Robotics-based commercial laundry service coming to San Marcos

San Marcos will soon have a new robotics-based commercial laundry service, bringing with it 100 new jobs for the region. 

The Greater San Marcos Partnership announced Cooperative Laundry has selected San Marcos as the site of its next expansion, including an initial $20 million capital investment. 

“We are thrilled to be expanding and we could not have selected a better place than San Marcos, Texas,” Cooperative Laundry Vice President Chad Stockton said. “By providing the most technologically advanced hospitality-based commercial laundry in the Western Hemisphere, our hallmark is serving exceptional quality to our customers. My thanks to the City of San Marcos and Hays County for welcoming us to the community, and to Wadley Donovan Gutshaw Consulting and the Greater San Marcos Partnership for aiding us in the site selection process.”

Cooperative Laundry’s facility will be located at 1225 Fortuna Road in the Whisper Development near the new 1.1-million square foot Amazon SAT-6 facility. GSMP said Cooperative Laundry expects to be open by Spring 2022, adding that the company will offer “good wages (and) health care benefits” for its San Marcos facility employees on day one with families eligible after 30 days. 

The company estimates that approximately 85% of its laundering processes are done through automation. 

“These new, good-paying jobs generated by Cooperative Laundry will provide residents across our region the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives,” GSMP President Jason Giulietti said in a statement. “This announcement marks the 13th company location or expansion here in the Texas Innovation Corridor this fiscal year, once again exhibiting a trend of record-breaking quality growth in this region.”

GSMP added that Cooperative Laundry highlighted the strength and long-term stability of Texas’ leisure and hospitality industry as reasons to expand into Central Texas. Additionally, the robotics-based commercial laundry service cited the close commutes to Austin and San Antonio as well as the available workforce as additional reasons for selecting San Marcos for its newest expansion site. 

Last week, the San Marcos City Council and Hays County Commissioners Court approved economic agreements with Cooperative Laundry — Chapter 380 and 381 agreements, respectively. GSMP stated that the agreements are expected to generate $1.3 million in property tax revenue for the City of San Marcos and $890,000 in property tax revenue to Hays County over the next 10 years. 

“As a hub for hospitality, tourism and innovative companies, we gladly welcome Cooperative Laundry to San Marcos,” San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson said. “With a well-equipped workforce and strong community support, we look forward to being a long-term partner with this company.”

Added Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra: “We are honored that Cooperative Laundry chose the fastest-growing county in Texas for their first-ever expansion. We are thrilled with the job opportunities that will soon become available to members of our community.”

Cooperative Laundry joins multiple companies to pick the Texas Innovation Corridor as their location or expansion site over the last year, including  goodblend Texas, Iron Ox and Amazon. GSMP added that Costco, FedEx and Hershey’s Ice Cream have also announced new operations in the region, bringing new jobs and millions in capital investment dollars. 

Cooperative Laundry — established in Kearny, New Jersey three years ago — uses automated technology at an industrial scale for major hotel brands for cleaning as well as ironing, folding, counting and labeling items. The company estimates that approximately 85% of its laundering processes are done through automation. 

Additionally, Cooperative Laundry is one of only 55 companies in the country and 62 across the globe to be recognized with the Clean Green Certificate by the TRSA Association for Linen, Uniform and Facility Services Industry, which recognizes the company’s  commitment and delivery on sustainable practices. GSMP stated that Cooperative Laundry’s practices include high-efficiency use of water and energy, utilization of environmentally-friendly detergents, heat reclamation systems, water treatment process and lack of hangers in their programs.

Cooperative Laundry’s facility will be located at 1225 Fortuna Road in the Whisper Development near the new 1.1-million square foot Amazon SAT-6 facility.

“Cooperative Laundry is another excellent opportunity to support and bring high quality employers to our county,” Hays County Commissioner Precinct 1 Debbie Ingalsbe stated.  “Their cutting-edge technologies will serve our business community well and their jobs will provide new economic opportunities for our citizens.”