In recent times, laundry automation has become the talk of the industry. With cutting-edge washing equipment and analytics solutions, which help make your operations more efficient, the future seems to be at your finger tips.
Simply put, automation refers to the use of control systems to operate equipment and carry out certain processes without the need for human input. While there are fears that automation will displace the need for human labour, it does have the potential to optimise certain aspects of business operations.
According to the McKinsey Global Institute,
This is no truer than it is for commercial laundries. Continue reading to find out how to prepare your business for automation that can do wonders!
What does laundry automation consist of?
As mentioned above, laundry automation mostly refers to capital investments like smart washing machines and dryers. That being said, data analytics solutions and laundry management systems tend to fall into this category as well.
This is because the latter automates a range of data-gathering and analytics processes that are traditionally performed by human agents. In this regard, these systems gather data from your smart washing machines, from the RFID tracking chips in your linen, and through a number of other autonomous systems.
This, ultimately, provides you with a wealth of actionable data – all benefitting your commercial laundry operations.
What should I know before I invest in automation for my business?
Before taking the plunge, assessing your needs and doing your research is crucial if you are to make the most of laundry automation.
In this regard, start by taking stock of the amount of laundry you process. While this is traditionally not a concern for commercial laundries, automation tends to pay off when you’re processing larger volumes of textiles.
When it comes to investing in smart hardware, it’s important to ensure that you’re receiving real-time feedback that includes production data, resource consumption (such as water and detergent), as well as linen inventory levels. This way, you can track the performance and savings of each piece of equipment, as well as detect potential areas of improvement.
It’s also important to consider your input against the output being delivered and process areas being implemented. This way you can prioritise which solutions require the most attention, which will make the biggest impact, and which will have the greatest return on investment.
Other considerations
While automation has a reputation for replacing human labour, certain skills and knowledge are required from within your team to make use of these tools.
In this regard, it is important that you invest in team training programs, skill-building, and support infrastructure before you automate parts of your commercial laundry. Without any of these in place, you may find that your investments aren’t quite producing the results you expected.
Key takeaways
Laundry automation systems aim to make commercial laundries more efficient, up-to-date and equipped with the intelligence they need to succeed.
Before adopting these tools, however, it is crucial that you prepare in the right way. All too often, businesses get caught up in the moment, adopting these trends before they have the information they need. By doing the right research and preparing well, as outlined above, you can now join the bandwagon, all while being in a class of your own.
How else can I make use of laundry automation for my business?
For more insights on how to make use of laundry automation, head to the Bundle Laundry blog today!