Upcoming Conventions

More than 100 exhibitors are expected for Clean Canada 2002 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, April 12-14. The weekend exhibition also will offer educational programs to help cleaners in today’s competitive business environment.

The exhibit floor will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Those who did not pre-register by March 29 date must pay a $15 on-site admission fee. Included in the schedule is a session on “Hospital Linen Services — Their Role in the Community” by J.P. Viau, CEO of Lakeshore Linen Services. He will speak at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 12.

On Saturday, Stan Liu will speak to attendees at 10:30 a.m. on “Federal Regulations on the Use of Perc in Drycleaning.” Liu is the head of the Toxic Chemicals Control Section, Commercial Chemicals Division, Environmental Protection Branch, Pacific & Yukon Region with Environment Canada.

Also slated to speak is Chris Tebbs, an industry consultant and the former managing director and CEO of the Fabric Care Research Association, which recently disbanded after 75 years of existence. Tebbs’ seminar at 1 p.m. on Saturday will be called “Drycleaning — Small Business, Global Industry.”

For more information, contact Canadian National Show Management by phone at (888) 695-2677 or (416) 695-0309, or by e-mail at info@cnsm.ca.

There is more potential growth and profitability within your sales force than any other area of your company, according to Dave Kahle of the DaCo Corporation, this year’s guest speaker at the Textile Care Allied Trades Association 2002 Management and Educational Conference.

The event is scheduled to take place from April 21-24 in Cancun, Mexico.

Kahle will present an eight-hour business program on “Transforming Your Sales Force for the 21st Century.”

On Tuesday, April 23, he will present part one of his discussion from 8 a.m. to noon. In addition to explaining why the sales force holds more potential for profits than any other aspect of your business, Kahle will present what a model of the 21st century sales force will look like. He will also discuss six specific steps to gain a competitive edge, how to precisely measure the productivity of every salesperson, and how to revise your sales compensation plan to create a win/win program.

The session will conclude from 8 a.m. to noon on the following day when Kahle demonstrates how to methodically recruit sales performers, how to take the lead in stimulating continuous improvement in your sales people, and how to overcome the number one complaint salespeople have about their managers.

He will also offer six strategies for motivating salespeople above and beyond their compensation plan.

Prior to the educational programming, TCATA will hold a board meeting on Sunday, April 21 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. On the same afternoon, a manufacturer meeting and a distributor meeting will each meet from 4 to 5:30 p.m., followed by an opening reception at 6:30 p.m.

On Monday, April 22, attendees will have the opportunity to partake in a trip to Xcaret, an eco-archeological park that features snorkeling, a butterfly pavilion, aquarium, botanical garden and a chance to swim with dolphins. The trip will begin at 11:30 a.m. and end approximately at 10 p.m. that night.

TCATA has planned a Silver Circle Club Luncheon on the conference’s final night, Wednesday, April 24, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Later that evening, a reception and closing dinner will take place from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Registration for the program costs $595 for members and $295 for their spouses. Because the conference is in Mexico, attendees will need a passport or an original birth certificate (or a notarized copy) and a picture I.D.

Hotel reservations can be acquired by calling the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun hotel at 011-52-99-88-81-32-00. A room rate of $205 plus $12% tax per night per room has been reserved for junior suites. Larger suites may also be reserved at a rate of $280 plus 12% tax per night per room.

For more information, contact TCATA by calling (973) 244-1790 or visiting the association's web site.

Approximately 60 exhibitors representing a dozen different countries are expected at Texcare Asia 2002, scheduled to run from May 9-11 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The event will feature a diverse array of textile care related products and services, filling almost 4,000 square meters of floor space.

The floor will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 and Friday, May 10, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.

Texcare Asia 2002 will feature a comprehensive three-day educational program organized by the TCA Textile Care Training Centre of Singapore.

In addition to featuring speakers on issues ranging from solvent technology to environmental issues, there will be an in-depth workshop for attendees that provides hands-on experience for stain removal techniques, commercial drycleaning procedures, and pressing and finishing techniques. Textile construction, properties and care, the set-up of an effective washing formula, and laundry system design and planning will also be discussed.

Another feature of Texcare Asia 2002 is the three-day Travelling CLLM Program developed by the National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM) in the USA. Participants can join the program, which contains eight modules presented in a classroom format, and take an exam in order to gain a Certified Laundry & Linen Manager certification.

