National News - April 2005

Chef Works Acquires Chef Direct

San Diego, CA, March 11, 2005 (Company Release) - Two of the largest uniform suppliers to the food service industry, Chef Works and Chef Direct, have merged to form one company.

In a deal completed on March 8 th, 2005 , San Diego-based Chef Works has acquired Schenectady, NY-based Chef Direct.

“The deal makes sense for both companies since Chef Works has been the number one supplier to Chef Direct for the past six years,” according to Harvey Singer, President of Chef Direct.” We are very strong in the east and Chef Works, being based in San Diego , has a good presence on the west coast but is much stronger nationally. Together, we will have tremendous coverage.”

Chef Works has grown, since its inception in the U.S in 1994, to become a national power in the supply of chef and restaurant apparel. With a national sales force in place in all major regions of the country and the most modern and technologically dynamic facility in San Diego from which to draw product, they are truly a leader in the industry.

Chef Direct has utilized a strong catalog marketing strategy, offering price and service to its customers, and has built a strong and loyal base. They also offer great wait staff and front-of- the house programs and capabilities. Together the two companies offer a unique and unmatched opportunity to every type of food service, restaurant and hotel facility.

Adding to the Chef Works capabilities, Chef Direct will continue to operate as a “division” of Chef Works, offering a separate catalog for most of the items that made Chef Direct a major player in the restaurant and food service supply business.

Harvey Singer, former president of Chef Direct will become an executive vice-president for Chef Works and will remain based on the east coast.

According to Dale Gross, CEO of Chef Works, “I am thrilled with this acquisition and the opportunity it presents to us at Chef Works. Our customers will be equally pleased with all of our new and exciting products being unveiled this spring and our ever expanding capabilities.”

Chef Works and Chef Direct can be reached at: 1800-372-6621 or 1800-789-CHEF (2433). www. chefworks.com or www.chefdirect.com

Chick-fil-A Selects Oobe As New Uniform Supplier

Atlanta, GA, March 23, 2005 (Company Release) - Chick-fil-A, Inc., the second largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States, announced that it has selected oobe, Inc. of Easley, S.C., to supply a new uniform collection for its Chick-fil-A restaurant employees. Chick-fil-A and oobe internally unveiled the new TeamStyle™ uniform program during a series of fashion shows at the recent annual Chick-fil-A Operators Seminar held in San Diego . oobe will be included in some restaurants’ uniform plans as early as April, and the new uniforms will roll out system-wide by the end of the year.

Chick-fil-A selected oobe after a systematic, year-long process in which more than 25 potential suppliers of new uniform designs were evaluated. Suppliers were assessed on uniform criteria that would not only satisfy the traditional requirements of durability and stain resistance, but also provide fashion and comfort. Chick-fil-A also considered factors that would generate enthusiasm from customers and store employees, including a broad color palette and gender-specific styles.

We are excited by the opportunity to work with oobe as they bring a true, fashion-forward approach to uniform design with their unique styles, detailing, and fabrics,” commented Woody Faulk, vice president of brand development for Chick-fil-A. “In addition, oobe provides a high level of product quality with new fabric technologies that feature revolutionary soil release and moisture-wicking properties. The uniforms will be fashionable, durable, and cost-effective for our Chick-fil-A Operators, who are eager to begin ordering the new program. We believe our new TeamStyle™ apparel program will strengthen and extend Chick-fil-A’s leadership position at the top of the QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) segment.”

Toby Stansell, vice president of sales for oobe, stated, “ We are excited about the future of our partnership with Chick-fil-A and believe our uniforms are in keeping with the utmost in quality and consistency customers have come to expect from Chick-fil-A. The announcement of oobe as Chick-fil-A’s supplier of choice raises the bar for companies to leverage apparel worn by customer-facing employees to enhance and extend brand identity.”

Founded in 1994, oobe makes comfortable, yet fashionable, casual clothing for those who embrace a relaxed, confident and fulfilling way of life. For corporate applications, oobe designs and sells innovative sportswear and uniforms that enhance and extend brand identity. The oobe Retail Group provides comprehensive, seasonal lines of shirts, pants, shorts, hats and accessories for both men and women that are sold through hundreds of outdoor specialty and sporting goods retailers throughout the United States and Canada , as well as via the company’s website.

