ALEXANDRIA, Va. — September 1, 2017 — Alsco Inc.’s San Diego facility has earned Hygienically Clean Healthcare designation, reflecting its commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and their capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

The certification confirms the laundry’s dedication to compliance and processing healthcare textiles (HCTs) using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, the focal point for laundry plant inspectors’ evaluation of critical control points that minimize risk. The independent, third-party inspection must confirm essential evidence that:

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

In addition, Alsco passed three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare linens and garments and zero presence of harmful bacteria. To maintain their certification, laundry plants 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.

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 through testing and inspections that scrutinize quality control procedures in linen and uniform service operations. The Hygienically Clean standard provides for two inspections every three years. OSHA compliance is closely examined, particularly toxic and hazardous substance handling rules governing 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 (CMS), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and others. Introduced in 2012, Hygienically Clean Healthcare incorporates 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 TRSA launderers to ensure the certification continues to enforce the highest standards for producing clean healthcare textiles. With 100+ years as the textile services industry’s leading business association, TRSA’s expertise in laundry BMP development is unmatched.

“Congratulations to Alsco on their certification,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “This achievement proves their dedication to building their customers’ confidence that their laundry takes every step possible to prevent human illness.”

Posted September 1, 2017

Source: TRSA

MOORPARK, Calif. — August 31, 2017 — Pindler has announced its latest exclusive collection, Pendleton by Sunbrella®, which includes 44 patterns and is grounded by four hero patterns: Lahaina, Eagle Rock, Canyonlands and Zapotec.

The collection was brought to life through the combination of two heritage brands, calling upon Pendleton Woolen Mills’ distinct aesthetic and Sunbrella fabrics’ enduring performance qualities to recreate classic American patterns. Pendleton owns and operates weaving mills in Oregon and Washington, and the process to produce these fabrics is under the watchful eyes of Pendleton craftsmen.

“This is one of our most exciting collections yet,” said Curt Pindler, CEO of Pindler. “We’re delighted to bring the Pendleton Collection by Sunbrella to the interior design trade. Pendleton has been a staple in fashion for years and we’re looking forward to seeing it make its way into interior design in the United States and beyond. And partnering with Sunbrella has been a true pleasure.”

The Pendleton Collection by Sunbrella is designed to tell the story of those who walked the land before us, whose story unfolds across the plains of American history. The Lahaina pattern combines traditional tribal-influenced designs from the Hawaiian mainland with blue and turquoise representing the beaches near Lahaina, Maui. The Eagle Rock pattern incorporates Native American design elements and weaving traditions of the Southwest. Canyonlands uses a modern ombré weave to create rich layers that mimic the movement of sunlight dancing across the canyons. Zapotec gets its name from the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico, who established a tradition of weaving colorful cloths using natural dyes from plants and animals. The pattern features classic geometric designs and elegant simplicity.

“Partnering with both Pendleton and Sunbrella is a designer’s dream,” said Elise Connor, Director of Design for Pindler. “We are very excited to present this collection to the design trade which combines two major design trends — the iconic designs from our American heritage and performance fabrics — both in high demand within the marketplace.”

The Pendleton Collection by Sunbrella is exclusively available nationally through Pindler’s 16 showroom locations and dedicated professional field sales representatives across the country; as well as 10 Agent Showrooms & 2 international representatives.

Posted August 31, 2017

Source: Pindler

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — August 30, 2017—TRSA will bestow the linen, uniform and facility services industry’s highest honor posthumously on Ronald D. Croatti of UniFirst Corp., presenting company representatives with the association’s 2017 TRSA Operator Lifetime Achievement Award Sept. 13 at the Annual Conference in Miami.

Under Croatti, who became the company’s CEO in 1991, UniFirst more than quintupled its annual revenues to $1.5 billion. He joined the Wilmington, Mass.-based company in 1965 under the tutelage of his father and UniFirst founder, Aldo Croatti, and worked in virtually all areas of the company, excelling in service, sales, operations and management before being named senior executive in 1986.

The Croatti recognition leads the conference’s agenda of accolades also highlighted by the presentation of association’s highest award for an Associate (industry supplier) member: the TRSA Maglin/Biggie Lifetime Achievement Award, to James W. Pellerin, president of Pellerin Milnor Corp., Kenner, La. In addition, these TRSA awards for companies will be presented:

Above and Beyond Service: Up to Date Laundry Inc., Baltimore. In January 2016, Baltimore was hit with a 29-inch blizzard that lasted nearly three days and effectively shut down the entire region. Up to Date’s snow-emergency plan ensured continued service to healthcare customers. The company housed more than 70 employees in a nearby hotel as several managers with four-wheel drive vehicles transported them back and forth to the laundry.

Clean Green Innovation Award: Huebsch Services, Eau Claire, Wis. In November 2016, Huebsch Services installed a 100kw solar energy system to provide more than a third of the energy needs for the company’s facility. This allows Huebsch to co-generate energy and contribute to overall sustainability. To date, more than 40,000 kWh has been produced.

Company Community Service

• AmeriPride Services Inc., Minnetonka, Minn. For the past three years, AmeriPride has organized and executed an annual “Day of Service” involving employees at all branches and other company locations. More than 3,100 employees have donated nearly 15,000 volunteer hours and AmeriPride has made more than $1.7 million in monetary and product donations. Employees’ efforts have included harvesting vegetables at a community garden, building a home for Habitat for Humanity and feeding the hungry at homeless shelters and food banks.
• Ecolab Inc., St. Paul, Minn. Through the company’s community relations department, Ecolab employees focus on education and community partnerships, including mentoring students, participating in collection drives, planting gardens and trees, building homes and facilitating science education. In 2016, Ecolab contributed more than $11 million to U.S. communities through grants, corporate giving, in-kind donations and volunteerism.
• Wildman Business Group, Warsaw, Ind. The launderer empowers employees to serve as court-appointed special advocates and provide meals and supplies to women’s and homeless shelters and shut-ins. The company also supports missions worldwide, having sent employees and their family members to Honduras, Spain, Papua New Guinea and the Dominican Republic.

Croatti’s belief in networking and information-sharing with the industry was reflected in UniFirst executives’ involvement in TRSA leadership and hosting of plant tours for TRSA professional development events such as the Production Summit and Production Management Institute (PMI). His association positions included Board of Directors member and Marketing Committee chairman.

Under Croatti’s leadership, UniFirst received much national recognition, such as Forbes magazine’s “Platinum 400-Best Companies in America,” Apparel magazine’s “America’s Top 50 Apparel Companies” and Selling Power magazine’s “Top 50 Best Companies to Sell For.” Croatti was named Executive of the Year by the Best in Biz Awards and was featured in 2011 on CBS-TV’s hit reality show “Undercover Boss.”

Pellerin’s TRSA leadership activities have included two terms on the Board of Directors and serving as Associate Member Executive Committee chairman. He has participated in the Young President’s Organization and American Society of Engineers. In 1990, he received a Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Arthritis Foundation. He also serves on several outside boards, including Hiberia Bank (New Orleans) and the National Museum of Naval Air, Pensacola, Fla.

He joined Pellerin Milnor 1974 as a project engineer, rising to president and CEO in 1983. The company has been recognized as a leading equipment exporter through the U.S. Commerce Department’s “E” and “E Star” awards. Among Pellerin Milnor’s patents are designs for its CBW batch washer design, a centrifugal extractor with a balancing system and machinery for treating textiles.

Posted August 30, 2017

Source: TRSA