Who we are
From hotels to hospitals, JLA’s market-leading products and services help to keep thousands of patients, residents and customers safe, clean and warm.
Whatever the challenge, we'll take care of it
Whether it’s catering, laundry, infection control, fire safety and security, or heating and air conditioning, JLA draws on over 50 years of experience – and the skills of 450 engineers – to take care of it.
Peace of mind
Our story so far
1973
Opened for business
JLA was founded by local businessman, John Laithwaite (the JL of JLA). We opened our first office in Ripponden, a village in West Yorkshire, and we’re still based here today!
1984
Found our HQ and launched Total Care
With a bigger team and demand growing, we expanded our Ripponden head office and opened our first contact centre.
We also launched Total Care – an unrivalled alternative to leasing that gives our customers access to new machinery with no capital outlay, backed by rapid support.
2002
Circuit joined us
Teaming up with Circuit Managed Laundries made us a force to be reckoned with – and saw us expanding to serve universities and holiday parks.
2004
Launched OTEX ozone disinfection system
Our ground-breaking OTEX ozone disinfection system revolutionised the way healthcare businesses, the NHS and care homes tackle infection control. It’s still the only ozone-based laundry solution to hold RRP1 status.
2010
Received backing from HG Capital
Investment from Europe’s fastest-growing private equity group enabled us to further develop our products and services.
2012
Infection control and catering launched
We applied our experience in laundry to launch warewashing and grew this into a full catering division. Soon after, we launched infection control to support health and social care customers.
2016
Opened the Manchester office
As our customer numbers continued to grow, we opened a new Salford Quays office to help take care of them.
2017
Added heating to our range of services
We bolstered our heating division with a range of state-of-the-art boilers, heaters and hot water cylinders.
2018
Cinven came on board
International private equity firm Cinven invested in JLA to help us step-change our growth and further support our customers. This was also the year we established our fire safety and security division.
2019
Expanded our heating and fire safety expertise
We strengthened our heating and fire safety and security services through a number of acquisitions across the UK, adding more expertise and experience to our team.
A spirit of care runs through all we do
We’re proud to help keep sheets clean, meals served, baths warm and people safe. The equipment we look after matters to people, and they rely on us to keep it running.
We work with positive energy and commitment
We’re often the difference between someone having clean sheets and a hot bath, or going without. We always keep our promises – we do what we say we’ll do.
We encourage a culture of collaboration
We’re in it together, working as one JLA for each other and for our customers.
With JLA I’m confident...
…our home will have comfortable heating. I know if I have any problems, I can call at any time and everything is covered as part of our Total Care package!
Leadership
We’ll make the most of your talents
We’ve worked hard to build an inclusive, supportive, fun and collaborative culture that empowers all our people to do the right thing.
A dedicated team
Our commitment
We will continually improve our contribution to an inclusive, safer and more sustainable world for all, while supporting and encouraging our customers to provide services in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
