American Drycleaner - October 2022

Together Again… For Clean Show 2022

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An Amazing Experience

They told me it would be big.

My colleagues at American Trade Magazines told me on the eve of my first Clean Show to pace myself, wear comfortable shoes and get ready to see something truly special.

And they were right.

Taking place in the 216,400 sq. ft. exhibit hall of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, the Clean Show brought together industry professionals from across the United States and around the world. Between the equipment demonstrations, the educational sessions, and finally getting the opportunity to meet people in person who I’ve worked with over the past two years, it was an amazing experience! Our coverage of the show is the main feature of this month’s issue.

In addition to our Clean Show report, we have several other items rounding out this month’s issue, including two new guest columnists.

In “Examining the Cost of Keeping Your Vehicles on the Road,” Fleet Advantage’s Brian Antonellis offers his views on maintenance and repair issues for dry cleaners who operate vehicles for their pickup and delivery services. Because of recent increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), it might be time to re-examine some of your options.

Next, in “Navigating the Path for Replacement Parts,” Barry Victor, founder of PROS Parts, offers eight strategies for solving supply chain issues. While many manufacturers and vendors at the Clean Show reported that strains on the supply chain were easing a bit, things still aren’t back to normal. Being creative about getting supplies and equipment could make a big difference for your business.

We also have news from around the industry, as well as our next Your Views survey, where our respondents shared their outlook on the industry for the near future. The Clean Show generated a lot of enthusiasm for what comes next for the drycleaning industry. Let’s finish this year strong and build speed for 2023!

American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $50.00; 2 years $100.00. Foreign, 1 year $120.00; 2 years $240.00. Single copies $10.00 for U.S., $20.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, 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., 125 Schelter Rd., #350, Lincolnshire, IL 60069-3666. Volume 89, number 7. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, 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, 2022. 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, October 2022

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

Dave Davis 312-361-1685 ddavis@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

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

Production Manager

Mathew Pawlak

Advisory Board

Jan Barlow Mike Bleier John-Claude Hallak Monika Manter Wesley Nelson Kyle Nesbit Fred Schwarzmann Vic Williams Wayne Wudyka Contributing Editors

Dave Davis

What’s Your Outlook for the Near Future?

This year has been one of transitions for many dry cleaners. Between trying to meet the demands of changing consumer behaviors, adding more services, keeping workers in their positions and re-examining the very structure of their businesses, 2022 has been a challenging year, to say the least.

For this American Drycleaner Your Views survey, we asked our audience about the current state of their business, how they’re dealing with changing conditions, and what their outlook was for the future.

When asked what issue facing their business they considered to be their No. 1 challenge, one answer was far and away the “winner” — nearly two-thirds (63.5%) of our respondents listed “labor” as their major concern. “Inflation” came in second at 17.5%, with “meeting changing customer demands” ranking third at 7.9% and “supply chain issues” coming in fourth at 4.8%.

Our survey answers discovered some of the different ways dry cleaners are trying to combat these issues. These answers included:

• Raised wages, with more flexible hourly schedules — not working so far.

• Online advertising, less staff, work harder personally, and being flexible to solve problems in innovative ways.

• Increase prices, be more efficient, focus more on good customers and get rid of those too-cheap “problem” customers.

Although there are plenty of challenges for cleaners, most of our respondents are upbeat about the future. When asked to describe their expectations for the next six months, three answers tied for first with 25.4% of the vote each: “I’m extremely optimistic about the coming months,” “I believe we’ll see a slow recovery,” and “I don’t see much changing in the next six months.” Of those with a less-optimistic viewpoint, 14.3% answered that “I’m not optimistic about the coming months,” and 9.5% reported that “I’m just looking to survive in the foreseeable future.”

Part of the optimism about the near future stems from the results some of our dry cleaners have been seeing. When asked to describe their business’s health compared to prepandemic levels, 30.2% reported “we’re still catching up, but trending upwards,” while 25.4% say “we’ve recovered to above our 2019 numbers,” and 17.5% stated “we’re back up to our pre-pandemic profitability.” “We’re seeing flat

What issue facing your business today do you consider to be your No. 1 challenge?

What issue facing your business today do you consider to be your No. 1 challenge?

70.0% 52.5% 35.0% 17.5% 0.0%

70.0% 52.5% 35.0% 17.5% 0.0%

17.5% 63.5% 4.8% 7.9% 6.4%

InflationLaborSupply Chain Issues

InflationLaborSupply Chain Issues

Meeting Changing Customer Demands

Other

17.5% 63.5% 4.8% 7.9% 6.4%

Meeting Changing Customer Demands

Other

We’ve recovered to above our 2019 numbers

We’ve recovered to above our 2019 numbers We’re back up to our pre-pandemic profitability We’re still catching up, but trending upward We’re seeing flat numbers We’re not seeing any recovery at all

We’re back up to our pre-pandemic profitability We’re still catching up, but trending upward We’re seeing flat numbers

We’re not seeing any recovery at all

25.4%

How would you describe your business’s health compared to pre-pandemic levels? 17.5% 30.2% 14.3% 12.7%

How would you describe your business’s health compared to pre-pandemic levels? 17.5% 30.2% 14.3% 12.7%

25.4%

numbers” was the response for 14.3% of our respondents, and 12.7% said, “we’re not seeing any recovery at all.”

We concluded our questions by asking for additional comments on our respondents’ outlook for the near future. Responses included:

• We are reaching the age level that millennials will finally become the biggest age group in our customer base.

• We are at about 60% of pre-COVID volume. I have accepted this as the peak of recovery, and I am adjusting staffing and planning accordingly.

The “Your Views” survey offers a current snapshot of the trade audience’s views. The publication invites qualified subscribers to American Drycleaner emails to participate anonymously in the unscientific poll each quarter.

