1. home and garden
2. laundry

The Region’s Leading Cleaning Industry Magazine
Special Supplement
LAUNDRY &
DRYCLEANING
APRIL 2015
A Fresh approach to
On-Premises Laundry
EXPERT
PREFERRED BY ON-PREMISES LAUNDRIES WORLDWIDE
Gulf Protek LLC, Protek FZE,
Protek Trade Pvt. Ltd.
P.O. Box: 49697. Dubai, U.A.E.
T: +971 4 334 1110 F: +971 4 334 2010
E: [email protected]
W: www.proteklaundry.com
Delivering unmatched reliability in hospitality.
Contents
05 News
06 Product Diary
07 View Point
08 Show
Preview
10 Industry
Insight
14 Cover Story
18 Laundry
Professionals
14
07- A look at the laundry markets in Europe: Hartmut
Schlimbach talks about the international laundry industry.
07
08 - Show Preview: A peek into the upcoming Gulf
Laundrex-Linen Care Expo
11 - Potential for growth in the regional industry:
21 Tips
22 Global
Appeal
Show Preview:
08
An interview with Klaus Menker, Managing Director,
Menker-Laundry Management Consultants
18 -The washing workforce:
11
Hotel Laundry Managers in the region give their
perspective on the industry
3 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
18
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Editor’s Column
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the first edition of the Laundry and Dry Cleaning supplement of the Clean
Middle East. When I first started work on the supplement, I found out that there is more to
laundry and dry cleaning than it being just a household chore.
While the Middle East market has so much growth potential there is not much written
about it. Which is why, through this first supplement, I have tried bringing out the different
aspects of the laundry and dry cleaning industry.
Over the last few months, we have been closely interacting with laundry experts in the
Middle East and international market. We have Hartmut Schlimbach, from Hohenstein
Laboratories GmbH and Co, giving us a comprehensive view of the European laundry
market while Peter Furnell from Jenson and Klaus Menker from Menker-Laundry
Management Consultants talking to us about the Middle Eastern market.
Through our cover story, we have featured a classic example of the immense potential the international and
regional On-Premises Laundry has through a leading brand in the industry - Alliance Laundry Systems, specifically
its brand UniMac and its strong partnership with Protek FZE.
Don’t miss the special feature on laundry managers from the UAE, who give us a peek into their world and the
future they see in the laundry market. And find interesting tips on how to cut down on laundry dosing system costs.
Last but most importantly, there has been a lot of buzz about Middle East Cleaning Technology Week, where the
laundry industry across the globe will be showcasing the latest technology solutions through one of its concurrent
shows Gulf Laundrex-Linen Care Expo. Held for the first time in the region, exhibitors from the show talk about their
expectations in a special preview about the show.
Happy Reading.
Megha S Anthony
Editor
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT FOR LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING 2015
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4 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
News
Bubble Dream Laundry obtains Hohenstein Ral certification
The fast growing
hospitality market
in the Emirates is
leading to a continuous
professionalization in
the sectors value chain.
The latest example
on the supplier side is
the brand new Bubble
Dream Laundry in
Abu Dhabi. Built from
scratch in a modern air
conditioned production
hall in the new
Mussaffah ICAD 3 area.
The machines are
not only the most
sophisticated currently
available on the market
but they are also
organized in a way
to allow a quick and
smooth flow of linen
through the site.
Storage areas are large
and clearly indicated.
In combination with
RFID identification of
each piece of linen,
Bubble can work with its
customers in complete
transparency. Each
single textile can be
located: at the customer,
in the washer, in the
rewash, on the truck
etc. Better availability
and planning based on
realistic numbers are
the result.
Having the best
equipment helps
to produce good
quality and to satisfy
customers.
Another important
ingredient is to work
properly. The Bubble
team has invested
heavily in putting in
place a complete quality
management system,
including maintenance,
daily functional
controls and cleaning
of surfaces, machines,
filters etc.
The Bubble
management did not
stop there. To be really
sure that the right quality
is delivered, you have to
control - preferably by
an external independent
body - and to benchmark
your results. That is
why Bubble applied for
the Hohenstein RAL
certification.
The linen quality
(whiteness, wear, colourchange, incrustation)
are controlled 10 times
per year and a yearly
inspection by a German
expert of all equipment,
procedures and
consumption numbers is
realized.
Especially during the
start-up phase, it was
also a good training for
the new associates.
The results of the
first inspection and
measurements are,
compared to the average
of the 390 laundries in
Europe and worldwide,
clearly above average.
Hence in line with
the ambition of the
hospitality sector in
the Emirates. The next
step for Bubble will
be the construction of
a dedicated hospital
laundry in 2015.
After 28 years, Clean Show returns to Atlanta
Professionals from all
facets of the laundering,
dry cleaning and textile
care industry will convene
once again April 16-19
for the biennial World
Educational Congress
for Laundering and Dry
Cleaning—better known
by many in the industry
as the Clean Show. In its
38th year, the Clean Show
remains the premier
event for the commercial
laundering, dry cleaning
and textile service
industry.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Thousands of people
from all points of the
globe come to see and
learn about the newest
and most technologically
advanced products the
industry has to offer.
With more than 400
exhibitors at this year’s
show will not only
provide an arena for
networking and business
opportunities, it also
presents professionals
in the industry this year
with more than 40 hours
of educational sessions.
Recognizing the
importance of education
in a time of technical
and environmental
changes, the show
frequently has other
related associations
participating in the
formal educational
program.
Over the years, the Clean
Show has become the
most anticipated event in
the industry.
