All Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association members will be granted free admission to the association's Expo 2000, which is fast approaching. The event is set for the weekend of September 16-17, at the Atlantic City Convention Center at 2000 Kirkman Blvd. in New Jersey.
Full registration packages for non-PDCA members are available for $35.
Over 300 booths have been sold for the event, which will offer attendees free access to all of its exhibits.
Saturday will kick off at 9 a.m. with a two-hour interactive presentation by John Graham, author of the book Magnet Marketing.
He also serves as president of Graham Communications, a Quincy, MA-based marketing service and sales consulting firm.
During his seminar, Graham will discuss his unique marketing philosophy that seeks to create customers through what is known as a "buying environment." This "Magnet Marketing" approach is accessible to both consumer and business-to-business audiences.
Sunday's program will feature a panel discussion on technologies for the future that IFI's Mary Scalco will moderate. The program will run from 9 to 11 a.m.
Janet Hickman from Dow is the featured expert on perc. Carbon dioxide technology will be represented by Steve Bowman from Chart Applied Technologies and Tom Janick from Miele will be the designated speaker for wetcleaning.
Jeff Battiston will also be on-hand for Rynex and Tim Maxwell from GreenEarth will discuss that technology. Petroleum solvent will be represented by Mike Jones of Louisville, KY, president of the National Coalition of Petroleum Dry Cleaners.
Accommodations for PDCA's Expo 2000 have been made available at a variety of hotels. The Sheraton Atlantic City, which is located across the street from the convention center, will offer $135 per night single/double occupancy room rates. Call 800/325-3535 or 609/344-3535 for reservations.
Other hotel options for convention attendees include: Holiday Inn at $169 per night (800/548-3030 or 609/348-2200); Quality Inn for $110 per night (609/345-7070); Sheraton West at $85 per night (609/272-0200, ask for Maureen Kern); and Clarion Bayside Resort for $85 per night (800/999-9466).
For more information, contact PDCA at 800/822-7352 or 215/830-8495.
The MidAtlantic Association of Cleaners will be returning with its "Sharpen Your Business Knowledge" seminar series this fall.
On Sept. 19, MAC members will be able to attend "Getting more dollars from your customer" in Winchester, VA.
The series, which focuses on increasing your business's bottom line without any additional expense, will also be in Charlottesville, VA on Sept. 20, Roanoke, VA on Sept. 21, Danville, VA on Nov. 28, Richmond, VA on Nov. 29 and in Northern, VA on Nov. 30.
All of these seminars will be from 7 to 8 p.m. and only MAC members may attend.
MAC will also be hosting a seminar entitled "Gotta route? Think you want a route?" on Oct. 15 at the Holiday Inn located in Charleston, WV.
The seminar is free to MAC members; non-members pay $150 per person.
For more information, or to make reservations, call MAC at 800-235-8360.
The Indiana Drycleaning and Laundry Association has announced its plans for its annual convention, set to be held on Sept. 15-16 at the Embassy Suites in downtown Indianapolis, IN.
On Friday, the event will kick-off with a golf tournament that starts at 10 a.m. at the Saddlebrook Golf Course and costs $55 per person, including cart.
Later in the evening, IDLA will host a cocktails and distributor's show from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a "Hoosier Banquet" that will feature Betsy Bobel, Miss Indiana.
Saturday is slated to contain a full round of educational seminars, beginning at 9:30 a.m. when IFI's Vice President of Government Affairs Patricia Williams will discuss "IFI and Capitol Hill" for about 45 minutes.
Williams graduated with a B.S. in marketing and communication from Boston College. She also obtained a Masters degree in marketing and communication and a juris doctorate from the George Washington National Law Center.
Later that day, from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., "Should I Lease Employees?" will be presented by Harlan Schafir, president and sole owner of Professional Staff Management, a Professional Employer Organization with offices in Richmond and Indianapolis.
Schafir, who graduated first in his accounting class from the University of South Florida, has held positions with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Tampa, FL, Cooper Industries in Houston, TX, and Belden Wire and Cable in Richmond, IN.
Saturday's educational sessions will culminate with Laura Barron, president of The Barron Group, who will speak from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Barron, who has a B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee and has 25 years of business experience, will explain the process of "Creating Word of Mouth Marketing."