More information about Chick-fil-A is available on the chain’s websites, located at www.chick-fil-a.com, www.chick-fil-apressroom.com or www.truettcathy.com. For information regarding oobe, visit www.oobegear.com

GretagMacbeth Announces New Color Control Software

New Windsor, NY, March 8, 2005 (TextileWeb) - GretagMacbeth today announced the release of a new suite of color control software – Color iMatch and Color iQC The new suite includes eight (8) new applications for color matching (formulation) and quality control in textile, apparel, paint, coatings, plastics and other industries where color control is important.

Beyond conventional color control, the new Color iMatch and Color iQC applications can integrate with existing systems for greater productivity in a single facility or entire supply chain. The new suite is based on an open architecture platform to allow for greater interoperability with other color control and related systems, including CAD and dispensing systems.

“Our customers want more than just accurate color matches – they want to be more productive on a global scale,” says Richard Knapp, product manager – color & appearance business unit. “Our new Color i systems let them easily share data and quickly collaborate on color development with suppliers and customers anywhere in the world.

The suite enhances productivity in several ways:

• Speeds color development in the laboratory and throughout the supply chain
• Workflow-driven interface facilitates rapid learning and overall ease of use
• Simplifies the management of multiple jobs that use a variety of processes and materials

In addition, optional “Professional” versions include an enhanced on-screen sample simulator that now includes appearance attributes such as texturing. The option is unique in that it’s integrated into the Color i software and at a fraction of the cost of similar products. “This is a major breakthrough,” says Knapp. “Now companies can obtain more true-to-life sample simulation without buying a separate software package that can cost tens of thousands more than Color i Professional Editions.”

Knapp explains that more companies are relying on electronic color communications for faster product development and substantial cost savings. However, system and data incompatibilities have limited the success of widespread electronic color communication. The new Color i systems not only make it possible, but also make it easier and more cost effective.

Color iMatch and Color iQC are currently shipping.

For additional information, visit www.gretagmacbeth.com

Paragon Plus Upgrade by Elbeco

Reading, PA, February 28, 2005 (Company Release) - Elbeco, Inc. has upgraded its popular Paragon Plus uniform shirts with a dynamic stretch feature for a dramatically more comfortable shirt. Protected with Teflon Stain Release, Paragon Plus offers unmatched reliability, comfort and long life.

The newly-designed fabric offers up to 8% stretch across the garment, for more give when you need it. The Paragon Plus also utilizes Elbeco’s exclusive vat dyeing process, for superior color retention and fade resistance. Teflon Stain Release assures a long life, free from unsightly staining over the life of the garment.

Five UltraCrease permanent military creases, combined with pleated, scalloped pockets and cross-stitched shoulder straps complete the package for a professional-looking uniform shirt presentation.

For more information, contact Elbeco at 215-592-7505, or visit www.elbeco.com

Uniforms to Create False ID Easy to Find

Orlando, FL, March 8, 2005 (Orlando Sentinel, as reported by Gary Taylor) - When a man recently walked up to Bay Hill Jewelers carrying an armload of packages and wearing a FedEx uniform, a worker buzzed him in, no questions asked.

But the deliveryman was a fake. After tying up the employee, he and an accomplice emptied the southwest Orange County store's display cases of more than $1 million of jewelry.

Investigators don't know how the man got the FedEx uniform or whether it was authentic. But finding clothing to support a false identity is not at all difficult.

A check by the Orlando Sentinel of area thrift stores turned up dozens of uniform and corporate-logo shirts, including those distributed by respected companies.

Sandwiched between used sports shirts at the Salvation Army Family Store in Casselberry were high-quality polo shirts issued by UPS, ADT Security Systems, Orlando Utilities Commission, Domino's Pizza and Orlando Regional Medical Center, all selling for less than $3 each.

