by Jack Morgan
TRSA Visits Toronto
More than 100 U.S. and Canadian laundry operators and supplier partners turned out for a 1½-day pro- gram sponsored by Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA) in Toronto, August 29–31, which included tours of Canadian Linen & Uniform Services and Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service plants. They also took part in a lively round-table discussion of industry issues that kicked off with presentations by three leading operators of plants in Canada.
RAVE REVIEWS FOR PROGRAM
Linda McCurdy, president and CEO of K-Bro Linen Systems Inc., Vancouver, BC, said her team benefitted from both the plant tours and the keynote address by author and corporate trainer Eddie LeMoine. “From our standpoint, the opportunity to visit other plants that operate in the same sectors as us is always valu- able,” said McCurdy, who’s company is said to be the
Above: An overflow crowd for round-table discussions. Below: Panellists Tim Topornicki, Randy Bartsch, Bill Evans and Andrew Steiner.
Right: Bartsch received a certificate of appreciation from TRSA Chairman David Potack.
largest Canadian laundry oper- ator. “The keynote speaker was excellent, providing not just inspirational content, but also some of the factual rea- soning behind it. Specifically, the information addressing the differences between genera- tions and why we must take a different approach to attracting and retaining talent was partic- ularly valuable.” Tim Topornicki, president of Topper Linen in Toronto, added that the round-table discussion and tours gave Canadian oper- ators like himself a great oppor- tunity to showcase their city, while providing a window on the business challenges facing laundry operators there. “Tour- ing Canadian Linen’s industrial plant, and Ecotex’s health care plant was educational for all attendees,” Topornicki said. “The multicultural-staffing challenges, horrendous grid- lock and government require- ments facing these Canadian operators surprised many U.S. visitors. Toronto, with its thou- sands of restaurants and clean and safe streets, was a pleasure for many to see, not forget- ting the 30% dollar difference, which made this trip exception- ally inexpensive.” Topornicki also thanked Randy Bartsch, president of Ecotex and his team, as well as those at Canadian Linen, including the Steiner family owners.
GREAT TURNOUT
A larger-than-expected crowd attended, and TRSA adapted well to the challenge. The two plants visited underscored the
diversity of operations across the linen, uniform and facility services industry. Wiz Wyatt, vice-president of strategic partnerships for AmeriPride, Minnetonka, MN, said, “I was very impressed by the turn- out – and our compliments to the TRSA crew for adjusting so quickly, with great results, to incorporate the increase in attendance. We were very pleased that we could show off our Toronto industrial plant, an operation that is well man- aged by an experienced team. In addition, I heard nothing but positive comments from our visit to Ecotex. It was smart to present a mix of businesses to showcase the breadth of our industry. It has changed signifi- cantly, even in my own brief tenure, and supports TRSA’s continuous work to enhance educational offerings, certifica- tion and greater understanding of industry and government regulations.”
Keith Ware, vice-president
of sales for Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc., said the Can- adian program offered a great networking opportunity for operators and suppliers alike. “It’s always good to be able to speak to industry peers in an informal setting and catch up on news, trends, personnel changes, etc. These are always the most enjoyable experiences in attending a TRSA meeting. Being able to see the pride the individual plants place on their business and level of service is something that as a supplier we don’t always experience during the sales process. I think more time should be dedicated to interaction and development of these opportunities in the future.”
ROUND-TABLE PROGRAM Round-table panellists includ- ed Topornicki, Randy Bartsch, CEO of Ecotex Healthcare Linen Services; Bill Evans, pres- ident and CEO of AmeriPride Services (including Canadian
16 FABRICARE CANADA November/December 2017
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