ASSOCIATION NEWS

This year’s ISSA/INTERCLEAN® Mexico, held March 8-10 at the Centro Banamex Convention Complex in Mexico City, attracted more than 3,300 attendees — a 30 percent increase in attendance over the 2004 show. ISSA’s successful marketing to Mexican facility service providers in Mexico in the last two years helped improve attendance.

ISSA notes that all 31 Mexican states were represented at the show, as well as several South and Central American countries.

ISSA/INTERCLEAN® Mexico is the biggest of its kind in Latin America. “I think this year’s show made a significant impact on both the participants and exhibitors,” said John Garfinkel, ISSA executive director. “We are very pleased that our goal to create a more energetic and entertaining environment was successful in that visitors stayed on the show floor longer.”

The show floor covered more than 32,000 square feet with 84 exhibitors — up 7 percent over 2004. New offerings this year included show floor entertainment, sponsor demonstrations and a show floor “happy hour.”

The entertainment — which was held at intervals throughout the show — featured products displayed through artistic mediums, like a cleaning circus, musical cleaning and cleaning-related art.

Attendance at the show’s educational seminars increased 31 percent over 2004. Three booth awards, which were presented by judges from outside the cleaning industry were: Natury (9 square meters and under), Fabrica de Papel San Fransisco (18-27 square meters) and Karcher Mexico (36 square meters or larger.)

ASSOCIATION NEWS

ISSA recently hosted the first three technical committee meetings leading to the creation of a Quality Management Standard that is intended to help facility service providers develop customer-oriented cleaning organizations.

From these meetings, the groups — the Standards Development Technical Committee, the ISSA Standards Expert Technical Committee, and the Assessor Technical Committee — identified five key elements of a a well-managed cleaning organization.

Elements that will serve as the backbone of the standard are: management, quality systems, service delivery, human resources, and commitment to health, safety and the environment.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recently announced the launch of its Apprentice/Basic Skills Training Program.

The programs were created to supplement the current IICRC certification programs and designed to education new or existing employees who have had no formal training in the cleaning industry.

Bill Slezak, Rubbermaid Commercial Products’ healthcare industry manager, was recently appointed to the American Society of Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) board of directors.

The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) board of directors recently welcomed eight new members: Michael DeRuosi, Clive Grannum, William Mordan, Steven Murray, Susan Nestegard, David Parkin, Gerry Podesta and Michael Polk.


OBITUARY

Russell Patrick Leahy, founder of the Russ Leahy Co., Inc., passed away on March 1. In 1967, he founded the Russ Leahy Co., Inc., a manufacturers representative firm serving areas in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Virginia.

He was a charter member of the New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association, served on the executive board for 10 years — some of them as past president and treasurer. He was honored with the first-ever Bob Stader Lifetime Achievement Award by NJSSA at Supply Line 2004.

Eugene J. Movshin, a 63-year employee of Mooney-General Paper Co., Hillside, N.J., passed away January 30.

The distributor of packaging, janitorial and disposable food service products hired Movshin in 1939 as a sales representative. He rose to sales manager in 1965 and to vice president of sales in 1980. He retired in 2002.


PLAYERS

TEC Products Co., Inc., Carteret, N.J., named Jerry Frain of Frain-Bovasso Associates, Clifton, N.J., as its “Rep of the Year for 2005.”

Fortune Plastics, Old Saybrook, Conn., appointed Ron Shaw its general manager for the company’s Western region. It also hired Brian Chrisom as New England sales representative.

Judith Rossi Albazi has been appointed president and COO of Chase Products Co., Broadview, Ill. The company also appointed Earle Wanzer as director of sales in the East.

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc., Maumee, Ohio, recently appointed David Muhr as regional manager for the Philadelphia area.

EnvirOx LLC, Danville, Ill., promoted Larry Lopata to national sales manager and Craig Puma to Western regional sales manager.

ACS Industries, Woonsocket, R.I., recently announced the appointment of Mark Pighills to director of engineering and manufacturing for all non-woven products marketed and sold by ACS Industries, Scrubble Products Division.

Tennant Co., Minneapolis, hired Thomas Paulson as its new vice president and CFO. He most recently served as senior vice president, secretary and CFO at Innovex Inc.

J.T. Bailey has joined Bunzl Distribution Inc., St. Louis, as vice president of its redistribution business. He is based at Bunzl/New Orleans.

Jerry Hallmark has been named director of jan/san business for Eco Concepts Inc., Minneapolis.

