National News - June 2006

Air Force Flooded With Feedback on Prototypes for New Uniforms

Arlington, VA, May 27, 2006 (Stars & Stripes) — The two “heritage” uniforms offered by the Air Force Uniform Board as prototypes of a new dress uniform have been lightning rods for comment, according to the Air Force and responses sent directly to Stars and Stripes.

“This makes me think of someone going to an elegant dinner in 2006 wearing his disco leisure suit from the ’70s,” Master Sgt. Robert Laxton e-mailed Stripes from Balad, Iraq.

Laxton was referring to the lapels of the vintage World War II “Hap Arnold” prototype, which he thought were too wide.

Laxton was no fan of the other prototype, the World War I-era “Billy Mitchell” jacket with its high collar. “It looks uncomfortable and unappealing,” he wrote.

Air Force Chaplain Marshall MacClellan e-mailed that he liked both prototypes, particularly the Hap Arnold version, which is based on the Army’s so-called “pinks and greens.”

“I have always been proud of my service in the Air Force, but the only drawback for me is the horrible, stewardess uniform or business suit we wear as dress blues,” MacClellan wrote. “How often I have said, ‘I would love for us to go back to the “pink and greens” used by the Army Air Corps’ … I also like the Billy Mitchell uniform option. The tailored fit and belt are a must for my taste.”

But for former airmen Jerry Carroll, a computer technician for Army and Air Force Exchange Service at Misawa Air Base, Japan, the prototypes are the worst of the old and the new.

“The uniforms strike a similarity to the dress uniforms worn by the WWII-era German soldiers and the material looks like something out of a Star Trek (newer series of course) episode,” Carroll e-mailed. “Luckily I no longer have to worry since I have been out for five years.”

Capt. Darrell Tegtmeyer, a health affairs officer at Phoenix Base in Iraq, said he likes the current dress uniform, and thinks the whole exercise in search of a new one is a waste of time

“I really wouldn’t like to see us bring in a new uniform and have it put in mothballs a few years later. [It’s] like bringing back bell bottoms — someone thought that was a good idea.”

If he had to choose, Tegtmeyer wrote, he had problems with the details on the prototypes, particularly the belts on both jackets. A belt “would only draw attention to the waist line of circumferentially challenged individuals and women that have larger breast sizes,” Tegtmeyer e-mailed.

The Air Force is unveiling initial prototypes for airmen to critique, as well as circulating a detailed survey that should go out to selected airmen early this summer, according to Uniform Board members. The board also plans to open a Web site for comments.

Air Force officials have received more than 1,200 comments, spokeswoman Jennifer Bentley said.

Brig. Gen. Robert Allardice, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel and the general officer leading the project, “is very pleased” with the reaction, Bentley said.

“We hope they keep coming.”

DeRossi & Son Awarded Army Contract

Vineland, May 29, 2006 (The Daily Journal) - The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia awarded a $6.4 million contract to a local company to make dress uniforms for the U.S. Army.

The Center City business, DeRossi & Son Inc., is one of only three companies in the nation to produce clothing for the armed forces. Crown Clothing Inc., another Vineland-based company, also produces military uniforms.

DSCP operates within the Defense Logistics Agency and the U.S. Department of Defense. It annually buys about $12.7 billion worth of food, clothing, textiles, medicine, medical and construction equipment to supply the nation's military.

Donald DeRossi is the third-generation owner and president of the Sixth Street industry. He said business is very competitive.

"We're a blue-collar industry," he said. "It's tough out there today."

The money will be used to make 90,000 dress uniforms, and will include money to pay for materials, labor and delivery of the Army uniforms, DeRossi said.

About 110 employees currently work at DeRossi & Son Inc. Two years ago, the Center City industry employed 170 workers, but because of a cut in federal funding and the state of the local economy, cutbacks were necessary, DeRossi said.

"We're the most regulated state in the union," he said, which complicates the company's ability to do business. DeRossi & Son Inc was founded in the late 1920s -- just before the country entered the Great Depression -- by DeRossi's grandparents, who left Italy for New Jersey with hardly a dime to their names.

"We're just thankful we're still here," he said. "We're doing the best we can."

Can New Fiber Save Soldiers from Burns?

May 15, 2006 (The Journal of New England Technology, as reported by Catherine Williams) - In light of a recent order by U.S. Marine Corps commanders on the ground in Iraq banning soldiers from wearing synthetic clothing under their uniforms because it melts under exposure to fire, the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick is working to develop the next generation of flame-resistant textiles.

