NORTH AMERICA
As Clean Show gets set to open its doors in Orlando, Florida (23-26 August at the Orange County Convention Center), LCNi caught up with Joe Ricci, president and CEO of the TRSA, the North America uniform, laundry and facility services sector association, for a state-of-the-nation address on the industry today.
The Clean Show is organised by Messe Frankfurt as part of its Texcare global brand in collaboration with five industry-leading associations – the North America Association for Linen, Uniform and Facility Services Industry (TRSA); the Association for Linen Management (ALM); CLA (Connect.Learn.Advocate), formerly the Coin Laundry Association; Drycleaning & Laundry Institute International (DLI), and; Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA).
Joe Ricci writes: “It’s been three years since the last Clean Show, and a lot has changed in the industry since then. At the time, we were still grappling with a global pandemic that was wreaking havoc on our customers, businesses and global supply chains. We are excited to co-sponsor Clean 2025, especially at a time when the state of the North American uniform, laundry and facility services sector remains strong.
“If you look at the results of the most recent quarterly Uniform & Linen Rental Survey we conducted with Baird, a majority of companies (57%) in the uniform rental space met their revenue targets. The results were even stronger in the linen rental segment of our industry, with nearly 80% of companies at or above expectations. Employment-driven expansion in uniform rental was positive for the first time in almost a year and a half.
“The survey results also show that people are expecting growth to continue. Respondents are expecting future growth to exceed 3% for both uniform and linen rental businesses, which slightly exceeds previous projections.
“These survey findings align with what I’m hearing as I travel the country and connect with members at plant visits and TRSA events. The conversations confirm a strong sense of momentum and continued demand for the essential services our industry delivers.
“Meanwhile, healthcare continues to be a bright spot for our industry. Roughly nine out of 10 (92%) healthcare operators had revenues that either met or exceeded last year’s. Also promising is the fact that 23% of healthcare operators report that their revenues were 5% or more above last year’s.
“I think that’s a testament to the value our industry provides the healthcare system. As the National Academies of Sciences validated last year, hygienically clean re-usable PPE can help healthcare facilities protect patients and frontline workers, lower operating costs, maintain supply chain resiliency and improve environmental sustainability.
“Our industry delivers that value to our customers every day, not only in health care, but in hotels, restaurants, food processing facilities and countless other job sites around the country. More than 360 TRSA member plants have earned the Hygienically Clean certification, including more than 200 locations serving the healthcare industry, and those numbers continue to grow. We are committed to the highest standard for safety and cleanliness because that’s what customers expect.
“As we look to the rest of the year, one of the greatest challenges we face is uncertainty. The threat of tariffs is an area that is making it increasingly difficult for businesses to predict with any certainty what the future may look like.
“Tariffs pose varying risks. Companies have been working to diversify their supply chains in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. While some are completely outsourced, others rely on a mix of domestic and foreign manufacturing. Some companies have plants in Mexico and other parts of South America, while others source materials from Asia.
“It’s hard to say at this stage what the impact of tariffs will be for the simple fact that we don’t have a lot of clarity on how tariffs will be implemented. It’s our job at TRSA to communicate with policymakers the impact this conversation is having on our industry. Clarity and certainty: that’s the message we continue to share.
“We also continue to have good conversations with policymakers about the need to maintain a better balance between reusable and disposable PPE in healthcare, particularly in states like New York and California. The last pandemic caught all of us off guard, and we can’t let that happen again. We hope lawmakers will take action to require more reusable PPE and help ensure we’re better prepared for future public health emergencies.
“We’ve also had impactful state-level engagement in Texas, which recently passed legislation supported by TRSA that will cut in half the franchise tax rate on linen and uniform rental companies. The change makes the tax code more equitable and allows businesses to reinvest in their people, equipment and operations. Member involvement was key to this success. It’s a powerful example of how TRSA advocacy is advancing smart public policy on behalf of our members and their customers.
“We are excited about what the future holds for our industry and to participating in another successful Clean Show this year. And we hope everyone will stop by the TRSA booth to say hello to the team and explore some exciting new initiatives.”
