Conference

Click below for a review as a PDF document to download, with thanks from Laundry and Cleaning Today

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We would like to thank Laundry and Cleaning News for their conference review below

Janet Taylor reports on the 2009 All Industries Conference organised
by the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers and Textile Services Association

Topics at this year’s conference were designed both to help practitioners in the current tough times and
also give a broader perspective on the textile care industries.

Peter Wennekes, secretary general of CINET, looked at the drycleaning industry in Europe. He explained that Cinet’s aim was to become an “umbrella” organisation for the international drycleaning and laundry industry.
It provides comprehensive resources including a website, newsletters and projects.

The 2009 programme of events includes co-ordinating conferences at the Clean Show in New Orleans and Texcare Asia as well as being present at national events such as this conference. Cinet also carries out market research and lobbies authorities on legislation affecting the textile care sectors.
Wennekes is worried that both laundry and drycleaning industries have “old fashioned” connotations, which need to be corrected. Looking at the European drycleaning markets, he said that Italy was the
largest but focussed mainly on small businesses. Germany, France and the UK all had sizeable markets.

Overcoming apathy

Western Europe’s mature drycleaning market must overcome consumer apathy. It
needs to offer more products and services and find additional customers from
areas such as business to business.
It should concentrate on promoting professional business concepts. Drycleaners must make a choice between higher quality and lower prices, look at new solvents and more automation.
In Eastern Europe drycleaning has developed rapidly but the growth rate is now levelling. It will be helped to develop further by a more modern image and greater investment in technology.

Label with care
Chris Tebbs, chief executive of the International Drycleaners Congress, discussed the complexities of care labeling in an international market and the variations between countries. As an example, he said that while the UK industry rejected the instruction “dryclean only” as useless, the USA accepted it. The label P in a circle has different interpretations. In the UK the symbol refers specifically to perc drycleaning but in the USA it means professional clean.
In the UK hydrocarbon is covered by F in a circle but there are no labels that represent recent alternatives to perc such as Rynex, GreenEarth or the Solvair method. Tebbs concluded by asking: “Is care labeling a help or a hindrance?”
He believes that care labeling is becoming increasingly important for the drycleaning industry. Clothes are getting more complex and the same garment may have several different fibres which may need different treatments.

Assessing fire risks
Fire can severely damage if not destroy a business. Gary Wright, Chubb fire training officer, explained the current approach to prevention under the Fire Safety Order, which came into effect in 2006, replacing all previous legislation.
This is based on a risk assessment and while a certificate is no longer required, the assessment is mandatory and more comprehensive. The regulation applies to anyone responsible for a business – an employer or self-employed person with business premises, a charity or voluntary organisation, or a contractor that has some control over the building.
The responsible person must carry out a risk assessment and maintain a fire management plan for the business. Those businesses that have five or more employees must provide the assessment in writing.
The assessment’s aim is to reduce the risk of fire and of any fire that does break out spreading.
It must be designed to protect all occupants of the building not just the employees and this now includes fire fighters. There must be a clear exit and entrance. The business must have equipment suited to the risk and in sufficient quantity. There must be an adequate way of raising the alarm.
All fire equipment must by protected and maintained in good order. Businesses must provide adequate training for all staff members on a continuous basis.
Wright also pointed the audience to further sources of help including the
guidance notes on:
www.communities.gov.uk/fire/fire safety/firesafetylaw

Knowledge of legislation is essential for any business and Murray Simpson of TSA reviewed recent events. The implementation of the SED is beginning to change the drycleaning business and do so for the good.However, Europe is already reviewing this directive.
A proposed directive on soil contamination that would have caused drycleaners and laundries to undertake expensive investigations into possible perc contamination was blocked in 2008 but Simpson now believes it
might re-appear in another form and warned that the industry should be
watchful.
Andrew Formosa of the Textile Care Company is passionate about drycleaning and about getting drycleaners to see how they can help to reduce complaints by better communication with customers and help to change an often poor perception of the drycleaning sector.
He highlighted the help available from associations and training bodies, from industry experts and the trade press.

Changing perceptions
The question of the industry’s image returned as Ken Cupitt explained the Guild’s role in changing the public’s perception by encouraging launderers and drycleaners to improve their skills through training.
This aim has always been at the Guild’s heart as it was formed by ex-students who wanted to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.
Many laundry employees have not made a deliberate career choice. They regard it as a job but they have become skilled in a limited number of tasks. The Guild provides a means of broadening that range. It currently has 32 different qualifications, including those that recognise individual skills
and qualifications for those assessing such skills.

