The words were spoken in Germany but they were about industry affairs in the United States. Speaking at last month's International Drycleaners Congress convention in Germany, International Fabricare Institute CEO Bill Fisher and Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International executive director Bill Seitz discussed in some detail the current problems and future possibilities facing U.S. drycleaners.
As one of five panelists on a program assessing the new technologies and environmental issues around the world, Fisher told the international gathering that the future direction of cleaning technology in the United States will hinge on how and to what extent perc is regulated. If regulation of perc becomes too severe, either wetcleaning, petroleum solvent, Rynex or liquid carbon dioxide will take over perc's position as the cleaning solvent of choice in the United States. Fisher predicted that the number of perc plants will slowly decline unless major new evidence comes to the fore that indicates perc is non-carcinogenic.
On another panel in which speakers presented the state of the textile care industry, Seitz said he fears the focus on environmental issues has kept the industry, both as individual operators and as a whole, from taking the time to develop a plan for business growth. This could lead, he said to the achievement of "an environmentally safe standard, but there won't be an industry to practice it."
Since only a relative few U.S. cleaners were on hand to hear the presentations in Munich, the texts of both speeches are being presented here for the reading audience.
Over the next year in the United States, I project that unless there is major new evidence supporting the non-carcinogenicity of perc, we will continue to see a slow decline in the number of perc drycleaning plants. The chief beneficiary of this decline will be the petroleum-based solvents, particularly Exxon's DF-2000.
The use of wetcleaning will continue to slightly increase, primarily with the installation of wetcleaning as a supplemental system in drycleaning plants. The few total wetcleaning facilities that go in will primarily be owned and operated by people who have little or no prior experience in the cleaning industry.
The target date for installation of even "beta" carbon dioxide systems continues to creep back, while the estimated price of equipment has almost doubled. Because of the high system cost and garment/fiber issues, there will be very few plants which will seriously consider carbon dioxide for drycleaning at this time.
Finally, Rynex, which has been operational in one U.S. plant for over six months but which reportedly has been rejected by at least one other plant after a short period of use, may face regulatory issues in the future.
That is my assessment for the drycleaning industry in the United States for 1998. There should be no major surprises in that assessment, and I believe that 1998 will represent a "holding pattern" for U.S. drycleaners.
But what changes are likely to occur in the United States in 1999? Or in 2000? Or in 2001?
I personally believe that there is a real possibility of several radical changes in the U.S. drycleaning industry by the year 2001.
However, each person might reach different conclusions based on the facts and other information available to me. With that in mind, I would like to provide (the facts that I) believe to be certain or reasonably certain... and see what conclusions you might draw from this information.
Societal effects on regulatory and environmental issues
As a broad statement, the regulatory and/or environmental climate in a country tends to reflect the cultural and societal aspects of that country.
Lawsuits have become almost a daily part of life in the United States. (As one surprising example, a branch of U.S. EPA once actively encouraged litigation by the drycleaning industry against EPA in order to fix an environmental standard.)
One result of the climate of litigation in the U.S. is that if there is an injury (whether to a person, property, or corporation), there is a growing feeling on the part of the average American that somebody else must be held responsible and must be made to pay.
One of the worst examples of this is the U.S. Superfund law where a person (such as a drycleaner) can be sued for contamination, even though they followed all regulations and laws. Additionally, Superfund allows an EPA (U.S. or state) to sue an innocent landowner to force them to clean up the contamination.
Current environmental and regulatory issues
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is currently developing a new exposure standard for perc. Based on our information, OSHA is likely to propose a standard as low as 5ppm for worker exposure.
U.S. EPA is expected to finish their CTSA document on perc in the next year and release it to the public. This document will most likely give numbers for "increased cancer risk" for consumers who visit a perc drycleaning plant, or who live in an apartment near a drycleaning plant, or who wear clothes cleaned in perc, etc.
The expressed goal of U.S. EPA's Office of Toxic Substances "Design for the Environment" program for drycleaning is to reduce the use of perc to the absolute minimum. Beginning with wetcleaning, the use of virtually any other process than perc is viewed as preferable and is to be actively encouraged.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (Lyon, France) has designated perc as a "probable" carcinogen, and has designed all drycleaning as "possibly" causing cancer.
At least six new studies in the past seven years claim to show evidence that perc produces cancer. No new studies have come from the producers of perc in that seven years that help show perc does not cause cancer, although IFI has learned that a study is now being planned.
Individual jurisdictions in the U.S. have enacted regulations on perc that are much tighter than the U.S. EPA standards, most notably, New York State, New York City and California.
Neither the U.S. Congress nor the U.S. EPA has shown any likelihood of changing the concept under Superfund that "if you caused the contamination of soil or water, even if you have been following all laws and regulations, you may be sued for cleanup costs and "injury".
The Barton Bill legislation supported by the U.S. drycleaning industry would offer relief to many perc drycleaners with contaminated property.
However, it will continue to take massive efforts by the drycleaning industry to push for Congress to pass this legislation, and it may take another two to three years to do so.
Assessment of new cleaning technologies
As the result of efforts of associations such as IFI, and subsequent later U.S. EPA Air Office regulations, there has been almost a four-to-one reduction in perc consumption in the U.S. over the past 15 years.
However, it is unlikely that there will be significant reductions in the future, unless smaller drycleaners in the U.S. replace older equipment. However, these are the plants that are the least financially able to afford new equipment.
Petroleum solvent usage is gaining in the United States as the result of several factors. One factor is that higher flash points with solvents such as DF-2000 allow petroleum plants to go into locations where they could not previously.
Additionally, there is a perception that there will be no problem with contamination if a plant is using petroleum solvent, although this is not necessarily true. Finally, there is currently no significant evidence of carcinogenicity for petroleum solvents used by the industry.
At the same time, the number of explosions and/or fires in petroleum systems appears to be increasing. Further, the knowledge and experience from 40 to 60 years ago appears to have been forgotten (or not known) by many of the recent petroleum drycleaners, and odor and solvent contamination problems have increased significantly.
Wetcleaning is being done on a more routine basis by existing drycleaners, as an adjunct to their solvent cleaning process.
The data from several wetcleaning demonstration projects is not sufficiently persuasive to cause existing drycleaners to convert to 100% wetcleaning.
Additionally, one 100% wetcleaning company, known for its public attacks on perc, has been reported to have been secretly drycleaning difficult garments, according to sworn statements given by former employees and drycleaning plants who handled the work.
At this time, it appears that the most accurate answer on wetcleaning is that up to 30 to 40% of garments brought in for drycleaning can be safely wetcleaned without any major adjustments in the plant.
The proportion of wetcleaned garments can be increased up to 90-plus%, but only with a significantly increased cost in labor and equipment. Put another way:
If your life depended on wetcleaning all garments, you could do virtually all of them, but the price to the consumer would become extremely high.
Carbon dioxide machines have still not entered the U.S. market and delays continue. Late summer of 1998 is now the earliest estimate for the first carbon dioxide equipment in the United States, and at a projected price of $160,000 per machine.
As most people are aware, significant issues with carbon dioxide include questions of the availability of adequate detergents, other effective additives, the potential effect on fibers such as acetate, and possible issues with respect to mechanical action.
Rynex, now acknowledged to be a glycol ether, has been in use for over six months in a commercial drycleaning operation in the state of Connecticut. This plant also has two perc systems in operation.
Results observed by IFI at the plant were encouraging, but these were not done under circumstances where full evaluations could be made for shrinkage, color loss, etc.
Another drycleaning facility in the New England area was reported to have stopped their use of Rynex after one week of operation because of garment problems and alleged corrosion in their drycleaning system.
While no environmental restrictions have been reported by the Rynex Corporation, the exact formulation of the product is not known.
In the U.S., when a chemical is used in a new process, and this causes a significant increase in the production of that chemical, U.S. EPA may begin to develop "Significant New Use Regulations" (SNUR) for that product.
I personally believe that the direction of the U.S. drycleaning industry by the year 2001 will hinge on the direction of future regulation of perc.
If those future regulations are achievable, then perc will continue to be the predominant solvent in our industry for many years.
If, however, those regulations are generally not achievable, then the state of development for wetcleaning, petroleum solvent, Rynex, and carbon dioxide will determine which of these will become the process of choice for the future in the United States.
I come before you without a crystal ball, but I believe my knowledge of our industry and the people who make it up give me both a historic but more important, a current perspective, of the challenges and many of the solutions needed for our industry to survive and prosper.
I honestly believe the future is bright with opportunities for growth that will make our past progress seem small by comparison.
What is sorely needed is for the industry to focus, or refocus, on the issues and factors that will move the industry in the positive and forward direction we must follow if we are to achieve the goals and objectives that are... certainly reasonably attainable.
One of the major problems that persists in our industry is our preoccupation with the environmental issues we have faced and continue to face, almost to the exclusion of a business plan to stimulate and put into motion a positive plan for growth. There is absolutely no question that the challenges of clean air, clean water, safe working conditions and a safe environment for the public will continue.
What is most important is that despite our fears and concerns, many solutions have been found and more will follow.
The technology within our industry today has proven how much better and safer we can operate.
I sincerely believe that progress will continue at even a more rapid pace in the future.
The technology outside the industry, namely the ability to remove contamination more quickly and more economically, is already happening.
What we must do individually and as an industry is to accept and embrace the need for safety. We need to, as most progressive industries have, accept regulations as a fact of life.
Yes, we must be vigilant and fight for fair and reasonable regulations, but we must accept and achieve a standard that removes the public's perception that we are a "dangerous" industry.
The reality is that when we accept the challenge we will find that not only that we achieve the safety, but it will also be cost-effective as well.
In the last 10 years perchloroethylene consumption is down by 70 percent. In the past, a drycleaner operating a transfer unit (first generation) or dry-to-dry vented (second generation) unit used 1.5 to 2 55-gallon drums of perc per month. Now with state of the art non-vented third and fourth generation drycleaning units they are using 1.5 to 2 drums per year.
The bigger problem that concerns me is that we will achieve an environmentally safe standard, but there won't be an industry to practice it.
Who is the enemy?I have seen the enemy and he is us.
The political satirist and cartoonist (Walt Kelly) made that statement with his character "Pogo." It has never been as true as it is today. Not just from an environmental perspective but more importantly from a business philosophy.
I believe that the biggest threat we face as an industry is ourselves. I am concerned and dismayed at the continuing decline of the quality and service that exists in too many drycleaning plants today.
The most common customer complaint about drycleaners in 1998 is "they don't remove stains." The third largest category of problems in NCA-I garment analysis department is not a fabric failure, but is redeposition of soil, which is just a fancy name for cleaning in dirty solvent.
Despite the fact that drycleaning machines have never been better and more efficient and that spotting, chemicals and procedures have never offered a better potential for removing 95 percent of the stains on garments safely, it is not being done.
We need to focus on why we exist as an industry. We exist because we are able to perform a service that no one can duplicate or exceed at home. In reality, many customers can take garments back from drycleaners with stains, yellowing, from oxidation or other imperfections that the drycleaner says can't be removed or improved and with a home washing machine, mild detergent and safety bleaches do a better job than the professional.
In America, we saw the results of this lack of quality and professionalism on the TV Show "Prime Time Live." NCA-I, in our own secret shopper survey, got the same poor results.
We must focus on the words "Quality and Service" and make their meaning reality, not rhetoric. We must train people to be professionals. We must insist on a standard of quality and service that is constantly improving and is consistent, not only when it is convenient but always. We must inspect and return garments to spotters and pressers that do not meet our unrelenting commitment to do better. We can not afford to let our guard down for a minute.
In my travels throughout the USA and the world, the most successful drycleaners I encounter fit a common profile. Their businesses are clean and bright. Their staff is equally clean and bright, and most important, they understand and are sympathetic to the customer's needs. The product returned to the customer is consistently good and is packaged to make it look even better.
Last but certainly not the least is that they charge the highest prices and their customers are happy to pay because they wear their clothes with pride and the knowledge that their drycleaner "helps them look their best."
Let me close with a simple formula for you to follow. Try to remember the first year you were in business. Was there anything you wouldn't do for your customers? Nothing was too difficult. Customers were never unreasonable or too demanding. We knew that in order to succeed in our new venture we had to be better and we were successful. Take my advice. When you go back home, begin operating your business as you did your first year. I promise that you will be very pleasantly surprised if not amazed at the results.
I have never met a drycleaner who went out of business because their product and service was too good. Everybody is looking for a good drycleaner. Every drycleaner can be that good drycleaner if they want to. It takes knowledge. It takes work. It takes commitment but it must be done because it is the road to survival.
I urge you when you return to your respective businesses to focus. Step back 15 feet and look at your business and see what your customer and potential customers see. Look at your call office and the people behind the counter and see if they look sharp and are doing the job they should be doing. Take 10 completed orders off the racks and pick-up the poly bags and look at the garments your customers will be getting. Does it meet your standards? I hope so.
Thank you for listening
Not so many years ago, they were a species that appeared to be near extinction in the United States, but now their numbers are multiplying. Signs that they are a thriving and growing band are all around -- at trade shows, at industry conferences and seminars, in advertisements and articles in the trade press, on internet forums and in conversation whenever two or three drycleaners might meet.
They are drycleaners who use petroleum solvent and their time may have come -- again.
At this spring's EPA-sponsored conference on the future of the drycleaning industry, petroleum solvent was placed on the agenda as an "emerging technology" along with Rynex and liquid carbon dioxide. But unlike the latter two, petroleum solvent has been fully emerged for years. Cleaners have been using it for decades. What is emerging is a greater interest in its use, due in part to increasingly stiff regulations of perc and also to developments in petroleum solvent machinery and in the solvent itself.
A budding group that calls itself the National Coalition of Petroleum Dry cleaners (NCPDC) met May 15 in Atlanta during the South Eastern Fabricare Association's trade show to take stock of themselves and set course for the future. Formed last year, the group now counts 200 members in its ranks and hopes to make that 300 by the end of this year.
At the meeting, NCPDC president Mike Jones of Louisville, KY, said the industry must consider the possibility of a "future without perc."
"EPA doesn't like perc," Jones said. "We're telling EPA that petroleum is different. We must demonstrate to EPA that petroleum is an alternative that is actually in use. This is where being organized can help us survive."
As alternatives go, Jones is not sold on wetcleaning as a viable, 100-percent replacement for perc. "I do a lot of wetcleaning," he said. "I have several Aquaclean machines. I know that you can't do everything in water."
Jones and other NCPDC members emphasized that their association is not in competition with the International Fabricare Institute or the Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International.
Larry Adler, NCPDC's treasurer from Memphis, TN, noted that of the six NCPDC steering committee members, two are also members of NCAI and four are members of IFI. NCPDC, he said, will work in cooperation with those associations, not in competition with them.
Nor do they, as petroleum cleaners, want to disparage cleaners who use perc.
"We are not here to slam perc," Jones said. "Consumers don't know the difference and don't care. You can't bad mouth one part of the industry without bringing everybody down."
What NCPDC wants to do is concentrate on issues of particular interest to petroleum solvent cleaners. These range from new rules and regulations governing the use of petroleum solvent to education and information for petroleum solvent users or perc cleaners thinking about converting to petroleum solvent.
Currently in play is the National Fire Protection Association's Standard 32 for petroleum solvent drycleaning. NFPA began the process last year of reviewing and revising the standard to take into account new safety features of petroleum solvent machinery and higher-flash point solvents.
NCPDC treasurer John Fehlner of Clinton, NY, is a member of the NFPA review committee which includes other industry people as well as representatives from government and academia. Fehlner said the committee expects to meet in October to hear public comment on the propose rules with the final revisions to be presented at NFPA's convention next spring. New rules could then go into effect in July of next year.
