ALEXANDRIA, Va. — April 20, 2020 — TRSA apprised its members on the association’s latest responses to the COVID-19 crisis during an all-purpose webinar series launched on April 16. The webinars, dubbed the TRSA Weekly Industry Update, offered nearly 80 online attendees an overview of activities that the association is pursuing. Among these were legislative advocacy, survey research and a professional networking/information-sharing initiative aimed at helping companies recover from the worst economic downturn since the 1930s.

The 30-minute webinar included an update from TRSA’s Director of Membership and Outreach Ken Koepper on the recently launched Market-Specific Business Resilience Task Forces, a program that aims to develop industrywide solutions to challenges that face linen and uniform services as customers gradually resume full operations and reassess their short- and long-term needs for reusable textiles.

“These four task forces are the front line of the effort to move the industry forward as the crisis subsides,” Koepper said, noting they cover customers and prospects across the economy, with one each dedicated to F&B (food and beverage), Healthcare, Hospitality and Industrial. Initial discussions, to be conducted the week of May 4, will examine threats and opportunities and set recovery objectives and propose tactics to achieve them. Visit https://www.trsa.org/resources/covid-19-guidance/covid-19-task-force-sign/ for more information or to sign up for one or more of the task groups.

The “Financial Relief” and “Business Strategies” area of the TRSA Coronavirus Resource Center on the TRSA website provides strategic insights for recovery efforts. Examples include a brief on key business recovery steps from consultant McKinsey & Co. Other resources include sector-specific articles from the e-news Textile Services Weekly and the print Textile Services magazine. For additional details on the Task Force, contact Koepper at kkoepper@trsa.org.

Kevin Schwalb, TRSA’s vice president of government relations gave an update on the three key pieces of legislation recently approved by Congress to aid businesses, including linen, uniform and facility services companies, through loans and grants designed to help them survive until the COVID-19 crisis subsides. Under the CARES Act, the $350 billion set aside for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) received enormous interest from small businesses nationwide, resulting in the fund being depleted within days of its April 3 opening. “However, Congress is in the process of adding more appropriations to the fund, so we’re hoping to see more money get involved as well as some other tweaks,” said Schwalb, adding that TRSA is working to gain an exemption from the 500-employee limit that would allow more commercial laundries to access the funds provided through the legislation. Larger companies also can access $450 billion in a Treasury Department loan program. Information on various programs is available on the Coronavirus Resource Center section of TRSA’s website.

TRSA advocates are also working to address the recent shortage of hospital surgical PPE by encouraging the expanded use of reusable barrier gowns and similar protective items that are less prone to shortages because they can be manufactured domestically and reused multiple times after processing by commercial laundries. In an April 17 meeting with senior advisers to Vice President Mike Pence, Schwalb encouraged the administration to ask the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to require for reimbursement the use at least 50 percent reusable HCTs to mitigate any future spikes in demand healthcare contact textiles.

Schwalb also noted TRSA’s successful role in convincing state and federal authorities to have linen, uniform and facility services companies included as “essential” services to the economy, thus enabling them to avoid severe operating restrictions imposed on most businesses. “We’re trying to keep your trucks rolling,” he said.

Jason Risley, TRSA’s senior editor, digital/new media, presented findings from a new survey of 118 operator members that closed on April 14. Key findings from TRSA’s bi-weekly Business Pulse Survey included a confirmation of keen interest in the CARES Act PPP loan program, with 70 percent of the survey respondents stating they’d applied for the loans.

On the healthcare front, respondents reported a deterioration from the previous survey that closed on March 27. The latest results showed that 32 percent of respondents anticipate year-to-date revenues falling well below expectations, nearly double the number of 17 percent from the earlier survey. Concerns stem from a widely reported curtailment of elective surgeries and routine procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic — coupled with a reduced number of linen changes designed to avoid disturbing severely ill COVID-19 patients.