A developing programme
The Guild’s training provision has moved with the industry. In 1999 it introduced the Laundry Q-star, a more academic qualification.
The implementation of the Solvents Emission Directive led to the DEFRA-approved course on handling drycleaning solvents. The exam had to have a wide appeal and recognise that those taking it might not have strong written skills – hence the tick-box exam. This method will also be adopted for a new qualification on practical drycleaning technology.
The Guild’s drive to improve training is more important than ever in a difficult economy. Now is the time for workers to ensure they have skills. While individual skills are important, something further is needed to
improve public view of drycleaning. Ian Parris and Adrian Redgate outlined an idea for developing a quality assurance scheme that would cover all aspects of a drycleaning business – from qualified staff and well maintained equipment to customer service.
This would involve not just a single exam, but a regular inspection and assessment of the business. The idea is similar to that of the British Standard kitemark.
Importantly, the scheme would be supported with advertising, paid for by a yearly subscription. This is essential as the scheme is focussed on helping customers to identify the drycleaning businesses that provide quality in all aspects.

Recruit on personality
The Timpson group runs on a management strategy that centres on the staff in the branch as they are the company’s public face. That culture is the most important part of the business, says James Timpson.
“We recruit on personality. Staff introduce friends to the business.” The company also recruits in more unusual places such as prisons. “We interview and recruit in the same way that a job centre does. Training
is important but we do it our way, and much of it is on leadership.” Staff have a lot of flexibility there are only two rules – put the money in the till and turn up looking the part and ready to help.
Branch staff have a lot of autonomy, says Timpson. “I hate computers. The tills are all manual and customers and staff can and do haggle over price.”
Staff are encouraged to try out ideas – as long as they ditch them if they don’t work. Everybody has personal difficulties periodically and the group can help and support. If good staff have problems, then the group feels it
has a moral duty to help. Timpson may have an “upside-down” approach to management, but it works.
As in previous years, the conference was supported by an exhibition of associated companies including the conference’s sponsors. This year’s event differed in its presentation and the changes were much for better.
By moving into the hotel’s main foyer, the exhibitors gained not only from improved presentation, but were readily on view and accessible to the audience during the conference breaks

We would like to thank Laundry and Cleaning News for the 2008 conference review below, www.laundryandcleaningnews.com

The April Which? report on drycleaning is largely unfavorable. Textile Services Association chief executive Murray Simpson said that the industry has two choices as to how it responds:

It can be defensive, by pointing out that the 48 garments cleaned in the sample should be seen against 100million garments cleaned each year; or it can recognise that the results do underline the need to improve skills.

The report’s language was highly emotive at times. Murray Simpson disagreed strongly with a reference to “ consumers effectively being defrauded” (as does LCN). But the industry should use the report as a whole as an opportunity to take positive action as TSA would do. Christine Antrobus, vice president of the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers, recommended seeing this as “a wake-up call”.

This year’s conference marked strengthened links between The Guild and TSA, with the Guild Secretariat work transferring to TSA offices last year, a step which pleased Ivan Kerry (TSA president) as he has always advocated a closer relationship. However, the two remain separate organisations with different aims – training in the case of the Guild, and for TSA, lobbying on legislation.

In the first presentation, Christine Antrobus, representing Satra, examined common causes of complaints about drycleaning: delamination: shrinkage; marks, fading, tears, holes, bruising and trim damage. In each case she considered types and possible causes of damage, responsibility and, where relevant, action that might at least reduce the fault.

Antrobus pointed out that it was not always easy to decide whether an item had shrunk. Cleaners should measure and record the length and width of curtains when they came in and also garments made from sensitive fabrics. Wool will always shrink in cleaning if it is not completely dry when it goes into the machine. Airing before cleaning is essential if there is the slightest possibility of moisture – cleaners should remember that if wool is cold, it is also damp.

Staining and marks that occur in use are always the wearer’s responsibility but any damage caused by removal is the cleaner’s fault.Good practice rules to reduce complaints include thorough counter inspection, testing possible treatments on a hidden area and warning the customer of any specific risks before going ahead. If a customer makes a complaint, it must be handled professionally, quickly and fairly. Help the customer with well-written letters of explanation, be reasonable, and follow the Guild or TSA Code of practice. Handling a complaint correctly can turn an angry customer into a loyal one.

Robert Adams, director of franchising at White Knight, explained why the company had set up a franchise operation for its domestic laundry and drycleaning and so had turned round a declining section of its operation.

For around 18 months, public relations consultant Parker Hobart has been conducting a campaign to raise awareness of the TSA and drycleaning. That campaign is now having positive effects. In the last year, TSA had been mentioned in 50 articles and is now being seen as a source of specialist advice by publications, as diverse as Ideal Home, Good Housekeeping, The Times, Red and GQ.

The Guild and the TSA gave a joint presentation on their achievements. Adrian Redgate, Guild chairman, explained that networking was a core function. Its regional centres held regular meetings and could offer its members help and advice. Training is a main role as shown by the logo “The Guild for a better qualification” He welcomed feedback and comments can be posted in the members area of the website.

