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May 6, 2013
The Numbers: Consumer Confidence Rises on Signs of Growing Employment

CHICAGO — Consumers respond positively to better employment numbers, increasing home prices

CHICAGO — CONSUMER CONFIDENCE continues to grow, according to the latest Surveys of Consumers by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan. In the March survey, economists report higher confidence amid signs of growing employment, and increasing home prices also had consumers giving a thumbs up to the future.

“Although confidence dipped in early March, since the middle of the month consumers have expressed improved prospects for economic growth,” says Richard Curtin, Surveys of Consumers chief economist. “Two factors were responsible for the gains: Consumers discounted the administration’s warning about economic catastrophe following the cuts in federal spending, and consumers have renewed their expectations that job gains will accelerate in the months ahead.”

Curtin also says that while optimism like this has been seen before, recent gains look to be sustainable, with a lower unemployment rate and increases in consumer spending on the way.

April 25, 2013
How to Safeguard Your Business Name

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A few techniques for protecting the name of your business or service

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Microsoft. Starbucks. Walmart. They’re all memorable names. You can bet that those companies carefully made sure they had exclusive rights to them.

Your business name may not be as distinctive or well known. Still, you’d hate to have a judge tell you that you can’t use it anymore. And if another business copied your name, you’d like to be able to go into court and put a stop to it.

So how do you protect the name of your business or service? We’ll look at a few techniques. But, ultimately, only you and your lawyer can decide how much effort and expense to invest in name protection.

Your decision will depend on many factors, including:

February 14, 2013
CRDN Adds Fair, Grant to Corporate Management Team

BERKLEY, Mich. — Their positions are director of training and national sales manager for the West

BERKLEY, Mich. — The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network shawn fair(CRDN), an international organization of textile restoration specialists serving the insurance industry, has added two new staff members to its corporate management team: Shawn Fair, director of training, and David Grant, national sales manager.

Fair is responsible for the development and implementation of internal and external training, enabling CRDN to enhance the breadth and depth of its educational programs. Prior to joining CRDN, Fair spent 15 years in executive sales, management and training in the telecom and wireless industries. He has served as a director of sales and as training executive.

November 8, 2012
Family Matters: Solving the Toughest Family Business Problems

NEW YORK — Sibling rivalries, parent-child conflicts and charges of nepotism by non-family staff can interfere with any family enterprise

NEW YORK — Family businesses enjoy many advantages: a shared joy of success, a common pride in tradition, and a stability and loyalty that’s the envy of their clan-free competitors. Even so, there’s a flip side to the coin. Sibling rivalries, parent-child conflicts and charges of nepotism by a non-family staff can interfere with the smooth running of any family enterprise.

Has your dry cleaning business encountered such issues? Let’s discuss how to solve three of the most common problems.

THE LEADERSHIP BATTLE

The time has come to select a leader from the next generation. Several sons and daughters, now in their 40s, want to take charge. How do you avoid creating hurt feelings among the siblings?

“The transition to a new leader can be extremely difficult in a family business,” says Stacey A. Lundgren, a former family business owner and now a consultant in Howell, Mich. “The decision needs to be made on job performance and on the duties that each sibling has taken on over the years.”

October 15, 2012
In Memoriam: John H. 'Jack' Ruen Jr., Cleaners Hanger Co.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Third-generation owner/operator retired as CEO in 1990

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — John H. “Jack” Ruen Jr., former owner and operator of the Cleaners Hanger Co., died July 14 at his home at the age of 74.

Ruen was born March 10, 1938, in Detroit to John “Hank” and Marion Martin Ruen. He graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High School in 1956.

He was a third-generation owner and operator of Cleaners Hanger Co. in Detroit, and was active in the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA), where he served on the Board of Directors. Ruen retired from Cleaners Hanger as CEO in 1990 after a lifelong career in the family business.

Surviving Ruen are five children, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Cancer Society or to the charity of the donor's choice.

August 6, 2012
Michigan Dry Cleaner is Newest DLI President

LAUREL, Md. — Jan Barlow becomes DLI's second female president

LAUREL, Md. — Jan Barlow, CGCP®, owner of Jan’s Professional Cleaners, Clio, Mich., has become the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute’s (DLI) second female president, and the organization has welcomed a host of new faces to its governing body.

