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by
MARZIO NAVA
We venture into the productive heart of Brianza in Mariano Comense, a town with over 25.000 inhabitants strategically located between the high plain and the Como hills, halfway between Como and Milan. At first glance, there are more industries and small businesses than homes. We are going to the industrial laundry NEXIV, a reality whose roots go back years but which recently has new ownership with a new corporate helm. Nexiv laundry's organizational model is built on healthcare assistance (nursing homes and residential care homes) and is increasingly oriented towards a rapidly evolving sector: workwear and personal protective equipment (PPE). This is the snapshot we've taken of Nexiv, a company active in the industrial laundry sector, which today focuses its core business on nursing homes and residential care homes, but is increasingly looking towards the manufacturing world, particularly the treatment of workwear and PPE.
"Nexiv was established and developed as a specialized operator for socio-healthcare facilities," explains Commercial Manager Andrea Massironi. "Our core activity involves laundry services and the washing of flat linen for residents, accounting for approximately 85% of the company's revenue. This segment encompasses various types of bed linen, including fully cotton and jersey blends, chosen for their elasticity and suitability for nursing home environments.
Complementing this, Nexiv manages personal laundry for residents, utilizing microchip identification systems for comprehensive garment traceability. This technology provides a detailed "identity card" for each treated item, monitoring wash cycles, fabric characteristics, and the garment's overall lifecycle.
The company also offers uniform treatment services for healthcare and care staff, encompassing both comprehensive laundry services and straightforward maintenance service for the garments”.
In recent years, Nexiv has broadened its scope to include the professional clothing market, which is increasingly aligned with PPE requirements. "This was a crucial step, also driven by regulatory evolution imposing more rigorous standards for hygiene, safety, and traceability," noted Massironi. “To penetrate this segment, Nexiv has partnered with a specialized commercial firm that interfaces with the user company, providing all services from cleaning and catering to laundry, which is entrusted to us, creating an integrated supply chain: from the supply of uniforms to their industrial treatment. In this area too, we offer both laundry services and simple garment maintenance”.
What distinguishes the multi-service companies you work with?
“These multi-service partners are typically large groups capable of extending payment terms - a financial advantage Nexiv cannot sustain independently. Currently, Nexiv processes approximately 600.000 garments annually from high-complexity sectors, including chemical, pharmaceutical, and mechanical engineering industries”.
What advanced treatments and rigorous controls are PPE garments subjected to?
“Workwear and PPE demand highly specific and certified processes distinct from traditional linen. In the chemical sector, for example, Nexiv employs treatments that reactivate water-repellent properties, essential for worker protection against hazardous substances. This treatment is reactivated periodically during washing cycles and verified through specific tests, such as the spray test, which certifies the fabric's ability to repel liquids. For high-visibility garments, on the other hand, specific tests are carried out to verify the retro-reflectivity of the bands, ensuring that safety standards are consistently maintained over time. All of this is supported by microchip-based traceability systems that record every phase of the garment's lifecycle: number of washes, treatments performed, need for replacement. This is a crucial aspect, considering that beyond a certain usage threshold – generally around 40 washes – garments must be replaced to maintain optimal performance”.
Nexiv operates within a dynamic regulatory landscape, adhering to quality and environmental certifications like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. These require periodic checks, including microbiological testing to ensure bacterial load reduction to near-zero levels - a fundamental requirement increasingly sought by industrial clients alongside the healthcare sector.
Why is workwear laundering outsourcing growing in this sector?
“The outsourcing of workwear washing services is a pronounced trend. Historically, companies managed uniforms internally or through informal employee arrangements, but this is becoming less viable.
The complexity of regulations, the need for essential certifications, investments in automated industrial plants, and the requirement for specialized company skills all contribute. Furthermore, standard domestic washing machines are inadequate for treating garments contaminated with oils, greases, or chemical agents, posing risks to equipment and compromising cleanliness”.
We ask Alberto Ferraioli, who handles administration and 'keeping the books' as they used to say for the company. “While demand is growing strongly on one hand, new challenges are emerging on the other. In particular, the increase in requests from small businesses – with few employees – poses logistical and economic sustainability problems. Picking up and delivering reduced volumes significantly impacts operational costs, but opens the way for new business models: micro-logistics, territorial intermediaries, or automated systems like lockers for garment distribution. The reasoning is very similar to what large industrial laundries dealing with the HORECA sector, and in particular also small establishments like bed and breakfasts, face”.
What about investments in innovation?
“We made a significant initial investment by relocating and purchasing the physical premises where we are located in Mariano Comense. Then we made changes to some washing and logistics machinery. An important investment that has brought great development in the garments treated is the tunnel, with which we have managed to speed up and streamline the finishing procedure. We are now also considering automating the final garment redelivery part, although we know that the investment in this case is very costly but would provide us with great assistance”.
While maintaining a strong specialization in the socio-healthcare sector, particularly for nursing homes and residential care homes, Nexiv is positioning itself as an increasingly relevant player in the industrial world as well. This evolution is driven by technology, certifications, and strategic partnerships. In a market where safety, hygiene, and traceability have become essential elements, the professional treatment of workwear is no longer an accessory service but an essential component of business management. •
DETERGO MAGAZINE # MAY 2026
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