Operators looking for more energy-efficient equipmentCHICAGO, Ill. — Nearly 70 percent of the respondents to the most recent Wire survey intend to purchase some type of laundry-related equipment (washers, dryers, changers, venders or water heaters) in 2007. Twelve percent of the respondents don't plan on purchashing any equipment this year, and 18 percent are not sure if they will add anything in 2007.Of those respondents not planning to make any purchases, 57 percent said they purchased laundry-related equipment in 2006.What are operators planning to purchase? Front loaders, as you may have guessed, top the list, followed by top loaders, dryers, water heaters, venders and changers. Fifty-seven percent of the people planning to purchase something this year say they will add at least one front loader.Energy efficiency may play a role in the purchasing decisions. Fifty-six percent of the respondents said they are not satisfied with the energy efficiency of their washers and dryers. Thirty-seven percent say they are satisfied with their machines' energy efficiency, and six percent are undecided about their machines' energy efficiency.A majority of the respondents (68.8 percent) believe updating equipment is one of the two or three most important factors in keeping customers happy. Twenty-five percent of the respondents believe updating equipment is no more important than a variety of factors, and six percent believe updating equipment is the most important factor in keeping customers happy.
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