PlanetLaundry Podcast
America’s #1 Resource for Vended Laundry News & Info
PlanetLaundry is the official publication of CLA and is trusted by thousands of laundry professionals to deliver the latest news and industry-specific topics.
Reimagining the Laundromat Experience
Technology, Design, and a Strong Focus on the Customer Have Set a New Standard for Store Amenities It’s no secret that today’s successful laundromats are embracing customer-centric amenities that transform what was once a mundane chore into a convenient, even...
Engaged Employees, Happy Customers
Building a Positive Workplace Culture in Your Laundromat Since I started consulting in 2005, I’ve heard a common sentiment among business owners and executives: “I just want people who work.” And why wouldn’t a business owner want this? After all, human capital theory...
Fast Forward
Industry Insiders Review the Past Year – And Unveil the Key Factors That Likely Will Shape the Laundromat Business in 2025 As we prepare to turn the page on 2024, the laundromat industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation – driven by innovation, sustainability,...
Headlines
Alliance Adds Industry Veteran to Sales Team
Alliance Laundry Systems has added Rick Case to its sales team. “Rick has a tremendous amount of industry experience and will make an immediate impact for our Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution team,” said Mike Hand, vice president, North America Commercial Central...
Alliance Distribution Expands West Region with New Acquisition
Alliance Laundry Systems has acquired the distribution assets of Bestway Laundry Solutions, headquartered in Corona, Calif. The distributorship is a leading provider of UniMac on-premises laundry equipment. “California is an area where we see excellent potential for...
How Well Do You Know Your Business?
The Keys to Making Smart, Data-Driven Decisions for Your Laundromat The laundromat business is simple, right? You find a location with excellent traffic flow, super visibility, stellar demographics – and Voila! Decades of profits and business success are yours. Well,...
Wash with Wally: Cross-Training Your Laundry Attendants
I recently hired a new attendant and have discovered that he possesses great mechanical skills. So, I was thinking of cross-training him to handle some of the more simple equipment issues that arise at my store, in addition of course to his attendant duties. Is there...
Wash-Dry-Fold POS Partners with Burq, Adds On-Demand Delivery Network
Wash-Dry-Fold POS – a provider of point-of-sale and operational management solutions for laundromats across the United States – recently partnered with on-demand delivery platform Burq, to offer laundromat owners the largest laundry delivery network in the country,...
Laundry Industry Mourns Bob Cowen
Laundry industry pioneer Robert Clifford Cowen, an ownership partner in B&C Technologies, passed away peacefully at his home on September 13 at the age of 102. Cowen began his career in 1956 as an engineer and quickly became a driving force in the commercial...
Eastern Funding Hosts Successful Workshops in California
Eastern Funding continued its Laundry Business Workshop series in Los Angeles and Orange County on September 10 and September 11. Both events drew strong groups of attendees, which included laundromat owners, prospective investors, and other laundry industry...
EVI Announces Cash Dividend
EVI Industries Inc., headquartered in Miami, has announced that its Board of Directors approved a special cash dividend of 31 cents per share on EVI’s common stock, a 10 percent increase over the amount of the special cash dividend paid by EVI last October. The...
Doing Double Duty
How to Maximize Revenue with Full-Service, After-Hours Work Savvy laundry owners often glean revenue from multiple services, even when it means processing full-service work after hours. Although growing the full-service side of your laundry business will take time, if...
A Lease You Can Live With
Industry Professionals Share Tips and Strategies for Successful Lease Negotiation Securing an optimal lease is crucial for laundromat owners, impacting both financial stability and operational success. In the competitive landscape of commercial real estate, especially...
Library of Congress Honors LaundryCares with 2024 Literacy Award
The LaundryCares Foundation recently announced that it has been awarded the David M. Rubenstein Prize as part of the 2024 Library of Congress Literacy Awards. This prestigious award honors the Foundation’s innovative efforts in promoting literacy by transforming...
Alliance Laundry Systems Acquires Utah Distributor
Alliance Laundry Systems recently expanded its direct distribution in the western portion of the United States with the acquisition of Alliance Laundry Equipment, headquartered in Salt Lake City. “Alliance Laundry Equipment has done an excellent job of representing...
SPONSORED CONTENT
This Month's Issue
- Tech on the Rise: How Operators Are Using Innovation to Run Smarter, Faster Laundromats: From AI phone systems to real-time data tracking, operators and suppliers share how technology is reshaping the modern laundry business and what’s coming next.
- Business Profile: Delivering a Superior
Laundry Experience - Member Spotlight: Rick Rome –
Innovating Laundry, One Customer at a Time - Guest Column: How AI Changed Google Reviews (What Laundromat Owners Need to Know)
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Florida Distributors Donate Commercial Washer to Local Pet Rescue Organization
Laundry Owners Warehouse and The Laundry Shop – two laundry distributorships based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – have partnered in support of Paws Fur Recovery, a pet rescue organization located in nearby Indiantown, Fla. The two companies donated a commercial LG washer...
Setomatic Systems-SpyderWash Steps Up Its Support of the Industry
Setomatic Systems-SpyderWash, a longtime champion of the industry, has teamed up with the CLA, the laundry association, to take its support to a new level. The company is part of a year-long sponsorship initiative that will have benefits for the entire industry....
Aloha Laundry Life Acquired, Rebranded as kathy ireland Laundry
MainStreetChamber Holdings, a provider of intellectual property and brand licensing, recently acquired Dirty Laundry Solutions LLC, doing business as Aloha Laundry Life, and rebranded the company as kathy ireland Laundry. The company will focus on laundromat license...
Onnera Group Names New Head of Marketing
Onnera Group – an international business group providing equipment solutions worldwide, including laundry equipment – has appointed Dawn Nagle its marketing director in North America for the Fagor and Domus commercial laundry brands. With more than a decade of...
Cents Launches Call Center for Laundry Businesses
Business management platform Cents has launched Cents Assist, a call center and customer experience solution designed exclusively for laundry businesses. This new service combines AI-powered technology with human expertise to improve how laundry businesses handle...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Avoid Shortcuts
All Garment-Care Solutions Are Not Created Equal I often read the posts and subsequent comments on the various Facebook feeds targeting the laundry business. I love the idea of people interacting with each other and sharing ideas and best practices – especially with...
The Business Mind
12 Steps to Success in Life and Business
Some Common Sense Advice to Make You a Stronger Laundry Owner – And a Better Person Believe it or not – there is a strong relationship between the behavior patterns of your personal life and your business life. Although there are several different ways to measure...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: How to Starch Tuxedo Shirts
I’ve recently been offered a tuxedo rental account, which would require me to wash and starch about 400 shirts each week. How do I starch these shirts in my washers? During which cycle would I need to insert the starch? To starch the shirts in your laundromat’s...
Viewpoint
Embracing Change
I began my career in the commercial laundry industry in 1980 as a regional sales manager for one of the major equipment manufacturers. Since then, I’ve held various sales and management positions, owned a finance company focused on the laundromat industry, served as a...
Digital Marketing
Cooking Up Success with Your Laundry Promotions
Creating Irresistible Promotional Programs for Your Business I love cooking. But, to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of following recipes to the T. I prefer to keep it simple and to add my own twist with different ingredients – a dash of this, a sprinkle of that… and...
Strategic Corporate Allies Program
Our Strategic Corporate Allies support CLA’s mission through advocacy, education, and innovation to strengthen the industry, advance our members’ businesses, and prepare the next generation of laundry professionals for the future.
Interested in becoming a Strategic Corporate Ally of CLA? Contact President & CEO, Brian Wallace via email at [email protected] or call (630) 491-0499.
