American Drycleaner - May 2018

www.compassmax.com

“Compassmax nailed it again! With the new CRM and Texting features interacting with customers has never been easier.”

-Tonny Walden, Walden Cleaners

“The online user portal has simplified the pickup and delivery process for our customers. It is simple to use and manage, and has become a profit center.”

“The new scanning at the point of delivery feature is a prime example of less is more. It is simple enough that everybody can use and provides all the data we need to provide over the top service to our clients.”

-Jordan Wood, Davis Imperial Cleaners

“The new route prepay process that Maineline developed and just rolled out is outstanding! This saves us so much time each day as we can now batch and charge out all the route deliveries due for the next day at once. It has also saved us on collections situations. ”

-Jon Simon, Parkway Custom Drycleaning

“Compassmax made our switch to cloud based Microsoft Azure a dream come true. The conversion was extremely well-supported and we no longer have to manage a primary server and back-up server.”

-Dave Coyle, In the Bag Cleaners

Drycleaning Stain Removal Has Never Been So

Spray improved EasyGo onto soiled areas before drycleaning. Stains and soil disappear right in the wheel. For more difficult stains, use on the spotting board before or after cleaning. EasyGo is also an excellent leveling agent. EasyGo now flushes freely in all drycleaning solvents, including GreenEarth®, Perc, Hydrocarbon and K4.

And it's still eco-friendly...California compliant, chlorinated-solvent and NPE free, biodegradable and non-combustible. Drycleaning stain removal has never been so EASY!

drycleaner

May 2018 Vol. 85, No. 2 DEPARTMENTS

Pre-Inspection 4 “Hey!”

Talk of the Trade 6 Vacation: Oooh, That Word Tim Burke

Exhibit in Print 2018

Journey by “fingertip express” along our aisles in the pages of this special issue. Sure, industry trade shows are a great experience seeing companies and meeting people but wouldn’t you like to enjoy, for once, that same unique experience in the comfort of your own office or home, on your own time, at your own pace? That’s why we bring you, in this Clean Show off-year, a chance to stroll with only your mere fingers through this Exhibit in Print. Check out the “booths” in your own relaxed style on pages 8-28.

30 Blue Skyin’ It

Ready to retire? ... Or not just yet. You’d maybe like to step back and not have it all come to an abrupt end. You can. Read about the various options to retire without retiring completely. Maybe it’s selling but keeping a foot in. Maybe family is ready to step up. Check out all the ways you can be “blue skyin’ it.”

Diana Vollmer, Management Strategies columnist

NEED HELP FINDING THE HIDDEN HANGER?

Scan this QR Code for help in finding the hidden hanger on this month’s cover. Good luck!

“Business has never been better.”

“The support from CBS was great. Even before we signed up, they were responsive and flexible in their approach. They have helped our team become more efficient.”

Since 2003, CBS has given me consistent updates and easy to understand tech support, all at a price that our industry can afford. I would recommend CBS, and I have, to anyone who is still wasting their time and money on those over priced POS systems.

“Hey!”

Most people greet each other with “Hey!” And once in awhile, “What’s new?”

But you know and I know they don’t really want to hear your big, long story. It’s just another way to greet someone passing by. Yet someone in the drycleaning biz said to me, “What’s new?” And before I could get out the standard “Nuthin’ much,” he said in the same breath and in one continuously bursting stream: “Hey, you’re doin’ those podcasts, that’s right, I like those, I had it on in my office just recently, listening while working, and it was real interesting, when’s your next one, are they every month, they’re real cool.”

Breathe, I thought. Just breathe, my friend.

I thanked him and said, “About every other month.” The guy had to be on his way, and never really stopped walking past me, saying, “Well I’ll be listening for the next one, see ya’ buddy!”

In that quick exchange, he captured all the reasons why we podcast. We want to bring to the busy ears of fabricare leaders another way to get industry information fast and easy — spoken by voices of other leaders themselves. We also want it to be convenient, so fabricare professionals can listen anywhere.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, go to americandrycleaner.com and listen. You can access it on your computer, laptop or iPad, but mostly people tell me they listen on their cell phone. (And tell me if you like what you hear, or want to be part of one!)

The highlight of this May issue is our every-other-year special feature: Exhibit In Print. Let your fingertips walk our “aisles of paper” at your own pace, to check out companies in this Clean Show off-year. It starts page 8. Also, check out our three popular columnists and much more. And, as always, thanks for reading!

Special Note: If you have a patriotic story for our yearly Red, White, and Blue (and You) special feature coming up in July, contact me ASAP. Tell me how you cleaned something special for our service personnel or our veterans. I’ll need your tale—plus a photo—right away by mid-May; e-mail tburke@atmags.com. ADC

American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 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 Drycleaner, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 85, number 2. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Drycleaner is distributed selectively to: qualified dry cleaning plants and distributors in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2018. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Drycleaner does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Drycleaner or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

American Drycleaner, May 2018

Publisher

Charles Thompson

312-361-1680 cthompson@ATMags.com

Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

Donald Feinstein 312-361-1682 dfeinstein@ATMags.com

Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs 312-361-1683 bbeggs@ATMags.com

Editor

Tim Burke 312-361-1684 tburke@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

Nathan Frerichs 312-361-1681 nfrerichs@ATMags.com

Production Manager

Roger Napiwocki

Advisory Board

Mike Bleier Steven Dubinski John-Claude Hallak Mike Nesbit Herron Rowland Fred Schwarzmann Beth Shader Ellen Tuchman Rothmann

Contributing Editors

Howard Scott Diana Vollmer Martin Young

Office Information

Main: 312-361-1700

Subscriptions 630-739-0900 x100 www.american drycleaner.com

Tim Burke

Vacation ... Oooh, That Word

Here are a few responses to the recent American Drycleaner Your Views survey question: “When you need to get away, where do you go to relax and recharge, and what do you do?”

• “The beach. I like to play golf or fish.”

• “In summer, Cape Cod; in winter, go skiing or to Florida for a golf vacation.”

• “Michigan, Upper Peninsula to fly fish, canoe, enjoy bonfires at night.”

The survey also asked, “How important is your vacation getaway?”

As the graphic at right shows, 44% of respondents say that it’s “All important! Love my vacations,” while 30% say it’s “Just fine. It’s on my schedule.” Defining vacation as simply, “A necessary recharge, that’s all,” are 13%. And the remaining 13% say to “Forget about it. Time is money.”

And in response to “How do you feel about leaving your team in charge?” 62%, or about two-thirds of respondents, indicate they are “Confident in my manager and team. I don’t worry.”

And the final question: “How much time for yourself do you plan at your operation yearly and is it enough?”

Most answered “two weeks” but say it’s “not enough.” One respondent says even four weeks isn’t enough, while another says taking six weeks is fine.

Here are some of the ways respondents describe their own vacation:

• “I call it ‘decompressing,’ no pun intended.”

• “ Johnny Time.”

• “I’m the **** outta here.”

• “My zen.”

The Your Views survey offers a current snapshot of the trade audience’s views. Qualified subscribers to American Drycleaner emails are invited to participate anonymously in the unscientific poll. ADC

Exhibits Your Way from American Drycleaner

Stroll the ‘halls of paper’ when you want, at your pace, in your own style!

We think you should be able to stroll your way through our 2018 Exhibit In Print in your own style, your own way, and in the time you want to spend.

Journey by “fingertip express” down our aisles—running through page 28—and check out compa nies, products and equipment that you can look at and think about in comfort and relaxation.

