HLSG Moves Toward Innovation, Growth

Healthcare linen service holds annual meeting, acquires land, makes technological advancements

January 09, 2024

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — Healthcare Linen Services Group (HLSG), a provider of healthcare linen and laundry services, reports it is focusing on innovation and growth in several ways.

The company recently held its Annual General Managers Meeting and Human Resources Summit, acquired land in the Midwest for a new facility and underwent a series of significant technological advancements.

GENERAL MANAGERS MEETING AND HUMAN RESOURCES SUMMIT

HLSG says its Annual General Managers Meeting and Human Resources Summit was a resounding success and is set to propel the company and its employees into the upcoming year with a renewed focus on innovation and growth.

This annual gathering brought together HLSG’s most influential leaders and HR professionals to share insights, collaborate on strategies and chart a course for the future.

The event provided a unique platform for in-depth discussions, knowledge sharing, and the introduction of cutting-edge ideas and practices to enhance HLSG’s operations and the overall employee experience.

Key highlights of the General Managers Meeting and Human Resources Summit include:

Innovation for a Promising Future: HLSG is committed to staying at the forefront of the healthcare linen and laundry industry. The summit focused on fostering innovation with a particular emphasis on the adoption of the latest technology and practices. This ensures HLSG continues to provide top-tier services to its customers while improving operational efficiency.
Growth and Expansion: HLSG is poised for growth in the coming year, with ambitious plans for expansion. The summit provided a strategic platform for discussing growth opportunities, industry trends and ways to drive the company’s production to new heights.
Employee Well-being: The company’s commitment to its employees was evident throughout the summit. HR professionals collaborated to introduce new initiatives aimed at enhancing the work environment, employee benefits and career development opportunities. These efforts are set to bolster HLSG’s reputation as an employer of choice.

Joseph LaPorta, the CEO and president of HLSG, shared his enthusiasm for the outcomes of the event, stating, “The Annual General Managers Meeting and Human Resources Summit have been instrumental in aligning our leadership with our vision for the future. We are committed to not just meeting industry standards but raising the bar, exceeding expectations, and ensuring the well-being of our employees.

“HLSG’s focus on innovation and growth will propel us to new heights in the year ahead.”

MIDWEST ACQUISITION

In November, HLSG continued expansion plans in the Midwest with the acquisition of land for a new facility to provide additional capacity and capabilities in the Wisconsin and Illinois markets.

The decision to establish a new facility in the Wisconsin/Illinois region aligns with HLSG’s broader growth strategy, aiming to enhance its footprint across the Midwest and South Regions.

With a current network comprised of 20 processing plants and two depots, HLSG says it efficiently serves more than 2,000 customers in 15 states. The newly identified location is part of a comprehensive expansion plan that underscores HLSG’s dedication to meeting the increasing demands of both the Acute and Non-Acute customer base.

“HLSG continues to make meaningful investments in our current facilities with new equipment, automation, and updates; however, we are also investing in new expansion markets with new facilities as well,” LaPorta says.

This strategic acquisition represents a significant milestone for HLSG’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements and industry best practices, according to the company.

The additional facility in the Midwest market allows HLSG to better serve existing clients while catering to the evolving needs of healthcare facilities in the region.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

In September, HLSG announced a series of significant technological advancements that mark a strategic commitment to supporting future growth and enhancing operational efficiencies across its divisions.

“We have embarked on a transformative journey by implementing several crucial technology upgrades,” says Becka Johns, director of IT.

“These initiatives include the replacement of all end-user computers at Linen King, a comprehensive re-architecture of our network infrastructure to create a unified environment across all divisions and the adoption of an advanced security analytics platform for event ingestion, correlation and analysis.”

One of the pivotal aspects of HLSG’s technological advancement is the enhancement of its business intelligence capabilities.

The company is actively working on integrating data systems, including NetSuite ERP, laundry ERPs, and HRIS, into Microsoft Power BI for advanced reporting and analytics.

These upgrades bring forth several benefits, such as improved efficiencies through data automation, real-time data accessibility from anywhere, increased transparency into operational drivers and the delivery of actionable data to decision-makers.

“In July, we successfully decommissioned the legacy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems within each of our five business segments and launched our NetSuite environment,” shares Larry Tosh, vice president and corporate controller.

“This transition has fundamentally transformed our accounting and reporting systems from multiple server-based environments to a single, cloud-based platform, facilitating easier access to critical information across our organization.”

The centralization of data through NetSuite has streamlined data analysis and reporting, enabling HLSG to better manage its business operations. This central repository not only enhances data integrity but also strengthens information security and internal controls, according to the company.

In tandem with the NetSuite implementation, HLSG has optimized its Order to Cash process through a unified workflow tool. These combined efforts have yielded improved metrics for evaluating capacity and staffing needs, providing a clearer path for strengthening internal controls and identifying opportunities for future enhancements.

Healthcare Linen Services Group Acquires Linen King, Jan. 11, 2023

HLSG Invests in Company, Workforce Future, Oct. 20, 2022