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/ Magazine / Other Articles / Quality, vision, and investment the growth of Lavanderia Stella in Bari
by
Marzio Nava
Lavanderia Stella, a historic laundry establishment located in the area of Bari, is today one of the most interesting examples in the industrial laundry sector in Southern Italy and beyond. We spoke with Dino Stella, the company's owner, to delve into the sector's evolution, growth strategies, work organization, and future prospects.
“Our company was established in 1987 as a family-run business. At the beginning, we operated in a small facility of around 200 square metres together with my parents and my brothers. From the very beginning, we focused strongly on service, quality, and continuous growth. In 1994, we moved to a larger facility, but even then, I knew that sooner or later, we would need to make another dimensional leap. Over the years, we continuously invested in plants and equipment, culminating in our 2020 relocation to the current site. Here, we were able to make significant investments: a new purification plant, additional ironing lines, new continuous washing machines, and a much more efficient production organization. The goal was not just to increase production capacity but to make the entire flow more orderly and measurable: soiled item intake, selection, washing, finishing, folding, packaging, delivery preparation, and clean item return. In a seasonal market like Puglia's, efficiency is measured not only during summer peaks but in the ability to maintain continuity and quality throughout the year.”
“Absolutely. I've always had a vision strongly oriented towards the industrial evolution of the company. Over time, it hasn't always been easy to change pace: moving from a more artisanal logic to an industrial vision requires decisions, investments, and a new organizational culture. But for me, it was clear that the laundry needed to grow, structure itself, and continuously improve.”
“We started with the restaurant sector, like many laundries. living in Puglia, naturally also the banqueting and catering segments. Today, these three segments have been the core of our business for over 25 years. Since 2020, we have also started working with workwear and PPE, although our main focus remains on the hotel and banqueting sectors, two sectors that are growing significantly in Puglia.”
Do you also operate in the healthcare sector?
“Not yet. It's a sector that interests me, but I believe it requires a dedicated production unit. I prefer to enter that market only when I can guarantee the highest level of organizational standards.”
“Our approach is very oriented towards long-term relationships. Most clients have multi-year contracts, generally three years. We are also working extensively on linen customization, introducing formulas based on washing cycles, for example, with guarantees of up to 70 washes for personalized products.”
“The spot portion is minimal. It exists mainly in catering or for occasional events, but we're talking about a very small share. Over 99% of our work comes from continuous and structured relationships.”
Let's focus on business distribution.
How is your revenue divided today?
“Roughly, I would say:
• 50% hotel sector
• 30% catering
• 20% banqueting and reception halls”.
“After moving to the new facility and overcoming the COVID period, we've seen very strong growth since 2023. We can say we've nearly tripled our revenue compared to the previous phase. But it's not just about quantity. I've also invested heavily in material quality, equipment, and production efficiency.”
What does quality mean today for an industrial laundry?
“Quality is not a single result; it is a system. It means managing flows correctly, choosing the right products, training people, controlling processes, and maintaining the same standards even during peak production periods. An industrial laundry cannot be excellent only when it's working at low capacity; it must demonstrate reliability especially when production pressure increases.”
What role do traceability and technology play in your production model?
“We are also working on traceability and more advanced garment management. Technologies like RFID and identification systems allow us to reduce errors, improve garment management, monitor product lifecycles, and offer a more reliable service to clients. This is an inevitable direction for laundries that want to grow in an organized manner.”
“For me, an industrial laundry must cover all segments because we never know how the market will evolve. The fundamental element is diversification. That said, today the best margins certainly come from high-end hotels and banqueting venues. In weddings and banquets, customization has become an important competitive lever. It's not just about washing and returning linen perfectly; it's about offering solutions consistent with the establishment's identity: colors, fabrics, sizes, finishes, and dedicated products. It's a more complex service to manage, but it allows the laundry to move away from the commodity logic and become a partner in building the end customer's experience.”
“Labor is certainly a very important component. We currently employ about 45 employees during the high season, of which about 35 are permanent and 10 are seasonal.
We have invested heavily to reduce energy costs:
• We installed photovoltaic panels, which today cover about 50% of our consumption;
• We installed a new high-efficiency boiler;
• Heat recovery; improved insulation, and optimization of steam and condensate return make a difference. ”
The energy issue has become central to industrial management. This is why Lavanderia Stella has invested on multiple fronts: photovoltaics, a new high-efficiency boiler, heat recovery, insulation, steam optimization, and condensate return. These are not isolated interventions but a progressive strategy to make production more efficient, sustainable, and less exposed to energy cost volatility.
“The main difficulty is not finding people, but training them to our quality standards. We don't do purely quantitative work; we focus heavily on quality, which requires attention, productivity, and continuous training. I also try to create a positive, collaborative work environment without rigid hierarchies. I think this also greatly helps with staff retention.”
“Yes, all logistics are internal. This allows us to better control the service, but it also involves significant costs. The main problem is seasonality: in some months, we have very busy vehicles and drivers, while in other periods, part of the fleet remains idle. I am considering the idea of creating a separate transport company that could work for both us and other companies, but it's a complex decision, as it would mean managing another business.”
“To continue growing without losing quality. For me, the modern industrial laundry must be reliable, organized, and capable of continuous evolution. Investments are fundamental, but they are not enough on their own. Vision, method, and consistency are needed. The industrial laundry of the future will be increasingly organized, technological, and sustainable, but it must remain deeply tied to service quality. It is on this balance that we want to continue growing.” •
DETERGO MAGAZINE # JULY AUGUST 2026
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