American Coin-Op - January 2012

INSIDE: JANUARY 2012

INSIDE: JULY 2005

HOW BEING PROACTIVE CAN BENEFIT YOUR TAX PREPARATION

MORE COLORS, TEXTURES FOR LAUNDRY FURNISHINGS

PRODUCT SHOWCASE: DRYERS

CONTENTS

FEATURES

9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS CREDIT

Recent developments in our troubled economy have served to dramatize how credit can be a valuable friend or a dreadful foe. Used sensibly, credit can be a powerful asset in your business life. Use it carelessly and it can become your worst.

TRENDS IN LAUNDRY FURNISHINGS

The general structure of chairs and tables typically found in coin laundries today really haven’t changed much in recent years, but the palette of colors and textures that are available has become quite expansive.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE:DRYERS

STORE CREATION: BUILD NEW VS. REHAB?

You’ve come to a point where you’re considering opening a new coin laundry. But should you build it from the ground up, or should you look at rehabilitating an existing store? What are the pros and cons of each?

COLUMNS

14 MAKE THIS TAX SEASON WORK FOR YOUR BENEFIT

Tax time is here again. You know the drill. You gather up all your paperwork, ledgers, computer reports, and the like, and drop them off at your accountant. How about trying a different approach this year? Become proactive about your taxes, suggests Howard Scott. Try to learn from the process. In fact, suggest possible deductions.

DEPARTMENTS

4 VIEWPOINT 28 NEWSMAKERS

6 INDUSTRY SURVEY 29 AD INDEX

A CLOSER LOOK 20

Any time spent discussing accents, balance, or motif will be a waste of time if the furniture doesn’t stand up to the rigors of laundry life.

The Best of Both Worlds

VIEWPOINT

BUILDING INTEREST

NEW OR REHAB?

When you’re in the position to open a coin laundry, should you build a new store or rehab an existing property? The distributors I quizzed say that both options have pluses and minuses. You can work from a “blank canvas” when you build a new store, but choosing to rehab presents an opportunity to revitalize a laundry that already has a customer base. Our story starts on Page 8.

TO YOUR CREDIT

Given the state of the U.S. economy today, it’s never been more important to maintain a good credit score for your business. Bill Lynott says credit can be a powerful asset, or it can become your worst enemy if used carelessly. There are nine things you need to know about maintaining good credit. Check out Lynott’s list beginning on Page 18.

TRENDS IN FURNISHINGS

Little has changed in the structure of chairs and tables typically found in today’s coin laundries, but what has changed is the colors and textures in which they can be created. Manufacturers of coin laundry furniture now offer a broad palette of shades, as well as textures such as granite and stone. And what’s the downside of buying residential-grade furniture for a busy laundry? Pull up a chair on Page 20.

TAX TIME

Tax time is here again, so it’s time to gather up your financial records. Pay your fair share, advises small-business consultant Howard Scott, but be sure you take advantage of the deductions due you. For example, a home office could be worth $2,000 to $3,000. Read his other tax tips on Page 14.

BUYER’S GUIDE COMING IN MARCH

American Coin-Op will be publishing its annual Buyer’s Guide issue in March. Manufacturers, if you were listed in last year’s Guide (and, by extension, on our website), be watching for our e-mail invitation with instructions for updating your listing online by an early February deadline so that we can publish the most current information. Contact Nathan Frerichs, digital media director, nfrerichs@american trademagazines.com, if you have any questions or need assistance.

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

EDITORIAL

Charles Thompson, Publisher

E-mail: cthompson@ americantrademagazines.com

Phone: 312-361-1680

Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

E-mail: bbeggs@ americantrademagazines.com

Phone: 312-361-1683

Roger Napiwocki, Production Manager

Jean Teller, Contributing Editor

Nathan Frerichs, Digital Media Director

E-mail: nfrerichs@ americantrademagazines.com

Phone: 312-361-1681

ADVERTISING

Donald Feinstein, Natl. Sales Director

E-mail: dfeinstein@ americantrademagazines.com

Phone: 312-361-1682

OFFICE INFORMATION

Main: 312-361-1700

Fax: 312-361-1685

SUBSCRIPTIONS

630-739-0600

www.AmericanCoinOp.com

American Coin-Op (ISSN 0092-2811) is published monthly. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S. and Possessions, 1 year $39.00; 2 years $73.00. Foreign, 1 year $89.00; 2 years $166.00. Single copies $7.00 for U.S. and Possessions, $14.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Coin-Op, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 53, number 1. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Coin-Op is distributed selectively to owners, operators and managers of chain and individually owned coin-operated laundry establishments in the United States. No material appearing in American Coin-Op may be reprinted without written permission. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2012. Printed in U.S.A.

Bruce Beggs

58% OF LAUNDRY OWNERS SAY BUSINESS BETTER IN 2011 THAN 2010

Chief factors:Installing new equipment, larger customer base, raising prices

CHICAGO — Nearly 58% of self-service laundry owners and operators polled in the last American Coin-Op Wire survey of 2011 said their business was better (“much better,” 20%; “somewhat better,” 37.8%) than it was in 2010.

Taking the economy into consideration, 29.5% said their business was better than they had expected, while another 47.7% said it was about what they expected. Roughly 21% said their business was worse than expected, and the remaining 2.3% said they didn’t know.

