How to understand and choose the right distribution system
The professional and public sectors require different equipment than the general public due to higher traffic volumes and stricter hygiene standards. Public authorities also need to control costs given this traffic, which can reach thousands of people per day for a stadium, train station, airport, etc. The goal is to reduce usage costs while also limiting equipment maintenance expenses.
The different equipment models and compatibilities
We will be reviewing the various standards that exist in the public sector, including hospitality and other professional settings that welcome the public. How do you buy the right toilet paper dispenser for your establishment, taking into account its traffic volume? How do you find an economical solution that also offers a minimum level of quality, with a product that integrates seamlessly into your existing environment, which necessarily includes a waste bin, soap dispenser, and other essential sanitary accessories?
Maxi or mini jumbo dispenser?
Features of the maxi roll dispenser
The most common type of paper towel dispenser used in public facilities is the maxi jumbo dispenser . This equipment, a standard in the hygiene industry, uses rolls with a 60 mm inner core and a 270 mm outer diameter. The roll length varies from 290 m to 700 m depending on the number of plies (one or two layers) and whether or not the wadding is embossed. Most dispensers are made of white or black metal. They can also be made of satin or brushed stainless steel, in which case the quality of the stainless steel is important, particularly for ease of maintenance and to prevent tarnishing. ABS dispensers are also available for use in humid environments such as seaside locations, swimming pools, or spas.
Rossignol , a renowned name in waste bins and accessories, manufactures its toilet paper dispensers in France, guaranteeing quality through strict control over the type of stainless steel used and the manufacturing process. JVD, a manufacturer of electric hand dryers, offers a range in plastic or metal. This standard is one of the most economical options, with a significant advantage being its long operating time and the availability of compatible toilet paper rolls from brands such as Tork , Lucart, Kimberly-Clark, and numerous other manufacturers.
In the case of Kimberly Clark, there's a part of my range where the manufacturer historically opted for 75mm cores, so you'll still need to check whether your KC dispenser is designed for 60mm or 75mm rolls. In any case, Voussert will help you and offers both options.
Features of the mini roll dispenser
If the size of the maxi jumbo dispenser with its 28 or 29 cm diameter seems too imposing to you, an alternative exists with the mini jumbo dispenser.
The mini jumbo toilet paper dispenser meets the same standard as before, except that the outer diameter of the paper is now 190 mm instead of 270 mm. The length of the toilet paper roll is 160 or 180 meters in two-ply.
The diameter of the chuck remains unchanged at 60 mm, with the same remark regarding the 75 mm diameter concerning certain Kimberly Clark distributors.
Here too, major historical brands like Tork, Lucart or Kimberly Clark offer distributors and associated consumables that will remain compatible with mini jumbo distributors manufactured for example by Rossignol or Voussert from recycled plastic.
Toilet paper dispenser, sheet by sheet
For toilet paper dispensers, whether sheet by sheet or in flat packs, the market is much simpler, with standard 100-sheet multi-packs or packs of 250 to 500 sheets. For larger packs, you'll need to look at maxi-pack models.
Tork offers its Tork T3 toilet paper dispenser in white and black. This dispenser for roll-by-roll toilet paper is ideal for restaurants, small offices, hotel rooms, and anywhere customer experience is important.
Toilet paper store brand systems
Tork and Lotus Professional compact toilet paper dispenser
Compact Lotus NextTurn System
Lotus's Nextturn compact standard dispenser accommodates small rolls with maximum capacity (up to 1300 sheets per roll). These dispensers were available in white or blue polycarbonate with the Lotus Professional logo.
Tork Compact T6 System
The Tork compact paper dispenser standard offers the same advantages. The Tork T6 dispenser is a high-capacity, compact system designed for frequently used restrooms. It features a large capacity: it can hold two 135m rolls. Automatic roll change is included. Three white paper product grades are available: Premium, Advanced, and Universal. These models come in white or black with the Tork logo.
Tork SmartOne Paper Dispenser - Lotus SmartOne
Lotus was a pioneer in developing the Smart One toilet paper dispenser standard, which dispenses paper from inside the roll, resulting in significant savings in consumption. This idea stemmed from a simple observation: even jumbo, mini jumbo, and roll formats didn't allow users to control the amount of paper they used.
The central sheet-by-sheet dispensing system like the Tork Reflex (formerly Lotus Reflex) has therefore been applied to the toilet paper dispenser.
The SmartOne center-pull, sheet-by-sheet toilet paper dispenser allows you to take only the necessary amount of toilet paper – reducing consumption, waste, and maintenance. With SmartOne dispensers, reduce your paper consumption by up to 40%. Results of an internal comparative study between the Jumbo Lotus Professional and the SmartOne Mini Double, conducted on 7,729 European users. Reduction calculated in square meters used.
Lucart Identity ATM
For the first time applied to toilet paper, Lucart's automatic cutting system, powered by battery or mains electricity, reduces consumption through sheet-by-sheet dispensing, thus preventing jams and waste. This system provides unwrinkled, ready-to-use paper for user convenience. It dispenses 900 sheets of a single length, each 22.5 cm.
