American Drycleaner - April 2016

© Copyright 2016 American Trade Magazines All rights reserved.

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drycleaner drycleaner A M E R I C A N

April 2016

Vol. 83, No. 1

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

8

Pre-Inspection

4

SDA Cleaners Showcase Preview; Calendar of Events

6

Management Strategies 27 Do Your Employees Like Their Workplace?

Diana Vollmer

(Cover Photo: ©iStockphoto/arosoft)

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14

32

Around the Industry

36

Classified Advertising

38

Advertiser Index

39

Wrinkle In Time A Withholding of Withholdings

40

Spin It to Win It Wash-dry-fold service is more than fluff; aromatic profits smell great. This market overflows with opportunity for sudsy success.

Plus you might even fold-over with laughter from the funny stories.

Tim Burke, Editor Organic. Atmospheric. Retailesque.

Step into the Clean Factory, an attractive dry cleaner that you might think is a retail store at first. Natural and organic products line the shelves. This sort of innovation may just lead the industry to a whole new way of doing business.

Howard Scott

20

Stop Upping Your Downtime Regularly scheduled preventative maintenance can reduce those “headache” breakdowns of machinery and put you in control of costs.

Tim Burke, Editor

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Spotting Tips Give Smooth Leather Extra Attention Martin Young

NEED HELP FINDING THE HIDDEN HANGER? Scan this QR Code for help in finding the hidden hanger on this month’s cover.

Good luck!

www.americandrycleaner.com

3/23/16 10:02 AM

“Business has never been “Business has neverbetter.” 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 “Ibecome don’t have rely on anybody for information. moretoefficient.”

I can see immediately what I have for inventory, Brent Ramenofsky orders and accounts receivable.”

Boston Cleaners Becky Afendoulis, Owner of Afendoulis Cleaners

We Speak Cleaner 800.406.9649 We Speak Cleaner

www.cleanerbusiness.com 800.406.9649

sales@cleanerbusiness.com

sales@cleanerbusiness.com

0115adc_Cleaner Business_1Becky.indd 1

www.cleanerbusiness.com

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P RE - I N SP E CT I O N

Right Off, I’ll Say It: You Guys Rock!

T

wo stories in this issue offer tips reflective of ways to up the flow of moolah to your wallet.

Unrealized profits from the wash ’n’ fold segment of the market is the gist of the feature Spin It to Win It on page 8.

Stop Upping Your Downtime, beginning on page 20, is all about preventative maintenance to slow that headache (or heartache) spending over machine woes.

Oh, yeah...hello! Nice to meet you! Already I’ve enjoyed chatTim Burke ting with some of you by phone, connecting by e-mail with others.

We’ve not only said our hellos but started a dialogue about the industry and, most importantly, you.

Publisher Charles Thompson

National Sales Director Donald Feinstein

cthompson@ATMags.com

dfeinstein@ATMags.com

Editorial Director Bruce Beggs

Digital Media Director Nathan Frerichs

312-361-1680

312-361-1683

312-361-1682

312-361-1681

bbeggs@ATMags.com

nfrerichs@ATMags.com

Editor Tim Burke

Production Manager Roger Napiwocki

312-361-1684 tburke@ATMags.com

There is greatness in this business. I can feel it coming right through our conversations, hear the excitement in your voice about new ideas.

I’ll just say this at the outset: you guys rock! So far, it’s been amazing to talk with so many of you, and share in your thoughts and wisdom.

Thrilled ’tis the word, to already be hearing narratives from dry cleaners across the land. We want to turn those insights into great articles about innovation and growth in the field.

I look forward to speaking with many more of you.

Don’t be surprised if I’m calling you up tomorrow to get your opinion—or maybe later today! Thank you for making me feel welcome.

See you around. Rock On! And also I say, ADC Profit On!

Advisory Board Steven Dubinski Lawton Jones Mike Nesbit Herron Rowland Fred Schwarzmann

Main: 312-361-1700 Fax: 312-361-1685

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

Contributing Editors Howard Scott Diana Vollmer Martin Young

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 83, number 1. 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, 2016. 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.

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CA L E N D A R Southwest Drycleaners Association.

Cleaners Showcase 2016, to be held April 22-24 in Fort Worth, Texas. Call 512-873-8195.

SDA Cleaners Showcase ridin’ into Fort Worth this month

T

he Southwest Drycleaners Association (SDA) will host the Cleaners Showcase 2016 at the Fort Worth (Texas) Convention Center on April 22-24.

On Friday, April 22, events kick off at the headquarters Sheraton Hotel with an 8:30 a.m. board and members breakfast, followed by board and general membership meetings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

A day-long Coin Laundry Association workshop, titled The Building Blocks To Laundry Ownership, follows from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the convention center.

There is a separate cost for this special workshop; visit www.coinlaundry.org to learn more.

To close out the day, the SDA will host an Early Bird Exhibit Extravaganza 4:30-8 p.m. in the Convention Center with appetizers, drinks, door prizes and featuring the Justin Pierce jazz band.

On Saturday, April 23, from 8:30 to 10 a.m., motivational speaker Glenn Shepard will present the keynote address on Managing Employees. Shepard is considered one of the foremost authorities on eliminating problems in the workplace, the SDA reports.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. will officially open the convention floor. The event runs until 5 p.m. that day (hours are 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday).

Educational sessions will be offered throughout Saturday and Sunday, as industry leaders share their knowledge on customer service, social media marketing and more.

“We will still have spotting schools and technical training available throughout the day on the show floor,” notes Showcase Chairman Allan Cripe. “But we are changing up the seminars to focus on improving your bottom line.”

A full list of all the educational sessions and schedule, along with show registration and housing information, can be found at www.sda-dryclean.com.

ADC

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American Drycleaner, April 2016

GreenEarth Cleaning.

Earth Day Kickball Tournament fundraiser for Water.org, to be held April 23, in Kansas City, Mo. Call 816-926-0895. To donate, visit www. greenearthcleaning.com.

Textile Care Allied Trades Association.

Annual Management and Educational Conference, to be held April 27-30 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Visit www.tcata.org.

Wisconsin Fabricare Institute.

Baseball game outing to see the Milwaukee Brewers on May 3 at Miller Park, in Milwaukee, Wis. For more information, call 414-529-4702.

Coin Laundry Association.

Excellence in Laundry Conference, to be held May 18-19 in Ojai, Calif. Call 800-570-5629.

North Carolina Association of Launderers and Cleaners.

Annual Convention, to be held May 27-30 in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Call 704-689-1301.

Texcare International: World Market for Modern Textile Care.

To be held June 11-15 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Visit www.texcare.com.

Ontario Fabricare Association.

2016 Conference, to be held June 17-18 in Port Credit, Ont., Canada. Call 416-573-1929.

Wisconsin Fabricare Institute.

Fitzgerald Scholarship Golf Classic, Summer Conference, Trade Show and Auction, to be held June 21-22 in Mequon, Wis. Call 414-5294707.

South Eastern Fabricare Association.

Southern Drycleaners and Launderers Show, to be held June 24-26 in Jacksonville, Fla. Call 877-707-7332.

