March 2025

As our friendly faces on university campuses across the country, Circuit’s Customer Relationship Managers are driven by student satisfaction and provide an important link between universities and our laundry services.

South West CRM James Horne has spent the last 17 years with Circuit, covering postcodes everywhere from Swindon and Oxford to Southampton and Bournemouth. A typical day would be visiting sites liaising with students, site managers and housekeeping to make the laundry room the best it can be and understand what difficulties or issues they are experiencing with the laundry machines.

While he’s on site, James will collect data and insights to monitor machine performance, check all machines and payment systems are working and functioning correctly.

Our CRM’s experience can help to highlight symptoms with machines that need attention before they become an issue. He will report faults to our engineering team, and chat to students to get honest feedback on innovations like Circuit Go, our all-new tap-and-wash payment system. And if anyone wants advice on laundry machines, care labels, wash temperatures or drying times, he’ll be happy to help there, too.

James is currently overseeing upgrades for Circuit sites moving to Circuit Go. In recent months, this has included freshening up sites with new paint, furniture and other branded elements, all in partnership with facilities teams. You will also see him visiting sites to check instructional posters, stickers and service contact information is up to date and all machine branding in place.

“I really enjoy getting out to our sites and meeting students and colleagues face-to-face,” James says. “It’s always satisfying to solve a problem, or help people make the most of our laundry rooms.”

“The relationships I have with our customers really does help to smooth the process of all elements of the service Circuit provide, I feel it gives our customers the confidence to contact us directly with any questions, queries, or concerns they may have”

Why Partner with Circuit Laundry?

We understand the importance of engaging your student population. That’s why we’ve developed a series of impactful campaigns that resonate with today’s students. By partnering with us, you’ll gain access to:

Ready-to-Use Campaign Assets: We’ll provide your marketing department with a comprehensive suite of high-quality assets, including social media graphics, digital displays, and newsletter content, all tailored to capture student attention.
Detailed Roll-Out Plans: We’ll equip you with clear and concise roll-out plans, making it easy to integrate our campaigns into your existing communication strategies.
Increased Brand Awareness: Our campaigns are strategically designed to boost Circuit awareness, ensuring students recognise and appreciate the convenience of our laundry services.
Enhanced Positive Brand Sentiment: We aim to foster positive associations with Circuit Laundry, contributing to a more positive student experience on your campus.
Consistent Engagement: With campaigns running throughout the academic year, you’ll have a continuous stream of engaging content to share with your students.

How to Get Involved

We believe in making collaboration seamless. To ensure your university doesn’t miss out on these valuable opportunities, we’re offering direct access to our campaign materials.
Simply provide your marketing department’s email address, and we’ll send you:

Detailed campaign overviews.
A complete suite of downloadable assets.
Step-by-step roll-out guides.

By integrating our campaigns into your communication channels, you’ll effectively reach your student population and ensure they’re aware of the convenient laundry solutions available to them.

Let's Partner for Success

We’re passionate about creating a positive student experience, and we believe that by working together, we can achieve remarkable results.

Send us your marketing department’s email address today and let’s get started.

The Hidden Dangers of Neglected Ductwork

Fire Hazard: Lint is incredibly flammable. While you might be diligent about duct cleans inside your laundry room, the buildup within the walls and ceilings is often forgotten. Leave it there too long, and you’ve got the ideal conditions for a fire. It needs to be cleared out. Reduce the risk, stay compliant.
Poor Air Quality: Ductwork acts as a conduit for air circulation. When it’s clogged with dust and lint these pollutants are circulated throughout your building. This can contribute to respiratory problems, allergies, and other health issues for residents.
Reduced Dryer Efficiency: Even if the immediate connection to your dryer seems clear, a blockage further down the line can still restrict airflow. With energy prices high and sustainability targets in mind, keeping things efficient is vital. Blocked ducts are likely to make your machines work harder and take longer to dry things, which costs residents more.
Mould Growth: Lint traps moisture. This moist environment, combined with the presence of dust and debris, creates the perfect breeding ground for mould. Mould growth within ductwork can spread throughout the building, posing serious health risks and requiring costly remediation.

What Should You Do

Don’t wait to address your ductwork. Proactive cleaning is the best way to prevent these issues and ensure the safety and health of your building and its residents.

Circuit use specialised equipment to thoroughly clean the entire duct system, this includes the sections within the walls and ceilings.

Remember: ductwork cleaning isn’t just a tick-box exercise to satisfy insurers and H&S officials. It can also prevent breakdowns leading to unnecessary downtime.

To get some professional advice about the maintenance of your duct simply click here.

What are the benefits of commercial air conditioning?

The latest air conditioning technology offers a range of improvements versus older, leakier and often expensive-to-run units. Not only do modern air conditioners create a comfortable environment for staff, customers, visitors, residents and contractors, but they can also improve air quality for everyone using the building thanks to built-in filters that remove allergens and air pollutants.