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 5
Product Diary
Industrial laundry equipment
ALKA laundry equipment supplies the brand ‘UniMac Industrial Laundry’ equipment into
the region which can provide the maximum efficiency and profit to this industry. Durable
construction and cost saving programs makes the equipment more efficient. It comes in
ergonomic designs where price, quality, performance and productivity factors are totally
considered to provide the optimum throughput in the long run. This is the best laundry
solution, equipment’s at the best price available in the market.
Software solutions
Whether you want to maintain a clear overview of your washing activities, seek
to optimise your entire production or look for the ultimate washing management
system, Christeyns has the right solution for you through two softwares –
‘Laundry X-pert’ and ‘Laundry Dashboard’.
‘Laundry X-pert’ is the ideal management information software to monitor
and control the cost and efficiency of the washing process. The Laundry
X-pert software provides real-time information about the chemicals and the
washing process, data that is continuously logged. Via standard reports, laundry
managers see at one glance where the operational efficiency can be improved and costs can be saved.
‘Laundry Dashboard’ gives you real-time insight into every aspect of the performance of your laundry. This
innovative solution enables you to easily optimise your profit. Laundry Dashboard measures and analyses energy
consumption, machine performance and employee productivity. This user-friendly system is web-based, so you
can access it from anywhere at any time. And that means that you never ease your grip on the costs, performance
and results of your laundry.
TAMCO TEXTILES FOR LAUNDRY
TAMCO Textiles for Laundry is a division of TAMCO group of

Ironer Padding

Guiding Tapes

Feeding Bands

Ironing Belts

Roller Covering

Conveyer Belts

Crowning Tape

Heat Seal Tape

Press Clothing
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Clips & Pins

Wax & Wax Cloth
web: www.tamcogroup.eu

Other Spares
HIGH QUALITY
LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
FROM GERMANY NOW
AVAILABLE LOCALLY
IN DUBAI.
companies from Europe. The laundry division is established in
collaboration with Techniche Textilien Lorrach (TTL), manufacturing industrial textiles only in Germany since 1838. Today we are one of the leading suppliers of Ironer clothing in the
world and are official suppliers to many OEM manufacturers.
Laundry Consumables
TAMCO TEXTILES FOR
LAUNDRY. DUBAI. U.A.E.
Tel: +971 4 341 6531
Fax: +971 4 341 6532
6 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
View Point
A look at the laundry markets in Europe
By Hartmut Schlimbach
to 2012 a slight growth of 1.2%,
despite the fact customers like
Peugeot or Mittal reduced their
activity.
When it comes to the hotel
business, the rise was small with
just a 0.7% increase. But the hotel
sector itself had a downturn of
2.8% during the same period. And
finally the health care sector grew
4%. Unfortunately, this sector is
small for the private sector as
most hospitals in France have their
own laundries.
T
he question was to give a
picture of the international
laundry market. Being French
and German and having lived in
each country half of my life I started
to make a fact check on those two
countries. And the numbers are
more positive then we could expect
when we listen to stories about
price wars and deindustrialisation.
Between 2006 and 2012 the
industrial launderers have
realised an average growth of 4%.
The strongest increase comes,
no surprise from the workwear
business with 5.4% average
rise in sales. Outperforming the
overall growth (of 1.5% average)
of Germany.
The same picture is found for the
hotel business. Between 2006 and
2012 there has been an increase of
2.8% more beds each year and plus
for the laundries in sales. However,
the lowest growth is found in the
health care market with a yearly
1.3% increase. If we look at France,
the picture is slightly different and
in some respect similar. The work
wear sector realised from 2011
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Beside the slight difference in BIP
growth (with an average of 1.5%
vs 0.7%; IMF 2015), both laundry
industries outperform the average
economy and succeed even in
shrinking markets.
The explanations are similar
in both countries. The laundry
business manages to introduce
constantly new services which are
often driven from the demand side
like Personal Protection Equipment,
which more and more customers
rent for their employees in order
to respect the legislation and to
reduce the number of accidents.
Typical examples are high visibility,
heat resistant, and chemical
resistant textiles.
In the health care sector, the
willingness to reduce the risk
for the patients as for the
workers leads to more strict
disinfection and logistics in order
to guarantee a germ-free textile.
The current danger coming from
new superbugs is a real issue for
laundries, who have the chance to
cut the spreading with a disinfecting
washing process or to spread them
with a non-disinfecting one.
The structuring of customer
markets with groups like Korian
(596 Care Homes) or Helios (110
hospitals) certainly add pressure
on the prices but adds also a
professional approach. They want
to respect the legislation and more
in order to minimize any risk for
their brands.
Ten years ago the care-home
market did not know groups, the
textiles typically have been washed
in the basement with householdsimilar washing extractors. Today,
laundry can offer germ-free mop
or mattress coverage to reduce
the infection risk via appropriate
laundry design, equipment, and
processes. For the hotel business,
textile rental companies offer
best-buy solution for the growing
budget hotel segment and
individual textile for the 5-star
hotels.
Technical progress is certainly
another factor why the laundry
business is doing well. New laundry
equipment offer - beside always
better washing and finishing results
– more transparency where the
linen is and at which time. Laundry
chips technology is starting to
be used for flat linen, finishing all
discussions about lost items and
reducing out-of-stock situations for
the end-customer.
So even in a stagnant market
like the two biggest European
economies, the laundry industry
has opportunities to realise strong
profitable growth.
* Sources: Wirtex, IFM, Hotelier.de, Cinet,
Deloitte – InExtenso, GEIST-Infos 2012, and
Hotels France.
(The author is the Head of Sales
Laundry Division, Hohenstein
Laboratories GmbH and Co)
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 7
Show Preview
High expectations from the
laundry and dry cleaning industry
T
he commercial laundry and
dry cleaning business has been
growing in the Middle East at a
notable pace especially in the GCC,
with UAE dominating this segment due
to the rapid growth of the hospitality
industry and related sectors in the
country. Further, with the hospitality and
healthcare sectors continuing to grow in
all parts of the region, there is bound to
be demand for products and services.