Operators whose business rose in 2011 attributed it primarily to installing new equipment (46.2%), a larger customer base (42.3%) and/or raising prices (30.8%). Better marketing efforts (26.9%), decreasing competition (19.2%), offering new extra services (15.4%) and lowering expenses (7.7%) were other important factors. Some 23% pointed to “other” reasons, and most of their comments dealt with keeping stores clean and equipment in operation. (Respondents could choose any or all among several suggested factors or offer their own.)

Among respondents who said their business dropped in 2011, two-thirds (66.7%) blamed the decline on customers cutting down on the number of visits. Other significant causes were a decreasing customer base (61.9%) and rising expenses (52.4%). Also cited were “other” (19%), lower extra-service income (14.3%), and competitors cutting into their business (9.5%).

Two out of five operators said they raised washer and/or dryer prices in 2011.

Finally, respondents were asked how they would grade their 2011 management performance. Sixty percent gave themselves a B, and another 24.4% gave themselves an A. Roughly 11% said they only deserved a C, while 4.4% gave themselves a D.

The Wire survey presents a snapshot of readers’ viewpoints at a particular moment, but it should not be considered scientific.

Subscribers to Wire e-mails—distributed twice weekly—are invited to take a brief industry survey anonymously online each month. All self-service laundry owners and operators are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define operator opinions and industry trends.

To sign up for the Wire, click the “Subscriptions” button at the top right-hand corner of the AmericanCoinOp.com home page and follow the instructions. ■

Anne Cobb

How

Many

Coin Laundries Has Your Insurance Agent Handled?

One or Two? Three?

I’ve personally handled insurance for hundreds of coin laundries! I’ve already dealt with most any issue your business is likely to face. If you have any questions about insuring coin laundries, I can and will give you a prompt, clear answer. Skeptical? Call me with a question and find out for yourself.

There’s more: I’m just one member of a team of experts at NIE. The entire organization has been handling fabricare insurance full time since 1915! We are the only property & casualty insurer devoted 100% to coin laundries and dry cleaners.

Quote Request

Fabricare Insurance Specialist

Cobb@nie.biz

STORE CREATION: STORE CREATION:

Build New

DISTRIBUTORS WEIGH PROS AND CONS OF OPTIONS

By Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

or Rehab? or Rehab?

You’ve come to a point where you’re considering opening a new coin laundry. But should you build it from the ground up, or should you look at rehabilitating an existing store? What are the pros and cons of each?

“There are great arguments for both sides, but there are some catches that you

want to look at, whether you’re buying a new store or retooling a store,” says J.D. Dixon, owner and president of National Laundry Equipment, a Huebsch distributor based in Nashville, Tenn. “Both can be great investments.”

Robert Renteria, president of Midwest Laundries, Chicago, and a regular contrib-

utor to AmericanCoinOp.com, says he’s seen more “born-again” laundries than ever before in the past year. “The key now is to find laundry locations that are in operating condition but in need of a facelift, or that are closed but have an upside when the competition and demographics are taken into account.”

Setting the laundry apart from its competition has to be at the heart of the decisionmaking process, advises Carl Graham, vice president of coin sales for Scott Equipment, a Dexter distributor based in Houston, Texas. “Unless you build a bigger, better burger, they’re not going to come.”

INFRASTRUCTURE

When building new, you can start from the ground up to create a clean, modern infrastructure so it can handle the laundry equipment you plan to install, Dixon says.

“A lot of times, the problem we run into with retools is the owner wants to put in a whole new bunch of equipment and you walk in and find out, ‘Wow, we’ve got some serious infrastructure issues.’”

You may discover that the electric, water or gas service is insufficient for your project’s needs, or may even be substandard because “unlicensed electricians and gas people” have done the work in the past.

“You find wires and lines and plumbing going in all different directions,” Dixon says. “You wonder why the equipment acts like it has a ghost in it, and it’s really not the equipment. It’s really your infrastructure. You’re bleeding amps, or something weird is happening.

Photo:© iStockphoto/Oxford

“That happens more often than not in a retool. It’s pretty amazing when you walk into these places and you see how things have been set up. And it seems like the older the laundry, the worse it is.”

But that isn’t always the case, according to Graham. “Rehabbing has its definite advantages, because you have most of your infrastructure in place. You just have to modify stuff.”

You can eliminate any concerns about infrastructure issues with new construction, according to Dixon.

“You don’t have any of those problems with a new store,” he says. “You get to put it in the way it’s supposed to be, and you know that you’re not going to have any odd issues with your equipment.”

LOCATION

Choosing to rehab a store means you’re locked into that location, Dixon says, while building new gives the prospective owner the flexibility to select the best site for his/her business needs.

Whether new or rehab, Graham asks his clients if they’re comfortable with the location. “You’re the one who has to go there all the time, so it needs to be in an area you don’t mind going to.”

DESIGN

From the outset, building a new store provides the owner with what amounts to a blank canvas. There will be some constraints based on the space available, but the opportunity exists to design a store that is highly efficient and thus equipped to get customers in and out in the shortest time possible.

“You can tailor the space exactly to the demographics of your area,” Dixon says. “You can tailor the ergonomics of the space. You can tailor even the way the building is lit and colored, location, painted, and floored, everything, based on the folks that are living around there.”

What works in one store may not work in another. For example, you might choose a color scheme for a Miami store that you wouldn’t for a store in Lexington, Ky.