Hospitality operators gave an even more glum assessment of their economic prospects, with 88% describing their revenues as likely to fall well below expectations, versus 57% in the initial survey. For details, see: https://www.trsa.org/news/business-pulse-initial-survey-shows-hard-hits-hospitality-fb-sectors/. For F&B operators, 27 percent said they expected it would take more than 18 months before they could expect a return to pre-COVID-19 revenues. Risley noted that more upbeat findings were reported by industrial operators who participated in the survey. Of that group, only 12 percent said they expected it to take more than 18 months to return to pre-COVID-19 revenue levels.

TRSA members can expect additional weekly updates on COVID-19-related legislation, assistance programs, TRSA initiatives, news and information in future installments of the TRSA Weekly Industry Update. Visit https://www.trsa.org/events/calendar/#1586219522191-6c6d0d6d-2574 to review the tentative lineup for presenters and subjects that will be offered in the coming weeks. A recording of the April 16 Weekly Industry Update is available for viewing at TRSA’s On Demand Learning Center located at http://www.trsa.org/ondemand.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: TRSA

BADINERES, France — April 20, 2020 — Due to the current emergency, Porcher has launched the development of a technical solution for the production of reusable masks certified by the DGA UNS-1.

Pioneer in high-performance thermoplastic composites and technical textiles, Porcher Industries has adapted part of their factory capacity for the mass production of a technical solution specially designed for producing masks. Started in early April, production capacity has already reached one million masks per week.

Porcher Industries’ teams rose to the occasion, quickly meeting the needs of this new demand by developing a combination of technical materials optimized for non-medical masks. The new hydrophobic filter material has obtained UNS-1 certification from the DGA.

Masks made with this complex material are washable at 60° and can be reused 10 times if conditions for use are respected. Quick drying, they do not lose their shape. They are intended for non-medical purposes to prevent the projection of droplets. They can be used by professionals in contact with the public, such as the police and checkout personnel.

“We wish to pay tribute to all our teams, particularly production and R&D, which have adapted our industrial activity to help us cope with the current emergency. They have been extremely reactive and adapted quickly and smoothly to new requirements,” applauds André Genton, CEO of Porcher Industries.

Results of DGA protocol for Porcher Industries filter material designed for production of AFNOR protective masks Spec. S76-001:2020 UNS-1 for non-medical purposes:

• Filtration: 97 percent for 3 microns and 93% for 1 micron
• Breathability: 139L.m-2.s-1
  Performance criteria: AFNOR SPEC S76-001 (DGA report no.: RP/20-2307/DGA MNRBC/2000305/NP)
• Reusable and washable mask at 60°C in household conditions.
• Quick-drying (air) hydrophobic material.
• Dimensional stability.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: Porcher Industries

ZURICH — April 20, 2020 — With immediate effect, the OEKO-TEX® Association will waive the license fee for STANDARD 100 certification of mouth and nose masks.

With the current demand and expert recommendations to wear mouth and nose coverings in public, OEKO-TEX wants to support continued safety of the population. “We need to stay together in this extraordinary situation: now and for our future,” said General Secretary Georg Dieners. “The crisis challenges many manufacturers who are confronted with a logistically difficult task.”

This industry support follows the process modifications for certificate renewals during the Corona pandemic. This adjustment offers an important service for producers of face masks while ensuring continued sustainability and public safety from harmful substances during the corona crisis.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: OEKO-TEX® Association

SOMERSET, N.J. — April 20, 2020 — Authentic Heroes Inc., a subsidiary of Global Fiber Technologies Inc. over the last several weeks has decided to pivot and augment its business model to address the present and future needs of both the health care and first responder market for personal protective equipment (PPE).

“Given the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of another outbreak in the future, we are shifting a meaningful portion of our raw material inventory to address the current and future needs for mitigating the contraction of COVID-19 and other serious viral and bacterial diseases”, stated Chris Giordano, Global’s president and chairman.

