Content about Jasper County, Iowa

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Maytag® Commercial Laundry recently recognized standout distributor performances at its 55^th Annual Meeting in Amelia Island, Fla. The following companies excelled, Maytag says, in the coin laundry, multi-housing and on-premise markets in 2012:

• Fred Maytag Award — Receiving Maytag® Commercial Laundry’s most prestigious award was Intertrade Chile S.A., Santiago, Chile. The award is presented to the customer that best emulates the founder’s marketing philosophy and supports Maytag® Commercial Laundry brand with professionalism and integrity, Maytag says.
• Shaping the Future Award — Mac-Gray Corp., Waltham, Mass., was recognized for its history of innovation and long-time leadership in the industry.
• Multi-Housing Excellence Award — Coinamatic Canada, Mississauga, Ont., was honored for its outstanding service to the multi-housing market, including colleges and universities, condominiums and apartment buildings.
• Maytag® Red Carpet Service® Excellence Award — BDS Laundry Systems, St. Paul, Minn., was recognized as the distributor that best exemplifies excellent service and dependability.
• Top Quota Award — Tri-State Technical Services/TLC Equipment Co., Waycross, Ga., was honored for exceeding its annual sales target by the highest percentage this year.
• On-Premises Laundry (OPL) Excellence Award — Pierce Commercial Laundry, Mandeville, La., was recognized for effective and efficient service to OPL market customers.
• Maytag® Marketing Excellence Award — Equipment Marketers, Cherry Hill, N.J., was honored for its development and implementation of marketing and sales programs and overall support of Maytag® Commercial Laundry offerings.
• Outstanding Achievement Award — Richard Jay Laundry Equipment, Adelaide, Australia, was recognized for its “unmatched sales performance and use of marketing and social media.”
• Maytag® Energy Advantage™ Excellence Award — Hercules, Hicksville, N.Y., was honored for exceptional promotion and marketing of energy and water efficiency.

“We’re honored to collaborate with quality partners, such as those recognized at our recent annual meeting,” says Bob English, general manager at Maytag® Commercial Laundry. “Our successes are a direct result of the dedication and support exemplified by these outstanding customers. We congratulate and commend them for their superb efforts.”

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Attendees of a recent Maytag University Factory Commercial Laundry Sales School received in-depth, hands-on training of the company’s multi-segment product portfolio. In addition, education sessions delved into the company’s energy calculators, financing options and market discussions specific to the coin, multi-housing and on-premise segments.

“Whether you’re new to the business or a veteran, our sales school is designed to arm you with the necessary knowledge to compete in the marketplace,” says Rex Braden, national sales manager at Maytag® Commercial Laundry. “The sales school combines selling information into a collaborative and educational setting.”

The 16 attendees representing Canada and the United States toured a local hospitality facility, explored Maytag’s state-of-the-art testing lab, and compared competitor offerings.

“We learned about what works and what doesn’t work when selling commercial laundry equipment and route services,” says attendee Kellie Blumberg, president and owner of Texas Coin and Commercial Laundry. “This experience will help me close even more sales.”

“We provide our distributors with the competitive advantages of Maytag® Commercial Laundry equipment, as well as the latest industry information,” Braden explains. “Attendees have the knowledge necessary to best support their customers and close sales.”

NEW BERN, N.C. — New Bern lies about 110 miles east of Raleigh and about 90 miles northeast of Wilmington. Named after the capital of Switzerland, it is the second oldest town in North Carolina and home to some 30,000 residents.

Within easy walking distance of the New Bern waterfront are more than 150 homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, hotels, restaurants, banks, antiques stores and specialty shops.

New Bern is known for a couple of other important reasons: Not only is it the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola, it is also home to arguably one of the most technologically advanced and energy-efficient Laundromats in the country.

Owned and operated by Anna and Richard Blair, the Clean & Green Laundry is built entirely on a “green” platform. The entrepreneurs see the long-term growth and profit potential of the coin laundry business, and are committed to making sure that every aspect of their new business is environmentally friendly, minimizing use of energy and water, while providing their customers with the cleanest garments possible.

