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April 3, 2012
Effective Diversification

CHICAGO — If there is one investment philosophy that approaches universal agreement among financial advisers, it’s the need for careful diversification in every portfolio in order to minimize risk

CHICAGO — If there is one investment philosophy that approaches universal agreement among financial advisers, it’s the need for careful diversification in every portfolio in order to minimize risk, but exactly what does diversification mean, and how can you tell if your investments are truly diversified?

One popular TV show on finances features a segment called “Am I Diversified?” in which viewers call in, give the host their top five holdings and the host lets them know if they are properly diversified. According to Jason Whitby, MBA, CFA®, CFP®, AIFA®, senior financial adviser with Miami-based Investor Solutions, it’s not that simple. “The idea of five-stock diversification is mostly refuted by the financial community,” he says, “which tends to agree that the number of individual stocks needed for diversification is actually closer to 30.”

March 21, 2012
Clean Show Selects GES as Official Contractor

ATLANTA — Show committee picks Las Vegas-based company from

ATLANTA — The Clean Executive Committee has selected Global Experience Specialists (GES) to serve as the official services contractor for the 2013 Clean Show in New Orleans.

Three companies submitted proposals for the June 2013 show. “GES did our show in New Orleans in 2009 and did a great job,” says John Riddle, president of Riddle & Associates, the Clean Show’s management company. “We look forward to working with them again in 2013.”

Chicago hosted the first Clean Show in 1977. United Exposition Service Co. was the official services contractor for that event and subsequent shows. GES purchased United in 1993, and the Las Vegas-based company has continued its partnership with the Clean Show for many shows since.

GES produces 3,000 exhibitions and events annually.

The Clean Show—officially titled the World Educational Congress for Laundering and Drycleaning—attracts people across all segments of the textile care industry, from single-owner, coin-operated laundry and drycleaning establishments to giant industrial and institutional laundries and textile rental companies.

March 12, 2012
Association of Wedding Gown Specialists Celebrates 25th Anniversary

TAMPA, Fla. — The Jack Barth Memorial Award of Excellence goes to

TAMPA, Fla. — Members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists met here last month to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary, elect new officers, and participate in presentations with wedding industry experts.

The nonprofit trade group, with members located in the United States, Canada, Ecuador, Mexico and South Africa, specializes in gown cleaning and preservation.

A highlight of the conference was the presentation of the annual Jack Barth Memorial Award of Excellence. Initiated by Linda Stokes-Barth in remembrance of her late husband’s achievements in the drycleaning industry, the award recognizes a member for outstanding contributions and service to the association and its members.

This year’s honoree, Ken Grippi of Dependable Cleaners in Boston, began his career 45 years ago with his father at Beacon Cleaners. Beacon merged with Dependable Cleaners in 1972, and Grippi is currently Dependable’s technical training consultant and preservation and restoration expert. A member of the association since 2003, Grippi serves as national training director.

March 6, 2012
GreenEarth Cleaning Signs Wotek Corp. as Licensee in India, Middle East

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The unique fabricare advantages of GreenEarth’s environmentally safe

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — GreenEarth Cleaning has signed Wotek Corp., Piscataway, N.J., as master licensor of its dry cleaning process for India and the Middle East, GreenEarth reports.

A U.S. engineering company known for exporting and servicing well-known dry cleaning and laundry brands, Wotek will license GreenEarth’s patented process to hotels and progressive drycleaning operators.

The unique fabricare advantages of GreenEarth’s environmentally safe, liquid silicone-based process were a key reason why Wotek sought to partner with GreenEarth.

With the Wotek agreement, GreenEarth is now licensed in 33 countries. It has more than 1,600 affiliate licenses worldwide, approximately half of which are in the United States.

“The level of interest in GreenEarth, both internationally and here in the U.S., continues to grow,” says Tim Maxwell, president of GreenEarth Cleaning. “Our focus remains on quality over quantity; we are very selective about who we partner with to license our patented process and trademarks.”

February 23, 2012
Fabritec Mourns Deaths of Veteran Contributors

COLD SPRING, Ky. — Two valued Fabritec International employees and veteran contributors to the dry cleaning industry have died in recent months, the company reports.

Retired Vice President Bob Knippling died Jan. 12 at age 85. Knippling, a U.S. Army veteran who served during World War II, graduated from college with degrees in chemistry and biology. He joined then-Emery Industries in 1951 as a chemist.

While with Fabritec, he was in charge of the Stamford distribution and Emerbrite divisions, and he worked closely with Fabritec’s salesmen. Knippling made major research contributions during his 50 years in the industry. He served as Fabritec vice president for 20 years before retiring in 2001.

Retired Sales Support Manager John Geer died Oct. 22 at age 78. After receiving a physics degree, Geer began his dry cleaning career with his family’s business in Marion, Ohio. In 1976, he joined Fabritec (Emery Industries at the time), where he became director of technical services.

December 21, 2011
Equinox Chemicals Acquires Adco Cleaning Products

ALBANY, Ga. — Equinox Chemicals has announced that it has acquired Adco Cleaning Products, based in Sedalia, Mo. Terms of the acquisition were not announced.

