Those who came to buy could hardly leave empty-handed. Those who came looking for answers may have left with more questions. Those who came looking for a good time among friends and strangers alike no doubt found it.
For four days New Orleans hosted the biennial gathering of cleaners and launderers from throughout the United States and around the world, providing a window on the state of the industry today and opening doorways into the direction of the industry for tomorrow.
It wasn't the best attended Clean Show on record, but in terms of the range and variety of products and innovations, it may have been the best. Official attendance figures were unavailable at press time, but all veteran observers agreed that there were fewer people than at past shows. The Clean Show guidebook, which lists all the exhibitors and their products, was about 20 percent smaller than the previous show held in Orlando in 1999. While many exhibitors commented on the light traffic, many also bragged about good sales of the equipment. Those who came were serious buyers, it would seem, and not "working vacationers."
And those who came found plenty to see and talk about. In the days following the show, the Fabricare Forum Internet e-mail list was filled with show-goers mulling over what they had seen. The '01 show generated far more comments, and no small amount of debate, than any previous show since the Internet forum's beginnings at the 1995 show, which was also held in New Orleans.
The continuing advance of so-called European finishing equipment was evident as were ever more sophisticated garment handling and sorting systems. Automated drop-off and pick-up stations were on display at several booths and an e-mail marketing program for drycleaners made its debut at the show.
But the biggest surprises came in the form of new cleaning solvents. It seems that almost overnight the field of alternatives has doubled.
Chevron was showing a new high-flash hydrocarbon solvent, AeroTech was showing its new "dry-wetcleaning" system, a solvent from Europe called Comexsol was shown at the Donini booth and Realstar's booth had a new solvent called "PureDry" (Dan Eisen reviews PureDry in a separate article.)
Suddenly, solvents like Rynex, DF-2000, CO2 and GreenEarth are no longer the new kids on the block, even though they were introduced to the industry at Clean Shows within the past six years. Cleaners trying to sort out the alternatives flocked to an IFI seminar on Saturday morning where advocates of Rynex, wetcleaning, DF-2000, CO2 and GreenEarth answered questions from a panel of cleaners. But the other solvents were too new to even be included on the panel. Their first test will be to show enough staying power to be around the next time an alternative solvents panel is convened.
Such was the case for GreenEarth, which was rolled out at Clean '99 in Orlando. At a press conference during the New Orleans show, GreenEarth's Jim Barry said the solvent is now being used at about 150 sites in the United States and expansion into the UK is beginning. In a "report card" covering GreenEarth's first two years in use, Barry gave the solvent generally high marks -- either significantly better of somewhat better than other alternatives. A key area needing improvement, which Barry said is coming, is better detergents to work with the solvent.
"We expect a new detergent soon with better stain removal powers and no deleterious environmental affects," he said.
Also at the show, IFI released preliminary results of it fellowship study of Green Earth. The IFI report said that preliminary tests indicate that the GreenEarth solvent with "the GreenEarth 3200 series detergent is a viable cleaning system."
Speaking at the GreenEarth press conference, IFI CEO Bill Fisher commented that the GreenEarth process "has among the highest promise of any in the industry."
"When final refinements are done, I think we will see an excellent system," he said.
GreenEarth representatives had a bit of a dust-up with a group introducing another silicone solvent at the show. At the Satec booth where Dow Corning's PureGreen solvent was running, GreenEarth representatives presented a letter advising them that use of the solvent for drycleaning in any machine not licensed by GreenEarth Solutions was a violation of GreenEarth's patents.
The rub is that GreenEarth charges a $2,500 annual per-machine licensing fee to use its solvent. Satec representatives said there is no licensing fee to use the PureGreen solvent, which they said can be purchased by a drycleaner from Dow Corning and used in a modified petroleum/hydrocarbon machine or a Satec multi-solvent machine.
GreenEarth said it holds American and worldwide patents for the drycleaning process using a solvent containing any type of silicone and thus, any type of silicone, regardless of the manufacturer of the silicone or the machine, must hold a license from GreenEarth Solutions.