An example of their commitment to energy efficiency is a state-of-the-art geothermal unit with solar panels to heat the laundry’s water.

Energy Conscious Around the Clock

Before moving ahead with a plan for their vision of Green & Clean, the Blairs wanted to know what the community thought. They surveyed many local residents in an effort to learn what they would like to have in a new Laundromat. Overwhelmingly, customers stated their preference for an energy-conscious laundry, and since the town is active 24 hours a day due to around-the-clock manufacturing, distribution and retail operations, they wanted one that was safe to visit at late hours. To that end, Clean & Green boasts a sophisticated security system.

Since approximately 2,500 square feet of space was available, a floor plan was developed that gave an open feel with a design that welcomed customers. In addition to providing the self-service washing and drying equipment, Clean & Green offers fluff-and-fold options, too.

The Blairs carefully evaluated the various equipment choices available to them before deciding upon Maytag Commercial Laundry equipment. With more than 50 years of unparalleled industry experience and having one of the longest product warranties in the commercial laundry industry, Maytag offers a variety of energy-efficient washer and dryer models from which to choose.

Working closely with their Maytag distributor, Tri-State Technical Services, the Blairs sought the perfect balance of laundry equipment that would accomplish their green objective.

Clean & Green selected an assortment that includes high-efficiency top loaders, front loaders, rigid-mount front-load washers (30-, 40- and 60-pound capacities), multi-load stack dryers, and single-pocket dryers (50- and 70-pound capacities).

With this assortment of equipment, no matter what garments need to be cleaned—even bulky items—in virtually any quantity, customers’ needs are met quickly, efficiently and with the best cleaning value, the Blairs says.

Ease of use was one of the reasons they chose Maytag washers that feature one-touch cycle selection; an automatic detergent, softener and bleach dispenser; front controls; flexible wash options; and shorter drying times due to high-speed extraction.

The dryers sport commercial-duty door handles; stainless steel top, front and sides; and a solid die-cast door-locking assembly.

Besides the look of the equipment, Clean & Green also wanted to furnish the store to make the customer experience pleasant. Modern change machines make the purchase of laundry cycles quick and easy. The bulkheads and equipment bases are also state of the art, and the various carts and tables make the preparation of loads and post-cleaning separation and folding a comfortable task.

An inviting color scheme welcomes customers. While waiting for their garments, patrons can relax in an outdoor patio while their children enjoy a special play area. Free Wi-Fi, televisions and a complete vending area offering a variety of refreshments are available 24/7.

Financing Package

US Capital Corp., a specialist in commercial laundry equipment financing and the financing partner for Maytag Commercial Laundry, assisted Clean & Green in getting started.

Working closely with the Blairs, US Capital provided a custom financing program designed to maximize the couple’s return on investment over the term of the equipment finance period. In any new business enterprise, conserving cash is essential, and US Capital designed a financing package that did just that.

Not only did US Capital provide the financing for the Maytag equipment, the company also handled financing of the equipment’s installation and important required “soft costs” such as the change machines, carts, tables, bulkheads and equipment bases, as well as the geothermal water-heating unit.

Location, Location, Location

Clean & Green Laundry’s customers find getting to the business quick and easy.  Located on the west side of New Bern, the Laundromat features two wide entrance-and-exit drives with a center turn lane for easy access.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a major four-lane highway coming in and out of town, and drivers have an easy view of Clean & Green thanks to dedicated signage.

With more than 3,000 households and 3,000 renter-occupied households within a three-mile radius of the laundry, Clean & Green is positioned well for today and the future.

CHICAGO — The specter of ever-rising utility costs should be enough to spur the average laundry owner to track this expense and explore ways to minimize it.

In response to a series of questions from American Coin-Op, Gary Dixon, national sales manager for Huebsch, and Kent Walters, national sales manager for Maytag® Commercial Laundry, discuss the role that tracking energy usage and maximizing its effectiveness plays in a successful self-service laundry, and offered some important tips for corralling costs.

