The History of Prudential Overall Supply

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• Founded in 1932, Prudential Overall Supply has
  provided first-rate work uniforms and textile
  products to thousands of organizations in many
  industries. In addition to renting, leasing, and
  selling high-quality uniforms, the company has
  also earned a reputation for its commitment to
  advanced cleanroom laundering techniques and
  eco-friendly business practices. Lets take a
  look at the proud history of this venerable
  company.

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• Prudential was established on April 11, 1932, in
  Los Angeles, California. The owner, John D.
  Clark, recognized the business potential of a
  laundry service aimed at busy workmen who needed
  help washing and maintaining their uniforms. In
  the beginning, the company was known as
  Prudential Laundry.

• The founding of Prudential came at a time when
  trends in the business world indicated growing
  interest in the various benefits of work
  uniforms.

Founder John D. Clark on right, circa 1932
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Founder John D. Clark, pictured far right,
attending a tradeshow in 1948 with his brother
Frank Clark, second from left, and John's
brother-in-law Wally Shoberg, pictured next to
John.

• By 1939, Clark had managed to move Prudential
  from a tiny shed into a 22,000-square-foot
  building.
• The company became a family affair, as Clarks
  siblings and parents relocated all the way from
  Iowa to help him run the business. Members of the
  Clark family would hold important positions at
  Prudential for decades to come.

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• In 1943, Prudential expanded its business
  operations to include renting uniforms to
  companies. This was a gamble for the Prudential
  team, as uniform rental was a relatively new and
  unproven industry, but eventually the rental
  program would constitute 95 of the companys
  income.

• Prudential also earned wide praise for offering
  its cleaning services to the U.S. military during
  World War II. As a result, the companys public
  profile was significantly enhanced.

Entire Prudential Laundry fleet of 15 trucks at
Slauson Ave. Plant, Los Angeles, CA in 1949.
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• Prudential continued to expand its operations
  across the state of California.
• In 1952, the company reached 1,200,000 in
  revenues. During the same year, Prudential opened
  a new facility, in Los Angeles.

Prudential Overall Supply begins service to the
Riverside, CA market area in 1956.

• The year 1957 was a milestone for the Prudential
  team, as they celebrated their 25th anniversary
  in the industry.

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• Don Clark, brother of president John D. Clark,
  left his position as head coach of the University
  of Southern California football squad in 1960 and
  joined the family business. Don would later
  become company president in 1972, then chairman
  in 1984, holding the latter position until his
  death in 1989.
• In 1960, the company established a cleanroom
  garment service, which provided careful cleaning,
  sterilizing, and decontaminating of uniforms used
  in sensitive environments, such as biomedical
  laboratories and paint-spraying facilities.

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In 1984, John D. Clark was named Chairman
Emeritus,Don R. Clark named Chairman of the
Board, and Dan Clark named President.

• In 1978, the Prudential team decided to expand
  its operations beyond the state of California.
  The company launched this expansion program by
  opening a facilityPrudentials ninthin Arizona.
  When this venture proved successful, Prudential
  branched out into other regions across the U.S.
  and even overseas during the next few decades.
• Prudential reached revenues of 35 million in
  1982, the companys 50th anniversary.

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• Prudentials revenues hit the 100 million mark
  in 1996. Ten years later, the company posted 127
  million in revenues as it steadily pushed into
  new territories.
• Prudential became ISO certified in the year 2000.
• It was featured on a 2003 episode of the TV
  series American Medical Review, hosted by Morley
  Safer.

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• Prudential Overall Supplys 27 locations provide
  services to more than 25,000 organizations,
  including 110 Fortune 500 companies.
• Prudential has earned the honor of being the
  first major industrial laundry company to receive
  the Clean Green certification from the Textile
  Rental Service Association (TRSA). This
  certification recognizes the organization's
  commitment to environmentally friendly
  operations.

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• Prudential Overall Supply has been supplying
  reusable work uniforms and other textile products
  to businesses for over 80 years. With 27
  locations in nine U.S. states, Prudential
  Uniforms services over 25,000 businesses. It is
  the first industrial laundry chain in the world
  to earn a Clean Green certificate through the
  TRSA, which recognized its conscientiousness
  about natural resources and a commitment to
  sustainability.
• For more details, visit www.prudentialuniforms.com
  .