G&K Services
Former American provider of workwear rental, branded uniforms, facility supplies, and related textile services.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
G&K Services was an American textile-rental and facility-services company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Its business centered on helping organizations manage employee clothing, branded uniforms, industrial garments, and workplace supplies through rental, lease, and direct-purchase programs. The company served customers across a broad range of sectors, including automotive, manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, energy, food processing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor production, retail, restaurants, hospitality, airlines, and security services. The company traced its origins to Twin City Steam Dye Works, a family-owned dyeing business established in 1902. It was renamed Gross & Kronick Dyers in Minneapolis and later developed into a garment-care and textile-services provider. G&K introduced door-to-door laundry service in 1910, entered diaper service during the postwar baby boom in 1948, and opened drive-in cleaners in 1960 as automobile ownership became more widespread. These changes illustrate the company's gradual transition from a local cleaning business into a broader service organization built around recurring textile care and delivery. G&K became a publicly traded company in 1969 and expanded geographically during the 1970s, particularly across the Central and Midwestern United States. Its international development began with entry into Canada in 1990. The company broadened its commercial model in 1996 by establishing a direct-purchase division, later associated with the GKDirect business, allowing customers to buy branded workwear and related products rather than obtain them solely through rental or lease arrangements. Its principal offerings included custom-embroidered logo apparel, uniform rental and maintenance programs, floor mats, restroom supplies, paper products, cleanroom garments, and process-control services. It also supplied flame-resistant garments and personal protective equipment through its ProTect safety-solutions offering. The company's operating model combined garment procurement or production, personalization, scheduled delivery, laundering, replacement, and facility-supply replenishment. G&K expanded through a series of acquisitions in the United States and Canada. Purchases included WorkWear of Canada, BCP Garment Manufacturing, National Linen Service, Northeast Dust Products, Rental Uniform Company, Keefer Laundry Limited, Nettoyeur Shefford, Marathon Linen, Lion Uniform Group, Custom Linen Systems, Coyne Textile Services, Glis and Glis Laundries, Leef Services, Alltext Uniform Rental Service, Nonclean Limited, and Best Uniform Rental Service. These transactions helped broaden its geographic coverage and its capabilities in uniform rental, linen, garment manufacturing, and industrial services. Environmental management was a notable part of the company's public positioning. G&K was a founding participant in the Textile Rental Services Association of America's Laundry Environmental Stewardship Program and belonged to the U.S. Green Building Council. Its laundry operations used water-reuse and heat-recovery systems, while its vehicle fleet used telematics, cleaner-burning diesel, and, in California, hybrid-electric trucks. The company also offered products carrying EcoLogo or Green Seal certifications where available. Facilities in several American cities received recognition for wastewater compliance and environmental performance. G&K also pursued community initiatives. In 2005 it established the G&K Services Foundation, which provided grants, uniform donations, and employee-giving support. The company supported United Way campaigns and worked with employment and job-training organizations. Through GKDirect, its Workforce for a Cure campaign promoted pink-ribbon workwear during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and directed part of sales proceeds to the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign. G&K agreed in 2016 to be acquired by Cintas C…
History
G&K Services developed from a Minneapolis-area dyeing and textile-care business into a North American provider of uniforms, workwear, facility supplies, and recurring garment services. Its origins date to 1902, when the business operated as Twin City Steam Dye Works. It was later renamed Gross & Kronick Dyers. In 1910, the company added door-to-door laundry service, establishing a delivery-based model that would remain important to its later commercial operations. The company adapted its services to changing social and economic conditions. In 1948, during the postwar baby boom, it introduced diaper service. In 1960, as automobile ownership expanded, it opened drive-in cleaners. These activities placed the company at the intersection of consumer cleaning services and textile maintenance before it increasingly concentrated on commercial and industrial customers. G&K went public in 1969. During the 1970s it expanded beyond its original base into the Central and Midwestern regions of the United States. Its first major international step came in 1990, when it entered Canada. In 1991, it acquired WorkWear of Canada, supporting its presence in the Canadian workwear market. Further acquisitions followed: BCP Garment Manufacturing in 1994, National Linen Service in 1997, and Northeast Dust Products in 1999. The business expanded its purchasing options in 1996 by forming a direct-purchase division. This activity became associated with GKDirect and complemented the company's traditional rental and lease programs. Customers could obtain branded garments and related products through direct sale while G&K continued to provide recurring service, maintenance, and facility-supply programs. During the 2000s, G&K pursued an active acquisition strategy. In 2002 it acquired Rental Uniform Company and marked its centennial year. In 2004 it acquired Keefer Laundry Limited in Western Canada, Nettoyeur Shefford in Quebec, Marathon Linen, and Lion Uniform Group. In 2005 it added Custom Linen Systems, Coyne Textile Services, and Glis and Glis Laundries in Canada. In 2007 it acquired Minnesota-based Leef Services, Alltext Uniform Rental Service, and Ireland-based Nonclean Limited. Best Uniform Rental Service was acquired in 2008. These transactions broadened the company's capabilities in uniform rental, linen processing, garment production, and regional service