November/December 2007: Post-Convention - ISSA

Post-Convention 2007 

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ISSAToday 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2007: 

® North America 2007: 

Making a Splash 

in Orlando 

Plus: 

Distribution Trends 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® 

Latin America 

Preview 

ProTeam Marks 20 Years 

Market Focus: 

Green Products


P O S T- C O N V E N T I O N 2 0 0 7 VOL. 33, NO. 6 

21-33 


North America 2007 Review 

007 in Orlando—pg. 21 

ISSA Awards—pg. 28 

Survey Results—pg. 30 

Exhibiting Kindness—pg. 32 

FEATURES 

12 Leading the Way 

This summary of the new Facing the Forces of Change ® report 

(from the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence) limns 

the major trends now impacting the wholesale-distribution 

industry. Executives who can successfully deal with these 

trends stand to stay ahead of the pack. By Adam J. Fein, Ph.D. 

16 Profit Priorities 

To improve your profits, you need to get your priorities in 

order and stop worrying about things that don’t have much 

effect on your business. By Albert D. Bates 

Conventions & Tradeshows 

34 March Happiness 

The latest edition of ISSA/INTERCLEAN Latin America 

comes to Mexico City in March, and with it, a host of 

business opportunities you won’t find anywhere else. 

Member Milestones 

36 ProTeam, Inc. 

34 

12 

21 

ISSA Today 3

Tech Notes 

10 THE CENTRAL SOLUTION: If you’re not already a big 

fan of call-center software, you will be after reading Timmy 

King on the subject. 

Market Focus 

38 Green Products: Green Machines 

Green cleaning was originally all about chemicals, but no 

more. Environmentally sensitive vacuum cleaners and floor 

equipment are just as important. By Mike Schaffer 

DEPARTMENTS 

6 President’s Message 

8 Association News 

43 Welcome New Members 

51 Members Making Headlines 

53 Calendar 

54 Products & Services 

4 Post-Convention 07 

10 

52 


POST-CONVENTION 2007 VOL. 33, NO. 6 

Editor 

Michael McQueen 

mike@issa.com 

Contributing Editor 

Lisa Veeck 

lisav@issa.com 

Graphic Designer 

Julio C. Avila 

julio@issa.com 

Advertising Sales Manager 

Carl Diwby 

carl@issa.com 

ISSA.com this month 

Experience EXPERIENCE the the new new ISSA.com. 

Read READ the latest industry news. 

Watch WATCH educational quick clips clips and and product demos. demos. 

Learn LEARN about green cleaning and other industry trends. 

Save SAVE with ISSA-member discounts. 

ISSA Today is published six times per year by ISSA ® , 7373 N. Lincoln 

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ISSA ® is a registered trademark of ISSA. 

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

Onward & Upward 

Iam extremely honored 

to serve as your new 

ISSA president. When I 

consider the excellent 

record of service and leadership 

of past association 

presidents, I am reminded 

of the words of Harvey S. 

Firestone—“It is only as 

we develop others that we 

permanently succeed.” 

I am fortunate to follow Kyle 

Ogden, an exceptionally talented 

leader, visionary, and coach. Thank 

you, Kyle, and all past presidents 

for developing others like myself so 

that our association can succeed in 

meeting the needs of our 

members and our industry. 

To illustrate how your 

association plans to continue 

meeting those needs, 

consider these points: 

1. The recent tradeshow: 


North America 2007, in 

Orlando, FL, was the climax 

Jim Chittom 

of years of strategic planning 

to bring all players in the cleaning 

industry together. There were 

nearly 700 exhibitors, including 

more than 100 new exhibitors and a 

new exhibitors’ pavilion. There were 

floor shuttles and the Innovation 

Stage, and “green” was everywhere. 

It was a marvelous experience to 

witness all segments of the cleaning 

industry united—learning together, 

doing business together, playing 

together, and sharing a common 

bond of purpose. 


Exhibitors verified the show’s 

success when they signed up for 

booths for next year’s event in Las 

Vegas, NV. In fact, ISSA reports that 

90 percent of all booth space is sold. 

Since next year’s North American 

show is in September, you should 

call now if you plan to exhibit! 

2. The new Web site: The new 

ISSA.com was introduced at the 

show, and many people went for a 

test drive. The excitement over the 

site was palpable. As a member, you 

can be very proud of the ISSA staff’s 

work to bring you the latest innovations 

and technology. 

It’s even more exciting to realize 

that the newly launched site is the 

initiation of a three-year plan to 

deliver continuous improvement of 

Internet capabilities, bringing value 

to every member. I recommend you 

take advantage of this new technology 

and discover the many features 

that will help you profitably grow 

your business. 

3. CIMS: A huge focus of your 

association this coming year will be 

the Cleaning Industry Management 

Standard (CIMS) programs. We witnessed 

opportunities become reality 

at the show in Orlando when the 

first CIMS-certified organizations 

and ISSA Certification Experts were 

recognized prior to the keynote 

address. Commenting on a CIMS 

seminar held at the show, ISSA 

Director of CIMS Dan Wagner said, 

“Most attendees have said the session 

has been a real eye-opener with 

regard to value-added service and 

product opportunities, including one 

attendee who noted that the workshop 

has ‘fundamentally shifted my 

approach to business.’” For further 

information regarding CIMS, go to 

www.issa.com/standard. 

4. Cleaning with science: Your 

association is actively supporting 

cleaning with science. We want to 

establish a “clean standard” by partnership, 

alliances, and a soon-to-beformed 

technical committee. The 

objective is to enable you to assist 

your customers in achieving a 

cleaner and healthier building environment. 

This objective complements 

CIMS and will help make 

CIMS the “demanded” trademark of 

a professional cleaning organization. 

5. Creating the global cleaning 

community: ISSA will seek to bring 

the industry together to develop 

greater opportunities. We have the 

vehicle to do this with our industryassociation 

membership strategy, our 

facility service provider organization 

alliance, our international presence, 

and our worldwide tradeshows. We 

can be the lead resource for members’ 

global expansion and knowledge. 

We can also be the catalyst for 

networking and information sharing. 

Our international strategy will 

expand membership and services in 

Mexico, Europe, Asia/Pacific, South 

America, and elsewhere. 

In closing, I offer my opinion that 

opportunities in our industry have 

never been greater. Your association 

has a solid foundation and is strong. 

We have great board leadership, a 

highly qualified and experienced 

director, and a dedicated, talented 

staff. While not all board decisions 

will receive 100 percent support, rest 

assured that each action taken will be 

in the belief that it is in the best interests 

of all members. 

ISSA President Jim Chittom is CEO of 

Athens Janitor Supply Co., Inc., 

Athens, GA, and Roman Chemical 

Corp., Rome, GA. 

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ASSOCIATION NEWS 

ISSA’s Balek Picked for Committee 

The Illinois Green Government Coordinating 

Council has appointed ISSA Legislative 

Affairs Director Bill Balek to the 

Illinois Green Cleaning Schools Act 

Guidelines Development Committee. 

The committee is responsible for establishing 

guidelines and specifications for 

“environmentally sensitive” cleaning 

products for use in school facilities, pursuant 

to the Illinois Green Cleaning 

Schools Act. The act, signed into law on 

August 13, 2007, mandates that all Illinois 

schools develop and implement a green 

cleaning program. As a committee member, 

Balek will co-chair the Product Policy 

Subcommittee, which will be primarily 

responsible for recommending green 

product specifications. 

Logo Launch 

ISSA has launched its new logo, incorporating 

the organization’s new tagline: 

“The Worldwide Cleaning Industry 

Association.” 

“As our membership has evolved, so 

has the association, and this new logo is a 

reflection of those positive 

changes,” said ISSA 

Marketing Director 

Dianna Bisswurm. “We 

have come to represent members in more 

than 83 countries who provide an array of 

products and services in the cleaning 

industry, and we wanted our brand to better 

reflect that diversity.” 

New Bylaw Amendments 

Three amendments to association bylaws 

have been approved by a majority of voting 

members and were presented at the 

ISSA General Meeting held during 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® in Orlando, FL. 

First, moving the association into the 21st 

century, ISSA members may now vote 

electronically for board elections and 

bylaw amendments. Second, facility service 

provider member companies may now 

vote in association elections for officers to 

serve on the ISSA Board of Directors as 

well as on future proposed bylaw amendments. 

And third, ISSA has created a 

building service contractor (BSC) position 

on the board of directors to be filled in the 

future by a vote of BSC members. Richard 


“Rit” Thompson, CEO of P&R Enterprises, 

Inc., Falls Church, VA, and former 

head of the ISSA Building Service Contractor 

Council, will serve in this position 

until an election is held in the routine 

ISSA election process. 

Site Excitement 

ISSA has introduced a completely 

redesigned ISSA.com, featuring improved 

navigation, a more dynamic interface, 

prominent industry-news updates, and a 

new Member Lounge that includes a Person-to-Person 

Directory, which helps ISSA 

members locate key contacts within a 

company. A video tour of the site’s new 

features is available at 

www.issa.com/tour. 

Required: CIMS Certification 

Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland— 

well-known home of Air Force One as well 

as the preferred air transportation hub for 

United States senior officials—is also the 

location of the Air National Guard Readiness 

Center (ANGRC), which has now 

mandated that its contract cleaners 

become certified to the new ISSA Cleaning 

Industry Management Standard (CIMS). 

The ANGRC develops, manages, and 

directs the Air National Guard programs 

responsible for carrying out national-level 

policies set by the U.S. Department of 

Defense, Air Force, and National Guard 

Bureau. 

Senior Master Sgt. Mark Gyure, who 

manages the ANGRC’s 200,000 square 

feet of facilities and is responsible for hiring 

its contract cleaners, learned about 

CIMS through articles in various facilitymanagement 

and cleaning industry publications. 

He immediately recognized that 

CIMS was consistent with ANGRC’s 

existing internal requirements. 

“We have standards about how we 

want to see a facility cleaned—dirt free, 

no standing water, those types of things,” 

Gyure explained. “But we saw that this 

was an industry putting together a management 

standard of excellence based on 

its years’ of experience. We saw the value 

in that.” 

Gyure sees CIMS certification as a way 

to be sure the cleaning organization he 

contracts with is managed in an effective 

manner and is dedicated to meeting his 

service expectations. 

The Show Must Go On 

Despite severe weather conditions in 

Shanghai, China, caused by Typhoon 

Wipha, ISSA/INTERCLEAN China 2007 

opened its doors as scheduled on September 

19 to welcome almost 1,000 visitors on 

its first day. At the end of the three-day 

event, the number of visitors totaled 

2,776, equaling the number from last 

year’s inaugural event. 

“We can only speculate what the visitor 

number would have been, had the 

weather conditions been more favorable, 

but we are very pleased with the result 

under these circumstances,” said Rob den 

Hertog, senior product manager for 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN. 

Both organizers and exhibitors are 

already looking forward to next year’s 

edition of ISSA/INTERCLEAN China, to 

be held in Macau, China, November 4-6, 

2008, at the Venetian Macau. 

ISSA Holds German Symposium 

ISSA recently hosted more than 80 manufacturers, 

distributors, and building service 

contractors at The Cleaning Industry 

in 2010 Symposium, which took place in 

Kassel, Germany, October 30. 

Organized by ISSA European Board of 

Representatives’ German representative 

Günter Glöckner, the symposium drew 

members of the Association of the Federal 

Guild of Cleaning Building Service Contractors 

(BIV), the German Engineering 

Foundation, and the Industrial Association 

for Hygiene and Surface Protection. 

Also present were editors from top industry 

trade publications Rationell Reinigen, 

Germany’s largest trade magazine and 

the voice for BIV and contract cleaners, 

and ISSA’s official media partner in Germany, 

Reinigungs Markt. 

“Bringing together a group of leaders 

from the manufacturing, distribution, and 

contract-cleaning segments of our industry 

to discuss issues ranging from hospital-acquired 

infections to industry regulation 

is helping ISSA raise the standards in 

the cleaning profession,” said ISSA European 

Board of Representatives Chairman 

Keith Baker.

Tech Notes 


The Central Solution 

By Timmy King 

Recently, I visited a company 

in Green Bay, WI, to get some 

ideas about a new Web site 

I’m developing. Let’s call the firm 

“PackerDist” (not its real name). 

Three years ago, PackerDist’s 

customer service department was a 

disgrace. The company had five 

branches, each with its own customer 

service group. Customers 

would regularly get a busy signal or 

spend hours listening to hold music. 

(OK, it was typically 40 seconds, but 

that seems like hours to a customer.) 

There was no consistency among 

the different groups, and the company 

had no idea why some 

branches had great sales while others 

struggled. PackerDist wanted to 

consolidate but could never justify 

the cost. Finally, three years ago, out 

of complete frustration, the company 

moved all customer service 

representatives (CSRs) into one 

building and installed a new phone 

system with modern call-center software. 

Today, the company believes 

it to be one of the best financial 

moves it has ever made. 

MOST INCOMING CALLS are now 

routed to the next available operator. 

However, some calls get special 

routing. The system is smart enough 

to recognize the customer based on 

the incoming number. If the customer 

prefers to do business in 

Spanish, the call is routed to a Spanish-speaking 

agent. If none is available, 

a message gives the option to 

hold for a Spanish speaker or to 

immediately go to an Englishspeaking 

agent. Accounts having 

payment problems are routed to a 

CSR who has special accountsreceivable 

skills. Highly profitable 

accounts are routed to CSRs who 

have proven their ability to service 

important customers. 

When a call is routed to a CSR, 

the rep’s computer automatically 

loads the customer account number 

into the point-of-sale screen. This 

saves time searching for the customer 

number and reduces the 

issues caused by incorrect account 

numbers. It also notifies reps of any 

credit issues that might exist before 

they answer the phone. 

Three years ago, if the PackerDist 

phones weren’t ringing, the CSRs 

were to place outbound calls to customers. 

