Wash more, pay less
October 1st 2007

A collaboration between laundry chemical manufacturer Rexodan and dispensing specialist Dema is helping on-premise laundries increase productivity and save money through high performance washing at lower temperatures.Brendan Coyne reports

Saving energy means saving money. In the on-premise laundry (OPL) sector, Rexodan says its Lo-Temp range, which delivers high performance at 40°C, can shave money off every wash without compromising results.

The premise is simple:According to Rexodan sales manager,Alf Taylor, research has shown that, on electrically heated machines, for every 10°C lowering of temperature on a 10kg load of washing a saving of 4.375p is made.Therefore, establishments reducing washes from 60°C to 40°C are saving almost 9p per load.

"Most of the laundries that we visit are washing 33 kilo loads at a time," explains Taylor. "That equates to a saving of almost 30p per load in energy costs.Over the course of a year it adds up to hundreds of pounds saved, even for small laundries, and becomes very significant in the larger OPLs such as that of a busy hotel." Another benefit is increased productivity: Because it takes less time to heat wash water to 40°C, more loads per shift can be achieved.

Rexodan claims one prestigious London hotel has increased the number of daily washes from 14 to 19 as a result.

What's more, the Lo-Temp range includes liquid bleach, which has been independently tested and proven to kill bacteria including MRSA, S. aureus, Ps. aeruginosa, E. hirae and E. coli at 40°C.Aimed at a veriety of segments, including healthcare, hotels, leisure and educational establishments, it enables high quality, hygienic results without causing colour fade.

Intelligent dispensing According to Taylor, the chemicals alone are a compelling argument.

However, he says combined with the user-friendly, custom-designed modular dosing system (Dema's Atlas), the package virtually sells itself.

Developed specifically for the Lo-Temp range,Dema's Tony Harvey says the Atlas unit stands out at first glance due to the clarity of information afforded by the large display. A modular system, it is therefore also easy to service. But the real benefit, according to Harvey, is the unit's intelligence. By way of example, he points to the 'Safe Formula Reset' function, which means the unit automatically saves itself to a safe formula at the end of every wash. Therefore, if an operator forgets to change the programme to a coloured wash after washing white linen, the Atlas system prevents fabric damage that could otherwise occur. Harvey also cites the flush manifold, which means neat chemical is not injected into the machine but dispensed by water via the manifold – thereby protecting both machine and fabric – as another major benefit. Harvey says Dema invested $500,000 in Atlas'development to ensure optimum performance and ease-of-use.

Positive results The two companies are now working in partnership to broaden their footprint in the OPL market, offering the laundry chemicals and dispensing system as a complete package. So far, results have been positive, particularly in busy London hotels.The Dorchester (pictured above), for example, is using the Lo-Temp range with Atlas to great effect. Although a busy man, laundry manager Paul Walid took time out to speak with Cleaning Matters about the products: "We're happy – it's easy to use and the results match the high standards required by the hotel.We expect to save money and energy by washing at 40°C and the service is fantastic. If we have any problems or queries, Alf Taylor and his team are always available. I would recommend them to anybody."

Belt and braces support Though the customer deals with one company, in reality, says Taylor, he benefits from both Rexodan and Dema expertise should any problems occur. Similarly distributors (who are welcome to contact Rexodan, which exports to 50 countries around the globe) receive the same level of support.Taylor points to a recent trip to Ireland where a distributor was pitching to a group of nursing homes.

"Mark Allsebrook (Rexodan's commercial manager),Tony Harvey and I flew over to see the distributor's customer and answer any technical questions they had.They were so impressed we won an instant commitment, and that's how we like to do business." According to Allsebrook, with the market's two major players "becoming complacent"the opportunity in the OPL sector is promising. "Competitor's prices have gone up and yet their service has gone down," says Allsebrook."We do things a little differently. It's now a case of letting the market know there's another option available to them that saves time,money and effort." For further information, call the number below or use the free reader enquiry service.

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