That is just one of many advanced textile-related projects the Soldier Systems Center is working on in conjunction with local universities and area textile businesses.

Research and development of advanced textiles for military use is led by Robert Kinney, director for individual protection at the Soldier Center, who heads a team of researchers studying flame-retardant materials and fabric treatments.

David Audet is the team leader for the materials team at the Soldier Center. He said the uniforms currently used in the field are a cotton-nylon blend and researchers are working on other combinations of natural and synthetic fibers.

"Flame retardancy isn't new," said Audet. "Flame and thermal threats have been on the battlefield since the advent of war."

For troops on the battlefields of Iraq, their flame-retardant uniforms are designed for protection and comfort. But temperatures in the desert can exceed 120 degrees, so soldiers had been wearing synthetic fabrics under their uniforms to wick away sweat from the body. However, when synthetic fibers such as polyester ignite, they melt and stick to the skin, causing severe burns.

Kinney says the Soldier Center works with scientists at the University of Massachusetts and MIT to develop emerging textile technologies.

For the companies working with the Soldier Center, fabrics are big business.

Textile company Rothtec Engraving Corp. of New Bedford is family-owned and employs 100 in Massachusetts. The company specializes in fabric coating and printing and has worked with the Soldier Center on the Army's camouflage redesigns. Twenty percent of Rothtec's revenue comes from military contracts, said company chief financial officer Chuck Mitchell.

Bradford Dyeing Association Inc. of Rhode Island prints and treats fabrics and works with the Soldier Center. Brian Curtis, the general manager of the synthetic division, said military projects account for 90 percent of the company's revenue.

Aside from the scientific challenges of trying to beat burn and melt levels, Audet said, the DOD's prohibition against purchasing non-domestic textiles makes his work even more difficult. The rule is a part of the Berry Amendment that was introduced in 1941 to regulate defense spending. Audet said the downsized U.S. textile industry has trouble keeping up with the R&D that the Soldier Center demands.

Scientists at the Soldier Center are also researching fabrics that can measure vital signs for battlefield triage. Kinney said researchers are also developing high-tech fabrics with bacteria-eating antimicrobial fabrics that minimize skin rashes and odor. But both technologies are in their infancy.

"Some people would say it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, but we need to test it further," Kinney said.

U.S. Raids Company Making Army Uniforms

El Paso, May 10, 2006 (WashingtonPost.Com) -- About 70 federal agents raided a nonprofit company that provides the Army with combat uniforms and suits used in Iraq to protect soldiers during chemical warfare.

The National Center for Employment of the Disabled received $579.9 million in no-bid defense contracts from 1998 to 2003, according to the Washington-based Center for Public Integrity. In 2003, the most recent year available, the company received $270 million.

The contracts are awarded under a federal program for companies that employ disabled workers. The El Paso Times reported that the company is under investigation for violating terms of the program, which requires 75 percent of the work on the contract be completed by severely disabled employees. An agency that provided oversight of the program has determined that 7.8 percent of the center's work was done by the disabled, the newspaper said.

Inmates Sew Uniforms For Deputies

May 10, 2006 (Yahoo News) - From shoes to uniforms, inmates at the Marion County Jail help deputies look spiffy when they patrol the streets.

The inmates sew intricate stars, logos and names on the deputies' uniforms. Taxpayers are saving big money when it comes to this stitch job, WESH 2 News reported.

Typical inmate work is sandbagging flooded areas, tending to fish on the work farm or feeding chickens.

Now, some inmates behind the barbed wire in Marion County are turning to a new pastime -- embroidery.

Just about any day, big, burly men can be seen stitching away in the jail.

"I like outdoors activities and working outside construction," Marion County Jail inmate Dustin Arndt said. "This is totally out of my character."

The finished product makes the inmates proud, even if they end up sewing the name of the deputy who may have arrested them.

There is some precision required.

"Just lining it up is pretty much the most physical part you have to do other than sitting there and watch and make sure nothing bad happens to it," inmate Billy Weakland said.

When they return to their cells, Arndt said other inmates have some comments for them.

"They call us 'the seamstress boys' but that's the extent of it pretty much," he said.

By doing it in-house, the inmates are saving county taxpayers about $8,000 a year.