They tried keeping manual 

logs, but the logs never seemed to 

help. Without any reliable way to 

track performance, the reps always 

complained that they didn’t have 

time to make outgoing calls. With 

the new system, any rep who has 

not had a customer contact within 

two minutes is placed into an outgoing 

call queue. The computer selects 

a customer (based on special criteria 

established by the call-center manager); 

the computer then dials the 

customer and transfers the call to 

the next available rep. The rep is 

notified that this is an outgoing call 

and is presented with a script to 

guide the conversation. 

With the new system, the callcenter 

manager can see what every 

rep is doing immediately. The average 

call time at PackerDist is 90 seconds. 

If a call goes beyond five minutes, 

the manager gets a notification 

and can listen to the call to see if 

there are any issues needing attention. 

More importantly, the CSRs 

can monitor their own performance 

on a status screen. If their name is 

highlighted in green, they know 

they are doing a good job. Other colors 

are used to let them know they 

are working below the standards set 

by the call-center manager. 

FORTY PERCENT OF PackerDist 

sales come through the company’s 

Web site. One of the advanced features 

the site offers is a live chat 

service. A Web customer can click 

on a button and be connected to a 

live CSR. The chats are processed by 

the same call-center program as the 

phone calls. This ensures that the 

customer gets the same level of professional 

service on a Web chat that 

s/he would get on a phone call. 

There are many call-center software 

companies out there. If you 

have a newer phone system, there’s 

a good chance that your provider 

offers a call-center solution. A quick 

Google search will instantly give 

you a hundred choices. 

Timmy King has 

23 years of experience 

in manufacturing 

and 

distribution. He 

can be reached at 

Timmy@Timmy 

King.com. 

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Leading 

the Way 

By Adam J. Fein, Ph.D. 

Anew breed of wholesaler-distributors 

is emerging. These companies 

are building deep relationships 

with customers based on an understanding 

of the true value created by their 

services and activities. They are charging 

customers for new services rather than 

giving away their value-added for free 

and hoping to recoup the costs with product 

margins. These wholesaler-distributors 

build clout with suppliers through 

superior performance rather than just 

through sheer size or volume. 

This conclusion comes from the new 

report, Facing the Forces of Change ® : Lead the 

Way in the Supply Chain, by the National 

Association of Wholesaler-Distributors’ 

NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence 

(www.nawpubs.org). The companies and 

examples described in the all-new report 

are not larger or luckier than their wholesale 

distribution competitors. Instead, the 

executives running these companies are 

doing a better job of positioning their 

firms in the common external environment 

faced by all wholesaler-distributors. 

The difference between the winners 

and the losers in the future will derive 

from the ability to link a fundamental 

understanding of external business trends 

with an awareness of how to profit from 

the trends, followed by appropriate strategy 

execution to deliver results. This article 

briefly summarizes the major trends 

identified in the new study and highlights 

how you can start innovating in response 

to these marketplace realities. 

The Forces 

The four major trends in the new Facing 

the Forces of Change study are reaching 

critical mass in many sectors of the wholesale 

distribution industry: 

1. Private-label products: The use of 

private-label strategies by wholesaler-distributors 

will expand substantially over 

the next few years. Private-label products—products 

branded by a wholesalerdistributor—represent 

a break from the 

more traditional wholesale-distribution 

approach of reselling manufacturers’ 

branded products. Global sourcing from 

Asia and South America provides a 

source of low-cost manufacturing capacity 

for distributors looking to offer their 

own private-label products. 

Wholesaler-distributors with private 

labels have deepened their knowledge of 

their customers’ true needs by taking on 

the role of brand developers and marketers. 

However, a private-label strategy 

requires the courage to walk away from 

supplier rebates on selected products in 

favor of increased margins from customers 

and buy-side sourcing activities. 

Wholesaler-distributors will also need 

to build new capabilities in manufacturing 

and design to create products with unique, 

premium benefits. They will also have to 

select the right opportunities for private 

labels and manage the new supply-chain 

risks associated with their own products. 

2. Demand-driven channels: The term 

“demand driven” refers to the idea that 

products are pulled 

down the supply chain 

to the market based on 

actual customer-demand data. 

It also represents a contrast from 

the more traditional notion of products 

in a marketing channel being 

pushed by manufacturers toward the customer. 

Both manufacturers and distributors 

will be able to manage their respective 

inventories better when 

demand-based information is shared. 

The enabling factors for a demanddriven 

channel will become more prominent 

over the next five years, thereby creating 

the conditions for demand-driven 

channels in many wholesale-distribution 

lines of trade. 

Moving from the traditional structure 

to a demand-driven channel requires 

innovation at every level of the supply 

chain. Wholesaler-distributors need to 

send information electronically to suppliers 

while simultaneously accepting a new 

level of visibility and transparency into 

their operations. Many wholesaler-distributors 

recoil from the idea of sharing customer 

information with suppliers because 

they fear disintermediation due to direct 

sales by manufacturers. 

Wholesaler-distributors can succeed 

with demand-driven channels by developing 

appropriate supply-chain data-transmission 

standards in their lines of trade, 

evaluating new profit streams from data 

transmissions to suppliers and applying 

demand-driven concepts 

to their own 

businesses. As the 

examples in our new 

report indicate, some 

distributors have even 

developed equitable 

quid-pro-quo arrangements 

for data sharing that 

provide new sales or training 

benefits to their companies. 

3. New profit models: Manufacturers 

will increase their share of a wholesaler-distributor’s 

profit margin from 

product distribution, leading to greater 

use of pay-for-performance channel-compensation 

models by manufacturers. 

Wholesaler-distributors will need to 

Success in the 

ever-evolving online 

business environment will 

require wholesalerdistributors 

to use their 

Web sites as an effective 

sales-lead generation tool 

and information resource. 

understand whether their companies are 

truly profitable channel partners. 

Nevertheless, wholesaler-distributors 

can benefit from better measurement of 

performance and can derive new profit 

streams in the supply chain. Innovative, 

successful wholesaler-distributors are willing 

to provide data conveniently to suppliers 

so that the supply chain can provide 

customers with the best fulfillment at the 

lowest costs. Leaders will welcome a more 

rigorous approach to channel management 

by their suppliers because they recognize 

the opportunity to further improve their 

market share and performance. 

One example is outsourced fulfillment 

as a fee-based service to traditional suppliers. 

This allows distributors to beat 

back the threat from logistics companies. 

Similarly, the recognition that certain core 

services have become commoditized has 

led innovative wholesaler-distributors to 

position themselves as suppliers of products 

with related services instead of only 

reliably providing goods. Their creative 

actions will ensure a place in the supply 

chains of tomorrow. 

Ongoing success will require wholesaler-distributors 

to master the financial 

dynamics of a services business, which are 

different from those of a product-distribution 

business. Wholesaler-distributors will 

also need to monitor new developments at 

competing logistics companies and avoid 

their overconfidence in the unique value 

of their own logistics prowess. 

4. Connected customers: Wholesalerdistributors 

must fully embrace the Internet 

in their business activities now that it 

is a normal part of everyday life in the 

United States and Canada. Internet technology 

is simultaneously enhancing and 

challenging the traditional ways that 

wholesaler-distributors make money. 

Customers will continue to question the 

value added by wholesaler-distributors 

due to the ready availability of information 

and more sophisticated sourcing techniques 

as the Internet becomes fully integrated 

into society. Customers will increasingly 

gather information from other 

customers, thereby bypassing traditional 

marketing messages from both upstream 

manufacturers and their wholesaler-distributors. 

Well-connected, highly informed 

customers are able to cherry-pick the products 

and services they need, thereby undermining 

the basic economic model of a 

wholesale-distribution company. 

Innovative wholesaler-distributors are 

leading in the supply chain by using technology 

to become more, not less, relevant 

to their customers. Online collaboration 

tools, such as online work spaces and virtual 

tradeshows, will emerge as new ways 

for wholesaler-distributors to interact 

with their customers. Adoption of self-service 

technologies, which has grown significantly 

in the past three years, will continue, 

so wholesaler-distributors must 

allow customers to gain information, 

place an order, and solve simple problems 

themselves when appropriate. 

Success in the ever-evolving online 

business environment will require wholesaler-distributors 

to use their Web sites as 

an effective sales-lead generation tool and 

information resource to respond to their 

customers and to teach their sales reps to 


sell and communicate using new technologies. 

In contrast, less innovative distributors 

will have an increasingly hard 

time convincing Internet-savvy customers 

of their ability to provide support through 

the entire buying process, from research 

to service. 

Taking Charge 

Wholesale-distribution executives who 

understand the big-picture trends will have 

the opportunity to lead the way in their 

lines of trade. Each of the major trends 

described above is designed to pull you 

away from current events to consider the 

more complex issue of fundamental change 

over time. Facing the Forces of Change: Lead 

the Way in the Supply Chain will provide the 

greatest strategic value to your company 

when it is used as the starting point for 

more substantive management discussions. 

Ask yourself the following questions 

as you consider the four trends: 

• What is happening in my industry 


today? All the trends in this report are 

occurring in some part of the wholesaledistribution 

industry. You will be better 

prepared to innovate by putting day-today 

customer interactions and business 

responsibilities into a broader perspective 

of how the industry is changing. 

• What does it mean for my customers, 

suppliers, and competitors? The four major 

trends will have implications up and 

down the supply chain. You can understand 

how to profit from these trends by 

analyzing which companies will benefit or 

be hurt by them. For example, at what 

point would your suppliers perceive private 

labels to be a threat to your relationship? 

What advantages exist for customers 

if private-label products grow or shrink? 

• What does it mean for my company? 

After considering the broader trends, 

evaluate the specific impact on your own 

company. Take the time to build a factbased 

strategy for your company that can 

take profitable advantage of these trends. 

The world is changing, and wholesalerdistributors 

must keep evolving in order 

to stay relevant in their respective industries’ 

supply chains. The economic environment 

provides a very favorable context 

for supply-chain leadership by 

wholesaler-distributors. 

Adam Fein is the 

founder and president of 

Pembroke Consulting, 

Inc. He can be reached at 

215-523-5700 or at 

www.PembrokeConsulting.com. 

This article is 

adapted from the new 

report, Facing the Forces of Change: Lead 

the Way in the Supply Chain, and is 

reprinted with permission of the NAW Institute 

for Distribution Excellence. To order 

copies of the report, call the ISSA Customer 

Service Department at 800-225-4772 (North 

America) or 847-982-0800; e-mail, education 

@issa.com. Or visit www.naw.org. 

ISSA Foundation 

Annual Scholarship Program 

The ISSA Foundation proudly announces that applications are now being accepted for its 2008 ISSA Foundation 

scholarships. Approximately 25 district scholarships, in the amount of US$3,000 each, will be awarded 

for the 2008-09 academic year. 

In addition, over 20 designated scholarships as well as some international awards 

will be presented. The foundation encourages all interested employees of ISSAmember 

firms and their family members to apply. 

To be considered for a 2008-09 ISSA Foundation scholarship, applications should 

be postmarked by April 1, 2008. 

Eligible candidates should plan to attend an accredited four-year institution of higher 

learning in the fall of 2008. Scholarship winners are selected by the ISSA Foundation 

Board, based on the criteria stated within the application. 

You can download an application by visiting issafoundation.org or by contacting ISSA Foundation Operations Manager Tracy Weber 

at tracy@issa.com. Scholarship recipients will be notified in June 2008 and their profiles will be featured in the 2008 Official Convention 

Program issue of ISSA Today. 

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Profit Improvement Report: 

Without a proper sense of priorities, managers will 

often spend too much time worrying about the wrong 

things—things that don’t improve profit. This report 

will examine how the typical ISSA member can begin to create 

a more profitable set of priorities. It will do so by addressing 

two issues: (1) analyzing profit opportunities—a financial 

review of how different management actions impact profitability, 

and (2) opportunity vs. perception—a discussion of the 

inherent difficulties in keeping employees focused on the greatest 

areas of opportunity. 

Analyzing Profit Opportunities 

The very first requirement in setting profit priorities is understanding 

how much effort will produce how much reward— 

“the bang for the buck,” in management parlance. Exhibit 1 (at 

right) presents some bang-for-the-buck analysis for a typical 

ISSA member. (I sometimes think the information in Exhibit 1 

was first disseminated in the Pleistocene Age. There is probably 

no senior manager who has not seen this material. Yet far too 

many managers take actions that suggest they are oblivious to it. 

So allow me to review this information one more time.) 

The exhibit measures the percentage change in dollar profit 

that is generated by improving performance by 1 percent in six 

different areas. For example, the top line indicates that if the typical 

ISSA member increased prices by 1 percent, the dollar profit 

for the firm would increase by a rather staggering 62 percent. 


$etting 

Prioritie$ 

By Dr. Albert D. Bates 

This biggest of all bangs for the buck is followed fairly closely 

by the lowering of merchandise costs through better buying. 

There is then a perceptible gap between these results and those 

from increasing sales or reducing expenses; interestingly, the 

impact from sales growth and expense control is almost identical. 

Finally, there is another significant gap before reaching the impact 

of reductions in either inventory or accounts receivable. 

In a perfect financial world, the management team would 

array its operating priorities to reflect the realities seen in Exhibit 

1. In point of fact, however, the priorities in most firms deviate 

widely from what is shown here, to the detriment of profit per- 

Exhibit 1 

The Impact 

of a 1% Improvement 

In Six Key Areas of the Business 

Percentage Increase 

Area of Improvement in Dollar Profit 

Increase Prices 1% 62.0 

Reduce Cost of Goods Sold 1% 43.3 

Increase Sales Volume 1% 18.7 

Reduce Overhead Expenses 1% 17.7 

Reduce Inventory 1% 0.8 

Reduce Accounts Receivable 1% 0.6

formance. Ideally, priorities should be brought back into line with 

this exhibit. In reality, that’s much easier said than done. 