Full registration packages are available for $165 for members and $185 for non-members. Saturday only packages are also available for $145 for members and $165 for non-members.
For more information, contact IDLA at (800) 401-0703.
Harvey's Casino Hotel in Council Bluffs, IA, will be the site of the Iowa-Nebraska Drycleaners and Laundry Association's annual fall seminar, scheduled for Oct. 13-15.
On Friday, Oct. 13, golfers will have the opportunity to play a round of golf at the 18-hole course, Dodge Park, or the 9-hole course at Westwood Golf.
INDLA will present a reception at 6 p.m. that evening. Afterwards, everyone will have a chance to enjoy Harvey's Casino.
Educational programs will start on Saturday with a presentation by Alan Robson of Biz Builder Services that will discuss why "Profit is Not a Dirty Word."
After lunch on the same day, motivational speaker Tom Johnson will present "There Is No Traffic Jam on the Extra Mile."
Saturday's afternoon session will feature "Employee Retention & Longevity" by Mike Roseland, who recently started his own company, Profit Advantage, Inc.
On Sunday morning, following a buffet breakfast, Shawnie Higgins and Kathy Broniecki, officers of a marketing, advertising and public relations firm known as Envoy, will speak about "Essential Service Solutions for the Millennium."
A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at Harveys for a price of $79 plus tax for double and single occupancies. Reservations can be made by calling (800) 427-8397. Be sure to mention you are attending INDLA's fall seminar program.
Early registration packages are available at $85 for members and $155 for non-members for full 3-day registration. Packages purchased after September 29 will cost $15 more.
For more information about the event, contact INDLA at (515) 225-3654.
Belenky Inc. will be hosting a couple of free open house events in October at its offices in Akron, OH, located at 1601 Frederick Blvd.
On Thursday, Oct. 12, Belenky, Inc. will host its annual coin-op Service School and Open House from 5 to 9 p.m.
The school will be conducted by a factory field service technician from Alliance Laundry Systems will discuss equipment by Huebsch, Speed Queen and Unimac.
Also on the venue is "Top Ten Trends in the Industry" by Brian Wallace of the Coin Laundry Association. He will focus on the latest ways to increase store traffic and maximize income.
Later in the month on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22, Belenky, Inc. will host its annual Open House for drycleaners.
Attendees will have an opportunity to press shirts on the new Unipress CDR Rotary Double Buck unit and see the new hydrocarbon machine from Union.
A free service school will also be open to help cleaners better understand the basics of equipment. Allied trade representatives will exhibit on both days.
For more information, call (330) 867-3333, ext. 205.
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association - International is currently finishing months of planning for its sixteenth consecutive effort in the Coats for Kids program.
This year's drive has grown to include efforts by six chapters in addition to the program coordinated by NCA-I's central office.
Some of the efforts currently planned include:
Also, local radio station WWDB will publicize the program starting in October.
Cleaners who are interested in participating will receive a package that contains posters indicating that they are a drop-off plant for children's coats.
After cleaning the coats that have been dropped off, cleaners will be able to phone NCA-I and request a pick-up.
The coats will then be taken to a distribution center where they will be sorted and organized and a specific number of garments will be transported to a participating agency that requested them.
"The recognition and goodwill the cleaners receive during the campaign is immeasurable," said NCA-I staff member Tony Terrell in an NCA-I press release. "Any member who has participated in the past will tell you how interested and appreciative their customers are about Coats for Kids. People enjoy being a part of the campaign and will encourage their friends to join in, too."
To learn more about the program or to get the name of your local Coats for Kids chairperson, contact Tony Terrell of NCA-I at (212) 967-3002, ext. 230.
Triple Play seminars
This fall, NCA-I has scheduled three special one-day training seminars that will update attendees with information pertaining to the following topics: Wetcleaning, Advanced Spotting and Pressing.
NCA-I has designed course costs to decrease if multiple members of the same staff attend the same seminar, or if one person attends multiple seminars.
The all-inclusive educational sessions will cost $125 per course per person. However, if two staff members attend the same seminar or one person attends two courses, the cost is $225.
The cost diminishes to $100 per person if three people attend the same course together, or it costs $300 for one person to take all three training sessions.
The Wetcleaning course will be held on Sunday, Sept. 24 in Lodi, NJ. The Advanced Spotting session will be held on Sunday, Oct. 15 and the Pressing class will be on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Mason's cleaners in Dumont, NJ.