Global Economy Might Provide Answers to North Carolina’s Quest to Revive Industries

North Carolina, May 5, 2006 (The Triad Business Journal, as reported by Gary Gereffi) - International competitiveness is a ubiquitous yet elusive goal for most economies – everyone wants to attain it, but no one is quite sure how.

The Piedmont Triad region has a rare opportunity for the next three years to take the lead in adapting to the changing global economy by developing a strategy for how to restructure and revive its flagging traditional industries, and to link them productively to high-growth activities. The region will be well served in this effort by consulting examples of similar economies around the world.

At Duke University, a pioneering project on North Carolina in the Global Economy has yielded several ideas that may be useful to Triad leaders as they organize a development agenda funded by a three-year, $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The research not only describes the state of seven key industries in North Carolina, but also looks at regions with similar economic challenges around the world for ideas about confronting globalization pressures.

The first lesson from Duke’s research is not to give up on traditional industries, but to figure out how they can adapt to new economic realities. In the textile industry, several of North Carolina’s firms and universities are pioneering the development of “high-tech” non-woven textiles, as well as “quick response” technology to coordinate short-notice shipments to U.S. retailers on a weekly or even daily basis.

Asian apparel manufacturers also are adapting. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea were among the world’s most successful textile and apparel exporters in the 1970s and 1980s before quotas, currency appreciation, and rising labor costs in the 1990s led them to shrink their manufacturing workforces. Today, firms in these East Asian economies continue to play a critical “middleman” role in the global textile and apparel industry, taking orders from U.S. and European buyers, managing apparel export factories in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, and supplying their own textiles to the new centers of apparel production.

There are global production shifts in furniture as well. In China, new furniture clusters in China’s coastal provinces, such as the Anji chair cluster near Shanghai, have established de facto “supply-chain cities” that integrate large pools of cheap labor with advanced technologies for production and design. Chinese firms, wary of a competitive advantage built on cost alone, are adopting a new “tech-labor intensive” manufacturing approach that weds abundant labor supplies and a heavy emphasis on automation to upgrade quality and to elevate their position in the value chain.

Design is another way to revitalize traditional manufacturing, and Italy has seized the initiative in this area. In furniture, for example, Venice has sought to marry manufacturing and design by bringing together Italian artists and furniture makers in an effort to help rethink the role of design in this industry. As Italian manufacturing increasingly moves offshore, this strategy seeks to bolster key local links between Italy’s creative industries, design, production and marketing.

Service industries, like logistics, can help to root manufacturing in particular places. In Hong Kong, for example, attention to transportation and shipping needs, combined with foreign direct investment, have driven and sustained the strong growth of export-based businesses in nearby southern China. In Italy, logistics and manufacturing are also intertwined. The port of Venice, unlike many in Italy, is bordered by flat plain that can support a manufacturing base near the heart of industrial Europe. City leaders see this proximity as a way to strengthen both its logistics and manufacturing industries, and are currently working with major global companies to build its role as a global logistics hub.

Educational institutions are widely recognized as a key component of regional competitiveness. In the Triad, community colleges and research universities each have an important role to play, coordinating worker retraining (like the innovative Bioworks program) and carrying out detailed research on North Carolina’s competitors, the strengths and weaknesses of its local industries, and the strategic policy choices that the Triad must make to build long-term success.

Here, too, North Carolina can learn from the world. In India, the seven Indian Institutes of Technology have played a key role in fueling the recent information technology outsourcing boom, providing training and a highly competitive environment for India’s best and brightest. In addition, India’s other educational institutions – from technical schools to full universities – have contributed to the country’s economic development and diversification.

Regional economies like the Piedmont Triad are the foundation of U.S. competitiveness, but regional prosperity requires a global vision.

The United States no longer has a monopoly on the best technologies or business practices in many manufacturing industries, even though we continue to have the most dynamic market and the most innovative firms. In today’s global economy, we must scan the world for the best ideas in order to successfully build and maintain a sustainable competitive edge.  

Best Manufacturing Group LLC Appoints New Head of Hospitality Division

Jersey City, NJ, May 24, 2006 (Company Release) – Best Manufacturing Group LLC announced that it has appointed Don Anderson to head their hospitality division. Anderson will report to Ben Shoaf, President and COO of Best.

"We are delighted to appoint Don Anderson to his new position," comments Shoaf. "He has done an excellent job leading the Hospitality sales team during the past few years as Senior Vice President of Sales. He recently brought to market an entirely new apparel line of products for the hospitality market, which was a very successful endeavor for Best."