"We intend to vigorously defend our intellectual property and will prosecute any drycleaning using silicone in the drycleaning process without a valid GreenEarth license," the letter said. "We intend to hold any entity which knowingly contributes to the infringement of our patents accountable for their actions in contributing to that infringement."
Competition of a less litigious sort was heating up among the makers of CO2 equipment. No less than three companies -- Chart, Sailstar and Alliance -- had operating CO2 machines on the floor. The other major CO2 company, Micell/Hangers, had a booth but no machine.
Also garnering attention was the Dry-Wetcleaning system at the Aero-Tech booth. This system uses a wet solvent as a carrier for chemical additives, with about one pint of solution added to a load of clothing. Air jets and drum rotation agitate the garments, then the loosened soil is collected by absorbent pads. Cleaning results are similar to what used to be produced with fluorocarbon cleaning, the company said. No special handling is needed for most beads, sequins, buttons, trimmings and difficult garments.
The nightlife of New Orleans may have been down and dirty, but Friday morning at the Clean Show heralded a celebration of cleaner things as the International Fabricare Institute presented its industry awards during an opening session ceremony.
In an effort to recognize the best and brightest cleaners and allied trades, IFI CEO Bill Fisher presented the winners of the first annual "Best Dressed in the Industry" contest, as well as the second round of Meritorious Service Awards.
IFI originally presented the Meritorious Service Awards at the 1999 Clean Show to honor those who had given substantial contributions to the betterment of the drycleaning industry.
This year, the winners included Barbara Harvey, John Neal, Henry and Jan Parker, Dr. Manfred Wentz, Donald L. Desrosiers and Stan Golomb, who walked away with the Diamond Achievement Award, IFI's highest honor.
No winner was selected for the Technology Trailblazer Award that is granted to an individual or firm that has conducted innovative research on equipment or solvents that are currently usable and commercially proven. The first such award went to Exxon Chemical Company for its work on the DF-2000 drycleaning solvent.
Though nobody received the award this year, Fisher noted that there are currently "several new and innovative systems" that narrowly missed fulfilling all of the requirements. "I'm certain that when the next Meritorious Service Awards are done, there will be at least several viable candidates -- and a winner -- for this award," he said.
A breakdown of the Meritorious Service Awards is as follows:
Diamond Achievement Award. IFI's top award aims to place the spotlight on an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution that has improved the industry in a unique manner. Barney Deden of Omaha, NE, was honored during the first annual Meritorious Service Awards for his relentless efforts in advocating the "Barton Bill."
After examining all of the this year's nominees from all of the categories, IFI selected Stan Golomb of the Golomb Group in Willowbrook, IL, for its top award. For many decades, Golomb has proved to be a strong survivor, both in the industry and in life.
He served three-and-a-half years as a combat marine during World War II before he returned to his home in the Boston, MA, area and started working at his father's cleaning plant in 1945. Two years later he graduated from the 63rd class at the National Institute of Drycleaning. For the next few years, he worked as a drycleaning plant manager before he joined up with R.R. Street & Co. in 1952 for a ten-year stint.
In 1961, at the age of 36, he had his first heart attack. He recovered and opened his own advertising company where he traveled for the next ten years working with distributor salesmen in every major U.S. city.
Since then, Golomb has had two more hearts attacks and, 12 years ago, a heart transplant. Despite such health problems, he has somehow managed his firm -- The Golomb Group, which designs marketing programs for drycleaners -- for over 20 years. He has provided a tremendous amount of assistance and information to members of the industry every step of the way.
Industry Positive Recognition Award. Barbara Harvey, owner of Fabricare by Fran in Severna Park, MD, was recognized for her efforts in securing positive publicity for the industry.
Since 1969, she has tirelessly tried to improve the image of drycleaning and coin laundry through a number of facets, including participating in media interviews and addressing various high schools, organizations and Chambers of Commerce. She supports the Chrysalis House, a refuge for battered women and children, and has been active in the Coats for Kids campaign for nearly 20 years
Additionally, she participated in the IFI-sponsored "Operation Running Clean" for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay.
The winner at the last Clean Show in this category was Edward Boorstein, CED, CPD, CPW, owner of Prestige Exceptional Fabricare in Silver Spring, MD.
