For laundry operators in North America, the dominant trend now is an accelerated shift to automated material handling. By that we mean moving textiles in slings, conveyors and sortation equipment, rather than having people push carts around. If you haven’t yet embraced this transition, you could find your company left behind in the clatter of swooshing sortation hangers.

Consultant Gerard O’Neill, president and CEO of American Laundry Systems, routinely conveys this message to laundry clients. Some are all for automation; others won’t touch it. A third group is in a “grey area.” They’re “dipping their toes” into the technology because ...