the reputation of the hospital.

UniMac’s specialist range of barrier washers, for example, not only reduce the risk of bacterial infection, but also put OPL operators in total control, including giving them a full audit trail with cycle times and temperature readings for each wash. In an industry where it is the individual who can be held accountable, and managing risk includes managing reputational risk, being able to manage the laundry process with confidence is not just a ‘nice to have’ but rather an essential part of the healthcare regime.

Multiple environments and solutionsWherever clean linen is required, a UniMac system can be found: in large multi-tenanted buildings; military bases; petro-chemical sites; prisons; and even ships.

As well as OPL, its systems are also used in vended environments (such as universities) and installed in self-service Laundromats, as well as off-premises in commercial laundries for those customers looking for an outsourced solution. But regardless of where they are installed, the purpose and the need are one and the same: optimum performance; maximum reliability; minimum cost.

“Whether the customer is a major hospital, facilities management company or international hotel, equipment is required that delivers maximum wash efficiency for minimum use of water and

power consumption,” John Bannister, Director of International Sales – Middle East & Africa, explains. “It needs to have high reliability and low maintenance, and help customers to address their environmental concerns without compromising performance. Most of all, it has to deliver an optimum clean, every time, and all of this can be achieved with our UniMac machines.”

So what of the opportunity for Alliance, Protek and UniMac in the Middle East? Rick Pyle, President of Alliance International, is in no doubt of the region’s importance, or the importance of partnering with best-in-class distributors: “The strength and breadth of our commercial laundry solutions are unrivalled, and confirms our position as the world number one, able to offer our customers a total solution from a single platform in even the most challenging markets where specialist technologies and capabilities are required,” he says.

“Working with industry-leading professionals helps to further strengthen our brand and our reputation throughout the region.”

“Whether the customer is a major hospital, facilities management company or international hotel, equipment is required that delivers maximum wash efficiency for minimum use of water and power consumption.”

John Bannister, Director ofInternational Sales - Middle East & Africa for Alliance



Rocco Di Bari, Senior Vice President EMEA for Alliance agrees: “With so many new hotels, hospitals and large commercial premises being built in the region over the next ten to fifteen years, there is a tremendous opportunity for Alliance and UniMac with its ‘expert’ positioning to become the predominant and pre-eminent brand within the region,” he says. “We are now working to turn this dream into a reality.”

Sajal Nanda, the founder of Protek, has experience of the UniMac brand that stretches back more than 20 years. His company was launched in 2007, and over the last three years, Protek has been working closely with the UniMac team to deliver best-in-class solutions to their mutual customers in the UAE, Oman and India. Protek delivers the ‘complete solution’, from an initial site assessment through to installation and commissioning, and the training of laundry staff. It also provides ongoing service and maintenance.

“We are now a one-stop-shop for all of your laundry needs, including laundry consumables, laundry chemicals, flatwork ironer supplies, laundry hangers, spotting chemicals, genuine spare parts and

RFID based Uniform Room Automation Systems,” Sajal explains. “We have successfully established our name as one of the biggest suppliers to the hospitality, healthcare and commercial laundry sectors, meeting the demands of our customers in the fastest and most cost-effective ways possible.”

What has impressed Sajal most about the UniMac equipment is its proven reliability and performance: “It is a very well respected brand,” he continues, “and the long-term warranties that it provides are industry-leading.”

With their robust, stainless steel structure, all UniMac machines are built to last using the most advanced materials. They are tested to ensure a longer life span such that UniMac customers experience less downtime, fewer parts replacements and fewer service calls over the lifetime of their machines. All of its products are supported by an industry-leading five-year warranty program. The result is that UniMac can offer the lowest possible cost of ownership and highest in-service availability when matched with any competitor.

“Alliance tests all of equipment before they are rolled out into the market, and this gives great confidence to our customers and consultants when then know that every part performs,” Sajal adds.

The strength and breadth of UniMac’s commercial laundry solutions are unrivalled. It is able to offer customers a total solution from a single platform in even the most challenging markets where specialist technologies and capabilities are required. But it knows that it can never rest on its laurels.

“We need to continue to respond to customer demand,” Rick Pyle concludes, “and remain the thought leader. It is why 2016 promises to be an exciting year for those committed to excellence in commercial laundry, and we look forward to delivering new solutions to new customers and segments in partnership with our distributors.”

“With so many new hotels, hospitals and large commercial premises being built in the region over the next ten to fifteen years, there is a tremendous opportunity for Alliance and UniMac with its ‘expert’ positioning to become the predominant and pre-eminent brand.”

Rocco Di Bari, Senior Vice President EMEA for Alliance



Show Preview


A sneak peek into Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo 2015

T he wait is finally over. Gulf Laundrex Linen Care Expo, the region’s first show dedicated to the

laundry and dry cleaning industry is here and leading exhibitors from across the region and internationally are geared up to present their best technology, products, equipment and solutions in the industry. The show has a lot to offer including a

special one-day conference that will see top speakers in the industry discussing issues, solutions and trends in the laundry and dry cleaning industry. With over 30 exhibitors showcasing at the show, one can find leading brands like Alliance Laundry Systems, Kannegiesser, Vega Systems, Tolon, Carbonell, Seitz, Kreussler and many others.

A13 SRLSince 30 years A13 SRL has been producing padding and covers for ironing presses and tables with various materials and of different price ranges. The production is directed especially to the industrial sector (dry cleaning and garments machines). You can also find all the spare parts for ironing and dry cleaning machines and a choice among 14,000 articles.

Accurate TechnologiesAccurate Technologies Co Ltd is the global leader for manufacturing industry laundry equipment and has a wide range of products. Their product, which branded IMAGE course a large industrial laundry equipment, normally washer extractor, tumble dryer, flatwork ironer, feeders, folders and tunnel washer. The company strives to be the best in providing products and service to their customers’ need.