Legislative-Regulatory Award. At Clean '99, Abraham Cho, owner of Natural Cleaners in Middletown, NJ, earned the honor that is given to an individual who has actively worked on crucial legislative or regulatory issues that affect the industry.
This year, Cho is succeeded by John Neal, owner of Ineeda Cleaners in Hutchinson, KS. Neal is a lifetime member of the Textile Rental Services Association and he founded and chaired the association's Regulatory-Legislative Program for many years.
For over 20 years, he has spoken out for cleaners' rights, participating in several IFI marches on Capitol Hill. He has written and lobbied for the Kansas Drycleaner Environmental Response Act for years and currently serves on the Technical Advisory Committee of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Allied Trades Award. Nominees for this award are made up of suppliers and distributors who have provided substantial, long-term service for member cleaners. In 1999, Ed Ustik of Phenix Supply Company in Atlanta, GA, received this merit.
This year, Henry and Jan Parker of Environmental Compliance Consultants, Inc. of South Holland, IL, were jointly recognized. For many years, the Parkers have travelled across the country to provide hands-on help to drycleaners who seek to comply with federal and state regulations. They have donated time to help the Korean drycleaning community, especially in Illinois, keep up with industry regulations, as well.
The Parkers proved to be double winners for the day; they also received IFI's Membership Sales Award for enrolling 15 new IFI members in a contest that ran from June 1, 2000 to May 31, 2001. For their efforts, they received a $500 credit that could be applied to the hospitality provider of their choice in New Orleans, a "Silver Cup" trophy and lifetime memberships to the Jolly Belin Club.
Green Fields Award. Any person or organization that has made a lasting contribution concerning an environmental-related industry issue or initiative is eligible for this award. Ann Hargrove of Lyons, IL, earned this award two years ago for her work as an advocate of wetcleaning.
Dr. Manfred Wentz, president of TextileCare International, won at Clean '01. Dr. Wentz was chosen for his work with the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal and state agencies, as well as a lifetime of research work to help the industry better understand the science of drycleaning.
In the past several years, he has provided a significant amount of vital information to the industry pertaining to the mechanisms of new technologies, such as supercritical carbon dioxide and other new solvents.
Commitment to Professionalism Award. Donald L. Desrosiers of Tailwind Shirt Systems in Fall River, MA, is this year's example of an individual who has raised the bar of professionalism in the industry. Desrosiers, a columnist for National Clothesline, was singled out of a very competitive field for his efforts to raise quality levels in the industry, particularly in the field of shirt finishing. He has volunteered much of his time in order to publicly provide information to those who have needed consultation.
The "Commitment to Professionalism Award" was originally bestowed upon Carmelia Bernardi of Woonsocket, RI, in Orlando in 1999.
IFI's Meritorious Service Award winners, pictured with IFI president Bob Shirley (fourth from right) were, from left, Barbara Harvey, John Neal, Stan Golomb, Manfred Wentz, Don Desrosiers and Jan and Henry Parker.
Best Dressed awards
Also during IFI's opening session at the Clean Show, Bill Fisher presented a total of 21 "Best Dressed" awards for cleaners and allied trade representatives who have promoted professionalism by fashionably dressing up.
Each winner received a $25 gift certificate to be used toward IFI products and services and a framed certificate.
IFI singled out 11 individual cleaners out of about 50 contestants that had been submitted throughout the country and beyond.
The winners were: Dino Pritsios, owner of Formprest Cleaners in York, PA; Emery Wetzel, owner of Wetzel's Quality Cleaners in Billings, MT; "Donald" Gene Dolan of Assunto's Superior Dry Cleaners in Lake Charles, LA; Jesus Galven of Hanneck Cleaners in Denver, CO; Judith Rose of Vogue Cleaners in Mill Valley, CA; Kurt Jones of Pilgrim Cleaners in Brooklyn Park, MN; Larry Long of Long Cleaners in Fairborn, OH; Michelle van Linge of Shannon Place Fine Drycleaning in Vancouver, British Columbia; Steve Berglund of Mastercraft Dry Cleaning in Fresno, CA; Sto Fox of Fox Cleaners in Greensboro, SC; and Tammy Campbell of Campbell's Cleaners in Corvallis, OR.