That’s why we’ve created this

In The Bag Cleaners/ Dave Coyle Drycleaning Authority

Dave Coyle, owner of In The Bag Cleaners, relates he has “a milliondollar formula to win new clients and make them raving fans.” He says he knows what it means to barely sur vive, and shares his secret to radical growth in top-line revenue and profit.

Sankosha USA

Sankosha USA was incorporated in early 1993 and has been in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village, Ill., since that time.

easy-to-use exhibit awaiting you in the pages you hold.

Sure, trade shows are great experiences: the people you meet are the best thing about getting “out and about” and seeing all the booth candy, and enjoying the host sponsor’s efforts and, of course, sampling the host city.

But, sometimes, wouldn’t you just like the exhibits to come to you right in your home or office?

That’s what we supply here in this special every-other-year opportunity.

The next Clean Show isn’t until 2019 in New Orleans, and Vegas was a high-octane, exciting mem ory way back last summer, but now you have something to fill the lonely void in between.

Take some time to relax and enjoy, in your own special style, this 2018 Exhibit in Print

adding value first and solving my clients’ problems. I have time to coach owners through the pains I’ve overcome,” he says.

“Today, my company does over $5 million annually in sales, and over 20% goes to the bottom line. I sleep well at night. I’ve built an asset by

Get tried-and-true marketing products you can implement today, the company notes, for a fast return, or new strategies and concepts to help you work less and make more money.

www.drycleaningauthority.com 316-650-5125

complement of replacement parts, including covers and pads, are stocked. Most part orders are shipped on the same day received.

“All our customers are partners in our business,” Sankosha USA says. “Because of their ideas and sug gestions, they have provided us the ability to develop innovative equipment to help their businesses be more successful and profitable.”

Currently housed at its newly renovated facility are its sales, parts, and service operations, and a fully functional showroom, the company relates. A full

As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, Sankosha USA says thank you for being a part of its family.

www.sankosha-inc.com 888-427-9120

Parker Boiler Co.

ParkerView Lead Lag (PV-LL) panels provide a complete boiler control and monitoring system. They are custom-designed for each application and can accommodate the control and monitoring of various equipment, the company says. PV-LL can monitor the system set point and stage the boil ers to meet load requirements.

PV-LLs are successfully inte grated to many front-end BMS software systems and can transmit if the boilers are on, their temperature, system pressure, alarm conditions and other useful information, Parker Boiler says.

A modem is provided for remote access through your phone or computer to a custombuilt dashboard. Having a modem installed gives Parker Boiler the ability to provide live online support during a start-up and make any necessary updates to the PLC.

www.parkerboiler.com 323-727-9800

SPOT Business Systems

SPOT Business Systems LLC pro vides a comprehensive software and services platform for the drycleaning industry, according to the company. Since its inception in 1990, SPOT is committed to help ing you get the most out of your software investment.

In addition to hundreds of user-friendly features, new and updated features include: To-Do List, Production Promised Date, Customer-centric Notification Center, RouteTrac Mobile, integrated “On Demand” route logic, MyDryCleaner Mobile App, CustomerConnect, contactless/Apple Pay/NFC-based integrated credit

Poseidon Textile Care Systems

Poseidon Textile Care Systems® are specifically engi neered for the professional fabricare industry to deliver high-quality wetcleaning, ironing and drying results with out shrinkage or damage to delicate fabrics, the company notes. An array of garments can be safely wet-cleaned and dried, such as structured suits, evening gowns, sweat ers, silks, wools, and more.

Its machines feature up to 20 preset and 79 customiz able program options for unrivaled flexibility and cleaning control, it notes. The firm’s dryers quickly and gently remove residual moisture from virtually any garment type: delicate wools, linens, cash meres and silks. “The dryer’s key feature is its ability to create steps in the dry cycle similar to what we see in the wash cycle,” says Jeff Quail, co-owner of Poseidon.

The company notes its flatwork ironers quickly iron table and bed linens for hospitality/food and beverage accounts, and by partnering with a professional distributor network, it provides expert plant design and technical service, it says.

www.poseidonwetcleaning.com 800-482-3400

card processing, enhanced conveyorless Assisted Assembly, and ProductionTrac garment tracking system.

The company began offering SPOT as a hosted “Software as a Service” in 1999, providing real-time centralization long before the modern-day “cloud” became popular, it adds. With seven full-time software developers and 22 CustomerCare agents, SPOT is ready to help you gain that competitive edge.

www.spotpos.com 801-208-2212

American Drycleaner, May 2018 www.americandrycleaner.com

Union Drycleaning Products

Since its inception in 1976, Union has been the benchmark by which all other drycleaning systems are measured, the company says. It leads the field in high-quality design and construction, incorporating continual advances in technology made possible by its creative and visionary research team.

Union continues to develop new products and features. “We have continued to make advancements in technol ogy, such as our I-Connect system, which allows users to remotely ‘log in’ to their drycleaning machine and store data,” the company says.

Global Business Systems

SortingRobo is an automatic assembly and garment tracking system from Global Business Systems. With SortingRobo, an operator will be able to electronically track garments and assem ble orders without any human error. The company says using SortingRobo can lower labor costs up to 75%.

A dryclean ing operation can reduce staff by using a permanent bar-code tag system, high-speed automated garment tracking and an assembly machine.

SortingRobo has a built-in invoice printer, a touch monitor, and helps an operator communi cate with POS systems and other multiple stores. www.smart4me.com 800-717-2507

The firm has introduced several new models, including a Tandem machine and the Express. It continues to work with all the solvent manufacturers to ensure that its drycleaning machines are the most efficient, with traditional solvents and newer solvents, and adds that its machines are environmentally friendly as well.

The company notes it has a staff of trained and dedi cated professionals “available to help before, during and after the purchase of your drycleaning machine.”

www.uniondc.com 800-433-9401

Air World Pads and Covers

Air World Pads and Covers has just achieved a mile stone in the industry, the company says, celebrating 20 years in business. In March of 1998, the firm began operations in a small building in Paterson, N.J., with a cutting table, a handful of sewing machines “and a dream,” it explains.

Led by Sam Oh, company president; John Rizzuto, a founding partner; and shortly thereafter, Michael Oh, the firm has become a leader in pad and cover manufacturing in the United States, it says. Contributing to its growth is its implementation of new silicone technologies to the market. These tech nologies have provided end-users with more effi cient garment finishing and longer pad life, it notes.

The company positioned itself for continued growth by acquiring a 32,000-square-foot facility in Mahwah, N.J.

www.airworldpads.com 888-720-4080

R.W. Martin & Sons

Martin Coil provides competi tively priced copper, stainless steel, cupronickel and aluminum steam coils that meet or exceed the useful life and performance of most OEM drycleaning and laundry equipment coils, the company indicates.

“Our helpful tools for specifying and ordering coils enable anyone to replace failing steam, evaporative or condensing coils quickly and costeffectively,” it points out. “Our war ranties exceed industry standards,

NIE Insurance

NIE’s full legal name is National Fire and Indemnity Exchange, the company relates. It was founded by dry cleaners in 1915 as the National Association of Dyers & Cleaners InterInsurance Exchange. The firm has insured

Business Insurance Since 1915

thousands of drycleaners, it says.

The company’s workforce spends all its work time insuring fabri care businesses. “They have already dealt with most any problem your

and we offer manufacturing options to further extend a coil’s operational life.”

Many coils are in stock and can ship the same day, the firm notes, adding, “Our knowledge able staff has extensive dryclean ing and laundry equipment expe rience earned from over 50 years in the industry.”

www.rwmartin.com 800-635-4363

White Conveyors

White Conveyors has the perfect solution, in the form of the SUV-OAS (Order Assembly System), to expand your existing business, improve cus tomer service and increase profits, the company says.