Having witnessed this growth and
demand in the region over the years, VIS
Exhibitions & Conferences presents a
new trade show, Gulf Laundrex – Linen
Care Expo, the first event in the Middle
East dedicated to the laundry business.
Held under the umbrella of Middle East
Cleaning Technology Week (MECTW),
this premier event will bring together
leading professionals from the regional
and international markets under
one roof.
The show will also see a one-day
free conference where international
speakers will discuss relevant topics
in the industry. This is an ideal event
that provides excellent business
opportunities and ample scope for
networking and interacting closely with
top manufacturers, suppliers, service
providers and other industry experts.
Held between November 2 and 4 at the
Dubai International Convention and
Exhibition Centre, Gulf Laundrex-Linen
Care Expo is one show you certainly
want to have on your calendar of events.
With a lot of buzz around the show here is what
some of the exhibitors have to say…
Sajal Nanda, Managing Director, Protek:
“We are particularly excited to be a part of the only exhibition
specific for this industry in the Middle East. By being a part of Gulf
Laundrex - Linen Care Expo we are looking forward to see firsthand
new business opportunities, meet new prospective customers and
also lend our support to the potential laundry market in the Middle
East.”
Alireza Najmechi, CEO, Natronic International INC.:
“This could be a good venue to represent our innovative packages
containing quality & advantages; by introducing our different
solutions in partnership with trusted brands; creating top of the
line solutions for prestigious clients such as five star hotels,
and central laundries in the UAE. It is also a good opportunity to
launch & showcase the leading trends of laundry equipment and
machineries to potential clients, as well as meeting and interacting
with new potential customers and interested investors & end users
especially those that are from outside UAE.”
8
CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
• Concurrent
shows –
Gulf Car Wash
- Car Care Expo
and Clean
Middle East
Pulire
• The event
brings together
leading owners, distributors and
manufacturer of
machinery for
laundries and linen suppliers,
from the regional
and international
markets.
• A one-day free
conference will
be held with
international
speakers presenting relevant
topics from the
industry.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Philip Santosh, Marketing Manager, World Trading Services (ALKA Laundry Equipments &
Boilers), Saudi Arabia:
“As an establishment specialized in laundry and dry cleaning equipment we are particularly
excited to be a part of the only exhibition specific for this industry in the Middle East. For
us - in joining ‘Gulf Laundrex’ we are looking forward to seeing firsthand and meet new
business opportunities - manufacturers, clients, competitors and to be oriented with
the existing market growth drivers, current trends and structure so as to establish base
business projection, expectations and feasible opportunities for the coming years.”
Sreejit Narendran, Principal Consultant, Magnarab Equipment Trading:
“We will be looking to have more workshops or discussions on subjects of general interests
like stain removal techniques, details on RFID in small applications, marking systems and
so on. I believe this would attract the masses as most of the big shows do not address
them.”
Keith Watson, Division Manager, Reza Hygiene:
“The Reza Hygiene Group of Saudi Arabia and the Christeyns Group of Europe have
partnered together to form a Laundry Technology Division for the GCC states and are
looking forward to showcasing their products and services at Gulf Laundrex.”
Alexander Seitz, Executive Director and Partner, SEITZ GmbH:
“SEITZ is an innovative German family owned company with an international reputation for
manufacturing the highest quality textile cleaning care products. In Gulf Laundrex, we are
excited to interact with existing as well as potential clients and exchange ideas on how to
further improve our services and solutions.”
Abdul Ahad, Technical Sales Engineer, Tamco Textiles for
Laundry – UAE:
“We expect Gulf Laundrex to be one of its kind, a special and dedicated podium for people
involved in creation, planning, development and implementation of highest possible
standards in personal hygiene. We at Tamco Textiles for Laundry are dedicated to offering
the highest possible quality of spare parts for commercial and industrial laundries and are
ready to invest in research and development.”
Juan de Dios Zornoza, Laundry Director, Prime Automatic Laundry,
“The laundry industry in the Middle East is growing but it needs to focus on reaching the
same level of success as compared to other developed countries. As part of MECTW 2015,
we hope to get more information about the new and modern equipment in laundry field. We
also hope to find new opportunities through meeting people in this field.”
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 9
Industry Insight
The expanding laundry market in the
By Peter Furnell
Arabian Peninsula
T
he GCC’s hospitality
market is growing fast,
and that’s because of
many reasons. In Qatar - host
of the 2022 FIFA World Cup for instance, 45,000 rooms are
scheduled to be built within the
next few years. In Dubai, up to
280 new hotels may be built
to accommodate the many
tourists that are attracted to this
fantastic holiday destination.
Everything will be right in time
for 2020, when Dubai will host
the 2020 World Expo.
With these new developments
will come the need for a higher
laundry volume, which in turn,
will require more automation
and better use of utilities such
as water and energy. Also the
travel destinations in the UAE,
Bahrain, Oman, and the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia are looking for
sustainable laundry automation,
since water is scarce, and the
lifestyle of the people living in
these areas calls for premium
linen solutions.
Furthermore, top class
healthcare services are required.
Here are some alarming global
figures as to why hospital
laundry hygiene should be much
higher than in other laundries,
such as garments or hospitality.
These figures have the potential
to be dramatically increased in
the case of viral infections such
as MERS, SARS etc.
• 3-5% of all Hospital patients are getting an infection.
• Approx. 0.5% will die as the result of received infection.
chain is hitting laundries and
manufacturers, not only in the
pocket.