2022

Together Again for Clean Show 2022

By Dave Davis, Editor Photos by Dave Davis

After three challenging years, dry cleaners, along with their fellow textile care professionals, finally gathered again at the Clean Show, the industry’s largest North American exposition. Hosted by Atlanta July 30 through August 2, the event offered cleaners the opportunity to interact with manufacturers, suppliers and their peers.

The event was delayed a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally underway, enthusiasm ran high at the show, and those in attendance seemed ready to shake off the past few years and launch into the future.

The show was organized by Messe Frankfurt and produced in collaboration with five industry associations —

There’s a Buzz in the Air — After a year’s delay, the 2022 Clean Show kicked off on July 30, bringing nearly 10,000 attendees together with 347 exhibitors during the four-day event, held in Atlanta. Energy was running high as industry professionals were looking to put the past couple of years behind them and look toward the future.

After a year’s delay, this year’s event worked to make up for lost time

Association for Linen Management (ALM), Coin Laundry Association (CLA), Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA), and TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services. This year’s event brought 347 exhibitors covering 216,400 square feet of the Georgia World Congress Center with the latest technology, products and services for dry cleaners and other textile care operations.

“These industries have been through a lot these last two years,” says Greg Jira, show director for the event, “and Clean’s goal is to serve as a global platform for knowledge and idea-sharing so that companies may walk away with the tools they need to recover and ultimately, thrive.”

MEETING — AND EXCEEDING — EXPECTATIONS

While there were some questions about what the 2022 show would be like while it was in the planning stages, the show had 51 first-time exhibitors, which Messe Frankfurt called a record. While the nearly 10,000 attendees were fewer than the 2019 show in New Orleans, there was a sense of excitement from those who made the trip.

“We really didn’t know what to expect from the show, or what the turnout was going to be” says Vic Williams, eastern sales manager for Union Dry Cleaning. “Then, during the first day, we turned around and it was already 2 o’clock. We were talking to so many people, we lost track of time.”

“I’ve been to the shows since 1995,” says Sassan Rahimzadeh, president of the California Cleaners Association (CCA), as well as president of ARYA Cleaners in Chula Vista, California. “The post-COVID energy that it’s bringing is really making it so much more exciting. You could have put this thing on the moon and all the people would have still shown up.”

While there have been advancements in virtual meetings during the lockdowns, Rahimzadeh believes there’s no substitute for in-person meetings: “As much as we’ve gotten over the last couple of years with Zooms and everything else, we’ve found how much more we really need to do and elevate ourselves as an industry.”

“This show has been wonderful,” says DLI CEO Mary Scalco. “It was great to see friends you haven’t seen for a while. The energy has been unbelievable. I think there is a fresh outlook on the industry. Everybody’s excited — if they’re here, they’ve made it through the tough part, and they’re ready to go into the future.”

Bobby Patel, owner of Kona Cleaners, Orange County, Calif., and co-founder of the marketing firm BeCreative360, shares Scalco’s views about the attitude of the survivors.

“The people who made it here are the serious ones,” he says. “These are the people who I feel will do very well. They’re positioning themselves for the future. Everybody I’ve talked to is looking to buy equipment that’s going to save labor and help them automate their stores. They ▼

Ready for Action! — As soon as the ribbon was cut by representatives of the sponsoring organizations, attendees were ready to hit the exhibit hall floor of The Clean Show 2022.

CLEAN SHOW REPORT

are being proactive.”

Tori Bleecker of Lake Mills (Wisconsin) Cleaners & Dyers provided an example of that spirit.

“We’re looking for some new machines to put money back into the business,” she says. “We’re looking to expand, make connections and find out from other cleaners what they’re doing and what’s working for them so we can continue to work and grow our business.”

For others, such as Chris and Chheavy Lema, owners of Martinizing Dry Cleaners in Auburn, New York, the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals drew them to the event. With 2022 being their first Clean Show, they were open to all possibilities.

“There are a lot of really successful people here who are very open to sharing and having conversations,” Chris Lema says. “The networking has been amazing.”

“We want to build relationships in the industry and connect with people,” Chheavy Lema says. “I think that it’s huge to have partners in the industry — it definitely helps keep you inspired.”

William Drook, owner of Armstrong Cleaners & Formalwear serving the Dayton, Ohio, area, echoed these sentiments.

“What I want to leave with are a few more connections,” he says. “I want a few more people who I can call with questions or any ideas to bounce ideas off. The other thing is that there are a few specific equipment items that I want to see. That way, when I look at putting some in my plant, we know who to call.”

For veteran dry cleaners, the Clean Show is an opportunity to advance their craft and take back actionable steps to grow their businesses.

“I’ve been to five Clean Shows,” says Ken Davis, owner of Kenny the Kleener in Skokie, Illinois. “The last Clean Show probably meant about $100,000 to me, from the things I learned and things that I instituted in my store.”

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to networking and seeing equipment in action, some of the biggest draws to an event like the Clean Show are the educational sessions available to attendees, and the 2022 event offered plenty of chances for drycleaning and other textile care professionals to come away with valuable information.

Drycleaning-centric sessions were sponsored by DLI and covered topics designed to help business owners make the most of the opportunities available to them. Most of the sessions during this year’s show were filled or were close to capacity with attendees looking for tips to move their businesses forward.

Building a Better Culture — An opening session, “Best Culture Wins,” was presented by Sean Abbas, president and owner of Threads Inc., a software company that helps organizations review and establish core values and manage the performance of their teams.

A 25-year business veteran, Abbas shared his own struggles with improving the culture at a company he

American Drycleaner, October 2022

Asking Questions — Dry cleaners and other textile care professionals took the opportunity to ask questions of exhibitors who were representing their companies at the 2022 Clean Show, getting the information they need to grow into the future.

