Last week we learned that The Broadmoor Hotel’s Anthony Cruz, laundry manager and John Fish, chief facilities maintenance mechanic were looking to update the resort’s OPL facility which processes approximately 4.7 million pounds yearly. The luxury resort sought increased production and sustainable solutions that would allow them to maintain the impeccable quality expected of a 5-star resort. They chose LAVATEC equipment. Today we’ll learn the results.
By Bob Wolff —
LAVATEC equipment contributes to future flexibility and residual benefits at The Broadmoor
Anthony Cruz, The Broadmoor’s laundry manager and John Fish, chief facilities maintenance mechanic, did their homework researching new equipment to replace their aging machines in the laundry department. The now two-year-old LT60 tunnel washing system, with 10 compartments and 132-pound capacity per chamber, is connected to four new TT-746 natural gas dryers with 292-pound capacity via a LAVATEC conveyor system. A fifth dryer operates independently with three separate conventional washers.
When decision time arrived at The Clean Show in Atlanta, they said the math pointed them in LAVATEC’s direction to replace a trio of 21-year-old washers and four larger drying units.
“Purchasing this tunnel system helped us streamline our washroom. We added another 500 pounds of capacity per hour and still have more than adequate machine production power to increase our future capacity by another 500 to 700 pounds,” said Fish.
A new LAVATEC 10-compartment tunnel washer and other equipment has helped The Broadmoor’s OPL produce more output while reducing operation hours, water, and energy demands this year. (Photo courtesy of TRSA)
“I did have some initial concerns but the LAVATEC tunnel and its related systems now in place will be running well for a minimum of 25-30 years. We wanted a system that was robust in quality and production, and it must be maintained with a reasonable amount of maintenance cost.
“The equipment also needed to be easily operated and maintainable by our engineering technicians. And, the physical size of the system had to fit into a much older building,” added Fish, pointing out that some parts of the facility date back to when the hotel was originally built over 100 years ago.
“LAVATEC fit the bill on all of these conditions,” he continued. “With their equipment, our wash times, water usage and drying times are down. The quality of the product coming out of the laundering processes is spectacular. As we understand more ways to make the system faster and efficient, and realize the potential of increasing poundage, we have the flexibility to do whatever when future needs arise.”
Fish explained how the new equipment is also having a positive impact on the laundry department’s sustainability efforts.
“Our production day this past summer changed significantly. Instead of running 10-12 hour a day for seven days, we reduced it to 8-10 hours. Our water usage has decreased about 50%, with hot water being generated faster in 40% less time. Our gas usage is also down about 30%. Overall, our labor hours have been lowered by about 20% in the summer, and linen life and quality is up.”
LAVATEC’s gas dryers help meet the quality expectations of guests who choose a 5-star resort. (Photo courtesy of TRSA)
The quality and reliability of the new TT-746 H gas dryers is providing Fish and Cruz with some other benefits. These machines are designed with a multi-phase temperature control system and infrared technology which determines when the linen is sufficiently dried. Not only does it save time and energy, but also extends the linen lifecycle by preventing overdrying.
“With the high thread counts across all categories of our products, we have quite a bit of lint that has us performing more maintenance on the dryers,” revealed Fish, who worked with Jim Slatcher, LAVATEC’s regional sales manager. “The efficient filters in the LAVATEC dryers demand it, but any minor breakdowns can be performed during operation with little or no down time and preventive maintenance is done on a scheduled basis.”
When there is a situation and he needs to make a call for help, Fish said he can count on them to deliver.
“LAVATEC’s service has been very good. They visited and helped with training our maintenance crew and operators. When I do call them, they are responsive and prompt with answers to get us operating again any day of the week. Their service team also has the capability to access our system and find the exact cause of any problem. We are very pleased with their response.”
After entertaining guests for the Textile Rental Services Association Conference two months ago, and with a new year on the horizon, Fish is looking ahead to more new challenges.
“The Broadmoor hosts thousands of conferences like TRSA. Some groups have hosted their events here for decades, and there will also be new ones joining our tradition.”
Upper Right Photo Courtesy: The Broadmoor