Utilizing only the highest-quality components, the SUV-OAS requires only one operator and is delivered assembled and operational the same day. Some major features include the ability to organize/track

drycleaning business will ever face,” it points out. Dry cleaners can work directly with its experts or, if they prefer, can access the firm through their local agent.

The company reports that its “financial ratios are stronger than most insurance industry giants. Plus, NIE’s reinsurers’ surplus exceeds $14 billion.”

www.nieinsurance.com 800-325-9522

all garments for every order and delivering the next available slot using the quickest path.

“Customers can expect a return on their investment within 18 months or less,” says the firm. “Even in the most demand ing environments, the SUV-OAS will provide unmatched perfor mance and relentless reliability.”

www.white-conveyors.com 908-686-5700

RECOVERY CLEANERS BLENDS CARING CULTURE WITH POSEIDON WET CLEANING SYSTEM — REALIZES QUALITY RESULTS AND BOOSTED PROFITS

The female-driven Recovery Cleaners makes a business of helping others by carefully recovering and restoring garments damaged by fires and floods. President and founder Jacqui Schaefer, who started the business 24 years ago as a one-woman operation, has since grown Recovery Cleaners into a company with 29 employees and a 14,700-square-foot textile restoration facility. The Poseidon Textile Care System handles 70 percent of the collected items and restores them via wet cleaning only. The remaining items are processed via dry cleaning.

“We are almost all women here, with an average tenure of 17 years,” said Schaefer. “We go into homes that have been significantly damaged due to fires or floods, compassionately sort through the affected garments and linens, which are then brought back to our facility to restore. Our positive company culture enables us to go above and beyond on each and every claim. We truly have the greatest service team in the industry. That’s what sets us apart.”

“Here at Recovery Cleaners, we are always staying ahead with leading edge technology,” added Schaefer. “Our commitment to quality and earth-friendly processing is what brought us to the Poseidon Textile Care System. Wet cleaning is often more effective than dry cleaning when it comes to removing soot, odors and fire pollutants.”

Poseidon Textile Care System Boosts Productivity

Recovery Cleaners recently added new wet cleaning machines and dryers from

the Poseidon Textile Care System. “With these new machines we are able to increase productivity, cut utility costs and become more efficient. We estimate that we will add an additional 52,000 pounds of laundry in one year alone,” said Schaefer. Mike “Stucky” Szczotka, of Poseidon, in Troy, Mich., worked with Schaefer to retool her plant with appropriately sized Poseidon equipment. He recommended and installed one 90- and two 55-pound capacity soft-mount Poseidon Wetcleaning Machines and two 80-pound capacity Poseidon Dryers.

“Poseidon machines supply us with the tools to make the wet cleaning process quick, efficient and profitable,” said Schaefer. “There are many companies that cherry pick only the items they think they can salvage. We process it all and are able to maintain a 95 percent

poseidonwetcleaning.com 800-482-3400

salvage rate from wet cleaning and dry cleaning combined.”

“Prior to the company’s Poseidon Dryers, more items required air drying, which slowed production. Now, items are quickly dried with less wrinkling,” said Schaefer, “reducing the time needed to finish them.” “There are several companies in the textile restoration business,” added Schaefer. “While our Poseidon machines make it more profitable and efficient, it is our caring staff and amazing company culture that completes the circle.”

Poseidon machines supply us with the tools to make the wet cleaning process quick, efficient and profitable.

- Jacqui Schaefer, Owner Recovery Cleaners

A.L. Wilson Chemical Co.

A.L.Wilson Chemical Co.’s Improved EasyGo is a totally new type of drycleaning spray spotter, the company relates.

It’s now a more effective spray spotter; an excellent leveling agent for controlling moisture after spotting; a cost-effective P.O.G. that removes oily stains; and it flushes freely in all drycleaning solvents!

Improved EasyGo is still eco-friendly, the firm points out. It’s a Californiacompliant chlo rinated solvent, and NPE-free. It’s biodegradable and non-combustible. With improved EasyGo, A.L. Wilson adds, drycleaning stain removal has never been so easy!

www.alwilson.com 800-526-1188

Trevil America

Trevil manufactures several different machines for shirt and blouse finishing. The Presto FC is a hot plate finisher with PTFE-coated plates to avoid shine on dark colors, the company says.

The Trevistar blown shirt finisher has been redesigned to handle tapered shirts as well as large shirts. The same hot plate placket and cuff pleat press used on Presto FC is now included on Trevistar, it notes.

The Princess Ultra is a multi-garment finisher, the company adds, capable of finishing everything from size 0 petite ladies blouses to 3XL men’s shirts, as well as jackets, lab coats, and more.

www.trevilamerica.com 877-873-8451

Renzacci USA

Brent Padon, general manag er of Renzacci USA, is pictured here inside the company’s U.S. Schooling and Training Center on Drycleaning and Wetcleaning Machines.

Renzacci, Italy, is proud to celebrate the success of its U.S. facility, which has been success fully operating for years now, it notes. The structure, which is located in Stuart, Fla., has been created to give the best possible support to all U.S. customers by offering a

American Drycleaner, May 2018

highly professional service in supplying original spare parts, exceptionally reliable technical assistance, as well as infor mation and machine sales, the firm indicates.

Moreover, it offers its exclusive machine schooling center to manage continu ous and complete training on machines and the most inno vative techniques on wet and dry cleaning, it adds.

www.renzacci-usa.com 561-644-5517

www.americandrycleaner.com

Tells

Olin Corporation

For more than 70 years, Olin’s DOWPER™ sol vent has been the preferred non-flammable, noncombustible, and VOC-exempt option in North America for effective dry cleaning, the firm says.

“Our closed-loop delivery system allows for safe handling by capturing and returning vapors to the small volume refillable (SVR) container, virtually eliminating spills — protecting both workers and the environment,” it relates.

Cleaner Business Systems

Cleaner Business Systems is a browser-based software application designed to help dry cleaners get more con trol over their businesses and become more profitable.

DOWPER is essential in the drycleaning busi ness, the company points out, “because of its effi cient solvency, ease of recycling, and unmatched cleaning performance with shorter cycle times for more loads.”

The firm notes that its DOWPER solvent is backed by both its trained distribution channel representatives and its knowledgeable and experi enced global technical team.

www.olin.com 989-486-6709

Cleaner Business Systems is used by clean ers of all types and sizes to increase profitability, grow business and save time, the company says. Any size operation will like the software’s detailed reporting, easy-to-use interface, time-saving functionality, and ability to manage their store(s) from almost anywhere with CBS Connected.

Cleaner Business Systems offers specialized procedures for other types of cleaners as well. One-price/ pre-pay cleaners enjoy streamlined payments and a lot manager, the company says, while hotel and valet ser vices can use CBS’ commercial accounts function, which offers structured, commission-based billing statements.

www.cleanerbusiness.com 800-406-9649

EZProducts International

EzProducts International, located in Florida, has manufactured heatseal presses since 1989. With its EzPress®, PopUpPress® and AirPress® models, you can apply permanent heat-seal labels to your customers’ garments for identification. This will eliminate the cost of paper tags and the labor to apply them.

The company has printers for text labels and can print sequentially numbered bar-code heat-seal labels and ship them to you in one day. EZProducts’ heat-seal presses have interchangeable lower platens, are lightweight, have

a small footprint and have advanced features. The presses have the high est safety certification in the world, TUV SUD, and are approved by UL and OSHA, the company says.

EzProducts now manufactures the original Rope-Ties and Zip-Ties once produced by MBH Enterprises. Eliminate tangled sleeves in shirts in washing machines and save time, labor, water and detergent.

