CHICAGO — The 2015 Clean Show will bring industry leaders together for a variety of reasons. Based on the results of last month’s American Laundry News Your Views survey, when considering factors in favor of attending, 19.6% of respondents believe that the 400-plus exhibits of equipment and supplies is the biggest reason.
Networking and socializing earned the nod from 15.2%, while smaller shares favored educational sessions (8.7%) or combining business and pleasure (2.2%). But for more than half of respondents (54.4%), all of those factors contribute to their decision to attend.
Nearly half of those polled—45.7%—plan to attend the upcoming show in Atlanta. Roughly 39% are not attending, and 15.2% aren’t sure.
About Clean expanding to a four-day schedule again, most (52.2%) are indifferent about the additional day, and 39.1% are OK with the change. Only 8.7% don’t care for the additional day.
The Association for Linen Management (ALM) is sponsoring several educational sessions. Garnering the most pre-show interest from respondents is Industry Chat (31.2%). Going Hi-Tech: Emerging Textile Technologies is almost as popular (26.7%). Other sessions gaining attention are The 4-1-1 on Equipment Acquisition (17.8%) and Textile Effectiveness from a Clinician Point of View (15.6%).
Also sponsoring several sessions is the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA). In reviewing its agenda, OSHA Compliance: Identifying Laundry’s Most Cited Violations received the most pre-show buzz from respondents (25.6%). Others would most like to see Industry Analysis: Domestic Trends and Emerging Markets (16.3%), TRSA Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Certification Programs (14%) and Getting the Most Out of Your Association Membership (14%).
Among respondents not traveling to Atlanta, the most important factor against making the trip was an inability to afford the cost (40.6%). Others can’t spare the time (21.9%) or they have made other plans (6.3%). About 31% cited “other” reasons that included other partners are already attending, their employer won’t grant them permission, a family illness, and deciding to stage the show in Atlanta.
It seems there are mixed reviews from respondents about the site selection:
- “Clean Show is always beneficial. Atlanta as … a host for the show is a poor choice.”
- “Great place for the show. Looking forward to being there.”
- “I’d rather it be in a city that it has not been to yet. Returning to a city that I’ve been to doesn’t excite me about attending.”
- “Looking forward to it, especially Atlanta!”
- “It should have been on (the) West Coast this year. … I’ll wait for (the) next one.”
- “I’m happy Atlanta is still in the mix.”
While the Your Views survey presents a snapshot of readers’ viewpoints at a particular moment, it should not be considered scientific. Due to rounding, percentages may not add up to 100%.
Subscribers to American Laundry News e-mails are invited to take the industry survey anonymously online each month. All managers and administrators of institutional/OPL, cooperative, commercial and industrial laundries are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define operator opinions and identify industry trends.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].