USA
The inaugural Association for Linen Management (ALM) Elevate Conference, held on 17-19 March, in Nashville, Tennessee, attracted 118 professionals, including 68 laundry operators, 43% of whom were decision-makers. This two-day event offered hands-on workshops, expert insights, and valuable networking opportunities, providing attendees with practical tools to enhance their operations and industry knowledge.
“We are thrilled with the success of Elevate’s inaugural event,” said Sarah Brobeck, president and CEO of ALM. “The engagement from our attendees has been incredible, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Elevate offered a platform for professionals to expand their skills and connect with peers.”
The conference kicked off with sessions on Root Cause Analysis to identify areas for operational improvement. Linen management participants took part in a beer supply chain simulation, addressing inventory and ordering challenges. Nathan Mein, general manager, TMC Laundry Cooperative noted,:“Today’s class opened my eyes to the efforts that our partner owners put into reducing overtime and plant capacity, which ultimately helps save time and money.”
Laundry operators participated in a LEGO manufacturing line exercise, learning to streamline workflows using LEAN tools. “The LEAN presentation and exercise was not only fun but particularly telling,” said Graham Skinner, RLLD, VP of business development & technical support from UNX Christeyns. “It made you physically and mentally see how to eliminate production constraints and reduce waste.”
Sessions focused on fostering collaboration. Liz Remillong, vice president, Core Linen emphasised:“Everything we discuss today benefits the plant and operations, helping to improve both customer service and plant performance.”
The second day focused on applying these concepts to real-world scenarios. Dan Sanchez, President, Sanchez Advisory Group led role-playing exercises, helping linen managers gain buy-in from hospital stakeholders. On the operations side, Bob Corfield, CLLM, CEO, Laundry Design Group, facilitated a sequencing activity, encouraging operators to apply workflow management strategies. “If they can come away with just those small, low-hanging fruit improvements, it can help improve workstation ergonomics and process throughput,” said Corfield.
Networking was a key element of the conference. The Margaritaville Mixer, sponsored by Future Polytech, encouraged attendees to connect in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.
The Elevate Conference successfully combined expert-led learning, hands-on activities, and networking, said ALM. “I think it was a great workshop, in that, one you get to network with others who do your job and also in the way that you get to take some simple take homes that you can take and implement right away in your laundry facility, and your day-to-day life,” said Chip Malboeuf, vice president, operations and engineering, ImageFIRST and ALM chairman.
.About the Association
The Association for Linen Management (ALM) is a non-profit trade association dedicated to the operational excellence and professional development of personnel involved in the textile care industry. Members are owners, general managers, laundry directors, managers, and technicians providing textile care services, as well as the equipment and supply companies who provide materials and consulting services for the textile care industry. ALM advances excellence in the textile care industry for healthcare, hospitality, and institutional sectors through guidance in textile processing, management, and utilisation. Visit here to learn more.
