In its desire to stand with its customers and work with them to find solutions to their most demanding challenges, Girbau has worked with Swiss Laundry, an industrial laundry service in Buenos Aires that belongs to the Swiss Medical Group, on its technology overhaul process. Through this collaboration, Girbau has provided comprehensive project management, resulting in a full overhaul that has helped meet all the goals set by Swiss Laundry. Increased productivity, quicker turnaround, using fewer resources, which has translated into excellent results immediately: production increased from 315 to 450 tonnes a month, up 43%. Water use dropped 76%, the power bill was down 42% and, finally, gas consumption decreased 21%.
Given its size and complexity, Girbau broke the overhaul project into five phases. So, after a first phase studying, designing and providing personalised guidance, the next step was to install and fully equip the laundry with an innovative tunnel-wash system (the Hygien model with 12 modules) and a Drain Intercooler system, a water-to-water heat exchanger that uses the thermal energy from drainage to pre-heat water from outside, saving 30% on power. The project also installed five 50-kg dryers and five conveyor belts to take clean laundry to the ironing and folding areas.
At the same time, the steam rotary iron was replaced with a flatwork ironing system with a DRF feeder with three workstations, plus a PC 12033 gas flatwork ironer with two rollers and an FRB folder that doubled production and cut consumption. Finally, the finishing area was expanded with a second folding line, doubling capacity to process uniforms. Plus, a second FT-MAXI in the terrycloth-folding area, which also doubled capacity.
In the words of Sebastián Cimino, general manager of Swiss Laundry: “Without Girbau, this project would never have been possible. Thanks to the high quality and efficiency of the machines, we have significantly boosted production while cutting logistics and power costs drastically. Plus, we tackled one of the most important and challenging issues we faced: to overhaul the facility without stopping our service. In short, this project has given us a competitive advantage in the industrial laundry market.”