JLA (company)
Encyclopedia
JLA Group is a provider of the distribution, rental and servicing of commercial laundry equipment, commercial dishwashers and regulatory compliance
tools. The company is the market-leading distributor of commercial laundry equipment in the UK, with circa 30 per cent market share
. Founded in 1973, JLA is based in Ripponden
, West Yorkshire
, UK.
in 1998. This new approach offered machines and service as a packaged rental product.
In April 2002, JLA acquired Circuit, a company which provides fully managed laundries for residential establishments (such as university campuses and housing associations) across the UK. Circuit has now become a fully incorporated division of JLA.
In 2010, JLA expanded with a division named Black Box Intelligence. This division was established as an umbrella brand
for its new compliance and building management system
products, Legionella Intelligence and Boiler Intelligence.
In February 2011, JLA secured a £12.5 million funding package from Lloyds Banking Group
Corporate Markets. The package consisted of £7.5 million for capital expenditure
and a £5 million working capital facility.
In July 2011, JLA acquired Mason of Blackpool, a regional commercial equipment distributor.
The acquisition attracted the attention of the national media, with both The Telegraph and Reuters covering the story.
JLA’s service division incorporates three offerings: Total Care, JLA Response and breakdown-only repairs. Total Care provides machines and service in a singular rental package. JLA Response comprises of contract-based laundry breakdown insurance
and service plans.
In November 2001, JLA launched their S.A.F.E. (an acronym for Sensor Activated Fire Extinguishing) dryer system. S.A.F.E. was developed to stop dryer fires by utilising two sensors which detect the change in temperature when a blaze starts in a dryer drum. These sensors then activate a water vapour mechanism to put out the fire.
JLA’s ozone
disinfection
laundry system OTEX was developed in June 2004, after a £3m investment
programme. In 2009 OTEX received level 1 classification from the Department of Health NHS Rapid Review Panel for infection control
products. The report stated that OTEX is ‘the most effective laundry disinfection system for eradicating microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, moulds and viruses'.
In September 2010, the company launched two new products through its newly formed division Black Box Intelligence. Legionella Intelligence was developed as a wireless web-based system for monitoring the prevalence of Legionella
via temperature sensors. Boiler Intelligence is a building management system which controls heating and boiler activity in properties.
In 2009, the Department of Health NHS Rapid Review Panel awarded JLA’s OTEX ozone laundry system level 1 classification for infection control products.
JLA were shortlisted for the Yorkshire Innovator award for the Yorkshire Business Masters’ Awards in June 2010.
Regulatory compliance
In general, compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. Regulatory compliance describes the goal that corporations or public agencies aspire to in their efforts to ensure that personnel are aware of and take steps to comply with relevant laws and...
tools. The company is the market-leading distributor of commercial laundry equipment in the UK, with circa 30 per cent market share
Market share
Market share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
. Founded in 1973, JLA is based in Ripponden
Ripponden
Ripponden is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax, on the River Ryburn. It is the site of a Roman settlement, and there is a Roman Road over nearby Blackstone Edge, a rocky ridge of Millstone Grit...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, UK.
History
JLA was founded in 1973. Initially specialising in only the distribution of commercial washing machines and dryers, JLA adapted their business modelBusiness model
A business model describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value...
in 1998. This new approach offered machines and service as a packaged rental product.
In April 2002, JLA acquired Circuit, a company which provides fully managed laundries for residential establishments (such as university campuses and housing associations) across the UK. Circuit has now become a fully incorporated division of JLA.
In 2010, JLA expanded with a division named Black Box Intelligence. This division was established as an umbrella brand
Umbrella brand
An umbrella brand is an overarching brand used across multiple related products. Umbrella branding is also known as family branding. It contrasts with individual product branding, in which each product in a portfolio is given a unique brand name and identity....
for its new compliance and building management system
Building Management System
A Building Management System is a computer-based control system installed in buildings that controls and monitors the building’s mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, power systems, fire systems, and security systems...
products, Legionella Intelligence and Boiler Intelligence.
In February 2011, JLA secured a £12.5 million funding package from Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group plc is a major British financial institution, formed through the acquisition of HBOS by Lloyds TSB in 2009. As at February 2010, HM Treasury held a 41% shareholding through UK Financial Investments Limited . The Group headquarters is located at 25 Gresham Street in London, with...
Corporate Markets. The package consisted of £7.5 million for capital expenditure
Capital expenditure
Capital expenditures are expenditures creating future benefits. A capital expenditure is incurred when a business spends money either to buy fixed assets or to add to the value of an existing fixed asset with a useful life extending beyond the taxable year...
and a £5 million working capital facility.
In July 2011, JLA acquired Mason of Blackpool, a regional commercial equipment distributor.
Acquisition by HgCapital
On 26 March 2010, it was announced that HgCapital had acquired a majority stake in JLA Limited. The deal was valued between £150million-£175 million.The acquisition attracted the attention of the national media, with both The Telegraph and Reuters covering the story.
Products and Services
As a commercial equipment supplier, JLA distributes its own branded machines, including JLA washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, rotary ironers and finishing tables.JLA’s service division incorporates three offerings: Total Care, JLA Response and breakdown-only repairs. Total Care provides machines and service in a singular rental package. JLA Response comprises of contract-based laundry breakdown insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
and service plans.
In November 2001, JLA launched their S.A.F.E. (an acronym for Sensor Activated Fire Extinguishing) dryer system. S.A.F.E. was developed to stop dryer fires by utilising two sensors which detect the change in temperature when a blaze starts in a dryer drum. These sensors then activate a water vapour mechanism to put out the fire.
JLA’s ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
disinfection
Disinfection
Disinfectants are substances that are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms that are living on the objects. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially nonresistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilisation, which is an extreme physical...
laundry system OTEX was developed in June 2004, after a £3m investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
programme. In 2009 OTEX received level 1 classification from the Department of Health NHS Rapid Review Panel for infection control
Infection control
Infection control is the discipline concerned with preventing nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection, a practical sub-discipline of epidemiology. It is an essential, though often under-recognized and under-supported, part of the infrastructure of health care...
products. The report stated that OTEX is ‘the most effective laundry disinfection system for eradicating microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, moulds and viruses'.
In September 2010, the company launched two new products through its newly formed division Black Box Intelligence. Legionella Intelligence was developed as a wireless web-based system for monitoring the prevalence of Legionella
Legionella
Legionella is a pathogenic Gram negative bacterium, including species that cause legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease, most notably L. pneumophila. It may be readily visualized with a silver stain....
via temperature sensors. Boiler Intelligence is a building management system which controls heating and boiler activity in properties.
Awards
JLA won the National Customer Service Award for Field Management in 2008.In 2009, the Department of Health NHS Rapid Review Panel awarded JLA’s OTEX ozone laundry system level 1 classification for infection control products.
JLA were shortlisted for the Yorkshire Innovator award for the Yorkshire Business Masters’ Awards in June 2010.