Does Cotton Send Your Linen Price Skyhigh?

July 12th, 2011

The little things add up.  When commodity prices go up, it eventually affects our basic price (cost) level, and forces us to accommodate.  Recently, people have been conserving gasoline and watching coffee prices soar.

If you run a laundry, the cotton price is another one to watch.  The higher the cotton price, the more you want to preserve your linen supply to avoid having to buy new. Ozone laundry by DEL is one of your best options in this scenario because it is easy on linen even while it provides the cleaning power (and disinfection power) you need.

First the Good News

Cotton prices have dropped sharply since their March 2011 high point.  We are now slightly below December 2010 at (today) 124.34 cents/pound spot price in the US.  Stock up!

The Longer Trend is Not So Nice

Chart maps the trend of cotton commodity price over 5 years, from Index Mundi

Five-Year Cotton Commodity Price Trend

We copied the 5-year version of the Index Mundi cotton price trend for your information.  Cotton prices today are well over twice the level of just 5 years ago. This pattern holds across a wide range of commodities (as noted above) and it is likely to be a lasting trend. The issue is deeper than the unrest we’ve seen in Egypt or other cotton producing areas that probably produced a spike in prices.  It is fundamentally part of the rapid growth in demand from China and other fast expanding economies where billions of consumers live.

Conservation Goes to Your Bottom Line

Whether it’s energy or linen costs, ozone laundry helps you manage costs. An on premise laundry is like any other business process in that your ability to manage variable costs is a crucial part of success.

Ask DEL Ozone about how the guaranteed DEL Clean Ozone Laundry Program can help you manage a whole array of costs.  There is no reason not to try a DEL system, the best in the industry.

Posted by DELOzone on July 12, 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks

Revisiting Ozone MRSA Prevention

July 5th, 2011

Given the proven effectiveness of ozone laundry in killing MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in infected clothing and linens, it is amazing that ozone is not required in healthcare facilities’ on premise laundries. We have talked about this before in this space.  In this post, we put the ozone laundry system in the context of a broader preventive campaign against MRSA.

Reducing the Incidence of MRSA

Although research reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a reduction in the incidence of MRSA cases, the overwhelming majority (82%) of the ones they did find were in healthcare settings.  To the extent there were declines, they may have been due to increasing attention to preventive practices or guidelines adopted in healthcare settings.

The typical MRSA case starts as a simple-appearing skin infection.  These “colonies” may or may not lead to a full blown systemic infection, but when they do, they are almost impossible to treat.  The problem is that MRSA is easily spread through person-to-person contact.  An uninfected person who touches the skin, clothing, bedding, surfaces, dishes or other personal objects of the infected person can acquire the pathogen.

Therefore, it’s predictable that prevention guidelines would center around blocking these transmission paths.  The Mayo Clinic suggests some common-sense sounding steps:

  • Wash your hands well and frequently, and keep your hands away from surfaces that might have contacted MRSA (e.g., use a disposable towel to turn off the faucet after you wash your hands).
  • Keep wounds covered.
  • Keep personal items, including “towels, sheets, razors, clothing, and athletic equipment”, personal.  “MRSA spreads on contaminated objects as well as through direct contact.”
  • Shower after athletic games or practices.
  • Sanitize linens.  “…wash in the hottest water setting (with added bleach, if possible) and dry them in a hot dryer.

“Sanitize Linens”  That’s What Ozone Does

Obviously, the Mayo Clinic doesn’t have to pay the energy bills for all that heat! The value of ozone laundry is that it works in cold water. At a time when healthcare costs have become almost unbearable, reducing costs is in the crosshairs of every healthcare administrator.  Ozone offers a win-win:  reduce costs and kill MRSA at the same time.

Ozone Impact on MRSA

There are many reports of research showing that ozone laundry systems can produce up to a 6 log reduction in MRSA (99.9999%).  Installing low temperature ozone laundry adds an important layer of protection for healthcare facility residents, patients and staff, at the same time it saves money.

More broadly, numerous studies have shown that ozone is a generally effective treatment for MRSA on surfaces of all kinds.  Hard surface sanitation (ozone sprays in health clubs or locker rooms), room treatments (gaseous ozone), and personal object sanitation (ozone laundry, soaking or spraying, or gaseous treatment) can erect barriers to the transmission of MRSA.  Healthcare facilities have even used ozone successfully to treat the homes of workers colonized by MRSA.