IFI also accorded two special awards to the staff of Platinum Coast Dry Cleaning in Naples, FL, and the staff of Waysidecleaners.com in Portsmouth, VA, for exemplifying an overall level of excellence in the plant's quality of work attire.
Additionally, four allied trade sales representatives won awards: Phil Biancuzzo of Laidlaw Corporation; Gary Roy of Dry Cleaning Computer Systems; Ray Mount of Laidlaw Corporation; and Steven Sadler of Green Earth Cleaning.
The contest guidelines were expanded to also honor four allied trade executives, including: Cary Becknell, Rod McClemore and Raymond Smith, all of the Hoyt Corporation, and Lester Cohen of Cleaner Sales.
"We are pleased to present this award to these fine people," remarked Fisher. "Through dressing professionally, they are setting an example for their peers and clients.
"Professional attire shows customers a good example of the work their plants produce, which conveys a sense of confidence: it shows that they know what they're doing and will treat the clients' garments with care."
Fisher has long advocated that cleaners, rather than complain about the trend toward more casual dress in workplaces, should do something about it.
"If we want customers -- and potential customers -- of our services to start dressing better, we need to start setting the example," Fisher has told IFI members.
Signs of a return to a more formal style of dress have been noted. For one thing, President Bush, just after his inauguration, instituted a requirement that White House office personnel dress more professionally -- jackets and ties, no jeans.
The Bush policy contrasts with the Clinton White Houses dress code. Aides in that administration frequently attended meetings in jeans and T-shirts.
Some of the winners in IFI's "Best Dressed" contest posing for the camera. From left are Phil Biancuzzo, Gary Roy, Gene Dolan, Steven Sadler, Larry Long, Steve Berglund, Sto Fox, Bill Griggs, Emery Wetzel, Joe and Sandy Waite, Tammy Campbell and Judith Rose.
The Clean Executive Committee based its selection on a number of factors including exhibit hall size, availability of favorable dates, utility and contractors costs, hotel availability, travel and lodging costs for attendees.
"The Clean show in one of the 100 largest shows in North America," said John Riddle, president of Riddle & Associates, the show management providers. "It also has several unique requirements that narrow potential sites to just a handful that make sense."
The committee also announced tentative dates and locations for future Clean Shows in Orlando, FL, June 23-26, 2005, and in New Orleans, LA, June 7-10, 2007.
According to Sid Tuchman, president and founder of Tuchman Training Systems, there are many ways to diminish employee turnover, which is often a substantial profit-killer for businesses.
During this year's Clean Show in New Orleans, Tuchman presented his IFI-sponsored seminar "Finding Employees Who Pass More Than the Fog the Mirror Test" hoping to dispel myths that employee turnover is inevitable and occasionally good for a company.
"Turnover is an indication that something is wrong," said Tuchman before a packed lecture hall. If a company can get "loyal, motivated and skilled employees," he added, then customers are far more likely to keep coming back.
In order to minimize employee turnover, Tuchman explained that employers need to disregard conventional thinking. "If you always do what you've always done, then you will always get what you've already got," he said. "Think of how things can be done, not why they can't be done."
As an example, he profiled his vision of an ideal counter employee, emphasizing that such employees are often the least-paid and worst-trained in the plant despite the fact that they are the most important person to the customer.
Some integral qualities that counter employees should possess include: an outgoing and friendly personality; the ability to establish eye contact with customers; a neat appearance; dependability and trustworthiness; a tendency to be detail-oriented, self-motivated and fast moving; the ability to work pleasantly and communicate with others; and the capability of learning how to operate a computer.
In order to determine which applicants best match the ideal profile, Tuchman outlined some sample interview questions and tests to give to applicants, noting that "all interviewers must use the same questions and the same tests."
General questions that could be used included: "What would your ideal boss be like?" or "If I became your boss, what would be the most important thing for me to say or do to support you?"
Of course, hiring great employees is only part of the equation; there is also the dilemma of retention. "The number one reason why employees quit is that they can't get along with the boss," Tuchman noted. "Retention is your job."
