One aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic that grabbed the attention of linen, uniform and facility services companies was the explosive demand it generated for sanitizing and personal protective equipment (PPE), especially in the early months of the crisis. Suddenly, starting in March 2020, customers frantically sought these items as various organizations scrambled to protect their people from the virus.

“We couldn’t keep enough hand sanitizer, vinyl and nitrile gloves,” says Josh Wildman, CEO of Wildman Business Group (WBG), echoing a near-universal view among operators who worked through COVID. “I mean, it was a huge fight. We sold everything we could ...