National Clothesline

With more than 300 attendees from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada meeting in Colorado Springs, CO, the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network’s 2006 international convention was the organization’s largest to date.

This year’s theme, “Reaching New Heights,” concentrated on CRDN’s successes as a professional service as well as the goals the organization aims to achieve.

The fourth annual gathering featured educational seminars, roundtable discussions, and the opportunity to network amongst industry experts with service-oriented topics ranging from how to better serve contractor and adjuster clients to new developments in textile cleaning.

“This convention is designed to provide information, to review objectives and perspectives, and to provide time for structured discussions and informational conversations,” said Wayne Wudyka, CRDN’s CEO. “Through our time together, we share, inspire, challenge and equip our members as a part of the world’s most dynamic organization of textile restoration specialists.”

The convention’s breakout sessions addressed best practices for salespeople, customer relationship management, building a local market, and topical discussion of the company’s Internet-based information system, RestorNet.

Among the speakers and guests was hotel executive Wolf Hengst, president of worldwide hotel operations for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Hengst addressed the group on how Four Seasons uses every opportunity to better improve relations with clients and customers. His knowledge as a corporate leader and his insights on the importance of service and strong brand principles provided a valuable perspective for attendees.

The convention also included time for relaxation at golf outings and sports-themed events. The three-day gathering concluded with an awards banquet where CRDN members were recognized for their achievements in the past year.

CRDN is an international organization of drycleaners who specialize in insurance restoration laundry and drycleaning services for all types of loss and are adept at restoring textiles damaged by fire, smoke, water or exposure to mold and other contaminants.

Kirk’s Suede-Life, Inc., a supplier of products and equipment for the suede and leather cleaning industry, was recently purchased by Suede Products, LLC.

Since its incorporation in 1970, Suede-Life has become known worldwide for leather cleaning by providing customers with state of the art equipment and up to date cleaning processes, including the “Clean and Green System.”

In the 1980s, KSL began researching alternatives to traditional methods of suede and leather cleaning, stemming from the company’s own environmental stewardship and concerns relating to the use of perc. After four years of testing, KSL marketed its water-based “Clean and Green” process in 1993, the same year in which perc drycleaners were required to upgrade to closed-loop systems.

KSL also initiated an innovative care label program in 1994 with labels that advise purchasers of new leather garments to ensure that they are cleaned by professional KSL leather cleaner.

The program originated at J.C. Penney Co. and has expanded throughout the retail industry. In 1996, nearly 10 percent of all leather garments sold in the U.S., representing more than five million garments, carried the label.

Located in a newly constructed 20,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility in Tinley Park, IL, Suede Products will continue to serve Suede-Life customers and maintain KSL’s level of quality products and customer service. Suede Products also offers training classes for beginners or professionals looking to improve quality or efficiency.

For more information, contact Suede Products, LLC, 18600 Graphics Court, Tinley Park, IL, 60477; phone toll free (877) 710-8200 or visit the website, www.suedeproducts.com.

Doug Batey, staff consultant for Methods for Management, has retired after 15 years with the firm. As the consultant in charge of financial analysis and customer assistance, Batey was instrumental in developing all client financial comparative reports and in assisting clients with many of their business issues.

“Doug has done an excellent job and has always provided exemplary customer service,” said

Deborah Rechnitz, managing director of Methods for Management. “He will be missed by both our clients and staff. We wish him the very best in all his future endeavors and sincerely hope that he will enjoy his well-earned free time.”

An avid hiker, he is looking forward to pursuing this hobby as well as traveling, spending more time with his family and continuing his volunteer work with Habitat for America.

Methods for Management serves the drycleaning industry through independent consulting relationships as well as coordinating and facilitating 10 owners bureaus and three managers groups. Its owners’ bureaus and managers’ groups provide a non-competitive environment for sharing information, issues and concerns.

The firm also provides private consulting, including strategic planning, family and succession planning with buy/sell assistance and on site management training.

Dave Perry has joined Leonard Automatics, bringing a background in projects engineering, plant operation and management. He worked at Van Dyne Crotty for the last 25 years.

Perry will be responsible for sales and projects management primarily to the industrial, health care and OPL market segments for the midwest and southeastern United States.

Alliance Laundry Systems LLC has signed purchase agreements to acquire substantially all of Laundry System Group NV’s Commercial Laundry Division for approximately $74 million (59 million Euros). Alliance Laundry is an indirect subsidiary of ALH Holding Inc., a Teachers’ Private Capital portfolio company.

Laundry System Groups Commercial Laundry Division, headquartered in Wevelgem, Belgium, markets commercial washer-extractors, tumbler dryers, and ironers worldwide under the Ipso and Cissell brand names. The division has manufacturing facilities and sales offices in the United States and Belgium.

“The addition of the Ipso and Cissell brands and CLD’s soft-mount washer-extractor product line significantly strengthens our ability to participate in the global laundry marketplace,” said Tom L’Esperance, Alliance Laundry’s President and CEO.

Completion of the transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2006, is subject to further due diligence and customary closing conditions.

Alliance Laundry Systems LLC (www.comlaundry.com) manufactures commercial laundry products and provides services for laundromats, multi-housing laundries and on-premise laundries. Alliance offers a full line of washers and dryers for light commercial and consumer use as well as large front-loading washers, heavy duty tumbler dryers, and finishing equipment for heavy commercial use. The company’s products are sold under the brand names Speed Queen, UniMac, and Huebsch.

Laundry Systems Group (www.laundry-systems-group.com) is a supplier for the laundry industry. Customers include coin laundries, commercial laundries, on-premise laundries and textile rental companies. The product range varies from stand-alone washer-extractors, dryers, ironers, transportation and handling systems, tunnel washers, separators, feeders, folders to the complete project management for fully-equipped and professionally managed industrial laundries.

Laundry Systems Group has operations in 11 countries, serves customers in more than 80 countries and employs some 1,300 employees worldwide.