Rehabbing an existing store presents limitations, Dixon says, and Graham adds that

a project could turn out to be more expensive than buying new if extensive work is necessary.

Dixon says.

For example, Davidson County, Tenn., where Nashville is located, charges an impact fee of approximately $3,000 per washer, Dixon says. The impact fee charged in Houston is $1,500 to $1,700 per washer, Graham adds.

J.D.

“You’re limited on your space and your setup,” Dixon says. “A lot of times, when you’re retooling a store, it’s going to be hard to change the ergonomics. Unless you want to get into tearing up the floor and re-running drain lines, things like that, you’re basically going to put equipment where equipment already stood.”

“You might have to gut the whole place out and sometimes it costs more to rehab a place than to build new,” Graham says.

Advances in laundry equipment, particularly a shift from top loaders to front loaders, can enable a new owner to fit more capacity into the same space, Graham says.

“I’ve got two 7,000-square-foot stores that I’m revamping right now,” he says. “We’re reducing the (size of the) stores by a third but we’re increasing the volume of capacity they can have and reducing their electrical and water usage.”

Building new means a much more extensive project than a rehab. “There’s going to be a whole lot of construction on this that you’re hoping to miss on the retool,” Dixon says.

RISK AND REGULATION

Building a new store means taking on more financial risk than you would if rehabbing, plus it’s generally more expensive, Dixon says. “Like starting any new business, you have more pre-revenue time. You have a lot more time before you bring in dollar one.”

When choosing to rehab, Renteria favors fixing any machines that still have useful life, then looking to buy rebuilt or refurbished machines. “This will cut your expenditures about 50% and make for a much better ROI at the end of the year.”

Buying and rehabbing an existing laundry often means the new owner can avoid some expenses ... and some bureaucracy.

“A lot of times, you can avoid impact fees and code restrictions, which are huge,”

“If you buy existing, you’re grandfathered, so those fees are paid,” Graham says. “That’s a pro for refurbishing an existing store. And you don’t have to go through as much red tape either, unless you do a complete rehab of a place.”

“If you buy [an existing store], someone has already gone through that process,” Dixon says. “You still have to pull permits, but it’s a whole lot easier to pull a permit to put in new equipment or upgrade electrical or do something like that than to build a new store.”

BUILDING CUSTOMER BASE

One benefit for choosing to rehab an existing laundry is that it already has a customer base. You have the opportunity to speak to the store’s customers and get ideas for how you can develop the business and attract more people.

With a new store, you must build that customer base from zero, Dixon says.

“You’ve got to be thinking about how to get your message to the people in your area,” he says. “You want to think very hard about within a 1-2 mile area, but you also want to think about miles three to five away from your store. How do I reach the people one to two miles from me in an urban setting? In a rural setting, it could be 15 miles.”

IS ONE EASIER THAN THE OTHER?

“It depends on what part of rehab you have to do,” Graham says. “I prefer (building) new, because you go by all the new codes. And you can build it the way you want to built it, the most efficient way.”

“It’s a case by case basis,” Dixon says. “A lot of times, in a retool situation, you get into working with the current business owner and negotiating and all that rigamarole that you have to go through to actually buy the business in the first place. Once you own the business, the retool would be easier, because there are (fewer) levers to pull, (fewer) variables to think about.

“But there are things about building a business that are easier as well, because you can build from that blank canvas.” ■

Choosing to rehab a store means you’re locked into that location, while building new gives the prospective owner the flexibility to select the best site for his/her business needs.

—

Dixon National Laundry Equipment

MAKE THIS TAX SEASON WORK FOR YOUR BENEFIT

Pay taxes in timely fashion but not before taking advantage of deductions you are due

Tax time is here again. You know the drill. You gather up all your paperwork, ledgers, computer reports, and the like, and drop them off at your accountant. A few weeks later, he calls, telling you to make checks out for so much in federal taxes and so much in state taxes. You’re finished for another year.

How about trying a different approach this year? Become proactive about your taxes; don’t just let the accountant do them. Try to learn from the process. In fact, suggest possible deductions. Your accountant might be a longtime family friend who has stuck by you through thick and thin, but no one cares as much as you do.

Here are a few suggestions for tax time:

• File your taxes in a timely fashion

Be honest and above board. Call all inflow revenue and all expenses outflows. To do this accurately means keeping up with paperwork and maintaining the company books in a systematic fashion.

Get the payroll taxes filed, keep up with quarterlies, and turn in your personal tax return by April 15.

• Pay estimates in a timely fashion

Estimates are due on April 15, June 15, Sept. 15 and Jan. 15. Estimate your annual tax liability, and pay estimates in four equal sums, both federal and state. If you don’t pay estimates on time to cover your annual profits, you will be assessed a penalty.

But the penalty is only the beginning of your problems. With this tendency to be late, you’ll probably struggle to comply with your obligation. For instance, the end of the year is coming, and you’re in a tough cash-flow squeeze, so you don’t put in the last estimates. This begins a vicious cycle of always trying to catch up. Don’t fall into that bottomless hole.

• Include all mileage driven in connection with work. That includes visits to other Laundromats, trips to vendors, explorations of other markets, and even rental car costs in distant places if it is used to parse the Laundromat situation there.

• Volunteer miles driven become business miles

For instance, say you conduct a free cleaning for a charity drive. All related activities are fully deductible. Pickups and drop-offs count as business miles instead of volunteer miles, because the activity helps your

company’s image.

