Fife-based textile services company Fishers is opening a £5 million state of the art “super laundry” at Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire.
The market-leading firm’s facility will be the biggest single laundry investment ever seen in Scotland.
It will be capable of washing, drying and ironing more than four tonnes of laundry equivalent to 600 domestic washing-machine loads every hour.
Catering for hotels and restaurants in Glasgow and the surrounding area, the 50,000ft2 unit is expected to bring 150 jobs to the town.
The new central Scotland facility will handle laundry for around 8,000 hotel rooms for existing customers, with capacity for a further 4,000 hotel rooms. One of the biggest customers will be Premier Inn.
Fishers’ first new Scottish laundry in 19 years is expected to open in December and be fully operational by March.
The £5m investment in state of the art laundry equipment will be the most energy efficient available, from laundry equipment manufacturer Jensen-Group.
The plant will feature new 40C wash technology and heat recovery systems, delivering industry leading energy efficiency performance. It will also include a new sorting and overhead storage system, two continuous batch washer systems and five ironer lines.
The new laundry will allow Fishers to optimise production across its other sites, and a full review of these will be undertaken in coming months.
Based in Cupar, Fishers was established in 1900 and now washes, irons and delivers more than two million items a week.
The firm provides linen and workwear laundering and rental services to the hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors.
The business currently operates from seven sites in Scotland and the north of England.
Managing director Michael Jones said: “This is testament to Fishers’ confidence in the strength of the country’s growing hospitality industry and our continuing commitment to the sector.
“We’re looking forward to being able to locally serve Glasgow’s growing hotel market from our new laundry.”
North Lanarkshire Council’s regeneration convener David Fagan said: “I am delighted Fishers has chosen North Lanarkshire as its West Central Scotland base.
“By committing to a £5m investment and 150 jobs, Fishers is showing its confidence in the area and what our workers can deliver.”
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