BETHLEHEM, Pa.- A linen and uniform company that’s had a presence in the Lehigh Valley for more than 100 years is under new ownership.
Bethlehem-based MacIntosh Services has been acquired by Alsco Uniforms.
With the acquisition, Alsco, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, now has more than 80 mixed-processing facilities in North America, providing uniforms, linens, floor mats, mops, first aid, and restroom supplies.
“We’re excited that the employees and customers of MacIntosh Linen and Uniform are joining Alsco Uniforms,” said Bob Steiner, chief executive officer of Alsco Uniforms, in a news release. “As a 135-year-old, fifth-generation, family-owned company, we appreciate the foundational relationships MacIntosh has made in the communities they serve.”
MacIntosh, founded in 1919 by W. Bruce MacIntosh, began as a laundry service in Allentown called Mary MacIntosh.
The company later expanded and operated a number of laundry and dry-cleaning facilities in Pennsylvania and Florida. In the 1960s, it ventured into the garment and linen rental business.
According to its website, in 1976 MacIntosh sold its plants in Florida and consolidated the Pennsylvania operations.
In 1989, James Rodgers, Sr. assumed the position of president and chief executive officer and in 1994 purchased the company from the MacIntosh family. The name of the company changed from Mary MacIntosh to MacIntosh Linen and Uniform Services.
The company’s main facility is at 2255 City Line Road in Bethlehem. It manages over 14 routes and serves more than 800 customers. Ben Fox, Alsco’s vice president of sales and marketing, told 69 News there are 85 employees at the site, and Alsco intends to add more.
MacIntosh, along with its fleet, will be rebranded as Alsco Uniforms in the coming months.
“Myself and fellow employees of MacIntosh are looking forward to becoming a part of Alsco Uniforms,” Rodgers said, in the news release. “We believe that our customer relationships will be strengthened by this acquisition as Alsco Uniforms brings with it a history of customer service excellence.”