Content about Dry cleaning

RALEIGH, N.C. — The yellows, blues, greens and shades of red at Calvary Laundromat in Raleigh are decorator-designed to create an inviting atmosphere, says owner David Makepeace. But the intangible atmosphere, the one that customers find welcoming, is created by his staff.

Makepeace says he’s “extremely” happy with sales at the 3,000-square-foot laundry, located in a small shopping center in the midst of large apartment complexes. “The success of it depends on the people you hire,” he says. “I have wonderful attendants.”

He names several other contributing factors, including the technological sophistication of its 30 front loaders and 28 dryers.

STARTING ON GOOD FOOTING

Makepeace is a former commercial banker in Charlotte and Raleigh who decided 13 years ago that “I wanted to go out on my own, to find a business and learn it and eventually buy it.” He was drawn to a cleaner/laundry because “It’s not going to go out of fashion like the buggy whip. Everybody’s going to need to get their clothes cleaned.”

He approached the then-owner of Medlin-Davis Cleaners and proposed, “You train me, and I’ll buy it from you.” Over the years, he rose to president, supervising three cleaning plants, three pickup and delivery routes and nine stores in Raleigh and neighboring towns, plus one small coin-op in the long-established Cameron Village shopping center in Raleigh.

Four years ago, unsure about the owner’s intentions of selling, he determined to start his own laundry while continuing to supervise Medlin-Davis. His wife Lee offered her full support.

It was at the beginning of the recession, but some businesses, including laundries, do well in that environment, he believes.

To financially strapped customers who need to clean their clothes, “This is a very affordable way to do that, rather than going to Lowe’s or Home Depot to purchase a washer and dryer.”

He’d worked with Medlin-Davis’ 1,500-square-foot laundry so he “had a general feel of how they operate.” Plus, T & L Equipment Sales gave him the specific knowledge he needed.

Makepeace discovered the Coin Laundry Association and joined immediately. “They had an absolute wealth of information they could give me.”

Co-owner Lee worked as full-time attendant the first six months, and David gives her credit for starting the laundry off on a good footing. “She did a wonderful job of establishing relationships.”

In 2010, he bought the part of Medlin-Davis that operated in Raleigh and the nearby town of Wake Forest: two cleaning plants, four dry cleaning stores, three pickup and delivery routes for cleaning and wash/dry/fold, and the Cameron Village coin-op.

His wife became head of accounting and administration, while he functions as head of operations. They have 60 employees.

Wash/dry/fold work for the routes is done at one of the cleaning plants. Wash/dry/fold work for the Cameron Village coin-op, which is unattended, is processed at Calvary along with its work.

Makepeace is a firm believer in keeping up not only equipment but appearances. Four-year-old Calvary has already been repainted once, and the checkerboard of floor tiles there is stripped and waxed every quarter, he says. Recently, some floor tiles were replaced, and a chair rail was added. “It’s very important that we keep up with wear and tear.”

At the 1,500-square-foot Cameron Village coin-op, Makepeace renovated everything: floor, walls, ceiling. He replaced all the machines with new ones after he found, “Stuff was always breaking down. I was losing business.”

Once again, he turned to his wife’s decorator friend for a color scheme. This one is more subdued—lots of pale blues and browns—in keeping with the supposed preferences of the retirees and North Carolina State University students who are its customers.

He added a large-screen TV, Wi-Fi, and new furniture.

He’s now enlisted the help of a marketing firm in designing not only a marketing plan but a logo, revamped storefronts for the cleaners, and even “the lettering on our vans.” And he says he wouldn’t mind having another coin-op.

After a 10-year apprenticeship and now four years of ownership, Makepeace believes he knows “what it takes to be successful.”

OMAHA, Neb. — Customers come to your Laundromat to do their laundry, but what if you could offer them extra services, drawing them into your store more frequently, while producing more profit for your business, and reducing your actual staffing out of pocket costs?

Extra profit centers provide a variety of additional revenue opportunities, and some require little extra work from you and your employees. 

These business opportunities can be broken up into two categories: those that lie within your core competency and directly relate to laundry, and ancillary projects that can be add-ons to your main business purpose.