If you need to remove a permanent text or bar-code label, then EzLabelOff will do it.

www.ezpi.us 877-906-1818

American Drycleaner, May 2018 www.americandrycleaner.com

Presentation is Everything.

Keeping light-weight, knit shirts from losing their shape can be easier said than done. Stretch the shirt onto the wrong hanger, and you end up with bumps on the shoulders known as “hanger dimples.” We created our line of Knit Hangers with a unique size and shape that prevents bumps in polo and knit shirts. Warm weather months mean it’s Knit Hanger season at M&B.

To learn more about our line of Knit Hangers, go to www.mbhangers.com to find your local distributor, or call 888-227-0436 to speak with one of our customer service representatives.

Columbia/ILSA

Columbia/ILSA and SafeChem usher in what they term “the most innovative pro cess to the industry in the last 25 years.” Welcome to the future of drycleaning, the company says, and your path to success! “Industry innovation does not happen by accident. Rather, it happens when top companies and great minds work together.”

In its 40-year history, it has offered viable and sound solutions to the marketplace. With this past Clean Show ’17, it once again proved itself as an innovative company, with the introduction of SENSENE™ solvent by SafeChem.

Pariser Industries

Most drycleaning companies in the United States are small-business owners. “The industry has struggled due to increas ing government regulations and cost-conscious con sumers that purchase lowmaintenance clothing that can be cleaned at home,” says Pariser Industries.

“Manufacturing high-quality innovative chemical products is no longer enough to earn a drycleaning operator’s business and loyalty.”

Professional dry cleaners need a supplier who can provide competent technical service and consult ing assistance, who can assist with their need for chemicals ranging from laundering, wet cleaning and dry cleaning to boiler water treatment so they can meet their customers’ quality, efficiency, and hygiene needs.

For nearly 50 years, Pariser has served the dry cleaning industry with diligence, competence, and a sincere concern for the evolving requirements of their customers. It offers a no-obligation operational survey that will generate a proposal outlining prod ucts, service follow-up, and efficiencies to support drycleaning operators.

www.pariserchem.com 800-370-7627

“The industry’s 20-year search for this alterna tive solvent has reached its goal,” with 200 machines successfully working with it.

Anticipation of the evolution of cleaning has been answered by Columbia/ILSA’s constant development and its keen focus to shop owners’ needs, saying it builds “revolutionary drycleaning machines.”

“Trying to steer your business to a suc cessful future can be a daunting task. With Columbia/ ILSA, the target is easily reached,” the company says.

www.columbiailsa.com 800-446-5634

Garment Management Systems

QuickSort and QuickSeal are innovative products of Garment Management Systems (GMS). The vision of GMS is to provide revolutionary automation that is costeffective, effortless and dependable. GMS founder Brett McLeod has been design ing and installing automated equipment for more than a decade, providing dry cleaners, hotels, casinos and others with solutions.

QuickSort automated assembly systems are an efficient, space-saving auto mated assembly option that won’t break the bank, the company says. The system, with its proprietary software, makes short order out of assembly. Bar-code technology coupled with a ver satile assembly conveyor will reduce labor and increase accuracy.

QuickSeal heat-seal machines are manufactured specifically for the drycleaning industry for use in apply ing bar-code labels to garments. The machine is a heavy-duty, auto-opening, small-format heat press. Easy to use, its small size allows for use on any work table surface.

www.garmentmanagement.com 501-420-1682

How Many Coin Laundries Has Your Insurance Agent Handled?

How Many Drycleaners Has Your Insurance Agent

One or Two? Three?

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

Iowa Techniques

Your store closed three minutes ago. Bad news for your customer, and worse news for you!

Owning an Iowa Techniques Drop Box means your drycleaning operation is never truly closed, the company says.

If you were your cus tomer, when would you find time to come to your shop?

Fabricare Management Systems

A convenient, 24-hour dropoff solution for “after-hours” cus tomers enables an operation to keep business rather than driving customers to the competition. Be the most convenient business in town with an Iowa Techniques Drop Box — both free-

standing (garment bags are easy to remove from the locked lower stor age area) and wall (can be mounted through glass windows or through walls up to a foot thick) versions are available.

Iowa Techniques can also provide you with rails to fit your delivery van, no matter what you’re driving — mini, regular, stretch, Transit, or Sprinter.

The company’s rail kits require no welding and are easy to install.

www.iowatechniques.com 800-727-1592

Fabricare Management Systems contin ues to add new products and features to its lineup, the company says. New options include “our latest route app for Apple iOS. Drivers can track, manage, and sync route data as they run their route,” it indicates.

The app features bag tag scanning, delivery order scanning, and turn-by-turn directions with traffic avoid ance. Other conveniences include options to sign, email and print delivery manifests from the mobile device. Another option being introduced is a “new automat-

Leonard Automatics

Leonard Automatics offers a full line of pressing, tensioning, and processing equipment that can improve your production and quality without breaking your bud get, the company says.

Coupling this with its tunnel finishing and steam cabi net lines, Leonard says that it has become the only complete, full-line

ed email and texting scheduler. Simple to set up and use, schedule email or text message delivery hourly, daily, weekly, semimonthly or monthly,” the company says.

Messages can be enabled for order ready, welcome, miss you, thank you, and promotional messages based on activity or spend ing levels, it adds. “Built-in HTML templates can be used and modified or your own unique custom messages can be created.”

www.fabricaremanager.com 888-299-9493

finishing supplier in the U.S. “Our reputation is stainless,” says the company. And the use of stain less steel through out its products has become an excellent advan tage increasing the life of the equip ment, making it easier to clean, and thus promoting a clean and shining

image for customers, it adds.

Standard features incorporate stainless steel tables, rugged steel frames, insulated heads, two alumi num cylinders for closing and press ing, hardened shaft needle bearings, safety guards, and other features.

In addition, Leonard says it offers a spotting table, both hot and cold with built-in vacuum; a rotor cabi net; a Shirtmaster TST; and more.

www.leonardautomatics.com 704-483-9316

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Your customers can track orders, schedule pickup and deliveries, see their online wardrobe, make payments, update personal info and communicate with you directly.

Mustang Enterprises Ltd.

For more than 30 years, Mustang Enterprises Ltd. has earned an outstanding reputation among users of drycleaning and laundry equipment for being a responsive, dependable supplier of new and used machinery, parts and service, the com pany says.

The company stocks only the best lines of new equipment at its San Antonio, Texas, headquarters and warehouse, along with a large selection of used and reconditioned equipment.

Mustang also offers an expansive selection of replacement equipment.

Mustang stocks an extensive inventory of parts for most major brands, and its knowledgeable staff awaits your call for parts and troubleshoot ing, the company says. Staffers are specialists in the design and installation of complete plants, the company adds, so whether you need a single part or an entire production floor, you can count on Mustang.

www.mustangenterprises.com 866-734-3644

M&B Hangers

Celebrating its 75th year of operation this year, and in its fourth generation of operation, M&B Hangers was founded in 1943 with Milton Magnus Sr. at the helm; now Milton Magnus IV is the company’s vice president. M&B Hangers proudly produces wire gar ment hangers in the United States and has always been family-owned with family values.

M&B is constantly look ing for ways to become a better environmental lead er. The company proudly uses recycled steel, and the most up-to-date envi ronmentally safe coatings, in its hangers. Hanger boxes are made by local manufacturers that believe in sustainability, and tube and cape paper employs recycled scrap.

The company also gives back to the community by getting involved with the United Way, the American Cancer Society and several local charities. M&B believes in the “Three Ps” — People, Planet & Profit.

www.mbhangers.com 800-227-0436

Dajisoft

With more than 3,000 installa tions, Dajisoft’s DryClean PRO is the choice of the most successful cleaners in the trade, the company says, thanks to its ease of use, reli ability and versatility.

