When does it pay to run your own laundry?
Outsourcing laundry is a convenient solution for many businesses. With larger and continuous textile volumes, however, it is worth examining carefully whether an on-premises laundry could offer more economical, faster and more flexible operation.
This decision shouldn't be made on gut feeling. The total cost of your current outsourced laundry, the required laundry capacity, labour, utilities, investment and the desired textile turnaround must be considered together.
An on-premises laundry is not always the better option
Mielemed's goal is not to talk every customer into building their own laundry. The right decision is the one that can be justified by the actual operation of the business.
- With significant and continuous textile volumes.
- When external laundry and transport costs are high.
- When fast textile turnaround is important.
- When direct quality control is important.
- When external logistics are an operational risk or an organisational burden.
- When suitable space and infrastructure are available.
What do we compare?
| Outsourced laundry | On-premises laundry |
|---|---|
| Laundry fee in HUF/kg | Investment or financing |
| Transport and logistics | Energy |
| Extra / urgent costs | Water and sewage |
| Need for a larger textile stock | Chemicals |
| Losses / damage / administration | Labour |
| Dependence on the service provider | Maintenance and service |
The benefit of an on-premises laundry is not only cost
- faster textile turnaround;
- immediate rewashing when needed;
- direct quality control;
- more flexible daily priorities;
- less dependence on external logistics;
- in some operations, a smaller textile stock is needed.
How does planning start?
- Determining the daily/weekly laundry volume.
- Mapping textile types and change frequency.
- Determining the daily washing time available.
- Sizing washing and drying capacity.
- Assessing ironing/finishing requirements.
- Checking space and utilities.
- Calculating investment and operating costs.
- Planning service and maintenance support.
First step: don't pick a machine – let's calculate
The on-premises laundry cost calculator gives a preliminary comparison of the annual cost of your current outsourced laundry with the estimated operating cost of an on-premises laundry. The result is not a quote but a starting point for decision-making.
Frequently asked questions
From what capacity is an on-premises laundry worth considering?
There is no fixed kg/day threshold that applies to every business. The decision depends on volume, external fees, logistics, labour, energy, water, investment and turnaround requirements together.
How long does it take for an on-premises laundry to pay for itself?
This can only be calculated from the data of the specific project. For a simple payback, the investment amount is compared with the annual cost difference between in-house and outsourced laundry.
What space does an on-premises laundry need?
Beyond the machine dimensions, utilities, ventilation, textile flow, operator space and a safe workflow are also decisive.
Is the calculator result a quote?
No. It is a preliminary, indicative estimate that must be refined based on the final machine configuration and site conditions.
Not sure which machine you need?
A few basic details are enough for an initial assessment of the right capacity: what textiles or dishes you process, in what quantity, how many hours a day you operate, how much space is available and which utilities are on site.
