Hotel laundry PPOH: pounds per operator hour
PPOH is pounds processed divided by operator hours. It is the productivity number that, at a given wage, sets your labor cost per pound — usually the single largest line in an on-premise laundry's cost.
Quick PPOH and labor cost calculator
Enter pounds processed and operator hours for a day, plus wage and benefit load, to see PPOH and labor cost per pound.
- Pounds per operator hour (PPOH)
- 30.0 lb
- Burdened wage
- $19.52/hr
- Labor cost per pound
- $0.651/lb
Fold labor cost per pound into the full laundry cost calculator to add utilities, chemicals, linen replacement and equipment.
What PPOH measures
PPOH divides total pounds processed by paid operator hours across the whole workflow: sorting, loading washers, transferring to dryers, folding or ironing, and stacking or carting finished linen. It should use clock hours, not just machine run time, so changeover, staging and idle minutes are captured in the number.
Typical PPOH ranges
These are typical planning ranges to verify locally, since equipment, layout and staffing pattern vary widely between properties.
| Operation type | Typical planning range | Typical setup |
|---|---|---|
| Small OPL, manual fold | 15–25 lb/hr | One operator covers wash, dry and fold |
| Mid-size OPL, dedicated stations | 22–32 lb/hr | Separate wash, dry and finishing staff |
| Larger OPL with ironer/finisher | 30–45+ lb/hr | Flatwork ironer for sheets, mechanized folding |
What moves PPOH
- Load fill. Running a 60 lb washer at 40 lb wastes the same labor and utility overhead as a full load; consistent full loads are the single biggest lever.
- Machine size versus batch size. Equipment sized well below the daily poundage forces more cycles and more handling per pound.
- Sorting quality. Poorly sorted loads (mixed soil level or fabric) cause rewashes and slow folding, both of which lower effective PPOH.
- Staffing pattern. Dedicated stations for wash, dry and fold usually process more pounds per labor hour than one operator rotating between all three.
- Equipment condition and finishing tools. A working ironer/feeder for flatwork raises PPOH sharply over manual folding for sheets and pillowcases.
From PPOH to cost per pound
Labor cost per pound is burdened hourly wage divided by PPOH. Because labor is typically the largest cost line in an on-premise laundry, small PPOH gains compound into meaningful savings before you touch utility or chemical contracts. Add labor cost per pound to utilities, chemicals, linen replacement and equipment in the laundry cost calculator to see the full all-in rate, and compare that to poundage sized from your measured PPOR.
How this calculator works
| Output | Formula |
|---|---|
| PPOH | Pounds processed ÷ operator clock hours |
| Burdened wage | Base wage × (1 + payroll tax and benefit load %) |
| Labor cost per pound | Burdened wage ÷ PPOH |
Assumptions and limits
- Use clock hours, not machine cycles. Idle time, changeover and staging are real labor cost; excluding them inflates PPOH and understates labor cost per pound.
- PPOH is workflow-specific. A ratio measured with an ironer/finisher will not transfer to a manual-fold operation; measure your own setup rather than importing someone else's figure.
- Labor is only one cost line. Utilities, chemicals, linen replacement and equipment still need to be added for a true cost-per-pound comparison to a vendor rate.
PPOH questions
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