Atlantic City Linen Supply has been keeping casino and hotel rooms clean for 25 years

Posted: Monday, June 13, 2011 11:38 pm Atlantic City Linen Supply has been keeping casino and hotel rooms clean for 25 years By BRIAN IANIERI, Staff Writer pressofAtlanticCity.com | ATLANTIC CITY - The giant tunnel washing machines resemble steel submarines, running all day to help keep Atlantic City clean, one bed sheet at a time. Atlantic City Linen Supply Inc. has four such machines at its North New Jersey Avenue plant, capable of cleaning 135 to 250 pounds of laundry every three minutes. With a clientele that includes every Atlantic City casino, the business runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All told, the headquarters of the Atlantic City-based company averages about 200,000 pounds of laundry per day, said Eric Goldberg, vice president of development. The company has three other locations - two in Pleasantville and one in Norwich, Conn. The business, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this week, was co-founded by David Goldberg, 62, of Margate, and Thomas D'Onofrio Jr., 69, of Linwood. In 1986, the men took over an operation that had been run by Harrah's Atlantic City for its in-house laundry. In the 1990s, the business focused exclusively on the niche of the region's casino and hotel industry. The company started with 34 employees, six of whom are still with the company. As the business grew, Atlantic City Linen Supply began adding other casinos and hotels to its list of clients. "I would never have envisioned this in a million years," said David Goldberg, the company president. "We though we'd do two or three casinos." Overall, the company has more than 800 unionized employees in Atlantic County and in Connecticut. About 400 employees work in the Atlantic City plant alone, company officials said. The laundry is one of Atlantic City's largest non-casino employers, and company officials say nearly 80 percent of those employees live in Atlantic City. The company has remained a family business - David Goldberg's nephews, Eric Goldberg, 34, of Linwood, and Daniel Goldberg, 39, of Linwood; as well as D'Onofrio's son, Brian D'Onofrio, 37, of Linwood, are part-owners of the company. "To us that's an interesting story," Eric Goldberg said. "A lot of times a business grows like this, the partners sell it and the business is done. And that's not how this has been." Every day, trucks filled with dirty linen are delivered to Atlantic City Linen Supply. "Monday's a busy day because you're getting everything from the weekend... like a sea of tanks of dirty linen," Eric Goldberg said. The company had its original plant on North Carolina Avenue in Atlantic City but moved when the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority needed room to widen North Carolina Avenue and make other improvements. David Goldberg said the move to North New Jersey Avenue was good for the company, allowing it more room and the use of high-tech laundry equipment and mechanization. Those changes allowed the company to process more laundry. "When we built the new facility, we were able to give out the best quality in the industry and the best service in the industry," he said. That paved the way for future expansions, both in Atlantic County and out of state. In 2004, the business expanded out of New Jersey and opened a facility in Connecticut to cater to the laundry needs of the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos and some Boston-area hotels. The three facilities in Atlantic County mean the company can complete laundry orders on time even in the event of mechanical problems or other issues at one facility. In May 2010, a two-alarm fire at the Atlantic City plant caused the building to be evacuated. Goldberg said that despite the fire, the company still completed its laundry orders. David Goldberg sees a bright future for Atlantic City's casino laundry business, particularly with casino projects on track at the Golden Nugget, Resorts and Revel. "We'll see a resurgence in Atlantic City," he said. The company noticed some of the declines Atlantic City has witnessed in terms of gaming revenues. To help offset that, the company expanded and picked up a Delaware casino recently, David Goldberg said. To celebrate its quarter-century in business, Atlantic City Linen is hosting a party Wednesday at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City for employees and partners, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey/Southern Branch.

 

 

 

Norwich Public Utilities to build power station

Norwich, Conn. —
Norwich Public Utilities plans to build a $1.5 million power station that would help secure the future of a major tenant in the city’s industrial park and create additional electricity for residential customers.

The utility would contribute $750,000, which would be added to a U.S. government grant of the same amount. Construction of the station would begin in six to eight months, NPU General Manager John Bilda said.

The 10-megawatt, natural gas-fired station is being built next to Atlantic City Linen Supply Inc. at 5 Consumers Ave. in the Stanley Israelite Norwich Business Park. Atlantic City Linen’s high demand for heat for hot water fits perfectly with the co-generation concept used in the station, Bilda said Tuesday.

Co-generation produces electricity and heat simultaneously. It is also a form of energy recycling.

“They need the excess heat and we need the electricity,” he said. “It works out well for everyone.”

Atlantic City Linen, which does large loads of laundry for Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun, employs about 100 people in Norwich.

David Goldberg, CEO of the New Jersey-based company, couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.

The administrator that oversees the business park is pleased with the planned power station.

“They’re a big utility user that’s talked about expanding,” Norwich Community Development Corp. Executive Director Bob Mills said. “During these times, I’m happy to see any investment being made, even a highly subsidized one like this.”

The plant will enable Atlantic City Linen to keep its prices stable, said Gabriel Stern, director of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative, which has its headquarters in the business park. NPU is a member of the cooperative.

