What happens when bold decisions meet the right technology? Magic Laundry Services (MLS) shows exactly what’s possible when vision and innovation come together: four high-output plants, over 150 million pounds of processed linen every year, and satisfied clients across some of the most prestigious hotel brands in the United States. None of it would be possible without a strategic partnership with Kannegiesser and a commitment to doing things differently.
Founded as a small dry-cleaning shop in Pasadena, MLS has grown into a market leader. The most recent milestone is the launch of a fully automated high-tech facility in San Bernardino, developed in close collaboration with Kannegiesser. “We sat down with Kannegiesser before we even made a purchase,” says CEO and Owner Harry Kertenian. “We said: ‘Hey, this is what we're looking at. Let's come up with a design.’”
Technology that Delivers
MLS started by replacing two CBWs with technology from Kannegiesser. “Let’s get it out, let’s try this German equipment,” recalls Kertenian. “And far out it paid for itself.” That success led to a full system conversion. Today, MLS relies on Kannegiesser equipment from washing and drying to feeding, folding and logistics.
The San Bernadino plant includes PowerDry transfer dryers, which are optimized for energy efficient and precise drying results. “With these dryers we have the infrared. It's supposed to be a bit more accurate as far as how much moisture is in it,” explains Senior Vice President Garo Jekmeian. “So we're able to cut down on gas.”
Designed for People
Smart automation has also made work easier for employees. CSPs and Pickers feed sheets one by one to operators, reducing strain and training time. “They're not pulling and straining,” says Jekmeian. “Ergonomics was a big factor.”
Operations Manager Alicia Silva calls it “every operations manager’s dream.” She adds, “It’s a lot safer, there’s less manual work. It makes it a lot easier to train the employees as well… everything kind of just flows.”
Meeting luxury standards requires flawless results. That’s why MLS uses Quantex to automatically scan the linen for holes and stains before it leaves the plant. “As we're learning more about it and the AI that it's using, it has helped us to reduce the number of people that need to check the linen,” says Jekmeian.
Investing in the Future
When Kertenian visited Kannegiesser’s headquarters in Germany, he was most impressed by the company’s investment in people. “I walked in and there was a full-on university, and I saw all these younger generation kids. And I said, the future’s right here.”
That training culture became a key part of MLS’s own development. “We get to send our technicians to the Kannegiesser University, where our guys go in there, they learn, they get trained on the equipment,” Kertenian explains. “They come back with this chip on their shoulder: ‘Yeah, I went to Kannegiesser school. I know how to do that.’”
This hands-on training builds technical knowledge and fosters ownership. The result is a self-sufficient team that can keep the plant running at peak performance.
Built on Trust
What ties it all together is a strong working relationship. “We’ve become family with everybody,” says Kertenian. “We knew everybody from the ins and the outs all the way up to the board of directors of Kannegiesser.”
From service and spare parts to digital tools like the myKannegiesser portal, support is always within reach. For Kertenian, the goal is clear: “We want to continue to invest into those technologies where we can put out a better product, faster product on a day-to-day basis and continue that quality that we have.”