Alkarashi Laundry Equipments (Alka)ALKArashi will feature its operating laundry equipment as well as the dry-cleaning and laundry consumables and services. They will also be displaying a complete showcase of an OPL laundry setting – this will be in line with their principle and mission of simplifying laundry operation – washing, drying, folding in a complete laundry cycle, elevating efficiency and productivity in the process. They will highlight their vast experience in these industries and their vast supply range, marketing scope, sales, and technical expertise and manpower.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Concurrent shows –

Gulf Car Wash - Car Care Expo

and Clean Middle East

Pulire

• The event brings together

leading owners, distributors and manufacturer of

machinery for laundries and

linen suppliers, from the regional and international

markets.

• A one-day conference will

be held with international speakers pre-

senting relevant topics from the

industry.

In this special preview, we bring to you a sneak-peek into the exhibitors at the Gulf Laundrex Linen Care Expo and what you can expect at the show.

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 56 )

( Booth : LA 33 )

OCTOBER 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 15www.cleanmiddleeast.aewww.cleanmiddleeast.ae

Al Taj al Fiddi Antispectic Trading L.L.CAl Taj Al Fiddi Antiseptic Trading LLC are well-known suppliers and wholesalers of laundry accessories, laundry machines, spotting chemicals, dry cleaning solvents, detergents and chemicals for various industries, hospitals, hotels and others. The company holds a large part of the market with over 150 variant products and will be showcasing their latest range of products at the show.

Aseptic-KreusslerKreussler is a highly specialized German manufacturer in the textile laundry industry. The company has teamed up with their most reliable and loyal partner in the region, Aseptic, which is a family-owned enterprise that enjoys more than fifty years of industrial and chemical experience. The Aseptic-Kreussler partnership aims at creating added value by offering seamless solutions that are perfectly optimized to the laundry’s needs. For the show, Aseptic-Kreussler will showcase their highly concentrated liquid laundry detergent systems for high efficient low temperature washing processes. In addition, they will exhibit their dosing equipment and the specially formulated detergents for wet cleaning as well as the corresponding technologies for such an application. And they will unveil their innovative system K4 for dry cleaning.

A.Z. Tamco General Trading L.L.C.Tamco Textiles for Laundry (TTL) is a division of TAMCO Group of companies from Europe. They are one of the leading suppliers of ironer clothing in the world and are official suppliers to many OEM manufacturers. TAMCO Textiles for Laundry offers the highest possible quality of spare parts for commercial and industrial laundries and are ready to invest in research and development. Find high-quality laundry products like ironer padding, guiding tapes, feeding bands, ironing belts, roller covering, conveyer belts, crowning tape, press clothing etc.

Battistella B.g. S.r.l.Battistella B.G.S.R.L is a leading brand in the ironing equipment sector, known worldwide for its quality, reliability and efficiency. The company manufactures and develops semi-professional and industrial ironing machinery and can boast a wide range which includes over 70 models of ironing boards, steam generators, steam dummies, toppers, spot removal machines and presses. The knowledge and constant research, together with modern technologies, lead to the creation of innovative solutions and state-of-the-art equipment which assures high-level performances, without overlooking energy efficiency.

Bergparma S.R.LBergparma S.R.L is dedicated to bring the advanced dry cleaning machines from Italy. This commitment has led them to succeed in many foreign markets including Italy, Europe, and increasingly in the U.S.A. After their acquisition with two very well know dry cleaning machine manufactures – Lindus and Suprema – the company has a range of technologically advanced machines to offer its customers.

Burnus General Trading L.L.C.Burnus General Trading supplies high quality laundry detergents and dispensing equipment and other innovative solutions to clients in the market. Find a range of products and services including laundry detergents, dosing equipment, technical service and consultancy. At the show, Burnus General Trading will offer complete solutions for all washing requirements.

( Booth : LA 1 )

( Booth : LA 42 )

( Booth : LA 129 )

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 110 )

Centrex Technologies FZ LLCCentrex Technologies is an international corporation specializing in the development of advanced software and RFID technologies to benefit commercial and healthcare laundries and to improve linen management for hospitals and hotels. Centrex Technologies also has deep expertise with the latest RFID technologies. At the show, they will be exhibiting the Linenweb Laundry Information System and Linenweb RFID Systems.

Conf Industries SRL For over 50 years, Conf Industries SRL has been manufacturing trolleys and carts for the internal and external handling of industrial laundries. The company’s product range includes a wide series of standard trolleys, made in light alloy, stainless steel and moplen.Beyond the standard production, the company, certified with the ISO 9000 from TUV, has always designed and produced custom-made trolleys and carts, in order to satisfy any specific handling request, also inside of hospitals. Close to 90% of the products are exported to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and America.

Conni/ Galway Trading PYT LTD Conni is a global leader in reusable textile products designed for the management of incontinence. Conni has established itself as the most dependable reusable incontinence products. Selling to retailers, wholesalers, hospitals and laundries nationwide, Conni’s products are discrete, comfortable, environmentally friendly and cost effective. Bed pads for adults and kids and mattress protectors are some of the products that they will be showcasing at the Gulf Laundrex.

Detergo Magazine Detergo Magazine is an international magazine dedicated to laundry and dry cleaning industry. Each issue of the magazine helps to increase the international reach of Detergo Association in an exponential way, guaranteeing the visibility of a leading international magazine in the ‘Machinery, Products and Services for Laundries’ sector.

D & S Exports D&S Exports is an export distribution and service company offering export management services to manufacturers around the world. The company offers expert marketing, distribution and service solutions for the markets of the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with a focus on the commercial kitchen and laundry industry.

Faultless Starch/Bon Ami Company Faultless Starch has been exporting laundry care products worldwide. For the past decades, they have mutually profitable business relationships internationally, and now they want to expand their presence in the Middle East and Africa. Faultless Starch will be showcasing the current line of spray starches including the Faultless Starch, Magic Starch, Faultless Hot Iron Cleaner, Magic Wrinkle Remover, and Magic Static Remover.