Ozone Cleans the Environment to Remove MRSA

Ozone can be used in many forms to help remove MRSA from the environment. The CDC reported about 19,000 deaths attributable to this scourge in 2004.  Many of these deaths could have been avoided.

Posted by DELOzone on July 5, 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks

Going Green Saves Money

June 29th, 2011

We have long argued that saving money is a primary reason for installing an ozone laundry system in your hotel (or health club, or nursing home, or correctional facility, or… ).

Recently, we ran across yet more evidence about how going green in the hotel business makes economic sense, not just for ozone laundry, but for a variety of actions hoteliers can take. According to this post by Glenn Hasek, simply by recycling, using fluorescents, and having a “green” towel and linen program, a hotel can save $7,000 per year.

Now add in the very real savings of an ozone laundry program, and the dollars really start to add up.

The message in these green initiatives is not about saving the environment, though that may be part of it.  The real point is that there is a lot of low-hanging fruit to be plucked by seriously seeking ways to conserve energy and materials. Doing more with less is a core part of productivity, and every business person we know is continuously searching for ways to improve productivity.

Adopting green practices can be simple economic common sense.

Posted by DELOzone on June 29, 2011 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks

How Venturi Injection Beats Diffusion for Mass Transfer

June 23rd, 2011

Ozone laundry saves money and time. By now, we think that basic point is pretty well established. As a next step we want to go a little deeper into one of the main system design differences that affect how well an ozone laundry works.

What is mass transfer, and why should you care?

“Mass transfer” in an ozone laundry system is the proportion of the ozone generated by the system that gets dissolved in the wash water. The money and energy you spend creating ozone is only effective if the ozone is dissolved in the water so it can tackle the soils and contaminants in the wash. So, it is easy to see that the higher the proportion of the ozone you pay for that goes to work, the more efficient (and effective) your system is.

Venturi Injection is the Superior Mass Transfer Method

We wrote in an earlier post about the venturi injection vs. diffusion methods of dissolving ozone. We did not mention at that time that the prime practical difference between the two methods is that the venturi injection has dramatically better performance in mass transfer of ozone into wash water.

What this means is that the venturi injection method is much more efficient. Consider that the mass transfer rate of the venturi is about 90%, compared with a rate of 10% – 15% for diffusion, and it is easy to see that the venturi method utilizes the ozone much better. In almost all cases, venturi injection is preferable to diffusion for on premise laundries.

Potential Problems with Diffusion

Beyond simply being less effective for a given cost of ozone generation, diffusion systems are more likely to experience other performance brown outs. The most important one is the safety of the system. Given the way the diffusion systems “push” ozone into the wash water under pressure, if there is a break anywhere in the feed line there is a distinct possibility of having excess ozone released into the air. That can create an OSHA health hazard violation and is why DEL always installs an ambient air monitor with a diffusion system.

By contrast, the venturi injection system uses vacuum to draw the ozone into the water. When the vacuum fails for any reason, the system automatically shuts down, protecting the workers and the environment.

The Science Behind the Performance

If you know DEL, you will not be surprised to hear that there is strong science behind the superior venturi injection performance. No worries, we are not going to force the science on you here, but check out this whitepaper on venturi vs diffusion methods to get deeper into the whys and hows.

Posted by DELOzone on June 23, 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks

Help Yourself to Some Money

March 14th, 2011

We read Eric Frederick’s article in the American Laundry News online with great interest.  He recounted the litany of woes that has beset the healthcare industry over the past few years of the Great Recession.  Joblessness is weakening demand, including patient volumes, fewer employers are offering healthcare coverage, and people who do have jobs are watching the spending very carefully.

Maybe most ominously for healthcare, the big government programs of Medicare and Medicaid are no longer immune from the coming spending cuts. Washington is awash in talk of cutting the deficit and sooner or later the pols will have to quit nibbling around the edges and go where the money is, and that’s healthcare.

Add Value to Your Customers

Speaking to traditional laundry businesses (manufacturers, chemicals, linens), Frederick urges them to add value to their healthcare clients by helping them to manage costs better.  He offers suggestions like analyzing linen use and finding ways to reduce it.

