Downtons and Electrolux lagoon® – because special garments deserve royal treatment
When Jane Downton, owner of Downtons Dry Cleaning in Launceston, Cornwall, decided to expand her range of services to include specialist cleaning such as wedding dresses and leather garments, she knew it was going to be a major investment and to achieve the desired results, a detailed specification was required.
Jane’s vision was to ensure that Downtons could offer a complementary service to its recently installed dry cleaning equipment to provide its customers with a professional cleaning service that was not biased towards a particular cleaning process, or limited in the services it could offer through the equipment installed. The best cleaning process for her customer’s garments was paramount in the decision making process. Electrolux Professional Authorised Partner, Brewer and Bunney, was briefed to provide a comprehensive equipment solution. Specifically, Jane saw the opportunity for Downtons Dry Cleaning to widen its services to include the safe and effective cleaning of duvets, wedding dresses, leathers, curtains and upholstery, as well as contract laundry. After an in depth review of Jane’s business aims, Brewer and Bunney specified the Electrolux lagoon® wet-cleaning system.
Electrolux Professional developed the lagoon® wet-cleaning system with the needs of the textile industry and the garment care business in mind, and it is the first and only professional wet-cleaning system approved by The Woolmark Company. The system combines natural elements, such as water and biodegradable detergents, to produce a safe and efficient wash, time after time, that is fully compliant with the international environmental standard EC91/155. Dedicated programs assure superior cleaning results for the most delicate garments, even those that are labelled “dry clean only”.
Jane Downton of Downtons Dry Cleaning commented: “We’re so pleased to be the first company in Cornwall to install the Electrolux lagoon® wet-cleaning system, a professional system that demonstrates the specialty and expertise of services that we can now provide. The new equipment has enabled us to increase our in-house services and this has opened up a whole new market for us. Our customers are intrigued and impressed by the cleaning capabilities of the new machinery and the sustainability element is something that I see as crucial for my business going forward.”
“The lagoon® wet-cleaning system from Electrolux Professional has proved to be an attractive investment as we can now offer our customers a safe option to successfully clean even the most precious and technically challenging garments through adding dedicated programs specific to wedding dress cleaning for example, into the machine. This flexible functionality is proving very popular with our local customers and those further afield.”
Terry Willetts, Sales Director, at Brewer and Bunney commented: “Through working with specialist suppliers such as Electrolux Professional, we always respond to briefs by recommending bespoke equipment packages that will set the foundations in place for a strong business model.
“We’re pleased to see the equipment improving productivity, as wet-cleaning produces outstanding results with a more limited carbon footprint. As the first wet-cleaning system to be installed in Cornwall, this is a milestone for the County and for Downtons Dry Cleaning who have also achieved at the same time Woolmark Approval for the business another first for Cornwall.
“I am pleased to see that Downtons Dry Cleaning is now a one stop shop for all domestic and commercial laundry services as a result of successfully implementing the development brief that we were given by Jane Downton.”