GULF PROTEK For the exhibition, Protek will be showcasing a complete range of products and equipment from Unimac and Speed Queen (Alliance Laundry Systems, USA); Drycleaning Machine from Renzacci, Italy; Laundry Consumables; Stain Removal Chemicals; Laundry Chemicals from Rexchem; Laundry Chemicals from Ditra – Range of Cleaning Chemicals; Laundry Spare Parts and Uniform Room Automation Systems from Autovalet, UK.

Show Preview

16 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | OCTOBER 2015 www.cleanmiddleeast.aewww.cleanmiddleeast.ae

( Booth : LA 2 )

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 76 )

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 124 )

( Booth : LA 128 )

( Booth : LA 105 )

Hayikama Makina Hali Yikama Ith. Ihr. San. Tic. Ltd. StiHayıkama is a leading brand of automatic carpet washing equipment. Find the latest machines that specialize in carpet washing, carpet wringing and carpet dusting machines.

Healthcare Laundry Accreditation CouncilThe Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) is a nonprofit organization that inspects and accredits laundries worldwide that process reusable textiles for hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities.

IMESA S.p.A. IMESA S.p.A. is a leading company in the production of laundry equipment. It offers a complete range of industrial laundry equipment. The washing machines, tumble dryers, Flatwork ironers and drying ironers are manufactured in Cessalto - Italy. They also supply solutions to satisfy the laundry needs of not only hotels, professional laundry or Coin-op Laundry, but also equestrian and sport centers, small installation for beautician and hairdresser, and, in the sanitary area, also hospitals, retirement homes, medical centers, clinics etc.

Layfil SLLayfil S.L. specializes in manufacturing, distribution and marketing of accessories/spare parts for industrial laundries, hospitals, hotels, residences and any organization linked to this sector. Layfil S.L. seeks to optimize the work in laundries, easy transport of clothing and maximize performance machines ironing, folding, packaging, etc. of customers. Find a range of products including belts (feeders, ironing belts, conveyor belts and stacker belts), trolleys, covers for trolleys and other accessories at the show.

Magnarab Equipment TradingMagnarab Equipment Trading will be exhibiting their range of continuous batch washers, large 110 Kgs washer and large industrial dryers. They will also exhibit the new range of soft-mount washers and high efficient dryers from Tolon, and also a small continuous batch washing system from Carbonell, Spain. Their USP is the right product, with the right guidance and support coming from a team that actually operates laundries and knows the processes in detail.

MAXI-PRESSMAXI-PRESS offers a fast delivery service for water extraction membranes and spare parts for all common laundry machines. The German company manufactures and sells membranes and other spare and special parts for water extraction presses as drainage plates and basket guides, parts for batch washers as seals, wheels and drive elements, as well as elements for dryers such as friction wheels and heat exchangers.

NATRONIC INTERNATIONAL INC. Natronic International will represent its innovative packages containing quality and advantages; by introducing the different solutions in partnership with trusted brands; creating top-of-the-line solutions for prestigious clients such as five-star hotels, and central laundries in the UAE. They will be showcasing the leading trends of laundry equipment and machineries to potential clients, as well as meeting and interacting with new potential customers and interested investors and end-users.

OCTOBER 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 17www.cleanmiddleeast.aewww.cleanmiddleeast.ae

( Booth : LA 21 )

( Booth : LA 127 )

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 137 )

( Booth : LA 74 )

( Booth : LA 130 )

( Booth : LA 62 )


Show Preview

New Gen UK Ltd / Sturdy ProductsA part of Paragon Family of Companies, The New Gen helps build, operate and manage a new generation of state-of-the-art laundries and provide world class services for every aspect of laundry operations. Be it the design and build of a new facility, fine-tuning an existing laundry or supplying bespoke software solutions to providing a comprehensive laundry service for your organisation, New Gen provides a range of services. At the show, New Gen will exhibit laundry handling products and logistics support solutions. There will also be the latest range of products from Sturdy Products. A bespoke range of cages, trolleys and bins specifically designed and constructed for each and every stage of the laundry process will also be available at the show.

Oubari-Gulf Oubari – Gulf has been an acting agent for laundry equipment and its accessories. The company represents many leading international brands in the Middle East region and the Gulf for laundry equipment including Fagor (Spain), Unimac (U.S.A), Camptel (Italy), ILSA (Italy) and Tektem Makina (Turkey) and others. Oubari-Gulf’s professional services include sales and after sales and the technical team are trained to design, install and to train others.

Prime Automatic Laundry Prime Automatic Laundry is the most professional solution for the treatment and soft care of all kind of fabrics. The laundry is run by a professional team, with quality control policies and procedures in place to determine and guarantee the type and quality of service required for each fabric. For the show, they will display the latest technology with smart equipment.

Protec Technical Solutions L.L.C.Protec Technical Solutions is an international company that specializes in water and waste water treatment. In the field of apparatus and plant construction they have the know-how to present suitable solutions for all the particular and individual needs – especially for the treatment and the circulation of industrial waste water.

Rampi S.R.L. Rampi SRL has been active in the field of chemical and cosmetic care for fabrics. Right from detergents, solvents, stain removals, accessories and other services, the company has always been committed to providing solutions designed to safeguard the health of workers and quality in laundries.

REZA HYGIENE – Christeyns Laundry Division Reza Hygiene-Christeyns Laundry Division is going to propose its new global laundry concept Low Impact Washing (tm). This concept will allow the customer to take washing to a ‘higher level’, ‘saving costs’ without compromising on processing efficiency or cleaning results. For the washer extractors, Christeyns offers Compact One (tm) - a full range of economical wash processes that assure significant total savings water/energy (up to 60%) and productivity (up to 40%). Combined with integrated Lint-X Rotor (tm) a water filtration/recovering and Heat-X Rotor (tm) a water/water exchanger, extremely low water and energy consumption are guaranteed.

