Chain reaction

A pandemic. A war that has thrown so much up into the air when it comes to predictions about all of life. Rocketing shipping container fees. Delays at ports. Vessels at ports that are so full they can’t dock. Air space closures causing longer and costlier cargo routes from Asia to Europe. Labour supply issues. Eyewatering energy costs and out of control gas and oil prices. The impact of global warming on crop production, whether that’s cotton or grains needed for food production. Lack of stock supplies from last year. Return of lockdowns in China, with factories and port warehouses shut. Need we go on.

These are just some of the things affecting costs and supply in our industry right now, whether it’s machine parts or immaculate bedding and fluffy towels passing through our laundries. And there’s a knock-on effect from all of these in our daily business, and personal, lives too.

In our next issue we will share the thoughts of suppliers on the front line of linen supply and management in our industry. We’re going to look at the chain reaction of these issues and what we can do, where, and how to reduce the impact – to remain competitive and reassure our customers that things are under control. Hopefully the picture will clear in the weeks to come.

Right now, industry experts are having to consider every aspect of the supply chain. How can we place more importance on where we source materials from? What can we produce or manage here in the UK? How can we reuse our stock? Or make it last longer?

We’re encouraged to take a long hard look at our processes, scrutinise and tighten up our stock management systems and principles and make the best use of the tools and technology available to run our operations efficiently. The aim is to keep linen flowing as smoothly as possible through our operations, avoiding the laundry equivalent of the unnecessary petrol pump queues.

In the meantime, let’s end on a happier note. To get ahead, rather than wait for this in our May issue, you’ll find that many of the experts we talk to in the feature will be at CleanEx and Hospitality Expo later this month. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to speak to them first hand. Book your place now. CleanEx and Hospitality Expo take place at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire on 24 and 25 April.

Chain reaction

A pandemic. A war that has thrown so much up into the air when it comes to predictions about all of life. Rocketing shipping container fees. Delays at ports. Vessels at ports that are so full they can’t dock. Air space closures causing longer and costlier cargo routes from Asia to Europe. Labour supply issues. Eyewatering energy costs and out of control gas and oil prices. The impact of global warming on crop production, whether that’s cotton or grains needed for food production. Lack of stock supplies from last year. Return of lockdowns in China, with factories and port warehouses shut. Need we go on.

These are just some of the things affecting costs and supply in our industry right now, whether it’s machine parts or immaculate bedding and fluffy towels passing through our laundries. And there’s a knock-on effect from all of these in our daily business, and personal, lives too.

In our next issue we will share the thoughts of suppliers on the front line of linen supply and management in our industry. We’re going to look at the chain reaction of these issues and what we can do, where, and how to reduce the impact – to remain competitive and reassure our customers that things are under control. Hopefully the picture will clear in the weeks to come.

Right now, industry experts are having to consider every aspect of the supply chain. How can we place more importance on where we source materials from? What can we produce or manage here in the UK? How can we reuse our stock? Or make it last longer?

We’re encouraged to take a long hard look at our processes, scrutinise and tighten up our stock management systems and principles and make the best use of the tools and technology available to run our operations efficiently. The aim is to keep linen flowing as smoothly as possible through our operations, avoiding the laundry equivalent of the unnecessary petrol pump queues.

In the meantime, let’s end on a happier note. To get ahead, rather than wait for this in our May issue, you’ll find that many of the experts we talk to in the feature will be at CleanEx and Hospitality Expo later this month. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to speak to them first hand. Book your place now. CleanEx and Hospitality Expo take place at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire on 24 and 25 April.