CHICAGO — Though summer is winding down, vended laundry sales for operators across all regions continue to heat up. Midwest operators posted the strongest average increase in July year-over-year sales in the country, up 10.8%, according to results of this month’s American Coin-Op StatShot survey.
Operators in the South and Northeast posted similar year-over-year sales gains last month, up an average of 5.8% and 4.0%, respectively. Operators in the West posted only a slight increase in sales, up an average of 1.8%.
While reporting healthy sales gains for July, operators from the South paid the most for utilities during the month. The average cost in the region, as a percentage of gross, was 14.0%.
Average utilities cost in the Midwest for July was 11.0% of gross; in the Northeast, it was 9.8%.
Operators in the West reported the lowest average utilities cost as a percentage of gross last month: 9.2%.
Though he/she is retired from the industry, one operator from the South reported having implemented several changes to operate a more efficient store, like installing electronic pilots and low-water consumption washers, and recirculating dryers.
Another operator in that region says he/she installed new front-load washers, while yet another reported installing an electronic thermostat control.
To operate a more energy-efficient store, one Midwest operator installed new dryers at his/her facility, as well as T8 fluorescent lighting.
A Northeast operator says he/she also installed T8 fluorescent light bulbs at his/her facility, as well as an automated timer for the bathroom lights.
The unscientific StatShot survey includes information on sales, wages, costs or other financial data based on survey information provided anonymously by vended laundry store owners.
American Coin-Op audience members are invited via e-mail to participate in the surveys, which are conducted online. All self-service laundry owners/operators are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define industry trends.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].