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The French multinational Elis, specialising in the rental and maintenance of textiles, hygiene and well-being products, began life in 1883 in the field of flat linen (table, bath and bed linen), before later diversifying its offering into workwear, washroom appliances and other facilities. Today, it purchases, rents out and maintains these products across all sectors, tailoring its service to its customers’ needs.

 

Elis arrived in Spain 45 years ago, and now operates 39 industrial laundries, from which it manages linen or clothing collection and maintenance, as well as returns to its customers’ facilities. In Spain, it operates across the catering, hotel, social care, healthcare, industry, retail, services and cleanroom sectors. In 2024 it opened a laundry in Barcelona, specialising in cleanrooms, and at the end of May it inaugurated its latest facility in Illescas (Toledo), designed to strengthen its presence in Central Spain.

 

     

 

How has Elis’s Spanish subsidiary evolved?

Elis has been present in Spain since 1975. From the 2000s onwards, it accelerated its  expansion in this market, harnessing the dynamism of tourism and industry. Since then, it has grown in Spain by 10%-15% per year, achieving a turnover of €330 million in 2026: half of this through organic growth, the other half through acquisitions.

 

In 2018, you opened the first laundry facility built from scratch in Spain. Did it mark a turning point in your growth strategy?

Before 2018, growth was driven by acquisitions of laundries (around 20 over the last ten years) and by expanding existing facilities. The creation of new facilities, which began in 2018, meets needs in specific areas, such as Catalonia, and business segments (workwear for industry and the pharma sector) where there is no remaining capacity to expand our existing facilities. In 2024, we opened Elis Cleanroom Granollers (Barcelona), our third laundry specialising in cleanroom garments, with an investment of 6 million euros. We currently have one in the Madrid area and two in Catalonia.

 

You have just opened a facility in Illescas. What need does it meet?

The new Illescas facility entailed an investment of 14 million euros, and is designed to strengthen Elis’s operational and logistics capacity in the Madrid-Toledo corridor, as part of its growth strategy in Spain. It is intended primarily for the rental and industrial laundering of workwear, although it will also offer services such as water dispensers, mats, washroom equipment and flat linen for small businesses.

 

How many jobs does each of your facilities create?

At the new facility in Illescas, we expect to create 65 direct jobs in the first phase, 110 in the second and up to 250 direct jobs within five years. Nationwide, Elis has more than 4400 employees in Spain. Our strategy is built around proximity to our customers. The size of a laundry varies considerably, depending on the potential of each area. Although the average is around 100 employees per facility, the figure can range from 50 to 300.

 

What are the most significant investments you have planned?

Elis expects to reach an investment figure of 80 million euros as part of its growth plan in Spain, where it is already expanding in regions such as the Basque Country, Madrid and Catalonia. In fact, it plans to open a similar facility in the latter area within the next two years.

 

What sets you apart from your main competitors?

Elis’s key differentiator is its circular “product-as-a-service” model, based on the rental, maintenance, reuse and recycling of products. This model optimises resources, reduces waste and delivers a comprehensive, flexible and traceable service. The new facility does in addition incorporate advanced technologies such as water recovery, zero steam technology, solar panels and automated production systems.

 

How important is Spain for the company’s strategy?

Spain is a key market for Elis thanks to its industrial and commercial footprint: the company has more than 4400 employees, 39 production and distribution centres, over 14,000 customers and turnover in excess of €314 million. The opening in Illescas forms part of the expansion and industrial modernisation plan for a market that accounts for 7% of the company’s global turnover, and which last year became its second-fastest growing country.

 

What role do circularity and sustainability play in your operations?

Circularity is crucial to Elis's business model. The group’s operations are based on the rental, maintenance, reuse and recycling of textiles and hygiene solutions, extending the service life of products and reducing waste. 86% of the group’s turnover comes from the “product-as-a-service” model, and 79.6% of textiles are reused or recycled at the end of their service life. Circularity and sustainability are undoubtedly part of our DNA.

 

^{Photos: Elis}