National Clothesline

Foster-Stephens has acquired the Keystone Treasure Chest line of gold chipboard boxes to add to its line of archival keepsake garment care boxes.

“With this acquisition, I am proud that Foster-Stephens can now offer two different types of archival boxes that have both been tested and proven over the last 60 years,” said Nancy Jones, president of Foster-Stephens. “There are loyal fans out there of both items and Foster-Stephens can now simplify distribution to our suppliers.”

Paper products come in a variety of thicknesses, textures and shapes. Corrugated board, chipboard and tissue are the three most used in this industry.

The Keepsake line, made of corrugated board is made with three layers: two liner papers and a medium. The medium is fluted or curved to give the resulting product strength and durability, the company said, adint that corrugated board is also good for controlling humidity within the box, keeping out harmful UV light rays and filtering pollutants.

The Keystone Treasure Chest line is made of chipboard. Chipboard is a one-layer type of paperboard that is used in products such as bust forms. It is less sturdy than corrugated but is more flexible to design purposes and can be made out of acid-free paper as well.

Foster-Stephens was started in 1936 by Elmer “Bill” Jones who began selling posters to drycleaners that had been abandoned at a Chicago print shop where he was a salesman. He was soon selling posters nationally with a sales force that learned that drycleaners also needed gown boxes. Since introducing boxes for wedding gown packaging at an industry show in 1947, the company has continued to expand its line with eight different size boxes.

Kathy Daniels, general manager of Foster-Stephens, noted, “As the industry changed, so did we, to offer archival grade boxes that are acid free and sulfur and lignin free. We also offer an economical pH neutral box as well as our fine lines of 100-percent cotton muslin or Tyvek garment bags. We make custom printed boxes for many different customers who want their own names on the boxes as well. Our boxes and bags now store many more textile items than just wedding gowns.”

The company can be reached by phone at (800) 279-8269, ext. 201, or on the web at www.foster-stephens.com.

Diana Vollmer, managing director and principal of Methods for Management, has acquired all outstanding shares of the firm.

Simultaneously, Marta Shaffer was promoted to vice president of client services.

Methods for Management, based in Gig Harbor, WA, has served industry for more than 55 years through independent consulting relationships and management bureaus facilitation. The management Bureaus provide a safe, non-competitive environment for members to share information, issues, and concerns with trusted peers.

Client services provided by Methods for Management include:

• Benchmark Review, which compares a company’s operating performance to its peers using critical numbers to benchmark companies throughout the U.S. and Canada.

• RiskSmart Solutions’ Risk & Insurance Organizer, which identifies a company’s vulnerabilities and recommends how to minimize business risk and liability through consultant Charles T. Wilson.

• Business Health Checkup, which assesses the health of your business and diagnoses its general well being to determine the best course of action.

• MfM Direct, an unlimited off-site support with a website, conference calls, e-mails, webinars, full access to the library, training and source data, and other assistance.

• Strategic planning, which ponders the future of markets and competitors to improve efficiency and to generate competitive advantages.

• Business audits that offer an in-depth review to prioritize issues and provide solutions to existing problems. Issues addressed include short- and long-range strategic plans, profitability and cash control, sales and marketing, personnel development, and government compliance.

• Private consulting, which provides analysis and recommendations focused on any project selected by the client. Recommendations are designed with a short- and long-term perspective.

For more information, visit www.mfmi.com or call (253) 851-6327.

The German company Ziermann Holding has signed an agreement with Sail Star GmbH & Co. to buy all shares in Böwe Textile Cleaning GmbH.

The sale and transfer of shares will be effective Jan. 1, 2010, and the agreement will include Böwe subsidiaries in Spain, China and the UK. At the end of the year, the Böwe production unit in Augsburg, Germany, will close. According to Böwe, the sale of the company to Ziermann had less to do with the current economic crisis than with a longer-running structural crisis in the textile care sector.

Ziermann is a supplier of refurbished drycleaning and commercial laundry equipment and is a long-time Böwe distributor. Ziermann said that Böwe textile cleaning machinery will continue to be delivered worldwide.

Sally Lorensen Conant, Ph.D., executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, appeared on the Lifetime Channel program Get Married recently. “Five Questions,” a regular feature of the program, focuses on wedding experts who discuss important aspects of their services. Conant provided host Colin Cowie and viewers with advice on gown preservation.

Conant outlined the difference between cleaning and preservation and advised brides when wedding gowns need care. She also offered tips for traveling with wedding gowns, suggested questions brides should ask before trusting their gowns to a cleaner, and noted that many designers and manufacturers include care labels recommending members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists.

For brides who care about the impact of their carbon footprint, Conant described the association’s partnership with Carbonfund.org, and the association’s ZeroCarbon gown preservations.

In a previous segment on Get Married, David Tutera, now host of the reality TV series The Party Planner, highlighted Conant’s expertise in restoring vintage gowns to wearable condition.

Conant’s personal company, Orange Restoration Labs, is based in Connecticut and is the largest gown service in New England.

Get Married is a multi-channeled wedding resource with platforms in magazine form (Get Married), online (www.GetMarried.com), and on television. The daily TV series connects local and national wedding professionals and industry experts with brides through entertainment, news, and retail.

The Association of Wedding Gown Specialists is a not-for-profit trade association with members represented in more 500 cities worldwide who specialize in cleaning, restoring, and preserving wedding gowns, both new and vintage. For more information, call the association office at (800) 501-5005 or visit www.WeddingGownSpecialists.com.








