July 1998
News & Views
Around the U.S.
|
Consumers gave mixed signals on price vs. quality in a survey taken by members of the Michigan Institute of Laundering and Drycleaning. Some of the 30,000 visitors to the International Women's Show in Novi, Michigan, were asked about their attitudes towards clothing and garment care. Pictured at MILD's booth at the show are, from left, Teresa Woods of the MILD staff, Mike Hoelzel of C & V. Inc., and Jan Barlow of Jan's Professional Cleaners. A survey by Cotton Inc. also asked consumers about garment care. Some said they look for clothes with "Dryclean Only" care labels.
Profile
- Jeff Berkowitz: You start young, work for the family enterprise and learn the business from top to bottom. After a decade or two, if you're the member of your generation who stayed with the business, you get your chance to take over and run things your way.
Columns
Newsmakers
Information Central
|
Consumers may say that quality is the most important factor in their choice of a cleaner, but their actions suggest that price is more influential than they admit.
Two surveys taken by the Michigan Institute of Laundering and Drycleaning at the International Women's Show -- one last year and one this spring -- indicate that customers are more easily swayed by price than they themselves may believe.
In the 1997 survey, MILD members asked show attendees to rank in order of importance quality, price and timeliness. Quality was the overwhelming leader, with 83 percent of the respondents calling it most important. Half as many -- 40 percent -- named price is their leading consideration while 26 percent ranked timeliness as most important. (The percentage figures exceed 100 because some respondents listed two or more as equally important.)
When MILD members surveyed show attendees this year, the question was asked a bit differently: "If you have used more than one cleaner in the past year, why have you switched?"
In this survey, quality, price and convenience came out about even. Coupons and discount sales lured away 35 percent of the customers. The quest for quality caused 34 percent to switch. Location or store hours were the deciding factor for 30 percent of the respondents.
Most of the 500 survey participants were users of drycleaning services -- only two percent said they had not used a drycleaner in the past year. Most were, by and large, loyal to one cleaner -- 42 percent said they had used only one cleaner in the past year while 35 percent said they used two different cleaners. Others were more fickle, using three or more.
Both this year and last year, MILD asked consumers if they take their business casual clothes to the drycleaner.
Responses were similar in both surveys. Just under a third answered "no," while the rest said "yes" or "sometimes."
Both surveys also asked how many hours a week are spent doing personal or family laundry at home. Here, too, the results were similar for both years. About half reported devoting one to four hours a week for home laundry chores while third spend more than four hours a week. The remainder, about one in five said they spend an hour or less a week doing laundry.
Care label instructions influence most garment purchases, MILD learned from a new question asked in this year's survey. Only 14 percent said the care instructions never affect their clothing purchase decisions.
Nearly half said care instructions are always a factor while the rest allowed that "sometimes" they take the care instructions into consideration.
The International Women's Show is held annually in Novi, Michigan, as a showcase for companies and industries that market products and services to women.
MILD's participation in the shows goes beyond collecting survey information from consumers. Volunteers from the association have given their time to meet the thousands of show visitors, answering questions and distributing information about professional garment care at MILD's booth at the show.
MILD members who worked the boot this year include Tom Cooper and Diane Callaway of Cooper's Drycleaners; Mike Hoelzel of C & V Inc.; Dave and Jan Mathes of Janet Davis Cleaners, Bob Rewold of Colony Cleaners; Paul White of Roth Cleaners; Don and Sandy Welch of Welch Cleaners; Dave Dupuis of Clayton Cleaners; Saralee Stora of Wayland Drycleaners; Christa Pfeffer of Shores Cleaners. Merry Bering and Teresa Woods of the MILD office also helped out and Jan Barlow of Jan's Professional Cleaners provided the booth and hand-outs. Helmac Products Corp. of Flint, MI, donated lint-pickups to hand out to booth visitors who took the time to answer MILD's survey questions.
Surveys of consumers conducted by Cotton Inc. on women's attitudes toward clothing care revealed that most will check care labels before making a purchase.
How the care label influences their purchase decision depends upon the consumer.
In four separate surveys conducted over the past three years, women were asked when they are more likely to check a garment's care instructions -- before the purchase or after. In all four surveys, just under 60 percent said they read the label before buying.
What are they looking for when they read those labels?
The answers, Cotton Inc. said, vary according to life-style and the kind of clothes being bought. Although many women prefer clothing that can thrown in the wash, a good number actually look for clothes that require drycleaning due to today's frenetic pace.
"I like drycleaning better," one respondent told Cotton Inc. "I don't have time to wash and iron, In fact, for work clothes, if it's washable, I wont buy it."
Another said: "I don't like to iron and I want my clothes to look nice. I'll dryclean clothes even if they're washable."
A J. Crew sales associate told Cotton Inc. that for most of her customers, "washable is not a selling point." She said women think about care after they have tried something on.
Dryclean label a plus
"If an item is fairly expensive, the fact that it needs drycleaning is fine with them. They're buying a look, which includes drycleaning," she said.
A Florida woman commented that she "hopes" it is washable when she buys something, but added "I would still buy even if it needed drycleaning. I like things that are hand washable because it save time and money."
But two sales representatives at a Connecticut store said that their customers are looking for items that are machine washable.
"They like clothes that look good for business, yet can be washed."
What about ironing?
Home washing often means home ironing. Although ironing can be more of a chore than washing, fewer than 2 percent of the women surveyed said they wouldn't buy an item if it needs ironing.
About 80 percent of all age groups said they iron at home. About half of the others said they'll send the garment to the cleaners while many of the others said they will wear it wrinkled.
As a Connecticut consumer said, "I'm not thrilled I have to iron, but I do it when I have to. It won't stop me from buying."
Wrinkles away
As much as women don't like ironing, they dislike wrinkles even more.
Wrinkle-resistant garments may be an option, Cotton Inc., suggested, but only 15 percent of the survey respondents said they would pay more for wrinkle-resistant cotton, rather than buy a cotton/poly.
"Wrinkle-free would be a plus," one said. "But only if the fabric feels good and is a good quality."
Portions of Cotton Inc.'s Life-style Monitor Surveys, which focus on consumer attitudes toward clothing and related subjects, are published every Thursday in Women's Wear Daily. An archive of the survey articles is available at Cotton Inc.'s Web site: www.cottoninc.com
The Zurcion Method of gown cleaning, long a target of questions and complaints from cleaners and consumers, now must answer to the Federal Trade Commission.
Care labels that specify the Zurcion Method are most commonly found on wedding gowns usually accompanied by an toll-free telephone to call to arrange for cleaning.
In an administrative complaint filed May 27, the FTC alleged that the care instructions calling for "Dryclean Only by Zurcion Method" violate the Care Label Rule and that advertising and promotional materials for the process are false and misleading.
The FTC action was filed against New York-based Continental Gown Cleaning Service Inc. and four related companies -- Nationwide Gown Cleaning Service Inc., Prestige Gown Cleaning Service Inc., Gown Cleaning Service Inc. and Jonathan Ashley, Ltd.
Two individual defendants, Lewis Weissman and Gary Marcus, were also named. Both are corporate officers of the companies.
The FTC issues a complaint when it has reason to believe that the law has been or is being violated and a proceeding would be in the public interest.
The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the law has been violated; it only marks the beginning of a proceeding in which the allegations will be ruled upon after a formal hearing.
The companies and individuals named in the May 27 complaint were given a tentative June 24 hearing date before an administrative law judge.
Under the Care Label Rule, if a garment's care instruction calls for drycleaning the cleaner can assume that any commercially available drycleaning solvent will be safe to use unless the label warns otherwise. Also, if any part of the normal cleaning process could harm the garment, the label must warn about that, too.
The FTC said that most garments carrying the "Zurcion" label would be harmed by some types of drycleaning solvent or some part of a normal drycleaning process. Thus an accurate care label should indicate at least one type of solvent that can be used safely and warn against procedures that could damage the garment.
The rule also says that manufacturers or importers must have "reliable evidence that the productŠ was harmed when cleaned by methods warned against in the label." Companies using "Zurcion" care labels have no evidence that other cleaning methods would harm the garments.
The FTC also said that advertising and promotional material for the "Zurcion Method" contains false and misleading statements. Contrary to claims made in advertising, FTC said the Zurcion method is not patented, it is not the only safe and effective method for cleaning and preserving gowns and the companies named in the complaint are not the only ones capable of providing safe and effective cleaning and preservation of the garments.
The FTC complaint also cited the "guarantee" offered in connection with the Zurcion Method.
The companies claim they "absolutely guarantee" their work, FTC noted, but under the terms of the guarantee "a consumer who has sent a garmentŠ for cleaning and preservation cannot examine the garment to determine whether it has been satisfactorily cleaned and preserved," FTC said.
Garments are returned to consumers in sealed containers with a printed warranty that includes a warning not to break the seal of the container in any manner. The warranty states that if the garment is to be reused, it must first be returned to the cleaner in its sealed container, so that it can be "unpreserved." Failure to adhere to these instructions invalidates the warranty.
"Thus the consumer cannot examine the garmentŠ to determine whether (it) has been satisfactorily cleaned and cannot reuse the garment without first returning the garment for further processing by the respondents," the FTC's complaint says.
Failure to disclose these conditions and limitations of the Zurcion guarantee constitute a "deceptive practice," the FTC said.
The FTC's notice order issued with the complaint calls for a number of corrective actions. These include prohibiting the companies from claiming that the "Zurcion Method" is the only safe way to clean and preserve wedding gowns, prohibiting them from providing care labels to manufacturers and from falsely stating that the "Zurcion" care instruction complies with the Care Label Rule.
The companies would also be required to have evidence for any claims about the safety and effectiveness of any cleaning or preserving service they sell and to fully disclose the terms and conditions of the guarantee.
They would also be required to advise garment manufacturers and bridal shops to whom they have provided care labels and promotional materials that the labels are inaccurate and that other cleaners can clean and preserve garments that have the "Zurcion Method" label.
Disclosure required
The companies would also be required to disclose that garments that have "Dryclean Only by Zurcion Method" or similar instructions have labels that are inaccurate and that cleaners other than the named companies may be able to clean and preserve the items.
The companies would also be required to file with the FTC a detailed written report on steps they have taken to comply with the order.
The report would have to include a detailed description of the Zurcion method, or any other similar or specialized method of cleaning or preserving textile wearing apparel that they advertised, including the solvent or solvents use in the progress. That information, however, could be kept confidential if the companies request it.
The commission also said that it may be necessary and appropriate to seek relief to redress injury to consumers or other persons, partnerships or corporations in the form of restitution and refunds of past, present and future consumers.
The FTC will decide whether to apply to a court for such relief on the basis of the adjudicative proceedings in this matter.
Both the International Fabricare Institute and the Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International cheered the news that the Federal trade commission was taking action against the "Zurcion Method" of cleaning.
Both trade groups noted that they had been asking FTC to investigate the issue for years.
IFI issued a press release in which it said it "applauds the FTC" for its action.
"For the past nine years, IFI has urged FTC to address this issue," the release said. "During that time, IFI has supplied the federal agency with technical information, such as analysis reports, supporting the administrative complaint."
IFI said its interest was driven by a concern that "the business practices of these firms has tarnished the cleaning industry's reputation."
NCA-I said in its June bulletin that it has fielded hundreds of questions from drycleaners and consumers across the country about the Zurcion Method.
"We investigated and found this method to be no different than any other effective way of cleaning wedding gowns, dry or wet," NCA-I said. "We wrote several articles in the NCA-I bulletin and also wrote to the FTC."
NCA-I thanked FTC attorney Connie Vecellio for "her tenacity in pursuing the Zurcion Method issue."
"We hope that she proceeds with all deliberate speed in the formal hearing process and brings to closure the deceptive practices that unfortunately have gone on too long," the article concluded.
The Barton bill got a boost as Congress neared its summer recess when five more cosponsors joined the 75 already signed on to Rep. Joe Barton's legislation designed to reform cleanup standards for drycleaning solvents.
The new cosponsors are Democrats Jim Barcia of Michigan and Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania and Republicans Scott McInnis of Colorado, Christopher Cannon of Utah and Barbara Cubin of Wyoming. They are the first group of cosponsors to sign on since early April, although several had indicated their intention to support the bill some time ago.
Congress will be on its "Independence Day District Work Period" from June 26 through July 13 providing an opportunity for constituents to meet with their representatives in their home districts. Congress will again be out from August 10 through Sept. 8 for the "Summer District Work Period," another good time to schedule meetings in home districts.
"Many may be especially receptive to hearing from constituents now, in this election year," said Charlotte Gillespie of the Baise, Miller and Freer law firm which has been working to get the bill through Congress.
But Gillespie also noted that time is short for the 105th Congress. The July 14-Aug. 9 session will be followed by just a few weeks of work after Labor Day. With elections coming up in November, Oct. 9 is the targeted adjournment date.
Rep. Barton has said that if there is no action on the bill this year, he plans to round up the supporters and reintroduce the measure when the new Congress convenes in 1999.
Barton had asked the industry to line up 100 supporters for the bill after he introduced it last year. Industry supporters remain confident that can be achieved.
Fund-raising efforts for the bill continue, too, through the Dry Cleaners Action fund of America. Contributions continue to come in, but expenses associated with lobbying continue, too. Donations in any amount can be made in the form of a checks made out to the Dry Cleaners Action Fund of America and sent to DCAFA, c/o MILD, PO Box 14044, Lansing, MI 48901.
A new permissible workplace exposure standard for perchloroethylene will not be included in the first round of revised standards coming from OSHA.
Perc is among 20 chemicals that OSHA is considering as possible candidates for new Permissible Exposure Levels (PEL). The PELs stipulate the maximum amount of exposure workers can have to specified chemicals.
The PEL for perc currently is 100 parts per million (ppm) time-weighted over an eight-hour period.
Although OSHA has given no indication what the new PEL for perc might be, industry observers of the regulatory scene have said levels as low as 15 ppm or even 5 ppm are possible.
Nine years ago OSHA proposed lowering the PEL for perc to 25 ppm. Several hundred other chemicals were included in that proposal, which was ultimately voided by a federal court.
The court said that OSHA must show a scientific basis for setting new levels of each chemical.
No further action was taken until two years ago when OSHA announced it was beginning a review process for about 20 chemicals, including perc.
OSHA's regulatory plan published last fall called for proposing revised limits this spring for some of the substances under review.
That deadline has been missed. Even so, perc was not among that first group, according to OSHA's Bob Burt, who spoke at a conference on drycleaning sponsored by EPA this spring. Burt said that the agency had just begun gathering data on perc.
The review process as outlined by Burt can be a lengthy one. First OSHA must demonstrate that the regulated chemical poses a "significant risk."
Then it must show that reduction of the risk is both technologically and economically feasible.
For its economic analysis, the agency must consider all of the industries that use the chemical, how many people are employed in those industries, how they are exposed and process and alternatives for use of the chemical.
The agency must also consider if new regulations would have significant impact on a number of small entities," Burt said. This could involve convening a small-business advocacy review panel, perhaps leading to special guidance for small businesses.
ATLANTA, GA-- The exhibitors' prospectus for Clean '99 has been released, giving companies a full year to make plans for the all-industry show that will be held in Orlando, FL, June 24-27.
Assignments of booth space at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.
The base rate for exhibit space will be $34 per square foot with a minimum size booth of 100 square feet. That is the rate paid by a firm that is not a member of one of the six cosponsoring trade associations and is taking under 700 square feet of space. The minimum booth size is 100 square feet (10' x 10').
The square foot rate declines as the amount of space increases. The lowest non-member rate is $29 per square foot for booths of more than 3,600 square feet.
Exhibitors at Clean '99 may qualify for additional discounts if they are members of one or more of the six cosponsoring trade associations: the Textile Care Allied Trades Association, the International Fabricare Institute, the Coin Laundry Association, the Textile Rental Services Association, the Uniform & Textile Services Association and the National Association of Institutional Linen Management.
The single square foot rate covers most exhibit costs from the time the exhibit arrives at the convention facility until it is removed.
More than 26,000 people attended the Las Vegas exhibition where 546 companies covered more than 255,000 net square feet of exhibit space. Riddle and Associates, the management company for the show, said it is undertaking several strategies to increase attendance at the 1999 show.
That includes promotion of the show on the World Wide Web (www.cleanshow.com) with a wide range of information, including a list of companies contracted to exhibit, a show floor plan and other show information. Exhibitors will receive a complimentary listing on the web site. They can also have their own page on the site and a dedicated e-mail address or a "virtual booth" for additional charges.
Exhibitors also receive a free listing in the Clean Show guide book, which is distributed to all attendees, and can purchase advertising in the book.
The promotional campaign will include advertising in U.S. and international trade publications, direct mail to buyers, and statement stuffers and label reminders for exhibitors.
Attendee registration fees for the Orlando show will be the same as for the Clean '97. Pre-registration will be $35 per person; on-site registration will be $60. The fee includes access to the exhibit hall and all education sessions. Attendees will be able to use a credit card to pay the registration fee.
New this year will be a quick-response e-mail messaging system for potential attendees who have questions about the show.
Information on discounted hotel rates and air fare will be announced later.
Clean show policies are established by the Clean Executive Committee, which also oversees its management. The highest paid executive staff person of each sponsoring association sits on the committee.
Information about the show is available from Riddle & Associates, phone (404) 876-1988; fax (404) 876-5121; or email info@cleanshow.com.
CHICAGO, IL -- A wetcleaning roundtable will be sponsored by the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Chicago July 11-12.
Titled "From Here to the Future," the roundtable will provide wetcleaners with a forum to discuss opportunities and challenges. Wetcleaners and others interested in the wetcleaning processes will hear from experts on the subject and get information on how to focus on specialty items like weddings gowns, leathers and suedes. Discussion on organizing a wetcleaners' network is also planned.
The heart of the program will take place on Sunday, July 12. The morning program will begin with updates on wetcleaning issues by consultant Ann Hargrove and Sylvia Ewing-Hoover and Anthony Star of CNT.
Equipment and chemical options will be presented by allied trades people at the second morning session.
At lunch, a discussion on "Challenge and Opportunities" is planned. Invited speakers include Scott Alloway, Ed Share and Marcia Todd.
Several wetcleaners will offer their perspectives at the afternoon session.
Presentations will be given by Eric Jones on leather and suede, Marilyn Fleming on wedding gowns, Ann Hargrove on wetcleaning fundamentals, Ewing-Hoover on marketing.
Managing a wetcleaning operation will then be discussed by owners of wetcleaning plants, including Fleming, Debra Davis and Sid Lieken.
Concluding the day's program will be a moderated group discussion on "What Do Cleaners Need?" and discussion of organizing a wetcleaner's network.
