NATIONAL REPORT—With advancements in controls technology and equipment design, washer-extractors (washers) are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and flexible. This is good news for hoteliers looking to save money in a recovering economy. In the race to gain new business, vendors are manufacturing higher G-force machines that spin off more water faster, allowing linens to dry in less time. In some cases, advancements have allowed rinse cycles and dryers to be eliminated entirely. While innovation has allowed vendors to squeeze just about as much water as they can out of the washing process, other advances, especially in software programming, are reducing demand for chemicals. Thanks to these efficiencies and others, payback time on today’s washers can be very reasonable, experts say—as short as one year to 18 months depending on model size.
Green Lodging News recently spoke with some of the industry’s leading laundry experts and asked them what property owners should consider when purchasing washer-extractors.
Rich Boyd, regional business manager, Bermil Industries Corp., distributors of Wascomat and Electrolux equipment, said the trend used to be for hotel owners to purchase hard-mount machines that require anchoring to a concrete floor six to eight inches thick. These run up to 100 G-force in strength. Today, however, more soft-mount machines that are capable of a much higher G-force are being sold. These do not require anchoring in concrete and include built-in shock absorbers.
“The trend is higher G-force and soft-mount because of the savings from higher excelleration,” Boyd says. “There is a lot less moisture left in the items that are washed and they dry faster.”
Clothes that dry faster require less energy in the process. They also last longer. Also, more loads can be managed in less time. This reduces the demand for labor and its associated costs.
“Our soft-mount machines can reduce water weight by up to 50 percent,” says Joel Jorgensen, vice president of sales at Continental Girbau, Inc.
Factors to Keep in Mind
What size and type of machine to buy depends on a number of factors: number of rooms, types of items that will be washed (towels, robes, sheets, pillow cases, duvets, etc.), whether the property has a pool, restaurant or catering operation, linen thread count, the class of the property, and whether or not business is seasonal. According to Ed Kirejczyk, president, The Edro Corp., hotel rooms typically generate about 10 to 25 pounds of laundry per room, per day.
Terry L. Satchwell, v.p. strategic accounts for Pellerin Milnor Corp., says it is best, early in the laundry design development process, to seek professional assistance from local equipment distributors. Also seek the advice of other owners and operators and visit with the maintenance personnel who run the types of machines you are looking to purchase. From vendors, ask for a list of commonly purchased parts and their cost. Ask how long the manufacturer has been in business and what the cost will be to get a service technician to your property.
“Purchasing industrial grade washers with controls that give operational flexibility is critically important,” Satchwell says. “It is a good idea to have larger capacity machines for the bulk of the work (sheets, towels and pillow cases) and a smaller capacity washer for specialty items (duvets, bed skirts, bed pads, housekeeping cleaning rags, shower curtains, food and beverage linens, uniforms, etc.)
“Strong preference should be given to washers that provide a high degree of washing action and rinsing action,” Satchwell adds. “This is called mechanical action factor (MAF).”
Steve Hietpas, national sales manager for Maytag and Whirlpool Commercial Laundry, says most mid-size hotels will purchase at least two to four machines. “You will see an owner purchase three 100-pound washers and not six 50-pound washers,” Hietpas says. “They achieve economies of scale by putting in three machines.”
Washer-extractors are available in many different sizes. Variety depends on the vendor. “Pounds” refers to the amount of dry items that can be handled. A 50-pound machine will accept 50 pounds of dry linen per load.
Inverter Driven Motors
Today’s washer-extractors are much more efficient than previous generations for many reasons. For one, motors are all inverter driven. This allows the machines to ramp up to speed instead of jumping to speed. The Edro Corp.’s Kirejczyk calls this “soft-start” technology. His company’s machines, which also incorporate built-in ozone technology, allow one to program acceleration and deceleration time.
The G-force of the washer-extractor—the force of acceleration—is very important when considering a machine. At 300 G-force or higher, linens can go straight to a finisher—skipping the dryer, Bermil Industries’ Boyd says. “We are seeing more properties want to iron,” adds Continental Girbau’s Jorgensen.
Automatic weighing systems are also vital and ensure that only the needed amount of water and chemicals are used. Other internal features such as cylinder open area and perforated holes along rib tops can impact efficiency.
The more flexible controls are, the more effective the chemicals can be, Jorgensen says, adding that his company’s Intelligent (Inteli) control allows the operator to know at all times the status of each laundry load.
Bermil Industries’ Boyd says his company is in the process of rolling out a Detergent Management Information System (DMIS). It enables washer-extractors to communicate with chemical pumping machines. DMIS allows the amount of chemicals injected into the washer-extractors to be proportional to the load in the machine, saving on chemical costs.
Kim Shady, North America Sales Manager, Alliance Laundry Systems, says customers should ask vendors: “How many water settings?” and “Are they adjustable?” He also emphasized the importance of having the ability to automatically detect leaks—something his company includes in its machines. “Once a week, run a leak detection test,” he says.
The more flexible the machine is at saving water, the better. Pellerin Milnor’s Satchwell says his company’s new RinSave water saver software can help eliminate up to two rinse steps (up to .4 gallons of water per pound processed) and save up to 10 minutes per load. Alliance’s Shady says his company’s UniMac machines provide 30 adjustable water settings.
New Maintenance Tools
Preventive maintenance is critical to the long-term effectiveness of a machine. Bermil Industries is working on a system that will allow maintenance personnel to receive a text message when something has gone awry with a machine. Edro Corp.’s Human Machine Interface (HMI) will allow one to remotely diagnose a machine.
Having the ability to automatically set start times for washer-extractors is also important and can be a real labor and cost saver. A load prepared by an afternoon or evening shift can be under way before a new shift starts in the morning.
Those shopping for washer-extractors should ask vendors and local utilities about available rebates, financing options, and eligibility for LEED credits. It is also important to consider what Pellerin Milnor’s Satchwell calls “total cost of ownership.” What will the total cost be to operate and maintain a piece of equipment over its life span. It is better to pay more up front for a machine that will produce a strong return on investment and that will last a long time than to purchase an inexpensive machine without the bells and whistles that may have to be replaced in just a few years.
“Price is very different from total cost of operation,” emphasizes Maytag and Whirlpool Commercial Laundry’s Hietpas.
With property owners placing more emphasis on the presentation of bedding and towels, the washer-extractor purchasing decision has become more important.
“Image plays a huge part in today’s investment decisions and how properties try to differentiate themselves,” Continental Girbau’s Jorgensen says.
With utility costs unpredictable and labor costs accounting for 50 percent of the overall cost of running a laundry, it is imperative to invest in washer-extractors that help minimize load washing and drying time. It is just as important to find the right vendor with whom to partner. Fortunately for the lodging industry, there are many respected suppliers to choose from.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
