Detergo Rivista di lavanderia industriale e pulitura a secco – Pubblicazione ufficiale dell’Unione Italiana Manutenzione dei Tessili e Affini.

NEW PRODUCTS

The mattress washer Fratelli Rosa: a new example of made in Italy !
The family Scarafiotti, professional laundry for three generations, has consolidated its presence in the market, providing an impeccable service to both hotel and healthcare industry. The latter gave them the opportunity to develop a totally new concept, in order to meet a real need:  washing the mattresses very thoroughly.

To cope well with increasingly stringent regulations, hospitals and nursing homes are requiring more and more the mattress washing service. Handling this article has always been difficult for any laundry, because the mechanical action in a traditional washer is too much for a mattress. Due to this, in most cases, there are irreparable damage on the mattress, with consequent litigations with clients. In 2009, Alberto and Alessandro Scarafiotti, in front of several mattresses to wash and with a growing demand for this service, have realized a revolutionary system for optimum results, transforming this initial problem into a great opportunity.

After numerous studies and related designs, came the idea of dividing the drum in concentric rings, thus creating real “pockets” to accommodate the mattress. The basic principle of the solution is the controlled mechanical action, which allows to wash the mattress avoiding them to be twisted and to suffer disproportionate compression. While ensuring an optimal wash result,  the mechanical action is not cancelled but, in fact, controlled.

The initial phase of development has generated the geometry of the drum, which was immediately patented in Italy and, after 90 days, internationally through the PCT procedure, under the brand A3S owned by Alberto and Alessandro Scarafiotti. Thanks to their longstanding relationship with FRATELLI ROSA, historic Italian manufacturer of laundry equipment and supplier of the family owned laundry LIM, Alberto and Alessandro gave exclusively to FLLI ROSA the construction of the mattress washing system for the European market.

FLLI ROSA, with his chief engineer, Francesco Buonincontro, has therefore developed in subsequent months, the complete washing system, applying the logic of construction normally used by FLLI ROSA for their traditional range of washer extractors.

The revolutionary concept of geometry of the drum, associated with an equally innovative washing system, finds its synthesis in DOLPHIN, the world’s first mattresses washer extractor, operating since the summer 2010 at the LIM laundry in Caselle (Turin) . The genius of the system achieves a cleaning result is absolutely guaranteed and chemically certificated. Furthermore, the controlled mechanical action allows the machine to wash delicate items such as pillows, blankets, uniforms, rehabilitation accessories, and more, combining the an excellent washing result with extremely high productivity, to over 70 mattresses washed in a work shift of 8 hours.

FLLI ROSA, thanks to his experience of over 50 years, developed the innovative washing system that allows to save up to 40% of water used compared to a washer extractor of similar size, with the objective of providing customers with a machinery reliable, functional and environmentally friendly.

The mattress washer to the test !

As mentioned, the first machine was installed in August 2010 at the LIM laundry in Caselle (Turin) and the mountains of stacked mattresses are now a distant memory. Alberto Scarafiotti, co-owner of the laundry, said: “Before the dirty mattress for us was a real problem. Now with this new solution we offer a true service to our customers. “Small changes made later by Rosa FLLI have also helped to achieve even greater results.

The satisfaction of hospitals for the service offered by LIM with this new solution has pushed to begin the marketing of products across national borders. FLLI ROSA, focused in the continuous research and development of its machinery, has turned to ITRADE, sales and marketing consulting company, specialized in the development of export sales network for laundry manufacturers.

The harmony and common goals of FLLI ROSA, A3S and ITRADE led to immediate participation in the EXPO DETERGO (October 2010), where the concept, initially accompanied by the natural diffidence and partial understanding towards such an idea revolutionary, was received with great enthusiasm.

The fair showed in fact to be concrete and an Italian businessman, who owned a laundry in Switzerland confirmed the purchase of a complete system of OCTOPUS washer and TORNADO dryer, to answer the insistent request of some private clinics at the highest level of Lugano.

OCTOPUS is the hybrid version of DOLPHIN, combining the controlled mechanical action for mattresses and delicate items to the traditional action necessary for the linen: two different but simultaneous mechanical actions in the same washer ! The drum is in fact divided into two central compartments for the treatment of the linen, with capacity of 120 kg, and an outer concentric ring where mattresses, pillows, blankets or other can be treated. OCTOPUS is the solution for all laundries looking for a flexible machine for optimized washing, in view of productivity and energy savings. The dryer combined with OCTOPUS is TORNADO, with an internal drum and outer ring for drying of mattresses and / or delicate items.

Conquering the world of mattresses

The interest aroused in Europe and elsewhere also spread overseas, requiring the presence of FLLI ROSA, A3S and ITRADE as exhibitors at the CLEAN SHOW in Las Vegas (June 2011). The U.S. welcomed with great interest the innovative system because many large cities around the country are plagued by the problem of “bed bugs”, pesky insects that hide in mattresses and pillows and infest many American hotels.

FLLI ROSA, with his export partner ITRADE, was able to enter Germany, the top European market, also thanks to Marion Stevens, owner of the authorized distributor Zoellner, who realized the great opportunity offered by this new washing concep. The full team was then present to ‘”Open House” at the headquarters of CHT, in Tuebingen (Sep 2011), where the solution was presented to many professionals.

Four of the largest German laundries have immediately understood the possibility of offering a unique service, differentiating themselves from the competition. FLLI ROSA has then organized for them a two-days seminar at the LIM laundry (November 2011), coordinated by ITRADE, Zoellner and Alberto Scarafiotti. Customers were able to realize benefits and potential of the machine and explain the specific requirements of the German market.

The high productivity and the impeccable cleaning results, obtained in the following washing tests, carried out on their mattresses directly sent from Germany, convinced the customer to confirm 3 complete system for washing and drying mattresses, which will be installed by May 2012 in their laundries in Germany. FLLI ROSA showed his usual great flexibility, realizing the equipment according to specific requirements in relation to the thickness of the mattress used in Germany. These facilities will be used not only for serving the healthcare but also for the private market. A franchise system is already operating, with the aim of collecting mattresses directly at home and delivering them in a short time, with a guarantee of safe clean!

The next step: TEXCARE – Frankfurt, 5-9 May 2012  ITRADE – Pad.8, stand A09

FLLI ROSA, ITRADE and A3S invite you to see the extraordinary DOLPHIN washer extractor, which will be exhibited in ITRADE booth at TEXCARE, where laundries and distributors from around the world will appreciate the advantages and qualities of this extraordinary and revolutionary washing system.

FLLI ROSA, reliable, professional and close to customer needs: the ideal partner for your industrial laundry !

For more information, please, visit  ITRADE on the WEB.