The Textile Services Association (TSA) has joined the British Cleaning Council (BCC) as an associate member.
The TSA is the trade association for the textile care services industry, which contributes over £1.3 billion in GVA and supports some 28,000 jobs in the UK economy.
It has become the 22nd member of the BCC, in a move which benefits and strengthens both organisations.
BCC Chairman, Paul Thrupp said: “I am delighted that the TSA has joined the BCC and I very warmly welcome them.
“Working together with the TSA makes the BCC and the whole cleaning and hygiene sector that much stronger.
“It is important that the cleaning and hygiene sector pulls together to present a unified front if we are to make our collective voice heard as loudly as possible.
“Textile services is a significant sector of the economy. There are also considerable synergies with the cleaning and hygiene sector as represented by our members, particularly in the health and hospitality sectors.
“The TSA’s work lobbying the Government to move towards multi-use gowns for healthcare is something that dovetails well with the work of our members on the environmental agenda and their work on skills also supports our drive to create an accredited training and apprenticeship.
“We have many issues of mutual interest and I look forward to collaborating in the future.”
The TSA’s membership represents commercial laundries in several sectors and textile rental businesses serving the hotel and hospitality, healthcare and workwear markets.
TSA CEO David Stevens said: “We are delighted to join the BCC and work collectively with so many like-minded organisations.
“We have so many harmonised agenda points I think the collective power of the BCC can really help drive these topics to some of the key decision makers in the Government.
“I see real benefits for our membership and improved momentum on some of our key project areas such as training, linen recycling and energy efficiency incentives such as the climate change agreement.
“As a relatively small trade association, it’s always difficult to get the space on the lobbying platform but working with the BCC will be a great way of sharing and supporting a single message for all members’ benefit.”