National
Clothesline
CCA to stress education, unification at
trade show
“Education/Unification: The Fabric
of our Industry” will be the theme of the California
Fabricare Association’s trade
show in Long Beach, CA, on Aug. 18-20.
The association hopes its efforts will
serve to unify over 3,500 professional cleaners on the exhibit
floor, which boasts over 85,000 sq. ft. of space.
Those who attend can expect over 100
companies present at the Long Beach Convention Center
displaying all the latest and greatest products and services
that the industry has to offer.
Admission to the exhibit hall is free to
all cleaners. The show will be open on Friday, from 1 to 5:30
p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Highlighting the educational aspect of
the show will be a Friday session from 9 to 10 a.m. on
“2006 and Beyond” presented by IFI CEO Bill Fisher
and CCA President Lynnette Watterson.
They will take an in-depth look at some
of the past year’s notable industry developments and will
speculate on what lies ahead in the future for the drycleaning
industry.
Also on Friday, CCA Lobbyist Mike Belote
and Mel Fong from the California Air Resources Board will offer
a “Legislative and Regulatory Update” at 10:15 a.m.
Belote is privy to the goings- on at the
halls of the State Capitol and will alert plant owners as to
what regulations to expect and how they w new rules will affect
them and their employees. Fong will discuss the current status
of the Air Toxics Control Measure. which is pertinent to over
90 percent of the drycleaners in the state.
Saturday’s sessions will begin at 8:
45 a.m. as Howard Kaschyk of The Marketing Shop presents
“Cloning Your Best Customers.” Of course, he
won’t be giving pointers on actual DNA replication, but,
instead, he will tell cleaners how they can identify their
“big tuna” customers and discover their common
traits in order to successfully find more great customers.
Afterward, IFI Garment Analyst Chris
Allsbrooks will be on hand for “Confessions of a Secret
Shopper!” at 10 a.m. Having access to the results of the
industry’s first secret shopper program, Allsbrooks will
reveal some of the results, including an explanation why some
real customers will never go back to their old drycleaner.
On Sunday morning, cleaners will be
interested to see an “Extreme Lobby Makeover”
presentation by CCA at 10 a.m. Earlier this year, the
association announced the winner of a free lobby makeover
contest and now the final results of that project will be on
display.
In addition to the educational programs,
CCA plans to host several social functions throughout the
weekend, including a Friday evening “Catch the
Wave” cocktail party at 5:30 p.m. where they will honor
the state’s 5-Star cleaners and their allied trades
members.
CCA will also host a President’s
Reception and Gala dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday
evening, where they will install the new CCA officers and
announce the Dry Cleaner and Allied Trades Member of the Year
awards.
Full convention registration packages are
available at a rate of $175 for members, $275 for non-members
and $75 for spouses/guests.
Discounted rooms are available at the
Hyatt Regency Long Beach, at a rate of $155 plus occupancy tax.
Reservations can be made by calling (562) 491-1234 or (800)
233-1234. Identify yourself as a Fabricare 2006 attendee.