Equipment shows coming to Miami, Atlanta
Equipment exhibitions in Florida and Georgia this month will give drycleaners a
chance to see what manufacturers and suppliers are offering in 2008
Steiner-Atlantic will have its “all live” hands-on Miami Expo ’08, an international drycleaning and laundry show, on Saturday and Sunday, Feb.
9 and 10, at the Steiner-Atlantic facility, 290 North East 68th St. in Miami,
FL.
There will be over 60,000 square feet of operating exhibits, including
tensioning equipment, shirt units, automated assembly conveyors, coin-op
equipment, computer systems, Green-Jet cleaning machines and GreenEarth and
hydrocarbon drycleaning machinery.
Exhibit hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on
Sunday. The event is free to the public.
The weekend will also feature seminars on wetcleaning, stain removal, equipment
maintenance and environmental compliance.
Alan Spielvogel, chief garment analyst and technical director for the National
Cleaners Association will discuss stain removal while his NCA associate, Ann
Hargrove will demonstrate how to make the wetcleaning process easier.
“Correct Plant Equipment Maintenance Procedures” will be offered in a classroom seminar by Jim Goulet, service manager for the
Steiner-Atlantic Corporation.
Leslie Smith and Ron King of the Florida Department of Environmental Quality
will discuss proper environmental compliance and how cleaners can handle
inspections.
Accommodations are available at the nearby Best Western on the Bay Inn and
Marina. The cost is $159 per night for single or double occupancy for those who
call (305) 865-7100 and mention the Steiner-Atlantic Expo 2008.
The Federation of Korean Dry Cleaners Association and Korean Cleaners
Association of Atlanta are sponsoring Cleaners & Launderers Expo at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA, Feb. 22-24, 2008.
Registration is free for three days of admission to the exhibit hall and
admission to all of the educational seminars.
FKDA will hold a Group Purchase Meeting during the show. The meeting, for both
exhibitors and attendees, is designed so all participants can profit. A seller
can negotiate a price with customers at a price advantageous to both parties.
Registration for the show is available on the web site clexpousa.com. Information is also available by calling (718) 729-8825.
Loeb hosts route seminar in Miami Beach
When it comes to luck, drycleaners have to make their own by using smart
marketing strategies, according to Jason Loeb, owner of the successful
Sudsies.com drycleaning chain in Miami, FL.
Loeb, who has appeared at several Golomb Group meetings on route development,
propelled a struggling laundromat and cleaning business into a multi-million
dollar chain (and the most recognizable brand in his market) in just a few
years.
He also has ten pickup and delivery trucks on the road now.
Everything he accomplished was done with a limited budget. The key was to have a
great marketing plan.
On Friday, Feb. 8, Loeb will host a National Cleaners Association-sponsored
program on “Sure Strategies for Building Routes.”
The session will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton
in Miami Beach, FL.
Those who attend the seminar will learn how to define, develop and promote their
own brand; get customers to promote their brand for them every day; use direct
mail for maximum effectiveness; and increase their business 25 percent by
offering pickup and delivery service.
Loeb will also discuss how cleaners can make the Internet work for them in a big
way, how to attract new customers with coupons, and how to increase both
customer retention and spending.
Best of all, Loeb’s strategies are designed so that they won’t continue to rely on plant owners to perpetuate them once they are fully
implemented and working properly.
The cost to attend the program is $495 per person, which includes the cost of
lunch.
The session will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 5 p.m.
As an added bonus, Loeb will critique the marketing materials of the first five
cleaners to register and submit samples.
The Sheraton Four Points Hotel is located in the heart of Miami Beach at 4343
Collins Avenue.
It is only minutes away from the South Beach Art Deco district and 13 miles from
the Miami International Airport.
Because space is limited for the one-day program, NCA recommends cleaners sign
up as early as possible.
To register, contact NCA at (800) 888-1NCA (1622) for more information.
For more information on Jason Loeb, visit his web site at www.sudsies.com.
SEFA offers scholarship, seminars
The South Eastern Fabricare Association has announced two educational scholarships that will be offered annually to
member plants.
The scholarships are named after Robert D. “Bobby” Landers, who served for many years on SEFA’s board of directors, as past president, and as president of the Greater Atlanta
Fabricare Association, the Cleaners and Launderers Credit Union and the Georgia
Drycleaning Council.
Landers was also instrumental in developing the “Spot Safe” seminars and “I Comply” workshops where he traveled and helped members comply with OSHA regulations.
The association will offer two $1,000 scholarships. In order to qualify, all
applicants must: be a member of a SEFA plant in good standing; submit an
application in writing; be recommended by their employer; be at least 18 years
of age; must select and attend a DLI training course within one year of the
award; must have a high school diploma or equivalent; and, finally, must turn
in the application to the SEFA office at least 30 days prior to the start of
their chosen class.
Those who win a scholarship must still provide additional expenses necessary,
including travel, food, lodging and miscellaneous expenses.
For more information on the scholarship program, contact the SEFA office at
(877) 707-7332.
Upcoming seminars
SEFA will be hosting numerous upcoming educational opportunities, including
several outings of its “Counter Sales and Quality Assurance” seminar.
The two-hour program will meet at 7 p.m. on the following dates: Feb. 26 in
Montgomery, AL; Feb. 27 in Birmingham, AL; and Feb. 28 in Atlanta, GA.
SEFA will host another two-hour seminar on “Customer Service and Problem Garments” on March 4 in Dothan, AL, and March 5 in Valdosta, GA.
Finally, the association will offer an eight-hour program on “Management 101” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 8 in Lakeland, FL.
