Sarah Holder makes no excuses for being late for work. That's because she never is. Neither snow nor ice nor rain -- not even a broken foot -- will keep her from her job at Swan Cleaners. She arrives by 7 a.m. every morning, taking two different buses to get to work. If asked to fill in at another Swan location, she applies her encyclopedic knowledge of the bus routes and schedules to get there on time. Over her 32-year career at Swan, she has worked as a drycleaner at many of the company's 50 stores in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
In 1997 she was named Swan's Cleaner of the Year and this year, at age 76 and still going strong, she received the company's Andre Gelpi Memorial Award, the company's top honor, which is presented each year to an outstanding associate who has upheld the standards and ideals of Andre Gelpi, the founder of the company.
Holder sets standards for herself that go far beyond the call of duty. Not only does she pride herself on arriving for work on time every day in any weather, several years ago she made it in every day despite being on crutches, hobbled by a broken foot.
In recognition of her dedication, Swan Cleaners President Paul Gelpi honored her with a special commemorative plaque and $1,000 cash at the 32nd annual Swan Recognition Dinner, which is held annually to honor Swan associates with five or more years of service.
Since it was introduced in Congress in March by Illinois Republican Don Manzullo, a bill that would provide a tax credit for purchasers of certain types of drycleaning equipment has picked up 23 cosponsors in the U.S. House.
But the lack of support from the drycleaning industry has Kurt Markva, Manzullo's chief of staff, puzzled.
The bill was revised and expanded from a similar proposal in the last Congress, Markva said, taking in to account comments that had been received from the International Fabricare Institute and others in the drycleaning industry.
The new bill, H.R. 978, provides a credit against income tax of 20 percent for "equipment that uses non-hazardous primary solvents." Included under that language is wetcleaning equipment, liquid carbon dioxide machines and machines that uses silicone-based solvents such as GreenEarth.
One of the objections to the original bill was that it could have been interpreted to apply only to liquid carbon dioxide machines. The new bill makes clear that the application is broader and it even expands the tax credit to as much as 40 percent if the equipment is installed in a location that is in an empowerment zone, enterprise community or renewal community.
But two types of equipment remain excluded in the new bill -- perchloroethylene and hyrdocarbon machines. Those exclusions have been the cause of either outright opposition from some in the industry or at least the reason for withholding support.
The Southwest Drycleaners Association's board of directors petitioned IFI to oppose the legislation. Andy Stanley, executive director of SDA, said the board felt the bill was too restrictive due to the exclusion of hydrocarbon solvents.
IFI subsequently polled its affiliate associations for guidance on the issue. Previous attempts to poll the entire IFI membership on this issue met with a less than one percent response rate, noted Patricia Williams, IFI's legislative director.
Williams said the latest round of polling brought about 10 responses; two associations and one board member said they are opposed to the legislation and the others said IFI should support it in principle but seek to amend it.
Williams holds some hope that the newer hydrocarbon solvents, such as Exxon's DF2000, could be included if it can be shown that they are non-hazardous, non toxic and non-ozone-forming.
Other critics of the proposal have said that credits should be extended to cover investments drycleaners make in new perc machinery that also helps protect the environment. An April letter from Dow Chemical addressed "To Whom It May Concern" said, "given the investment that many in the industry have already incurred to effectively utilize advanced perchloroethylene and hydrocarbon equipment, we believe this proposed legislation to be unfavorable."
However, a Dow spokesperson said the company has no position on the legislation and is not lobbying against it. She characterized the letter as "providing information to stakeholders."
Markva, Manzullo's chief of staff, said expanding the bill to include perc or hydrocarbon equipment would have the effect of killing it.
"The environmental coalition would oppose it," he said. "We could put out a bill that has everything that everybody wants, but it wouldn't go."
Noting problems some cleaners have obtaining financing and leases due to banks and landlords being wary or perc, Markva said "We are just trying to help small drycleaners."
The legislation, he said, places no new restrictions on the use of drycleaning solvents and participation in the program it creates is completely voluntary. The credit would be in effect for five years.
"We are in no way trying to hurt the industry," he said. "It blows me away that some people see it as negative."
The legislation, he said, is "an opportunity to give drycleaners a voluntary transition" to newer cleaning technologies.
While support from the industry has been tepid, support from environmental groups has been strong. Representatives of more than 40 environmental organizations signed letters sent to every member of Congress urging passage of the tax credit bill. Signers included the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense U.S. PIRG, Clean Water Action, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Henry Cole, president of the Center for Environmentally Advanced Technologies, described the bill as a "win-win-win -- a win for small business drycleaners, for the environment and for new technology ventures."
Now is the time for last-minute planners who are going to the Clean Show to get busy.
Although the show doesn't open until July 19, discounted rates for advance registration end June 15. The Clean Housing Bureau, through which hotel reservations can be made, also closes down on June 15. Anyone who has not pre-registered or reserved hotel space by that date can still come to New Orleans for the show, but at more cost and less convenience.
Advance registration is $35 per person and pre-registered attendees can have their exhibit hall badges mailed to them before the show. On-site registration will cost $60 and require waiting in line at the exhibit hall to pay and get badges which are required for admission to the exhibit and the educational programs.
The need to make hotel reservations is even more urgent. Demand for hotel space is heavier than in the past with many of the choice locations already snapped up. IFI reported that the entire block of 500 rooms it had set aside at the Hotel Monteleone was claimed by April. IFI secured additional space at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel just two blocks away, but those rooms were going fast, too. (IFI members can call the Omni Royal, (504) 529-5333, and mention the booking code IF6 to secure the IFI rate of $118.)
Mary Scalco, senior vice president to IFI, said the strong demand for rooms shows "our members are interested in learning more and they know the clean show is the place to see it all."
Normally, IFI members are not so quick to reserve rooms for the Clean Show, so this year's early sell-out could signal strong attendance at the show. The last Clean show, held in Orlando, FL, in 1999, drew just under 20,000 attendees.
Other hotel options aside from the two IFI choices abound. Twenty-four hotels, many within walking distance of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and all within 1.5 miles of the center, are included in the official Clean '01 hotels. Shuttle buses will operate between the hotels and the convention center.
Until June 15, reservations at the Clean hotels can be made through the Clean Show Housing Bureau, (847) 940-2153. After that date, reservations will have to be made directly with individual hotels. Riddle & Associates, the Clean Show management group, advises attendees to write down the name, address and phone number of their hotel and bring it with them to New Orleans since there are many hotels with similar sounding names.
Travel arrangements can also be made individually or through the Clean Show's travel agency, Boehm Travel, which offers discount air fares; call (888) 383-5816.
Once all these details are taken care of, the show can begin. Opening day ceremonies on Thursday, July 19, will be a departure from tradition for the Clean Show. The kick-off program with a general assembly and a keynote speaker is being discarded this year. Instead attendees will be entertained in the registration area by musicians magician and mimes. Celebrity look-alikes will mingle with the crowd leading up to the ribbon cutting to open the show at 11 a.m.
The entertainment will continue during each afternoon of the show at Cafe Clean where musical groups will perform, Cajun dance lessons will be offered, and famous New Orleans chefs will give cooking demonstrations.
Another new feature this year will be Cyber Cafe where attendees can check their e-mail and visit exhibitors' web sites.
Exhibits and program
As always, the main attraction will be the exhibits out together by some 500 companies (see the exhibitors' list on page 86). The exhibits filled 281,000 square feet of space at the Orlando show. Show planners are expecting over 260,000 square feet to be used this year. The Clean Show is ranked 94th among U.S. trade shows and is the largest user of steam of any trade show.