Taking it All In — As the Clean Show opened, nearly 10,000 attendees took to the floor to see the latest in textile care technology, speak to industry professionals and network among themselves to catch up and share their stories.

led before co-founding Threads.

Rather than spending money on one-time events and looking for magic bullets to solve culture issues, Abbas urges business owners to pay attention to their employees’ attitudes and what they are saying. Phrases like “This place doesn’t feel like it used to,” or “We don’t feel like family anymore” are warning signs of a culture in decline.

“Your employees would actually like to talk to you,” Abbas says. “They want to engage with you, if you’re willing to take the time and make the effort to do so.”

Looking for areas of stress that might be dragging your team down is also a simple way of maintaining morale at your company. Abbas recounted his experience with an employee who was amazing at performing the duties of his job — his performance evaluation reflected this — but was terrible to the people around him, to the point that turnover in that department was high. Once this dichotomy between performance and behavior came to light — and the employee was told that this was no longer acceptable — the employee left the company, raging all the way out the door.

“That was a brutal moment in my career,” Abbas says, “but when he left, the employees knew immediately that something was different. Turnover completely stopped.” Taking this as a sign, Abbas looked at

his staff through a new lens and reevaluated his entire team. “Our turnover for our 115-member staff became less than 2% annually.”

Automation Case Study — Also included in the first day’s offerings was “Self-Service Technology is Here,” presented by Nathanial Dubasik and Frank Dubasik of Metalprogetti, an Italian-based company that specializes in automation solutions for the drycleaning industry.

In order to display the tools the company provides, Frank Dubasik, the director of U.S. operations for Metalprogetti – USA, explains that they wanted to create a “laboratory,” where the company’s products would be on display in a working drycleaning facility. They got their chance when the owner of Burke Cleaners serving the Fort Collins, Colorado, area retired. Partnering with a cleaner to operate the company, they went to work updating and automating the drycleaning company.

“One of the things as a manufacturer that is difficult is you’re out there, you’re buying our product, and sometimes you sometimes don’t tell us the issues that you’re facing,” Frank Dubasik says to dry cleaners. “Maybe you don’t even know some of the weaknesses of the system — you create workarounds. So now we have a place where we can really begin to learn our product. This is an opportunity for us to create a case study where we take an operation and bring in technology.”

As Burke Cleaners transformed, Frank Dubasik and Nathanial Dubasik, Metalprogetti USA’s sales and support manager, saw the drycleaning business from the other side of the counter, and took away some key points from that experience.

“Using technology, you can redirect your customers’ behaviors and transform your business,” Nathanial Dubasik says. “We found that customers are ready for change, technology can benefit every location, and there are a lot of benefits to offering a 24/7 solution.”

The New Workforce — Cleaners wanting to learn about getting the best from their younger team members were able to take advantage of the session, “Attracting and Managing the New Generation of Workforce,” presented by Jennifer Whitmarsh, a consultant with The Route Pros.

In 2019, according to the Pew Research Center, millennials overtook baby boomers as America’s largest generation. Employers who are not willing to adapt to the needs — and demands — of this generation, Whitmarsh says, are going to be in a constant state of filling positions as employees leave.

Whitmarsh explored the potential pitfalls that mil-

Drycleaner,

Making Contact — William Drook, owner of Armstrong Cleaners & Formalwear serving the Dayton, Ohio, area, was looking to make connections during his time at this year’s Clean Show. “I want a few more people who I can call with questions or any ideas to bounce ideas off,” he says.

lennials may bring with them — a lack of focus, expecting too many perks, and others — along with ways to counterbalance these possible drawbacks. She also spoke about the strength this generation can bring to a business — they’re often well-educated, they think about the future, and they are comfortable with technology.

As with Abbas, Whitmarsh believes that building the right culture can keep valuable team members in place — something that has taken on greater importance in a tight labor market.

Things to Try Today — Sessions for the second day started with an examination of “The 12 Profit Activators Guaranteed to Create an Immediate Cash Flow Surge,” presented by David Coyle, who owns In the Bag Cleaners in Wichita, Kansas, and is the team leader and coach of the Maverick Drycleaners group.

Coyle explored ways to establish a business plan that can generate the type of profitability that not only changes a business but changes the owner’s life. One of the most important of these steps was the first he listed: All clients are not equal. While many cleaners focus on simply getting customers through the door, it’s critical to focus on those who will not only bring their items in regularly but don’t mind paying more for better service.

“If you take 100 people from your community, one will be rich, relatively speaking, four will be prosperous and 15 will have a good living,” Coyle says. “Now, here’s where the story gets a little dark — 60% struggle financially, which basically means they live paycheck to

paycheck, and the bottom 20% are overextended, which means they’re one big event away from absolute disaster. What clients do you want? What part of the triangle?”

By putting marketing efforts into place, cleaners can attract and keep this top 20%, Coyle believes. This means running offers and providing services that cater to their needs and lifestyle, and then measuring the effectiveness of these efforts.

“If you include in your target marketing that bottom 80%, those are not going to be clients who are loyal, dependable and reliable,” Coyle says. “Those are people who believe they’re in a transactional relationship with you, as opposed to a real relationship. So, for me, it doesn’t make sense to go after new clients unless they look like they’re going to end up in our top 20% because there are so many opportunities to get the ones who do.”

The New Economic Normal — Economist Chris Keuhl, managing director of Armada Business Intelligence, took the stage for a general session to answer the question, “Now What? Expectations for 2022 and Beyond.”

