Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008 - (Page 12)

The Impact of New Laundry Technology Drought in the Southeast has changed not only how people live in the area, but also how they do business. Crisis has turned water conservation into a major focus for a variety of businesses, particularly those with on-premise laundries. Likewise, rising utility costs have cast the same shadow, forcing many to adopt more efficient practices. But in the case of laundry, is there technology to address growing needs? Few, if asked, would consider laundries bastions of advanced technology. As a result, laundry managers often have a difficult time convincing management of the benefits of higher-priced washer/extractors and drying tumblers. Management largely views the laundry as a cost center charged with a basic task (and needing only basic equipment to accomplish it). “Historically, we’ve seen the market very slow to embrace new technologies,” says Kim Shady, vice president of distributor sales for UniMac, a leader in the onpremise laundry equipment market. “There’s not a lot of attention paid to the laundry [by management]; it’s really viewed as a necessary evil.” However, when high utility costs or a drought creates an emergency, management quickly discovers the technology available for laundries and the value it can bring. d by Randy Radtke vanced electronics have opened the door for microprocessor-controlled laundry equipment. “In the future, I think we’ll see electromechanical controls fade out of our industry,” says Dan Bowe, IPSO brand national sales manager for North America. “The benefits of today’s micro-controls are so numerous that basic controls just aren’t an attractive option for most laundries.” Microprocessor controls have helped on-premise laundries trim water consumption dramatically— from over two gallons per pound of laundry to a little more than one gallon. For laundries processing hundreds of pounds daily, this technology can pay for itself with just a few months of savings. The next generation of advanced controls on the market today is taking this water conservation further. “Our approach is giving laundries the ability to fine-tune water usage to the lowest level, while still maintaining the quality they require,” Shady says of UniMac’s new UniLinc control, which offers 30 adjustable water levels compared to just three on its predecessor’s controls. “The advent of digital water level sensors has made this efficiency possible and the technology has a great cost savings upside to laundry operations.” Many manufacturers also have reconfigured wash baskets and shrunk sumps to save water—as much as ten gallons per cycle. dry resources, innovations in laundry equipment microprocessor controls have helped operations achieve high levels of quality. “As manufacturers, we have really focused on giving laundries better control of finished quality,” Bowe says. “There’s a definite emphasis on offering the ability to tailor wash formulas, whether it’s variable extract speeds and duration, more exact temperature control or wash speed. Not only does this yield better finished quality, but it helps extend linen life.” Auto-chemical injection systems have aided this quality by delivering consistent chemical amounts as prescribed by wash programs. The technology also created labor efficiencies by no longer requiring staff to manually add chemicals at specific times during the wash process. The Need for Speed The Technology of Efficiency Most of the technology employed in the laundry equipment industry is focused on trimming operating costs and increasing efficiency. Ad- Getting with the Program Engineering advances in the development of variable frequency drives have enabled the industry to make even greater strides in efficiency. The units have helped manufacturers increase the G-force of their spin extract cycles. Increased G-force extraction removes more water from loads; thus, shortening drying times and, as a result, utility consumption. “Just ten years ago, 220 G-force was the top of the scale,” Shady says. “As technology progressed, we saw that figure jump ten percent and then another twenty percent since then. Today, G-force extraction of 300 and above is common.” (continued on page 23) In addition to conserving laun- 2 Executive Housekeeping Today/January 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008 Contents Executive Corner How Hand-Held Computers Benefit Quality Assurance Programs Shining the Light on ATP Detection Frugal Housekeeper MRSA: Myth or Monster? The Impact of New Laundry Technology I.E.H.A.’s 41st Educational Conference and Convention Wrap-Up Board Briefing 2007 Audit Report The Green Scene 2007 International Housekeepers Week Celebrations! Inside the Industry Product Highlights Advertisers' Index Joint IEHA/ISSA Members New Members Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008

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