Opportunity vs. Perception 

In practice, firms ignore the implications of Exhibit 1 for at least 

three reasons: 

1. Cash Management—Most ISSA members are somewhat 

cash constrained. Generating cash is always an issue. As a result, 

managers continue to place much more attention and effort on 

reducing inventory and accounts receivable than Exhibit 1 suggests 

they should. 

Such a cash focus is understandable; it’s also very wrong. 

Inventory and accounts-receivable reduction programs ameliorate 

the cash flow problem only in the short run. The only viable 

solution for solving the long-term cash-flow issue is to generate 

substantially higher levels of profit. Exhibit 1 is not only the path 

to higher profit, it is the path to more cash. 

2. Degree of Difficulty—It is certainly easier to make 

changes in some areas than in others. And there is a natural tendency 

to migrate toward the areas where there is less effort 

required. In some firms, it may be much easier to reduce inventory 

than to increase prices. The size of the challenge must be 

considered in planning. 

What distribution managers must not do, though, is confuse 

the difficulty of doing something with its profit impact. That is, 

they should not decide that just because something is difficult to 

do it should be avoided. This is especially important in examining 

the trade-off between different variables. 

For example, if gross margin is difficult to improve and inventory 

is relatively easy to improve, that should not be an excuse to 

avoid attacking gross margin. It is essential to understand why 

this is so. 

Taking the typical ISSA member in Exhibit 1, a 1 percent price 

increase causes dollar profits to increase by 62 percent. At the 

same time, a 1 percent reduction in inventory increases profits by 

only 0.8 percent. These two can be related from a degree-of-difficulty 

perspective. 

To reach the same level of profit 

improvement as a 1 percent price 

increase would require lowering 

inventory by 73.3 percent (62 percent 

divided by 0.8 percent). Is it easier 

for the firm to lower inventory by 

73.3 percent or increase prices by 1 

percent? The answer may still be 

inventory, but it would be nice if the 

answer to focus on inventory were 

made on the basis of the correct 

information. 

3. Motivational Impact—The numbers 

in Exhibit 1 provide a sense of 

direction for the firm in terms of 

where to work. However, they have 

no value in motivating employees to 

make changes. This is because some of 


the things with a small payoff might be much more fun to do than 

some things with a large payoff. 

As an obvious example, most managers relish opportunities to 

increase sales. It is a dynamic process. In contrast, expense control 

often has the same motivational component as cleaning the leaves 

out of the gutters. It probably ought to be done, but it sure isn’t 

much fun. 

Even an increase in prices, which is king of the hill in Exhibit 

1, may have a negative connotation. If there is a deep-seated 

belief within the firm that prices are too high, then prices really 

are too high. Perception, even when utterly wrong, is reality. To 

urge the firm to move forward without a proper belief in what is 

being done is folly. The motivational component associated with 

the various activities in Exhibit 1 must be central to management’s 

thinking. 

Moving Forward 

If ISSA members are going to generate higher levels of profit, they 

must pay homage to Exhibit 1. However, it is not enough to simply 

make sure that every member of the management team 

understands the information contained in the exhibit. Every 

member must set priorities that actively support Exhibit 1. 

Making Exhibit 1 an integral part of management action 

requires a strong motivational effort. That effort needs to be 

ongoing rather than episodic. It is a lot of work. The payoff, 

though, is a lot of profit. 

Albert Bates is founder and president of Profit 

Planning Group, the Boulder, CO, distribution 

research firm that produces the ISSA Distributors’ 

Profitability Report. He can be reached at 

303-444-6212; e-mail, bigal@profitplanninggroup.com. 

To order your copy of the 2007 Distributors’ 

Profitability Report, call the ISSA 

Customer Service Department at 800-225-4772 

(North America) or 847-982-0800; e-mail, education@issa.com. 

Analyzing 1 Percent Changes 

For readers who have not seen Exhibit 1 before, the analysis is far from self-evident. The following 

illustration outlines how the profit-increase figures for both a sales-volume increase and a price 

increase were calculated. The other items in Exhibit 1 were calculated in a similar fashion. 

The only item that might not be straightforward in the analysis is that variable expenses were 

assumed to be 7 percent of sales. This covers commissions, overtime, bad debts, bank-card 

charges, and the like. 

Net Sales 

Cost of Goods Sold 

Gross Margin 

Expenses 

Variable Expenses 

Fixed Expenses 

Total Expenses 

Profit Before Taxes 

Increase in Profit 

Current 

$5,000,000 

3,250,000 

1,750,000 

350,000 

1,325,000 

1,675,000 

$75,000 

Sales Increase 

$5,050,000 

3,282,500 

1,767,500 

353,500 

1,325,000 

1,678,500 

$89,000 

18.7% 

Price Increase 

$5,050,000 

3,250,000 

1,800,000 

353,500 

1,325,000 

1,678,500 

$121,500 

62.0% 

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It was quite warm in Orlando, FL, 

October 23-26, but with the very cool 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® North America 

2007 in town, who noticed? 

The ONE SHOW for the cleaning 

industry drew 14,833 top distributors, 

building service contractors (BSCs), and 

in-house service providers (ISPs) to the 

Orange County Convention Center for an 

event featuring the cleaning industry’s latest 

products and services from no fewer 

than 658 exhibitors; a Newt Gingrich 

keynote; show floor educational sessions 

at the ISSA Education Theatre; a dazzling 

Innovation Revue; a rollicking Show Floor 

Happy Hour with food, drink, and a 

Stomp Extreme performance; and an educational 

conference that wound up testing 

the capacity of many a convention center 

seminar room. 

Additional excitement was generated 

by the many distributor marketing group 

and facility service provider (FSP) events 

held during the show, not to mention the 

new service launches by ISSA—including 

the totally redesigned ISSA.com Web site, 

a new association logo, and the opening 

of Cleaning Industry Management Standard 

(CIMS) certification to the industry 

at large (for more information on CIMS, 

visit www.issa.com/standard). 

Traffic Report 

Show-format changes and a greater availability 

of affordable room rates were key 

elements that led to increased traffic over 

the course of the week, as many attendees 

reported spending more days at the event. 

In fact, more than half of BSC and ISP 

attendees polled said they spent more 

time on the show floor than in the past, 

with more than a third of distributor 

attendees agreeing with that assessment. 

“One of our main goals this year was 

to expand the time spent between attendees 

and exhibitors on the show floor,” 

said ISSA Executive Director John 

Garfinkel. “Many exhibitors felt the positive 

impact of our efforts, saying the right 

companies were in attendance and that 

the floor felt busier this 

year. In addition to our 

poll data, the average 

stay by attendees in 

our hotel block moved 

from 1.5 nights to 2.4 

this year, reinforcing 

that attendees spent 

about 40 percent more time on the show 

floor than previously.” 

ISSA shifted the keynote address to 

Thursday, October 25, in hopes of enticing 

attendees to return for a second tradeshow 

day. The Show Floor Happy Hour 

was held on Thursday as well. The result 

was that many exhibitors and attendees 

that day were still engaged in conversations 

on the show floor more than an hour 

and a half after the floor officially closed. 

“We were booked and double-booked 

for meetings the entire show,” said Robert 

Kibbe, vice president of sales and marketing 

for Rubbermaid Commercial Products, 

Inc. “What’s important about 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN to us is the quality 

of the FSPs and distributors that we were 

able to meet with, which helped us exceed 

our goals for the show.” 

In addition to the extended stay of 

returning attendees, there was a strong 

showing from local visitors, since it had 

been six years since ISSA/INTERCLEAN 

was last in Orlando. 

In fact, regional promotional 

efforts drew 

30 percent of registered 

distributors and 

FSPs from the South 

Atlantic states, with 

more than 1,500 

attendees hailing 

from Florida and 

Georgia alone. 

Distributor attendees 

of ISSA/INTER- 

CLEAN and the 

NPTA Alliance’s colocated 

DistriPakUSA 

show numbered 

5,272. Attendee surveys 

also revealed 

that more than half of 

distributor visitors 

were members of industry buying 

or marketing groups, many of 

which held their own well-attended 

events during the week. 

“It was one of the better shows 

we’ve had in years,” judged Stan 

Mierzejewski, senior marketing 

manager of Tennant Co. “We saw a 

lot more of the large end users there 

this year and that adds a lot of value 

for us and our distributors. Plus, we 

exceeded our lead goals for the show on 

day one.” 

The BSC attendance this year hit 1,572, 

and the ISP number reached 1,130, with 

many of these organizations showing a 

strong interest in the show’s CIMS certification 

launch. Many BSCs and ISPs were 

also drawn by the co-locating annual conventions 

of the International Executive 

Housekeepers Association and the Association 

of Residential Cleaning Services 

International. 

“This year’s show had a lot of focus 

for the contractor, and I was busy every 

day, all day with quality BSC-specific 

seminars and valuable meetings,” said 

David Tarson, president of Kimco Corp., 

a newly CIMS-certified firm. “Compared 

to other ISSA/INTERCLEAN shows I’ve 

been to, this one really made me feel like 

a part of ISSA.” 

Excited Exhibitors 

Many of this year’s exhibitors provided 

positive feedback regarding the show’s 

quality of attendees and expanded traffic. 

“Our experience was absolutely phenomenal,” 

said Grant Watkinson, president 

of Corporate Express, a distributor member 

of ISSA and first-time exhibitor. “We 

received a lot of good leads; it couldn’t 

have been better for our initial experience.” 

Another new exhibitor, SureGrip Floor 

Systems, was also able to use the 

tradeshow to clinch long-term opportunities 

during its first showing: “The ISSA 

show made it possible for us to button 

down two relationships we had been 

working on for years because it gave us a 

chance to spend time with their key people,” 

stated Randy Martin, SureGrip CEO. 

“The show blew me away; we exceeded 

our goals with lots of quality decisionmakers.” 

In reaction to this year’s success, a 

large number of the 107 new exhibitors 

already have signed up to participate in 

next year’s show. In fact, more than 90 

percent of the exhibit space for the 2008 

event was sold by the end of show week, 

and future expansion areas have already 

been tapped to keep up with the demand. 

“The best indication of whether people 

are pleased with their experience is if they 



are willing to invest in us again,” said 

Garfinkel. “We are happy to see the quick 

response to this year’s event, shown in 

the renewals of exhibit space for next year 

and even many increases.” 

“The networking that goes on at 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN is fabulous, and 

those who attended were good, qualified 

folks who we were very happy to talk 

with,” said Dennis Parker, president of 

Varsity Education Services, LLC, a BSC 

exhibitor. “We’re going to receive excellent 

results from our efforts at the show, 

and I believe ISSA is the organization for 

us to move forward with in the future.” 

Industry Intel 

More than 2,500 knowledge seekers 

attended the ISSA Educational Conference 

on October 23, and for 

many, it was standing room 

only. The conference featured a 

brilliant variety of enlightening 

sessions—some 30 in all—from 

David Gammel’s Social Media 

101: Leveraging the Power of 

Blogs, Podcasts, and Wikis to 

Joachim de Posada’s Don’t Eat 

the Marshmallow Yet: The Secret 

to Sweet Success in Work and 

Life. A substantial number of 

individuals also participated in 

new networking events, such as the Peer 

Exchange round-table sessions regarding 

branding and service excellence. 

A crowd of more than 1,000 watched 

former Harley Davidson executive Ken 

Schmidt rumble into the Valencia Ballroom 

the first day of the tradeshow on a 

Harley “Fat Boy” to discuss how to build 

a new corporate culture and how to reach 

out to new and existing customers in nontraditional 

ways. The following morning, 

an audience of 3,000-plus participated in 

an interactive keynote address by former 

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives 

Newt Gingrich as he discussed “Living 

in the Age of Transformation.” Gingrich 

kept the crowd on their toes by 

frequently polling them on their own 

propensity toward change. 

The All-Industry Networking Lunch 

once again sold out—despite ISSA 

increasing the event’s capacity to 700—as 

attendees came together to discuss the 

latest in cleaning-industry trends. The 

new Peer Exchange Reception, which fol- 

lowed the Peer Exchange round-table 

sessions, was also well attended by a mix 

of the industry’s top distributors, BSCs, 

and ISPs. 

“We were pleased with the turnout at 

our new events this year, and our goal is 

to continue to add greater value for our 

attendees and exhibitors to provide the 

most return on their investment possible 

during ISSA/INTERCLEAN,” said ISSA 

Director of Conventions & Meetings 

LeeAnn Nowling. “We have even more 

education, networking, and innovation 

already in store for people next year when 

we return to Las Vegas.” 

Global Opportunities 

This year, there were 1,124 attendees representing 

74 countries outside of North 

America and more than two dozen of 

ISSA’s international alliance partners. 

There were also 55 exhibitors representing 

20 different countries. Plus, a strong 

showing of Canadian members and 

exhibitors were on hand to help celebrate 

the Canadian Sanitation Supply 

Association’s 50th anniversary. 

“We consider this show to be a 

‘World’s Fair’ for the industry so 

we use it to introduce exciting 

new products,” commented Bill 

Sleeper, president of Georgia-Pacific N.A. 

Commercial Business. “In addition to 

meeting with customers who were interested 

in our U.S. production, we also had 

members from our Mexican and European 

businesses present so we were able 

to have discussions with people needing 

a global solution.” 

And from Paolo Scapinello, export 

manager for Italian-based Filmop S.r.l.: 

“The main value of ISSA/INTERCLEAN 

is the chance for us to meet the right professional 

people in the right professional 

place. This event is not just a location for a 

booth to display some new products. It’s 

the place where the present and future of 

companies are being built. We also were 

pleased with the many South and Central 

American visitors we met.” 