“The marketplace for personal protective products will remain robust for years to come since the pandemic we face now will have residual effects over the long term. The mandate to wear masks in public settings that some states are making now are an indication how serious they are looking to mitigate the spreading of infectious disease and this is setting the stage for the consistent needs for these products well into the foreseeable future. We are not here for the short term. After careful consideration we expect the market for PPE to represent a substantial portion of our business model

“We already have the expertise and available resources in fiber, fabrics and textiles. We now have created a separate division under the Authentic Heroes brand to address the current and future needs of the people on the front line in the war on the Covid-19 pandemic and any future challenges that may come their way.

“Through our normal course of business of rejuvenating fiber from uniforms and other textile products and making commemorative jerseys, T-shirts and hoodies , we have developed an inventory of fibers and fabrics. Our fiber stockpile has grown dramatically during the “test phase” of working on development contracts with a few large US based companies at the ECOTEK360 division as well. At this moment we currently have on hand enough fiber to manufacture millions of masks. As part of our commitment to the medical community and front line service providers, Authentic Heroes will be donating 5 percent to a 501(c)(3)” charity of choice of our clients on orders placed in order to further facilitate our commitment to this invaluable group of authentic heroes.

“We are currently in discussions with both single and larger hospital care groups to help them fill their current and future need for personal protective equipment and expect to continue developing these relationships for both their current and future needs in fighting their battle on the front line.”

Paul Serbiak, CEO of Global, stated, “Rather than turning all of our rejuvenated material into Polos, T- shirts, aprons and totes we feel it is important that we use our current inventory of raw material as well other sources of fabric for what could contribute now or in the future to keeping people safe during this outbreak period or in the event of another outbreak down the road.

“This is not a shift away from our original business model but more of an augmentation of our current business model. The company is finalizing a design for a personal protective mask that is comprised of a reusable, washable lined mask and replaceable, disposable filter inserts. The entire mask is being designed to provide 95% filtration of virus sized particles. Hospitals have expressed interest in the design which is effective yet economical, due to the crossover of both reusable and disposable features. The company estimates that the cost per use is about 50% less than that of typical disposable surgical masks.

“Our go-to market approach is to first launch the reusable mask to get to market quickly.  That mask will have the insert pocket sewn in so that our early customers can obtain filters once we produce them the very near future. Our second-generation product which is the combination of the reusable, washable mask and the disposable filter inserts will follow to market quickly after. The company plans to register for NIOSH and FDA approval of the mask so that we can ultimately upgrade the labeling of our product claims.

“In addition to the obvious immediate demand for PPE, the company has learned that the US government has instituted a program for buying excess mask inventory which further bolsters the case for the company to enter a market that was unforeseen until now. Now we are looking into shifting our end products mix with a careful, but very optimistic eye.

“We will keep you apprised of our progress on the PPE front as well as the progress we make with our other two subsidiaries. We are now hitting the milestones necessary that will help us transition us from a ‘pre-revenue stage’ company to a commercial enterprise.”

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: Global Fiber Technologies Inc.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — April 20, 2020 — In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, TRSA implemented Business Pulse Surveys to provide a periodic snapshot of the economic activity in the various market sectors of the linen, uniform and facility services industry. A total of 118 respondents participated in the association’s second Business Pulse Survey of operator members that closed on April 14.

The recent survey included a question on the impact of recent legislation from the federal government designed to help businesses recover from lost opportunities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey findings showed great interest in the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security (CARES) Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans among industry operators. Seventy percent of the survey respondents said they’d applied for the loans.

Industrial operators showed signs of optimism for a return to normal revenue levels. Of that group, only 12 percent said they expected it to take more than 18 months to return to pre-COVID-19 revenue levels. This number was 26 percent on the first Business Pulse Survey that closed on March 27. A total of 32 percent expected it to take six months to return to pre-COVID-19 levels, up from 18 percent on the first survey.

