INTERNATIONAL
Due to the impact of Covid-19 on its customers, the Jensen Group announced in a report published on August 11th that it would generate sales of € 130.1 million in the first half of 2020, a decrease of 26.8% the previous year corresponds to the period in 2019.
The company also announced that it will introduce a new concept for feeding garments into the handling and sorting area, which will be of particular interest to laundries that process patient and other healthcare garments.
Right picture: Installation of a highly automated finishing and handling area for clothes in Bardusch's laundry in Basel, Switzerland
Lockdown effect
Jensen explained that the blocking phases due to Covid-19 are set differently around the world. From a business perspective, however, the lockdown and closure of many companies would have had the same huge impact on the laundry industry.
Markets
Governments are working hard to strike the right balance between supporting the tourism industry and trying to avoid a second wave. The outcome of this summer season will be an important indicator of laundry in the hospitality industry. Most laundries around the world are still dealing with the aftermath of Covid-19, but we are seeing increasing market activity.
Fortunately, Jensen said, the public health sector continues to invest, even though many hospitals canceled elective surgery when the lockdown began. The volume of laundry in healthcare laundries in many countries is close to the level before Covid-19 was born. The laundries processing garments for the healthcare and F&B segments also remained busy.
Innovations`
Jensen is now launching a new concept for feeding clothes into the handling and sorting area, which is of particular interest to laundries that process patient clothes and other articles of clothing for the healthcare sector. With the new MetriQ feeding station, operators can feed “button forward” at any time, which significantly improves PPOH and workplace ergonomics. This new approach to feeding enables mixed production and simplifies the washing process – an efficiency improvement that benefits healthcare laundries in these challenging times.
Robotics and laundry automation will continue to be of crucial importance in the near future: The automated sorting of garments on the floor side with the Inwatec solutions is one of the most advanced methods to protect the operators in the reception area from exposure to infected laundry. The automatic separation of clothes with the Thor robot prevents direct contact of the operator with the laundry. Reducing human interaction to an absolute minimum results in fewer physical injuries and infections.
Investments for a successful post-Covid era
It is impossible to make predictions about the future. The much-needed recovery could be halted by a second or even third wave. Flexibility and the willingness to adapt to new economic conditions and new social rules are more important than ever today. In times of uncertainty and economic slowdown, laundries rely on Jensen for their successful machines, their local presence and the fact that they trust the brand that has led the industry for 60 years: With a publicly traded company like the Jensen Group, customers around the world can be maintained You get instant transparency about our financial structure. This gives us a clear performance advantage over simple machine manufacturers.
In addition to the introduction of new products and solutions, the Jensen Group is increasing its presence in certain markets with larger service teams, especially in German-speaking countries and Scandinavia.
“As a machine supplier to the laundry industry, it is our obligation to provide laundries with advice and new solutions to protect both their customers and their business. We are determined to support our customers in these difficult times and look forward to an early recovery in our business, ”said Jesper Munch Jensen, CEO of the Jensen Group.