Similar old shirts from Progress Energy, Wiginton Fire Systems, Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services and Seminole County 's Community Development Office were found at other thrift shops.

Police say the sale of company shirts to the general public, though legal, creates a potential risk. Criminals could use the clothing to impersonate legitimate workers and gain access to otherwise restricted areas and homes.

Progress Energy spokesman C.J. Drake said he was surprised one of the utility's shirts was bought in a thrift store. The company sells its shirts only to employees, he said, though it doesn't try to control what workers do with them.

"We're concerned about people who would pose as our employees," he said.

Stacey Karatzas, owner of Bay Hill Jewelers, said she is alarmed that thrift stores would sell shirts that could be used to pull off a robbery. "It's scary for us," she said.

She and her employees thought nothing of letting in a uniformed deliveryman before the robbery.

"Now, we're much more careful," she said. "We question everybody now."

Salvation Army stores do take some precautions, Maj. Jim Smith said. Sorters who go through as many as 35,000 garments a day to supply the organization's four Central Florida thrift stores are told to remove anything that resembles a law-enforcement uniform.

But to sort through the writing on every shirt would be "bigger than our ability to deal with it," Smith said.

Companies and government agencies have the shirts made so their employees are readily recognizable to the public. "We want them to have some kind of identification," said Seminole County Manager Kevin Grace.

But policies vary as to what happens to the shirts. Unlike Progress Energy, OUC sells shirts with its logo to the public. That's because "the citizens of Orlando own us," OUC spokesman Grant Heston said.

The shirts are available primarily to employees, he said. "But if someone sees one at a golf tournament and likes the shirt, they can come in and get one."

A shirt stamped "Seminole County Community Development Office," however, should never have been on a sales rack, County Manager Kevin Grace said. But that's because it was purchased with taxpayer dollars and is county property.

Uniforms shouldn't be the only source of identification, officials warn. "In 25 years in law enforcement, if I come dressed up in a uniform, maybe a half-dozen times someone has asked to see an ID," Stewart said. That's the case even when he is dressed in a polo shirt with a Police Department emblem on it, Stewart said.

Most law enforcement agencies go to great lengths to destroy uniforms when they wear out. Most cut off the patches, many cut off the sleeves and, in Longwood, they also cut the back of the shirt in half.

But some police agencies do sell shirts and caps with the agency's name or initials.

One is the Mount Dora Police Department. Proceeds from sales go to the department's Fallen Officer Memorial Fund, Lt. Roger Chilton said. The shirts and caps do not have emblems or badges on them and are similar to items sold by many other agencies, including police departments in Los Angeles and New York City , he said.

Military Uniforms in Collectors' Sights

March 19, 2005 (The Enquirer, as reported by Wes Cowan) - The arrival of spring stirs multiple images: the Kentucky Derby, new fashions and women in fancy Easter bonnets. It's hard to believe that just 200 years ago, men's militia hats were a fashion statement, too.

Militia groups were formed by men of means who banded into troops of cavalry, infantry or artillery. They were primarily social organizations and they used their colorful uniforms as a way of competing with other militia organizations, not only at shooting and drilling competitions, but on the ballroom floor. Each spent an inordinate amount of time creating distinctive uniforms - including hats.

The years of the early Republic were the heyday for military display. Uniforms and headdress exhibited an extravagance and diversity that was undoubtedly more suited to socializing than skirmishing. This era ended in 1914, when modern warfare replaced brilliant color with camouflage. Today, collectors eagerly seek items of early military dress.

Some popular - and collectible - hat styles:

The tricorn hat evolved primarily for functional reasons. Troops with flintlock muskets tended to knock each other's wide-brimmed hats off when they drilled in close formation, so they sewed the brims to the crown. In time, the brims became both shorter and more rigid, often bound with worsted tape to further strengthen and support the edges.

The half moon-shaped hat, known as a "chapeau de bras" (from French words for hat (chapeau) and arm (bras), referred to the practice of carrying the hat under the arm when it wasn't being worn. These were worn occasionally in the United States from side to side, but usually were worn fore and aft, with the front end cocked over one eye.

