Good things come in small batches
April 1st 2010 Girbau UK's EcoTunnel System brings
continuous batch washing to smaller
laundries
Until now smaller industrial laundries handling anything
between 250 and 500kg per hour have been unable to
compete effectively against larger operations equipped with
continuous batch washers, says Girbau UK.
All that has changed with the launch
of the company's new EcoTunnel
System – a smaller, high efficiency
five-compartment development of
its TBS-50 batch washing system.
"A laundry looking to replace around
six to eight high capacity washerextractors
with the new EcoTunnel
System can expect to cut energy
use by as much as 80% and water
consumption by 75%, as well as
achieving much lower labour costs
by eliminating manual handling
tasks," says Peter Marsh, MD of
Girbau UK."This level of savings can
clearly have a hugely beneficial impact on
laundry profitability as well as a spectacular
reduction in environmental impact and carbon emissions."
Countering consumption
The up to 80% reduction in energy consumption translates to a
comparable reduction in carbon emissions which means laundries
installing an EcoTunnel may qualify for an interest-free loan from the
Carbon Trust. (Eligibility for Carbon Trust interest-free loans is limited
to businesses with less than 250 employees and annual turnover
below £50 million. Payback must be within one and four years and be
self-financing from energy savings. For more details visit the Carbon
Trust website www.carbontrust.co.uk )
The EcoTunnel drums uses thinner gauge, high-strength steel than
other manufacturers, says the company, which enables Girbau to
punch dish-shaped rather than flat-punched holes.This prevents
sharp edges to the perforations causing markedly less abrasion and
substantially longer linen life.
The whole package
The EcoTunnel System comes complete with Girbau's engineering
maintenance and technical support package which means laundries
do not need a trained in-house engineer. Purchasers of a Girbau
EcoTunnel System are allocated a dedicated Girbau engineer with
detailed knowledge of every aspect of the system. Each system is
also fitted with an automatic modem link to Girbau UK headquarters
in Hitchin and the manufacturing plant in
Barcelona, Spain. Girbau will
constantly monitor the
system and provide
ongoing remote
diagnostics, fault
finding and
preventative
maintenance.
The first UK
installation of a Girbau
TBS-50 system, big
brother to the
EcoTunnel System, was
earlier this year at tunnel washing
pioneers Watford Launderers.
"The Girbau batch washer system is well suited to our needs
here both in terms of the quantity and quality of work for our fivestar
hotel customers," says Peter Ross, chairman of Watford
Launderers and Cleaners.
"The flexibility of its design was also crucial in our choice as the
floor space and headroom we had available for it are quite limited.
The Girbau system allows us to accommodate the system's dryers at a
good height in order to facilitate easier unloading."
The Girbau EcoTunnel System offers the potential to deliver energy,
water, labour and cost saving benefits to laundries handling 250 to
500kg per hour including in-house operations of hospitals and larger
hotel groups as well as textile and
workwear rental operations. More articles from Girbau UK Ltd: | 