Bill Seitz, executive director of NCA-I, will be the instructor for the Advanced Spotting class. The Wetcleaning and Pressing courses will be taught by NCA-I's Chief Garment Analyst Dan Eisen.
In addition to these training sessions, several NCA-I chapters are currently working to provide training seminars locally.
For more information, contact Vincent Beazer of NCA-I at (212) 967-3002, ext. 224.
After closing down the school it operated for 15 years at Texas Women's University, the Southwest Drycleaners Association is currently working on opening a new school at the International Textile Center (ITC) at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX.
So far, SDA reports that the relocation is "progressing well" and the association recently thanked many manufacturers and suppliers who have agreed to give or loan equipment for use at the school.
Some of the equipment supplied for the school includes: a Slim Line Petrol Dry 45-3 drycleaning machine from Marvel Manufacturing Co.; a K16 35-lb. hydrocarbon machine, a 25-lb. Bowe wetcleaning system, a Veit CR2 finishing station, a Veit 8730 pants finisher, a Veit 8355 multiform and a Veit 7406 spotting board from Böwe Permac; a 102 finishing board, 307ST tensioning topper and a 162 hot cold spotting board from Clean Concepts; a Cindy Lou sleever 2000 series and a Banner spray tank system from Banner Machinery; a starch cooker from Perfect Starch; 40 check valves and ball valves from Mustang Enterprises; and 40 stream traps provided by Villa Maria 1-Hour Drycleaners, Inc.
SDA plans to recondition some of the old presses and other equipment for the school, but the association is still seeking contributions of money, equipment and volunteer work.
The ITC is already widely known for its practical research to assist textile mills in using Texan natural fibers. Over the past 30 years, the ITC (under various names) has helped develop a market for the type of cotton that can be grown in arid conditions of the South Plains.
Lubbock is an ideal location for the ITC because it is the center of one of the largest cotton production areas in the world and claims 20 percent of the U.S. cotton production and 5 percent of world production.
Incidentally, Texas also produces 95 percent of the mohair in the U.S. and 20 percent of the wool.
The ITC's 110,000-sq. ft. is an impressive facility, equipped with a complete materials evaluation lab to test and evaluate fibers, yarns and fabrics; a short staple (cotton system) processing lab for ring and open end spinning; weaving; knitting; and dyeing and finishing.
The ITC has the capacity to analyze fiber, spin yarn, weave or knit fabric and dye it. With SDA's participation, the center will now be able to determine proper fabric care, as well.
An ITC polymer chemist will work in conjunction with SDA on applied research concerning fabric care issues.
In addition to providing textile and fabric care research, the ITC will have a graduate and professional education program and complete classroom facilities.
Already, SDA is planning a comprehensive class schedule for when the new school is up and running.
Charles Riggs, Phd, who assisted the operation of SDA's school at TWU for many years, will continue to work as an education consultant to work toward the success of the program with the ITC.
More information about the center is available on its web site: www.itc.ttu.edu.
Anyone interested in assisting SDA with a contribution of time, money or equipment for the new school, you can contact the association at (210) 826-4684.
The Royaltone Suedemate Leather Cleaning Center in Tulsa, OK, with classes taught by taught by Frank Lucenta, will have its final session of the year Dec. 7-8.
The class consists of classroom and in-plant hands-on sessions. Lucenta teaches small groups of plant owners and managers how to use his Royaltone procedures and products to identify, accept, spot, wetclean, dryclean, press and recolor suedes, leathers, and furs.
Each student receives a certificate upon completion of the course and after-training support is provided through a toll-free hotline.
Class size is limited. Early enrollment will ensure a place in this class and a copy of the class instruction books written for study before the class begins.
For more information, call (800) 331-5506 or e-mail frank@royaltone.com.
Seitz Inc. held its semi-annual sales meeting at the Princeton, NJ, headquarters of Miele Inc. to celebrate the cooperation between the two companies in the United States and Canada. All Seitz North American personnel attended the two-day meeting.
In addition to covering sales, new products, programming of drycleaning equipment and introducing new administrative staff and sales personnel, the gathering heard from executives of the two firms on their cooperative relationship.
