The choice of ironer for use in an on premise laundry is influenced both by the type of work being handled and the available space.
Customer requirements will vary considerably from sector to sector – healthcare, hospitality and commercial.
A luxury hotel will generate a completely different type and volume of work from that handled in a care home, where health and safety concerns associated with businesses dealing with contaminated work will be of much greater significance.
This clear distinction between the OPL sectors is recognised by the manufacturers and suppliers of ironers. In the face of rising costs many hotels and B&Bs are turning to an on-premise solution for laundering to drive down costs and losses experienced through outsourcing, says Les Marshall, commercial director at Miele Professional.
He expects to see more opportunities in the hospitality industry this year, especially with the current “staycation” trend and with big events this summer such as the 2012 Olympics and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
“We’re certainly starting to see some movement in the marketplace, especially growth within on-premise laundries. The resurgence in demand for these products is mainly being driven by hotel and catering industries together with contract ironers,” he says.
At Girbau UK, Peter Marsh says the company has seen good sales of OPL ironers this year and expects a further uplift with the launch of the PB/PBP series ironers.
He explains that these models build on the success of the proven Girbau PS series ironers while offering improvements in productivity, energy efficiency, ergonomics, and precision.
Electrolux takes a slightly more cautious view. The company says that the market is starting to move but that this movement varies across the different sectors.
The hospitality market for has been static as a result of falling occupancy levels in recent years because of the state of the economy and the reduction in consumers’ disposable income.
The OPL market generally has also been static in recent years but Electrolux now sees signs that the healthcare sector is growing due to increased concern about hygiene standards.
Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems describes the UK OPL sector as almost entirely a replacement market.
The company says that there has been little change in the various sectors that comprise the OPL market in the past year and it anticipates that the year ahead will be similarly stable.
There is some growth in the care home sector and the demographics indicate that this will continue.
Armstrong, which supplies and supports the Laco range in the UK, says that throughout the OPL sectors, the purchasing decision is becoming increasingly sophisticated with buyers looking hard at lifetime costs rather than just the initial purchase price.
Energy efficiency is an important factor in these costs as is productivity, which determines the labour costs. The longevity and reliability of the equipment is extremely important.
As an example of the factors influencing choice, Armstrong quotes one customer that replaced an old machine with a Laco electrically-heated ironer.
The old ironer was 1.6m wide, often needed multiple passes and much of the work had fold lines. The replacement Laco ironer was a return-feed design with a 3m working width and a 500mm diameter roll.
The customer reported that the Laco ironer produced a superb quality finish in one pass and handled work straight from the washers. A second pass was only ever required when ironing the thickest duvet covers.
Only two operators were needed, resulting in excellent productivity. The business was quite short of space so the fact that the work was returned to the feed side was very important. The ironer has now been in operation for five years without any problems, but the customer was confident that Armstrong would give the right support when needed.
Specific requirements
Electrolux says that the requirements of each OPL can be very specific as every customer is different. It works closely with OPLs, as with all its customers, to determine their exact requirements before suggesting the equipment that would be most suitable.
Important factors to consider are volumes of work, space available, utilities, operators’ skills and access.
Customers want as short a return on investment as possible, says Electrolux. Other essential considerations include lower running costs, ease of use, low maintenance, reliability and speedy response with problem solving.
Energy consumption is also a major consideration, as energy and utility costs continue to increase.
Electrolux says that the required quality of finish will vary across the hotel market. The hospitality sector mostly uses double bedding and OPLs may also have to handle large tablecloths, with the most common fabrics being cotton or linen.
Electrolux ironers feature a wide range of pre-set programs that can be tailored further to individual requirements, so the machines can easily cope with any changes in the material being handled as operators can simply adjust the settings accordingly.
Additional features within the Electrolux range include automatic feeding, front delivery with or without feeding (FLF series) and automatic feeding, length and cross folding and stacking (FFS series).
With return-feed ironers only one operator is required. This not only increases productivity but also results in significant savings on labour costs.
Increased productivity
Marsh at Girbau UK agrees that customers are looking for increased productivity and greater energy efficiency from OPL ironers. Running costs are much more important than capital cost. There is a trend for heavier linens and for super king size sheets and quilt covers, which encourages customers to consider investing in larger ironers with a wide range of options. He says more advanced automation helps productivity and energy efficiency, so there is more demand for Girbau’s intelligent microprocessor controls, which are easy and intuitive to use.
Photocell sensors in Girbau’s PB/PBP range detect when the linen enters and exits the ironer to ensure greater accuracy, reliability and durability. The sensors also detect any changes in the sizes of the work being handled and make the necessary adjustments.
Customers require a high quality product, at lower cost of production. They are also looking for anything that saves energy so we have seen a greater take up of more energy efficient gas-powered ironers, Marsh adds.
Gas-powered versions of the latest PB51XX ironers are now available with an optional pre-mix burner that offers a 15% higher power, high performance option as well.
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency and flexibility remain key considerations, says Les Marshall at Miele Professional. The ability to recover capital costs very quickly is another key factor in buying decisions especially for businesses that are changing to an OPL.
The choice of ironer cannot be considered in isolation but also relates to the other equipment.The secret to a high quality finish lies in the degree of retained moisture, says Marshall. Too much will require a second pass, wasting time and energy; too little will result in creasing.
As standard, Miele’s dryers include a sophisticated electronic system to monitor moisture levels, so providing a significant advantage before the ironing stage.
Miele has strengthened its ironer line-up this year with the launch of the PM16 and PM18 series. Models are available in four widths ranging from 2.10 to 3.50m and with roll diameters of 600 and 800mm. They are also available with electric, gas or steam heating.
These larger machines can be operated by one person so they are attractive for smaller OPLs which would not otherwise have the staff resources to offer a finishing service.
Marshall says that the ability to offer the full solution for OPLs from washers and dryers through to flat bed ironers makes Miele an attractive proposition for this audience.