Business South June 2021

38 | CLS stays one step ahead of the rest CLS is the South Island’s largest provider of linen rental services. Hanham & Philp/Canterbury Linen Services DEVELOPMENT W ith its commitment to providing industry leading service firmly in its sights, Canterbury Linen Services (CLS) has developed a new, purpose built facil- ity which has been designed to contribute to a more sustainable future for New Zealand. CLS is the South Island’s largest provider of linen rental services, providing high quality linen services to healthcare organisations and commercial clients since 1982. It is a 100% owned subsidiary company of the Canterbury District Health Board, and processes more than 150 tonnes of linen every week. CLS CEO Rodney Fisher says CLS focuses on delivery on time of high quality linen services, with environmental sustainability and social sustainability at the heart of its business practices. “We are continually working on initiatives which minimise the impact our business prac- tice has on the environment,” he says. “We have the most water efficient laundry in New Zealand, and we burn wood chips so we are almost carbon neutral.” CLS creates value in the local community by providing laundry services at reduced rates to charity organisations including Ronald McDonald House, Cholmondeley Children’s Centre, Canterbury Charity Hospital, and Can- cer Society Canterbury West Coast. Socially, CLS continues to work on provid- ing better working conditions with health and education opportunities for its valued employees. It provides employment for many people who have barriers to employment, and after one year of service, every employee is paid the living wage or more. CLS places constraints on its suppliers to ensure its isn’t purchasing goods from any organisation using forced or slave labour. CLS’s new facility, near the Christchurch Airport includes new initiatives which will minimise the impact the company has on the environment. A $10 million investment into the latest and greatest state-of-the-art European equipment allows for up to 50% lower water usage and lower energy use of 20% to 30%. “We have the most water efficient laundry in New Zealand....” The laundry equipment also allows for a reduction in some of the harder manual tasks with better ergonomics. Instead of employees shifting heavy tubs of laundry from a to b, these are now being moved around automatically. Two additional disentangling machines have been added to the CLS plant to reduce the labour required for extricating large, wet, and heavy linen. A new air conditioning system handles the warm and humid laundry environment with ease. Although CLS’s new facility has a smaller footprint than the previous location, it offers more efficiencies, flexibility, and the ability to increase production by 30% per shift. Currently running one shift six days per week, the potential for growth is huge. T Kelly Deeks Carpet, Vinyl, Timber & Tiles For all your floorcovering requirements come to The Flooring Warehouse. Floorcovering supplier to Canterbury Linen Services for Hanham & Philp. The Flooring Warehouse 47 Gasson St Ph 03 353 8899 www.theflooringwarehouse.co.nz Wordsworth Brougham Gasson Waltham Road Coleridge