Sodexho USA Launches Innovative Program to Reduce Annual Linen and Laundry Costs for Clients

GAITHERSBURG, MD-May 17, 2005-Boldly going where no laundry company has gone before, Sodexho USA announced today a nationwide launch of its innovative solution, Sodexho Linen Asset Management System (SLAMS), guaranteeing new clients who implement the program a minimum savings of 10 percent or more on their annual linen systems costs. Originally offered to existing clients of Sodexho's Laundry Services Division, this unique linen management program is now being offered to healthcare systems and organizations across the country.

The SLAMS program provides healthcare facilities with a comprehensive approach towards reducing total linen systems expenses by enabling Sodexho to more efficiently manage the costs associated with distribution, utilization and replacement of the laundry and linen. Sodexho officials are so confident in the company's ability to cut costs for a healthcare organization that they won't accept new clients unless they can guarantee savings of at least $100,000 annually.

“We know that the number one way to provide value to clients is to help them save money without sacrificing quality-SLAMS allows us to do just that,” said Emeka Okeani, president of Sodexho USA's Laundry Services Division. “Our scope of services is specifically tailored to meet the needs of each organization and designed to control the cost of linen processing, linen distribution, linen purchasing and linen usage.”

Sodexho officials said that the SLAMS program has already provided similar results for numerous existing clients across the country with a wide-array of linen management needs. The company has more than 60 years experience in laundry operations and processes over 350 million pounds of laundry processed on an annual basis.

“While SLAMS is designed to benefit the larger healthcare organizations with significant linen usage, we also created additional programs for clients who do not meet the volume or savings requirements established for the original SLAMS program,” added Okeani.

For more information on SLAMS, visit the Sodexho Laundry Services Web site at www.sodexhousa.com/laundry.asp.

Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6 billion in annual revenue and 110,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.