Equinox will move Adco’s manufacturing operations to its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Albany, according to Yalda Harris, Equinox’s executive vice president for Global Product Management. Dr. Jim Schreiner, Adco’s chief product technology officer, will also be relocating, she says.

Customer-service and order-taking staff will remain in Sedalia, and there will be no changes to the way customers or distributors order from Adco, Harris adds. The national sales team will remain the same.

Nine operator jobs and one office employee have been relocated to Albany, with many key employees receiving relocation package offers, according to Harris.

Equinox is a specialty chemical manufacturer with specialty research, innovation, product development and commercialization capabilities that reach markets spanning the globe, the company says.

August 16, 2011
Your Money: Leaning Toward Alternative Investments

CHICAGO — Judging from my e-mail, it’s not difficult to find savers and investors who are questioning the conventional wisdom when it comes to investing their money. With the stock market on an erratic, volatile course that seemingly leads nowhere, and yields on cash investments such as money markets and CDs almost nonexistent, more and more income-seeking investors are breaking the old rules by dipping a toe in waters they would have considered too risky a few years ago.

Instead of sticking to the philosophy that calls for portfolios laced solely with a careful mix of quality stocks, well-rated bonds and cash, these hardy souls are venturing into eyebrow-raising investments such as junk bonds, commercial real estate, options like puts and calls, and equities in emerging markets in an effort to improve the anemic and unpredictable returns they’ve been enduring of late. According to one adviser, taking on even a little more risk requires overcoming fear of foreign markets.

July 28, 2011
In Memoriam: Ronald “Ron” London

MIAMI — Ronald “Ron” London, vice president of drycleaning equipment sales for Steiner-Atlantic for 18 years, died from cancer June 24. He specialized in the sale, design, planning and start-up of new plants, as well as the sale of replacement items, for the company.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, London began working in coin-op laundry equipment sales and then moved to drycleaning equipment. He joined Nate and Bill Becker in forming Best Equipment Co. in Philadelphia in 1962. The company reorganized after the recession of 1973, and London formed London Equipment Co., operating in the same building with the same staff.

With the growth of dry-to-dry drycleaning machines, he allied with the local Miraclean importer, who provided the equipment and financing he needed. The arrangement worked well for a number of years, but sales dropped as the market filled.

London moved in 1992 to South Florida, where he began his long association with Steiner-Atlantic.

He is survived by his wife, Loretta; sister, Lauren; four sons, Richard, Charles, Hal and Brian; two daughters, Tami and Denise; and 12 grandchildren.

July 26, 2011
ZIPS Signs Expansion Deal Targeting Mid-Atlantic Markets

GREENBELT, Md. — ZIPS, a Mid-Atlantic drycleaning franchise with more than 28 locations along the East Coast, has propelled its regional expansion plans via the signing of a 20-unit development deal.

The multi-unit deal was signed with Pilgrimage Development LLC, a Maryland-based investment and retail development group.

The agreement’s first location is slated to open in August in Pasadena, Md., and additional units planned for Greater Baltimore and Glen Burnie, Md., will open in second-quarter 2012.

June 28, 2011
Rethinking Drycleaning Coupons

SARASOTA, Fla. — As with many parts of the country, drycleaning coupons abound in southwest Florida; but they only focus on getting the customer in the door, says Tom Beddia of Sarasota-based Greener Cleaner.

“We don’t focus on just getting the customer in, we focus on providing quality service at a fair price; no numbers games,” Beddia says. By not doing Sarasota laundry coupons or other drycleaners coupon offers, the Greener Cleaner is providing customer value with no gimmicks, the company says.

June 27, 2011
DLI Names 2011-2012 Board of Directors

LAUREL, Md. — Each year, Drycleaning & Laundry Institute’s (DLI) board of directors holds elections in two districts to ensure a fresh perspective on the institute and industry. Director terms last two years. Presidential terms last one year with the president becoming chairperson of the board at the end of that year.

This year’s DLI board of directors lineup features:

June 23, 2011
SYSTEMK4 Educational Presentation

June 15, 2011
Trade Show Tax Tips (Part 2 of 2)

NEW YORK — Trade shows are great for bringing together the industry’s most important players and prospects. But all that product-seeking and hand-shaking comes at a cost. Airfares, hotels and restaurant meals represent a hit to your bottom line.

Uncle Sam does offer some respite for the trade-show traveler, however. Prudent and thorough deductions of travel expenses on your income-tax returns can help soften the financial blow.

June 14, 2011
A New Alternative (Part 1 of 2)

TAMPA, Fla. — Ever since regulatory pressure started to increase on perchloroethylene, the industry has been looking for a product that could fill its place in the industry as an easy-to-use, effective solvent—but without the baggage.

June 13, 2011
Trade Show Tax Tips (Part 1 of 2)

NEW YORK — Trade shows are great for bringing together the industry’s most important players and prospects. But all that product-seeking and hand-shaking comes at a cost. Airfares, hotels and restaurant meals represent a hit to your bottom line.