LAUNDRY-RELATED CENTERS

There are some extra profit centers that are common to the laundry industry, such as vending machines for everything from soda and snacks to detergent. These are an easy, low-maintenance option for a small amount of extra work that can easily result in 10% more revenue per month.

As the laundry industry changes and grows, many owners have added or are looking to add wash-dry-fold (WDF) services to their offerings or to increase their existing offerings to include commercial accounts. There are several ways that owners can adapt this service to fit their businesses’ needs.

One way to increase your existing service is by partnering with a local dry cleaner. Establish a program where customers can drop off at your location for both services; work with the dry cleaner to determine the timeline and revenue split. It’s important to choose a dry cleaner that is in close proximity to your store, but is far enough away that it also will benefit their business—this is a partnership and both sides must profit to be successful.

A word of caution when choosing your dry cleaning partner: evaluate their prices in relation to your core demographic before making a deal. Some stores charge $1.15 per pound for drop-off and have a 10-pound minimum to ensure profit.

Pick-up service is another way you can adapt WDF to suit your business. Set a delivery radius around your store, up to 20 miles, and charge per pound to accommodate the increased costs. The amount you charge will depend on your area of the country, but make sure to set a poundage minimum to ensure profitability. Also, make sure to target not only residential areas but also small businesses that may not have laundry on-site. Pick-up is particularly important for growing your commercial laundry revenue to include clients such as spas, catering companies and salons.

If your store is close to a college campus, offering a WDF service for students can be profitable. A way to do this is by offering a flat fee for the semester that is automatically charged to a credit card at the start of each term. Programs like these have become popular over the past year. An easy way to quickly grow your student business is partnering with an established provider, such as dormmom.com, which provides student and residential laundry service across the country.

Lastly, if you begin offering WDF service, be sure to let your local special events centers know. Entertainers have laundry needs, and you can quickly make yourself indispensable by making them aware of your services.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2: The ancillary services you may offer are limited only by your imagination...

FRANKFURT, Germany — Every four years, Frankfurt hosts the Texcare International trade show. Also known as the World Market for Modern Textile Care, much of the show’s focus is on industrial laundry and dry cleaning.

But during the five-day event in early May, there were opportunities to see coin laundry equipment amidst the tunnel washers, rail systems and finishing equipment. A handful of U.S.-based exhibitors displayed or promoted coin equipment to an international trade audience.

Alliance Laundry Systems presented a sizable booth featuring a wide variety of equipment. One of its brands, IPSO, showcased a fully operational vended laundry. Visitors to the booth were able to see how the machines process clothing and linens and how advanced controls help owners increase energy efficiencies.

The display included eight of IPSO’s new HD softmount washer-extractors and three DR tumblers. The washers operated using the Cygnus standard control and were connected to a central pay system. The tumblers featured the DX4 control.

“At IPSO, we know our products work hard to get the job done and it’s important for customers to see that, too,” says John Balman, senior director of sales—Europe for Alliance Laundry Systems. “Having a fully operational coin store at Texcare gives us the opportunity to not only describe how a Laundromat works, but to actually allow our visitors to experience it.”

Another Alliance brand, Speed Queen, promoted its relaunch to the international market. Its various segments, including vended, multi-housing, on-premises and home, have been united under a single brand identity that includes a new look, feel and message platform focused on Speed Queen’s key attributes.

Maytag Commercial Laundry successfully launched a new stack washer-dryer combo for the international export market. “So far, it’s been very popular for both distributors as well as end-users,” says Craig Kirchner, director of global commercial laundry for Maytag. “We’re getting both in the booth to talk about it.”

There was a lot of interest from dealers and potential customers from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. “They’re interested in taking it on because there aren’t a lot of options out there, specifically in this smaller (8-10 kg) equipment. … I’ve talked to a lot of guys in Europe that are going to be put those in coin laundry stores … because they don’t have as much space like the big Laundromats in the United States. These are perfect for that type of venue.”

Dexter Laundry is seeking to open up new international markets and used Texcare International to introduce or, for a number of attendees, reintroduce its brand of coin and OPL laundry equipment, says Kevin Hietpas, Dexter’s vice president of sales and marketing.

