The future is built on the lessons of the past. This was one of the clear themes that emerged from Conference 2000, the first conference to be hosted jointly by the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers and the Textile Services Association.
But this successful event also proved that two associations with very different approaches can work together without losing their identity or sight of individual aims.
The message was driven home in a slick double act by Murray Simpson (from the TSA and Edinburgh) and Stuart Boyd (representing the Guild and Glasgow). After swapping insults about their home towns, the two agreed they could work together to promote common aims.
A challenge to the drycleaning industry kicked off the programme. Procter & Gamble’s Alison Smith tried to allay drycleaner’s fears about the home clothes-care kit, Dryel. She stressed P&G’s stance that Dryel does not replace professional drycleaning but meets a consumer-driven need for freshening and small-stain removal. Home-care kits would lead to more purchases and more frequent wear of dry-clean-only clothes, bringing more trade to professional cleaners. Nevertheless, the audience may have been relieved to learn that Dryel’s UK launch has been put on hold for now, as P & G brought forward the German introduction to fight an earlier than expected launch of Henkel’s rival product.
“Mention care labelling to drycleaners and they won’t let you get a word in” joked TSA technical director Mike Palin. Luckily, he managed to get several words in and gave his audience a clear account of the issues and concerns that care labelling raises. He explained the role of the regulatory bodies, ISO which publishes the standards, and Ginetex which owns the labels. He also described the thinking behind the care labelling system, the benefits for the textile care industry and detailed the stage reached in revising the care labelling codes.
He also brought the audience up to date on Aquacarb, the part EU funded project that is working towards establishing a test method for wetcleaning and hydrocarbon and will eventually lead to a care label.
Pacing around and keeping the audience alert after a good lunch, John Moore, sales manager of workwear specialist Alexandra described the revolution taking place in workwear which has turned into a user-led industry where manufacturers react to consumer needs. An increasingly competitive market has forced off-shore manufacture to ensure survival.
He also stressed the potential in rental, increasingly important to Alexandra. In total, the sector is worth some £106 million and 26 million workers average a daily change. His company holds some 2 million items in stock “though never the ones you want” he quipped.
As for future trends, fabrics are changing fast, with a trend to polycotton mixes and stretch materials. Above all, style and image are moving to the fore. It was time for a fashion show, but with a difference. Enter Murray Simpson in chef’s whites and checks, and Guild president Anne Parris and Guild honorary general secretary Yvonne Mort showing the style for women’s wear.
Alex Reid’s sales director Pat Dowling took an entirely different approach to the future when looking at the drycleaning market. Arguing that you have to understand the past to understand the future, he traced the industry’s history, illustrating the enormous changes by showing archive film of drycleaning in the 1930s. Then the sector was based round factory-style operations with thousands of staff. Pat Dowling then described the evolution of drycleaning solvents, a story that illustrates the adage: “today’s solution is tomorrow’s problem.” Talking on emerging technologies, Dr Manfred Wentz, executive director of the International Dry Cleaners Congress, fully endorsed this warning as he described developments from a US viewpoint. He stressed the need to learn from the history of proven technologies. Perc is versatile, but it is also the most regulated solvent from both environmental and health grounds.
In seeking out new solutions, we should be aware of their potential for attracting legislation. After a detailed look at CO2, Rynex, and Green Earth, he recognised the potential but advised seeking more information. Lifecycle assessment was needed in all cases. His verdict: be cautious, wait and see.
The day-to-day practicalities of drycleaning concerned Ian Parris of Parrisianne. Establish daily and weekly routines, don’t overload the operator, do everything by routine rather than by personal judgment and don’t rely on emergency maintenance, “emergencies always happen when you’re on the golf course.” Sunday’s session focussed on business management. Gary Lightfoot, of Business Serve, gave a view of how companies should approach going on-line. Robin Rhodes, who works closely with the TSA, gave practical advice on new employment regulations and how new employee rights could impact on business. Derrick Johns of National Britannia gave an extensive talk on health and safety. He warned “Health and safety law is criminal law, but the assumption is reversed – you are guilty till proved innocent.”
