ALEXANDRIA, VA.—ASTM International, a leader in the development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards, has published the TRSA-initiated Standard Practice for Sustainable Laundry Best Management Practices, recognizing key criteria for TRSA’s Clean Green certification as universal indicators of maximum sustainability in commercial laundry work.The new ASTM standard codifies the best management practices in the TRSA Clean Green standard as the structural, nonstructural and managerial techniques most effective and practical for a laundry to achieve green objectives (such as preventing or minimizing pollution) while making optimum use of natural resources.Vetted by ASTM for 19 months, the organization’s acceptance of...

ST. JOSEPH, MICH.—Maytag Commercial Laundry recently welcomed five new team members—Kevin Steinbraker, senior marketing manager and product business team leader; Chris Brick, regional sales manager; Ben Hopkins, product development manager; Bryan Rausch, regional sales manager; and Brian Nilsson, field service manager. “In an effort to best serve our customers, we’ve recently expanded the breadth and experience of our team,” said Bob English, general manager at Maytag Commercial Laundry. “With a combined 60 years of industry-related experience, our five new team members make us better poised to support our customers in all facets—new product development, service and selling.”  Kevin Steinbraker brings...

MINNEAPOLIS—Executive Chef Aaron Hagerdorn announces that Prairie Kitchen & Bar, which just celebrated its first anniversary at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, now features an outdoor patio on Nicollet Mall, an expanded menu with summer specialties, and also utilizes three on-premise beehives for honey used in menu items and handcrafted cocktails.The 5,500-square-foot restaurant specializes in locally grown and seasonal items that evoke the Scandinavian and farming heritage of Minnesota. Chef Hagerdorn is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. “Our enhanced menu features items that reflect Minnesota’s unique heritage with a continued emphasis on fresh ingredients native to The Land...

BEACON FALLS, CONN.—Reflective of the company’s renewed dedication to its commercial laundry customers in the United States, Lavatec Laundry Technology (LLT) has designed and introduced a new website specifically created for this market.The site provides U.S. customers instant access to all essential LLT information. The drop-down menu includes several categories beginning with products, which offers the complete line of washers, dryers, extractors, centrifuges, conveyors, ironers and folders available in the United States. An opportunity also exists to download equipment or corporate brochures.Service, Customers and Partners categories provide information on parts, technical support, U.S.-based equipment case studies and dealer network...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS.—Expanding on its line of hot and cold food wells, Alto-Shaam has added the Drop-in Hot Wells with Large Flange (HWLF) to match the Cold Well flange profiles for countertop and décor consistency.The HWLF's are available in sizes ranging from a single full-size hotel pan up to five pans wide and accommodate 2" (51mm), 4" (102mm) or 6" (162mm) deep pans. Halo Heat wraps around the food well, radiating from the recessed surface, providing greater ambient surface temperature control. The adjustable thermostat provides hot holding temperature flexibility, and the hot well can be used with an existing...

CROTON, N.Y.—Polaris Vending, Inc. announces the launch of the patent-pending COILPOD dust containment bag which is an environmentally-friendly solution for the indoor cleaning of self-contained condenser coil units in refrigerated or freezer merchandiser display cases containing food or beverages. A person desiring to clean the condenser coils contained in such appliances first places the COILPOD bag (approx. 28” wide x 13” deep x 18” high) over the coil structure and then simultaneously supplies exhaust air and vacuum from a “shop vac” through two ports in the bag’s surface to remove debris from the coils while vacuuming it into the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Celebrating its two-year anniversary this week, the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell initiative has grown to more than 41,000 restaurant locations nationwide, the Association announced. The voluntary program, which provides parents with a growing selection of healthful children’s menu choices in every state, now counts more than 140 restaurant brands as participants, including new national companies Wendy’s, Red Robin, Dairy Queen, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Big Boy, among other regional chains and independent restaurants.     “The Kids LiveWell initiative has achieved remarkable success in its first two years with the program expanding to over 140 participating restaurant brands and...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Americare Systems, Bloomfield, N.J., recently received Continental Girbau Inc.’s 2012 On-premise Laundry Distributor of the Year award, an honor that distinguishes distributors for outstanding performance in the on-premise laundry market. Simultaneously, Coronet Equipment, Edmonton, Alberta, was named the Canadian Distributor of the Year and Girbau Industrial Laundry Distributor of the Year. Coronet is recognized for sales and distribution success in multiple markets, including vended, on-premise and industrial.“Americare Systems provides a creative and packaged approach to laundry solutions,” said Joel Jorgensen, Continental vice president of sales. “The company encompasses a wide variety of offerings, from commercial laundry equipment and...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association has launched a new report focused on sustainability best practices for the foodservice industry. Created by the NRA’s Conserve sustainability program team, the report, “Bright Ideas: Sustainability Tips from Industry Experts,” features tips, trends and real-world advice from industry experts who appeared at this year’s National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.“For restaurateurs, implementing sustainable best practices into their operations is more popular than ever before,” said Scott DeFife, the NRA’s executive vice president of policy and government affairs. “We want to make that implementation as successful and cost effective as possible, which is...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Traulsen announced the latest in a series of new customer-inspired equipment features for its refrigerators and hot-holding cabinets. The EZ-Clean Gasket and Bare Tube Coil follow the launch of the EZ-Open Foot Pedal and EZ-Change Interiors earlier this year.     “By listening to our customers Traulsen continually incorporates new ways to improve our products, services and business,” said John Davis, director of engineering and marketing for Traulsen. “Four new equipment features and our industry-leading three-year equipment warranty are all examples of innovations introduced in the past 12 months to help customers gain efficiencies in their operations.” Made...