Prudential Overall Supply was founded in 1932, and since then we have prided ourselves on being a trusted work uniform supplier for a variety of different industries. Prudential has seen changes over the years, and our ability to adapt and grow has kept us a leader in the uniform service industry.
After our beginnings as a uniform laundry service, Prudential was able to expand operations to include cleanroom supplies and apparel as well. Today, Prudential Overall Supply offers a wide variety of uniform rentals and uniform services for many different industries.
Prudential Overall Supply has built a reputation on providing a wide range of traditional work uniforms. For instance, many food industry businesses rely on high-quality uniforms to ensure their staff are properly dressed, with functional workplace attire that displays the company’s distinctive brand and style. Prudential’s food service uniforms fit the bill. That’s why numerous restaurants and food processing facilities have come to depend on us for professional, long-lasting apparel.
But ensuring that your employees are ambassadors of any company is important for any business model. Prudential understands the unique needs of different business sectors, from the automotive and healthcare fields to the electronics and food service industries. As Prudential Overall Supply has been renting and selling garments for nearly a full century, we have the experience and know-how to run a successful, customer-oriented business.
For Prudential, the journey has been a long and winding one, with many notable milestones along the way.
The Evolution of Prudential Overall Supply
The idea of a family-run business seems almost obsolete in a world filled with mega corporations, but Prudential Overall Supply started as a family business and has taken pride in maintaining the care and customer relationships that only a family-owned business can foster.
Prudential Overall Supply is a work uniform supply company that got its start in 1932, when John D. Clark traded in his Ford truck to launch a uniform supply company, originally called Prudential Laundry. Like all great business ideas, it filled a need that no one else was addressing: John Clark saw a gap in the market, and decided to capitalize on an opportunity.
Prudential Laundry was started in Los Angeles, California. The business model was based on supplying clean work apparel and uniform rentals to local businesses. In fact, Prudential was one of the first companies to offer uniform rental services (in 1943), which later became standard practice for any uniform supply company.
Prudential had to purchase the uniforms in order to rent them out to local businesses. This was obviously not the most lucrative business, at first, and it took some time before they were able to start making a profit. Soon, though, business was booming, and the rest of John’s family—his other siblings—came out West to help John run his fast-growing uniform rental company.
From there, the company’s growth continued at a rapid pace:
In the 1950s, Prudential Overall Supply established itself as a significant player in the uniform and textile rental industry. By 1952, the company reached a milestone of $1.2 million in revenue, reflecting its growing influence in the market.
The 1960s marked a period of diversification, with the introduction of Prudential Cleanroom Services, positioning the company as a key cleanroom supplier. This expansion into specialized services laid the basis for Prudential’s role in providing cleanroom garments. In 1968, Dan Clark, the founder’s son, joined the family business, ensuring that the company’s leadership remained within the Clark family. That same year, the introduction of Poly/Cotton fabrics revolutionized the Prudential product line.
The 1970s were huge for Prudential. The company was finally able to expand its operations beyond California, setting up a 37,000-square-foot plant in Tucson, Arizona. By the end of the decade, Prudential had firmly established itself as a regional leader.
In the 1980s, Prudential continued its upward trajectory, achieving $35 million in revenue by 1982. This decade also marked further out-of-state expansions.
The 1990s saw new growth, with Prudential reaching $100 million in revenue by 1996. During this period, Prudential Cleanroom Services (PCS) expanded nationwide, cementing the company’s reputation as a leading cleanroom supplier.
The 2000s were characterized by modernization and a focus on sustainability. In 2000, PCS achieved ISO certification, and in 2009, Prudential launched the Clean Green Movement. Prudential became the largest industrial laundry chain to earn the TRSA Clean Green certification in 2012.
Today, under the leadership of John Clark, the third-generation CEO of the Clark family, Prudential serves nearly 30,000 customers across various industries.
Providing great customer service helped us grow the business into a lucrative company. To this day, Prudential continues to offer a uniform rental service, which can be a fantastic option for a startup business that may not have the budget to pay for the cost of uniforms out of pocket. From healthcare uniforms to auto technician apparel, Prudential can be trusted to provide top-notch solutions.