The exhibits will be open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Distributors will have access to exhibits beginning at 8 a.m. on Thursday and 9 a.m. on Friday.
On Friday through Sunday mornings, the cosponsoring trade associations will offer educational sessions for attendees. Although the sessions are geared to the interests of the industry segment that each association represents, any registered attendee, regardless of association affiliation, can attend any of the programs.
IFI has set this year's educational focus on meeting today and tomorrow's consumer and drycleaning challenges.
At the opening session on Friday morning, IFI CEO William E. Fisher and the IFI board of directors kick off the educational programs with the presentation of the Meritorious Service Awards. The winners of IFI's best-dressed contest for cleaners and allied trades people will also be announced.
IFI will also offer the program "Fabricare Solutions for Today's Fashions" on Friday.
Saturday programs by IFI will include "Straight Talk on Alternatives: Cleaners Ask the Important Questions;" and "Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Capturing the Casual Market."
Sunday's IFI programs will be "Finding Employees Who Pass More Than the 'Fog the Mirror' Test;" "So You Want to be a Millionaire: How These Cleaners are Making it Happen;" and "Business as Usual Won't Cut It with Today's Consumers."
Programs by the Coin Laundry Association (CLA) will be aimed at helping coin laundry owners deal with everything from high utility costs to increasing profits. A session on "Expert Negotiation Techniques for Coin Laundry Leases" is scheduled, as well as a discussion of "Coin Laundry 101: Basics for Beginners." Other programs by CLA will include: "Calculate the Real Cost of Doing a Wash;" "Preventing Insurance Claims in Your Coin Laundry;" "Reducing Utility Costs in Your Coin Laundry;" "The State of the Coin Laundry Industry;" and "Managing Wash-Dry-Fold for Greater Profits."
The National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM) will present on a variety of topics, including: "Attitudes, Latitudes and Gratitudes;" "Labor Relations;" "Creating and Justifying a Laundry Budget;" "Creating a Resume and Interview Techniques;" and the association will also present a panel discussion with experts from the industry.
"Keeping Your Plant in Compliance" will be one of five sessions brought to Clean Show attendees by the Textile Rental Services Association of America. Other sessions will be: "Profitability by Account Analysis Using ProfitPoint Software;" "The Truck Side of Your Business -- Make Transportation and Delivery Serve You Better;" "Your Issues with Congress, the Federal Government and State Agencies;" and "A Technology Summit for the Textile Service Industry," which will be presented in two parts.
Rounding out the education sessions will be programs by the Uniform and Textile Services Association (UTSA), including: "Customers as Partners: Building Loyalty and Repeat Business;" "Ergonomics Solutions: In the Plant and On the Route, Meeting OSHA's Demands;" "Exceptional Business Management Strategies;" "Work Tools for Recruitment, Retention & the Internet;" "Emerging Technologies in Customer Service;" and "Handheld Computers: Customer Service in the Palm of Your Hand."
The Clean Show registration fee covers admission to all of the above programs as well as the exhibit hall.
The Clean show web site, www.cleanshow.com, has information on registration, exhibitors and the educational programs. Information is also available from Riddle & Associates, (404) 876-1998; fax, (404) 876-5121; e-mail, info@cleanshow.com.
Are perc drycleaners cleaning less clothes overall, or are they simply utilizing better, more efficient technology?
Either way, the Textile Care Allied Trades Association has published its annual survey results and perc demand for the U.S. drycleaning industry was reported at 59 million pounds in 2000, a 6 percent decline representing about 4 million pounds less than the figures tallied for 1999.
"The absolute decrease in the number of pounds used last year compared to the previous year is not as great as in the past," noted David Cotter, TCATA's CEO. "However, it is important to recognize that this level of improvement, coming after most drycleaners had already switched to third generation equipment during the mid-nineties, is a testimony to drycleaners' continued vigilance in improving operating practices and further investing in even more expensive and efficient fourth and fifth generation equipment. Drycleaners have good reason to be proud of their efforts to improve their environmental performance."
For several years TCATA's numbers have supported a long decline in perc usage for the industry. Back in 1985, drycleaners used 260 million pounds of perc. That number dropped significantly to 185 million pounds in 1991.
In the past ten years, perc demand for cleaners has seen a 73 percent reduction.
TCATA, whose members include companies who make and distribute equipment and supplies for the textile care industry, first began sponsoring the survey of perc demand for drycleaning back in 1975. At one time, the annual total perc usage reached as high as 360 million gallons in the late 1970s.
Since then, many factors have contributed to the declining trend, including the use of more efficient equipment, improved work practices and the use of alternative drycleaning technologies. There is also some speculation that the growing casual trend may have influenced the trend, as well.
The annual survey by TCATA was conducted by Industry Insights, Inc. The latest results were tabulated from the four primary producers and importers of perc for use in the drycleaning industry: Dow Chemical Company, ICI (now INEOS Chlor Americas), PPG Industries and Vulcan Chemicals.
TCATA has been recognized by EPA for leadership in the Design for the Environment Garment Care and Textile Care Program.
The Textile Care Allied Trades Association held its annual convention in Santa Fe, NM, in early May.
Surveys of attendees gave high ratings for the convention, particularly the business program, said David Cotter, executive director of the association.
Robert Nadeau of Industrial Performance Group discussed how manufacturers and distributors can obtain peak-performing relationships. He emphasized the obvious but often forgotten: You cannot figure out where you are going until you know where you are.
Manufacturers and distributors, he said, can study the attributes of peak performance to determine where their relationship stands -- are they competitors or collaborators? Then they can work together to find ways to bring the relationship to the optimal level, which is necessary to succeed in today's business environment.
Nadeau said the optimal relationship is characterized by customer-focused planning and high levels of communication and cooperation. Profitability increases as manufacturers and distributors increase operation efficiencies and deliver true value to the customer.
Nadeau warned both manufacturers and distributors to be alert regularly taking measure of the relationship.
In another presentation, Dr. Michael Kami urged attendees to understand their real customer -- the end user who has their clothes or textile drycleaned or laundered. Manufacturers and distributors must adopt an "outside-in" philosophy in which they learn from the customer, not an inside-out" approach in which they guess the customer's desires or tell customers what they want.
He also emphasized the need to act. Ideas are wonderful, he said, but actions are best. What two or three actions will you implement next Monday morning, he asked?
Award presentations
Also during the convention, TCATA honored two members for contributions to the industry.
Lester Cohen of Cleaners Sales & Equipment in Brooklyn, NY, was presented the Silver Circle Club's Max Zimmerman Honor Man of the Year award.
The award is given to an allied trades person who has been in the industry over 25 years and made a significant contribution while serving on committees or as a board member or officer of TCATA.
Cohen served as secretary treasurer since 1994 and has been a board member since 1988. He is currently the convention site chairman and has served on the executive, recycling program and directors nominating committees.
He received the Young Timers Club L. Frank Wright Man of the Year Award in 1992.
David Dawson of R. R. Street & Co. Inc. in Naperville, IL, received the Young Timers Club L. Frank Wright Man of the Year Award this year. The award recognizes contributions to the well being of the industry and sharing of fellowship with other allied trades people.
Dawson is a member of the board of directors and was president of the association from 1998 to 2000. He has served as vice president of the Supply Manufacturers Group and on the executive, government affairs, Health And Environmental Leadership Program (HELP), and the Officers And Directors Nominating Committee.
A special plaque honoring 50 years of consecutive membership was presented to United Fabricare Supply Inc. of Compton, CA.
TCATA is an international association that represents manufacturers and distributors of all types of textile care machinery and supplies.
The organization's headquarters are in Fairfield, NJ; phone (973) 244-1790. TCATA's web site is www.tcata.org.