ADC

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Spin It toWin It Wash-dry-fold service is more than fluff; aromatic profits smell great, plus this market overflows with opportunity for sudsy success, and you might even fold-over from the funny stories

By Tim Burke, Editor

W

ash... dry... fold...

And bank some green!

Making healthier profits in your store is the goal of your drycleaning business. Competitive market forces drive you to look around for new income streams. The buzzword getting spun in the air today is “diversifying.” That means offering services beyond traditional dry cleaning.

Many of you already offer wash and fold. But many don’t. To the latter, we simply say this: It’s worth checking the action.

“Our return business is phenomenal,” says Rita Foley, president of Regency Cleaners in Durham, N.C. “Because clothes are clean, smell great, dried with a fabric softener which is folded between the clothes returned, folded professionally, wrapped in shrink-wrap and labeled with our logo and always ready when promised.”

She recommends that “If an operator can provide additional services: pre-spotting, hang-dry, hanging the dry (Photo: ©iStockphoto/arosoft)

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clothing, then they should charge for it!”

Wash and fold, or fluff ’n’ fold as it’s called, is a topic on many drycleaning owners’ minds. Those business owners are reaching out for more customers who put convenience at the top of their list.

Who are you specifically reaching? Who do you want to reach?

Nicholas Sanderson, CEO of Laundry Locker in San Francisco, which has thousands of specially designed lockers located in and around the city and operates its laundry service as a wash-and-fold facility, says, “The trend in our area in businesswear is shifting toward a more casual appearance, requiring less of the owned clothing to undergo the drycleaning/pressed laundry service.”

“Wash-and-fold laundry plans are very popular,” Sanderson says, “especially with families that are doing a significant amount of laundry every week.”

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3/22/16 3:24 PM

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“In the commercial wdf service, as more multifamservice, providing this deily, high-rise residential is tailed amount of labor is being built with no in-unit not profitable and is unatwashers and dryers. tainable unless the operator Reaching the specific segment of your wash-fold Wash and fold ... is the way we are is doing it on a very small scale.” market might be the ultiFoley notes, “The mate key to success. reaching out to young people... customer has to realize Foley talks about her own company’s efforts: — Steven Toltz, president, that their clothing is not pre-treated. Pockets are “In all of our locations, we Dependable Cleaners quickly checked, but not offer full-service washguaranteed; care labels are dry-fold (wdf). In addition, not checked (so that wool we provide student wdf (Photo: ©iStockphoto/JannHuizenga) sweater you throw in there for two major local colleges. could get shrunk); and clothing is returned neatly folded.

We work with two bobtailers instead of running our own Not on hangers.” routes. They are responsible for the pickup and delivery It’s all about knowing your customers’ tendencies. of the wdf to the two colleges and to multiple retirement Foley talks about some of the situations she’s encounhomes and hotels.” tered in the business her company has been in since For the college students, she indicates that her compa1984. ny contracts with the bobtailer for a flat number of bags “College students are in a hurry. Making sure that the per week depending on student contracts. The students information on sign-up and on the website is followed is are contracted to pay for a 13-week service, whether they like herding cats. But you must state the obvious or else use the service or not. their parents are going to blame you for their mistakes.

“We have to provide the equipment, labor and supSuch as putting that wet red towel in the bag against their plies,” Foley says, “to provide the service regardless of new, white polo shirt. It has red dye on it before we even the number of bags that come in. We receive about 97% get it. of the contracts each week. The bobtailer is responsible “Or putting their fraternity blazer in with the clothes,” for billing and collecting from the students.” she continues. “We train our staff to remove all garCHALLENGE ACCEPTED ments which cannot be washed and return them to the Businesses that set out on the wash-dry-fold path will customers with a note stating that those garments need no doubt discover challenges and surprises. to be dry-cleaned, hand-washed, scrubbed on a rock or “One major challenge is tracking orders between scanwhatever.” in, separated wash according to preferences, separated Are there some tips for those ready to “open the lid” in drying according to preferences, and folding tables,” pursuit of the wash-dry-fold customer?

Sanderson relates.

In Foley’s words: “A wdf can be worth a lot of money “There are a lot of touch points the clothing goes if the order is damaged or lost in cleaning. It is a profit through, and the individual items are not uniquely idencenter to take very seriously, and I think that operators tified as they are in the drycleaning service through tend to think that it is ‘just washing laundry.’ It is much ironed-on bar codes,” he adds. more than that.”

The proper use of equipment, applying ozone or not, Circumstances that differ from dry cleaning involve detergents, fabric softeners, wash/dry temperatures, sepanot only process but people as well. ration of clothing, checking pockets, folding and packagTraining is important in providing wash-dry-fold sering are of utmost importance, she continues. vice to customers, Foley says. The challenge is making “My advice is for the owner to spend a day in the sersure that the customer understands the limitations of the vice just as his employee would. There is nothing that service. Communication is key, she emphasizes. will solve a problem better than experiencing the service “A lot of operators want to cater to ‘soccer moms and firsthand,” says Foley. dads.’ Great idea,” says Foley. “But as a woman, when “Do you need gloves to separate? How do you track I do my laundry at home, I pre-spot, separate into about orders? How long does it take from start to finish? Does four different loads, dry on low, hang-dry and hang up (continued) your back hurt after standing all day? the clothes after they are dry.

“

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Should you invest in a fatigue mat? Do you have enough space, equipment, supplies?

“Is your staff eating or drinking at the fold table?

All of these questions can be answered if you occasionally immerse yourself in the job,” she advises.

fold it! When the drycleaning price was quoted, the client requested that we return the suit unprocessed.”

Foley says, “Having the new hires, especially guys, We have become a society of fold a load of young college women’s clothes is a hoot. now.

The thongs get them every — Rita Foley, president, time! There is no correct way to fold a thong. But Regency Cleaners TIME HAS COME they sure try.”

On the surface, selling She also shares this tale wash-dry-fold service is a (Photo: ©iStockphoto/JannHuizenga) of cartoon happiness: “We matter of pure convenience clean the power company to your customer via pickup and delivery. But folded into linesmen’s clothes when there are weather events. The that model is the ability to offer the time-savings aspect power company gets our big wdf department up on the of “doing your laundry,” a chore many people despise. grid, and we bring in the crew. So, to fold a bag of power Millennials, it would seem, just by their casual style of company linesmen’s clothes and see that they are weardress, could be one of the main recipients of the service ing Tweety Bird boxers can be quite humorous.” today.

Last but not least: “Pulling a Patagonia jacket out of “Wash and fold service,” says Steven Toltz, president the dryer in about 45 pieces was quite interesting. Pataof Dependable Cleaners in Denver, “is the way we are gonia (or a knock-off) uses glue on the seams, then says reaching out to young people who don’t care as much to dry on the care label. The glue definitely didn’t hold,” about dry cleaning like previous generations did.”

Foley says.