• Professional subscriptions and association dues are legitimate deductions

For example, if you take several fellow association members out to dinner and you discuss your companies, you could take that expense. If you host an association party, all related costs are deductible.

• Expense books purchased that help with work

For example, if you buy business or psychology books to understand employees, these are legit expenses.

• Count the cost of any experiment to improve or try new processes

This might include cost of chemicals and equipment for testing out new cleaning agents.

• Deduct total expenses of conventions and workshops

All charges related to your attendance at an event— flight, hotel, car rental, meals—are included. If your spouse attends, his/her individual expenses cannot be included. But the charges common to both of you, such as lodging, can be.

• If you use the Internet for research,take a portion of the monthly fee

• The costs of all education programs and workshops are real expenses

• Any payment made to your young children for working in your laundry is a deduction

Now you can employ your young children and expense their incomes. While it’s a deduction for you, they will probably not pay any taxes because their incomes fall under $3,700, the individual exemption amount.

• The cost of gifts given to individuals who helped you with your business is a marketing expense

For instance, if someone gave you a lead, and it results in a new client, any giving to that individual is a valid deduction.

• If you buy art and rotate it periodically in the laundry,you are entitled to expense the purchase

• If you have a space where you do administrative work regularly and exclusively at home,you can take a home office deduction

You can deduct a portion of your mortgage interest, property taxes, house insurance, maintenance, repairs,

Howard Scott

and depreciation. The portion is that square foot percentage that you use for the office plus any space you store material versus the total square footage of your home.

By regular and exclusive, you don’t have to do the work there all the time, but when you do the activity, you do it there, and you don’t do anything else there. In other words, that space is set aside for you to work at home. You might have an office in your store, but that doesn’t negate the possibility of taking a home office expense.

Many “Laundromateurs” stay clear of home offices. They don’t like the sound of the phrase, perhaps harking back to the days when a home office would send up a red flag. But those days are long gone. With more and more people working from home, the practice has become an accepted part of the business landscape. Additionally, a home office is often a significant expense, particularly if the business owner has a sizeable house and a large mortgage. A home office could easily become a $2,000 or $3,000 deduction.

• Use the time with your accountant to learn something

Examine your tax return and come back with questions before filing. Some changes might benefit you.

Why do we have so much depreciation?

What do the figures represent?

What is special depreciation?

Why did my cost of utilities go from 23% to 26%?

Is my wash, dry and fold business profitable?

Am I paying out too much to settle customer complaints? Which machines need replacing?

Were my marketing efforts effective?

If I made X profits, where is it?

How could I make more money next year?

Make your accountant a business partner. After all, he or she is involved in many ventures as an accountant, and might be an investor or business owner. He or she could give you good advice, much like a consultant can.

Make the next tax season really count for you. ■

Howard Scott is a long-time business writer and small-business consultant. He has published four books. If you have any questions about this column, contact Editorial Director Bruce Beggs at bbeggs@americantrademagazines.com.

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Recent developments in our troubled economy have served to dramatize how credit can be a valuable friend or a dreadful foe. Used sensibly, credit can be a powerful asset in your business life. Use it carelessly and it can become your worst enemy.

Here are nine ways to put credit to work for you and your laundry:

Be Aware of Your Credit Report

If your credit score is “good,” it will be easy for you to get credit when you need it. If your score is “bad,” you may find it impossible to get credit from anyone.

If you are operating your store as a sole proprietor or partnership, it isn’t possible to separate your personal credit from your business credit; your score for both will be the same. To learn more about how your credit score is calculated, visit ftc.gov.

The three credit reporting agencies (CRAs), Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, are legally required to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months at your request. You can order your report online at annualcredit report.com, or by calling 877-322-8228.

If your business is incorporated, you may want to register with Dun & Bradstreet using your legal business name. Registration will provide you with a DUNS number, a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as a universal standard for identi-

fying and keeping track of the more than 120 million businesses in the D&B database. There is a fee for this service, but a DUNS number will help to establish your credibility with suppliers and vendors.

Improve Your Credit Score

You can improve your score by:

• Paying your bills on time. This is the smart way to handle credit. Late or missed payments are a sure way to lower your score and incur hefty late fees and finance charges.

• Avoid large balances. Outstanding balances larger than about 25% of your credit limit are a red flag to financial institutions.

• Avoid closing out an account and transferring the balance to another credit card. This can hurt more than it can help. Each time you close an account, you lower your overall credit limit. Thus, your existing debt becomes a larger percentage of your limit.

Avoid the Minimum-Payment Trap

Whenever possible, don’t charge more than you can pay off in full when your monthly credit card bills arrive. When you pay the full balance each month, you’re taking advantage of an interest-free loan from the card issuer.

If you make only minimum payments on a significant balance, it can take years, and sometimes decades, to pay off the full debt. Once you fall into the “minimum-payment

By Bill Lynott

trap,” it can be difficult if not impossible to dig your way out.

Don’t Cancel Unused Cards All at Once

If you have a number of credit card accounts but use only a few of them, it’s best to close out the unused ones. However, be sure to keep the cards that you’ve had the longest and cancel the newest cards. The CRAs like to see a long record of prompt payments. Too many new cards will tend to lower your credit score.

If you have more than one or two unused cards, spread out the cancellations over a period of several months.

