Hundreds of attendees learn about the diverse job opportunities offered by the laundry industry
The 2026 Laundry Open Week organised by the Textile Services Association (TSA) was a great success, according to feedback from participants. It aims to showcase the work the industry does, raise its profile and highlight the career opportunities to local communities across the UK.
Laundry Open Week is a collaborative initiative organised by the TSA and its partner organisations in Europe via the European Textile Services Association (ETSA). This year it took place from March 16th to the 20th, with laundry sites opening their doors to offer guided tours to members of the local communities. Visitors were introduced to the operations and the diverse range of jobs the industry offers, including engineering, HR, technology and logistics.
2026 saw five companies hold events at 14 sites. The participating companies this year were Aberdeen Laundry Services, CLEAN, County Textile Services, Fishers, and Micronclean, with the TSA working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to promote the event with local job centres.
The feedback from companies has been overwhelmingly positive, with several hundred reported attendees being welcomed across the participating sites. This figure included one of Fishers’ MPs, Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife) as well as staff from DWP.
As one of the main aims of the Open Week is to raise awareness of career opportunities in the industry and drive recruitment, the participating companies are very pleased with the outcomes. One person has already been hired, with other companies reporting interest from attendees that is likely to result in further recruitment occurring soon. More importantly the open week helped to build relationships with local job centres and career advice services at local universities, which will undoubtedly drive recruitment going forward.
Other participants reported that the event was covered in local media, further helping to grow awareness of the opportunities existing within commercial laundries. Representatives of the DWP who attended were pleased to get a chance to try their hands with the equipment, and were impressed at the knowledge displayed by the staff facilitating the tours. “We found it to be a friendly, light and happy workplace,” said one. “The staff were very informative and the whole visit was very interesting.” Many job centres will continue promoting the sector during the summer recruitment session as a direct result of the Open Week.
All participating companies are encouraged by the outcomes of the Open Week and are planning to take part in next year’s event, which demonstrates the positive effects of engaging with local communities to promote and develop your business.
“The aim of the Open Week is to show the varied and exciting careers the laundry industry offers,” says Emma Kiviniemi Wilson, managing director of TSA. “We know that it’s a great industry to work in, and the response to this year’s event shows that the word is getting out there. We’re already looking forward to next year!”
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