General Business 

ISSA held its annual General Meeting on 

Friday, October 26, ushering in the new 

members of the 2008 ISSA Board of Directors, 

headed by 2008 ISSA President Jim 

H. Chittom Sr., Athens Janitor Supply Co., 

Inc., Athens, GA. Other new board members 

include Robert J. Stahurski Jr., NYCO 

Products Co., Countryside, IL, as vice 

president/president elect; David E. Sikes, 

Sikes Paper Co., Atlanta, GA, as treasurer; 

James B. Sugarman, Eastern Bag & Paper 

Co., Milford, CT; Ken Bodie, Kelsan, Inc., 

Knoxville, TN; Alan R. Tomblin, The Procter 

& Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH; and the 

first BSC member of the board, Richard 

“Rit” Thompson, P&R Enterprises, Inc., 

Falls Church, VA. 



Also during the morning meeting, 

ISSA honored the following individuals: 

Gary Gradinger, Golden Star Inc., N. 

Kansas City, MO, who received the Jack 

D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service 

Award; and Dennis Redman, Bobrick 

Washroom Equipment, Inc., N. Hollywood, 

CA, who received the ISSA Manufacturer 

Representatives’ Distinguished 

Service Award. Kevin Ervin, Dee Janitorial 

Supply, Inc., Chicago, IL, received the 

YES Industry Special Achievement 

Award at the annual YES reception, held 

Thursday evening (see page 28 for these 

award winners). 

Later that morning, the ISSA Innovation 

Awards and Best Customer Service 

Awards were given out at a ceremony 

on the tradeshow floor, recognizing 

14 outstanding industry 

firms (see page 29 for Innovation and 

Best Customer Service Award 

winners). 

The show officially closed Friday 

at 1:00 p.m., and as exhibitors 

packed up and left the floor, they 

were saluted by a grateful ISSA 

staff with applause and 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 

2008 cookies! 

Going West 

Speaking of the 2008 show—to be held in 

Las Vegas, NV—it promises to outdo even 

this year’s, which is saying something. So 

be sure to check in at ISSA.com throughout 

the coming 

months for updates, 

event schedules, 

and more—and 

remember, next 

year’s show is earlier 

than you think: 

September 8-11!

The Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award honors individual ISSA members who have served at least 10 continuous 

years in the industry and demonstrated outstanding service through their innovation, professionalism, leadership, elevation of 

industry standards, and promotion of the association’s growth and development. This year’s award recipient is Gary Gradinger. 

The Manufacturer Representatives’ Distinguished Service Award, presented on behalf of all independent manufacturer representatives, 

honors an individual within the industry who has had a positive impact on 

the industry and the association, and who has been supportive of manufacturer 

representatives. (The recipient may be a manufacturer, distributor, or manufacturer 

representative member.) This year’s award recipient is Dennis Redman. 

Gary Gradinger, Golden Star Inc., N. Kansas City, MO (left), 

accepts the Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service 

Award from former ISSA Executive Director Jack D. Ramaley. 


The YES Industry Special Achievement Award honors an individual who has 

made substantial contributions to the advancement of the industry and shown a 

strong support of YES. This year’s recipient is Kevin Ervin. 

Kevin Ervin, DEE Janitorial Supply, 

Inc. (right), accepts the YES Industry 

Special Achievement Award from 

John Swigart. 

Dennis Redman, Bobrick Washroom 

Equipment, Inc., N. Hollywood, CA 

(right), accepts the Manufacturer 

Representatives’ Distinguished Service 

Award from Keith Angel. 

The ISSA Best Customer Service Awards acknowledge exhibitors that display outstanding customer service to attendees visiting 

their booths during tradeshow floor hours. Awards are given to three companies with booths 300 square feet or less and three with 

booths greater than 300 square feet. 

Chris Wetmore, region manager, Tennant Co. 

(left), and Stan Mierzejewski, 

Tennant’s senior 

manager-branding & 

market strategy, accept 

the award from ISSA 


Dianna Bisswurm. 

Melanie Mance, director of advertising, 

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc. (center), and 

Erica Kurfis, Spartan’s assistant advertising 

manager (left), accept a special 

“green” award from ISSA Marketing 

Director Dianna Bisswurm. 

Andrew M. Hansen, business 

development manager, Saniflow 

Corp. (center), and David Ruiz, 

Saniflow’s national sales manager, 

accept the award from ISSA 

Marketing Director Dianna 

Bisswurm. 

The ISSA Innovation Awards recognize the cleaning industry’s most innovative products and services in each of the following categories: 

Chemicals; Supplies/Accessories; Power Equipment; Paper/Plastics; and Services, Technology & Other Products. Awards are 

also given for the top three products in a special “green” category. 

Brent Mague, southeast regional 

manager, Rubbermaid Commercial 

Products, Inc., accepts the 

award from ISSA Marketing 


Simon Nadeau, director of sales & marketing-Canada, 

Converpro, Inc. (right), 

accepts the award from ISSA Marketing 

Director Dianna Bisswurm. Also pictured 

is Ernie Kelly, Converpro's director 

of sales & marketing-USA. 

Scott Parsons, regional sales vice president, Georgia-Pacific N.A. Commercial Business (second from left), accepts the award 

from ISSA Marketing Director Dianna Bisswurm. Also pictured are Sam Robb, Georgia-Pacific’s vice president-channel & distributor 

marketing (far left), Craig Yardley, Georgia-Pacific’s vice 

president/general manager-towel category (second from right), and Dan Silk, 

Georgia-Pacific’s vice president-environmental & sustainability. 

Ron Poehailos, director 

of marketing, Waterbury 

Companies, Inc. 

(left), and Larry Glazer, 

Waterbury’s vice 

president-sales, accept 

the award from ISSA 



Bob Robinson Sr., president, Kaivac 

Cleaning Systems (left), and Tom 

Morrison, Kaivac’s vice president 

of marketing, accept a special 

“green” award from ISSA Marketing 


Ann Lieber, sales, 

CP Industries (left), 

accepts the award 

from ISSA Marketing 

Director Dianna 

Bisswurm. 

Nicole A. Collins, marketing analyst-facilities, 

Corporate Express 

(center), and Rick Buckley, Corporate 

Express’ president-facilities 

supplies, accept a special “green” 

award from ISSA Marketing 


Brent Mague, southeast regional 

manager, Rubbermaid Commercial 

Products, Inc., accepts the award 

from ISSA Marketing Director 


Nicole A. Collins, marketing analyst-facilities, 


(center), accepts the award from 

ISSA Marketing Director Dianna 

Bisswurm. Also pictured is Rick 

Buckley, Corporate Express’ president-facilities 

supplies. 

Todd Schaeffer, director-integrated solutions, 

Tennant Co. (left), and Stan 

Mierzejewski, senior manager-branding 

& market strategy, accept the award 

from ISSA Marketing Director Dianna 

Bisswurm. 

Melanie Mance, director of advertising, 

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc. 

(center), and Erica Kurfis, Spartan’s 

assistant advertising manager 

(left), accept the award from 

ISSA Marketing Director Dianna 

Bisswurm. 


The official postconvention survey 

results for ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® 

North America 2007 are in, and the 

responses indicate that ISSA accomplished 

its mission of expanding opportunities 

to network and do business with 

leaders in the cleaning community. 

Exhibitors and attendees alike had 

very positive things to say about the 

new additions to the show developed 

to encourage attendees to spend more 

time on the floor and provide more 

value for all. (Especially popular 

were the show floor educational sessions 

and the Show Floor Happy 

Hour.) More than 40 percent of distributor 

and facility service provider 

(FSP) survey respondents said they 

spent more time on the exhibit floor 

this year, further confirming the 

belief many exhibitors expressed during 

show week. 

Survey respondents also provided 

favorable feedback regarding two 

new launches the association made at 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 

2007. Forty-two percent of in-house service 

providers (ISPs) and 64 percent of 

building service contractors (BSCs) 

polled said they were considering the 

Cleaning Industry Management Standard 

certification launched at the show 

while 46 percent of distributor and FSP 

attendees said they had checked out the 

newly redesigned ISSA.com, with 39 percent 

saying they had viewed one or more 

of the Educational Quick Clips (free 

online videos) updated at the site every 

two weeks. 

Distributors 

Distributors reported that ISSA/INTER- 

CLEAN North America 2007 was highly 

valuable, with 36 percent saying they 

spent more time on the exhibit floor this 

year. More than 90 percent said they will 

return in 2008, and 94 percent said they 

would recommend the event to a peer. 

More than 75 percent of distributor 

attendees responding were in executive or 

upper-management positions, with the 

majority of those remaining in sales and 

purchasing. Half of all distributors 

reported annual sales of US$10 million or 

more, with 22 percent charting sales in 

excess of $50 million. Fifty-five percent 

also reported being members of a distributor 

marketing group, many of which 

participated in their own co-located 

events during the week. 

More than half the distributors polled 

attended the ISSA Educational Conference 

seminars and networking events, 

with 72 percent saying they found the 

networking highly valuable. About a 

third of distributors responding also 

rated the show floor educational sessions 

as one of the features that most enhanced 

their show experience. 

Other areas receiving high marks from 

distributors were the quality of 

exhibitors, the new products 

and innovations they 

encountered, and the quality 

of customers in attendance 

this year. When 

asked which new features 

most enhanced their show 

experience, distributors’ 

top selections were the 

Show Floor Happy Hour, 

food/beverage/lounge 

areas, and the Entertainment 

Floor Plan and Pocket Guide, 

which highlighted Innovation 

Award entries and 

their booths. 

Building Service Contractors 

In addition to a larger turnout of BSCs this 

year, there also was a larger percentage of 

high-level management than in previous 

years. Almost 65 percent of BSCs were 

owners, presidents, or top management, 

with an additional 20 percent drawing 

from director or manager-level positions. 

Just over 40 percent also reported annual 

sales of more than $5 million, with 22 percent 

in the more-than-$50-million category. 

More than 80 percent of BSCs attended 

seminars, rating them highly valuable, 

and more than half said they spent more 

time in the exhibit hall than in previous 

years. Also, 62 percent said they felt the 

tradeshow was more geared toward their 

unique needs than ever before. A number 

of comments from BSC attendees indicated 

that they felt more welcomed in general 

by exhibitors and distributors this 

year than in the past and felt more of a 

connection as a member of ISSA. 

The show floor educational sessions 

also were very popular with BSCs, as 

more than half said this element enhanced 

their show experience. Also receiving high 

marks from contractor attendees were the 

quality of exhibitors, networking opportunities, 

and new products and innovations 

encountered during the week. 

More than 92 percent of BSCs said they 

found the ISSA/INTERCLEAN show 

highly valuable overall, with 89 percent 

saying they will return to the event next 

year, and 98 percent saying they would 

recommend the event to a peer. 

In-House Service Providers 

Of in-house respondents, more than half 

said they extended their stay on the 

exhibit floor this year, 89 percent said they 

will return next year, and 98 percent said 

they would recommend ISSA/INTER- 

CLEAN to a peer. 

While 82 percent of in-house attendees 

surveyed indicated that they managed 

cleaning services, just over 17 percent 

were broad-based purchasing professionals 

or contract managers. This new 

attendee group largely represents members 

of the Institute of Supply Management—a 

new organization ISSA has begun 

to work with—which represents more 

than 40,000 purchasers, a group different 

from the facility managers ISSA/INTER- 

CLEAN has traditionally attracted. 

More than half of in-house attendees 

reported having annual cleaning-related 

budgets of more than $500,000, a jump 

from only about 30 percent last year. When 

asked to rate the value of the event and its 

many facets, 92 percent said the overall 

experience was valuable to very valuable. 

The quality of industry contacts in attendance 

and new products and innovations 

encountered also received high marks. 

Seminars and networking were hot 

events for the ISPs, with 87 percent 

attending the ISSA Educational Conference 

this year. In addition to the traditional 

education, more than half of ISPs 

said the show floor educational sessions 

greatly enhanced their experience. 

Just under 80 percent of ISP respondents 

said they highly valued the networking 

opportunities, with the All- 

Industry Networking Lunch popping up 

as a feature that most enhanced the show 

for more than 38 percent. 

Exhibitors 

When asked if ISSA/INTERCLEAN was 

among the top three shows they exhibit at 

during the year, 93 percent of exhibitors 

responded in the affirmative. And survey 

results show that exhibitors backed up 

this response by investing more into their 

presence this year. More than 60 percent 

reported making changes or improvements 

to their 2007 exhibits, up from 40 

percent last year, with many making multiple 

types of enhancements. Fifty-eight 

percent said they tried new exhibiting 

techniques, 41 percent expanded staffing, 

21 percent increased meeting space, and 

17 percent reported serving in-booth food 

and beverages. 

While more than 65 percent of 

exhibitors conducted pre-show marketing 

to draw booth attendees, only 32 percent 

reported customizing their online exhibitor 

listing pages made available at issa.com/ 

exhibitors. (At press time, there had been 

nearly 200,000 visits to the issa.com 

exhibitor listing pages during 2007.) More 

than 80 percent said they generated new 

business this year, and almost 95 percent 

said they strengthened existing relationships 

due to their interactions at the show, 

up slightly from last year’s results. In 

response to the positive show experience, 

more than 40 percent of exhibitors said 

they will expand their exhibit, food, and 

beverage options or try new exhibiting 

techniques next year, a response that is up 

from 2006. 

Of the changes to the show, moving 

the keynote to the second day to spread 

out tradeshow traffic received the most 

exhibitor votes for enhancing the 

tradeshow experience. Also high on the 

list of favorites were food, beverage, and 

lounge options and the combined 

exhibitor registration/sales office. 

A healthy 70 percent of exhibitors said 

they found ISSA/INTERCLEAN to be a 

valuable or highly valuable overall experience, 

and an equal number of respondents 

said they found the efforts to attract 

and keep attendees on the show floor to 

be good to excellent. When asked about 

the quality of distributor and FSP attendees, 

more than 80 percent of exhibitors 

said they were good to excellent. 

Manufacturer Representatives 

More than 60 percent of manufacturer 

representatives said the show was good to 

excellent, with 36 percent saying they 

spent more time on the show floor than in 

previous years. Almost 98 percent said 

they would return next year. 