During a phone interview, Toltz shared his analysis of Some surprises and humor naturally can be expected in any freshly developing market segment. the wash-dry-fold segment and his business plan to reach Foley believes that wash-dry-fold will continue to potential customers. grow: “We have become a society of now. There are “I want them to become familiar with our brand,” more dual working parents whose kids are involved in Toltz explains. “We sell our customer on time savings. after-school activities. Marketing to this sector is key, as The laundry is neatly folded and can be delivered and,” long as the marketing is accurate and the expectation of he adds with a chuckle, “if we could put it away in the the service explained.” dresser in their house for them, we would do that, too.”

Hallak seems to concur on the future of the trend: “As What is the advantage of offering wash-and-fold people’s time becomes an ever-scarcer commodity, I exservice? pect this to grow — especially in the middle market.”

“We have the dry-store labor already — so we put in If this segment is revealing to you an “agitation” toplace washers and dryers in all our stores,” Toltz says. ward growth, then “grow get it.” Many dry cleaners who “As soon as we offered the service, we got business.” pick up and deliver wash-dry-fold business discover an And it isn’t all walk-in. He says that about 20% of increase in dollar traffic right to their cash registers. his total drycleaning business is route-driven but he’s One tip to keep on your dial if you are thinking of not sure how much of that is wash-and-fold, as it’s not jumping in: “Understand the logic before getting inexclusive. volved,” shares Hallak. “Separating lights and darks — OH, THE HUMOR IS ON US NOW regulars and delicates — and getting it all back together We like to laugh, and so do you. We asked the cleanin the end!” ers interviewed to share a few surprising and humorous “What you name your service is important based on tales from the wash-dry-fold experience. your region,” adds Foley. “Wash and fold? Fluff and John-Claude Hallak, president of Hallak Cleaners in fold? Wash-dry-fold? Be creative. This is an area where New York City, relates this: “Once I received a washwe can still be true entrepreneurs.” and-fold order that contained a silk-crepe Armani suit.

Can you afford not to check out this service? The opThis was a dry-clean-only ensemble with a value in portunity to suds up your revenue beckons, almost as loudly as, say, a lineman’s Tweety Bird shorts!

ADC excess of $2,500. Needless to say, we did not wash and 12

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Organic.

Atmospheric.

Retailesque.

Clean Factory dresses like shiny, new retailer

E

very so often, a new idea comes not give them upscale lines of products that

By Howard Scott along, and the idea I’m about will help them be attractive? At the same to describe might be Mike time, this retailing will make it a pleasure to Baroni’s contribution to the industry. It’s not exactly a walk in. It will be exciting to see new products that they completely new idea, but his execution makes his busiwouldn’t see in the big box or even department stores.” ness unique.

All this enhances the customer’s experience at the dry In simple form, it dresses a drycleaning operation to cleaner, Baroni says. “This is so different from walklook like a shiny, new retailer and sell products that align ing into the dull, industrial, unclean look of so many dry with dry cleaning. That is, anything to do with maintaincleaners.” ing appearance.

His new business, Clean Factory — with a cog logo in Baroni explains it this way: “People who come into place of the letter ‘o’ — fits the bill as an upscale place (continued) a dry cleaner are interested in their appearance. So why to do business. The Hanover, Mass., shop

Mike Baroni, owner of the Clean Factory, Hanover, Mass., stands in front of attractive retail products and tuxedos. Polished hickory floors accentuate the clean, modern look. (Photos by Howard Scott)

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Tomorrow’s technology today and the people to support it.

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last. The display of E-Cloths churns out has polished hickory floors, LED spota continual video to explain their use. light lighting, soft music, and about 500 Several products have private labels square feet of retail showroom.

A nifty feature is that read “Clean Factory.” According The retail space completely integrates the VIP bag, given to Baroni, this adds to the image. All of with the drycleaning area, as the counter free to customers. the products are attractively packaged. is in the middle of the store and covers its For example, the line of detergents length. In back of the counter are clothes This is a suit cover come in glass bottles with white caps racks. bag that doubles as and artful white and black labels. There Alongside the counter is a display of tuxedos, a small sideline. Shelves stick is the sense that these products are a dirty-laundry bag. out from both front walls. A few pointhigh-end. Maybe there are items that of-purchase circular displays sit on the customers will treat themselves to, and floor. when they find out how much they like them, will make Product lines include shaving kits, shoe cleaning regular purchases. products, garment rain repellents, clothing detergents, As a former retail executive, Baroni knows the world wallets, toiletry bags, briefcases, cleaning cloths, odor of upscale retail. Merging the two worlds just might reducers, body lotions/ointments, stain solutions, aeratwork. At any rate, he has created an interesting place to ing hangers, bleach alternatives, static solutions, sports visit, and that’s as good a beginning as any. Clean Factory is a drop store and not a plant. For that reason, the detergent, wool and cashmere shampoo, and umbrellas. investment hasn’t been huge.

ATTRACTIVE INTERACTIVE Rather, Baroni has been able to focus his dollars on the All products are natural and organic, and have terrific storefront. To get started, he hired drycleaning consultant packaging. For example, Naked Bee, Baroni’s line of Bob Devaney to help strategize his plans as well as find personal skin care products, comes attractively packaged a location, negotiate a lease, choose vendors, and do all in yellow and black tubes and bottles in a yellow display. the things a new business has to do to be up and running.

All told, the store’s retail items represent a dozen venWith 30-plus years in the industry, Devaney’s help dors, so management has an easier time of merchandise was invaluable, particularly in choosing a drycleaning control. Another example is the cleaning cloths, called Epartner and negotiating the contract, which was tricky.

Cloths because they are environmentally sound. Simply “You get what you pay for, and we needed to deliver add water and the products are ready for use. And they high-quality cleaning,” Baroni says. “So we demanded a dry cleaner who turns out clothes at a certain quality level and who has some excess capacity and who wants the business.”

The arrangement struck is a varying margin according to the item. Having a chargeper-item basis gives management more control. So far, it is working out just fine.

The dry cleaner picks up and delivers six days a week.

Clean Factory does its part in the processing end to turn out a quality product. It does many things that high-end cleaners do, such as clipping shirt sleeves together and stuffing blazers to give a full-bodied look. At the Baroni behind the front counter of his upscale store. same time, the (continued) 16

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company maintains e-mail contact with its customers.

Finally, regular customers receive 401 garment bags.

“It would be silly to have a great-looking place with highquality merchandise and turn out clothes that look like they weren’t cared for,” Baroni says. “It wouldn’t make sense, so our dry cleaning needs to be high-quality.”

... the line of detergents come in glass bottles with white caps and artful white and black labels.

HIGH-END ETHOS To gain business, the company is embarking on a A nifty feature is the VIP bag, given free to heavy marketing campaign. This includes Valpaks, ad customers. This is a suit cover bag that doubles as a books, supermarket receipts, Groupon, radio ads (Baroni dirty-laundry bag. It’s a twofer and is all the more useis running ads voiced by him on local WATD radio), and ful. A showroom display highlights the two-use feature e-mails that announce deals. of the bag.

