Since it’s humble beginnings in 1972, in a small 8000sq. ft. facility located on the outskirts of downtown Hickory, NC, Maple Springs Laundry has grown into a 45,000 sq. ft. state of the art processing facility that now can handle over 100,000 pounds of laundry per day. Owner Bob Daughtry saw the potential in Maple Springs back in 1972, and has since maintained a steadfast commitment to making this facility the preeminent health care laundry service provider in the Southeast.

The dream of owning the largest, most efficient, independent facility in the southeast came with many trials and tribulations. Competition was tough from national laundry service providers, and other firmly entrenched regional laundries, which promised to either acquire the assets of Maple Springs, or simply run them out of business. It was a challenge Bob Daughtry accepted.
Maple Springs first entered into the healthcare laundry-processing arena in 1982. Before that time, Maple Springs garnered business from just about anywhere they could: Ski lodges, hotels, motels, garages, car dealerships, and restaurants. Business was tough, but Bob Daughtry was determined, “ I remember making runs to the ski resorts when the wind chill factor was minus 60 degrees, and it was so cold that it would literally freeze the hydraulic fluid in the truck’s lift gates. But as a small independent laundry, we had to get the business wherever we could.” Bob continues, “Nobody can say we haven’t paid our dues, and we’ve sometimes learned lessons the hard way. But at the end of the day, it has made us a stronger company, a better company, and a company that lives and dies customer service.”
And so, in 1982 Maple Springs landed it’s first healthcare account, and began working toward the goal of servicing healthcare clients exclusively. Along the way, Bob’s vision of creating an ultra modern laundry processing facility slowly began to materialize. It required extensive upgrading of existing equipment, and purchasing new equipment in order to efficiently process linens and return them on a daily basis to the hospitals.

By 1992, Maple Springs was literally bulging at the seams, having long since outgrown its original 8000 sq. ft. location. Ironically enough, the laundry purchased a 35,000 sq. ft. facility owned by the very laundry chain that had vowed to “either buy Maple Springs, or run them out of business.” As business and service area expanded, Maple Springs sought to increase washing capacity by adding the latest equipment, including continuous batch tunnel washers, and all new automated drying equipment.
Before long, another 10000 sq. ft. was added to the facility to accommodate a second continuous batch tunnel washer, more drying capacity, and a second processing area for clean linens.

When you make a living serving hospitals and healthcare clients exclusively, it is imperative that equipment malfunctions and breakdowns never interfere with the ability to service our clients’ needs for clean fresh linens. For this reason, Maple Springs has built redundant systems and excess washing capacity into the processing facility to keep downtime to an absolute minimum. For example, if fuel shortages mandate, Maple Springs is capable of operating on several different fuels, including natural gas, fuel oil, or propane (?). Maple Springs is even equipped with a complete machine shop, and staff engineers that can troubleshoot problems at a moments notice. As a matter of fact, due to our inherent lack of mechanical failure and downtime, laundry facilities in NC, SC, Va, and Georgia have called upon us to be their backup service provider in the event of emergency
 

Being a good steward of the environment has always been a top priority at Maple Springs Laundry. Everything we do, from the environmentally sensitive chemicals and cleaning agents chemicals we use in our washing and bleaching processes, to the high efficiency equipment we select in order to minimize fuel usage and greenhouse gasses is very carefully thought out. A recently installed state-of-the art water filtration system allows wastewater to be reused as initial flush water for soiled linens, greatly reducing our need for city water. Additionally, by pre-heating incoming city water with warm recycled wastewater, we reduce our fuel usage, and keep our cost per pound competitive.

Years ago, from our roots as a small independent facility operating in a very competitive service industry, we learned our lessons well. Today, as the largest independent laundry facility in the Southeast, we owe our success to unparalleled customer service. The bottom line is, when the goods go out the door they’ve got to be right.

But don’t take our word for it. Please stop by and visit our facility today.