The annual conventions feature both a business program and a forum for networking among members of the allied trades.
The 2002 convention will be held at the Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Grand in Cancun, Mexico, April 21-24.
A promotional letter sent by Micell to potential investors drew a pointed response from Bill Fisher, CEO of International Fabricare Institute, who complained about Micell's continued attacks on perc and the majority of cleaners who use it.
The Micell letter, headlined "New Video Reveals World's Most Unique Business Opportunity" and signed by Dick Barry, director of franchise development for Hangers Cleaners, called perc a "dangerous chemical currently used in conventional drycleaning establishments. The writer recalled a neighbor who prospered as a drycleaner but had to give up his business because the drycleaning chemicals made him sick.
Users of Micell's liquid carbon dioxide cleaning can "rake in the profits drycleaning stores make -- without exposure to the dangerous chemicals," the letter said.
The letter concluded with an invitation to send or call for a video and information package on the "Hangers Cleaners opportunity."
In his response to Micell president Kirk Kinsell, Fisher said he had hoped Micell/Hangers attacks on the industry had subsided. Fisher publicly complained about those tactics in an exchange of letters last year. Fisher challenged Micell to produce official EPA documentation for the claim made in letter that EPA has identified perc "as a probably cancer-causing agent."
"If you cannot produce an official, written designation by U.S. EPA of perc as a "probable," then your mailer is a false accusation and a willful, vicious attack on perc drycleaners throughout the country," Fisher wrote.
Both letters are reproduced in full below.
Dear Friend:
When I was growing up, our next-door neighbor Jerry was our dry cleaner. As a kid, I was fascinated by the thick wad of bills he always carried.
When I got older, I realized Jerry did pretty well -- he lived in a nice house, drove a luxury car-- and that his was mainly a cash business.
But Jerry got sick about a decade later and had to give up the business. It was the drycleaning chemicals, the neighbors said.
Now, imagine if you could rake in the profits dry cleaning stores make -- without exposure to the dangerous chemicals. That's the exciting new business opportunity I'm writing to you about today.
Our company, Micell Technologies, has developed an environmentally friendly dry cleaning technology that eliminates PERC (perchloroethylene), the dangerous chemical currently used in conventional drycleaning establishments. (PERC has been identified as a probably cancer-causing agent by the EPA.) The Micell drycleaning system eliminates PERC- replacing it instead with environmentally safe, non-toxic carbon dioxide (the gas that gives soda its bubbles).
"Environmentally friendly" drycleaning is the wave of the future, and we are establishing a chain of dry cleaning franchises-Hangers Cleaners-that use CO2 instead of harmful chemicals. Customers love Hangers Cleaners because they eliminate harsh chemicals -- and because the Micell process gets clothes softer, brighter, and fresher smelling than regular dry cleaning.
A limited number of Hangers Cleaners franchises are available immediately in your area. We are offering these on a first-come, first-serve basis.
For a FREE information package on the Hangers Cleaners opportunity, including a FREE video on the Micell process, just complete and mail the enclosed card. Or call me at (888) 292-5320. There's no cost. And no commitment of any kind.
Sincerely,
Dick Barry
Director, Franchise DevelopmentPS: I've made only a limited number of these videos, so if you want to be sure of getting your free copy, please respond today!
Dear Mr. Kinsell:
From the beginning of the Micell/Hangers entree into the drycleaning industry, a good portion of your marketing strategy has been to position yourselves by publicly attacking perc, which you know is used by approximately 95% of the existing industry. Through all of this, IFI has both privately and publicly urged Micell/Hangers to repudiate this strategy.
As we have stated to you, we believe that there are sufficient merits to liquid carbon dioxide cleaning that the process should be able to stand on its own without attacking the existing majority of the industry. We have further told you that our belief is that these attacks have hindered rather than enhanced the acceptance and use of carbon dioxide cleaning, and has earned Micell/Hangers the enmity of most of the industry.
Over the past six months, there seemed to be a significant lessening of these attacks and we were quietly hopeful of a shift in your marketing strategy. That is, right up to the point of the recent mailer sent out by Mr. Dick Barry, Director of Franchise Development for Micell Technologies.
As you most certainly know, that mailer starts off by describing "...my next door neighbor Jerry (who) was our drycleaner." Frankly, I personally found your portrayal of "Jerry" to be an odious, unflattering stereotyping of our drycleaner members. Still, this is your marketing campaign and you have every right to design it in the way that you want, irrespective of how offensive it may be to others.
In the next several paragraphs, however, Micell/Hangers shows that it has not stopped its campaign of viciously attacking the existing drycleaning industry, Your continuing story about how "Jerry" got sick from the "drycleaning chemicals," and how Micell Technologies developed an alternative to "Perc... the dangerous chemical currently used in conventional drycleaning establishments" is reprehensible, but what puts it over the top is your flat statement that "PERC has been identified as a probably (sic) cancer-causing agent by the EPA."
Mr. Kinsell, Micell Technologies has gone too far. As you can see, I am copying this letter and your mailer to all of the major trade press publications in our industry. Further, I call upon you to publicly:
1. Produce official U.S. EPA materials -- in writing -- that show a designation by them of perc as a "probable human carcinogen;"
2. Confirm or deny whether there are any Hangers' franchisees who are using perc drycleaning (on-site or off-site) to clean at least some portion of the garments coming into their stores.
If you cannot produce an official, written designation by U.S. EPA of perc as a "probable," then your mailer is a false accusation and a willful, vicious attack on perc drycleaners throughout the country. And if you cannot deny that at least some Hangers' franchisees use (or have used) perc drycleaning for some of the garments they receive, your corporate marketing strategy is deliberately harming your own franchisees.
Along with the rest of the drycleaning industry, IFI looks forward to your response on these issues.
William E. Fisher
Chief Executive Officer
International Fabricare Institute
The International Fabricare Institute is reminding cleaners to review their pricing policies frequently in view of investigations to explore gender pricing issues by ABC's PrimeTime.
ABC's television newsmagazine is currently researching gender pricing issues in a variety of businesses, including the drycleaning industry, automobile repair shops and hair dressers.
Already, a producer from PrimeTime conducted a phone interview with IFI, who offered to be available for any follow-up questions or a possible on-camera interview. However, it is still unknown when the piece is expected to be aired on television.
Coincidentally, IFI also was informed by one of its member cleaners that a television station in North Carolina is also planning a similar report profiling the subject of biased gender pricing.
As a result of these recent investigations, IFI is hoping to spread the word to drycleaners to engage in fair and legitimate pricing policies.
The industry has long been tarnished with speculations of charging women more than men for garment care, although, more recently, the trend has diminished in scope. Still, IFI believes that ignorance or improper counter training may contribute to biased gender-pricing, or, at the very least, the appearance of biased gender-pricing.
To be safe, cleaners should make sure that all counter personnel understand the plant's pricing structure and are able to properly convey it to customers who ask questions about it.
IFI on pricing and gender
The International Fabricare Institute's position on pricing policies is as follows:
IFI believes in fair, non-gender-based pricing policies in all industries, including drycleaning. We believe that fabricare businesses should have gender-neutral pricing policies, and that pricing for any article should be based only on the amount of time, skill and effort expended.
To avoid the appearance of gender discrimination, cleaners should have a gender-neutral policy for shirt laundering and pressing which could consist of two pricing categories: standard and non-standard. Shirts that can be machine finished would be charged the standard rate, while circumstances that lead to higher processing costs -- such as a garment that requires hand washing, special stain removal techniques or hand finishing -- may justifiably result in a non-standard price.
An option used by some cleaners is to charge the same for all shirts. However, to do this, cleaners typically have to raise the price for standard shirts to offset the loss they incur on non-standard shirts.
