Huge hikes in the cotton price have increased the value of a laundry’s linen stock to previously unforeseen levels. The cost of linen theft leading to unbudgeted stock replacement will seriously hurt a laundry’s profits – in the worst cases, it could even wipe them out.
Linen is now a very attractive target for the thief and linen security has never been so important. Increasingly laundries are realising this and are beginning to take action by vetting staff, monitoring delivery vehicles and securing store rooms.
But as the TSA has been urging for some time, linen security is not just down to one member of the supply chain. The need for tighter measures applies to everyone – textile supplier, laundries and their customers.
Reports suggest that in the linen rental sector customers and in particular the hospitality sector, may be a weak link. Because hotels and other similar businesses do not own the linen, they may see it as a disposable item and fail to take sufficient care to protect it.
Hopefully that attitude is changing. TSA’s Linen Lockdown campaign, launched this year, is also backed by the Institute of Hospitality and the posters are beginning to appear in hotel linen rooms round the UK.
But nobody can afford to be complacent and efforts to improve security must be ongoing. Security must become a top priority for everyone. Laundries need to make it part of the training for all staff, with regular checks that the rules are being followed. Increasingly discussions on linen security must be part of the relationship between textile renter and customer and both parties must be aware of their responsibility.
The TSA campaign is just one part of the action that needs to be taken but its message should be continually emphasised.
Display the posters but remember that after a while posters may become part of the furniture. So find ways to keep them in the staff’s memory.
Remind staff to look at them. Point them out to new staff and when potential customers are shown round the plant or when established customers visit.
Make sure that tips on best practice are part of standard procedures and that managers and supervisors keep a look out for lapses.
The posters’ slogan is “think linen, think money”. By following the rules staff are helping to protect their jobs. By protecting stock, a business is protecting its profits and ultimately helping to ensure its continued existence.
