Korean startup Lifegoeson has brought a revolution in cleaning services with its non-face-to-face mobile laundry service Laundrygo in the country. It gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions when non-face-to-face services were high in demand. Now LifeGoeson strengthens its position in laundry services and enters the unmanned smart laundry market with the acquisition of Penguin House, an unmanned laundry service.
Penguin House operates over 60 unmanned laundry facilities in Seoul and the metropolitan area and introduced an unmanned smart laundry model optimized for the post-coronavirus era. Penguin House’s brand name will be changed to ‘Laundry 24’, and Lifegoeson’s subsidiary will take over the operation. In the second half of the year, Lifegoeson aims to enter the unmanned laundry system supply business globally, mainly in New York and East Coast, USA.
New service expected to change the job market
Lifegoeson introduced the concept of LaaS (Laundry as a Service) for the first time in Korea, and is actively promoting the “smartization of neighborhood laundry.” The new acquisition, Laundry 24 features a completely unattended operation by integrating dry cleaning service and laundromat (coin wash) functions through a smart station developed by its patent.
Since Laundry 24 is unmanned, it can be operated as a part-time employment opportunity. It is expected that the unmanned system will take off rapidly, mainly in areas with single-person households. It is expected to show high profitability and stability to present a new model for future jobs and startups.
It is expected that the unmanned system will enable 24-hour non-face-to-face operation, helping to increase laundry sales, and at the same time, having a positive impact on the poor working conditions and working culture of laundry operators who have difficulty taking a break.
“Due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus both domestically and globally, there is a great need for a future laundry system,” said Cho Seong-woo, CEO of Lifegoeson, “We will also create innovations in the unmanned smart laundry market.”
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