{"id":23110,"date":"2023-01-18T13:15:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T13:15:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/?p=23110"},"modified":"2023-01-19T09:33:38","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T09:33:38","slug":"reportage-how-is-the-self-service-laundry-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/reportage-how-is-the-self-service-laundry-changing\/","title":{"rendered":"REPORTAGE – HOW IS THE SELF SERVICE LAUNDRY CHANGING?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We inaugurate 2023 by focusing on selfservice laundries. Washing machines, tumble dryers and all services related to the \u201cself-service\u201d market. But there is much more: business profile, marketing, business layout, and quality offer. Is it better to choose a turnkey package, or to equip the laundry relying only on your business intuition? There are some companies that are helping and taking care of the customers, for implementing step by step their laundry project. The competition assessment, the consumer base, the location, the residents\u2019 typology, an accurate analysis that must take into account a strict evaluation of all these elements when considering to make an investment or not, in opening a selfservice laundry. But sales consultants, designers, technicians, after-sales service, etc. are also important. Then there are the manufacturers who measure the quality of their machines with the final performance of the garments care. Self-service customers are increasingly demanding for cleanliness and hygiene. The economic situation also in this market segment has dictated the moments of expansion but also of decline regarding the market demand in the last decade. But let’s give the floor to the companies and their evaluations<\/span><\/p>\n

“The sector events of the past year, including EXPOdetergo International 2022, have confirmed a growing trend in the selfservice laundry market,” this is how it begins the interview with Marco Niccolini, the General Sales and Mkt Director of Renzacci S.p.A.<\/strong><\/span> \u201cIn the attempt to understand the evolution of the sector, we can foresee two macro families: those who open a laundry as their main activity and, others, seeing the self-service as a source of investment.\u201d Which are the characteristics and prerogatives of the new openings? In the meantime, we are witnessing a strong attempt to diversify additional services to the traditional ones, in washing and drying. At the beginning of the new century, there was a big increase in openings, then the trend was more fluctuating, alternating phases of expansion with moments of contraction.<\/p>\n

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Today we arrived in a maturity phase and the self-service laundry proposal for the customers became more diversified. A transformation towards the so-called concept of \u201cassisted laundry\u201d where, in addition to the traditional service, bio dry-cleaning, ironing, but also disinfection services are offered. Many of our customers have added the Pet corner service for our pet friends. But it also gives the opportunity to manage the business with systems that are able not only to handle costs and incomes but also to undertake always more punctual marketing actions with the customers. With these new services, the business opportunity is enlarged. A complete customer care, a global service. A step that involves quality improvement, often requested by those who have the laundry as their main activity. We often see that the owner who opens a self-service laundry will eventually attend the course for laundry technician, adding then the dry-cleaning and other ad hoc services to the original business.<\/p>\n

This evolution arrived after some traditional laundries in the area have closed their doors, due to their inability or unwillingness for renewal.\u201d How is Renzacci responding to this sector evolution? “First of all, with the “Intellectus” laundry management and control system, which gives the possibility to monitor the machine status, cycle parameters, but that it is also an essential element to manage costs and revenues. But also with our new HS ECO series, that reduce energy consumption from 12% to 16%; or with Genius ozone cabin, for sanitizing clothes and household objects used in our daily lives. The new line of PetWash machines dedicated for cleaning every washable accessory of our pet friends, has been at great demand in the recent years. And then there is the Nebula dry-cleaning machines line, perfectly suitable to the new laundry expansion requirements, equipped with the disinfection system for each washing cycle.<\/p>\n

“I am the owner of six \u201cSpeed Queen\u201d laundries in Rome, opened over the last two years. I am presenting myself in a double role: as sales manager of Alliance or rather of \u201cSpeed Queen\u201d and at the same time as entrepreneur. An added value in terms of customer credibility\u201d, says Marco Treggiari, the Director for Europe of the Speed Queen Concept by Alliance<\/strong><\/span>. “As Speed Queen, our project experienced a noticeable boost in Europe, so much that we currently have 1100 laundries in 28 countries, in 450 cities, involving around 700 investors in this mission. We are now joining global brands such as Starbucks (2500 shops in Europe) and McDonald’s (7500 shops) despite the fact that they have started their activity only for little more than five years ago.<\/p>\n