It is up to the individual drycleaner to determine which option works best for it and to make sure that all personnel understand and abide by the company's pricing policy. The only option that should never be considered is pricing based on gender.
"It's a Small World" will be this year's theme for the International Drycleaners Congress Convention 2001. The event is scheduled to take place at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, AZ, from Oct. 3-7.
Attendees will be able to register between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3 before enjoying a Fiesta Welcome Reception from 6 to 9 p.m. that evening.
Also scheduled on Wednesday, IDC will hold its Board Luncheon and Meeting from noon to 5 p.m. Following a 7 a.m. breakfast on Thursday morning, the 43rd IDC Convention will officially open with an 8 a.m. ceremony.
At 8:15 a.m., keynote speaker Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has often been branded by the media as "America's Toughest Sheriff," will address convention-goers. Perhaps Arpaio is most widely known for starting the nation's largest "Tent City" for convicted inmates and his use of chain gangs to help clean up Arizona.
Following the keynote address, educational sessions will begin. "Past, Present and Future of the Textile Care Industry" will be presented from 9:10 to 10 a.m. It will be followed by several half hour programs, including "Conservation of Textiles -- A Business Opportunity?" at 10:20 a.m.; "Our Customers' Clothes: Are They in Our Future?" at 10:50 a.m.; and "Textile Care Labeling -- Who Is Behind It, How Is It Done?" at 11:20 a.m.
At 5 p.m., buses will be leaving the convention center to take attendees to Rawhide for an evening of Western food, music and entertainment.
On the morning of Friday, Oct. 5, IDC will present the "International State of Our Industry" starting at 8:10 a.m. The state of drycleaning for the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan and the U.S. will all be discussed in 20-minute increments.
Several 30-minute seminars discussing modern marketing and management concepts will follow. "Electronic Marketing Tools and Methods" will be discussed at 10:20 a.m., followed by "Data Base Management" at 10:50 a.m. "Empowering Employees Leads to Business Success" will run from 11:20 to 11:50 a.m.
The afternoon will feature plant tours and a tour of the Paolo Soleri Bell Foundry from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Events kick off on Saturday, Oct. 6 with the IDC Fellowship Presentation from 8 to 9 a.m. Shortly after, "The North Carolina Industry-Government Initiative" will be discussed from 9 to 9:30 a.m., followed by a look at "Industry Guidelines for State Initiatives" from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
Critiquing alternatives
A critical look at alternative cleaning technologies will be broken down into three 30-minute sessions, starting at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday with "Practical Experiences with 'GreenEarth' Cleaning."
"Conventional vs. Hydrocarbon (DF 2000) Cleaning" will be presented at 11 a.m. and "Cleaning with Carbon Dioxide -- Utopia or Reality?" will begin at 11:30 a.m.
During IDC's lunch session from 12:30 to 2 p.m., Simon Murray, IDC president-elect for 2002, will deliver his program "On to London." Also during lunch, the IDC Fellowship Awards will be presented.
On Saturday night, a reception with cash bar will run from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a dinner banquet with evening entertainment including a Native American dance performance.
The convention will come to a close with a Sayonara Breakfast on Sunday.
The IDC Convention registration package costs $595. The fee includes the Wednesday night cocktail party, continental breakfasts every morning, the special Western outing with dinner on Thursday night, the Saturday lunch, the convention banquet on Saturday night, and all of the educational sessions and plant tours.
Reservations for the convention hotel, the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, are available at room rates between $269 and $359 per night for single and double occupancy, not including taxes.
In addition to the room charges, hotel guests will also be subject to a $10 per room per night surcharge added in order to cover telephone access charges, admittance to the Arizona Biltmore Spa, use of the Biltmore Fashion Park shuttle, a morning newspaper and unlimited use of the putting course and self-parking lot.
For more information on the convention, contact IDC at (919) 363-5062 or visit the association's web site at www.idcnews.org.
Convention tours
IDC will also be offering pre- and post-convention tours. Prior to the convention, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in a seven-day, six-night tour of Ecuador and Galapagos, as well as an additional nine-day, eight-night tour of Peru.
The Ecuador and Galapagos tour will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 18 with an afternoon departure out of Miami, FL, on a non-stop flight to Quito.
The following day will be spent taking a flight to the Galapagos Islands en route to joining the M/V Explorer II cruise ship.
Over the next few days, the Galapagos Cruise will sail to many exotic places, including Española Island, Punta Pitt, Gardner Bay, San Cristobal Island and Puerto Ayora town.
The tour will run between Sept. 18 and 24 and will cost $3,455 per person, including air fare from Miami and to Miami. All meals and all shore excursions are included in the cruise price.
Those who take part in the Ecuador and Galapagos tour will have the option to continue on a second tour of Peru that will start on Sept. 24 and run through Oct. 2.
IDC will also offer seven-day, six-night post-convention tour of Sedona, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV, from Oct. 7-13.
Following the final morning breakfast at the convention on Sunday, Oct. 7, tour members will leave for Sedona by a chartered coach on an Arizona tour that will pass through the ghost town of Jerome, the Montezuma Castle National Monument, the Verde Canyon Railroad Depot and the Grand Canyon.
The tour will arrive in Las Vegas on Thursday, Oct. 11, where members will spend the next two nights at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas before catching return flights on Saturday.
The post-convention tour costs $1,780 per person. Air fare is not included into the price. For more information, contact Yamato Travel Bureau at (213) 680-0333.
In an effort to boost drycleaning business across the country, a new group known as the Fabricare Choice Distributor Group is launching a national campaign that will help drycleaners capitalize on the growing casual wear trend.
Fabricare Choice is made up of drycleaning distributors across the country who pooled their resources together in order to create programs that are beneficial to drycleaners.
"I don't think anyone can argue that the dressing down of America has hurt drycleaners," said Fabricare Choice President David Farrington, who owns N.S. Farrington, a supply distributor for the industry in Winston-Salem, NC.
Farrington believes that cleaners can keep their volume of work up even as America dresses down simply by reminding customers that casual wear should also be processed by a professional drycleaner.
In order to accomplish this, Fabricare Choice is seeking to help drycleaners promote casual wear services in a nationwide effort involving life-sized promotional displays that can be placed in drycleaning plants all over the country.
One half of the display will portray a man dressed in casual clothing that has been properly processed and finished at the cleaners, and the other half will capture the wrinkled look that stems from home laundering.
The displays retail for $60 each, but Fabricare Choice is making them available free to drycleaners as part of a promotion involving the wetcleaning chemicals used to process casual wear.
Any drycleaner who purchases 12 gallons of assorted wetcleaning chemicals will receive an oversized 25" x 36" poster which contains the same graphic as the life-size display.
Cleaners who would like to receive a free life-size promotional display can contact the Fabricare Choice Distributor Group at (773) 523-2480 to find the nearest participating distributor.
The Federal Trade Commission held a half-day conference May 4 to discuss proper labeling of cashmere products.
In recent months, FTC staff has obtained information suggesting that cashmere and cashmere-blend items may contain less cashmere than the amount stated on the label. By statute, U.S. manufacturers, importers, wholesale distributors, and retailers may be held liable for inaccurate fiber content labeling of wool products, including those made with specialty fibers such as cashmere or mohair.
Under the 1939 Wool Products Labeling Act, anything made from animal hair must be labeled to reflect the fiber content. Retailers, manufacturers and distributors are to be held accountable for violations and can be fined $11,000 for each infraction. However, there have been no reported violations of the act involving cashmere in about 30 years.
