Robert W. Baird & Co. and TRSA recently released the results of the September 2022 (Third-Quarter 2022) Uniform & Linen Rental Survey. Both uniform and linen rental executives were optimistic about their growth prospects for the next 12 months, despite continuing inflationary pressures on their business.

More than 300 individuals from linen, uniform and facility services companies and supplier partners responded this summer to a TRSA survey to guide the association’s activities and communications. Results highlighted the need to remain focused on issues related to workforce, cost containment and growth, and identified Textile Services magazine among TRSA media channels as providing the most value.

After a year of researching consumer and industry end users, compiling in-depth data, developing insights, creating personas based on key target audiences and developing a messaging platform, TRSA announced the creation of a marketing toolkit and collateral available free of charge to all operator members.

TRSA’s Human Resources Committee reviewed the TRSA Plant Employee Compensation study and recommended updates to the survey to make it more current and more likely to be filled out by human resources (HR) departments. For example, revising the survey to include salary and hourly rates in ranges, instead of exact numbers, allows more HR managers to be able to complete the survey.

Natural gas prices continue to experience volatility in 2022, with summer shaping up to be no exception to that trend. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects the Henry Hub price to average $8.69 per MMBtu in the third quarter of 2022, which is up from an average of $8.13 per MMBtu in May. Natural gas prices are rising in large part due to three factors: natural gas inventories, LNG exports and high demand.

TRSA is urging operators to complete the 2022 TRSA Industry Performance Report (IPR) survey. Participation in the IPR survey creates industrywide financial data that provides intel on the linen, uniform and facility services market so operators can identify strategies, markets and best practices to facilitate growth and long-term success. TRSA members who participate receive an individualized industry performance report (IPR) for easy comparison with competitors free of charge.

A survey is underway of linen, uniform and facility services operators and supplier partners to guide TRSA in better serving you. Results will help guide future decisions about benefits and TRSA’s communication vehicles. The questionnaire is similar to membership surveys of recent years, with added emphasis on identifying the key issues likely to affect the industry’s success in the next three years.

An anticipated increase in U.S. adult inpatient days points to increased demand for textiles for acute and tertiary care. That’s a plus for linen, uniform and facility services operators who serve those facilities, while posing an additional challenge: taking advantage of the spillover growth into other patient-care settings often more difficult for the industry to serve.

Reporting by members of updated linen and uniform service company and plant data to TRSA to quantify environmental impacts is now underway. The association’s Sustainability Survey, last compiled in 2018, is gathering data to highlight gains and protect members from unnecessary regulatory involvement by policy makers.

Opportunities for uniform service growth were highlighted on April 21 in TRSA’s virtual Industrial Research and Roundtable session. It featured data presented by the Yes& agency, TRSA’s consultant on its Market Recovery and Expansion project, from the portion of this consumer and decision-maker research most relevant to the industry’s industrial sector.