( Booth : LA 10 )

( Booth : LA 39 )

( Booth : LA 4 )

( Booth : LA 6 )

( Booth : LA 84 )

( Booth : LA 100 )


SAN-AI Industries, INC. SAN-AI Industries, INC. has been a leading global supplier of high-quality finishing equipment products in the Laundry business. The company has a various types of ironer springs. Above all, their patented Max-Press spring has been continuously improving and evolving since it appeared in the market. For the show, they will be showcasing, latest springs, ultrasonic welder, acing and cutting machine for belt and other products.

Seitz GMBHSEITZ is a German chemical company of worldwide reputation within the field of Professional Textile Cleaning, Care and Hygienic Applications. The manufacturing program includes all products required for modern textile care. For the show they are going to introduce their dry cleaning and wet cleaning products. The USP will be their value added services, technical support and knowledge offered to their clients.

Shanghai Baiqiang Washing Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Shanghai Baiqiang Washing Equipment Manufacturing Limited Company, is one of the leading enterprises in China’s washing machinery industry. The company has a series of most advanced modern equipment which include laser cutting machine, multi-functional turret punch, CNC shearing machine and CNC bending machine, and the most excellent researching and managing team, the company achieved an output value of nearly one billion. For the show, they will be exhibiting the industrial laundry washer extractor, laundry dryer, laundry ironer, linen folding machine, laundry feeder, dry cleaning machine, tunnel washer, laundry dewatering machine, etc.

Tektem Makina SAN.ve DIS TIC. LTD. STITektem Makina has been active in cleaning machines production since 1993. With a vast experience and expertise and the highest production capability in their large factory, they offer solutions mainly for carpet & area rug cleaning professionals, and hard floor cleaners. Tektem Makina has the widest range of equipment in Turkey and export to more than 60 countries worldwide. Their brand name Cleanvac is well known for its durability and productivity in many countries.

Vega Systems BVVEGA systems Group is an international privately owned company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing and implementation of industrial laundry equipment. Besides the manufacturing of the equipment, they also specialize in the design and redesign of complete new or existing laundries. For the show they will be showcasing towel folders.

Zucchetti Centro Sistemi Spa Zucchetti Centro Sistemi Spa has established itself in robotics and automation markets around the world. Since November 2000, Zucchetti Centro Sistemi Spa has been part of Holding Zucchetti Spa, one of the leading ICT companies in Italy. The Company is made up of four Business Units (Automation Division, Healthcare Division, Robotics Division and Software Division) that meet the need to diversify and extend the know-how acquired in the design of management software to different and complementary fields, and is aimed at ensuring excellence in three areas: information technology, electronics and mechanics.

( Booth : LA 7 )

( Booth : LA 78 )

( Booth : LA 8 )

( Booth : LA 115 )

( Booth : LA 68 )

( Booth : LA 135 )


Water Conservation


Water is a precious resource, especially in the Middle East region. While Dubai has the

highest cost of water in the region it is still quite low compared to western countries. With the tourism and hospitality industry experiencing rapid growth, the demand for water and energy resources has exponentially increased. In fact, energy usage in hotels makes up most of their carbon footprint and is the second largest cost in most hotels after the cost of staff. However, when it comes to laundries, conservation of water can be a real challenge. As a result, hotels and central laundries are increasingly adopting green practices to conserve resources, reduce their costs, gain a competitive advantage, improve customer loyalty, and increase brand value. Clean Middle East speaks to On-Property Laundries (OPL) and Central Laundries to find out what are the measures adopted by them to handle the facility in an environment-friendly manner.

Challenges Although the operations in an OPL and Central Laundries are similar, their approach towards water conservation varies. Since central laundries handle much more capacity than an OPL, the scope for conservation is much higher as the use of Tunnel washers for such high capacities drastically reduces the consumption of water.

The key challenge in operating a laundry in an environmental-friendly way is the lack of awareness on this critical resource and lack of expertise on how to effectively and optimally use this precious

resource. Venkatrajam Addagatla, Laundry Manager, Grand Hyatt, Dubai, believes that everyone has to share the responsibility of conservation of resources. He says, that the laundry facilities, either OPL or commercial laundries, should set internal benchmarks and guidelines as per the local government for compliance. “A strict adherence to these set benchmarks should be the focus. The laundry operator’s commitment towards this global challenge of water conservation will help create a positive impact. The investment needs to be outlined in order to utilize the latest technology towards this direction,” he adds.

Agrees Klaus Menker, Managing Director, Menker - Laundry Management Consultants. “The question is how much of a specific resource is really needed to get high quality, more environment-friendly processed linen, under hygiene safe conditions. For instance, a look on detergent and softener consumptions is always recommended. A reduction of 10-kilogram detergents per year, per kilogram, operated linen, is a realistic figure. For 200 rooms at a 5-star rated hotel, it leads already to 2,000 kilograms of detergents per year,” suggests Menker.

For many others, the challenge is in the laundry operation and premises itself. Rayu Priolkar, General Manager, Metropolitan Laundry, Habtoor Hotels, says, “When we talk about environment friendly it starts with the premises. It has to be air conditioned, but we cannot achieve the required cooling in the laundry because of the heat produced by the machines. As a result of this the staff gets tired and productivity falls and the operation suffers. Chemicals too have to be

Making every drop work…

Klaus Menker, Managing Director, Menker - Laundry Management Consultants

Making every drop work…By Megha S Anthony


eco-friendly. Fortunately, we are working with a company, who supplies eco-friendly chemicals. This helps in controlling discharged water in sewerage, causing less harm to the environment. Again it is difficult to provide all these facilities due to budget constraint.”