Anderson is extremely optimistic about his new role as head of Best's hospitality division. "Our breadth and depth of in-stock apparel will continue to allow the hospitality industry to create the custom look they desire at prices they can afford," comments Anderson. "This winter, we became the first major North American uniform company to offer an in stock designer label front of the house apparel collection at a mass level. This new collection, in conjunction with our complete offering of bed, bath and table linen, will allow us to continue to deliver on our promise to be the most capable force in textiles and garments."

Best, founded in 1914, services the hospitality, textile rental, healthcare and image apparel markets. The company is headquartered in New Jersey and has operations based in Massachusetts, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, Texas, Nevada, Canada, Mexico and Asia. For more information, please visit www.bestmfg.com.

World Emblem International Prepares for 2006 Hurricane Season

Miami, May 15, 2006 (Company Release) - June 1 st marks the beginning of the 2006 hurricane season and World Emblem International is as prepared as a company can be. Having headquarters located in a vulnerable area such as Miami, Florida, has made World Emblem highly aware of the effects of hurricanes. There is always the chance of a fire, hurricane, flood or some type of natural or man-made disaster from occurring and shutting down the production of a company.

In light of this, World Emblem International has taken several precautions to be proactive to an emergency situation. An Emergency Systems Team was developed almost 2 years ago to put together a plan to combat any and all types of natural or man-made disasters. The team meets quarterly to review and update the current system and procedures.

The following precautions are currently in effect:

A state of the art Caterpillar generator is on site to power the entire facility in the event that power is lost. During Wilma, this generator allowed World Emblem to be one of only a few local businesses that was still able to continue with production.

Network connection via satellite dish is available if the data connection be lost.

Customer Service Representatives are ready to travel to our alternate location in Taylor, Michigan should the phone systems be interrupted. A fully operational call center is available at this location.

Back-up copper phone lines have been installed in case the main connection is lost.

E-Fax capabilities are available to ensure that all faxed orders are received.

All of these upgrades and changes were put into effect to ensure that World Emblem's production never stops or even slows down should a disaster occur.

World Emblem International, Inc. is a manufacturer of precision-embroidered, screen-printed and sublimated emblems. In addition, World Emblem is a leading manufacturer of custom transfers, direct screen printing, direct embroidery, ID tape, reflective emblems and houses a full inventory of blanks, corporate stock and hold emblems and garments. World Emblem International has manufacturing facilities in Florida, Michigan, Georgia, Mexico and the U.K. For more, visit www.worldemblem.com

Fashion Takes Flight as Delta Unveils New Richard Tyler Uniform Collection Worldwide

Atlanta, May 1, 2006 (Primezone) -- Fashion takes flight on Delta Air Lines today as the carrier's new uniforms from world-renowned designer Richard Tyler take center stage with all Delta flight attendants, customer service agents and Crown Room Club representatives now sporting the stunning attire.

The Richard Tyler Collection for Delta, inspired by the era of glamorous air travel, includes a wide variety of pieces that are both fashionable and functional, including clothing, outerwear and accessories. The uniforms, which use the Delta color palette of navy blue and red, supplemented with gold, platinum and red accents, are designed to reflect timeless elegance.

"Our employees look absolutely amazing in Richard Tyler's Collection for Delta," said Joanne Smith, vice president - marketing at Delta. "His timeless design and elegance combined with a stylish and sophisticated new look further enhances Delta's image as a contemporary classic. Richard's collection is truly runway-ready. We hope our customers will enjoy our new look just as much as we do."

"My goal with the design of the new uniforms was to evoke the time when air travel was glamorous and sophisticated, yet with a contemporary look and feel," said Tyler. "The challenge of designing a uniform for air travel is to ensure that it is practical as well as stylish, and I'm proud to have met that challenge, working with Delta to create a look that blends modern comfort and wearability with refined style."

Some of the items featured in the Richard Tyler Collection for Delta's female employees are blazers, blouses, pants, skirts, wrap dresses (including the signature "Red Dress" for flight attendants), pea coat, felt hat, silk scarves and pocket squares. Designs for Delta's male employees include blazers, regular and French Cuff dress shirts, reversible all-weather coat and a reversible black bucket hat.

Gap – The Most Ideal Employer for New Graduates

USA, May 8, 2006 (Fibre2Fashion) - Apparel retailer Gap Inc has been named the most "Ideal Employer" by undergraduates across the country who are interested in pursing careers in retail, fashion and apparel, according to the 2006 Universum Undergraduate Survey.

