The Ditzingen Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1884 and consists of the Ditzingen, Heimerdingen, Hirschlanden, and Schöckingen fire stations, as well as the youth fire brigade and the senior fire brigade. With a population of just under 25,000, Ditzingen is the fifth-largest city in the Ludwigsburg district, near Stuttgart.
A few years ago, the Ditzingen Fire Department set up its own laundry facility at the fire station. Because of the company’s good reputation and its proximity, the fire department’s leadership chose STAHL laundry equipment. „We’ve wanted our own laundry facility for a long time, because it allows us to ensure quality right here on site,“ says Commander Peter Gsandner of the Ditzingen Fire Department.
The laundry room is located in the basement of the fire station. The Ditzingen Fire Department uses an ATOLL 140 industrial washing machine, a T 236 dryer, and a TS 1300 drying cabinet, all from STAHL. Thanks to the wide range of sizes in STAHL’s product lineup and innovative laundry technology, the Ditzingen Fire Department was able to select machines that fit perfectly into their space. For example, the drying cabinet does not require exhaust air to be vented outside: condensate can be directed via a hose into the building’s drainage system or into a container. The TS 1300 can therefore also be used in the basement and other windowless rooms.
All textiles used by the fire department—from operational gear and daily duty uniforms to sweaters and towels—are washed in the department’s in-house laundry facility. Previously, the Ditzingen Fire Department had sent its operational gear to an external laundry service but was dissatisfied with the quality of the cleaning. „PPE is high-tech equipment. We suspected that the operational gear wasn’t being washed according to the care instructions,“ explains Peter Gsandner. With the in-house laundry facility, the fire department can inspect, wash, and waterproof the gear itself and also keeps track of the washed clothing. „We can now respond more quickly and need fewer spare uniforms because we can wash the gear much faster than with an external service provider,“ says Peter Gsandner.
What particularly impressed the Ditzingen Fire Department was the fact that STAHL’s professional laundry machines are made entirely of stainless steel, as well as their user-friendliness. All machines are easy to operate and fully programmable, allowing wash cycles to be tailored to specific needs. Thanks to the sophisticated technology and robust construction of STAHL machines, the Ditzingen Fire Department now enjoys high-quality laundry results, greater flexibility, and machines that operate reliably for many years to come.