Of manufacturer representative 

respondents, 38 percent came from the 

Northeast, with the South being the next 

largest region represented. Fewer reps 

from the West were in attendance, and 

there was some indication that the recent 

California wild fires contributed to this. 

When asked which show features most 

enhanced their experience, reps voted a 

tie between the customizable online 

exhibitor directory and map and the colocated 

DistriPakUSA show. The Show 

Floor Happy Hour also was quite popular 

with this group. 

In addition to a strong showing at the 

Manufacturer Representatives Forum, 28 

percent of rep respondents said they 

attended additional educational and networking 

sessions at ISSA/INTERCLEAN, 

citing conflicts with manufacturer sales 

meetings as the primary reason for not 

attending more sessions. 

Nonattendees 

The majority of past ISSA/INTERCLEAN 

attendees who didn’t attend this year had 

a business conflict or prefer to attend the 

event when it is in their region. 

More than 92 percent of those who 

missed the show in Orlando indicated 

they are likely to attend next year in Las 

Vegas, NV, and 60 percent of those who 

didn’t attend indicated that they still are 

keeping abreast of industry updates 

through ISSA.com and recently visited the 

newly designed site. 

30 Post-Convention 07 ISSA Today 31

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® exhibitors have 

come through again! Household and 

cleaning products valued at more than 

US$82,000 were donated in October to 

Florida charities by the 

exhibitors attending 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North 

America 2007. No fewer 

than 26 pallets of donated 

mops, brooms, furniture, 

light bulbs, plants, and 

cleaning and sanitation supplies 

and chemicals will be 

distributed by the Heart of 

Florida United Way (HFUW) 

to its 40-plus agencies in the 

Orlando area. The donation 

Tim Hodges, vice president of sales, The O’Dell Corp. 

program was sponsored by 

the ISSA Foundation and 

managed by Gifts In Kind International. 


Exhibitor Benefits 

Exhibitors at the show said that donating 

products through Gifts In Kind is a convenient 

and positive way to dispose of 

their exhibit items and avoid the time and 

expense of repacking and shipping. Most 

donors get a tax benefit for donating their 

products—a process that is also managed 

by Gifts In Kind. 

“Our owners love to give to causes,” 

stated Andrew Gross, national sales manager 

of Howard Berger Co., which 

donated all its booth products at the close 

of the show. “This is an extension of what 

the company does.” 

Tim Hodges, vice president of sales for 

The O’Dell Corp., concurred, saying that 

the donation program is “convenient for 

us, and it’s for a good cause.” O’Dell also 

donated a major portion of its booth items 

after the show. 

The recipient of donations from this 

year’s show—The HFUW’s Gifts In Kind 

Center—serves more than 40 health and 

human services agencies in Orange, Osceola, 

and Seminole counties in the Orlando 

area. “This donation will allow our member 

agencies to target more of their funds 

toward direct services for their clients, 

instead of having to purchase so many of 

the cleaning supplies they use daily,” 

noted Carlo DeTommaso, HFUW’s Gifts 

In Kind Center coordinator. 

Staff from HFUW and Gifts In Kind as 

well as 31 volunteers gathered donated items 

from more than 89 vendors at the show. 

ISSA and the ISSA Foundation have 

promoted tradeshow donations through 

Gifts In Kind at the North American 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN tradeshows since 

2002. In addition, for more than 10 years, 

the foundation has partnered with Gifts 

In Kind to promote year-round donation 

programs as well as manage disasterrelief 

efforts for its members. 

About Gifts In Kind 

Gifts In Kind International 

(www.giftsinkind.org)—ranked by Forbes 

magazine as one of the nation’s best-managed 

charities —works to enhance, 

empower, and restore communities in need 

by generating and distributing corporate 

product donations through its network of 

more than 150,000 pre-qualified nonprofit 

organizations that are doing important 

work around the world. 

ISSA offers a special thank you 

to all the exhibitors that donated 

at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North 

America 2007: 

A & B Wiper Supply, Inc. 

ABCO 

ACI Industries Converting 

ACS Industries, Inc. 

Activant Solutions, Inc. 

AFFLINK 

Air King 

Amrep, Inc. 

Anchor Packaging 

Atlantic Packing Products 

Atlas Paper Mills 

Away Chemical Corp. 

Berkley Square 

Berry Plastics Corp. 

Betco Corp. 

Big D Industries, Inc. 

Briarwood Products 

Brulin & Co., Inc. 

Carolina Paper Converters 

Cartuera Carna 

Chapin International 

Clean Control Corp. 

Colgate-Palmolive Co. 

Continental Commercial Products 


Crystal Lake Manufacturing, Inc. 

Darnel, Inc. 

Dial Corp. 

DIY Industries 

Emsco Group 

Envirox, LLC 

Fitzpatrick Bros., Inc. 

FRES Products, LLC 

Fuller Brush Co. 

Fumacare 

Georgia-Pacific 

Guardsman Products 

Hamburg Industries, Inc. 

High Five Products 

Hospital Specialty Co. 

Howard Berger Co. 

Hydra Sponge Co., Inc. 

Intercon Chemical Co., Inc. 

Interplast Group Ltd. 

Ipack Solutions 

ITW Dymon 

Kruger Products 

Landscape Brands 

Layflat Products, LLC 

The Liberman Co. 

Livus Marketing, Inc. 

Magco Incorporated 

Marcal Paper Mills, Inc. 

Merfin Systems, LLC 

Metro Paper Co. 

National Tissue Co., LLC 

Normatech 

Nozomi Marketing SDN BHD 

The O’Dell Corp. 

Oil-Dri Corp. 

Papersource Corp. 

Paraclipse, Inc. 

Phoenix Brands 

Prodifa 

R3 Reliable Redistribution 

Resource 

Saba Chemical Corp. 

ISSA Salutes the Following Sponsors: 

Satco Products, Inc. 

Seiwa Co. Ltd. 

Shinemound Enterprise, Inc. 

Shop Vac Corp. 

Siamons International 

Simoniz USA, Inc. 

Simple Green 

Softex Paper, Inc. 

Solan’s Paper, Inc. 

Spray Nine Corp. 

Sprayco 

Spy Marketing SDN BHD 

Stahl Soap 

STEFCO Industries 

Tape Printers, Inc. 

Technical Papers Corp. 

Thornell Corp. 

Tucel Industries 

United Electric 

Volk Protective Products 

Von Drehle Corp. 

Waverly Plastics 

Whisk Products, Inc. 


Conventions & Tradeshows 

ISSA isn’t called “The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association” 

just because it sounds good. The association, together 

with Amsterdam RAI, holds ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® tradeshows 

in no fewer than five different countries around the globe, 

addressing the needs and desires of a truly international membership. 

And next March 5-7, the beautiful Banamex Center in Mexico 

City, Mexico, plays host to the eighth edition of ISSA/INTER- 

CLEAN Latin America. It promises to be a muy caliente event, and 

one you won’t want to miss. 

Held in even-numbered years, this increasingly popular show 

provides the perfect setting for all segments of the cleaning 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN 

March 

® Latin America 2008 

March 

Show Schedule 

Tradeshow 

1:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Seminars 

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 

Video-Workshops 

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

industry—manufacturers, distributors, and facility service 

providers—to learn more about the growing business opportunities 

this region offers, in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. 

Achieve Your International Goals 

The Latin American market is growing at an accelerated rate. Its 

operating volume and potential for expansion are huge, due to a 

variety of factors, including the following: 

Happiness 


• The development of new industrial and 

business sectors has increased the need for 

cleaning to meet global standards 

• Norms for public health, environmental 

protection, and occupational safety have risen 

dramatically 

• Mexico has 12 signed free-trade agreements 

with more than 40 countries—more 

than any other nation 

on the planet 

• Mexico is now 

ranked as the world’s 

ninth most important 

economy and seventh 

worldwide in international 

trade. 

Industries represented 

at ISSA/ 

INTERCLEAN Latin 

America 2008 will 

include industrial 

companies, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, commercial 

facilities, and educational institutions. Now is the time 

to grab your opportunity to establish multiple strategic 

alliances, all under one roof. For more information on 

the event, write to issalatam@promex.com.mx, or visit 

www.issa.com.

Member Milestones 

There are only a handful of companies 

that can truthfully tell this classic 

story of their origin: A man has an 

idea; the idea takes shape in a garage that 

serves as company headquarters; the idea 

takes off, and a revolutionary new niche 

in a well-entrenched industry is carved. 

Such is the case with the groundbreaking 

vacuum company ProTeam ® , Inc. 

Established in 1987—and a member of 

ISSA since its inception—ProTeam is the 

result of one man’s dream to get vacuuming 

off the ground. 

After a lifelong 

career in the contract-cleaningbusiness, 

Larry 

Shideler knew 

there had to be a 

better, more efficient 

way to clean 

carpets than with 

traditional upright vacuums. In 1983, he 

came up with the solution: a lightweight 

backpack vacuum made out of PVC pipe. 

Dubbed the QuarterVac ® , it proved to be 

more comfortable and agile than the 

heavy, metal, shoulder-strap versions then 

available. It also cut vacuuming time in 

half and extracted more soil than its predecessors. 

The QuarterVac became the 

commercial cleaning industry’s 

first successful backpack 

vacuum. 

Founded as it was on 

innovation, ProTeam soon 

began to pursue creative 

concepts and educational 

programs. In its first year, the 

company formed and implemented 

the Cleaning for 

Health concept, which recognized 

the importance of 

improved indoor air quality 

(IAQ). In 1991, the firm introduced 

Team Cleaning ® Shideler 

seminars—an 

organized system 


ProTeam, Inc. 

20th Anniversary 

that improves the productivity, efficiency, 

quality, and safety of cleaning programs. 

Over the course of two decades, Cleaning 

for Health has remained a key focus 

for the company. In 2002, ProTeam 

entered into an exclusive partnership with 

the American Lung Association (ALA) to 

educate the public about the importance 

The LineVacer, one 

of the first true 

HEPA backpack 

vacuums ever 

produced. 

The original QuarterVac. 

of healthy IAQ and ways to promote lung 

health. This was the first full-scale partnership 

of its kind between the ALA and a 

vacuum manufacturer. Two years before 

that, ProTeam had become the first vacuum 

manufacturer to have its entire line 

of vacuums achieve certification from the 

Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label 

program, a program that recognizes manufacturers 

whose products improve IAQ. 

TODAY, PROTEAM manufactures 17 different 

vacuums for use in schools, colleges, 

aircraft, the hospitality industry, and 

more. The company’s product line now 

includes hip-style, canister, dual-motor 

upright, battery-operated, and HEPA- and 

ULPA-filtration vacuums. 

ProTeam vacuums are equipped with 

a patented Four Level ® Filtration system 

that captures harmful 

microscopic dust 

mites, bacteria, and 

other floating particles 

known to cause 

sick building syndrome 

and 

unhealthy air. 

“As we mark Pro- 

Team’s 20-year 

anniversary, we look 

back on two very 

progressive decades 

for the cleaning 

industry,” says Matt 

Wood, ProTeam CEO 

and company president. 

“ProTeam has 

been a key part of 

making the industry 

healthier, more effective, and more productive—things 

that everyone benefits 

from, especially cleaning crews, maintenance 

managers, and building occupants. 

Our focus is to continue on the 

path of innovation and Cleaning for 

Health.” 

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The Super QuarterVac, launched in 2006. Countless species of dirt and airborne pollutants exist in your facilities. 

Improve indoor air quality with our innovative and highly efficient line of professional vacuums. 

It’s the evolution of cleaning – it’s the right tool for the right job. 

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Market Focus 


Green Machines 

By Mike Schaffer 

About 15 years ago, one of the 

largest construction- and 

mining-equipment manufacturers 

in the United States hired a 

PR firm to promote the company’s 

new quality-control standards. The 

PR firm spent a week with the company, 

interviewing dozens of 

employees. 

Believing that quality starts at 

the top and flows downward, the 

PR firm first met with the company 

president and top executives to ask 

them what they were doing to promote 

quality. The firm then worked 

its way down through middle management 

staff to workers on the factory 

floor, asking everybody what 

steps they were incorporating to 

ensure that every product produced 

met high-quality standards. 

Finally, on the last day of the 

interview process, one of the PR 

professionals noticed the cleaning 

crew coming in for the evening 

shift. Although it was not on his list 

of interviews and even though he 

believed it would accomplish very 

little, the PR person approached one 

of the custodians and asked if he 

thought his job contributed to the 

quality of the company’s products. 

To the interviewer’s surprise, 

the custodian said that not only 

did his work and the work of the 

other cleaning professionals contribute 

to improving quality, but 

that quality actually starts with 

cleaning. “We set the mood for this 

whole building,” the custodian 

said. “If the facility is in a dirty, 

unsanitary, and cluttered condition, 

everything we do and everything 

we make is going to reflect 

that. Quality starts with us and our 

efforts to keep this building in tiptop 

condition.” 

If that’s true, then it’s also very 

likely true that the type and quality 

of cleaning equipment provided to 

cleaning professionals can greatly 

influence the work they do, the 

quality of service they provide, and, 

ultimately, the overall success of the 

company whose building is being 

cleaned. Who would doubt, for 

instance, that a machine that performs 

poorly and mars indoor air 

quality (IAQ) and the environment 

as well as worker health will have a 

negative impact on worker performance? 

This is why, when marketing 

vacuum cleaners and floor 

machines, distributors should educate 

and encourage their clients to 

select machines that are not only top 

performers, but “green” as well. 

* U.S. Census Bureau; includes kindergarten 

through Vacuums high school as well as higher-education 

public facilities. Go to http://www.cen- 

Not only can a vacuum cleaner that 

sus.gov/PressRelease/www/releases/archives/ 

facts_for_features/001286.html. 

performs poorly and pollutes the air 

negatively impact a cleaning 

worker’s health and performance, 

Replace to address 

children’s health and 

the improved 

performance derived 

from more thoroughly 

cleaned and 

maintained schools all 

add up to tremendous 

opportunities for 

jansan distributors. 

but ineffective vacuum cleaners can 

cause more harm than good overall. 