More rigorous enforcement of the statue could be forthcoming. Elaine Kolish, the FTC's associate director for enforcement, told retailers, apparel importers and cashmere industry officials at the conference that the agency is paying more attention to complaints from cashmere producers regarding mislabeling.
"If there is proof of intentional deception, we won't ignore it,' she said.
The conference included panel discussions on the requirements for proper labeling of cashmere and wool products under the Wool Products Labeling Act; the cashmere market and why mislabeling is occurring; how testing for fiber content is conducted; and appropriate quality control procedures to ensure accurate labeling.
Manufacturers, importers, and retailers of cashmere products were invited to attend.
According to a report in Women's Wear Daily, cashmere textile and garment producers are worried that their high-end products' prestige is being undercut when, for example, a garment labeled 100 percent cashmere actually contains 50 percent wool that has been treated to feel like the extra soft fiber.
WWD also reported that there have been examples of garments containing, say, 50 percent cashmere when the amount is actually closer to 10 percent.
When less expensive wool and yak are blended with cashmere, the presence of other fibers often is either under-reported or not disclosed at all.
Participants in the conference urged retailers and importers to be certain that yarns, fabrics and the final cashmere product are tested for their content.
WWD noted that the cashmere industry has undertaken its own policing of the marketplace, the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute routinely survey stores in the United States and parts of Europe and buys garments to test for content. The group usually notifies between 45 and 60 retailers a year about mislabeling.
A full scale liquid carbon dioxide cleaning system, the Chart CO2OL Clean drycleaning machine, has been installed at the International Fabricare Institute headquarters for a fellowship study in which IFI will test the system.
Chart Industries has contracted with IFI to evaluate the system, including examining its actual production capabilities and the solvent's ability to successfully clean delicate and challenging garments such as beads, bleeders, vinyls and leathers.
IFI said the "real-life" testing will push the Chart machine and the liquid carbon dioxide cleaning system to its limits "just as a drycleaner would under real and extreme circumstances."
The testing will be "approached scientifically and objectively, as well as from a practical point of view," IFI said. The practicality and logistics of a cleaner using this technology will be assessed as an alternative to other solvents. That will include cleaning times, operating costs and factors such as whether the system makes stain removal easier or more time consuming.
"IFI is very pleased to evaluate Chart's liquid carbon dioxide cleaning process first hand," IFI CEO William E. Fisher said. "It is important for our industry to take the lead in the search for new cleaning technologies, and we are pleased that Chart Industries has made its Chart CO2OL Clean drycleaning machine available to us."
"Our study's results will help cleaners make more informed decisions about this and other alternative solvents. IFI has always prided itself on giving good information by which our members can evaluate and assess items for their business," Fisher said.
According to Steve Bowman, director of sales for Chart CO2 Cleaning Technologies, his company "contracted with IFI knowing they will objectively evaluate the viability of our machine."
"Although we are new to the industry, our worldwide cryogenic equipment manufacturing experience affords us the opportunity to introduce this new technology to the industry."
Bowman said he expects IFI validation would "secure our claims to enhance our national, as well as international distribution. We're confident that the results will be favorable."
Ivan Andrasik, IFI's research supervisor, said the evaluation would focus on cleaning performance. "The emphasis of our study will be on the system's ability to remove solid soils and water-soluble soils, as well as take a look at graying in garments," Andrasik said.
Andrasik added that after experimenting with test loads, the team will proceed with garments from nearby member cleaners. These real-world tests will focus on quality and feasibility of the system, from a cleaner's point of view, and also allow IFI to judge consumer response to the process.
The study will be completed this summer. Results of the study may be made available in an IFI Research Fellowship Bulletin at a later date.
For more information about Chart Industries and its CO2 cleaning technology contact Bowman at (888) 683-2855, or Chart CO2 Cleaning Technologies at (866) CO2-WASH.
Information is also available on the web site www.CO2Lclean.com.
Chart Industries is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock symbol CTI.Information in mandated drycleaner-specific remediation programs in 11 states has been updated by the State Coalition for Drycleaner Remediation (SCRD).
The documents, which are available in the SCRD web site located at (www.drycleancoalition.org), include three tables that give information on the elements and benefits of each state's program, the fee structures and program administration The update is based on data collected in April and May of this year by SCRD's program development/administration subgroup. This updates information published in SCRD's "State Programs to Clean Up Drycleaners," which was prepared in October, 2000.
SCRD tries to update the data every six months. The tables, as well as the original survey report, are available for viewing and downloading in the "Publications" section of the web site.
SCRD was established in 1998 with support from the U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office. It is comprised of representatives of state with established drycleaning site remediation programs. Members currently are Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Associate members from states considering formal drycleaning remediation programs are Louisiana and New Mexico.
The State of New York is a "participating state," in that it has no drycleaner-specific programs but is active in remediation of drycleaner sites under other authorities.
The coalition's objectives are to provide a forum for the exchange of information and discussion; share lessons learned with states without drycleaner-specific programs; serve as a resource on drycleaner remediation issues; and encourage the use of innovative assessment and remediation technologies.
For information about SCRD, contact Leo Henning of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Henning is the chair of the group and his e-mail address is lhenning@kdhe.state.ks.us.
There is no summer break at the International Fabricare Institute school in Silver Spring, MD. A full schedule of classes will run through the summer months with courses in Drycleaning Processes and Equipment and Stain Removal scheduled for this month.
Drycleaning Processes and Equipment, slated for June 11-12, covers operating perc and petroleum systems; textiles and drycleaning; simplifying classification; improving filtration/distillation; managing solvent, detergent and moisture; learning about drying/vapor recovery; troubleshooting drycleaning machines; and streamlining invoicing and tagging.
The course will be offered again July 30-31; September 10-11; October 1-2; and November 5-6.
The course on June 13-15 Stain Removal provides an understanding of textiles and stain removal; organizing stain removal tools and equipment; simplifying stain removal agents; improving stain removal procedures, both basic and advanced; clarifying the use of bleaches; and managing stain removal and specialty fabrics.
The course will be offered again August 1-3; September 12-14; October 3-5; and November 7-9.
Other course offerings include Finishing, August 6-7. This course teaches students how to establish quality finishing points; simplify finishing procedures; understand special finishing tools; develop basic finishing techniques for skirts, pants, coats, blouses and dresses; master the finishing of specialty items such as pleats, velvets, pile fabrics; and assembling and effective packaging.
The course will be offered again October 8-9.
Shirts, a one-day course, will be offered August 8. It covers streamlining invoicing and tagging procedures; simplifying inspection and classification; improving stain removal; devising effective wash formulas; solving shirt problems; and simplifying the finishing of shirts.
The shirts course also is available on October 10.
Wetcleaning, another one-day course, covers simplifying textiles and wetcleaning; effectively removing stains in wetcleaning; understanding the basics of bleach baths; understanding wetcleaning equipment; efficiently handling special items in wetcleaning; and mastering wetcleaning and finishing techniques.
The course will be offered August 9-10 and October 11-12.
A one-day Wedding Gowns course will be offered August 13. This course provides an understanding of wedding gown fabrics; how to implement efficient inspection procedures; institute cleaning and restoration techniques; master finishing techniques; and effective packaging and marketing tips
The course will be offered October 15, also.
Business Practices is a two-day session that covers organizing inventory control; simplifying business analysis; building employee teams; motivating employees; calculating the cost to produce a garment; and streamlining plant layout.
This course will be presented August 14-15 and October 16-17.
Legislation is another of the one-day sessions. Offered August 17 and October 19, it helps clarify labeling rules; simplifies OSHA and EPA regulations; and provides details on soil and groundwater contamination.
Customer Service, coming up on August 17 and again on October 19, explains how to understand customers' expectations and attitudes; manage potential cleaning problems; achieve effective customer interaction; and efficiently handle difficult situations.