In order to avoid turnover, Tuchman recommended that bosses do the following: clarify an employee's purpose and mission; clearly describe the performance standard for which he/she will be evaluated; ensure that salaries, incentives and benefits are substantial enough to make it worthwhile for employees to try hard; give prompt feedback on an employee's performance, offering praise or assistance when necessary; listen to your employee's views; and care for your employees and merit their trust.
Tuchman summed up his discussion by pointing out that a "revolving door of employees" will lead to expensive rehiring and retraining costs that will ultimately kill profits.
"Shift your emphasis to the cost of recruiting well and retaining instead of paying for turnover," he said. "Make recruiting and retention part of the strategic plan of the company, then make sure everyone in your company supports this goal."
The International Drycleaners Congress honored Bill Seitz during its formal dinner at the Clean Show in New Orleans last month.
Seitz, who retired last year after more than a half-century of service to the industry with the Neighborhood Cleaners Association -- most of that time as its executive director -- was presented with two plaques. One came from IDC executive director Manfred Wentz, the other from Josef Kurz of Germany's Hohenstein Institute.
Seitz emphasized that he is retired only in the sense that he is no longer NCA's executive director. He remains active in the industry and is making himself available as a consultant and educator. (Interested parties may contact him at (718) 432-1982.
The main speaker at the IDC dinner was outgoing IFI president Bob Shirley. He recounted his experience of about 20 years when fellow drycleaners came to his aid after his plant had burned down, letting him use their facilities for cleaning while he rebuilt.
That shows, he said, that drycleaners are like a family and can build a better industry by working together.
"We accomplish things we could never do alone by uniting in our associations," he said. "We are a family of cleaners, not just in our own towns, but throughout our country and, with NAFTA and the EU, throughout the world."
IDC is an international organization with membership open to all drycleaners. The group holds an annual convention, which this year will be at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, AZ, from Oct. 3-7. For more information on the convention, contact IDC at (919) 363-5062 or visit the association's web site at www.idcnews.org.
Interestingly enough, a Times Picayune gossip columnist named Betty Guillard is credited for giving New Orleans its famous "Big Easy" moniker. Guillard reasoned that if New York City was the "Big Apple," then New Orleans should be dubbed the "Big Easy" because it is a more casual city, moving to a simpler, slower rhythm that its East Coast counterpart.
Of course, industry members who attended Clean '01 may have found such a title for New Orleans highly ironic because this year's Clean Show lasted for four exhausting and extremely busy days. In the morning, lecture halls were packed with those seeking to learn more about alternative solvents, employee retention, problem garments and other topics designed to help drycleaners be more successful. Afterward, industry members flocked to the miles of exhibitor aisles, full of the latest drycleaning machines, finishing equipment, chemicals and supplies. You could literally see the future of the industry taking shape.
For those who had never attended a Clean Show previously, the event was a grand spectacle, almost overwhelming to the senses because there were so many people to meet and so much information to assimilate.
For show veterans, the numbers seemed down, yet there was little reason to complain. Drycleaners were more prepared than ever, following specific outlined agendas in order to make every second count. Things ran at a hectic pace, but only because there was so much to experience.
Sure, people will spend weeks recounting their experiences on Bourbon Street with the scintillating music, the blistering heat and the uninhibited people, but the true reason most cleaners attended was a genuine quest to learn about the industry and improve. The wild stories will fade out, but that overall attitude will permeate throughout the industry for a long, long time.
Separate reports on perchloroethylene issued by two organizations last month offered divergent views of the widely used drycleaning solvent.
The American Council of Science and Health led off with a report titled, "The Scientific Facts About the Dry-Cleaning Chemical Perc." A press release announcing the report summed it up in a headline: "Science Group States Drycleaning Chemical Poses No Health Threat to Consumers."
Within a week, Greenpeace launched its latest salvo against perc in a report titled, "Out of Fashion: Moving Beyond Toxic Cleaners in the Fabric Care Industry." The accompanying press release from Greenpeace proclaimed: "Drycleaning Chemical Linked to Hundreds of Deaths, Warrants EPA Listing as Carcinogen."