They may appear to have cleaned, 

but in reality they may have done 

little to remove the soils, dirt, and 

dust that have become lodged in 

carpet fibers. And vacuums that 

release contaminants into the air 

potentially harm the health not only 

of cleaning workers, but of building 

occupants. 

This problem can be rectified by 

transferring from conventional 

vacuum cleaners, such as those 

made five or more years ago, to 

greener machines that help protect 

health and IAQ, perform well, 

operate quietly, and achieve 

ergonomic design. 

A good working definition for a 

green vacuum cleaner includes far 

more than just its filtration capabilities, 

which is often the definition 

used. Instead, a green vacuum is 

one that meets or exceeds the highest 

performance standards currently 

available for collecting and retaining 

soils and does it quietly with 

minimal physical impact on the 

cleaning worker. 

We are seeing more professional 

vacuum cleaners meet these criteria, 

especially some of the latest backpack 

machines now being introduced. 

A closer look at some of the 

following considerations can help 

distributors and their clients better 

understand their importance: 

Filtration: People can inhale airborne 

particulates 10 microns and 

smaller. Mold and bacteria in the air 

are about 1 to 12 microns in size, 

meaning that many of these con- 

** taminants G. Earthman, can“The be inhaled Impact ofand School 

Building potentially Condition causeona Student varietyAchievement of respi- 

and Behavior” (paper presented at the Euroratory 

ailments. A HEPA filtration 

pean Investment Bank, Organization for 

Economic 

system effectively 

Co-operation 

captures 

and Development 

and 

International traps these Conference, particulates. Luxembourg, Nov. 

16–17, But1998). even with HEPA, the bar has 

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Market Focus 

been raised. To be a true HEPA machine 

now, a vacuum must have its entire casing 

sealed. HEPA machines of this sort are 

extremely effective at containing hazardous 

airborne materials. 

Quiet operation: Once day cleaning 

became popular, noise became a serious 

vacuum cleaner issue. But now, we also 

know that vacuum cleaner noise can have 

a major impact on a cleaning worker’s 

performance and health. Studies at the 

University of Houston have found that 

vacuums produce an average of 85 decibels 

(dB) of noise, or “unwanted sound,” 

which can result in such physical effects 

as fatigue, frustration, and irritability. A 

green vacuum cleaner brings the noise 

level down 10 dB or more. 

Ergonomics: An ergonomic vacuum 

cleaner is designed to maximize produc- 

Stephen P. Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group, Bloomington, 

IN, is a leading advocate for green cleaning in the professional 

cleaning industry and the author of the ISSA-sponsored 

Green Cleaning for Dummies. 

Q: Currently, the Carpet and Rug Institute rates vacuum 

cleaners and extractors on how well they protect the indoor 

environment. Do you think a similar rating system will evolve 

for floor machines? 

A: Since there is growing demand for greener jansan equipment, 

it is likely that an organization will develop a certification 

program [for floor machines] because it helps both the 

demand and supply side of the market. 

Beyond performance issues, [a certification program may 

also] look at factors such as energy use, sound levels, recycled 

materials, durability, etc. [But] yes, I do think there will 

be value in such a program, and as such, I believe that some 

organization will step up to the plate and offer it in the future. 

Q: Do you think the amount of electric power vacuum cleaners 

and floor machines use will become more of an issue? Will 

manufacturers look for a way to reduce energy consumption in 

these product categories? 

A: Yes. Energy is going to be a critical issue in the near 

future as more buildings and programs, such as the U.S. Green 

Building Council’s LEED rating systems, increase their focus 

on reducing energy and the resulting use of fossil fuels. This is 

true even though janitorial equipment uses a very small portion 

of a building’s overall energy consumption. The manufacturer 

who figures out how to build a piece of equipment that 

uses considerably less energy compared to other machines will 

have a competitive edge in the marketplace. 

I also think that one of the most important future issues will 


tivity by reducing operator fatigue and 

discomfort, which also helps to diminish 

injuries. An ergonomically designed 

upright is light, with some new machines 

weighing as little as eight pounds. They 

also have comfortable fitting handles and 

easy-to-reach-and-operate controls. 

Some of the biggest advances in vacuum 

ergonomics, however, have occurred 

in backpacks. New backpacks are much 

lighter than the original machines; plus, 

they feature body-conforming back supports 

and harnesses, making them more 

comfortable to use. 

Floor Equipment 

A green floor machine will also be 

ergonomically designed to improve 

worker productivity and minimize 

injuries and fatigue. However, when ana- 

An Interview With Stephen Ashkin 

lyzing these products, we must separate 

those used primarily to polish and burnish 

from those used for stripping and 

scrubbing. 

Burnishing equipment should include 

passive/active attachments, such as a 

deck shroud, that capture dust during 

burnishing. Some machines even have 

dual-filtering systems for clean-air filtration. 

Like sanding a piece of wood, burnishing 

generates a considerable amount 

of dust. Capturing this dust protects IAQ 

and the health of the cleaning worker and 

building occupants. But it also helps 

improve overall cleaning productivity 

and appearance because it reduces the 

amount of dust that settles on desks and 

other surfaces. 

Green scrubbers minimize the amount 

of water and chemical used in the scrub- 

be water. And while this doesn’t apply to vacuum cleaners, it 

certainly applies to other pieces of janitorial equipment, such 

as scrubbers and extractors. Therefore, I believe that the manufacturer 

who builds equipment that uses less water will also 

have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. 

Q: Do you consider such things as the machine’s noise 

level, ergonomic design, and durability to be green issues? 

A: Noise and ergonomics fall within the definition of green 

because they can affect human health. And durability has significant 

environmental implications because this impacts the 

frequency of replacement and disposal. Manufacturing more 

durable machines reduces the demand for raw materials and 

the associated environmental impacts from their mining and 

extraction; it also reduces the use of energy and water as well 

as emissions to air, water, and solid waste. 

Q: How green do you think vacuum cleaners and floor care 

equipment will be five years from now? 

A: Beginning five years ago, we saw an enormous amount of 

product innovation in our industry specifically focused on green 

cleaning chemicals and then more recently, paper manufacturers 

really got on board. At ISSA’s 2006 tradeshow, we saw 

equipment manufacturers introduce greener cleaning equipment 

and viewed the first real results of their investment in 

R&D focused on green. 

So I am very excited about what these manufacturers will 

accomplish in the next five years. They are really smart people 

and very ingenious. I think some companies will develop 

innovative equipment that further reduces impacts on 

worker and building-occupant health and uses materials and 

manufacturing processes that will further reduce impacts on 

the environment.

Market Focus 

bing/stripping process, and they improve 

water recovery via more effective 

squeegee designs. On many conventional 

rotary machines, this has been accomplished 

by using microfiber pads along 

with foam chemicals. However, newer 

technologies, such as cylindrical brushes, 

appear to be even more effective at reduc- 

i 

ing water and chemical use. Instead of 

TM 


pads, these machines have counter-rotating 

brushes that penetrate into floor pores 

and grout areas. Essentially, the machine 

does more of the work, requiring less 

water and chemicals. 

Trends & Directions 

Just a few years ago, some experts predicted 

that green cleaning would involve 

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Augusta, GA 30906 

(800) 522-0945 

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(888) 811-0945 

about 20 percent of the jansan market, 

with the rest of the industry using conventional 

products similar to those used 

for years. Additionally, when green cleaning 

was discussed, it invariably referred 

to cleaning chemicals. Vacuum cleaners, 

floor machines, and other tools were often 

not even considered. 

Today, the acceptance level of green 

cleaning is just about the opposite, with 

some predicting that 80 percent or more 

of the industry will transfer to environmentally 

preferable cleaning systems. 

Additionally, almost all cleaning products, 

including vacuum cleaners and floor 

equipment, are being re-engineered and 

designed with green in mind. 

There are a variety of reasons why all 

this is happening. One is that we now 

know there are proven benefits to going 

green. Another is that most green cleaning 

products and equipment are now comparably 

priced to conventional products, 

and the benefits in reduced absenteeism, 

enhanced worker productivity, and an 

overall safer work environment far offset 

any possible added costs. Also, most 

green cleaning products are just as effective 

as conventional cleaning tools and 

equipment. 

But what may prove to be an even 

greater factor when it comes to vacuum 

cleaners and floor equipment is that 

cleaning professionals now view green 

cleaning as a system that requires that all 

products used—from chemicals to vacuums 

and floor machines—contribute to a 

healthier indoor environment. 

Because of this view, we can expect a 

greater number of manufacturers of vacuum 

cleaners and floor equipment to 

introduce greener and healthier machines 

in the coming years. 

Mike Schaffer is president 

of Tornado Industries, 

an 80-year-old, 

Chicago, IL-based manufacturer 

of professional 

cleaning equipment. For 

more information on 

Tornado, call 708-867- 

5100; e-mail, info@tornadovac.com. Or visit 

tornadovac.com. 

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS 

DISTRIBUTORS 

2B Global, LLC 

Hopkinsville, KY 

A & W Office Supply 

Knoxville, TN 

A-1 Vacuum Center, Inc. 

Houston, TX 

Aim Distribution, Inc. 

Loves Park, IL 

Albek de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. 

San Juan del Rio, Qro. , Mexico 

American Chemical & Building 

Maintenance Supply, Inc. 

St. Petersburg, FL 

American Chemical & Equipment 

Co., Inc. 

Latham, NY 

American Industrial Rubber 

Louisville, KY 

Andrews Office Warehouse 

Ann Arbor, MI 

Atmosphere Products Co., Inc. 

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 

Axia Distribution Corp. 

Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Bain Paper Co., Inc. 

Waco, TX 

BC Supplies, Inc. 

Frederiksted, St. Croix, VI 

BD & S, Inc. 

Monroeville, AL 

Best Value Supply, Inc. 

Great Neck, NY 

BRC Products 

Longwood, FL 

C & S Cleaning Supply, LLC 

Jonesboro, AR 

Catko Distributors 

Valdosta, GA 

Central Poly Corp. 

Linden, NJ 

Clean Chem, Inc. 

Minotola, NJ 

Cleancare Sanitary Products 

Chomedey, QC, Canada 

Cleaning Depot Ft. Lauderdale 


CleanKing.com 

Sunrise, FL 

Comercial e Industrial Branfisa, S.A. 

Lima, Peru 

Cowboy Supply House 

Laramie, WY 

Crest Supply 

Crestview, FL 

Cyclonic Industrial Sales 

St. Louis, MO 

Cyo Chemical, S.A. de C.V. 

Mexico City, D.F., Mexico 

Dismersa 

Guatemala City, Guatemala 

Distributions PLA-M, Inc. 

St. Hubert, QC, Canada 

East Continental Supplies 

Hialeah, FL 

EMB Group 

Wasaga Beach, ON, Canada 

Energy Shine & Solution Trading 

(ES&S Trading) 

Curacao, Netherlands Antilles 

Environmental Solution, Inc. 

Wake Forest, NC 

F.J. Wadden & Sons Ltd. 

St. John’s, NL, Canada 

Fesar Supply 

Garden City, NY 

Fuerza Industrial 

San Juan, PR 

Gece S.A.C. 

Lima, Peru 

Global Chemco Corp. 

Florida City, FL 

GMI Guam 

Tamuning, Guam 

Griffin Chemical Co., LLC 

Tonawanda, NY 

Heartland Equipment & Cleaning 

Supplies 

Gibbons, AB, Canada 

High Tech Cleaning & Supply, Inc. 

Missoula, MT 

Industrial Cleaning Equipment & 

Supply 


Interstate Mat Corp. 

S. Easton, MA 

J. Tancio Enterprises, Inc. 

Manila, Philippines 

Jac Comercio de Produtos de 

Limpeza Ltda. 

Cotia, Brazil 

Jan/San Distributing Co. 

Ruffin, NC 

JC & A Worldwide, Inc. 

Miami, FL 

JKL Global Sales, Inc. 

Delta, BC, Canada 

Lakeside Office Products, Inc. 

Plattsburgh, NY 

Lexon, Inc. 

Tampa, FL 



Loc Lav Locadora de Equipamentos 

Limpeza 

Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil 

Lowell Janitorial Supply 

Lowell, MA 

Marko, Inc. 

Spartanburg, SC 

Martimpex 

Quito, Ecuador 

Medical House Ltd. 

Devonshire, Bermuda 

MSC Industrial Direct 

Melville, NY 

Ovasco Industries 

Louisville, KY 

Pacific Breeze 

Woodinville, WA 

Palmer Marble & Tile, Inc. 

W. Palm Beach, FL 

Phidias, Inc. 

St.-Leonard, QC, Canada 

Premier Supply, Inc. 

Greensboro, NC 

Princeton Supply 

Princeton, NJ 

Productros Sanitarios de Limpieza 

Mexicali, B.C., Mexico 

Pucara S.A. 

Capital Federal, Argentina 

Quanomy Supply 

Bronx, NY 

R.L. Williams Co. 

Hickory, NC 

S & S Automotive, Inc. 

Elmhurst, IL 

Sage Products, Inc. 

Salina, KS 


School Specialty 

Greenville, WI 

Ship To Direct, Inc. 

Maple Grove, MN 

Sparcol Chemical & Life/Peru S.A.C 

Lima, Peru 

The Cleaning House 

Hamilton, ON, Canada 

TL Services, Inc. 

Van Buren, AR 

Tower Air Fresheners, Inc. 

Hammond, LA 

Twin Med, LLC 

Santa Fe Springs, CA 

Univar USA 

Romulus, MI 

Vista Products Co. 

Danville, IL 

Westex 

N. White Plains, NY 

Winfield Supply Co., Inc. 

Willoughby, OH 

MANUFACTURERS 

2010 Products 

Salem, OR 

AXA Roteal 

Bucharest, Romania 

Bissell Homecare, Inc. 