Often, the battle against rising utility costs starts with your equipment.

Q: What is the average life expectancy of today’s washers and dryers?

Dixon: Life expectancy will vary depending on machine usage, installation, preventive maintenance and other factors. However, it is not uncommon for laundry owners to get 12-15 years of life out of their machines.

Walters: The average life expectancy of today’s single- and multi-load washers is seven to 10 years. As a result of fewer moving parts, single- and multi-load dryers typically have a slightly longer life expectancy of 10 to 12 years. If washers or dryers are used more or less frequently, life expectancy fluctuates.

Q: How much impact can following a regular equipment maintenance schedule make in a store’s efficiency?

Walters: Store owners who want to maximize equipment performance must regularly perform proactive and preventive maintenance tasks. In washers, cleaning equipment and surrounding areas, tightening bolts that hold machines in place, and looking for leaks, checking belts, bearings, and seals for standard wear and tear, etc., are important. By performing regularly scheduled maintenance, store owners are less likely to incur a major breakdown, costing them additional money for parts and downtime. When maintaining dryers, it is critical to keep vents clean and make sure the dryers have enough make-up air.

Dixon: By following a recommended maintenance schedule, the laundry owner is ensuring that their equipment is operating at optimum efficiency. This translates to lower utility costs and keeps down time to a minimum. The result is happier customers and more profit.

Q: If a store’s energy efficiency begins to decline, where should the owner first look to make changes?

Dixon: The first place to look is in the washer-extractor control software. Are the water levels set where you wanted them? Is the water temperature different than where it was? Is the software notifying you of potential leaks?

Walters: If energy efficiency begins to decline, the first place a store owner should investigate is the dryers. Specifically, an owner needs to ensure all ventilation is free of lint, which can cut down on the amount of air getting to the dryer, as well as make-up air.

Q: Does water usage impact energy efficiency, and vice versa?

Walters: Yes, water is a big expense for store owners and using newer, low-water-use washers can save a lot of money in both water and sewage savings. High-spin-speed washer-extractors are necessary to maximize cleaning performance by spinning out additional water from laundry so dryers don’t have to work as hard to dry the load.

Dixon: It most certainly does. The amount of water in each bath and the number of baths in a cycle has a direct impact on water and sewer costs. Equipment designs that minimize wasted water below the wash cylinder will also have a favorable impact on water usage. Water-level adjustability is critical for optimizing water settings at a minimum level that is still acceptable to your customers.

Q: How can a store owner “train” their customers and attendants so their laundry’s energy efficiency is optimal?

Dixon: In any business, the culture and message that is communicated comes from the top down. If you are adamant with your employees about maximizing efficiency and provide a mission statement and guidance to them for realizing your goals, you will create the culture. This will, in turn, be communicated to your customers.

Walters: Having a trained attendant who can show the customers the proper way to use the equipment is always the best. Signage is another great way to train customers and attendants on use of machines, proper amount of detergent, operating instructions, etc. Signage should include simple-to-follow instructions located in easy-to-read places.

Q: Besides laundry equipment choice and usage, where are some other opportunities to shore up energy efficiency?

Walters: Store owners should obtain an energy analysis of the store through their local laundry equipment supplier to help determine areas that need improvement. In addition to equipment, owners should consider incorporating energy-efficient options, such as high-efficiency water heaters, T-8s, electronic ballasts, light sensors and task lighting.

Dixon: There are many variables that impact energy efficiency. Some things to consider: alternative sources for energy needs, type of water heaters, choice of lighting and fixtures, window tinting, the thermostat setting, and even landscaping are just a few things to look at.

Q: To whom may a store owner turn for assistance in improving their store’s energy efficiency?

Walters: Whether shopping for new equipment, looking to upgrade existing equipment, or needing some assistance related to a store’s laundry operations, it is important to connect with a reliable, established distributor for guidance. The best laundry distributors are those that have a long history in the business and have received positive reviews for the customer service they provide.