“We’re very happy that customers seem to recognize us,” he says. ”They’ll comment, ‘Hey, we’ve heard of you. We’ve never seen you before.’ By reputation, they’re interested in hearing more.”

Dexter is active in Italy and is looking to become more active elsewhere, he says. “We’ll follow up with a lot of potential opportunities from here. Some will turn into customers immediately, others may turn into customers down the road. We’re trying to approach the show from a very long-term perspective.”

To be successful in international markets, it’s vital that a manufacturer have a reputable, reliable distributor network. “Developing a distributor is a long-term process,” says Lee Wilson, director of international sales for Dexter. “It’s a partnership. It’s not something where we’re going to come in here and we’re just going to sign up a distributor. We’ve got to get to know them, they’ve got to get to know us.”

LG Electronics, which launched its family of card, coin and on-premise laundry equipment at last year’s Clean Show, exhibited at Texcare for the first time.

Other Texcare exhibitors that were listed as offering coin laundry equipment included Fagor Industrial (Spain), Krebe-Tippo (Slovenia), Miele (Germany) and Renzacci (Italy). American Dryer Corp. and Pellerin Milnor Corp., which offer coin laundry equipment among their product lines, exhibited but were not listed in the Texcare guide under that category.

John Riddle, Riddle & Associates, and David Cotter, CEO of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association, manned a booth promoting next year’s Clean Show in New Orleans. “For us, we made a decision many years ago that the Clean Show was an integral part of the world community of laundry and dry cleaning,” says Riddle, whose firm has managed the Clean Show for nearly two decades. “The way you show that support is you come and participate in these types of events.

“We wanted to show support, we have a lot of American manufacturers here and we wanted them to know that we’re here. … Plus, it exposed the attendee, the operator, the dry cleaner, the coin wash dealer, in all these countries … to what the Clean Show really was.”

Texcare International registered a 3% increase in attendance from the previous show in 2008. Altogether, 15,800 trade visitors from 100 countries attended the trade fair. More than half of all visitors (52%) came from outside Germany.

There were 264 exhibitors hailing from 26 nations in Hall 8 and the adjoining Galleria. Top exhibitor nations after Germany were Italy, the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands and Great Britain.

BISMARCK, N.D. — Oil field clothes can tear up a washing machine. Several laundry businesses have had to close their doors to workers but others are building their businesses around the boom.

A sign on the door of King Koin Laundrette Car and Dog Wash at 2125 E. Thayer Ave. reads “Because of odor and residue problems, we no longer allow oil field clothes in this establishment.” Owner Mike Walsh hung it there about two years ago when damage to his washing machines and dryers became too much.

“We tried for about three years,” Walsh said. “Now we refer them to somebody else when they call ... It was just getting out of hand.”

A similar sign hangs at Interstate Laundry and Carwash at 1438 Interstate Loop. Customers can be charged for washing oily clothes at Boulevard Laundromat at 1310 E. Boulevard Ave. A new machine can cost as much as $10,000 and the upkeep became too high as more oil field workers made their way to Bismarck.

Walsh said the gloves the workers wear are saturated in oil and it was getting left behind in the washers.

“It wasn’t a good fit for us,” Walsh said. “We had to protect our other customers so when they bring their stuff in, they don’t get their stuff ruined.”

Walsh also is short on dryers. It can take as long as an hour and a lot of cleaning supplies to get one back in working order after oil field clothes have been in it.

“The dryers are the worst because it just bakes in there,” he said.

Soap and Suds Laundry Mat at 122 W. Bowen Ave. has opened its doors to the rig workers, though. Owner Louis Baltrusch thinks he is the only self-service Laundromat to allow oil field clothes in Bismarck.

“Why shouldn’t I work with them?” Baltrusch said.

It just takes a lot of soap to make it work.

“Before, guys would come in and use the top loaders and leave a mess behind,” he said.

Baltrusch now has three washing machines at the front of the Laundromat that he asks rig workers to use. He sees at least 30 to 40 workers each week.

“It’s really picked up the last couple years,” he said. “I’m going to have to get some more of them because they’re used so much.”