With time-tested, advanced fea tures such as auto-marketing and per-piece item tracking, DryClean PRO lets dry cleaners concentrate on customers and the business while it takes care of unnecessary hassles.

The new DryClean PRO Enterprise (DCPe) offers even more labor-sav ing, item-tracking and cash-control features. DCPe lets owners control the entire drycleaning operation online from anywhere in the world, whether they want to view a store’s executive summary, monitor real-

time employee performance, or zoom in to locate a lost item.

Final Verification uses barcoding technology to ensure 100% accuracy for assembled garments. Simply scan bar-coded tags on assembled garments in each order printed by DryClean PRO Enterprise. Upon encountering a misplaced garment or an incomplete order, Final Verification’s audible alarm alerts the user to the mistake. www.dajisoft.com 888-325-4763

Royal Basket Trucks

Royal Basket Trucks says it strives to offer efficient material-handling solu tions and a valuable long-term invest ment. Royal produces a full line of bas ket trucks, poly trucks, bulk linen carts, wire laundry carts, hampers and more.

Efficiency is important when trans porting and processing laundry, but even more important is ensuring that the process is done correctly the first time, says the company. By investing in Royal’s Poly Scale Cart, your company can do just that.

Realstar

Realstar is an established company that has earned itself a reputation as one of the highest-quality manu facturers of drycleaning machines, the company notes. It boasts a complete range of solutions for the most demanding of dry clean ers. You will find Realstar machines ver satile, practical, and economical, the company adds.

The KM-C Series is the latest addition to Realstar’s line of machines, available in 40- and 60-pound capacities. This series has self-cleaning, round sol vent tanks. These new models feature non-distillation dry cleaning, and an air-cooled refrigeration system that requires no water, designed to save costs of acquisition and operation while at the same time protecting our environment.

Professional dry cleaners know they can count on Realstar technology and design to produce the finest possible cleaning results utilizing Class IIIA solvents, the company says.

www.realstarusa.com 888-822-7827

The Poly Scale Cart features a molded poly tub, in 6- or 8-bushel capacity, mount ed to a powder-coated tubular steel frame. The frame houses a digital scale rated for up to 250 pounds, backed by a lifetime war ranty. This unit allows accurate weighing of soiled linens to support the proper loading of a washer; correct chemical and water usage; lower maintenance costs from over worked equipment; and less rewash. Legalfor-trade scales are also available for any retail laundry processing.

www.royal-basket.com 800-426-6447

Maineline Computer Systems

Compassmax, by Maineline Computer Systems, is a feature-rich software platform with hundreds of options to tailor to your specific needs and allows you to connect with your customers 24/7, the com pany notes.

“Some of our features include the Compassmax Gateway portal, now available as an app called Dry Clean Valet,” the company says, “and automated email and texting which includes real-time conversa tions and also the customers’ con versation history. With Compassmax Cloud, you get reli able, secure and fast cloud-computing, and your data is replicated on multiple servers, giving you ‘peace of mind.’”

Along with the new production and management tools, and continuing education, the company adds, there are many other advanced features which, it notes, “will allow you to enhance your business with greater efficiency and higher profitability.”

www.compassmax.com 800-354-2525

Blue Skyin’ It

Retiring doesn’t mean the ending—in fact, it can mean the beginning of a rewarding new ‘blue skies’ time of your life if you retire without selling

Are you dreaming of retiring? Or is fear of forced retirement a better description of your perspective?

Given the average age of owners of drycleaning operations, a common request for consulting assistance is: “Can you help me determine if I can afford to retire?”

That determination requires close examination of many factors.

Is there a deterring obstacle preventing your retirement? Do you think that the only way to fund retirement is to sell the business you have worked so hard to build?

Will you be happy staying away from the facilities that are the heartbeat of the company?

Are you concerned about losing your “identity” in the community or in the family?

How will you spend your time? Are you eager to do something else entirely? Is your spouse or partner ready for your retirement?

Do you have additional assets that can be relied upon for your living expenses?

These are just a few of the considerations to ponder before making the decision to retire.

Retirement is one of the most dreamed-about phases of life, and one of the more traumatic, as it is tied at number nine on the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale (you can do an internet search about it), which is a list of 43 stressful life events that can contribute to illness.

Before deciding, review your entire financial situation with a good financial planner and/or a team of advisers who understand the ramifications of the various options available to you and the tax impact of each.

Many excited sellers have had their enthusiasm dampened by the tax calculation on a proposed sale, often after they have contracted to sell.

If you decide that retirement is for you but selling is not the path to take for whatever reason, be assured that retirement without selling your business is a definite possibility.

‘end,’

Pride of Ownership — You built the business and have every right to be proud of the success achieved, especially if your name is on the marquee. The business is an extension of yourself and you may believe that no one else can maintain the image you have attained by running it.

Family Legacy — Emotional: If Great-Great-Granddad Johansson founded the company, how can you possibly let it go? Legal: Is there a binding legal commitment that prohibits the company leaving the family? Children too young or not ready to decide or take over: You would love for the next generation to perpetuate the family ownership, but they are pre-teens or out in the world making their mark in another industry.

Cash Stream — Perhaps the cash flow is not enough to attract a buyer, but you can sustain yourself on it and the other resources you have available until the profit and loss, and balance sheet, improve.

REASO N S FO R RET IRI NG WI T HOU T S E LLING

Diana Vollmer

Retirement doesn’t mean the

as there are blue skies beyond. For instance, retiring without selling off your drycleaning business. (Photo: Tim Burke)

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Avoid the Tax on Sale — The tax bite is too big proportionate to the price of the business.

Sale Triggers Undesirable Event — It might be the case that a sale would require steps that may be detrimental, such as indemnifying a buyer against a current lawsuit, a divorce might trigger an asset division, or a silent partner might demand to be cashed out.

Working Smoothly without Daily Involvement — You have confidence that the business can run efficiently with only monitoring and occasional guidance from you.

Good Lieutenants, No Generals — You have good implementers but no leaders strong enough to be owners, but with your guidance, one of them can possibly be groomed as the future owner.

Environmental Issues — Sales usually require environmental inspections either for the buyer, the lender, or both.

Temporary Buyer’s Market — Your preference is to sell, but the market is not currently favorable to sellers.

Partnership Entanglements — One or more partners have reasons for not selling or have expectations that cannot be met with a realistic sales scenario.

Adversarial Relationship with Legal Stakeholder

— Like partnerships, you may have stakeholders who cannot be satisfied or eliminated with a sale. An example might be demands of heirs of a previous owner who is now your lender.

Better Work-Life Balance — You are working more than you would like to and just need to let go gradually. Your “retirement” may be temporary, such as a sabbatical or a test to determine if you like retirement.

Designing Retirement as the Owner — If there has been little or no planning prior to the actual date of retirement, the implementation is more difficult because timing is a critical factor to a prosperous retirement.

TIMING

Immediate — There may be a reason that retirement is mandatory immediately. Some of these motivations include health issues, board or partner decisions, or perhaps you have just had enough and can’t face the trials of commerce any longer. Surprisingly, the last of this group may be the easiest to accept and implement, because the decision is yours.

If retirement is imminent, it is essential to take a critical look at your retirement needs, both financial

American Drycleaner, May 2018

and otherwise.

A good financial adviser can help you realistically assess what your current assets can provide relative to time value of money and expected expenses during retirement. In conjunction with your accountant, the adviser can help determine which assets should be reallocated to best fit your expected needs.

