How We Helped a Major Food Manufacturer Save Over $250,000 on Uniform – Arrow Uniforms NZ

A few years ago, in pre-COVID era, a well-known New Zealand food manufacturer with a 130-strong, 24/7 workforce approached Arrow Uniforms with a specific need: a customised head covering to improve hair control on their production line.

Designing and manufacturing specialist garments is second nature to the Arrow team, and the solution was swiftly delivered. But it was a casual comment from the company's new Procurement Manager that sparked a much bigger conversation:

"I'm new here and keen to make a difference – I need to find real savings."

That simple remark promoted Arrow's founder to offer an unexpected suggestion. Observing that the facility operated around the clock and relied on commercially laundered hire garments – with every employee changing into fresh white daily – he proposed a different approach:

Have you ever thought about bringing laundering in-house?

Buy the garments. Control the process. Own the outcome. Bank the savings.

The Results Were Game-Changing

The Procurement Manager took the idea and ran with it. Within days, the business had crunched the numbers and built a practical plan. They went on to:

• Build a double Skyline garage for onsite laundering
• Install a commercial washer and dryer
• Set up garment racking and a basic sorting system
• Hired a part-time staff member to manage the laundering
• Purchased a full wardrobe of our uniforms, crafted in durable, industry-specific fabrics

The result? The project broke even within the first year. In a few short years, after factoring in wages, utilities, and consumables like detergent, the company had saved over $250,000 – a direct boost to their bottom line.

Beyond Financial Savings

The impact extended beyond cost savings:

• Garment Longevity: Arrow's durable uniforms reduced replacement frequency.
• Operational Awareness: The team discovered they'd been paying rental fees even during staff absences and shutdowns.
• Community Connection: With spare laundering capacity, they began washing local school rugby jerseys on weekends – a small but powerful gesture of community goodwill.

Why Buying Can Beat Hiring

This success story highlights a powerful business insight: for large organisations, purchasing uniforms outright – combined with a smart operational plan – can deliver far greater value than long-term garment hire.

With Arrow Uniforms, businesses gain more than just a supplier. They partner with a team offering:

• Access to over 250,000 garments in stock
• Onsite embroidery for fast, accurate branding
• myArrow™, a smart uniform management platform
• The AROUND recycling programme for end-of-use uniforms

Ready to Rethink Your Uniform Strategy?

Arrow Uniforms has helped businesses in food production, healthcare, logistics, security, and hospitality gain control of their uniform operations – saving money, enhancing brand image, and delivering real impact.

Talk to Arrow Uniforms today.
We’ll help you elevate your brand, streamline your uniform management, unlock real savings – and bring some creativity and fun to your uniform journey!