Tower Cleaners, Calgary, AB

Over several months, we asked our readers to nominate plants they felt were the best of the best, with the aim of naming one the Best Plant 2024. Nominations came in from all across Canada, and we profiled the plants throughout September. Then we turned the tough decision over to a panel of judges, all long-time industry leaders and participants in the Canadian industry.

Our Judges

We were honoured to have judges with deep knowledge of the Canadian industry to serve on our panel.

• Chris Tebbs – Executive Director of the International Drycleaners Congress (IDC), based in Calgary, AB.
• Sid Chelsky – Executive Director of the Canadian Fabricare Association (CFA), based in Toronto, ON.
• Marcia Todd – Publisher Emeritus of Fabricare Canada magazine, based in Oakville, ON.
• Bob Wong – Long-time dry cleaner (now retired) and thoughtful student of the industry, based in New Glasgow, NS.

The judges took their responsibility seriously, and were thoughtful in their deliberations (as evidenced by the scoring sheet at right, which one judge created to keep track of all the details needed to select a winner).

“This was a difficult field to judge because all plants were excellent,” one judge said. “They presented a great snapshot of Canada, from the conservative Maritime market to the competitive Ontario, the post-boom Alberta and the buoyant BC market.”

“I never thought this would be as difficult as it was,” another commented. “All the plants had great equipment brands, plans for the future and great people – they are all plants I would love to visit.”

We are delighted to announce the winner of our first annual Best Plant competition: Tower Cleaners of Calgary, AB. They will receive an award plaque – and, of course, bragging rights.

Why was Tower selected?

Each nominee was given the same interview questions, and their answers formed the basis of the articles we wrote about them in September 2024. (You can read Tower’s article here if you missed it.)

Here are comments made by the judges in selecting Tower for the award.

“The choice in the end came down to small details for me. I chose Tower Cleaners because the second-tier management team kept the business on-track for two years while top management took time off for humanitarian volunteering. To me that was an exceptional example of successful training and confidence in senior staff. A remarkable achievement!”

“The tipping point for me, in this day of conflict in the world, pointing out how lucky we are to live in a great country like Canada, was the story of Mehran the seamstress returning to work without pay after being laid off, and telling the story how she escaped war and revolution. She said that Tower Cleaners was her family. To me, this reflects how well management treats their employees and something you only see from the heart, not a textbook. It is an earned respect.”

One judge who did not vote Tower Cleaners into the top spot was nonetheless impressed by it. “Tower Cleaners is probably the most established and, having taken a gamble by returning to a factory-based operation while all around were concentrating on the unit shop system, Tower proved that it was the future for both survival and growth,” the judge said. “They have clearly built the business by developing an excellent team that is supportive of the organization. Their size has enabled them to have both the latest and best equipment. I would have liked to see a little more about how they keep their customers satisfied.”

Every plant was a strong contender

Only one plant could be named Best Plant, but every plant in the competition had strong qualities to recommend it. The judges were not short on their praise for any of them.

“GreenClean Fabric Care Services is new to the general textile care services, and probably needs a little more time and experience to develop. They do, however, have the right attitude and I think that they are one to watch for the future,” one judge said.

“I chose GreenClean Fabric Care Services,” another judge said, “because David Alonzi not only runs a great plant, but he devotes much of his time to helping others, such as the Canadian Fabricare Association. He has spent endless hours bringing the association into the digital age. I was impressed with the respect and admiration his staff had for him. He trusts them to make the right decisions.”

“DeLuxe Dry Cleaners is obviously the smallest operation, which (in difficult times) probably needs to be the most innovative to survive,” a judge said. “Kyle has clearly been a part of what is very much a family business almost all of his life and is very much the driving force now. I like that he has acknowledged that the industry has changed considerably since the pandemic and that he has accepted the need not only for change, but also to develop relationships with both other dry cleaners and correlated local businesses. I am sure this will ensure a successful business in the future and, in the smaller business category, I would rate them highly. I would have liked to see more about what he is doing to develop his staff to help meet these challenges.”

Carousel Cleaners also garnered praise from the judges. “The pros for Carousel Cleaners for me was the length of time being in business, being a second generation cleaner and having a DLI Graduate on staff,” a judge applauded.

Another judge said, “Carousel Cleaners has not only invested in some effective and efficient equipment, the company obviously cares for its staff and is keen to develop their skills to provide the high standards that support its reputation with customers. They have survived recent difficulties and continue to grow. I like that they are dedicated to providing a quality operation, with the driving force being ‘customer satisfaction’ and their commitment to being the best in the province. They also acknowledge that they cannot stand still and are focused on broadening their service areas. In short, they care about their team and their customers, and will ensure satisfaction to both.”

Get ready for next year!

If you were reluctant to nominate a plant this year, get ready for next year. We intend to make the Best Plant Award an annual salute to those who are leading the way in our industry in Canada. Now you’ve seen the calibre of plant that makes the grade, you know what we’re looking for. You can nominate your own plant, or a plant you serve in an allied trades capacity. This is just the beginning!

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