A commercial laundry can only be as dependable as the equipment behind it. Clean uniforms, on-time delivery, and consistent quality do not happen by accident. They happen because the right people are keeping the entire operation running, often without much fanfare.
Colin Wetlaufer, President of CITY Laundering Co., believes maintenance is one of the most important behind-the-scenes functions in the business. “It’s about uptime, and how do they keep everything running?” Colin shared. “It’s really the unseen thing that’s just executed every day.”
That idea matters more than most people realize. When customers think about a commercial laundry partner, they usually think about the result: clean uniforms, organized delivery, and dependable service. What they may not think about is the team that keeps washers, dryers, conveyors, sort systems, steam tunnels, and other equipment working the way they should.
At CITY, that reliability is not taken for granted.
Why Maintenance Matters So Much
In a commercial laundry, equipment is not just equipment. It is the system that supports every customer promise. If a key machine goes down, it can affect production flow, turnaround times, and overall consistency.
That is why maintenance is about much more than repairs. It is about preventing problems before they slow things down. Colin put it simply: “In a perfect world, when you’ve got really good people in the maintenance department, you’ve got people that are incredibly consistent and dependable.”
That consistency is what keeps the operation moving. A seal breaks, a system needs adjustment, or a machine needs attention, and the right person already knows what to do. “It’s one of those things that just happens,” Colin shared. “Somebody just knew what to do, and they just fixed it.”
The Work Customers Don’t See Still Affects Everything They Receive
One of the easiest things to overlook in commercial laundry is just how connected every step of the operation really is. The work that happens in maintenance impacts everything that happens after it.
If the machinery is running properly, production has a better chance of staying on pace. If production stays on pace, garments move through the plant the way they should. If that process stays steady, customers receive more consistent service.
That is part of why CITY continues to invest in technology and equipment. As the company grows, so do the demands placed on maintenance teams. “As we’ve grown, we’ve had to grow the department,” Colin shared. “It presents new challenges and new equipment and reinvestment capital.”
That growth has made the role even more interesting. What used to be centered around washers and basic mechanical work has evolved. “Instead of it just being, work on these washers, that’s the most complicated thing, to really advanced pneumatics and PLCs and cool systems that are really fun,” Colin shared.
In other words, maintenance in a modern commercial laundry is no longer just about wrench-turning. It is technical, strategic, and essential to long-term success.
Reliability Starts Before the Customer Ever Notices a Problem
The best maintenance work is often invisible. Customers may never know a challenge existed because the issue was handled before it ever reached them.
That kind of reliability is exactly what commercial laundry customers need from a partner. It is also one reason CITY puts such a strong value on consistency and continual improvement across the operation.
Mark Ballo, Director of Service at CITY, has long believed that doing things the right way the first time matters. “If we’re going to do it, we should have a really good understanding of why we’re doing something and how it affects our end user,” Mark shared.
That same mindset applies to maintenance. Preventing downtime, fixing issues correctly, and understanding how every repair affects the customer experience all help support a better final result.
Investing in the People Who Keep the Plant Moving
At CITY, maintenance is also about creating opportunities for people who want to keep learning. As equipment becomes more advanced, the role grows with it. That makes maintenance a strong fit for people who enjoy both consistency and challenge.
“I think the best maintenance people are ones who like that consistency, they like that no surprises, but they also like to be challenged in their own knowledge and what they can build,” Colin shared.
That balance is important. A strong maintenance team does not just react. It adapts, improves, and grows with the operation. And in a family-owned company like CITY, that kind of contribution matters.
Better Maintenance Helps Build Better Service
At the end of the day, maintenance is not separate from customer service. It supports it.
Customers count on their laundry provider to deliver quality products, dependable turnaround, and fewer disruptions. The behind-the-scenes work of maintenance helps make all of that possible.
It may not always be the first thing a customer asks about, but it is one of the reasons a strong commercial laundry partner can keep showing up day after day.
Because when the equipment runs, the plant runs. And when the plant runs the way it should, customers can keep their focus where it belongs: on running their own business.