Scholarships are available for many of the courses. For more information or to register, call Susan Bale at IFI, (800) 638-2627, ext. 144 or e-mail education@ifi.org.
Students who complete all nine courses earn the "General Drycleaning Course Certificate," which indicates knowledge of professional drycleaning standards and practices. Scholarships are available for IFI members.
"Window to Your World" has been selected as the theme of Clean Canada 2002 trade show which will be held at the Toronto Congress Centre April 12-14.
More than 100 exhibitors are expected to show their products and services to more than 4,000 laundry and drycleaning professionals at the show. Approximately 50 percent of the exhibit space has been booked, according to Harley Austin, the show manager.
In addition to 21 hours of exhibit hall viewing over its three-day run, the show will also offer a series of free seminars. Admission will be free for persons 16 years old and up provided they pre-register.
Sponsored by the Canadian Cleaners & Launderers Allied Trades Association, the show is held every four years and is produced by Canadian National Show Management.
For more information, call (416) 695-0309 or (888) 695-2677 or send e-mail to info@cnsm.ca.
Lawrence "Larry" Howard, who worked for Laidlaw Corp. for 43 years, died April 7 in Indianapolis, IN.
He served as both a plant manager and part of the corporate staff and spent the majority of his career in marketing and sales.
Howard was born in Peru, IN, in 1932 and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
He is survived by his wife, Sandra; daughters Laurna Howard, Mindy Howard and Hayley Howard; a step-daughter, Penny Simpson; a brother, Donald; three sisters, Marcia Grimes, Sharon Peppers and Linda Kirk; one granddaughter; and one great-grandson.
Military graveside services were provided by members of the Miami County VFW Post 2069 and the Glen Owens America Legion Post 14. He was a member of both.
Memorial contributions can be made to the American Heart Association.
It should really go without saying: pricing should never be gender-biased. People should not be charged more simply because they are male or female. Yet, it happens. Most notably, automobile mechanics, hairdressers and drycleaners have all been targeted by the media, and, in some cases, the attention has been deserved. Certainly, the drycleaning industry has had its share of gender-pricers, but cleaners have become more and more aware of the problem and have dealt with it accordingly. In fact, the trend of taking cleaners to the cleaners (so to speak) for gender pricing has decreased in recent years.
Now it looks as if gender pricing may potentially cast its shadow on the industry once again. Currently, the International Fabricare Institute is advising its members that some media outlets, including ABC's PrimeTime, are investigating drycleaners, hairdressers and automobile mechanics to see if gender-biased pricing still exists and to what extent.
It may very well be that only one out of a hundred drycleaners charge women more than men, but that is still one too many. One unethical drycleaner can tarnish the honest reputation of the other 99. The media may inevitably find that one bad apple in the bunch and that is the news story you are likely to see hit the television waves. After all, bad news always captures the public's attention better than good news.
Well, cleaners cannot do anything about the bad apples. You cannot force your competitors to be honest. You can only force yourself to be honest. Of course, according to IFI, even truthful plant owners can besmirch the integrity of drycleaners -- even if they do not intend to do so. Sometimes, only the appearance of dishonesty is enough to create the suspicion of dishonesty.
If a front counter employee is improperly trained on a plant's pricing policies, then the plant stands to suffer. If customers have questions about how much a garment costs to be serviced and why and the front counter personnel is incapable of conveying that information adequately, then the customer will feel cheated. In either of these cases, if that customer turns out to be a television reporter working undercover, then the entire industry will be hung out to dry.
Don't even take that chance. If you price fairly and responsibly, that is not enough. You need to make sure that your employees understand your pricing structure so that your customers will, as well.
Once again, there is legislation in Congress specifically aimed at the drycleaning industry. And once again, the vast majority of drycleaners seem to either not know about it or care about it.
In previous sessions of Congress dating back to 1995, there was the Barton bill legislation, sponsored by Texas Congressman Joe Barton and promoted by a small but dedicated group within the drycleaning industry. The massive grassroots industry support that could have advanced this legislation never materialized and, while Barton remains committed to helping the industry, there is no "Barton bill" this year.
There is, however, another industry-specific bill in this Congress -- a proposal to give a tax credit to cleaners who purchase certain types of drycleaning equipment. Since the bill favors newer technologies over the tested and traditional ones, there is some difference of opinion in the industry whether it deserves support. IFI, as the industry's voice in Washington, has tried several times to gauge the broad sentiment of the industry on this issue, but the rank-and-file of cleaners has given their leadership little to go on.
Whether the bill deserves support is up to you to decide. But it certainly deserves your attention and response. A tax credit of this magnitude would surely have an impact on the industry. Consider, from your point of view, what that impact would be and whether you think it is in the best interest of you and the industry you are a part of. And let your representatives -- both in Congress and your trade association -- know what you think.
BY JOHN GRAHAM
The times have certainly changed. It was not so long ago when you could open your doors and there would be a steady stream of customers ready to buy whatever you decided to offer them. If they liked your company, they were loyal. Some called them "customers for life."
That day is long gone as we all know. Today, customers buy selectively. Whether they are business buyers or consumers, they behave the same when it comes to making purchases of products or services:
Because it takes much more savvy to stay in business today than it did even a few years ago, companies need a competitive advantage.
Every customer counts. Lost customers mean lost business -- dollars that are going to someone else.
The big job is to keep pulling more customers closer and closer so they want to do more business with you while satisfying your existing customers.
Here are eight essential tools for growing a business today:
No customer knows everything you sellThe worst assumption you can make is believing that everyone knows everything you sell. They don't -- and that includes your best customers. How many times do people say, "George, I've been coming here for 15 years and I didn't know you carried that." This is a wake-up call because it means those customers are going elsewhere to buy what you sell.
The goal is to get customers to look to you for more and more of their purchases. This can happen only if they know what you sell.
A bank conducted a series of customer focus groups and discovered that customers only knew the products they use. This leaves the bank vulnerable to competing banks that are making offers for other products. It's no different in other businesses.
What can be done to remedy this situation?
Make your store interesting
An automobile reporter had just driven several new Pontiacs and then wrote, "Pontiac still builds excitement." That motto (it's called a positioning statement in marketing) has served the company well for a number of years. When customers visit a Pontiac dealer, they expect to see "exciting" products.
All customers expect excitement today. They run from dull. What does the Rainforest Café sell? Clearly, they make it an exciting experience, particularly for families. What can you do to add some zest to your store? How about serving popcorn on Saturdays? Bob Curry at Curry Ace Hardware in Quincy, MA, has been doing it for years. By noon the floors are covered with popcorn -- and the cash registers are full! Bob discovered that customers come for what he sells but also to have fun.
What about various demonstrations? Or what about baking cookies on certain days? The aroma will create lots of excitement. And all you need is a little oven.
Don't forget about the power of free samples. Have a weekly drawing to create interest and fun for your customers.
While these are retailing suggestions, the concepts apply to other businesses as well, including service companies. What pulls customers into a retail environment has the same effect with business-to-business customers, too.
If you create a positive experience for them, customers will look forward to doing business with you.
Publish a newsletter
Good newsletters take time and effort -- and they cost money. But they are worth the investment because they can touch customers and prospects.
Here are some topics you can cover in a newsletter:
Avoid having your newsletter look and read like an advertisement. If it's self-serving, your customers will not value the publication.
After the first time, they will toss it without even seeing what's on the inside.
Let your customers have a good time
Pick a day a week in the summer and serve hot dogs and sodas free. In the winter, you might offer morning coffee and once a week include donuts. Bring in a clown on a Saturday. Have your people dress up for special days -- Halloween, St. Patrick's Day and so on.
