As 2016 comes to an end, I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone involved with the Coin Laundry Association for the hard work they do every day and the contributions they’ve made – and continue to make – to strengthen and improve our industry.
Please allow me to share my thoughts on this year’s accomplishments and what I think next year holds for the vended laundry business. I’m inspired by our continued progress toward providing the best products and services to our customers as efficiently and effectively as possible.
The CLA’s unofficial report is that sales by operators were strong and that confidence in our industry remains high among consumers. This is most evident in the volume of new equipment sales. Concomitant with this meter of growth, this equipment is not only going to update existing locations but also to outfit new laundry construction.
On the full-service laundry side of the business, we saw upstart Washio shut down overnight, while operators are seeing consistent growth. Technology services continue to provide beneficial advances through sales/partnerships with operators who are offering delivery and pickup, as well as in-store point-of-sales systems. We also are seeing a movement in the drycleaning arena to more actively promote and offer wash-dry-fold services, making the local drycleaner a one-stop shop for customer convenience.
At the 2017 Clean Show, the CLA and the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute will offer an educational session on the benefits of the partnerships between laundromats and drycleaners. The Clean Show is another great gauge of interest, growth and progress within our industry. Last year’s show in Atlanta enjoyed record attendance, and next year’s Las Vegas event already has even more exhibitors registered to present, with new ideas and technology. Clean 2017 is looking like it will be one of the biggest and most well attended in decades.
Starting in January, I will take the reins from Craig Kirchner as chair of the association’s LaundryCares Foundation. I’ve had the honor of working with Craig for the last 10 years, and it has been a privilege to learn from such a great leader. Craig has made tremendous progress with LaundryCares – the foundation has raised nearly $100,000 this year!
We kicked off our “Wash Time is Talk Time” program to promote early childhood literacy through laundromats. We facilitated more than a dozen free laundry days and are developing a plan to support CLA members who choose to host such free laundry events in their stores. Additionally, we have plans in the works to hold a Mega-Multi-Store Free Laundry Day in Las Vegas, in conjunction with Clean 2017 this coming June. This will be a great opportunity for anyone to volunteer and learn how to conduct their own free laundry day.
PlanetLaundry also will continue to promote the good deeds of laundry owners and the impact they have on their communities with the ongoing series, “Making a Difference.”
Moving forward, our nation has a newly elected President and Congress, and many states have new legislators. The election process was lengthy, and it concerned many of us with what effects its outcome might have on our businesses. With Election Day 2016 in the history books, we have a direction to help clarify our focus, and we hope to see some positive legislation for small business in the first 100 days of the new administration.
To all of you who are staying the course while constantly seeking ways to advance and improve, I want you to know how much I appreciate the impact your collective efforts make for the benefit of the vended laundry industry. I wish you continued success in all your endeavors and offer my best wishes to you for a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2017.
And, for my final official note as CLA chairman, I feel it only appropriate to acknowledge great, long-standing work of Wally Makowsky – who pens this magazine’s popular “Wash with Wally” column – who has gotten me into the habit of reading this magazine from back to front.
