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The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa Turns In-House Laundry
into a Successful Commercial Laundry Business

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (February 16, 2004) � The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa is known for its rich history, world-class Spa and Southern hospitality. But few people know the resort also boasts a very successful laundry business.

�In 2003, we processed more than six million pounds of laundry,� said GPI Hospitality Laundry General Manager Bill Cummings. �That translates to more than 200,000 loads in your home washer.�

The Hospitality Laundry at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa opened in 2000 and they have been growing the business extensively since then. The resort has secured 16 major contracts from outside companies. These companies include a major area attraction, two hair salons and 13 country clubs or restaurants.

The nearly 10,000 square foot laundry is a full-service commercial facility specializing in cleaning hospitality quality linens, sheets and uniforms. The increased demand has created a need for more space, so expansion of the plant is ongoing with a total size of 17,000 square feet expected by the end of March 2004.

The 6,001,168 pounds of laundry in 2003 is almost twice as much as the 3.7 million pounds processed in 2001. The laundry washed 4.9 million pounds of linens and clothes in 2002.

�We actually operated with 17-percent less cash in 2003 than over the previous year,� said Cummings. �We have increased efficiency and productivity as we have consolidated our workforce.� Fifty-eight full-time employees currently work at the Hospitality Laundry at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa.

The semi-automated plant is also very environmentally friendly. The facility recycles 20-percent of the water flowing through its system. It also recaptures 50-60 percent of the heat, steam and thermal energy, creating less demand for natural gas.

The result for the resort is finding an ever-increasing revenue stream. In 2001, the facility produced $86,135; and in 2003, the Hospitality Laundry claimed $565,598 in revenue � an increase of 556%. 

The closest laundry facility as large as the one at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa is located about 150 miles away in Charlotte, NC, so the resort sees the outside contracts as an excellent opportunity to grow the business.

�We can provide fresh, clean linens for less cost for what businesses can do in-house,� said Cummings. �Those businesses avoid the hard costs of operating their own laundry and get the product and results they want for their guests.�


 
Contact:
 Phil Werz
Public Relations Manager
  (828) 252-2711 Ext. 5007
  [email protected]

  Bill Cummings
Hospitality Laundry General Manager
  (828) 252-2711 ext. 8093

Also See: Manage Your Laundry Carefully / Kirby D. Payne, CHA
New Trend? The 175-room Hotel Pere Marquette Outsources Cleaning of Guest Rooms / January 2004
The Simple Truth of Complexing; Sharing Personnel, Operations Helps Contain Costs, Increase Flexibility for Participating Hotels / Judy Colbert / Oct 2000


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