Laco Machinery

What Laco Machinery does

Laco Machinery nv is a privately held Belgian manufacturer of industrial ironing equipment, headquartered in Kuurne, West Flanders, Belgium (Industrielaan 22, 8520 Kuurne). The company designs and builds chest-heated industrial ironers sold under two brand families: LACO, targeting heavy industrial applications with capacities ranging from 45 kg/hr to 1600 kg/hr, and SECO, a semi-industrial range targeting the broader commercial and professional market with capacities of 30 to 80-100 kg/hr.

Laco's central technical differentiator is vertical integration of the ironer's critical components. According to the company, it is the only manufacturer in the world that constructs its own ironing rolls, ironing chests, and heat exchangers. This in-house production underpins two registered patents: the Flexible Steel Chest and the Air-Stream® Chest. Energy efficiency is the company's lead commercial claim, with published consumption of 0.38 kW/kg linen at 40-50% residual moisture versus an industry average of 0.90-1.10 kW/kg for cylinder ironers. The company extended this platform in November 2021 with the HYBRID LACO ironer, which switches between green electricity and a gas boiler backup to reduce carbon emissions.

Laco sells through a combination of direct inquiry via its website (contact form gated by reCAPTCHA) and a regional dealer network. No public pricing, revenue figures, headcount, funding history, or management team information is disclosed. The served customer base spans industrial and medium/small laundries, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, and restaurants. The company operates in Europe, with documented installation activity in France (Spécial Repass, October 2023), and was nominated in 2020 for the Trends Gazellen award recognizing fastest-growing companies in West Flanders.

Name

Laco Machinery

Legal name

Laco Machinery nv

Website

https://lacomachinery.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laco Machinery nv is a privately held Belgian manufacturer of industrial and semi-industrial chest-heated ironers (LACO and SECO brands), serving industrial laundries, hotels, hospitals, and restaurants in Europe through direct sales and a dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Laundry Ironing Equipment

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Boilers, Furnaces & Process Heating Equipment (IMAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Industrial ironing machines
• Commercial laundry equipment
• Chest heated ironers
• Flatwork ironing systems
• Laundry finishing equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuurne

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Laco Machinery nv manufactures chest-heated industrial ironers sold under the LACO brand for industrial applications (capacity 45-1,600 kg/hr) and the SECO Machinery brand for semi-industrial and commercial use (capacity 30-100 kg/hr). The company self-manufactures ironing rolls, ironing chests, and heat exchangers, and equips its machines with patented flexible steel chest and Air-Stream® chest technology to deliver energy consumption of 0.38 kW/kg versus an industry average of 0.90-1.10 kW/kg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SECO Machinery: Semi-industrial range targeting the broader commercial and professional market (30-80-100kg/hour), with quality, reliability, low maintenance and extremely low energy consumption (0.38kW/kg linen at 40-50% RM)
• LACO

Products and services

• LACO Industrial Ironers

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy consumption reduced to 0.38kW/kg compared to industry average of 0.90-1.10kW/kg

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jensen Group: Danish-based global manufacturer of industrial laundry finishing equipment including ironers, feeders, and folders - the most direct large-scale competitor to LACO in the industrial ironing category.
• Girbau: Spanish-headquartered global supplier of industrial and commercial laundry equipment, including ironers/flatwork finishers, serving similar hospitality and laundry customer segments.
• Kannegiesser: German family-owned industrial laundry machinery manufacturer offering integrated finishing lines including chest-heated ironers, directly competing with LACO across European industrial accounts.
• Chicago Dryer Company: US-based specialist manufacturer of flatwork ironers and feeding/folding equipment for industrial and commercial laundries - a direct competitor in the ironer product category.
• Lavatec Laundry Technology: German specialist in industrial laundry finishing equipment (ironers, feeders, folders) with comparable product breadth to LACO and shared focus on energy-efficient designs.
• Pellerin Milnor: US manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment including washer-extractors and finishing lines serving laundries and on-premise hospitality accounts comparable to LACO's customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Electrolux Professional: Large incumbent offering a broad portfolio of commercial and industrial laundry equipment (including ironers) as part of a wider foodservice and laundry catalog with global reach.
• Ipso (Alliance Laundry Systems): Global commercial laundry equipment brand under Alliance Laundry Systems, offering a broad portfolio across on-premise and commercial laundry with overlapping finishing capabilities.
• Miele Professional: Premium German brand with a commercial laundry division covering washers, dryers, and finishing equipment for hotels, hospitals, and laundries - competes in the same end markets as LACO.

Regional players

• Bowe Systec: European laundry automation and finishing equipment provider with regional focus, comparable in scale and customer profile to LACO's mid-market commercial segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laco Machinery