Both reports based their nearly diametrically opposed conclusions on reviews of past studies of perc. Nothing new was revealed in either report; rather, they both represent refinements and updates of the ongoing "pro and con" debate over the safety of perc.
The ACSH report, written by Michael Kamarin, noted that although "perc has been the subject of close environment and public scrutiny for more than 20 years... government agencies in the U.S. and around the world have not agreed about the potential of environmental exposure... to cause adverse health effects, including cancer, in humans."
"A careful analysis of the scientific date does not support the idea that perc is an imminent hazard to the public," said Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, ACSH president. "Claims that it is are simply examples of how science is often skewed to generate unwarranted concerns."
ACSH is a consortium, of more than 350 scientists and physicians who seek to provide consumer education on public health issues. It was founded in 1978 by a group of scientists who had become concerned that public policies related to health and the environment did not have a sound scientific basis.
ACSH has defended perc in past from charges that it is a public health hazards.
In its latest report, ACSH said that claims that perc can cause cancer "are largely based on studies of mice and rats in which they are exposed to very high levels of the chemical every day for a lifetime." But rodents metabolize perc differently than do humans, ACSH said, adding that "epidemiological data do not support extrapolation of this effect to humans, especially at the low concentrations to which consumers are typically exposed."
Perc, ACSH said, "is not hazardous to humans at typical levels of use."
Greenpeace sees it differently. In its report, the environmental organization, which has long been critical of perc use in drycleaning, calls for EPA to declare perc a probable carcinogen, asks OSHA to set the workplace exposure level of perc at 0 ppm and urges passage of legislation that would provide a tax credit for cleaners who buy new equipment that does not use perc or hydrocarbon solvents.
The Greenpeace press release accompanying the report said that "drycleaning workers and the general public are routinely exposed to a cancer-causing solvent used to dryclean the vast majority of clothes in the United States."
A new government study "links" perc to 266 workers' cancer deaths in four major cities, Greenpeace added.
The Greenpeace report, authored by Dave DeRosa, urges the industry to switch to perc alternatives, especially wetcleaning and liquid carbon dioxide. Advancements in wetcleaning technology and chemistry make it an increasingly viable alternative to perc, Greenpeace said. Liquid carbon dioxide, Greenpeace said, is backed by "promising technology companies with interesting business plans. Either or both of them may become important players in the garment care field."
Both wetcleaning and carbon dioxide remove stains better than perc, are toxic-free and are currently in use around the country, Greenpeace said.
Greenpeace is more skeptical of other alternatives. The newer hydrocarbon solvents "appear to be preferable in some ways to perc" Greenpeace said, but they still have "serious drawbacks" and could be subject to tougher regulations in the future.
Greenpeace also expressed reservations about siloxanes, such as GreenEarth, saying that "it is likely that dioxin and other organochlorine compounds are released during production... Thus the life cycle of siloxanes could have, at root, the same problem as perc."
Greenpeace was critical of both the drycleaning industry and the government for not pushing harder for a transition away from perc. EPA, the organization said, has sent mixed signals on the hazards of perc and has failed to provide sufficient leadership.
Trade associations, Greenpeace suggests, should explore further the "liability of perc manufacturers and others that should share in liability due to prevailing practices and equipment design, rather than working to lower cleanup standards at contaminated sites."
IFI responds
The International Fabricare Institute took strong exception to several points in the Greenpeace report, calling it "the latest in a long line of publicity-grabbing events by an organization with an agenda aimed at eliminating all chlorine-based chemicals, including perc."
The report, IFI said, "is riddled with errors and half-truths."
IFI cited the following as misrepresentations in the report:
"Wetcleaning and carbon dioxide remove stains better than perc." Greenpeace has no basis for that statement, IFI charged. "The reality is some stains are removed better in water and other stains come out better in a solvent process, particularly perc." IFI said.
"Drycleaning workers and the public are routinely exposed to perc, a cancer casing solvent." IFI noted that EPA's official classification of perc is somewhere on a continuum between a possible and probable human carcinogen and that EPA's Science Advisory Board has said there is insufficient evidence to label perc as a "probable" carcinogen.
