2015 Asian Pacific Convention, Canberra

2015 Asian Pacific
Convention, Canberra
Taken at the Pavilion On Northbourne, Canberra, the traditional Group Photograph had a delightful if unexpected outcome when it
was realised the grouping of looked vaguely like a map of Australia. All credit to Aaron Busch, a very talented photographer.
On Thursday, 12th March, 2015 in
the Garden Atrium of the Pavilion
on Northbourne Hotel, a Welcome
Reception was held to herald the
commencement of the 2015 Girbau
Asia Pacific Convention.
Each year Girbau holds their
annual dealer conference in a
country where they are represented.
This year, David Gillman and his
fine team at Girbau Australia put
together a great event, including
Girbau shirts to wear to the
Saturday business sessions, and
fabulous entertainment by
Aboriginal artists on Friday night, a
real treat for the visiting dealers and
guests from countries as wide
ranging as Spain, India, Malaysia,
Hong Kong/China/Mongolia, Korea,
Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and
New Zealand. (Who, come to think
of it, managed to make their own
entertainment.)
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From kookaburra calls to didgeridoo songs, Russell kept us entertained while Connie sold
music sticks, boomerangs, didgeridoos, and the like, many of which were made by the students of
aboriginal studies. I love my didgeridoo … not sure the neighbours are as keen.
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRYCLEANER & LAUNDERER MARCH APRIL 2015
WELCOME
Friday was full on business sessions
as speakers shared experiences and
plans, and how things are done in
their country.
Guests were welcomed by Mr
Santi Carol, Export Vice-president
of Girbau Spain, along with Mr.
David Gillman, GAU Director, and
Mr. Enric Saavedra, Area Sales
Manager for Asia Pacific.
A Company update was provided
by Ms Mercè Girbau, President of
Girbau Group, with Mr Toni Rubiés,
Sales Marketing and Services Vice
President Girbau Group expounding
on commercial strategy for the
coming years. The company video
was professional and enjoyable.
I particularly enjoyed the Case
Studies and I am only sorry I am
sworn to secrecy on the content of
the conference. It was very
interesting to hear from people
from other countries explain how
they deal with challenges completely
foreign to those we experience in
Australia and New Zealand.
• VENDED – Mr Alan Eu, Sut Lick
(Malaysia) SDN BHD, Malaysia
• CRUISES – Ms O My Phuong,
Vuong Luc Trading Service Co.
Ltd., Vietnam
• FIRE DEPARTMENTS – Mr Ko
Inayoshi, SST Corporation, Japan
• WET CLEANING/ED – Mr
Somchai Poolsiri, Laundry Tech
& Consultant Co. Ltd., Thailand
• INDUSTRIAL DIVISION – Mr
Matthew Clark, Girbau Australia
• MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS –
Mr Akash Dharamsey, ADD
Laundry Concepts Private Ltd.,
India
• HOTEL BUSINESS – Mr Sammy
Tung, Girbau China
• KILO LAUNDRIES – Mr Ping
Mahadi, PT Rapi Kharisma
Adipratama, Indonesia
To wrap things up, Mr Joan
Canadell, Service Director for
Girbau, spoke of Service Evolution
and the Future.
Mr Toni Dominguez, Sales
Engineering Manager addressed the
conference on Girbau complete
solution: laundry project
Ms Mercè Girbau,
President of Girbau Group
Ms O My Phuong, Vuong Luc
Trading Service Co. Ltd., Vietnam
Mr Akash Dharamsey, ADD Laundry
Concepts Private Ltd., India
Mr Poolsiri Somchai, Laundry Tech
Consultants, Thailand
Steven Tham
Sut Lik Group, Malaysia
Mr Ko Inayoshi,
SST Corporation, Japan
Mr Ch. Batmanlai, Director, IS LLC, Mongolia
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRYCLEANER & LAUNDERER MARCH APRIL 2015
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Adam Michalak of Dway Engineering with Matthew Clark, Industrial
Division, Girbau Australia, at the new Capital Hotel Group laundry.
Dealers and Guests
13 Spain
52 Australia/New Zealand
2 Korea
1 Japan
3 Indonesia
1 India
2 Thailand
3 Malaysia
16 Hong Kong/China/Mongolia
Saturday, 14th March 2015
Ray and Trisha Hutchings,
Rockhampton Steam Laundry,
Rockhampton.
Big news coming up in 2015.
development. Mr Sergi Fuentes,
Sales Engineer, discussed in detail
the planning which went into
Capital Linen, Mitchell, NSW.
Local delegates visited Capital
Laundry for a plant tour, while international delegates were taken on a
bus tour of Canberra and the environs. The weather was lovely, and I
trust they enjoyed themselves.
Following this they arrived at
Capitol Laundry for their own tour
of the new facilities.
Plant Tour at Capitol
When the Capitol Hotel Group consisted of three hotels operating a
total of 640 rooms, at almost 100%
capacity (The Clifton Suites, The
Aria, and The Pavilion on
Northbourne) and with a fourth
Hotel coming online, it approached
Girbau for a solution to provide
quality linens to all of their guests,
while seeking a cost effective, efficient way of achieving their linen
requirements and improving working conditions for their staff. With
the laundry operating 16 hours a
day, 7 days a week, something had to
give.
Mr. Jason Krizaic, owner of the
hotel, journeyed to Thailand with
Mr David Gillman, General Manager
of Girbau Australia, to see firsthand
a recent installation of a tunnel
washer. He was impressed and the
new laundry is the result.
With a Girbau TBS50 Ecotunnel
batch washer (8 modules) paired
with a SPR-50 press, the four
ST1300 dryers (63 kg capacity)
make short work of the linen.
A DRF feeder has improved life
for operators, being ergonomically
sound, even with production of up
to 1200 items per hour going
through the PC120 gas flatwork
ironer. A FL-King high quality
folder ensures presentation to the
hotels is top notch. And for towels a
FT-Maxi makes light work of up to
1200 towels per hour.
We were privileged to look
around Capitol Linen on Saturday
morning. Paticularly since the
owners only opened the laundry
especially to show delegates
through. Normally they operate a
four day week, and everyone is
home in time for dinner.
n
Convention farewell
Ms Mercè Girbau, President Girbau
Group, thanked everyone for their
attendance and contributions to the
discussion during the day.
Prior to the Convention Dinner at
the Four Seasons Room, Connie and
Russell, two Aboriginal artists and
teachers, entertained with bird song
and didgeridoo playing, with many
delegates taking this rare
opportunity to join in. Artworks
were on sale, and several of us took
the opportunity to buy.
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Sammy Zheng and Michelle Brown from South Pacific Laundry.
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRYCLEANER & LAUNDERER MARCH APRIL 2015