Zengeler Cleaners owner visits Japan for trade show

Tom Zengeler of Zengeler Cleaners was one of two American dry cleaners who recently spent a week in Japan exchanging industry best practices.

The purpose of the visit was to attend the Clean Life Vision trade show while getting an up-close and personal view of a leading manufacturer of cleaning equipment and one of Japan's leading cleaners. Zengeler was invited, in part, because he heads one of the U.S.'s leading cleaning companies, and because Zengeler Cleaners hosted an international delegation of Japanese industry leaders in the summer of 2013.

During the visit, Zengeler had an opportunity to learn about the challenges impacting the cleaning industry in Japan.

"Not surprisingly, the concerns of our Japanese counterparts are quite similar to those we face in the United States and elsewhere," Zengeler said. "In fact, their top three challenges are almost identical to those we face at home. Two of those issues are consistent with those faced by businesses just about everywhere: low prices and the need to create a positive distinction between your company and the many competitors in the marketplace."

One area of particular interest to Zengeler was the operating efficiency of the cleaners across the Pacific Ocean.

"We can learn quite a bit about the use of technology and cutting-edge equipment in our stores," Zengeler said. "I was also very impressed by how new equipment can streamline processes, resulting in cost savings without cutting corners on quality - a value very important to Zengeler Cleaners.

For more information about the visit, contact Tom Zengeler at (847) 272-6550, ext. 14, or visit www.zengelercleaners.com.

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