An intensive profit/loss review of the distribution channels might indicate that closing unprofitable stores, routes or divisions will provide the needed cash flow from the remaining profitable outlets.

An underutilized plant or store could be partially sublet to a compatible business without reducing the operational efficiency and potentially adding to the positive cash stream.

Six Months — With a few months’ warning, these steps can be taken without the immense pressure of immediacy, and other options can also be considered and implemented, potentially with the owner’s involvement.

One to Three Years — A longer time horizon can provide enough time to identify internally, or hire externally, a general manager candidate and to train them to manage with your specific processes and procedures.

Again, considering an installment sale allows the tax impact to be spread over multiple years.

Three Years or More — Depending upon the age of family members, long-term planning may provide enough time for adult children to determine if they want to participate in the family business.

Continuing to own is, in a sense, the same as rebuying since it is a decision to continue the investment.

PR OXIMIT Y

Factor into your decision where you want to spend your time and whether it is realistic to visit periodically and how often. Many tools are available that can supplement or replace “being there,” such as cameras in stores, and remote tie-ins to systems and meetings. Whatever your reasons for combining ownership and retirement, careful planning can make it more rewarding. ADC

Diana Vollmer is a managing director for Methods for Man agement, which has served dry cleaners and launderers with affordable management expertise and improved profitability since 1953. For assistance designing your retirement, call 415-577-6544 or e-mail dvollmer@mfmi.com.

CityFace

Urban dry cleaners have much more competition than most of us have.

Take New York City, for example. There are 2,600 stores, some with multiple locations, so that means about 3,500 to 4,000 outlets. On Lex ington Avenue between 82nd and 83rd streets, there are three dry cleaners on one block. There’s Chen’s Clean ers, Mak’s, and KM Cleaners. Some custom ers could become so befuddled that they go to Chen’s one week, Mak’s another, and KM Cleaners the third without ever realizing it. That’s a slight exaggeration, but the point is that the competitive marketplace in urban cities is fierce.

With about 36,000 stores in the country, that’s about 7% of the dry cleaning operations in a 300-squaremile area. That’s a lot of dry cleaners crowded into a very small space. Such fierce competition is the rule in major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Boston and Phoenix. Perhaps there aren’t three dry cleaners to choose from on every block, but there are a half-dozen dry cleaners in any marketing area.

The question is, how does the urban operator handle the rivalry?

One way is to simply accept the business that comes your way. People walk in and you do their work as thoroughly as possible. You’ll probably manage. You’ll lose some customers but you’ll gain others. It doesn’t really matter, because every person is simply a job to you.

A second option is to do highquality work and maintain area-wide prices. Through word of mouth, you’ll gain clientele. The only prob lem is, because you take time to do the cleaning really well, your costs will be significantly higher, and profitability will elude you.

If you raise prices to compensate for the fine work you do, a significant portion of the customers would leave because they refuse to pay $3.50 for a shirt. So you’re in kind of a Catch-22.

A third way is to develop your clientele through the force of your personality. Relate to each customer in a way that makes the customer comfortable. Make the customer want to come in to see you.

FACE TIME

Become a vibrant presence in your shop. Do this and the existing accounts will stay, plus you’ll win a steady stream of new business. To reframe the strategy, use your personality to build your business.

This is not as easy as it sounds. You must first size up the customer. Then you must figure what that person wants as far as interaction. Then you must interact with the customer

to create the magic bond.

That means you must spend quite a bit of the time on the counter, even though you might be more valuable in the plant. To start, perhaps covering the counter for several weeks in a row is a good practice.

Then you must train someone to be your alter ego at the counter. That is, to make Mr. Jacobs or Mrs. Brueder or young Jim Staretti feel a sense of comfort in your store, not an easy job.

To get to know your customers, ask questions when they enter the store. Find out a bit about them. Ask about their family, their work, and their interests. Through asking these questions and listen-

Howard Scott

Know your ‘city’ customer by face, name and likes — and be an equally vibrant personality they’ll want to keep coming back to for their cleaning!

Laugh along with urban customers, like this client with an expressive face, or hash over events of the day. Make city clients want to come back to you.

(Photo: Johan Walter Bantz/Unsplash)

White Conveyors’ SUV-OAS is the perfect solution to boost your productivity, improve customer service and increase your profits while reducing your operating costs. The system is delivered fully assembled, and can be operational in less than two hours. As an option, it can be mounted on wheels for mobility or storage. Simply set it up on its supports, plug in the power, connect the computer, and link the system to an Internet connection. It’s time to begin realizing remarkable time and money savings.

Easy to use

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ing to the answers, you will get a sense of the individual.

Write down some comments in a notebook next to their name. I know this task takes time. After

all, you’re very busy. You’ve got customers waiting. But it is impor tant to make that “face” connection. Possibly it will take several of their visits and exchanges to learn

their individual information.

DO GREAT WORK TODAY

Armed with some basic informa tion, formulate how to connect:

To a busy mother you might say, “I don’t know how you do it.”

To a no-nonsense businessperson: “We’ll have your clothes ready tomorrow morning.”

To a fashionable person: “You’ll look like a million dollars after we get through cleaning your clothes.”

To an artist: “We’ll handle the small stuff. Go do some great work.”

Humor, especially self-deprecating humor, is always a plus. To a new customer, say something like: “My competitor down the street can’t even spell clean.” That will get a chuckle.

To a regular account, intone, “It’s Tuesday, and here you are. What would I do if you didn’t show up?”

Always offer a compliment. Be sin cere. Make the customer feel good: “Love that outfit, Nancy.”

“How did you get so tan, Mr. Aubrey, sitting under a coconut tree in the Bahamas?”

“You’re busy, Mr. Caruthers, and that’s our city’s spirit.”

Comment on the passing scene to appropriate customers:

“Traffic is enough to drive us all crazy.”

“This city’s administration is mak ing me lose my appetite.”

Speak easily and comfortably with your customers. In urban settings, it is critical to be a lively personality — to be that face they won’t forget. ADC

Howard Scott, a longtime industry writ er and drycleaning consultant, can be reached at Dancing Hill, Pembroke, MA 02359, calling 781-293-9027, or by e-mail at dancinghill@gmail.com.

There is not that much that is really new to the garment care industry.

I returned to the cleaning industry in 1981, after seven years in the corporate environment. The plant was hydrocarbon, and I was considered foolish when I resisted the switch to perchloroethylene. I found that I could clean just as well, clean fragile items with a greater level of safety, just not as quickly.

As perc lost favor with operators due to increasing government scrutiny, improvements in chemistry gave cleaners the option of safely using water on many more items.

Plants are now using hydrocarbon,

hydrocarbon blends, and water, exclusively.

This is a throwback to the way plants were operating prior to World War II. The phrase, and movie title, Back to the Future has seen a great deal of use, but it describes the landscape of today’s cleaning industry. We are seeing continued refinement of old techniques and tools, and the introduction of immersion solutions that were previously cost-prohibitive. The volume of available

Martin Young

(continued)

(Photo: Doodoo Sonic/Unsplash)

“Not only did I reduce my assembly sta from 2 people to 1, I also noticed signi cant reduction in mark in labor costs as well.The opportunity for human error has been vastly reduced. I should have switched years ago when Brett rst spoke with me!!”

“I can honestly say that the QuickSort is the single best item I’ve ever purchased. The direct labor saving payback was less than one year. The increased e ciency from barcoding at the mark-in counter coupled with the complete elimination of assembly mistakes makes this the smartest business decision I’ve ever made, and one that is paying daily nancial dividends. “

Allan R Cripe CED,CPD

Brian Robertson

Owner, Valet Cleaners and Coin Laundry

Owner, Comet Cleaners of Corinth

items has decreased. Casualwear has gained acceptance in the business environment, home garment care has seen improvement in chemistry and equipment, and customers are expecting more for their garment care dollar.