NCPDC has also been concerned about possible future air regulations of petroleum plants coming from EPA. Snyder said at the Atlanta meeting that it appears EPA will back off from regulating petroleum solvent as a Hazardous Air Pollutant.
IFI has also been talking to EPA about the issue and last month said that information it provided EPA has led the federal agency to agree that petroleum solvents present minimal threats to human health. Future air regulations of petroleum solvent would be based on less stringent "area source" standards, rather than developing Maximum Achievable Control Technology" standards, IFI said.
State-level regulations and legislation concern petroleum drycleaners, too. Site remediation laws in which cleaners contribute to a statewide fund for cleaning up solvent-contaminated property are being monitored by NCPDC. While often thought of as primarily an issue for perc drycleaners, the laws touch petroleum cleaners, too, through surcharges on solvent purchases or gross receipts taxes.
Likewise, NCPDC has taken a position in support of H.R. 1711, the Barton bill. That legislation, although of particular interest to perc drycleaners, does not specifically mention perc; it speaks only of "drycleaning solvents."
The coalition's role in providing information and education was also discussed at the meeting.
Quarterly newsletters and a membership directory have already been produced. The need for education and information on safety issues, particularly concerning guidelines for conversions and retrofitting of perc equipment, was brought out in Atlanta. Jones said he wants NCPDC to provide as much information as possible.
More information on the coalition is available from Snyder at NCPDC's Calverton, MD, office, (888) 256-2732.
Changes in care labeling rules that would encourage home laundering of garments are part of a package of proposals from the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC rule requires labels indicating instructions for at least one safe method to be placed on clothing and certain piece goods.
Among care label rule changes offered by the FTC in a May 8 Federal Register Notice is one that would require washing instructions for all garments that can be laundered and finished at home. Other care methods, such as drycleaning and possibly professional wetcleaning, could also be indicated on the labels, but only one method of care would be required.
At the same time, a manufacturer or importer who places a "dryclean only" label on a garment will have to show that the garment can not be laundered in a home washer.
Put another way, the rule would require that all garments have washing instructions unless the manufacturer or importer can prove drycleaning is the only safe way to clean the garment.
The change, the FTC believes, would give consumers the option of "saving money by washing at home instead of incurring the higher expenses of drycleaning." It would also let those consumers who want to avoid or reduce their use and exposure to drycleaning solvents do so by giving them information about the washability of apparel items at the time of purchase, the FTC said.
Labels that give washing instructions could also state other care methods -- professional wetcleaning or drycleaning, for example -- but providing those instructions would be optional for the manufacturer or importer. FTC rejected the concept of dual labeling -- requiring instructions for more than one care method.
Wetcleaning instruction
The new requirements for washing instructions are but one part of the revisions now under consideration.
Other revisions include a new "professional wetclean" care instruction, new definitions of water temperature and changes in requirements under which manufacturers and importers must show a "reasonable basis" for the care instructions placed on labels.
While the groundwork is set for a "professional wetcleaning" label, stipulations could make its use problematic. A garment with a "professional wetclean" label would also need to show an alternative method for cleaning the garment (washing or drycleaning) unless professional wetcleaning is the only method by which the garment can be cleaned.
That would make "professionally wetclean" the only care instruction for which an alternative method is required. The FTC said the alternative is needed because "many consumers do not currently have access to professional wetcleaners."
The "professionally wetclean" label would also have to designate which wetcleaning process should be used, unless any type can be used. The care label would also have to show the fiber content of the garment.
Reasonable basis
The "reasonable basis" rule, which states that the manufacturer or importer must possess "prior to sale reliable evidence for each component part of the product" for the care instructions shown on the label.
An amendment adding the words "reliable evidence for the garment as a whole" would make it clear that the care instructions must apply to the garment as a whole, not just its parts.
"Testing of separate components is not necessarily sufficient if problems are likely to occur when the components are combined," FTC noted.
The FTC also noted that the United States, Mexico and Canada are in the process of "harmonizing" their labeling requirements. Once that process is done, further modification of the reasonable basis rule could proceed.
Water temperatures
Definitions of water temperatures used on care instructions would also change. The upper range for "cold" water would be 86 degrees F; for "warm" it would be 111 degrees F. and for hot it would be 125 degrees F. A new designation, "very hot," would indicate water temperature up to 145 degrees F.
The FTC said these changes take into account changes in water heater settings and consumer washing practices and are consistent with definitions used by the American Association of Textile Colorists and Chemists.
Modifications of the Care Label Rule have been in the works for several years. Last year, the FTC began allowing symbols-only care labels provided that a hang tag or some other explanation of the symbols accompanied the garment. At the beginning of 1999, the explanatory tags will no longer be required.
Comments on the proposals can be submitted to the FTC until July 27. Copies of the Federal Register Notice, the Commission's Care Labeling Rule and other information on the Care Labeling Rule, are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-FTC-HELP (202-382-4357).
What is professional wetcleaning?
Under the Federal trade Commission's proposed amendments to the care label rule, professional wetcleaning would be defined as follows:
Professional wet cleaning means a system of cleaning by means of equipment consisting of a computer-controlled washer and dryer, wet cleaning software, and biodegradable chemicals specifically formulated to safely wet clean wool, silk, rayon, and other natural and man-made fibers. The washer uses a frequency-controlled motor, which allows the computer to control precisely the degree of mechanical action imposed on the garments by the wet cleaning process.
The computer also controls time, fluid levels, temperatures, extraction, chemical injection, drum rotation, and extraction parameters. The dryer incorporates a residual moisture (or humidity) control to prevent over-drying of delicate garments. The wet cleaning chemicals are formulated from constituent chemicals on the EPA's public inventory of approved chemicals pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act.
FTC said 29 comments were submitted on creating a new "professionally wetclean" label; only four were opposed. However, the issue is not as clear cut as the relative lack of opposition might make it seem.
Comments submitted in opposition to a professionally wetclean label expressed concern that the instruction might be confused by consumers with normal "home washing" and that the new technology is not widely understood nor widely available.
The FTC took those concerns into consideration in developing its proposal. The lack of widespread availability led FTC to propose that an alternative care method be included on any label that calls for professional wetcleaning.
The FTC is asking specifically for comments and more information on the number of businesses that provide wetcleaning services, as defined in its proposal, on a regular basis.
Another FTC concern is the lack of a standardized test that manufacturers can use to establish a reasonable basis for a professional wetcleaning label. Representatives of the garment manufacturing and textile industries said it is not yet known how fiber sand dyes will stand up to professional wetcleaning.
The American Textile Manufacturers Institute said that fabrics used in clothes that carry dryclean labels have finishes and formulations designed for drycleaning and that if those garments were professionally wetcleaning "we would expect to see an increase in apparel damage claims."
ATMI said the industry would need two to three years of phase-in time to assure that dyes and finishes will work compatibly with wetcleaning processes.
Opinions on what percentage of garments can be satisfactorily wetcleaned varied widely in comments submitted to the FTC. Aqua Clean estimated that 90 percent of garments can be safely wetcleaned. Other commenters estimated of 30 to 75 percent of garments that are drycleaned can be wetcleaned.
Representatives will pay a lot of attention to you if you are a constituent. People forget how sensitive they are to people back home... Ten or twelve letters will alert Congressional staff to an issue.
So says Gary Baise in a story on page 4 of this issue of National Clothesline. What he also said is that when a minimum of four constituents go into the office of a Member of Congress, an impression will be made on the representative. And when six or seven show up to discuss HR 1711, the "Barton bill," about 98 percent of the time they come out with a sponsor. Without the involvement of cleaners, any lobbying effort by the lawyers and associations is ineffective.
The problem today is that the Barton bill co-sponsor drive has stalled. The number of sponsors hasn't budged from the high seventies since early April. Remember, 100 co-sponsors are needed to move the bill and summer is upon us -- an election year summer, which spells a short calendar for Congress.
Just as the members of Congress shift their campaigns into a higher gear as Election Day approaches, so must the cleaners who want to see a change in the way the EPA identifies a plant as a perc-contaminated site. There are many cleaners who can join together to pay a visit to their local representative's home office. The Congressman or Congresswoman need not be there the first time. It's enough to go in, address the issue with the staff person and make an appointment to see the representative when he or she is in the home district. If you're not sure who represents you, call your state or local cleaners' association to find out. Then work with them to get a small group together on a trip to the district congressional office.
If this industry is going to generate change, it will be the small business owners who join together on the issues to get the job done. You are the constituents. You will be the beneficiaries. Work together on a problem and you will find that it's both easy to do and a smart business move.
We can't think of anyone who has fought longer and harder and in all arenas for the interests of the drycleaning industry than the heads of the industry's two leading trade associations -- Bill Seitz of the Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International and Bill Fisher of the International Fabricare Institute. Both have dedicated most of their adult lives to the industry, through good times and bad, putting in the kind of hours that bespeak not just of doing a job but a pursuing labor of love.
So when either of the Bills gets up to speak, we recommend you listen. When both of them speak, listen twice. In particular, we recommend that you take a few minutes to study the content of the talks each gave at the recent International Drycleaners Congress convention.
Both say -- and few would argue -- that environmental regulations have been and continue to be a driving force in the industry, perhaps in some cases taking over the business decision-making process for many cleaners.
Seitz worries that the on-going attention to environmental regulations has caused other equally important concerns -- such as serving customers' needs and maintaining quality standards -- to recede into the background. The customer, he reminds us, is the most important person. While cleaners must deal with environmental issues, if the customer is forgotten there may soon be no business to deal with. Cleaners also need to rededicate themselves to doing a better job of cleaning clothes. As someone once said, "My environmental begins with my clothes." That is the "environment" with which that cleaners should be most concerned.
Fisher's concern is that increasingly severe regulations on perc will force a shift to other cleaning technologies, some tried and tested, others still experimental. Petroleum-based solvents appear to be the best option to perc that cleaners have now. Wetcleaning as a total replacement for perc is doubtful. Rynex and liquid carbon dioxide? Not yet ready for prime time.
There are no simple answers, just simple questions. Wrestling with the questions and looking for the answers and working to get good, solid information to the industry are the fortes of both Bill Fisher and Bill Seitz. As we forge ahead into a future that could hold either promise or calamity, the knowledge, experience and tireless devotion to the industry of these two men will be called upon again and again. We owe our respect and gratitude to both.
Two articles in your April 1998 issue caught my attention. "When drycleaners attack drycleaners," by Bill Seitz, and "Is there nothing that can be done?" by Alan Robson.
The headline of the Bill Seitz article, "When drycleaners attack drycleaners," caused me to think of the large number of drycleaners that criticize other drycleaners, although very often justified.
An overwhelming number of consumers hold our industry in low esteem due to their having had a bad experience with the work of a drycleaner.
The IFI has attempted to improve this unfavorable perception through their publications, their analysis service, and their fair claims guide. All these tools add up to "educate yourselves and your customers." I know of no other industry association that puts so much work and resources into this area.
It is unfortunate that, nationwide, less than 20 percent of drycleaners belong to IFI. The membership dues would represent only a very small portion of their receipts, but the rewards would be so much greater. Membership in the IFI would give them the tools necessary to become professional drycleaners and reduce the number of claims, thereby enhancing their reputation, as well as the reputation of the entire industry.
The article by Alan Robson also speaks to what drycleaners can do to improve the publics' perception of our industry.
Allowing for Mr. Robson's statistics to be valid, showing that it will benefit cleaners by having a more stable workforce, an equal benefit to them and their customers, would be having a more experienced workforce, capable of performing better quality work, thereby reducing the amount of claims -- all which add to the bottom line.
We have a long way to go toward improving the perception held by many of our industry. But drycleaners can take a giant step forward by joining the IFI. As I stated earlier, membership in the IFI will equip them with some of the tools necessary to make them professional drycleaners, and help stabilize their workforce.
Finally, I would say that the unfavorable perception of the drycleaning industry could be diminished by treating our customers more fairly when a mistake has been made by our employees.
Harold Weiner
Barry's Cleaners & Launderers
New London, CT
As Mr. William Seitz recently indicated in his article published in the April issue of National Clothesline, progress is not measured by intra-industry name calling or targeting the negatives of competitors.
As the executive director for the newly formed National Coalition of Petroleum Dry Cleaners (NCPDC), I want to communicate the message of the Coalition. NCPDC was formed on the simple basis that the mission is to promote and preserve the interests of the petroleum drycleaning industry, not to "point fingers" at the competition. In fact, NCPDC supports H.R. 1711, the "Small Business Remediation Act," known to the industry as the Barton Bill.
NCPDC is somewhat disappointed that circumstances promoted Mr. Seitz to write an article that responded to isolated negative statements involving some petroleum drycleaners. We want to work with Mr. Seitz and others in this industry to assure a healthy and competitive marketplace for all of us, whatever drycleaning system is used. Maybe, by working together, we can still help reduce or eliminate the "negatives" and champion our respective missions to advance the industry.
Russell K. Snyder
NCPDC executive director
Calverton, MD
It pays to mind your own business. If you don't, your competitors will..
They provide identical services -- with one exception. They claim that their services are better than yours, and they'll try to prove it through a medium called advertising.
If you allow this to happen, you may lose your business. This is called direct competition.
Then there is indirect competition. This involves you and your customers and not your drycleaning competitor. This occurs when a man or woman, perhaps most often woman, contemplates a decision whether to have a dress drycleaned or not.
She hates the thought of trashing it. She remembers the compliments she got when wearing it. But not anymore. It was beautiful when it was new. After the first drycleaning, she noticed some of the newness was gone.
Later she had the dress cleaned again because of a small stain. The drycleaner removed the stain but he also removed some color -- not much but noticeable.
With a sigh, she decided not to have the dress drycleaned. She bought a new one. Indirectly the drycleaner helped in making that decision. He was his own competitor.
The biggest mistake drycleaners make is neglecting responsibility and failing to deliver on the 'needs and wants' that consumers desire to have met.
In order to be responsive and understand what customers want we must be customer oriented. We must know what customers want.
We can find out by asking, market research, and importantly, by improving our services so that customer needs will be satisfied. To do this takes commitment and consistency.
When we advertise, and we should, our message should be newsworthy and emphasize value.
Customers want to learn and understand the good of your service.
Why is it better? Customers want to be convinced.
Will their needs be satisfied?
What assurance can you give?
In getting people to respond to your advertisement, focus on emotions. Decisions are influenced by emotions. Tell why your services will improve their sense of well being!
You will make them look good.
Tell them why they are worth it.
Tell them why they deserve it.
And, tell them why they want it.
Use persuasion in telling consumers to buy your services. Persuasion is just a bit of friendly encouragement. It is not high pressure, but it quickens the desire to buy.
Drycleaners with a selling background have a better chance of succeeding than those who don't have such experience. Advertising must speak to individuals instead of groups because response comes from individuals. Prospects want to know what is in it for them. You tell them through your advertisement.
Having a good product or service is very important. Getting it to the market place is also important. You do this by advertising. How else will a multitude of people know that you provide such services?
First, think of your advertisement as a person standing in a crowded room trying to get someone's attention when everyone in the room is trying the same thing. In advertising, use headlines to attract attention with a few outstanding words.
The fewer the better. People glance first at the headlines before reading the contents. It is important to use possessive words such as your or yours.
Get people to want and buy your services. Then the word "want" becomes a possessive word.
Everyone wants something, even when they don't need it.
Apparel makers and retailers are creating alienated shoppers who can't find the things they want -- casual life-style clothing, better fitting garments and better in-store service.
