Prudential Overall Supply Celebrates 80 Years – A Leader in its Industry

Headquartered in Irvine, Prudential has 27 total locations including its industrial laundries and cleanroom garment processing and distribution centers, including six locations in the Los Angeles area:  Carson, Commerce (industrial and cleanroom facilities), Irvine, Moorpark and Riverside.  Other facilities include 10 in California and 11 others in seven other states. Prudential has nearly 1,500 employees. The company is privately owned by members of the family of its founder, the late John D. Clark.  Prudential currently serves over 100 Fortune 500 companies.  More than 1,500 customers have each relied on Prudential for more than 25 years.

Businesses of all types rent, lease and buy employee uniforms from Prudential Overall Supply.  Prudential consults with its customers to develop uniform programs by providing expertise in the latest fabrics applicable for uniforms, and the fabrics’ performance under varying workplace conditions and physical job demands.

The subject of an American Medical Review television program in a series on cleanroom operations, Prudential has internationally recognized expertise in cleanroom sterile garment and protective wear processing for companies that manufacture products and operate in controlled environments.  Examples of such industries include bioscience, semi-conductor and pharmaceuticals. Prudential also rents and maintains non-apparel facility image products such as restaurant reusables and wipes, floor mats, cleaning items, restroom products and more.

“My dad, our founder, would be especially proud that the company he started in 1932 provides an income for nearly 1,500 families,” said Prudential Overall Supply Chairman Dan Clark.  “We are certain he would be pleased that Prudential has maintained a singular focus on the business values that he lived by:  Providing excellent customer service at a fair price, and developing our people to be the most knowledgeable and skilled in our industry.”

“Despite Prudential’s remarkable growth, we continue to maintain close relationships with our customers and among our employees that are typical of a familyowned business,” says Prudential President Tom Watts.  “We are proud of the hard work of all employees, past and present, whose efforts have enabled Prudential to achieve the distinction of becoming an 80-year-old company.”

Playing a Role in History - from WWII to the Space Program

Prudential Overall Supply was founded on April 11, 1932, when John D. Clark traded in his Model A Ford Sports Roadster for a used truck in order to start his own uniform laundry service company for workers who were unable to properly care for their uniforms.  Within seven years, Clark’s parents and siblings had joined him in his venture. During the 1940s, Prudential began renting uniforms as well as laundering them, becoming one of the first companies to do so.

Historically significant accomplishments of Prudential include cleaning of gas masks for military personnel during World War II.  A generation later, Prudential developed the first dust-free, contaminant-free garments, supporting NASA’s efforts that culminated in astronaut John Glenn’s 1962 mission to orbit the earth.  In 1978, Prudential opened its first facility outside California, in Arizona, beginning the national and international phase of the company’s history.

Find out more in our 80th Anniversary Off-The-Cuff publication.

About Prudential Overall Supply

Since 1932, Irvine-based Prudential Overall Supply has been committed to enhancing its customers’ image at the best dollar value and prompt turnaround time with weekly delivery. Providing and maintaining premium quality work uniforms, career apparel and business casual attire, Prudential is able to outfit entire organizations. Prudential also addresses facility image and safety requirements by offering entrance and logo mats, wiping towels, dust and wet mops, paper towels, soaps, air fresheners and related products and services.

Release date: 04/11/2012

Contact: Jerry Martin, V.P. of Sales & Marketing (949) 250-4850 ext 275

By: Jerry Martin, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Prudential Overall Supply