These are all great ideas, but we have one in the same vein that goes even further.   Add a high-quality ozone disinfection system to your laundry get a triple win:  lower energy costs, better linen outcomes for longer linen life, and lower water / sewer usage.

Ozone Laundry Cuts Costs, and DEL Guarantees It

We know many laundries experimented with ozone before and found it wanting.

That’s why the DEL Clean Ozone Laundry Program was created. DEL is so confident in the quality and effectiveness of its ozone laundry systems that it includes a 30-day Performance Guarantee in the DEL Clean Program. In laundry after laundry in real world healthcare settings, DEL ozone laundry systems are saving money and producing top quality linen outcomes at the same time.

Contact DEL today to get started.  Help yourself to some money, risk free.

Posted by DELOzone on March 14, 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks

Ozone Laundry: Venturi Injection or Diffusion?

January 1st, 2011

The huge benefit of ozone for laundry applications is that you can use cold water and still sanitize the laundry. Clean linen, lower cost.

But one size does not fit all, and as with every DEL Ozone system, the ozone laundry applications are designed to fit your specific laundry operation. One of the first choices you face is whether to install a venturi injection ozone system or a diffusion system.

Venturi Injection Ozone Laundry is Your First Option

For most on-premise laundries, DEL recommends the venturi injection method for ozone delivery. The injector is installed on the cold water feed line. Whenever the washer draws cold water through the venturi, ozone is injected a the set rate for a given linen and soil condition, with chemicals and hot water added as required by the program.

Venturi injection ozone delivery has several advantages:

  • Less offgassing
  • More efficient ozone delivery
  • Less invasive to the washer

Diffusion is the Option for Some Laundries

Diffusion is an effective way to take advantage of ozone sanitation under some conditions. In these cases, the ozone is delivered via a diffuser placed in the washer sump,  and ozone is delivered when triggered by a pressure switch in the machine.

Diffusion is your better option in some cases:

  • Water pressure is too low to make the venturi injection method effective
  • Rapid fill is critical to the operation

Ozone Laundry Saves Money with Either Option

The benefits of ozone laundry add up for both venturi injection and diffusion methods. With the DEL Clean Ozone Laundry Program, there is no risk to the OPL operator for trying ozone. Contact DEL for more information.

Posted by DELOzone on January 1, 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks

Hotel Energy Conservation: How Ozone Laundry Can Help

December 7th, 2010

Hotels have a tall order to fill when it comes to keeping guests happy. The standard list of amenities and comforts expected of a hotel has grown, leaving hotel operators with a dual challenge of boosting profits while meeting guest demands. Often these demands come with a high price tag on energy. Sharp-looking linens, ultra-clean rooms, comfortable room temperatures, adequate lighting, and much more all require energy to produce.

In light of it all, hotel energy conservation remains a critical issue for hotel operators. Even as energy demands increase, hotel operators must find ways to become more efficient and boost their conservation results. Luckily, it is all possible. Look at it this way: The more energy uses you have, the more opportunities you have to conserve and save. From lighting to heating to laundry – the opportunities to save money, energy, and the environment are numerous.

California’s “Flex Your Power” statewide energy conservation program outlines the following basic steps involved in a hotel energy conservation program:

  • First, conduct an energy audit to determine where and how your facility uses energy.
  • Next, create an energy savings plan and enact changes to reduce use.
  • Finally, monitor and measure energy use to determine success.

Ozone Laundry and Hotel Energy Conservation

Ozone laundry systems deliver fast savings and rapid ROI by boosting energy conservation and reducing energy expenses. Here’s how: In traditional laundry operations, hot water is the catalyst for maximum cleaning power. The more hot water you use, the higher your energy costs. With ozone, the catalyst for clean is ozone combined with cold water.

Ozone is one of the most powerful natural oxidizing agents in existence. In ozone laundry, the process of ozone oxidation destroys or neutralizes contaminants in linens on contact, leaving behind no byproducts except oxygen. Plus, with ozone your laundry requires less drying time, which further increases energy conservation, and fabric softener can be eliminated completely (more savings). What’s more, with ozone your linens will last longer and feel better – something your demanding guests will certainly appreciate.