As for the chosen location, it’s on a busy main street To encourage volume, there are always specials going in a shopping sector. A large mall is up the street. “Sure, on, such as “Three sweaters for the price of two.” To there’s competition,” Baroni says. “There are several that end, Clean Factory is open seven days a week with dry cleaners along this road. But there’s also plenty of convenient hours. In addition, a 24-hour lockbox has business. This particular retail strip has a high vacancy been installed in front. rate now, so it was relatively easy to negotiate a pretty “We don’t want to give the customer any reason not to good five-year lease with a five-year option. Plus, its come to us,” Baroni says. “We want to make it as conve1,500-square-feet space works for us.” nient as possible.”

After retail volume is going, Baroni will go after This is Clean Factory’s first year of operation. Getting commercial and group retail volume. He says, “Both volume up to a profitable level takes time, while he atmy manager, Tom Fitzgibbons, and I will approach law tempts to remake the industry into his personal notion of offices, banks, industrial companies, and offer to do what the drycleaning experience should be about. their dry cleaning in return for gaining easy pickup and The innovator is one who is willing to do something delivery service, becoming a VIP member and receiving different. It’s the way the industry advances.

ADC a 10% discount.

“We will also go after commercial trade, from barbers Howard Scott is a longtime industry writer and drycleanto restaurants. We’ll get business in here through the ing consultant. He welcomes questions and comments, back door.” and can be reached by writing him at Dancing Hill, PemAlong with this, Clean Factory will set up its website broke, MA 02359, by calling 781-293-9027 or via e-mail at dancinghill@gmail.com. so customers can order their clothes to be picked up, processed and delivered. With this additional service, Baroni will be able to convert some of his office customers to pickup service. The company’s motto is: “Whatever is most convenient for the customer.”

An alterations department will generate additional volume and secure business.

The seamstress comes in three days a week from 9 to noon, but that time could increase. A “Tailoring by Elizabeth” sign hangs out front. Her seamstress skills The Clean Factory storefront is cleverly highlighted by a stylish cog will also help with the tuxinstead of the letter ‘o.’ edo trade.

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Stop Upping Your Downtime Make your wallet happy: Regular preventative maintenance can reduce breakdowns, and that controls costs

(Images: ©iStockphoto/alengo and Big_Ryan)

By Tim Burke, Editor

“

W

hat, me worry?”

You’ve heard that expression. It’s especially humorous when used in movies and on television shows.

But in business, it can lead to some trouble.

Don’t get caught shrugging your shoulders and putting off regular drycleaning plant and equipment maintenance.

Hoping you can just ignore any potential problem until sometime in the future is a recipe for trouble. Keeping to your scheduled preventative maintenance plan will actually save you money, helping you to avoid expensive “machine-down” situations. And that, it turns out, pleasantly lowers costs and gives more “bottom line” to you.

A drycleaning plant’s preventative maintenance schedule should include daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly tasks that will keep your business well-oiled and operating smoothly and cost-effectively.

Orville Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing for FabriClean Supply, a Dallas-based distributor of drycleaning, laundry and janitorial products to North America customers, notes some of those key tasks to be aware of.

For daily maintenance, dry cleaners should clean laundry press heads, remove creases from shirt unit air bags,

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cycle the bucks without a garment when production stops for lunch and at the end of the day, and wipe down drycleaning press pads and head plates at the end of production.

As for weekly tasks, Johnson reminds dry cleaners to rotate collar and cuff padding front to back, and also check and clean all air filters, replacing them as needed.

Monthly maintenance jobs include a check of laundry press heads for proper temperature (325 F is optimum), a check of all vacuum hoses for leaks, cleaning lint from the vacuum motor, and removing any lint buildup from steel base pads and vacuum ports in shirt body presses.

Lastly, on a month-to-month basis, check air-bag attachment swivels and replace as needed, he says.

As far as quarterly responsibilities go, dry cleaners should rotate collar and cuff steel base pads front to back, Johnson notes, as well as clean the inside of all vacuum hoses, check for holes, and replace if needed.

The drycleaning industry is evolving with new technologies. Preventative maintenance is a planned program of regular service to your equipment so that you run efficiently and keep the threat of costly downtime at bay.

“Tight margins are the issue today in dry cleaning,” says Shawn Hopkins, sales manager for A-1 Products Inc., a distributor of drycleaning equipment based in Birmingham, Ala. “It’s hard to convince (continued) www.americandrycleaner.com

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some dry cleaners to change-out parts regularly, such as steel pads. Maintenance saves money on all the touch-ups that have to be done when old equipment isn’t getting the job done.”

Hopkins believes that utilities such as electricity and gas aren’t viewed as negotiable, but preventative maintenance is seen that way. In tight economic times, some dry cleaners don’t consider it to be a priority. However, others see things differently and take the long view, scheduling regular maintenance for their machines.

Organize your plant schedules and make preventative maintenance requirements and tasks known to all your employees.

“The most important key to preventative maintenance is having the proper training, and understanding the importance of each task,” says Jason Smith, technical service for drycleaning equipment manufacturer Union Drycleaning Products USA, headquartered in McDonough, Ga. “For example, when the customer cleans the lint filters, they are not cleaning just the lint off the filters,” says Smith. “But they are providing proper air flow for the drying and preventing the refrigeration coils from building up any lint that could cause the refrigeration system not to reclaim the solvent as it should. So, having proper training and the knowledge of each task is key.”

KEEP MACHINES RUNNING AND HUMMING Manufacturers recommend maintenance. At your drycleaning business, you have to take action and ensure performance of the tasks — or have it scheduled.

Allan Cripe, owner of Valet Cleaners, Temple, Texas, has presented preventative maintenance seminars on the responsibility and awareness necessary for business owners to maintain their plants and equipment.

He says we can divide the topic of regular maintenance into three major areas: compressed air, steam and vacuum lines (or systems).

“One thing in our industry is inevitable: downtime,” says Cripe. “This is a dirty word where I come from. If we are fortunate, we can do a few things to make this a much smaller part of our lives.”

On the topic of compressed air, he says a simple motto helps: Clean, dry compressed air is good; moist, dirty compressed air is bad.

“Put a dryer or heat exchanger on the line after the compressor before it goes to the machines. This will pay dividends in the long run.”

Make sure all your machines and presses have individual, properly functioning filters at the inlets feeding the air supply, Cripe suggests. “This is the last line of defense because condensation can occur in the air lines 22

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Better care over the lifetime of your machines means better control of your budget ... despite being treated beforehand.”

Drain your air compressor tanks daily, and change the oil in the heads according to the number of hours operated. “A good rule of thumb is twice a year, minimum,” he says.

Next is the vacuum system. This is a critical component to proper finishing and spotting on the drycleaning side, according to Cripe.

“The vacuum is needed to ‘set’ the press job on the drycleaning side. Make sure you drain your vacuum tank daily here as well.”

This tank “stores all of the condensed steam you’ve sucked out of the clothes,” Cripe notes, suggesting you keep the vacuum valves properly lubricated to ensure long life. There are machines that have self-contained vacuums requiring little maintenance, but make sure to clean any filter screens according to manufacturer’s recommendations, he counsels.

Also, inspect the hoses for small holes or cracks that occur over time. You can repair them with silicone tape temporarily until the hose can be replaced, he advises.