“We’re very enthusiastic about it,” Stern said. “Co-generation is great any time you can do it. The company (Atlantic City Linen) will be more cost-competitive.”

NPU will not have to raise rates to cover its contribution, Bilda said. The municipally owned utility will have a bonding measure on the November ballot aimed at growing its natural gas business. The power station, to be built on land leased from Atlantic City Linen, is “completely independent” of the bonding, he said.

Ten megawatts is enough to light 10,000 homes. The station will be small by industry standards, Bilda said.

“It will resemble a tractor-trailer truck,” he said, adding that utilities executives are working on getting permits for the project.

The station’s production will give NPU added supply, lessening the likelihood the utility would buy electricity during costly “peak” periods like summer air-conditioning season, said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, who helped secure the grant.

“Co-generation is a smart, sensible way to recycle energy and lower our electricity consumption,” Courtney said in a press release.

NPU would like to build more co-generation stations, Bilda said, although no others are currently planned.

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ACLS Management looks to expand operations

Owners David Goldberg, Thomas D'Onofrio and the ACLS Management Group have announced plans to expand its operations. The management company was formed to construct, manage and operate large-scale commercial laundries and collectively has over 125 years of commercial laundry experience. The company operates two “state of the art” facilities located in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Norwich, Connecticut. Each plant utilizes high-tech, energy efficient laundry systems which provide first class laundry programs to its customers. The company conducts on a regular basis, tours of its facilities and has hosted laundry executives from as far as Asia. For more information on arranging a tour, please contact our marketing department at (609) 345-5888.

As a result of its reputation and success in the industry, the customer base of ACLS Management continues to expand into new markets. Tom D'Onofrio is actively seeking to aquire existing laundry and linen supply operations that would be synergistically advantageous to the market place. Currently, if your business is for sale or you represent a conglomerate of properties interested in having us construct or manage your facility, please contact Mr. D'Onofrio at our corporate offices.

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PRESS RELEASE April 9, 2008

Laundry to clean up eyesore, anchor Pleasantville district
AC Linen Supply first to join City Center Redevelopment Plan

AC Linen Supply first to join City Center Redevelopment Plan

PLEASANTVILLE - AC Linen Supply is used to cleaning up for Atlantic City's casinos. Now it's getting ready to clean up a portion of the city.

The company on Tuesday became the first to sign a redeveloper's agreement with Pleasantville as part of its City Center Redevelopment Plan, known as The District. The full project would include high-end restaurants and apparel stores, offices and residential apartments.

But the first step will be the renovation and expansion of the property at 7 N. Franklin Blvd., which had been empty for about seven years.

As AC Linen's current staff works on the inside, construction crews work on the outside to renovate the dilapidated building.

"This is what we're going to look like in about six weeks, hopefully," AC Linen President David Goldberg said, holding up an artist's rendering of the two-story brick building.

City officials were enthusiastic about the project.

"This was an eyesore in my city, now it's going to be something to be proud of," Councilman Lincoln Green said.

It also will bring jobs, many present pointed out. The laundry business now has 150 workers, with 90 percent of them Pleasantville residents, according to Goldberg's partner Tom Donofrio. The goal is to employ 254 people when the 60,000-square-foot site is completed.

The total project cost more than $8 million, according to Donofrio.

"This epitomizes exactly what we're trying to do in Pleasantville," City Council President Jesse Tweedle said. "To bring developers here, to create jobs so this area can flourish. I want everyone to know, this is the direction we're headed."

The proximity of the project to public transportation is also important, said Roger Tees, the city's director of economic and industrial development. Many of the employees don't have cars.

That it's an Urban Enterprise Zone - offering discounted taxes and special grants - also helped.

"It is the ideal location," Goldberg said. "The fact the city and UEZ worked so closely with us made it a no-brainer."

"I'm very impressed," said Councilwoman Judy Ward, who acted in the mayor's stead at the signing. "For years people have been saying, 'What are you going to do about that building off Old Turnpike. Now look at it."

In keeping with the UEZ requirements, there will also be a retail store in the front of the building, where hangars and other laundry equipment will be sold, Goldberg said.

The company also hopes to eventually move its small Absecon location into the Pleasantville plant, according to Goldberg. The second floor of the Pleasantville building is one-third larger than the other facility.

"We're hoping the city will help us with that," he said. "That would create another 25 to 50 jobs."

Those employees will all be union workers, which is why UNITE HERE President Michael A. Connell was on hand Tuesday.

"I am so happy to be part of this experience," he said. "It not only gives people work, it gives them jobs with benefits, health insurance, a prevailing wage. I'm really, really excited to be part of this."

Carlos Muniz is already happy. He smiled broadly as he separated laundry at the plant. An AC Linen Supply employee for four years, he's happy to be close to home.

"It's good work," he said, adding that he has learned a variety of skills.

Looking for a job in the winter, Nasario Hernandez was just happy to find one in January. That it's five minutes from his home in the city made it even better.