Grand Rapids, MI 

Brinsa S.A. 

Bogota, Colombia 

Busch Systems International 

Barrie, ON, Canada 

Byotrol, Inc. 

Spartanburg, SC 

Classic Paper, Inc. 

Concord, ON, Canada 

Concepts to Market, LLC 

Del Mar, CA 

Cosmos Corp. 

Wentzville, MO 

Dispensing Systems Ltd. 

Auckland, New Zealand 

Duramitt SDN BHD 

Penang, Malaysia 

Flexaust 

Warsaw, IN 

Gator Chemical Co. 

Largo, FL 

GLB, Inc. 

Sturtevant, WI 

Goodway Technologies Corp. 

Stamford, CT 

Guardair Corp. 

Chicopee, MA 

Hamilton Plastics, Inc. 

Chattanooga, TN 

Huntsman 

Spring, TX 

Intertex Inc./B-Air Blowers 

Glendale, CA 

Intex Supply 

Franklin, TN 

Jofel USA, Inc. 

San Antonio, TX 

Klein Karoo International (Pty) Ltd. 

Oudtshoorn, South Africa 

Laboratorios Profesionales Panama, S.A. 

Panama, Panama 

Larkin 

Caracas, Venezuela 

Megamed SDN BHD 

Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia 

7 

pre·em·i·nent or pre-em·i·nent 

Superior to or notable above all others; outstanding. 

See synonym: 

SINCERITY 

At AFFLINK, we measure our strength by the sum of each individual business 

partner, and our success by the relationships we’ve built with them for 30 years. 

INNOVATION 

A direct reflection of our partners, we remain agents of change with our ability 

and resources leading the industry to new heights, and never settling for the 

status quo. 

COMMITMENT 

Today AFFLINK is more than 300 distributors and 250 suppliers strong, 

providing the best products, solutions and services to millions of customers 

every day. 

ACCOUNTABILITY 

It’s no coincidence that good leaders are also good listeners. We have maintained 

our position as the market leader by doing just that — engaging and listening to 

our business partners, allowing them to steer our direction and choose our path 

forward. And because of this, we believe, it will always be a winning path. 

Change is Imminent, Our Goal is Preeminence 

Log on to the website below to learn more. 

1400 AFFLINK Place • Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 • 800.222.5521 

www.afflink.com


Midwest Specialty Products, LLC 

Winneconne, WI 

Nichols Paper Products Co., Inc. 

Nichols, WI 

Nilfisk CFM 

Malvern, PA 

OspreyDeepclean Ltd. 

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 

United Kingdom 

Palmero Health Care 

Stratford, CT 

Para-Chem 

Dalton, GA 

Penek Chemical Industries, Inc. 

Pompano Beach, FL 

Phoenix Brands, LLC 

Keller, TX 

Poly Plastic Products 

DeLano, PA 

Punto Rojo, S.A. 

Alajuela, Costa Rica 

Razor Chemical, Inc. 

N. Little Rock, AR 

S.J. Whitaker Industries, Inc. 

St. Albert, AB, Canada 

San Jamar Mexico 

Mexico City, D.F., Mexico 

Santec Products 

Cincinnati, OH 

Schevaran Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. 

Mysore, Karnataka, India 

Schuman Feathers 

Miami, FL 

SofaLIFT 

Naperville, IL 

SourceOne Plus, Inc. 

Crystal Lake, IL 


Splash Guardian, LLC 

Springfield, MO 

Star Industries, Inc. 

Melrose Park, IL 

This Stuff Works, Inc. 

Livermore, CA 

Tuffy Systems, Inc. 

Crete, IL 

MANUFACTURER 

REPRESENTATIVES 

East West Sales 

Halifax, NS, Canada 

Expanded Technologies 

Kamloops, BC, Canada 

Guangzhou Faner Aerosol Product 

Co. Ltd. 

Guangdong, China 

Hayward Agencies Ltd. 

Bedford, NS, Canada 

Innocore Sales & Marketing 

Ajax, ON, Canada 

Intermountain Group, Inc. 

Denver, CO 

International Pacific Sales Ltd. 

Richmond, BC, Canada 

LineDrive 

Schaumburg, IL 

Lott Marketing 

Houston, TX 

Max Supply Group 

Carlsbad, CA 

Niagara Marketing Group, Inc. 

Orchard Park, NY 

OEM Marketing & Sales 

Centerville, OH 

RCH Sales & Marketing, Inc. 

Manchester, CT 

REV Sales & Marketing, Inc. 

Langley, BC, Canada 


Spruce Grove, AB, Canada 


Winnipeg, MB, Canada 

S & Y Trading Corp. 

Boca Raton, FL 

Southern Sales & Marketing 

Richmond, TX 

The Exchange Sales, Inc. 

Indianapolis, IN 

Yuhan-Kimberly 

Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea 

ASSOCIATE MANUFACTURERS 

Brierly Technologies 

Mississauga, ON, Canada 

Danaher Motion 

Marengo, IL 

David C. Poole Co. 

Greenville, SC 

DeForest Enterprises, Inc. 

Boca Raton, FL 

Hedstrom Plastic/Ball, Bounce 

& Sport, Inc. 

Ashland, OH 

Precision Composites 

Newberry, SC 

WHOLESALERS 

National Wholesale Supply, LLC 

Voorhees, NJ 

Vistaserv 

Sarasota, FL 

ASSOCIATES 

Bowles Fluidics Corp. 

Columbia, MD 

Lease Corp. of America 

Troy, MI 

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RTI, Inc. 

Lake Dallas, TX 

SkilStaf, Inc. 

Alexander City, AL 

Xela Innovations 

Milwaukee, WI 

ASSOCIATE TRAINER 

M & J Consulting 

Ripon, CA 

BUILDING SERVICE 

CONTRACTORS 

Amazing Cleaning Services 

Sherwood, OR 

ARC Imperial Valley 

El Centro, CA 

BeeLine, Inc. 

Hoffman Estates, IL 

Broadway Services, Inc. 

Baltimore, MD 

Buck Services, Inc. 

W. Chicago, IL 

Ceiling Professionals International 

Eden Prairie, MN 

Charleston Janitorial Services, Inc. 

Mt. Pleasant, SC 

Christal Cleaning Connection 

La Quinta, CA 

Clean Republic 

Beirut, Lebanon 

Contract Cleaning Services 

Linesville, PA 

Cristanval 

Moscow, Russia 

CSS Facility Services, Inc. 

Dayton, NJ 

Demosthenes & Sons Janitorial 

Orlando, FL 


Dust Free Cleaning Services 

Miami, FL 

EC 3, Inc. 

Hollywood, FL 

Electric Broom Janitorial, Inc. 

Daytona Beach, FL 

F.C. Schwendler, LLC 

Akron, OH 

First Class Cleaning & Maintenance 

Essex, United Kingdom 

Florida Cleaning Systems, Inc. 

Sanford, FL 

Frank Hanna Window Cleaning Co. 

Nassau, Bahamas 

Goodmaster’s Cleaning Service 

Doral, FL 

Goodwill Industries of Lower South 

Carolina 

N. Charleston, SC 

Guardian Service Industries, Inc. 

New York, NY 

H&B Cleaning Services, Inc. 

Parsippany, NJ 

Harvard Maintenance, Inc. 

New York, NY 

Hygafem 

Gainesville, GA 

ICS Contract Services 

Atlanta, GA 

ISS Facility Services 

Tarpon Springs, FL 

J & G Supplies Ltd. 

Barataria, Trinidad and Tobago 

Marquise Facilities Corp. 

Richmond, BC, Canada 

Maxiclean Building Services 

Tewksbury, MA 

Quality Cleaning Services 

Palmdale, CA 

R & B Cleaning Plus, Inc. 

Matamoras, PA 

Reynolds & Reynolds Janitorial 

Services, Inc. 

Brentwood, TN 

Rowe Contracting Service, Inc. 

Mandeville, LA 

Sani Products & Services 

St. Johns, Antigua 

San-i-Kleen Maintenance 

Mt. Pearl, NL, Canada 

Stanley Steemer International, Inc. 

Dublin, OH 

SV Clean 

Broomfield, CO 

Three Frenchmen Janitorial 

Svc & Supply, Inc. 

Lafayette, LA 

Total Solutions Facility Management 

Pvt. Ltd. 

Mumbai, India 

Tropical Services Corp. 

Panama, Panama 

Willowbank Co., LLC 

Syracuse, NY 

Tropical Services Corp. de 

Costa Rica 

San Jose, Costa Rica 

IN-HOUSE SERVICE 

PROVIDERS 

Arlington Heights School District 25 

Arlington Heights, IL 

Best Buy 

Richfield, MN 

Bush Intercontinental Airport 

Houston, TX


City of Albuquerque – Aviation 

Department 

Albuquerque, NM 

City of Monterey 

Monterey, CA 

City of Stockton 

Stockton, CA 

Cook County Sherrif’s Office 

Chicago, IL 

Exeter Healthcare, Inc. 

Exeter, NH 

Foxwoods Resort Casino 

Mashantucket, CT 

Georgina World Congress Center 

Atlanta, GA 

Guilford College 

Greensboro, NC 

Gustavus Adolphus College 

St. Peter, MN 

James Madison University 

Harrisonburg, VA 

Jesse Brown VA Medical Center 

Chicago, IL 

Johnsonite 

Chagrin Falls, OH 

Kwik Trip Stores, Inc. 

La Crosse, WI 

Majestic Star Casino 

Gary, IN 

McKee Foods Corp. 

Collegedale, TN 

Potawatomi Bingo & Casino 

Milwaukee, WI 

University 

of Industrial 

Distribution 2008 

The ISSA Foundation will issue up to five scholarships to attend the 

University of Industrial Distribution (UID) on March 2-5, 2008. 

Each scholarship covers the full tuition for this highly acclaimed, 

four-day program offered each spring that focuses on the unique 

needs of the industrial wholesale distribution industry. 

Anyone interested in continuing his or her education should consider 

applying for a 2008 UID scholarship; applications are available to 

download at issafoundation.org. For detailed information on the UID 

program, please visit univid.org. 


Smith College 

Northampton, MA 

State of Hawaii – Department of 

Accounting & General Services 

Honolulu, HI 

Texas Christian University 

Ft. Worth, TX 

The American University in Cairo 

Cairo, Egypt 

University of Manitoba 

Winnipeg, MB, Canada 

Utah State University 

Logan, UT 

For more detailed information on these new 

ISSA members, visit ISSA.com and browse our 

online Membership Directory. 

MEMBERS MAKING HEADLINES 

On the Move 

Duffy Molitor 

A number of personnel changes have 

taken place recently at Maumee, OHbased 

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc.: Neal 

Duffy has been appointed regional manager 

for the company’s Buffalo, NY, 

region; Janet Molitor has been promoted 

to regional manager for the central Pennsylvania 

region; and Skip Seal has taken 

over as divisional sales manager of the 

southeast/north division with the January 

2008 retirement of 33-year Spartan 

veteran Denny Douglas. 

Jim Morrison has joined Enviro-Solutions 

Ltd., Peterborough, ON, Canada, as 

the regional sales manager serving the 

New England states. 

Shawn Shipman has been added to the 

accounting department at Southeastern 

Paper Group, Spartanburg, SC, as an 

accounts-payable and rebate specialist. 

Robert Mitchum has been named to the 

newly created position of chief operating 

officer and president of Network Services 

Co., Mount Prospect, IL. 

Kaivac, Inc., Hamilton, OH, has appointed 

three sales directors to its North American 

operations: Kevin Mullins, western 

region; Mike Perazzo, national accounts; 

and Tim Wolf, eastern region. 

Barry Humiston has joined The RTF 

Group, Inc., Lake Bluff, IL, as regional 

sales manager. 

Futures Supplies and Support Services 

Ltd., Croydon, Surrey, UK, has hired its 

first female driver, Jo Riche. 

Trojan Battery Co., Santa Fe Springs, CA, 

has appointed Elke Hirschman vice president 

of marketing. 

David Herman, vice president of sales 

and marketing for Banner Chemical 

Corp., Orange, NJ, has become an equity 

partner in the company. 

Hill & Markes, Inc., Amsterdam, NY, has 

hired Mukesh Desai as operations manager, 

a new position for the company. 

Boersma Spengler 

Ids Boersma has been appointed managing 

director of RAI Exhibitions, succeeding 

Derk Egeler. Boersma joined RAI in 1992 

and was appointed to the board of directors 

of Amsterdam RAI four years ago. 

Aztec Products, Inc., Montgomeryville, 

PA, has promoted Steven Spengler to 

national sales manager of industrial floorcleaning 

equipment. 

Growth & Acquisitions 

Burke Supply Co., Inc., Brooklyn, NY, 

has partnered with Enviro-Solutions 

Ltd., Peterborough, ON, Canada, to market 

the latter’s green cleaning products 

and supplies. 

Premium, Inc., Honolulu, HI, and Minneapolis/St. 

Paul, MN-based Rapid Packaging, 

Inc. have joined Network Services 

Co., Mt. Prospect, IL. 

Noury Supply, Inc., Manchester, NH, has 

been appointed a member-dealer of 

Triple S, Billerica, MA. 

ProTeam, Inc., Boise, ID, has established 

partnerships with two sales 

agencies—REV Sales & Marketing, 

Langley, BC, Canada, and 

McConnell-Spadafora, Inc., Burlington, 

ON, Canada—to promote and 

sell its line of commercial vacuums to 

jansan, industrial, hospitality, and 

food service companies throughout 

Canada. 

Air Quality Sciences, Atlanta, GA, will 

relocate its headquarters in January 2008. 

The new space, across the street from the 

existing headquarters, will provide room 

for expanded operations. 

DadePaper Co., Miami, FL, has acquired 

One Stop Paper and Chemical, Panama 

City, FL. The acquisition adds to DadePaper’s 

expanding service in the Florida 

Panhandle. 

