LCN interview

Colin Hill

1 January 2009



TSA president and managing director of Blue Dragon Drycleaners, talks to LCN editor Janet Taylor


TSA president Colin Hill wants to encourage the laundry industry to be more realistic about its pricing strategies.

Hill, who took on the role at the 2008 AGM, explains that the laundry industry provides an essential product. It does a difficult job very well but it undervalues the services it offers and seems to focus more on volume rather than price.

“We are reluctant to charge, although our costs are rising,” he says. As a result, he sees businesses struggling, and unfortunately some will not survive. “We have already witnessed a number of high profile companies disappear from the industry.”

To help get across that message, the TSA needs to develop its membership so that it represents a larger percentage of the textile care industries. This applies particularly to drycleaning, where TSA members only account for around 25% of the total number of outlets, which is around 4,000.

Although representation in the laundry sector is better, there are “a couple of large groups that are not members. TSA has a good product to offer”, Hill insists.

However, as president, Hill wants TSA to do more than play the numbers game.

He says membership needs to increase to improve standards and promote best practice.

A particular concern for Hill is that legislation designed to improve standards is not always being enforced as it should be. “We welcomed the Solvent Emissions Directive as it would help the drycleaning sector’s standards. Now we want more enforcement.

“As a drycleaner I have declared my solvent mileage figures but what are the local councils and Defra doing about those that have not submitted theirs?”

He will be mailing the science officers in his area to raise his concern that defaulters are not being pursued. The problem, he believes, is that many drycleaners are not aware of the many benefits the TSA has to offer that can improve their business. To correct this, the organisation is trying to assemble its messages into a promotional pack, and then work with allied traders?(the drycleaners’ suppliers) to reach the individual businesses. TSA, says Hill, offers a “basket of services” from which members can “pick ‘n mix”, selecting those that are most relevant to their own situation.

One of the major activities of the TSA is its role in lobbying the Government to make sure the industries’ viewpoints are represented. This work benefits not only the members, but every business involved in the textile care industry, which I believe is not recognised by many people.

It assists members in complying with legislation. For example, it has produced the SolvCalc pack, which helps drycleaners to work-out their solvent mileage.

TSA staff will direct customers to members’ businesses through its drycleaning information bureau and also develops initiatives to reduce business costs. It has professional services available to help with and provide advice on employment problems, legal matters and credit checking, as well as advice on health and safety with special focus on detailed reports concerning laundry equipment. For example the code of practice for the operation of batch washers.

The association has a good record in terms of achievement and is committed to resolving problems, even if this takes some time.

An example of this sustained commitment, is the Climate Change Levy where at last the trade association seems to have reached its goal. For after seven years of lobbying from various angles, TSA has obtained provisional approval for its application for the laundry industry to be admitted to the discount mechanism.

It has cleared all hurdles to UK approval but still has to meet the challenge of being approved by the European Union. However, Hill firmly believes that the way forward now is to proceed as if full approval had been granted, while continuing to lobby the EU. This is the final chance as businesses must apply for the discount by April 2009.

Hill sees the positive response to the recent, negative Which? report on drycleaning as an achievement: “We took a responsible line in the face of irresponsible journalism.

The TSA is now starting a mystery shopper campaign, aimed at distinguishing TSA member drycleaners from the rest.”

Rather than relying on a rather contrived test situation, shoppers will take in their own clothes, talk to staff about any possible problems, and report to TSA on the standard of cleaning and the general service.

The results will be published in statistical form on the website, but TSA will also contact individual members to let them know the feedback on their businesses.

Although all TSA presidents are concerned with the general problems of a trade association, each holder of the office brings a personal slant.

Colin Hill has spent a lifetime in the laundry and drycleaning industry and has been active on all fronts.

He is personally committed to improving training standards within the industry and is helping to lead TSA initiatives in this respect. He fully supports the present work taking place with Skillfast and the NVQ qualifications now available.

TSA helped to establish and promote NVQs under the government-backed Skillfast “Train to Gain” initiative, where programmes for levels 2 and 3 qualify for Government funding.

Showing that he is prepared to lead the way personally, Blue Dragon has begun the NVQ process, and is working with the assessors within the laundry operation, and he is actively involved in putting together a system for the drycleaning NVQs, to be launched in 2009.

Such efforts are, stresses Hill, part of the TSA’s role in helping the industry to improve itself.

He realises that some drycleaners have dismissed the idea of formal training for staff as an unnecessary expense.

They ask: “Why train someone when they may leave? That’s expensive.” But Hill responds: “If you don’t train them and they stay – that’s even more expensive.”

Looking ahead to 2009, he cites two prime aims. First, he wants to see an increase in TSA members. Just two days before this interview, the association had recorded a success by recruiting the Timpson group and James Timpson has agreed to speak at the All Industries’ Conference on 28 March.

Second, Hill believes the drycleaning industry needs to prove its professional credentials – hence the launch of the national mystery shopper campaign.

Further, there is a need to make the public more aware of what the laundry industry provides, and the professional manner in which they supply their product.

He is aware that the economic background next year will be tough. “We might see some decline in drycleaning demand, and some weakening in hotel occupancy.”

That forecast brings him back to one of his highest priorities – laundry pricing. To cope with the economic situation, the industry must not only be efficient, it must price sensibly.


Colin Hill Colin Hill


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