ORLANDO, Fla. — Beyond the equipment demonstrations and educational sessions, Clean Show 2025 also sparked conversations about the challenges ahead. Labor shortages remain a pressing concern for operators, while the show's logistical scale highlighted the substantial investments exhibitors make to participate.
In Part 1 of this series, we examined the record-breaking attendance and industry optimism, and Part 2 covered the educational programming and Innovation Awards. Part 3 provided an overview of the wide array of equipment introductions on the show floor.
Today, we'll conclude this series by exploring emerging technologies in the industry, the ongoing labor challenges operators face, the behind-the-scenes logistics that made the show possible and what organizers and exhibitors are already planning for Clean Show 2027.
Technology and the Path Forward
Beyond the equipment on display, there were signs the textile care sector is attracting new thinking and development.
“I was excited to see some of the technology coming into the industry, although some of it was still in an early stage,” says Mary Scalco, CEO of the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI).
She cited examples ranging from robotic arms folding towels to biodegradable paper bags and plastic alternatives.
“If we were a dying industry, these companies wouldn’t be investing in us,” she says. “The fact is that the operators’ business model is changing to become something that’s probably a little beyond your mom-and-pop-type store, so they can invest in this kind of technology. They want to. I thought that was exciting.”
Challenges Remain
Despite the optimism, attendees and exhibitors acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly when it comes to finding employees.
“The labor market is a concern because of the minimum wage and who operators compete with,” Scalco says. “When Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s are giving entry-level positions tuition reimbursement, it’s hard to compete with that. Then, just finding skilled workers, people that want to make a career in dry cleaning, is always an issue.”
The challenge extends beyond plant workers. “In some regards, those people are aging out and they aren’t being repopulated,” she says. “There’s no school you can go to in order to learn how to fix drycleaning equipment.”
Scalco believes this labor reality is driving increased interest in automation — not to eliminate jobs, but to address workforce shortages.
“What I heard was, ‘It’s not that I want to replace people; I just can’t find people. I have to do something,’” Scalco says.
Behind the Scenes
While attendees focused on equipment and education, the logistical achievement behind the show was substantial. Jim Groshans, sales manager for Unipress, offered his perspective on what exhibitors invest to participate.
“The load-in and set-up were as smooth as they’ve ever been this year, and that’s huge,” he says. “Most people do not understand that we start preparing for the booth equipment, layout, steam lines and so on six weeks before the show. We ship two full semi-trucks to these events, and we booked more than 45 hotel nights for our crews. For us, it’s an investment that exceeds $100,000, so we have to have buyers at these events.”
For Groshans and Unipress, the investment paid off, with customers coming from around the globe.
“Many of our buyers at Clean were from other countries,” he says, including India, United Arab Emirates, El Salvador, Ecuador, Mexico, Aruba, Iceland and Australia. “And we had a buyer from our very own Hawaii.”
From an operational standpoint, Messe Frankfurt’s Greg Jira noted that the show set records beyond attendance: “This was a record year for tonnage at the show. There were more than 10 million tons of equipment that went through the docks.”
The scale required careful planning, and Jira acknowledged there are areas for improvement.
“We want to work on the labor,” he says, referring to the exhibition labor that helps exhibitors set up their booths. “That’s still a little hard to predict. We can stand to figure out a better way. We’ll put our heads together and try to figure out a way to give the exhibitors a better experience.”
Looking Ahead
Las Vegas will host the next Clean Show on July 15-18, 2027, returning to what Jira calls “the traditional high point” city for attendance.
For Jira and his team, the lessons from Orlando will inform the planning for Las Vegas.
“Every show we do, we go through this. The entire staff goes through it,” he says. “Each market is different, but we learn something each time — something that we can do a little better.”
Scalco is already contemplating how DLI can enhance its presence: “I would like to think of a way to bring more education or demonstrations onto the show floor in our booth. I would like to make our booth a little more interactive.”
She’s also considering how to help newcomers navigate the massive show floor.
“There are a lot of new people coming into the industry who might not feel comfortable walking the show floor by themselves,” she says. “Having somebody walk with them, as in a mentorship program, could be valuable. Someone to say, ‘Look, this is what we do and how we get around.’”
The show also demonstrated the value of informal networking opportunities.
“I think the networking and the vendors this time had more social opportunities on the floor,” Scalco says. “Sankosha, for instance, instead of doing their traditional party, had a happy hour at their booth. GreenEarth had an event at their booth as well, and more people did things like that. It kept people on the show floor, but it also made it a bit more enjoyable. That model comes from the European shows.”
For many exhibitors, their commitment to the next show is already clear. Groshans says Unipress “will be at both regional shows next year and Clean in 2027.”
Larissa Rezende, marketing manager for Miele Professional, reflected on the company’s experience: “Miele Professional is proud to reflect on a highly successful showing at The Clean Show 2025 in Orlando. We’re already looking ahead to Clean Show 2027 — and to the future of professional laundry, led by performance, trust and innovation.”
Wes Nelson, president of Sankosha USA, summed up the sentiment shared by many: “There are a lot of existing customers who already have a good amount of our equipment, and they’re just stopping by to say ‘Hi.’ But there was also quite a bit of sales activity. People were looking to buy. It’s been a nice show.”
Crystal Granish, marketing director for Cleaner’s Supply, reported strong results from the show: “It went very well — strong turnout and great energy. The best part was connecting with new and old customers.”
Attendance met or exceeded her expectations, and she confirmed that participating in Clean 2025 was a good investment. “Absolutely. We’re already looking forward to it,” she says of exhibiting in Las Vegas.
Perhaps Scott Lombardi of Miele, who expressed surprise at the show’s energy, sums it up best: “With everything going on in the world, you never know what a trade show is going to be. The turnout has been great. The conversations have all been very positive, and it’s wonderful to be a part of it.”
For Part 1 of this series, click HERE. For Part 2, click HERE. For Part 3, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
