Plant
ImageWear ran 10 routes out of Houston and four in Beaumont.
A Plant Designed for People
Perhaps the most striking part of the Houston facility is what it doesn’ t feel like.
Everybody here is empowered to do what they need to do to take care of the customer,” says Rick Ferguson, general manager.“ We don’ t hold up the process, and that trust comes straight from the top.
The center of the plant is air-conditioned— a remnant from Al’ s Formal Wear that Ace ImageWear intentionally preserved. Heat-generating equipment is isolated behind a separate wall, while most employees work in cooler, quieter conditions.
“ If an operator has to choose between working in 100 degrees or 75 degrees, it’ s an easy decision,” Heilman says.
That environment, combined with a four-day workweek, has helped Ace ImageWear recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market.
“ We’ re treated as family, not just as a number,” says Nitzia Florez, plant manager.
When Ace ImageWear shifted its operations from Beaumont, the company hired mostly new employees in Houston, as most of the Beaumont staff weren’ t going to make the 90-minute commute.
Safety, Discipline and Culture
Safety is reinforced daily. Temperature sticks and Wi-Fienabled sensors monitor goods that could pose fire risks, which are stored outside overnight. The plant recently recorded 539 days without a safety incident, following nearly five years without a recordable incident before that.
Employee safety committees meet regularly, and the city of Houston’ s strict boiler requirements led Florez to become a certified boiler operator— a credential required to run the boiler on-site.
“ If you can’ t work safe, you can’ t work here— and that matters to everyone,” Florez says.
That care and focus on the well-being of its employees extends beyond plant safety to trust and empowerment.
“ Everybody here is empowered to do what they need to do to take care of the customer,” says Rick Ferguson, general manager.“ We don’ t hold up the process, and that trust comes straight from the top.”
Employees describe the culture as family-oriented— reinforced through team bonding activities such as cookouts, birthday celebrations and daily collaboration across departments.
Stockroom, Service and the Final Mile
The stockroom is the hub for all new and existing accounts. It’ s where garments are chipped and barcoded, emblems printed and name tags sewn before being sealed, scanned and released into production. Anything pulled from service is evaluated here— usable items return to circulation, while unusable garments are donated or discarded.
In nearby offices, customer service, service managers, accounts receivable, marketing and sales staff coordinate daily operations. Drivers prep handhelds and route materials before heading out. The company uses Alliant Systems( a division of Texo) software to power its operations.
Growing Without Losing its Identity
Ace ImageWear believes the Houston plant can nearly double throughput without expanding geographically— simply by maximizing efficiency in its current footprint.
“ There’ s plenty of opportunity right here,” Heilman says.
At its core, the strategy remains unchanged from the day Ace Linen Supply began in a Kansas City basement.
“ My grandfather always said,‘ Do business on a first-name basis,’” Heilman says.“ That builds trust.”
In an industry where scale sometimes threatens to overshadow relationships, Ace ImageWear continues to prove that consistency, focus and follow-through still matter— and that sometimes, the strongest operations are the quietest ones of all. TS
JASON RISLEY is director, content strategy & communications, at TRSA. Contact him at 877.770.9274 or jrisley @ trsa. org.
May 2026 • Textile Services 33