Think Twice Before Opening New Accounts

If you and your laundry don’t already have a long and favorable credit history, opening a new credit line will tend to lower your score. New accounts lower the average age of your accounts. That, in turn, affects your credit score.

Consolidating Card Balances Not a Cure

Once you allow yourself to get into unmanageable debt, there’s no easy way out. Debt consolidation may sound like an easy cure, but many professionals and business owners have discovered that so-called debt consolidation led them down the road to an even more burdensome debt load.

“Consolidating debts may be only digging yourself into a deeper hole,” says financial

Photo:© iStockphoto/Tom Mc Nemar

planner Brent A. Neisner. “Before you take that step, you should ask yourself how you got into debt trouble. Overspending almost always involves emotional and psychological issues that aren’t going to go away by treating the symptoms.”

Eliminate Receipt of Pre-approved Offers

Those pre-approved credit offers that find their way into your mailbox represent a temptation for identity thieves who might try to open new credit accounts in your name or the name of your business.

You can opt-out by visiting the official Credit Reporting Industry website (https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t) or by calling 888-567-8688.

Be Aware of Debit and Credit Differences

While there are many similarities between debit and credit cards, the differences can significantly affect your cash flow.

It’s easier to qualify for a debit card than a credit card. When you use a debit card, you must already have the money in your business account at the bank. Your purchase is debited to your account electronically as soon as you make your purchase.

Unlike writing a check, using a debit card saves you from having to show identification when you conduct a transaction. Having a debit card not only frees you from carrying cash, it will be more readily accepted than checks where you aren’t known.

However, debit cards carry their own set of disadvantages. Unlike credit cards, debit cards give you no grace period for paying your bill. The money is deducted from your account immediately each time you use it.

Keeping your account in balance can be a problem. It’s easy to misplace a receipt and forget to notate the transaction in your check register. That can result in overdrawn accounts and financial penalties.

While you get protection from liability due to fraud on both credit card and debit card purchases, debit cards do not offer the same protection as credit cards in the case of defective or unsatisfactory merchandise. With credit cards, you may dispute errors or unauthorized charges and withhold payment until the matter is resolved.

If you pay off your credit card balances in full each month, the last thing you need is a debit card. You’re now enjoying up to 30 days of free use of someone else’s money.

This is “using the float,” the period between the purchase date and when the money is actually withdrawn from your account.

Never Co-mingle Business, Personal Funds

Not only is mixing your business and personal finances an open invitation to problems with the Internal Revenue Service, it complicates your recordkeeping and cash flow management. You should maintain separate business bank accounts and make all of your business credit purchases on a separate business credit card.

Some experts compare unwise use of credit to use of drugs: It can offer shortterm pleasure in exchange for long-term pain.

However, credit in itself is not harmful. Used skillfully, it can be a profitable tool for managing your business affairs. Use these tips to help make credit one of your business assets, not one of your liabilities. ■

Bill Lynott is a regular contributor to American Drycleaner, a sister American Trade Magazines publication. You can reach him at lynott@verizon.net.

LAUNDRY FURNISHINGS LAUNDRY FURNISHINGS Trends in Trends in

By Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

The general structure of chairs and tables typically found in coin laundries today really hasn’t changed much in recent years, but the palette of colors and textures that are available has become quite expansive, according to some manufacturers of such furnishings.

CACO Mfg. Corp. has been making Sol-O-Matic© fiberglass seating and folding tables for coin laundries since 1960.

“We’re still using the same molds that we have for 50 years,” says CEO Randall Chaffee. “It holds up, a good design. But the colors and the textures have certainly changed.”

Chaffee says his company can now create granite-type finishes commonly seen on countertops. “It used to be just solid color gel coat. Anymore, I’d say 70-80% of our business is the granites.”

If someone is looking at the high-pressure laminate furniture made by High Mark Mfg. for their store, they’d better be prepared to spend some time studying color samples. The company has more than 500 different colors from which to choose.

“Laminates have come such a long way, we’ve got laminates that look like granite, stone, stressed,” says High Mark Mfg. President Peter Valconesi, whose company produces fiberglass and laminate furniture, both standard and custom in design. “You can get anything you want in a laminate these days.”

Beyond standard-size tables and benches, High Mark makes custom furniture ranging from folding tables to wrap-around bulkheads. It will soon begin distributing stainless steel folding tables in response to market demand.

“They’re trying to match the equipment with the tables by going stainless and stainless, or they’re going to our laminate,” Valconesi says of his laundry customers. “We provide a lot of other products for the stores, such as bulkheads, countertops and shelving units, then they’ll match the tables to that stuff.”

RJ Papalini is celebrating its 50th year of manufacturing furniture for dry cleaners, coin laundries, gas stations and mini-marts. Its product offerings include tables, chairs and benches, both standard and custom in design.

The company is accustomed to seeing coin-ops utilize bright color schemes to attract customers, but President/CEO Richard Pennington says he is seeing slight changes in that trend.

“Depending on which geographical area you’re talking about, the owners still want to have bright colors and really stand out,” he says. “In places that are not quite as economically challenged, they’re looking at softer colors, browns and earth tones.”

Where once they may have slapped a coat of white paint on the walls and been done, some laundry owners are going to great lengths to create a comfortable environment.

“A lot of these new Laundromats, they’re even at the point where they’re hiring decorators to come in and help them choose their colors and choose the space,” Chaffee says.

But any time spent discussing accents, balance, or motif will be a waste of time if the furniture doesn’t stand up to the rigors of laundry life.