delivery. G&K's commercial portfolio included logo-embroidered clothing, floor mats, restroom supplies, cleanroom garments, process-control services, flame-resistant clothing, and personal protective equipment. Its customers operated in sectors where standardized appearance, workplace safety, contamination control, and reliable replenishment were important. The company offered both rental-lease arrangements and products for purchase. Environmental programs became part of G&K's operational and corporate-responsibility profile. The company was a founding member of the Textile Rental Services Association of America's Laundry Environmental Stewardship Program and a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. Its facilities used water-reuse systems that were reported to reduce fresh-water consumption by as much as 40%, as well as heat-recovery systems intended to reduce natural-gas use and greenhouse-gas emissions. Fleet telematics, cleaner-burning diesel, and hybrid-electric trucks in California were used to improve transportation efficiency. G&K also marketed EcoLogo-certified and Green Seal-certified products where applicable. Several facilities received recognition for wastewater compliance, including sites in Albuquerque, Denver, and Los Angeles. Its Dominican Republic manufacturing facility received a WRAP Gold Certificate of Compliance. The company also maintained community programs. The G&K Services Foundation, established in 2005, provided grants, in-kind uniform donations, and support for employee matching and United Way activity. Between 2007 and 2013, the foundation and related company efforts provided more than $1.3 million in financial grants to charitable organizations and nonprofits. In 2014, G&K contributed more than $320,000 to United Way. Its GKDirect Workforce for a Cure campaign encouraged customers to purchase pink-ribbon apparel during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with a portion of proceeds supporting the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign. In 2016, G&K agreed to be purchased by Cintas Corporation. Cintas completed the approximately $2.2 billion acquisition on March 21, 2017. G&K Services consequently ceased to operate as an independent company, and its business was integrated into Cintas.
- 2017
Acquisition completed
[1]Cintas completed its acquisition of G&K Services on March 21.
- 2016
Acquisition agreement with Cintas
[1]G&K agreed to be acquired by Cintas Corporation.
- 2005
G&K Services Foundation established
[1]The company created a foundation supporting grants, donations, and employee charitable giving.
- 2002
Centennial and Rental Uniform Company acquisition
[1]G&K marked 100 years of operation and acquired Rental Uniform Company.
- 1996
Direct-purchase division formed
[1]G&K expanded beyond rental and lease arrangements with a direct-purchase business later associated with GKDirect.
- 1990
Expansion into Canada
[1]G&K became a multinational company by entering the Canadian market.
- 1970
Regional expansion begins
[1]The company expanded through the Central and Midwestern United States.
- 1969
Company becomes publicly traded
[1]G&K entered the public market.
- 1960
Drive-in cleaners opened
[1]G&K responded to growing automobile use by opening drive-in cleaning locations.
- 1948
Diaper service launched
[1]The company introduced diaper service in response to demand during the Baby Boom.
Products and positioning
A recurring-service provider combining branded workwear, uniform rental and laundering, industrial garment programs, and facility-supply management for commercial and industrial customers.
Workwear
Branded identity uniforms
Custom-embroidered logo clothing formed a central part of G&K's offering. Programs could be structured as rental, lease, or direct-purchase arrangements and were designed to provide employees with standardized branded workwear across sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, hospitality, restaurants, retail, and security.
Facility supplies
Facility services
G&K supplied and serviced workplace products including floor mats, restroom supplies, paper products, and related facility consumables. These programs complemented uniform rental by giving customers a recurring service for maintaining workplace appearance, hygiene, and replenishment.
Specialty garments
Cleanroom garments and process-control services
The company provided cleanroom garments and process-control services for environments where contamination management and controlled handling were important. The offering supported customers in pharmaceutical, semiconductor, healthcare, and other specialized production settings.
Personal protective equipment
ProTect flame-resistant safety solutions
ProTect brought together flame-resistant garments and personal protective equipment for industrial and occupational settings. It extended G&K's workwear portfolio beyond appearance and laundering into protective clothing and workplace safety requirements.
Direct-purchase workwear · 1996
GKDirect
GKDirect was G&K's direct-sale channel, established after the company formed a direct-purchase division in 1996. It enabled customers to buy branded workwear and related products instead of relying exclusively on rental or lease programs.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Workforce for a Cure
United States
GKDirect encouraged customers to exchange ordinary workwear for pink-ribbon apparel during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A portion of purchase proceeds supported the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign.
Brand decisions
2016
Agreement to sell the company to CintasM&ABackground
G&K operated as a publicly traded provider of uniforms and facility services in the United States and Canada.
Action taken
G&K agreed to be acquired by Cintas Corporation for approximately $2.2 billion.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on March 21, 2017, and G&K ceased to operate as an independent company.
Approximate acquisition value. $2.2 billion (2016 agreement; transaction completed March 21, 2017)
1996
Formation of a direct-purchase businessStrategyBackground
G&K historically operated through recurring textile-care and rental services but also sought to serve customers who preferred to buy workwear.
Action taken
The company established a direct-purchase division, later associated with GKDirect.
Aftermath
The direct-sale channel complemented G&K's rental and lease programs and supported branded workwear campaigns.
Sources1 sources
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