Dixon: The relationship a laundry owner has with their local distributor can pay dividends into the future. The local distributor is well versed in what is available from the equipment manufacturer. They also have an intimate knowledge of the area they serve.

Q: Do you have any other comments to add regarding energy efficiency in the self-service laundry?

Dixon: Over the past several years, many laundry owners have postponed upgrading their equipment to products that are more energy-efficient; this is certainly understandable. However, when the time comes and it makes good business sense to do so, it is important to not just look at the price of the products. It is also important to look at the cost of ownership of the equipment and energy efficiency is a major factor in this cost.

Click here for Part 1!

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Harco Co. Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, recently received the prestigious Fred Maytag Award during the Maytag® Commercial Laundry 54th Annual Meeting in Marco Island, Fla.

The Fred Maytag Award, with a history of more than five decades, is the longest-running award in the commercial laundry industry, the company says.

“Enthusiasm for the industry, loyalty, and unmatched performance are synonymous with the Harco name,” says Bob English, general manager of global commercial laundry at Whirlpool Corp. “This award testifies to Harco’s strong performance in all three markets, including a 46% increase in overall business from 2010, and an all-time record year in the multi-housing segment.”

When Fred Maytag established this award, his primary objective was to recognize a Maytag Commercial Laundry distributor for outstanding achievements and remarkable performance. Recipients emulate his marketing philosophy to distribute the company’s products with professionalism and integrity.

“We are honored to receive Maytag Commercial Laundry’s Fred Maytag Award,” says Robert Jackson, president at Harco. “We believe in the brand and the time-tested reliability of the company and its products. We’re fortunate to be associated with a strong and innovative industry player that supports our business in so many ways.”

Founded in 1961, and with present ownership in place since 1981, Harco was appointed as a Maytag Commercial Laundry distributor in 1984. Harco is a three-time Fred Maytag and Red Carpet Service® Excellence Award winner. In addition, Harco won the inaugural Breaking Away Award last year.

Jackson and fellow owner Robert Stevens were on hand to receive the award. Also present at the awards dinner was Fritz Maytag, grandson of founder Fred Maytag.

CHICAGO — Phil Arvin and his two partners opened their first Maytag-equipped coin laundry in Memphis, Tenn., last March. The 5,000-square-foot attended store is equipped with new energy-efficient 60- and 80-pound washers that are much larger than those in competing stores and thus could command a higher vend price, Arvin says.

But the group followed the suggestions of distributor Justin Laundry and established prices that are comparable to the laundries nearby, Arvin says. “Even though we’re offering a much higher quality product, we didn’t want to be perceived as the higher priced place.”

This is just one example of how the market can influence a laundry’s pricing strategy. But other factors are at work, too, and there are some basic premises that the self-service laundry operator should keep in mind when establishing or changing vend prices.

Criteria for Setting Price?

Upon what criteria should a laundry owner base his or her wash and dry vend prices?

“It really comes down to two issues,” says Kevin Hietpas, vice president of sales and marketing for Dexter. “No. 1 is what’s happening to his costs. How have costs impacted the viability and profitability of his business? Owners should have a good sense of where their business is tracking from a performance standpoint.

“No. 2 is where is he competitively. None of us exist in a vacuum, so you want to understand, ‘I might want to get to a certain point, but as of right now the market won’t let me go there all at once.’ That’s a secondary concern, because I think if the owner is providing good value, it’ll be reflected in his costs. He’s not going overboard with what he’s charging, nor is he under pricing for his service.”

“We have a lot of ‘rules of thumb’ in this industry,” says Gary Gauthier, national sales manager, vended laundries, Milnor Laundry Systems. “When it comes to pricing, it’s typically recommended that gross monthly receipts from washer/dryer revenues should be at least four times the monthly rent and at least five times the monthly utility expenses.”

A store owner needs to be aware of and factor in the competition’s prices when determining his or her own washer and dryer pricing, says Kent Walters, national sales manager for Maytag/Whirlpool Commercial Laundry.

