2025 marks the 25th anniversary year of James Lincoln working for Royal Jersey, an amazing achievement. See below the full article published in Laundry and Cleaning Today.
is Managing Director at Royal Jersey Laundry – a family-owned business based in Dagenham that has operated since 1915, specialising in laundry services for the four- and five-star London hotel market and high-end private clients.
Royal Jersey Laundry were the recent recipients of the Commercial Laundry of the Year Award at the Laundry and Drycleaning Awards - the LADAs 2024. James has been working at Royal Jersey since his schooldays, officially joining in his year out after A levels, and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s worked his way through the business to his current MD role today. He is actively involved in the industry and is a member of the Worshipful Company of Launderers, the TSA, UKHA and National Laundry Group. James lives in Essex with his wife and three daughters and loves his football and boxing.
This year marks my 25th year with Royal Jersey, a milestone that holds deep meaning for me as part of this family business. My journey started long before I officially joined - many holidays were spent with my uncle, Chris Westcott, hearing stories about the laundry and its operations. My first official role, however, was working on the dryer panel after school and assisting as a lorry boy on weekends while studying for my A-levels. After deciding to take a year out, I unexpectedly found myself in charge of the washhouse! I spent two years working in the washhouse before being promoted to production manager, overseeing the night shift while also meeting customer during the day. From there, I progressed to operations manager and eventually general manager. Back then, 80-hour working weeks were the norm. I gained hands-on experience in every single role within the factory - there isn’t a job I haven’t done!
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors. John Barry, one of the best technical laundry experts I’ve ever met, took the time to teach me the ropes. Graham Boyd, who Chris brought in to teach me the art of stocktaking, was unmatched in his expertise. Gareth Draper, likely the best salesperson I’ve encountered, also played a pivotal role in my development. Chris was instrumental in shaping my understanding of the business - teaching me how to look after clients, care for staff, and manage the financial side of operations. These lessons provided me with a strong foundation that I’ve leaned on throughout my career. In 2009, I took on the role of managing director, overseeing the entire business. This came shortly after we relocated from our original base at Redbridge Lane East to our current site in Chadwell Heath. The move wasn’t without challenges, but we stabilised operations and turned Chadwell Heath into a dedicated five-star facility, branching out into drycleaning in 2015 - a service that now accounts for 20 per cent of our business.
In 2010, I spent a year as a management consultant for Virgin Active, assisting with the acquisition and management of a laundry site. Life was relatively steady until the Covid-19 pandemic tested us all. Just three days after reopening post-lockdown, our entire facility burned to the ground.
Reflecting on the past 25 years, I’m grateful for the challenges I’ve faced: relocating a laundry, navigating the pandemic, and rebuilding after a fire. Each experience has been a profound test of character and resilience, and I’ve learned invaluable lessons that continue to shape me both personally and professionally.
The most significant development in our industry will undoubtedly be the integration of robotic technology, particularly in areas like feeding towel folders and implementing automated sorting systems. These advancements will help minimise human error and enhance efficiency. AI will also play a crucial role. AI-driven analytics will monitor equipment health, predict breakdowns, and optimise repair schedules to minimise downtime. Machine learning algorithms will streamline workflow by refining production schedules and resource allocation, ensuring improved throughput and overall productivity. We’ve already embraced innovation by installing advanced camera scanners on our ironing lines. These scanners detect defects such as holes, creases, and stains as items exit the ironers. This technology addresses challenges that traditionally made it difficult to spot imperfections where the operator feeds the items into the machine, and the finished product emerges folded.
When I first approached my uncle, Chris Westcott, about joining the industry, he tried to convince me not to. “You’ll hate it. It’s stressful, the hours are long, it will take over your life, and it’ll be all you think about.” After listening to his rather inspirational speech, my response was simply, “When can I start?” Looking back, I can honestly say I’ve loved every minute of my career. I wake up every day eager to take on the challenges ahead. And trust me, there have been plenty—whether it was missing Christmas Day (twice!) due to our borehole pump failing, losing our entire factory to a fire, or dealing with a driver accidentally dropping a cage of linen onto a brand-new Porsche 911.
Through it all, I’ve kept a smile on my face. Why? Because as the leader of RJL, I believe it’s my job to set the tone. If my team sees me crumble under pressure, the operation would follow. The laundry industry, in my opinion, is truly unique and filled with opportunities. It offers exciting roles across engineering, driving, accounts, customer service, and beyond. No matter where you start, the sky is the limit. I’m a prime example – I began as a lorry boy while still in school and now lead the company. Similarly, my operations manager, Pooja, started feeding pillowcases and now oversees the entire operation.
Would I encourage my children to pursue a career in the laundry industry? Without a doubt, yes. On a personal level, I see myself as merely the custodian of RJL for a short period. One day, I’ll pass the baton to someone younger and more energetic. When that time comes, I’ll tell them: “You’ll never find a better job than leading this great company in this incredible industry.” For me, this career has been a privilege. I’ve had the opportunity to visit the finest hotels, meet extraordinary people, and make some of the best friends a person could wish for. It’s not just a job - it’s a way of life, and one I wouldn’t trade for anything.
The laundry industry has, to some extent, been its own worst enemy when it comes to communicating sustainability efforts to customers. For instance, at our Redbridge site, we implemented heat exchangers and boiler flue heat recovery systems over 18 years ago but never highlighted these advancements to our client base. Today, sustainability has become a core topic, with market disruptors using extensive PR to position it as a key selling point. However, there’s a balance to be struck between sustainability, quality, and service. Contrary to claims I’ve seen in sales brochures stating the “laundry industry is broken,” I firmly disagree.
Sustainability requires a measured, thoughtful approach. That’s why we’ve made substantial investments in our operations, including over £8 million in our plant. Our initiatives include installing solar panels on our roof and operating electric vehicles, implementing heat and water recovery systems, and filtering microplastics to reduce environmental impact. We’re also planning a seven-figure investment in two new tunnel washers this year, with a focus on reusing heat from our ironers to warm the tunnels as part of the project.
Sustainability in the laundry industry isn’t about extremes or slogans - it’s about practical, impactful changes that balance environmental responsibility with delivering quality service to clients.
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