You may have noticed ALM staff were unavailable towards the end of January. That's because we all came together for a Florida staff retreat to discuss better ways to serve YOU!

Our association is 100% about the people we serve and, ultimately, those you serve with safe, clean textiles. Whether it's hotel guests, hospital patients, or residents in long-term care facilities, maintaining quality linen is a key ingredient to comfort.

We will be reaching out to all our members in the coming weeks and months to speak one-on-one and learn what you need to be successful in your endeavors. And we are always here to listen to any suggestions or comments you have about the industry, our products and programs, or to help you find solutions to any puzzles you face!

Learn from anywhere and stay ahead of the curve with industry-specific webinars. From creative strategies that reinforce a safe workplace, to updates on the shipping and supply chain crisis, ALM’s webinar series addresses some of the industry’s hottest topics. Also, ALM webinars are an easy and affordable way to earn contact hours and maintain your certifications!

Join us for our first webinar of 2022 on Thursday, Feb. 17, Shortcuts and Safety Don’t Mix with Don Bock of Seabright Safety Solutions.

Textile care professionals at all levels are having to take on more, move faster, and be creative to fill job openings across the board to keep the linen flowing during the current labor shortage. If not carefully managed, this crunch can lead to an increase in avoidable injuries that occur when shortcuts are taken, and an onslaught of new and temporary employees are cycled through the system.

Register now!

Join us for in-person training in 2022 at the Laundry & Linen College! The first session will be March 21-25, 2022, for Laundry Processing and Operations, with the second session May 16-20, 2022, for Textile Care Services. Those who attend both sessions of the Laundry & Linen College are well prepared to acquire the most prestigious certification available for our industry, the Registered Laundry & Linen Director (RLLD)!

Housing is open for those planning to attend The Clean Show 2022 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Connections Housing is the official housing company for The Clean Show 2022. We are excited to provide you with discounted rates for your hotel accommodations while attending and look forward to seeing you in Atlanta.

The ALM host hotel is the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. To ensure you are in our housing block and close to all ALM events, please use the ALM Room Reservation Link.

Rooms go fast! Book today!

Registration is now open for the 2022 TCATA Conference, April 3–6 at the Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, SC. Join us as we Move Forward Together!

For those who have not previously heard, we are sad to announce that one of our beloved Board members, Mark Mann, passed away on Jan. 14. ALM Board President Richard Bott shared condolences from the Board. “Mark was not only a knowledgeable and devoted Director on the ALM Board, but a valued colleague and friend. His insight, leadership, and friendship will be greatly missed by us all. Our prayers and support are with his lovely wife Caroline and the family he loved dearly.”

Mark’s involvement with ALM spans years of education, program development, and speaking engagements as a long-time supporter of ALM and our mission. 

Our thoughts remain with Mark's family and friends.

As part of an important step in the company’s next phase to expand its North American operations, Christeyns USA has completed an agreement to invest in Las Vegas based Applied Chemical Innovations. Founded by Chet Van Orden, ACI specializes in supplying premium quality specialty cleaning chemicals and services to commercial, industrial and institutional end-users across the western U.S. region.

“This strategic investment in ACI is an integral part of bringing Christeyns’ unique wash chemistries and innovations to the entire U.S. market,” said Rudi Moors, President of Christeyns USA.

Explaining the agreement, Moors continued, “It provides ACI access to new technology and sustainable chemistry concepts. This will help customers lower their utilities cost, extend linen life, and make operational improvements in their plants. All told, it positively impacts their bottom line by decreasing total operating costs.”

Formed as an environmentally-responsible healthcare laundry provider, each equipment purchase decision Emerald Textiles makes is based on the strict California regulations and what’s best for their customers. For the second time in 3 years, they turned to their fellow ALM member, Lavatec, to grow capacity.

Khawar Qureshi, Laundry Manager for Thunder Valley Casino Resort, was recently presented the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award in the category of Industry Leader as part of the West Federation Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE) Conference. 

He will be formally presented with this award during the upcoming virtual conference hosted by California State University, Sacramento, held on Feb. 10-12, 2022.

“Khawar is a phenomenal leader and an integral part of our team at Thunder Valley Casino Resort,” said Dawn Clayton, General Manager of Thunder Valley Casino Resort. “This award is a true testament to our dedication to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment. Khawar goes above and beyond every single day to empower and support team members from all backgrounds and encourage constructive employee engagement.”

“I am honored to be recognized by the Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education for this award,” said Qureshi. “Thunder Valley celebrates a diverse workforce and believes that individuals with all abilities and backgrounds are valuable contributors to an inclusive and productive workplace. I am proud to be part of this outstanding team.”

Emerald Textiles recently announced Christopher Lake joined the executive management team and was appointed Chief Financial Officer.

“We are excited to add Christopher to the Emerald team," said Andy Kratky, Chief Executive Officer of Emerald Textiles. "Christopher compliments our strong, performance-oriented culture and has extensive expertise in finance, operations, and strategy, making him the ideal choice to drive Emerald’s continued growth and profitability."

Healthcare Linen Services Group (HLSG) recently announced the acquisition of a commercial laundry facility in Portage, Indiana, and a laundry depot facility in East Peoria, Illinois. The facilities will be rebranded as Superior Health Linens Portage and Superior Health Linens – East Peoria IL, respectively.