The Smart Laundry Equation

By Jeremy Hoh, Guest Columnist

In the demanding world of commercial laundry, the hum of a washing machine or the whoosh of a dryer isn’t just background noise—it’s the sound of revenue, service and satisfaction.

That’s why consistent operation is critical, regardless of the environment—from bustling laundromats to college dorms and multi-family housing units. The truth is, reliability isn’t just a feature, it’s the foundation of profitability and customer trust. When systems falter, the ripple effects extend far beyond a simple repair bill, directly eroding your bottom line and reputation.

Commercial laundry manufacturers are now implementing innovations to help safeguard against common malfunctions, ensuring durability to stand up to the demands of high wash volumes.

When the Spin Stops: The Hidden Toll of Unreliability

The consequences of unreliable laundry equipment are significant and far-reaching. Malfunctioning laundry equipment triggers a cascade of negative consequences. At the most basic level, it means increased maintenance costs and decreased revenue from out-of-order machines. They can also trigger multiplying operational headaches, tenant dissatisfaction and damage to a business’s reputation.

Why do these breakdowns occur? The primary culprit is often user error. Unlike home
laundry, commercial machines endure a gauntlet of different users, many of whom may not read signage, use incorrect soap amounts or improperly load and unload machines. What’s more, overfilling, underfilling or using unsuitable detergents can place immense strain on equipment.

Beyond user behaviour, environmental factors play a role. Hard water, common in many regions, can lead to mineral buildup on components, while certain soaps can create damage from residue.

Unfortunately, these factors are often beyond the facility owner’s direct control, but they can contribute significantly to machine wear and tear.

Engineering for Endurance

These challenges necessitate manufacturing solutions that not only support performance but excel in the demanding conditions of high-traffic environments. To meet these demands, a new generation of commercial laundry equipment integrates advanced technologies and design principles, each contributing to enhanced efficiency, durability and operational longevity.

Select machines now feature sophisticated sensors that constantly monitor and adjust the wash cycle for intelligent load management. The technology optimizes operation by rebalancing loads and adjusting water levels as needed, ensuring a smoother, more efficient wash. It also minimizes stress on the machine’s internal components, helping to extend the lifespan of the equipment.

Soap buildup between the inner and outer tubs is a common issue that can lead to damage. To combat this, today’s more advanced machines are designed with a unique water flushing system that circulates water around the entire tub, with the system effectively eliminating residue and preventing harmful accumulation without suds buildup.

Traditional belt-driven systems have several moving parts, and with that can come mechanical breakdowns over time. The industry’s most reliable machines use direct drive motors that address this by significantly reducing the number of moving parts compared to traditional systems, eliminating wear-prone components like belts and pulleys. The result is less friction, less noise and dramatically reduced maintenance requirements, translating directly into fewer breakdowns and lower operational costs.

Proactive maintenance is also key to longevity in the commercial laundry space. Therefore, specifying machines with a dedicated tub clean cycle featuring an internal heater that heats the water to thoroughly sanitize and clean the tub is crucial to provide each machine in commercial facilities with a long mechanical life. This self-cleaning capability ensures optimal hygiene and prevents buildup, without relying on a facility’s hot water supply. Front-access service also helps minimize downtime and maximize technician efficiency.

These systems collectively represent an advancement in commercial laundry equipment that supports long-lasting performance, reduced downtime and a stronger return on investment for facility operators.

Field-Tested. Future-Proofed.

The commitment to reliability ultimately extends beyond the factory floor. While rigorous internal testing is fundamental, real-world performance provides invaluable feedback.

Through strategic partnerships, such as LG’s long-standing collaboration with Coinamatic in Canada, LG’s machines have been in the field for nearly a decade.

This extensive deployment has yielded exceptional results and allows continuous feedback to improve design and boost reliability. LG prides itself on being nimble, constantly incorporating insights from the field to refine and enhance our equipment, ensuring it meets and exceeds the evolving demands of commercial laundry operations.

Whether it’s the seasonal surges in a college dorm or the daily needs of a multi-family unit, robust machine design principles ensure consistent performance. While usage patterns vary, the need for reliable, durable equipment remains universal.

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Industry veteran Jeremy Hoh is the head of Product Management for the fast-growing Commercial Laundry division of LG Electronics USA. With two decades of experience with LG, he is responsible for product development, management and strategy for the commercial laundry business across North America.