Delivering the business

3 August 2001



Janet Taylor reports on Clean UK, the only UK show for textile care


Part 1: laundering

The Electrolux Generation 3000 concept, designed to meet market needs for the next 10 years, was first unveiled last year. It recognises that every laundry is different and takes a modular approach to machine design, offering basic models with a range of options to suit different applications.

Clean UK saw some further developments: the introduction of normal spin washers, still meeting a market need despite the trend to higher spins, and the TT3300S double-stack dryer for laundries with limited space. The talking point, however, was the Generation 3000 barrier washer which meets the stringent hygiene demands of hospitals and nursing homes, and also the food industry.

JLA took “making more profit” as its theme. Commercial director Peter Thompson explained that this was being applied across the board. In the launderette market it has spotted the profitable niche provided by the time-rich, cash-poor consumer and is encouraging customers to take advantage with its “No time to wash” concept, a stylish service wash-based operations for which the company can provide suitable equipment and finance packages.

High street drycleaners have been hit by the supermarkets’ entry into the sector and now have to offer more services. The Duvet Super Plus washer will allow them to do so. It differs from the standard duvet machine in being able to handle a variety of items. Programs include an automated “hand wash” for delicates.

A selection of GMP-made gas-heated dryer ironers also featured. JLA has worked closely with GMP to develop the range to suit its own particular market. As an example, the range included a 1.3m model and the next size was 1.5m, but JLA said that 1.4m model would be a suitable size for drycleaners wishing to expand services, as it took up less space and offered more flexibility.

OPL specialist, Warner Howard has changed direction following the management buy-in earlier this year. Marketing director Andrew Lyons told LCN that, under the leadership of chief executive Stewart Cantley, it had decided that its future would be as a service company, rather than in capital equipment sales. Having spent three months examining the market, it felt that the OPL sector was under-exploited and that many establishments, from hotels to leisure operations, would prefer to control their own laundries, if setting up an in-house service could be made easier. It has therefore launched a 100% service package which takes care of all aspects right down to linen provision.

Armstrong’s exhibits covered three market sectors. Commercial/industrial exhibits included a Laco return-feed ironer with 1.75m working width and 500mm diameter and UniMac washer extractors in 60lb and 125lb capacities.

The company introduced a Schulthess 15kg, high-spin washer with a wetclean program as standard to handle delicate textiles and special applications such as bed covers, protective clothing and problem laundry from hospitals and nursing homes.

Reducing energy costs has been the concern of the newly-established European Dryer Company. Registered in the UK, it has a manufacturing plant in Taunton producing thermally-efficient tumble dryers and high-speed extractors. Currently the range includes 9-34kg capacity models, and two stacker dryers (2¥ 9kg and 2¥ 14kg) are planned.

Anglowest, distributor for Viking-Girbau commercial laundry, introduced the Viking GW50HS washer-extractor with inverter control. A soft-start motor, produces up to 40% less transmitted stress than standard motors, increasing reliability and machine life.

On a stand refreshingly styled as a continental bar, Goudkuil and its UK representative Laundryquip took the chance to talk to visitors both about the rebuilt machinery market, and about the recent entry into the new machines market. Albert Goudkuil told LCN that customers had been asking the company to rebuild smaller sized machines, but this was not economic. Goudkuil had responded by taking on distribiutorship of the Speedmaster range which includes 7kg and 10kg machines. The venture has proved successful in mainland Europe and is now, with the co-operation of Laundryquip, coming here.

Shirt services are a growing area. BMM Weston has been particularly active in this area. Its stand targeted both this market and the smaller laundry sector. In the latter, it showed a one-roll 1300 gas-fired, return-feed flatwork ironer.

Live demonstrations of shirt finishing systems with capacities from 30 to 120 shirts per hour encouraged ventures into this area. To assist, the company had enlisted the help of Hamid Moghaddam of B&A Dry Cleaners and Launderers. Mr Moghaddam had,five years ago, been the first customer for the all-in-one system. Now expanding the business, he had recently upgraded to the newly introduced double-buck machine, again being the first customer. This latest development, the CRD-G has two bucks, a separate collar and cuff press and collar and cuff pleater. It can comfortably handle 80 shirts an hour. However, as sales and marketing director, Dick Fenner pointed out, the company is keen to persuade first-timers into the market and so it was launching the Versaform, an all-in-one shirt tensioning machine with nine programs that can finish shirts, ladies blouses, polo tops and knitwear. It has been designed principally for drycleaning shops where space is often a problem.

Hoffman New Yorker and its UK representative Unit Steam Engineering focused on a single-operator, single-buck pressing cabinet. Unit Steam’s Len Woollard believes firmly in the value of exhibitions and the opportunity they provide for demonstrating the benefits of his own system amid competitors. Benefits included improved safety and ergonomics afforded by the light curtain used to safeguard operators. This, said Mr Woollard, allowed the operator to work much closer to the machine than did the more usual physical barrier. The result was increased productivity and greater operator comfort.

Klentec gained the UK distributorship for the Japanese Sankosha finishing equipment last year. While promoting the Sankosha brand it concentrated attention on the single-buck shirt finisher, capable of processing up to 60 shirts per hour and the compact collar and cuff press which performs both operations simultaneously and can handle oversized collars. It was also introducing Sankosha’s automatic conveyor system which can be configured to go round corners.