Uncle Sam does offer some respite for the trade-show traveler, however. Prudent and thorough deductions of travel expenses on your income-tax returns can help soften the financial blow.

June 7, 2011
WesVic Systems Signs Deal with Leading Japanese Distributor

LAS VEGAS — WesVic Systems has signed a deal with Sumisho Inax Corp., the largest distributor to drycleaners and industrial laundries in Japan, to distribute WesVic’s PieceCounter production monitoring system to the Japanese market. Inax has more than 4,800 customers, WesVic says.

April 18, 2011
Maytag Salutes Distributors

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Maytag Commercial Laundry recently honored exceptional distributors at its 53rd annual meeting, held in Palm Springs, Calif. The Fred Maytag Award went to Pierce Commercial Laundry Distributors, Mandeville, La.,

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Maytag Commercial Laundry recently honored exceptional distributors at its 53rd annual meeting, held in Palm Springs, Calif.

The Fred Maytag Award went to Pierce Commercial Laundry Distributors, Mandeville, La., for outstanding achievements and remarkable performance. The Maytag Red Carpet Service Excellence Award went to John Morris Equipment & Supply Co., Springfield, Mo., for exemplifying the excellent service and dependability for which Maytag is known.

April 11, 2011
AWGS Meets in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists (AWGS) met early last month to elect officers, participate in interactive seminars and award the first annual Jack Barth Memorial Award of Excellence.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists (AWGS) met early last month to elect officers, participate in interactive seminars and award the first annual Jack Barth Memorial Award of Excellence.

Initiated by Linda Stokes-Barth in remembrance of her late husband and his achievements, the award recognizes an AWGS member for outstanding contributions to the organization and advancement of wedding-gown care.

March 31, 2011
Operator Converts Entirely to SystemK4

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Gadue’s Dry Cleaning is the first plant to convert entirely to Kreussler Inc.’s new solvent, SolvonK4. The latest alternative to come to market, Kreussler says that the acetal formulation is safe, cleans effectively, and won’t harm the environment.

March 28, 2011
Prestige Operator Recognized for Service

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Eddie Mannis, president of Knoxville-based Prestige Cleaners, was recently recognized by three organizations for his work with HonorAir Knoxville, an organization he founded to help veterans visit memorials built in their honor.

Mannis received a 2011 Service to Mankind award from Knoxville’s Downtown Sertoma Club, had a tribute dedicated to him by the East Tennessee Military Affairs Council, and was named PBS East Tennessee’s 2011 Person of The Year.

March 23, 2011
Could The Unions Still Clean Up? (Part 2 of 2)

CHICAGO — Executives of large drycleaning and laundry operations are awakening to an unfortunate fact: That although unions lost their battle in Congress for the Employee Free Choice Act—a.k.a. the “card-check” law—they may be winning the war to make organizing easier.

The Employee Free Choice Act would have allowed unions to organize employees just by obtaining “authorization cards” from a majority of a company’s workers  without a secret-ballot election. While the House passed the EFCA, the bill ran into such stiff opposition in the Senate that “compromises” were offered, including quickie elections that would have been held five to 10 days after a petition was filed.

 Businesses objected. Quick elections wouldn’t allow time for them to present their side of the case to employees, they said, which often includes the argument that the cost of negotiating labor contracts and work rules can hurt employers, and therefore, employees’ job security.

February 28, 2011
Foster-Stephens Set for 75th Anniversary

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — Supplier Foster-Stephens Inc. will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the industry next week. Today, the widow and daughter of its founder, Bill Jones, operate the company.

Foster-Stephens started in 1936 when someone abandoned a set of printed drycleaning posters at Westlake Press in Chicago. A salesman there at the time, Elmer “Bill” Jones bought and resold the posters to area drycleaners—so successfully that he incorporated the company on March 11, 1936. 

January 31, 2011
Dawson Retires from R.R. Street & Co.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — After a career with Naperville, Ill.-based R.R. Street & Co. that has spanned more than 35 years, David Dawson announced his retirement from the company last month.

December 7, 2010
GreenEarth Conference Energizes Affiliates

KANSAS CITY — More than 45 people attended GreenEarth’s Eastern Workshop & Conference, (EW&C), held last month at Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) headquarters in Laurel, Md.

Traveling from as far as California, the GreenEarth affiliates in attendance spent the weekend learning marketing strategies, spotting techniques, machinery maintenance and more. Representatives from GreenEarth, Adco, District Cleaners Equipment, DLI, Fabritec International, A.L. Wilson and marketing firm AdMoreZing appeared.

December 6, 2010
Butler Capital Acquired by BankUnited

HUNT VALLEY, Md. — Butler Capital announced that BankUnited, a large regional bank based in Florida, has acquired its small-business lending operations. The lending operations will become a subsidiary of BankUnited known as United Capital Business Lending (UCBL).

“UCBL will build upon Butler Capital’s national lending platform, as well as the experience and expertise of the Butler Capital staff,” says Larry Butler, who will continue as Butler Capital’s CEO and serve as a consultant to UCBL.