“It’s function first,” Chaffee says. “They have to have tables there for their patrons to fold clothes on. They have to have an easy and durable break area for them to sit down.

“It has to be tough,” he continues. “Laundromat customers are tough customers, especially in unattended stores. There’s very little that will hold up as well as fiberglass.”

A coin laundry owner may be tempted to purchase residential-grade chairs or tables from a retailer or home improvement store, but it’s really only a short-term solution.

“We see it all the time, but two or three years later, they come back to us because that stuff just doesn’t hold up,” Chaffee says, adding that you have to “put the right kind of furniture in there or it disintegrates.”

“If you buy that stuff and put it in your Laundromat, it’s not designed for a Laundromat,” Valconesi says. “It’s gonna last you six months, then you’re going to buy it again.”

“The old adage is ‘You get what you pay for,’ and spending a few extra dollars now is going to definitely pay off in the long run,” says Pennington. ■

BROAD PALETTE OF COLORS, TEXTURES EXPANDS DECORATING OPTIONS

Photo:Courtesy CACO Mfg. Corp.

DRYERS PRODUCTSHOWCASE

DEXTER LAUNDRY

Dexter Laundry offers a range of dryers featuring a combination of drying speed and energy efficiency. By balancing heat input, tumble speed, air recirculation and airflow through fully perforated, large-diameter cylinders, Dexter dryers delivers performance that keeps utility bills low and customers coming back, the company says.

Dexter dryers feature a fully welded solid steel cabinet struc-

HUEBSCH

Huebsch’s TwinStar45 stack tumbler with 90 pounds of total capacity is designed to provide increased drying capacity in a small footprint, the company says.

With a 50%-higher-rated capacity and a 40% larger door opening than the company’s 30-pound stack, Huebsch’s TwinStar is perfect for drying large loads and oversized items, the company says.

The TwinStar also has all the features of the company’s 30-pound model while taking up just 24% more floor space.

The stack dryer uses just about the same amount of energy as a traditional 30-pound stack and is even more efficient in drying oversized loads,

WASCOMAT

ture, heavy-duty bearing housings, oversized bearings, and hardened steel trunion-shaft assemblies. Each cabinet assembly receives a six-stage pre-treat process and is painted inside and out. The dryers feature extra-large loading doors, solidstate microprocessor controls, and electronic spark ignition. Express Stack Dryers are offered in 30-pound and 50pound capacities. The 50-pound model also features larger loading doors that are available on 55-pound and 80-pound single-pocket dryers.

Easy to install, all Dexter dryers require only single gas, electrical and exhaust connections, the company says.

dexterlaundr y.com

800-524-2954

according to the company. These features allow operators to command a higher vend price per minute of operation compared to 30-pound models, while using almost the same amount of gas.

Huebsch utilizes an axial-airflow design, which speeds drying time while reducing overall energy consumption, the company says.

The 45-pound stack tumbler is easy to install, with single gas, electrical and vent connections. Huebsch also offers a 30-pound stack and 25-, 30-, 35-, 50-, 55- and 75-pound single-pocket tumblers.

huebsch com

800-553-5120

Wascomat commercial dryers, distributed by Laundrylux, are engineered for efficiency, ease of use, and superior drying results, according to the company.

The machines feature an easy-to-operate LCD display, large doors that open nearly 180 degrees, and a self-cleaning lint screen with a large lint compartment on single-pocket dryers.

All control components are within reach without kneeling down, and a reversing drum option helps minimize tangling and wrinkling when processing large sheets and bedding. Coin- and card-metered dryers are available in 30-by-30 stack and 45-by-45 stack models, as well as the 30- and 60pound capacity models.

laundr ylux com

800-645-2204

CONTINENTAL GIRBAU

Continental Girbau’s ExpressDry Drying Tumblers line includes both single-pocket and stacked models in 30- and 45-pound capacities.

The tumblers are designed to maximize productivity with a smaller footprint than competitive models with similar basket capacity, says the company.

The ExpressDry SuperStack90 — with dual 45pound capacity pockets — offers 39% greater drying volume when compared with 30-pound dualpocket units. Additionally, all stack models feature separate coin vaults and microprocessor controls

IPSO

for each tumbler pocket. The ExpressDry control allows for programmable time, temperature, cooldown, time-of-day pricing specials, customer bonus cycles, and more.

ExpressDry machines are engineered for durability and ease of use. They are available with painted or stainless steel front panels, and each cylinder features a stainless steel back plate and is perforated with oblong holes that prevent items such as drywall screws from catching in the cylinder and damaging the dryer.

continentalgirbau.com

800-256-1073

ELECTROLUX

Excellent efficiency and extra capacity make IPSO’s 45pound stack dryer the perfect unit to help owners get their customers in and out faster for better profitability, the company says.

The IPD stack 45 offers 90 pounds of total rated capacity, and fits through a standard 36-inch door. Its size also allows stores to double the drying pockets compared to installing single-pocket dryers.

The axial-airflow process helps ensure the maximum amount of warm air enters the cylinder and passes through the load at the optimum point in the tumbling action, the company explains.

A heavy-duty door and hinge, plus electrostatically applied paint on the inside and outside of the cabinet, add durability.

