Local Linen Supply Service ?Goes Deeper Green? with Help From Berkshire Gas

Adams, MA (PRWEB) February 6, 2011

David Desmarais, president of ALADCO Linen Services, is committed to making his business a leader in the ?green? movement in linen rental. The very nature of the linen rental business is green when compared to the alternatives of paper products or on premises laundry facilities. Taking an existing linen service company and driving the operations in a green manner is a win / win for everyone including local businesses that are enthusiastic to support the partnership. ALADCO is the first Hospitality linen Rental facility in the nation to make this commitment.

The move to being green involved investing in a new Pulse-Flow, continuous batch washing system that replaced multiple industrial washer/extractors. Gutting the heart of the business and retrofitting a nineteenth century building was no easy feat. The project took much of November and December to implement and to work out the kinks of a completely new laundry operation. At a cost of $ 700,000, Desmarais sees it as a ?great investment in the business and the community?.

ALADCO currently processes 600,000 pounds per month of linen products. The old process used about 2.5 gallons of water per pound or 1,500,000 gallons per month. Today, ALADCO is using 0.4 gallons of water per pound, a savings of 1,250,000 gallons of water per month. In addition to the reduction in water usage, the effect is compounded by a significant reduction in natural gas and electricity required to heat 84 % less water than the old system.

Customers of ALADCO appreciate the fact that one of their key suppliers has made these energy efficiency efforts. The industry has not created the equivalent of carbon credits or a market in ?greenness? but long-time customers of ALADCO appreciate the continuous improvements to its processes and its vision and commitment to a greener, sustainable environment.

John O?Neill, Director of Finance at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, an ALADCO partner since 1983 states, ?With a 600-bed retreat center that is often full of program guests, our organization requires quality linen service. ALADCO has provided us great service for many years, and their new environmentally friendly washing system aligns with our organizational values. We are very pleased that we have products available to us that are handled in such an environmentally sustainable method. We salute their choice to be a leader in green technology, and their commitment to the environment makes them an even better business partner for Kripalu.?

Berkshire Gas? Energy Efficiency Department worked with ALADCO every step of the way. After participating in Berkshire?s Commercial & Industrial Energy Audit Program, ALADCO developed a long-term plan to increase its energy efficiency. Working closely with ALADCO, Berkshire Gas committed $ 50,000 in energy saving incentives to this project. Michael Sommer, Manager of Energy Services at Berkshire commented: ?This is the type of energy efficiency project we are excited to be part of. The projected savings for this project of over 67,000 therms and nearly 1.7 million therms over the life of the equipment, are impressive, to say the least. To put this into perspective, the annual savings from this one project equates to the amount of natural gas needed to heat approximately 70 homes per year?.

Buy local ? Even though the installation required very specialized rigging and plumbing services, ALADCO was able to keep that work local as well employing Adams? own Atlantis Equipment Corporation and Adams Plumbing and Heating.

No sitting still - Not satisfied that the new equipment and process is enough, ALADCO recently introduced three new options; a lint?free microfiber wiping towel, microfiber mop system and the Environap, an environmentally friendly, smaller napkin that is designed as a cost effective alternative to paper napkins. The program shows that a quality cloth napkin can be rented for the same cost that many restaurants spend on disposable paper napkins. The cloth approach heightens the dining experience and removes an entire stream of trash from the table to the landfill.

About ALADCO

The production and main distribution center of ALADCO Linen Services is in Adams, MA. A second distribution center was added in Holyoke, MA as a result of the acquisition of Highland Laundry in 2008. ALADCO provides Star Quality linen services throughout Western Massachusetts, Southern Vermont, Northeastern New York and Northwestern Connecticut., as well as service all along the route 91 corridor. ALADCO provides table and kitchen linens, bed linens, uniforms, entrance mats and dust control to restaurants, hotels, motels, hospital, medical service providers and schools and colleges. ALADCO provides continuous employment to over seventy people and is a partner in numerous charitable organizations, as well as a member of local Chambers of Commerce. ALADCO is also a member of the Greater Springfield Visitors Bureau and Friends of Tanglewood.

Contact:

David Desmarais

David(at)aladcoservices(dot)com

82 Commercial Street

Adams, MA 01220 USA

http://www.aladcoservices.com

800-698-0505

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Local Student Inducted Into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

Pittsburg, PA (PRWEB) May 8, 2008

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to announce that Jerry R. Salandro, of Pittsburgh, PA, was recently initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi Chapter at Indiana University of PA, where he earned a Master Degree in Education. Salandro is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline honor society. The Society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

Membership in Phi Kappa Phi is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors, having at least seventy-two semester hours, are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

More About Phi Kappa Phi:

Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline honor society. Phi Kappa Phi inducts annually more than 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify.

Since its founding, more than 1 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, writer John Grisham and Netscape founder James Barksdale. The Society has awarded approximately $ 12.7 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, more than $ 800,000 is awarded annually to qualifying members and non-members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad scholarships, member and chapter awards and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. The Society's mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."

For more information on Phi Kappa Phi, please call 800/804-9880 or visit http://www.PhiKappaPhi.org.

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