John Phillips, executive vice president of Seitz, said that working with Miele Inc. will help Seitz customers "produce the highest quality of cleaning available in the safest method possible."
Andreas Barduna, product manager for professional and residential laundry care of Miele Inc., told the Seitz team about the history of Miele and gave an update of where the company is are in the international market place.
Tom Janick, wetcleaning consultant for Miele Inc., presented the features of the Miele machine and on the computer controlled programming. The Miele Equipment, using Seitz products, was demonstrated at the Craft Cleaners plant.
An amended version of North Carolina's drycleaning cleanup program that was originally passed in 1997 was signed by the state's governor this summer.
The new bill aims to raise $60 million for site cleanups over the next 10 years through excise taxes on solvents and by transferring sales taxes collected by drycleaners from the state's general revenues into the cleanup fund.
Under the new law, the excise tax on drycleaning solvents will be $10 per gallon for perc and $1.60 per gallon for hydrocarbon. That compares to $5.85 per gallon for perc and 60 cents per gallon for hydrocarbon under the old law. The new rates will be effective Oct. 1.
Another key change in the new law is the elimination of the requirement that cleaners carry retroactive pollution liability insurance. That had been a sticking point under the old law when cleaners found such coverage impossible to procure.
The new law also eliminates the small quantity generator exemption that had been available for some cleaners for hazardous waste treatment and disposal requirements under federal law.
A proposal in the new law for phasing out perc drycleaning by 2019 was eliminated in the face of industry opposition. In its place, a provision was added that instructs the state's Department of Environmental and Natural Resources to set up a work group to investigate alternative drycleaning processes and identify obstacles to their implementation.
"Rather than presume which technologies are 'winners' and which are 'losers,' the working group will review the available technologies and determine what obstacles may be preventing them from coming into more widespread use," said Steve Risotto, executive director of them Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance. HSIA was opposed to the perc-ban provision.
Retooling of the North Carolina cleanup program began last year after it became apparent that retroactive liability insurance would not be available and that the original funding formula would not raise enough money.
The North Carolina House of Representatives passed an amended version of the legislation without a dissenting vote last year, but the legislature adjourned before the Senate could act. The North Carolina Association of Launderers & Cleaners stepped up efforts to secure passage in the Senate this year, fearing that the program would be canceled if an amended version did not obtain approval.
Biz Builder Services is forming a new Biz Builder Management group in Florida. An information and introductory meeting for the new group will be held at Diamond Cleaners in Gulf Breeze, FL, on Monday, Sept. 18.
Alan Robson will introduce attendees to the Biz Builder Management Groups, covering the financial format, cost standards, productions standards and the Biz Builder emphasis on members' obligations to act as an outside board of directors.
Anyone who is not currently a member of a management groups and who is interested in learning, sharing and improving business performance can call Dave Marnell at Diamond Cleaners (850) 934-7917 or send e-mail to groups@bizbuilderonline.com .
Robson to speak in Iowa
Also on Robson's schedule is a speaking engagement at the Iowa-Nebraska Dry cleaners and Launderers association where he will present his seminar, "Profit Is Not A Dirty Word.' He will cover production standards, calculating cost per piece and how to improve the bottom line. The convention will be held at Harvey's Casino Hotel in Council Bluffs, IA. For information, call the association office, (515) 225-3654.
The South Eastern Fabricare Association recently released its fall schedule of classes.
A Basic and Advanced Drycleaning course will be scheduled for the following dates and cities: Sept. 9 and 10 in Miami, FL; Sept. 16 and 17 in Pensacola, FL; and Oct. 7 and 8 in Atlanta, GA.
A Customer Relations course is set for: Miami, FL on Sept. 11 and Nov. 13; Pensacola, FL on Sept. 18; Greenville, SC on Sept. 25; Spartanburg, SC on Sept. 26; Florence, SC on Sept. 27; Columbia, SC on Sept. 28; Culman, AL on Oct. 9; Decatur, AL on Oct. 10; Tuscaloosa, AL on Oct. 11; Columbus, GA on Oct. 12; West Palm, FL on Nov. 14; Sebring, FL on Nov. 15 and Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Nov. 16.
Wetcleaning classes will be held on Oct. 16 in Tallahassee, FL; Oct. 17 in Gainsville, FL; Oct. 18 in Jacksonville, FL; and Oct. 19 in Savannah, GA.
