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Conversation pieces
Howard Bradley indulges in some random chit chat about past, present and potential events. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of LCN
Shrinkage is a perennial peril
Richard Neale and Roger Cawood get to grips with shrinkage problems and how best to deal with them
Hospital linen takes centre stage in Shakespeare country
The annual SHLSLM forum is a key event for NHS and commercial laundry and linen services professionals
Getting on a roll
OPL laundries taking responsibility for producing the best quality nish must ensure they have the best possible kit in terms of performance and reliability to achieve that outcome
Breathing new life into high street businesses
Reports of the total demise of drycleaning are premature, according to Ken Cupitt of the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers, but the sector does need
TSA Autumn Conference: Industry back to 90% of pre-Covid levels
UK
The Textile Services Association (TSA) Autumn Conference took place 18-19 October at Hilton St George’s Park, Burton Upon Trent, an event designed to appeal to laundry leadership teams, according to TSA CEO David Stevens. TSA chair Charlie Betteridge welcomed a record 170 delegates to the event, including new members of the association, saying: “I live for the day when I can come singing and dancing to the stage and all our problems have gone away.”
TRSA Board elections include two new directors
USA
The TRSA, the association for linen, uniform, and facility services, hosted the election and swearing in of five directors on 12 October during the business meeting at its 110th Annual Conference in Naples, Florida. The TRSA Nominating Committee chaired by Immediate past chair Noel Richardson and including vice chair Randy Bartsch, Ecotex Healthcare Laundry; Treasurer P J Dempsey, Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply; and director Jimmy Arnett, Workwear Outfitters; had recommended a slate of directors for re-election to serve a second three-year term (October 2023 – 2026).
Love Laundry Awards winning care homes named
UK
WASHCO, the commercial laundry specialist, announced the winners of the 2023 Love Laundry Awards at this year’s Care Show at the NEC, Birmingham. Washco’s Love Laundry Awards were set up three years ago to recognise the unsung heroes of laundry, who work tirelessly to keep care homes’ clean and safe, and above all else to protect the residents’ welfare and wellbeing.
VDMA figures show sales still on growth track
GERMANY
The German textile services association VDMA has revealed the market continued to grow in 2023 and also announced the election of a new Board for the association. The Asslociation said that sales of the German manufacturers of textile care, fabric and leather technologies remain on a growth path. In the period January 2023 to August 2023, sales increased by 20% in real terms, with sales from Germany up 61% year-on-year and from abroad up 9%. New orders, on the other hand, fell 17% short of the previous
year’s result in the same period, with orders from within Germany down 7% and orders from
abroad down a full 20%. In the most recent three-month period, June to August 2023,
new orders fell by as much as 37%.
TSA working with NHS to slash linen waste figures
UK
The NHS loses 80+% of its linen every year, according to the Textile Services Association (TSA) , referring to the startlingly high numbers provided by the Association’s membership. It’s a massive drain on resources and very much against sustainability targets. Now the TSA is working with the NHS to put together a programme to help reduce the level of wastage.