The technical side of garment care is more than going through the motions.

While it is true that today’s equip ment can turn out a freshened-up garment, the same stains are requir ing supplemental treatment. It is at this point that your competitor can gain an advantage. Your “Sorry” tag is an invitation to the consumer to try another cleaner. If that com petitor removes that mustard stain, well, you can kiss that customer goodbye, and it costs a lot more to gain a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer.

It starts at check-in. The CSR must be trained to ask, “Are there any spots or stains we should be aware of?” Route customers should be supplied with a sheet of stain stickers to use on their garments.

The old-school objective of gar ment care was to return items in the best possible condition and it is still true today. It leads to stability, loyalty and, most importantly, prosperity.

By pre-spotting, that is, simply brushing noticeable stains with a general pre-spotter/leveling agent, you will notice a tremendous return on investment in your largest line item: labor expense in the cleaning department.

Your cleaner will quickly learn the difference between stains that come out in the cleaning machine (solventsoluble) and stains like nail polish, which will require additional help for

removal (chemically soluble). The drawback to dry cleaning is that some stains require water for proper and complete removal (water-soluble). Uncontrolled water is the enemy of a drycleaning system.

Chemical tools designed to remove water-soluble stains like blood (pro tein/animal) or wine (tannin/plant), are formulated with a pH that can potentially affect the dye of the stained item. This pH color change can be reduced in wet-side stain re moval by using a neutral synthetic detergent (NSD) before moving to a stain-specific chemical tool.

NSD will remove many stains without the risk of color change in the dye surrounding the stain.

Bleaches are just one more tool in the arsenal of the professional clean er. Hydrogen peroxide at less than 10% and sodium perborate are rela tively safe in the hands of a cleaner with a basic knowledge of fabrics and dyes.

Spot bleaching can be the difference between leaving a trace of the stain and giving the customer a stain-free garment. Expertise is a sign of true professionalism.

Supplemental stain removal is as much a part of the garment care industry as the balance sheet and the boiler. Improvement on the technical side will soon find its way to the bottom line.

ADC

Martin L. Young Jr. has been an indus try consultant and trainer for 20 years, and a member of various stakehold er groups on environmental issues. He grew up in his parents’ plant in Concord, N.C., Young Cleaners, which he operates today. Phone: 704-7863011, e-mail: mayoung@ctc.net.

Lapels enters ‘D rop Zone’

Lapels Dry Cleaning recently intro duced its Lapels Express Drop Zone offering for current and future fran chise owners, it reports.

“This new ‘wrinkle’ to the fran chise opportunity provides own ers with the mechanism to install drop-off spots within local estab lishments,” it writes.

The concept is fairly straightfor ward, Lapels Dry Cleaning notes, as owners negotiate with local busi nesses to essentially rent out part of the store as a drop-off zone.

“The drop zone express concept works on so many levels,” says Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning.

“For the franchise owner, it’s like having a satellite location but with out having to staff the location or pay an expensive rent,” he explains.

“For the store owner, it’s a way to offer addition al services to their customer base — essen tially guaran teeing a return visit for the customer — and earn some extra revenue by renting out the space for the drop-off.” Dubois says.

A typical drop zone, the firm re ports, would require around 100 square feet to accommodate a dropoff container.

Minnesota Chemical VP Baker retires

Steve Baker, vice president of The Minnesota Chemical Co. (MCC), retired April 1 after 40-plus years of service, the firm reports.

“Steve’s full-time employment with MCC began in 1975, after he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,” the dis tributor writes.

“But his sto ried career with the com pany actually began even earlier than that, doing odd jobs at the Mil waukee office, like cutting the lawn, cleaning the office, and work ing the warehouse during the sum mer months.”

He also spent time at McDonalds as a fry cook. Baker joked about his time there: “I wasn’t sophisticated enough to work the counter.”

Joining a family business can prove challenging for some people, MCC reports, but Baker wasn’t wor ried about working for his father and uncles.

“I never really had concerns about working for my dad, Robert Bak er,” he relates. “He was easygoing. When I moved to St. Paul, it was a bigger operation and there were more people to get to know. I think being in and running a family busi ness is all mostly positive.”

Kevin Dubois

Steve Baker

He’s looking forward to spending more time with family, “especially with our first grandchild who will be relocating to Minnesota with her parents.”

He and his wife of 33 years, Lisa, hope to travel around the United States and have planned an expedi tion cruise around southern Japan and Korea in 2019, he says.

Couture’s nod to Hallak

Recently, Hallak Cleaners won first place in the 2017 Leading Clean ers Internationale (LCI) certification ratings, the business reports.

“LCI brings together a small group of like-minded dry cleaners that cater to the same small con sumer niche, such as couture fashion consumers,” says John-Claude Hal lak, president, Hallak Cleaners.

LCI is comprised of 10 couture clean ers in the United States and Canada, the business reports, and adds that to be part of this special organization, these dry cleaners must meet the highest cri teria in all facets of their business.

“While many of the day-to-day op erations of a cou ture cleaner overlap with those of an op eration serving the middle or lower price points, there are certain nuances which remain very specific to the high-end niche,” Hallak says.

Each year, he explains, cleaners are evaluated to ensure that they are still eligible for this honored po sition. Each new year brings new

technology and techniques so it is important to stay up-to-date.

Hallak Cleaners is a familyowned couture dry cleaner based in the New York metropolitan area.

“This is a great honor for the team at both our locations,” it notes.

(continued)

(From left) John-Claude Hallak, Marie-Louise Hallak and Joseph Hallak Jr. (Photo: Hallak Cleaners)

Founded pre-Civil War, Zengeler marches on

Zengeler Cleaners celebrated 160 years of service in northern Illinois last year. During its impressive run, one constant has been the rich his tory of giving back to the commu nities it serves, the firm notes.

“Zengeler Cleaners has eight loca tions in northern Illinois, and one of the driving philosophies of the now 160-plus-year-old company is to sup

port all of the communities it serves,” says President Tom Zengeler.

“When my great-great-grandfa ther founded our company before the Civil War, he strongly believed it was the responsibility of local businesses to be partners in the community,” says Zengeler.

To that end, his company extends support to a broad range of activi ties, Zengeler points out.

Buckeye buys F.H. Bonn Co.

The assets of F.H. Bonn Co., a long time manufacturer of pads, covers

and related products for the dry cleaning and laundry industries, has been acquired by Buckeye Pads and Covers LLC, the latter reports.

Tim Kephart, president of Buck eye Pads and Covers LLC, and who served as Bonn’s operations man ager for more than 30 years, says the product line will continue to be sold under the F.H. Bonn brand by a network of authorized distributors located throughout North America and 20 countries internationally.

Customers and distributors can continue to reach the com pany through its website, he says, adding,“We look forward to serv ing our customers.” ADC

custom solutions for all budgets

Get to Know ... David Cotter

Director, Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA)

Tell us where you were born, grew up, and reside today.

“I was born and raised in Wash ington, D.C., where I also graduated from college. I moved to New Jersey in the mid 1990s to work for TCATA. A few months ago, I moved to Tampa, Fla. We also moved the TCATA office to Tampa.”

Hobbies (that you’ll admit to)?

“My primary passions are tennis, history and travel. I’ve been a ten nis player since high school and still compete in USTA leagues. I really enjoy watching documentaries about all aspects of people through history.”

What gets you excited at work?

