Cleaning and Maintenance Franchise Industry News & Announcements

COIT, a leading supplier of specialty cleaning and disaster restoration services headquartered in San Francisco, has some tips for managing spring allergies.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 21, 2012 - “Many of our customers contact us because they suffer from spring allergies and want to minimize contact with allergens in their homes,” Bob Kearn, President and CEO of COIT, said. “A number of home and business cleaning practices can help, and there are also general steps allergy sufferers can take to minimize contact with allergens during the spring season.”
If you suspect that you have allergies, it’s a good idea to consult with your primary care physician. Your doctor can help you identify allergy symptoms, determine whether or not you would benefit from a visit to an allergist, and recommend medications that will address your specific symptoms...

Green Movement in California gets a boost with the addition of the Filta Franchise.
Palm Springs, CA (PRWEB) May 18, 2012 - California, a state known for promoting eco-friendly services, adds the Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions Franchise to its roster of green businesses. The Filta Franchise provides sustainability solutions to commercial kitchens across the nation and around the world. As a long time resident of California, New Franchise Owner Robert Wendt has begun offering Filta’s eco friendly services to Palm Springs and its surrounding communities. Mr. Wendt has landed four Fisherman’s Market locations, Tommy Bahamas, and three local hospitals: JFK Memorial, Disera Medical Center, and Eisenhower Medical Center. Robert stated that, “Great customer service and customer relations are a must when expanding a business and I’m really pleased with the growth we have had so far...

May 18, 2012 // Franchising.com // Memphis, Tenn. -  Memphis-based Merry Maids, the world’s largest home cleaning franchise, announced intentions today to hire approximately 1,000 new full and part-time positions to support its 70 company-owned locations and 400 franchised operations throughout the United States.
To support the company’s hiring plans, Merry Maids is hosting a National Hiring Week May 21 – 25 and asks for all interested and qualified candidates to apply online at jobs.merrymaids.com. Local Merry Maids managers have committed to follow up with all of the most qualified applicants within 24 hours for telephone interviews.
The company is seeking motivated and energetic applicants to apply for open teammate positions, with primary job responsibilities to professionally clean customer homes using the Merry Maids unique cleaning procedures and products...

BOCA RATON, Fla., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System®, a leading franchisor of commercial cleaning businesses, announced today that it has been named to the 2012 Military Friendly Franchises® list by G.I. Jobs. The list honors the top 10 percent of franchises doing the most to recruit America's veterans as franchisees.
The compilation helps veterans determine which franchise they should pursue, which ones offer the best financial incentives and training, and which have the highest number of veteran franchisees. G.I. Jobs researched thousands of franchises nationwide and used a Franchise Advisory Board to develop criteria and weighting to determine the top military-friendly businesses. The entire list will appear in the June issue of G...

Industry Leader Announces Expansion Plans Calling for 100 U.S. Franchises in 48 Months; Offers One-of-a-Kind Franchise Opportunity
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While most people go through life avoiding the 'dirty work,' Enviro-Master is taking on the often avoided task of restroom sanitization. This one-of-a-kind concept has positioned itself at the forefront of the multi-billion dollar restroom hygiene industry, offering would-be entrepreneurs a recession-proof franchise opportunity, while enhancing the image of hygiene customers and even increasing their revenues.
With 11 franchises currently open and operating in seven states, Enviro-Master is looking to have a total of 100 U.S. franchises within the next 48 months...

Zack Fight of Kentucky, Wes Parkinson of Michigan Overcome Tornado, Knee Damage to Open Chem-Dry Locations
NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - May 15, 2012) - The two newest members of the Chem-Dry franchise family are longtime small businessmen who fought through injury and natural disaster to open their Chem-Dry locations in areas new to the world's largest carpet cleaner.
Wes Parkinson of Grand Rapids, Mich., was all set to move forward with his training and opening in late spring. Then, a few weeks ago, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees while playing pickup basketball at lunch.
Parkinson plans to open in July now. But the injury hasn't deterred him. "We offer something better," he said. "If I didn't believe in it, I wouldn't do it...

Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions has opened up a new location in Charleston, SC. The franchise is rapidly expanding its eco-friendly services across Charleston.
Charleston, SC (PRWEB) May 11, 2012 - The Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions franchise has been practicing sustainability solutions internationally ever since its inception in 1996. As the years have progressed, the eco-friendly franchise has opened its services in various cities and its most recent location in Charleston, SC will be headed by Todd Barnum. Mr. Barnum has already began servicing some major accounts in his area including the Boeing Plant, Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park, various local restaurant establishments, Sheraton Hotels, and Beaufort Memorial Hospital. “I’ve been offering Filta’s services for the past few months and my business has expanded so rapidly that I am looking to getting a second van!” Todd stated...

