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JULY 2024 NEWS

Coin Laundry Association Embraces Industry Changes with New Name and Branding

The largest trade organization dedicated to the vended laundry industry is excited to announce an update to its branding, including its name. The Coin Laundry Association will now be known as simply “CLA,” with each of the three letters signifying an action that the highly respected organization makes possible for its 1500+ members (connect, learn, advocate). Additionally, its refreshed tagline, “the preeminent resource for laundry professionals”, speaks to its unwavering commitment to provide valuable and tangible resources to those members.

CLA has begun rolling out the refreshed name and brand look across its social channels and email communications to members. Members of the community will continue to see the new branding replace the previous brand look throughout the year.

Founded in 1960, the association has empowered thousands of store owners, investors, manufacturers and distributors to successfully navigate industry shifts — from the dramatic rise in cashless payments to the demand for value-add services like wash and fold. Now CLA is adopting a refreshed name and look to reflect its dedication to staying current and helping the vended laundry community do the same.

Brian Wallace

“Updating our name and branding felt like the perfect step forward as we continue to evolve alongside the vended laundry industry,” said CLA President and CEO Brian Wallace. “Our commitment to supporting our members remains unwavering, and this rebranding underscores our dedication to innovation and growth while continuing to provide the same high level of support and resources that our members rely on.”

No changes will be made to the market insights and opportunities CLA provides to its members, such as white papers and training kits focused on best practices, exclusive discounts on solutions vetted by the association, advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels and in-person events like the Wash-Dry-Fold Workshop, September 18-20, in Nashville, Tenn. As always, CLA’s offerings will feature updated content designed to keep members ahead of trends and other factors that impact their businesses.

For more information about CLA, membership benefits and upcoming events, visit coinlaundry.org.

DLI Announces 2024-2025 Board of Directors

Each year DLI’s Board of Directors brings on new members as other members retire or move into Executive Committee positions. This June DLI’s Board bid farewell to Chairman Jeff Schwegmann II of U.S. Leather Cleaning and Sunshine Cleaners in Cold Spring, KY, and John Mertes of Ziker Cleaners in Mishawaka, IN, at its Summer Board Meeting.

Front Row (L-R): Chair Kathy Benzinger; President Kyle Nesbit, President-Elect Toran Brown, Treasurer & District Four Director Ray Kroner.
Back Row (l-r): Don Holochek, District Three Director; Larry Fish, District One Director; Norman Way, District Two Director; Ray Rangwala, District Eight Director; Rhonda Eysel, District Three Committee Member; Dan Sims, District Five Director; Tom Ustanik, District Five Committee Member; Allan Cripe, District Six Committee Member; David Grippi, District One DCM; Mark Albrecht, Allied Trades Director; Jeff Jordan, Allied Trades Committee Member; Danny Bahlman, CGCP®, District Six Director; Ryan Fish, District Seven Director.
Not Pictured: Chris Edwards, District 7 Committee Member.

Nesbit Dynasty — DLI’s 2024-2025 President Kyle Nesbit (left) poses with CEO Mary Scalco and his father Mike Nesbit, DLI Past President 2017-2018.

Kathy Benzinger moved to the Chair position while Kyle Nesbit became President for the 2024-2025 term. Toran Brown became President-Elect and Ray Kroner was elected Treasurer. All Executive Committee positions are for the 2024–2025 term.

All Executive, Director, and District Committee Member leadership positions are volunteer. DLI greatly appreciates the time and resources all members of the Board of Directors share in guiding the Institute.

DLI exists to help member drycleaners succeed.
Learn more at DLIonline.org

K-Bro Acquires Buanderie CM, Inc. for $12 million

K-Bro Linen Inc. (“K-Bro” or the “Corporation“) (TSX: KBL) announced that it has successfully completed its acquisition of Buanderie C.M. Inc. (“C.M.”) for an enterprise value of $12 million, on a cash-free, debt-free basis. The transaction includes the real estate for C.M.’s processing and storage facilities located in North Montréal. The acquisition is being funded entirely from K-Bro’s syndicated revolving credit facility and, after synergies, is expected to be accretive to the Corporation.

Buanderie, CM, Inc.

