National Clothesline

Nearly every drycleaning plant in the U.S. — or the world, for that matter — has a piece of Italy in it. Italian manufacturers of drycleaning machines and pressing equipment export $320 million worth of machinery annually. About two-thirds of all drycleaning machines worldwide come from Italy. Then there are the washing machines, chemicals and packaging equipment. And, of course, all of that equipment is often put to use cleaning high-end garments that come from Italy’s top fashion leaders.

So it was fitting to have leaders of the industry from around the world gather in Italy last month, first for the International Drycleaners Congress convention in Bologna Nov. 2-5, then for the Expo Detergo International trade show in Milan Nov. 10-13.

At the IDC convention, delegates compared notes on the state of the industry in their respective countries and shared some of the trials and successes they have had running their businesses. They also took a day to tour the Firbimatic factory in Bologna where they witnessed the manufacture of today’s technologically complex drycleaning machines.

Overall, the state of the industry worldwide appears sound but not without trouble spots. In Japan, for example, business has been on an upswing after six years of stagnation. But soaring oil prices have put a damper on things and there is rising concerns for soil contamination. Also, the possibility that warmer winters resulting from global warming will reduce the amount of winter wear in Japanese wardrobes has cleaners worried.

In Europe, as the number of countries in EU grows so to have the number of drycleaners covered be EU regulations. Perc remains the dominant solvent at about 80 percent overall and, with regulations covering perc not expected to change, perc’s position has stabilized while hydrocarbons could face further regulation in the future. This has led to reports that perc is gaining a preferred position over hydrocarbon in new machine sales.

In China the industry is growing along with the rest of that nation’s economy.

In particular, the growth of a middle-class consumer market lends itself to drycleaning expansion and, at approximately one drycleaning shop per 22,000 population, there is plenty of room for more growth. Perc is the dominant solvent in China, too, with about 90 percent of the market compared to 10 percent for hydrocarbon. Much of the equipment would seem out of date by Western standards; almost all of the perc machines are second generation and the hydrocarbon machines are almost exclusively of the transfer type.

Host country Italy contrasts sharply with China. That country’s 18,000 drycleaners serve a population of 58 million — one cleaner for every 3,200 persons. That figure has changed dramatically over the past 10 to 15 years. Italy at one time had upwards of 29,000 cleaners, or one for every 2,000 persons. Most shops employ only one or two workers.

Before concluding their convention and heading to Milan for Expo Detergo, IDC members installed their new president, Carol Memberg, the publisher of National Clothesline, and began making plans for their 2007 convention. Dates have not been firmed up but the convention is to take place in San Francisco in October. Following a 2008 convention in eastern Canada, IDC will be in Japan for its 50th anniversary convention in 2009.

The Expo Detergo show boasted 241 exhibiting companies including 40 from outside Italy representing 17 different countries. That was an increase of 50 over the number of companies exhibiting at the 2002 show. The show drew 19,000 visitors four years ago and organizers expected this year’s attendance to top that.