During hotter spells, quality commercial aircon will also protect your critical equipment and assets, including hardware and server rooms. Plus, there’ll be less need to open windows and doors, improving site security for extra peace of mind.

Commercial air conditioning systems can also provide a back-up or even full-time alternative to traditional heating systems, delivering energy-efficient, year-round performance in buildings of all sizes, and potentially even saving you money in the long run.

Why spring is the right time for your installation

Spring is the best time for a commercial air conditioning installation for many reasons, the best of which is not asking your staff and visitors to put up with colder (or hotter) temperatures as you’re having the work completed.

Summer is usually the busiest time of year for air conditioning engineers, who’ll be needed to carry out planned maintenance, emergency repairs, and last-minute installs. By getting the work completed in good time, you’re likely to secure the experts you need, and give those contractors enough time and practical space to get the system up and running so it’s tested and ready for that first hot day.

Getting the system ready earlier will also help your employees adjust to how it works, before it’s used in earnest.

Utility beyond the summer

The newest commercial air conditioning systems are highly versatile and can easily provide heating as temperatures begin to dip again over autumn and winter. If your units have air filters on board, they can also help to keep air clear of allergens, whatever the season.

Servicing and maintenance

If you’re already making the most of a commercial air conditioning system, spring is also a great time to get it serviced, maintained, and – if necessary – certified. It’s always better to get this done before you need the system to be running for longer, so we’d advise you not to wait until the temperature rises to see if your system is still working effectively.

Remember, all air conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW must be regularly inspected by an energy assessor according to UK regulations.

JLA’s range of commercial air conditioning systems

With JLA’s range of single room, split unit wall-mounted and ceiling-cassette air conditioning solutions, you can benefit from enhanced energy efficiency, centralised remote control options, and quiet operation whatever your requirements.

And because JLA is a Diamond Quality Partner endorsed by Mitsubishi Electric, our customers will be assured of the highest level of service and quality.

Explore JLA’s full range of air conditioning solutions here. Or to discuss your project, simply get in touch.

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There are plenty of compelling reasons to upgrade your commercial fridges with the most notable benefit being improved energy efficiency.

Modern refrigeration systems are designed to consume less energy compared to older models, which translates into significant savings on your energy bills.

This guide will outline the key reasons why modern refrigeration systems save on energy bills along with other benefits and how to offset acquisition costs.

Energy-efficient compressors

Modern refrigeration systems often utilise advanced variable-speed compressors, which can adjust their speed to match the cooling requirements resulting in more consistent and efficient cooling.

In contrast, older compressors typically operate at a single speed and frequently cycle on and off, leading to an increased energy consumption. Furthermore, dirt and debris can build up on the condenser coils over time, reducing the overall efficiency of older models.

Enhanced insulation and door seals

Over time, the insulation on older refrigeration units can degrade, becoming less effective at retaining cool air and losing their heat transfer efficiency. As a result, more energy is required to maintain the specified temperature.

Older or cracked door seals results in cool air escaping, forcing the fridge or freezer to consume more energy to compensate. Modern commercial refrigeration units feature high-quality insulation and tighter door seals, ensuring that your equipment operates at peak efficiency.

Improved fans and motors

Newer fridges are equipped with energy-efficient fans and motors that circulate air effectively using less power, which may help save money on your bills.

By contrast, outdated models tend to rely on older, less efficient technology that consumes far more energy. These modern advancements make it easier to optimise energy use without compromising on performance.

Sophisticated controllers

Modern refrigeration systems include controllers that dynamically manage cooling output. For example, JLA’s controllers work harder when demand is high to maintain a consistent internal temperature, ensuring your food remains safely chilled even during peak times.

When activity is low, they reduce energy use by easing off on cooling—a feature that can save up to 15% in energy costs while maintaining optimal conditions.

Advanced refrigerants

Installing brand-new commercial refrigeration systems ensures you can benefit from high performance refrigerants that are not only more environmentally friendly but also more efficient at transferring energy. These refrigerants improve cooling performance while reducing overall energy consumption, making them a smart choice for businesses seeking to reduce energy bills, as prices continue to rise.

Energy-saving door designs

Features like self-closing doors and airtight seals found in JLA’s Active Cool range are designed to prevent energy loss. With the potential for staff to accidentally leave doors open during busy shifts, this helps to maintain optimal cooling efficiency.

Additional benefits from newer systems

Modern refrigeration systems don’t just reduce energy consumption, but they also bring several other valuable benefits to your business including the following:

Fresher food for longer

Newer features, such as variable-speed compressors, help maintain consistent temperatures and humidity levels, keeping your produce fresher for longer periods of time. This reduces food waste and can also improve the quality of your dishes for customer satisfaction.

