Here’s a film by the charming Nicola Tignonsini (in association with Ghidini Benvenuto and Girbau UK) to give you an idea of what to expect when you visit the Washeteria at Ideal HQ. It also features a few words from some of the lovely launderers and textile care professionals who came along to our most recent open day in April. If you’d like to visit the next wet cleaning shared knowledge event at the Washeteria click here.
The next events will be:
11am, Thursday 5th July, 2018
11am, Thursday 6th September, 2018
The Washeteria
We’ve made being more eco a main driver of all innovations – from small things like green office initiatives, electric pallet lifters, recycled print materials… to supplying on recycled pallets, in recycled drums, supplying in bulk or pursuing Eco accreditations. The factory has been working hard to reduce effluent and we’ve made a decision to be involved with greener technologies, such as wet cleaning.
Anyone who’s been to Atlas House (Ideal HQ) in the last few years will know that we’re very excited to show visitors around the factory. It’s been a long term ambition to make our factory into a showroom and we’re keen to get this transparency across in everything we do! By opening up the Washeteria, we also wanted to show that we believe in wet cleaning.
We worked on a layout that was basic but functional and particularly relevant to modern everyday professional cleaning operations – where space is a premium. When Girbau UK and our friends from Ghidini got involved, the idea developed further and we hit on the idea of holding workshops – together with Girbau, combining our expertise so that attendees not only learn about the equipment, but also learn how to use the products, and even get to see where they are made.
We ask customers to bring their own items, come and do a few loads, finish the garments, take a look around our facilities and see where the products are developed and manufactured – even meet the people that make them.
Here’s some feedback from a few of the visitors we’ve had over the last 12 months:
“First of all I’d like to thank you, your dad and all your staff for a great day on Tuesday. It was great to meet the people behind the products and it was great to visit the plant where those products are made and to see the whole setup, to see and understand more about the company and where you are going. I really like the way you are taking your company.”
“I wanted to thank you and the rest of the Ideal team for the informative, actually inspiring event yesterday. We were buzzing on the way home! I read through your website last night and was really caught up (again). I want to work closer to you and your team, not only because I feel excited about the product but also that I think I will learn a lot from you peeps and that we have similar business drivers.
“Thank you so much for sharing your time with me last week, I really enjoyed meeting you both, I was very impressed with your factory and I love the range of products you offer.”
“I had hesitated a little in sending this message as I certainly did not want to look cheesy or crass in anyway. I just felt that when you are in the middle of such an extra-ordinary path, like that which you are certainly on, you sometimes wonder whether the messages you are hoping to portray as a business leader are being delivered, by your team, with the same passion as yourself. What I am trying to say, hopefully not too badly, is that came over loud and clear, your team was brilliant.”
“It was really great to be able to work with you and your staff and I also benefited from the experience of being able to work with the people who produce the chemicals that the industry relies on. Please give my regards to Alex, Chris and Mike. It was so rewarding to work with people who really understood the issues involved and who were so vitally interested in what I had to say.”
“To the team at Ideal. You’re top banana! Thank you for a very interesting, informative and enjoyable day! We’ll be in touch in the very near future”