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How have we achieved these numbers? Big investments in know-how, innovative technologies, skills and professionality, this is our brand positioning. At the moment I am in Holland and I am dealing with an entrepreneur who wants to diversify its investments by focusing on selfservice laundry. We are providing them a complete service: shop design, marketing plan, management platform, innovative payment methods through APPs, and much more. It is the logic of the total retail solution, in the sense that we are looking for entrepreneurs, not necessarily laundry experts, but with the willingness to invest in the retail world and especially in the sharing economy. We think that in 10 years there will be few having a washing machine and a tumble dryer at home, owning a car or a house. Laundry sharing is part of this evolution.<\/p>\n

At the moment, only 5% of the population in Europe is oriented towards self-service laundry. 95% of the European population considers this service as a second best solution, a residual choice or for emergency purposes (e.g., when the washing machine is broken). We don\u2019t need hot water anymore, and therefore we have no high energy consuming machines. The ozone used in the self-service machines is new. We use ozone water in the pre-wash, wash and rinsing phases. The combination between the professional washing machine, ozone generator, dosing pumps and specific detergents less aggressive and less polluting are guaranteeing high levels of hygiene with more than 95% reduction of the bacterial load. A new idea about customer experience, where visiting a Speed Queen laundry as a pleasant routine and not only when you find yourself in a difficult situation.”<\/p>\n

We meet Paolo Cattai, the Area manager of Electrolux Professional Italy<\/strong><\/span>, which emphasises that \u201cThe self-service laundry market has been growing in the recent years, developing itself as a service, first in the larger cities but then also in the small and medium-sized towns. A common use service. It suffered a standstill during the pandemic, but it is now back on the track. To what is this growing trend due? “Definitely a service accessible to everyone without any timetable constraints. At the beginning it was used mainly by the young customers, but now it is a service that has been extended also to other age groups.<\/p>\n

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The market is more developed in the northern central cities, while in the south there is a considerable potential for growth. At Electrolux Professional, we manage the self-service market through our partnership with CTF System, which offers two types of self-laundry formats, Ondablu and Lavagettone, with two different types of machines, and with different designs, but both conceived as turnkey solutions. A partnership widespread all over the country. A self-service laundry is not just a group of machines, we are offering a complete system. Equipment, washing machines, tumble dryers, hypoallergenic detergents, and not only. We are also making a change on the essential part of communication.<\/p>\n

Setting up a laundry shop properly, means allowing the customer to run the business in a pleasant, simple and profitable way. We are a green-oriented company and therefore our products are designed to consume as less energy as possible, this is the mission of our company. The added value of our offer? Professionalism, reflected in a geo-marketing and design studio, first of all. For us, quality combined with profitability is the key. Not forgetting to mention the qualified technical support, available nationwide, this is our business card\u201d.<\/p>\n

We are talking about self-service laundries with Carlo Miotto, the CEO & Sales Director of IMESA S.p.A.<\/strong><\/span>, and especially about the solutions that IMESA is providing for its customers. Which are the most demanded washing machine models in the self-service sector? “Our LM high spin washing machines line is a veteran of the self-service sector, particularly the 8, 11, 18 and 23 kg capacities. They are robust and reliable washing machines, designed with an AISI 304 stainless steel structure and cross drum support for long lasting to the high work volumes required in a successful selfservice laundry”.<\/p>\n

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Nowadays, the end-user is demanding always more intelligent and interactive equipment. “Exactly, we perfectly fulfill this requirement through the IM11 computer control, equipped on the machine. IM11 is a cutting-edge touch screen, easy to use and distinguished by its modern and user-friendly graphics. The benefits, however, are not limited to a user-friendly and intuitive UX, but are amplified from the self-service shop manager perspective. All IMESA washing machines are wi-fi-ready and connected to the IMConnect portal that we own, offering various services to the operator: real-time remote control and management of the machines, monitoring the shop’s consumption (water, steam, electricity), controlling detergent consumption, and online firmware updates, keeping the washing machines always updated and high performing.<\/p>\n

