By Casey Neill
“I’m supported by a fantastic team. The team makes the effort and I’m the one that gets the pic taken, so I love it.”
Cabrini Linen Service (CLS) managing director Ralf Pelz also told the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards that he was proud to stand among the night’s other nominees.
He took home the Employment Award and the overall Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Award from the Wednesday 30 November cocktail event, held at Greyhounds Entertainment in Springvale.
He said everyone was a winner and “making this community stronger and stronger”.
“Employment is very important to us,” he said.
The business has doubled in size in three years, since moving to Dandenong South.
“We will continue to grow,” he said.
The not-for-profit provides specialist linen and laundry services to the Victorian healthcare, aged care and hospitality industries.
“We originally started our business in Melbourne in the basement of Cabrini Hospital,” he said.
The business moved to East Hawthorn but outgrew the space.
It relocated to Dandenong South with a mission to help the area’s long-term unemployed, at-risk youths, homeless and new migrants.
“I’m happy for people to work with us for a short time and move on to bigger and better pastures,” Mr Pelz said.
It now handles 200 tonnes of linen each week and employs more than 130 people.
“We’ve gone from strength to strength,” Mr Pelz said.
He attributed the success to maintaining the balance between mission and margin while respecting the environment.
The site has a four-star rating from the Green Council of Australia for good environmental design, operates a cogeneration plant and has access to recycled water.
CLS was a finalist at the 2014 Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards in two categories: Excellence in Construction of Industrial Buildings and Best Sustainable Energy Project.
In July last year the Journal reported that the patron saint of immigrants – Mother Cabrini – inspired and shaped CLS and its efforts to support the community were rewarded on 1 July with the Victoria Day Award for Public and Community Service by a Good Corporate Citizen.
