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March 27, 2012
Energy Efficiency Good for Planet, Profit

SAN FRANCISCO — About 2% separates our industry’s average utility cost and the benchmark, which equates to another $20,000 of profit per $1 million of sales

SAN FRANCISCO — Small businesses are generally not very resource-efficient. This is certainly true of drycleaning and laundry plants. The differential between our industry’s average utility cost and the benchmark utility cost as a percentage of sales is approximately 2%, which equates to an additional $20,000 of profit per $1 million of sales. That is a savings worth pursuing.

The easiest way to reduce this expense is to have professionals conduct an energy audit. Often, your utility provider offers this service free. If that is not the case in your area, there are professional energy consultants who perform the same service and get paid a percentage of your resulting cost savings.

EFFICIENCY CHECKLIST

A myriad of resources exist on the subject, some of which are referenced later in this article. You are probably familiar with the basics of energy and resource efficiency, but the following “Efficiency Checklist” may be helpful as a refresher.

General:

• Track your resource usage

• Compare your usage to industry benchmarks

December 26, 2007
Japanese Manufacturer Markets ´Shower Clean´ Suits

TOKYO — Japanese manufacturer Konaka is marketing wash-and-wear suits under its new “Shower Clean” line, demonstrating the ease of care in a video at its website.

Garments in the line can be cleaned at home by spraying warm water on them for a few minutes and letting them drip dry. No ironing is required, the company says, for a wrinkle-free garment every time.

November 1, 2007
Are You in Hot Water?

An inspector’s report I once read described a drycleaner’s boiler room as a “showplace” of good maintenance with up-to-date service logs. But an unforeseen problem caused cracks in the larger of the two boilers, requiring its replacement at a cost of $33,150.

Drycleaners who pay less attention to their equipment have an even bigger chance of paying a lot when equipment breaks down. Boiler breakdowns can result in thousands of dollars in repairs, as well as additional property damage, downtime and loss of business income.