The cost pressure is of course
still the primary concern. The cost
reduction programs for public as
well as privately owned hospitals
and the competitive pressure in
the hospitality market severely
impact the figures of the laundry.
The sales price per piece of linen
is in the best case stagnant, in
the worst case, laundries have to
process more linen to achieve the
same turnover.
•
•
48% of all infections are related to an operation
14% of all infections are related to wound infection
In Europe, processing of such
items must be done according
to the Medical Devices Directive
(MDD). Therefore, certain special
regulations have to be considered.
These regulations are becoming
prevalent in more countries in this
region as well.
As a global trend, we can say
that the volume of linen to be
processed in industrial laundries
is growing. There are more
tourists and business travelers and admittance in the healthcare
sector is on the rise, too. We
are in a fortunate position that
our markets are growing, which
makes our industry attractive to
invest in. It is not a bed of roses,
alas: the pressure along the value
10 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
Also the paradigm shift in our
societies influence the daily
management of laundries, with
more people having access
to higher education, we face a
shortage of skilled workforce. In
societies that have been climbing
up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,
work becomes less a resource
of satisfaction. Work-life balance
is the word of our times. The
changing focus from 100% career
to a more healthy mix of work,
family, leisure and others do
affect the employment market
and the way we plan our human
resources.
Thanks to our expertise in heavyduty laundry automation with
a clear focus on sustainable
solutions, Jensen is making a
difference and a contribution to
the development of industrial
areas in the Gulf Area.
(The author is the Regional
Sales Manager - Arab Peninsula,
JENSEN-GROUP, Dubai)
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Industry Insight
Potential for growth in the
regional industry
T
he laundry market in the
Middle East is an emerging
one. In an interview with
the Laundry and Dry Cleaning
Supplement, Klaus Menker,
Managing Director, MenkerLaundry Management Consultants,
tells Megha S Anthony that while
there is a lot of potential for growth
in the laundry industry investors
need to have lots of patience.
What is the current scenario of the
laundry market in the Middle East?
The Middle East industrial laundry
market is mainly dominated by
individual bigger local laundries.
Laundry chains which are operating
in the whole region do not exist.
On the other hand, we find a lot of
smaller laundries with comparable
equipment to in-house laundries.
On a long term, it will be difficult for
these laundries to survive, except
they find their niche.
Textile leasing concepts as an
additional business model are discussed since years. But it doesn’t
exist as a general business model
at present. First hotels started
to request such services, but it is
unknown if the laundries have the
required investment capabilities
and know how to realize this kind
of service. Based on the growing
hotel industry the segment will still
grow within the next few years, but I
see challenges in profitability.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
What are the challenges faced by
the industry?
The challenges are multifarious.
The laundry market is price driven
which leads to low-profit margins.
But with low profits a company will
not grow, except they get money
from somewhere else. New laundries will possibly come up within
the next years which will lead to
additional competition.
In summary, around 20% of resources could be saved with a well
organized laundry operation. In addition, an increase in staff efficiency
is possible as well at the same time.
And laundries could operate more
linen with the same amount of resources, equipment and number of
staff. All these would lead to a significant reduction in costs and an
increase in profitability.
To get high professional laundry
experts in the region is difficult because most laundries try to avoid
high salaries. In addition, the availability of qualified laundry management is limited which leads to
the general risk of inefficient laundry operations and higher costs
than necessary.
What is the future of the Middle
East laundry market?
The main question will be if the
existing laundries are able to avail
the optimization potential they have
in their operational costs and to
change their mind from a laundry
operator to a textile service provider.
But a big laundry is finally a factory
and an adequate management
is required. To take care of these
structures and individual processes,
overall and deep laundry knowledge
is required.
The Middle East region has no big
family owned and managed laundry. So finally we see only investors
in the laundry business without operational laundry background. This
may lead to a different view of the
business and different expectations.
In summary, more professionalism
in laundry is required to maintain a
profitable business.
What are the key cost factors in
the laundry industry?
In terms of accounting it is the
staff. But a laundry is an interwoven system and accounting figures
reflecting not the accrual of costs
and the reasons.
In general I see three different scenarios.
- We will see more and more laundry factories. But these laundries
will be only successful if highly
qualified management is set up to
lead this business. It is not important to be the first, it is important to
do things on the right and in a professional manner.
- The present big players in their
local market do their homework, increase their operational profitability
and grow. In this case, it will be difficult for new laundries in the market
to get a relevant market share.
- Big local hotel groups centralize
their laundry operation. Instead to
have an in-house laundry in each
hotel or outsourcing to commercial
laundries, they set up their own
central laundry to minimize the
costs and to guarantee the required
standard.
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 11
Come and be a part of Middl
East’s first Laundry and Dry
Cleaning Show
CO - LOCATED WITH
rd
to book your stand or for sponsorship opportunities, contact : Fatema Bohra,
Mob: +971507467174 | Tel: +9714 2970512 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.g
A part of
WWW.MECTW.COM
VISIT US at Booth: 448
The Clean Show, Atlanta
le
ry
gulflaundrex.com
EXHIBITORS
COVER STORY
A Fresh approach to
On-Premises Laundry
I
n any part of the world, and for a
variety of different sectors, laundry
plays a discrete but important role.
Clean bed sheets and soft towels set the
tone for the perfect stay in a luxury hotel;
crisp tablecloths and napkins compliment
a first-class dining experience;
hygienically laundered linen and
clothing within a hospital or healthcare
environment is essential for maintaining
patient and staff wellbeing.
