Cleaners raise industry’s bar
Evansville Courier-Press
Don’s Cleaners uses high-tech bar coding for efficiency, accuracy
By CAROL WERSICH Courier & Press staff writer 464-7452 or cwersich@evansville.net
March 15, 2014
Evansville-based Don’s Cleaners, which also includes Clayton’s Fine Drycleaning, is among fewer than two dozen companies in the industry today using a new high-tech bar coding system, according to owner Steve Schmitt.
The system allows the cleaners to track each customer’s dry-cleaning from start to finish in a speedier, more efficient and accurate manner, he said.
The bar coding also provides a permanent record of the dry-cleaning history of each garment that is dropped off at one of the company’s stores
Don’s and Clayton’s merged in 2004 when Schmitt purchased Clayton’s.
Schmitt said information on how many times a customer’s garments were cleaned by the cleaners in the past also are scanned into the system via the new bar coding program.
“Having that information helps safeguard us from potential fraud,” Schmitt said.
A store clerk can also learn where a delivery was made, which can be helpful in the case of a misdelivered order.
Once dry-cleaning by Don’s is complete, garments are put on a specialized computerized conveyor. An arm of the equipment then holds the order until all the pieces are collected.
Then the complete order is automatically bagged, with the plastic bagging cut off at the exact length of the longest garment inside.
Schmitt said the automatic clipping saves time, work, plastic and landfill space.
“It helps protect the environment,” he said.
Don’s recently had the bar coding system installed after considering the process for some time.
Andrew Michel, general manager of Pearl Laundry & Cleaners, said he was aware that bar coding is gaining popularity within the industry for its effectiveness and efficiency.
“It’s struck our attention, too. We’re looking at it but we’ve made no decision regarding getting it or not getting it,” he said.
