Bryant Plastics

As it happens Robinson is a big fan of the NHS. By 2013 his business had grown to the stage where he was “getting up at daft o’clock” each day to travel the length and breadth of the country. He collapsed, told those with him he was fine, but then had five cardiac arrests in 90 minutes, including in the ambulance that rushed him to hospital.

“Since then I’ve cut back on the mileage,” he says. But it was also a lesson in how accumulated physical stress can take effect, on both the equipment we operate as well as ourselves. He’s also just as happy working on small projects for drycleaners: “I love calls where the cleaner asks ‘Do you make these?’ because it’s a chance to engineer solutions on a daily basis.”

While working with metals provides opportunities to design bespoke equipment, Robinson is also a big fan of plastic, both for its lengthy ‘life cycle’ and that virgin plastic can then be recycled for further use.

Naturally, this view is shared by the team at Bryant Plastics in Keighley, West Yorkshire, a long-established family business currently led by managing director Yvonne Bryant, daughter of its founder.

Jackie Smith, their quality and improvement manager, says Bryant’s long-lasting cages are produced from virgin plastic which could still be working hard for us perhaps 60 to 80 years from now: “Our cages have changed so much from the original ones because we worked with our customers, and now have better, stronger products that can service the industry and last a long time. “We try to work with our customers to get the right product for them. It’s not uncommon that someone calls looking for a particular product, and they then buy a different one, because we want to get the right product for them. It’s not just about selling, it’s about having that relationship.

Bespoke and customised options include colour-coding, a variety of caster sizes and types and those best suited to for use with detergents and chemicals. As they manufacture all their trolleys JFC are able to swiftly supply exactly the right part if spares are required. Fitzpatrick also points out that the trolleys are made with a ‘bull-nosed’ top (think of it like the bevelled, rounded top of a stair banister). “This makes the trolley much stronger if there is an impact with machinery when moving around the site. It’s far less likely to crack or fracture.”

The company operates an ingenious scheme for when even the toughest of their trolleys come to the end of their useful life in laundries. As they are made of industrial grade polyethylene they can be collected from customers and are then fully recycled for use in the construction division of the JFC group. Their manufacturing site at Stratford-upon-Avon turns them into the large pipes which collect surface water draining from roads. It’s a fine example of the recycling initiatives our industry is developing to support environmental concerns.

The long-lasting and very special relationships in this sector of our industry are undoubtedly demonstrated by DRM Industrial Fabrics of Bury as they gear up to celebrate 50 years of business in 2020, continuing to ensure that they meet our customers individual requirements when it comes to working with laundry trolleys used within many areas of our industry. Claire Morris of DRM tells us: “Covers and liners for roll cages can be designed to the customer’s requirements. These can be made in PVC, polyester or nylon, depending on where the trolley is being used. In addition to these traditional covers, we can also supply fire retardant covers. After the Grenfell Tower tragedy, people have become more aware of cage covers as a fire suppressor, and this is especially true for the NHS.

There is a similar demand when it comes to safeguarding instruments – and we recently made some for a foundry.” Over the years, Claire Morris and Jean Meadowcroft have assisted customers in designing the right cover/liner to meet their needs – ensuring the linen is delivered safely and kept clean – rather than struggling with ‘off the shelf’ products.

DRM are happy to supply standard hampers and spring-loaded bag frames, and when a customer has that extra requirement (e.g. needs them in bright orange) they are happy to go the extra mile. The hamper trolley was designed for the packing and distribution of flatwork, sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers and whenever flatwork has to be folded and needs to be kept flat and remain crease free. The four non marking castors allows ease of movement around the packing room. The hamper stand can also be useful in the customers’ linen room where used and soiled linen can be placed back into the fabric hamper and then returned to the laundry in the same bag. DRM’s spring-loaded bag stands can hold multiple designs of bags without a need for extra eyelets or fittings.

These can range from the polyester sack, net bags and plastic bags. The specially designed spring mechanism self supports the bags on the frame, with the stand allowing the bag to be kept open for ease of filling. Morris adds: “These frames can also hold open a bag for an operator to pack up clean linen that does not need to be kept crease free, including non-iron items such as socks, t-shirts and underwear.” The spring-loaded frames can also be manufactured to customers’ own designs, including the double frame model. Again, the castors the frame to easily move around the laundry and this design can also be stacked for storage when not in use.

The DRM self-levelling trolley was originally developed around 20 years ago to assist with repetitive lifting and bending operators experienced while using the plastic trucks with a solid fixed base. The mechanism within the self-levelling trolley moves the base down when the trolley is full, and then slowly lifts as it is emptied. This ensures the operative works at a uniform height.

This self-levelling trolley is individually designed to suit the end user’s specific requirements and can have diamond pattern or square wheels; the diamond pattern is ideal when the trolley is being used in tight spaces. A raised base is recommended if it will be used on uneven surfaces or up hills. Morris says: “We would suggest heavy duty springs if the trolley is to be used for handling wet/damp linen. The trolleys can also be finished in a selection of colours, allowing each trolley to be used in a specific area where needed.”