CNT said the conference is modeled on a roundtable it held in November, 1995.
Three equipment companies and two chemical representatives who participated in that conference and CNT said this second gathering "is planned to focus on wetcleaning and the options for equipment and chemicals which have increased greatly since that time."
Social activities
In addition to the conference, there will be a kick-off dinner on Saturday, July 11 at the Italian Village Restaurant from 6 to 9 p.m. The restaurant is five blocks from the conference hotel -- Hotel Allegro, 171 W. Randolph St. in Chicago.
CNT is also organizing an family outing to Chicago's Navy Pier as an activity for family members who want to enjoy Chicago while the roundtable is taking place on Sunday.
Full registration for the conference, which includes the Saturday dinner and the Sunday roundtable, is $60. Registration for the Sunday roundtable only is $50 and registration for the Saturday dinner only is $25.
To register or for more information, call CNT, (773)278-4800, ext. 299.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- SpinCycle inc., a Scottsdale-based chain of coin-operated laundries, announced the opening of its 10th store in the Los Angeles market in June and plans to open up to nine more facilities by August.
The expansion plan would bring to a total of 20 units in Southern California. The first was opened in the area in 1997.
Nationwide, the company has 110 units in 15 states. Founded in 1995, SpinCycle is pursuing a nationwide expansion that includes building new stores and acquiring and redeveloping existing ones. The company spent more than $125,000 refurbishing the newest Los Angeles store, a 4,154-sq.-ft. location.
Each SpinCycle store has full-time attendants, multiple televisions, and central air-conditioning. Equipment includes at least 100 washers and dryers.
"We promise to deliver the highest quality equipment and the cleanest, safest environment for our customers and their families," said Peter Ax, chairman and chief executive officer of SpinCycle.
The company recently announced the promotions of James Puckett to chief financial officer, Patrick Boyer to chief information officer and David Erickson to controller.
Puckett was previously vice president for corporate development for SpinCycle. Before joining the company, he was a senor member of the real estate finance group and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. He also has worked in the investment banking division of Paine Webber.
Boyer has been with SpinCycle since March 1996, overseeing the development of the company's management information system infrastructure. Previously he was president of Portable Systems solutions Inc., a management information systems consulting firm, and also worked as controller at Hogue Printing and as a systems consultant with Arthur Andersen and Andersen consulting.
Erickson was previously manager of financial reporting for the company. Before coming to SpinCycle, he was senior financial analyst of American Fence Corp., a producer and distributor of steel tube and fence products. Before that he was controller of airy Maid foods Inc., an ice cream distribution company, and was manager of financial reporting of Smitty's Super Value Inc. a retail grocery chain.
EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Unilever HPC-USA has signed a cooperative agreement to join the group of technology providers for the DryWash liquid carbon dioxide cleaning process.
The company has developed CO2 patents and has received related patents.
The company will market the chemistry through Global Technologies and its licensees for use in the DryWash process.
Unilever HPC-USA is an affiliate of multinational Unilever which has headquarters in London and Rotterdam.
The company's focus is on food products and products for home and personal care marketed under more than a thousand brands.
The company's fabrics cleaning product line includes brands ranging from basic detergent bars for hand-washing to sophisticated detergents for washing machines.
Unilever is also involved in development of new technologies for its industrial detergents business which serves customers in factories, hotels, hospitals and institutional premises in 45 counties.
The 1998 International Drycleaners Congress convention drew 136 delegates from 11 nations to Munich, Germany, May 3-7 for its 40th annual convention.
The Hohenstein Institute research organization served as co-host of the 40th annual convention and several of its representatives, including Dr. Stefan Mecheels, the institute's chief executive officer, spoke at the convention. A tour of the Hohenstein facilities, led by Dr. Mecheels and his staff, was offered before the convention opened. Dr. Manfred Wentz, IDC's outgoing president, and Egon Burchard, the convention chairman, are both graduates of Hohenstein.
In his convention keynote address, Dr. Mecheels explained why the textile care industry is an integral part of the textile chain. He discussed several case studies that demonstrate how research helps the textile, apparel, retail and the textile care industries meet consumer needs.
On the opening day of the convention, Makoto Igarashi, one of the IDC founders, reviewed the organization's past and looked to its future.
Representatives from the fashion industry joined cleaning industry leaders in discussions of subjects of mutual concern and interest.
Innovative marketing strategies were the topic of presentations at the first business session. A bright future lies ahead for those who love drycleaning, according to Hans Von Korff.
The state of the textile care industry in various nations was reviewed by industry leaders from around the world during presentations on the convention's second day.
Theo Legrange, president of CINET, the Federation of European Trade Associations, offered trend predictions for European countries. CINET held its semi-annual meeting at the convention's host hotel so its members could attend the IDC convention.
Mark Rockcastle of R. R. Street & Co. Inc., substituting for L. Ross Beard, gave a conceptual framework for the future of the drycleaning industry.
The day concluded with assessments of new cleaning technologies and environmental issues by the research directors of the International Drycleaning Research Committee, which held its annual meeting at Hohenstein just after the IDC convention
An international panel followed with talks centered on the convention theme, "Textile Care and Fashion: A Winning Combination."
All presentations at the convention will be available to IDC members in a bound "Book of Papers."
The final day of the convention brought traditional IDC Fellowship presentations. The three recipients of this year's fellowships -- J. P. Renaud, Marcos Schvartzman and Joe Hallak Jr. -- reported on their experiences.
The fellowships give younger industry members an opportunity to travel, exchange information and communicate with other members.
To support the program, a donation of $10,000 was presented at the convention by the Japan Cleaning Productivity Council. JCPC president Yoshihe Nishiwaka. presented the donation to Dr. Wentz at a special ceremony during the IDC luncheon.
"This generous gift from our Japanese friends reflects the faith in the future of IDC," Dr. Wentz said. "It will enable young professionals to experience first-hand one of the most important benefits IDC offers to the textile care industry: international professional and personal contact and experience."
Also at the luncheon, incoming president Tom Hopkins of Gibson's Cleaners in Toronto, Canada, introduced his Canadian Team which is planning the next IDC convention in Toronto. Hopkins was selected as the International Drycleaner of the Year.
Other special honors went to Dr. Wentz, recipient of the George Shepherd Award for contributions to the textile maintenance industry, and past IDC president Ruediger Bohler, who received a special Presidential Award. Also honored for dedication to the international organization was Max Zimmerman, a long-time member and former vice president.
In parting remarks, Dr. Wentz thanked those who had assisted him in his year as president, singling out Bill Pulley and Carolyn Portwood for "their personalities, efficient management styles and dedication."
He also recognized Egon and Gisela Burchard who served as general chairman and host at the Munich convention for "leadership that made the conference a rich and memorable experience." Wentz also noted the contributions of Peggy Mikuni and Joyce Francis for handling travel and lodging arrangements.
MIDLAND, MI -- Reductions in perc use by drycleaners do not trouble Dow Chemical Co., a major producer of the solvent.
Decreasing demand for perc is good news, wrote Elaine Murphy in the spring issue of Dow's Spot News, a quarterly publication that highlights the company's involvement in the drycleaning industry.
Murphy, who is the drycleaning industry manager for Dow, noted that perc use by the drycleaning industry has decreased 68 percent over the past 12 years, from a high of 260 million pounds in 1985 to 83 million pounds in 1997.
That, she said, is good news for the industry, good news for the environment and good news for the producers of perc.
"You may think I've taken leave of my senses," she wrote. "After all, my job is to market perc to the drycleaning industry."
But Murphy said that she is looking at the issue from a "broad perspective."
"I think most or our readers agree that perc is the most effective, efficient and economical solvent for cleaning the widest range of fabrics and that is in the best interest of both the drycleaners and their customers to maintain perchloroethylene drycleaning as an available option for the long term," Murphy said.
"This calls for keeping perc out of the environment and in the drycleaning machines, and the more efficiently we can do this, the longer we will have the perc to work with. That is my overriding goal, and I believe it is the goal of most drycleaning professionals."
Murphy cited several factors in the decline in perc use -- more efficient drycleaning equipment, new technology for emission reductions, and the willingness of drycleaners to buy the new equipment and implement the new technologies.
"Even the simple expedient of replacing transfer equipment with dry-to-dry has a marked effect on solvent mileage, to say nothing of the move to third, fourth and fifth generation machines," she said.
Murphy said that she sees no major movement of drycleaners away from perc. About 90 percent of the cleaners in the United States continue to use perc.
What has changed, she said, is that in the 1980s that 90 percent used perc exclusively while today many have diversified into wetcleaning.
More studies on perc
he same issue of Spot News also noted that perc producers are funding research to "further clarify the potential health effects of perc" through the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance.
An article by Janet Hickman, the drycleaning industry development leader for Dow, noted that several studies are in progress but quick results are not to be expected.
More than $2 million has been committed to studies on the health effects of perc. Studies underway include the following:
- A series of studies designed to better understand the differences in metabolic and physiological processes among rats, mice and humans.
- An HSIA-funded update and reanalysis of existing epidemiological studies to further investigate whether drycleaning workers face a greater potential risk for cancer compared to other professions and the general population.
- The European Chlorinated Solvents Association (ECSA), HSIA's European counterpart, is conducting the first phase of a new epidemiology study to provide more definitive answers about the health effects of perc.
Among the main considerations cited in Europe is that the study must have a sufficient number of people willing to be included, that sufficient medical history and work practice information exists on them, and that consideration be taken of confounding factors like smoking, alcohol use, age, family health history, ethnic background and diet. These considerations may not have been adequately addressed in older studies.
- HSIA also has committed to fund a series of studies on the potential effects of chlorinated solvents, including perc, on the body's immune, neural and reproductive systems.
These studies have been called for by regulatory agencies and HSIA is working with those agencies on details of the project.
Authoritative sources
In the drycleaner's favor, Hickman noted, is that the many consumers look upon the local cleaner as an authority who has the answers to their questions.
"The drycleaner should be prepared to explain how he uses perc safely and minimizes risk to his workers, the environmental and the public," Hickman wrote.
"It's up to people in industry to provide the drycleaner with supportive material to assist him in communicating with his customers."
By Rick Osewalt
Hiring employees used to be a fairly straightforward matter: You selected the people you wanted, put them to work and waited for them to "sink or swim."
Like much of life, however, the hiring process has become increasingly complicated in recent years. In the strong economic climate being experienced in many regions, finding and keeping good employees is extremely difficult.
For growing companies, hiring just one unqualified employee can have a terribly negative effect on productivity, profitability and morale.
The time required to duplicate work and rebuild customer relationships because of employee incompetence is costly.
In addition, losing good employees to competitors is expensive. With each employee departure, you forfeit whatever you invested in training, and an amount of knowledge and information that even experts haven't dared calculate. And increasing governmental and legislative involvement in labor and employment issues means that business owners must be prepared to defend hiring and firing decisions in court.
While there is no way to prevent employee-related legal problems, business owners can minimize their legal and financial risks by complying with federal and state regulations that govern employee-related policies and procedures.
Although most large, well-established companies maintain a human resources department or in-house counsel to keep them "up to speed" on labor and employment issues, growing companies often don't have the time or resources to dedicate to creating or implementing structured HR guidelines.
By taking a few common sense steps, however, any business can safeguard itself against making costly legal mistakes in hiring, managing and firing employees.
These steps provide a quick, efficient and cost-effective system for establishing a "paper trail" of written records that can be used to document employee-related issues if legal disputes should arise. Business owners should:
1. Demonstrate a businesslike approach from a prospective employee's first involvement with your company.
This means providing an easy-to-understand employment application and explanation of your hiring timetable, and a straightforward interview process. Offer a clear job description, and avoid the use of "loaded" terms that could suggest discrimination like "Salesman," "Girl Friday" or "Young." In addition, you should state at every opportunity your company's intent to be lawful.
Make sure your company's job advertisements and employment application materials communicate clearly that your company is an equal opportunity employer. In addition, avoid asking personal questions during interviews. Questions about such matters as whether a person is married, has children, goes to church and so forth can potentially raise questions of discrimination.
Confine your line of questioning to job-related matters: Will the candidate be comfortable doing lots of heavy lifting or meeting customers? Can he or she work odd hours or weekends?
Provide written materials that explain all established company policies, from a list of paid holidays to attendance requirements. In some cases, the policies will cover areas required by government regulation. For example, a number of states now require that companies provide formal policies about identifying and reporting sexual harassment incidents.
Keep the policies in a notebook or manual of some kind. If it gets thick enough, consider having it printed in booklet form for distribution to new and existing employees.
When you do hire someone, be sure to have the right forms on hand for the new employee to fill out. These include 1-9 and W-4 forms. The message to new employees is not only that you are organized, but that you follow the law to the letter.
2. Maintain complete and up-to-date records on each employee.
Keep job performance files that include written information on such matters as attendance, changes in duties or salary and job performance. Be sure to save any written inquiries or statements from employees as a part of such records.
In addition, document any warnings you provide an employee, even if warnings are made orally. Use and file written performance appraisals that reflect an honest assessment of an employee's job performance.
Legal problems can arise if an employee with a glowing set of reviews is suddenly fired. Document all job-related accidents or illnesses and be sure to write down exactly what happened, how the problem was treated, how the employee described the situation and who else was present.
3. Keep your employees well-informed.
Make sure they know about changes in the law, especially those related to minimum wages, overtime reporting and safety standards. Safety and health posters that advise employees on how to comply with state and federal safety, waste disposal and other related regulations should be mounted in visibly prominent locations. This can help head off legal problems if an employee claims that he or she "wasn't informed" about these matters.
Sharing information with employees sets the stage for encouraging more open lines of communication with them. Many potential problems can be prevented simply by making employees feel that they can talk openly about their problems or concerns. Employees don't necessarily expect every problem to be solved. What's typically more important is that they feel they are being listened to.
Rick Osewalt is director of business management for New England Business Service, Inc. (NEBS). As a direct supplier of small business products to more than 1 million customers, NEBS has been committed to improving small businesses management, marketing and operational success for the past 45 years. For more information on NEBS Human Resource Essentials products to help companies find and keep their "best" employees, call (888) 228-6327.
Kansas City drycleaner David Porter has unveiled a prototype of his "SmartBox," an invention he hopes will revive home pickup and delivery of drycleaning along with dozens of other consumer items.
The SmartBox provides a means of secure access for pick-ups and deliveries to homes. Mounted in an exterior wall of the home, the box opens both on the inside and outside and appears to be, roughly described, a refrigerator with doors on both the front and back.
Not only does the box create a secured drop-off point for residential deliveries, it also can keep warm items warm and cold items cold, which would facilitate delivery of groceries or prepared foods. The prototype has a traditional refrigerator/freezer unit that blows cold air from the top and a warming pad wired to the bottom floor. An adjustable, removable shelf above the warming pad is insulated to provide separation for hot and cold items.
For secured deliveries, the prototype uses a telephone/home alarm type interface. The homeowner sets a code for outside access to the box, then give the code the delivery person. But Porter foresees the possibility of an Internet interface where each delivery could be assigned a unique code from a website.
That ties in with Porter's belief that on-line shopping will continue to grow and that retailers selling goods over the Internet will need a secured means of delivering items to people's homes. To date, he noted, most of the concern in on-line purchases has centered on security of credit card numbers. As that is resolved, he believes the next concern will be safe delivery of items ordered electronically and the SmartBox will fill that bill.
Porter has a patent on the SmartBox but he said much development of the idea remains. In particular, ownership and control over the box remains to be determined -- in other words, who will foot the bill for installation and maintenance?
In that regard, he believes that the growth of on-line and telephone shopping in combination with the "not at home" syndrome of today's busy households, will act as an economic stimulus to bring the SmartBox to market.
"We're hopeful that a big need will come from the business community, and particularly the on-line grocery industry, when the realize that consumers will be less likely to order if they anticipate that their goods will be left unsecured outside their door," Porter said.
In addition to his interest in SmartBox development as the patent-holder of the device, Porter has a drycleaner's interest in it as well. The idea sprang from his desire to revive the home laundry industry which he sees as the key to growth and expansion for today's drycleaning industry.
To capture more of the home laundry market, Porter believes two things are necessary: lower cost commercial processing and secured pick-up and delivery.
"Today, folks are dressing more casually and need drycleaning less," he said. "In addition, today's families seem to have a real shortage of time."
SmartBox combined with the "Fast Laundry" concept that he has also been researching and promoting could lead a revival of the commercial home laundry, taking home laundry chores off of consumer's hands and bringing more work to professional cleaners that currently is run through the home washer and dryer.
While it may be that a large company or consortium of companies takes over development and implementation of the SmartBox, Porter said he would rather see that come from within the drycleaning industry.
"The drycleaning industry can lead. We can show that we are the ones doing it," he said.
TV sitcoms reflect, and may even influence, how people dress for work.
A recent article in Women's Wear Daily noted that programs set in work environments reflect a new style of professional dressing, a change from the "power suits" popularized in the 1980s by "L.A. Law" and "Murphy Brown."
The new breed of prime time shows, WWD said, is popularizing office looks like twinsets to replace structured jackets, knee-length skirts, sheer underpinnings worn under suits, the white shirt, slim pants and long coats worn over leggins or pants.
Kathy Bufano, executive vice president at Macy's East, said TV shows have helped validate some of the looks for the office, such as duster coats, twinsets and short skirts.
"People are very interested in fashion and they look at the stars to how they are dressed," she told WWD.
Brooke Shields, starring on NBC's "Suddenly Susan" as a magazine columnist, brings a laid back approach to dressing with over-the-knee floral skits and T-shirts, boot-cut pants with cardigans or leather jackets.
Another NBC program, "Veronica's Closet" has helped popularize the duster coats worn by Kirstie Alley in the role of the owner of a New York lingerie business while the network's "Just Shoot Me," set at a fashion magazine in New York, serves up animal-print skirts, sleek mid-calf dresses and fur-trimmed jackets.
On Fox TV's Ally McBeal, the main character is an attorney in a Boston law firm whose 15-inch hemlines have raised eyebrows while her novelty underpinnings such as V-neck stretch sweaters have been growing in popularity.
"TV is re-educating the American woman as to dressing in he workplace. It is not necessarily about stuffy clothes Monday through Friday," Max Azria, a designer whose styles are seen on "Ally McBeal," told WWD.
"There is a lot more freedom in the office and TV portrays that," said Shelli Segal, a designer for Laundry, whose twin sets, knee-length skirts and shaped jackets appear regularly on the program.
"In the Eighties, it was all about a feminized version of a male suit with big shoulders, nipped-in waists. Now there are all these different looks and so there are a bunch of uniforms. TV has become so powerful in pushing what looks right for the office. It is almost like brainwashing. It gives people a handle on style," Segal said.
