EDITORIAL ARCHIVE

Greetings dear Reader!




I don’t know about you, but for me 2010 was a real ‘blink and you miss it’ sort of year. No doubt the amount of travel during 2010 has helped that feeling along. My involvement with Associations and Seminars across Australasia, both as a Speaker and in my capacity as your Editor took me to WA (PDA  Inc. WA),  SA (TRLA SA Inc.), Tasmania (Texcare Tasmania / DIA TAS), Victoria (VILA/TRLA), and NSW (TRLA NSW, Launtex, DIA NSW) – plus the Australasian GreenEarth Conference in NZ, which unfortunately took place on the same weekend as Texcare Federation’s Conference in Wellington. Much as I would have liked to have been at both I had already accepted the invitation from GreenEarth back in February. I also visited a plant in Singapore several in WA and SA, and once again Chaired the Filterfab Overseas Study Award finals which is always tremendously exciting and challenging, as my fellow judges discovered.


And I have to admit, it was a year in which I bit off more than I could chew. In addition to the business of NDCL, on the home front, the children and I were engaged in readying our home for sale as it was "too big without Baz". Anyone who has ever been involved in renovation of their home will perhaps appreciate the “interesting experience” we have been handling since April, with one home for sale, plus finding a smaller one for our new requirements. We moved into our smaller abode on Christmas Eve, almost a month later than expected due to tradie problems. Maddy and David and I are looking forward to 2011, not the least of which because it will be the first halfway normal year for us in more than three. David has started Year 11, and Maddy is working!


The new website is up and running and I know you will agree the instant access to new Classifieds - equipment for sale, positions vacant, and businesses for sale - is a real bonus. Check the Events calendar for regular updates on all relevant upcoming events across Australia and indeed the world. Reports from those who went to Detergo in Milan during October indicate this once drycleaning forum has become a major force for laundry. We eagerly anticipate the huge trade Exhibition which is Clean ‘11, June 6 - 9 to be held in Las Vegas, USA.

NEWSFLASH! CHECK OUT THE NEW GARMENT ALERTS FROM DCCAS, LOCATED INTHE ORANGE BOX ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THIS HOME PAGE. BACK COPIES OF ALERTS ARE BEING LOADED. 

But before that, back in Australia, Texcare Tasmania has signalled it will held it's annual seminar over the weekend of May 14th - 15th in Hobart, venue The Woolshed, with social activities to include a visit to MONA - Australia's largest private collection of art at the Museum of Old and New Art. Described as a 'subversive adult Disneyland - I can hardly wait to see what it has to offer. VILA/TRLA VIC has announced May 18, 19 & 20 as the dates for their much anticipated annual seminar, this year to be held at the Latrobe Convention Centre in Traralgon. In October, Drycleaners are invited to the fourth GreenEarth Conference, to be held in Glenelg, Adelaide, 14 - 16 October. Nourish your Mind, Body and Soul - Feed Your Need! A reference to the meaty program and the exceptional culinary skills and local beverages on offer in South Australia. 


The nation entered 2011 full of optimism for a better year ahead only to be quickly dismayed by the horrific damage wrought to families and businesses across Australia with unprecedented flooding in four states. The Premier’s Relief Fund for Queensland will be foremost in our minds, but spare a thought for Victoria, NSW and Tasmania, all of which have suffered terrible damage. While still reeling from this, Cyclone Yasi struck FNQ and the loss of infrastructure will mean a major rebuild in many areas. Western Australia is reeling from bushfires and cyclones, and the Northern Territory has flooding and cyclones. Adelaide has critical water shortages. I did receive a cartoon which illustrates the problem perfectly but it contains language not suitable for a public site.


I am sure many of you have stories to tell about the effects of the disasters on your families, your businesses, and communities. Please share them with your industry, forward to shirley@nationaldrycleaners.com.au and we will post them www.nationaldrycleaners.com.au
 
I am just happy to be back at work fulltime and relishing the year ahead.


Shirley Naylor,


Editor

 

Conference Season is in full swing with some excellent opportunities to hear
world class speakers and mingle with your peers in a relaxed atmosphere. In
my experience, the new friends you make, the networking, all that you can
learn chatting over morning tea or at dinner can be as helpful in the long
term as some of the program topics.

TRLA SA Inc. recently held their annual conference in Berri, a great success
on every level, not the least of which the impressive number of Members who
attended. Of course, when you have a state association which boasts almost
100% of the available launderers as Members, that's a really good start.

During this last week of September LAUNTEX 2010 took place at Bondi Beach
and it was roundly proclaimed one of the best ever. With a fantastic range
of local and international speakers, exploring topics of vital interest now
and in the near future, along with a plant tour of Parramatta Linen Service,
there was plenty of meat for delegates. As always, the social side of
Launtex was faultless in its diversity with singers, entertainers, plenty of
dancing and the obligatory comedian, who actually had some people in tears
he was so funny. You could hardly move on Bondi Beach this morning for
strolling delegates taking the sea air before heading back to real life.

If you weren't there, you missed a wonderful event. Stay tuned for the
September/October issue of the NATIONAL to read all about it. (And don't
forget to act now if you intend advertising in that issue... tick tock!)

Over the Ditch our New Zealand cousins have got it all happening with
Texcare Federation NZ Conference in Wellington and GreenEarth International
Conference in Queenstown during October – sadly on the same weekend.

Around the same time in Milan, Italy, EXPO DETERGO gets into full swing. You
might think of EXPO DETERGO as a ‘drycleaning and small laundry event’. Not
any more! Most of the ‘big companies’ will be there with very impressive
stands, as the back cover of the recent NATIONAL will testify.

Thank you for visiting our website, we hope you come back for regular
updates, including access to the full .pdfs published by the Conference
Organisers. Download Programs, Registration Forms and learn more about the
benefits each event has to offer you and your company. While some
information is available on the home page, check out EVENTS for the full
info. This is a Free Service to the industry – please feel free to send in
your meeting details for uploading, whether a luncheon or a fullblown
conference. We are at your service.