Elie Nacouzi, General Manager, Advanced Laundry, too points out that being able to have a proper water-recycling system and using eco-friendly consumables like bio-degradable plastic bags and recycled papers are some of the challenges involved in managing a laundry in an environmental-friendly manner.

Measures AdoptedLaundries have adopted their own methods to conserve as much water as they can. According to Menker, instead of blindly adopting these methods, it is important to know the present water consumption, how the laundry processes are designed and where the industry benchmarks are.

“Unfortunately, most of the present wash applications in the region do not take care of water conservation. Any leakage of water and steam piping, or not properly closed drain valves can have a significant influence as well. A full load at washing machines is always helpful. Most wash extractors have a defined water volume per wash load. So the machines take always 100% of water, regardless of how much linen is inside. At wash extractors with a weight scaling function, it is different. Laundries in the region could save up to 50% of their water consumption if the wash and laundry processes are well designed or properly managed,” he says.

At Advanced Laundry, Nacouzi says that they have installed washing machines that are equipped with water recycling systems and the grey water coming from the dryers is being used for irrigation and landscaping. While Metropolitan Laundry, have installed a waste water treatment plant. “We recover 60% of waste water and reuse it. This helps us to save on DEWA water bills, sewerage charges (though DEWA charges on full incoming water quantity). We have brought this matter to the notice of authorities and waiting for a response. Only 40% of water

is sent to sewerage and we should be charged only for 40% of the water we received from DEWA,” says Priolkar.

Awareness and commitment towards the conservation of resources amongst the associates have had a major impact on the laundry operations at the Grand Hyatt’s laundry. “The basic rule followed is – Optimum utilization of resources that is as simple as loading the equipment to its capacity. The entire team is committed towards conservation, be it the appropriate use of uniforms or safe handling of linen, segregation of highly soiled linen or getting it right the first time are just some of the initiatives towards this cause. We also involve our customers through a green initiative wherein they can opt for not replacing the linen every day which is greatly appreciated. We are also investing in equipment to recycle water and conserve this resource. From the time of laundry installation to date, we have come a long way and have managed to achieve around 25% reduction in water consumption with our continuous efforts,” explains Addagatla.

Equipment and solutions that help in conservation The laundry industry is ever growing alongside the need for water conservation. So when it comes to the kind of solutions and equipment in the market that aid in conservation there are many but not all are as effective as they seem. Says Addagatla,“The conventional washers have undergone tremendous technological upgrades and now with the Tunnel washers, water consumption has dropped to 4 to 8 liters per kg as compared to 14-18 liters in a washer extractor. With volumes permitting, the tunnel washers provide us with an edge over washer extractors. With washer extractors, one needs to look for equipment with appropriate options to logically sense the load and adapt the water intake accordingly. Also, chemicals need to be carefully chosen in order to reduce rinsing and to ensure a better wash. Laundry chemical manufacturers are also researching into and offering chemical ranges that are very effective towards water consumption.”

Rayu Priolkar, General Manager, Metropolitan Laundry, Habtoor Hotels

Elie Nacouzi, General Manager, Advanced Laundry


Water ConservationPriolkar adds that washing machines nowadays are coming with reuse water tank in which rinse water is collected and used in the main wash. “There are equipment with Ozone generators where you can use less water, chemicals, and heat. Total conservation but this technology is not successful in this part due to lack of expertise in the field and genuine service provider. Waste water treatment plant with DAF, microfiltration, membrane, UV and RO helps to recover good quality of water provided you select the right company and spend good money,” he adds.

There is a notion that in most regions in the Middle East, the water and energy costs are quite low compared to the investment in such equipment. “Water and Electricity are two of the most used utilities in any business and in life. Without these two components, it will be very difficult to survive. It is well known that the prices of water and electricity are quite low compared to other countries in the Middle East, which might lead to avoiding any

investment in water recycling systems if you’re thinking about it in the short run but on the long run it will make a difference especially for commercial laundries,” notes Nacouzi.

Menker, on the other hand, feels that this maybe the reason why water conservation in laundries does not have high priority. “If you are focused on recycling equipment related solutions only, laundries get a problem with the payback period of up to 15 years. If you look into operational or reuse options it is economical more feasible because we have a payback period of 1-2 years only. The interesting thing is that the amount of water you can save is nearly comparable. The main mistake is to focus on equipment orientated solutions to save water / energy. On an overall only a few on the operation will give a much higher and quicker return on investment. A significant water reduction is possible in laundries if there is an economically feasible solution based on knowhow and not on equipment,” he concludes.

Venkatrajam Addagatla, Laundry Manager, Grand Hyatt, Dubai


Market Overview

Over the years, there has been a wave of change in UAE’s dry cleaning and

laundry industry. Many factors like the lifestyle of people, need for better services and new dry cleaning and laundry regulations have contributed to this change. When we talk about the dry cleaning and laundry market in the UAE, there is a lot of scope in the market. The fact that there is a laundry or dry cleaner under every building proves that the demand in the industry is only growing.

A look at the overview of the market will tell you that there are different categories of laundries and dry cleaners that cater to a particular customer profile. While one is aware of the smaller laundries that provide services at affordable prices, there are other categories that exist in the market offering better quality garment care at a slightly higher cost. And to stand out from the competition and to attract new customers, these dry cleaners provide other benefits like complimentary pick-up and delivery of garments, better

customer service, and offering new services such as tailoring and leather cleaning.

Recently, there has been a new innovative category in the market called the ‘Couture Cleaner’. This is a niche segment that

handles high-end garments under expert supervision. Their target customers, who purchase high-end garments that are also referred to as ‘Haute Couture’. In fact, this target group does not mind paying extra for quality service. With more high-end boutiques making their way into the market, the demand for this category of cleaners is growing as well. The business model followed by this category is more strategic and on-par with many couture cleaners from across the globe.