C.M. is a private laundry and linen operator located in Montréal and serving the healthcare market with annual revenues of approximately $7.3 million. The acquisition will enable K-Bro to operate with two facilities in Montreal to service its growing healthcare and hospitality business. 

“K-Bro is proud to serve Quebec and we are excited to further diversify our customer base in the province. C.M. has been serving top-tier healthcare customers in the attractive Montréal market for decades. Our acquisition of C.M. expands K-Bro’s healthcare customer base, increases healthcare volumes, adds additional healthcare capacity, and supports significant future growth opportunities,” said Linda McCurdy, President and Chief Executive Officer at K-Bro.

“The C.M. acquisition aligns with our strategy of acquiring high-quality operators. We’re excited about our outlook and have an active M&A pipeline. K-Bro remains well positioned from a balance sheet and liquidity perspective and will continue to be disciplined as we evaluate acquisitions.”

CORPORATE PROFILE

K-Bro is the largest owner and operator of laundry and linen processing facilities in Canada. K-Bro provides a comprehensive range of general linen and operating room linen processing, management and distribution services to healthcare institutions, hotels and other commercial accounts. K-Bro currently operates ten processing facilities and two distribution centres under two distinctive brands, including K-Bro Linen Systems Inc. and Buanderie HMR, in ten Canadian cities: Québec City, Montréal, Toronto, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria.

JUNE 2024 NEWS

TRSA Honors Hart

To Receive the Prestigious 2024 Maglin-Biggie Supplier Partner Lifetime Achievement Award

Phil Hart

The Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) announced that Phil Hart, president and CEO of Kannegiesser ETECH, Minneapolis, has been honored with the 2024 Maglin-Biggie Supplier Partner Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is a testament to Hart’s exceptional leadership, his significant contributions to the linen, uniform and facility services industry, and his steadfast dedication to excellence.

“It is a truly unexpected surprise to be nominated for this award,” Hart said. “Many of the names of the prior recipients are people that I have a great deal of respect for and have learned much from. To be associated with those leaders in our industry is truly an honor.”

Revered by his colleagues for creating an outstanding workplace environment and fostering a culture of success and contentment among customers and staff, Hart’s philosophy is that the team should get the credit. This exemplifies his modest approach and belief in shared success. His core principle, “We Do What’s Right,” has garnered him respect from customers and has cultivated a high level of accountability and trust within the Kannegiesser ETECH team. Renowned for his patience and eagerness to educate, Hart engages meaningfully with individuals, remembering personal details and showing sincere interest in their lives. His actions, such as personally ensuring the safe return of ill team members from job sites, demonstrate his faith in his team’s potential and his role as a true leader.

Since joining Kannegiesser USA in 2004, Hart’s visionary leadership has played a crucial role in evolving the company from a European supplier to a formidable U.S. corporation. His pivotal role in the acquisition of ETECH stands as a tribute to his strategic foresight and the acknowledgment of American technological excellence by Kannegiesser. As CEO for the past seven years, Kannegiesser ETECH has become a byword for responsiveness and innovation, always seeking ways to make challenging ideas feasible while maintaining sharp business acumen.

Hart’s TRSA leadership positions and accomplishments include:

  • Founding chair and ongoing member of the Supplier Partner Council Board of Directors
  • Member of the TRSA Board of Directors
  • Contributor to the Strategic Planning Committee
  • Instructor at the Production Management Institute (PMI) and Maintenance Management Institute (MMI)
  • Steadfast supporter of TRSA programs through advertising and sponsorship
  • Host of international plant tours, promoting global industry insights
  • Proponent for team engagement in TRSA events, both in-person and virtual
  • Participant in DEI Committee meetings at the TRSA Legislative Conference

Kannegiesser ETECH considers it a great privilege that Hart receives this award. Michael Harre, chief sales and service officer, said that, “His loyalty, continuous striving for improvement, and dedication to the industry, have set a high standard within our organization. Moreover, Phil’s valuable contributions have helped advance our industry, making him a deserving recipient of this award. Kannegiesser, as a supplier, is deeply committed to the same principles and values. Over the past two decades, Phil has exemplified dedication and excellence, and this award reflects our shared commitment to advancing the industry and setting new standards. We extend our sincere congratulations to Phil Hart and celebrate this well-deserved honor.”