HPC Cleaning Innovations LLC/Filmop Group, Conroe, Texas, recently appointed the following regional sales managers: Enzo Vullo for the Southeast, Robert Brohl for the Midwest and Roderick Bennett for the Northeast. It also named Terry Thompson its operations and training manager.

Today’s Facility Manager, a facility management publication, named Stuart Carron, global director of corporate facilities and real estate for JohnsonDiversey, Sturtevant, Wis., as its “2006 Facility Executive of the Year.”

Bi-O-Kleen Inc., Vancouver, Wash., has named Jim Lalone as industrial sales manager.

Tornado Industries, Chicago, has hired Jarrett Williams to represent the company in Alabama, Georgia and central Tennessee as a manufacturers representative.

The company also hired Ron Hohrman, president of Lake Country Marketing, to represent the company in North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Network Services Co., Mt. Prospect, Ill., appointed Jeffrey Oakes as national account director for the West Coast and David Ingersoll as director of sales development for foodservice and grocery.

Cindi Bentley has been promoted to director of marketing for Cleaning Technologies Group, Leicester, N.Y.

Southeastern Paper Group announced the following recipients of its “President’s Circle” award, which recognizes 25 years of service: James Gaffney Jr., LeVerne Ward, Boyd R. Horton, John Smith, Clarence Banks Jr., Barry Elledge, Frank Sistare, Bill Beck, Vanessa Hunter, Ron Ward, Debbie Stenger and Philips Johnson.

Betco Corp., Toledo, Ohio, recently hired five regional managers: Myles Johnson, Allen Halstead, Jeff McCarter, Brian Schreiner and Jon Muth.

Waterless Co., Vista, Calif., announced the appointment of Vincent Newton to Eastern regional sales manager.

International Paper, Stamford, Conn., elected John L. Townsend III to its board of directors.

U.S. Products, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, has selected Kevin Deming to be the company’s Western regional director of sales.

The company also named John Selfslaghs of Buck Newell Synergy Sales, Orange Park, Fla., as the recipient of the Individual Rep of the Year Award and the 2005 Crusin’ Promotion.

Stone Care Intl., recently appointed Jessica Perlman to assistant sales manager.

Premier Floor Care, St. Louis, hired Shawn Patrick as a floor care specialist.

Advantage Marketing Associates, Chicago, announced that Bill Sheppard has become the new chairman of the Supplier Relations Committee.

Perfect Fit Glove, Smithfield, R.I., recently appointed Rob Geiger as product manager for the dipped/coated line of products.

COMPANY NOTES

Kimberly-Clark Professional, Roswell, Ga., recently named Waxie Sanitary Supply Co., San Diego, its 2005 “North American Distributor Customer of the Year.”
Waxie was chosen because of its superior case volume, net revenue and distinctive brand sales improvement in 2005.

Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Winchester, Va., recently settled a patent infringement lawsuit that it filed against M&M Plastics Inc., Miami, Fla. Under the terms of the settlement, M&M will cease selling products that were at issue in the lawsuit and pay Rubbermaid an undisclosed royalty for previous sales of certain products.
Rubbermaid Commercial Products has also announced that ABCO Broom & Mop Mfg., Miami, has requested a settlement of Rubbermaid’s patent infringement lawsuit against ABCO.

Eastern Paper of New England, a Hamden, Conn,-based distributor, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in May 2006. To mark the milestone, the company will hold a trade show and a banquet.

Distributor Partners of America, Naples, Fla., is sponsoring an Annual Travel Incentive Program for member distributors and suppliers. The awards, which will be presented in April 2007, will include trips to domestic resorts, cruises and international travel.

Chemex Supply Inc., Summerville, S.C., and P.V. Janitorial Supply, Phoenix, were recently appointed as Triple S (SSS®) member-dealers.

The United Group, Monroe, La., selected Nassco Inc., New Berlin, Wis., for its Member of the Year Award, based upon the company’s performance in 2005.

Biokleen, Vancouver, Wash., recently updated its packaging for a fresher look.

Bon Ami Cleaner, a product of Faultless/Bon Ami Co., Kansas City, Mo., is celebrating its 120th Anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, the company is joining Earth Share, a nationwide network of environmental organization that aims to promote environmental education.

R.J. Schinner Co., Inc., New Berlin, Wis., is constructing a new 125,000-foot corporate headquarters and warehouse in Sussex, Wis. The facility will employ 45 people.