"A government study links 266 workers' cancer deaths in four major cities." IFI said it has serious doubts about this study, undertaken by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. All that is known about the 1,708 drycleaning plant workers in the study is that they were identified as having worked in a plant that used perc for at least one year prior to 1960. The study does not take into consideration compound risk factors such as smoking and drinking, nor is it known what jobs the workers performed in the plants.
"Some states are so concerned about groundwater contamination that they have levied taxes on perc and imposed other fees in order to create cleanup funds." IFI noted that these funds have been set up by drycleaners working with government officials to provide for cleanups where needed and that they serve as "examples of the drycleaning industry working to address contamination problems, not shy away from them."
IFI concluded its response by noting that "the best available scientific information indicates that perc is unlikely to be a human carcinogen."
Nonetheless, IFI acknowledged that "no one can be absolutely certain of non-carcinogenicity.
"Our industry is committed to using perc as safely and efficiently as possible, while actively exploring new cleaning technologies," IFI said.
Both the ACSH and Greenpeace reports are available in full on the Internet.
For the Greenpeace report, see: http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/out_of_fashion.htm
For the ACSH report, see http://www.acsh.org/press/releases/perc070301.html
The debate has gone on so long that the participants know all their lines by heart. Perc causes cancer and maybe even a host of other health problems, too, say the anti-perc partisans. Yes, indeed, rodents that were force-fed large doses of perc soon succumbed to cancer. But, no, says the camp of perc defenders. Those tests really prove nothing in terms of human exposure to perc, and besides, human exposure is at far lower levels, especially in today's modern cleaning plant.
Just in case you have missed all of this debate over the past 20 years, two recently released reports, each taking one side of the question, were released last month. Greenpeace, a long-time critic of perc, takes the view that government agencies should clamp down on perc use, if not outright ban it, and that the industry should move to one of the alternative clothes cleaning methods. Meanwhile, the American Council of Science and Health, which has defended perc in the past, reported that after reviewing the evidence, it concludes that perc is non-hazardous to human at typical levels of use.
The arguments presented by both groups, while subject to debate, are well stated. But despite their eloquence, neither presents any information that has not been presented before and neither is likely to change anyone's mind on the subject. More studies are needed, no doubt. One such study is underway, an epidemiological study of drycleaning plant workers in Scandinavian countries. We don't know what the outcome will be, but we're willing to bet that no matter what the study concludes, few minds will be changed by it, either.
After 20 years of vigorous prosecution, the anti-perc camp has been unable to obtain a conviction. Yet the prosecution continues, a steady drumbeat of anti-perc propaganda which comes from both outside and inside the industry. Even some long-time perc using cleaners who in their hearts believe the solvent is safe to use, have expressed doubts that it will be available to them indefinitely.
We would hope that rational thinking will ultimately prevail, that evidence and not emotion will decide the issue. It is difficult to remain reasonable when one's livelihood is attacked or one's vested interests are at stake. But anything short of reason will guarantee an unreasonable outcome if and when the issue is ever decided.
Hydrocarbon solvent and GreenEarth users are still needed to participate in a survey being conducted by Everett Childers and others.
The research is intended to help all drycleaners get the most out of their solvent with the least amount of problems. Many participants are needed to ensure accuracy of the data collected.
Childers said there have been reports of odors in the solvent and the inability to maintain a clear and crisp looking solvent. He also noted that some operators believe the cleaning ability of the solvents could be improved.
When the study is finished, participants will receive advanced results of the findings and suggestions on improving the use of these solvents.
Childers said the study is neutral and being undertaken without any bias towards machines, chemicals or supplies. To maintain a neutral study there is no outside funding. Childers said he is completely funding the study to maintain its neutrality.
To participate, send a note to Everett Childers, PO Box 922, Kennesaw, GA, 30144; or send e-mail: to everettchilders@hawkaccess.com. You will be sent a survey form to fill out and return. E-mail is the preferred method of communicating. All replies and participants will be strictly confidential, Childers said.
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 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:
A smart credit solution
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.
When perchloroethylene (perc) was introduced into the drycleaning industry 50 years ago, it changed the industry for the better. It made patronage for the service more convenient, and it gave business-oriented people an opportunity of getting into the drycleaning business. And they did. They were known as "Mom and Pop" drycleaners, people with a little cash but big with ambition.
