The Institute, located at Gracefield, Lower Hutt, was incorporated in 1947, and its groups of members include industrial, hospital boards, ancillary, and manufacturers, together with a small group of overseas members. The management is vested in an executive comprising two representatives of laundry members, two of drycleaning members, two of hospital boards, a president from any of these three groups, one representative of ancillary members, one person appointed by the Minister of Health, and two by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research.