Benchmarking Stats Set Stage for Lively Summit Interaction, Oct. 22-23

Results from TRSA’s most recent Industry Performance Report (IPR) indicate member plant operators had a better year for production cost control in 2024 than 2023. To get insights into their 2025 results and consider your tactics for a better 2026, your last face-to-face networking opportunity of the year with them takes place Oct. 22-23 in Philadelphia, where TRSA will conduct its final Regional Production Summit of 2025.

According to the IPR, the cost to produce a laundry pound rose about two cents to 98.6, but plant costs were down 1.3, to 40.9. At minus 1.2, decreased production labor cost effectively accounted for that drop. The challenge remains reducing the other line items that comprise plant expenses, most of which slightly increased or decreased:

• +.03 – production supplies, building and machinery costs
• +.02 – maintenance and power plant wages
• No change – plant supervisory salaries, depreciation
• -.01 – water and sewer
• -.02 – fuel oil and natural gas, electricity, other

The combination of the items that slightly rose and the decreased labor cost may reflect success in what’s considered the industry’s best long-term cost-control strategy: invest more in labor-saving equipment and associated supplies to reduce staffing and increase throughput. Hire staff who are more qualified (and are compensated better) to handle more complex technologies. Participants in the upcoming Production Summit will share recent experience with this strategy and learn from each other about technology successfully executing it.

To spark such conversation, facilitated roundtable discussions will mark the conclusion of the hotel-based portion of the event Oct. 22. Attendees will gather at themed tables to dive deeper into the day’s key topics, share opportunities and compare notes.

The session prior to the roundtables will explore how advanced technologies are transforming the industry. Attendees will be encouraged to rethink traditional workflows and consider how digital tools – like RFID, barcoding and real-time dashboards – streamline operations, reduce downtime and improve productivity.

In the spotlight will be centralized data systems, IoT connectivity and artificial intelligence, fostering improvement in functions including predictive maintenance and energy monitoring. To be featured are the roles of:

• AI-powered robotics in folding, sorting and packing
• Cloud computing, especially for integrating operations across facilities

Session presenters will be Darrin Smith, customer success representative manager, Kannegiesser North America; and Mads Andresen, chief innovation officer, JENSEN Group.

Other sessions include:

• The Fabric of Success: How Engaged Employees Drive Business Excellence in Textile Services, with Lisa Ryan, founder and chief appreciation strategist of Grategy, offering ideas for addressing challenges in staff retention.
• The 10 Keys to Linen Quality: Chris Melchionni, regional manager, Tingue.
• Dashboard-Driven Safety Insights: Brian Varner, TRSA safety programming consultant and owner, Safety Solutions for Healthcare.
• Building a Robust Quality Control System: Matt Chambers, operations manager, Alsco

Topping off the agenda will be a half-day Oct. 23 consisting of a visit to Single Source Plus, a hospitality laundry in suburban New Jersey (2020 photograph in this article). Click here to learn more and register.