“Finally, the big kahuna,” Cripe says, “the steam system.”

He says the “boiler is the most important piece of equipment we own, and unfortunately, the most neglected.” There are two key duties that need to be taken care of “as religiously as brushing your teeth.”

“First, blow the thing down (both water level safety and the main) every day,” he implores.

“This seems easy to do, but people fail to do this and suffer the consequences. The ideal steam pressure to blow down the boiler is between 15-50 psi,” he notes.

“Any more just blows out steam and does not pick up the particulate matter.”

The second key duty Cripe insists be taken care of is treating the feed water. This means using a good-quality boiler compound and, depending on your city water, a water softener.

“If possible, don’t add the boiler compound directly into the return tank unless you flush it right into the boiler by opening the blowdown drain and activating the pump,” he says.

If the compound sits in your return tank, it’s highly (continued) corrosive, he notes, both to the tank as www.americandrycleaner.com

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to see that your separator is working well as the impellers on your feed properly. pump. Ideally, you want it to go “Toss a 3-inch stabilized chlorine downline from the pump. “These two Think of smart tablet in your stainless button trap,” steps alone,” Cripe says, “will add maintenance as a way he says. “It will help keep any tranyears to your boiler’s life.” to control the speed of sient bacteria at bay. Do not toss one Keep in mind there aren’t any reguin the base tank, because these are lations or policies on preventative your business costs. corrosive.” maintenance. A drycleaning owner Beyond these tips, a dry cleaner has needs to be fully aware of a plant’s to be willing to acknowledge when equipment needs. Make good habits it’s time to replace older equipment. Cripe reminds dryconcerning your maintenance procedures part of regular cleaning business owners that preventative maintenance life at your business. happens “on your schedule, but breakdowns due to A few other things to remember: There are federal neglect usually happen at the worst time.” regulations on spent filter cartridges and chemical waste disposal for dry cleaners.

CONTROL COST ‘LIKE A BOSS’ Follow regulations issued by the U.S. Environmental So, back to the phrase, “What, me worry?”

Protection Agency (EPA) under the Resource ConservaThe consequences of doing nothing are breakdowns tion and Recovery Act (RCRA) laws. RCRA requires the and loss of time and money. But replace the word “worfollowing of certain practices and procedures associated ry” with “upkeep,” which can be recognized as treating with the safe management of hazardous waste. maintenance seriously.

Also, insurance coverage requires inspection of boilToday’s business owners and store managers look for ers. Make sure you are keeping up with the R and R’s ways to save money and get the best bang for their buck (regs and requirements) necessary to run your business. in areas such as supply, service and cost. But why not To do this, keep good files, dated and organized, where preventative maintenance, too? you can access them if you need to check maintenance We have pointed out not only the scheduling side of track records on any of your equipment. maintaining your equipment but also a few tips on the practical side. Can you stop what you are doing and take WALLET-HAPPY TIPS a look at your preventative maintenance procedures and Do you have a preventative maintenance program in then — this is key — make a change, if needed, to how place, one that you follow? you care for your equipment?

Servicing your equipment regularly is more costThink of it like you would improving your dental effective than paying employees to wait while you try hygiene and doing a better job of flossing and caring to repair a failed piece of equipment. You also risk for your gums and teeth all the time, not just when you disappointing your customers when they don’t get their remember to. garments back on time.

“Make sure your equipment is clean,” says Chris Here are some preventative maintenance nuggets from Abercrombie, director of technical services, also with Cripe to keep in mind.

FabriClean Supply. “If you have to dig through 3 inches “Only one-quarter inch of scale on your boiler tubes of lint and dirt to service a machine, you have already equals up to a 25% increase in your gas bill,” he notes. lost half the battle.”

If your boiler loses steam, he says, “you look and the Abercrombie recommends cleaning machines weekly, sight glass is empty, but the pump is running, then you paying attention to problems like steam and air leaks that have pump cavitation. The temperature of the feed pump are easier to detect, and keeping frequently used supplies is too hot.” and parts (such as lubricants, hoses and belts) in stock.

A temporary fix is to drip some water on the pump He suggests preparing a maintenance schedule and folfrom a hose, which will cool it off enough to break the lowing machine manufacturer recommendations that can vapor lock and function properly, he says. The issue is be found in most machine manuals. either a bad steam trap(s), failing valve(s) in the feed “Assign tasks such as: blow down the boiler and add line, or the pump impeller is worn out due to compound treatment compound daily. Also, blow down the air corrosion, according to Cripe. compressor and check the oil level, and blow down the Avoid excess moisture in your transfer drycleaning vacuum,” Abercrombie says. machine by putting a couple drops of food coloring in “For weekly tasks, clean the still, spin your solvent bucket, he says. You will always be able (continued) 24

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the filter and clean lint from the air channel in the drying chamber on drycleaning machines and dryers.

“Monthly,” he continues, “check drive belts on machines and adjust or replace. Grease machines, and check steam traps.

“On a semi-annual basis, drain and clean tanks on your drycleaning machine and have an HVAC mechanic check the refrigeration on your drycleaning machine.

Annually, clean out the boiler and have it inspected.”

Some tasks should be performed per load on a drycleaning machine, he points out. “Before each load, check solvent levels in working tanks. It should be

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at least three-quarters full.”

“During each load, monitor how much solvent is used, solvent flow, and check filter pressure,” Abercrombie says. “After each load, clean the lint filter and clean the button trap. Keep records on both preventative and repair maintenance, and a repair log for each machine.”

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HAPPY YET? Maybe you are already following a plan that’s in place and are regularly servicing your machines. If so, it doesn’t hurt to take another look anyway to make sure you’re getting all you can out of your equipment’s performance. It’s money-wise to do so.

Think of smart maintenance as a way to control the speed of your business costs (money flowing outward). Slow it down.

Some industry voices have provided tips here for you to consider.

Better care over the lifetime of your machines means better control of your budget and how much you are spending, not wasting, on “headache prevention.”

If you are new to the idea of preventative maintenance, use these ideas and strategies to begin a systematic checklist for charting your drycleaning equipment’s health.

Stop worrying. Use a preventative maintenance program to help limit breakdowns. There’s cost savings in taking regular care of your craft, and there’s greater customer satisfaction when your machines run smooth and efficient.

It’s all up to you. “Prevent” means taking action now to avoid costly reaction later. Start lowering your downtime and upping your bottom line!

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3/24/16 7:15 AM

M A N A G E M E N T STR AT E G I E S

Do Your Employees Like Their Workplace?

A

Feb. 10 USA Today headline read Job Hires, Quits Swell to Nine-Year Highs.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report the day the article was published, job openings in the U.S. jumped to 5.6 million from 5.3 million a year earlier.

The number of hires rose to 5.4 million from 5.3 million — the highest since 2006. Furthermore, there were only 1.4 unemployed workers for each job opening, down from a Diana Vollmer high of 6.7 in 2009. A 2-to-1 ratio is considered a healthy labor market.

The number of employees quitting jobs is also at a high since 2006, indicating confidence in the ability

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to land a new job.

