News
“Dry Clean Only” Proven a Thing of the Past
Sea Change For Dry Cleaning Industry with Latest Conversion by Winning
Brands Solvent Free Solutions
(July 19, 2006) Barrie, Ontario, Canada -
Winning Brands Corporation (OTC: WNBD - PK) www.WinningBrandsCorporation.com
announces that the contracted conversion of Holland America Line’s flagship
M.S. Rotterdam to a new technology entirely eliminating the use of toxic dry
cleaning solvents has now been completed on time and on budget . It has also passed the test of real world use
in subsequent evaluation cruises over the past 30 days. This evidence of a
viable alternative to increasingly regulated toxic solvents has positive
business implications for an industry with over $3 Billion in retail sales
annually and will be welcome news to environmental agencies worldwide.
The M.S. Rotterdam assignment, first announced May 22,
2006, is a harbinger of things to come in the Dry Cleaning industry
internationally because of the fact that this self-contained luxury cruise ship
(with a combined crew and passenger count in the thousands) mimics a small
city. It is now successfully processing
all “Dry Clean Only” garments entirely without conventional Dry Cleaning, which
is considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be toxic. The new method uses clean water as the
carrier of the new active cleaning agents instead of Perchloroethylene. “Perc”
is a solvent known in the industry to be non-biodegradable and subject of
intense scrutiny. The newly installed
system also reduces costs.
George Loney, President of the Ontario Fabricare
Association who is part of the team overseeing this paradigm shift with Holland
America Lines is considered an expert in this emerging field. He thanks the
cruise line for their leadership through early adoption. Loney states “This is impossible to
ignore. Evening gowns,
tuxedos, silk ties, entertainer stagewear, crew uniforms, the best wool suits
and more – all now being professionally cleaned here without the use of
Perchloroethylene. This is now
possible by conversion of Dry Cleaning plants anywhere. Jim Giddings, Systems Specialist and Clive
Wing, Head of Installations for Winning Brands’ Solvent Free Solutions Team
delivered their Report of Completion following continuous testing enroute to
The Solvent Free Solutions Initiative between Winning
Brands Corporation and German appliance manufacturer Miele represents a safer
way to keep “Dry Cleaning” garments clean.
The new system combines hardware, programming and advanced cleaning
agents into a propriety form of Wet Cleaning. It had been awarded installation
on Holland America Line’s flagship MS Rotterdam to be followed by sea trials to
prove that the system is operationally and financially viable. The MS Rotterdam is the standard-bearer for
Winning Brands Corporation manufacturers the
proprietary cleaning agents for the system used aboard the Holland America
Lines vessel and works through its Solvent Free Solutions Team with industry
leaders such as international appliance manufacturer Miele to bring these
solutions to the field. The group is
targeting the conversion of all cruise ships internationally and land based Dry
Cleaners. Wet Cleaning
solutions to be used by cruise ships and converting Dry Cleaners are estimated
to be worth greater than $100 Million dollars annually. This is due to the continuous nature of Dry
Cleaning, high volume garment cleaning requirements on board and cruise ship
operators’ growing preference for environmentally responsible practices
worldwide. Despite these significant
revenues for the supply of Wet Cleaning solutions, the converting Dry Cleaners
still experience substantial long term cost reductions due to lower utility
use, less compliance cost and other factors.
…2
2
Certain statements in this press release
that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
statements may be identified by the use of words such as
"anticipate," "believe," "expect,"
"future," "may," "will," "would,"
"should," "plan," "projected," "intend,"
and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of Winning Brands Corporation (the
Company) to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. The Company's future operating results are
dependent upon many factors, including but not limited to the Company's ability
to: (i) obtain sufficient capital or a strategic business arrangement to fund
its expansion plans; (ii) build the management and human resources and
infrastructure necessary to support the growth of its business; and (iii)
competitive factors and developments beyond the Company's control. Release 10.
Contact Information:
Winning Brands Corporation Investor Relations:
Rhonda Windsor, Vice-President
905-898-0918
L4N 6T3
(705) 737-4062 Tel
(705) 737-9793
Fax
George Loney
Solvent Free Solutions
(866) 300-8042 Tel