In busy commercial laundry environments, the true cost of outdated equipment goes well beyond occasional breakdowns or cosmetic wear. Ageing machines can have a significant impact on your bottom line – from rising utility bills and maintenance costs to compromised hygiene standards and reduced productivity.
At Richard Jay, we work with businesses to help identify when older equipment is holding them back, and guide them towards smarter, more efficient solutions.
Higher utility bills and inefficiency
One of the most immediate and measurable costs of outdated laundry equipment is increased energy and water use. Older washers and dryers often lack the advanced engineering and smart controls of modern machines, leading to:
- Longer cycle times
- Higher energy consumption
- Excessive water use
- Limited programming for load optimisation.
Modern commercial laundry machines, such as those from Electrolux Professional, are designed with energy efficiency at the core, helping facilities reduce overheads and meet sustainability goals.
Downtime and frequent repairs
Outdated machines are more prone to breakdowns which can disrupt operations, create workflow bottlenecks and lead to costly emergency repairs. Over time, these costs add up — and they’re often underestimated because they’re not tracked as part of daily operations.
In environments where hygiene and continuity are critical, such as aged care or healthcare, downtime isn’t just inconvenient — it can put service standards and compliance at risk.
Compromised hygiene and compliance
Regulatory compliance and infection control are essential in many industries. Older laundry machines may struggle to meet required disinfection temperatures or lack the programming needed to ensure consistent, high-hygiene results.
By contrast, newer machines come equipped with hygiene-monitoring technology and programmable cycles that support infection control while protecting fabric integrity.
Reduced productivity and staff efficiency
Outdated machines can slow down your team – especially if they require manual intervention, have limited load capacity or aren’t ergonomically designed. Poor efficiency impacts staff time-management and overall productivity.
Today’s commercial laundry equipment is built to simplify workflows with intuitive interfaces, smart automation and features that help teams do more with less.
Missed opportunities for data-driven performance
Modern laundry machines are increasingly equipped with smart technology, giving operators access to data insights that can help to optimise operations, monitor resource use and plan for proactive maintenance.
Older machines lack this connectivity, leaving managers in the dark about performance metrics that could unlock cost savings and continuous improvement.
When to consider an upgrade
If you’re noticing any of the following, it may be time to review your equipment:
- Rising utility or repair bills
- Regular service disruptions
- Inconsistent hygiene results
- Slower turnaround times
- Difficulty sourcing spare parts.
Richard Jay can help you to assess whether upgrading your laundry equipment will deliver a return on investment – not just through lower running costs, but also through improved efficiency, compliance and long-term reliability.
Ready to future-proof your laundry operations?
If your current equipment is no longer delivering the performance your business needs, speak to the team at Richard Jay. We’ll work with you to recommend the right commercial laundry solutions, and provide ongoing support to keep your operation running at its best.