According to a Jan. 12 Gallup Business Journal story

by Brandon Riggoni and Baily Nelson, “55% of managers and workers are considering a new company.”

This more active job movement and the increasingly dynamic labor market is also starting to push up wages.

Despite the indication of a more robust economy, in our labor-dependent fabricare industry, this is less than stellar news. It can be a sharp, double-edged sword. It indicates better sales but also an increase on your highest expense.

Ask yourself a couple questions. How are you going to retain your best employees as other companies are recruiting them? Recruit desirable new employees in the ever more competitive job market? (continued) These challenges have been increasing

3/4/16 10:24 AM

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M A N A G E M E N T ST RAT E G IES

since the economy has shown the slightest glimmer of improvement, and the new signs of vitality are forcing an ever-growing predicament for operators.

Turnover carries a heavy cost for your business. There are many sources of research that estimate these costs and the general consensus is that the total cost of turnover is: • 30-50% of annual salary for entry-level employees • 125-150% of annual salary of mid-level workers • Up to 400% of salary for high-level employees These estimates are usually a shock to business owners and are often met with disbelief until they are broken down to show all of the contributing factors, many of which are elusive.

Some of the easily identified costs are loss of productivity while the job is unfilled and during the training of the replacement, not to mention the time and salary spent on the trainer. Recruiting is expensive and time-consuming.

Costs of separation can include benefits such as vacation that must be paid immediately instead of on the planned schedule, but often there are high costs of separation with a disgruntled employee, including unplanned lawsuits.

Lost opportunities are often the highest cost of turn-

over when business momentum is interrupted, and those costs are difficult to estimate. Questions to consider: How much does the loss of a high-value client cost due to a failure in service or a lapse in relationship? How much does it cost to lose momentum in the sales cycle?

Of these overall costs, the average allocation is represented in the chart pictured below. Note that it doesn’t include lost momentum with current and potential customers.

A couple more questions to consider: Have you tracked your turnover? What is the percentage of your total current employees that are still employed by your company one year later?

An easy way to start tracking turnover is to count the W-2 recipients from 2014 that were repeated for 2015.

RETAINING, ENGAGING Retention is an obviously effective way to reduce turnover. It is always a concern, but as others recruit your associates, they, of course, want your stars, not your mediocre or marginal employees.

Just as when you recruit, you want to hire people who will excel in your business. So even though 60-plus% are actively looking for jobs elsewhere, if you are not actively addressing retention, the people who you will have left are not the stars you want to keep.

A key to retaining your team is the level of employee engagement. According to Riggoni and Nelson of Gallup, “54% of disengaged employees are willing to leave their company for a raise of 20% or less, however only 37% of engaged employees” would leave for the same raise.

Engaged employees take fewer sick days, too. “On a monthly basis, actively disengaged employees have 2.17 unhealthy days, compared with 1.25 unhealthy days for engaged employees.”

This is from Gallup’s Well-Being section (Dec. 18, 2015).

Image based on data and graphic from: http://retensa.com/ Managers play a pivotal solutions/services/diagnose-turnover/turnover-audit/ role in employee (continued)

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M A N AG E M E N T S T RAT E G IES

engagement and “are responsible for as much as 70% of the variant in employee engagement,” the same Gallup research shows.

The non-profit Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers a fee-based management tool called People InSight that you can use to measure how engaged your team is.

COMPENSATION, WORK ENVIRONMENT Compensation is an important factor, although it seldom rises to the top of the list with employees. Several independent organizations regularly poll cross-sections of employees from a variety of industries regarding motivation and satisfaction factors.

The most recent such poll from SHRM shows “Compensation/pay overall” ranks second after “Respectful treatment of all employees at all levels.” “Benefits, overall” ranks fourth after “Trust between employees at all levels.”

Question to consider: Do you offer profit-sharing to put your employee motivation on the same side of the P&L as the company?

In the SHRM survey, 62% of millennials and 53% of all generations ranked work environment as important to their job satisfaction. A poor work environment slows productivity and often prompts moves to a new job, increasing turnover, which costs your business money. It can damage your reputation among current and former employees, which often reaches customers as well.

TOP FIVE ENGAGEMENT FACTORS The top two (and three of the top five) engagement factors that were most important to employees on the SHRM survey have to do with individual goals. Autonomy to take action also ranked in the top five. The results by percentile are: 1. I am confident I can meet my work goals (92%).

2. I am determined to accomplish my work goals (88%).

3. I have a clear understanding of my organization’s vision/mission (76%).

4. I am highly motivated by my work goals (74%).

5. In my organization, employees are encouraged to take action when they see a problem or opportunity (68%).

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“

Walk through your entire operation with objectivity and determine if it is an appealing place to work.

”

Questions to consider: Do you give each of your team members individual and/or group goals? Do you give them the authority to act when there is a problem or opportunity?

MORE EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT In a tight job market, it is tempting to hire the first candidate that might be able to do the job. Resist that temptation.

Better hiring starts with a clear description of all that the job entails and a list of the skills and attributes needed in that position to excel and reach the goals of the job and the company. Weigh the attributes heavily since hiring for attitude and aptitude has been a successful approach. Be objective and try to clone your best performers.

The norm is to hire (and also retain) someone similar to the interviewer and someone that the interviewer likes and relates to regardless of the requirements for the position. This method is a high contributor to turnover and failure. Hire and retain for competence and success.

Approach to consider: Group interviews are being used effectively to identify the best person for the job. If you haven’t used this technique, you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

All of the topics relating to recruitment, retention, engagement and turnover are important and extensive enough to explore in great depth. Walk through your entire operation with objectivity and determine if it is an appealing place to work.

ADC Methods of Management (MfM) has served the drycleaning and laundry industry with affordable management expertise and improved profitability since 1953. For assistance with your human resources management, contact Diana Vollmer at dvollmer@mfmi.com or call her at 415-577-6544. www.americandrycleaner.com

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S P OT T I N G T I P S

Give Smooth Leather Extra Attention M

y column in the January issue on wetcleaning suede drew a large number of comments. This month, I will revisit the cleaning of skins, by giving an overview of smooth leather and its cleaning. It can be found as trim on a fabric garment as well as comprising the entire garment.

One can usually identify the part of the animal’s body the hide came from by the grain/ texture of the leather. The coarser the grain, the higher on the body the hide originated.

Deep valleys in the hide probably indicate a back skin, while fine grains in the leather are an indication of the skin coming from the belly region. Belly skins are thin, Martin Young while a back skin is dense. Most motorcycle jackets are of a coarse grain, indicating that they were taken from high on the back of the animal. They are intended more for protection rather than decoration, and the thick hide makes them much more durable.

On the other hand, a lady’s jacket constructed of wellmatched belly skins will be soft and supple in appearance and touch. This leather is thin and will require a level of protection to prevent tearing of seams during the mechanical action of cleaning.

Two major indicators of relative quality in leather garments can be observed by the CSR upon presentation for cleaning.

The first is how well the grain in the leather has been matched together in appearance. A garment that has a small, fine-grain belly skin sewn to a coarse back skin is evidence of little or no attention to detail during construction.