Demographics play a role. A few years ago, TV was awash with shows that focused on teenagers struggling with acne, relationships and family issues. Those viewers have grown up and are getting into the workplace and TV producers are following them to the office.
"Over the past few years, office wear had been the sexy power suit, but now it has been replaced by the pencil skirt with the sweater set," commented a spokeswoman for Bebe, a retailer whose body-conscious suits were popularized on Melrose Place five years ago. The show still features the power suit, but now characters are also shown in soft separates.
Retail buyers and apparel executives welcome the diversity in TV fashion, which they see as validating certain trends and promoting sales of specific items. With a short lag between when clothes are bought and when they appear on TV, the fashions people see on these programs are in sync with what is selling in stores.
But TV fashions are sending the wrong messages. WWD reported that David Wolfe, creative director at the Donegar Group, has a "big problem" with the 15-inch skirts worn by Ally McBeal.
"These TV shows are issuing dress codes for people who think this is how people really should dress," he said. "I think consumers have a big problem separating this from reality. They think that if you show up in a short skirt on TV, it is OK for work."
Virginia Sullivan, owner of a fashion consulting firm called Image Communications International, agreed.
"The shows are sending out confusing messages," she said. "You can be feminine at work and sexy at night, but you can't be both sexy and feminine in the workplace at the same time. A lot of my clients are taking the shows literally. They are looking at all of it and they think they can wear it to the office. They need better role models."
Laurie Perell, a costume supervisor for Ally McBeal, said viewers shouldn't take the show too literally. "I think everyone gradually realized the show wasn't reality-based. It is now accepted," she said.
Perell is also costume supervisor for "The Practice" a drama that takes a more staid approach to fashion with characters wearing pantsuits from Anne Taylor and Taharai.
The character and the script are the guiding principles for costumes, Perell said. "Costumes are not led by fashion changes. A changeŠ would have to be motivated by producers, or what the character is going through. The script guides us."
For some viewers, at least, the script also seems to be guiding their choices for office wear. Perell said she gets calls from viewers asking where to get the outfits for seen on "Ally McBeal."
Cleaners who complain about the quality of some Tommy Hilfiger labeled garments have a new ally in their midst -- Tommy Hilfiger himself.
Tommy Hilfiger USA Inc. and Tommy Hilfiger Licensing Inc. have filed suit against Wal-Mart seeking to prevent the retailer from selling counterfeit Tommy Hilfiger apparel over the internet.
Documents filed in U.S. Federal District Court in New York said that Wal-Mart has been selling counterfeit Hilfiger apparel, including socks and T-shirts, through its Internet shopping site.
"Quality issues became apparent," a Hilfiger spokesperson said. "The stitching, the look of the logo, the colors and the labeling were inconsistent with normal standards."
In a motion filed in June, Hilfiger asked the court to find Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Sam's Wholesale Club in contempt for violating a 1996 court order. Hilfiger also asked the court to order Wal-Mart to recall the infringing articles and reimburse the money Internet shoppers paid for them. The motion states: "Any experienced apparel buyer would know, instantly, merely by examining the goods, that they were counterfeit.
Hilfiger does not currently authorize the sale of its products over the Internet. Wal-Mart established its Web site in 1996 and has the most extensive web site of the big three discounters. The other are Kmart and Target. About 500,000 items are displayed for purchase on-line including books, apparel, automotive, computers, groceries, hardware, records and sporting goods.
MAMARONECK, NY -- Ecomat Inc., the beleaguered wetcleaning and laundry franchiser, reported a net loss of $2.7 million dollars for the year that ended Dec. 31, 1997, in its Annual Report filed the Securities and Exchange Commission in June.
Early this year, the Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International accused Ecomat, which advertises that it does not use "toxic drycleaning chemicals," of sending some of its customers' garments out to drycleaners for processing.
NCA-I presented affidavits from a drycleaner and former Ecomat employees who had been involved in handling the garments, but Ecomat denied that any customers' clothes were sent out for drycleaning and that the garments were taken to drycleaners only for testing.
In January, Diane Weiser resigned as president and chief executive officer of Ecomat, positions she had held since December 1995. Astrid Hindemith was then elected chairman and chief executive officer of Ecomat Inc., the company's board of directors. At that time Hindemith apprised the board of steps to reduce the operating expenses of the company and narrow its operating losses, including termination of outside consultants, reductions in staff, renegotiation of payables and improvements in inventory management and customer service procedures.
The net loss reported for 1997 was more than double that reported in the previous year and brought the two-year total to $3.9 million.
Revenues were up slightly in 1997, at $547,967 compared to $415,498 in the previous year, an increase of $132,469. Revenue from company-owned stores for 1997 was $392,327 compared to $411,413 in 1996 and franchise revenue and royalties amounted to $155,640 compared to $4,085 in 1996. None of the company-owned stores has generated sufficient revenues to achieve profitability, the report said.
The cost of company-owned cleaning and laundry facilities far outstripped total revenues, increasing from $579,362 in 1996 to $1,008,873 in 1997.
A large portion of the increase was related to the operations of the four facilities newly acquired in 1997, including the two facilities in Connecticut that were closed at the end of the year.
These four facilities added approximately $142,000 to compensation, $81,000 to rent, $17,000 to supplies and $22,000 to maintenance and repairs.
The company's general administrative expenses increased sharply from $805,163 in 1996 to $1,537,245 in 1997.
Professional and consulting fees accounted for 54 percent, or $392,117 of the total increase, and consisted of legal and accounting fees associated with fulfilling the obligations of a public company and the engagement of outside consultants for public relations, investor relations and for the franchise sales promotion programs.
The company said it expects to continue to incur losses until it is able to generate adequate revenue from franchise sales and from company-owned stores to offset expenses.
Management also announced that during 1998 an additional $700,000 has been loaned to the company by its principal shareholder, Palatin AG, a Swiss company of which Hindemith is president and sole shareholder, and other Swiss investors. Ecomat is in negotiations with these investors with respect to an additional infusion of capital.
Ecomat stock, which sold for as high as $9 per share during 1997, closed at 50 cents per share on June 25.
KREFELD, GERMANY -- Research and development in textile cleaning technology was the topic of the 38th International wfk-Detergency conference held May 5-7 at the wfk Cleaning Technology Research Institute in Krefeld, Germany.
The three-day conference featured 59 lectures and 20 poster presentations for some 350 participants from 25 nations. Scientists from the fields of domestic laundering, detergent development for laundry and cleaning and professional care service covered topics pertinent to their fields of expertise. Among the participants from abroad were representatives from Columbia, Ecuador, Iran, Japan and the United States.
Dr. Helmut Kruessman, head of the wfk institute, said the conference endorsed the concept of an international orientation. "Economic globalization obliges research also to operate globally," he said.
Domestic laundering was the topic of the first day of the conference with discussions focusing on questions of energy and water saving. It was noted that hand-washing accounts for more than 70 percent of all wash treatments world-wide and that, combined with high solar radiation, lead to different focal points for products and test methods for detergents.
Developments in detergents were the subject of the second day of the conference. The use of enzymes was the center of discussion along with the exploitation of synergies in the development of environmentally friendly detergents through the use of mutually supportive materials.
Professional textile care service was the subject of the final day of the conference. Three lectures on the topic of wetcleaning were presented.
Kaspar D. Hasenclever, managing director of the Kreussler Co. of Wiesbaden, said a genuine opportunity exists in the growing market of easy-care garments that can be profitably wetcleaned.
Ralf Bärwald, an engineering graduate and recipient of this year's wfk prize for his work on economic and technical studies to optimize wetcleaning, agreed with Hasenclever. Wetcleaning offers commercial textile care a new opportunity to expand its market or to regain previous market share, they believe, but for various reasons that industry has not yet seized the opportunity.
Also discussed was the use of liquid carbon dioxide in garment cleaning. Sten-Hakan Almstroem of the Electrolux Co. of Sweden described the process as an environmentally friendly option whose technical and economic feasibility is still under examination.
Lectures on issues and measure of laundry hygiene and planned guidelines for textile suppliers to the food-processing industry were also presented at the conference.
NEW YORK, NY -- The Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International will have a one-week course on the "Principals and Practices of Drycleaning and Spotting" Oct. 5-9.
The resident course will combine practical, hands-on work with classroom instruction, meeting daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the New York School of Drycleaning at NCA-I headquarters, 252 W. 29th St., in New York City.
The course will cover stain and problem garment identification, safe stain removal techniques and procedures, safe handling of silks and other difficult fabrics and proper use of chemicals, including bleaches, on problem stains.
Students will gain an understanding and learn how to handle fabrics and dyes and how to use drycleaning techniques, including filtration, distillation, machinery operation, maintenance and trouble-shooting. Environmental requirements and wetcleaning will also be covered.
Bill Seitz, NCA-I executive director and director of the New York School of Drycleaning, and Dan Eisen, NCA-I's chief garment analyst and assistant director of the school, will teach the course. Students are invited to bring problem garments and let the experts show them how to correct the problems.
The cost of the course is $410 -- $50 for enrollment, $300 for tuition, and $30 each for a student notebook and a "Fabrics Today" book.
A 50 percent minimum deposit is required to reserve a place in the class. NCA-I can help students find hotel accommodations at special rates.
The New York School of Drycleaning also offers evening courses in drycleaning and spotting that meet 20 times over a 10-week period and a pressing course that meets eight times over a four-week period. The next session of the drycleaning and spotting course begins July 20 and meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 11 p.m. Call the association for complete information on registration and scheduling.
NCA-I is also continuing its series of one-day advanced stain removal courses at locations Florida and the Northeast. The cost is $125 for NCA-I members and $175 for non-members. For non-members who join the association at the time of the class, the extra $50 will be applied toward 1998 NCA-I membership dues.
The schedule is as follows:
July 12: 1. NCA-I Headquarters, (Korean) Dan Eisen/Frank Choy. 2. Presto Cleaners, 1013 So. University Drive, Plantation, FL 33324, (954) 424-1793, Charlie Hacker.
July 19: Elite Cleaners, 22 Temple Ave., Hackensack, NJ 07601, phone (201) 342-0460, Dan Eisen.
July 26: 1. Country Cleaners, 410 W. Main St., Huntington Village, LI, NY 11743, phone (516) 271-2400, Bill Seitz. 2. Doroís Cleaners, 3466 Genesee St., Buffalo, NY 14225, phone (716) 633-7767, Dan Eisen.
Aug. 2: Dependable Cleaners, 320 Quincy Ave., Quincy, MA 02169, phone (617) 770-9230, Dan Eisen.
Aug. 16: NCA-I Headquarters, (Korean) Bill Seitz/Frank Choy.
Aug. 23rd: Comet Cleaners, 35 Broadway, Freeport, NY 11520, phone (516) 378-9141, (Korean) Bill Seitz/Frank Choy.
Sept. 20: NCA-I Headquarters, (Korean) Bill Seitz/Frank Choy.
Oct. 4: NCA-I Headquarters, (Korean) Bill Seitz/Frank Choy.
Oct. 11: Sun Clean Cleaners, 310 N. Harbor City Blvd., U.S. #1, Melbourne, FL 32935, phone (407) 254-2224, Charlie Hacker.
Oct. 18: Wiltshire Executive Cleaners, Monroe St. and Martin Luther King Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33901, phone (941) 334-1353, Charlie Hacker.
For more information, call the association, (212) 967-3002.
LANSING, MI -- Michigan cleaners were warned of telephone slamming, an illegal method of changing someone's long distance telephone service.
The message was published by the Michigan Institute of Laundering & Cleaning in a recent association newsletter.
The Michigan Public Service Commission described a scenario which slammers use to trick someone into changing service.
According to MPSC, a business is called by someone who claims to be with a company's present long distance carrier. In the ensuing conversation, the solicitor tells the business owner of a plan he or she can enroll in that will consolidate all telephone bills. If the owner agrees to the plan, he or she will soon receive a bill from another long distance carrier with costs that are most likely higher than what the business previously paid, the commission stated.
The business owner is often left wondering how this happened. MPSC warned that this occurred by the misrepresentation of the prior contact or by outright fraud.
If a company is slammed, the commission advises a series of steps it should follow to correct the situation.
First, call the local phone company and explain that "your business did not request service from the new long-distance company, that your business must be reconnected to your preferred long-distance company and that all switching charges must be removed from your telephone bill." After that, the business owner should call the company that made the change and tell it that the business will pay only for charges that the preferred carrier would have imposed and that the slammer must pay all reconnection charges.
The business owner should call the preferred carrier and report that the business long distance service was switched without prior permission. The owner should ask that the regular service be reconnected at no charge.
Finally, a complaint should be filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by sending a letter to: FCC; Common Carrier Bureau Consumer Complaints; Mail Stop Code 1600A2; 2025 M Street NW; Washington, DC 20554.
A toll-free telephone number is also available at (888) 225-5322.
For those who want to switch companies, a few rules should be followed. A written authorization should be sent from the new carrier on a "Letter of Agency." Also, the new company should provide a toll-free number which the business owner can use to verify the switch. A third-party should verify the decision to switch and an information packet should arrive within three business days of the request to change carriers.
The new company must wait 14 days after the mailing to submit the change order.
Cleaners have a number of opportunities left to attend a trade show this year as five associations present their biennial exhibits between now and the end of October.
Illinois, California, Florida and New Jersey play host to exhibits in August and September with Michigan capping the show year with its exhibit at the end of October.
The Illinois State Fabricare Association will hold Chicago '98 at the Inland Exposition Center, Westmont, IL, Aug. 14 16.
Exhibit hours are 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday, noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
ISFA has combined its education programs with credits for the Illinois Drycleaners Star Recognition Program.
The association has developed 14 course offerings for the three days of the show. Each has been assigned continuing education units which apply to the star program. Program leaders include allied trades as well as ISFA, the Korean American Drycleaners Association and the International Fabricare Institute. Seminar hours are 7 to 8 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Most of the CEU sessions are one hour long.
For information on the programs and the show, call ISFA, (815) 729-0137.
The California Cleaners Association will hold its 77th annual convention Aug. 21 23 in Anaheim, CA.
Programs include presentations on establishing a route business, identifying and caring for problem garments and managing returns on investments. Speakers scheduled include Kenney Slatten, Jane Zellers, Bill Hay and Jim Beecher. CCA will honor its five-star cleaners and association school contributors on Friday, the opening night of the show. Saturday night features a reception and banquet with syndicated columnist Heloise presiding over "A Night of Stars," the association's recognition of various members for their accomplishments, and the naming of the drycleaner of the year.
Exhibit hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Information on the show can be obtained from CCA, (800) 390-8409.
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International will hold Suncess '98 at the Orlando Centroplex and Orlando Marriott Downtown in Orlando, FL, Sept. 12 13.
Seminars will be held both mornings with the exhibit floor opening immediately after the conclusion of the programs.
The sessions start Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. Topics include the Florida remediation program and a new legislation update, hazardous waste management and the drycleaning solvent cleanup program and pre-employment screening The Sunday sessions include a customer service program and a discussion of consumer attitudes about service, garment care, care labeling, wetcleaning and apparel preferences, including dress-up/casual wear.
Program speakers include Nick Albergo, Dennis McCrory, Dan Eisen and Dr. Nancy Cassill.
Exhibit hours are noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 13. Exhibits are in the Centroplex facility.
NCAI has arranged for hotel room discounts with the Marriott. The rate for the convention is $94.53 a night (tax included). The association advised attendees to call the Marriott at (800) 574-3160 and mention NCAI Suncess '98 when reserving a room.
For information on the show, call NCAI, (212) 967-3002.
The Pennsylvania Drycleaners Launderers Association show will be held Sept. 26 27 at the new Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, NJ.
Seminars will be held both mornings and cover such topics as low cost ways to promote a business, marketing ideas and customer satisfaction. A panel discussion on "Saving Your Business" will be held Sunday morning followed by a series of technical workshops at various booths on the show floor prior to the opening of the exhibit. These latter sessions feature service technicians demonstrating routine maintenance procedures.
Among the speakers are Gary Baise, Abe Cho, Barney Deden, John Jordan, Jane Zellers and Barbara Zippi.
Exhibit hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information on the PDLA show, call the office at (215) 830-8495.
The Michigan Institute of Laundering & Drycleaning closes the show season with the 1998 Great Lakes Expo and 85th anniversary celebration Oct. 23 25 in Novi, MI.
The trade show will be held in the Novi Expo Center and includes seminars as well as machinery exhibits.
The program agenda is being developed with a panel on emerging technologies included in the presentations. MILD will also have a maintenance seminar with the exhibitors at their booths on the exhibit floor.
For more information, contact MILD at (517) 337-2929.
Just when it looked like the Barton bill was about to sink below the horizon, five more members of Congress stepped up to add their names to the list of cosponsors. It had been well over two months since any new sponsors had appeared, so the addition of two Democrats and three Republicans coming just as Congress was leaving Washington for a summer recess was a welcome one.
Between now and Labor Day, representatives will be spending a lot of time in their home districts. And while they may be "on vacation" from Washington, they are not on vacation from their jobs. In fact, they are likely to be working harder than ever, looking for votes in this fall's elections. Your vote is one they want. They are likely to be more accessible than ever as the election campaigns open. That means it is prime time for telling your representative that the drycleaning industry needs more reasonable clean-up standards and that the vehicle to accomplish that goal is already on the road. All they need to do is to get on board by signing on as a sponsor of the Barton bill.
It has been just over a year since Congressman Joe Barton asked the industry to bring him 100 cosponsors so he can move this legislation through Congress. To date, he has been supplied with 80. That is far more than many skeptics thought possible, but it is still a bit short of what Barton requested. The fact that so many cleaners have been successful in getting their representative to sign on shows that it can be done.
Will the bill pass this year? Not likely. With elections looming, few legislative work days remain. But Barton, who should be easily reelected in his Texas district, has promised that he will bring this bill back in the new Congress. We are certain that he will keep this promise, but as an industry we need to keep up our part of the bargain by bringing him the 100 sponsors he has asked for.
Your voice as a constituent is louder than ever now. If your representative has not yet signed on as a sponsors of the Barton bill, these weeks leading up to the election are a great time to tell him (or her) what you, as a voter and small business job provider, need done in Washington. Tell him (or her) that you will be happy to vote for him (or her) in November if he (or she) will vote for you now by joining the 80 colleagues who are supporting the Barton bill.
Everybody talks about education, but after that, what do you do to keep a record of what has been taught, let alone what it was worth? In Illinois, a cleaners' trade association has adapted a process long used in other industries to keep track of classes. In doing so, they have created a new basis for measuring the courses cleaners can take to improve their skills.