Hart will receive the award at TRSA’s 111th Annual Conference & Exchange, this Sept. 24-25 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO. Registration and details can be found at www.trsa.org/annual conference.

ALM Revises Bylaws, Makes Leadership Changes

Brobeck to Become President/CEO

The Association for Linen Management’s (ALMs’s) membership voted to revise the association’s bylaws to modernize the organization’s governance structure and enhance the leadership framework. As a result of the affirmative vote, the Board of Directors’ role has been clarified to become more strategic in nature, allowing them to concentrate on oversight, policy-making, and long-term strategy. As a result of this change, the chief elected officer will assume the title of chairman, while the chief staff officer, will assume the title of President and CEO.

Sarah Brobeck

Sarah Brobeck, RLLD who joined the staff in 2022 as Executive Director will become ALM’s President and CEO effective July 1. In this elevated role, Brobeck will not only drive the association’s strategic initiatives, but will represent the association with a keen focus on its growth and development.

Brobeck came to the association with over 15 years of experience working in textile care services, which fortified her business acumen with extensive insight on the industry along with a vast network of connections. In her first 18 months as Executive Director, Brobeck led the association through two record-breaking IMPACT conferences, along with the development of new programs and services designed to provide more value to all members.

Brobeck has a rich history in developing teams and fostering individual growth, marked by her strategic vision and empathetic leadership. She has successfully built and managed diverse teams, driving them towards achieving high performance and collaboration. She intends to use this experience to build and launch ALM’s future leaders program, which will provide education and mentoring for individuals embarking on their own leadership journey.

“Sarah’s passion and dedication to the industry and association, along with her adept leadership style made her the ideal candidate for the Executive Director position,” said ALM Chairman Jim Mangini, RLLD. “But, her strategic mindset and results-driven approach earned her this promotion to president and CEO. Behind Sarah’s drive, the association is now positioned for unparalleled growth and enhanced member value.”

“I have set ambitious goals for enhancing the value to all members and ensuring the next generation of leaders are well-equipped for success” said Brobeck. “I’m honored to have the Board’s support behind me as we continue to grow ALM.”

Brady and Remillong Join Board, Malboeuf Takes Helm

Chip Malboeuf

The Association for Linen Management (ALM) announced new Board leadership as Chip Malboeuf, Vice President Operations and Engineering at ImageFIRST assumes role as Chairman of the Board, Liz Remillong, Vice President of Business Development at Core Linen Service was elected as Vice Chair, and Tiffany Brady, Director of Customer Relations and Logistics at West Michigan Shared Hospital Laundry was elected as a Director. Chris Christie, CLLM, MHLM, System Linen Manager at Ascension Health was also re-elected as a director.

With ALM’s aggressive strategic plan and rapid growth, these leaders assume their role in a defining moment for the association.

“Under Chip’s leadership and with the addition of Liz and Tiffany, I couldn’t be more excited about ALM’s direction. Visionary leaders like them are what propels ALM to become even more vital in the textile care services landscape as the premier resource for education and networking,” said ALM Executive Director, Sarah Brobeck.

“I am deeply honored to ascend to the role of Chairman of the ALM Board of Directors,” said Malboeuf. “Building upon the remarkable momentum of the Board of Directors and the ALM staff, I am committed to advancing our mission and continuing to grow the educational opportunities we offer. Together, we will strive to help provide leadership development and industry expertise, ensuring ALM continues to be a beacon of learning and development for all.”

Liz Remillong

“I am so honored to be able to serve the members of ALM. I am excited to work with Chip and the board on all the fantastic initiatives Sarah and her team have been working on,” shared Remillong. “It’s a great time to be part of a wonderful organization and am looking forward to all the future offerings ALM will bring to the industry!”

The ALM Board of Directors provides the association with oversight, policy making and long-term strategy. The new board positions were elected by the membership and announced at the June 11 virtual membership meeting.

For more information about ALM, visit the website.

Preserve a Gown, Plant a Tree

Association of Wedding Gown Specialists joins forces with Arbor Day Foundation.

The Association of Wedding Gown Specialists (AWGS) announced that wedding couples can now ensure the beauty of their gowns and help safeguard the planet’s beauty, too.