That's what members of the American Apparel Manufacturers Association heard from David Cole, chairman and chief executive officer of Kurt Salmon Associates at their convention in Orlando, FL, last month.
"Consumers' expectations about what they want in their apparel and in their shopping experiences are rising but not only are those not being met, the evidence is that we're abandoning consumers, putting them up for adoption," Cole told the group's meeting at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
With that, he said, it's not surprising that predictions made in the early '90s that said half of U.S. clothing retailers would disappear by 2000 are coming true.
A report on the convention carried by Women's Wear Daily said James Osterreicher, chairman and CEO of J.C. Penney, echoed Cole's comments in his keynote speech.
Meeting consumers' demands is more difficult today than ever, but garment makers and retailers must meet the challenge by providing "a clear solution to (the consumer's) problem or need."
"Answer that demand and we've got a sale. Fail to provide it and (the customer) is history -- and maybe you are, too," Osterreicher said.
Only a few makers and retailers do research on consumer preferences, track purchases or test potential new products, said Adele Kirk, consumer marketing manager of Kurt Salmon Associates. While consumers have become more savvy and changed their requirements, the industry has "focused on cost reductions instead of finding ways to create value in their products," she said.
A KSA survey found that 44 percent of consumers say that more free time is of greater importance than more money and 52 percent said they try to attain that goal by shopping less.
Kirk said that 89 percent of the 1,000 consumers surveyed said comfortable clothes are more important than fashionable attire. For 73 percent, being "in style" is no longer important.
Consumers overwhelmingly want casual-fitting clothes, especially pants, skirts and shirts. Kirk said the apparel industry "has got to get out of the design studios and make what the apparel consumers want and will buy."
Dissatisfaction with the shopping experience is evident, too. Kirk said 80 percent of the consumers surveyed said "stores don't seem to care as much about their customers as they used to."
Kirk said garment makers need to do consumer research and product testing.
"Some say they can't afford this research, which costs maybe 1 percent of sales, but the response is that they can't afford not to. It is that important," Kirk said.
Investment is needed in new technology that would let shoppers check themselves out of stores rather than standing on cashier lines and use body-scanning devices that would tell them where to find the styles, colors and sizes they want. She noted that Levi Strauss & Co. stores are beginning to use technologies that would allow consumers to buy nearly custom-made jeans with a three-week delivery time.
J.C. Penney's Osterreicher took note of the Disney surroundings after lamenting that today's customers seem to want products that are constantly innovative, available immediately, in styles and colors that fit their whims -- and they want to get it for as close to zero as possible.
At Disney, Osterreicher noted, prices are not "as close to zero as possible. In fact, they're getting a premium. The whole Disney experience is the very definition of quality. Hence, they can rightfully charge a premium."
Attendees heard from Bruce Jones of the Disney Institute who explained how customer loyalty is built by presenting and experience that exceeds expectations, allowing Disney to sell value-added products and services and premium prices. Jones noted that Disney lets employees suggest ways to improve merchandise, operations and service.
What do women want?
In apparel, it's denim, according to Cotton Inc. The answer came from 1,200 phone interviews with consumers for the organization's Lifestyle Monitor studies.
Casual dressing finished a close second in the poll, with a reading of 62 out of a possible 100 among all women. The "casual barometer" has been rising steadily, Cotton Inc. noted, coming in at 56 in the first survey in 1994 and climbing above 60 -- and staying there since -- in the second quarter of 1997.
Holding steady in third place was shopping, scoring a 56. Coming in fourth and fifth were Fashion and Appearance, scoring 44 and 39 respectively.
The survey is primarily aimed at gathering data about attitudes and behavior regarding shopping, fashion and appearance. Denim has always yielded the highest score in the surveys, Cotton Inc. said, and the current reading is the highest ever recorded for denim. It's a favorite of young women in particular, and women in general say they "put on" denim jeans an average of over four days each week.
Purchases of clothes specifically for "corporate casual" are on the rise, the survey found. Twenty-two percent of the women said they have bought "corporate casual" clothes, up from 13 percent a year ago.
Overall interest in clothing and fashions appears to be picking up, too. When asked if they agree or disagree with the statement, "I am not as interested in clothing as I used to be," just under 40 percent agreed. Cotton Inc. said that is the lowest score ever reported for that question and is down 5.6 percent from a year ago.
One-fifth of the women said they "love shopping for clothes" and almost a third said they spent more than $100 on clothing in the past month.
Expo Lorsa '98, Mexico's laundry and drycleaning exhibition and conference, will be held in Guadalajara City, Mexico August 6-8.
Attendance at the previous Expo Lorsa in 1994 was 1,400. This year's show is expected to draw more than 2,500 visitors with participation from equipment manufacturers from the United States and Europe.
Invitations to attend will be mailed to more than 12,000 companies throughout Mexico and Central and South America, encompassing drycleaning business, hospitals, hotels, industrial and commercial laundries, coin-op laundries, textile industries, restaurants and a variety of other related or interested institutions.
Some 4,000 square meters of space will accommodate the show and conference. Booths are offered in sizes ranging from 9 to 180 square meters. Exhibitors who do not speak Spanish will be supported by show staff who will assist with translation and any other language problem.
Exhibit hours will be 12:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Special events during the show include a dinner for all suppliers and exhibitors on Thursday, Aug. 6 and a cocktail party at the Hotel Continental on Friday evening for clients and customers.
Jacket and tie are suggested attire for both events as well as during the show itself on Thursday and Friday. Saturday attire at the show will be "business casual."
Educational conferences will be held Thursday and Friday afternoons with separate sessions geared to the interests of drycleaners, launderers and textile processors.
Among the speakers on drycleaning topics will be Dr. Manfred Wentz, Bill Seitz, Thomas Fleck, Mike Lyon and Glen D. Phillips.
Rooms are available at three hotels within walking distance of the exhibition hall with room prices ranging from $85 a night at the Guadalajara Plaza Expo, to $90 a night at the Hotel Fiesta Inn to $100 at the Hotel Continental.
More information on the show is available from the organizers by calling (from the US) 011-523-122-5363, fax 011-523-121-5091 or sending email to lorsa@acent.net. Information is also available from the Expo Lorsa web site at http://www.lorsa.com.
Organizers of the Texcare Asia exhibitions say that expectations have been exceeded for the show which will be held at the World Trade Center in Singapore Aug. 19-21.
About 100 exhibitors had signed up to take 95 percent of the available exhibition space by May.
Italy and Germany are the best represented European exhibitors nations with 22 and 16 companies respectively. Organizers reported that 18 U.S. companies signed up.
Texcare Asia is supported by the European Laundry and Dry Cleaning Manufacturers Organizations (ELMO), the Italian Association of Manufacturers of Laundry and Dry Cleaning Machines (ACIMIT), the Association of German Machinery and Plant Builders (VDMA) and the Laundry Machinery Manufacturers International (LEAD).
The exhibition is also receiving support of the European Union which is promoting the entry of European companies to the Southeast Asia market through a Business Forum which will be held at Westin Stamford Hotel in Singapore on the eve of the show's opening.
The Aug. 18 forum is being organized by the Laundry and Dry Cleaning Machines Working Group of the VDMA in conjunction with Messe Frankfurt Singapore.
The forum should give European companies a platform from which they can present themselves to the new market and contribute to the dialogue, said Dirk John, project manager of Messe Frankfurt.
Concurrent lecture programs will focus on laundry machines and drycleaning machines with speakers from Boewe, BÜFA, Donini, Jensen, Kannegiesser, Milnor, Renzacci, Singkingwerk and Union as well as from the Hohenstein and wfk institutes.
Information is available from Messe Frankfurt Singapore, phone 65 737 1704, fax 65 732 9296, or from Messe Frankfurt GmbH, phone 49 69 7575 6618 6297 or fax 49 69 7575 6788.
TexCare organizers said that the Texcare International show will be held in Frankfurt, Germany, June 14-18, 2000.
Lindus S.R.L of Italy has appointed Christopher DuBach as president of the North American sales, marketing and distribution as of April 13.
Lindus USA, Inc. located at 960 Northpoint Blvd., Waukegan, IL, will warehouse an inventory of parts and machinery for distribution to Lindus distributors and customers in North America.
DuBach was formerly the vice president of sales for Firbimatic/Eco Dry of America and has six years experience in sales and marketing of drycleaning machinery throughout North America.
Lindus USA, Inc., markets a product line of third and fourth generation machines from 35 pounds to 80 pounds.
A line of hydrocarbon machines will be introduced by next year.
Parts can be obtained either by local distributors or through Lindus USA, Inc.
DuBach said his goals are, "to provide distributors and customers with the best possible sales and service."
Bill Walthall has been named assistant plant manager in charge of research and development for Resillo Press Pad Co., a manufacturer of laundry and drycleaning press pads.
Walthall, 37, previously worked for F.H. Bonn & Co. where he started as a cloth cutter and advanced to senior R&D engineer with responsibility for designing press covers and pads. In that capacity he worked extensively with distributors, press manufacturers and end users. At Resillo he is responsible for assuring that the company's hand-crafted products meet customer specification.
Leo Pearl, president of Resillo, said Walthall will be "central to our expansion as we continue to introduced new products for the 21st century. His technical expertise and the respect he has earned in the business are tremendous assets we are thrilled to have at Resillo."
Walthall resides in Hoffman Estates, IL, with his wife and three children.
Resillo, founded in Illinois in 1933, is known for its patented, stainless steel mesh pad technology and its Firma-Soft drycleaning press pads with the patented steam diffuser.
Alliance Laundry Systems LLC has completed its acquisition of Raytheon Commercial Laundry, the commercial laundry equipment manufacturing business of Raytheon Co., for approximately $358 million.
Headquartered in Ripon, WI, Alliance was founded by the senior management team of Raytheon Commercial Laundry and Bain Capital Inc. of Boston, a private equity firm. The new privately held company will be led by Tom L'Esperance, chairman and chief executive officer. He was president of Raytheon Commercial Laundry.
L'Esperance said the company represents, as its name suggests, a continuing alliance of three major brand names -- Speed Queen, UniMac and Huebsch. Alliance has commercial laundry equipment manufacturing plants in Ripon, Marianna, FL, and Madisonville, KY. Its products are marketed to coin laundries, multi-family housing locations, on-premise laundries and drycleaners worldwide.
Jeff Brothers, senior vice president of sales and marketing, said the company has no plans to alter the strategies that have been successful to date nor does it anticipate any changes in employment levels as a result of the transaction.
Edward Conard, managing director of Bain Capital, said the partnership represents an opportunity to be involved in a "well established enterprise in a stable industry with solid brand equity in its products."
Founded in 1984, Bain Capital focuses on identifying companies where it can add value by committing the firm's capital, managerial expertise and strategic planning capabilities.
The firm manages more than $2 billion in capital and has made more than 100 equity investments to date. Bain's portfolio consists of companies that generate revenues of approximately $10 billion.
The sale essentially completes Raytheon's divestiture of its appliance business units, including its home appliance and heating/air conditioning businesses, which were sold in 1997. Raytheon said that total proceeds from the sale of its appliance business units and receivables are approximately $1.2 billion.
Based in Lexington, MA, Raytheon is a global technology company with worldwide sales of more than $20 billion and more than 118,000 employees. Working in the areas of defense and commercial electronics, engineering and construction and business and special mission aircraft.
Westgate Software has completed its acquisition of Solutions By Computer Inc. (SBC), a company that specialized in local and wide area networking, Internet communications, computerized office automation and business systems integration.
Mark Jones, president of SBC, assumes the position of vice president of sales and marketing at Westgate. The entire SBC operation has moved into the Westgate Software business offices in Draper, Utah.
Westgate said the acquisition more than doubles the size of the company and provides expanded technological focus for its upcoming release of SPOT for Windows in 1998.
Lee has a background in electrical engineering and is a graduate of the University of Illinois. He previously worked as marketing manager for Boar Trading Corp.
Also, Sang Jun has announced that he is resigning as managing director of CNA and will establish his own company, SKJ Engineering and Machinery Inc. The company is located at 1147 Longmeadow Dr., Glenview, IL 60025; phone and fax numbers are (847) 486-0399.
In addition to his most recent position with Daewoo, he worked in the Daewoo Construction Corp. plant and mechanical division as mechanical manager and also was maintenance engineer for Hyatt Hotel in Indianapolis, IN.
John Olinger has been named president of Hoyt Corp. and its affiliate, Westport Environmental Systems, by the company's board of directors.
Olinger joined the company in 1996 as industrial sales manager and became Midwest regional manager in 1997. His background includes sale and marketing as well as all aspects of the laundry and drycleaning and environmental industries.
He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor of science degree in marketing. A resident of Chicago for the past two years, he will relocate to he Providence, RI, area.
IFI's Outreach Seminars are increasing in attendance with 1,001 drycleaners attending in the last year. IFI said that cleaners have indicated a preference for educational programs that are close to their homes and businesses.
Outreach seminars were held in 26 different U.S. cities and on the following topics: stain removal, counter sales, OSHA regulations, finishing techniques, and wedding gown care.
"Our classes in Stain Removal and Finishing are proving to be very popular with our students," according to Mary Scalco, vice president for education & research. She cited both convenience and the courses' comprehensiveness as key factors stimulating the growth in registration for the Outreach Seminars.
The Resident Courses, which are held at IFI headquarters in Silver Spring, drew 302 students during the past fiscal year. More drycleaners opted for the Introductory course (144), which runs for one week. The two-week Advanced class had 92 attendees.
Other resident courses included advanced stain removal, wetcleaning, and basic stain removal accounting for another 66 students.
The outreach programs continue in June with sessions on stain removal planned for Denver, CO, on June 13 and Salt Lake City, UT, on June 27. Both sessions will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Upcoming resident courses at IFI headquarters include a two-day Total Quality Management seminar June 26 and 27.
The session will cover quality service and managing, including customer expectations, mission statements, job analysis and employee relations. The course is $195 for IFI members and $295 for non-members.
The 1998 series of introductory and advanced drycleaning courses is continuing, also.
The next one-week Introduction to Drycleaning course will be June 13-17 and the next two-week Advanced Drycleaning course will be July 20-31.
Starting dates for other introductory drycleaning courses this year are August 10, Sept. 14 and Oct. 26.
The advanced course will also be offered starting Aug. 17, Sept. 21 and Nov. 2.
Registration for the introductory course is $350 for IFI members and $455 for non-members. Classes meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The two-week advanced course costs $700 for IFI members and $910 for non-members. Classes meet Monday through Friday during two consecutive weeks.
For more information or to register, contact Susan Bale at IFI, (800) 638-2627 ext. 144.
JEMISON, AL -- "Experience the Alternatives" is the title of a series of weekend classes to be offered during the summer at the Blue Ribbon Fabricare Center in Jemison.
Carolyn Schwass of Blue Ribbon and Ann Hargrove, an independent cleaning consultant, will lead the sessions which have been designed to give garment care professionals hands-on training in non-perc cleaning methods. Cleaning technologies to be covered will include DF2000 (hydrocarbon) solvent, wetcleaning and Rynex. Topics to be discussed are an overview of immediate alternatives to perc, environmental requirements, finishing, retrofitting, spotting and wetcleaning.
The classes will meet every Sunday and Monday in June, July and August. The cost is $600 with lunch included and transportation provided. To reserve a space or for more information, contact Blue Ribbon at (205) 688-2414 or Ann Hargrove at (708) 447-0879.
SILVER SPRING, MD -- More than 100 drycleaners in Tennessee were among some 130 nationwide who passed the International Fabricare Institute's Certified Environmental Dry-cleaner examinations given earlier this year.