Crested, all-metal dragoon helmets originally were used by mounted troops. Designed to protect the head from saber strokes, they were based on a design first used in classical Roman days, and in modern times made famous by Napoleon's Cuirassiers. The body of the helmet was patterned after the Tarleton helmet or "jockey cap." The crest usually was made of horsehair.

The military shako is named for a Magyar word for peaked cap. It first was used by Magyar (Hungarian) troops in Austria. In the United States, the bell crown shako cap was used between 1821 and 1832, and is recognizable for its distinctive shape - a top wider than the base and distinctly concave sides.

Cockades are decorative, shell-shaped crests on military hats, which denoted nationality. Spanish troops wore a red cockade and French troops wore a tricolor: red, white and blue. British soldiers wore a plain black cockade, as did the Americans during the colonial period. After the Revolution, as a way of distinguishing themselves from the British, Americans added a small eagle to the center of the cockade.

Wes Cowan, owner of Cowan's Auctions Inc., Linwood, can be seen on PBS' History Detectives and Antiques Roadshow. Contact him at info@historicamericana.com.

VF Chooses Paxar RFID Products

White Plains, NY, March 28, 2005 - Paxar Corporation, a global leader providing merchandising systems, bar code, RFID and identification technologies for leading apparel manufacturers and the retail supply chain, announced that VF Corporation , the world’s largest apparel company, has chosen Paxar’s Monarch RFID printer/ encoders and smart labels for use by its Imagewear division.

“VF has been a great partner with Paxar for years, purchasing high quality merchandising tags, labels, and systems globally,” said Rick Bauer, Paxar’s Senior Director, RFID Technical Research. “We are pleased that VF has chosen to extend that partnership to our RFID Solutions. Their selection of Paxar to fill the critical requirement for RFID pallet and carton labels being shipped to major retailers validates the reliability and consistency of our products and program .”

“We performed extensive testing of RFID equipment and labels before choosing Paxar’s products for the Imagewear division,” said Jim Jackson, VF’s Director, Communications Infrastructure Vendor Relationship Management. “The labels provided by Paxar, and run through Paxar’s Monarch brand printer/ encoder, have been nearly 100% readable. Paxar’s extensive experience in the retail market, the extremely high read rates we’ve seen, and the fact that Paxar ensures 100% satisfaction, gives VF the peace of mind that the solution we’ve chosen is in compliance with the requirements of our major retailer partners, and will help keep our implementation costs low.”

VF Corporation is a leader in branded apparel including jeanswear, intimate apparel, sportswear, outdoor products and workwear. Its principal brands include Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Rustler, Vanity Fair, Vassarette, Bestform, Lily of France, Nautica, Earl Jean, John Varvato, JanSport, Eastpak, The North Face, Vans, Napapijri, Kipling, Lee Sport and Red Kap .

For more information on Paxar, visit www.paxar.com ; you may visit www.vfc.com to learn more about VF Corporation.

(Editor’s Note: The following item, from McCall’s online edition, caught our attention even though it is not a uniform-related story. Could this trend in mainstream fashion carry over into the career apparel industry? Could this be the beginning of the end for the dress down approach to uniform programs? What’s your opinion? What do your customer’s want? Email us at news@uniformmarket.com and let us know what you think. We’ll publish your responses in future issues.)

Men's Tailored Clothing Is Back, And With A New Attitude; The Dressy Look Is Luring Consumers

Los Angeles , CA , February 25, 2005 (The Morning Call, as reported by Leslie Earnest) - It doesn't take much to excite Doug Ewert.

Selling suits can be boring, the chief operating officer of the Men's Wearhouse Inc. clothing chain admits, which means he can get enthused about any little alteration in the industry — pleatless pants, side-vented jackets, you name it. So he was plenty pleased when he tuned into the Grammy Awards recently to see some of the nation's hottest young musicians strutting around in suits, not the sloppier garb of yesteryear.

''We love that,'' Ewert said.

Granted, the R&B star Usher, the punk rockers in the group Green Day and the rapper Kanye West might not be Men's Wearhouse shoppers. But with them suiting up for the big awards show, it appears that a trend that helped boost clothing sales last year still has legs.