Improved reliability and reduced maintenance

As fridges and commercial freezers age, their performance and reliability often decline, requiring more frequent maintenance and repairs. Investing in a new commercial refrigeration unit can save you from the stress, disruption and cost of constant upkeep and maintenance, allowing you to focus on your business with greater peace of mind.

Quieter and space-saving designs

Modern refrigerator units are designed with quieter operation and reduced vibrations, creating a more pleasant working environment. Additionally, they often feature slimmer, more space-efficient profiles, freeing up valuable kitchen space.

Easier to use

Equipped with intuitive digital displays and more precise temperature controls, installing new commercial fridges make it easier for your team to monitor and adjust settings using digital displays.

Save energy with JLA’s Active Cool commercial fridges

JLA’s Active Cool commercial fridges offer an array of benefits tailored to meet the demands of a busy kitchen:

Compressors for high performance and energy-efficient cooling.
Advanced coil design to minimise leaks, reduce maintenance, and enhance efficiency.
ATEX-Approved EC fan motors for more affordable and efficient operation.
CoolSmart controllers that instigate economy mode during low usage while maintaining optimal food safety.
Eco-friendly refrigerants like R600a and R290, replacing older refrigerants like R134a and R404a.
Enhanced airflow designs for improved heat exchange, both inside and out.

Offset the costs of installing new units

Upgrading your commercial fridges and freezers may seem like a significant investment, but the savings you’ll achieve in reduced energy consumption and lower utility bills will help to offset the initial cost.

With JLA Total Care, you can spread the expense over manageable monthly payments, with no initial capital outlay and benefit from ongoing servicing and breakdown support, along with a pathway to lowering your carbon footprint.

For tips and advice on your commercial catering equipment, contact JLA today.

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JLA customers will often get in touch to ask us which commercial laundry detergents work best with the washing machines in their laundry rooms.

As lots of factors can decide whether commercial bio or non-bio is right for you and the items you clean, we’ve pulled together this quick guide to help you understand the key differences and make more informed choices before you place your next order.

The biggest difference between bio and non-bio: enzymes

Biological detergents contain enzymes, which are naturally occurring proteins that help break down and clear away tougher stains like grease, fat, and starch. This makes bio detergents especially handy when it comes to removing food spills, body oils and stubborn grime, even at lower temperatures.

Non-bio detergents, on the other hand, don’t contain any enzymes, which makes them much gentler on sensitive skin and delicate fabrics. However, this means that using non-bio detergents might see you needing to use higher temperatures to achieve the same level of stain removal as bio detergents on a cooler wash.

What are the benefits of commercial bio detergent?

As well as being specially formulated to deep-clean items in ways that domestic detergents simply can’t, commercial biological detergents have a few performance advantages over non-bio detergents.

The obvious benefit of bio is that it generally removes tougher stains with more consistent results, including common staining from dirt, grease and fat. Bio detergents also perform much better than non-bio detergents at lower temperatures, leading to energy savings on every cycle, an improved carbon footprint, and reduced utility costs – ideal when you consider how often your commercial washers are used.

Where will you find commercial biological detergents?

Thanks to their power against grease, starch and other hard-to-clean stains, commercial bio detergents are trusted in a variety of catering and hospitality businesses, including hotels, pubs and restaurants. You’ll also find them being used by organisations that need to tackle a lot of ground-in dirt – think football clubs, factories and other industrial businesses.

What are the benefits of non-bio detergents?

People with sensitive skin or certain skin conditions can have negative reactions to the enzymes used in biological detergents. Non-bio detergents are therefore much kinder to the skin and less likely to cause irritation.

As commercial non-bio detergents are gentler, they’re also ideal for cleaning delicate fabrics like silk and wool, as these materials contain proteins which the enzymes of bio detergents can damage.

Where are non-biological detergents used?

In environments like schools and shared accommodation, where a variety of different people live, work or study, a non-bio detergent may be more suitable to accommodate those with more sensitive skin.

So which commercial detergent should I use?

The best choice for your business depends on the sector you’re working in, the needs of the individuals who’ll be using the items being washed, and the nature of stains and grime you come up against from day-to-day. In our experience, many businesses opt to have both types of detergents on hand, then make sure their staff are trained to choose the best option for the application.

The JLA Ultra detergents range

JLA’s Ultra laundry detergent range includes wash powders, conditioners, destainers, and emulsifiers, all developed to maximise the performance of your commercial washing machine.

In recent testing, our Ultra Bio Liquid Laundry Detergent outclassed third-party detergents in every category – providing improved stain removal and effective cleaning even at wash temperatures as low as 40°C. If you’re looking to browse and buy from the range, don’t forget that it’s easy to shop and set up a detergents subscription online in myJLA, our customer portal.

If you’d like more help from our experts, please get in touch today.

