Industry Contributes To Tsunami Relief
On December 26, an immense earthquake — 9.0 on the Richter scale — and an ensuing tsunami caused devastation throughout countries around the rim of the Indian Ocean. At press time, the estimated death toll was around 160,000. However, that number is expected to rise in the wake of related disease and starvation.

As donations and aid pour in from other nations, the cleaning industry is also gearing up to contribute assistance to the cleanup of the tsunami’s aftermath.

“Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy of this magnitude to remind people how important hygiene products are to a safe and healthy environment,” said Brian Sansoni, vice president of the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), Washington. “Hygiene products help save lives, and we’re going to be seeing proof of that in the weeks and months ahead.”

SDA and other industry associations are directing their member companies to Gifts In Kind International, a worldwide third-party organization that filters product donations to the most needy agencies.

Contributors can contact Gifts In Kind International to donate these and other products via its Web site.

Stone Institute Established
The International Stone Institute (ISI) has been established to help fill an information void for those companies and individuals who design, install, fabricate, restore and/or maintain dimensional stone and other stone products, according to Fred Hueston, head of the National Training Center (NTC) for Stone and Masonry Trades, Asheville, N.C.

According to the announcement, ISI has contracted with Hueston and the NTC to manage the new organization. Hueston will act as executive director of the Institute.

“ISI is solely focused on advancing the industry and helping promote the use of stone and engineered stone,” he says. “There is a void in education, practical standards, useful information and technical help in dealing with issues and problems confronting our industry.”

Commercial cleaning franchising is featured prominently in the latest installment of Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Franchise 500.” The top commercial cleaning franchise was Dallas-based Jani-King, which also was named the 7th overall franchise opportunity. The company has ranked highly on this list — now in its 26th year — for several years.

Other commercial cleaning companies in the top 50 include ServiceMaster Clean (12), Jan-Pro Franchising International Inc. (19), CleanNet USA Inc.(29), ServPro (34) and Coverall Cleaning Concepts (46). The list also features several carpet-cleaning companies and residential maid services.

For a complete listing of Franchise 500 companies, as well as ranking methodology and other supporting data, pick up a January 2005 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine.

SDA Attacks Asthma Study
Media coverage of a British study on children and asthma wrongly links the use of cleaning products to asthma suffering — and ignores the health benefits of responsible product usage, according to The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), a Washington-based group representing manufacturers of cleaning products and their ingredients.

In a press release, SDA states that the proper use of cleaning products is an effective and efficient tool in combating the triggers that lead to asthma and allergy suffering.

SDA provides free educational materials on cleaning to control to control asthma and allergy triggers on its Web site.

The Association also recently rebutted a statement by activist group Beyond Pesticides attacking triclosan, an antibacterial agent often found in hand soaps and cleaning products. SDA says the Beyond Pesticides statement is nothing more than a “false alarm.”




POSTED ON: 1/1/2005