Growth in market results competition. Dry Cleaners and laundries across UAE are trying various means and methods to differentiate from the rest. With many laundries targeting hotels, restaurants, hospitals, etc. is resulting a very competitive industry in the UAE. But competition has a positive impact on the market as well, as it makes way for the latest technology to enter the market, better facilities, good presence in social media and the usage of eco-friendly cleaning techniques.

Like many other industries, the laundry and dry cleaning industry has its own set of challenges in the UAE. One of the biggest challenges is in the way the industry is perceived by the customers. Dry cleaning and laundry has always been seen as an inexpensive service, and because of that it is hard for the dry cleaners and laundries to price the service on the same level as their international counterparts.

While there are challenges, the market is making way for many opportunities as well. As the dry cleaning and laundry industry is still growing and opportunities to attract new customers and retain old ones are plenty. Social media has been a great tool that many in the industry are using to reach out to their customers in a more personalized way. Importance is also being given to training which in turn ensures quality and efficiency in as well. As a whole, it is important for the market to start thinking outside the box and set benchmarks to increase the quality of the industry.

(The authors, Mohamed Al Mutawa is the Managing Director and Alicia Al Mutawa is the General Manager of Alessia The Couture Cleaner)

Dry Cleaning industry in UAE is still growing…By Mohamed Al Mutawa and Alicia Al Mutawa

Site Visit


In a country like UAE which is the epitome of sophistication and luxury in hospitality, you need great

suppliers to do the background work of washing the dirty laundry. Bubble Laundry in ICAD III (Musaffah) has taken up this gargantuan task of being the front runner for industrial laundry services in the hospitality sector. Bubble understands the challenges faced by hospitality professionals and are also able to offer a unique range of services to meet the specific demands for hotel and restaurant linen, staff uniforms and work wear.

On a special site visit by the ‘Clean Middle East’ it was seen that Bubble’s laundry solutions not only addresses the need for outstanding cleanliness but also accurate asset management and environmental efficiency tailored to each customer’s requirements and brand status.

Since it commenced operations in Feb-ruary 2014, Bubble Laundry has been the most modern laundry of its kind with state of the art machinery, cutting edge technology and smart infrastructure. What strikes you the most at the facility, that is occupied over 4,500 square me-ters, is its capability of processing well

in excess of one million pieces of laun-dry a week.

“We are very ambitious in thinking and operating as number one. Our technology is revolutionary, and supports every as-pect of the laundry operation. It ensures that standards and procedures are set, measured, maintained and improved. The highest levels of quality, stock man-agement, health and safety, site main-tenance and staff training are always adhered to,” says Jorge Damasceno, General Manager of Bubble Laundry.

Systematic operationsAt first glance it may seem a simple task of washing and folding laundry. But when it comes to dealing with up to 60 tonnes of laundry each day from myriad clients, it requires great systems and precision to complete the task. In order to meet the requirements, Bubble Laundry has installed world leading machinery provid-ed by the reputed German manufacturer Kannegiesser. “The main focus of hotels and hospi-tality sector is to provide an excellent customer experience and fulfill guests’ demands. At Bubble we are committed to developing long term relationships with our customers and suppliers to

“By driving creativity,

innovation and a

continuous ongoing

improvement, we have risen

to the top of the laundry sector in the

country.”

- Jorge Damasceno,

General Manager

of Bubble Dream

Laundry

Conquering clean frontiersclean frontiers

By Zenifer Khaleel

Site Visit


deliver the best laundry service. Our Customer Service team is available 24 hours a day to ensure everything runs smoothly,” ex-plains Damasceno, while adding, “Bubble’s strength lies in under-standing our customers’ needs and the variety of requirements the industry demands; we can of-fer bespoke detergent mixes and washing programmes to suit your stock, we can fold and present items to your exact specification and deliver it on time with a ded-icated customer service team to manage your laundry service with maximum efficiency.”

Each stage of the laundry under-goes meticulous execution. The loading area is covered with a physical barrier with automatic doors which are timed so that they are not open together. This reduces the impact of dust which may come from outside. Each item can also be embedded with an RFID [radio frequency identi-fication] chip in order to track it through the laundry cycle as well as its entire lifetime. The chip also contains details like how many washes or repair a particular piece has endured.

In the washing area, the laun-dry is then manually sorted into sorting bins which can hold up to 60 kg. After this process, the machines completely take over the functions. The sorted laun-dry is transferred to huge bags which are carried by an overhead conveyor system and dropped

into a CBW machine (Continuous Batch Washing). Each machine can wash up to 2 tons of laun-dry per hour. The laundry exits through a hydraulic press, which squeezes out water to a moisture content of about 45 per cent. It then goes into double-batch dri-ers which dry them to 5% for tow-eling and condition bed linen to 40%. Following conditioning flat linen is pressed through bespoke calendar ironing lines to get an exceptional finish. Toweling is fed through folding machines which automatically segregate by clas-sification, fold to the hotels speci-fication and pack size. In the garment section, the clean-ing process is more intense. Each uniform gets a unique bar code so that it returned to the same wearer. Spots and stains are sep-arately treated with special chem-icals. The cleaned uniforms are hung in an overhead sorting sys-tem which can track and identify items of different clients in a mat-ter of seconds. The rail system can hold 300 items at any time, and bundles uniforms in the order requested by the customer.The uniform section also has 10 hand finishing stations, and gar-ment finishing machines.

Ecofriendly measuresToday, the majority of hotels with-in the Middle East rely on their own On Premise Laundries, which by their very nature are expensive, inefficient and not as environ-mentally friendly as they could be.

To date, there simply hasn’t been a commercial laundry committed to hospitality laundry solutions, however now with Bubble one can expect to see a move by hotels to outsource their laundry activities allowing them to focus on the key aspects of their business.