We are talking about the Illinois State Fabricare Association and the Continuing Education Units its seminars award to participants in education programs. At its August trade show, ISFA has scheduled seminars throughout the weekend. Each class offers CEUs and has a course number which identifies it. As attendees accumulate CEUs, they come closer to earning recognition in the Illinois Drycleaner Star Recognition Program. This method is the raising of the standard of course delivery and indicates an improvement in the delivery of education services to cleaners.
There are certification courses and exams offered by the national associations. These are accepted in some states as proof of competency. But there is a need for the establishment of a universal standard through which courses from national, state and local associations as well as those offered by independent consultants may be identified.
Taking it a step further, this CEU process could be used to recognize proficiency and/or competency in areas requiring the same. Credits earned from one group's class could be added to those acquired from a course offered by another to meet various recognition standards.
Universal education standards for cleaners will be in place someday. It may be time to start discussing what the industry may want as a basis for the standards, and how the services may be measured and delivered.
PDLA announces new member benefits
WILLOW GROVE, PA -- The board of directors of the Pennsylvania Drycleaners Launderers Association announced the development of four new programs to be included in the members' benefits package offered by the group.
Health coverage, credit card services, medical services discount cards and long term care insurance are now offered by the association.
The health package offered is "individual coverage at reduced group rates," PDLA said. "You can pick from a variety of programs offered by the PDLA healthcare plan." Plans can be created with dental coverage as well and employee packages are available.
The credit card acceptance program is offered by BankBoston. There are no application, monthly or membership fees and PDLA said the discount fee averages two percent. A no-obligation free trial period is offered.
A discount card from the American Medical Benefits Association is the third new member benefit. This is not an insurance plan, but a discount card for medical services and supplies, including prescription drugs, medical care, family counseling, drug testing and travel assistance and emergency evacuation.
Long term insurance is the final new benefit. Offered through a well-known insurance company, this provides for coverage in nursing homes, adult day care and assisted living facilities. The PDLA plan provides a 10 percent discount off the standard insurance rates.
For information on PDLA programs, call (800) 822-PDLA.
MACLA working on employee handbook
KING GEORGE, VA -- The Mid-Atlantic Cleaners & Launderers Association is working on a project which would create an "Employee Handbook Manual." The idea is to produce a book which can be easily modified to fit the needs of any cleaner.
MACLA explained that the project evolved from the practice of "courts and juriesŠ finding that oral representations and established but unwritten or out of date employment practices and rules can be contractually binding." The association has retained a legal specialist to assist in the development of the handbook.
MACLA is seeking six member companies in Maryland who want to be a part of the project. Participation will be of limited duration, MACLA, and will take a commitment of $125. Participants will receive an employment manual at the conclusion of the project.
Interested candidates may contact the association at (800) 235-8360.
MACLA also noted that it has a new address. Mail should now be sent to MACLA, 7430 Little Chatterton Lane, King George, VA 22485.
The telephone number remains the same, (540) 775-2525.
David Norford is the executive vice president of MACLA.
Trade groups question NY rule interpretation
An interpretation of the new perc drycleaning rules by the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation has two trade associations seeking a re-examination of a department classification of building usage.
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association International and North East Fabricare Association have written DEC representatives expressing "consternation" and "concern" over a ruling on mixed-use facilities.
According to representatives of both associations, the DEC determined that any drycleaning plant that also has a laundromat as part of its facility is a mixed-use building. An NCAI representative indicated the department was basing its decision on the differing SIC codes. NEFA executive vice president Peter Blake said "during the rulemaking process, the definition was to only include businesses separate and distinct from the drycleaning operation." Blake claimed "many cleaners use a laundromat in day-to-day operation of the plant and, in effect, they are truly one business." A NEFA letter to DEC division of air resources director Robert Warland observed that "in early outreach programs presented in 1997, the very question was asked of the DEC and Stan Byer's response was 'if it is the same business, it is stand alone.'" Blake asked the director to contact him to discuss the issue.
The NCAI position expressed similar concerns.
In a letter to DEC commissioner John P. Cahill, NCAI executive director Bill Seitz said the DEC policy statement "is in direct contradiction to the interpretation offered by DEC personnel during your 1997 outreach campaign, and not in keeping with the Neg Reg concept of vapor barriers in mixed-use commercial settings." "More specifically, the requirement for vapor barriers in mixed-use commercial buildings, as opposed to mixed-use residential, was justified as necessary because of the possibility of certain specific types of commercial uses, such as food establishments, adjoining a drycleaner," he added.
NEFA issued an update to New York state cleaners to warn them of the potential problem. In it, NEFA attributed the decision to call the sites mixed-use to the DEC legal department.
NCAI also wrote New York Gov. George Pataki regarding the problem.
Seitz told the governor of his concern regarding the position changes of the DEC.
"As you may know, NCAI supported the enactment of NYS DEC regulation Part 232 covering perchloroethylene drycleaners in the early days of your administration," NCAI said. "Since that rule was adopted, we have had several disagreements with the department concerning interpretations of the regulation, which we strongly believe were outside the neg reg committee's conceptual agreement." "We ask that you assign someone from your staff to monitor the developments on these issues. Fair and reasonable treatment for a 'Mom and Pop' industry that placed great faith in you and your administration in 1994 is all we are asking for at this time." In developments related to the New York perc drycleaning rules, both NEFA and NCAI said their respective versions of certification training will be submitted to the DEC soon. The state will then evaluate the training proposals.
An independent testing organization will be contracted by DEC to test certification candidates.
NY certification requirements are coming
New York State will soon require certification of perc drycleaners and the state is now reviewing proposed programs submitted for official approval.
New York Department of Environmental Conservation official Patrick J. Lavin is responsible for evaluating and approving the plans. Lavin is the chief of the permitting and compliance, bureau of stationary sources, division of air resources.
His responsibilities include evaluating programs for adherence to department standards.
"We review the training programs for completeness as to what constitutes an acceptable training program," Lavin said. Proposals from several Korean institutions have submitted, including the Empire Institute of Technology.
"There are two sets of training requirements. One is for owners/managers and one is for operators. The operators have to have a hands-on component" in their training program, Lavin said.
Lavin also said the agency is developing a request for proposals for an independent testing organization.
Lavin predicted "we'll have the program in place by the end of the year." He indicated the three who have applied must now go through the review process to see if they are acceptable.
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association International and North East Fabricare Association are working on their individual submissions to the agency. Both are expected to complete their proposals soon and submit them for review.
Connecticut requires posting of prices
A new state law will require Connecticut cleaners to post drycleaning prices for each kind of garment accepted for cleaning. The statute goes into effect Oct. 1 of this year.
The retail price and tax must be posted, although garments requiring special handling are exempted from the list mandate. In addition, cleaners must have a printed copy of their price list available for any customer who requests one.
Price law violators will face charges of unfair trade practices and will be subject to fines of up to $100.
NEFA plans September move
The North East Fabricare Association is moving to new offices effective Sept. 1, the association said last month.
The new office site is 580 Main St., Reading, MA, about 10 miles from current NEFA headquarters. The old office is being vacated because the property is being developed into a residential property and the owner sold the building. Nine homes have been built around the NEFA office this spring while the association looked for a new office.
A lease for the new offices has been drawn up and association officials signed the documents in mid-June.
A new telephone number for the association is expected to be assigned in mid-August. The group's toll-free number remains the same, (800) 442-6848.
Wisconsin Fabricare Institute published list of cleaners in compliance with state law
GREENFIELD, WI -- The Wisconsin Fabricare Institute is battling a proposal it says could add $3,000 to $5,000 to cleanup action under the state's Drycleaner's Environmental Response Fund (DERF) program.
Under the 1997-98 budget bill approved by the state legislature, the Department of Natural Resources was authorized to collect fees by administrative rule for paperwork involved in contamination cleanups. These kinds of services -- investigation reviews, approvals, etc, had been furnished at no charge to the individual or company involved in site investigations or cleanups, WFI said.
Joe Phillips, WFI's executive director, noted that the DERF program is already subsidized entirely by the industry and provides for administration costs to be absorbed by the fund itself. He and Don Gallo, the association's legal counsel, have been in contact with state officials on the issue. Phillips said the intent of the legislature apparently was to have the fees imposed by DNR for work it does in connection with new Brownfields legislation.
Phillips had planned to testify against applying the fees to the DERF program or any cleanups involving drycleaner at a DNR board meeting in late May. That action has been delayed until August at the earliest.
The DERF program requires drycleaners to register with the state and pay a 1.8 percent fee on the gross receipts from drycleaning which is to be used to fund a site cleanup program for Wisconsin drycleaners.
In the May-June issue of WFI's publication, Impressions, a list of all cleaner who were licensed with the state under the DERF program. Approximately 325 drycleaners -- about 90 percent of the state's total -- had registered.
In publishing the list, WFI asked its members to review it and report to the association office any cleaners who are not on the list and may be in violation of state law. The names of alleged violators will be submitted to the state Department of Revenue "to take whatever action is deemed appropriate," WFI said.
"The list of licensed drycleaners has been published to ensure that we have a level playing field, that there are not those who would take advantage of their competition by considering themselves above the law," wrote WFI vice president in a commentary in the same issue of the publication.
"Unlicensed drycleaners will certainly not be jailed, but they could have their doors closed by the Department of Revenue until they have fulfilled their entire obligation to the DERF program," Kantor said.
He added: "Many of use won't realize the benefits of the DERF program for perhaps another 10, 20 or 30 years, but it is a security blanket that the industry must maintain if each of us is to conductŠ business with a sense of promise and enthusiasm and not under a dark cloud of fear and anxiety."
The law, enacted in October, 1997, and required all cleaners to obtain a licensed in January. The license fee is based on 1.8 of gross receipts on drycleaning services performed from the middle of October through Dec. 31, 1997.
In January 1999, all cleaners in the state will need to have their license renewed by again paying the 1.8 percent gross receipts fee, this time for all of 1998.
Question about the program can be directed to the WFI office, (414) 529-4707.
State of the Industry forum at Ohio convention
COLUMBUS, OH -- The summer meeting of the Ohio Cleaners Association will be July 10-12 at the Radisson Harbour Inn in Sandusky, OH.
A "State of the Industry" roundtable forum will consider such topics as liquid carbon dioxide cleaning technology, Rynex, wetcleaning, and alternative cleaning and finishing technologies. Seminar speakers will be Bill Fisher of the International Fabricare Institute, Bill Seitz of the Neighborhood Cleaners Association, Manfred Wentz of R. R. Street & Co. Inc., Tom Kimmel, IFI president and Debbie Barnett, IFI district 4 director. The seminar will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. Other events scheduled for the weekend include a golf tournament on Friday morning, an allied trades reception and annual meeting and banquet on Friday evening and the OCA board meeting on Sunday morning.
The full convention registration of $140 per adult includes the reception and banquet on Friday, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings and the Saturday seminar. Separate registrations and programs are offered for children and teens.
For more information, call the association, (614) 221-3458.
11 take first Wisconsin CPD test
GREENFIELD, WI -- Eleven Wisconsin drycleaners took the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute's new Certified Environmental Drycleaner (WI-CPD) examination on May 14.
The WI-CPD designation represents a next level for cleaners who participate in WFI's certification program. The association previously instituted its own Certified Environmental Drycleaner Program (WI-CED). Thirteen cleaners took the WI-CED exam on May 14 and seven others took the WI-CED recertification exam that was offered on May 13.
The Wisconsin certification programs are a partnership between WFI, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin Extension's Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center. The program focuses on drycleaners' awareness of environmental laws and regulations and the safe, effective and professional servicing of garments.
Philip (Jack) Annis of SHWEC wrote the study manual and exam for both tests.
Cleaners who achieve the WI-CED and/or the WI-CPD designations can use those titles following their names.
To maintain the certified status, they must meet ongoing training and participatory requirements and be re-certified every three years.
WFI said the tests have been designed to be as comprehensive as the CED and CPD exams offered by the International Fabricare Institute but more specifically oriented to regulations and conditions in the state of Wisconsin.
The exams for initial qualification for the WI-CED and WI-CPD designations are offered twice yearly on the second Thursday in May and the second Thursday in November at statewide University of Wisconsin Extension offices. The next exam date is Nov 12.
Recertification exams will be offered on the second Wednesday in May and again in September. The next recertification test will be given Sept. 18 in conjunction with WFI's fall conference.
WFI advises that cleaners allow themselves one to two months to adequately prepare for the WI-CPD exam and at least three weeks to prepare for the WI-CED exam. Call the WFI office, (414) 529-4707, for more information.
Zellers to lead customer service, finishing seminars in Wisconsin
GREENFIELD, WI -- Jane Zellers will lead customer service and finishing seminars sponsored by the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute in July.
The customer service seminar will provide training on effective communications with customers and how to understand their concerns. Sessions will be held July 22 at the Midway Hotel in Brookfield, WI, from 6 to 9 p.m. and on July 25 at the Wintergreen Resort in Wisconsin Dells from 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $20 per attendee for WFI members and $30 for non-members.
The finishing seminar will be offered on July 23 at Carriage Cleaners in Greenfield, WI. The instructional session will be from 5 to 8 p.m. and an optional hands-on Q & A session will run from 8 until 9:30 p.m.
The seminar will cover fibers, fabric, construction dyes, and pigments, finishing equipment, trims and appliques. Those who attend the optional hands-on session are asked to bring along one pleated garment, one pair of trousers, one dress and one sport or suit coat.
The cost of the finishing seminar is $105 for WFI members and $150 for non-members. Enrollment is limited to 30 students.
For registration or more information, call the WFI office, (414) 529-4707.Wisconsin Fabricare Institute publishes list of cleaners in compliance with state law
WFI fights addtional fees for cleanups
GREENFIELD, WI -- The Wisconsin Fabricare Institute is battling a proposal it says could add $3,000 to $5,000 to cleanup action under the state's Drycleaner's Environmental Response Fund (DERF) program.
Under the 1997-98 budget bill approved by the state legislature, the Department of Natural Resources was authorized to collect fees by administrative rule for paperwork involved in contamination cleanups. These kinds of services -- investigation reviews, approvals, etc, had been furnished at no charge to the individual or company involved in site investigations or cleanups, WFI said.
Joe Phillips, WFI's executive director, noted that the DERF program is already subsidized entirely by the industry and provides for administration costs to be absorbed by the fund itself. He and Don Gallo, the association's legal counsel, have been in contact with state officials on the issue. Phillips said the intent of the legislature apparently was to have the fees imposed by DNR for work it does in connection with new Brownfields legislation.
Phillips had planned to testify against applying the fees to the DERF program or any cleanups involving drycleaner at a DNR board meeting in late May. That action has been delayed until August at the earliest.
The DERF program requires drycleaners to register with the state and pay a 1.8 percent fee on the gross receipts from drycleaning which is to be used to fund a site cleanup program for Wisconsin drycleaners.
In the May-June issue of WFI's publication, Impressions, a list of all cleaner who were licensed with the state under the DERF program. Approximately 325 drycleaners -- about 90 percent of the state's total -- had registered.
In publishing the list, WFI asked its members to review it and report to the association office any cleaners who are not on the list and may be in violation of state law. The names of alleged violators will be submitted to the state Department of Revenue "to take whatever action is deemed appropriate," WFI said.
"The list of licensed drycleaners has been published to ensure that we have a level playing field, that there are not those who would take advantage of their competition by considering themselves above the law," wrote WFI vice president in a commentary in the same issue of the publication.
"Unlicensed drycleaners will certainly not be jailed, but they could have their doors closed by the Department of Revenue until they have fulfilled their entire obligation to the DERF program," Kantor said.
He added: "Many of use won't realize the benefits of the DERF program for perhaps another 10, 20 or 30 years, but it is a security blanket that the industry must maintain if each of us is to conductŠ business with a sense of promise and enthusiasm and not under a dark cloud of fear and anxiety."
The law, enacted in October, 1997, and required all cleaners to obtain a licensed in January. The license fee is based on 1.8 of gross receipts on drycleaning services performed from the middle of October through Dec. 31, 1997.
In January 1999, all cleaners in the state will need to have their license renewed by again paying the 1.8 percent gross receipts fee, this time for all of 1998.
Question about the program can be directed to the WFI office, (414) 529-4707.
Annual conference for MAFA
The Mid-America Fabricare Association will hold its annual conference July 31 Aug. 1 at the Lodge of the Ozarks in Branson, MO. A board of directors meeting will be held Aug. 2, following the convention, with members invited to attend.
MAFA has invited Deborah Rechnitz as its lead seminar speaker. Her topics cover practical tips on how to manage employees and your cost to increase profits.
According to MAFA, the seminar will devote part of its time to an analysis of costs "of a typical Kansas and Missouri cleaner," MAFA reported. Attendees will be encouraged to bring their own costs (by percentage) so they may compare numbers.
Rechnitz is the owner of Methods for Management, writes a column about business in a national trade publication and is executive director of Northwest Drycleaners Association.
The agenda for the weekend includes a welcome cocktail reception at 6 p.m. on July 31 and a continental breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by the annual meeting at 8 a.m. on Aug. 1.
The business management seminar with Rechnitz will be held Aug. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. immediately followed by a luncheon and IFI update. The MAFA directors meeting will be held 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 2.
The conference preregistration deadline is July 27. On-site registration is available for all activities except the Saturday luncheon and a Saturday evening stage show. Call MAFA for details, (314) 832-1839.
Nebraska sets fall convention
The Nebraska Fabricare Association will hold a fall convention in Omaha Sept. 19-20. Among the programs planned for the weekend is an all-day stain removal seminar taught by Jane Rising of the International Fabricare Institute.
The training session will be held Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants will receive a certificate from IFI. The fee for the class has not been established yet.
Also planned the same day are a plant tour and an association banquet.
On Sept. 20 the association will hold a membership meeting.
NFA is in the process of surveying its members regarding what they want at a convention. Questions asked include how often the members want a convention, when they want it, where it should be held, events which could be held in conjunction with a convention and topics that should be addressed.
For more information, contact NFA executive director Patty Deden, (402) 558-3314.
Wisconsin plans to track air pollutants
Representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute met recently to discuss the state's plan to track actual emissions of air pollutants.
According to WFI, the state's air emissions inventory has a perc emission reporting level of three tons a year. That figure translates to the consumption of 540 gallons of perc a year for transfer machine operators; 630 gallons a year for other perc cleaners, WFI said.
"Few firms use that much perc in a year, " WFI said. "Few, if any, will have to pay the inventory fee." The fee is $36.25 a ton with an inventory report due March, 1999, and the fee payable in June, 1999.
For more information, call WFI, (414) 529-4707.
SDA starts study of technologies
SAN ANTONIO, TX -- The Southwest Drycleaners Association board of directors has created a standing committee charged with seeking out, reviewing and reporting on emerging technologies in the areas of drycleaning, laundry and wetcleaning equipment and chemicals. In addition, the committee will study computer advancements as they pertain to the cleaning industry.
