UK

The Guild of Cleaners and Launderers Conference 2017 left delegates in no doubt that to innovate is to generate business and that operators really cannot afford to stand still in an age that offers them increasingly sophisticated technology to aid excellent performance.

Industry suppliers and operators met at the Holiday Inn Maidenhead, for the conference entitled ‘Innovations in our Industry’, and the adjoining exhibition where delegates looked over suppliers’ stands and discussed ideas to develop their business and expertise and networked.

The conference staged no fewer than 10 speakers over the day, ably chaired by the Guild’s Ken Cupitt, covering a variety of subjects on the theme of innovation, designed to drive the industry forward.

Delegates heard experts on areas that ranged from the latest alternative drycleaning chemicals to perc, wetcleaning, social media, the inexorable rise of the App through the latest technologies pertaining to barcodes and RFID for efficiency throughout the cleaning  process to sophisticated epos/management systems and simply ‘thinking outside the box’. Sustainability was a thread that ran right through the day’s presentations which ended in a masterclass on stain removal.

One delegate, Gillian Farrar, deputy CEO of the Textile Services Association, said: "TSA were delighted to support and attend the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers National Conference. There was a good turnout with an engaging speaker programme providing insight into innovation. Innovation was the main theme of the day and the topics reflected that with a push for improvement. Well done to the Guild team for a successful event.”

• A full report of the conference and exhibition will appear in the April edition of LCN.