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Laundromat Owner Develops Commercial Laundry from Scratch (Conclusion)

Incorporates ironing, folding automation to boost production, results

SAN DIEGO — Vended laundry owner gone commercial, Brian Voytovich recently completed the first phase of his newest endeavor—the development of 36,000-square-foot Revolve, a new commercial laundry here.

Featuring Girbau Industrial equipment and catering to the hospitality industry, the built-from-scratch operation churns out 35-45,000 pounds of customer-owned goods (COG) per day. And, it’s just a year in.

During phases two and three, a tunnel system and third ironing line will be added in order to reach a potential throughput of 100,000 laundry pounds per day. All of this is to serve a need.

In Part 1, we examined the planning and development of Revolve, as well as its equipment mix. In today’s conclusion, let’s look at the automation and laundry operation management tools in use.

IRONING AND FOLDING MACHINE AUTOMATION

By adding machine automation, Revolve also ensures high-quality results, greater production and reduced labor hours. To expedite the folding process, dried towels and blankets are fed through one of two GI FT-Maxi towel folders, where they are automatically classified, folded and stacked at a rate of 900 pieces per hour.

Meanwhile, damp sheets, duvets, table linens and pillowcases go straight from the open-pocket washers through a Chicago® picker and sorter into one of two finishing lines. Items that demand a high-quality finish, like duvets and table linens, run through the GI finishing line, whereas sheets are typically processed by a JENSEN three-roll ironer with cornerless feeder.

The GI ironing line includes a DRF three-station spreader/feeder, which automatically straightens and feeds linens into a corresponding PC-120 natural gas, heated-chest ironer. The feeder features a vacuum box and feeding table for best-quality feeding and operates with up to three operators. The GI PC-120 Ironer has two 48-inch diameter rolls, operates at up to 93% efficiency and processes items at speeds of up to 164 feet per minute.

Finally, flat goods automatically move from the ironer through an FRB Flatwork Folder. Offering an advanced control and multi-program operation, the folder performs one or two primary folds on one, two or four lanes. This results in consistent stacks that are easy to transport and inventory, according to Voytovich.

CLOUD-BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Pulling it all together—from inventory tracking to customer management—is Revolve’s LinenTech Commercial Laundry Management Software.

“We love it and so do our customers,” says Voytovich. “It tracks items by customer as they come in the door, move through the laundry and are delivered back to the customer. Customers can log into our web portal to view and pay invoices, view and modify orders, and access the status of orders processing and shipping.”

All laundry systems are high-tech by design, ensuring customer goods are never intermingled and inventory is accounted for. Delivery drivers use tablets and wireless scanners to track goods by customer. Laundry is placed in color-coded carts by customer and weighed. A computer terminal hooked up to the scale automatically uploads the data into the LinenTech cloud, where it is tracked through the wash and delivery processes.

Thus far, Revolve employs 108 team members while running 2.5 eight-hour production shifts. Throughput is expected to explode with the completion of phase two and the addition of a 13-module tunnel washer.

“Our team is fantastic and we are happy with our progress so far,” he says. “We look forward to serving the Southern California market for many years to come.”

Miss Part 1? You can read it HERE.

 

dryers web

The Revolve commercial laundry is equipped with a combination of equipment and systems that owner Brian Voytovich says makes it highly efficient, flexible and eco-friendly. On the dryer side, a thermal heat recapture system works to minimize gas usage, while moisture sensing eliminates over-drying and fabric damage. (Photos: Continental Girbau)

gi ironing line web

The Girbau Industrial (GI) PC-120 Ironer has two 48-inch diameter rolls, operates at up to 93% efficiency and processes items at speeds of up to 164 feet per minute.

gi dryworkfolders web

All dry work is folded using one of two GI FT-Maxi folders.

Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].