The stars were out in Las Vegas
The industry’s best and brightest
stars converged on Las Vegas last month for the 14th
installment of the industry’s biennial Clean Show. For
four days, the Las Vegas Convention Center was more than just
shelter from the 110° mid-August heat, it was a gathering
point for the best the industry has to offer — in
equipment, supplies and, most important, people.
How many people? Show officials announced
that at the close of the third day of Clean ’03, 17,013
had registered, putting show attendance ahead of Clean
’01 in New Orleans, which drew 16,553. Final totals are
yet to be announced and certainly the number will grow when
those who registered on the last day of the show are added in.
But whatever the final number, Clean ’03 reversed a trend
of declining attendance which began after its last visit to Las
Vegas in 1997.
As attendees walked the miles of purple
carpet in the exhibit hall, they found plenty to see. Well over
500 companies were on hand showing everything for garment care,
from safety pins and buttons to flatwork ironers and gigantic
tunnel washers.
Anyone hoping to find yet another new
drycleaning solvent would have been disappointed, but all of
the systems that have been introduced over the past few years
were represented and chances are you could find users of those
systems who could talk about their experiences of actual,
everyday use.
Likewise, there was plenty to look at in
finishing equipment with practically every major company
incorporating the latest developments in automation and
production enhancement.
Having the right tools is only the
beginning. The experts who have the know-how were on hand to
explain how to make the best use of those tools.
Seminars sponsored by the International
Fabricare Institute, one of the show’s six
cosponsors were jam packed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
mornings with hundreds filling the lecture halls to learn how
to do better cleaning and keep both customers and employees
happy.
There were, of course, other things going
on in Las Vegas besides the cleaning and laundry trade show.
After show hours, with the sun down and the temperature below
the century mark, those who still had the energy could find
plenty to do in this theme park for grown-ups.
With Clean ’03 in the books, the
show organizers can take a break, but it’s less than 22
months before Clean ’05 opens in that other famous
theme-park city — Orlando, FL. June 23-26 are the dates.
 |