These are all suggestions for retailers, of course. What can you do if you're not in retail? Make sure you present an upbeat, positive, interesting picture of your company for customers and prospects. Remember, dull doesn't do it for customers today.
Build your customer and prospect database
The only customer name many companies know is "Accounts Payable" or "Attn: Sally." Drill down into the organization and find the names and titles of those who should know about you and what you do. Make all of them part of your customer and prospect database. Your customer file should also contain e-mail addresses.
However, there's one caution. While e-mail is essential today, it should not become a substitute for other types of communication. It's quick and easy, of course. But there's a need to demonstrate that you have taken the time and effort to create an impressive message.
Someone in your company should be given the task of being responsible for the database. It's the lifeblood of the business. Without it, you cannot communicate your message.
Recognize your top customers
If your store is true to form, about 80 percent of your sales come from 20 percent of your customers. Be sure to send them a personal letter and thank them for doing business with you. Invite them to a special event at the store every once in a while, or send them an annual "thank you" discount card for certain items. In other words, give them special attention. You can think of what is most appropriate for your customers. The main point is simply to do it.
Distribute press releases
Customers like to read about people they do business with, and you don't need to be a reporter to write a basic press release. Just remember to answer these questions: who, when, where, why and how? It's that simple.
What is news? New employees, employee promotions, a new line, changes in your store, special events, your attendance at seminars, conventions, or meetings.
Something doesn't need to be "big" to be newsworthy. Try doing it a few times and you'll get the feel for what you should send to the newspaper and radio station.
Use the magic word every chance you get
What is the magic word? It's "sure." When the customer asks, "Could you get me an XYZ?" Here's a chance to use it. "Sure." Or, when someone says, "Do you think you could help me with how to fix my (fill in the blank)?" There's only one answer, "Sure." It's a wonderfully friendly -- and reassuring -- word.
Train your people to use it as well. The next time someone asks you the time, you'll say, "Sure... it's 1:15." Sure is a feel-good word that customers like to hear.
These are eight suggestions to grow a business. Most require more commitment than they do money. All demand effort and the one quality that is often missing in business--persistence. It isn't what you start that makes a difference. It's the follow-through that makes winners.
John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm. He is the author of The New Magnet Marketing (Chandler House Press), the revised and updated version of his original book, Magnet Marketing, and 203 Ways To Be Supremely Successful In The New World Of Selling (Macmillan Spectrum). Graham writes for a variety of publications and speaks on business, marketing and sales topics for company and association meetings. He can be contacted at 40 Oval Road, Quincy, MA 02170 (617-328-0069; fax 617-471-1504; j_graham@grahamcomm.com ). The company's web site is www.grahamcomm.com.BY BOB MCBRIDE
Recently, I had the opportunity to take my annual trip to Italy. The purpose of the trip was to visit my daughter who lives in Rome. It is always a joy to have the opportunity to spend time with family, particularly the grandchildren.
Since I had to go to Europe to visit, I decided to take a side trip to partially justify the expense and effort to travel so far. This time around I decided to have an excursion to Greece.
Greece is the seat of modern civilization. Every where one goes within the country, the reminders of this are obvious. Democracy was founded in Greece. Evidence of ancient civilizations are also apparent at every turn.
In Athens, the capitol and major city of Greece, resides one of the best known tributes of antiquity. The Acropolis and Parthenon. These beautiful buildings, over 2,000 years old, overlook the greater Athens area, giving a panoramic view of the city and the many of tributes of the past. One can see temples, historic churches and monuments of the distant and near past.
Greece has a history of conflict as well as governmental development. The country has been the scene of epic wars and battles and differing forms of rule. The Persians, Ottoman, Romans, Turks, Phoenicians, Venice and Crete all have had their share of participating in the control and rule of this mountainous country. Such names as Alexander the Great and Hadrian have trod the roads and surrounding seas of this magnificent place.
The past is just a part of the experience. As the host of the 2004 Olympics, there is evidence of preparations being made for this spectacular event everywhere. Major highway construction, a new airport and upgrading going on at a highly accelerated rate creates a busy scene, particularly in and around Athens. Groom was the sites of the original Olympics and first Modern Olympics, which were held in 1896.
Yet the basic atmosphere that is exuded is unchanged. The people who are so openly friendly and social remain the same. The wonderful food and views are a constant reminder of the mystery and beauty of this place. Yes, you can drink the water!
One of my favorite places in Athens is the area know as Plaka. An old Turkish residential district that has maintained the flavor of that part of history, one wanders about the twisting narrow streets through a shoppers dream world of store fronts open to the street with vendors ready and willing to show you their various wares, which vary from the sublime to the ridiculous. What a wonderful experience it is to wander about taking all this in!
Near the end of my visit I was taking one last walk, absorbing the sights and sounds, looking for that last bargain souvenir that I just knew lay hidden around the next corner, when to my surprise I came across the local drycleaning establishment
Being the inveterate Field Service Rep., I could not pass the opportunity to stop in and say hello. Imagine my surprise when I was greeted with a cheerful "Good Morning," in English, albeit with a strong Australian accent. I had stumbled upon the National Dry Cleaner and Laundry owned and operated by Helen and Foti Tambakopoulos.
They have been residents and owners of this establishment for over 21 years, enjoying what appears to be a successful business. They have their equipment on site and offer full drycleaning and laundry services to the local residents, restaurants, hotels and other commercial establishments in the area.
In the ensuing conversation I discovered that drycleaning and drycleaners are pretty much the same wherever they are found. The same rewards and challenges seem to be universal.
The Tambakopoulos's have to deal with customers who don't want to hear why a spot or stain didn't come out, or why the color faded. They are also in as big a hurry to get their garments back and want to know why the charges are so high. We could have been in any major city, anywhere.
One difference that I noted was the lack of hangers. Many of the garments and goods being folded and bundled, to accommodate the lack of storage space that one finds throughout Europe.
The physical plant is compact compared to American standards. The equipment is essentially the same. Perc is the solvent used with finishing equipment utilizing manual utility steam presses and hand finishing.
One of the major interests the Tambakopoulos's expressed was in the developing technology of solvents, wetcleaning and finishing.
Greece is not up to speed on environmental issues. The handling of the excess of products are handled much as was done in the States years ago. As Greece becomes more involved with the EU, of which they are a member, I suspect that controls will become more stringent.
We did not discuss pricing, but it was obvious that they were adequate to make the business a profitable operation.
The universal problem of finding help exists in Greece as elsewhere. We don't seem to appeal to the young as an employer any where.
As usual, I enjoyed a few pleasant moments with a member of the cleaning industry, finding out a little more about our business, and the way in which it is conducted elsewhere.
Now I have to figure how to expense this trip. Does the stop make it a business trip? I suspect my employers may take exception to that idea!
In your travels to distant places, why not stop in and say "Hello" to a follow Cleaner? Chances are it will turn out to be a pleasant experience.
Bob McBride, a third-generation drycleaner, was In business with his family in the Pittsburgh, PA, area for 35 years. Ten years ago he sold his interest in the business and became a consultant to the industry. He now serves as field representative for the Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association (PDCA).Are we too casual about casual wear?
This week as I was at a meeting sitting beside the president of an association who asked me an interesting question.
He exclaimed, "Why can't you (referring to the company I work for) come up with something to keep my golf shirts looking new for at least the first time I send them to the cleaner?"
He went on to say that his vivid colored shirts look old after just one service. I explained that we do have the solutions to control dye loss as well as conditioners to keep the fabric feeling "like new." He then said, "Why don't they use them?"