Tide Dry Cleaners® Captures the Top Category Honor in "New Retail Frontiers"
CINCINNATI  - (BUSINESS WIRE) - From a highly-competitive pool of applicants, Tide Dry Cleaners® has been selected as a Gold Winner in the 2012 Edison Awards competition, receiving the top honor in the “New Retail Frontiers” category. The Edison Awards is a highly-prestigious and sought-after recognition and achievement, which this year celebrated 25 years of honoring the best in innovation and excellence in the development of new products and services
Tide Dry Cleaners® is an innovative expansion to the iconic Tide brand, leveraging the brand’s 65-year heritage in cleaning to delight consumers with a greater level of service and performance in dry cleaning...

First-quarter operating revenue increased 6.5% to $655 million
First-quarter operating income increased 130% to $55 million
First-quarter operating performance improved 32.5% to $101 million
Customer retention improved at TruGreen, Terminix, American Home Shield and Merry Maids
Refinanced $600 million of 10.75% senior notes with 8% senior notes in First Quarter
Amended and extended revolving credit facility to 2017

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The ServiceMaster Company, one of the world's largest residential and commercial service networks, today announced preliminary, unaudited first-quarter 2012 results, led by a 6.5 percent increase in operating revenue, to $655 million, and a 130 percent increase in operating income, to $55 million, compared to the same period in 2011...

Chem-Dry Carpet Cleaning Companies Strengthen Hold on Important Demographics
NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - May 9, 2012) - Chem-Dry, the world's largest carpet cleaning company with more than 3,500 units, recently expanded its franchise holdings in key markets in Colorado, Texas and Illinois.
Two bought additional licenses in their existing areas. A third, Ishmael Acquah, bought a new license in another state and installed his longtime lead technician as the new franchise's manager. Acquah owns three Chem-Dry licenses covering the Orlando and St. Augustine, Fla., areas, and his longtime lead tech in Orlando, Joel Figuera, wanted to move back to his hometown of Chicago.
So Acquah, realizing a business opportunity and a chance to help a friend, bought a Chem-Dry license on the potentially lucrative north side of Chicago, covering parts of Cook and DuPage counties...

Hands-on demonstrations to the public provide deeper understanding of latest industry technologies.
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) May 07, 2012 - Stratus Building Solutions took place in the third largest Earth Day celebration in the country, held in St. Louis, Missouri at Forrest Park. The day-long festival is attended by thousands of environmental supporters.
Stratus Building Solutions is the country’s leading green facility services provider. They have a proprietary line of Green Seal certified cleaning chemicals, a Stratus Brand HEPA filtration backpack vacuum that removes dirt and allergens .3 micron or larger from flooring and surfaces, and a variety of other methods to ensure the greenest clean for professional buildings.
One piece of equipment demonstrated by Marisa Lather, the National Marketing Manager for Stratus Building Solutions, is the UV-C Wand...

May 07, 2012 // Franchising.com // Atlanta, GA - Firestorm announced today the addition of Jerry Hudspeth to its elite Expert Council.
The Firestorm Expert Council™ is an advisory group made up of specialists from various disciplines, professions and industries. The Expert Council is designed to bring subject matter knowledge and expertise to Firestorm and its clients. The members of the Expert Council lend credibility and skills to the work which Firestorm performs, both through their direct involvement and the weight of their reputations.
In this light, Firestorm is thrilled with the addition of Mr. Jerry Hudspeth.
Said Mr. Hudspeth, "The Crisis Management, Business Continuity and Predict, Plan and Perform programs and tools developed and provided by Firestorm directly affect the client's ability to control and manage its success factors...

360clean, a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine, has dramatically expanded their client base in Mobile, Al and needs more franchisees to assist with the growth.
Charleston, South Carolina (PRWEB) May 03, 2012 - You don’t hear often about businesses having dramatic growth from 2010 - 2012 due to the economy. But it’s a different story when you’re talking about 360clean, a specialized janitorial service firm. 360clean specializes in providing a hygienic office cleaning service to medical offices and other commercial offices that desire to have a clean, yet germ free environment.
The company expanded to the Gulf Coast in 2010 and now needs more franchisees in Mobile, Alabama market to manage the current and future growth...