In all of these markets, Alliance Laundry
Systems (ALS), the global leader in
commercial laundry systems, is able to
satisfy the needs of its customers with
its UniMac range of commercial laundry
equipment. UniMac is the acknowledged
expert in on-premises laundry (OPL)
solutions, matching a comprehensive
range of highly reliable, durable and
proven products and technologies with a
design, fulfilment and after-sales service
and maintenance operation that is second
to none.
UniMac
machines share
a common set
of values and
bring the very
latest quality,
reliability and
innovation to
the commercial
laundry sector
It is no surprise, therefore, that UniMac
can rightfully claim to be the preferred
choice for OPL Professionals Worldwide,
and that includes professionals in the
Middle East where the response to the
UniMac brand, and the commitment of
ALS, has been remarkable.
John Bannister, Director of International
Sales – Middle East & Africa, confirms
that the Middle East as a significant
growth opportunity for the business.
“Our systems are ideally suited to all
elements of the hospitality sector, and
especially hotels, where we already have
relationships with most of the major
brands,” he says.
“They have realised the significant
competitive advantage that our systems
can deliver, and the on-going investment
in developing new systems that use less
water, less power, and that are more
environmentally friendly, reliable and
hence more cost-effective than ever
14 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
Serious about laundry.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
before. They also recognise that we
are serious about laundry, and how our
experience and expert advice can deliver
tangible results.”
Growth opportunities
Forthcoming major events including
the 2020 World Fair and the FIFA
football world cup in 2022, have led to a
significant increase in hotel construction
in the region, which is good news for
those working in OPL.
Alliance already enjoys a preferred
supplier status to many of the major
brands including Marriott, Hilton and
Hyatt, and is looking to further extend its
reach. With a report last year (the STR
Global Construction Pipeline Report)
predicting that 130 new hotels are set to
open in the Middle East and Africa in 2015
alone, and hundreds more in the pipeline,
there is plenty of opportunity.
Alliance does not sell direct, and
will continue to invest to support
its distributors with a new range of
products and services over the next two
years and beyond.
The focus is not on the hospitality
sector alone, but also in other areas
such as hospitals, care establishments
and schools. In certain Middle Eastern
markets, there is a significant investment
in new hospital facilities, and a clear
demand for UniMac’s specialist Barrier
Washers that are not only intrinsically
‘safe’ to enable customers to conform
to the most stringent health regulations,
but they can also deliver the highest
capacity for the smallest footprint in
cleanroom facilities where space is often
at a premium.
All of UniMac machines share a common
set of values in that they are compact
in design, rugged in construction, and
bring the very latest quality, reliability and
innovation to the commercial laundry
sector. But ALS knows that standing still
is not an option; its products constantly
need to evolve to address the changing
demands of its customers.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
“Our systems
are ideally
suited to all
elements of
the hospitality
sector, and
especially
hotels,
where we
already have
relationships
with most
of the major
brands.”
John
Bannister,
Director of
International
Sales Middle East
& Africa
UW130 Washer Extractor
TotalVue™ Powered by UniLinc™
Its latest innovation, and a major focus
at Clean2015 in Atlanta is a further
development of its UniLinc system, a
system that accurately monitors and
records laundry performance data to put
operators in total control. The Research
and Development team within UniMac
has now designed TotalVue™ Powered
by UniLinc™ a further enhancement that
gives managers and executives complete
visibility to key performance statistics in
their laundry operation—from individual
machines to operations spanning
multiple locations.
John Boyle, Training and Development
Manager within ALS, says that TotalVue™
Powered by UniLinc™ provides UniMac
and UniMac customers with exciting
possibilities. “It enables operators to
quickly and easily measure the efficiency,
productivity, utility expenses and capacity
utilization of all of the equipment
installed with up-to-the-minute details,”
he explains. “It also allows them to
track ongoing data and set internal
benchmarks for specific machines and
single or multiple locations, helping
operators make immediate improvements
to their laundry operation.”
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 15
Serious about laundry.
COVER STORY
The machines also feature a patented
washboard drum design that achieves
maximum wash efficiency and uses
significantly less power and less water
than competitors’ models. This unique
design, combined with faster spin
speeds, delivers less residual moisture
which in turn leads to less drying time,
reducing the time and cost of each
laundry cycle.
UniMac UY Washer Extractor
What is especially innovative about
the new technology is that it allows
operators to access data via the cloud,
instantly connecting to equipment data
within seconds via a web browser. “As
the name suggests,” John continues,
“TotalVue™ Powered by UniLinc™ gives
operators total visibility of critical
performance data and reports, with
easy-to-understand dashboards so
that they can quickly and seamlessly
transform critical information into actual
actionable results. Put simply, it enables
operators to run their laundry operation
as though it were their own business.”
Soft Mounted Washer Extractors
Another key area of focus for UniMac
is its new UY series of Highly Efficient
Soft Mounted Washer Extractors. These
machines are designed for sites that
require the ultimate flexibility in terms of
installation and design, where costs need
to be tightly controlled and value for
money clearly demonstrated.
Freestanding and lightweight in
design, the machines can be installed
anywhere, on any floor. A built-in
suspension minimizes vibration and
noise, maximizes performance and
durability and ultimately reduces
maintenance costs.
“We have
successfully
established our
name as one
of the biggest
suppliers
to the hotel
industry and
the commercial
laundry sector,
meeting the
demands of
our customers
in the fastest
and most costeffective ways
possible.”
Sajal Nanda,
Managing
Director,
Protek
A particular feature of the UY series is
the use of an intuitive microprocessor
control known as PROForm that makes
the equipment both easy and logical to
use. Minimum staff training is required
and system downtime is avoided should
an operative be unavailable. What’s
more, each machine can store up to 99
individual programs giving operators
total flexibility.