“When I was in college, I did not plan to work for an association but, after obtaining a writing position for a magazine for an engineering asso ciation, I began to discover and like association work. I then applied for and obtained a position with another

association and the rest, as they say, is history. One of the reasons I enjoy association work is the variety and the interaction with members.”

Lastly, tell us a secret (keep it clean) nobody knows about you.

“One thing about me that many people do not know is that I was raised fairly strict Catholic, and even studied for a few years for the priest hood. My wife, Beth, and I have three grown boys.” ADC (Do you want to take part in an Off the Cuff, or know someone who does? E-mail tburke@atmags.com.)

Executive

David Cotter

For example, for a June ad, the closing date is May 1st.

PAYMENT FOR CLASSIFIED ADS: Must accompany order.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

the preceding month.

COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Western

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Laundry Pro of Florida is the 2016 Dexter Distributor of the year. We are looking for new prospects to join our team. Come work where people vacation, in sunny Florida. We are seeking: • Proven Laundry Equipment Salesman

Great work environment, highly competitive compensation, paid relocation expenses. Please respond in confidence to: Rjansen@laundryequipment.com

Plant Manager

High volume Tampa, Florida dry cleaning facility is hiring an experienced Plant Manager with team building and production experience. Must have advanced knowledge of all finishing techniques as well as dry cleaning room fundamentals, basic equipment knowledge and trouble shooting knowledge. EXCELLENT PAY PACKAGE WITH BENEFITS Please send resume to: qpc2020@gmail.com • 813-855-0055

SPOT Business Systems the leading pro vider of Point of Sale systems is looking for qualified individuals with industry experience. We have openings in our Tech Support, Sales Support, Implementation and Training departments. We offer competitive pay with full benefits including 401k. Please send your resume to resume@SPOTpos.com

A Dirty Story

10 YEARS AGO. The labor market continues to weaken as initial jobless claims for the week ending April 12 increased 17,000 to 372,000. The number of Americans now receiving unemployment benefits is 2.98 million — the highest in almost four years. Thirty-one states and territories reported an increase in first-time claims, and 22 reported a decrease. Claims rose 3,483 during the week ending April 5 in Michigan alone, where autoparts supplier American Axle staged a major walkout against General Motors. Housing-related businesses also continued to shed workers.

35 YEARS AGO. Sweeping hazardous waste legislation with potential impact on almost all drycleaning plants and other small businesses has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Major focuses of these bills, S.757 in the Senate and H.R. 2478 in the House, as IFI reports, include a tenfold reduction in the small generator exemption (to 100 kg/ month); a ban on disposal of liquid hazardous wastes (including all still residues) in landfills or dumpsites; and a ban on disposal of “halogenated organics” (such as perchloroethylene) on or into land in any fashion.

50 YEARS AGO. A Dirty Story. Mother: “How did you get so dirty?” Junior: “I was pushing an airplane.” This really happened — and ironically, a dry cleaner was the cause of it all. The place was a suburban Chicago airport; the pilot, a Milwaukee dry cleaner. Seems the dry cleaner/pilot had flown in to visit someone in Chicago, and was ready to take off for home again. As he taxied for take-off, his plane was rerouted to a side ramp to allow for incoming traffic. Unfortunately, this ramp was inches-deep in mud, and the plane stuck fast. Seeing a group of schoolboys short-cutting across the field, he asked for a push. A good heave from the gang, and he was free to take off. But wow, that back splash! … One small item may have gone unnoticed in the current ballyhoo surrounding TWA’s new Foreign Accents flights. Those are the flights featuring either Italian, French, Olde English or New York penthouse

décors — with hostess uniforms to match. Uniforms? The girls will be wearing mini-togas, metallic sheaths, beruffled mod dresses or penthouse hostess pajamas on the flights. But the catch is — they’re all paper. And each outfit can be bought by enthusiastic passengers for $6.95. They are all made of non-woven materials commonly called “paper” and in the wearand-discard class. Or, as the publicity says, they are “great for travel because they fold to almost nothing and can be restored by pressing with a warm iron.” Pity the professional dry cleaner who has the TWA account for hostess uniforms. And let’s hope that the intrigue remains foreign — or at least in the whimsical mood.

May 1968

75 YEARS AGO. Cleaners who are bothered by lint can imagine what a problem it might be in some war plants, where parts measured to 1/10,000th of an inch would be rendered useless for military use by the slightest trace of lint. To eliminate this hazard, workers wear white gloves of a special Celanese lint-free fabric of rayon. Celanese Corp. of America reports that these “assembly line fabrics” are now being released to war plants in various forms. “Coverall lint-free garments are preferred in white, and these are exceptionally easy to clean. This is so important a part of the precision plan that the garments never leave the assembly room except in sealed boxes when they go to the cleaner.” ADC

— Compiled by Tim Burke, Editor

WHY WATER TUBES ARE BETTER

BOILER EFFICIENCY. The Parker is one of the most efficient boilers on the market today. The 8 to 12 pass water tube design provides a much larger heating area to maximum heat transfer compared to tubeless designs.

LONGER LIFE. Our tubes are double the thickness of standard tubes and our steam drum at 1/2” is 50% thicker to resist corrosion, the tubes flexibly expand and contract to prevent warping and leaking, and can be easily flushed instead of manually cleaned. Some Parker Boilers have been in continuous service for 40 years without experiencing a service problem.

SAFETY. The heavy construction and the flexible design make it one of the safest boilers in the world. The low water volume of the Parker design stores much less pressure energy than tubeless designs so explosions are highly improbable. To our knowledge, no Parker has ever exploded, even when injected with cold water. Please don’t try that with a tubeless boiler.

VARIABLE OR MODULATING FIRING. All Parker Steam Boilers* are provided with either full modulation or variable firing to prevent cycling and save fuel. The majority of tubeless boiler manufacturers provide only on-off firing or LHL as standard.

*Except model 103-9.5 LA Available as an option on 9.5L and 15L.

The Evolution of Clean

Join these satisfied customers...

Hear what they have to say...

“ is is my third Columbia, they never cease to amaze me. Each generation gets better and better with their engineering design and maintenance. It puts this end of my business on cruise control!”

“Ten days ago we made the transition from a Columbia perc machine to a Columbia SENSENE machine. Having been a perc operator for so long, I was very nervous about making the move.

Fast forward 10 days, I can honestly say I am very happy with the purchase! e learning curve is minimal, the solvent does the job as advertised, we are down to 4 spotting chemicals, the running cycle is just a little bit longer than perc, the clothes come out soft and the colors are vibrant. And when you open the door at the end of the cycle, instead of getting a blast of perc, you get a pleasant and refreshing smell.”

~Craig Ford, Owner/Operator,

“I’ve been in the drycleaning business for 28 years, always using perc. I have been searching for an alternative solvent for the past two years. After researching Sensene, visiting plants running with Sensene for the past few months, it has been beyond my wildest expectations. It’s better than perc! As the owner of Ruthie’s Cleaners, Owasso, MI, I am a hands-on operator and the one that has always done the cleaning. is solvent is just phenomenal. is is my second Columbia machine. In 23 years Columbia has always been the leading company in technology and my new Columbia is a testament to that fact.”

~Robert Marks, Ruthy’s Cleaners

“Having nally bought my Columbia, I can honestly say I’ve entered the 21st Century. is machine produces exceptional cleaning and is e cient, whites are white and I don’t have to worry about anything after I hit Start. My only regret is having waited so long!”

The new solvent based on modified alcohols

~Mike Ingalls, Iron Mike’s Cleaners

~Kurt and Drew Skasik, Skasik’s Quality Dry Cleaners

SeaBreeze Cleaners