Nearly 200 from Tennessee have earned the CED designation, IFI said, as cleaners there seek to come into compliance with the state's "Drycleaner Environmental Response Program" (DCERP).
The Tennessee rules require, among other things that each operating drycleaning facility have at least one employee who is fully knowledgeable of the state's drycleaning-related environmental regulations.
To help Tennessee's drycleaners comply with this new law, IFI recently scheduled its CED examination in several cities across the state. IFI made the course available to both members and non-members at the same rate because certification is mandatory for the entire industry.
Earlier this year, Tennessee officials designated IFI's CED program as the only acceptable certifications program.
Mary Scalco, IFI vice president for education and research, said, "We are very pleased with the turnout our course generated. We have scheduled another certification exam for October 3, so Tennessee drycleaners who missed the April exam should sign up now."
In addition to the "Certified Environmental Drycleaner" (CED) program, IFI offers a "Certified Professional Drycleaner" (CPD) designation. Both programs to certify that cleaners meet certain professional standards by passing examinations, which are given twice a year, to show they have an understanding of environmental responsibilities and professional practices in the drycleaning industry.
The 150-question Certified Environmental Drycleaner examination covers environmentally related subjects -- regulations, waste handling and safe operating procedures for drycleaning equipment. The test fee is $175 for IFI members and $275 for non-members.
The 250-question CPD test covers business management, customer service, fibers and fabrics and the drycleaning process. The test fee is $295 for IFI members and $395 for non-members.
Aug 15 is the deadline for the next round of tests which will be administered October 3.
The tests are administered through the Professional Testing Corp. For information, contact the company at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036; or phone (212) 852-0400, or call IFI, (800) 638-2627.
The following individuals recently passed IFI's certification exams:
CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL DRYCLEANERS
Arkansas: Thomas G. Yates (West Memphis).
Florida: Dennis Rodriguez (Deltona).
Illinois: Woon Park (Schaumburg).
Indiana: Scott Melvin (Indianapois) and David Wintz (Indianapolis).
Michigan: Neal Rosenthal (Farmington Hills).
New Mexico: Ronald Weese (Albuquerque).
North Carolina: Michael Choi (Charlotte).
Tennessee: Gary Atchley (Alcoa), Donald L. Bailey (Smyrna), Frank L. Bartlett (Gallatin), Russ Billings (Memphis), Aaron C. Bray (Nashville), Edward L. Brown (Crossville), Tracy Bruff (Union City), Hubert M. Buchanan, Jr. (New Tazewell), Evon Buckley (Memphis), Donald Carwile (Memphis), Gary R. Cassetty (Lebanon), Quitman Cates, Jr. (Memphis), Raymond Clark (Mt. Juliet).
Also, James Collier (Rogersville), Mike Cooper (Memphis), Sandra G. Cover (Kingsport), Norman Cross (Lexington), Chester R. David (Germantown), John C. Davidson (Bristol), Edward Davis (Madison), Dan Delapp (Knoxville), William E. Dengler (Nashville), Stephen Disser (Nashville).
Also, William Dobbins (Pulaski), Lance Douglas (Nashville), Janet L. Drake (Hendersonville), William D. Ellis (Memphis), Daniel N. Farber (Bartlett), Richard W. Finley (Lewisburg), Greg Fisher (Cordova), Regina A. Fisher (Memphis), Ronnie D. Gilbert (Centerville), Earl E. Glandon (Knoxville).
Also, Victor L. Glover (Dayton), William W. Greer (Chattanooga), Steve Gregg (Lenoir City), James Hansen (Memphis), Chris Hedgecoth (Crossville), Martha Helton (Knoxville), Shannon L. Holley (Memphis), Bobby Hyatt (Kingsport), Roy S. Johnson (Alamo), Greg W. Johnston (Lawrenceburg), Ken H. Jones (Dyersburg), Lara K. Justice (Oak Ridge).
Also, Todd Kelly (Chattanooga), Brian L. King (Maryville), Jim Ledbetter (Chattanooga), Phillip Lovin (Talbott), Sarah Maddox (Chattanooga), Kenneth J. Malloy (Franklin), Mark Matz (Memphis), Mark A. McAllister (Chattanooga), Betty R. McAmis (Shelbyville).
Also, William E. McConnell (Knoxville), Jerry McPherson (Nashville), Melissa H. Hanlon (Sevierville), Scott Mitchell (Nashville), George R. Murphey (Springfield), Robert Nabors (Chattanooga), Cathy Odom (Memphis), Robert Ormerod (Toone), John Patel (Caryville), Mahesh R. Patel (Chattanooga), John Patton (Hermitage), Jamie Perryman (Spring Hill), Leslie A. Phillips (Memphis).
Also, Kent Phillips (Memphis), David A. Powers, Sr. (Knoxville), Christy L. Pressley (Knoxville), Willard Price (Dayton), Michael H. Priest (Bartlett), Marshall R. Puckett (Nashville), Bob Robinson (Martin), Tim Rouse (Memphis), Robert E. Rowan (Knoxville).
Also, Jane H. Rudat (Signal Mountain), Bill Rymer (Manchester), Jenny W. Sanders (Murfreesboro), Joyce Sanders (Nashville), David W. Sharp (Knoxville), Donald W. Sharp (Knoxville), Aaron Shemper (Germantown), Rondal E. Shirley (Murfreesboro), Michael Shrader (Clinton), Stephen W. Sisk (Winchester).
Also, Glenda Smith (Hendersonville), Gregory Stone (Johnson City), Robert Surber (Morristown), Kirby Taylor (Elizabethton), Philip Taylor (Johnson City), Timothy Tenner (Bartlett), Ronald T. Ullenberg (Chattanooga), Kenneth B. Vaughan (Chattanooga).
Also, Larry E. Vinson (McMinnville), Barry J. Ward (Brownsville), Stuart M. Warner (Murfreesboro), Brent A. Waters (Maryville), Dennis R. Whaley (Seymour), Emery L. White (Savannah), Harold E. White (Knoxville), Linda G. Williams (Knoxville), Peggy Winkenwerder (Clarksville), and Michael Yates (Memphis).
CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL DRYCLEANERS
Illinois: Joel G. Hunter (St. Charles) and David Prince (Decatur).
Iowa: Gregory D. Godding (Cedar Rapids) and Sue Johnson (Spirit Lake).
Louisiana: Duvette M. Easter (Monroe).
Mississippi: James T. Blanks, Jr. (Jackson) and Jefferson Carter, Jr. (Jackson).
Texas: Philip McCain (Midland).
Virginia: Cheol M. Park (Spotsylvania).
RECERTIFIED CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL DRYCLEANERS
Iowa: Gregory D. Godding (Cedar Rapids).
Louisiana: Donnie Weil (Monroe).
Pennsylvania: Travis E. Oberrender (Bloomsburg).
Tennessee: Harold Lee Boyd (Bartlett), Chris C. Mynatt (Knoxville), Jacqueline Pinkston (Knoxville), and Lee Qualls (Memphis).
Texas: Garry O. Jackson (Corpus Christi).
Virginia: William A. McClary (Alexandria).
Developments on a polymerization treatment that allows woolen garments to withstand up to 25 water washings and still retain their feel and shape have been reported by the UK publication Laundry and Cleaning News.
The chemical applied to the fibers is also said to stop garments from shrinking even in a tumble dryer. The process increases the purchase price of the garments by 10 percent.
Parkland Manufacturing, which has spent three decades researching the process, teamed up with garment manufacturer Clairmont and retailer Marks & Spencer to perfect the treatment. Parkland's "secret formula" treats the woven wool with a water-based chemical at the factory stage before it is dyed or cut.
The process is said to give the wool a mild resin coat that changes the molecular structure of the yarn.
"Even pleated skirts can get washed on a normal 40-degree C (104 degrees F) cycle, then put in the dryer and given a light ironing," Parkland Marketing director Malcolm Campbell was quoted as saying in LCN.
LCN added that the International Wool Secretariat hails the invention as "one of the best changes to happen to the garment industry" because technology will allow more people who might be put off by the price of having their garments drycleaned to wear more wool.
Marks & Spencer has signed an exclusive deal with the manufacturers and is testing customer reaction to the "Smartwash Easycare" wool items. Trousers and skirts in a variety of colors will retail in a range of at $US $67 to $84. (40-50 UK pounds).
The National Waste Prevention Council is soliciting nominations for the "cleanest cleaners" in the United States as part of its Model Cleaners Project initiated in conjunction with Earth Day 1998.
NWPC includes representatives of local and state governments, non-profits, universities, consultants and others interested in developing national waste prevention projects. Formed in 1994, its other major project is the National Junk Mail Reduction Campaign.
Nominations for the "cleanest cleaners" are open through July 31. NWPC will evaluate the nominees with assistance from local agencies on the basis of which cleaners are doing the best job of reducing waste.
The selected cleaners will "serve as industry models of waste prevention as we begin the 21st century," NWPC said. Nominations can be submitted by the public, by cleaners themselves and trade groups.
While the main thrust of NWPC's concern centers on reducing the exposure of workers and the general public to perc through air emissions and hazardous waste, the organization said it is also interested in recycling of hangers and poly bags.
Nominations should be sent to NWPC, PO Box 24545, Seattle, WA, 98124-0545. More information is available from Tom Watson, national waste prevention coalition coordinator, phone (206) 296-4481 or email tom.watson@metrokc.gov.
At start-up, the association includes more than 40 cleaners in the United States and Canada. Weiss said the organization will provide a means for these cleaners to share ideas and solve problems that are different than those occurring in the daily operation of a typical retail drycleaner.
"Many cleaners venture into this specialty in an effort to bolster sales volume but soon find that disaster restoration cleaning is a specialty in itself," Weiss said. "There are many challenges to face in running this type of business. Most cleaners are doing this as a diversification of their other business interests and a few are involved in disaster restoration only.
Weiss said he has surveyed the members to learn the types of problems that need to be addressed.
"As with any industry, the problems are relatively similar in all areas," he said. "They range from marketing, customer complaints, receivable, workforce, technical issues and more."
Weiss said he believes there is opportunity for drycleaners in the "disaster field" to become more professionally aligned with cleaners who do "contents cleaning." There is often an interaction between these groups, either working simultaneously on the same job or in a subcontract arrangement, he noted.
"There will now be a means for these two groups to interact in a formal level to improve the service they provide to homeowners and the insurance industry," Weiss said.
There is currently no charge to join the association. Weiss is running the group as a service to the industry, saying he believes he will receive as much gain in his own business as he contributes to the effort.
Interested cleaners can contact him at Betty Brite Cleaners, 334 Route 33, Mercerville, NJ 08619; phone (609) 890-8787 or fax (609) 586-4981. His email address is awclean@aol.com.
The 1998 Congressional Small Business Summit in Washington, DC, June 17-19 will give small business owners a chance to ask questions and exchange information with elected officials, public policy experts, federal and state regulators, and other owners. Topics include regulatory reform, taxes, health care and legal reform.
The event is held every other year to focus the attention of elected officials, candidates for public office, regulators and the media on the small business agenda. Conclusions will be presented as the "Small Business Referendum for the Future," a document given to the joint congressional leadership, chairmen of the House and Senate Small Business Committees and state elected officials.
The conference will be at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill with participation by 500 delegates who represent an array of small business owners. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), along with other small business partners, hosts the summit.
The conference opens with a reception and dinner on Wednesday, June 17 and begins in earnest on Thursday, June 18 with opening remarks by Jack Faris, president and CEO of NFIB. Break out sessions on taxes, regulatory reform health care and legal reform are planned for the afternoon with a general session to follow. The evening program will be a Congressional Gala Reception and Dinner.
Presidential contenders will offer remarks on small business issues at the Friday breakfast. The general session that follows will bring together the agenda items, which will be presented to chairmen of the Senate and House Small Business Committees at the luncheon.
Remarks by summit partners and closing comments by Faris will close the conference.
For more information, call NFIB, (800) 552-6342, ext. 2084.
"We had a convention on April 25 and I went in as a cleaner and came out as president," Kang said.
He found out the demands of the office are taking up at least half his work week. It's "three days at the KACANJ office, Tuesday to Thursday, and the rest of the time at my plant," Kang noted.
His first task is to develop a service delivery program for KACANJ members.
He said that at 180 miles from north to south, New Jersey does not seem very large. But there are great differences between north and south Jersey.
Kang's goal is to develop "communication and information systems. Networking and relationship building have become generally more difficult and one of my main objectives is to ensure that every member of our association has accessibility to this association."
"I want them to feel like they participate in the association as a partner," Kang said.
One of his problems is reaching the "estimated 1,200 cleaners owned and operated by Korean-Americans in New Jersey." His plan is to break down the state association into six branches. Since his numbers indicate most cleaners are concentrated in the north part of New Jersey, three branches of KACANJ will be situated there. Two offices will be located in the middle of the state and one is planned in South Jersey.
"I want to emphasize the effectiveness of the group mentality and the strength of the individual business," Kang continued. "I want every business in our association to be connected to all the information available and to feel they are a part of the problem-solving process." Kang also wants the members to have access to training and social activities as well as foster group participation in buying supplies.
"We want to develop a cleaners hotline so anyone anytime can call the association and get and answer -- whether it be about mechanical problems, rule violations or government law," Kang continued. "I have to find knowledgeable personnel, experienced people, to handle this for the association." He also plans to promote the association and develop relationships among members.
"Our continued plans are for an association picnic, a golf tournament as well as health education and maintenance programs," he said. "Also, environmental protection and education seminars will be developed." Particular to the needs of New Jersey cleaners are seminars in boiler licenses. Kang said 750 people were trained by KACANJ in the process in the past. "We're doing this every three or four months with about 70 people participating each time," Kang said. "There are two sessions per seminar and the state board comes there to give the exam. For new purchasers of stores, it's required for them to have a boiler license." Besides stressing that all members of the association should understand and obey federal and state laws on environmental protection, Kang promised to continue KACANJ's traditionally strong support of the Barton Bill.
"I want to continue our support of the Barton Bill. We will continue to work on it and will also speak with the New Jersey U. S. Senators for support" in anticipation of a Senate version of the measure.
"We will do more and wider work to gain support for the bill," Kang concluded.
Drycleaning & Laundry Expo '98 exhibit and convention will be held in the new Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, NJ.
The presentations will be held both mornings, prior to the opening of the exhibit floor.
The Saturday seminars begin with Barbara Zippy of Artemis Productions. She will discuss how cleaners can develop a public relations plan with a talk titled "Low Cost Ways to Promote Your Business." The second presentation features John Jordan of Fabritec International. "Marketing Ideas That Work" is a look at promotion and public relations.
The third session will have Jane Zellers telling cleaners about "Keeping Your Customers Happy." The session is designed to show how to bring customers into a business and keep them as customers.
The Sunday program addresses the industry's concern on pollution and site remediation issues.
The Barton Bill (HR 1711) has been the focus of industry political efforts for two years. Introduced in Congress by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), it offers a practical solution to the contamination issues that plague our industry.
Opening the Sunday morning legislative program will be a panel led by Nebraska drycleaner Barney Deden and Washington, DC, attorney Gary Baise of Baise, Miller & Freer.
The second program on Sunday will be a technical and maintenance workshop on the exhibit floor. Participating exhibitors will have service technicians available for demonstrations on routine preventive equipment maintenance and to answer questions. No sales will be permitted during this period and attendees can visit as many exhibitors as they choose to for the demonstrations.