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Following the devastating fires at Lakanal House in 2009 and Grenfell Tower in 2017, in which 72 people lost their lives, the Government took action to strengthen the UK’s fire safety regulations.

The Fire Safety Act of 2021 has improved existing laws to reduce fire risks, driven greater accountability and increased protection for thousands of residents living in flats and multi-occupancy buildings across the country. But what does the act cover, and what does it mean for your organisation?

What does the Fire Safety Act 2021 cover?

The Fire Safety Act 2021 includes important clarifications for multi-occupied residential buildings (two or more domestic premises), like apartment blocks. This has made landlords responsible for the fire safety of a building’s structure, including its external building walls, cladding, windows, balconies and doors into communal areas.

In the past, certain aspects of fire safety responsibility have been seen as unclear, or even unhelpful. These grey areas have now been eliminated, ensuring landlords (and/or the responsible person) now have a much better understanding of their obligations.

Introduction of the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool

To complement and support the act’s new measures, the Home Office Task and Finish Group introduced the FRA Prioritisation Tool. This provides weighted questions that help to guide a fire risk assessment and will go on to list the most important priorities for your building.

With these details, you’ll be able to take the necessary steps to manage any risks.

What’s a responsible person?

In fire safety, a responsible person is someone who looks after a non-domestic
building. Being ‘responsible’ in this context means taking control when it comes to identifying and reducing risks, as well as overseeing essential fire safety precautions.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 demands that a responsible person takes all steps possible to reduce the risk of fire and puts measures in place for efficient evacuation.

For high-rise residential buildings (7+ stories or 18+ meters, with 2+ units), ‘accountable persons’ and the ‘principal accountable person’ are responsible for managing fire and structural safety risks.

For safety in apartments and flats, a ‘Stay Put’ policy would be implemented. If a fire breaks out, residents are advised to stay in their flat with doors and windows closed unless the fire is inside their own flat or in a common area.

Ultimately, the responsible and accountable person is tasked with protecting anyone who works, lives in or visits your premises from fire hazards, which means they’re also responsible for completing and regularly reviewing fire risk assessments.

Further safety regulations

Following this act, additional regulations were brought into force, including the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Building Safety Bill to further enhance safety in residential buildings.

These regulations work alongside the Fire Safety Act 2021 to improve safety standards and protect residents.

Both the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 paved the way for amendments to RRFSO 200O5 to include the new provisions which must be followed so that a suitable and sufficient FRA is delivered.

For more help understanding the impact of the Fire Safety Act 2021, or to get compliance advice from a trusted fire safety and security contractor, simply contact our experts today.

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A day in the life of… a Customer Relationship Manager: Spotlight on James Horne (Circuit South West CRM)

Maximising Student Engagement: Partnering with Circuit Laundry’s Campus-Wide Campaigns

Why Partner with Circuit Laundry?

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A day in the life of… a Customer Relationship Manager: Spotlight on James Horne (Circuit South West CRM)

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The Hidden Dangers of Neglected Ductwork

What Should You Do

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A day in the life of… a Customer Relationship Manager: Spotlight on James Horne (Circuit South West CRM)

Maximising Student Engagement: Partnering with Circuit Laundry’s Campus-Wide Campaigns

What are the benefits of commercial air conditioning?

Why spring is the right time for your installation

Utility beyond the summer

Servicing and maintenance

JLA’s range of commercial air conditioning systems

Similar blogs you may like

How to save energy with a commercial air conditioning system

What makes spring the best time to install commercial air conditioning?

Energy-efficient compressors

Enhanced insulation and door seals

Improved fans and motors

Sophisticated controllers

Advanced refrigerants

Energy-saving door designs

Additional benefits from newer systems

Fresher food for longer

Improved reliability and reduced maintenance

Quieter and space-saving designs

Easier to use

Save energy with JLA’s Active Cool commercial fridges

Offset the costs of installing new units

Similar blogs you may like

Commercial catering equipment guide for football clubs

Kitchen upgrades kick off a new FM partnership with Pinnacle Group

The biggest difference between bio and non-bio: enzymes

What are the benefits of commercial bio detergent?

Where will you find commercial biological detergents?

What are the benefits of non-bio detergents?

Where are non-biological detergents used?

So which commercial detergent should I use?

The JLA Ultra detergents range

Similar blogs you may like

Exploring the benefits of auto-dosing pumps

What is commercial rinse aid and how does it work?

What does the Fire Safety Act 2021 cover?

Introduction of the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool

What’s a responsible person?

Further safety regulations

Similar blogs you may like

New SCA white paper: smoke control maintenance for compliance

New white paper: an alternative approach to fire and rescue PPE reprocessing

About JLA

Solutions

Sectors

Giovanna Eaton

Compliance expert

Kane Downes

Air conditioning expert

Peter Westwell

Catering expert

George Barclay

Laundry Expert

Mark Bone

Fire safety expert

Talk to our experts today