“Whenever there is a need to justify
the cost of keeping a laundry in-house,
whether the customer is a major
hospital, facilities management company
or international hotel, equipment
is required that delivers maximum
wash efficiency for minimum use of
water and power consumption,” John
Boyle continues. “It needs to have
high reliability and low maintenance,
and help customers to address their
environmental concerns without
compromising performance. Most of all,
it has to deliver an optimum clean, every
time, and all of this can be achieved with
the UY series machines.”
Hard Mounted Washer Extractors
Complementing the soft mounted designs
is UniMac’s UW series of Hard Mounted
Washer/Extractors that deliver maximum
productivity and optimum control for the
busiest laundry environments.
The new generation of UniMac UW
hard-mounted washer extractors
completely re-define the ‘rigid’ category,
delivering the same, if not better,
wash performance than soft-mounted
machines, but with further reduced
maintenance, utility and operational
costs and maximum productivity.
16 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
Serious about laundry.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Designed for the highest volume
users and capable of running around
the clock, the rugged, stainless steel
construction supports a machine
capable of achieving a 400 G-Force
extraction (unique for this category) to
allow the maximum amount of water to
be removed in the fastest possible time
to further accelerate the washing cycle.
This is complemented by a patented,
feature-rich program and monitoring
technology that puts operators in total
control of their OPL facility.
the UniMac washer/extractors and
tumble dryers, Protek FZE also provides
additional equipment such as marking
machines, material handling equipment,
drycleaning machines, laundry and
drycleaning presses, flatwork ironers,
feeders, folders, stackers, dry-set
vacuums, lint collectors and so on.
Strong partnerships
The success of Alliance Laundry
Systems, and the success of its UniMac
brand in particular, is in no small way
down to the strong relationships that it
forges with local specialists, and there
are few stronger than its partnership with
Protek FZE in the UAE.
Originally founded in 2007 by Sajal
Nanda, over the last two years, Protek
FZE has been working closely with the
UniMac team to deliver best-in-class
solutions to their mutual customers.
Protek is the sole UniMac distributor to
customers within the UAE and Oman,
“We started as a laundry equipment
and parts supplier to the Middle East,”
Sajal explains, “and we are now a onestop-shop for all of your laundry needs,
including laundry consumables, laundry
chemicals, flatwork ironer supplies,
laundry hangers, spotting chemicals,
genuine spare parts and RFID based
Uniform Room Automation Systems.
We have successfully established our
name as one of the biggest suppliers to
the hotel industry and the commercial
laundry sector, meeting the demands of
our customers in the fastest and most
cost-effective ways possible.”
By ‘one stop shop’, Protek FZE means
that they deliver the complete solution,
from an initial site assessment through
to installation and commissioning,
and the training of laundry staff. It
also provides ongoing service and
maintenance. As well as championing
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
“We work
in true
partnership
and share a
commitment
to both
growing the
market, and
the UniMac
brand, in the
areas that
Protek FZE
can justifiably
claim to be a
leader.”
Rocco
Di Bari,
Senior Vice
President
EMEA for
Alliance
Laundry
Systems
Rocco Di Bari, Senior Vice President
EMEA for Alliance Laundry Systems
says that UniMac is delighted to
be working with a committed local
distributor with proven expertise and
industry knowledge, “We work in true
partnership,” Rocco explains, “and
share a commitment to both growing
the market, and the UniMac brand, in
the areas that Protek FZE can justifiably
claim to be a leader.”
UniMac UY Series Washer Extractor
The strength and breadth of UniMac’s
commercial laundry solutions are
unrivalled. It is able to offer customers
a total solution from a single platform
in even the most challenging markets
where specialist technologies and
capabilities are required. But it knows
that it can never rest on its laurels.
It knows that it needs to continue to
respond to customer demand, to remain
the thought leader. It is why 2015
promises to be an exciting year for those
committed to excellence in OPL.
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 17
Serious about laundry.
Laundry Professionals
The
washing
workforce
S
uccessfully running a hotel is almost
like the movement of the army - all
the various teams and squads
coordinated in sync for a common goal.
And indeed, the staff at a hotel is often a
virtual army, with any departments’ work
invisible to the outside world. Especially
when it comes to the laundry department of
the hotel, these almost invisible taskforces
work day-in-and-out to not only ensure that
the tables and beds look immaculate in a
hotel; they are also responsible for making
sure the rest of the staff and guests look up
to scratch.
that spark in their eyes and observe their
body language throughout the session to
see what type of eagerness they display
towards the role,” he adds.
Speaking to laundry professionals in the
Middle East, Megha S Anthony finds out
what it takes to be in the hotel laundries. For
most, it’s all about having the right attitude.
“I am always on the hunt for people with
the right attitude as skills can be worked
on if the people have the right attitude,”
says Anand Mehra, Director of Laundry,
Al Ain Rotana, who has over 14 years of
experience in the laundry industry.
How a hotel presents its level of cleanliness
through clean and thoroughly pressed
linen is very important. “One of the main
challenges, therefore, is in maintaining linen
to have a stain-free finish. The challenge
here is that each stain has to be treated
differently. The treatment of most stains
requires immediate action and it is virtually
impossible to guarantee the removal of
a stain. Operating in a hotel with a large
footfall to our restaurants means that on
many occasions, we are asked to urgently
remove stains for guests who have had
mishaps while dining. Food and drink spills
such as oil and coffee embed heavily in
fabrics. In order to maintain a 5-star service
to our guests, we feel the pressure to work
as hard as possible to remove these stains
and keep our guests pleased,” says Sarfraz.