Keuhl examined various elements that are making the U.S. economy challenging for business owners and complicate predicting where it’s going in the coming months and years. Factors such as pandemic recovery, Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, rising interest rates, supply chain strains, labor shortages and other elements make forecasting murky at best.

He provided data that pointed to a slow recovery in the drycleaning industry for the next few years. This data suggested an “incremental” growth of $13.62 billion in the field from 2020 to 2025. While work-from-home lifestyles would continue to impact the industry, he says, the growth of the millennial generation into middle and upper management, coupled with the desire of this and younger generations to send out their laundry, should help the industry recover and grow in the future.

Keuhl also made a suggestion about forecasting future economic conditions based on a holiday this month.

“If you want to play junior economist at home, here’s what you do: You wait for Halloween,” he says. “Halloween is now the second-largest spending holiday on the U.S. calendar. This will be the fifth year in a row that adult costumes have outsold children’s costumes, so it has become an adult holiday. It’s a decorating holiday. If we have a good Halloween, it sets us up for good Black November. That used to be Black Friday, but now the

High-Energy Event — Sassan Rahimzadeh, president of the California Cleaners Association (CCA), as well as president of ARYA Cleaners in Chula Vista, California, believes that people were more than ready to meet again in person, based on the energy he was feeling at the Clean Show. “You could have put this thing on the moon and all the people would have still shown up,” he says.

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entire month offers discounts.”

Marketing to Those Willing to Listen — The third and final day of sessions kicked off with “Marketing Through Your POS,” presented by Norman Way, vice president of Puritan Cleaners in Richmond, Virginia. He examined ways his own company and other drycleaning businesses have found success in marketing to people already inclined to hear their message — their own customers.

“It costs about five times more to acquire a new client than to retain an existing one,” Way says. By using marketing avenues such as direct mail, email, coupons, customer referral rewards, customer rewards and other methods, cleaners can build customer loyalty in a way that keeps these customers coming back and using more of your services.

Way explored several ways dry cleaners can use their point-of-sale system to aid in their marketing efforts. Some of these included the necessity to obtain and update client data, sharing with your team why this is important, the power of email and text marketing, and more.

But Way cautioned the attendees to not pick too many things at once to put into action: “Pick an item, pick two items, and go back and start implementing those today. Don’t make it a daunting task agenda, where you think, ‘How in the world am I going to do this?’”

The Global Perspective — Peter Wennekes, CEO of CINET (the International Committee of Textile Care), moderated a session titled, “CINET PTC Global Best Practices Program.” During this presentation, speakers both in-person and pre-recorded spoke about the state of the textile industry around the world.

Wennekes spoke on the challenges that the global professional textile care industry has faced, and they are the same as domestic cleaners have been dealing with: disrupted markets due to the pandemic, cost increases, and a general sense of uncertainty about what the future holds.

The U.S. textile industry’s perspective was presented by Diana Vollmer, managing director of Ascend Consulting Group, and Christopher White, executive director of America’s Best Cleaners.

Vollmer, who spoke via recording, says she believes companies that survived the challenges of the pandemic are well-positioned to see increased growth.

“Visionaries are surviving because they adapt and thrive, and create a bigger pie,” she says. “The consolidation of the industry is leaving the survivors with a big-

ger piece of that bigger pie.”

White says that, for those businesses that endured, the pandemic has allowed owners the opening to reinvent their company and their focus to better serve their clients.

“I don’t think anyone ever envisioned stripping your business down 90% and then trying to rebuild it,” he says. “You’d have never done it. But you have had this unique opportunity in the last two years to do just that. And what’s been great to see is the mindset shifting away from product-centric and system-centric to clientand customer-centric.”

This focus on making — and creating — services that are more convenient and useful to clients will serve cleaners well as consumer demands evolve.

(Editor’s note: American Drycleaner will cover some of these sessions in greater detail in the coming months.)

PRODUCT NEWS

While there were fewer new products introduced at Clean Show 2022 as perhaps in past shows, several manufacturers said they were there more to reestablish relationships and connect with cleaners who found they needed to replace or update their current equipment. There were some product and service announcements made at this year’s event.

Poseidon Textile Care Systems, a brand of Girbau North America, unveiled its new Genius Series Wet Cleaning Machines, as well as new dryers and ironers. The Genius Series machines feature, among other improvements, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, larger scratch- and water-resistant touchscreens, lighting elements that display machine status at a glance, 450 G-force extract speeds for shorter cycle times, and on- ▼

Class Size — Most of the educational sessions catering to dry cleaners attending the Clean Show were either at capacity or very close to it. These classes were sponsored by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI).

board battery backups in case facilities lose power.

“This is really important in areas with a questionable grid, like California and Texas,” says Poseidon’s Vice President of Sales Joel Jorgensen, “or places with heavy storms and lightning, such as Florida.”

While its product has been in beta tests since February, SMRT Systems launched an integrated marketing platform that handles custom marketing for its users, including reputation management, social posting and website functions. One of the major advantages of the system, SMRT Systems CEO Bill Alber says, is that it functions in real time. “You receive a package of laundry, and we immediately hit you and ask, ‘How did we do?’” he says.

SPOT by Xplor showed off its latest offering, Connect, its next generation of its drycleaning software. “We want to obviously support (cleaners’) operational needs,” says Tom Beidle, SPOT by Xplor CEO, Personal Services, “but we also want to give them a technology that allows them to grow their drycleaning footprint.”

Beidle says he believes this new offering will allow cleaners to become more efficient with their resources, save on their operational expenses, and grow their revenue.

Cobblers Direct showcased a new program, Customer Direct, to allow dry cleaners to offer shoe, boot and handbag repair services, with the customer communicating directly with Cobblers Direct.

