Investing to achieve better cost control

Washer-extractor technology continues to progress. All laundries - from the smallest commercial on-premise laundry to the larger industrial laundries and textile rental companies - require washers that are more efficient in their use of energy and water. Many of the manufacturers that will be at this year's Expo Detergo in Milan are confident that laundries are ready to invest in the next generation of machines. Pellerin Milnor reports good business with several important hotel projects in Asia in the last year. The company says that its MWF-Series washer-extractors, which covers 22 - 77kg sizes and features its patented MilTouch touchscreen control, continues to gain market share.
With a rejuvenated economy, the hotel industry is enjoying higher occupancy rates and this increases linen demands, says the company. "Now is a good time for properties to evaluate their laundry equipment to ensure that it is efficient and fulfilling requirements."
Milnor introduced the MWF-Series with MilTouch control late last year. Its latest X-Series features the MilTouch-EX™ control, a development of the MilTouch system that can be interfaced with specialised options such as metered water and integrated re-=use tanks. Both product lines now feature Milnor's exclusive RinSave® water saver, which eliminates up to two rinse steps per cycle.
Modern microprocessor controllers such as Milnor's MilTouch and MilTouch-EX touchscreen controls allow operators to run statistic reports to determine if laundry workers are running correct formulae or if formulae have been modified or changed, resulting in quality issues. The controllers will also allow engineers to review diagnostics to make sure the machine is operating properly.
At Girbau, Carles Solé, product manager for commercial division, says that industrial laundries are showing great interest in replacing equipment to benefit from greater energy and water savings and increased productivity. In emerging markets, more hotel businesses are managing their laundry services internally, either through an on-site laundry or, in the case of hotel groups, with a centralised laundry that processes linen from all the group's hotels. This makes it possible to directly control the quality and to manage costs and linen stocks.
Reducing water and energy consumption remains a key element for Girbau R&D. The is looking both at introducing shorter cycles to reduce machine consumption and also at finding ways to reduce the water and energy needed to achieve the maximum results.
Good programming management has a direct impact on the laundry's profit and loss account as well as the final finish quality. The controls on Girbau's washing machines allow a large number of parameters to be adjusted to suit specific requirements.
John Balman at Alliance Laundry Systems International says that heavy-duty laundries are upgrading their lines with more energy-efficient equipment and achieving a good return on investment through the resultant lower utility bills.
Investment in hotel, hospitality and hospital OPLs is still occurring and Alliance reported good business in France, Germany, the UK, Scandinavian countries and Russia during 2013. The company expects this demand to remain strong in 2014. Additionally it says that demand will pick up in several European countries including Italy, Spain and Portugal.
The demand to reduce water and energy consumption is pivotal, says Balman.
He gives a typical breakdown of the costs of running an OPL: Labour 45 - 50%, equipment 8 - 12%, linen replacement 13 - 25%, chemicals 8 - 12%, utilities 8 - 12% and maintenance 3%.
The control systems used by the ALS brands - Ipso's Cygnus, UniMac's UniLinc, Speed Queen's Quantum Gold and Huebsch's Galaxy provide up to 30 water level options.
Small, precise adjustments are possible to minimise water consumption without compromising quality.
Kannegiesser notes that increasing volumes and raising prices can no longer balance the cost pressure on textile service providers and their suppliers. The only logical solution is to increase technical and economic efficiency and to reduce operational costs.
The company says its role as the partner in laundry technology is to increase productivity through automation and to improve the workflow, through interactive logistics using intelligent machines and transport technology. It also acts as a professional resource for managing energy and water and ensures process equipment is technically reliable to help to prolong textile life.
In times of rising costs all around in Europe, Kannegiesser views the reduction of water and energy consumption as the main issue, now and in the future. The wash action on its FAVORITplus washer-extractor can be individually programmed for each work classification. Kannegiesser's Scaletron PLUS is an integrated electronic system that measures water and chemicals continuously. It monitors the whole process and adjusts the machine automatically and frequently.
Lapauw International says there is a lot of interest in washer-extractors of 100 and 200kg capacity, in both three-pocket and open-pocket designs. An open-pocket washer allows the linen to move about freely throughout the drum.
A split-pocket washer divides the drum into sections, so work from different customers or different departments can be kept separate throughout the wash. The pockets limit the amount of space they have to move around in the drum during the washing process.
"Lapauw sees the barrier washer market as becoming increasingly important. "The ever-increasing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals puts greater emphasis on prevention, which results in ever more stringent health and hygiene regulations. More and more laundries offer
cleanroom services to a wide range of customers, from pharmacy to food and beverage.
Lapauw's MediWave washer-extractor uses Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) for the covers, instead of stainless-steel. GRP is already well established in cleanroom construction and the GRP covers that Lapauw uses have a component that provides the surface with anti-bacterial characteristics.
The MediWave became available at the beginning of 2014, and the sales to March clearly indicate that laundry markets are looking for a new generation of barrier washers.
With this machine, Lapauw also addresses the question of labour, which accounts fro 20 - 35% of a laundry's total costs.