Patented, oblong cylinder perforations enable drywall screws and similarly sized fasteners to pass through harmlessly.

ipso com

800-872-4776

MAYTAG COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY

Maytag Commercial Laundry’s Energy

Advantage Multi-Load Stack Dryers can save laundry owners nearly 25% in energy and utility costs, the company says, without increasing average dry time.

An axial airflow system, increased insulation, and double paned windows keep heat contained in the basket, drying clothes with a low-Btu output.

The dryers include heavy-duty metal doors with tempered glass windows; heavy-duty door hinges; and

Electrolux Professional dryers, distributed by Laundrylux, are precision engineered and built for durability, according to the company.

The dryers contain standard reversing cylinders and the energy-saving EcoPower feature. They fit through a 36inch door, while featuring an extra-large door that opens nearly 180 degrees. Quiet operation, sturdy drum suspension with double-sealed bearings, and belt drive are standard.

The Electrolux T4420S 45pound stack dryer is available in both coin and card metered models, as are the company’s 30-by-30 stack, 45-by-45 stack, 30- and 60-pound dryers.

laundr ylux com

800-381-7222

a magnetic door latch, providing a sealed drying process. The dryers also come standard with Maytag ComputerTrac microprocessor controls, allowing operators to pre-program temperature and cooldown time to prevent over-drying.

Maytag’s Energy Advantage Multi-Load Stack Dryers are available in stainless steel and white finishes.

maytagcommer ciallaundr y.com

800-662-3587

AMERICAN DRYER CORP. (ADC)

ADC’s AD-444 and AD-333 combine the company’s stacked dryers, incorporating the AD-330’s axial airflow and the easy-to-access belt drive system of the AD-236. The lint drawers are stainless steel, and the microprocessor features simple controls and an easy-toread LCD display.

Both machines feature a steel door with gasketless glass, and include a quiet beltdrive system. A single exhaust connection on the AD-333 and a double exhaust for the AD-444 (a single 10-inch exhaust is optional), as well as a single coin drop are part of the package. These units will maximize floor space, according to the company, and fit through a standard 36-inch door.

amdr y.com

508-678-9000

SPEED QUEEN

Speed Queen’s T45 stack tumbler with 90 pounds of total rated capacity helps maximize efficiency and speed customers through the drying process, the company says.

The stack tumbler also is designed to increase profit per square foot by 44% compared to the 30-pound stack.

Although it has 50% more rated capacity than the 30-pound stack, it takes up just 24% more floor space. It also can cut utility consumption by 40% compared to many older tumblers, the company says.

The T45’s axial airflow helps ensure the maximum amount of warm air passes through clothes, the company says. Customers can dry loads more quickly, and owners can handle larger volumes during busy times. Owners also can charge a premium vend price for the larger pockets. speedqueen.com

800-345-5649

PELLERIN MILNOR CORP.

Milnor’s coin-operated dryers provide gas-saving, fast-drying units for laundries of any size, the company says. Available in single-pocket or stack models, the dryers work in a small footprint.

Milnor now offers the EcoDry dryer line. These dryers offer efficiency with a sensing system that measures moisture. The microprocessor stops the dryer at desired setpoints, saving time and energy. A dual-paned glass door seals heat inside the dryer — keeping the heat focused on goods.

The dryers are coin or card-reader compatible, and large, reversible doors help with loading and unloading. Service access is made through the front or rear of the units. Front panels are available in white (with a stainless steel option), and all models fit through a standard 36-inch door.

milnor coin.com

504-712-7656

LG’s commercial-grade dryer offerings provide owners with versatility, ease of use and high performance, the company says. With a 7.1-cubic-foot capacity made for loads of 22.5 pounds, users can dry more clothes in fewer loads. For smaller loads, LG offers short drying times, at 30 minutes per 13 pounds of laundry.

The gas or electric machines can be either coin- or card-operated and offer features such as AdaptAble Control, which permits a laundry owner to place user controls at either the top or bottom of a unit so that both panels can be at eye level on stacked units. The dryer door is reversible so the machine can be adapted to fit an existing space.

LG’s machines feature SmartDiagnosis, so technicians can troubleshoot mechanical issues over the phone. lgcommerciallaundry com

PWS—THE LAUNDRY COMPANY UNVEILS PARTS/SUPPLIES WEBSITE

PWS-The Laundry Company has relaunched its website, pwslaundry.com, enabling owners of laundry equipment to easily search a selection of more 85,000 parts online. Users are able to quickly find a desired part by entering a part number, model number, or part description, the company says.

The site is designed to make the purchase of parts user-friendly, by including thousands of pictures, diagrams and repair manuals.

Complementing the site is a fully staffed call center ready to answer parts-related questions via phone, e-mail or live web chat. Individuals specifically trained to help customers identify the proper replacement parts across all equipment manufacturers are available.

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PROMOTES BITTNER TO CUSTOMER ONE VICE PRESIDENT, APPOINTS BOWE

TO LEAD SPEED QUEEN COMMERCIAL SALES

Alliance Laundry Systems has promoted William Bittner to vice president of Customer One, the company’s global initiative focused on customer service and satisfaction, and selected Dan Bowe to replace Bittner as national sales manager of Speed Queen’s commercial division.

Bittner has been with the company for more than 13 years, hold-

ing various senior positions. He was instrumental in reclaiming Speed Queen’s position as the premium brand in the vended laundry space, Alliance says.

Bowe will oversee regional sales managers, develop policies and procedures, cultivate distributor partnerships, and participate in the development of new Speed Queen products and services. He has been with Alliance since 1996.

