LAVATEC Launches New OEM Parts Platform to Help Commercial Laundries Protect Uptime
New 24/7 digital storefront gives operators faster access to original Lavatec parts, engineering expertise, and real-time inventory visibility.
Beacon Falls, Conn. – August 24, 2026 – In an industrial laundry facility, downtime doesn’t stay contained to the maintenance department. A single tunnel washer shutdown can disrupt production schedules, strain labor resources, delay customer deliveries, and quickly ripple across an entire operation. When thousands of pounds of linen move through a system every hour, uptime becomes everything.
To help operators keep equipment running with greater speed and confidence, LAVATEC has launched a new online OEM parts storefront. The new platform provides 24/7 access to original LAVATEC replacement parts, real-time inventory visibility, streamlined ordering, and simplified repeat purchasing for commercial laundry facilities across North America.
Unlike generic, third-party replacement sourcing, LAVATEC maintains the original drawings, specifications, and bills of material for every machine it has ever built over decades. This gives operators direct access to the exact OEM parts designed for their specific system, whether sourcing a fixed bearing, basket arm bushing, double-lip seal, sensor, drive component, or critical motor assembly.
“While our equipment is simple to operate and maintain, every tunnel system of ours is a highly engineered system where every seal, sensor, bearing, and motor must work in precise synchronization,” said Kim Thrasher, the company’s sales and marketing coordinator who manages the LAVATEC parts program.
“When uptime matters, operators need more than a replacement part. They need confidence they are installing the exact component that is engineered specifically for their machine.”
The Hidden Cost of Third-Party Replacement Parts
The launch reflects a growing industry focus on reducing preventable downtime caused by non-certified replacement components. Plant operators have increasingly recognized that the short-term savings of generic parts can lead to repeat failures, emergency repairs, and catastrophic operational disruptions.
One laundry plant manager described the consequences of relying on rebuilt third-party drive motors and non-certified replacement components.
“We started to buy the original motor, and it lasts three times longer than the one that goes out on you with no notice.”
For some facilities, the consequences of straying from OEM parts have been far more severe than an unexpected repair bill. Plant managers reported repeated quarterly breakdowns that shut tunnel operations down for two to five days at a time, forcing maintenance crews into the grueling work of physically crawling into the middle of tunnels to clear preventable jams and failures.
Original Drawings. Original Specifications. Original Expertise.
For laundries operating LAVATEC systems that have been running reliably for decades, simply identifying the correct replacement part can become another major challenge.
Older equipment documentation, superseded part numbers, and missing operating manuals can leave maintenance teams guessing. Third-party distributors may offer generic replacements, but they cannot provide the original engineering support behind the machine.
LAVATEC maintains the original drawings, specifications, and bills of material for every machine it has ever built, helping operators identify the exact OEM component required for their specific system configuration. By sourcing original LAVATEC OEM parts directly from the people who built the machine, operators can eliminate guesswork, reduce repeat failures, and keep their plants running smoothly.
“Our customers are responsible for uptime all the time,” said Thrasher. “This platform becomes their new counterpart in keeping their equipment going.”
For more information, visit https://spareparts.lavatec.com
About Lavatec Laundry Technology, Inc.
Delivering dependable commercial laundry equipment engineered for higher returns throughout their lifecycles has been the Lavatec Laundry Technology mantra for over four decades. Some LAVATEC manufactured equipment has been on the job for more than a quarter century. A rarity among manufacturers of continuous tunnel washers, LAVATEC offers center transfer, bottom transfer and standing bath construction options, plus a full range of readily integrated, end-to-end laundry system components: washer extractors, extraction presses, centrifuges, dryers, conveyor systems, pickers, feeders, ironers and folders. Simple design, durable construction, user-friendly operation and low maintenance are hallmarks of LAVATEC machines. A global leader with equipment in laundry operations throughout Europe, the Far East, South and North America, more than 9,000 LAVATEC machines have been installed in the United States alone. For more information, visit the website.