Murray Simpson said the TSA offers “a basket of services” but its core role is to lobby government on the industry’s behalf to make sure legislation is representative, sensible and fair. The SED is a good example, as is its recent lobbying against the solvent framework directive.

The solvent debate proved a valuable centrepiece to the conference. Chris Tebbs, chairing the event gave an excellent introduction.
“Although the SED is now firmly in place and drycleaners are now compliant, the UK can’t afford to be complacent about the future of perc.” Legislators and campaigners are more active than drycleaners, as the USA has seen. California already has a timetable for an eventual ban and this includes a ban on machines 15 years older or more – so for many this could impact in just seven or eight years. New Jersey is already proposing a ban and he has heard that Maryland is now seeking a ban. Developing alternatives is important.

Martin Lewis of Lewis & Wayne described his involvement with hydrocarbon including its development as an alternative when CFC113 was banned.His business has successfully cleaned thousands of expensive garments in hydrocarbon. The only problems have been with padded garments and leather. These must be dried thoroughly to avoid the risks of using a flammable solvent. It does clean, but don’t expect the same results as you get with perc, he said, classification is essential.

Is it easy to use? You must follow the rules as you would with perc – avoid excessive water, make regular checks, be careful with chemicals that contain other solvents. Bear its flammability in mind. It is kinder to the environment, but won’t make you an eco warrior in itself.
Andre Oban of the European Chlorinated Solvents Association put the perc case. Its use needs little introduction, but he countered some of the anti-perc arguments.Studies suggested there was no link to cancer and had also found no real effect on fertility. He also claimed that environmental effects were minimal. Advancing technology has greatly lowered solvent consumption. Fifth generation machines reduce solvent consumption tenfold compared with early machines.

Ian Battle, head of technical support services for Johnson Cleaners was the spokesman for GreenEarth. The Johnson Group has been involved with this solvent since 2001. It currently has GreenEarth machines in 253 branches and now only installs GreenEarth machines. Battle is well aware of the perc arguments and has worked with it in his career, but GreenEarth is odour free, gives a softer feel and has less colour loss.

It is kinder to the environment. It will clean virtually anything but does require the help of detergents. It also needs different spotting techniques and other differences include the need for nitrogen injection and vacuum distillation. You will need 25% extra machine capacity compared with perc to get the same throughput, but the average loading is 80% compared with 65% for perc.

Kay Jones of Electrolux explained the advantages of the Lagoon specialised wetcleaning system. This professional method has been developed hand-in-hand with the Woolmark Company. It involves specific chemicals but uses water as a natural solvent. Lagoon is a gentle and controlled system that suits 98% of garments. The washers include the company’s residual moisture control and the equipment includes dryers and a range of finishing machines.

R R Street’s Solvair is a relatively recent system combining a proprietary solvent for the cleaning cycle and liquid CO2 for rinsing and drying as the solvent does not evaporate quickly. A video showed pre-stained swatches being cleaned in a load and stressed that it needed neither pre-treatment nor pre-sorting. Claimed advantages included both lack of dye bleed and of shrinkage. It will handle beads, sequins and leather trims safely.

Peter Hunt, from Wastecare detailed the regulations governing the handling and disposal of hazardous waste, and advice on compliance. Good environmental management could, he stressed, improve the bottom line. His company worked with drycleaners to help manage waste effectively. It was compiling an information pack.

The impact of the immigration laws on a company was explained by Gareth Draper of Royal Jersey laundry. The Ilford plant has a workforce predominantly of Asian origin and most of whom have British passports. When, in 2005, a neighbouring laundry was raided by the authorities, he felt it wise to seek advice. The Home Office seemed helpful, but asked for a list of employees. Three weeks later he found he was part of a covert operation. They wanted to interview six employees on benefit and immigration matters and gave him the date they would call.

On the day he set up a cover story for the interviews and the suspect six went in for their “security training”. It was a harrowing experience, the place was swamped with police, the local press tried to get a scoop.

Some of the suspects were later cleared, but one man he had promoted as enterprising and hardworking had a large number of forged passports. The experience shattered the trust built up with his team. In the end this was rebuilt, even with those unjustly suspected.

Robin Rhodes, employment consultant for the TSA backed up this personal account with information and sources of help. He stressed that the UK economy has gained enormously from immigrant labour but the problems of illegal immigration overlap with those of benefit fraud and people trafficking. The regulations are difficult and detailed and the HR employment helpline (01628 487 007) will give advice. The Border and Immigration Authority website provides helpful information.

Health and Safety inspector Geoff Brown advised “Keep it simple”. A business is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of employees. The results matter more than the methods. Risk assessment means considering potential causes of danger and deciding if there are sufficient precautions in place. The law expects risk to be reduced rather than eliminated. There are 5 steps: identify the hazards; decide who might be harmed and how; evaluate and decide precautions; record findings and implement them; review and update information.Implementation is the important step. Paperwork never saved anyone.