Maytag Commercial Laundry has announced the winners of the Replace Today for $10K Maytag Commercial Laundry Contest. Laundromat owners who purchased replacement equipment from January 1 – July 31, 2021, were eligible to participate in the contest for a chance to win $10,000. The contest winners submitted their business cases to compete for the prize money.
The contest winners are:
• Charles Hinkel, president of TC Wash Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
• Patricia Lawrence, owner and manager of The Washboard Laundry, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Jack Wilson, owner of Polly’s Laundromat, Philadelphia
Hinkel replaced a combination of washers and dryers with new, larger capacity machines to reduce utility and maintenance costs of older machines, increase vend prices, and improve store promotion to attract new customers.
“I increased my laundry capacity in the store while giving customers bigger machines, which is the current trend and what customers want,” he said. “All while increasing our vend price, which makes the laundromat financially viable long-term.”
Lawrence’s replacement goal was to improve the laundry experience for her customers and remain competitive with newer stores in the area, as well as to reduce utility expenses and increase vend prices with new equipment and larger capacities.
“We want to improve the laundry experience for our neighborhood,” she noted. “By upgrading our laundry equipment to newer, more dependable and efficient machines, it lets our customers know that we care about them. You don’t stay in business for more than 40 years without loyal customers.”
Wilson wanted to replace a combination of 13-year-old washers and dryers to improve energy efficiency and reduce maintenance and repair costs.
“I believe when the cost of repair is higher than the value of the asset, you should replace it,” he explained.
“We take great pride in the fact that so many laundromat owners depend on our brand,” said Matt Conn, global director, commercial laundry product development and marketing at Whirlpool Corp. “Laundromat owners have shared the positive impact new machines may have on their businesses, including reduced utility expense and increased revenue potential.”
“The reason I went with Maytag, to be honest with you, is that they have the warranty that backs up their equipment,” Hinkel explained. “They then back up their product, which is unlike any other company in the business, in my opinion.”
Based on a 2021 Coin Laundry Association survey of 149 U.S. laundromat owners (Equipment Replacement – Understanding Laundromat Owners Attitudes, Approaches and Motivators), cost is cited as the number-one reason to postpone replacing older machines. The Replace Today for $10K Maytag Commercial Laundry Contest was created as an incentive for laundromat owners to replace equipment as a first step to improving store performance and profitability.