“The customer comes into the dry cleaner, scans a QR code, places their order, and hands it over to the cleaner,” says Jordan Arnold, operations manager of Cobblers Direct. The items are then sent to Cobblers Direct, repaired,

and sent back to the cleaner for pickup. “Cleaners won’t have to do any of the work,” Arnold says. “You can just sit back, and it will draw in foot traffic.”

Colmac introduced a reduced-height steam tunnel finisher, made for tight spaces. “It’s a regular tunnel, but it’s eight inches shorter,” says Jeff Hughes, sales and service specialist for Colmac. “We design this for cruise ships, but the upside is that, by making it shorter, it will fit into smaller doors. So, if a dry cleaner is in a building that only has double glass doors, we can get it in now.”

Sankosha also displayed several new pieces of equipment, including the LP-5600U, a high-speed single buck shirt press.

“The 5600 is based on our previous model, the LP-590, but it’s a lot faster,” says Sankosha USA President Wesley Nelson. “We sped up the motion of the machine and increased the heat output without compromising safety.”

About the new LP-6000U high-speed single collar cuff press, Nelson says, “This machine also has a quicker drying time, and is designed to make it easier to do short sleeves as well as standard cuffs.”

A new shoe drying system — the SD-035 and the SD56 — and a new bagging machine, the PS-290UV3, were also displayed.

Forenta introduced an updated line of small and large laundry presses, the VS and VL series, at the show. One of the biggest improvements, says Forenta

Drycleaner,

President and CEO

Predicting the Economic Future — Economist Chris Keuhl offered his outlook for what the next few months might look like during a general session on the second day of the Clean Show. While the work-from-home lifestyle is hitting the drycleaning sector hard, Keuhl believes the industry will see growth in the next few years.

First Time to the Show — This was the first Clean Show for Chheavy and Chris Lema, owners of Martinizing Dry Cleaners in Auburn, New York. “We want to build relationships in the industry and connect with people,” Chheavy Lema says. “I think that it’s huge to have partners in the industry — it definitely helps keep you inspired.”

Rusty Smith, is that the new machines have the option of an electrical timer, rather than a pneumatic timer. “Due to contamination, clogs or other factors, pneumatic times are always going to be a little inconsistent,” Smith says.

LEAD TIMES

As with any global market, manufacturers of drycleaning machines and supplies were hit hard by skyrocketing shipping prices and delays brought on by the pandemic. Many of the vendors attending the Clean Show said that the lead times between ordering a piece of equipment and delivery, while not quite back to 2019 levels, were falling as the supply chain started to show signs of recovery.

“Our lead times right now, I would say, are strongly variable — it depends on which product,” says Al Adcock, vice president of sales for B&C Technologies. He says things are recovering slowly: “Starting from last summer, which was the peak of the horribleness, things are starting to come back down from the stratosphere, and getting back into reasonable territory.”

“Lead times are improving,” says Tari Albright, marketing communications director at Continental Girbau. She agrees with Adcock that import times depend on the origin of the product or parts, but the skies are starting to clear a bit. “We’re seeing our times shortening for all our products.”

Being proactive has helped in shortening lead times, says Brett McLeod of Garment Management Systems: “We have some components from the U.K. and from Japan, so there are times when I’m having to order things sooner than I’d like, but so far, we have yet to have an issue where we couldn’t ship something when we wanted to because we didn’t have the part.”

For companies who could bring their manufacturing processes into the U.S., or better still, in-house, lead times aren’t as big a factor.

“We brought all of our rotational molding in-house, and we’ve been doing that since spring of 2020,” says Cindy Lapidakis, vice president of sales and marketing for Royal Basket Trucks. “We’ve always had a seven-to10-day lead time, and that hasn’t changed.”

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE

Because of global exhibition scheduling issues, the Clean Show will skip another year to return to its oddyear format. It is scheduled to take place next in Orlando, Florida, in mid-August 2025.

Nora Nealis, executive director of the National Cleaners Association (NCA), says the future is bright, both for future Clean Shows and for the industry as a whole.

“The folks who are here are excited,” she says. “They see the possibilities. They’ve become lean, and they’ve had a good lesson in taking serious steps toward the future, and they’re optimistic. I’m sorry to see that we’ve lost some friends who retired or who closed shop, but there have been some new faces, which I’m glad to see. ”

“The show was well attended with quality customers,” Sankosha’s Nelson says. “People were there for a purpose. And after three years, it was really nice to get together with our customers and with the other manufacturers. It was a successful show for the industry — we were glad we supported it, and we look forward to the next.”

Until Next Time — The Clean Show will be skipping a year to get back into sync with the global exhibition schedule. The next event will take place in Orlando, Florida in mid-August 2025.

Examining the Cost of Keeping Your Vehicles on the Road

How Rising CPI Can Significantly

Impact your Fleet’s Operating and M&R Costs

By Brian Antonellis

Recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases are making front-page headlines across the country, with impacts seen and felt in every industry, including dry cleaning. Sure, rising CPI directly correlates to the cost of financing equipment, but it can also have a significant ripple effect on other cost centers, such as maintenance and repair (M&R). Knowing how to navigate this, as well as understanding your options, can potentially save significantly toward your company’s bottom line.

The CPI measures the price of many goods and services, including cleaning products, groceries, clothes, restaurant meals, recreation and vehicles — light vehicles as well as commercial. According to a recent CPI report, price pressures remained elevated year-over-year. The CPI accelerated 8.3% in April, more than the 8.1% estimate and near the highest level in more than 40 years, according to CNBC.

FLEET EXECUTIVES DEALING WITH INFLATION

One of the challenges cleaning distribution fleets are facing today is that there has been little or no inflation for many years. There’s a whole generation of fleet professionals who have never had to deal with the CPI increase. They negotiated with their vendors for a long time, and prices mostly remained stagnant. Now suddenly, they’re seeing two-, three-, and four-percent increases and must evaluate their options to keep costs under control as much as possible. Moreover, they need to answer to company leaders and provide alternate options and recommendations.