PDLA has negotiated reduced air fares to Atlantic City or Philadelphia from US Airways for Expo attendees. By using PDLA's official carrier, travellers can save five percent on any published fare or 10 percent on any unrestricted fare for tickets purchased seven days in advance. An additional five percent discount is available for tickets bought 60 days ahead. Call (800) 334-8644 and select Option 1 for more information. The discount code is "Gold File Number 11690416." PDLA arranged Avis rental rates. Call Avis at 800/331-1600 and use the discount number J947854.
For more information on the show, call (800) 822-PDLA.
ST. PAUL, MN -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has funds available to help cleaners with "reimbursement of environmental cleanup costs." The agency is responsible for overseeing site remediation activities within the state.
According to the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program, all "cleaners who provided services to the general public" are eligible to apply.
MPCA was mandated in 1995 by the state legislature "to help clean up contamination problems faced by members of the drycleaning industry." In 1997 state law was updated to create a means to pay for soil and water cleanup.
The fund was established in cooperation with state drycleaning organizations.
Money for the fund comes from annual registration fees paid by drycleaning facilities and from solvents fees collected by distributors. The solvent tax is $4.20 a gallon for perc and $0.84 a gallon for hydrocarbon-based solvents. This money is forwarded to the Minnesota Department of Revenue.
"It is a fixed rate," Marilyn Sheffield of the Minnesota Department of Revenue said. "Only the legislature can change it." MPCA is allowed to use money from the fund in two ways. One involves emergency removal, environmental investigations and cleanups of facilities on the state Superfund list. The other is through reimbursement of owners of plants who enroll in the state's Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Program.
The state listed eight items in the criteria for reimbursement.
These include showing the site is contaminated from past or current drycleaning operations, illustrating what percentage of a polluted site is traceable to drycleaning solvent pollution, that cleanup activities date to a start after July 1, 1995, that the current or former owner of the site is doing the cleanup and that the owner complied with all state and federal laws regarding solvent disposal at the time of the release.
In addition, the investigation of site problems and the costs attributed to them must be submitted to MPCA for review and approval. Also, response action at the site must include cleanup activities, the state said.
MPCA also noted that "sites where only investigation activities have been conducted are not eligible for reimbursement." Neither are sites where cleanup is not necessary.
Of note, the current or former owner of the site must document all expenditures -- totalling at least $10,000 -- "in reasonable investigation and cleanup costs." MPCA said its mandate includes prioritizing sites and conducting its own investigation and cleanup, as needed.
"Once the MPCA has incurred costs with respect to the site that are final or exceed $10,000, the agency will request payment from the owner or operator of $10,000 (or less, if it is determined that no further investigation or cleanup activities are needed)," MPCA said.
The agency staff will meet with owners who request an investigation to discuss what needs to be done regarding a site. An application for the Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Program must be made to agency. These are available from the agency by calling (612) 296-7291.
The process of review and reimbursement takes from 60 to 90 days, MPCA said. It warned that the amount of money in the fund may be limited as it is based on the fees collected from cleaners. Additionally, no one site may obtain more than 20 percent of the fund in a given year. This may cause funding carryover to a second year for some sites.
Contact people at the agency include Karen Kromar and Dale Trippler: (800) 657-3864.
Further information on the solvent tax is available from Sheffield or Terry Dwyer at the MDR, (612) 297-1882.
In New York City, an allied tradesman has been working on a web site which would take cleaners through the basics of New York State regulations on perc drycleaning.
"I was playing around with it a couple ways, looking for the way I wanted to go," Robert Shooman of Metropolitan Drycleaning Equipment said. "I estimate there are 60 million people in this country on the internet, and most of them know how to work an ATM machine." That became the foundation for his approach in developing an on-line training system.
The objective is to make the page browsing as easy as possible. To Shooman, the most familiar process is the screen of a bank machine.
"I'm getting closer to that. I'm going in that direction." Shooman has been following the growth of industry sites for the past two years and last winter developed plans for a "tutorial" site. Although the tutorial homepage is not ready for public consumption, Shooman has offered to provide any interested cleaner with help in finding other sites of the industry.
His idea is to de-mythologize computers and the internet.
"Just about any computer with a modem" will get a person online, Shooman said. "There are many places they can go for good information to help them run their businesses." Shooman calls the his page Rule 232 Simplified.
"I tried to create something that was interactive, fast and where you can direct it to your specific needs. You don't have to go through 300 pages of useless information to find what you need," Shooman said.
The part he worked on first and primarily was the machinery requirements of the rules. The next goal is to add what you need for weekly and monthly inspections. After that, the target is to post the forms.
"That goes hand in hand with the requirements," Shooman claimed.
The site address is <http://members.aol.com/sites4dc/index.html>. Shooman can be reached by e-mail at
ALBANY, NY -- A campaign to defeat a bill which the Neighborhood Cleaners Association International says would restrict the use of perc in New York State is being conducted by the association.
A pair of letters sent to New York drycleaners from NCAI executive director Bill Seitz warned of a perceived threat to perc cleaners. NCAI said the first letter was sent to drycleaners whose assembly members sit on the Environmental Committee. An "NCAI Alert" was attached to the letter.
The focus of the lobbying effort -- the Brodsky Bill, A6264C -- is a part of the bill which would require posting a notice that states '"perc is a carcinogen,' printed on yellow paper with black letters. It's "something sure to catch everybody's eyes," NCAI representative Nora Nealis warned. She also said the bill would further restrict perc operations in the state.
"In addition, it prohibits any new installation of perc drycleaners in residential buildings and phases out existing (colocated) plants in five years," Nealis added.
The bill passed the environmental committee in mid-May and was sent to the Codes Committee.
Items of concern to the association are the criminal penalties in the bill for violators of Part 232. This section is the reason the measure was referred to the Codes Committee as its second step in the legislative process.
Seitz told the recipients of the letter that they "are, literally, one of a small handful of drycleaners that will be able to make a difference." The letters were targeted at cleaners in assembly districts represented by a member of the Codes Committee.
The district number of the cleaner was provided and all cleaners were asked to "call, write and, if possible, visit your local assembly person." NCAI said lobbyist Don Halperin contacted many members of the codes committee.
"We provided them with a four-page summary of why NYS DEC Regulation Part 232 should be allowed to work without imposing a ban on perc drycleaning in New York State," Seitz said.
WAKEFIELD, MA -- The North East Fabricare Association will hold the annual Clean Classic July 22 at Stowe Acres Country Club in Stowe, MA.
The event combines a day of golf with an evening barbecue at Stowe.
NEFA also lists several educational programs in the next few months.
July 14 is the date for a "Maintenance Seminar" in Nashua, NH. The program is repeated July 15 in Springfield, MA, and July 16 in Providence, RI.
On June 26-28, West Hartford, CT, is the site of a program on "The Art of Professional Spotting." Manchester, NH, is the host city for a "Shirt Clinic" on July 18. The program will also be presented the next evening in Springfield, MA.
On July 24-25, "The Fine Art of Finishing" will be held in Providence, RI.
On Aug. 28-29, a program on "The Fine Art of Finishing" will be held in Holyoke, MA.
For information on NEFA programs, call Tony Masiello at NEFA, (781) 245-6688.
The Southwest Drycleaners Association has announced the selection of six new directors for its board of directors. In addition, the group named three people as recipients of $600 scholarships to the two-week course at the Texas Research Center for Laundry and Drycleaning.
The new directors are all from Texas.
Pat Brown is the chairman and owner of Jack Brown Cleaners in Austin. He is a third-generation owner and has been the company representative to Varsity International for the past seven years. Lee Hensen purchased Tyler Cleaners in Abilene in 1994 and is now the managing partner of the business. Prior to that, he worked in the retail clothing, banking, securities and information services fields. He became interested in the cleaning business through his friendship with Comet Cleaners owner Jack Godfrey.
Laurie McReynolds began working in drycleaning for her father at age 13. After college, she worked for American Airlines for seven years before returning to Texas to manage two of her family's stores. She worked for Comet franchises installing new plants before buying her own franchise in Waco in 1984. Today she owns four plants. Jack Montgomery, Jr. is a second-generation cleaner. After college graduation in 1973, he went to work full-time in the industry. Today he owns and operates six stores in the Greater Houston area, two of which are petroleum operations and one a laundry. Montgomery is a member of the board of directors of the Greater Houston Cleaners and Launders Association. He and his wife, Pamela, operate their company under the name Airline Cleaners.
Donovan Rudd entered the cleaning industry after a seven year career with the U. S. Treasury Department. He and his wife Lynette bought their first store in 1990 and later acquired several other small cleaners. Today they have six stores with a new 10,000 square foot facility as the showcase of their business.
Gerald Stavely purchased his first cleaning store in 1968 in Irving, TX. Today his family-run operation owns 11 One-Hour Martinizing stores and three shirt laundries. In addition, he has served on the loan committee of Southwest Bank, is past president of the Irving Chamber of Commerce and served as chairman of the Irving Infant Intervention Center. He has twice been named Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Irving Business Club. He also has twice earned the award of Best Performance by a Medium Size Business by the Irving business community.
SDA also announced three scholarship winners to the association's school in Denton, TX.
Two of the grants were provided by the Herrington-Parker-Worthington Scholarship Trust Fund.
The first of these was given to Monica Halliburton of Culpepper Cleaners, Inc., of San Antonio, TX.
The second award went to Juan Garcia of D. D. French Cleaning, Inc., of Dallas, TX.
The third scholarship was funded by the Harkrider Distributing Co. of Houston. It was presented to Belinda Buckingham of Johnson Cleaners in Hillsboro, TX.
SDA will present a "General Fabricare" course June 15-26 with an updated curriculum. Course instructor Jane Zellers has divided the seminar into nine sessions, starting with "Fiber to Fabrics." Other class topics now listed include Stain Removal & Bleaches, Cleaning, Equipment, Finishing, Laundry, Management & Quality Control, Customer Service and Regulations.
SDA will sponsor a "Stain Removal" class Oct. 19-23, an "Advanced Stain Removal" Nov. 9-11 and a "Finishing" course Nov. 12-14.
For information on scholarship availability and course openings, contact Debra Eaton, (210) 826-4684.
RALEIGH, NC -- The North Carolina Association of Launderers & Cleaners "accepted with regret" the resignation of executive director Steve Winzeler at the opening of its annual membership meeting May 16 in Wilmington. The members chose new officers and added several directors and approved an amendment to the association bylaws which limits officers' terms to two years.
Association sergeant-at-arms Sto Fox was appointed the acting executive director after Winzeler submitted his resignation to the board. The board of directors expressed its appreciation for the work Winzeler performed in his five years as executive director and wished him well..
Other bylaw changes include the first vice president now being designated as the president/elect and the annual audit by an outside firm being made discretionary rather than mandatory.
The board decided to expand office manager Janet John's hours to provide full-time office coverage.
Bill Sessoms was elected president of the association. The new president/elect is John Baker of King. Marvin Thomas is western vice president. Mac Davis is the central vice president. Al Cardenis is the eastern vice president. Ted Williams is secretary. Vern Strother is treasurer. Sto Fox is sergeant-at-arms.
Also, Jim McKay, former NCALC president, was elected representative to the board for the allied trades. Jim Hilker is immediate past president.
Elected at the convention as board members were Bill Davis, Greg Johnston, Mary Wells, Bob Smart, John Thomas, Kay Payne, Lindley Smith, Gloria Cowell and Bill Bowen.
Sunny Smith, who retired as executive director in 1993, was recognized at the annual banquet for her more than 25 years of service to the association. She was made a life honorary member in appreciation of her work.
NCALC's next board meeting is in August.
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association International has announced four training courses in Florida.
On June 7 Charlie Hacker leads an advanced spotting course at Sand Dollar Cleaners, Jacksonville.
Also on June 7, a pressing seminar with Bob Scalice will take place at Sun Clean Cleaners, Melbourne.
On June 14 a pressing course with Bob Scalice will be held at Wiltshire Executive Cleaners in Ft. Myers.
On July 12 Charlie Hacker will teach an advanced spotting course at Presto Cleaners in Plantation.
For more on the Florida programs, call (212) 967-3002.
NCAI also reported that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has "seen a marked improvement in compliance" with the covering of separator water buckets.
The association said that this simple act eliminates the risk of a $2,500 fine for the drycleaner. NCAI said the water can be classified as hazardous waste. This comes after NCAI noted that one Florida cleaner was levied that amount in a fine as well as $5,500 for other violations.
The Tennessee Fabricare Association has rescheduled its June membership meeting to June 18. TFA executive director Debbie Lowenthal said the meeting will be held at the Chattanooga Clarion Hotel in Chattanooga. The event starts with dinner at 6 pm.
On June 19 the board of directors will meet at the Clarion.
Lowenthal said plans for a September membership meeting are still being developed.
To reach TFA, call (615) 269-5312.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- California Cleaners Association vice president Jackie Smith has reaffirmed the association's commitment to opening a training program for cleaners.
"The CCA Dry Cleaning School is fast becoming a reality. We have nearly all the equipment necessary," Smith said in May. "We are just searching for a few remaining items. If anyone is interested in donating equipment or money, contact the CCA office." The school will be centered in Southern California at the Harbor Occupational Center in the City of San Pedro, a vocational training center which is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The school district will enroll the students, registering both regular students and plant employees.
"We're breaking the curriculum down into one-week modules," CCA executive Cheryl Demetriff said. If the class is spotting, for example, it will be assigned a week. If the component is customer service, then another week is selected. "It will be a pick and choose thing." CCA said it sent a list of potential instructors to the Harbor Occupational Center. These instructors must be credentialed by the Unified School District.
"The process is set by the district," Demetriff said. "In lieu of certificates, experience may be used." Dr. Stan Levin is the school district representative in charge of the project. His objective is to create a drycleaning class that will teach all the basics -- from silks to wetcleaning.
The school will be a full-time operation.
"We're going to go five days a week," Dr. Levin said. "We will have modules so students can come in for what they want." Smith confirmed the plan by noting "the classes will be broken down in segments and a person will be able to take all or only one of them. We will gladly welcome students from any areas." Dr. Levin said the basic requirements for an instructor are a high school diploma and five years of experience in the field in which a person is providing training. He welcomes all applications.
"Four people have sent in an inquiry," he added. "Our anticipated plan is to have a grand opening in Anaheim this August." The chief problem to date has been getting the drawings done.
"I want it to work," he added. Candidates for instructor positions should send their information to: Dr. Stan Levin, 740 North Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, CA 90731. The telephone number is (310) 549-9831.
The school site is about 17 miles from Los Angeles International Airport and 10 miles from Long Beach, Dr. Levin said.
CCA made suggestions regarding instructors and referred inquiries to Levin.
"We partnered with the school district because it has a built-in population and the school district has a tried and true vocational education," Smith said.
"The school is set to open in September," she added. "We are very excited to offer this benefit to our members. The school will also draw students from the Los Angeles Unified School District (seniors in high school as well as Adult Education students). We actually will have a pool of potential employees that are already trained." The cleaning school plans were first outlined by the Peninsula Dry Cleaners Association earlier this spring.
Several dry cleaners and members of the allied trades have donated equipment and supplies to the project, PDCA reported. PDCA official Jeff Schwarz said, "education is critically important to the success of our industry. Covers (his company) wanted to do its part and support this program in California." Those interested in the project can e-mail Jackie Smith at jsclassact@aol.com.
The CCA phone number is (916) 443-9023.
The Washington, DC, law firm of Baise, Miller & Freer has been working with cleaners, cleaning franchisers and cleaners trade associations for the past several years on national legislation that would affect every business property which houses a solvent-using cleaning store. The core issue of the firm's concern has been what is commonly called the Barton Bill, entered as HR 1711 in this session of Congress.