Committee members include Samuel Cox, Jim Cripe, Jess Culpepper, Keith Kocher (chairman), Joyce Shoolenbarger and Bruce Squires.
Kocher said the committee was charged by the board "to keep up with the new technologies." Key among the subjects the group will study are computer systems and "who has what." Kocher also said the committee is interested in information on "anything that's in the development stages as far as the drycleaning industry goes." Regarding the group's search for other new technology, Kocher said "the association is really looking for anything new and upcoming, especially CO2 and wetcleaning." "We want to find out about new advances in cleanups, too," he added.
Finding an answer can be time consuming, however.
"Someone said someone at Texas A&M was working on a microbe that eats perc," Kocher reported. "I made more than 30 calls on that one. Texas A&M sent me to a number of departments to check on it." Kocher said he is reading a number of web pages to keep up on developments. He said he's discovered there are "a lot of things out there." "Anyone with information on new technology to e-mail me at KAKComet@slash.net," he added.
SDA will report the developments through articles in its newsletter. "This way the members can be on top of what's happening," Kocher said.
Streets helps with seminars in Louisiana, Mississippi
The Louisiana Mississippi Drycleaners & Launderers Association will sponsor a short series of seminars this summer in cooperation with R. R. Street & Co.
Association executive director Darienne Wilson said two dates in August have been selected with an October program being finalized.
"Products and Process Education" will be held Aug. 15 in Lafayette, LA, and Aug. 29 in Shreveport, LA.
The October date has not been selected for the Jackson, MS, session.
The all-day sessions will include presentations on nine topics. These include understanding soil contaminants, drycleaning plant productivity and profitability, fundamentals of filtration and understanding drycleaning processes.
R. R. Streets will provide the seminar leaders for the programs.
A continental breakfast and lunch will be offered at each seminar.
Advance reservations for the sessions are recommended.
The association also said it has started making plans for its 1999 convention in Biloxi, MS. The group is scheduled to hold it on "the world's largest floating hotel," Wilson said.
For LMDLA information, call (601) 352-4291.
Florida cleanup law is amended
The Florida legislature amended the state drycleaning solvents cleanup program by shortening of the eligibility period, adding new incentives for voluntary cleanups, reducing taxes on perc and easing the program application status to make it more difficult for regulators to deny program applications.
The changes in the law take effect July 1.
Neither the Neighborhood Cleaners Association International nor the Florida Drycleaners Coalition sought the change, but NCAI said the two cleaners' groups worked with bill sponsors Sen. Jack Latvala and Rep. Adam Putnam as the measure went through the legislature.
Starting in July, applications for participation in the state voluntary cleanup program must be submitted by Dec. 31, 1998, rather than Dec. 31, 2005.
Also amended was the status of sales tax on perc solvent. The law now clearly states perc is not subject to state sales tax.
In addition, cleaners now can apply 35 percent of the cost of a voluntary cleanup as a credit against the state intangible or corporate profits tax.
Removed from the law was a $10,000 credit against future gross receipts for cleaners who expend funds on an immediate response cleanup and site remediation.
The new version of the law allows the use Risk-Based Contamination Assessment standards in determining the status of a proposed cleanup of a site.
Insurance standards were changed in that third party liability insurance coverage must be retroactive to the date drycleaning operations commenced at a location.
Dry stores are now included in the gross receipts tax.
"Wet plant operators who also operate dry drop-off facilities will not be affected; the tax will continue to be levied on total combined sales," NCAI reported.
To date, a reported 1,300 cleaning facilities out of 1,650 sites have applied for the state program, NCAI said.
New SEFA president calls for more professionalism
Leland Waite of Waite's Cleaners in Mobile, AL, was elected president of the South Eastern Fabricare Association at the group's annual meeting during the convention in Atlanta in May. He takes over from Wayne Hardaway.
In his acceptance speech, Waite called for more professionalism among the ranks of the industry's cleaners.
"The clothing care industry used to sew care labels in their garments that would read "Professionally Dry Clean Only." Now they only read "Dryclean Only," he noted.
The reason, he said, is because there are very few professional drycleaners in the country today.
"This is a shame, and it is our fault that we have let our industry fall."
Waite, whose father started the family business in 1952, compared drycleaners to lawyers, doctors and CPA's.
"When was the last time you looked in the newspaper and saw an ad for a heart doctor running a 40 percent off sale on bypass surgery or a CPA running an ad promising to double your refund if you let them do your income taxes? It does not happen. And guess what. They have a full work load."
Waite said professionalism requires continuing education and that as SEFA president he will try to provide members with professional education.
"We want to remain professional drycleaners," he said. "We want to be able to hold our heads up high when we walk up to our front counter and see that customer holding up the bag checking if the stain came out or that the finishing is to the best that it can be."
Confidence to build
Waite said that his father, who passed away in June of last year, lived to see his son realize a dream with the completion of a new 10,000-sq.-ft. building.
"Because of the knowledge and understanding of our industry that I received from not only being a SEFA member but also from serving on the board, I had the confidence to build such a building."
Waite said that with that one location in Mobile his company is known as a "professional drycleaner" and that he has been able to establish strong relationships with clothing retailers in the area.
As president, Waite will lead an association board that consists of 39 members who volunteer their time and pay their own expenses to attend four board meetings a year.
Joining him as officers of the association are Barry Morgan, Morgan's Cleaners in Brunswick, GA, executive vice president; and vice presidents Jean Barr of Aladdin Cleaners, Birmingham, AL, Greg Myers, Southside Cleaners and Launderers, Lakeland, FL, and Ed Robinson, Ed Robinson Laundry and Drycleaners, Columbia, South Carolina.
Hardaway is now serving as chairman of the board.
Alabama coalition working on trust fund
BIRMINGHAM, AL -- The Alabama Dry Cleaning Coalition is working on a drycleaners trust fund for the state, the South Eastern Fabricare Association reported last month.
George Berthon, president of the coalition, said the group has "studied all the states that currently have bills and is trying to pattern ours to take advantage of the mistakes others have encountered." ADCC has a rough draft prepared and has hired an attorney "that specializes in pollution problem lawsuits," Berthon said. "He has a lot of experience and worked with Florida on their bill." The coalition is creating a bill to fill a void it believes exists because of the lack of credentials needed to be a cleaner.
"This is the only industry where you can go out and buy equipment and hazardous substances and start out," Berthon said.
He also cited the adverse reaction to negative publicity whenever the phrase "hazardous substance" is referred to in news stories.
"The public and the environmentalists tend to panic," he claimed.
The coalition's biggest concern is getting the majority of the cleaners in the state to support a proposed site cleanup bill. Berthon believes there a many cleaners "who are afraid of it because they know it's going to cost them some money." He attributes this to a mindset of "if you don't think you have a problem, you don't want to support a site bill." He warned that if a cleaner is forced to do Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies and finds they have a problem, then they discover they are forced to do something.
"Our bill isn't going to force studies," Berthon said. "But if a problem is found, the bill will say that it will have to be fixed." ADCC doesn't believe the state will go out to inspect every site to see if there's a problem. "But if one is found, you'll have to fix it." Although the details of the proposed legislation are still being worked out, one issue is the appointment of a board to oversee the site remediation process.
"We would like to have a broad spectrum of people on the board," Berthon said. "A board of five or six, maybe eight people at the most." These would include cleaners, manufacturers, state representatives and others.
For now, ADDC plans to hire a lobbyist and find what procedure they have to go through to get a bill before the legislature.
"We don't want to go in unprepared," Berthon said. "But we'll go in as quickly as we can get all the details ironed out." Berthon can be reached at (205) 322-7845. Other ADDC officers include vice president Jim Massey III, secretary/treasurer Jean Barr and SEFA president Leland Waite.
Tennessee inspectors visit drycleaners
NASHVILLE, TN -- Inspectors from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Air Pollution Control (APC), have been visiting perc drycleaners to verify permit application information, the Tennessee Fabricare Association warned cleaners recently.
TFA said inspectors "verify the accuracy of information already submitted to APCŠ assist the perc drycleaners in the completion of permit application forms andŠ determine compliance status." Completed inspection reports are filed with the APC office where the division determines the applicable permit for a perc drycleaning plant. Then the office will issue the permit.
TFA said a permit is issued even if the annual state emission fee is not paid. However, cleaners who do not pay the fee are subject to monetary penalties.
Cleaners should be aware that if a cleaning facility plans to add new equipment or build a new plant, they must contact APC for a construction permit application 90 days prior to the beginning of construction.
Mark McAdoo of the small business clean air assistance program is available to answer perc cleaners' questions, (800) 734-3619.
Oregon DEQ sees better compliance with state law
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality reports improved compliance by drycleaners with the state's three-year-old law that created a site clean-up fund and set forth environmental management practices.
DEQ said that 365 drycleaners and dry stores had submitted reports as of June 1 and that this year's reports were "more complete and accurate than the information provided after the first year of the program." More cleaners reported the quantity of solvents purchased during the year and the level of compliance with waste minimization requirements improved during the year, DEQ said in its Annual report.
Under the law, cleaners are asked to verify basic information that identifies the facility and the owner; report on compliance with waste reduction equipment; and quantify the types and amounts of solvents used and waste generated at the facility.
DEQ also reported on progress made with drycleaning sites that have entered the program. Those included seven sites in the program at various stages ranging from initial site assessment work to one location that was recommended for no further action.
Revenue for the program has come primarily from fees paid by drycleaners, a total of $1.58 million of the just over $1.6 million in total revenue from January, 1996 to March, 1998.
The fees paid by drycleaners include an annual site fee ($1,000 for a drycleaning facility; $500 for a dry store) and per-gallon use fee on solvent purchases, currently $12.73 for perc and $2.55 for other solvents.
One-fourth of the just over $1 million expended by the program between July 1, 1995 and March of this year went for work on a site that has been classified as a "high priority." DEQ said that groundwater samplings from the Lebanon area indicated that perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and chloroform were present in the groundwater at the Johannsen Cleaners site, with perc concentrations as high as 93 parts per billion.
A contractor has been selected to complete the site investigation and procure and installed equipment to remediate the risk from contamination, DEQ said.
Amounts expended on the other sites ranged from $30,000 to $95,000. One other site, Professional & Budget Dry Cleaners, has been classified as "high priority." Full evaluation and a determination of remedial action has been recommended.
Sampling done at another site, Peacock Cleaners, showed only low levels of contamination and DEQ is recommending no further action for that site.
The total amount allocate for cleanups in the budget report was $564,500.
Other areas of expenditures were program administration, $162,462; program development, $107,324; technical assistance, $113,713; and a technical assistance contract, $70,000.
The technical assistance contract is a two-year agreement under which a consultant, Scott Lee, will work with the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association and the Oregon Korean Dry Cleaners Association to help the state's cleaners meet the program's goal of eliminating releases of toxic solvents.
DEQ said Lee will work directly for the associations and will not report information about individual cleaners to the DEQ.
He will attempt to visit each drycleaning plant in Oregon to help owners and managers understand and comply with requirements for hazardous waste minimization requirements, reporting, and environmental cleanup. Lee will report cumulative data on the amount and type of assistance and the level of compliance he observes in quarterly reports he will make to the DEQ.
Compliance with the Oregon law means not using transfer equipment; providing secondary spill containment, using refrigerated condensers, having close, direct-coupled solvent delivery, and no sewer disposal of solvent-contaminated water.
His reports to the DEQ will include aggregate information only. He will also report to the oversight committee which will manage his work.
Committee members are Gary Campbell and Earl Eckstrom of the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association and Kwan Lee and Jin Kim of the Oregon Korean Dry Cleaners Association.
A meeting of the Dry Cleaner Advisory committee was scheduled for June 24 in Portland. The agenda included role of the advisory committee, technical assistance contract, waste minimization requirements, delivery systems, status of the fund and cleanup activities and a report to the legislature.
California seeks nominees for Drycleaner of the Year
The California Cleaners Association is looking for nominees for the 1998 Dry Cleaner of the Year, an award which will be announced and presented at the group's 77th annual convention in August.
CCA said nominations may be made through the association's office. The award will be made Saturday, Aug. 22, at the president's reception and dinner at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel.
The convention and trade show takes place Aug. 20 23 with a golf tournament, social events, board and membership meetings and three days of allied trade exhibits. The Anaheim Convention Center and Anaheim Marriott are the sites for the long weekend's events. Among the activities at the convention will be the announcement of winners of the five district board seats up for election. They will be announced at the Aug. 21 board meeting.
California five-star cleaners will be acknowledged at a Friday evening cocktail party at the Marriott. Contributors to the fledgling CCA school of drycleaning will also be recognized at that reception.
CCA is also accepting nominations for Oscar winners, a ballot that underscores the theme of the Saturday evening dinner, "A Night with Stars." The special guest star that night is nationally-syndicated newspaper and magazine columnist Heloise. She will present the Dry Cleaner of the Year award as well as awards to the "Oscar" winners.
The education sessions are planned for Friday through Sunday mornings. Presenters include Kenney Slatten, Jane Zellers, Bill Hay and Jim Beecher.
For details on the CCA program, contact the association, (800) 390-9409.
McCrory to lead Colorado seminars
The 1998 Rocky Mountain Fabricare Association annual conference will be held on consecutive weekends in Colorado and Utah.
The program agenda is identical for each -- only the location changes.
The Colorado series is July 31 - Aug. 1 at the Village at Breckenridge in Breckenridge, CO.
The Utah program will be held Aug. 7 - 8 at the Inn at Prospector Square in Park City, UT.
Both weekends open with a member reception on Friday night.
On Saturday the sessions start with "How to Interview and Hire Winners." This program starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 11:30 a.m.
At 1 p.m., a three hour session on "Marketing Magic: Effective Ideas That Work" will be presented.
Both Saturday programs feature a barbecue, comedian and silent auction followed by a comedy presentation by Dennis McCrory.
For details, contact RMFA, (303) 443-4446.
Arizona offers protection
PHOENIX, AZ -- The Arizona legislature has forwarded a bill which allows businesses to get "restitution for arbitrary, capricious or illegal actions" to Gov. Jane Hull, the Western States Drycleaners & Launderers Association reported last month.
WSDLA said the governor has indicated she will sign the bill.
The impetus for the proposed law was a nine-year investigation of Airborn Manufacturing Company by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The agency contended the company contributed to groundwater contamination and AMC spent $1.5 million in a successful defense.
"Testimony by several members of the drycleaning industry and the continued urging of the association were instrumental in securing the positive result," WSDLA said.
WSDLA can be reached at (602) 253-9186.
You start young, work for the family enterprise and learn the business from top to bottom. After a decade or two, if you're the member of your generation who stayed with the business, you get your chance to take over and run things your way.
This is the most common family business story. But it's the details of what happens when Generation Two takes over that explains what can go right when the business transitions to the younger family member.
In Connecticut, cleaner Jeff Berkowitz is a baby boomer who has made that transition from family employee to business owner and decision maker. His family purchased Grimes Cleaners in New London, Connecticut, from Carl Grimes more than three decades ago. At the outset it was a one plant operation near the center of town in an area destined for redevelopment. Berkowitz started working in the plant as a teenager, beginning with the basic chores.
"I swept up the floors and learned how to do button hole tags," he recalled of his introduction to workplace.
He continued work at the store throughout his teens, involved in the process of learning what cleaning was all about.
High school graduation merely confirmed what his vocation would be.
"I came into the business out of high school," Berkowitz said. "I got out of school and took a week off. Then I went to "dry cleaning university" in Chicago (the old National Institute of Drycleaning). I came back and got into the business." By that time his father had expanded into a second location in Norwich, a city 17 miles north of the original store location. The younger Berkowitz may have had a place that was his own, but he still had responsibilities to the main plant. "I ran the Norwich store and my father ran the New London store," Berkowitz recalled. "But I was going back and forth between the two stores, managing them both. At the same time I expanded by opening a drop store." The demands of working two locations began wearing on him.
"Because of the labor situation in the area I had to cover a number of jobs." Over time, it forced the Berkowitzs' hand.
"I couldn't handle 16 hours a day," Berkowitz said. "I was spending all my time in New London, not in Norwich where I had a good rapport with the customers and I had established a good quality store." Because he wasn't there, he saw that things tended to slide, "even though I had a good manager. There are things a manager can't do that an owner can do." The business had to be formally divided.
"One of the things that came around after the change was people were seeing me again. Things started turning around. I ran things the way I always did, with no drastic changes at first." His father continued to own and operate the New London store while he took over the Norwich store. "We split the corporation in 1995." One of the first moves in Norwich was to open a drop store. "We also picked up wholesale and hotel accounts," Berkowitz said.
"I pretty much had a free hand, once it became solely mine," Berkowitz said. "I was pretty much running the company before the split, but I spent 85 percent of my time on a shirt unit because we couldn't find shirt people."
The drycleaning economy of the 1990s has been subjected to many sorts of pulls, from casual days at work to changes in the types of garments consumers wear to church. But for Berkowitz and other eastern Connecticut cleaners, foreign policy had just as great a role in business planning. "We're in an area of Connecticut that is very defense oriented in the labor market. The Cold War ended and Electric Boat had 27,000 people with workers earning $15 to $20 an hour. Now the work force is down to 7,000 employees. That hurt the labor market drastically." In addition, another long-time regional defense fixture, the Underwater Sound Lab, left the area. Berkowitz said that when the jobs left, the white collar employees who worked in them followed because there was nothing suitable for them. Even the efforts to bring in new high-tech employers stumbled at first.
A hoped-for new employer at the sound lab site fell through "when funds for a venture called Project Oceanology fell through." Designed as a program which focused on education and research, it was seen as a way to stem the white collar job drain.
"Now it will be a Pfizers facility, an $800 million chemical research program," Berkowitz said. "That will help bring white collar workers into the area." The jobs that were opening up as the defense work evaporated were lower wage positions, a situation which didn't help cleaners business.
"The casinos opened up and they started hiring the labor force but at a much lower wage. Draftsmen and secretaries are not wearing 'the clothes' anymore."
The change in business attire was more than a job loss thing. Berkowitz told a story about a mall where he once had a store.
"When I first started working in Norwich, we were in the Norwichtown Mall, a place we moved out of 10 years ago. I was over talking to the mall manager a few years ago and she was in corduroys and a sweater. She said, "My company is at a point now where they really don't like it if you wear a suit unless you have an important meeting. If they see you in a suit and you don't have a meeting, they think you're not a team player.'" And her company is a major player in Mall Development.