AWGS has established a ReforestationFund (TM) and will help provide support to the Arbor Day Foundation, to help make a positive impact and celebrate a couple’s wedding by planting a tree for every gown its members preserve. Trees will be planted in a forest of great need. Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest member nonprofit dedicated to planting trees. Together with their members, partners, and programs, they have helped plant more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests throughout the world.

AWGS is proud of its long-time eco-friendly commitment. President Kyle Matthews of Janet Davis Cleaners in Berkley, Michigan, noted, “Our Association was the first to try to calculate the carbon footprint of cleaning and preserving the wedding gown, from travel to and from one of our members, to the cleaning of the gown, and the manufacture of the wedding chest to preserve the gown. In 2009 we began funding reforestation projects worldwide, and our MuseumCareTM preservations are unique with regard to our commitment to the environment.”

Established in 1987, AWGS, a not-for-profit trade association with members in nine countries, is a network of cleaners who specialize in the meticulous care of wedding gowns, specialty garments, and other fine fabrics.  Members share a common vision: to elevate their brands and become the trusted dry cleaners in their respective communities. Members also understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with handling delicate and cherished items such as wedding gowns and other luxury garments and cherished heirlooms. The Association’s mission is to empower members with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to excel in this specialized field. However, the preservation guarantee is truly an international warranty because each member honors the guarantee of every other member no matter where in the world they may be.

The organization’s trademarked MuseumCareTM preservations are endorsed by the Association of Bridal Consultants (the professional organization dedicated to wedding planners and professionals worldwide) and are also recommended by many designers and manufacturers.

For more information about training and membership, go to www.WeddingGownSpecialists.com or to www.WeddingGownSpecialists.net.au or call the office at 800-5001-5005 or 203-415-4079.

Preparing for PFAs in Commercial Real Estate

EnviroForensics Explains PFAs — and why they matter

You may (or may not) have heard of PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and the recent U.S. EPA announcement designating two PFAs compounds as hazardous substances. There’s been a lot of doom and gloom posted about PFAs recently and while their hazardous substance designation will have effects that trickle down to commercial real estate, all is not lost. Below is a quick summary of what PFAS are and some immediate effects you may see in commercial real estate beginning July 8, 2024, when two common PFAs compounds officially become hazardous substances.

WHAT ARE PFAs ?

PFAs are a group of 9,000+ chemicals developed in the 1930s used in water-resistant textiles, paper products, non-stick coatings, and cleaning products. They are found in items like shampoo, cosmetics, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant or waterproofing products, fast food packaging, paints, and pesticides. Biosolids from sewer treatment plants, used as fertilizer, and aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used for fire suppression, can also contain PFAs . Electronic manufacturing and electroplating operations use PFAs too.

PFAs breaks down slowly in the environment, easily travel through groundwater, and can bioaccumulate in humans and animals. Research links PFAs exposure to health concerns in humans and animals.

REAL ESTATE IMPLICATIONS

Until recently, PFAs were regarded as emerging contaminants and were not officially listed as CERCLA hazardous substances. Two (2) common PFAs compounds (known as PFOA and PFOS) will become CERCLA hazardous substances on July 8, 2024.  Below are four ways the hazardous substance designation of these PFAs compounds may affect commercial real estate transactions going forward.

  1. Environmental screening levels for PFAs are very low and PFAs may be found at lots of properties. Studies have shown that PFAs can cause issues at very low levels in the environment; for example, common petroleum compounds are assessed at a part-per-billion (ppb) level; PFAs compounds are assessed at a part-per-trillion (ppt) level, a thousand times lower. PFAs do not easily breakdown and can readily travel when they encounter groundwater. PFAs may be present at many properties, even if the historical or current operations may not have directly used PFAs . Types of businesses that may have PFAs impacts includes, but is not limited to laundromats, car washes, dry cleaners, airports, firefighting training facilities, electronic manufacturers, oil refineries, plastic and paper mills, landfills, metal platers, and any business where non-stick or waterproofing applications are applied.
  2. PFAs will now be a consideration in Phase I ESAs. Historically, PFAs were considered out-of-scope items for Phase I ESAs, as the ASTM standard only calls for assessing CERCLA hazardous substances and petroleum products. Beginning July 8, 2024, the PFAs compounds PFOA and PFOS will need to be assessed during Phase I ESAs.
  3. A current Phase I ESA may identify PFAs as an environmental concern at properties where historical Phase Is may have not identified environmental concerns. PFAs were used in many processes and operations that were previously not considered issues. For example, laundromats (with no dry cleaning operations) and farm fields may have environmental concerns due to PFAs , whereas they may not have had issues previously. Other facilities, such as dry cleaners or electroplating operations, may have identified environmental concerns in their past Phase I and Phase II ESAs, but those historical reports likely did not address PFAs .
  4. Cost for environmental sampling (i.e., Phase II ESAs) may increase. PFAs sampling techniques can require increased time and stringent procedures to ensure cross-contamination will not occur. Laboratories will also need to analyze PFAs samples at extremely low levels, which will likely increase analytical costs. For example, analysis of groundwater for dry cleaning compounds is roughly $80 – $100 per sample. Current groundwater analytical costs for a PFAs sample can start in the high $300s and go up from there.