Environmentally, Bubble is at the forefront of innovative ways to maximise the efficient use of valuable resources making the laundry the most environmentally considerate laundry service avail-able. “At Bubble we use less than 3 litres of water per kilo of laun-dry, while an On Premise Laundry will normally use 30 to 40 litres per kilo and our water wastage is as low as 5%. Our equipment works on a direct fired gas heat-ing system and our lighting op-erates on presence sensors en-suring energy is only used when it is required. Clever technology and the expertise of some of the most experienced people in the business combine computerised vehicle tracking with packing and route optimisation saving fuel and reducing traffic congestion and Bubble has purchased the first truck in the Middle East to run on Compressed Natural Gas with 40% less smoke emissions, 25% less CO2 emissions, 70% less car-bon monoxide, 80% less nitrogen oxide and 40% less noise.With advanced technology, effi-cient system and manpower cou-pled with ecofriendly measures, Bubbles Laundry is all set to take the cleaning industry by storm.


Healthcare Sector


My principal focus for the past 35 years has been the healthcare

environment. This is highly regulated and there are extreme negative outcomes when a healthcare provider does not meet the needs and expectations in their areas of responsibilities. The same is true and lessons are valuable for the airline industry, hospitality industry, and many other major industries where projects that are produced result in protecting people and therefore the business. As an Administrator, a Government Inspector, and now as an agent for various businesses, I am convinced that being proactive with minimum requirements protects people and results in a prosperous business. Laundries, whether in the facility or under contract were also the recipient of my visits.

The industry I inspected was healthcare. Each one of the over 500 buildings I entered was a ‘multi-million dollar sales per year’ organization and was frequently

the largest employer in the town. Each provided employment for various levels of professionally or technically trained people. Each also had a possibility of creating a product that hurt the intended customer with all of the negative outcomes for the business as a result. Each laundry, in this case, was an important link in the evaluation of compliance of the overall healthcare facility.

I can comfortably say that, regardless of the community, state, nation, or region, regulations are increasing. Inspections are increasing. Fortunately professional best practices are increasing also which, ideally, remains ahead of the regulatory world. This is the great opportunity for each facility, regardless of their principal customer base, to remain less concerned with the unscheduled arrival of the regulators.

Regulators do not hope for non-compliant laundries, restaurants, hospitals, hotels, airlines, or similar high risk industries. The regulator’s hardest day is the minimally compliant, minimally informed facility that continuously functions at low levels of efficiency. The regulator’s best is therefore the efficient facility that monitors its own practices against best professional standards of their industry, knows the needs of their customers, and with data, shows themselves and their customers how the laundry is meeting the needs of the airlines, hotel, surgery center, nursing home, or other textile using center. To know the risks and needs of your customer, meet that need, monitor your own compliance with best professional standards, and to continuously self-monitor relative to those standards, will make, amongst others, the regulator very happy.

Compliance with Customer Needs, Regulations, and Business Practices are related

By Thomas Scheidel


Briefly, regulators have too much to do. They have too many sites to inspect. They prioritize and can usually adjust their visits “time on site” based on the preparedness of the facility. Prior to retirement, I could only hint but not easily say that. If I can easily demonstrate minimum regulatory compliance when I am confronted with a highly functioning self-monitoring facility who uses their best industry professional standards, I can move on quickly. The business case for this should be self-explanatory. When a regulator walks in, your day’s schedule and all business productivity related to your personal activities, are devastated. This negative financial impact is unavoidable. This impact is long before any consideration of fines, negative publicity, and loss of customer base. It is likely important to know how a regulator chooses to visit your kind establishment. Consider the negative outcome as a result of my visit to the hospital. Interject here the hospitality event or the airline event. The regulator begins to attempt to find the cause of the patient, guest, or customer negative outcome. The investigative protocol calls, in my

case, for a visit to the contract or in-house laundry. I am investigating the hospital through inspecting your textile processing facility. The hospital will be sanctioned because of negative things that are caused by the laundry. Consider the economic impact to your contracting with that hospital or hotel. You can also imagine that hospitality operators meet with each other as they do in airlines and in hospitals. You can see there is a clear business model for meeting the needs of your customers through meeting the highest professional standards of your industry.

While the textile processing industry is not self-regulating in the governmental sense, it is full of professional standards of practice that help to drive highly effective operations. This can be proven through the use of your own peers, industry accreditation, professional standards accreditation such as the ISO-9000 Series, and through the use of co-self-inspection with your customers. Industry-based accreditation has had a wonderful impact on the textile processing industry and the healthcare industry. ISO-9000 series and similar international

standards have greatly helped manufacturing and management practices. Customer participating self-inspection has been a favorite with minimal return for the textile processing facility mostly because the customer does not usually understand many of the important technical functions within the textile processing process. Having those trained in your industry, especially practicing in your industry, participate in the inspection process will provide the best return on the time investment and the financial investment.

In summary, regulations are increasing. Numbers and varieties of regulators are increasing in the quality and scope of their inspections. Inspectors will need to have their needs met for minimum regulatory compliance. This is best accomplished through focusing on the higher road of meeting the highest professional standards of your industry with having and using all of the associated data in support of that compliance. Meeting the industry-based highest professional standards is the best marketing action you can take to retain and to develop a newer and broader customer base. Finally, regulators and inspectors are nice people. It is best, though, to keep them out of your facility or minimize their time in the facility. The way to do that will be the result of activities that also serve your business the best. (The author, Thomas Scheidel, RN, CFI, is a retired US Government Inspector of Health Care Facilities including all the organizations with whom they contract that effect patients. He is on the Board of Directors of the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council ( www.HLACNET.ORG ), a non-profit organization inspecting and accrediting laundries.)


Interview


A glimpse into the KSA laundry market

It’s always interesting to learn about laundries from across the region. While they have

their similarities, they also have their own set of differences and challenges. Keeping the focus to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Imran Khan, the Cluster Laundry Manager, from the Jeddah Hilton, Waldorf Astoria Jeddah, speaks about what drives the laundry market in the region and the laundry operations at the property. Tell us a little about the laundry department at Jeddah Hilton. The laundry department plays an essential role in hotels. In fact, it’s these unsung heroes that our guests remember for a long time, which makes them our potential long-term customers.