The United Group, Monroe, LA, has chosen 

DDI System, LLC, Sandy Hook, CT, 

as a preferred software vendor and technology 

consultant. 

Avmor Ltd., Laval, QC, Canada, has completed 

renovations of its on-site research 

laboratory. The state-of-the-art lab was 

developed with the health, safety, and 

comfort of company workers in mind. 

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc., Maumee, 

OH, has completed a 29,000 square-foot 

expansion to its world headquarters. The 

expansion increases the size of the headquarters 

to more than 600,000 square feet. 

Nexstep Commercial Products, Springfield, 

OH, has signed an agreement to 

acquire the assets of Cornelia Broom Co., 

Cornelia, GA. 

Awards & Recognitions 

Avmor Ltd., Laval, QC, Canada, is the 

first Canadian manufacturer to have two 

of its employees—Paul Goldin, director 

of marketing and technical services, and 

Darrell Campbell, national sales manager—certified 

as official ISSA Cleaning 

Industry Management Standard Experts. 

Chicago, IL-based Tornado Industries’ 

recently released CK LW 13/1 vacuum 

cleaner has earned the Carpet and Rug 

Institute’s Green Label certification. 

SanDiego, CA-based Waxie Sanitary 

Supply’s northern California division 

has received a Certificate of Appreciation 

from the Sacramento Municipal 

Utility District (SMUD) for contributions 

made to SMUD’s LEED platinum 

project. 


MEMBERS MAKING HEADLINES 

Futures Supplies and Support Services 

Ltd., Croydon, Surrey, UK, has won a 

Gold Envibe Award for the third consecutive 

year. 

2007 marks 30 years of business for 

DAWNCHEM, Inc., Willowick, OH. 

Atlanta, GA-based SouthEast Link has 

implemented a green cleaning program in 

the Cobb County, GA, public schools. 

Henson Sales Group Ltd., Wayne, PA, 

received the Janitized ® Manufacturers 

Representative of the Year Award at 

this year’s ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® North 

America. 

From left: Walt Dethlefsen and Robert Mitchum of 

Network, Benjy Miller and E. Lewis Miller of 

Southeastern Paper, and Jim Alexy of Network. 

Network Services Co., Mount Prospect, 

IL, presented awards for excellence to 

four of its members at its recent annual 

stockholders meeting, held in Austin, TX: 

Southeastern Paper Group, Spartanburg, 

SC, was named Member of the Year for 

its outstanding performance as a Network 

member; Waxie Sanitary Supply, San 

Diego, CA, was named Servicing Agent 

of the Year for its efforts in servicing Network’s 

national accounts; Service Paper 

Co., Renton, WA, received the Operations 

Excellence Award for achieving a strong 

and sustained improvement as measured 

by Network’s benchmarking program; 

and Pollock Paper, Dallas, TX, received 

the IT Excellence Award for its application 

of information technology. 

Crown Mats & Matting, Fremont, OH, 

has donated Comfort-King Supreme antifatigue 

matting to American soldiers in 

Iraq for use aboard Sherpa cargo planes. 


Stefco Industries, Haines City, FL, has 

become a member of the U.S. Green 

Building Council. 

Industry Losses 

William J. Roberts Sr., a longtime national 

sales manager for 3M, St. Paul, MN, 

died August 15, 2007, at the age of 77. 

Born in Dubuque, IA, he attended Dartmouth 

College, where he majored in history 

and played football. As an explosive 

fullback, the “Dubuque Express” led the 

Ivy League in rushing his sophomore year 

and set a single-season rushing record for 

Dartmouth. After two years playing professional 

football with the Green Bay 

Packers and the British Columbia Lions, 

he began his 33-year career with 3M, 

where he retired in 1991. In retirement, he 

enjoyed golfing and spending time with 

his family. Roberts is survived by his wife, 

Mary; four children, Ann, Nancy, Bill, and 

Michael; 13 grandchildren, including two 

Johns, Brian, Andrew, Kate, Alison, Jack, 

Blake, Shae, Kai, Michael, Maggie, and 

Thomas; his brother, Ray; and two sistersin-law, 

Pat and Joan. 

Rick Snellings, former president of 

Bunzl Distribution, Inc. passed away 

August 24, 2007. He was 67 years old. 

Snellings retired from Bunzl in 1999, after 

a 25-year career there. He began his career 

in Oklahoma City, OK, in 1974, as a managing 

partner of Consolidated Packaging, 

Inc. In 1983, his company was acquired by 

Bunzl plc. He remained as a senior manager 

and was instrumental in building the 

firm into a leading North American distributor 

of disposable packaging. 

Snellings moved to the corporate headquarters 

in St. Louis, MO, in 1993 to 

assume the role of president. He leaves 

behind many loving friends and business 

associates who will miss him greatly. 

Stickle 

Warren E. Stickle 

III, ISSA’s legislative 

consultant, 

died at home September 

25, 2007, at 

the age of 64. Born 

in West Orange, 

NJ, he was married 

for 37 years to 

Marilyn and was the proud father of 

Chelsea. He received his Ph.D. in history 

from Georgetown University in 1971 and 

taught at Purdue University for six years. 

During his tenure at Purdue, he had published 

more than 50 articles in history, 

business, and trade magazines. In addition 

to his service to ISSA, he served as 

president of the Chemical Producers and 

Distributors Association from 1987 to 

2006 and as president emeritus until his 

death. He also worked as a lobbyist for 

the Chemical Specialties Manufacturers 

Association for six years. He was a man of 

unusual and varied gifts, including political 

analysis, fundraising, and negotiation. 

ISSA and the cleaning industry mourn the 

loss of Corey Straight, who died of a heart 

attack in October at the age of 46. Straight 

was the owner of the manufacturer representative 

firm Straight Representation, 

Aurora, CO. He started in the industry in 

1979 at the age of 16, working as a truck 

driver with Dumont Sales. By the time he 

left Dumont, he was the purchasing and 

warehouse manager. He then worked for 

Purex/Franklin as a regional manager 

before he bought Cal Kemp rep group, 

which he later renamed Straight Representation. 

Today, the rep firm covers seven 

states in the U.S. Rocky Mountain region. 

A leader and well-known entity in the rep 

industry, Straight earned respect among 

distributors, facility service providers, 

reps, manufacturers, and his own employees 

for his professionalism, willingness to 

help, and overall love of the industry. 

M. Jean-Michel 

Samson, former 

president and 

founder of floor 

machine manufacturer 

Eurosteam, 

Rouen, France, 

died October 9, 

Samson 2007, in the south 

of France. Samson was the husband of 

Anne-Marie Samson, former chairwoman 

of the ISSA European Board of 

Representatives, who passed away last 

year. He is survived by his daughter 

Laure; sons David and Mathieu; and 

three grandchildren. 

CALENDAR 

March 5-7, 2008† 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® Latin America 2008 

Centro Banamex 

Mexico City, Mexico 

May 6-9, 2008† 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® Amsterdam 2008 

Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and 

Congress Centre 

Amsterdam, Netherlands 

September 8-11, 2008† 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® North America 2008 

Las Vegas Convention Center 

Las Vegas, NV, USA 

November 4-6, 2008† 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® China 2008 

Venetian Macau 

Macau, China 

March 10-12, 2009 

The Cleaning Show 2009 

National Exhibition Centre 

Birmingham, UK 

Contact: Martin Scott, 44-1895-454438; 

e-mail, martinscott@quartz.uk.net 

May 13-15, 2009† 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® Central & Eastern Europe 2009 

Expo XXI Warsaw International Expocentre 

Warsaw, Poland 

June 9-12, 2009 

Pulire Italy 

Verona Fiere 

Verona, Italy 

Contact: Maria Elisa Latella, 39-02-67-44-58-03; 

e-mail, mlatella@afidamp.it 

October 6-9, 2009† 

ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® North America 2009 

McCormick Place 

Chicago, IL, USA 

† CONTACTS FOR ISSA/INTERCLEAN ® SHOWS 

North America: The ISSA Sales Department, 800-225-4772 (North 

America) or 847-982-0800; fax, 847-982-0819; e-mail, annie@issa.com 

or carl@issa.com. Asia: Lionel Koh, 65-67538670; fax, 65-67530190; email, 

lionel@issa.com. Mexico: J. Felix Villaseñor M., 52-55-5536-1418; 

fax, 52-55-5587-2012; e-mail, direccion@promex.com.mx. Europe and 

all other locations: Mark Armitage, 31-20-549-1440; e-mail, 

mark@issa.com. For information on ISSA events, contact ISSA, 800- 

225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800; fax, 847-982-1012; e-mail, 

info@issa.com; or vist the ISSA Web site, issa.com. 

REDUCINGTHERISK 

Economical • Efficient • Easy to Use 

Disposable 

Clean-Up Kits 

to help you comply with 

OSHA’s Bloodborne 

Pathogens 

Standard: 

29 CFR Part 1910.1030 

U.S. Patent #4,917,238 

CDA. Patent #1,317,257 

FDA #2183885 

Call H&S Manufacturing, Inc. 

for other product information 800-827-3091 

727 East Broadway • Williston, North Dakota 58801 

Fax 701-774-3091

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 

HEPA Power 

Tornado Industries introduces an all-new backpack 

that’s light, powerful, and “green.” The PV 

6 Pac-Vac ® backpack vacuum cleaner weighs less 

than 11 pounds and sports a super-quiet yet powerful 

1.9-hp vac motor generating 90 inches of lift 

and airflow of 120 cfm. And the PV 6 Pac-Vac is a 

true HEPA machine—not only does the unit’s 

HEPA exhaust filter trap more than 99.9 percent of contaminants, 

preventing them from becoming airborne, but the machine’s 

entire casing is airtight, preventing dust and soils from escaping. 

Recycle Central 

The Glutton ® Recycling Station, from Rubbermaid 

Commercial Products, Inc., combines the 

trusted Glutton ® and Slim Jim ® strength and 

durability into a high-capacity station that can 

separate up to four waste streams for more 

efficient recycling. It offers the convenience of one centralized location 

with an all-in-one solution that encourages compliance. Any 

combination of four snap-in tops with various item-specific openings 

can be used to sort different types of recyclable waste. 

All-in-Wonder 

EnvirOx, LLC’s Green Seal ® -certified H2Orange2 ® 

Concentrate 116 General Purpose Cleaner- 

Degreaser-Deodorizer is one product with two dilutions 

that will clean, degrease, and remove offensive 

odors on 95 percent of a facility’s surfaces, replacing 

an average of seven different cleaners. The 

H2Orange2 ® cleaner safely cleans any water-safe surface—including 

whiteboards, urinals, mirrors, and carpets—with a patented 

formulation that leaves surfaces virtually residue-free. 

And the Winner Is... 

The newly designed smaller profile of 

Georgia-Pacific’s enMotion ® Impulse 8 

dispenser—winner of this year’s ISSA 

Innovation Award in the paper & plastics 

category—makes it possible to have the 

same hygienic and environmentally efficient 

benefits of the flagship enMotion ® model in more limitedspace 

areas. Additionally, the smaller version of the touchless 

one-at-a-time towel dispenser requires no additional hassle, as it 

uses the same towel as the original enMotion ® dispenser. 

Stopping the Stench 

The Biomor TM Fragrance Free Odour Eliminator, 

from Avmor Ltd., is the newest member of the Biomor 

product line. It’s formulated to meet demands 

for long-term cleaning, and it removes odors without 

using potentially harmful chemicals. The Biomor 

Odour Eliminator is ideal for washroom cleaning, 

carpet cleaning, refuse areas, and 

waste-management areas. 


Aztec Warrior 

As part of its initiative to increase distribution 

sales, Aztec Products, Inc. announces 

the newest addition to its product line, the 

20-inch ProScrub TM Automatic Scrubber. A 

rugged, user-friendly machine that can be 

used in multiple locations, the ProScrub is 

inexpensive to purchase and easy to maintain. Made entirely in 

the United States, it features a 24-volt system that drives a threequarter 

hp brush motor at 220 rpm. And with a one-half hp vacuum 

motor and 30-inch squeegee, a dry cleaning path is assured. 

Safe & Sealed 

United Receptacle’s Medi-Can Step 

Cans are an economical solution to 

waste control, perfect for doctors’ offices 

and clinics. Choose from stainless steel, 

powder-coated white, or red finishes. All 

models feature an easy-to-use step pedal 

that operates the self-closing lid. A molded plastic gasket minimizes 

closing noise and allows the lid to fit tightly for maximum 

odor control. Additional features include a plastic base ring to 

protect floors and a steel hinge that also serves as a convenient 

carrying handle. Available in 1.5-, 3.5-, and 8-gallon capacities, 

these step cans comply with OSHA standards for bloodborne 

pathogens. 

Dream Scrubber 

Betco’s Genie APS is the most compact and versatile 

battery automatic scrubber available. Designed 

to go anywhere a mop and bucket can go, the 

Genie brings the benefits of automatic scrubbing to 

small and congested areas. It effectively and efficiently 

deep cleans a wide variety of floor types, 

including VCT, resilient, grouted tile, textured, and 

concrete. Features include an onboard charger, 

maintenance-free gel battery, hands-free brush 

installation/removal, and quick disassembly for storage and 

transport. 

A Breath of Fresh Air 

The ActivO ozone generator from Dri-Eaz 

removes odors safely and efficiently, allowing 

rooms or other spaces to be turned around 

quickly with minimal wait time. The unit features 

a powerful deodorizing system with a unique 

double-stage operating cycle that creates ozone 

and then removes it, leaving areas fresh and 

ready to be reoccupied immediately. The ActivO can be used 

anywhere and is ideal for eliminating smoke-related odors from 

hotel rooms or hospitality areas; pet-urine smells in carpet or furniture; 

and odors created during restoration work, such as aromatic 

paints, coatings, or chemical processes. It’s made of 

rugged, durable steel and features wheels and a handle for easy 

transport from room to room.

November/December 2007: Post-Convention - ISSA

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