Few would dispute that 2024 has posed its share of challenges for linen, uniform and facility services companies. While the pandemic is over, inflated costs and labor shortages continue to pose difficulties. Food-and-beverage style shifts, including the continued use of fancy wood tables that don’t require tablecloths, has cut into linen demand, with some “upscale casual” restaurants forgoing cloth napkins as well as tablecloths. Hotel occupancy is generally up, but manufacturing growth has slowed. Fortunately, the once-feared recession—so far—hasn’t materialized. Healthcare continues to grow, but in the absence of shortages, some hospitals have reverted to disposable isolation gowns and related ...