BEACON FALLS, CONN.—North American society has long embraced and treasured vintage items. You name it, from cars and clothing to coins and collectibles from the entertainment, gaming, and sports industries and others, there is market appeal for things which stand the test of time.
The same admiration applies to some equipment being employed in the commercial laundry industry. When The 2025 Clean Show is held August 23 to 26 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, check out the line-up in the LAVATEC booth (1303). There you will find an array of new tunnel wash systems, washer extractors, and dryers similar to machines that customers have been operating since the 1990s.
LAVATEC will demonstrate an LT60 eight compartment bottom transfer tunnel washer with 132-pound capacity per chamber; an LX-445 washer extractor with 450-pound capacity; an LP572 LAVAPress single stage extraction press which improves workflow by handling 132-pound loads using up to 40-bars of pressure; and three premium and energy efficient gas dryers: the TT745, TT757, and FL633.
On the finishing side, LAVATEC will showcase innovative equipment from VEGA Systems. As Jim Shaw, LAVATEC’s Vice President and National Account Sales Manager explains, the four versatile machines to be displayed represent a cross-section of cost-efficient systems that are designed to produce a better finished product for customers.
Customers Who Know Best
The ability to have equipment perform impressively and reliably day-after-day for 25 years or more requires a series of events. A few LAVATEC customers who plan to attend the show understand the connection. They say it begins with having the craftsmanship to design and build a custom-made machine and supporting it with a well-trained group of employees who run and maintain it properly.
Patrick Garcia, President and CEO of Division Laundry & Cleaners in San Antonio, Texas, knows all about the longevity of LAVATEC’s equipment.
“Back in 1995, we traveled the United States to see the tunnel washer options that were available at the time. Our general manager had been our chief engineer for 30 years, so he pointed out all the maintenance advantages and the differences in the craftsmanship between the thickness of the steel and welding,” recalled Garcia. The family owned and operated company has been in business for 86 years.
“We were impressed with the LAVATEC systems. Now, 30 years later, our 16 module LT60 with a steam heating system and the five dryers we purchased from them are still in operation. We knew by committing to having a strong maintenance program in place, it would help extend the lifecycle of the equipment.”
Energy Usage, Efficiency Improvements
Metropolitan Detroit Area Hospital Services (MDAHS) became a LAVATEC customer in 2007. By upgrading their tunnel wash systems and dryers four years ago, the downtown Detroit state-of-the-art facility has vastly improved their energy usage and efficiency.
They replaced their original LT50 system with 14 compartments and 110-pound capacity, with two new LT100s. The second largest continuous tunnel washer LAVATEC manufactures (only the LT120 exceeds it at 250-pound capacity) these machines boast 220-pound capacity, and 12 modules are joined on the floor by 16 TT745 natural gas dryers and the LP583 LAVASPEED extraction press. All are monitored by LAVATEC’s intelligent osLaundry data management information system.
“While I am new to this facility, I am very familiar with LAVATEC’s tunnels and dryers having managed them in two previous plants,” said Cecil Lee. A 38-year industry pro, he joined MDAHS as the general manager last November and expects his facility to process 34.9 million pounds of laundry this year.
“We are incredibly pleased with the washers’ performance and dependability. Our water usage has dropped from 1.01 gallons to 0.67 gallons per pound. This is a .3447 gallons per pound savings as we are producing greater than 34 million pounds of linen annually.
“When dryers work properly, they keep work in front of the processors during the spring, summer, fall and winter,” he continued. “The LAVATEC dryers continue to perform efficiently and, to my amazement, dry loads properly even with various degrees of dryer basket cover such as the plastic disposable under pads that were not sorted properly. We have reduced both our therms per pound and our kilowatt hours per pound.”
Dependable for 23 Years
The Portland Hospital Service Corporation’s pair of LT70 bottom transfer tunnel wash systems in Oregon have been the very definition of “dependable” for 23 years. The 18 module, 154-pound capacity machines produce an impressive amount of washed linen annually. They also have rolled up a staggering number of hours and are closing in on the 150,000 mark.
“From an engineering perspective, LAVATEC tunnels are very reliable and continue to meet our laundry processing needs after 23 years. Our continuous batch washers (CBW) and LAVATEC dryers handle 110,000 pounds of linen six days a week with little to no interruptions,” said Chief Engineer David Rowning. The hospital has served the community in the northwest region since 1970.
General manager Shawn Swingholm said the LAVATEC equipment currently operates 14 hours a day, six days of the week. Between July 2024 and July 2025, he reports the CBWs washed 34,130,540 pounds of linen, which equates to 114,104 batches divided between the two washers.
Introducing VEGA Systems Finishing Equipment
LAVATEC will showcase its new partnership with VEGA Systems by featuring flatwork equipment in booth 1303. All four machines—the VEGA TRANSFEED 3S1, VEGAFOLD 2S, VEGA MULTIFOLD SUPER 2.2 and VEGA MUTIFOLD 4S—match LAVATEC’s solid reputation for high performance, productivity and reliability.
“This equipment gives any size laundry operation the ability to improve the finishing side of their business. Each machine serves a valuable function,” said Jim Shaw, a longtime laundry industry professional who knows better than anyone. He served as the president of VEGA Systems USA for nine years before joining LAVATEC in 2023.
“For example, the VEGAFOLD 2S conserves space and sorts textiles to deliver the best finished product,” continued Shaw. “While the VEGA MULTIFOLD SUPER 2.2 will process larger, full dry products with precision using positive folding functions, the VEGA TRANSFEED is designed for smaller piece feeding. It combines a system to deliver flatwork to the ironer with the flexibility to convert the processing with high production to yield a better finished product.”
Multiple Lanes for Manual Feeding
A high-speed, three station feeder system capable of processing sheets, heavy duvet covers, and high-quality table linens, the VEGA TRANSFEED sports a working width up to 157 inches wide. It offers up to four large piece adjusted height clipping stations, a combination of one or two feeding lanes for large pieces, and a movable feeding bed with multiple lanes for manual feeding.
The VEGAFOLD 2S is built to accommodate a wider cross-fold section. It can process large pieces with only two lateral folds and has a third lateral fold option. It saves valuable floor space since it is equipped with two automatic standard sorting stackers inside the machine frame, with an optional third automatic sorting stacker. Two separate air pressures are designed for thicker and thinner linen.
The VEGA MULTIFOLD SUPER 2.2 is a high quality full-dry folder. It makes all lateral folds with mechanical knives to handle thick terry and heavy, full-dry products, and all cross-folds are performed by reverse belt folding technology. With a processing capability up to 86 inches long, MULTIFOLD SUPER is available with three or four automatic sorting stackers, thereby eliminating the need to pre-sort full-dry items by size. All finished stacks are either directed to an operator or ready for automatic transfer to a take-away conveyor.
The VEGA MULTIFOLD 4S is a towel folder, sorter, and automatic stacker that many commercial laundries prefer. It handles a variety of towel sizes, can be configured for different folding needs, and performs lateral folds with air knives and all cross-folds using belt reverse folding technology. Like the MULTIFOLD SUPER, it can handle items up to 86 inches long with automatic sorting up to four sizes. It can also be configured for manual or automatic transfer of stacked goods.
Don’t Miss the Hall of Fame Ceremony
A reminder that all Clean Show attendees are invited to watch the inaugural class of LAVATEC’s Hall of Fame be inducted. The 30-minute ceremony will take place in booth 1303 on Sunday, August 24 at 3 p.m.