The introduction of the law firm to the cleaning industry and its political problems started with a get-together.
"I was first contacted by Bill Shaffer out of Cincinnati, Ohio, both a Yale lawyer and a Martinizing drycleaner," attorney Gary H. Baise began. "He was deeply concerned about the direction EPA was going, especially with regards to perc drycleaners. And he was a smart enough lawyer to know not to represent himself."
"Gerald Stavely, another large Martinizing franchisee, asked me 'Can you figure out a way that would get liability off of our backs? We can't even pass this on to our children.' The families were very concerned about inheriting the liability of these businesses."
"There was a meeting with Texas cleaner Jack Godfrey, my partner Marshall Miller, cleaner Larry Chamberlain of Ohio and me. We went over and had a drink and Godfrey talked about what he perceived as a 'disconnect' as to what a person is exposed to under OSHA standard of 100 parts per million and the 5 parts per billion EPA standard. 'It just makes no sense,' Godfrey said."
"Marshall, who had been head of OSHA, came up with the idea. What you could do is marry the EPA standard with the OSHA program -- and there are plenty of precedents. And from those conversations we hatched the idea of what eventually became the Barton bill."
"It was by Marshall's understanding of the OSHA rules that it came to pass. If you follow the OSHA approach and follow the OSHA standard, they are based on exposure. Then you can look at this in a realistic way. Most of the sites would not face these draconian cleanup standards. Marshall sat down and banged out the proposal."
"We said, 'let's float this thing out there and let them criticize this. We sent it to Capital Hill, the associations and others and said, 'rip this apart.'"
"Apparently the Barton office got it. We got a call from their staff member Andy Black who said 'Come up and tell us about this thing.'"
"All this time there was all this work on the perc tax proposal. Godfrey was saying 'I don't see why we have to spend all these billions of dollars on cleanups unless it's in the drinking water. But so much of these problems are from shopping centers.'"
"It was Godfrey's common sense approach and Marshall's drafting that got it going."
"Barton summoned us to meet in his office where he questioned us at length. He said he would not be part of an effort to impose taxes on small business. He also said if Marshall was correct on the health side of the issue, then he would be willing to sponsor a bill that solves the industry's problem. He talked to Congressmen Armey, Delay and Gingrich. Joe Barton did his homework."
"That's when he told us to 'Get out there and start obtaining these cosponsors for me. If you give me your 100 cosponsors, I'll get you your bill.' That's what we have been working on. That was the strategy we started in Dallas and that's what we stuck with." The heavy work began when Baise attended a meeting on the perc cleaners' problems. At that gathering, drycleaners representing a cross-section of the industry from around the country sat in an informal planning session on the Barton bill.
Along with his law partner Marshall Miller, Baise had become a key player in the lobbying campaign on behalf of the bill. This ad hoc meeting held at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport prompted a few observations from the law firm which would be the foundation of the bill's support drive.
Since then, Baise has been the point man in Washington, coordinating the flow of information on co-sponsors, the bill's status and lobbying efforts.
Baise is an old hand at Washington politics and the environmental law process. A graduate of Western Illinois University, Baise earned his J. D. from Indiana University in 1968. He entered government service almost immediately, joining the U. S. Justice Department as a trial attorney and special assistant in the Civil Division in 1969.
In 1970 he became a part of the new U. S. Environmental Protection Agency as assistant to the administrator.
Within two years he became EPA's Director of the Office of Legislation.
Baise was established as one of the original team in the founding of the EPA, having been involved in the inner working of federal environmental regulations since the Environmental Protection Agency was created from parts of the old Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) in the early 1970s.
"I had been around Elliot Richardson around 1970," Baise recalled. "HEW had the lead for the Nixon administration to administer the final provisions of the Clean Air Act. Dick Darmen was part of that. These were two of the fellows that I worked with initially."
"When we left to start the EPA, we moved right out. We knew that William Ruckelshaus had the job" as head of the agency, Baise said. It appears a telephone call from John Mitchell to President Nixon was the clincher.
"John Mitchell actually saved the position for Ruckelshaus by making a call to Nixon," Baise recalled. "This was August or September, 1970; right after we went to federal budget office to meet with Douglas Costle."
"Ruckelshaus, though in his mid-thirties, realized how intrusive this agency could be," Baise said. "We were strongly in favor of getting power out of Washington, of getting power out of elites' hands."
"To this day," Baise said, "EPA has the strongest regional system. It's based on the old Roman proconsul system." That last concept evolved from Baise's reading of a 1964 Benjamin Heineman article in Harpers magazine "on how we have to stop bringing all this power to Washington. I brought it to Ruckelshaus and that fit right in with his beliefs. If the power comes to Washington, the government is not so responsive." These were great times for the EPA. It was a new agency attractive to a number of creative people from other government departments.
"Along with the people from NASA, he had these hot-shot people," Baise remembered. "We had an awful lot of people from the space program who wanted to work on the environment. The space program was being cut back. The aerospace industry in Seattle was really getting hit. The best and the brightest of the space program were coming to EPA." It was a group that was young, had ideas and was creating a whole new culture. "The format that is used today is exactly like what those guys from NASA put together. Now they are retiring. It was a group of people this government is not likely to see again."
"I saw all of that and how it was being put together, how it was dealing with air and water," Baise said. "Pesticide was the third issue. There were enormous difficulties integrating those three cultures."
Baise regarded the process as fascinating to watch. They were in the process of developing the most "massive and most powerful regulatory agency in this town," he explained. "An agency with more organic statutory regulatory power than any other agency. And that's just here in Washington. To see that develop was something for a kid from Salem, Illinois (actually, my hometown is Jacksonville)." He was still with the EPA when Ruckelshaus became acting director of the FBI.
"I went over there," Baise said. "Ruckelshaus and I were going to go out and practice law." But that never came to fruition.
His next move was a 1973 assignment with the FBI as Executive Assistant to the Acting Director. Later the same year he was named Associate Deputy Attorney General for the U. S. Department of Justice, then Acting Deputy Attorney General, the youngest ever appointed.
In 1974 Baise founded and became a partner in the law firm of Beveridge & Diamond. This became his corporate home for the next decade and a half.
Browning-Ferris Industries in Houston, Texas, drew him out of the partnership and into a position as Corporate Officer and Vice President, External Affairs, in 1989.
But by 1992 he was back to private practice as a partner in Jenner & Block, a Washington, DC, firm.
Three years later his current firm of Baise, Miller & Freer was created, with Baise as a partner in the group. That was a natural fit as Miller and Baise "have been together since 1971," he recalled.
Baise knew his way around government and his firm was a logical choice as the one to guide the Barton bill lobbying effort.
"In Washington, DC, it's the Congressional staffs you really have to work around. You practically have to live on the Hill. Mike McKenna was brought on board (the firm) because he knows that system." Baise, Miller and staffer Charlotte Giddings have organized, explained, lobbied and met about the Barton bill with many people.
What is important, Baise said, is that cleaners contact their representative when he or she is in the home district.
"Then, we can go in and explain the intricacies of the bill. Over the long haul you have got to have the local cleaners in on this," he said.
"It's very difficult work to get the cleaners to contact their representative or senators, to sensitize them as to how important this is," Baise said. "Representatives will pay a lot of attention to you if you are a constituent. People forget how sensitive they are to people back home and tend to think they do not pay attention. That is not correct. Ten or 12 letters will alert Congressional staff to an issue."
Every week I talk to several drycleaners who are questioning where they are and what they have accomplished with their businesses.
When they first entered this business they had so much confidence and so many great ideas that it was hard to keep from jumping out of their skin with enthusiasm.
It doesn't matter if they started a new business, bought an existing business or took over the family business. They had new ideas that were going to revolutionize the world of drycleaning.
Most important of all, they knew how to manage their employees. That knowledge was going to make the difference.
So, what has happened since then and now? Have your employees let you down so many times that now you wish you didn't need any? Or have you decided that you will sit it out until it comes time to sell the business and retire?
If you have ever felt this way, it is time for you to take an inventory of your business life.
Taking this inventory doesn't mean wasting a lot of time worrying about what you should have or could have done. It means looking at the foundation that you've built and seeing the fantastic opportunities that will grow on that foundation.
The first thing that you must remember is that you are in an industry where 80 percent of your competitors are doing a less than stellar job in cleaning, pressing and customer service.
What a marvelous opportunity you have to shine!
The second thing that you must accept is the fact that these drycleaners, your competitors, will never be in a position to compete with your quality of work and service.
Why?
Because their prices are too low and they are afraid to do anything about it. Instead of trying to compete with these businesses by lowering your prices, bury them with your quality. The next drycleaner that goes out of business because he or she raised prices will be the first.
You must make the decision to improve the quality of your work and the service you deliver to your customers. You must do this while improving productivity. As things improve you must get over your fear of price increases.
Now think back to when you really knew how to manage people. Your philosophy back then was "I'll treat them exactly the way I want to be treated."
This was the gateway to your prosperity. I know... I've been there and done that.
Our assumption was that if we treated people the way we wanted to be treated, they would act the way we would act. That means that they would always take the initiative to do the job right the first time, would know what needed to be done next and wouldn't slack off and leave things undone.
What we didn't realize was that most people are not like us. People need direction and guidance. They require outside discipline. They need to know what is expected of them and they need to know that someone cares when their performance falls below the standard.
In other words, their under-performance must be more unpleasant to them than it is to you. If you think they don't care, you are wrong. Ten percent of your people may not care, but the other 90 percent do.
Before you start cracking the whip, you must get back to your vision of the future. What do you want your company to be in one year, three years, five years and 10 years? Now, what do the employees look like in your vision?
You must commit to upgrading all your employees so that they fit into your vision. The majority of people will come along. Unfortunately, some won't and they will have to be replaced. That is not your fault. It is theirs.
This takes mental toughness on your part. Being mentally tough does not mean being abusive or disrespectful to your people. It does mean setting realistic performance standards and making sure that everyone lives by them.
To upgrade the quality of your work and service you must start with your employees.
Evaluate each employee according to the following criteria:
1. Attendance
2. Skill level
3. Ability to learn
4. Attitude
5. Productivity
6. Quality of work
7. Gets along with others (team work)
8. Appearance
Rating should be as follows: Excellent; Good; or Needs Improvement.
Now, can you support these ratings with documentation, such as attendance records for every employee; production records; and verbal or written warnings, etc.?
Identify your lowest rated (overall) employee. Write down the steps and the time it will take to improve this individual's performance.
As a manager, your performance rating is equal to that of the lowest rated person reporting to you. Like a chain, your company is no stronger than the weakest link.
People have a tendency to let their performance gravitate downward without constant encouragement from the boss. Work with your lowest rated people to improve their performance and you will find the attitudes of your better employees will also improve.
Imagine for a moment that I'm your boss (Oh horrors!). Also, imagine that I know all about your company and how it is operating today.
Now imagine that I will be in to see you three months from today to ask you what you have done to make the business better. Imagine that your performance over these three months is going to dictate how much money you will make this year.
Guess what... your performance will dictate how much money you make, whether I come to your door or not. But maybe the thought of me appearing on the scene will inspire a little more effort. John D. Rockefeller said, "Good management consists in showing average people how to do the work of superior people."
Remember, in the game of business the more you know the better you can play the game.
Some complaints against cleaners heard in the "People's Court" television program resulted in judgments against the cleaners. Why did they lose and how could they have stayed out of court?
The case of the missing order
This case involved failure to deliver the customer's order.
When the customer presented her receipt to the counter clerk, the order could not be found. After a few months of going back to the cleaners, phone calls, etc., the cleaner continued to stall for more time, knowing the order was not going to be found and he refused to settle the claim.
The customer filed suit in People's Court to recover payment for the lost order.
In court, the defendant produced a "sign-out" book with a scribbled signature in it to indicate delivery of the order without submitting a receipt. The plaintiff proved to the court that the signature was not hers and she, therefore, won the judgment over the defendant's claim that it was genuine.
My comment: Although the cleaner (defendant) claimed the signature was genuine, he admitted that his counter clerk did not ask for identification. Since the signer could not be identified in any way, it showed that anyone could ask for clothing belonging to someone else and actually get it for the price of the order. In the case of a discount cleaner who gets paid in advance, the culprit can get the order free.
Sadly, most cleaners do not even give receipts for soiled garments received, and almost all of them do not require any identification of the person (whether they know him or not) when claiming an order without presenting a receipt. Some cleaners maintain a "sign-out" book and require a signature of the same name as on the invoice.
Since my invoices always had the customer's name, address and phone number, I required a customer with no receipt (other than a steady customer well known to us) to recite the name, address and phone number before asking him to sign the book. Also, the invoice was signed and filed away in alphabetical order.
Many cleaners think that delivery as indicated in the computer is sufficient proof a delivery, but it is not proof since the order could very well have been delivered to a person other than the true owner of the garment.
Whether on computer or a manual system of invoicing, I strongly recommend giving customers receipts for their clothes because the burden of proof is the on the customer to prove the deposit of the order with the cleaner and the non-delivery afterward.
The burden of proof shifts to the cleaner who fails to give the customer a receipt for his or her soiled clothes and the cleaner, therefore, has to prove non-receipt and/or delivery to the customer.
Most cleaners tell me that they have never had a problem with false deliveries or fraudulent transactions, but their counter clerks have told me that they have numerous controversies and useless conversation with customers who don't have their receipts (or have never gotten a receipt), and the boss winds up paying for clothes that they know were either never brought in or have been picked up by someone else, either in the family or by a total stranger.
Solution. Give all customers a receipt when they put in clothes for cleaning, etc., and price the receipt so there are no arguments about the cost of the items put in. Require a signature of the customer or an authorized agent, if you are in the practice of giving a receipt and it is not presented at the time of pick-up. In this regard, use a sign-out book with A to Z divider and four columns to a page: Name (printed), invoice number, date and signature.
If you don't give receipts for incoming orders, and you can't prove delivery (other than the computer's word or a copy of the original invoice) then you must pay the claim whether valid or invalid. Showing an invoice for incoming orders does not prove delivery to the right person. Require identification of unknown customers with no receipt.
The case of the damaged sweater
This case involved a hand-knit sweater stretched out of shape and snagged.
When the customer called the cleaner's attention to the fact that the sweater was ruined, he then said that he would straighten it out. The cleaner took the sweater to a weaver who could not put it back into its original condition, and the cleaner could not shrink and block the sweater into its original size and appearance.
The cleaner blamed the customer for not telling the counter clerk that the sweater needed special attention. The customer claimed that she did tell the clerk that the sweater was just hand-knitted and that it should be handled cautiously. The sweater was shown to the judge along with an invoice for the yarn ($300) and a photo of the finished sweater before it was taken to the cleaners.
The judge admonished the cleaner for not taking ordinary care in cleaning a garment that was obviously fragile. The cleaner admitted that he cleaned the sweater in a regular load without using a net bag and in a fragile or a fancy load. His weak defense was that he was not told to handle the sweater as a "fragile."
In fact, the judge said that a true professional does not need a counter clerk to tell him that a garment needs special handling when it was obvious that it did need such special care.
My comment: Most cleaners do not classify garments for cleaning (or wetcleaning) properly. They separate the garments by color only -- whites, lights and darks. The type of fiber or weave and weight are not considered. Some cleaners do clean knits separately, but that's all. Their excuse is that they can't spare the time to properly classify and that they have only one cleaning machine for a fairly good volume.
Solution: Classify garments into the following groups:
Colors are classified as:
If you have only one machine or two with a large volume, you may combine the medium weight with the heavy weight, but accept the fact that the drying time will depend upon the heavy weights being dry and deodorized, not the medium weights.