HOW M&R IS IMPACTED BY CPI INCREASES

M&R is a significant area where cost control options

exist. First and foremost, depending on your lease structure — full-service or unbundled — fleets may have an important choice when understanding what is included in their M&R costs. There are variable inputs that make up these costs, and it’s not as simple as just looking at M&R as a single bucket, per se. Fleets must be able to dissect all critical M&R parts and components, such as tires, brakes, service, repair, etc.

KNOWING YOUR LEASE STRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT

Because of this, more fleet personnel are taking a closer look at unbundling their lease structure so they and their asset management partners can work with cleaning vendors and parts suppliers on the most cost-competitive components. However, in a full-service lease structure, fleets are confined to a single, bottom-line figure, with little power in negotiating.

One of the most significant differences between an unbundled and a full-service lease is how M&R costs are calculated. M&R is “front-loaded” in an FSL. Cleaning companies can pay a minimum of .07 per mile in year one versus .02 per mile when unbundling. All trucks

Navigating the Path for

Replacement Parts

Eight Strategies to Help Solve Your Supply Chain Challenges

By Barry Victor

As a small business operator, you have no doubt experienced shortages of supplies, equipment and parts necessary to run your business, and we’re not out of the woods yet. Most experts agree that the supply chain issues we have been facing since the beginning of the pandemic will be with us for at least another year, well into 2023.

While there is very little a small business operator can do to change the underlying factors causing supply chain issues, there are numerous ways to navigate around these shortages and minimize the impact on your business.

In this article, I will share eight strategies to consider for finding replacement parts to keep your machinery in operation. The focus is

on parts, but many of these methods can also be used in other areas.

1. Optimize your supplier network

You no doubt have formed relationships with many suppliers over the years and have come to trust them as a source for items required to run the business. They can also be a source of creative ideas and market information. They have their own network of suppliers and likely a vast knowledge of potential sources of supply. They are also faced daily with the same issues you have from their customers and should be able to provide helpful guidance. If your current supplier is not providing guidance, consider taking the time to find new suppliers who can help you navigate these issues.

One of the best ways you can mitigate shortages and reduce your costs is by planning ahead and stocking maintenance items that are frequently required. If you have been working with the same supplier for many years, they should be able to review their records of past purchases and suggest items that you have ordered multiple times. You probably already have a spare parts inventory so make sure to take the time to review stock levels and order before the machine malfunctions. Planning ahead will not only give you peace of mind, but it will also save you money by eliminating the need for expensive air shipments.

If you do find yourself needing an item that you do not have in your spare parts inventory and multiple

Photo: © flipfine/Depositphotos)

suppliers have told you it is not readily available, you will need to consider other options. The options you have will depend somewhat on the type of part that has malfunctioned or deteriorated.

2.Rewind,

repair, resurface

While it may not be a less expensive or long-term solution, rewinding a motor can allow you to put the motor back into service, if not permanently, then at least temporarily until the new replacement motor is available. Computer boards and other electronics can often be repaired as well and usually come with a short warranty. Valves can often be repaired in place with repair kits, saving the time and effort of removing the complete valve from the piping. Air cylinders and other pneumatic components can also be repaired — usually at a far lower cost than replacing the entire component. Dryer wheels are an item that can be resurfaced with a new wear material much like changing the tires on your car and can be a viable and less expensive alternative to replacing them with new wheels.

3.Use alternate component brands

Many manufacturers design and build components that have the same or similar specifications. One laundry machinery manufacturer may choose one brand, and another may choose a different brand. The important principle to keep in mind when replacing a component with a component of a different brand is the engineering terms “Form, Fit, Function.” The term “form” typically refers to the size, shape and other visually descriptive terms. “Fit” refers to the ability to interface with the surrounding machinery without modification. “Function” refers to the ability of the component to function in the application. Most parts supply companies should be able to help you navigate these criteria and

offer you a suitable replacement that has not been as affected by supply chain issues.

4.Use alternate OEM brands

As described earlier, manufacturers of laundry machinery often choose different component brands, but in some cases they use the exact component as many other manufacturers. In this case, a supplier who has the data and tools to know

when this is the case can offer you the exact part you need for your brand by sourcing it from a different OEM brand. While the price of the component may be different, the availability of the component could be better from the alternate OEM brand.

5.Look at generic vs OEM

Similar to the alternate brands described earlier, generic parts are ▼

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often manufactured for high-volume components. While I would generally advise sticking with OEM parts to be confident in their ability to function successfully over long periods of time, generic parts can be a valid option if the OEM parts are not available. Your parts professional should be able to guide you to suitable generic replacements. Some components that are typically available in generic equivalents are drive belts, ironer ribbons, drain valves, pads and covers, bearings, blower wheels and lint filters.

6.Search for alternate sizes

This type of substitution should be considered carefully with the help of your parts professional. In some cases, substituting a component of a different horsepower, for example, a pump could be a valid option if

the exact pump is not available. Operation of the machine could be impacted by this sort of substitution but on occasion, it can be a valid option during supply chain disruptions.

7.Try substitute materials

During the design of most machinery, decisions are made regarding the materials used in components based on price, longevity and a host of other parameters. If the component you are searching for is not available in the exact material used in the original component, you may be able to substitute a different material. Substitutions of this type could impact the longevity of the component, with longer life usually linked to

higher cost and shorter life to lower cost. Gaskets would be an example of a component that can usually be supplied in alternate materials.

