How to Keep Your Laundry Project on Track in a Volatile Market
With so much volatility in the economy and uncertainty about how it will impact the laundry industry, our clients and prospects keep asking, “How can I mitigate these risks and keep my laundry project on track?”
In honor of National Laundry Day, we asked Justin Hearld, Vice President at ARCO/Murray, to weigh in on the risks laundry operators are facing — and to share his advice on how to keep projects on time and on budget. With more than a decade of experience, Justin offers a strategic perspective on what operators should be thinking about right now. Read the full conversation here.
Q: What construction materials or project components are creating the greatest risk?
Electrical gear is a big one — things like switchgear and panels. Lead times on that used to be 16 weeks, now we’re seeing 50 weeks or longer. The same goes for steel, rooftop units, process, and mechanical components — the stuff that’s critical to your build but easy to overlook until it’s too late. That’s why we push schematic design upfront. Even before full construction drawings are done, we’re working with clients to call out those high-risk components and get them procured early. It’s the only way to keep momentum and avoid major delays.
Q: ARCO has built over 200 laundries. How does having a national reach help your clients navigate all of this?
It’s a huge advantage. We’ve built laundry facilities across the country, and that national reach gives us the ability to leverage relationships with vendors, manufacturers, and suppliers in multiple markets. That helps us secure better pricing and, more importantly, find materials when there are regional bottlenecks. Local teams just don’t have the same flexibility or connections — and right now, that’s the difference between staying on schedule or losing months waiting on materials.
Q: What about project oversight? How do you keep things on track once construction starts?
For us, it’s about staying engaged all the way through. We don’t just hand a project off to local crews and hope it works out. Our team stays involved during critical phases like utility coordination, equipment set, and startup — that’s how we keep things moving and avoid costly mistakes. We also lean on the expertise we have in-house. Ed Kwasnick, for example, who’s been building laundry facilities for over 30 years, is a huge resource during planning. His experience helps us anticipate the challenges specific to laundry builds — things like slab work, equipment loads, and utility requirements — so we’re setting the project up for success long before we start construction.
Q: Final thoughts — what’s your biggest piece of advice to operators planning a project right now?
Plan early. Get your team involved upfront and start laundry equipment and construction material procurement as soon as possible. The clients who are successful right now are the ones making decisions early and working with people who truly understand the laundry industry. That’s how you protect your investment and hit your timeline — even in a volatile market.
If you’re planning a laundry project or expansion, now’s the time to start the conversation. Reach out, our team is here to help you navigate these challenges and build smart.
Justin Hearld
Vice President
Ed Kwasnick
Director of Business Development