Shortly before the exhibition, Klentec completed a deal to take on Lavamac washers, further boosting the company’s claim to be a one-stop shop for launderers and drycleaners, although it will continue to supply Huebsch and Schulthess machines via Armstrong. Also on the stand was a range of Stahl finishing equipment.

Marilyn and Barry Freeman demonstrated their novel take on finishing/ironing. Scanpress is claimed to be the first attempt to mechanise the hand iron. Marilyn Freeman explained that if someone stands ironing for seven hours a day, using a standard iron (about 3kg) over the course of the day they will have lifted over a tonne. Scanpress removes all lifting from the process, using pneumatics to move the ironing plate over the surface. The system also operates without steam, relying on heat and pressure, and a water spray to provide any moisture needed. It can be used for shirts and flatwork and has been tested in the Freeman’s own ironing service. Scanpress is designed for anyone who does professional ironing. Centre Service will be marketing it to drycleaners.

Part 2: drycleaning

Drycleaning machine exhibits reflected the current market issues: machine design, technology and solvents. As might have been expected perc machines took a prime position.

Dual-solvent hydrocarbon/GreenEarth machines are beginning to appear, but are still primarily seen as hydrocarbon models. Firbimatic’s EcoGreen dual-solvent machine attracted much attention. Johnathan Gray told LCN that although Firbimatic has already sold several of these machines here and in Italy, in every case they were running on hydrocarbon. Changeover though is simple, he said, should the need arise.

Another machine attracting attention was the SX2002 perc machine, described as suitable for supermarkets because it was the right size and had a single-pass recovery head with extra large drying fan. This gave a remarkably short drying time.

A slimline two-tank, space-saving machine was also on show. However, the best seller was the 915, 35lb slimline machine. Machines featured a stylish new finish.

Renzacci focused on the Planet machines, first seen at Texcare, Frankfurt last year. Already well received in the UK, the Planet range is designed for ease of use and economy. Programming choice is flexible, solvent use is efficient. “The machines will cost you less to run, less to own,” said Jason Alexander, MD of Renzacci UK.

Although offering the expected choice of solvents, Mr Alexander reported that hydrocarbon is still only about 5% of the market. He believed that drycleaners do need a fair amount of skill and experience to use it successfully. He is adamant too that they must invest in distillation. Renzacci will not sell a hydrocarbon machine without.

In addition to drycleaning machines, Renzacci was showing Pony finishing equipment and Hawo packing machines.

On the Duval stand, MD Peter Crane showed the new range of AMA machines, noted for technology, performance, style and a service life of over 20 years. On the performance side, the machines have reduced cycle times with fast drying, and deliver low residual ppm to satisfy environmental requirements. The lineup also offers more larger capacity machines.

Duval also featured Veit finishing equipment such as a shirt finisher designed to process wet shirts with a maximum output of 42 shirts per hour. It can also be adjusted to process doctors’ coats with a special sleeve holder. The collar and cuff finisher, partnering the shirt machine, could dry both these parts of the shirt in 30 seconds.

Böwe demonstrated why it is the “professional drycleaner’s best choice” with innovations for both perc and hydrocarbon markets. The perc P17 has been designed as a 17kg machine, but a combination of the company’s efficient air flow system and optimised express programs allow a 14kg load to be processed on a two-bath cycle in 25 minutes.

Böwe’s hydrocarbon K14 has a compact footprint that allows the technology to be introduced in shops with limited space. Machine innovations include a maintenance-free direct drive and water cooling, which reduces maintenance requirements still further and ensures low noise levels.

  Satec Europe’s leading hydrocarbon machine company was visiting the UK and president Udo Saal sees “local shows” as a chance to sell direct and to seek distributors.

Mr Saal said he could not understand the UK market’s heavy reliance on perc. There was no need, he said. His company can offer hydrocarbon machines and multi-solvent machines. People should take a chance to buy quality for the environment. To back his pro-hydrocarbon arguments he pointed to the B300, a machine equipped with a measurement system that allows ppm control on-line and allows compliance with VOC regulations.

Last December, Dane regained the Realstar UK distributorship and was keen to demonstrate that the Dane-Realstar team is back in business. Dane’s Sheila Higgs was confident: “People are accepting us back.”

The T280 two-tank, 15kg model is described as an ideal perc machine for the unit shop. Features included refrigerated solvent chiller, still pump-out inverter, eco filter and decolouring filter. A three-tank machine, the M340, offered similar features and 18kg capacity. Like all Realstar’s sixth generation hydrocarbon machines, the KM280 will run on both hydrocarbon or GreenEarth, although in Europe hydrocarbon is expected to be the choice. Features of the KM280 included advanced filtration, fractional distillation and nitrogen drying. Distillation is standard. “We don’t promote machines without distillation,” said Sheila Higgs. Dane plans to sell Camptel finishing equipment and displayed the Rotor cabinet and the top range steam, vacuum and blowing ironing table.

As reported in July and also on the LCN website (www.connectinglaundry.com), laundry specialist Ducker had moved into drycleaning and set up a separate division, which will bring in machines from the Chinese group SailStar via its recently established company SailStar Europe. SailStar can offer both perc and hydrocarbon machines and sizes to suit operations from single-outlet unit shops to large multi-branch and industrial operations.



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