The shining stars of on-premise laundries

Yes, we know that’s the busy people who return linen, uniforms and guests’ garments to pristine condition, but they need the best equipment to cut running costs.

Energy costs within hospitality businesses are naturally a concern right now. For some those big bills and uncertainty over the level of government support could be a ‘make or break’ situation – so there’s a huge focus on minimising gas and electricity costs at premises operating OPLs. This is where the best equipment offering top class cleaning results while being as frugal as possible on energy usage can make a difference.

Mick Christian, training & demonstration manager at Electrolux Professional, is finding that OPL managers are looking to make marginal gains in all areas of their operation. He says Electrolux Professional’s Line 6000 range has been designed to achieve this, able to deliver savings of up to 40 per cent on running costs versus an equivalent washer without energy savings features. This starts with the washer’s Intelligent Dosing automatically adding the precise amount of detergent, softener and chemicals necessary based on load weight in the drum.

For those looking to further optimise their OPL process, the OnE Connected portal allows operators to view the performance of all appliances on site in real time. Users can access the consumption parameters of each washer or dryer, with OnE Connected displaying which machines are active and which are idle, with a view to optimising energy usage. Operators can also engage in remote speed diagnosis to keep appliances in good working order and maximise uptime.

Christian says: “The Line 6000 range also allows OPL managers to get the best from their staff as well as their machine. As the only machine in its category to be awarded a four-star rating from internationally-accredited body Ergocert, the Line 6000 range can reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders by 59 per cent, with an average 75 per cent decrease in sick days and 25 per cent increase in productivity.”

Electrolux Professional’s Lagoon Advanced Care Wet Cleaning system, supplied by Renzacci UK, allows processing of traditional laundry, alongside drycleaning, in the same machine, without using any harmful solvents.

Jason Alexander, managing director at Renzacci UK, says: “The flexibility of a wetcleaning system is perfect for hotels. It has the capacity to process both traditional laundry items, such as towels, bath robes, table cloths and suchlike, alongside garments that are typically ‘dry clean only’, such as uniforms, suits and guest laundry.

“Typically, you would require multiple laundry machines and a solvent-based drycleaning machine to process this array of garments, but now you have the ability to process it all in one system, saving money, space, reducing hassle and generating additional revenue.”

He considers Electrolux Professional’s Line 6000 range to be their most exciting development yet, running from the small to the 60kg capacity, in its smallest format: “The Electrolux Line 6000 WH6-6 washer and TD6-7 dryer is a fantastic option for hotels with limited space in the laundry room. With its small footprint, it can be installed virtually anywhere. The WH6-6 washer can be stacked in series with the TD6-7 Line 6000 dryer to allow operators to wash and dry up to 80 garments per day from just a 0.5m2 footprint.”

At Girbau the latest GS7 Genius washer and ED dryer ranges feature a host of energy saving innovations. The new Internet-enabled Genius washers are available in six models with capacities from 9 to 32kg. They offer a robust chassis design, high levels of water extraction and a 10-inch colour user interface. All models include sustained high spin speeds and a remarkable extraction force of 450G which reduces drying time by at least 10 per cent and drying energy consumption by up to 30 per cent.

Girbau’s tests on the Genius GS7018 found that it used 2.5 kWh for a full 18kg load cycle, compared to 3.5kWh for a comparable washer from a leading competitor.

“With each kWh costing around 50p, the savings soon mount up,” says Peter Rankin, managing director of Girbau UK. “With eight cycles a day for a year, that’s a saving of £1,460.”

The washers also come with Girbau’s Sapphire cloud-based management system that allows users to monitor, manage and configure a laundry, giving greater control for energy efficient operation. Girbau’s ED series dryers have a highly reliable and accurate built-in humidity control system which automatically senses when clothes are dry and activates the cool down process, maximising energy efficiency and assuring textile care. The ED dryer’s Transflow technology uses radial and axial airflow for maximum energy efficiency, reduced cycle times and lower operating costs. Cabinet insulation and a double-glazed door further optimise energy efficiency by preventing heat from escaping from the dryer. “Comparing Girbau’s ED260 with our previous generation GU030 dryer, we are seeing a saving of between £2 and £3 in gas use for each full day of operation,” adds Peter Rankin.

Debbie Jones, sales manager at WASHCO, says: “For busy hotel OPLs, we are increasingly finding that a focus on innovation reaps huge benefits for our customers.” Reduced energy consumption, lower bills as well as time-saving are just some of the benefits hotels can now take advantage of thanks to technological advancements in the design and setup of commercial washing machines and dryers.

One hotel group that is reaping the rewards from investing in a more innovative OPL estate is the Arora Group, who have introduced WASHCONNECT – an industry-first range of smart laundry equipment – into many of their hotels across the UK.

The patented Dynamic Weighing System (DWS) of the washing machines is a standout feature, reducing energy, water, and detergent consumption by only using the required levels in line with the amount of laundry in the cycle. Because of this, the Arora hotels are able to use large washing machines to run both small and more substantial loads, without wastage and with increased staff efficiency.

The dryers combine high performance insulation with an innovative heating and dynamic drying system that adjusts heat and time parameters to help save up to 12 minutes per cycle. To save ironing time, it’s also important not to over-dry your laundry. If your linens come out of the dryer ‘bone dry’, it will make them much harder to iron, costing you time as well as money.

The WASHCONNECT dryers feature residual moisture control feature. Built-in sensors in the drum calculate when laundry is dry. rather than the cycle being based on time. This ensures a better finish, prevents damage to linen, and reduces energy usage. Hotels can also benefit hugely from connected machine technology such as WASHCONNECT’s cloud-based IoT system. It enables them to monitor and report on every laundry process, helping to improve efficiency.

Dane Realstar say it doesn’t matter how large or small your business is or what your requirements are: their AQUASTAR products are designed for where the quality of the process along with the energy and water saving are a priority, alongside an emphasis on low environmental impact and safety. The WH-ES Series machines are compact 8 or 10kg washing machines and tumble dryers, which can be stacked as required. The MAQ2-A washers are a high spin, soft mounted, industrial range, in 11-120kg models for larger loads, while TC-2 dryers are available in 10-75kg models and can have moisture control fitted for wetcleaning, to dry the garment to the required setting. Aquastar machines include operator interfaces such s colour touchscreen displays. All the washing machines have programs for regular laundry items and duvets and wetcleaning capability as standard at no additional cost to the customer. Additional options for wetcleaning include automatic product dosing and the ‘Waterfall Re-circulation System’ to enhance the process by providing a gentle showering action on the garments.

Gavin Sanderson, technical sales manager at MAG Laundry Equipment, believes their high quality, highly efficient products could halve the energy bills for some OPLs. He understands the benefits when compared with outsourcing your linen to an external company and says running an in-house laundry should always achieve reduced costs alongside guaranteed quality and prevention of mistakes. He says: “Quicker, quieter and more efficient, MAG’s products are available in a variety of sizes with drum capacities including 8kg, 14kg, 20kg, 39kg and more. They are a popular choice within hotels and other businesses. We’ve saved many of clients thousands of pounds with affordable, eco-friendly machinery and detergents.”