Emerald Adds New Equipment Following Angelica Acquisition

Emerald Textiles™, San Diego, recently made several upgrades to its equipment at its Commerce commercial linen and laundry facility in Los Angeles. One of the capital investments Emerald made as part of a multi-million-dollar commitment was the purchase of a new tunnel washer, according to a news release.

Timing of the new equipment and increased volume projections coincide with a Dec. 4, 2021, announcement that Emerald Textiles had acquired the West Coast assets of Angelica Corp., a national healthcare linen service provider. The acquisition included nine facilities, allowing Emerald to expand its western footprint into Phoenix and Las Vegas and strengthen its northern and southern California markets.

“We are focused on building out our strong network of customers and expanding our footprint of facilities, while investing $35-million in capital across our locations to create world-class linen and commercial laundry facilities in the west,” said Andy Kratky, Emerald Textile’s CEO. “At the Commerce facility, we have welcomed several newly won healthcare customers that is the primary growth for 2022, along with 100% renewals of linen services to all our acute hospitals and medical centers.”

The plant in Commerce is one of the oldest in Emerald’s portfolio. Located in a business park, the 70,000-square-foot building opened in 1950. Emerald’s new Lavatec CBW system in Commerce went online the first week of October 2021. It included a custom built, 12-compartment bottom transfer tunnel washer, a new 50-bar, LP583S washer/extractor speed press, six pre-owned TT-745 gas dryers, a four-pocket loading conveyor and shuttle conveyor, and a dryer shuttle control cabinet.

Sean Mageean, the Commerce facility’s general manager, indicated his facility is ready to take on a greater workload after the new acquisitions announcement was made in December 2021. “The expectation is that, at a minimum, the new Lavatec CBW system will handle approximately 50,000 lbs. wash capacity per shift,” he said. “With the addition of 15 new client hospitals, our plant has transitioned to a two shift, seven days a week schedule.”

Jim Hernandez, Emerald’s director of engineering who oversees all major projects, handled this installation with Luis Lopez, the chief engineer in Commerce. Mageean said both men and Jim Slatcher, Lavatec’s western regional sales manager, were responsible for a seamless transition.

To read the full article, click here.