Mom and Pop drycleaners sprouted everywhere, like tall grass after a heavy rain. It was a reminder of the gold rush days, but without the need for the pick and shovel. Locations were easy to find because perc is not flammable, and it cleaned clothes like magic. Perc being a dry solvent, not oily like other solvents, goes after grease, wax and oil stains faster than a hungry pig going after slop.
One-hour service was popular at that time; it practically wiped out wholesale drycleaning plants. In time it did.
Shortly after the beginning of perc drycleaning, drycleaners realized there was more to drycleaning than they imagined. Many drycleaners joined IFI, wanting to know how much more there was to learn. The ones that didn't join were more dependent on the cleaning machine. Unfortunately, the cleaning machine didn't do any spotting. Mom and Pop drycleaners soon learned that spot removal was a big part of the drycleaning service. More garments were damaged by the lack of knowledge.
William Faulkner, the classic writer, wrote one of his stories about the Mississippi Flood in early 1927. His character, a Cajun victim of the flood, held out in a giving manner his mud caked, soot stained overalls to the woman and said, "Wash them good. I want all of them stains out. All of them."
Even today those words sound familiar. Customers ask, "Do you have a spotter on the premises?" Consumers want good service regardless of price. Even the lowest priced drycleaner will get complaints when the work is unsatisfactory.
Back in the summer of 1990, Washington DC's "Consumers CheckBook" had an article on drycleaning. They wanted to find out what was going on in drycleaning plants. The survey included 232 drycleaners and 7,000 consumers. "CheckBook" did an excellent job on the survey.
What may surprise many drycleaners is what "CheckBook" said about drycleaners. "What your clothing needs is good drycleaning to make it look like new again. At most area drycleaners, that's what you will get the vast majority of the time. But, things do go wrong. There are plenty of opportunities for foul-ups in the drycleaning process." And "CheckBook" explained why.
While drycleaners were swarming like bugs around a hot light looking for locations, Dow Chemical and other chemical companies kept a watchful eye on drycleaners using perc. Most of them were beginners and beginners will cause foul-ups. They didn't know much about perchloroethylene, but they did know it did a fine job and was easy to use.
This was the time when Dow Chemical came out with literature on personal safety and how to dryclean with perc. This was explained in an explicit manner. It was not wishy-washy -- it pointed out the hazards of health and air pollution. This was done before government regulations.
Today, Dow Chemical is still at it. Dow came out recently with a new basic handbook on drycleaning. It is called "A Basic Handbook For Drycleaners." Those who keep it for reference will benefit in becoming better drycleaners. This is not a sales pitch. The colorful, well-written book is free. It can be had through many drycleaning suppliers. There is no excuse for not having one.
The cat is out of the bag. The big investors are trying to choke small drycleaners out of business, and little-bitty drycleaners can't choke them back. That's what the big guys think. The little-bitty drycleaners know where the big guy's weakness is, just like Achilles in Greek mythology, who's weakness was in his heel. That's exactly where it was -- in the right foot. That was the foot his mother held onto when she dipped him into the water when he was a baby.
The weakness of the big investor is person-to-person communication. It is person-to-person that builds personalized service, which big investors cannot do.
Mom and Pop drycleaning is personalized service. The person-to-person contact brings out a better understanding what clothing means to the customers. It is more than just a body covering; it speaks of a person wearing them. It speaks for ambition and success. It speaks for identity.
For example, at a social gathering of importance, women come prepared to look their best. They want to be recognized. But when a woman recognizes an exact similarity with what she is wearing, then that similarity for her becomes unbearable. Especially when that other similarity is getting all the attention. The misery exacerbates when what's-his-name says to her, "Your sister is a very interesting person."
This is the kind of entrapment women work hard to avoid. And this is also why women spend more time shopping than men. When it comes to drycleaning, women are more particular about clothing care and the cleaner who will do her drycleaning.
Bill Bogus is president of Textile Restoration Services Inc. in Laurel, MD. He can be reached at (301) 776-4961.
Copyright © 2001, National Clothesline