DLI’s board of directors recognizes valued contributions and inducts new volunteer leadership. New directors are sworn in as their predecessors move to an executive office or become DLI senators, an exclusive title for previous board members.

Barlow succeeds Charlie Smith, owner of Village Square Cleaners, Reston, Va., who completed his one-year term as president.

David Machesney, owner of Pratt-Abbott Cleaners, Westbrook, Maine, became DLI’s president-elect. Allan Johnson III, owner of Peerless Cleaners, Corpus Christi, Texas, became treasurer.

DLI membership elected two dry cleaning professionals to district directorships: Brad Ewing, CED®, Nu Way Cleaners, Greeley, Colo., representing District 7, and David Suber, CED®, owner of Perfect Cleaners in Los Angeles, representing District 8.

May 14, 2012
CRDN, Esporta Reach Agreement to End Brand Name Confusion

BERKLEY, Mich. — Esporta Certified Operators of North America™ replaces CCRN acronym

BERKLEY, Mich. — CRDN, an international organization of textile restoration experts serving the insurance industry, and Esporta Wash Systems Inc., inventors and manufacturers of a patented washing system and detergents, have come to an agreement to discontinue the use of Esporta’s CCRN brand name.

The CCRN (Certified Contents Restoration Network) brand was created by Esporta to represent a certification standards council responsible for establishing and monitoring standards for soft contents restoration throughout their member network—those restoration contractors who have purchased and been certified in the Esporta Wash System for soft contents restoration.

The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network, known by the acronym “CRDN,” is the oldest and largest franchise network of textile restoration operators, having built the first network of its kind in 2001, and serves the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

January 23, 2012
CRDN Names Murray National Sales and Operations Manager

BERKLEY, Mich. — The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN), an international organization of textile restoration specialists serving the insurance industry, has named Robert Murray its national sales and operations manager.

Murray spent four years as select customer sales executive with The Hartford. His background includes advanced marketing and business development skills, as well as operational expertise.

“To this position, Rob brings diverse experience with finance and environmental services in addition to his strategically important insurance expertise,” says CRDN CEO Wayne Wudyka. “He also provides hands-on knowledge of franchise ownership and multi-location business management, which will be particularly relevant for the CRDN operations he will guide and direct.”

August 22, 2011
CRDN Preferred Extreme Makeover Vendor for Sixth Straight Year

BERKELEY, Mich. — The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) has been named a season-long preferred vendor for the award-winning ABC-TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for a sixth consecutive year, CRDN says. Its geographic coverage and extensive experience assisting homeowners by restoring garments and other fabric items has made CRDN the perfect partner for Extreme Makeover, entering its ninth season.

“We are extremely proud of the commitment of CRDN members across the United States to continue to contribute in many ways to each local community where we live and work,” says CEO Wayne Wudyka. “Our members are very charitable year after year, through coat drives, service projects and financial support of meaningful activities. The opportunity to help Extreme Makeover: Home Edition provide a fresh start for so many deserving families, now more than 105 over the past six years, has been a natural fit for us.”

August 19, 2011
The Maytag Commercial Laundry Fall Factory Sales School

The Maytag Commercial Laundry Fall Factory Sales School. To be held Oct. 17-20 at the Maytag Commercial Laundry Headquarters and Test Labs in St. Joseph, Mich. The four-day event will cover the coin, multi-housing and on-premise markets, as well as specific product training on the new HE front-load pair and stack washer/dryer, marketing, high-speed extraction, equipment sizing and additional topics.

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:

May 23, 2011
State Bar of Michigan Environmental Law 30th Anniversary

State Bar of Michigan Environmental Law 30th Anniversary. To be held Oct. 6 at the University Club, Michigan State University in Lansing, Mich.  The event honors one of the nation’s first environmental law sections, highlighting where we were, where we are and where we’re headed. E-mail parks.maryanne@gmail.com.

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.

January 13, 2011
Plant Design: Merit Awards, Part 1

CHICAGO — The Merit Awards in the 50th Annual Plant Design Awards went to six drycleaners from every corner of the country. Part one of this story details three of the winners: Dubin Cleaners, Encore Cleaners and Image Cleaners.

