CFA Partners with Allied Trades for Clean Canada EXPO 2024
No Clean Show this year? No problem! The Canadian Fabricare Association, in conjunction with allied trades companies, is hosting Clean Canada EXPO 2024 on Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24. The event will take place at the Delta Toronto Airport Hotel in Toronto.
Read the details in Industry News…
ARTA Announces New Board President
The American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) announced a new President of the Board the Directors. Jerry Martin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Prudential Overall Supply has been announced as the new ARTA President of the Board of Directors.
Get to know Jerry in Industry News…
PLANT PROFILE
Style & Grace Cleaners
Every company has a story. Each has a unique history, interesting combination of equipment, a philosophy that drives it, and the people who bring it to life. Get to know Style & Grace Cleaners and find out what makes a successful plant continue to thrive even after half a century of ups and downs.
March Focus: Mechanical Magic
The worst day ever
Things go wrong in your plant all the time, but today is the day from you-know-where.
You arrive to find your security alarm battery died, and you can’t make it stop beeping. You replace the battery and peace is restored. Or is it?
READ MORE ABOUT THE WORST DAY EVER here…
All this month we’ll be saluting those who know which button to press, which hose to replace, where the blockage is, how to get things back in sync.
We’d love to hear your story of a situation where your mechanic was able to save the day. Send us a quick email and we’ll feature it: becca@fabricarecanada.com.
An Interview with
a Magician
INSTALLMENT 2 IN OUR SERIES
You’re probably afraid to ask your mechanic some of the questions we asked ours, because the longer they are in your plant, the more money they cost you. So we’ve saved you the expense and pinned down Kevin Marois of Integrity Mechanical on some behind-the-curtain thoughts.
Buy Yourself Some Magic
This is a great time to be in this industry. We have equipment that reduces the strain on your workers. It allows you to use less skilled staff but still produce well finished garments. These machines and chemicals will save you labour – if you are willing to use them.
Unlocking Customer Attention
You love your machines. They do wonderful things! They make a living for you. Wouldn’t it be great if your customers were as enraptured with all that technology? Linley has a simple way to unlock your customers’ attention and get them to understand and appreciate all that magic behind the curtain.
February Focus: Dreamers & Doers
One of the special things about owning your own business is that you are free to dream — where is the company going? Where do you want it to go? What can you do to get it there?
The success stories in our industry are people who DREAM big and then DO big. All this month we’ll be showcasing Dreamers & Doers to give you new ideas to put in your own dream basket.
Check back each week for another shot of encouragement.
FIRST INSTALLMENT
Coating the World with Kindness
Most people equate dreaming and doing with financial success. Alex Winch of Beach Solar Laundromat/Monk’s Fine Fabric Care of Toronto pictures real success as making a positive difference in people’s daily lives. And he doesn’t mean just being open convenient hours, either.
Contrary to the dream-big-do-big idea, Alex is doing something small, but life-changing. We promise it will touch your heart and fire your imagination.
SECOND INSTALLMENT
Dreaming BIG
Venezuelan-born Salomon Mishaan had a problem when he relocated to the U.S.: he couldn’t find a dry cleaner that did things the way he’d gotten used to them in Europe and other places he had traveled. Rather than despair, he realized he’d found a market ripe for innovation.
FINAL INSTALLMENT
Where have all the Dreamers gone?
In the month of February we featured stories of industry people who dreamed something and then made it happen. We challenged you to dream, too. An email went out to a good-sized group of cleaners asking what their dreams are for their businesses and what they’re doing to make them come true. The result? Not one response. None.
So the question is, where have the dreamers gone?
Our columnists are never shy about weighing in on our monthly focus. This month is no exception!
The Mechanics of Dreaming and Doing
Some people dream and plan and make things happen. Others dream and whine and grumble, and then do nothing. If you want things to be different, you have to start with a dream and follow it with some elbow grease. Kevin gives you some practical steps from dreaming to doing.
Turn your Dreams into Reality
As February draws to a close, you may feel your commitment to your new year’s resolutions (also known as ‘Dreams for 2024’) slipping away. There’s no need for a wavering mindset. Linley has a few simple ‘take action’ tactics you can use to ensure you turn your 2024 dreams into reality.