"That's what led me to believe that if my company is going to survive, I would have to diversify. I needed to establish Grimes Cleaners of Norwich as a forerunner in the industry and give my customers a lot of different reasons to use my business," Berkowitz decided. "That's why I started my on-site drapery cleaning business two years ago this month." The key to survival would be diversification, he thought. "I began grabbing what I could about things." First he looked into ultrasonic blind cleaning, but wondered about liability with fixtures and getting a truck to transport the goods.
"Then I saw the ad in a magazine that said 'how would you like to make $70 to $100 an hour? I sent in for material, did some research and talked to people. I thought this would be something customers would enjoy -- you go into your customer's business or home and dryclean their drapes." "I called the company and talked with Ben Weller. He gave me the names of a couple people who were doing drapery cleaning, including a woman in Pennsylvania. She said she was thrilled with it." "When I heard these things, it occurred to me that I can perform a service, guarantee against shrinkage and damage and make money." Berkowitz saw this as his ticket to expanding his territory and diversifying services. And he wasn't going to bring more work into the store.
For the new customers, it meant their drapes wouldn't be out of the business for three or four days. "We clean them as is, hanging right there.
The process opened his company to businesses that normally don't use a cleaner.
"Right now we're doing bank work," Berkowitz said. And his customer draw extends into Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Curiosity makes him ask how they decided to call a company in Norwich to get drapery cleaning work done.
One bank, Washington Trust, "said they'd been looking for a couple years and was told 'your name and number was given to me on a piece of paper and I was told to get you in here.'" From individual customer's draperies to work with a fire insurance company was a natural step.
"The insurance company loves the work," Berkowitz claimed. "One brought drapes in and they were all a mess. We cleaned them with no problem. Lamp shades, wall hangings, wedding gowns, we do it all. I can fully clean a wedding gown with the drapery machine. I even did 80-year-old wall hangings for a church." He said this division of his company "is only two years old but it's still growing. I'm not limited to just Norwich. People are willing to pay my $25 an hour travel fee." He just completed a job in Orange, Massachusetts, a two hour drive from the plant. It was a school job where "they wanted someone to come in and do their stage drapes, a combination cafeteria/auditorium. The principal contacted a cleaner who gave her two different names. She also was told 'Grimes does the best work.' We did the job and she was completely satisfied." This supports his contention that people are willing to pay when you do quality work. It also convinced him that he is right when he tells other cleaners that the industry needs to project a more professional image. "We were more professional; the customer saw us as professional fabric care specialists and that it's natural for a drycleaner to come in and do your drapery rather than a maintenance company. "
The diversification was also good for breaking the routine that can set in after cleaning clothes for so long.
"I've been in the business for 25 years or so, and I was getting a little bored with the business," Berkowitz admitted.
"It was the same old thing. I can take spots out, I can press. But there had to be more." "Now, I get a call and I walk into a business or home and meet new people." "Diversification is a very big issue for a cleaner to undertake," Berkowitz said. "My father has a friend who's a very big operator. My father said 'Jeez, I wish we could be like that.'" Being big isn't the issue, the younger Berkowitz decided. Diversifying the product line and delivering top services are.
"That's why I did what I had to do. My father let me have the run of the company and I made the split because I'm a very quality conscious person. I never stop my search for good people."
Do you have a bottleneck in your customer service area during busy periods? Do your two or more clerks have a problem with using the conveyor at the same time?
Do your clerks need a reference to find the customers' orders dispersed at several locations on the conveyors?
A reference means punching a computer to find the slot numbers where the customers' orders are filed on the conveyor or skimming through a volumnous counter visi-file to find the conveyor's slot numbers.
The answer is in the use of a double-deck rack system for all orders composed of short/half-size garments and a single rack for all orders containing one or more long garments.
A small sign is mounted below each rack to indicate the last two digits of the customer identification set of numbers: home phone; last four digits of the social security number preceded by the initial of the customer's last name; and home address or an assigned customer code number.
The system is composed of five double-deck racks (10 racks total) and a single long rack for dresses and overcoats. You can have several long racks if your customer service area is wide enough to space them 48 inches apart.
The length should not exceed 28 feet in order to maintain speedy delivery to customers.
The bagged orders are filed on each rack (short garments) in strict numerical sequence according to the last two numbers of the customer's identification set of numbers.
For example, If you are filing by customer's the last four digits of the customer's social security number preceded by the initial of the last name, and the customer's name is Caplan with his last four social security digits of 9072, his suit and pants would be filed on the 70-79 rack in strict numerical sequence with the other customers' last found social security numbers.
The prefix "C" is used in case another customer would have the same last four social security number digits. This identification number is already programmed into the invoice computer and can be accessed by typing in the customer's name.
In regard to this procedure of giving the order to any person other than the true owner, I recommend against it unless the person can show authorization from the owner or if the person is presenting the receipt for the order
In any of these cases, you should have the person receiving the order without his or her receipt (even the customer) sign a "sign out book" which is a loose-leaf notebook with A-Z dividers and the page contains three columns: date, invoice number, and signature. The authorization note is stapled to the page.
This signature will provide that the order was received by either the owner or the person authorized by the owner.
Legally, merely showing a computer entry of the order's delivery is not conclusive proof against a person holding the original receipt. The computer only shows delivery to someone unknown. This is why you must take the receipt from the customer and destroy it upon delivery or at the end of the day.
No questions asked
What makes delivery of orders very rapid is the fact the clerk does not ask the computer, or the counter visi-file, for the location of the various orders.
The clerk simply asks the customer -- if no receipt was given to the customer when the orders were deposited -- for his or her identification number (phone number, social security last four digits; address or code number) and that's all.
Of course counter computers should be used to list/price the order as they are received and an itemized receipt containing the customer's identification number would be given to the customer immediately.
Another good feature about this system is that two or more clerks can go to the same rack at the same time.
This alone can break a bottleneck at the counters during the busy period.
The cost of fabricating the system can be less than $900 if you use steel flat bar and 3Ž8" rod to support the flat bar as a welded unitrack, which is joined by "crosses" (fittings) and flanges.
As an alternative, 3Ž4" pipe and stock pipe rack fittings available from any conveyor/slick rail manufacturer can be used to mechanically construct the system with no welding required.
This system is also ideal for a dry store since its cost is much less than a conveyor, aside from its efficiency.
If the store is much longer than it is wide, then the system can be attached to a side wall rather than directly behind the counters, which is the more desirable location.
If you have a very large inventory of uncalled for orders -- more than 45 days old -- you can transfer them to another location or use your present conveyor to hold them (if it is an "up and down" type). The conveyor can be relocated to another area in the plant if it is feasible to do so.
However, if your plant/store is long and very narrow, then you must use an "up and down" conveyor.
In regard to old, uncalled for orders, you should check with your local trade association or state attorney's office to find out what the law is pertaining to bailments of merchandise (especially drycleaning and laundry) being held for a period of time by the bailee -- which is you.
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.
Stan Caplan has over 35 years experience in his own drycleaning/laundry business and over 20 years experience teaching and consulting. A former chief instructor at IFI and the SDA school in Denton, TX, he offers consulting services on work flow concepts, lot systems management, call office efficiency studies, production studies, plant equipment layout, engineering studies and specifications, equipment specifications, TQM, training programs, cost analysis and accounting and general plant management. He can be reached at 3601 Clarks Lane, Suite 307, Baltimore, MD, 21215; phone or fax (410) 358-0870.
Yes, we're in a strange business! The degree of quality can vary with the mood of our most trusted employees, the fabric of the latest garments, or the dyes that can break down with repeated processing and temperature changes.
We are confronted with a dozen mysteries, from loss of tensile strength and shrinkage to solvents that can carry contaminants that cause graying of whites and discolorations.
The problem is all the variables that can enter into the drycleaning, wetcleaning and finishing processes. Of course we keep trying and we recognize the elusiveness of perfection.
It's nice to announce "We're the Best" as difficult as it is to maintain that distinction. The statement I most admire was the one made by Mr. Sid Tuchman.
When he operated his plants, he boldly stated," If your clothes are not ready as promised, 100-percent money backŠ and we mean it!
Demanding customers can lead us to some soul searching and to ask the question, "Can we do better?" If we can review the circumstances with patience and good humor then only improvement and progress can follow. Along with doing better is the problem of consistency.
Yes, demanding, and picky customers can and will keep us focused on our job of being managerial.
Here's an example on the lighter side! One rush-hour morning, I found myself at a busy coffee shop in the heart of New York's garment district, waiting on line for a container of coffee, a roll and danish or bagel. The woman in front of me gave her order, "A coffee light, please."
The busy counterman complied.
"That's too dark! "she shouted!
Without a word, he splashed off some, added some milk, and started to hand it back!.
"Now it's too light," she said.
So he reverses the process, throws out some and adds some more coffee.
"Ah, you made too dark again!" she complained.
Now I heard the best of patience and good humor. He handed her back the coffee and said "Please come back, tomorrow and you'll bring me a swatch!"
That brings me back to the memory of Mrs. Picky.
Her name wasn't Mrs. Picky, although that's exactly what she was, demanding, unreasonable and most times ridiculous.
She was also one of our steadier customers. Our plant offered adequate parking up in the Bronx and was opposite the local train station to Manhattan. This great location gave us a very active counter trade, handled by well trained staff of four or five most with vested interest in the business. It was a virtual madhouse from 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7:00 p.m.
And Mrs. Picky?
No one could deal with her. Somehow I was elected to handle her exclusively. I had this theory that if I could please her, then I could please our most demanding customer. I made her my personal quality control guide.
She choose to always wait until the counter was at its most crowded time before her order was brought out. Then she would start her individual and detailed inspection. The bag had to be opened, and she would twist and turn each garment and exclaim (for all present to hear) "I can't wear this!" or "Please, do this over again! I can still see some of the stain."
"Tsh, TshŠ I don't know Raymond. You used to do such beautiful work!" she would say.
I always agreed with her, no matter how ridiculous.
I learned to say "Hmm, HmmŠ I see what you mean."
Sometimes I would rebag the garment (since I could find nothing wrong), return it to the rack and await her next pick-up, only to hear her say, "Now it's done right!"
In the end we both were happier, since her complaints were never about price or service, and I accepted her role as the demanding customer.
I think we parted company when she looked over a quilted silk housecoat, and inspected the underside of a pocket flap and noticed a hidden, soft fold. When she gave her usual comment, "I can't wear this!" I said "But you can't see it."
"Yes, but I know it's there!" she said.
It was then I whispered, "Shhh, let's keep it, as our secret!"
That's when I lost her. Yes, she did come back but the game wasn't the same.
When you consider the condition of the clothes we dryclean and how we produce a near perfect product in an imperfect world, we can look with pride at our accomplishments and the constant effort at our high standard of excellence.
There's something to say for demanding customers. They demand our best! And they can bring out our best!
Ray Colucci, an independent consultant to the drycleaning and laundry industry, conducts sales seminars and participates on industry discussion panels. He has been a tailor, professional drycleaner and national sales manager. He can be reached at 410 Warren Ave., Mamaroneck, NY 10543; phone (914) 381-2171.
Dryside stain removal procedures depend on the type of stain which could be the result of oils, paints, cosmetics or glues coming in contact with the fabric.
Oil stains
Oil stains are classified as any greasy substance that does not dissolve in water. Oil can be obtained from animal, vegetable or mineral sources.
Mineral oils include fuel oils, baby oils, gasoline and other petroleum products. These oils are usually no difficult to remove because they do not oxidize, breakdown or pick up oxygen from the air.
Animal and vegetable oils consist chiefly of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and will oxidize and become difficult to remove. Oil stains can often be invisible when fresh and become visible after they oxidize and set. Oil stains that oxidize cannot be removed by drycleaning.
Oxidizing oils include, butter, lard, peanut, castor oil, linseed oil, sesame, corn oil, margarine, soybean, cotton seed, tung, fat, olive oil.
Cleaners usually have a difficult time removing oil stains because of wrong spotting procedures used and oxidation of the oil produced by heat.
Oils that contact a fabric when hot are more difficult than those that contact a fabric cold.
Cleaners often mistake oil stains for tannin stains and cause further oxidation of the oil when heat, water and chemicals are used.
The oxidation of an oil can best be understood when it is compared to tung, linseed and soybean oil, which are used to make paints and varnish.
Identification. Oil stains can be yellow or tan in color. They are easily absorbed into the fabric and usually form a cross or elongated staining since the thickness of the oil staining travels along the weave of the fabric. When oil stains are held to the light, they will usually appear translucent, while tannin stains are irregular.
Chemicals used for dryside stain include the following:
Oily-type paint remover is the primary lubricant used for dryside stains. Oily-type paint remover contains alcohol and when the wearer is in contact with the lubricant, it releases alcohol which can cause dye loss on many fabrics.
Some oily-type paint removers are more aggressive than others. Usually the darker colored oily-type paint removers are more aggressive on the staining and subsequently can be aggressive on dyes and prints.
Amyl acetate is a dry solvent that is an aid to removal of most dryside stains, including oil. Amyl acetate is often referred to as banana oil because of its characteristic odor.
Volatile dry solvent is a fast drying solvent used to flush dryside lubricants and can be used to aid in the dilution or penetration of a lubricant.
Two-in-one formula is a mixture of two parts spray spotter and one part of a volatile dry solvent. Effective in removing some oil and latex paints, it can be dangerous to dyes and must be tested.
Ammonia is an alkali that increases the aggressiveness of oily-type paint remover and aids in removal of some oil stains. It must be tested for safety on dyes and prints.
Acetone is a dry solvent that is effective on some oils. It will, however, dissolve acetate and triacetate fabrics. Must be tested before use.
Oil stain removal procedure
1. Oily-type paint remover.
2. Mechanical Action. Remember to use sufficient tamping to aid in breaking up the oil.
3. Oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate.
4. Mechanical action.
5. Flush with volatile dry solvent and dryclean.
6. Remember, the longer the oily-type paint remover remains in a fabric the more chance it has to pick up moisture from the air and cause color damage to fabric.
Step II (test before using)
1. Oily-type paint remover and ammonia.
2. Mechanical Action.
3. Flush.
4. Dry and Dryclean.
Paint stains
There are many different types of paints that are available to the consumer. These include oil-based paint, latex paint, lacquer, water paint and enamel. With varied compositions, paint stains consist of pigment colored powder particles.
Vehicles are oils, solvent latex varnish and resins.
Solvents are used to make the paint more liquid. These include water or organic solvents. The more heat that is applied to paint, the more it oxidizes and presents difficulty in removing.
Identification. Paint stains are stiff and usually on the surface of the fabric. When water is applied to paint, the surrounding area darkens causing the stain to become brighter.
Paint stain removal procedure
1. Oily-type paint remover.
2. Mechanical action. A spatula or bone scrapper is useful for paint stains. Soft textured fabrics cloud spatula on silk, polyester and cotton. Tamping action is necessary to break up the paint stain. Letting the paint remover soften the stain before tamping is often useful for removal.
3. Oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate.
4. Mechanical action.
5. Flush with volatile Dry Solvent or Drycleaned.
6. Test. Two in one formula -- spray spotter and volatile dry solvent.
7. Mechanical action.
8. Dryclean.
Varnish. Varnish is a transparent liquid used to protect wood and metal from air and moisture and improve their appearance.
Varnish can be made from resins, oils and alcohol. Upon drying, the resins and oils harden and oxidize. Shellac is a type of varnish.
Stain removal. Avoid using amyl acetate when removing varnish. Amyl acetate softens the varnish causing it to absorb into the fabric, making stain removal more difficult.
Varnish stain removal procedure
1. Oily-type paint removal
2. Mechanical action
3. Dryclean
Repeat steps
Cosmetics
Lipstick contains pigment and wax.
Work method
1. Oily-type paint remover
Mechanical Action
2. Oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate
3. Mechanical action
4. Flush with volatile dry solvent or dryclean
5. Oily-type paint remover and with a light feather of steaming (Test Fabric).
6. Dry garment
7. Dryclean
8. Wet Side Procedure
(a) Treat as a tannin stain
(b) Treat as a protein stain
(c) Use bleach
Nail polish contains pigment and plastic. Amyl acetate is effective for removing nail polish. It may be necessary to allow the amyl acetate to stay on the fabric for enough time to soften the stain.
Nail polish removal procedure
1. Oily-type paint remover.
2. Mechanical action Use sufficient tamping action.
3. Oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate.
4. Mechanical action..
5. Repeat steps.
6. Dryclean.
7. Oily-type paint remover and steam.
8. Mechanical action.
9. oily-type paint remover; ammonia; mechanical action (test fabric).
10. Allow to dry
11. Dryclean
Glue stains
The drycleaner is faced with an almost impossible task in removing many of the glues found in today's market. Some of these glues permanently bond to the fabric, making stain removal impossible.
Instant glue. There are a number of glues on the market with names like "Super Glue" and "Krazy Glue."
These glues bond through polymerization. The liquid molecules in the glue combine with molecules in the fabric forming long chains of molecules called polymers. In short, the glue and the fabric become one.
The routine spotting agents such as oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate do very little to break down the glue.
Acetone, which is found in some nail polish removers, can soften the glue to some extent, but a large amount of staining can rarely be removed.
Mucilage. These glues contain natural sticky substances such as dextrin (a starch) or gum. They are mixed with water and form a temporary bond with the fabric. This type of glue can be treated as a tannin stain followed by the protein stain removal process.
Rubber and plastic-based glues. These glues contain rubber and plastic ingredients mixed with solvents. When the solvents evaporate, the remaining agents form a hard bonding residue.
These glues usually respond to oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate. It may be necessary to apply these spotting agents several times using proper mechanical action.
Sometimes leaving the spotting agents on the fabric to soak in and soften the glue may prove effective.
Dryclean the garment after spotting.
White glue. Elmer's glue and similar a products are made from resins derived from milk products.
These glues usually respond to a two-fold spotting procedure. The first step is to treat the stain as a dryside, using oily-type paint remover and amyl acetate Dryclean with low heat drying.
Treat remaining staining as a wetside protein stain using neutral lubricant and ammonia.
Digesters are also effective on this type of stain.
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.
A brilliant friend of mine once made a statement that I will never forget.
He said, "The adage that you can't argue with success is not true." He went on to say that what you can't argue with is failure. Failure is failure.
Several years ago I wrote an article in the National Clothesline about how some forms of employee benefits can be dangerous and significantly affect profits.
I just received a phone call from a very large multi-plant member that does well over $150,000 a week in sales. YesŠ they do almost $8 million a year and run a profitable enterprise. However, it could be even more profitable.
This plant is obviously successful in that they found ways to expand and generate independent plants so that each became a profit center unto itself.
One of the partners told me they were going to have a meeting to review "Employee Benefits."
He remembered the article I had written and asked me to fax him a copy right away so he could have it ready for the meeting.