Brady Industries, Las Vegas, has signed a 12-year, $21 million lease for a 252,000-square foot warehouse in Las Vegas’s Beltway business park, which is expected to open in July. Other branches include Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Albuquerque, N.M., and Denver. The new building will more than double the company’s square footage.

Betco Corp., Toledo, Ohio, recently held its “university” for gold distributor sales representatives. The school’s main focus was resilient floor care, though attendees also learned about profitable opportunities with green cleaning and the wood sports-floor market.

Kaivac, Hamilton, Ohio, a developer of no-touch cleaning equipment, is expanding its service to include enhanced toll-free technical support, partnerships with independent repair service centers and a rapid-response swap-out program. The expansion in service was warranted because of the increased popularity of no-touch cleaning.

CSB Industries LLC, Phoenix, recently opened a 100,000-square-foot warehouse facility in the metro Phoenix area.

OMNOVA Solutions, Fairlawn, Ohio, was recently presented with a 2005 Award for Excellence in Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Performance from the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council for its Performance Chemicals facility located in Mogadore, Ohio.
The award recognizes programs that have improved the company overall and work well with government agencies, industry peers and communities.

Racine Industries, Racine, Wis., is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its HOST Dry Carpet Cleaner — a low moisture cleaning method that cleans carpets thoroughly and allows them to be used immediately after because there is no dry-time.

Kimberly-Clark Professional has introduced a new design for its KLEENEX® facial tissue box for away-from-home markets. The new “platinum swirl design” will be featured on KLEENEX® Flat and Boutique® boxes and was designed to better coordinate with washroom and office decors.

ProTeam, Boise, Idaho, recently named Access Group of Northern California, San Leandro, Calif., its 2005 Rep Group of the Year. ProTeam’s 2005 Most Valuable Rep Group Awards went to Maintenance Kleaning Technologies, Holland, Mich., and Market Advantage Plus, Foxboro, Mass.

Palmer Fixture Co., Green Bay, Wis., has appointed Marketing Specialists, Burke, Va., and Key Sales and Marketing, Gainesville, Ga., as manufacturers representatives for its dispenser line.

W.W. Grainger Inc., Chicago, recently announced a 40 percent expansion of its product offerings in the United States. The company will boost its offerings from 82,000 to more than 115,000 items — mainly nuts, bolts, screws and similar products — in an effort to become more of a one-stop-shop.

Hill & Markes Inc., Amsterdam, N.Y., is celebrating its centennial anniversary.

Dosatron Intl., Clearwater, Fla., is celebrating 20 years in business. The water-powered dosing systems company will commemorate the occasion May 29.


GREEN NOTES

Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Winchester, Va., recently held its 2006 National Sales meeting in Dallas. At the meeting, Stephen Ashkin of the Ashkin Group, Bloomington, Ind., presented the company with an award recognizing its commitment to leadership in environmental stewardship.

TEC Products, Carteret, N.J., Bay West Paper, Mosinee, Wis., Chem-Blend, Countryside, Ill., and Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Winchester, Va., recently held a seminar on green cleaning.
Topics of discussion included green regulations and certification, healthy cleaning and microfiber.

United Receptacle, Pottsville, Pa., has become a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Dade Paper, Miami, recently launched GREENSAFE, a supply management program that is designed to help customers understand, identify and fulfill green cleaning opportunities.
The program offers site surveys and consultations, product and procedural training and will serve as a continuous source of information to its customers.

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc., Maumee, Ohio, has developed BioRenewables, a new line of products derived from agricultural and forestry materials, such as soy, corn and coconut.

Enviro-Solutions, Peterborough, Ontario, announced that four of its floor care products — ES 82, ES85, ES 97 and 90C — are now Green Seal certified.
The company has also signed on to sponsor Green Seal’s development of a Green Cleaning Services standard for facility service providers.

Wausau Paper, Mosinee, Wis., is featured in the Platinum Television Group’s education series, “Business & Beyond.” The programs, which will begin airing in major television markets in March, feature Wausau Paper in a segment on “Certified Green Seal Recipients,” as part of Business & Beyond’s Models of Excellence Series.

Kaivac Inc., Hamilton, Ohio, recently announced its multi-purpose cleaner, KaiO, is now Green Seal certified.

Ricca Chemical Co., Arlington, Texas, an independent producer of chemical testing systems, released a 24-page catalog of chemical solutions for environmental testing. Hundreds of standards are included.




POSTED ON: 5/1/2006