This is apparently the product of “using up” the available hides by piecing together hides without any regard to texture or appearance. Many times, under these conditions, the thin belly skin will tear at the seam due to the To find past Spotting Tips columns or share this month’s with your colleagues, visit AmericanDrycleaner.com.

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“

... use a mineral oil mixture or neatsfoot oil mixture to add luster to the garment surface.

”

relative difference in tensile strength of the two pelts during cleaning.

The second indicator is the use of a filler to camouflage imperfections in the skin from things like barbed wire and thorns. These imperfections are trimmed away in the construction of all but the low-end garments. This filler is similar to the Bondo® used in a auto body shop and is easily loosened during wear and cleaning, leaving the cleaner open to a potential claim.

If the leather has begun to stiffen, even to the point of crackling when handled, it is a good indication that it has been a victim of neglect or abuse. Stiff leather that crackles when bent is a sure sign that the garment is likely to be unserviceable.

Leathers come in almost every configuration: jackets, skirts, pants, vests, even shorts. Just like suede, the moment the animal’s heart stops, the hide tends to dry.

Modern tanning methods go a long way to slowing down the process of drying. Our job is to continue to retard the drying and keep the leather smooth, soft and supple. Restoring smooth leather requires a virtually identical cleaning process as suede.

You must use a detergent formulated for cleaning animal skins, spotting agents that are compatible with retaining the oils and dyes used on smooth leather, and, most importantly, a conditioner to ensure the garment remains soft and flexible. Ask your distributor about the lines of leather cleaning supplies that are available to you.

Do not use strong chemical tools to pre-spot leathers.

It is almost always necessary to clean a leather garment again when post-spotting is required. When I pre-spot leather, I use a 50/50 concentration of my leather detergent and water or a 50/50 concentration (continued) www.americandrycleaner.com

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A machine that uses no solvent at all, just water and detergent.

The design of the machine is nothing like the industry has seen. Garments feel as if they have been dry cleaned. *simple installation *no extraction *15-20 amps *20 psi of steam *80 psi of compressed air *soft water supply

Realstar, USA 1900 Meredith Park Drive McDonough, GA 30253 1-888-822-7827 fax 404-363-8699 www.realstarusa.com ADC_Full Page.indd 1

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S PO T T I N G T I PS

of my leather degreaser and water.

These have a great shelf life, so they can be made up in advance and kept at the ready. When prespotting, you should be sensitive to your mechanical action and/or chemical tools disturbing the dye or the smooth surface.

Any rinsing of pre-spotter should be done with a bottle of tap water followed by your air gun.

Increase the gun’s distance from the garment by another 2 inches to allow an additional margin of safety for the garment surface. If additional mechanical action is required, use a “worn-out” toothbrush to get into the grain.

The advances in wetcleaning chemistry make the actual cleaning process the least stressful part of restoring smooth leather.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use, based upon the volume of the washer and the number of items

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being cleaned. Classify the load just as you would any other cleaning run: white, light, medium and dark.

I recommend that you clean any specialty item, such as painted or ornamental trim, in a load by itself. I prefer to have at my disposal as many chemical tools as possible, to allow myself a greater level of flexibility in the cleaning process.

A leather detergent cycle followed by a leather conditioner cycle will be adequate for most items. After the cleaning and conditioning cycles are finished, tumble the leather until it is at 10-15% RH, not quite dry, using a temperature of 120-130 F. A jacket, coat or vest can be placed on the suzie using manual air to provide light tension and drying. You should use sleeve forms to shape the sleeves as they finish drying.

Pants can be placed on the pants topper on manual air and using the plastic “clam-shell” cuff forms to shape the

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leg and block airflow, thus providing tension to the pant legs.

While some operators may choose to invest no further effort, it is at this point where you can set yourself apart and “sell” the job.

One way is to use a mineral oil mixture or neatsfoot oil mixture to add luster to the garment surface. Simply spray the garment, wait a few minutes, then wipe away the excess.

Another option is to set the garment aside until you have the time to hand-rub the entire garment with mink oil. On several occasions, I have returned a leather garment on which I used mink oil, only to have the customer respond that I have given them the wrong garment.

Word of mouth is still the best, and cheapest, form of advertising.

Specialty items make up a small percentage of the market but a large percentage of the problem items when restoring leather.

A few abandoned handkerchiefs and some No. 3 safety pins will provide adequate protection for any heavy buckle. By pinning a doubled handkerchief over the buckle, turning the garment inside-out, and running the garment in a mesh bag, you will prevent damage to the

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garment, or having the garment damage your equipment.

Those painted fan/tour jackets will have special sentimental value to the customer. The paint is usually oil-based and should be wet-cleaned. Set these jackets aside until you have a few extra minutes to pre-spot, extensively.

Your goal is to reduce mechanical action as much as possible. Painted jackets will respond well to the time required to rub them down with mink oil. This will enhance both the leather and the painted surface.

Finally, a word of warning. The time will come when someone will bring you a “trail coat,” also called a duster. This is not a hide, but a cellulose fabric impregnated with wax and oil.

The proper and recommended care is to wipe this long coat with a soft cloth while using a water hose to flush away the surface dirt. If you dry-clean it, you will ADC buy it.

Martin L. Young Jr. has been an industry consultant and trainer for 20 years, and a member of various stakeholder groups on environmental issues. He grew up in his parents’ plant in Concord, N.C., Young Cleaners, which he operates to this day. Contact him by phone at 704-786-3011, e-mail mayoung@vnet.net.

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A R O U N D T H E I N D U S T RY

‘Institution’ Target Cleaners closes doors after 63 years Jim Longo couldn’t have been any more emotional when he said on the phone recently, “Our customers weren’t just people, they were friends. And they viewed us the same way. One told me, ‘You’re an institution. You even opened your store on your day off to take care of us.

We’ll never forget you.’”

After more than six decades, Target Cleaners located in Heidelberg, Pa., owned by Longo and his wife Jacqueline, closed its doors on Feb. 11. The Longos have retired.

When asked why they decided to retire, Jim Longo chuckles, “Well, we’re just gettin’ old.” He adds that they want to enjoy retirement.

Their plans?

“We’ll stay local and be near our daughter. And to all our customers, we just tell them, ‘We’ll see you around at the grocery store,’” he says with a laugh.

Customers who visited the couple during their last week in business remembered fondly the years of bringing in clothing. “They drop in, not with cleaning,” Jim Longo shares, “but just to say so long. It’s amazing. All last week and this week, a stream of friends.”

His grandparents opened the first store in the 1940s in

Jacqueline Longo, co-owner of Target Cleaners, with husband Jim Longo (in back), greeted many well-wishers during their business’ last week. Target closed Feb. 11 after 63 years, and the Longos retired. (Photo: Kristina Serafini/Tribune Review) 36

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Pittsburgh’s Overbrook neighborhood. “It was called City Cleaners,” Longo remembers. “Their kids all got involved in the store. They would go out and pick up clothes to be cleaned. There wasn’t much walk-in traffic then.” They opened a second store in Carnegie, and other stores followed. Target Cleaners opened in 1952.