I asked him about their present policy regarding employee cleaning. He said they allowed each employee two garments a day processed at no charge.
Now read my previous article.
The magic of converting a minnow to a big tuna and back again to a minnow
People you hire for counter or productive work usually have been spending less than $25 a year for drycleaning and shirt laundering services. I usually refer to this type of customer as a minnow.
If you offer free cleaning as an employee incentive, these same people will jump to at least $500 a year, or 20 times their previous spending.
I call a customer who spends this much money on drycleaning a "Big Tuna." And, after your Big Tuna freebie employee leaves your employ, he or she immediately drops back to their previous standing as a minnow.
Can you explain this? I can.
It's human nature and it's called greed.
One plant owner told me he offers a one free garment a day.
He has 25 employees taking full advantage of this special offer, so this can come to 25 employees x 5 items each week = 125 free items a week.
He also told me that five employees took full advantage and the rest brought in a bit less than five items a week. So, average 100 items a week at no charge, with a retail price of $4 per piece, this would project to $400 a week in free cleaning.
This is a fairly large volume plant, so perhaps the 100 pieces cleaned free each week seem insignificant, but it represents a retail value of more than $20,000 a year in freebie drycleaning.
How do you think they feel about doing all this work for some of their fellow employees for free? They don't care. They are getting paid for their production regardless of whether it's free work or paid-for cleaning.
You may think this isn't too much because you probably don't think it costs you much to do a few extra garments free each week. "I can live with this," you say.
Unfortunately, your solvent doesn't know what's free and what is paid for, nor does your boiler know or care, nor your press pads and all other supplies.
And what about the labor to process all these extra garments with no income? Doesn't it cost you at least 25 percent to 45 percent in payroll to process all this work?
If your direct labor is over 30 percent, that's another problem, but it is magnified by processing hundreds of free garments a week. If you are running over 30 percent production, you should check your policy on free or half price cleaning, or whatever it happens to be.
Let's look at this problem from a different angle.
A drycleaner I know is a real nice guy and was giving his employees a 50 percent discount for their own cleaning.
One of his better customers suddenly quit him without explanation. When he got her on the phone and asked why she quit, she said her daughter's friend went to work for a drycleaner in town and was offered free cleaning as a benefit of the job.
The girl didn't have much work of her own so she told her friend she could get free drycleaning for her mom.
This nice lady customer quit my friend's store because she is human and greed made her do it.
The new cleaner finally woke up and fired the young counter girl. When the lady, a Big Tuna customer, lost her privilege of free drycleaning, she came back to my friend's plant where she had to pay, but got better quality work.
Very few plants in the U.S. work at a true net profit of 14 percent. Doing free work does cost money since you have to pay the other employees, supplies, energy and all the usual expenses of running your business.
In the example above, I showed that one employee who brings in $1,000 a year in free cleaning is actually costing the owner 86 percent of that or, in this case, $860.
What does it cost?
I'm often asked by cleaners what it costs to process a suit. I ask them what is their net profit. Let's say the guy really knows and says he operates at a 10 percent net profit after all expenses.
My next question to him is, "How much do you charge for a suit?" He might tell me that he gets $7.50 for a two-piece man's suit. Then I tell him it costs him $6.75 to process that garment.
This is an easy question to answer because with a net profit of 10 percent, the $7.50 garment costs 90 percent of $7.50, which comes to $6.75.
If you have 10 employees, it would cost you $7,020 if they brought in an annual total of $7,800 in drycleaning at retail prices, but they got it free.
Each employee with an average of only two full garments a week apiece would equate to a total of $15 in free cleaning. Multiply this by 10 employees and you have $150 a week or $7,800 a year.
Can you afford to give away $7,020 in profits a year?
That's what you are doing if you match this situation.
How many customers do you think you have that give you $780 in cleaning a year?
We recently checked a cleaner who does $1.2 million a year. This cleaner has 12,000 active customers and tracked 600 who gave him over $300 a year. Stop and think a momentŠ how many customers do you have who spend over $780 a year?
What is the value of "free?"
Your employees would never spend $780 a year in cleaning and it's only greed that makes them take advantage of your offer. It's free, so why not? Free cleaning for employees makes them think there is not much value in your service. Is this what you would have them think? I'm sure it isn't.
Your employees can't help but think you are making a fortune, even if you are doing their work for 50 percent off.
Wouldn't it be great if you did make a 50 percent profit? In all my years in this industry, I've never known a cleaner who came anywhere close to making this kind of profit.
After deducting all expenses and executive management salaries, even the best managed plants in the country rarely show a profit of 15 percent.
The Tuchman Management Group shows a target of 14 percent net profit after allocating all true expenses.
Even in these exceptionally well managed plants, only a few show profits slightly over 14 percent. The few who do have a unique situation, such as very high volume over the counter(s), and usually process over $10,000 a week per plant.
A survey we did regarding employee benefits included the policy for employee drycleaning and showed overly generous plans. In almost all cases, the employees took advantage of this policy.
Another way to do it
So how do you offer this benefit without having your employees abuse the privilege?
There are options:
1. Give your employees credit for $150 a year toward the cleaning of their own work. Maybe you could print up pads of 50 $3 coupons and give one pad to every employee at the beginning of each year. Print on the coupons that they cannot use more than one coupon per week. Then at the end of the year, rebate them the balance of what they didn't use. In this case, I'll guarantee that most all your employees will get big rebates at the end of the year. But in the long run, it will be much less costly for you.
2. Tell each new employee that it costs the company 85 percent of retail to produce a garment. Be generous -- give them 25 percent off on their own clothing. They won't bring in much, not if they have to pay 75 percent of retail prices. I'll go on record and guarantee that statement.
3. Give each employee a $3 allowance (or whatever you think is fair) for free cleaning or give them the cash at the end of the week if they don't have any cleaning. If you do this, charge full price.
4. Come up with a creative plan of your own so your people will realize the true value of the service you offer to the public.
Don't turn good people into greedy people who will take advantage of an overly generous offer.
If any of you disagree with my comments, I would appreciate hearing from you. I'm always open to opinions different from my own and I'll be happy to publish any new and creative suggestions for the benefit of all.
Now back to that big operation.
They do about $150,000 a week in all their plants and we know that well-managed plants get $1,000 production for each 40-hour employee. In this case, they would have about 150 employees.
Now let's say their net profit is 10 percent, which is a generous figure after deducting 5 percent for management. They should show a net profit each week of some $15,000. Let's assume they do show this net profit and they certainly are successful.
Now, let's compare what they could make if they had a better employee benefit policy.
They allow each employee two items a day, processed free. This means they are offering some 300 garments a day cleaned free for their employees. I'll bet that most of them are taking full advantage of this offer.
However, to be fair, I'll bring this down to 200 garments a day and since they work six days, I'll multiply by six and come up with 1,200 free garments a week.
Their average piece comes to $4, so we have some $4,800 in free cleaning being given to their employees every week.
They make a 10 percent overall net profit and do $4,800 a week in free cleaning at their cost of 90 percent of that, or $4,220. This is what it costs the plant to produce the free cleaning for employees.
I know all the arguments about the fact that free cleaning is a perk and that you might have to pay more in wages if you didn't offer this overly generous policy or it doesn't cost you too much to produce their work.
My argument is that the solvent doesn't care if you do your work free or not, neither do your supplies, your labor or energy know that the work is paid work or free work.
My biggest problem with this situation is that these employees would never, ever, spend $1,200 a year for drycleaning. More than likely, they wouldn't spend more than $50. So why encourage them to clean freely and maybe clean their neighbor's work free or at half price since it costs them nothing.
You are, indeed, giving them a license to steal.
This plant is giving away $4,800 in free work. How much better off their net profit would be if they just offered this service at "free of profit" or at 90 percent of list price to their employees.
In this case, the plant would save $4,220 a week, or $219,440 a year in operating expenses.
Do I make my point? I'll leave it up to you to decide.
Stan Golomb is president of The Golomb Group Inc., a firm that designs marketing programs for drycleaners. Contact him at The Golomb Group Inc., 7664 Plaza Ct., Willowbrook, IL 60521; phone (630) 887-7339. His e-mail address is: sgolomb@ix.netcom.com
Detergent plus conditioner charge levels necessary to protect color and natural oils in skins of suedes, leathers and furs in drycleaning are minimum levels. Below those levels color and natural oils may be lost.
Higher charge levels can be used without a problem but not lower charge levels.
The following chart is to be used as a guide to retaining color and natural oils in skins in drycleaning:
Type of suede, Charge Charge in petroleum
leather or fur in perc or Exxon 2000
Light Colors, Rabbit Fur 2% 3%
Dark Colors and Furs 6% 6%
Processing time and temperature
Processing time and drying temperature is different for each type of dry cleaning fluid used for dry cleaning suede, leather and fur garments just as it is different for dry cleaning cloth garments.
The accompanying chart is a summary to be used as a guide to obtaining good drycleaning action and proper drying.
Processing Time and Temperature Chart
Type and process Perc Petroleum
Suede & naked leather
Wash 10 Minutes 20 Minutes
Drain & Extract 5 Minutes 5 Minutes
Tumble Dry 30 Minutes @120 F 40 Minutes @120 F
Leather and fur drycleaning
Wash 3 Minutes 5 Minutes
Drain & Extract 3 Minutes 5 Minutes
Tumble Dry 30 Minutes @ 120 F 40 Minutes @ 140 F
Key points
When drycleaning leather, suede, fur and cloth trimmed with any of these trim items, there are some basic key points to remember. If these key points are foremost in the operator's mind, many problems can be avoided as well as many needless calls for consultation.
If color loss is occurring in drycleaning, the reason is almost always because the concentration of detergent plus conditioner is too low.
To maintain the charge at the proper level in charged systems where the reclaimed solvent is piped back into the base tank containing the charged solvent, add the detergent plus conditioner as follows:
For 6 percent systems add one ounce for each one pound of suede, cowhide, pigskin, etc., to be drycleaned.
For 2 percent Systems, add one 1 ounce per 3 pounds to be drycleaned.
For 3 percent systems add one 1 ounce per 2 pounds drycleaned.
Never rinse with uncharged drycleaning fluid after you have drycleaned suedes or leathers with the detergent plus conditioner. Color loss may result.
If the finish is coming off the surface of a painted slick leather, the reason is almost always that the cleaning run time is too long. Do not clean painted leathers more than three minutes!
If the machine being used to clean the suedes, leathers or furs is groaning, drive belts are squealing and slipping, and drum bearings are knocking, the reason is almost always that the machine is overloaded.
Clean suedes and leathers at one-half the dry weight poundage capacity as a maximum.
For example, if your cleaning machine has a 60-lb. dry weight capacity, clean no more than a 30-lb. dry weight load of suedes or leathers.
Remove heavy hardware where possible before cleaning. Also remove high buttons and wood buttons as they will be a nuisance when the garment is being pressed.
Remove buckles, also, as they could break or otherwise be damaged in cleaning.
Watch for "candy" reinforcement (stay) buttons and test with drycleaning fluid before drycleaning so that if they melt you can remove them before cleaning. For machines with a level control for fluid level in the washer, keep the setting just below one-half.
Clean and check button traps regularly. Use a fine mesh lint screen in the button trap of the drycleaning machine or a lint filter to screen out suede lint. Clean the screen after every load.
If a garment does not look as clean as you expect after it is cleaned, prespot it again, wait one hour and re-clean it the same way as originally cleaned. Only about 1 percent of the sueded leather garments you clean should ever have to be re-cleaned.
If a sueded leather garment has some traces of staining left after drycleaning, or if there is a crusty piece of stain left on the surface of the suede, brush the nap smoothly and evenly (do not gouge) with the abrasive strip, medium grade emery cloth.
This will very often remove what is left of the stain. This procedure may be done either before, during or after the pressing stages.
Always hang leathers, suedes, etc., immediately after drying. Straighten collars, cuffs, pocket linings, etc. For a good looking package, hang suedes, leathers and furs on a formed hanger.
Vacuum your drycleaning reclaimer dryer "lint bags" often -- at least after every two loads.
Most glued hems will come down in drycleaning. These should be re-glued with suede and leather glue. Use just enough glue to do the job. Once dry, it will not come out when re-cleaned wet or dry. Glue after pressing, or wait for glue to thoroughly dry before pressing.
Alterations and repairs on suede and leather garments should be done by an experienced operator using special leather needles and leather sewing machines.
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.
Frank Lucenta is president of Royaltone Co. Inc., a firm that manufactures products for drycleaning and wetcleaning suede, leather, fur and cloth garments. He also teaches plant owners to identify, accept, spot, wet clean, dryclean, press and recolor suedes, leathers, and furs at the two-day training academy. Classes will next be offered Sept. 17-18 at the Royaltone Suedemate Leather Cleaning Center in Tulsa OK. Class size is limited to seven students. For information on training sessions or the subject covered in this article, or information on handling suedes, leathers and furs, or for a free three-ring binder to hold copies of these articles, or for information on the Royaltone Instruction Book & Spotting Charts, call (800) 331-5506 or email royaltone@royaltone.com. Information is also available at the company's Website: www.royaltone.com
The most common mistake small business owners make is that they don't market. And they don't advertise. And if they do either one, they don't plan for it. It's sporadic.
Many wait for someone to walk in the door, selling space in a high school yearbook, for example.
They end up spending more than they want to spend and they're not targeting their market.
At the beginning of each year, they should plan their advertising. Find out who their market is, and how to best reach them.
Most cleaners don't understand that marketing should be a continuing activity. When things are good, they feel like they don't need to do it and when things are bad they can't afford it.
The truth is, when things are good, advertising helps to sustain growth and when things are bad it is generally the result of a failure to advertise when it was good.
A good name and a good logo are the two most important steps a new business can make toward successful marketing.
Speaking of logos, sometimes a little fine tuning is required, even after having given the utmost forethought.
Logo logic
Enron Corp., the Houston-based energy giant, was sent back to the drawing board after coming up with a new logo using just an "E" with each leg of a different color -- one color was yellow. After a major promotional launch of their new logo, they discovered that yellow doesn't fax. Oops!
Even Nike, with its famous swoosh and "Just Do It" slogan is open to new ideas. It is dropping "Just Do it The replacement: "I Can."
Your name says who and what you are. ________ Cleaners" or _____________ Cleaners and Laundry." How it is presented to the public relates the quality of your service.
Hold a color copy of your company's logo at arm's length and squint at it. The weak elements will disappear and you'll be able to see the powerful ones that attract and direct the eye. This will also give an overall impression of the layout's balance, contrast, unity, and proportion.
The most important aspect of good design is refinement There is no excess. Every detail in a design either serves a purpose, or it should be removed. You should also judge your design by the following:
Originality. Don't allow your logo or your call office to look like every other cleaner in your area.
If you want your appeal to stand out from the competition, resist the impulse to make it look like everyone else's.
Readability. Does the type style enhance your message, or obscure it? Do the typefaces complement the overall visual impact of the design? Are type sizes sufficiency large enough to be read easily and understandably?
Unusual type could attract attention but hinder readability.
Color. Do the colors flatter your design, or cheapen the impact? Do they create interest, or distract the reader?
Are they appropriate to the level of service that you provide?
Certain colors excite, others soothe. They should be selected and arranged to maximize the intended effect.
White space. Mark Twain once referred to this as "The eloquence of silence." Because white space represents "nothing," it is often overlooked as an effective attention-getter. But when competing with so many other overly-busy designs, a block of white space may be a startling eye-catcher.
A balance is best, neither too much nor too little, evenly distributed throughout the design.
Consistency. Keeping your logo consistent shapes an image in customers minds. Related elements used in your campaign over an extended period of time lend and air of continuity and stability that customers will identify with your services.
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).
Dennis McCrory writes for several industry publications both here and abroad. He also speaks and does consulting on advertising and marketing. In addition to the phone number above, he can also be reached through The Successful Management Group, 3925 Lake Trail Dr., Kenner, LA 70065.
For a drycleaning business to grow profitably, ownership must have a full understanding of their numbers and they must identify the "functional" needs of the business.
The word "function" is defined as the proper or natural order of anything. In business the term "functional organization" refers to the structured assignment of specific and related management duties and responsibilities to the appropriate position within the company.
Before I get into the exciting world of functional organization let me relate a true story about a drycleaner and one of his supervisors.
Too many "bosses"
This business owner had a supervisor who had worked for him for several years. He gave this employee the title of Supervisor and paid him accordingly. The owner expected the supervisor to get the work back to the customers on time and ready to wear. This supervisor knew his job and did it well.
One day while the supervisor was checking in a delivery to make sure all the supplies on the invoice were actually there, the owner decided to move some of the work and some of the drycleaning finishers around. This type of action was not unusual for this owner.
Ten minutes later, when the supervisor returned to the finishing department, he asked the pressers why they weren't doing the work he had assigned them. The supervisor was told that this is what the "Boss" told them to do. The supervisor then asked the employees who they work for and they said, "Both of you."
The first rule of good management is "No one can have more than one Boss." If you have supervisors, let them supervise.
The supervisor in this story gave the owner his one week notice saying, "If you won't let me do my job you don't need me."
The owner couldn't understand why the supervisor would quit over such a minor thing, after all "It's my company, I take all the risk and pay all the bills."
This attitude is typical of the small business owner who hasn't learned how to run his company like a real business. When employees ask you for permission to do something, remind them who their boss is by sending them to their supervisor for permission.
To successfully grow your business you must learn how to delegate authority and responsibility to others, and when you delegate, you must allow them to do the job you are paying them to do.
In a well run company, no one has more than one boss. When your employees have more than one boss they have a wonderful opportunity to play one boss against the other.
A second opinion
How many times will an employee ask their supervisor if they can leave early or have a day off -- and turn around and ask you the same question because they didn't like the first answer?
If this has happened in your plant, it is time for you to start getting organized. Get organized around the functional needs of the business, not the personal needs of the people, including the owner.
When developing the appropriate organizational structure for your company the first thing you must do is identify and fulfill the operating needs of the company, not the personal needs of the people who work for the company. Separating what the company's needs are from the way your employees like things set up is critical and often quite difficult to accomplish.
The first operating position on the Functional Organization Chart is that of the General Manager. The "functional" organization chart shows the positions the company needs to get the work done. It does not show executive positions such as President & CEO.
The position of General Manager is normally held by the owner of the company. The General Manager must delegate specific responsibilities along with the appropriate levels of authority to others, but he or she cannot delegate accountability for the overall well being of the company (see chart).
Below the position of General Manager are the management positions that are needed to run the company. The chart lists the management positions but does not include the names of the people who will fill those positions. The people may change but the positions do not change.
The first position under the General Manager is the Retail or Customer Service Manager. This position reports directly to the General Manager. All store managers or retail group leaders report to the Retail Manager.
