RICHMOND, Va. — The Round Table of Launderers and Dry Cleaners gathered here in late September for a “fly-in” critique of Puritan Cleaners, the company says.
“It’s quite helpful in finding out where you have ‘blinders’ on with your own operation, where you can improve, and where you’re doing well,” says Gary Glover, president of Puritan.
The fly-in was hosted by Glover, who notes, “We’re proud to have been a part of The Round Table for a number of years, and have always found it to be a beneficial experience.”
The Round Table association conducts a fly-in each year to visit one of its members, see its operation, and set the agenda for the group’s upcoming annual meeting. In 2017, the 78th annual meeting will take place in March.
“We’ve also made some good friends from across the country through the years, and we visit one another regularly to see each other’s operation,” says Glover.
The Round Table consists of 17 of the “nation’s most prominent dry cleaning companies” whose representatives come together twice annually to discuss industry trends, successes and failures, and exchange ideas, reports Puritan.
This year’s participating companies included A Cleaner World, High Point, S.C.; Admiral Cleaners, Annapolis, Md.; Anton’s Cleaners, Boston; Avon Cleaners, Dallas; Classic Cleaners, Indianapolis; Dependable Cleaners, Denver; Hallmark Cleaners, Jackson, Miss.; Max I. Walker Cleaners, Omaha, Neb.; Model Cleaners, Pittsburgh; Pilgrim Cleaners, Twin Cities, Minn.; Porter’s Cleaners, Shreveport, La.; Pratt-Abbott Cleaners, Portland, Maine; Puritan Cleaners, Richmond, Va.; Red Hanger Cleaners, Salt Lake City; and Zengeler Cleaners, Chicago.
This year, there were also two new invitees: Tripp’s Fine Cleaners of Columbia, S.C., and Blue Sky Cleaners of Seattle.
“The people that were here are the best operators in our business, and they always have great ideas to share with the group,” Glover says. “We learn something new that we can use every time we get together, and it’s our honor to have hosted them for the fly-in here in Richmond this year.”
The Round Table (originally called a Sales Managers’ Pow-Wow) was founded in 1940 in Allentown, Pa., by industry leaders Herb Koch, Lee Workman and Barrett Finn. They moved the conference to New York City for the next five years and it became known as the Laundry Management Group. In 1950, the name was officially changed to The Round Table Conference.
“All of The Round Table participants are of a significant size, so that we can relate to each other’s successes and challenges,” notes Glover.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].