“The owner’s goal should be to produce the best experience for the customer from ambiance to equipment and services—and the costs associated with washing and drying play a large part in this equation,” Walters says.

How Do Your Front-Load Prices Compare?

American Coin-Op surveyed its e-mail subscribers about their November 2011 front-load vend prices — their lowest and highest, and whether the prices had changed since the previous November. Those polled were not asked to identify machine capacities.

Results from the anonymous, unscientific StatShot survey show the lowest and highest prices varied quite a bit among the four regions.

In the West, customers could get a front-load wash for as little as $1.50. The lowest-priced front-load washes ranged from $1.50 to $3.75. Nearly 88% of these prices were unchanged from November 2010. The remaining 12.5% of respondents had raised their lowest-price wash during the 12 months.

The price range for the most expensive front-load washes in the Western region was $2.75 to $7.89. Every respondent reported these prices were unchanged from a year earlier.

Low-end front-load prices in the South ranged from $1.75 to $4.25. Approximately 62% of respondents had kept the same low price since November 2010, and 31.6% had raised the price. Just 5.3% had lowered the price.

Southern customers faced the widest price range of all regions — $2 to $17.50. Nearly 58% of operators reported having raised their high-end price since November 2010, and the remainder were unchanged.

In the Northeast, the most inexpensive front-load prices were $1.50 to $5.50. Just 6.7% of operators had raised their prices in the previous 12 months, while the remainder had kept the prices unchanged.

When it came to the most expensive wash, Northeastern customers were paying $2.25 to $8 in November. Approximately 21% of respondents had raised this price compared to November 2010, while the remainder had stood pat.

The most inexpensive front-load prices in the Midwest ranged from $1 to $4.50. Just 5.9% of operators had raised their prices since November 2010, while another 5.9% had lowered them. The remainder had kept prices unchanged.

On the high side of front-load prices, Midwestern customers faced a range of $2.50 to $8.79 in November. Some 12% of respondents had increased prices, with the remainder keeping the status quo.

Tuesday: Should you announce a price change?

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Service technicians from as far away as Australia and Singapore attended Maytag® Commercial Laundry’s latest coin-op factory service school here recently.

“Maytag Commercial Laundry believes in providing coin-store technicians with unparalleled product and industry training,” says Robert Small, global commercial laundry service team lead. “At the service school, attendees glean experience from highly qualified field service veterans that are passionate about top-notch service and troubleshooting.”

Seminars focused on a wide range of topics, including diagnostics, programming, disassembly and reassembly of various products, and proper chemical injection setup. The company’s state-of-the-art interactive lab offered attendees access to single- and multi-load coin-op equipment for demonstration and testing purposes.

“The service school presenters shared a wealth of product and technical knowledge,” says Steve Wylie, Dependable Laundry Solutions. “Attendees benefit from all aspects of the five-day event, specifically the electrical tips and wiring diagram information.”

Small says Maytag has hosted nearly 70 technicians at service schools over the past three years.

Maytag’s next service school is slated for the spring. For additional details, contact Rick Trama.

 

CHICAGO — The arrival of fall can only mean one thing for self-service laundry operators — a calendar full of opportunities to attend manufacturer and distributor special events, open houses and service schools. Here is a brief rundown of events from the AmericanCoinOp.com calendar through October—call or visit the website listed for registration information. In many cases, space is limited.

Monday — Alco Washer Center Open House, Erie, Pa.; 800-633-7153, www.alcowasher.com.

Wednesday and Thursday — BDS Laundry Systems Open House and Product Show, St. Paul, Minn.; 800-688-0020, www.bdslaundry.com.

Wednesday and Thursday — Gold Coin Laundry Equipment Founder’s Day Open House, Jamaica, N.Y.; 718-658-2646, www.goldcoinlaundry.com.

Thursday — Wholesale Commercial Laundry Co. SE Commercial Laundry Show, Atlanta; 866-544-7228, www.laundryman.com.

Friday — Dexter Service School at Western State Design, Hayward, Calif.; 800-633-7153, www.westernstatedesign.com.