LG PROMOTES BRAND TO POTENTIAL DISTRIBUTORS

Sharing its vision for growth in the commercial laundry business, LG Electronics USA hosted more than a dozen top distributors at its first Commercial Laundry Conference in November.

Sam Kim, Appliance president, LG Electronics USA, emphasized LG’s commitment to technology and market leadership. Brian Wallace, executive director of the Coin Laundry Association, delivered a “state of the industry” keynote address.

LG invited the “cream of the crop” distributors, says Stefan Meir, U.S. sales director for LG Commercial Laundry. The distributors, which represent different top brands of multi-load washers, will find that LG equipment is a complement to their brands and will help them grow their business significantly, says Meir. ■

AtGorman,itmatterstousbecause it matters to you!

VENDING MACHINE SALES—Nationwide. In business since 1960. Machines, coin changers, soap venders bulk. Place machines near your business & grow. 100% Financing. Call the rest, then call the best. Phone or Fax 800-211-1066, 800-917-VEND.

SERVICES

ANDSUPPLIES

WASHER AND DRYER COMPUTER BOARDS REBUILT

Igniters repaired

Washers: $60 - & up

Dryers: $35 - & up

Igniters: $20 - & up

Rebuilt Timers - Wascomat, Huebsch, Speed Queen, Ipso, Laundry Center, Maytag Call for exact price which includes free return shipping

METRO LAUNDRY TECH CORP.

253 East 204th Street, Bronx, NY 10458

ONE-YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL REPAIRS

Please call 718-742-4137 Or 718-733-4313

COMPUTER BOARDS FIXED

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• American • Dexter

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• Huebsch • Speed Queen •

HHC ELECTRONIC SERVICE

14844 Las Tunas Drive, Hacienda Hts., CA 91745 626-961-8678 • 800-820-9888

E-mail: hhc168@hotmail.com

SERVICES ANDSUPPLIES

TIMERS REBUILT — IPSO main & reverse, Milnor, Dexter, Primus, Whirlpool, Speed Queen, Maytag & Continental Girbau, Wascomat Generation 4 and 5. Call for price sheet.

Reeco Timer Co., 2860 Kirby Circle, N.E., Suite 14, Palm Bay, FL 32905, 888-952-1889.

WASCO GEN 5 DOOR LOCKS & TIMERS REBUILT

Door Lock $68 • Gen 5 & 6 Timer $85

Gen 4 Timer $68 • Continental Timer $85

DRYER COMPUTER BOARDS

ADC Stack $60 • Single $45 Huebsch SQ Board $45

Huebsch Old Style Board $55

Stack Dexter/Continental $60

Washer Coin Boards $55 Some prices may vary!!!!

JECON INC.

SUITE 272, 11064 QUEENS BLVD. FOREST HILLS, NY 11375

One-Year Warranty on All Parts FREERETURNSHIPPING

Send Core Unit with S&H Fees Call Toll Free: 1-888-532-6677 (888-JECON77)

Local: 718-525-3733 • Fax: 212-656-1913 Visit: JECONINC.COM

We Now Accept All Major Credit Cards

SERVING THE LAUNDRY INDUSTRY SINCE 1997.

516-432-3834

REBUILT MACHINES

NO COMPETITOR GOES TO THE EXTENT WE DO TO REBUILD MACHINES!

* THIS IS OUR BUSINESS & OUR POLICY NEVER CHANGES!

* WE SELL OUR REBUILT MACHINES AT UNBEATABLE LOW PRICES.

5000 LONG BEACH RD ISLAND PARK, NY 11558

EQUIPMENT ORPHANAGE

**6 MONTH PARTS WARRANTY** INCLUDES FREE COIN BOX & EPHOTOS OF MACHINE WILL BE SENT PRIOR TO SHIPMENT

THERE ARE MANY INTERPRETATIONS OF THE WORD REBUILT—BE A SAVVY CONSUMER— TAKE THE TIME TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.nylaundry.com

VIEW THE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY WE REBUILD MACHINES— THE RIGHT WAY!!

PARTS FACILITY DESIGN

Our Parts Department has thousands of products on over an acre lot. If we don’t have what you want, ask us, and we’ll find it for you.

From initial site inspections and recommendations to equipment purchase and installation, we are here to help with every aspect of your project.

We can help you with specifications, dimensions, illustrations of commercial and on-premise laundry equipment.

FINANCING

We are able to offer competitive rates and low, affordable monthly payments for financing coin laundry and laundromat facilities.

We have a coin laundry financing solution to meet the needs of new store owners, and veterans alike.

ACRES OF HARD TO FIND USED WASHER & DRYER PARTS WASHER & DRYER FRONT & SIDE PANELS ALL MAKES AND MODELS STARTING @ $50

WASHER DOOR $35 & UP COMPLETE DRYER DOOR $35 & UP COMPLETE ANY WASHER TUB 18#, 35#, 50#, WITH NEW BEARINGS

$175 & UP WITH EXCHANGE ALL DRYER BASKETS $75 & UP

ESD CARD READERS $150 EA

EMERALD SERIES COMPUTER BOARDS $575 EA

LET US REFURBISH YOUR PANELS ~ FRESHLY PAINTED PANELS IN EITHER ALMOND OR WHITE ... $70 EA

CALL FOR SPECIAL NEEDS

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