Medline and North Heights Linen Service enter nationwide textiles partnership

Medline announced today that it has entered into a partnership with North Heights Linen Service, a full-service healthcare laundry processing facility in Amarillo, Texas, to provide access to its Ready-to-Use pre-washed and pre-packaged linens to health systems across the country. To kick off the partnership, Medline also worked directly with North Heights Linen Service to set up operations in their new healthcare laundry plant, which opened in June 2021.

Medline’s Ready-to-Use pre-laundered and pre-packaged linens undergo a rigorous sanitizing and handling process and are critical in supporting healthcare workers as a more efficient and timely solution during emergency and labor-constrained circumstances. These pre-laundered sheets, blankets, towels, washcloths and patient gowns are ready for immediate use, skipping the processing step required for new product injections. Being processed in the Texas Panhandle, local communities benefit tremendously, given the history of the lack of healthcare laundry processing facilities in the nearby area and the region’s susceptibility to weather-related events, in addition to health systems nationally.

“Medline couldn’t be more excited with the development and launch of the Ready-to-Use Linen Program,” said John Piazzi, director of product management for Medline’s textiles division. “Healthcare linen processing is being put in an enormous bind facing volatility in labor, demand and product availability. North Heights Linen Service has been a fantastic partner to implement this new program with, and it is a true win-win scenario. We’re ecstatic to bring an impactful product solution to our customers while providing work opportunities to the North Heights community.”

North Heights Linen Service tapped Medline in early 2021 for strategic guidance on end-user experience and laundry operations to help with setting up its 30,000-square-foot facility, in addition to leveraging the company’s laundry business solutions. With the facility up and running, North Heights Linen Service is delivering essential healthcare laundry services to linen and healthcare providers nationwide, which, now more than ever, is critical in supporting local health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic and demanding labor market.

“The North Heights Linen Service is a fantastic addition to the North Heights community,” said City of Amarillo Mayor Pro Tem Freda Powell. “The North Heights Linen Service represents historic economic progress for the community. The partnership with Medline enhances the potential success of this business that has been welcomed into the North Heights community. This is another sign of the revitalization of North Heights and what is possible when people have a shared vision that benefits an entire community, if not the entire city.”

The significance of the partnership to the local community dates back decades, with medical professionals in Amarillo having to travel miles outside of the city to seek laundry services.

The new facility has brought in 20 jobs since opening and is expected to employ around 100 by Q3 of 2022. North Heights Linen Service also emphasizes work-life balance and an accommodating work environment with benefits, with the company being worker-owned.

For more than 100 years, Medline has introduced cutting edge fabric and linen products to the market, helping health systems globally drive efficiency, cost savings and patient satisfaction. Learn more about Medline’s capabilities: https://www.medline.com/capabilities/laundry-services.

About Medline

Medline is a healthcare company; a manufacturer, distributor, and solutions provider focused on improving the overall operating performance of healthcare. Partnering with healthcare systems and facilities across the continuum of care, Medline provides the clinical and supply chain resources required for long-term financial viability in delivering high-quality care. With the scale of one of the country’s largest companies and the agility of a family-led business, Medline is able to invest in its customers for the future and rapidly respond to a dynamically changing market with customized solutions. Headquartered in Northfield, Ill., Medline has 27,000+ employees worldwide and does business in more than 125 countries and territories. Learn more about Medline at http://www.medline.com.

About North Heights Linen Service
The North Heights Linen Service is a new, state of the art, full-service commercial healthcare laundry located in Amarillo, Texas.  This facility is the culmination of years of planning and development in partnership with the Amarillo Area Foundation, the North Heights Advisory Association, the Saint Anthony’s Legacy and Redevelopment Corporation, the Harrington Foundation and a consortium of Amarillo banks. The organization is based on an employee-owned model after the Evergreen Laundry in Ohio. The complete support of the community and the dedication of the Board of Directors as well as the City of Amarillo have propelled the realization of this project into a reality. Designed to serve the needs of healthcare organizations across the entire panhandle and beyond, the doors opened in the summer of 2021 and offers services tailored to these customers allowing a more convenient local provider that meets regulatory and compliance requirements. For more information, visit https://northheightslinen.com.