Agrees Sarfraz Ahmed, Director of Laundry,
Amwaj Rotana Jumeirah Beach, who
has been in the hotel since 2008. Talking
about the recruiting strategy for the hotel,
Sarfraz says that they look for candidates
keeping two aspects in mind – aptitude and
attitude. “Often, we can teach someone the
tactics, skills and knowledge they require
to do a job but attitude is something that
comes from within. I look for individuals
who display a balance of both. For instance,
when I conduct an interview, I look for
Challenges
Apart from handling the laundry, as a
laundry manager one has many more
responsibilities ranging from operations,
quality control, administration, human
resources to revenue and expense control.
And with such responsibilities that the
position entails, comes with its own set of
challenges.
“I’m always
on the hunt for
people
with the right
attitude as
skills can be
worked
on if the people
have the right
attitude.”
Anand Mehra
For Anand, the challenging aspect of his
job is to create a balance in maintaining
highest standards of quality within limited
18 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
resources. Even Paul Armstrong, Director
of Laundry Services, Resort Laundry
Department, Jumeirah Beach Resorts,
says, “In the hotel industry people can often
move to progress in their careers which
sometimes can slow projects or planning
down. Sometimes it can feel like a bit of a
start and stop process, but as a company
we continue to move forward which can be
very rewarding in the end. On the operation
sides we always need to be on our toes
when dealing with guest laundry, there are
so many fake brands out there which do
not stand up to normal processing and can
cause shrinkage, colour runs or pilling.”
When it comes to the challenges the
industry is currently facing, Sarfraz states
that the key challenge is in maintaining
a sustainable operation. “We review our
energy consumption levels on a monthly
basis against the occupancy and industry
trends. Some steps we have taken is
to invest in washers with high-speed
extraction capabilities thereby reducing the
amount of water needed during a wash
cycle while simultaneously cutting down on
dryer time. We have also installed G-force
washers as a smarter choice to working
sustainability. Projects in the pipeline
include working with our Environmental
Health and Safety team to create an inhouse water recycling plant, which is
aimed at recycling up to 70% on water
consumption. Lastly, we work closely
with our Housekeeping team to enforce
the Rotana Earth programme where one
such initiative is placing environmental
cards in the rooms to advise guests on our
sustainable practices. We have also started
to use re-usable fabric suit bags for our
employees instead of plastic,” he adds.
Over the last few years, health and safety
have been a focal point in the industry. Apart
from this, Paul says, that change in the
industry itself is a challenge. “Colleagues
don’t always like change and it can be
challenging to get people to understand
the need for change, training and good
communication are essential to keep the
colleagues working together as a team to
help move the laundry forward and keep up
with change,” he adds.
Changes
Over the last five years, the laundry
industry has witnessed a lot of changes
in terms of technological advancements,
multifunctional equipment and even
conservation of water and energy. Anand
elaborates, “Over the last five years there
have been many commercial laundries
that have been opened. Still people are
interested in the laundry business because
people are getting busier, with not much
time to wash and press their clothes and
everyone wants a comfortable life. In fact,
most of the hotels have started outsourcing
their laundry.”
“It always
gives me great
pleasure to
train and
groom new
talent for
their future in
hospitality.”
Sarfraz
Ahmed
The ‘going green’ trend has changed the
laundry industry as well and most laundry
managers have even seen a difference in
modern equipment that helps achieve these
goals. “Our central laundry has installed
Paul Armstrong
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 19
Laundry Professionals
a Tunnel Washer to help reduce
energy consumption as well as
increasing production and other
benefits, we have also installed a
green earth dry cleaning machine
which uses silicon rather than Perc,”
says Paul.
But the major change one has seen
in the last five years is in technology.
Technology, Sarfaraz says, has
changed the laundry concept
almost entirely. “These days you can
control washing units and adjust
all washing formulas through your
computer. We have an automatic
chemical dosing system in place.
At the same time, we generate all
reports directly on the computer in
order to simply find out chemical
costs and are looking at software
which can scan garments and
help us track the progress of jobs
efficiently,” he adds.
Job satisfaction
Laundry is a department where
most aspiring hoteliers start
their career. And there are those
who find immense content with
the section of hospitality. Be it
by learning about new textiles,
meeting people from different
nationalities or even by training
new talent, laundry managers find
their jobs not only challenging
but enjoyable as well. “Working
with so many different people,
different cultures and different
nationalities has been an enjoyable
experience. You realise how in
many ways we are so different
but in many ways we are also
the same. Also seeing progress
in laundry is very rewarding and
the installation of our new Tunnel
Washer last year was definitely my
greatest achievement so far within
Jumeirah,” states Paul.
20 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
For Sarfaraz, training and
grooming new talent give him
immense pleasure. “It always
gives me great pleasure to
train and groom them for their
future in hospitality. I impose
a mandated training and
succession programme to ensure
that my team members are
constantly working towards to
improving themselves and attain
the required standards to be
promoted within a healthy period
of time. Rotana is continually
expanding and this provides
greater opportunities for them to
move through the ranks,” he adds.
But what most laundry managers
find satisfaction is with the
constant learning and updating
themselves with new textiles and
technology.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
Tips
Laundry
Solutions
Three ways to cut down
laundry dosing system costs
L
aundries operate in a
crowded industry and are
constantly seeking ways
to reduce their overheads in
order to remain competitive.
This has a direct influence on
chemical manufacturers and
installation engineers, whose
products’ and services’ value and
price are questioned and fiercely
compared by laundry owners.
As an installation engineer or
a chemical manufacturer, you
can do little to reduce the costs
linked to your core products
or services. The key lies in
the choice of laundry dosing
equipment you select and
associate with your brand.
Contrary to popular belief, the
purchasing price per dosing unit
isn’t the main driver when it comes
to reducing costs. Look beyond the
acquisition cost and study the entire
life-cycle of the installation. Here
are three important questions that
you need to ask your laundry dosing
system manufacturer to ensure the
most cost-effective solution to
your customers.