"It's convenient for me - I get to save some gas money," he said. "I think it's a good thing. We need more jobs here."

The plant should be fully operational by the second week in June, Goldberg said. Although he's hoping it will be sooner.

For city officials, it's just the beginning.

"This is more or less an anchor for (The District)," Green said. "It's starting everything for us."

 

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News from Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribal nations in Connecticut

PRESS RELEASE Nov. 1, 2002

CONTACT: Julie Hayles, SE Marketing, Inc.
(609)264-8004 ATLANTIC CITY LINEN SUPPLY EXPANDS OPERATIONS

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - October 31, 2002 - ACLS NEW ENGLAND, INC., an affiliate of ATLANTIC CITY LINEN SUPPLY, INC. (ACLS), has announced plans to open a 35,000 square foot, state-of-the-art laundry plant in Norwich, Connecticut. The project has inspired an historic partnership between the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribal nations, who run the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resorts casinos respectively.
The new $8 million plant will be located in the Norwich Industrial Park, strategically positioned within a short drive from the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos. The facility will replicate the high-tech, energy efficient plant in Atlantic City, featuring a state-of-the-art modern laundry system that can perform at extremely high speeds.

"The 63,000 square foot Atlantic City plant opened in the spring of 2001, as one of the largest laundry plants on the eastern seaboard and one of the most automated processing plants in the world. In order to maximize the plant's capabilities, we began looking outside of the market for additional business," said ACLS president and CEO David A. Goldberg.

At that time, Goldberg and partner Tom D'Onofrio began discussions with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes. Representatives from both tribes visited the Atlantic City plant and were so impressed with the facility, immediately began using ATLANTIC CITY LINEN SUPPLY for their resort properties. For the past twelve months, ACLS trailers have transported laundry to the Connecticut sites daily and the Atlantic City plant has been able to maximize staff levels to accommodate the growth.

"We are grateful to Chairman Kenneth Reels of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Chairman Mark Brown of the Mohegan Tribal Nation for their extraordinary vision and unprecedented cooperation in making this project a realty," said D'Onofrio. "Now that the new facility is being built, we will be working hard to once again maximize the capacity of the Atlantic City plant, so that we can continue to employee hundreds of local residents."

ATLANTIC CITY LINEN SUPPLY specializes in laundry services for casinos and five star hotel properties, and has been serving the local community since 1986. With its high tech machinery and unique design, the Atlantic City plant has proven to offer tremendous operating expense savings to its customers along with increased quality levels.

For additional information, call Victor Nappen, vice president of sales and marketing, at (609) 345-5888 or visit their website at www.aclinen.com.

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PRESS RELEASE Oct. 31, 2002

TWO TRIBAL NATIONS JOIN IN FIRST-EVER VENTURE
TO BRING INDUSTRY, JOBS TO CONNECTICUT

The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribal nations today announced their first-ever joint enterprise, which will bring industry and jobs to Connecticut.
With the cooperation and assistance of the Norwich Community Development Corporation and the City of Norwich, the two tribes joined in a unique venture to provide laundry services to their hotels and restaurants while at the same time providing more jobs and expanding the tax base in Norwich.

The two tribal nations, customers of Atlantic City Linen Supply (ACLS) of Atlantic City, N.J., have reached an agreement with that company to bring laundry services closer to the two Tribes' major enterprises.

The chairmen of both tribal nations said the agreement with each other is an important example of tribal unity.

ACLS has agreed to build an $8 million building in the Norwich Industrial Park to service the tribes and any new, additional customers. The laundry company hopes to employ up to 60 people at the outset in the new building.

"I am thrilled that our two tribal nations have come together to help ourselves and our neighbors," said Chairman Kenneth M. Reels of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. "I want to thank Chairman Brown and the Mohegan tribe for their cooperation and willingness to create opportunity for the state and the region."

"This is a historic moment and a great thing to see our two tribes come together in a common effort to help ourselves and a surrounding community," said Chairman Mark Brown of the Mohegan Tribal Nation. "This joint effort is a long-time coming, and I thank Chairman Reels and his tribe for all their hard work. We hope it is the beginning of more innovative partnerships together."

The recent addition of Mohegan Sun hotel rooms and restaurants has added to the unprecedented demand for laundry service that has existed in the area since Foxwoods Resort Casino opened.

The tribes by combining their demand were able to entice Atlantic City Linen Supply to construct a new, state-of-the-art plant on land ideal for this purpose in the Norwich Industrial Park. This facility will meet the present foreseeable needs of both tribes and will be able to provide the finest service available to others in the hospitality industry as well.

The project was made possible through the work of the Norwich Community Development Corporation in providing an ideal parcel of land with the necessary utilities, including natural gas through the Norwich Department of Public Utilities.
At the outset the facility will be able to service the more than 3,000 hotel rooms and 50 or more restaurants owned, operated or leased by the two tribal nations. The facility's capacity will be designed to handle additional clients as further business is developed by ACLS.