VENA EATON, customer service manager – GIBSON’S CLEANERS (Toronto, ON)
Gibson’s Cleaners has been serving the community since 1929, but what makes Vena Eaton, customer service manager of Gibson’s Clean- ers, most proud of this fami- ly-owned and -operated com- pany is their people. “Our employees are an extension of our family, with some of our longest employees being with us for more than 30 years,” says Eaton. “Their dedication and commitment to our core value of Thoughtful… It’s In Our Fabric is evident in every- thing they do.”
Gibson’s is also very involved in the community. “We host two annual clothing drives per year: One in win- ter supports Light Patrol, for homeless youth in Toronto; in spring, Send A Grad to Prom outfits boys and girls with everything they need to enjoy the prom,” says Eaton. The company also participates in the McConnell Classic golf tournament in support of Camp Oochigeas, for children with cancer. “This year the event raised $65,000, bringing the total to over $750,000!” says Eaton.
1 2
JEREMY JABLONSKI, president, head coach and general manager – PARKLAND COVERALL CLEANING AND THE COVERALL SHOP (Red Deer, AB)
Family-owned and -operated, Parkland Coverall Cleaning was founded over 10 years ago. It was acquired by and became the sister company of The Coverall Shop in 2012, giving clients a one-stop, integrated solution for workwear and PPE supply, cleaning, repairs, alterations and custom embroidery and cresting.
3
1. Presser Ann-Marie Joseph on the new topper/legger press. 2. Tammy Coombe, helps Light Patrol volunteer, Jeff Bacon, load up customers’ donations.
3. A group of Gibson’s volunteers, who spent a Sunday morning mak- ing sandwiches for the Light Patrol.
The 18 employees are committed to outstanding customer service, and con- tinuous improvement to their processes. “The Coverall Shop was recognized as the 2013 Red Deer Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year, the second award in 5 years,” says Jeremy Jablonski. Jablonski is also proud of the investment his company has made in RFID technol- ogy. “Among the many ben- efits of this system, clients now receive a text message the minute their order is complete; they often com- ment on how convenient that is for them.”
JIM ST. PIERRE, national sales manager – TRILLIUM TLC (Toronto, ON)
Trillium TLC takes great pride in the growth of the company since its founding in 2003. “We partner with over 1,500 dry cleaning businesses that desire to expand their operations by offering unique services to their customers, increasing their profits and maintaining customer loyalty,” says owner Tony Kantzavelos. TLC is the largest perc-free leather and suede cleaner in the country. A team of 32 with a combined industry experience of almost 200 years provides customer care. “Our team has the equipment, talent and exper- tise to handle the cleaning of the finest of fabrics, gowns, handbags and more,” says Jim St. Pierre.
“Developing new cleaning methods is key to our success. The tooling, techniques and procedures are researched and thoroughly tested in-house before being introduced on our production floor,” says Kantzavelos.
1
Above: At the Chamber of Commerce after winning 2013 Business of the Year: Back row (L-R): Stan Raczynski, Bob Jablonski, Merlyn Stearns, Lar- issa Montgomery. Front row (L-R): Melanie Simmons, Amber Jablonski, Jeremy Jablonski, Amy Corrigan. Top left: RFID technology system. Top right: Inside The Coverall Shop store.
2
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Giving back to the community, en- vironmental initiatives, valuing long- term service, investing in employees, and continuously improving the qual- ity of service to customers are just some of the many different reasons these companies are successful – and proud of it.
Above: Adrian Morris loading the automated rug washer. 1. Liana Kantzavelos, Yasim Ambwani, Anna Maria Young, and Kathy Kantzavelos altered multiple types of uniforms to fit 600 athletes for the Pan Am Games 2015 Brazilian team. 2. Mark Alhambra making detailed repair on a leather handbag.
People like to do business with others who seem to enjoy their jobs, and are proud of the company and the work it does. What are you proud of in your company? n
2015 September/October FABRICARE CANADA 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32