Investment analyst Robert W. Baird & Co. recently gave an upbeat 2015 forecast for uniform rental companies, describing industry trends as healthy, with competition for new business high but manageable. Driving growth are customers’ willingness to share the burden of increased laundry operating costs and industry operators’ propensity to spend capital.
 
In attending TRSA’s Annual Conference in October in Las Vegas, Baird offered an optimistic assessment. Nearly all companies are growing, most in the low-to-mid single-digit range. Attitudes toward competition have moderated from prior elevated levels, as financially healthier customers and a steadier economic environment seem to ...