Its MediWave is designed to be easy to use and therefore to assist productivity. A larger door opening makes loading and unloading easier as the operator can get closer to the drum. As a result this task puts less strain on the operator.
Lapauw says that the Siemens PLC system that equips the MediWave is an intuitive system that guides the operator through each step of the process, whether programming or just operating the machine. The Siemens control system is to become standard on all Lapauw machines.
Stahl says that the trend for hotels and hospitals to launder their linen on site continued unabated in 2013 and the company expects this trend to continue in 2014.
OPL operators place a high importance on equipment that can process linen sustainably, particularly in terms of energy costs and the environmental impact.
Stahl's latest generation of Atoll and WS washer-extractors feature several innovations in washing technology. These include the Speed-Flow system, which features hydrodynamic water immersion. Stahl's Pulse technology allows a rinse process with an oscillating action that deposits the dirt particles, suspended in the detergent, on the surface of the water so they can be discharged via the overflow and the water in the rinse chamber remains clean, thus helping to save water.
Stahl's machines also feature SWI Special Heat Insulation that encircles the external drum. This insulation acts like a jacket and prevents heat from being radiated without being used. The heat remains inside the external drum and this thermal effect reduces the heating-up times, saving energy.
Schulthess of Switzerland says that as the markets recover further, there is increased demand from care and nursing homes as well as from facility management services. Machines have a patented autoClean program,which helps to keep the machines in good order and contributes to a longer operating life. As standard, all machines from 6 - 16kg capacity have a display that alerts the operator to the need to clean the machine.
Energy efficiency and saving resources are becoming increasingly important in the purchase of professional laundry machines. The customer continues to expect a flawless washing result that also helps to protect the textile's feel and handle. Its latest generation of Spirit WMI industrial washers, in 10, 13 and 16kg sizes, is equipped with freely programmable control and USB interface. Programs can be customised for individual needs and technicians can send updates quickly via e-mail.
Domus of Spain aims to cover market and customer requirement with five ranges - high-, medium- and low-spin front-loading washers, plus medical and hospital barrier washers). It will also be introducing features to improve energy efficiency at Expo Detergo. The company has also noticed that the ability to adapt programs to specific needs is very important and this will be evident on its Expo Detergo display.
The company says that Asian and American markets are important ones with a considerable growth, in the tourism sector as well as hospitality and self-service. Both Middle East and Asian markets are strong while demand in Africa is growing.
Miele Professional says that the OPL market has remained strong through 2013 and into this year. Strength has been maintained by demand from nursing homes, the hotel, restaurant and catering (HoReCa) sector and facilities management businesses. "That's why we offer special products and program packages for those target groups, from our smallest to our largest machines, including ironers, we can offer a complete solution for washing, drying and finishing," says Miele.
The total cost of ownership has a strong influence on purchasing decisions and reducing energy and water use is a main goal in developing product concepts.
A good example is the Mopstar range for the facilities management sector. Miele says the design of these machines has been focussed on ease of use, fast cycle times, specific wash cycles for cleaning cloths and reduced energy and water consumption. Its patented pre-spinning process has meant a pre-rinse spinning cycle is no longer required.
Miele says that its current microprocessor delivers the highest flexibility. Customers require a control system which is intuitive and easy to use.
Providing special programs for different applications is important, especially with the rapid development of fabrics and fibres. "Each year we see new products offered from textile manufacturers, and these are a key consideration when we look at developing new machines with new controls. The real strength of Miele is that we have our own R&D department and production plant for such control systems at our German headquarters. That gives us the opportunity to develop products without any compromise in regards to customer requirements."
Electrolux Professional says laundry operators are moving more and more in the direction of investing in solutions that improve performance and also reduce utility use. Its Line 5000 is providing customers with tangible benefits in terms of savings together with machines that are high quality and long lasting. The customer is at the heart of each development, with water and energy savings the key focus for product development. "The launch of the Line 5000 had a positive impact on our sales trends, confirming that our innovation is appreciated by the market," Electrolux adds.
Xeros, the UK inventor of the patented polymer-bead based water and energy saving cleaning system, says there are approximately 30 installations using the polymer bead technology in the UK, Germany, Belgium and North America.
The present machines have 25kg capacity although Xeros is developing systems for smaller and larger machines for the commercial laundry sector. There is no set date as of yet for launching these.
Xeros says that the need to reduce water and energy consumption is, without doubt, a key focus of research and development in this sector. Although the spotlight has mainly been on energy savings until now, there is an increasing desire to save water. "Water costs are expected to rise beyond inflation, which will drive further demand for "disruptive" technologies in the sector that can reduce the need for it," says the company. Xeros systems already allow operators to use programs suitable for each type of laundry and soil level. The company is continuing to develop its systems to deliver even greater capabilities.
Its SbeadyCare service programme provides support on installation, consumables such as specially formulated Xeros chemicals and Xeros' proprietary polymer beads, financing, training, dosing equipment, maintenance and warranties.

STRONG BUSINESS: Miele reports high demand in the nursing home, HoReCa and facility management sectors this year