8.Consider used versus new

If all else fails and you are desperate to get your machinery back in operation, you can consider trying to find a used component to make the repairs. Many equipment distributors who take used machinery in trade often keep the machinery in order to salvage parts from it. As parts removed from used machinery do not generally have part numbers on them, making sure the part is the exact part you require can be a challenge. If the part being salvaged has been in operation for many years, it may not function properly or the life expectancy could be limited. It could be worth a try, however, if all other options have been exhausted.

Supply chain issues have been hard on all of us. Hopefully, we see an end coming. In the meantime, let’s contin ue to find new ways of doing things and, possibly, discover efficiencies and discoveries that we may not have seen before.

Barry Victor is the founder of PROS Parts, an industrial and commercial laundry equipment and dry cleaning operations parts supplier. He can be reached at 763-231-7379 or barryv@prosparts.com.

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

have a two-year bumper-to-bumper warranty that can be extended to four years. Expenses for Year One include wearable items (tires, brakes) and preventive maintenance. A shorter truck life cycle produces long-term savings beyond the first year. In a UBL, the CPM average equals 5.675 cents over five years. However, in an FSL, fleets pay up to 9 cents per mile.

Rising CPI exacerbates this further since those rates are not flat. If the CPI increases, as it has recently, you will undoubtedly see an increase in your monthly payment.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO ITEMIZE M&R COSTS

However, when we look at each of those pressures fleet professionals have to deal with, they also have the internal pressures of explaining to their leadership. The fleet professional speaks for each individual cost center buckets — truck procurement, fuel, financing costs, M&R, etc. It becomes very difficult to pinpoint precisely where rising CPI is having the most significant impact on the bottom line. However, when fleet personnel have each cost center unbundled and broken out individually, they can go line item by line item and review efficiencies in each bucket — how are rising costs affecting our scheduled maintenance, preventative maintenance, tire and brake replacement, etc.?

In many of these lease agreements, fleets have maintenance included and additional time and materials on top. Therefore, they’re seeing the CPI increase in general and in parts that can be anywhere from 15 to 30% on the individual items. Parts availability and supply chain shortages further complicate this.

So, if a fleet typically has an expected downtime of 8% to 10%, they’ve seen their parts costs increase and their labor increase when they’re tied to a full-service

agreement and the CPI increase. With an unbundled agreement, these fleets aren’t tied to any one parts supplier in particular, freeing up the fleet organization to shop around for the best price and availability.

A plan and additional line-item visibility can make all the difference in the world in front of the leadership team. Fleet personnel should be able to address leadership and say, “Here’s what we foresee happening; this is why maintenance is rising in relation to the rising CPI; this is why our tire cost is rising; this is why our fuel cost is rising; and here’s what we plan to do about it. We’re going to unbundle our leases and separate these payments to try to drive some efficiency and fuel/M&R sections. We’re going to go back and look at our programs tied to CPI and see if we should renegotiate, and we’ll look at different approaches to maintenance.”

With this visibility, you can instill much-needed confidence in leadership despite the rising CPI rates and equipment supply challenges.

What’s more pressing for fleets locked in a full-service lease is the notion that few economists see the CPI rate declining significantly in the near future. Continued supply chain issues in the foreseeable future are expected to keep pressure on the cost of goods — trucks and vans included — and this means these fleets won’t see any relief to their profits anytime soon.

While they are locked in their current lease agreements, they would be wise to re-evaluate their longerterm vehicle acquisition strategies and begin planning for the right time to convert to a more flexible, bottom-linefriendly unbundled lease structure.

Brian Antonellis, CTP, is senior vice president of fleet operations at Fleet Advantage, a company that deals with truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing and lifecycle cost management.

Greybull Stewardship Acquires GreenEarth Cleaning

Latest move continues Greybull’s expansion into the garment care space

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Greybull Stewardship, L.P. recently announced that it has acquired GreenEarth Cleaning. The Kansas City, Missouri-based company is the world’s largest brand of environmentally friendly dry-cleaning solvent, offering the industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative.

This acquisition marks the latest expansion into the garment care space for Greybull. In recent years, the Jackson, Wyoming-based equity firm has invested in several cleaning franchises under their Clean Brands company, including both Lapels Cleaners and Martinizing Cleaners, collectively becoming the largest dry cleaning franchisor in the world.

“For those in the professional garment care industry, there is full acknowledgment that the industry embraces the evolving realities of environmental regulation as well as both landlord and consumer demand for environmentally friendly solutions. No brand in the industry has a better reputation for environmental stewardship than GreenEarth,” says Mason Myers, founder and CEO of Greybull. “This acquisition is a natural extension of our commitment to the garment care space, and we’re excited to partner with GreenEarth as they expand their presence in the industry.”

Under Greybull’s ownership, GreenEarth’s current management team, led by President Tim Maxwell, states that it plans to build upon the company’s track record of revenue growth with a continued emphasis on customer service, product innovation, and geographic expansion.

“This entire acquisition process has confirmed to me that ownership of the GreenEarth Brand is moving from multiple pairs of guiding hands that founded the company more than two decades ago to a group that understands the potential opportunities available through so many avenues in the professional fabric care space,” says Maxwell. “The entire team here at GreenEarth is excited for the opportunity to continue to bring environmentally

non-toxic cleaning to our affiliates around the globe.” Maxwell notes that customers should not be concerned that this acquision will change the mission of GreenEarth.

“The most important thing to note about this acquisition for our customers and affiliates is that GreenEarth will continue to be GreenEarth,” Maxwell says. “The ownership may be different, but the direction and vision of the company and commitment to our business partners remains the same.”

