SPEED QUEEN CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRY BUSINESSES IN RUSSIA

The world’s biggest commercial laundry business – Alliance Laundry Systems – has reported a successful launch of its new franchise investment opportunity for Russian entrepreneurs to create their own self-service laundry business under the global ‘Speed Queen’ brand.

More than 350 entrepreneurs visited the Speed Queen stand at last month’s Buy Brand exhibition in Moscow, wishing to learn more about the specific advantages to owning and managing a self-service laundry. A further 50 leads were generated by the company’s online and press activity before and during the show.

Rocco Di Bari, Senior Vice President EMEA for Alliance Laundry Systems, is encouraged with the response to date: “Russia is a key market for us, and local entrepreneurs are clearly excited about a business opportunity that presents strong returns and a stable cashflow but that requires limited investment in time.”

Rocco says that a self-service laundry presents a very different opportunity from ‘traditional’ franchise investments that focus on fast food or retail: “It does not involve the management of perishable goods or onerous stock issues, and because the operation is ‘self-service’ the number of staff required is minimal, which also reduces the amount of time an owner needs to spend on the business,” he continues.

“Indeed based on an existing model, owners only need to spend on average 14 hours per week on site, primarily to collect the cash, manage the accounts, and oversee any required servicing or maintenance work. Unlike other comparable investment opportunities, there are no ongoing royalties or commissions to be paid.”

Speed Queen was exhibiting along with its local partner Trade Design, a business that specialises in equipping laundries and other facilities with commercial laundry systems. Trade Design Company has 29 branch offices in the key cities throughout Russia and further seven international branch offices in Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus and offers a full range of services from design through to installation.

Over the next four years Speed Queen is looking to build a network of more than 1,500 new stores across Europe working with investors who are looking to escape the ‘traditional’ world of work and make more productive use of their time. Since the launch of Speed Queen in Europe, stores have opened in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria.

SPEED QUEEN CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRY BUSINESSES IN RUSSIA