Prestigious “Round Table” Org Travels to Japan For 84th Annual Meeting

Libertyville, IL, April 15, 2025: The Round Table of Launderers and Dry Cleaners gathered for its 84th annual meeting last month, adding an international flair to the event. 18 Members and a special Invitee from Ohio convened at the Shima Kanko Hotel in the Ise-Shima region for an open exchange of ideas and best practices, along with robust discussion about meeting the challenges of today’s business environment. The Round Table is an informal group of leaders from the U.S.’s most successful laundry, linen, industrial and dry cleaning companies.

Round Table members arrived in Tokyo in mid-March, then were transported on March 16th via Japan’s famous “bullet train” to their hotel in the Ise-Shima region. Conference organizer and Round Table Chairman Tom Zengeler, President of Zengeler Cleaners, arranged for Round Table guests to be seated together in a private car on the train, a journey of just under five hours. The high-speed train ride created a perfect opportunity for this year’s attendees to get to know each other even better before arriving in Shima.

“The Ise-Shima area of Japan was selected because of its natural beauty and peaceful surroundings, providing the perfect backdrop for a productive conference,” said Tom Zengeler. “The region has hosted several significant international events, including the 2016 G-7 economic summit. The U.S. delegation to the Summit also stayed at the Shima Kanko Hotel, and we were able to arrange for many Round Table attendees’ rooms to be located on the same floor as our country’s leaders. What a special honor and unique experience for our group!”

This year’s conference included three 5-hour business sessions on March 17-18-19, including the usual open exchange of ideas shared freely among attendees. This unique practice is the lifeblood of the Round Table, as each participant’s “price of admission” is to play an active role by leading at least one topic at each conference. With such a free flow of thinking and new ideas, participants agree that all shared information remains strictly confidential, thereby fostering an atmosphere that encourages an open exchange of priceless ideas. Round Table members are encouraged to further this learning process by subsequently visiting each other’s operations.

The conference continued Thursday, March 20th with a presentation on “Drycleaning Business Worldwide,” led by Keisuke Uchikoshi, Chairman of Sankosha USA. This enlightening session provided important understanding of Sankosha’s global view of the industry. Mr. Uchikoshi’s presentation was followed by a tour of the main office of Elite Cleaning, one of Japan’s leading operators. The day concluded with a train ride back to Tokyo.

The 84th annual Round Table conference concluded on Friday, March 21st, with a pair of tours. The first was to visit the home of Hakuyosha Clean Living, a leading dry cleaner in Japan. The second event was a tour of the Japan headquarters of Sankosha Manufacturing Company, LTD, including a reception for Round Table attendees and families. Sankosha is an industry leader in the manufacturing of superior equipment, as well as the developer of some of the most efficient dry cleaning processes in the world.

The Round Table was founded in 1940 when Herb Koch, Lee Workman and Barrett Finn, industry leaders of that era, called a “Sales Managers Pow-Wow” in Allentown, PA. The meeting moved to NYC for the next five years, and became known as the Laundry Management Group. In 1950, the name was changed to the Round Table Conference and has remained that way since. Today, many “2nd-generation members” are part of the group. The Round Table has never had a paid facilitator; rather, that responsibility is passed from member to member.

A tradition of the Round Table is the introduction of the incoming Chairman of the conference, who then unveils the location for the following year’s conference. The incoming Chairman is Christoper T. (Chris) Edwards, President of A Cleaner World cleaners, with headquarters in High Point, North Carolina. Mr. Edwards announced the 2026 Round Table Conference will be held in Curacao, a Dutch island located in the Caribbean. Curacao is known for its beautiful beaches tucked into coves, along with expansive coral reefs that are teeming with marine life. This colorful, vibrant island is also home to a variety of unique cultural experiences

For more information about the 2025 Round Table conference, please contact Tom at (847) 272-6550, ext. 14), or visit zengelercleaners.com. Zengeler Cleaners, America's First Family of Dry Cleaning™, with locations in Northbrook, Deerfield, Northfield, Hubbard Woods, Long Grove and two stores in Libertyville, Illinois.