Jan-Pro Canada announced today that Liana Munteanu has opened, in partnership with Montreal and Quebec City Master Franchisees Owners, an office in Sherbrooke for Jan-Pro; 4050 Lesage, Suite 115, Sherbrooke, QC.
Sherbrooke, Quebec (PRWEB) May 03, 2012 - Jan-Pro Canada announced today that Liana Munteanu has opened, in partnership with Montreal and Quebec City Master Franchisees Owners, an office in Sherbrooke for Jan-Pro; 4050 Lesage, Suite 115, Sherbrooke, QC.
The Eastern Townships are located at the East of Montreal and South of Quebec City. It is a hilly, beautiful region, full of lakes and vineyards ... It is perfect for cycling or walking, for skiing in winter ... Its capital, Sherbrooke, is the sixth largest city of province of Quebec and is surrounded by nature...

May 03, 2012 // Franchising.com // BERKLEY, Mich. - CRDN, an international franchise organization of textile restoration experts serving the insurance industry, has introduced a new corporate brand image, along with publicly launching its redesigned website and new mobile phone app.
CRDN has officially adopted its common-use acronym as the company’s primary brand identity, announced CRDN CEO Wayne Wudyka. In conjunction, CRDN has revealed a new corporate logo, which borrows graphic elements from the logo in use since 2001, and has deployed a new company descriptor: “The Textile Experts.”
Historically, CRDN had spelled out “Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network” in their logo and all marketing materials, but took the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary to re-examine its identity and market position...

Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions will hold its annual Franchise Conference in Orlando, FL July 21 - 22, 2012
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) May 01, 2012 - Each year Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions brings its Franchise Owners together for a few days of training, team building and sharing of best practices. This year, Filta is proud to announce Janine Driver, a New York Times Best Selling Author and Body Language expert, as the 2012 Conference Keynote speaker. “Body language can make or break a sale and not knowing how to read it can make you miss buying signals,” said Tom Dunn, Filta’s COO. “The lessons we can learn from Janine will make our Franchise Owners more money.” Immediately after her keynote, Janine will be the host of a business roundtable on improving your body language to help close a sale...

Stratus Building Solutions is a leading franchisor for those seeking a home based business and share some information on the benefits of working from home.
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) April 27, 2012 - Stratus Building Solutions, the nation’s premiere building services and maintenance franchising company, has been officially named the “Number 2 Top Home Based Franchise” by Entrepreneur magazine in the annual Franchise 500, with 4 “Top Ten” spots total.
There are many benefits to home franchising. There is no overhead of a storefront and staff to maintain and pay for resulting in a lower financial risk. There is also the opportunity to qualify for tax advantages, depending on the business. And then there is freedom...

Molly Maid, the UK’s leading domestic cleaning service with hundreds of blue and pink cars on the road, is delighted to announce that it is looking to open new franchise locations in the South East.
Maidenhead, Berks, United Kingdom, April 26, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Molly Maid, the UK’s leading domestic cleaning service with hundreds of blue and pink cars on the road, is delighted to announce that it is looking to open new franchise locations in the South East. With plans for four additional franchises in Marlow, Deepcut, Cobham and Caversham, Molly Maid hopes to satisfy a rapidly growing demand for home cleaning services in this part of the UK.
Molly Maid, with over 71 Franchise Owners in its Network, is a management domestic cleaning franchise opportunity which operates within a secure industry sector delivering high quality reliable house cleaning to thousands of homes in the country...

April 26, 2012 // Franchising.com // Kitchen Tune-Up is currently offering a program that supports veterans seeking to own their own home improvement franchise. The company is waiving over 80% of their $39,995 franchise fee, making the investment only $5,000 for honorably discharged veterans. Financing options are available for up to $4,500 for qualified applicants.
“This is the second program of this kind that we have offered,” said Kitchen Tune-Up founder and president, Dave Haglund. In 2010, the company awarded several franchises to veterans as part of a special incentive, and the first was to Frank Skubel of Tallahassee, Florida. Before being awarded a Kitchen Tune-Up franchise he was employed with a large telecommunications company, had been laid off and was in search of a business opportunity...

ServiceMaster Specialty Restoration Services, Green Bay, Wisconsin, a franchise of ServiceMaster Clean with over 16 years of experience restoring residential and commercial buildings, has joined RestorationMasterFinder.com (RMF).
Green Bay, Wisconsin (PRWEB) April 24, 2012 - ServiceMaster Specialty Restoration Services, Green Bay, Wisconsin, a franchise of ServiceMaster Clean with over 16 years of experience restoring residential and commercial buildings, has joined RestorationMasterFinder.com (RMF) to expand their online marketing and bring their expertise to a broad range of potential clients. RMF is a cost-effective online leads generation program exclusive to restoration and cleaning service providers.
RestorationMaster Finder is powered by optimized search engine visibility on Google, Bing, Yahoo and more than 100 other local, vertical and social media web portals...