Production Problems

Communication Like any good business, a laundry's operation depends on good communication. Customers must file their orders in a timely manner. Delivery people and order fillers must keep records of the types and quantities of linens used. Managers must be informed of production difficulties and attitude problems. Any breakdown in communication will hinder the laundry's productivity. Cross-contamination. Clean linen and soiled linen should never be mixed. For this reason, most laundry facilities have two major work areas, the "soiled area" and the "clean area". These areas are usually separated by a wall. Separate carts are designated for clean and soiled linen. Linen usually passes from the soiled area to the clean area through the washers. Any clean linen that comes into contact with soiled linen or with carts used to transport soiled linen is considered soiled and must be rewashed. Laundry workers who handle soiled linen are required to wash their hands before working with clean linen. Wet linen storage. Wet or soiled linen that is allowed to sit for an extended period of time may become permanently wrinkled. Worse, wet linen stored in a humid area may mildew, requiring replacement. Dust Dust can and does settle on clean linen. For this reason, clean linen left on shelves and in delivery carts should be covered. While many laundries use dust covers specifically made for this purpose, others will improvise, using sheets or blankets. Cart Space Every laundry, regardless of size, has a limited amount of cart space for storing linen. For this reason, the laundry's carts must be constantly recycled. The moment a cart is emptied, it is returned to the laundry to be filled with another order. If it is designated for soiled linen, it should be emptied at the laundry facility, then sent back to the collection point for another load. Replacement linens Each trip through the wash cycle places wear and tear on the linen. Thus, a major laundry facility needs a constant stream of new linens coming in to replace worn-out items. Items that are not too badly damaged may be set aside for something other than their original purpose. (Permanently stained or torn blankets, for instance, may be used to line floor areas being waxed.) However, they will still need to be replaced in the linen stream. Maintenance

From its major computerized machines down to the wheels on its carts, every laundry facility depends on mechanical and electric devices. These devices require a range of constant maintenance by skilled and certified technicians. Poorly maintained equipment can limit productivity and may even cause or contribute to injuries. Rework As in any business, any job that was not done properly the first time must be redone. Items that weren't thoroughly cleaned must be rewashed. Orders that were filled using the wrong supplies must be re-filled. These are two of the many examples of rework in a laundry. Overstuffing In recent years, it has become standard practice in prisons for prisoners to deposit personal laundry in mesh bags. The advantage of this system is that the mesh bags keep personal items separate in large loads during the wash cycle. The disadvantage is that prisoners tend to overstuff the bags. This inhibits mechanical agitation while preventing water and chemicals from reaching soiled linen. The result is poorer quality linen. Tunnel jams If tunnel washers have one noteworthy defect, it is the tendency for the tunnel to become blocked when the washer is overloaded. When the tunnel is blocked, the washer must be stopped and allowed to drain, then the blockage must be removed manually. A tunnel jam may cost the laundry several hours of production time. Operators can prevent tunnel jams by paying strict attention to the washer's load limits.
Times of India:

NEW DELHI: It's laundry time and seems like organised players are giving the friendly neighbourhood dhobis a run for their money. With the entry of global companies into India and a firm positioning of domestic players, the laundry industry is just getting bigger and more qualityconscious. And to add to the upbeat mood, the global laundry industry has, to some extent, braved the recession. India being the second fastest growing major economy after China and growing at 6.1% year-onyear during the first quarter of April-June, organised players are cashing in on this unique opportunity to enter the unorgansied laundry market in a big way. And even as global and domestic laundry bigwigs make their presence felt, there is still a large unorganized sector waiting to be tapped.

Executive director Diamond Fabcare, owners of Wardrobe Dr A Srivastava felt that the dry cleaning and laundry business has been least affected by the downturn and sees significant activity in the organised laundry market in India.

"India has a huge unorganized sector which needs to be professionally handled. The way markets have developed in the US has not happened in India. However, India is going to grow in this business and there is a need for organised players to provide world-class services and educate the unorganized sector", he said. He further added that Wardrobe is growing at around 20% every month. "Connectivity and brand building is crucial for us to be a success story in India." Wardrobe, which came to India in 2008 with an initial investment of 150 cr and plans to open 100 high-end fabricare stores by end of this year. According to market research agency, The Nielsen Company, the market size of fabric cleaning which includes detergents, powders, pre-post wash, soap cakes is Rs.12,118 crore & 2,877,587 tonnes respectively. Spanish multinational express dry-cleaning chain, Pressto, came to India in early 2008 and since then there has been no looking back. "Globally, the dry cleaning and laundry industry has evolved into a much more customer friendly entity. In hard times, people may buy fewer garments but they like to keep the existing ones clean and fresh so that their usage is optimum. And, our stores in India have shown positive trend even in these tough times", said Deepak Chitale, general manager, Pressto adding that the Indian market is large enough to accommodate more organised players. In fact, the organised players are specifically catering to the growing middle-class with high disposable incomes, HNIs, busy working couples and singles who are earning well. The larger demand for organised laundry comes from the metros and tier II cities. Dr A Srivastava says that around 65% of demand is driven by metros and 35% accrues from tier II cities like Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Bhopal, Pune to name a few. Domestic laundry player White Tiger is eyeing the huge potential once the organised market becomes more stabilized as there is a huge scope for the laundry business to prosper. "Laundry is a necessary evil. During recession, consumers can stop buying clothes but they would want to keep their existing garments clean. This is an industry, which has been least hit by the downturn and promises a brighter future for the dry cleaning and laundry sector in India. As a result of which we have grown by 25-30% every year and in future, we could grow at a modest rate of 22-25%," said Rajeev Sekhri, vice-president, White Tiger.