Colors may be combined, if the need dictates, as follows: Whites; Lights, and Mediums; Darks. If the Darks are not fugitive (you must test to make sure), you could combine them with the Lights and Mediums. Cleaning of fugitive colors (light or dark) is not recommended.
Fragiles are cleaned (after pre-spotting, rinsing and drying) by pumping solvent through the cylinder without it moving and an occasional turn only once. This cycle lasts about five to six minutes. After draining the cylinder is extracted for about 20 seconds to 30 seconds.
Then the cylinder is placed into the dry and reclaim mode with an occasional turn; and then it is followed by cool-down and vapor recovery adsorption (if a fourth generation machine) or, if on petroleum, the vapor adsorption cycle is eliminated by aeration.
Note: It is better to clean more than one fragile since vapor recovery is more complete when the cylinder has several garments in it as opposed to only or two.
The case of the pink jacket
This case involved the dyeing of a white jacket to pink.
When the customer picked up his white sport jacket, he thought it was obviously not his, but the marking tag, which was dyed pink, indicated his ownership as well as the clothier's label in the inside breast pocket -- also dyed pink.
The cleaner blamed the manufacturer for so-called defective fabric and claimed that the pink was supposed to be bleached white but it was not completely accomplished. The defendant had no analysis report or other documents to substantiate his claim. He re-emphasized that some garments are re-dyed at the factory when the basic color goes out of style or had been over-run.
The plaintiff had another cleaner, who had been in business many years and who enjoyed a fine reputation for quality work, testify that the jacket appeared to be the victim of being cleaned along with a red garment which was not tested for fugitive dye.
Judgment was awarded to the plaintiff for the replacement value, less one year's depreciation.
My comment: All of the comments for the damaged sweater case apply to this case, too, as the drycleaner was clearly negligent and unprofessional. Within the past few years, many persons have gone into the cleaning business with very little or no experience or prior training in the technical portion of the industry.
Some have taken basic and advanced courses in major association schools and have hired cleaner/spotters with less technical knowledge than they, the owners doing the hiring, have.
Therefore, the duty falls upon these owners to personally train their hirees, but most fail to do so by concentrating more on getting the garments in rather then getting them out.
Don't misunderstand this writer. Both facets of the business are important, but you can't get the work in if you can't get it out -- on time and with acceptable quality by good cleaning, spot removal and good finishing.
In my April 1998 column, I explained the proper procedure for cleaning whites. Notice that I use only new or distilled solvent for the wash cycle and with a detergent added for better soil removal and suspension of insoluble soil.
Also, you should notice that I did not mix the new or distilled solvent with the regular "working" solvent already in the filter unless there was a separate circuit exclusively for whites and light-colored pastels.
Even then, unless you use an adequate amount of unspent carbon, which most machines don't have, you still stand the risk of some redeposition of dye from previously cleaned garments.
Therefore, clean with only new or distilled solvent and detergent, on two batch or milling runs, with the first bath drained and extracted to the still and the second sent either to the working tank or still, provided you don't have sufficient carbon and a separate circuit for white/light.
I have written several articles on the need for adequate activated carbon during the wash/filtration cycle since fugitive dyes can be dispersed at the end of the cycle rather than in the beginning and, therefore not be observed by the operator.
Education requirements
I remember when the National Institute of Drycleaning (now the International Fabricare Institute) required one year's experience and a high school diploma before accepting students for its General Drycleaning Course.
I think this should still be the requirement since I have met at least two persons who have completed the General Drycleaning Course with good grades but have forgotten most of the teaching points a few months afterward.
These persons had never worked in a drycleaning plant, so they had to learn with no practical experience, whether right or wrong, behind them which would have allowed them to correct their faults as well as learn new methods with better understanding.
Since most persons going into the business are well educated but have no experience, my recommendation to them is to get a job as a counter clerk and assembly/bagging person in a cleaning business and observe the practical side of the business. If you like what you see and experience, then ask the owner or manager to let you work with the cleaner/spotter and the pressers. After a while, you should know whether you like the business or not.
If you still want to go into the drycleaning business, then take the General Drycleaning Course and the Plant Management Course, and upon completion, go into the business.
Use a marketing type consultant to prepare a custom-tailored marketing plan to get and hold customers. And use an engineer-type consultant to make the plant and store layout, write proper installation specifications, install the right work-flow or lot system and give training and advice where needed. This is the sensible, basic approach to success. Also, don't under-equip your plant.
After opening for business, you must keep yourself continuously educated by membership in local and national associations; reading the industry publications; attending regional and national trade shows and participating in local workshops and seminars.
Now you know why our industry is subjected to surveys by TV networks that turn out negative as well as court cases that turn out embarrassing.
Too many unprofessionals are pursuing an industry of professionals, but there is still time to get trained. DO IT!
Note: My new video, "The Caplan Method of Stain Removal," which includes my comprehensive text with handy spotting board reference, is now available for only $199. Please contact Dennis McCrory, (800) 646-5736, PIN #4615.In some cases, the name, the immediate image, the slogan can spell "instant success!"
Depending on the locale and competition, your name can tell exactly what you want to portray to your prospective market. Will it be high quality... with higher prices than competitors? Or will it be service? Or fabric care expertise? Or multiple services and conveniences?
Is it time to change your image of the last 25 years or capitalize on how long you have been in business and your professional experience? After all, 25 years ago, you probably operated with a transfer unit and got 1,000 pounds for every 10 gallons of perc. Now with your new dry to dry, you can operate an odorless plant, and get 1,000 pounds on one gallon!
How about spotting, finishing, and pressing of these new miracle fibers, and the popularity and safety of more and more wetcleaning?
There's something to say for longevity and reputation and how long it took to build that image of honesty and dependability. There's more than pride in announcing second and third generations in the business and decades of continuous family management.
I remember a firm in New York that capitalized on a picture of a horse-drawn wagon, with the slogan "My grandfather cleaned, your grandmother's carpets! Was it effective then? I'm certain it was, but I doubt it would be as effective since the advent of wall to wall carpeting.
That's the point. Take a long hard look at not how long you have been in business but how you have kept up with every new innovation and telling your customers how progressive you have been and are constantly updating. Is getting that information in your customers hands expensive?
Here's another blessing in our business -- that rack of clothes ready to be picked-up or delivered.
The cost of 10,000 multi-colored brochures, each one stapled on every outgoing order, can solve any communication gap and can act as a "newsletter" on what's new at "the Cleaner's."
Example: Your new environmental perc unit, or your Coat-0-Matic for correcting collars, and replacing buttons at no charge and no charge for the cleaning if we fail to do so!
It's vitally important now as we go into the next century and it is equally important if you are considering some major changes in your image.
For instance, it's an accepted fact, that a new storefront can bring an increase of 10 to 15 percent just with new counters, (designed for your computers), mirrors, lighting, carpeting, background music, and yes, air cooling!
Being cute or clever in your name and slogan can go a long way to realizing your company's image because it usually gives you immediate recognition and adds to your "word of mouth" following.
Here are two old names and slogans that still can be timely. They caught my eye and my imagination.
"When your clothes are unbecoming to you, then they should be coming to US! "
"Let's be clothes friends!"
I also liked the name of one cleaner, SEW-CLEAN, whose sign was spelled out with a free-hand script in a needle and thread with the needle serving as the exclamation point. The cleaner also featured a huge custom tailoring business.
I did get a laugh out of that cleaner in Chicago, Scotty's, who announced at a meeting, "My name is John Scott and I run Scotty's Cleaner's. I also go by the slogan, 'If your clothes look spotty, then take them to Scotty!' It's a good thing, my name wasn't Smith!"
Fortunately, in our industry, we have the means of projecting the image we want to portray, and through so many effective methods -- in our overhead sign, on our vehicles, our invoices and all our packaging. Always keep the same motif logo, colors, design and soon you will have immediate recognition.
As in any promotional idea, the more planning you do, the more degree of success.
There was a time when the "in" colors were pink and black or every other home was decorated in Chinese modern, jet black, cherry red, and some shade of chartreuse!
Can you say, with some effectiveness "Come celebrate with us on our TENTH or (TWENTIETH) anniversary, and have a look at TOMORROW'S TECHNOLOGY!"
What does your call office look like? Does it reflect "business as usual?" Is it efficient in operation? Does it smell of solvent? Is it hot and steamy? Are the signs old and faded?
Is it time to consider.... a new image?"
Stop what you're doing and look around. What does your store look like?
For information on counter training and brochure on the Jacket, a Name Tag and a Smile program, send $5 to Ray Colluci at the address below.
Stain removal requires the use of mechanical action. Mechanical action is required in almost every stain removal procedure as an aid to lubrication.
Mechanical action provides the friction, pressure and rubbing that helps the lubricant penetrate, break up, emulsify and lift the staining substance from the fabric.
The ultra-cautious spotter or novice who uses less than the required mechanical action fails to remove a high percentage of stains. On the other side, the spotter who thoughtlessly uses too much mechanical action will damage fabric or dye. Therefore, the extent to which mechanical action is used depends on the fabric and dye limitations.
Tools that provide mechanical action include:
Steam gun
For some reason there is a widely held misconception that the steam gun does not provide mechanical action.
Especially when held too close to the fabric, the steam gun provides a great amount of pressure. This not only may cause yarn shifting but also may affect the fabric texture.
Also bear in mind that as the pressure of the steam gun increases, combined with the heat of the steam, the danger of fabric damage increases.
The steam gun should be held a safe distance from delicate fabrics such as silks, chiffons, satins and taffetas. If your hands can be held on the fabric under the steam gun without harm then the heat and pressure is safe.
Also remember that the air gun used for drying should be held the same distance from the fabric as the steam gun. The air gun can damage the fabric if it is held too close.
Brush
The brush is used by spotters as an aid to mechanical action. It is traditional that a white bristle brush is used to apply wetside lubricants and a black bristle brush is for dryside lubricants.
To avoid accidental color loss on fabric, keep the two brushes safely separated. Many spotters are puzzled by fabric color loss which happened just this way.
Tamping action with the brush is considered the safest way of using it. When spotting denims and cottons, color loss is always a possibility if using mechanical action. Tamping only, without brushing, reduces the extent of color loss. Conversely, even light brushing will increase the possibility of color loss.
Tamping may take longer but the extra time buys safety. If the fabric to be spotted is very delicate, such as fine sheers and silks, use a padded brush.
These special brushes are available from jobbers. To improvise, wrap cheesecloth around the bristle of a spotting brush.
When tamping silk and silk-like fabrics, remember to keep the fabric straight and flat.
Always brush in one direction. On ribbed fabrics brush against the ribs. On corduroy, brush with the ribs. If the brush is angled so only the outer side contacts the fabrics, you will avoid damage and yarn shifting, especially on knit fabrics.
Spatula (Bone scraper)
This is the most dangerous tool that the spotter can use if it is not used properly.
The spatula is especially useful in breaking up or removing paint and other difficult stains where extensive mechanical action is needed.
However, on fabrics the use of the spatula may result in yarn abrasion or bruises. Such fabrics are silks, nylons and cottons.
Napped fabrics and soft fabrics such as wool, cashmere and acrylic can best withstand the use of a spatula.
Never use the point of the spatula. Instead use the smooth edge of the spatula.
Dan Eisen is chief garment analyst for the Neighborhood Cleaners Association Inter-national. He can be reached at the NCAI office, (212) 967-3002, ext. 243 or via e-mail: ncai@sprynet.com.Thirty years ago, I got a phone call from Charlie Carnegie. Charlie handled sales for Leader Cleaners, which was the number-one chain store operation in the Chicago area.
The call went like this. "Stan," he said, "We're sitting here in the office praying for rain."
His reason for making that statement was that work was pouring in faster than they could handle it and they needed rain to stop the flow of incoming drycleaning.
What caused the tremendous volume pouring into 50 of their 200 stores? It was a premium whose time was right, price was right and the offer was right.
Can you guess what kind of premium would have such an outstanding impact and eventually prove to be the second best promotion this 200-store operation ever ran?
It's a good thing they didn't run it in all 200 stores at once because they would have created such a massive overflow of incoming work that they could have done more damage than good.
When Charlie saw a good thing, he would pull out all the stops and let it roar. In this case, it roared too loud and too long, but paid big dividends when we finally got things under control.
I had come across an item made in a factory in Cleveland. It was an aluminum, brightly colored anodized baton with white rubber tips on both ends.
At the time, I owned an advertising company called Golomb & Co. I had tested this item in a few plants around the country before I even approached Charlie and knew I had a winner.
After I presented the idea to Charlie, he told me he would test the batons in 10 stores. As I recall, I sold him the item for 35 cents each and he agreed to offer them "free" with a $3 order.
Remember, that long ago, prices in chain stores were less than 10 percent of what they are today. As I recall, Leader was charging 39 cents for pants, skirts and sweaters. Some of the competitive chains had an ongoing sale of any combination of three pants, skirts or sweaters for $1. A $3 order was a big order at those prices.
A few days after putting up the window signs in the 10-store test, Charlie called and said the program was working like gangbusters and he was going to add another 40 stores. I filled the order and had to put some real heavy pressure on the manufacturer to get the merchandise.
Charlie had been sponsoring a Drum & Bugle Corps in the local high schools.
Enter Jesse Owens
When the 50 stores were in place, he got Jesse Owens (at the time, the world's greatest athlete and a friend of Charlie's) to organize a parade down Madison Street with big banners saying, "Follow the Leader," which was their ongoing theme. But this time, they had banners saying that Leader Cleaners was giving away free batons.
A few days after the parade and the 50 stores had the batons, I got the famous phone call from Charlie, who said they were praying for rain. He also gave me an order for over $35,000 worth of batons.
Now I had a real problem on my hands. The manufacturer said he could not possibly produce that many batons in the necessary time frame. His hold-up was the anodizing process, which could only handle so many pieces at a time.
I flew to Cleveland and found another anodizing firm in the area to produce some of the work. I had to pay a bit more but I was ready to give up all my profit to keep the program going.
We arranged a steady delivery program as the batons were finished. After anodizing the tubular aluminum, the rubber heads had to be applied. Because they were all white, they were then shrink wrapped in clear plastic.
This was the biggest deal I ever handled and I found out what real stress was all about. Fortunately we got through it. Leader was happy and I was happy and the manufacturer was happy, and tens of thousands of kids were happy with their new toys.
If this was the second most successful premium they ever ran, you might be wondering what the best one was -- the best in their history of using hundreds of different premiums.
The best and the worst
It was when they gave away live goldfish with an incoming order. They put fish tanks in all the stores and when the customer came in with an order that qualified, they would use a net, scoop out a goldfish and some water and put it in a plastic bag and then use a twist tie to close the bag.
Now you may be curious to know what Leader's worst premium of all time was.
Charlie reasoned that since the fish went so well, why not run a program giving away baby turtles? He did, but most of them died and they created a foul odor in the stores and this great idea went down in flames.
What's the moral to this story?
The right premium with the right offer at the right time will bring in lots of business. And all premium offers should first be tested in various markets before pulling out all the stops.
Charlie died years ago of lung cancer. Jesse Owens died of old age. Leader Cleaners was sold to a non-drycleaning entrepreneur who didn't last more than a few years and then went completely bankrupt.
I sincerely believe the age of the premium is still with us but it must be the right item and the right deal and be tested to be sure it produces the desired results.
One last thought on premiums. We have often had our customers show a sample premium to their sales attendants only to have them tell the boss that it wouldn't work for them.
This happened recently to a multi-plant operator in New Mexico who told me that his help didn't like a particular item but he took our word for it and had to admit that his employees were wrong because the customers loved the item and it was a very successful campaign.
