More than 200 laundromat owners and industry professionals from across the U.S. recently joined their colleagues for two days of educational sessions and networking in Florida, US. CLA President and CEO Brian Wallace welcomed the attendees to the opening of the sixth Excellence in Laundry Conference, an event hosted by the trade association since 2012.

The educational sessions kicked off with a 60-minute update on the economy and what laundromat owners should expect in the second half of 2024 and beyond. Over the following two days, information was shared on topics such as attracting/hiring staff, multi-store management/maintenance, customer service, marketing, incorporating new technology into a laundry business, and ways to reduce the effect of successful wash-dry-fold operations on self-service customers.

Attendees not only had the opportunity to examine the latest products and services from the industry’s  vendors and manufacturers, but could also talk shop with their peers during various networking moments. As with last year’s Excellence conference, the day prior to the event, CLA – as part of its Women’s Laundry Network initiative – hosted Excellent Women in Laundry. This separate, full-day conference devoted to women professionals attracted more than 40 industry leaders and aspiring laundry owners looking to connect, collaborate, and empower other women within the laundromat industry.