SERIES: Our Liquid Industry

An interview with Chris White,
Kreussler Chemical Business Development Manager

By Becca Anderson

You may work with chemical products, solvents, and detergents all day long, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an expert in how they’re used. It’s even possible that some of the things you are sure you are doing right are actually reducing your efficiency or positive results.

That’s where your chemical supply representative can be an invaluable resource. We asked Chris White of Kreussler to walk us through some of the areas where things can be improved with better understanding.

Where do you see operators leaving the most money on the table when it comes to chemistry—misuse, underuse, or misunderstanding?

Chris White: On the laundry and wetcleaning side, it’s a clear misunderstanding of the fundamentals—water quality, temperature, and consistency. These are not secondary factors; they directly determine how chemistry performs. At Kreussler, we consistently see that when these variables are controlled properly, the chemistry delivers significantly better results, efficiency, and overall cost control.

I would add that many operators do not take advantage of a skilled chemical technician and the value they can bring to an operation, beyond just the wash wheel.

What’s the most common “it works, so we don’t touch it” habit in plants that is actually hurting results or costing more than operators realize?

C.W.: That type of thinking will never allow an operation to take advantage of advancements in machine or chemical technology. At the same time, garment construction has evolved dramatically, and older processes simply cannot keep up—resulting in missed opportunities to improve both performance and finished quality.

When operators focus on reducing chemical costs, where do they most often make the wrong trade-off—and what should they be measuring instead?

C.W.: They focus on price instead of total operating cost, which is a critical mistake. You have to account for utilities, time, equipment wear and tear, rework, and most importantly, cleaning quality—because the right chemistry should reduce overall cost and improve labor efficiency. At Kreussler, our technicians act as an extension of the operation, helping identify these gains while also monitoring equipment performance and utility efficiency.

Can you share a real example where a change in chemistry or dosing significantly improved profitability—not just cleaning quality? What moved the needle?

C.W.: We see this every time we implement the Kreussler Lanadol wetcleaning system. Operators often start as doubters but quickly become advocates once they see the cleaning quality, processing speed, and how much easier finishing becomes—especially when they understand how Lanadol Apret differs from other conditioners in finishing, combined with the proper residual moisture control dryer. We’ve converted hundreds of operations to 100% wetcleaning with consistent, measurable improvements in both quality and profitability.

Auto-dosing systems are becoming more common—what are operators still getting wrong even when they’ve invested in the technology?

C.W.: Auto-dosing has been around for a long time—it’s just now being fully utilized with modern capabilities. The issue is that many operators stop at installation instead of leveraging the full value, including remote monitoring, real-time data, and predictive maintenance. At Kreussler, our systems allow technicians to proactively manage performance and prevent issues before they impact production.

How often should a plant realistically be recalibrating or revisiting its chemical program—and what are the warning signs that it’s overdue?

C.W.: It depends on the market segment, but retail cleaners in particular should be reviewing programs frequently as garment trends shift. Any time you enter a new service channel—hospitality, uniforms, or rentals—it’s critical to reassess. A strong technical partner, like the Kreussler team, will guide these adjustments to ensure chemistry, equipment, and processes remain aligned.

If you could correct one widespread misunderstanding about detergents or solvents across the industry, what would it be?

C.W.: The biggest misconception is focusing on the price of a container instead of cost per pound. Kreussler products are highly concentrated and engineered for performance, so when properly measured, they often deliver significantly more cleaning power—making them the better value in real operational terms.

It doesn’t matter what products you are using; everything comes down to the cost per pound. We are seeing more of our larger operations keeping production charts for each wheel to help better understand this number.

Then you need to look at your redo or rework rate relative to general cleaning and stain removal. You may have a cheaper product that delivers a low cost per pound, but if there is a high redo rate, you need to factor that into the cost side equation. 

How much of a plant’s chemistry performance really comes down to staff training versus product formulation—and where do you see the biggest gaps today?

C.W.: With today’s more sophisticated dosing systems, we can clearly show operators where execution is costing them money. Our technicians regularly see underloaded machines and missed opportunities to optimize loads—small decisions that create major inefficiencies in chemistry usage, utilities, and labor productivity. We continue to train and share best practices with operators and managers with each service visit to aid in maintaining the quality and productivity of the systems we have deployed.

Looking ahead 3–5 years, what will separate plants that ‘get chemistry right’ from those that fall behind?

C.W.: The operators who succeed will be the ones who treat chemistry as part of a fully integrated system—combining advanced technology, data, and expert technical support. Those who continue to treat it as a static input cost will struggle to keep up with both quality expectations and operational efficiency. These businesses will value their supplier technicians as partners on their operational quality assurance teams.

What’s something your customers do that frustrates your technical team because it prevents your chemistry from performing the way it should?

C.W.: Not running full loads and inconsistent load classifications continue to be the biggest challenges. Taking an extra five minutes to properly build a load can save significant time, utilities, and chemistry—while avoiding unnecessary cycles that ultimately reduce productivity and profitability.

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Have more questions? Chris can be reached at chris.white@kreusslerinc.com.