Tide Cleaners Listed as Nation’s Top Drycleaning Franchise

Brand continues to grow, offering 188 locations across United States

CINCINNATI — Tide Cleaners, a national drycleaning and laundry service franchise, recently announced that it was celebrating a major accomplishment in its growth: It was the No. 1 drycleaning franchise brand in the United States.

The announcement, coming just before the textileindustry Clean Show event, noted that, as year-end 2021 figures were released in franchise disclosure documents, Tide Cleaners took the top spot in drycleaning brand units. Tide’s 188 locations across the U.S., the company states, have continued to grow the brand into one that has garnered multiple franchising awards and recognitions.

“The credit for becom ing the No. 1 brand in dry cleaning goes to our fran chisees,” says Tide Cleaners President and CEO Andy Gibson. “The Tide Cleaners brand is powerful in the hearts and minds of our guest, and our franchisees in partnership with our franchisor team bring this brand to life every day.”

The company also reported that it has garnered recognition as the drycleaning category’s top ranking in the latest Entrepreneur Franchise 500 and earned the title as the most-trusted brand in dry cleaning. Ranked No. 76 in

this year’s overall list among all franchises, the company states that owners’ response and resilience during COVID has been key to building trust and loyalty among its customers.

MfM Meets to Share Clean Show Experiences

Consulting bureau hears from industry experts while catching up with

peers

OMAHA, Neb. — Methods for Management (MfM), a coaching and consulting bureau focusing on the drycleaning industry, hosted its Clean Show Review Breakfast during the recent Clean Show exposition. There were 50 members and industry professionals who attended the meeting, held on Aug. 1. Nations represented at the meeting included the US, Canada, Australia, Mexico, and Germany.

Speakers included Francis Flair with Flair Consulting Group, who discussed the importance of improving the customer experience. Sandra Haralson of Sandra Haral son Dry Cleaning Consulting, held a short discussion on the importance of equipment and plant maintenance with productivity. Josh Nye from SMRT Systems offered an

update on the current market and owner must-dos.

Members also heard updates from industry-leading vendors and breakfast sponsors. These speakers included Toran Brown with SPOT POS management, discussing their progress with integration with MfMBI financial platform, Sally Conant of The Association of Bridal Gown Specialists discussed membership, Diane Rue of EZ Products International, and Kurt Wick iser with Seitz.

“It was fantastic getting back together, being able to shake hands and hug old friends, and was a great reminder of the value of industry organizations like Methods for Manage ment,” says MfM Managing Partner Kermit Engh.

Following the speaker presentations, Engh took the stage, sharing highlights from the Clean Show floor, and concluded with an open discussion by members and guests about their discoveries during the Clean Show.

“It appeared that many vendors were extremely busy with cleaners who have survived and are now thriving in the dry cleaning and laundry industry,” says Engh.

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Top Problems, Uncommon Finds and Seasonal Fluctuations

10 YEARS AGO. Common (and Uncommon) Finds — When customers drop off their clothing, sometimes they forget a thing or two. According to the American Drycleaner Wire survey, pens or pencils (76.7%), candy or gum (60%), and lipstick and paper currency (40% each) were the most commonly found items. Of course, this wasn’t all dry cleaners found. Some of the more interesting finds reported were a check for $20,000, a two-carat engagement ring, a revolver, two kilos of cocaine, and $10,000 in bearer bonds sewn into the lining of some drapes.

25 YEARS AGO. Top Problems of 1997 — Consumer stains and solvent-soluble dyes topped the list of problems IFI’s Garment Analysis Laboratory saw in August 1997. The statistics showed that 21% each of the top problems seen were solventsoluble dyes and a variety of consumer stains, followed by consumer color loss (bleach) at 20%, consumer ink stains at 14%, color loss/ light fade at 12%, and damage to the fabric from acid or alkali at 12%.

50 YEARS AGO. Macy Labels — In a full-page ad in The New York Times, Macy’s department store told the public that they were years ahead of the Federal Trade Commission’s new requirement that all garments have a permanent label affixed giving care instructions to consumers. They

stated 10 years ago that it was “an idea whose time had come.” In a report from the Neighborhood Cleaners Association in its Bulletin, Macy’s used 12 permanent labels which told, in a dozen or so words, how to wash a washable garment. Headings included “Machine Wash,” “Hand Wash, Line Dry,” “Hand Wash Separately” and other simple instructions. Each Macy’s label ended with “Can Be Drycleaned.”

75 YEARS AGO. Seasonal Ups and Downs — Many cleaners and de-

partment stores complained about a slow August, but the numbers in September started to tick back up. Part of this was due to simple seasonal demand, coupled with an unusually warm August. National averages for the first seven months of 1947, however, showed a 7% increase over the same period in 1946. Cleaners in Alameda and San Francisco counties in California led the field with a 19% boost, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

— Compiled by Dave Davis, Editor

Productshaveproventolastupto10timeslongerthan similarproductioninthisindustryandapplications.

Wehavemanyinstallationswithsteamboilersthathave beeninserviceforover50-years,10hoursperday.

Thematerialsusedincurrentproductsarebetterthanthe materialsused50yearsago.Forexample,inthe80’s, steam drumwentfrom3/8”thickto1/2”thick.

Ourheatingsurfaceoramountofsteelabsorbingenergy has alwaysbeen2to3timesthatofotherunits(upto6sf ofheatingsurface per boilerhorsepower,whichsomeunits arecloserto2sfofsteel per hp,andsomeeven1sf).

Wehavethebestdistributedflameormostevensurface areaevenlydistributedundertheentirepressurevessel. It isalsoamodulardesign,so it canberepairedeasily.

Tube materials were upgraded from seamlessrated pipe to seamlessrated tubing. Material is not only thicker, ends up .133 wall, but is annealed which give the surface on both sides a mill scale coating that is more resistant to corrosion and is long lasting from testing.