The push bar, equipped with antibacterial protection based on silver ions, simplifies and facilitates the loading of paper into the device and allows continuous dispensing, even when the sheet is not directly accessible.
The toilet paper dispenser from the Lucart Identity line is compatible with EcoNatural, Eco and Strong toilet papers.
Controlled distribution and eco-friendly paper: an ideal and sustainable combination.
The back of the dispenser has numerous perforations that allow it to be fixed to the wall in existing holes, thus avoiding the need to drill new ones.
Distributor Icon Kimberly Clark
The latest innovation in toilet paper distribution with the Kimberly-Clark Professional system is the ICON concept which combines performance and aesthetics by transforming your sanitary facilities with style and modernity thanks to a unique range of interchangeable fronts offering personalization to your space.
The ICON dispenser is designed to hold two large format toilet paper rolls, ensuring continuous hygiene and optimized refill management.
It stands out thanks to its six interchangeable fronts which allow you to personalize the appearance of your bathroom with a contemporary touch.
Thanks to its key or push-button locking system, refilling is quick and secure, making your maintenance team's job easier. Installation is simplified thanks to an integrated mounting bracket with a level, allowing you to fix the dispenser in minutes.
It is compatible with Kleenex toilet paper, offering a high-quality user experience and an ideal solution for combining practicality, innovation, and design in your sanitary facilities.
Paper dispenser: which material to choose?
Advantages of the plastic toilet paper dispenser
A toilet paper dispenser can be made from different materials. The most common remains PVC or polycarbonate because it offers several advantages:
The first is its rust resistance and its ability to withstand humid or chlorinated environments and salt air over time, such as municipal swimming pools, spas, sports changing rooms, seaside establishments, etc.
The other reason is the price, which is generally lower than steel or stainless steel dispensers.
Yousert now also offers a range of toilet paper dispensers, paper hand towels and liquid soap dispensers made from recycled plastic in order to take into account the product life cycle and limit the carbon impact of manufacturing and recycling at the end of its life.
Advantages of the toilet paper dispenser in steel or stainless steel and aluminum
Toilet paper dispensers can now be made of stainless steel with several possible finishes, such as brushed, satin, or polished stainless steel, adding a more stylish touch to establishments where customer experience is paramount. In this case, it's essential to choose a manufacturer offering guaranteed stainless steel quality. Indeed, there are imported items on the market for this type of product, particularly from Asia, where the quality of the stainless steel isn't necessarily up to the standard selected by Rossignol, which manufactures this product line in France. JVD, for its part, imports these items from Asia, with the exception of a few plastic models.
The steel distributor has the advantage of being very resistant and if you opt for a Rossignol model, the epoxy paint treatment will guarantee its durability over time.
Tork offers in some of its ranges mixed PVC aluminum or PVC stainless steel dispensers whose purpose is to bring a touch of refinement.
Frequently asked questions about the toilet paper dispenser
I have a Tork SmartOne dispenser and I would like to install a compatible product
The Tork SmartOne system for the T8 or T9 is protected by a patent. Therefore, even though the courts ruled in favor of Tork regarding product copying, the situation can be analyzed as follows:
-> You do not own the dispensers and had signed a "supply agreement" with Voussert and Tork, which naturally requires you to purchase Tork SmartOne consumables from Voussert under the agreed terms. Therefore, by charging your devices with a different consumable, you are breaching the contract and are thus subject to inspection and prosecution.
-> You own your dispensers because you bought them. In that case, theoretically, you can do whatever you want with these dispensers and the consumables available on the market, such as jumbo center-pull toilet paper.
However, in both cases, it's important to know that the SmartOne system is a paper dispenser duo that is inseparable for optimal performance. Therefore, using a compatible product could significantly impair dispensing, in addition to the fact that the Tork paper quality will not be the same.
How do I mount my dispenser on the wall?
In community and professional settings, screw fixing is the most widespread due to high traffic and usage, and greater stress on the reel than at home.
In some cases where the traffic and/or the wall does not allow it, a collage can also be perfectly used for fixing.
How can I get free vending machines?
Nothing is free! Every dispenser, whether it's for toilet paper, hand towels, soap, a cleaning station or a dosing machine for your kitchen, has a manufacturing cost and therefore a purchase cost.
So yes, as part of the establishment or renewal of your facility, you may be offered free access either in the form of a provision contract, a market agreement, a call for tenders, or a tacit agreement...
But since this setup has a cost, it is included in the offer of consumables that you will then have to order from the actor who made you this offer.
As you will have understood, true "free" does not exist and it requires something in return which very often will no longer leave you with the same freedom in your purchases.
Does my toilet paper consumption seem excessive?
If your toilet paper consumption seems high or has increased significantly recently, the first thing to check is whether there's any misuse of toilet paper. The most common example is when paper towel dispensers are replaced with electric hand dryers. In this case, if the wall-mounted dryers aren't powerful enough, users will tend to finish drying their hands with toilet paper.