Apparel sales rose 4 percent to $173 billion in 2004, marking the first increase in four years, according to a report that will be released Wednesday by the market research firm NPD Group.

And the sale of men's tailored clothing posted the strongest advance, rising 24 percent.

''Younger consumers who never worked in a suit, owned a suit or even have seen a suit — except in the movies or on television — have gravitated toward the suit like they discovered it,'' said Marshal Cohen, the group's chief industry analyst.

The tailored look wasn't the only thing luring consumers to cash registers last year. Shoppers also spent more because retailers stocked clothes in eye-catching colors — sunshine yellow, lime green and bubblegum pink, Cohen said. The trend toward more fashionable, feminine styles, helped retailers too.

Still, even as dollar sales rose, the number of units purchased dipped 1 percent, according to the NPD Group's findings. That's because consumers ''traded up'' — forking over more money for fewer items, Cohen said. He predicted that apparel sales would rise another 2.5 percent to 3 percent this year if companies delivered ''new and exciting'' clothing.

The apparel industry enjoyed steady growth through the 1990s, with sales peaking in 2000 at nearly $176 billion, according to NPD. Sales fell in 2001 and consumer confidence sank as unemployment rose and stores failed to produce ''must have'' items. In addition, competition and consumers' voracious appetite for bargains kept prices low.

Last year the tide turned, with both men's and women's apparel rising about 5 percent while children's apparel sales remained flat.

Men's Wearhouse, which claims about 22 percent of the U.S. men's suits market with its namesake and K&G chains, has been one of the major beneficiaries of the dress-up trend.

The Houston company, which sells more than 1 million suits and 2 million ties a year, saw profits jump almost 18 percent to $50 million last year after dipping the previous two years, as older men started replenishing their wardrobes and more young shoppers began gravitating to its stores.

Superior Uniform Group, Inc. Announces Year-End Operating Results

Seminole, FL, February 25, 2005 (PRNewswire) - Superior Uniform Group, Inc., one of the nation's largest manufacturers of uniforms, career apparel and accessories, announced today its fourth quarter and year- end operating results for 2004.

The Company announced that for the year ended December 31, 2004 , sales were $143,567,473 compared to 2003 sales of $137,326,341. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $5,378,687 or $.71 per share (diluted) compared to $5,703,910 or $.78 per share (diluted) reported for the year ended December 31, 2003 .

Michael Benstock, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "The increase in revenues for the year ended December 31, 2004 is attributed to the acquisition of UniVogue and increasing revenues from several new national account contracts entered into during 2004 and the latter part of 2003. We have continued to see lower levels of demand from our existing customers. Gross margins were adversely impacted in 2004 by increased freight costs that we were unable to pass along to our customers. We have implemented improved processes that should help to substantially reduce this cost in the future. Earnings for the year were also negatively impacted by the costs associated with our efforts to prepare for compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act. We incurred approximately $690,000 in pre-tax costs for outside consultants to assist in this process during the year. While we are through the first-year implementation phase of this process, we will continue to incur significant, albeit reduced costs in this area.

Last year was the first year of a major transition for the Company as we have moved from being a manufacturing driven company to more of a marketing, sales and distribution organization. We have invested a significant amount of our time and energy over the last year to upgrading our organization from the executive level to the sales force. We have built the marketing and sales organization that we believe will help us more effectively grow our business for years to come. Our overall outlook for 2005 is very positive as a result of these improvements. However, first quarter sales and operating results are expected to be adversely impacted as a result of difficulties incurred during the implementation of our new Warehouse Management System in January."

Superior Uniform Group, through its Signature marketing brands - Fashion Seal, Fashion Seal Healthcare, Martin's, Worklon, Universal, Sope Creek and UniVogue - manufactures and sells a wide range of uniforms, corporate I.D., career apparel and accessories for the hospital and healthcare fields; hotels; fast food and other restaurants; and public safety, industrial, transportation and commercial markets, as well as corporate and resort embroidered sportswear.