“We are delighted to cooperate with TCA and NAILM on this project,” said Betty Heywood, the general manager of Messe Frankfurt in Hong Kong. “It is important to add an educational dimension to this type of event, as it provides a forum where Asian industry professionals can meet, discuss and learn about new developments in technology and machinery.”

For more information on Texcare Asia 2002, fax Alex Wong at (852) 2598 8771 or e-mail technical@hongkong.messefrankfurt. Details on the show are also available from the web site at www.texcare.de.

The International Drycleaners Congress (IDC) will hold its 44th annual convention in London, England, from August 27-31. The theme of the IDC Convention 2002 is “Changing Fashions.”

Internationally recognized industry leaders will speak on a variety of topics of interest to drycleaners around the world. London Mayor Ken Livingstone has been invited to open the convention.

A planning committee has met several times to organize the convention.

The committee includes IDC President Simon Murray of Columbine Cleaners Ltd.; Dennis Hargreaves, present Master of the Worshipful Company of Launderers & Cleaners and director of Johnson Cleaners; Martyn Lewis, president of the Textile Services Association and owner of Lewis & Wayne Ltd. of London; Murray Simpson, chief executive of the Textile Services Association; Pat Dowling, sales director for Alex Reid Ltd.; Colin Murray, managing director of Columbine Cleaners Ltd.; and Dr. Manfred Wentz, IDC executive director.

Sessions are designed to challenge attendees to rethink the way they operate, and glean new ideas from others who have forged fresh paths in the industry. Though the convention agenda is still evolving, the following topics have been slated for presentations:

• Session 1: Fashioning Change: Among the speakers will be John Barber, Safeway Stores General Manager, Dry Cleaning and Photo Processing, speaking on “Safeway Stores: Not just baked beans.”

• Session 2: State of Our Industry: Speakers from Australia, Continental Europe, China, Japan, North America, and the United Kingdom will give status reports.

• Session 3: Into the Future: Among the speakers will be Mike Palin, ISO Convener for Standards on Professional Cleaning and Technical Director, Textile Service Association, UK, speaking on “Care Labeling — Do We Care?”

• Session 4: IDC Rewards Efforts: IDC Fellowship recipients will report about their international travels to other plants and what they discovered there. Former IDC Fellow Colin Murray will speak on “A Fellowship Revisited — My Gain; No Loss.”

• Session 5: Industry Leadership Perspectives: Among the speakers will be Bill Fisher, CEO, International Fabricare Institute (IFI), speaking on “Trade Associations: Leaders or Followers.”

“We’re pleased to have an excellent roster of speakers,” said Dr. Wentz. “The best drycleaners know that you can never stop learning, and they’ll be hearing about how their peers are operating throughout the world,” he said. The annual IDC conventions provide opportunities to meet and network with the industry’s most successful international business leaders.

The London convention begins Tuesday, Aug. 27 with an IDC board meeting and lunch followed by an evening welcome reception and buffet for all attendees.

Business sessions will take place on the mornings of Aug. 28, 29 and 30. The afternoons will be left open for other activities. The gala banquet will be held Friday evening, Aug. 30 and the Sayonara breakfast on Saturday morning, Aug. 31.

The Langham Hilton Hotel on Regent Street in London will be the headquarters for the convention.

The Langham is a restored landmark hotel in London’s west end, located in the heart of shopping and theatre districts. The 429-room hotel includes a health club with a gym, swimming pool, sauna, steam room solarium and seven beauty treatment rooms.

IDC is also offering pre- and post-convention tours. The seven-day pre-convention tour of Southern England will begin Aug. 20. The post-convention tour of France will commence from Aug. 31 and end Sept. 6.

Visit IDC’s website for full details about the convention.

For travel and registration information, call IDC’s Travel Agency, Yamato Travel Bureau in Los Angeles, (800) 334-4982, or contact them via e-mail: yamatogroups@aol.com.

IDC was founded in 1959 to strengthen international understanding and good will in the fabric care industry through travel, exchange of information and communication. IDC includes over 400 members. Several levels of membership are available. The basic “regular” membership dues are $100 a year. For more information, contact the IDC membership office, (513) 523-4121.