Dubin Cleaners & Laundry, Farmington Hills, Mich.
Dubin Cleaners’ new plant anchors a strip mall and offers customers a “unique” cleaning experience, third-generation operators Andy and Sandy Dubin say.
   

December 20, 2010
CRDN Completes 100th ‘Extreme Makeover’

BERKLEY, Mich. — When TV star Ty Pennington gave his trademark direction to “Move that bus” to reveal a newly-built home one recent afternoon, it represented a fresh start for a wounded soldier and his new bride, compliments of ABC-TV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The weeklong project in Salado, Texas, also marked the completion of the 100th episode of the show for the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN).

September 6, 2010
1-800-DryClean Cuts Franchise Fees for Vets

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — 1-800-DryClean announced last week that it has increased its VetFran discount to $6,000, offering veterans of the U.S. armed forces 40% off the brand’s franchise fees.

“1-800-DryClean can be a rewarding franchise business for our military veterans,” says Shannon Toler-New, company president. “Increasing our VetFran discount is our way of saluting veterans for their military service, and making our franchise business more affordable and worth considering as a civilian career.”

August 30, 2010
Inc. Names CRDN to Fastest-Growing List Again

BERKLEY, Mich. — For the fourth year in a row, Inc. magazine named the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) one of America’s 5,000 fastest-growing private companies. Founded in 2001, CRDN has reported double-digit revenue growth every year.

June 29, 2010
CRDN Preferred for Extreme Home Makeovers

BERKLEY, Mich. — The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) has been named a preferred vendor for the eighth season of ABC's popular television series, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." CRDN has participated in 87 episodes of the series over the past four years.

June 21, 2010
CRDN Sponsors Collegiate Players Tour

BERKLEY, Mich. — The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) has signed on as a major sponsor of the Collegiate Players Tour (CPT), a summer-long golf competition for students from more than 350 colleges and universities across the United States.

April 27, 2010
Whirlpool Sales Jump 20% in First Quarter

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Whirlpool Corp. announced yesterday that sales jumped to $4.3 billion in the first quarter, up 20% from the $3.6 billion reported in first-quarter 2009. Earnings skyrocketed 141% to $164 million ($2.13 per diluted share) from $68 million ($0.91 per share) in the same quarter of 2009.

Including the impact of foreign exchange, the company's first-quarter sales increased about 11%. But first-quarter operating profit totaled $241 million, up considerably from $166 million in the prior year.

February 15, 2010
Whirlpool Earnings More Than Double in Fourth-Quarter 2009

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Whirlpool Corp.’s fourth-quarter net earnings rose 111% to $95 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, compared to $44 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, during the same period in 2008, according to the company’s quarterly report.

January 20, 2010
Whirlpool Is First Manufacturer to Get Certified With New NSF Allergen Protocol

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Whirlpool Corp. is the first company to achieve certification with a new NSF International protocol (P351) that certifies allergen reduction performance in residential and commercial family-sized clothes washers, the company says.

Washers meeting NSF Protocol P351 certification must remove at least 95% of house dust mite allergens and pet dander, heat wash water to 55º C (131º F), and be easily cleanable, corrosion-resistant and designed to avoid the accumulation of dirt and debris, Whirlpool says.

December 30, 2009
49th Annual Plant Design Awards: Special Honors Winners

Outstanding Production Facility: CRDN of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nev.

Located in an industrial park eight miles from Glitter Gulch, CRDN’s 8,300-square-foot plant is built to handle restoration work throughout the region quickly and efficiently. And the spotless new plant does just that, with room to grow.

December 21, 2009
Entrepreneur Magazine Names CRDN No. 1 in Drycleaning, Delivery Services

BERKLEY, Mich. — Entrepreneur magazine has named the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) the No. 1 Franchise in the “Dry Cleaning & Delivery Services” category of its 31st Annual Franchise 500.

November 2, 2009
Whirlpool Reports Third-Quarter Drop, Raises Profit Outlook for Year

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Whirlpool Corp.’s sales dropped 8% for the third quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, according to a recent earnings report, but it raised its profit outlook for the year, saying that its cost-cutting measures will pay off in the final quarter.