Less optimism was evident in other sectors of the industry. On the healthcare front, acute-care respondents reported a decline in revenues from the initial survey. The latest results showed that 32 percent of respondents anticipate year-to-date revenues falling well below expectations. That’s nearly double the number of 17 percent from the earlier survey. Likewise, 100 percent of non-acute healthcare operators expected revenues to fall well below expectations 15 days, 30 days and 60 days from the survey date.

Hospitality/hotel operators were even less optimistic, with 88 percent describing their revenues as likely to fall well below expectations, versus 57 percent in the initial survey. For F&B (food-and-beverage) operators, 27 percent said they expected it would take more than 18 months before they could expect a return to pre-COVID-19 revenues. Six percent of F&B operators expected it to take more than 18 months on the first survey.

Supply chain problems for certain products continue to be the new normal. Seventy-nine percent of mixed operators indicated supply chain issues. Hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees and isolation gowns were particularly scarce.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: TRSA

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — April 16, 2020 — “The industry will continue providing critical reusable PPE, such as isolation and surgical gowns, scrubs and other healthcare contact textiles to protect frontline medical workers and patients and has the capacity to make up for the shortfall of disposable HCTs,” said Joseph Ricci, CAE, president & CEO of TRSA, the association for the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

TRSA Vice President of Government Relations and Certification Kevin Schwalb and Ricci briefed Steve Pinkos, deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor to the vice president, on Friday, April 17 regarding the importance of establishing a balanced supply chain to mitigate shortages of healthcare PPE including use of hygienically clean reusable healthcare contact textiles (HCTs) such as isolation and surgical gowns, scrubs and other PPE.

After thanking Vice President Pence for recognizing the need for sustainable HCTs during last Thursday’s daily Coronavirus Task Force media briefing, Ricci highlighted the industry’s capacity to deliver HCTs processed by Hygienically Clean Healthcare Certified laundries and its response to the shortage including TRSA supplier members, such as Medline, Standard Textiles, Milliken, Dickies, Aramark, 3M and others efforts to manufacturing and process more reusable PPE.

“TRSA members supply, launder and maintain nearly 90% of the healthcare contact textiles (HCT) such as linens, scrubs, isolation and surgical gowns in North America,” said Ricci, “And are also now serving not only existing healthcare facilities, but the emergency facilities built to handle peak occupancies including convention centers in New York and New Orleans. We have been working to deliver hygienically clean and safe reusable HCTs due to the shortages of disposable alternatives.”

Both sides agree another shortage is likely with the return of elective surgeries, opening of out-patient centers and medical offices across the country as the economy re-opens. When asked how the industry could help overcome these shortages Schwalb stated that “requiring healthcare facilities to use and inventory a more balanced supply chain including at least 50 percent reusable HCTs” would stimulate manufacturers to begin producing more of the sustainable, reusable PPE. “We haven’t seen this level of shortages globally,” said Ricci, “As they typically use a better balance of both reusable and disposable products. In the US, the market is dominated by less sustainable disposable products with nearly 90 percent of HCTs being disposable; globally the balance is closer to 50/50 reusable to disposable.”

“Our industry’s capacity to process hygienically clean, reusable HCTs provider a more sustainable, secure supply chain that could withstand demand fluctuations of the healthcare community while providing the same protection offered by disposable alternatives,” said Ricci.

TRSA asked that Vice President Pence continue to highlight the safety and sustainability of reusable HCTs and recommended incentivizing healthcare centers to increase usage and inventories of HCTs processed by Hygienically Clean Healthcare certified laundries by asking the CDC and CMS to require for reimbursement the utilization of a minimum use of at least 50% of reusable HCTs to mitigate any future demand of healthcare contact textiles.

Pinkos thanked the industry for the extraordinary work it is doing in keeping the critical infrastructure workforce and the country safe and moving.  TRSA will continue to communicate and work with the Office of the Vice President and the Recovery Task Force to ensure minimize future shortages by establishing a more diverse supply chain including reusables HCTs made in the United States.

Posted April 17, 2020

Source: TRSA