Sept. 17 — PWS The Laundry Company Annual Fall Show, Los Angeles; 323-721-8832, www.pwslaundry.com.

Sept. 19 — American Dryer Corp. Coin-Store Service School, Fall River, Mass.; sepps@amdry.com.

Sept. 21 — Midwest Laundries Fall Open House & Service School, Chicago; www.midwestlaundries.com/community/special-events.html.

Oct. 3-7 — Maytag Commercial Laundry Fall Coin Service School, St. Joseph, Mich.; www.maytagcommerciallaundry.com.

Oct. 5 — Dexter Service School at Launette, Laurel, Md.; 800-229-3036, www.launette.com.

Oct. 5 — Star Distributing Open House/Service School, Nashville, Tenn.; 800-897-7570, www.stardistributing.com.

Oct. 7 — Dexter Service School at Western State Design, Cerritos, Calif.; 800-633-7153, www.westernstatedesign.com.

Oct. 8 — Western State Design Open House, Cerritos, Calif.; 800-633-7153, www.westernstatedesign.com.

Oct. 10 — Sav-A-Day Laundry Machinery 53rd Annual Open House/Sale, St. Louis; 800-489-9274, www.sav-a-day.com.

Oct. 11 — Maytag Commercial Laundry Service School at Coin & Professional Equipment Co., Phoenix; www.maytagcommerciallaundry.com.

Oct. 11 — Southeastern Laundry/Dexter Open House, Marietta, Ga.; 800-522-9274, www.selaundryequip.com.

Oct. 12 — Maytag Commercial Laundry Service School at Coin & Professional Equipment Co., Tucson, Ariz.; www.maytagcommerciallaundry.com.

Oct. 12 — SAMCO Fall Distributor Showcase and Education Conference, Fayetteville, Ga.; 800-969-7627, www.southernautomatic.com.

Oct. 13 — Laundry Concepts Open House and Service School, Addison, Ill.; 800-845-3903, www.laundryconcepts.com.

Oct. 13 — Maytag Commercial Laundry Service School at Loomis Bros., St. Louis; www.maytagcommerciallaundry.com.

Oct. 17-20 — Maytag Commercial Laundry Fall Factory Sales School, St. Joseph, Mich.; www.maytagcommerciallaundry.com.

Oct. 18 — Dexter Service School, Albany, N.Y.; www.macgray.com/october.

Oct. 19 — Dexter Service School, Milford, Conn.; www.macgray.com/october.

Oct. 20 — Dexter Service School, Waltham, Mass.; www.macgray.com/october.

Oct. 25 — Star Distributing Co. Open House, Atlanta; 800-897-7570, www.stardistributing.com.

Oct. 27 — Coin & Professional Equipment Co. Open House & Product Expo, Phoenix; 602-248-0808, www.cpec-laundry.com.

Check the AmericanCoinOp.com calendar periodically for updates. If your company has a similar event that’s upcoming but you don’t see it listed here, post it free today. Click here to get started!

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Hicksville, N.Y.-based Hercules Corp. recently won the Multi-Housing Excellence Award during Maytag Commercial Laundry’s 53rd Annual Meeting in Palm Springs, Calif. The honor recognizes outstanding service to the multi-housing market, including colleges and universities, condominiums and apartment buildings.

“Hercules’ dedication to the multi-housing industry is unmatched,” says Craig Kirchner, global director of Maytag Commercial Laundry. “This market covers a wide variety of audiences, and Hercules continues to represent the Maytag Commercial Laundry brand with loyalty and respect. We commend them on their efforts and look forward to many years of continued success.”

“Our customers value the Maytag Commercial Laundry brand and what it stands for,” says Andrew May, president and CEO of Hercules. “We feel privileged to work with a leader in the industry, and we will continue to provide our customers with the reliable and top-notch service this award honors.”

Hercules is a two-time Maytag Commercial Laundry Multi-Housing Excellence Award. The company has also won the Maytag Commercial Laundry Red Carpet Service Excellence Award.