						FosterStephens acquire Treasure Chest line Foster-Stephens has acquired the Keystone Treasure Chest line of gold chipboard boxes to add to its line of archival keepsake garment care boxes. “With this acquisition, I am proud that Foster-Stephens can now offer two different types of archival boxes that have both been tested and proven over the last 60 years,” said Nancy Jones, president of Foster-Stephens. “There are loyal fans out there of both items and Foster-Stephens can now simplify distribution to our suppliers.” Paper products come in a variety of thicknesses, textures and shapes. Corrugated board, chipboard and tissue are the three most used in this industry. The Keepsake line, made of corrugated board is made with three layers: two liner papers and a medium. The medium is fluted or curved to give the resulting product strength and durability, the company said, adint that corrugated board is also good for controlling humidity within the box, keeping out harmful UV light rays and filtering pollutants. The Keystone Treasure Chest line is made of chipboard. Chipboard is a one-layer type of paperboard that is used in products such as bust forms. It is less sturdy than corrugated but is more flexible to design purposes and can be made out of acid-free paper as well. Foster-Stephens was started in 1936 by Elmer “Bill” Jones who began selling posters to drycleaners that had been abandoned at a Chicago print shop where he was a salesman. He was soon selling posters nationally with a sales force that learned that drycleaners also needed gown boxes. Since introducing boxes for wedding gown packaging at an industry show in 1947, the company has continued to expand its line with eight different size boxes. Kathy Daniels, general manager of Foster-Stephens, noted, “As the industry changed, so did we, to offer archival grade boxes that are acid free and sulfur and lignin free. We also offer an economical pH neutral box as well as our fine lines of 100-percent cotton muslin or Tyvek garment bags. We make custom printed boxes for many different customers who want their own names on the boxes as well. Our boxes and bags now store many more textile items than just wedding gowns.” The company can be reached by phone at (800) 279-8269, ext. 201, or on the web at www.foster-stephens.com. Vollmer gains all share of MFMI Diana Vollmer, managing director and principal of Methods for Management, has acquired all outstanding shares of the firm. Simultaneously, Marta Shaffer was promoted to vice president of client services. Methods for Management, based in Gig Harbor, WA, has served industry for more than 55 years through independent consulting relationships and management bureaus facilitation. The management Bureaus provide a safe, non-competitive environment for members to share information, issues, and concerns with trusted peers. Client services provided by Methods for Management include: • Benchmark Review, which compares a company’s operating performance to its peers using critical numbers to benchmark companies throughout the U.S. and Canada. • RiskSmart Solutions’ Risk & Insurance Organizer, which identifies a company’s vulnerabilities and recommends how to minimize business risk and liability through consultant Charles T. Wilson. • Business Health Checkup, which assesses the health of your business and diagnoses its general well being to determine the best course of action. • MfM Direct, an unlimited off-site support with a website, conference calls, e-mails, webinars, full access to the library, training and source data, and other assistance. • Strategic planning, which ponders the future of markets and competitors to improve efficiency and to generate competitive advantages. • Business audits that offer an in-depth review to prioritize issues and provide solutions to existing problems. Issues addressed include short- and long-range strategic plans, profitability and cash control, sales and marketing, personnel development, and government compliance. • Private consulting, which provides analysis and recommendations focused on any project selected by the client. Recommendations are designed with a short- and long-term perspective. For more information, visit www.mfmi.com or call (253) 851-6327. German company acquires all Böwe shares The German company Ziermann Holding has signed an agreement with Sail Star GmbH & Co. to buy all shares in Böwe Textile Cleaning GmbH. The sale and transfer of shares will be effective Jan. 1, 2010, and the agreement will include Böwe subsidiaries in Spain, China and the UK. At the end of the year, the Böwe production unit in Augsburg, Germany, will close. According to Böwe, the sale of the company to Ziermann had less to do with the current economic crisis than with a longer-running structural crisis in the textile care sector. Ziermann is a supplier of refurbished drycleaning and commercial laundry equipment and is a long-time Böwe distributor. Ziermann said that Böwe textile cleaning machinery will continue to be delivered worldwide. Conant answers wedding questions Sally Lorensen Conant, Ph.D., executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, appeared on the Lifetime Channel program Get Married recently. “Five Questions,” a regular feature of the program, focuses on wedding experts who discuss important aspects of their services. Conant provided host Colin Cowie and viewers with advice on gown preservation. Conant outlined the difference between cleaning and preservation and advised brides when wedding gowns need care. She also offered tips for traveling with wedding gowns, suggested questions brides should ask before trusting their gowns to a cleaner, and noted that many designers and manufacturers include care labels recommending members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. For brides who care about the impact of their carbon footprint, Conant described the association’s partnership with Carbonfund.org, and the association’s ZeroCarbon gown preservations. In a previous segment on Get Married, David Tutera, now host of the reality TV series The Party Planner, highlighted Conant’s expertise in restoring vintage gowns to wearable condition. Conant’s personal company, Orange Restoration Labs, is based in Connecticut and is the largest gown service in New England. Get Married is a multi-channeled wedding resource with platforms in magazine form (Get Married), online (www.GetMarried.com), and on television. The daily TV series connects local and national wedding professionals and industry experts with brides through entertainment, news, and retail. The Association of Wedding Gown Specialists is a not-for-profit trade association with members represented in more 500 cities worldwide who specialize in cleaning, restoring, and preserving wedding gowns, both new and vintage. For more information, call the association office at (800) 501-5005 or visit www.WeddingGownSpecialists.com.