Advantages and Disadvantages of Linen Hire in the Industries?

Linen hire concept:

Managing a laundry task by hospitality industry is not easy to operate. Industries like hotels, cruises, and hospitals always face huge difficulties to manage the linens as the delays may hamper the productivity and performance of the company. 

It is not advisable to invest the huge amount on the infrastructure required to set up a laundry, as laundry is considered the least important and non-profitable aspect of the industry. As time is a gold, it is the essence of all the business. many employees follow strict deadlines for their work. Laundry is given least importance in the daily routine though it is essential. 

There are professionals giving guarantees on timely and efficient delivery of the linen, reducing the stress of the industry. Hence, most businesses go for linen hire.  

Linen hire Contractors:

Linen hire contractors are available in most of the small and big towns of the cities. Event organizers generally in many towns provide this service. Table linen for garden restaurants, bath linens and bed linens are hired by small as well as large commercial businesses like hotels, spot clubs, restaurants etc.

Linen hire companies provide clean laundered linen on a contract basis. Thus it is a contract with the company which launders the linen on hire.  

How does this linen hire process work?

Commercial linen hiring company also known as hiring contractors, procure the linen required by different sectors, keep it in stock and deliver it to fulfill the order as per the requirement. The excess stock for emergency requirements means that the contractor makes the necessary investments in the procurement of the linen and keeps it in stock, the excess stock for emergency requirements.

It then becomes the duty of the contractor to supply the cleanly washed linen as per the order. The linen remains the property of the supply contractor at all times.

Some of the contractors also provide uniforms for stewards, kitchen linen, bar and chamber staff uniforms and the chefs in the hotel industry.

Laundry hire has proved to be most cost effective for small and for most medium-sized businesses. It is the sole decision of the hotels to make a contract and order the part linen of the entire set of table, bath and bed linen or also order for staff uniforms.  

Advantages of Linen Hire System:

      1.   There is no need for heavy investments in the equipment.

      2.   No need to invest in the purchase of the line required.

      3.   No more compulsion for laundering of the linen.

      4.   Less staff required means less salaries to pay.

      5.   Less space is required for the laundry and storage of linen.

      6.   Regular purchase of linen is eliminated.

      7.   Keeping records of damaged linen is eliminated.

      8.   Eliminates utility charges like gas, electricity, steam etc.

      9.   Repairing the damaged linen process is eliminated.   

     10. No need to keep track of cleaning products.

     11. Go green without spending a penny on it.

     12. There is no cost to training and maintaining the equipment.

     13. Management and staff can concentrate on the core 

            business activity.  

Dis-advantages of Linen Hire System:

     1.   Individual supervision on linen is not possible.

     2.   Limitation of the choices—Specifications, Sizes and the standards may

          differ as per required in the industry. 

     3.   Once the contract is formed, cut down on the quantity required or make 

           over is not possible.

    4.   Damage caused to the linen may usually be paid or charged on the 

           higher  side.     

     5.  Total dependency for linen on the hiring company.

     6.   Quality control cannot be achieved as desired.

     7.  Supply of linen can be affected due to bad weather or labor strike or

           breakdown occurring at the hiring company.

      8. At a time of low occupancy, the cost of the unused linen is the 

          additional costs to the industry.