And which costs the plant less -- a discount if you offer $3 off on a $10 order, or a premium that costs $3? Neither. They are the same.
Take in a $10 order and discount $3 and you net $7. Or take the $10 and give the customer a gift that costs $3. Net cash is $7 in either case.
Which is better for the consumer? The premium is because the $3 premium may have a $5 retail value and the bonus is that it shows this cleaner is different.
As in regular drycleaning, it is important to be able to determine and maintain the proper concentration of detergent plus conditioner in the drycleaning fluid when drycleaning suede, leather, fur and combinations with cloth.
There are two methods that can be used to determine detergent concentration. One requires record-keeping and arithmetic calculation, the other features the use of a test kit.
Calculation and record-keeping method
The concentration of detergent plus conditioner in the drycleaning fluid can be established by arithmetic calculation.
However, keeping the concentration at the proper level can be a problem because there are several factors that can cause concentration to fall below the level required to prevent color loss and drying or stiffening of the skins.
Calculation of the proper concentration of the detergent plus conditioner in the drycleaning fluid is relatively simple. First, the volume of the drycleaning fluid to be used is determined -- for example, 100 gallons or 100 liters.
Next, the concentration of the detergent plus conditioner required is established. If 6 percent is the concentration required, then multiply the volume of drycleaning fluid by the percent concentration.
In this example, 100 gallons x .06 = 6 gallons of detergent plus conditioner.
Therefore, six gallons are added to and mixed with the 100 gallons of drycleaning fluid to obtain the 6 percent concentration desired.
In the same way, when any quantity of fresh distilled or reclaimed drycleaning fluid is added to the drycleaning system, the detergent plus conditioner concentration may be maintained by calculating the amount that must be added to bring the uncharged fluid up to the six percent level.
This method may prove difficult and if careful records are not maintained, the critical concentration charge may fall below the required level.
Test kit method
An alternative to arithmetic calculation and record-keeping is the more precise method for confirming detergent concentration using a test kit that provides a relatively simple and effective way to determine the concentration in the drycleaning fluid.
The test kit titrates or balances the detergent concentration against the test kit solutions. The amount of the balancing solution required to equal the detergent concentration can easily be measured in a graduated test cylinder that contains 10 cubic centimeters (or cc's). These are marked on the cylinder and are subdivided into segments of 0.2cc each.
To test the concentration of the detergent plus conditioner in the drycleaning fluid, use the following procedure.
This concludes the test and the detergent concentration has been determined.
To determine fractions of a percent, Solution C can be added one drop at a time as each drop of Solution C is equivalent to a 1/8 percent charge. For example, 1 line (0.2cc), or 8 drops of Solution C, equals a 1 percent charge. One drop (0.025cc) of Solution C equals a 1/8 percent charge.
For example, if two lines (0.4cc) of Solution C added to the test cylinder above the initial 5cc level and the dark blue colors goes to the top layer of the liquid in the test cylinder, then the detergent plus conditioner concentration is 2 x 1 = 2 percent charge.
Or if six lines and 4 drops and four drops -- 6 1/2 lines (1.3cc) -- of Solutions C added above the initial 5cc level causes the dark blue color to go to the top layer of the liquid in the test cylinder, then the detergent concentration is 6 1/2 x 1 = 6 1/2 percent charge.
Test kit accuracy will be affected by the presence of another soap or detergent in the drycleaning fluid. In addition, adsorber type filters will also affect the test reading when they are first installed as they tend to adsorb detergent until they are in service for a time.
Each brand of detergent is different and requires its own test kit which is designed to measure only the specific detergent. The presence of another detergent will cause an abnormally high or low incorrect test reading.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Do not attempt to use products that are not specifically formulated for use on suede and leather. Royaltone suede and leather products are specially formulated to process suedes, leathers, furs and trimmed cloth without causing color loss, color bleed, color transfer, stiffening of the skins or matting down the nap. Other brands of products for use on suede and leather may not give the same results when used as described in this article.
Employees with negative attitudes can demoralize the rest of your workers. This problem is becoming increasingly evident, as workers of any persuasion are becoming more and more difficult to find.
If you've already made the mistake of hiring an employee without giving an attitude test, you may be dealing with one of the following situations.
An attitude test will help you to see through that beaming expression most applicants wear only for their interview. Let us look at some negative work related behaviors and how to deal with them.
"That's not my job"
Have you ever heard that phrase from an employee? I'd like to meet you if you haven't. Most of us have at least once, or have had at least one employee who uses this excuse for not getting the job done. This individual may end up doing the job, but not with any enthusiasm and only if you force him.
Solution: Start by asking, "What is your job?" The answer will help you understand where they're coming from.
Once you've given the employee a chance to tell you what he or she thinks "my job" is, you should emphasize that everyone who works there is a member of the same team.
You can also say, "You don't see people on a football team sitting around on the field, saying 'its not my job.' If a job has to be done, and you are on the team, and you can physically do it, then you are expected to do it. If you don't know how, I can train you."
Employees are hired to solve problems. An employee who is not willing to help solve problems has no business on the job. Let negative employees know that the phrase "it's not my job" doesn't carry any weight in your shop. Explain that you expect each individual to take the necessary initiative. If a job needs to be done -- like cleaning up their own work area -- regardless of whether it is in the job description, the employee is expected to pick up the ball and run with it. Likewise, let employees know that if they need help, they should be able to ask other workers, including the manager.
"I haven't had the time"
Needed a job done yesterday? The negative employee will have it finished tomorrow. The negative employee is usually the bottleneck that holds up the rest of your team. The work is never done on time and there always seems to be an excuse.
Solution: Start by reviewing how well you are communicating with this person. Are you being specific enough as to exactly what is to be done and by what time?
Try breaking up larger tasks into smaller bites. Give a series of shorter deadlines that may be easier to meet. If that doesn't work, you may need to have a private discussion with the employee. Ask why deadlines are continually missed.
Before the meeting prepare a record of specific jobs the person did not complete. Just seeing the list may make the difference to the person, who may not have been aware of this habitual foot-dragging.
In many cases, these people are under the mistaken impression that their work is unimportant. Tell them why the work in question is important and how it affects the other members of the team.
"What a dumb idea"
For some people there's no such thing as a dumb idea -- if its their idea. But when the idea comes from management it's stupid and impractical. These people scoff at and generally put down any new ideas that may change the way they've been performing their jobs.
Solution: Speak to this person as soon as possible. Don't ignore their comments. As soon as they make the disparaging remarks, ask them to tell you why they don't think it will work, and to explain how they think it could be made to work.
Later in private, sit down with them and let this person know that negative comments are unacceptable when made in the presence of other employees. Let them know that if they disagree with any ideas or actions you've taken, they should feel free to discuss their views with you privately.
"The customer always comes last"
The customer is always wrong to the negative employee, who's telling another employee about the dopey customer who just walked out the door or called on the telephone. Usually while they're going through their tirade, they forget to smile at the latest customer, who is now getting an earful of this attitude.
Solution: Speak to this employee privately and remind her how valuable customers are. Help to change her mind-set from "These people can be a real bother" to "These are people we appreciate because they help us make a livelihood."
Give the employee a new goal -- to send customers out the door happier than when they came in.
Most of the time these suggestions will work. That is, they can help you change the attitude of an employee who is just having a bad day. But sometimes we have to admit our own mistake and face up to the fact that we've hired an incorrigible person with an intolerably negative attitude. It happens. And when it happens, it is best to terminate this employee before he or she infect your entire crew. Positive employees will either turn negative or quit when constantly exposed to negative employees.
Solution: Use more than just your own first impression when hiring. Obtain reliable testing materials that can help you screen out problem employees before they're hired.
Dennis McCrory offers several programs and products to assist drycleaners. For more information or to place an order (credit cards accepted), call (800) 646-5736, PIN #4615. Identify the package you are interested in as follows:
Package A: Pre-Employee Screening Kit ($18).
Package B: "The Caplan Method of Spotting" video tape and handbook, produced by Stan Caplan and Dennis McCrory ($199).
Ever wish there was a way to make going to the cleaners more fun and exciting for your customers?
I have and will share with you here some of the promotions we have run. This may seem somewhat silly on the surface, but many customers have told me that they enjoyed coming to my store because there was always some exciting promotion going on.
There are many different themes that can be used, some geared to specific holidays, others just for no reason at all.
Best of all, these promotions can be done at very little cost.
These are also very effective at retaining customers, especially in states like mine where people love to gamble by playing the lottery or going to the Atlantic City casinos.
This month our drawing is for a year of free drycleaning, limited to a $300 value.
The entire cost of this promotion are a few entry pads, a drawing box, and the cost of the drycleaning we will give away. And as I have said, customers love the game.
Other drawings that can be scheduled with holidays are the following:
New Years: A basket of Cheer
Valentine's Day: Valentine's candy
Easter: An Easter Basket
Mothers' Day: Free carnations
Fourth of July: A free picnic basket
Back to school: Free pencils
Thanksgiving: Free turkeys
Christmas: A gift basket
For New Years and Christmas we have found beautiful baskets at Sam's Club, or a local gift specialty store.
On Valentine's day we buy six large Valentine's and display them in the store for about four weeks.
On Mothers' Day we found carnations for 10 cents each and handed them to every female customer.
On the Fourth of July we buy an ice chest and fill it with soda, chips, paper plates and plastic forks.
We then team up with the deli next door which gives the food. This is a big thrill that is always publicized by the local newspapers.
Other programs we have used in the past are part of The Mayfield Group's promotional programs.
For back to school, the Mayfield Group has provided pencils and there are Bayberry candles for Christmas. On Thanksgiving we buy six gift certificates from the local supermarket.
Promote the promotion
To advertise these promotions, we use Mayfield's window signs, counter signs and flyers that are stapled on outgoing orders.
Games are also fun promotions, including some provided by The Golomb Group. They have a scratch-off blackjack game and a treasure chest game.
In the blackjack game, customers are either handed a game card when leaving the store to use on their next incoming order or the cards can be hung on outgoing orders.
The idea is to give them an incentive to return soon to play the game and win a discount or prize.
More fun and games
Another fun game we play is the treasure chest where the customer picks a key whenever they come in.
There are a few winning keys from a choice of hundreds. We put a $25 gift certificate in the chest.
This promotion runs during the summer with the store decorated in a pirate theme.
Another winner we were received, compliments of the Golomb Group, was a progressive type offer. Every week we would pick a ticket from the previous week's outgoing orders.
The first week, if a customer came in and his or her ticket was in the window, the customer would win either $10 cash or a $20 gift certificate. Every week the pot would grow by that amount. Often the prize would reach $100.
Think of the free publicity this type of promotion would bring to your store!
In a time when going to the cleaner is looked at on a par with having a tooth pulled, adding some fun to the experience can go a long way.
NAPERVILLE, IL -- The 1998 bridal poster from R. R. Street & Co. Inc. features a young bride and little girl standing together before a contemporary background. The look, along with the poster's message, "Preserve the Memories with Our Special Fabric Finish," is intended to remind customers that fabric finish keeps special garments looking like new.
The poster is distributed by Street's customer service managers at no charge to all cleaners currently using custom-Care Finish, VITALsize or STS.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN110.Steam-heated hot water system
LIVONIA, MI -- Hamilton Engineering has extended its line of steam heated hot water packages to include "The Eliminator," which is designed primarily for one- and two-washer shirt laundries. "The Eliminator" can provide up to 405 gallons per hour of 150 degreesF water, depending on the model selected. The system eliminates the need for a separate water heater by using wasted energy from return condensate and excess steam capacity from the steam boiler. It also eliminates the need for electrical, gas and flue installations to provide hot water and reduces problems associated with a gas-fired water heater, such as corrosion of pilot assemblies and vent damper trouble. Hamilton has applied the technology developed for its larger capacity system to also eliminate problems and inefficiencies associated with the steam injection and single coil style water heating systems. Hamilton produces hot water packages ranging in capacity from 150 gallons per hour to 6,000 gallons per hour. The systems have all necessary steam controls and are pre-piped for easy installation.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN104.Promotional poster
COLD SPRING, KY -- Sanitone's new poster, "The Big Days Demand The Best," features a young professional on the go and touches on the growing trend of "business casual" attire. Sanitone licensees receive the poster free, along with a kit that focus on promoting services to care for business casual clothing.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN109.Dow publishes brochure in Korean
MIDLAND, MI -- The Dow Chemical Co. has published a Korean translation of the brochure that describes the company's closed-loop delivery system for Dowper solvent. The brochure gives Korean-speaking cleaners information on the new system which is designed to reduce risk of worker exposure and environmental contamination. The closed-loop delivery system uses a dispensing cart with a pump, weigh scale, computer and printer. With the Dow system, solvent is delivered in strong stainless steel containers and a hand-held remote control is used so the filling can be monitored even when space is at a premium. The system requires only one connection to the solvent tank and gives accurate measurement to a tenth of a pound. A receipt is printed in duplicate for the drycleaner's regulatory reporting. Dow also has a Korean language version of its "Basic Handbook for Drycleaners" and a safety poster in Korean for display in drycleaning plants.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN105.Body covers for shirt presses
PATERSON, NJ -- A body cover for the Ajax 18" and 20" CBBY shirt pressing machine reduces drying time by more than 20 percent, according to the manufacturer, Air World Inc. The cover's designer, Air World founder and president Seungh K. Oh, changed the fabric content and construction of the side air bag to direct more air flow toward the sides of the shirt buck. The design is intended to improve drying on the sides of the shirt and allows for setting pressing time at 15 to 16 seconds when using the Air World Deluxe air bag. The company said it is looking at ways to improve pad and cover designs for other shirt pressing equipment and plans to introduce a new air bag design for the body air cover for the Unipress shirt unit.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN102.Video on safe handling of bleach
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Chlorine Institute Inc. has a new safety awareness videotape on sodium hypochlorite, also referred to as bleach or hypo, that provides information for a variety of audiences. The 22-minute video, "Handling Sodium Hypochlorite Safely," has five main segments: chemical and physical properties; personal protective clothing and equipment; safety equipment and first aid; safe handling and storage; and spill containment and cleanup. The Chlorine Institute is the safety, health and environmental protection center of the chlor-alkali industry. Other chemicals in addition to chlorine that the institute works on include potassium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen chloride. A catalog of the institute's technical and safety-related publications and training materials are available on request.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN103.Wetcleaning detergent/conditioner
TULSA, OK -- Soft Wash is a liquid detergent plus conditioner from Royaltone formulated for wetcleaning cloth articles in any laundry washer. Soft Wash is added to the wash cycle at the ratio of one ounce per 10 pounds to clean and condition wetclean items.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN108.Gold frame for wall posters
SKOKIE, IL -- Foster-Stephens Inc. has introduced a new gold frame with inlay for call office posters. The frames have contrasting corners and feature plexi-glass front-loading with tight holding sides to keep posters in place. The company offers a free paper poster with each frame.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN107.Plastic tote boxes
SHREWSBURY, MA -- A line of reusable corrugated plastic tote boxes is available from Technology Container Corp. of Shrewsbury, MA. The water-resistant corrugated polypropylene boxes feature automatic set-up with self-locking tops and bottoms and can withstand hundreds of distribution cycles, the company said. Manufactured to customer specification in a selection of colors, the boxes can be provided with inserts, custom multi-color graphics and other special features. They can be constructed in a range of dimensions, thicknesses and quantities.For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JN106.----------
Date created: June 2 1998 Copyright © 1998, BPS Communications Inc. National Clothesline ncled@aol.com