For more information, contact SEFA at (770) 998-9900.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Grants of up to $12,500 are available for Southern California cleaners who want to switch from chemical solvents to wetcleaning.
The program is funded primarily by the South Coast Air Quality Management District ($242,798) with an additional $80,000 coming from the California Wellness Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Liberty Hill Foundation. The Pollution Prevention Education and Research Center (PPERC) at Occidental college in Los Angeles will administer the program with assistance from the Korean Youth and Community Center.
PPERC said the program will build on the track record of two local commercial wetcleaners, Cleaner By Nature in Santa Monica and Cypress Plaza Cleaners in Cypress, and broaden the industry's awareness of professional wetcleaning and to reduce reliance on perc by drycleaners in Southern California.
"Over the past two years, many drycleaners have told us they would consider making the switch if some kind of financial assistance was available," said Peter Sinsheimer, PPERC director and manager of the project.
"Water-based professional wetcleaning represents a major opportunity to reduce the industry's dependence on perc, to reduce toxic exposures to employees and to improve regional air quality," Sinsheimer said. "We want to speed that process by helping to kick start the commercial development of wetcleaning.
The air quality management district sponsored a 1997 study by PPERC of the wetcleaning operations at Cleaner By Nature. In the study 99.9 percent of the garments were successfully wetcleaned.
However, Sinsheimer said, industry response to progressional wetcleaning has been limited by a lack of familiarity with the process, the perceived cost of making the switch, and care labelling laws and manufacturing processes that favor drycleaning.
PPERC and the Korean Youth and Community Center will assist eight cleaners in switching to wetcleaning with grants of up to $12,500 each to help pay for new equipment, training and technical support.
Participating cleaners will receive assistance in equipment selection, financing, technical training, trouble-shooting and marketing.
Cleaners selected to receive the grants will serve as a wetcleaning demonstration site for the life of the two-year project.
For information about the programs, call PPERC, (323) 259-1420, or Sam Atwood of the AQMD, (909) 396-3687.
PurpleTie.com, a California web-based web-based drycleaning service, recently announced that it would push back the launch date of its $20 million cleaning and distribution facility in Manteca.
A target date for when the plant will be fully operational has not been set yet, but estimates point toward the end of the year.
Linda Maurer, a spokeswoman for the company, said in an interview in The Record of Stockton, CA: "It's taken longer than we had hoped. But it's anticipated, given that this hasn't been done before. It's the first of 25 (drycleaning plants) we intend to open (nationwide), so we don't want to move quickly on this."
PurpleTie.com will partner with some local and Bay area drycleaning operations to handle cleaning orders until the facility in Manteca is operational.
The facility, which is located near Highways 120 and 99 in Manteca. Drycleaning service is still expected to begin next month along the Interstate 680 corridor. Other areas, such as Sacramento and San Francisco are expected to receive service later this year.
PurpleTie.com, led by Payam Zamani, co-founder and former CEO of Autoweb.com -- a site which links car shoppers to more than 200 dealerships in the U.S. -- aims to combine advanced, automated and environmentally-friendly technology with a free, localized pick-up and delivery system that promises a 24-hour turnaround.
For more information, visit the company's web site located at www.purpletie.com.
The San Diego Dry Cleaners Association will be offering California drycleaners the California Air Resources Board required courses on the Air Toxic Control Measure in the coming months.
Classes will be available on Sept. 23, Oct. 21 and Nov. 18. The sessions will take place at the Inn Suites Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., in San Diego, CA.
Re-certification cost for the course is $100 and first-timer certification is $150.
The class will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A book is provided for first-time certifiers, so re-certification applicants should bring their old book, certificate, and a picture ID.
For more information, contact the SDDCA at (619) 267-5390.
Recently, representatives of GreenEarth Cleaning and General Electric Silicones met representatives of the California Air Resources Board and the California Air Pollution Control Association.
Jim Douglas of GreenEarth and Mark Stevens and Gene Browning of General Electric Silicones presented to the state officials some technical data on GreenEarth.
The state officials learned that GreenEarth has been in commercial use for 19 months with more than 1.3 million pounds of garments processed. Based on data acquired during tests on waste streams and exposure levels in the affirmation site plants, the solvent is environmentally friendly and safe to use.
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