Nedlin number one choice for Belgian hospitals as well
Pushing the borders of laundry – this is what Nedlin has been doing for many years. For our clients, our employees, and our environment. And not just pushing, but crossing borders as well – literally. More and more Belgian hospitals are making excellent use of Nedlin’s services. Linde Van Haen, Senior sales & account manager Healthcare, explains why Nedlin is the best possible choice for Belgium as!
To many Belgian hospitals, it is still quite a threshold: outsourcing their laundry to a Dutch company. After all, the Netherlands’ sounds like it is a long way away. “But this is not the case at all”, Linde explains. “Nedlin is based in Elsloo, which is just across the border near Maasmechelen and Lanaken. We can have our lorries onto Belgian motorways within 5 minutes, which means we can often deliver faster than Belgian laundry facilities. And our account managers can reach our clients in no time as well, whenever needed. Our satisfied Belgian clients – a number of hospitals in Antwerp and Limburg, and leading hotels in Antwerp, Brussels, and Flemish Brabant – are proof that distance is not an issue for Nedlin.”
Nedlin is based in Elsloo, which is just across the border near Maasmechelen and Lanaken. We can have our lorries onto Belgian motorways within 5 minutes, which means we can often deliver faster than Belgian laundry facilities.
Better quality at the same price
So why do those hospitals and hotels prefer Nedlin over a Belgian laundry service? “It is nearly always our quality, service, and sustainability that are the deciding factors”, Linde says. “Nedlin is a true family business, so we are not dependent on external shareholders. This makes it easier for us to make long-term decisions; we want to leave our company in prime condition for the next generation, after all. For example, we only use the finest quality linen – which makes a visible and tangible difference! Our products are manufactured using 100% bioorganic cotton, all OBCS, GRS or GOTS certified. But overall, this does not come at any extra cost: on the one hand, because these materials have a much longer lifespan; on the other hand, because we use a system of combination-kits for standard items, like towels and tea cloths. This allows us to purchase in bulk. Moreover, we have designed the laundry process in such a way as to create less strain on linens, service clothes, and the environment – thereby offering clients better quality at the same price.”
Sustainable and innovative solutions
Nedlin is also investing in sustainable and innovative solutions in other areas. The De Win-family are real pioneers in this respect. Linde illustrates with an example: “Several years ago, we developed an X-Ray scanner, which lets us recover most overlooked pens, key cards, or jewellery from clothing even before the laundry process has begun. This has reduced ink staining by 95%. And our new healthcare laundry facility, currently being built in Elsloo, uses even more of our innovations. Not only in terms of the laundry process, but in the building, logistics, and warehousing as well. Once this newbuild project has been finished, this will be the most innovative and sustainable laundry facility in Europe. Constructed according to an integrated approach and in compliance with BREEAM Outstanding standards for sustainability. We are more than a little proud of that”.
Less plastic, just as hygienic
One important difference with Belgian laundry services is that Nedlin does not package its individual linen kits in plastic. That would seem to be an obstacle due to the hygiene requirements imposed by JCI or Qualicor certification, but this concern is no justified, Linde argue: “All of Nedlin’s client hospitals are, after all, JCI or Qualicor accredited. This demands hygienic processing of linen, which is not the same as saying every kit needs to be individually plastic-wrapped. Nedlin uses kits that are held together with a strap, which is easier to undo, and does not cause stacked kits to slide down as quickly. By avoiding the use of plastic for packaging, we also save over 250,000 kgs of plastic used per year!
All of Nedlin’s client hospitals are, after all, JCI or Qualicor accredited. This demands hygienic processing of linen, which is not the same as saying every kit needs to be individually plastic-wrapped.
To ensure proper hygiene, the containers themselves are firmly plastic-wrapped. Clients are allowed to return the plastic to us, and we ensure an optimised recycling process – while simultaneously reducing our clients’ waste output. In addition, we develop a first in-first out-system (fifo) together with our clients. When this system is used by our clients on-site, we can guarantee efficient and hygienic linen processing and use in the hospital.”
Personal contact
Nedlin definitely considers personal contact with its clients to be important. “First, we sit down with our clients to discuss a hospital’s preferences, requirements, and demands. For workwear and duvets, we offer custom service – for example in terms of use of colours and applying a house style and logos to the duvets. We also conduct thorough laundry and wearing comfort tests in advance. Together with our clients, we map the internal logistics, and identify potential areas for improvement, which we use to draft a plan for laundry pick-up and delivery. We process this into a service level agreement (SLA), which becomes the basis of our service provision. And when we have set to work, we also ensure short lines of communication with our clients. We schedule a meeting every six to eight weeks, including frequent updates to and from the hospital’s linen room employees. This lets us identify any complaints swiftly, and helps us to continue to work on improving our service even further.”
Flawless transfer
Naturally, transferring to a new laundry service is a complex process. But that should not be an obstacle. Linde: “Nedlin’s experience in this regard is so extensive that we can sort these matters out within half a day. We fully facilitate transfers, working according to a customised approach, calibrated to the hospital’s logistics, facilities, and working methods. Then, we draft a script with a realistic schedule for the date of transfer, and an excellent brief for the working floor. This lets us ensure that patients are not inconvenienced by the transfer. Moreover, patients and employees are always pleasantly surprised by the resulting improvement in quality resulting from the transfer. Lastly, we also make arrangements with the former laundry service regarding collecting their linen – thereby avoiding any confusion and ensuring their linens are returned in full.”
Patients and employees are always pleasantly surprised by the resulting improvement in quality resulting from the transfer.
Theedoek or kitchen towel?
High-quality materials, attention to sustainability and innovation, a good price, a customised approach, excellent arrangement, and personal contact. It almost seems too good to be true. Are there really no disadvantages to the service offered by Dutch Nedlin? Linde smiles: “Well, with me as an account manager, you do find yourself with a Belgian contact. Would I call that a disadvantage? At least I can explain to our Belgian clients that a kitchen towel is referred to as a theedoek in Dutch. And I can tell my Dutch colleagues what Belgian clients mean by a schotelvod, bavet, camion and tiret. Pretty helpful to know when relaying an order, right?”