SPOTLIGHT ON THE MIDDLE EAST
we built three laundries in three years. What is encouraging for the Middle East commercial laundry industry is that the majority of new build hotels have no ability to process their own linen and uniforms so finally outsource is really their only option and even those with OPL’s now see, where possible, the preferred solution as outsourcing.
“Another recent positive change is that environmental considerations are finally actually being included within the design requirements; before this was often talked about and not delivered. Most projects we get engaged with now actually talk about the three main carbon emission scopes and how they can be reduced, we have even had to do carbon footprint calculation prior to tender. Some of this is being driven by the hotel brands who are very aware of the guests desire to stay in more eco-friendly destinations – the Middle East may not yet be an eco- tourism destination, but it is certainly moving that way.
“The one area that surprisingly has not yet really become widely adopted is the development of Pool Stock linen which must provide a massive market opportunity for one of the existing suppliers to develop and push their brand across the Middle East. It always surprises us that we see all the major hotel brands but as yet none of the major international laundry operators. As one of our straplines states –there has never been a better time to talk laundry and I think that is certainly true over the next few years.”
The market continues to attract the big global players, many of which have significantly strengthened their presence in the region in recent years. One such example is Jensen Group, as YS Wang, managing director Jensen Asia, explains, last year was successful for the company in the Middle East market.
“We had a very successful second half of the year in 2024 and continue to achieve excellent order intake in Q1 - 2025. One of the major contracts we have secured is the project in the Red Sea. We have also received a repeat order from the same company in the beginning of 2025. The project showcased our latest automation in our Jensen flatwork finishing and also Jensen garment sorting and transport system. This project is scheduled for operation in Q3 this year.” He adds that another major contract was signed with the Healthcare Group in Oman which will be one of the largest laundry operators in Oman.
Wang also adds, the company achieved serious growth in the privately owned commercial laundry sector in both B2B and B2C having secured some important contracts for the supply of its equipment for 5-star hotels in the Middle East, with the biggest activities being observed in such countries of the region as Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. Jensen expects the demand will remain high in years to come and will be primarily observed in the hospitality and healthcare sectors. Still, a shortage of skilled labour will
remain one of the major challenges for the industry in the region, which will limit more active growth.
At the same time other challenges include the shortage of water for washing process, as well as the tightening of regulations on environmental and financial factors.
The Middle East region remains interesting for the German chemicals expert Kreussler. As Christoph Richter, managing director of Kreussler Textile Care says the company puts big hopes on its further development there. According to Richter: “For many years now Kreussler is successfully active in the Middle East professional textile care market, focusing on high demand customers, like palace laundries., for example. For 2024, our main achievement is winning the tender of Emirates Flight Catering service to care for all Emirates airline textiles as well as local hospitality and health care business textiles.”
Richter expects large growth in the Middle East, as, according to him there is a vivid start-up scene with new PTC- shop openings and new business models like on-demand-laundries. “The booming hotel industry shows a trend of outsourcing laundry, strengthening the focus on the industrial laundry business, backed further by the high financial power, financial stability and sound investments in new laundry capacity. The important part is to responsibly combine clear ethical standards and equally clear corporate values with the local workforce situation to develop a future-proof, long term stable business.” Kreussler is not the only global operator, which has accelerated its expansion in the Middle East region in recent years. Similar plans are being implemented by another major player from Germany – Miele Professional. As Pierre Salhab Miele’s head of sales Middle East, business unit professional reveals, the company has achieved some important results in the in recent years. For example, it conducted a successful campaign for high-capacity machines, which was driven by the increased demand for larger, more efficient machines suited to high-volume operations i.e ., palace laundries.
BIG CHANGE: Miele has established itself in the region and ran a successful campaign for its high-capacity machines which are fast replacing small capacity models
14
According to Salhab, in recent years the market has shifted in product mix from small-capacity machines to larger capacity machines. As he also added Miele has been able to expand its service channels in the Middle East market in recent years by
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37