Interstate Laundry and Carwash used to have machines set aside for oily clothes too, but had to stop when the number of oil field customers increased.

Baltrusch watches for any workers as they come in the door to tell them which machines to use and what to do.

“If I see somebody coming in with a pretty dirty tote, it’s a pretty safe bet he’s a rig worker,” he said.

Baltrusch has oil field customers put two scoops soap to the washing machine in each of the first two rinse cycles. Then he has them take a towel and wipe it down when they’re finished.

“You could put in a white comforter right after and not have a problem,” he said.

Baltrusch said the water in the washer looks like mud during the first rinse cycle, but by the final cycle the water is clear. The oily clothes are then clean and don’t mess up his dryers.

Rig workers can drop off their oily clothes at Arrowhead Cleaners and Laundry Inc. at 1140 N. Third St. The company has two older machines that it uses. Turrito’s Dry Cleaners at 1041 E. Interstate Ave. and 1131 E. Main Ave. and Dakota Dry Cleaners at 820 E. Broadway Ave. do not take oil field clothes.

With very few places in Bismarck taking oil field laundry, many workers are dropping their clothes off in other towns on their way home and picking them up on their way back to work.

“I have a lot of guys call me and ask if I take oil field clothes,” said Melvin Pirkl, owner of Superior Laundry Cleaners in Dickinson, N.D. “They say we just came from Bismarck and they won’t let us.”

Pirkl said his business has more than doubled because of the oil boom. It really picked up for him about a year ago.

“I’m so busy, I don’t know which way to turn,” he said. “I have laundry bags sitting in front of me and I don’t know what to do first.”

Pirkl said he even comes in to work at night to try to get caught up. The biggest problem he faces is equipment damage due to overload.

(This article originally appeared in the Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune and is posted here by permission. You can find the original article here.)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Feb. 10 officially characterized tetrachloroethylene—also known as perchloroethylene (perc)—as a “likely human carcinogen,” but the agency does not believe that wearing clothing dry-cleaned with perc poses a health risk.

EPA issued its final health assessment to its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database, which describes health effects that may result from exposure to various substances. The assessment provides estimates for both cancer and non-cancer effects associated with exposure to perc over a lifetime.

The agency has already taken several significant actions to reduce exposure to perc. It has clean air standards for dry cleaners that use perc, including requirements that will phase-out the chemical’s use in residential buildings by Dec. 21, 2020.

EPA also set limits for the amount of perc allowed in drinking water, and levels for cleaning up perc at Superfund sites throughout the country, which will be updated in light of the IRIS assessment.

“The perc health assessment released today will provide valuable information to help protect people and communities from exposure to perc in soil, water and air,” says Paul Anastas, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “This assessment emphasizes the value of the IRIS database in providing strong science to support government officials as they make decisions to protect the health of the American people.”

The assessment replaces the 1988 IRIS assessment for perc and for the first time includes a hazard characterization for cancer effects. The new assessment has undergone several levels of rigorous, independent peer review, the EPA says, including: agency review, interagency review, public comment, and external peer review by the National Research Council.

EPA’s updated perc IRIS assessment can be found here.

Additional information about perc is available here.

AUBURN, N.H. — Stan Komins, a vended laundry and dry cleaning specialist, recently joined the Daniels Equipment Co. staff. He is responsible for the sales of coin/vended laundry and dry cleaning equipment for the greater Boston area.

Prior to joining Daniels, Komins was general manager for the Supply Divisions of Craig Supply Co. He has served on the boards of directors of the New England Laundry Association and the Textile Care Allied Trades Association, and was named TCATA’s “Man of the Year.” Komins attended Boston University.

“With his many years of experience in helping owners of vended laundries and dry cleaning businesses, Stan is a perfect fit for this position,” says Ralph Daniels, president of Daniels Equipment Co.

“Of all the distributors in New England, I felt that Daniels Equipment Co. was the best, so that is where I hung my hat,” says Komins.

Komins is active in his community, where he has served as president of the Medford (Mass.) Chamber of Commerce, coached Little League baseball teams, and announced high school football games in Arlington, Mass.