National Clothesline

Leading Cleaners Internationale affiliates descended on Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in January for their 2008 biennial meeting.

The three-day program brought LCI affiliates from Australia, Canada, Mexico and across America to study management techniques, public relations and advertising, with special presentations by Jarrell Epp, Jack Creed and Chuck Horst.

Barry Gershenson, LCI executive coordinator, welcomed the affiliates and facilitated the exchange of educational and technical information. Sharing insights on how to increase and promote the knowledge and skills of affiliates to designers, couturiers, retailers, and customers was part of their program.

The group also focused on developmental sessions of “Greening Your Company” by setting unified standards of environmental consciousness. The other major topic was “Our Most Precious Asset — Our Employee.” In-depth discussions and PowerPoint presentations covered company statement and values; recruiting employees; hiring and testing practices; samples of applications and job descriptions; training programs with samples; benefits; staff meetings; and professional coaching of ownership and key managers

An additional highlight to this meeting were 30-minute presentations by guest companies.

Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners of Baltimore, MD, presented a company history and overview by Stu Crane along with co-owners John and Mike Garman.

The other guest, Elizabeth Petersen, of Specialty Cleaners in Guadalajara, Mexico, spoke about her company’s history, sharing pictures and background of her accomplishments of franchising and licensing her gown cleaning business throughout Mexico.

On the afternoon of the second day of meetings, most of the affiliates also joined in a team-building experience of zip lining through the mountainous canopy jungle of Puerto Vallarta. They learned first hand of the topography of this remote region while engaged in the bonding and camaraderie needed to survive this challenging endeavor.

During the awards dinner, Gershenson praised the accomplishments of LCI’s most recently certified Five Star Certified Couture Cleaners: John-Claude Hallak of Hallak Cleaners in New York, and Nick Bancroft of Bancrofts Fine Cleaning in Melbourne, Australia.

Also acknowledged for his accomplishments since Hurricane Katrina was Claude Foreman of One Cleaners in New Orleans, LA, who was presented the Four Star Certified Cleaners award.

Davis Imperial Cleaners of Chicago, IL, received LCI’s Shopper Award as the affiliate company with highest cumulative score for the last quarter of 2007. This quality control standard, The Monthly Secret Shopper Program, has been a key component in the training, feedback, and involvement of the Leading Cleaner’s customer service representatives.

Leading Dry Cleaners Internationale standard for specialized drycleaning services centers on the development of Five Star Couture Cleaners.

Drycleaners are interested in becoming an LCI affiliate can visit www.leadingcleaners.com or contact Barry Gershenson directly at (310) 261-1087.

Herman has worked for Wascomat for 36 years, most recently as vice president of sales and marketing for the company.

He is responsible for implementing the company’s overall business plan and overseeing sales, marketing, and business development.

He also plays a major role in managing relationships with Wascomat’s dealer network in North America.

“Howard has been a major factor in Wascomat’s success,” said Milch. “His dedication to the company has been enormous.”

“He started with Bernie Milch 36 years ago and his experience in every phase of the business is invaluable. We rely on his expertise and keen insight into the business everyday,” Milch noted.

Dan Goldman, Wascomat National Sales Manager, added that Herman, “is quite possibly the most competent person in the industry today.”

Wascomat also announced it has hired Don Mullen as vice president to lead the company’s OPL and national account sales and business development.

Prior to joining Wascomat, Mullen was director of sales for Electrolux Laundry Systems North America where he was responsible for the business between Electrolux and Wascomat. He dealt with product, parts and logistics issues, business and marketing analysis, budgeting, and planning. While with Electrolux, he was also responsible for the laundry division of Baring Industries.

Prior to Electrolux, he worked for various companies developing OPL business and products for the North American market.

Wascomat made its first washer in 1902 and has installed over a million in North America alone. The company delivers commercial laundry and wetcleaning equipment and financing solutions and business planning support.

Mentor Partners of Boston and Adco Cleaning Products of Sedalia, MO, have purchased the chemical products division of Laidlaw Co. of Scottsdale, AZ.

The two companies have merged their chemical sales teams. Brent McWilliams, formerly vice president of Laidlaw, joined Adco as vice president of sales. Laidlaw’s sales team will service wholesale supply accounts and end users will receive all Laidlaw products through normal distribution channels.

Laidlaw-brand chemical products will be manufactured at Adco’s facilities in Sedalia and will be sold and shipped through current distributors, according to Van Van Dyne, Adco CEO. Adco has been producing Laidlaw’s chemical formulations for more than a year alongside its own formulations, which it markets directly to drycleaners.

Laidlaw, one of the nation’s largest suppliers of wire hangers and related products, will concentrate on its imports business.

“I think that the synergies in bringing Laidlaw into our company are excellent,” Van Dyne says. “Their product line will remain Laidlaw, and it will be produced in our factory under the Laidlaw label. The only change will be that orders from distributors will come directly to us.”

Adco was family-owned until Mentor Partners purchased it in 2006.

Paradigm Labs, a supplier to the drycleaning and laundry industry for almost 20 years, began offering its products directly to the end user this year. Previously products could be purchased only through distribution under a variety of trademarks.

“Changes in the market have caused us to reevaluate our position,” said Brendan Maier, vice president of Paradigm Labs. “Where we have only been interested in shipping pallet quantities in the past, we have decided to shift our focus to smaller quantities.”

Paradigm Labs has a complete line of products including soaps, spotters and softeners of all kinds, both liquid and dry.

The company’s web site is soapsandspotters.com.

Hanger Network has received certification from White Conveyors that Hanger Network’s EcoHangers are compatible with White Conveyors’ standard sorting conveyors.

“This validation by White Conveyors demonstrates our goal of working with the leaders in the drycleaning industry to make a product that is not only environmentally friendly, but one that is fully functional and good for the businesses of the respective drycleaners across the country,” said Bob Kantor, CEO of Hanger Network.

“We fully endorse the EcoHanger not only as a beautifully designed green platform, but one that is durable and strong enough to be used with our systems in drycleaners across the country,” said Mark Speckhart, executive vice president of White.

EcoHangers are distributed free to consumers through a network of participating drycleaners and are paid for by advertisers looking to reach affluent adult consumers in their homes.

New York-based Hanger Network is a partnership between Texas Pacific Group’s Altivity Packaging, Paradigm Packaging, a subsidiary of The Standard Group, and Cleaner’s Supply, Inc., which distributes the hangers to cleaners. Hanger Network’s EcoHangers are made from 100 percent recycled paper board, and are biodegradable and recyclable.

To contact representatives from Hanger Network and White Conveyors, e-mail Neil Steinberg at nsteinberg@5wpr.com or visit www.hangernetwork.com.