The Universum study, conducted annually since 1997, polled more than 37,000 students at more than 200 leading colleges and universities across the country. In the survey, participants describe their career expectations and list their most desirable employers. Ranked number 30 overall across all industries, Gap was at the top of this year's survey as the primary choice for the next generation of fashion industry employees.

"Gap is committed to hiring individuals from around the world who are smart, passionate and fit in with our diverse, fast-paced culture that thrives on creativity," said Kate Aiken, Senior Director, college recruiting, Gap.

"For students beginning their careers, a highly-respected consumer brand like Gap is just as important as the company's reputation for how it takes care of its employees," said Tracy Lynn Van Es, VP of sales & research, at Universum.

Gap hires top-ranked talent who can demonstrate leadership capabilities. The company offers comprehensive and competitive benefits packages to help its employees and their families stay healthy, meet their financial goals and balance the demands of work and personal life.

In addition, Gap Inc and Gap Foundation dedicate resources to nonprofit organizations around the world that are striving to help underserved women and youths, while strengthening communities. As a result, employees are able to get involved in their communities by receiving paid time off to volunteer, as well as eligibility for a financial match for their donations to nonprofit organizations of their choice.

Uniforms for the Ages

Impressions Magazine, as reported by Liz Aull -- The uniform, an age-old favorite of the workplace, is changing for the ages — literally and figuratively.

As the country's demographics begin to gray and older people make up a greater share of the workforce, employers are demanding a wider range of uniform styles to appease their increasingly diverse staffs. Meanwhile, companies ranging from restaurants to boutiques are staying with the times by outfitting employees in today's dressier, upscale styles — while placing an increasing emphasis on fabric treatments.

With people putting off retirement and staying in the workforce longer, companies must find ways to outfit different generations with uniforms that are both appropriate and comfortable for everyone. For example, younger women like pants with a low-cut waist, flat front and wider legs, while older women prefer pleats, says Terry Long, president of Blade Uniforms, Macon, Ga.

Younger women also prefer blouses that are more contoured, says Alexander Arencibia of J.A. Uniforms, a Miami-based decorator and supplier. For men, the older generation looks for slacks that are more fitted, and younger men like a looser, more relaxed fit, says David Hines, general manager of workwear for Dickies, Ft. Worth, Texas.

The need for a cross-generational uniform approach promises to increase as the number of elderly is predicted to grow from 36 million in 2003 to 62 million in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The solution? Companies are simply ordering different styles for different ages to make everyone happy, and suppliers are trying to accommodate these preferences. Arencibia likes to offer different styles in matching fabrics and has developed complementary styles to provide alternatives to companies whose employees vary in age. "We've had four or five major experiences in which companies ordered different styles for different age groups last year," Arencibia says.

The surging popularity of wicking, quick drying, stain releasing and other fabric treatments means employees can feel better and look neater all day long — and employers can get greater value from their uniform purchases.

"Stain-resistant fabrics are conducive to the uniform market," says Long of Blade Uniforms. "Uniforms last longer and look better with stain releases and guards."

Suppliers are offering more styles with stain releases and guards than ever before. "There's no limit to what you can put them on now. You can even do ties if you want," adds Manny Delarosa, vice president of Blade Uniforms.

Launderers do need to be aware that because some stain repellents don't react well to the silicon softeners in fabric sheets or softeners, they'll need to avoid them, says Hines from Dickies.

Companies are finding that adding a stain repellent to uniforms does not add a significant amount to the cost. "It depends on the quality of the resistant. A generic product will add only nickels and dimes," says Delarosa. "A name-brand product like 3M or Scotchgard might add 50 cents or a dollar per garment, and in some cases it could be a little more."

America's ever-swinging fashion pendulum has begun moving away from casualwear and toward a relatively dressy, upscale look — and that shift applies to uniforms, too. "Now uniforms are more about elegance," says Arencibia.

Employers also are shifting away from low-price products, Arencibia says, recognizing that an inferior product compromises the look of their staff. In fact, it actually costs companies more to replace an inexpensive garment with a short life than to invest in a longer-lasting, higher-quality garment, he says. "They're realizing that you get what you pay for," he says.

Meanwhile, fast-food restaurants maintain their casual emphasis — and they're using screen printing on T-shirts more often for added flexibility in following fashion trends. "They're trying to be trendy and change their look quickly," says Blade Uniform's Long. "They might screen print new T-shirts on a monthly or bi-monthly basis for advertising or to get creative with the design."