The bottom line is that the impending designation of PFAs as a hazardous substance may have far-reaching effects in the environmental world; however, this does not mean the sky is falling. Property owners and prospective purchasers should be aware of these upcoming regulations and a trusted environmental consultant can help guide you through the next steps.

EnviroForensics helps business owners through environmental investigations and cleanup, often while business goes on as usual. EnviroForensics may be able to help find historical insurance to fund the investigation or connect you with third parties who can manage environmental liabilities for property owners or even purchase contaminated properties. For more information, visit the website.

TRSA Announces Buik to Receive Operator Lifetime Achievement Award

James Buik

James Buik, president and owner of the Roscoe Co., Chicago, will be honored at the 111th TRSA Annual Conference & Exchange in September with the TRSA Operator Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award pays tribute to exceptional personal service to TRSA and the industry as nominated by past linen, uniform and facility services operator award peers and voted on by the TRSA Executive Committee. Winners have supported the association for decades, devoting their own time to association activities and facilitating their employees’ involvement in TRSA. Their teams have taken advantage of a wide range of TRSA activities, including certification, in-person and virtual events, and benchmarking surveys.

Buik has been recognized for engagement in and personal leadership of TRSA and the Uniform and Textile Service Association (UTSA), which served the industry for 75 years and blended with TRSA in 2009. For TRSA, he was chair (2018–’20) and a member of the Executive Committee (2014–’22) and Board of Directors (2012–’14). For UTSA, he was chair (2005–’06) and executive (2003–’08) and a board member (1993–’95).

“I am humbled to be included on a prestigious list of previous award winners, to include my father Donald, and many industry friends and colleagues,” Buik said. “I have so many to thank, but especially my wife Teresa, who has supported and encouraged me throughout the journey.”

His dedication to furthering the industry’s best interests has been reflected in other volunteer leadership positions, as he currently chairs TRSA’s Environmental Committee and serves on the Government Relations Committee. He previously chaired the Strategic Planning Committee and was a member of the TRSA Education and UTSA Marketing Committees.

“Jim’s leadership reflects a belief we share that when any operator makes a good impression on their customers, it serves us all well,” said Jim Kearns, current TRSA board chair and COO, Alsco Uniforms, Salt Lake City. “The more you get to know him, the more you realize he really does have the industry’s best interests at heart.”

In recent years, Buik has empowered Roscoe staff to serve on four other TRSA committees, facilitated extensive Roscoe staff participation in TRSA professional-development events and led the company in earning Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Food Safety certifications.

TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci commended Buik’s hospitality to TRSA groups seeking to visit Roscoe during professional-development events such as the Production Summit and Plant Tours, Maintenance Management Institute and Next-Generation Executives Roundtable. “Jim has upheld TRSA members’ longstanding tradition to welcome industry colleagues to view their teams and machinery at work,” Ricci said. “Roscoe’s company motto is ‘Take Pride.’ Jim and the Roscoe staff enjoy these opportunities to demonstrate their performance excellence. They realize the benefits of hosting a plant tour, including building teamwork and boosting morale by putting a local team on a national stage.”

The award presentation will take place during a Sept. 26 dinner at the TRSA Annual Conference & Exchange, Sept. 24-26, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO. At the event, Buik will join 38 past recipients who have received the award since its 1982 inception.