For more than 63 years, members of the Longo family cleaned and mended clothes, and cleaned drapes for businesses. They also handled band uniforms and choir robes for Chartiers Valley School District.

Amidst the sounds of Jacqueline talking and laughing with friends entering the store, Jim was asked what they wanted to be remembered for.

After a pause, he says, “For fairness and service provided. We never advertised. Everything was word of mouth. A few weeks ago, we sent out a letter thanking our customers for their business over the years. That’s when friends began stopping by.”

He doesn’t have one favorite memory, he says. “We’re gonna miss everybody.”

R&B Wire Products marks 70th anniversary R&B Wire Products, a manufacturer of laundry carts, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the company reports.

The self-service laundry industry was in its infancy when R-B Company started in 1946. World War II had ended, and the ingenuity of product design and development shifted from the war effort to practical products that improve the lives of everyday Americans. R&B set about filling the need for a handy cart to transport laundry from washers to dryers.

By 1966, Rea Rawlins was at the helm of R&B, while son Rick, a high schooler, worked weekends and summers welding and assembling laundry carts. These wire carts became the foundation for the company. Rea Rawlins ultimately became chairman of the Coin Laundry Association board in 1983, helping create greater industry value.

As R&B matured and Rick Rawlins graduated from college, the father and son became a dynamic team, the company says. Rick became R&B’s president and CEO in the late 1980s when Rea decided to retire. Later, Rick followed in his father’s shoes yet again by becoming CLA board www.americandrycleaner.com

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chairman in 2001.

Today, R&B Wire Products serves the coin laundry, commercial laundry, healthcare, hospitality, janitorial supply and material-handling market sectors with a global company presence, says Rick Rawlins.

“Celebrating 70 years of ‘Manufacturing Excellence’ is overwhelming and hard to conceive,” he shares, “but it certainly is something I am very proud of. I look back with a real sense of pride and thanks to our R&B distributors who have been instrumental in the development of R&B over this time.”

He further attributed R&B’s longevity to its commitment to a “Satisfaction Guaranteed” philosophy.

NARD appoints Landefeld Jill Landefeld recently joined North American Restoration Dry Cleaners (NARD) as its new national account executive, the company reports.

Landefeld will further develop the growth of regional and national accounts for the fabricare specialists network whose members provide textile restoration services to many of the top insurance carriers in North America, NARD says.

“I am excited to start a new challenge within NARD,”

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Landefeld says, “and look forward to working with the team to further develop their already extensive product and service suite. I am fortunate to be joining such a respected company that prides itself on top quality service.”

Landefeld comes with experience within the industry, having spent the last four years at the Independent Mitigation and Cleaning/Conservation Network (IMACC) where she was instrumental in acquiring numerous large corporate accounts, according to NARD. Landefeld Manuel Vendelis, president of the NARD board of directors, says, “Jill’s wealth of experience and industry knowledge has already made her a key addition to the NARD organization.”

He adds that “the increasing demand from our customers led us to look for an addition to our team who will fit in with our ethos of innovation and exceptional service, and it is very fortunate that we were able to find someone of Jill’s caliber to fulfill this role.”

Vendelis says he is confident “that Jill will play a key role in providing and implementing high-quality soluADC tions for our clients.”

3/3/16 1:57 PM

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Magicool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Maineline Computer Systems . . . . .IFC Methods for Management . . . . . . . . . 38 MTH Boilers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Mustang Enterprises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Newhouse Specialty Co. . . . . . . . . . . 39

Parker Boiler Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Poseidon Textile Care Systems . . . . . 29 PROS Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 QuickSort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Realstar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Royal Basket Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Scan Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 SPOT Business Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Union Drycleaning Products . . . . . . . 15 Unisec USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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W R I N KL E I N T I M E

A Withholding of Withholdings 10 YEARS AGO. The MidAtlantic Association of Cleaners (MAC) recently submitted a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of IFI and MidAtlantic members regarding the agency’s proposed changes to regulations covering perc emissions. EPA proposed the changes in December, asking for amendments to its 1993 air-toxics standard to further reduce emissions from up to 28,000 drycleaning plants nationwide. The most drastic cuts would affect industrial operations and co-located facilities. In the letter, MAC expresses shock that EPA relied upon what it calls “illfounded” numbers from officials in California to assess risk. … The country’s warmest January in more than a century and a seasonably cold February created economic ups and downs in everything from retail sales to manufacturing. Lower utility usage in January improved industrial outputs, and the warm weather drove shoppers to the malls. But shoppers stayed home in February, bringing declines in sales of autos, clothing and furniture.

25 YEARS AGO. EPA is in the throes of deciding whether to upgrade its cancer classification for a toxic solvent that is used by almost the entire drycleaning industry, responding to both congressional and internal agency pressure to resolve the issue that has remained unsettled for almost five years. If EPA decides to upgrade its classification calling the solvent a B2 or “probable” carcinogen, it could shut down the drycleaning industry, say industry sources. … Good news! The late March SAB meeting to review the status of perc resulted in no new findings to warrant a change in the solvent’s classification. The way it looks now, the EPA’s independent Science Advisory Board would probably favor a continuation of the C (“probable” human carcinogen) classification for perc rather than recommend a change to the B2 (“probable”) designation.

50 YEARS AGO. A Waterloo, Iowa, cleaner, D.J. Spensley, is billing the government $3,000 for the hours he’s spent toiling over employee income tax withholding and Social Security forms. He figures he’s put in 800 hours of work, at a conservative estimate, over the last 40

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five years in computing and filing various government forms for 21 employees. He bases his bill on the rate of $3.75 an hour paid to regular Internal Revenue Service collectors. Just how do you bill the government? In Spensley’s case, that means the district IRS office in Des Moines. But he doesn’t want to make it “too tough” on them, so he offered recently to start deducting his “salary” from his regular deposits of employee income taxes and Social Security fees. You might say it’s a withholding of withholdings. … In Napa, Calif., a man was April 1966 recently charged with burglarizing a drycleaning plant. The court appointed a lawyer to defend him. But the lawyer, Walter James Fogarty Jr., didn’t think he was qualified to serve. Some of his clothing was among the garments that the defendant was charged with stealing. The court agreed that Fogarty wouldn’t be able to put much heart into the defense in this case, and excused him.

75 YEARS AGO. As a result of its highway location, Brewster Cleaners in El Campo, Texas, has been visited by many newcomers to the town, seeking information on houses and apartments. This led the business to advertise a free rental service beginning March 1, and to urge owners to phone in and list their rental properties. Bill Brewster reports that the service is still in the experimental stage but that he is well pleased with the response from both homeowners and seekers. He believes it helps others a great deal, since the town had lacked a rental clearing house, and it will help him indirectly. … Reports from garment stores throughout the country indicate that customers are buying two and three times as much this spring as they did last year. And they are paying more for what they buy. This means they are going to be more interested in getting a first-class drycleaning job, rather ADC than using an economy service.

— Compiled by Tim Burke, Editor www.americandrycleaner.com

3/22/16 8:32 AM

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