Security companies, property managers, funeral homes, valet subcontractors and pool services all represent good opportunities for decorators looking to find new markets for uniform sales, Arencibia says.

Jackie Barker, vice president of sales and marketing for ERB Industries, Woodstock, Ga., whose subsidiary, Fame Fabrics, manufactures aprons, also suggests contacting day care centers and janitorial services for new business prospects.

Other opportunities include food services, private hospitals, wholesale merchants, amusement parks and in-home nursing companies — an area that's sure to grow considerably as demand skyrockets.

For first time since '60s, Dayton Police Get New Uniforms

Dayton, April 29, 2006 ( Daily News, as reported by Kelli Wynn) — On June 1, all Dayton police officers will start wearing new uniforms.

It will be the first time in 40 years they have changed the look of their uniforms.

All ranks will have 18 months to get dressed in the new navy blue shirts and cargo pants that will replace the white and blue shirts and dark blue pants officers currently wear.

"The officers requested this change," Maj. Mark Ecton said Wednesday. "They agreed to pay out the cost, so there is no cost to the city."

The department looked into getting new uniforms years ago, but, Ecton said, "it came down to cost. The city was not in a situation financially to absorb the cost of replacing complete uniforms for 500 officers."

About a dozen officers have tested the new uniforms while on duty.

"The other uniform just wasn't practical or functional," Officer Coleman said of the blue shirt, dark pants and pin name tags and badges that patrol officers currently wear. The new uniform allows him to move more freely, he said.

Spotlight on Small Business: Ronk’s Uniform Center

Huntington, May 14, 2006 (Herald Dispatch) - When Jim Ronk, owner of Ronk's Uniform Center in Huntington, opened his business in 1975, he carried the largest selection of uniforms in town.

There were basically two distinct uniform categories: white goods, typically reserved for healthcare professionals such as doctors and nurses, as well as food service personnel, and blue goods that include uniforms and accessories for such professions as police officers, firefighters and industry workers.

"In the beginning, nearly everything was all white, from housekeeping uniforms to nursing caps, hosiery, hospital scrubs, and shoes," said Ronk. Fast forward a few decades. These days, it is not uncommon to see healthcare workers, in particular, in a sea of colors ranging from pastel pinks and yellows to deep aqua and animal-print patterns.

In fact, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish uniform-clad workers from patients and others wearing everyday clothing, a trend Ronk says was spawned by surgical scrubs.

"In the 1980's we noticed that people who did not work in the medical field wanted scrubs as part of their casual wardrobe for added comfort and to relax in. Until then, scrubs were used almost exclusively by surgeons. And when they became popular among the masses, scrubs also became more fashionable with more options," he adds.

Somehow, you get the impression that Jim Ronk misses the good ole days when wearing white uniforms was the only option.

"When you look the part, people are more inclined to have respect. Maybe it's just human nature. I actually like the idea of nurses wearing their arched white caps, but you just don't see that much anymore. I suppose there's a part of me that's just plain old fashioned in that way. I believe in having an abundance of inventory in order to provide customers with what they need or want.”

From the beginning, Ronk's has been a diversified uniform business, outfitting everyone from food service and healthcare workers to law enforcement, firefighters and industry workers. “We are committed to offering good service and a quality product," adds Ronk.

Like so many local business owners, Jim Ronk's competition extends far beyond the city's limits. The internet and numerous catalog companies are major forces with which to contend. Still, he believes his bricks-and-mortar location offers some things the cyberstores do not.

"I think it makes a difference that customers can come into the store and try on anything they need. And if it doesn't fit just right, we have three really good seamstresses on site who can do alterations for them. Our customer service is second to none and our prices are competitive, too."

At 9,000 total square feet and an inventory of products from more than 250 manufacturers, Ronk's offers much more than uniforms. A tour of the space showcases such specialty items as Girl Scout apparel, tactical supplies and safety gear used by EMS personnel and the Division of Highways, and even a selection of small collectible statues featuring a number of uniformed professionals.

In his 31 years as a business owner, Jim Ronk is proud of the fact that his uniform center has continued to grow.

"I have never had to lay off anyone, never missed a payroll, or had to send anyone home for lack of work here," he said with pride.

The store can be reached at (304) 525-1783. Additional locations are in Ashland and Charleston.