On 13 and 14 October 2026, ABS Laundry Business Solutions took part in the TSA Autumn Conference, the annual gathering of the Textile Services Association (TSA) for the laundry and textile services industry in the United Kingdom. This year the conference was hosted for the first time at De Vere Tortworth Court, a historic manor house in the south of the Cotswolds.
Robert Tye, CCO at ABS Laundry Business Solutions, represented ABS at the event. During the conference he met with laundry professionals, exchanged ideas with industry partners and followed a programme full of relevant insights for the sector.
The theme of this year’s conference was Small Changes, Big Impact, built on the idea that even small improvements can make a real difference. The programme was designed to bring the industry together, recognise the hard work taking place across the sector and offer simple ideas and approaches that delegates can take back to their own laundry sites.
The first day was dedicated to industry workshops. One session focused on people topics, including an employment law update, smarter recruitment for the future workforce and workplace wellbeing. A second session looked at the sustainability roadmap of the TSA, led by Mike Barry, former Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer.
The third session covered safety, cyber security and hygiene. It included an update from the Health and Safety Steering Group, practical guidance on cyber security in the workplace and the latest biofilm research from De Montfort University. The day closed with an industry dinner, which offered plenty of room for informal conversations.
The second day featured the traditional conference programme. After the welcome by TSA Chair Charlie Betteridge and an update from TSA CEO David Stevens, Sean Liddell of Via Vita Health spoke about embracing neurodiversity across the industry. Professor Katie Laird of De Montfort University presented research that helps the industry stay ahead, and Stuart Murphy, Head of Fleet Transformation at Royal Mail, shared his view on the future of sustainable transport.
The keynote address came from presenter and journalist Penny Haslam, who spoke about communicating with confidence. In the afternoon, Adrian Walcott and Martin Roach of Brands With Values explored how company culture supports strategy, followed by an industry panel with leaders from CLEAN, Elis UK and Micronclean. Leadership speaker Caspar Craven closed the programme with a session that encouraged the audience to dare to think bigger.
For ABS, the conference offered plenty to learn. The attention for people and wellbeing, the focus on sustainability and the practical sessions on safety and cyber security gave a clear picture of the challenges and opportunities that laundries in the United Kingdom are facing. These insights help ABS continue to shape software that fits the daily reality of laundry operations.
Beyond the content, the TSA Autumn Conference was simply an enjoyable event. The open and friendly atmosphere made it easy to catch up with existing contacts, meet new people and have meaningful conversations about the future of the industry.
Laundries and textile service companies in the United Kingdom are an important part of the ABS community, and events like this one are a valuable way to stay close to the market, understand local needs and strengthen relationships across the sector.
ABS looks back on two inspiring days in the Cotswolds and looks forward to continuing the conversation with the laundry and textile services community in the United Kingdom.
More information about the conference is available on the TSA website.
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