CHICAGO — The sponsors of the four largest regional drycleaning and laundry trade shows in the United States recently announced they will be collaborating to strengthen the exhibitions. The South Eastern Fabricare Association (SEFA), California Cleaners Association (CCA), Southwest Drycleaners Association (SDA) and Pennsylvania Delaware Cleaners Association (PDCA) will co-brand the shows and work together on marketing agreements.
This action will reduce the number of live equipment shows from the traditional four on off-Clean Show years to two: DLExpo East & DLExpo West.
“This is a great move for the industry,” says SEFA President Randy Parham in the announcement, “and one we think will only strengthen each show. These shows are important. Without them, the typical dry cleaner doesn’t have access and the opportunity to see all the new and innovative products and services. By reducing the number of shows from four to two, we have made it easier for exhibitors to commit to exhibiting and having a much bigger presence. We will be able to showcase the best of the industry.”
The Drycleaning and Laundry Expo East will be held on June 7-9, 2024 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. The Drycleaning and Laundry Expo West will be held Oct. 4-6, 2024, at the Horseshoe Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Moving forward, the DL Expo East will move to the Baltimore/Washington area and the DL Expo West will be held in Texas in 2026. The associations are still exploring options for 2028 and beyond.
In addition to live equipment exhibits, the announcement states that the shows will also feature educational sessions and networking opportunities. These conventions, the announcement says, are designed for the everyday dry cleaner to get a chance to experience the best of the industry and to explore ways to run more efficiently, more productively, and drive more profit.
With a greater anticipated attendance, the associations say they believe the shows will have more resources to bring in great speakers and leaders to share their stories.
DLExpo East Offerings
The DLExpo East Educational program currently has four featured presentations, two on Saturday morning and two on Sunday. Kicking off the program will be the duo of Terry Brock and Gina Carr of Stark Raving Entrepreneurs, who will demystify the ever-evolving world of Artificial Intelligence.
The next presentation will be from Glen Gould of Drycleaning Connection in Peachtree City, Georgia who will explore the dynamics of team building and using enthusiasm-based leadership to increase performance. He is the author of four books on leading and connecting for success including “Meet Me At Starbucks,” “Million Dollar Meetings,” “Is Your Networking Working?” and “101 Networking Nuggets.”
On Sunday morning, Chris Kuehl of Armada Corporate Intelligence will explore the current trends and forecast the economy of the upcoming months take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead. Kuehl has spoken throughout the country and has been a featured speaker at numerous drycleaning and laundry conferences and events.
Rounding out the speaker slate is Dan Miller, CEO of Mulberry’s, who will discuss, “From Laundry to Literature” and explore his secrets to success in realizing your goals and achieving your dreams.
The education program is being finalized for DL Expo West.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the entire industry,” says CCA Convention Chair Toran Brown. “I think limiting the shows to only two, an East Coast one and a West Coast one, each of the shows will be bigger, have a greater attendance, and will be a better experience for everyone. With all the changes in the industry, we really feel four shows were just too much, and we all feel the excitement, attendance, and the exhibitors were all being diluted. These will be tremendous events and I am confident the value will resonate with our members – and the entire industry.”
For more information about each show, visit the joint website at https://dlexpo.org.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