Explore DEL’s Ozone Laundry Program

Here at DEL Ozone we offer a fully engineered, tested, performance-guaranteed ozone laundry program that on-premise laundry (OPL) operators can depend on. Let us show you how much money and energy you can save. Request a Quote >

Posted by DELOzone on December 7, 2010 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks

Ozone Disinfection Power

September 5th, 2010

A huge benefit of ozone sanitation is its ability to kill truly dangerous micro-organisms.  These sometimes deadly bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by sharing water, utensils, and even bedding, or can be passed along on the clothes of a caregiver. Generally, ordinary sanitation practices like laundering with chlorine bleach cannot assure that threats like these are killed.

Even MRSA is Eliminated

The frightening “superbug” MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can be killed by ozone. This makes ozone laundry a perfect complement to the sanitation practices of hospitals and nursing homes where patients or residents with compromised immune systems can be overwhelmed by this aggressive organism. Ozone laundry in these facilities is part of the prudent preventative regime that is vitally important with something like MRSA that is so difficult to treat.

To be sure, the prevention regime also has to include other practices, such as cleaning surfaces with alcohol, which has been shown to be effective in stopping MRSA.

Other Organisms Killed by Ozone

There are many studies that document the ability of ozone to destroy micro-organisms, such as Norfolk virus, poliovirus 1, and bacteriophage MS2.  The important point is that the effect of ozone is very broad.  Here’s a partial list of the kinds of organisms destroyed by ozone:

  • Bacillus anthracis
  • Cryptosporidium (a threat in commercial pools and aquatics especially)
  • Escherichia coli (e. coli)
  • Listeria
  • Salmonella enteritidis
  • Streptococcus (various)

Ozone as Part of a Sanitation System

We need to emphasize that ozone cannot act alone as part of a prevention system in healthcare or hotel or group home environments. Operators need a comprehensive assessment of threats and a variety of preventative procedures in place. But among all options, ozone is one of, if not THE most potent micro-organism disinfectant when used properly in a targeted environment.

Where linens are exposed to bacterial or virus sources of infection, ozone laundry is a powerful solution — and it even saves money.

Posted by DELOzone on September 5, 2010 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks

Ozone Laundry is a Hedge Against Energy Cost Increases

August 24th, 2010

Businesses, including on-premise laundries, continuously struggle to control costs. However, some costs, including natural gas and other energy sources, are determined by commodity markets that no single business can control.  Managing costs like these is best done by limiting your exposure to them.

One of the great benefits of ozone laundry is that it helps OPL operators reduce their exposure to energy cost increases. The DEL Clean Ozone Laundry Program offers this kind of control to laundry operators, backed up by a Performance Guarantee.  Every DEL Clean installation is expertly designed and installed to demanding specs to know in advance what kind of energy performance to expect.

In other words, OPL operators gain control over an inherently uncontrollable situation.

Natural Gas Cost Increases Will Continue

Almost everyone familiar with energy prices expects natural gas costs to rise over time. Since 2000, prices have increased overall, even though there has been a lot of volatility in the market (ups and downs). This general direction toward more costly energy over time is consistent with data going all the way back to 1922, and it is unlikely to change.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook projects continuing cost increases.  From a spike in prices in 2008, the Henry Hub Spot Price for natural gas dropped sharply in 2009, but began to climb again in 2010, to $4.50 per million Btu.  By 2015, the EIA expects a spot price of $6.27 per million Btu, an increase of 39%.  These cost increases will eventually be passed along to consumers, including on-premise laundries.

Take Control of Energy Costs

Read more about the trends in energy prices in the full article about ozone laundry as a hedge against energy price increases. You can see the future.  And you can do something about it with the DEL Clean Ozone Laundry Program.) projects continuing cost increases.  From a spike in prices in 2008, the Henry Hub Spot Price for natural gas dropped sharply in 2009, but began to climb again in 2010, to $4.50 per million Btu.  By 2015, the EIA expects a spot price of $6.27 per million Btu, an increase of 39%.  These cost increases will eventually be passed along to consumers, including on-premise laundries.

Take Control of Energy Costs

Read more about the trends in energy prices in the full article about ozone laundry as a hedge against energy price increases. You can see the future.  And you can do something about it with the DEL Clean Ozone Laundry Program.

Posted by DELOzone on August 24, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks
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