The Retail Manager position is responsible for managing all retail functions such as establishing the standard dialogue all counter people must use when greeting customers; the time, place and agenda for the monthly meetings of all counter personnel; the appearance of the retail locations and of the retail personnel; training, hiring and firing; accurate and timely physical inventories; etc.
The Retail Manager must ensure that all counter personnel are fully trained to properly wait on the customers. Sixty-seven percent of your customers will look for a new drycleaner because of poor or indifferent service at the counter.
The areas of authority and responsibility associated with each position on the Functional Organization Chart must be outlined in a job description.
The second position under the General Manager is Production or Operations Manager. This manager reports directly to the General Manager.
The size of your company in terms of the number of people you employ and the skills and abilities of the General Manager will dictate how many of the management positions the General Manager will fill.
It is not unusual for the General Manager to fill all the management positions in a company that has fewer than 10 employees.
One person can be charged with the responsibilities associated with several management positions on the organization chart but no individual can have more than one boss.
Below the position of Operations Manager are the departmental group leaders. These "leaders" are production people who have the ability and desire to keep the work flowing through the plant in an orderly and timely manner while maintaining the quality standards that have been established by the General Manager.
The lines of the organization chart represent the reporting relationships between positions. Authority, responsibility and directives flow downward while reports, records and results flow upward.
Start developing your organization chart and outlining jobs descriptions now while your company is still small. By doing it now, when the time comes to promote or hire someone to a management position, you will have a great head start.
Remember, in the game of business the more you know the better you can play the game.
Alan Robson is a private consultant dealing with the specialized needs of the drycleaning industry. Readers are encouraged to contact him with questions or comments by telephone at (508) 753-6619 or e-mail at: agrobson@ma.ultranet.com
By Bill Bogus
The most important assets that we have are customers. The more customers, the greater the assets, and yet it is not possible to own them.
They may leave us for many reasons and stay with us for particular reasons. Our strength and success is dependent upon our customers. Therefore, it is important to know customers' likes and dislikes.
With that information, we need to be more concerned with what we are doing and what we must do to strengthen our customer relations so that there would be no reason for them to go elsewhere.
What makes customers stick like a postage stamp is minor repairs and by being friendly. This shows customers that you care. Running the conveyor around and round trying to find a customer's order while the customer is waiting and others are watching gives a careless impression.
In doing repairs, first start with buttons. Make certain that buttons are fastened to the garment before drycleaning. By doing this, it won't be necessary to tear the place apart searching for a missing button. This search alone can bring on the frenzies. Such agitated activity may cause one to become unfriendly and say things that shouldn't be said, especially to a customer who wants the missing button.
Now, a lining hanging lower than the skirt may cause a woman to lose her self esteem.
Men have waist bands pressed up when they should be pressed down. The list for minor repairs should be more than one item long. The needle and thread can perform wonders.
Influencing excellence
Taking care of minor repairs is taking care of business. Employees who take care of details are your valued workers. A too-busy employee is not necessarily a productive one if being too busy means neglecting his or her best effort. Mediocrity demands the less of the good, and has no influence on excellence.
One mistake, which is a big one that owners and managers alike make, is not providing the tools and information that employees need to improve their skills. This is unfortunate. Time has proven that a learned skill is better than experiencing a trial and error skill.
Drycleaners learn more when learning is taught at an institution. Key personnel should have access to such an opportunity, then passing such knowledge on to employees. This is vital information for spotters and counter personnel.
That is what it takes for the customer to recognize that the drycleaner and his employees are skilled and trustworthy. Drycleaners as a rule are friendlier and more tentative towards customers than personnel of other retail businesses.
This of course is not about management, but employees. Especially counter personnel. More to the point, women in charge of sales and who greet customers are the ones who get the slings and arrows of irate customers when things go wrong.
Sales women understand this and are more sensitive to mood changes. They know that customers, like the chameleon, can quickly change from a saint-like attitude into raving meanie that never stops yelling.
This is an excellent reason for fortifying counter personnel with knowledge and information that can help stop the yelling and cussing such as what had gone on at the high-level meeting of our high-level decision-makers. It wouldn't have been a bad idea to have a chaplain in attendance.
No reason to hide
There should be no reason for owners and managers to hide behind cleaning machines or seek sanctuary in restrooms while a ruckus is being raised. They should have the knowledge to handle the situation, or maybe to keep it from becoming a "situation" in the first place.
It has happened before and it will happen again. And it will keep on happening. It won't stop. Discrediting an industry or product is nothing new. Money Magazine in April, 1992, featured an article with this headline: "Cut Your Drycleaning Bill to Shreds." Readers Digest ran the same article in October of that year with the same headline.
Some of the paragraphs started as follows:
Consider buying garments you can wash at home. Learn to live with pleats. Shop for unisex pricing. Get to know your spotter. Don't take your favorite sweater to a new drycleaner.
The article lost its temper in the last sentence, saying, "Many cleaners will even remove shoulder pads, then sew them back on."
Publicity has a tendency to be believed when it is focused on a product, but when it subjects persons to scurrilous characterizations, then it is wrong. Drycleaners are not monsters, nor stupid.
Surveys conducted in St. Louis, Atlanta, and Washington, DC, by the television news media were out in force seeking publicity that would enhance their ratings by denigrating others. In this expose, the victims were drycleaners. With the help from some members of our industry, finding victims was no problem.
Exposes using television cameras should not be considered true surveys. When the numbers for the good were lacking while the so called inept were thriving and doing business, then the survey served no purpose but to discredit a meaningful industry that has been serving customers for almost 100 years. The slander was uncalled for.
As long as people wear and soil clothing the cleaning job will never be done and there always will be problems.
In the business world, there are more losers than successors however not all losers are failures nor all successors champions. The mark of success depends upon the strength of conviction and the willingness to stick with the details. We must not allow ourselves to, in the words of Andrew Lang, Scottish scholar and author, "use statistics as a drunken man uses lamp posts -- for support rather than illumination."
Bill Bogus is president of Textile Restoration Services Inc. in Laurel, MD. He can be reached at (301) 776-4961.
Dr. Paul H. Dugard has joined the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance as director of scientific programs.
HSIA is a trade association of producers, users, distributors and recycler of the chlorinated solvents perchloroethylene, methylene chloride and trichloroethylene.
Dugard will oversee all health and science issues for HSIA and direct the association's research activities. He has 25 years of experience in the chemical industry including 16 years at ICI's Central Technology Laboratory in Cheshire, England. In his most recent position, he was regulatory affairs manager for ICI Americas in Wilmington, DE, and represented ICI on HSIA's board of directors.
Dugard joins Stephen P. Risotto who was appointed executive director of HSIA late last year. Risotto, who had served as executive director of the Center for Emissions Control until its dissolution in 1997, has more than 15 years experience in managing chemical trade associations. He now directs and manages HSIA's non-research activities.
HSIA is headquartered at 2001 L Street NW in Washington, DC 20036. The organization can be reached by phone at (202) 775-0232 or fax at (202) 833-0381. It also maintains a web site at www.hsia.org.
Realstar, srL. of Bologna, Italy, has announced the appointment of Joel Franklin as president and general manager of Realstar, U.S.A.
Realstar manufactures and sells textile drycleaning machines under the brand names of Realstar Fresca, Realstar ECO, Realstar Starline, Realstar Spacesaver and Realstar KM. Both perc and hydrocarbon drycleaning machines are included in the line.
Realstar, U.S.A., headquartered in Burbank, CA, provides administration of sales and technical service for all Realstar products in the United States and Canada. The company has a domestically-based staff of customer service personnel who provide distributor and end-user support.
Realstar U.S.A. plans to further develop its distribution network and expand customer service support to include the sale of original replacement parts for Union, Firbimatic, Victory, Crown and Supermatic drycleaning machines.
Most recently, Franklin served as president of VIC Manufacturing under the parent company of Bowe Permac. Previsously he was national sales manager for Union Drycleaning Products.
The Laidlaw Corp. has promoted Dale Speicher as the plant manager of the New Castle, DE, facility. He has been with Laidlaw's marketing groups as a sales representative for more than five years, working in the Northeast and representing the New Castle plant. Previously he operated his own drycleaning plant in New England for five years.
Speicher earned an undergraduate degree from Bryant College in Rhode Island and worked 11 years as a production manager at General Dynamics Inc. before entering the drycleaning industry.
Paul Nicholson of Tuscaloosa, AL, has joined Resillo Press Pad Co. as regional sales manager for the Southeast territory.
Nicholson has been in the laundry industry throughout his life, starting as a young man in his family's laundry plant where he continued for 25 years learning every facet of the industry. He has managed regional sales for several companies, included Tingue Brown & Co. Inc., Pellerin Laundry Machinery Sales Inc., American Emulsions Inc., and Barksdale Warrior Co. Inc.
Resillo was founded in Chicago in 1933 and is widely known for its patented stainless steel mesh pad technology.
Midwest Hanger Co. and its CEO, Steve Jones, both are turning 50 in 1998. Plans to celebrate the two milestones are in play, ranging from new advertisements to new delivery trucks painted with a 50th year logo. The company's hanger boxes will also carry the 50th anniversary announcement.
A contest on Midwest's website (midwesthanger.com) will award a "surprise" to the first five customers who send birthday wishes to Jones.
Jones runs the company with his sister, Terry Jones, who serves as president, Carl Jones, the founder, is retired and lives in Arizona.
Midwest Hanger's two plants -- located in Cameron, MO, and Kansas City, MO -- produce more than one million hangers each work day, making it the third largest hanger manufacturer in the world. Shipments are made throughout the U.S,. Australia, Mexico and Europe.
The company's officers, managers and employees were recognized last year as by the Missouri Senate for its "ongoing commitment to excellence which has earned them this well deserved Small Business of the Year recognition."
Seitz Chemicals has appointed Harvard George as technical sales consultant. He has been in drycleaning for 14 years, building up a multi-store operation in Atlanta with receipts of $1.2 million.
Based in Alpharetta, GA, he will be responsible for providing technical backup and support to distributors and agents for Seitz drycleaning Chemicals in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
M & B Hangers held its spring sales meeting at Lake Logan Martin, in Birmingham, AL, where new sales representatives, Matt Mazza and Joe Blake met the rest of the sales team, including Dwayne Gwaltney, Luther Creel and Carl Wade. Mazza covers New England while Blake handles the Midwest and West territories. All sales representatives received laptop computers to help them serve their customers. The company's website (mbhangers.com), was also discussed at the meeting. M & B was founded in 1943 and continues today as a family-owned private business, manufacturing wire hangers and paper covers at locations in Leeds, AL, and South Hill, VA.
Mark Reynolds Associates has been appointed the authorized sales representative in the United Kingdom and Europe for Westgate Software which is based in Draper, UT.
Reynolds holds a masters degree in business administration and an advanced membership in the Guild of Cleaners & Launderers in the UK. He has more than 22 years of experience in the laundry and drycleaning industries and has written technical manuals for the trade and technical and marketing articles for English trade journals. He has served as marketing director for Polymark Laundry Systems and the Managing Director for Boewe Passat (UK). He is also served as the acting press officer for the Clean UK trade show held this June.
Westgate Software is the developer of SPOT drycleaning software and the parent to SPOT Computerized Drycleaning Business Systems.
Suede Products Ltd. recently held a Leather-Val School for students from Brazil, Argentina, Manitoba and Quebec, Canada, in addition to locations around the United States -- Texas, Alabama, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado and Connecticut. The three-day class stressed current technology in professional suede and leather cleaning procedures and techniques with students participating in all phases through "hands-on" training. The schools are held quarterly with the next coming Sept. 18-20. For information, call (312)-733-6611.
Pete Woods of White Conveyors presented William Steiner of Steiner-Atlantic Corp. as the winner of White's Award for Outstanding Sales for 1997.
David Dawson, vice president of marketing at R. R. Street & Co. Inc., began a two-year term as president of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association at the association's annual convention in San Antonio, TX this spring.
Dawson has served as TCATA vice president, supply manufacturers division and has chaired the association's Government Affairs Committee.
"David has the skill and experience in the industry that will make him effective in leading the association into the next century," remarked outgoing TCATA president Robbie Freeman of Phenix Supply Inc.
Three association vice presidents also began their terms at the convention. They are Leland White, Forenta, machinery manufacturers' division; William Cosnotti, Liberty Pittsburgh Systems, supply manufacturers' division; and Jack Danais, John Danais, Co., Inc., distributors' division.
Lester Cohen of Cleaners Sales & Equipment Co. Inc. in Brooklyn, NY, continues as TCATA's secretary-treasurer.
Several members were honored for the contributions to the organization during the convention.
Thomas Hejhal of Southern Mills in Union city, GA, received the Young Timer of the Year Award which recognizes outstanding contributions to the association and the textile care industry.
Hejhal served as TCATA president from 1994 to 1996 and has also served on the association's Advisory Committee of Member Exhibitors and was a member of the 1993 search committee to find a new executive director. He has helped on numerous convention committees over the years.
Steven Landon of Roanoke, TX, received the J. Morry Friedlander Award. The CEO of Washex Machinery in Wichita Falls, TX, for 36 years, Landon has been TCATA's technical representative to the American Standard Institute, particularly on matters related to the Z8.1 standard, and has also serves as a liaison with the National Fire Protection Association.
He also served on the TCATA board of directors for many years in the 1960s and 1970s and was vice president of the machinery manufacturers' division.
The J. Morry Friedlander Award was established in 1994 to recognize outstanding dedication and service to TCATA.
Jack Lordan of Chelsea, MA, received the Silver Circle Club Award as "Honor Man of the Year." Lordan is president of Steele Canvas Basket Corp., which he has owned since 1985. He is a long-time member of TCATA and a past president of the Silver Circle Club.
The Max Zimmerman Scholarship Award to the International Fabricare Institute's management seminar was presented to Dirk Laceur of IPSO.
TCATA's next convention is scheduled for Aug. 11-14, 1999 at the Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
David Cotter is executive director of the association. He can be reached at (973) 244-1790.
Nearly $2 million in dividends have been prepared for distribution to Neighborhood Cleaners Association-International members who participated in the association's workers' compensation safety group during the year that ended June 1, 1997. It was the 47th year of uninterrupted dividends. NCAI said premiums for participants in its safety group are among the lowest in the nation. Presenting checks to NCAI executive director Bill Seitz (center) are Adam Weber of Irving Weber Associates and Pat Jeffrey of Fireman's Fund (at left) and Winona Hamilton and Kent Palmer (at right), both of Fireman's Fund. NCAI has been broadening the number of states in which its workers' comp., business insurance and pollution liability programs are available.
FISHERS, IN -- Advanced Radiant systems Inc., has a portable evaporate cooler to provide better employee comfort in hot weather. The new Coolspace Portable Evaporate cooler has a 36-inch fan in single of three-speed models. The evaporative pads and specially designed housing allows it to reduce air temperature up to 16 degrees even under high humidity conditions.
The unit features four-inch heavy duty casters for rolling over rough surfaces, a polyethylene housing, electrical terminals and connections that are encased in water tight enclosures and a fan motor designed for evaporative coolers.
Hook-up requires only a 115-volt electrical supply and a garden hose for the water supply.
Advanced Radiant Systems Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of energy-efficient heating and cooling products throughout North America.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JY100.
DRAPER, UT -- Westgate Software Inc., has released SPOT Version 6 of the company's drycleaning software.
SPOT's provides automation of manual drycleaning operations and improves efficiency in order processing, cash an inventory management, order tagging, marketing, employee management, route and hotel services, charge accounts and other areas.
The nine-level password protected clerk access, cash drawer management and activity audit trail provides security and operation control.
The new version is the result of an 18-month development effort and contains more than 100 new features and enhancements. Among them are advanced lot tracking with selective automatic demand tag printing; centralized accounts receivable; expanded hotel manager; enhanced route manager; remote physical inventory management; automated price modification; enhanced statistical customer activity reporting; credit card verification and drafting; enhanced theft loss identification; improved customer cash credit manager, heat seal garment tagging, and redefined automatic system utilities.
Westgate Software is the developer of SPOT drycleaning software and the parent to SPOT computerized drycleaning business systems. The company said that SPOT is used by more than 1,300 cleaners in 10 countries.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JY102.
RESTON, VA -- IOS Publishing Inc. has announced plans to publish Lapel, a fashion and clothing care magazine designed to help drycleaners improve their bottom line and enhance their image.
The four-color magazine will be available to cleaners this fall for distribution to customers. Contents will feature practical information on clothing care and highlights of fashion designs and trends.
The magazine can be used as a "thank-you" to good customers or as a tool to give customers a better understanding of quality clothing care.
The publications will be directed to fashion-conscious individuals who have a substantial wardrobe investment. While similar in appearance to a fashion magazine, it will focus on educating consumers on clothing care, quality and selection and will highlight services that drycleaners offer. The magazine will also try to open the lines of communication between the cleaner and the customer which could prevent problems, misunderstandings and complaints.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JY103.
NORTHVALE, NJ -- Multimatic Corp. has announced that it will be introducing a new line of machines in the coming months that will include models for every currently available solvent in addition to those still in the testing and planning stages.
The company's board of directors has authorized the design and construction of a new line tentatively named Multimatic Shop Star 2000. The intent is to incorporate all necessary safety and environmental features and production and economy features for efficient and profitable operation in the 21 century.
Shop Star 200 machines will be assembled with all electrical and electronic components installed and machine tested at the company's two plant in Northvale, NJ, and Fullerton, CA, and sold through a distribution network that will provide all necessary installation and service requirements.
Some of the new models are targeted for introduction at Clean '99 in Orlando, FL.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JY104.
TULSA, OK -- Royaltone said its new product, Soft Feel, a liquid prefinish conditioner for wetcleaning cloth articles safely and effectively in a laundry wash.
The prefinish conditioner is added to the final rinse of the wetcleaning cycle for cloth as an auxiliary treatment to condition the garment and restore architecture and reduce wrinkling.
Soft Feel is added at the ratio of one ounce per 10 pounds of garments. Royaltone noted that rinse water should be 100 degrees F or less for heat sensitive fabrics like wool, wool blends, cashmere, angora, rayon and other dryclean only fabrics.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JY101.
HAMMONTON, NJ -- Bergparma of America has announced that is cleaning machines have received certification and approval for the State of California Air Resources board under executive Order G-96-014-93109-10.
The test was related to the review of source results for secondary controls systems required by the Dry Cleaning Toxic Control Measure.
Bergparma offers five models in its D-U series of machines, ranging in load capacity size from 35 to 70 pounds.
For more information, send email to ncled@aol.com and request Product JY106.
----------
Date created: July 6 1998
Copyright © 1998, BPS Communications Inc.
National Clothesline
ncled@aol.com