1.What is the lifecycle of the laundry dosing pump tubes, and what
are the alternatives?
The most common pump
available in the marketplace
is the peristaltic pump suitable
for low and high flow. As laundry
requires consistent and reliant
dosage of chemical to achieve
the best wash quality, the pump
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
tube is a critical component in
the performance of any dosing
system.
Chemicals can react and may cause
the tube to split and leak, or degrade
the tube slowly over a long period
of time. To overcome this, check to
see if your manufacturer is willing to
work with you to find the best tubing material to suit your chemical.
Can they offer you free compatibility tests to ensure that you are
equipped with the right peristaltic
pump tube?
An alternative to peristaltic dosing
is the membrane pump – also
called diaphragm pump. Available
mostly for high-flow applications,
the membrane pump presents excellent dosing characteristics, with
renowned stability of pumping rates.
It also rarely needs servicing as the
pump barely degrades with time.
As all advantages come with a cost
though, membrane pumps usually
require a higher investment than
peristaltic pumps.
2.Is the system simple to install
and operate?
Space is precious in laundry environments and compact installations with multiple pumps are
in high demand. These particular
pumps are also easy to install and
to maintain thanks to the quick
tube change configuration. As the
business grows, industrial laundries
often need to upgrade their dosing
station to cater for a greater variety
of chemicals. Make sure the dosing
pump you have chosen enables an
easy upgrade to avoid extra equipment and maintenance costs. When
it comes to the acquisition cost of
the system, you need to consider
the price of the computer software.
Some manufacturers offer the
software for free, while others treat
it as a separate purchase. Another
aspect to look at is how user-friendly the computer software is. The
aim is to be provided with a simple
and intuitive solution that enables
you to assume total control of the
laundry unit. Wireless dongles are
fast becoming hot property in the
industry, and have been designed to
make awkward-to-reach units more
accessible to programme.
3.Is training provided?
Investment in equipment only provides long-term value if it is professionally installed and maintained
correctly. The best way to gain this
knowledge is through a comprehensive training session with your laundry equipment manufacturer. The
course should cover the basics for
selling and maintaining the systems,
as well as in-depth guidance on full
installation and programming. After
the unit is installed, it is important to
train all users on operational procedures. Improper use of the system
will result in underperformance,
poorly washed fabrics and potential
damage to the laundry equipment.
(Contributed by Brightwell
Dispensers)
April 2015 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT 21
Global Appeal
T
he tagline - ‘TRUTH.
VALUE’ of Magnarab, a
highly specialised laundry
equipment consultant and
equipment supplier, is more of an
internal reminder than a promise
to its customer, on why the
company exists.
So far Magnarab’s journey has been
a very exciting and commercially
successful one. And the credit goes
to the team behind the company,
the careful selection of products and
services offered by the company.
The organisation holds immense
importance to both the words
‘truth’ and ‘value’ in the company
tagline. The company classifies its
customers into channels and endusers and the way they see value in
their association with Magnarab is
very different.
Tolon is a specialist manufacturer
from Turkey, and offers a wide
range of heavy-duty Washer
Extractors and Dryers from 20 to
110 kgs in capacity, besides high
quality towel and linen folders.
The brand has appealed to all
their target markets because
of the unique combination of
‘values’ the brand is consistently
able to put together. With high
level of reliability, excellent
looks, flexibility in operation
and world class service culture,
the customers of the company
feel protected. The Magnarab
team shares the same ‘values’
of service culture and dons a
Driven by
values
customer-centric attitude across
all departments. With installations
ranging from small commercial
laundries to large central
laundries, palaces to 5-star
hotels, Magnarab has proven that
when product excellence partners
with service competence, the
result is a sustainably growing
family of happy customers.
Carbonell is a veteran company
headquartered in Spain specializing
in large scale Continuous Batch
washing systems, and complete
laundry solutions. Carbonell has
decided to make a grand entry
to this market and have chosen
Magnarab as their regional partner,
owing to the same aforesaid
‘values’. Carbonell has an
installation already in Abu Dhabi,
which processes work wear and
hospitality linen. With several
brands of CBW systems already
in the market place, the company
feels a CBW system renowned for
its ultimate flexibility, reliability and
modular construction will have a
market share where emphasis is on
performance and ROI matters for
the laundries.
Watermug is another brand owned
by Magnarab and is a private label
for semi-commercial models
of washers and dryers for light
duty applications such as staff
accommodations, small laundries,
large households and so forth.
For dry cleaning machines, the
organisation partners with Sovrana,
22 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SUPPLEMENT | April 2015
a premium brand from FMB group
in Italy. Sovrana offers a wide
range of dry cleaning machines
that uses Perc, Hydrocarbon and
Greenearth solvents.
Other services Magnarab
offers are business advisory
assignments and market studies
for all segments of laundries.
This service is very unique
as they associate with their
customers in so much detail that
not only includes market study
and business models, but often
stretches to project management
and operational support during
start-up stages. They are able
to achieve this efficiently as
the Magnarab promoters also
co-own one of the biggest and
most automated laundries in
India called Magnamind, which
successfully handles all segments
such as retail, semi-institutional
and institutional laundry services.
And they understand the day
to day affairs of a laundry and
can get surprisingly close to
the business realities. This is
where Magnarab maintains a
competitive edge over other
players, The experience in
operations drives all their
decisions on taking up a brand,
servicing them and so forth.
Magnarab is now expanding
into other GCC countries either
through acquisitions or with
direct representations and are
seeking active partnerships
across the region.
www.cleanmiddleeast.ae
P.O. Box: 80260, Dubai United Arab Emirates.
Tel: +9714 2970512 , Fax. +971 4 2970513
Email: [email protected]