All this classifies them as capital goods subjected to the 4.0 Tax Credit\u201d. How can you access the IMConnect portal? “It’s very simple, all you have to do is to ask for the credentials to IMESA and that’s it! The innovation for 2023 is that the statistics available on the portal can also be accessed from our app Laundry for You, and therefore very easily from a smartphone. But Laundry for You is also addressing the end-user, who will be able to book the machines directly from home, comfortably pay online and receive all the news and promotions published by self-service shop manager”. And if we have little space? And if we do not have so much space? “If we have little space, the solution is TANDEM! A high spin washing machine and a tumble dryer stacked one on top of the other: 11 or 18 kg capacity in less than 1 m\u00b2, same technology in less space”.<\/p>\n

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\u201cGirbau is a multinational company offering innovative laundry solutions. It has manufacturing establishments in Spain, France and China, and distribution subsidiaries all over the world\u201d. Massimo Scatto, the General Manager of Girbau Italy<\/strong><\/span>, explains the commitment of Girbau in the self-service laundry sector. “With the launch of the new range of Girbau GENIUS washing machines series, we can offer a first-class self-service laundry format on the technological front. As a matter of fact, we believe that the selfservice laundries of nowadays must have an extra quid when it comes to energy efficiency, user friendliness, reduced operation time, connectivity and remote-control possibility. The GENIUS washing machines, combined with the ECO-DRYER tumble dryers, as well as with the SAPPHIRE control management system, are the perfect package proposed by GIRBAU for the self-service laundry, capable of meeting the highest market demands and requirements. We will mention just one innovative feature as an example: thanks to the SAPPHIRE system, the customer can now pay for the washing or drying cycles directly from their smartphone using the Girbau Laundry Pay app\u201d.<\/p>\n

“In the past few years Grandimpianti<\/strong> <\/span>has become an important reference point for the self-service sector, explains Emanuele Campri, the Sales Manager<\/span> <\/strong>for Italy, offering equipment capable of ensuring excellent performance, user friendliness and reduced environmental impact. In fact, our washing machines and tumble dryers are appreciated especially for their ability to reduce the energy consumption: intelligent design approaches and advanced technological solutions have allowed us to develop machines that consume no more than the energy that is needed.<\/p>\n

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Thanks to the DWS Dynamic Weighing System, our washing machines are dosing the resources according to the drum loading, saving more than 50% water and detergent. For the dryers, on the other hand, the exclusive air preheating path, the two temperature probes and the drying diagram allows the cycle time and energy to be adjusted according to the weight and humidity level of the loaded fabrics, reducing the consumption significantly (1kW\/1kg). By choosing a tumble dryer with a hybrid heating system (e.g., electricity + water heated by solar thermal panels), the energy consumption can be reduced by up to 60%. Another important aspect that is encouraging the customers in their decision of choosing Grandimpianti, is the uniformity of the Wavy control system that is exploiting the simplicity and immediacy of the icons to ensure maximum user-friendliness on both machines: if I select the coloured shirts icon on the washing machine, I will also find the same identical icon on the tumble dryer, without the need of searching the right cycle.<\/p>\n

The Wi-Fi connection and the TheMind Cloud are additional aspects distinguishing us in the self-service landscape: it is possible to monitor and manage one or more laundries at the same time (checkig alarms and consumptions, creating programs, setting discounts, prices, etc.) anytime without having to travel, and to adopt customised sales strategies dedicated to the special customers, offering them personalized cycles, detergents and tailor-made prices through the users\u2019 management. Finally, by subscribing to the MyCleanClean consulting service, it is possible to create a complete self-service laundry with an uniform style in a short time, not only ensuring the efficiency and the reliability of our machines, but also a modern, distinctive and functional layout.” \u2022<\/p>\n

by Marzio Nava
\nDETERGO Magazine # January 2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We inaugurate 2023 by focusing on selfservice laundries. Washing machines, tumble dryers and all services related to the \u201cself-service\u201d market. But there is much more: business profile, marketing, business layout, and quality offer. Is it better to choose a turnkey package, or to equip the laundry relying only on your business intuition? There are some […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":23352,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1351,455,1359],"tags":[2396,2395,1002],"class_list":{"0":"post-23110","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-close-up","8":"category-news-en","9":"category-the-other-cover","10":"tag-energy-efficiency","11":"tag-garments-care","12":"tag-self-service-laundry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23110"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23277,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23110\/revisions\/23277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staging.detergo.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}