At the Jeddah Hilton, the quality of laundry has always left a lasting impression. The traditional hospitality of Hilton Hotels reflects in Jeddah Hilton to provide a comfortable stay for our distinguished guests. Attention to detail is what makes the stay at our hotel more pleasant for our guests.

How much importance is the laundry industry being given in hotels to Saudi Arabia?The laundry market in Jeddah is largely driven by the price of laundering items with an equal importance on quality and services. However, three years ago, very little importance was given to the lifespan of the linen and services. But now, we can see immense potential. Although technological advancement in the Saudi Arabia market is taking place at a slower pace as compared to Europe and the USA, the focus on these advancements is gradually increasing due to rising labor costs (visa, accommodation, salaries, etc.). And with quality products entering the market, productivity has increased as well.

The market is now making way for new laundry projects with a production capacity of approximately 50 tons per day with tunnel washers and state-of-the-art technology.

The upcoming hotels have very small in-house laundries for washing uniforms and guests garments, but the major portion of laundry services is outsourced to commercial laundries. The old

laundries, which fail to modernize their operations according to the current market requirements and are not able to solve problems of risings costs, are phased off, while the concept of centralized laundry operations works in a much more planned manner. That is why new commercial tunnel wash laundries are approaching fast in the market to cover up for the required needs.

How much importance do you give to sustainability? Sustainability is an important aspect in any profession. From using the right and approved chemicals, handling the guests and rooms laundry to keeping consistency on the quality of standards is essential in achieving sustainability. Especially since the region has been facing epidemic diseases like MERS, etc. it is important to maintain high standards of cleanliness in the laundry.

Anything unique to the laundry operations at Jeddah Hilton that you would like to talk about? Waldorf Astoria is a 7-star property by Hilton (The Royal Palace named Qasr Al-Sharq). As far as the on-property laundry is concerned, we have a good team, which is completely trained and maintains high standards in the laundry. Around 40 per cent of the team is from the region, and their skill-set is a big asset to the team.

We have had the honour to serve many high profile guests including princes and princesses on a regular basis; hence we ensure that our standards are on top-of-the-line and in tune with the standards of the hotel.


Product Diary

Compact Max - low temperature washing module

Reza Hygiene – Christeyns Laundry Division’s ‘The Compact Max- low temperature washing modules’ are innovative chemicals that provide a well-balanced wash process. It allows you to wash garments at low temperatures with disinfection, and gives high bleaching and whiteness results from 40°C. The product provides excellent washing quality thanks to the high performing 3-in-1 liquid for bleaching, disinfecting and neutralising.

Laundrex India to take place in MumbaiLaundrex India will take place from 21 - 23 January 2016 in Hall VI of the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, Goregaon East, Mumbai.The show will be one of the five specialised exhibitions held under the umbrella of Cleaning Technology Week.

Virtual Info Systems (VIS), organisers of the Clean India show and publisher of Clean India Journal, says that Laundrex India Expo will be the first Indian exhibition dedicated to this market. It will cover commercial, institutional and centralised laundry services, dry cleaning and linen care, and include both equipment and detergents and chemicals for the industry.

Laundrex India provides the platform for suppliers, service providers, distributors, equipment manufacturers and chemical suppliers in the Indian, south-east Asian and international markets to establish and make inroads into this growing economy.


Tips

How to remove a stain

Nothing can cramp your style quite like a stain. The key is to fight back

before it truly sets in. From remedies like vinegar to table salt we’ve got all the tricks you need to rid your clothes of stains and get them back to looking their best. Stains by TypePerspirationWash or sponge off as soon as possible, using warm water and a detergent or a pre-wash before washing. If colors have been changed, it’s possible to restore them by sponging fresh stains with ammonia or vinegar and rinsing with water. Use cleaning fluid if an oily stain remains. Launder using the hottest water safe for the fabric.

Ballpoint InkSpray first with hair spray and rub together. Within a few minutes, the ink should start to fade. Repeat spraying until ink fades completely. Denatured alcohol can also be used, pouring it on the stain and following the above direction.

Coffee and TeaSponge immediately with cold

water. If stain persists, try a pre-wash and launder with a fabric-safe bleach. Another method: if safe for fabric, stretch the stain over a bowl, fasten with a rubber band and pour boiling water on the stain from a height if 1 to 3 feet.

WineSoak in enzyme pre-soak or oxygen bleach, using hottest water safe for fabric. Launder. If stain remains, launder again, using chlorine bleach, if safe for fabric. Another method: Cover with table salt (lots of it). Let it set for a few minutes (until stain fades), rub vigorously with half a lemon, then launder as you usually would.

Oil and GreaseSpray with pre-wash containing a petroleum distillate. Launder using the hottest water safe for fabric, increasing the amount of detergent.

Chewing GumChill, scrape off excess, then saturate with pre-wash or cleaning fluid.

BloodSoak immediately in cold water

and rub with bar soap, or soak in an enzyme pre-soak product. For stubborn, old stains, apply a few drops of ammonia and wash again with detergent.

Grass, Foliage and FlowersDampen the stained area with cool water, rub liquid detergent or detergent paste into stain, then rinse. If stain remains, or if the stain is large, a pre-soak may be necessary. After treating stain, launder in the hottest water possible with fabric-safe bleach.

First, soak in cold water. Try a pre-wash and launder as usual. Do not dry. If stain remains, then…

Work powdered detergent paste or liquid detergent into stain. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.

Launder using appropriate bleach.

Soak overnight with a pre-soak.

Launder in hot water with a generous amount of detergent.

(Contributed by Faultless Starch)

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