Oregon Dry Cleaners Association

Hello 2006!

The New Year is upon us and according to the news the economy is up unemployment is down and everything is rosy!  I don’t know about the rest of the state but down here in Southern Oregon finding help, trained or not, is very hard.  I ran a newspaper ad for two weeks and got no response.  Another cleaner in the area also ran an ad had four responses only two showed up for interviews and they were hired on the spot (warm bodies) and the training began I don’t know if they are still working. 

Minimum wage is now $7.50 but I don’t know anyone who is paying just minimum wage. So with the increase cost in labor, utilities, rent etc. when was the last time you raised your prices?

The mission statement of the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association is:
To Elevate the standards of the dry cleaning industry
To Promote the interests of Oregon Dry Cleaners Association members
To Bring about a spirit of cooperation among all dry cleaners
To Extend opportunities to dry cleaners for education along the lines of industrial, scientific, and vocational activities

I keep reading over the mission statement and ask myself how can the assocaition do all of the above and how can I help facilitate.  When I volunteered  to lead this orgaziation I had several ideas of how I was going to go “where no man (or woman) has gone before”.  Then I took my head out of the clouds and started looking at reality.  We all have businesses to run in an industry that is shrouded in mystery---- how many of your customers know what happens to their clothing once they cross the counter?  The industry is much malined by the media or the butt of many jokes ----”I took my wool suit in to be cleaned and it came back with holes all over and the cleaner says it is my fault”  or how many times have you had a customer say “I don’t want you to use any harsh chemicals on my clothes and I don’t want them to stink, I want all the spots out and by the way I spilt a bottle of olive oil on this skirt but I used “shout” and water on it but it is still there.”  WE are also miracle workers--we take dirty, stained, wrinkled clothing and return them to our customers looking brand new--clean, stain free, well pressed with the hem fixed all the buttons on ready to be removed from the closet slipped on and and out the door you can go with the confidence you are looking your best.

What do you our members want from your associaton?  Call your board members or district representative and let them know what your thoughts are.

By now you have gotten your 2006 DEQ report to be filled out and returned by March 1.  The ODCA was involved in getting that legistation through and it changed the way all the dry cleaners in the State did business.  Is it time to rethink this legistation?  Is it still doing what we the industry need it to do?  It has been over 10 years since it was inacted and with all the safeguards no one should be able to release contamination into the ground water.  Many of you switched to alternative solvents but most of us still use perc and see no benefit in changing.  To elevate and promote the industry should we all be licensed, our knowledge tested and the facilities inspected?  Would that help the public understand that we are professionals we know what we are doing and have never purposefully damaged our enviornment, our customers clothing, our employees or the neighborhood?

Your board will be meeting January 28 in Medford to plan the activites for this next year.  We will be setting the budget, planning the edudational acitvities, perhaps changing some of the by  laws of the organization and discussing the state of the industry.

Members take 10 minutes out of your busy day and call you district director and let them know your thoughts about what you would like the association to do this year.  The names and phone numbers are as follows:

If you are not a member why aren’t you!   It is only $150.00 per year for regualr members and $99.00 for allied trade members.  Strength is in numbers the more members we have the stronger voice we have in how our industry is perceived in the State.  If you are a member get involded volunteer to serve on a committee or on the board.  Let us know what you needs are and how we can best serve you.

Family chain opens in vacant spot on North Water Street BY MEGAN OTTO Appeal Tribune December 14

SILVERTON – For Barbara Peterson-Garbutt, doing the laundry is a family tradition.

Peterson-Garbutt is one owner of a chain of Laundromats and dry cleaners opening a new store in Silverton this week.

The Drycleaning Depot and Laundromat, located at 210 N. Water St., is the seventh store opened by the Peterson family.

Peterson’s parents started the business in 1969, when they settled in the Hubbard area. Her mother got to know the dry-cleaning and Laundromat business, while her dad put in time working on laundry equipment. The pair eventually opened their own business, and when they decided to retire, their children bought them out and have continued to expand the business.

“I really love this work,” Peterson-Garbutt added. “I get excited about new stores and I love training people.”

Peterson-Garbutt’s brothers Russell and Martin Peterson and Martin’s wife Cathy are also part of the business. The main dry-cleaning plant, along with their equipment plant, is in Hubbard, but they also have stores in McMinnville, Vancouver, Salem and Woodburn.

1 Realstar 40# drycleaning machine-DF2000 $24,900 or best offer 1 New York Hoffman 42" utility Press (with Low Boy and Iron) $800.00 or best offer. 1 New York Hoffman 45" BCT Press (with Low Boy and Iron) $800.00 or best offer. 1 Cissell Pants Topper $600.00 or best offer. 1 Cissell suzie form finisher $600.00 or best offer. 1 Forenta cindy-lou sleever $600.00 or best offer. 1 Forenta shoulder single puff iron $300.00 or best offer 1 Vacuum- 3D Cissell (extra top motor) $300.00 or best offer 1 30# Washer Extractor Frontload Primus $400.00 1 Drapery Pleater $250.00 1 50# Speed Queen Electric Dryer $450.00 1 Steam Finishing Board Best Offer 2 Cissel Conveyors Best Offer Grace's Plaza Cleaners, Battleground, Washington Call 1-360-687-1249 ask for Grace

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Comments on US Environmental Protection Agency's Proposed Amendments to National Emission Standards (NESHAP) for Perchloroethylene Drycleaning - National Cleaners Association has put out a guide with samples for you to use to email your comments in. Comments must be in by Febuary 6th.