ALEXANDRIA, Va. — June 28, 2018 — Ventura Uniform Services of Kenner, La., has had its certification renewed for Hygienically Clean Healthcare, reflecting its commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and its capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

The laundry was first certified in 2014. Recertification confirms the organization’s continuing dedication to infection prevention, compliance with recognized industry standards and processing healthcare textiles using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, a focal point for Hygienically Clean inspectors’ evaluation. The independent, third-party inspection must also confirm essential evidence that:

• Employees are properly trained and protected;
• Managers understand regulatory requirements;
• OSHA-compliant; and
• Physical plant operates effectively.

To achieve certification initially, laundries pass three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare textiles and diminished presence of yeast, mold and harmful bacteria. They also must pass a facility inspection. To maintain their certification, they must pass quarterly testing to ensure that as laundry conditions change, such as water quality, textile fabric composition and wash chemistry, laundered product quality is consistently maintained. Re-inspection occurs every two to three years.

This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results that verify textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and BMPs for hospitals, surgery centers, medical offices, nursing homes and other medical facilities.

Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification acknowledges laundries’ effectiveness in protecting healthcare operations by verifying quality control procedures in linen, uniform and facility services operations related to the handling of textiles containing blood and other potentially infectious materials.

Certified laundries use processes, chemicals and BMPs acknowledged by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, American National Standards Institute and others. Introduced in 2012, Hygienically Clean Healthcare brought to North America the international cleanliness standards for healthcare linens and garments used worldwide by the Certification Association for Professional Textile Services and the European Committee for Standardization.

Objective experts in epidemiology, infection control, nursing and other healthcare professions work with Hygienically Clean launderers to ensure the certification continues to enforce the highest standards for producing clean healthcare textiles.

“Congratulations to Ventura Uniform Services on their recertification,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “This achievement proves their ongoing commitment to infection prevention and that their laundry takes every step possible to prevent human illness.”

Posted June 29, 2018

Source: TRSA

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — June 29, 2018 — The National Cotton Council (NCC) will be working to ensure that final farm legislation will address the serious shortcomings of the Senate farm bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.

One of those major concerns involves the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (EAAP). That program, which had been eliminated in the farm bill version voted out of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has three years of full funding restored in the Senate’s farm bill. While that is a step in the right direction, the NCC strongly believes that it is critically important to fully restore the funding for EAAP which continues to help U.S. textile manufacturers stay competitive.

The NCC appreciates the work of Senators Isakson (R-GA), Jones (D-AL), Tillis (R-NC), Burr (R-NC) and Graham (R-SC), as well as Senate Agriculture Committee members Boozman (R-AR), Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Perdue (R-GA) for fighting for EAAP restoration and other cotton priorities. Senators Isakson and Jones led a letter with 16 Senators that was sent to the Committee urging full funding of EAAP, and Senator Hyde-Smith introduced an amendment that would have fully restored the EAAP funding.

The NCC appreciates the efforts of all Cotton Belt Senators who worked throughout the Senate farm bill process to defend and improve policies important to the cotton industry.

The NCC thanks Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Roberts (R-Kan.) for his leadership in preserving the Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) programs and the marketing loan program, but the NCC is extremely concerned about a damaging amendment by Senator Grassley (R-IA) included in the Senate’s farm bill that will harm family farms across the country and make the farm law’s safety net less effective. That amendment tightens the restrictions on farm management contributions for commodity program eligibility.

The NCC believes the House’s version of the farm bill more fully addresses the policy needs of the U.S. cotton and textile industries, as well as commercially-viable family farming operations in general. The NCC, as U.S. cotton’s central organization, looks forward to working with its supporters in the House and Senate throughout the conference committee process to achieve the U.S. cotton industry’s policy priorities in the final legislation.

The Memphis-based NCC’s mission is ensuring the ability of those seven U.S. cotton industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad.

Posted June 29, 2018

Source: National Cotton Council Of America

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — June 29, 2018 — Motion Industries Inc. — a distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Co. — has opened the doors for business at its new distribution center (DC) at 4401 D Street NW, Suite A, in Auburn, Wash. The facility is managed by Ryan Mort.

The DC’s strategically chosen location features easy connections to Interstates 5, 405, and 90. It is also conveniently situated only 15 minutes from Sea-Tac International Airport. Covering just over 62,000 square feet, the DC stocks and ships a broad range of industrial parts and supplies including bearings, power transmission products, fluid power components, electrical parts, safety supplies, and more. The new distribution center serves 24 area Motion Industries branch locations daily, as well as the entire Motion Industries North American footprint (550+ locations) as needed.

Joe Limbaugh, Motion Industries vice president of Operations/Distribution/Properties said, “This is something that our customers have asked for so we’re happy and excited that we’re able to fulfill their request.” Limbaugh also stated that additional enhancements will come down the road, and looks forward to fulfilling plans for growth.

Motion Industries President & CEO Tim Breen said: “Opening the new DC’s doors also means opportunity for our customers in the region to receive their orders even quicker. We’re looking forward to delivering a positive business impact on industry in the Pacific Northwest.”

The new facility complements Motion’s primary North American distribution centers in Birmingham, Ala.; Tracy, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; Baltimore, Md.; Dallas, Texas; Edmonton, AB; and Lachine, QC.

Posted June 29, 2018

Source: Motion Industries