The Association for Linen, Uniform and Facility Services (TRSA) has formed a Middle East chapter, the association’s first outside the United States. Launched with TRSA member Rent-A-Towel (RNT), a linen rental service in Dubai, the chapter’s initial activities will include certifying laundries Hygienically Clean and developing professional-development programs for managers and supervisors customized to the region’s local market, practices and conditions.
The chapter will operate in the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen.
“Identifying and partnering with a local member that understands both TRSA’s core competencies and the regional market provides an opportunity for further professionalizing and promoting the value of commercial laundering,” said TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci, CAE. “The partnership with Rent-A-Towel helps expand TRSA’s impact and growth globally.”
The chapter provides local laundries with regional information-sharing and networking, as well as access to TRSA’s knowledge base of industry trends and best practices to improve efficiencies and market growth. Most laundry in the region is currently processed in on-premise laundries (OPLs) in hotels and hospitals. TRSA activities will guide chapter members in adapting techniques typical of larger-scale (outsourced) laundries that improve hygiene, maintain plant safety and health, conserve resources and otherwise positively impact customers and employees as laundry operations evolve.
“We will be working with our North American-based consultants to educate and train regional inspectors and monitor performance standards,” stated Ricci. “RNT will identify experienced professionals to train and laboratories for ongoing testing. They have already identified laundries seeking certification and we hope to get started quickly.”