The truth is that a cleaner may or may not use our chemistry in any given plant, but it does go beyond the chemistry used. There are issues of mechanical action, water temperature, the proper detergents and conditioners (including softeners and sizings) as well as heavy spot removers and surfactants that all play a part in the wetcleaning process.
Wetcleaning is more than just putting the casual wear in a commercial washer and running a pre-programmed formula (say a shirt formula substituting way too cold water for extremely hot water -- often as hot as 140 degrees -- and often using the same alkaline wash followed by numerous rinses with sours or acid balancing chemicals).
As the industry has experienced a decrease of pounds of work to process in the past decade, I feel that today, more than ever, we need to pay attention to the details of what our customers really want. The president of this club is a real estate agent and another remark that struck me was, "I really do not want to wash casual wear at home, but I'm being forced to by the destruction of my wardrobe."
I think it is time for all cleaners to take a close look at their operating procedures and consider alternative methods.
As the industry looks at alternative solvents and processes to change the way we clean our customer's garments, I feel it is necessary to also follow the trends of manufacturers. There are more washable clothes then ever out there, so now your competition isn't the cleaner down the street; it is the washer and dryer in your customer's house. It is time to acknowledge that the homeowner, your customer, can do a very respectable job without you.
If you are serious about wanting to change this trend, there are systems available today to handle regular, fragile, and extremely fragile garments in water.
These systems do require an investment, a change in attitude, some training and a desire to maintain as well as to grab new business, now and into the future. The technology is here, the systems are here... all you need to do is go after it.
Carl Gardner
Laidlaw Corp.
(800) 528-8295
www.laidlawcorp.com
Stan Caplan's excellent article: "How to reduce your energy costs" fails to mention a very effective means of reducing the heat and discomfort caused by hot pressing machines.
A benefit that the cleaner or launderer derives by installing LabTest Insulating covers on his pressing machines is a sizable saving in energy costs. In these days of large increases in fuel costs, as well as electricity, we have received letters expressing great satisfaction from customers who have equipped their presses with these devices. Every customer has stated that there are substantial savings.
Our most efficient and thoughtful cleaners are learning to save much money on their boiler costs by shutting off their boilers as early in the day as possible. They set up a vacuum board with our fabulous new iron boiler in their inspection department (for less than $1,000 investment).
Please make sure to visit our booth at the Clean '01 show and see for yourself.
Thanks for a wonderful publication.
Gerald (Jerry) Lieberman
B & G Lieberman Co., Inc.
(800) 438-0346
www.bglieberman.com
Why is it better to be tutored at an institution by a certified instructor?
It's better because the instructor understands what you need to know to become a professional drycleaner. He also can explain and demonstrate by example and clarify problems.
Samuel Johnson (1709-84), a British writer who authored many publications, including a dictionary, had this to say about learning: "Example is more functioning than precept."
Those who learned at institutions have a better understanding of what is necessary to operate a drycleaning business. We need and depend upon our institutions and associations to provide us with up-to-date information in order to provide services that customers want and need.
Without guidance and information, the drycleaning industry would still be in diapers.
There is only one International Fabricare Institute that in its very beginning won government approval by having its members become self-regulated. And nationally, IFI is regarded by universities and other industries as highly credible for knowledge and research.
Drycleaners and institutions from around the world look to IFI for research and information. Graduate students have taken drycleaning to a higher dimension by making it a desirable service. This was done with knowledge and dedication and not by discounting and dressing-down quality.
In the business world, communication is necessary. It makes the difference between success and failure. For the drycleaner, it is best when we communicate face-to-face when listening and talking to customers. Robert Louis Stevenson gave the full meaning of communication when he said, "Talk costs nothing in money; it is all profit; it completes our education, founds and fosters our friendship."
Big business spends millions of dollars in getting the word out, which is persuasion. They do it by advertising. Drycleaners can't compete with such spending. The money is not there. Knowing that drycleaning is a local business, the drycleaner should become community oriented -- be seen, be heard and be active. Be more than "just a drycleaner" in the community.
Today there is no excuse for not learning and doing more. Man has more brain than brawn. If brawn were superior, man would be running around on four legs eating grass. We are born to be thinkers and doers -- we can do both.
Drycleaners are not all alike, but they have the same purpose -- to succeed, which is good. Going alone without guidance, that is not good. Under such circumstances, how can one determine right from wrong? If once you don't succeed, don't try and try again. That is not good advice for the drycleaner. If you try and don't succeed, stop and find out why. When knowing why, then begin again and follow the right direction.
IFI members follow the right direction. They have learned right from wrong. I think of the institution as a compass, always pointing in the direction of knowledge. Those who travel without direction get lost or arrive too late.
Dan Eisen and Norman Oehlke traveled in the right direction. Both graduated from IFI's General Course. Both learned spotting and drycleaning and later they became garment analysts. Norman remained with IFI and became chief analyst. Dan went to New York City and became chief analyst for Neighborhood Cleaners Association. Both became columnists. Both write about their favorite subject -- drycleaning. Dan writes for the National Clothesline, and Norman writes for the American Drycleaner. Both are known nationally; both are dedicated. It is unbelievable that both of these men had so much in common but never met.
Bill Bogus is president of Textile Restoration Services Inc. in Laurel, MD. He can be reached at (301) 776-4961.If your business plan envisions the purchase of real estate in the near future or the refinancing of the current loan on your business property, you'll be in the market for owner-occupied commercial real estate financing.
Whether you're seeking a conventional term loan or something that offers more flexibility, you'll have a better chance of wrapping up the most advantageous deal if you know beforehand the options available to you and how your business stacks up in a lender's eyes.
Real estate lending
To obtain owner-occupied commercial real estate financing, some lenders may want your business to occupy at least 80 percent of the facility you have in mind.
For example, say you want to finance a multi-story building that has a rental storefront on the main floor. Your lender may allow the storefront to remain as an income-producing part of the property, but require that your business occupy at least 80 percent of the remaining floors above the storefront.
Some lenders limit their loan programs in this way to ensure that a business's cash flow is primarily generated by the operations of the business, not through rental income. They want to ensure that the success of the business does not depend on how successfully a business owner can collect rent.
When you're evaluating properties, also remember that some lenders prefer to finance properties that are not single-use entities. Car dealerships or movie theaters, for example, are difficult properties to transform into another business use. A manufacturing plant or warehouse, on the other hand, is versatile and can be used by any number of businesses. Try to determine whether your building or property could be used for multiple purposes.
You may also find it easier to obtain financing on existing properties rather than on new construction. Some lenders do not offer construction financing unless there is other valuable collateral to secure the loan. They want to avoid facing cost overruns and construction delays that could impact the value of the property or cause the business owner financial difficulty.
What lenders look for
By understanding what loan officers look for, you can put your business in the best possible shape to secure owner-occupied commercial real estate financing. Each lending institution has specific criteria, but most lenders will look for similar indicators of a business's creditworthiness:
As you would with other types of loans, look for a commercial real estate loan program that combines cash management with loan services. Such an arrangement can help you significantly cut your borrowing costs.
If you have a central asset account that links your business's checking, investment and borrowing activities, incoming funds to the account can be used to automatically pay down loan balances first, which minimizes interest expense.
In addition, you can reborrow any funds you have used to pay down the loan, which helps you maintain the liquidity of your business.
One lending philosophy
When you're looking for financing on an owner-occupied property, look at all of your current and possible borrowing needs -- real estate loan, equipment loans and lines of credit -- and choose a lender who can offer you a flexible and competitive package that meets all of these needs.
You'll simplify your borrowing program and benefit from the unified vision for your company that you and your lender will share.
David W. Tralka is first vice president and chairman, Business Financial Services, for Merrill Lynch.
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