Meet the GBPAP18’s outstanding PTC showcases

For the coming period, we will present you week by week, the most outstanding PTC showcases that were officially nominated for The Global Best Practices Awards Program 2018. The profiles of these companies are also present in the WOPCOM platform, which you can access here.

Hakuyosha Co. Ltd. (Japan) – The Sustainability Award at GBPAP18 – Retail Textile Cleaning

One of the largest dry cleaners in the world that cleaned 6.5 mln shirts and 15.8 mln dry cleaned items last year 

Hakuyosha is known as a full-service cleaning company that provides textile care services, hotel line supply services, dust-control services, etc. They are continuing their efforts in being pioneers of the Japanese Professional Textile Cleaning industry in delivering customers satisfaction for more than 110 years of business. The company’s main concept: “In everything, do to others what you would wish them to do to you”. This translated into day-to-day operations performed the entire staff. The Japanese company provides total cleaning service for day-to-day life such as interior  cleaning, not only textile cleaning. This includes pick up & delivery service, apart from the service in the shops, and also the reception of the items that are sent by door-to-door delivery service from all over the country so that the customers can receive the service in a convenient manner.

Hakuyosha’s headquarters

Human resources, the main driver toward exceptional quality. The management has implemented a qualification system for employees so that the skills of plants and sales personnel can be evaluated on regular basis. An examination is performed twice a year for employees. Employees receive several types of benefits, such as status and perquisite, according to the rank of qualification they achieve. In customer service, the technical and the sales  department, the focus is on customer service, fabric material and cleaning knowledge. The company has defined specific examination modules for every step in the process within the plant, the staff being evaluated based on their speed, working skills and, quality output

Constant evaluation of quality,in order to maintain the highest standards
The company executes cleaning performance tests twice a year on every cleaning facility to maintain cleaning quality and working environment. The specialized section from the head office  executes quality control checks once a year at every plant, as well. In each unit of Hakuyosha, the managers also take random samples and execute quality checks twice a month. The examiners, who have completed the necessary training course, check quality of all finished items one by one, and if an item that doesn’t correspond to the standards is found, it will be sent back to the plant, in order to maintain the quality levels. Apart from the quality checks, the customers’ opinions are of a critical importance, being used in order to improve the overall quality of the service.

A continuous improvement of the processes and services 

Hakuyosha considers convenience for customers the pivotal characteristic while tailoring a high quality service. They study the characteristics of material, develop handling methods, and add new cleaning features continuously. And this is done by aiming to clean and finish in a more sustainable manner without affecting the textiles.
Quick service is also provided and, furthermore, considering housing condition in Japan, the company provides cleaning and storage service until next wearing season. Being inspired by the way in which women care about their skin, Hakuyosha developed a variety of textile processing technologies, such as water repellent, mothproofing etcetera, in the same way, which was received in a very favourable manner by the customers. In terms of marketing and communication, Hakuyosha hasn’t set a specific goal in promoting its services in the media in a big way. However, they  continuously receive requests for interview from various media outlets, because they are already well-known in Japan.

Plant of Hakuyosha’s Tokyo Branch

An undisputed leader in Japan in terms of innovation and sustainability
The company is working on constructive introduction of energy saving facilities, co-development of new solvent with manufacturer, and recycle of plastic hangers to contribute countermeasures against global warming and CO2 reduction. Although the environment related laws and regulations keep changing, Hakuyosha meets every regulation’s requirements by innovation, such as developing and integrating new equipment. Their own laboratory continuously executes environmental measurement and assumes Hakuyosha’s environmental conservation activities. The staffs of laboratory conducts tests and researches in order to develop new cleaning methods. Aiming for eco-friendly cleaning, they examine new solvent or detergent and test optimum cleaning methods to treat various types of fabrics and designs. They also develop textile processing technologies to meet the customers’ requirements. Causes and solutions of particular problems during the  cleaning processes are also pursued to be found out. Technical data from the laboratory are utilized in Hakuyosha’s plants for customers’ satisfaction. One of the largest dry cleaners in the world that cleaned 6.5 mln shirts and 15.8 mln dry cleaned items last year “Their credo is that the best promotion is continuing to meet customers’ requests.”