ISSA, Contracting Profits Team Up

ISSA, Contracting Profits Parent Company Team Up

Lincolnwood, Ill.-based ISSA®, formerly the International Sanitary Supply Association, has formed a partnership with Trade Press Publishing Corp., the Milwaukee-based parent company of Contracting Profits magazine.

Under the agreement, Contracting Profits, as well as its sister publication, Housekeeping Solutions, will serve as the official publications for ISSA facility service provider members, a membership class including building service contractors and in-house service providers.

A special ISSA member section in each publication will keep these ISSA members informed on association news, educational opportunities, and other industry activities as well as help them expand their knowledge of the industry overall. This section debut in the June issue of Contracting Profits.

Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI), Fairfax, Va., recently unveiled its revamped Web site. The site now offers a “latest” section for news updates, as well as an online store. Members and non-members can order BSCAI publications directly from the site.

Parts of the site are still under construction, but one major change from the previous site is the inclusion of an online membership directory. Visitors to the site can search for BSCAI member contractors by name, state/country or by specialty, ranging from office and industrial facilities to clean rooms and tennis courts. Consultants, in-house professionals, manufacturers and distributors also can be found using this search page.

Athea Laboratories Inc., a Milwaukee-based specialty chemical manufacturer, has recently obtained assets of Converted Products' wipes division. This acquisition is expected to expand the capabilities of Athea Laboratories' own wipes division beyond canisters to peel and reseal containers and plastic tubs. By expanding the wipes division, Athea Laboratories hopes to provide an even wider array of wipe products and container options for their customers in the broadening wipe and towelette market.


Unger Enterprises Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., recently announced that its new ErgoTec LockingCone won the Innovation Award in the “best hand tools” category at The Cleaning Show 2005, one of the UK's largest cleaning exhibitions. Unger's ErgoTec LockingCone is an ergonomically designed safety adapter for Unger's High Access System. The product allows select Unger tool attachments to be fastened securely to Unger's telescopic pole system, preventing tools from falling during use.


Sodexho Inc., the Gaithersburg-based food and facilities-management company, agreed Wednesday to pay $80 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed it systematically denied promotions to 3,400 black mid-level managers.
The company also agreed to widespread training and a more structured hiring process for its 106,000 employees throughout the country, in an effort to promote more minorities into higher corporate jobs. A panel appointed by the plaintiffs and the company will monitor Sodexho's compliance.


American Building Maintenance Co. of New York, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ABM Industries Inc., has been awarded a new contract from Shorenstein Co. to provide janitorial and window cleaning services for 125 Park Avenue in Manhattan.

“ABM has a long history providing quality janitorial services at many of the premier office buildings in the Grand Central area, as well as trophy properties throughout the tri-state area,” says ABM executive vice president Scott Salmirs. “We look forward to providing these services to Shorenstein Company at their premier New York property at 125 Park Avenue as well.”


The EnviroStar Green CarpetCare system, produced by Pioneer Eclipse Corp., Sparta, N.C.,has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment program as being “environmentally preferable.”


Melton Franchise Systems, which operates Coverall Cleaning Concepts of Mid-State California, recently was included in Inc. magazine’s “26 Entrepreneurs We Love and What You Can Learn From Them.” The article, which was featured in the April 1 issue, highlighted Mark Melton, the president and founder.

Cleaning offices “is not glamorous,” says Melton in the article. "But it is stable, year-round and highly sought after, and no technology is going to make the industry obsolete."

Coverall Celebrates Anniversary
Coverall Cleaning Concepts, Boca Raton, Fla., celebrated its 20th anniversary in April. Ted Elliott, president and chief executive, credits Coverall’s growth and longevity to two factors:

“Coverall’s success in the marketplace is due to our ability to provide unparalleled commercial cleaning services to companies in a variety of industries, while providing unmatched customer service,” Elliott says. “As well, the strong foundation Coverall has built from our qualified and dedicated management, to our all our regional and national support teams is incomparable. We couldn’t do it without all of their hard work and persistence.”