broom, brush & mop april 2009

Company Interviews:The Mop Industry

Zephyr Mfg.

Carolina Mop Co.

Hamburg Industries

Lafitte Mop Co.

Hagco Industries

ETC of Henderson

Company Interviews:Housewares Show

Harper Brush WorksUnger Industrial

Quickie Mfg.

Butler Home Products

FHP O-Cedar®

Kleen Maid

April 2009

Broom, Brush & Mop MagazineS E R V I N G T H E I N D U S T R Y S I N C E 1 9 1 2

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 10:59 AM

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CarlsonCarlsonBBM.April.x 4/17/09 10:59 AM

CARLSON TOOL AND MACHINE COMPANY70 Years of Building Reliable Brush Machines.

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THEN ONE. The Model BFx5with Two Opposite Size Tufting Heads is Attracting Attention.

THE NEW MODEL BFx5 ULTRA FLEXIBLE STAPLE SET MACHINE Designed forCustom Brush Makers to Develop Prototypes and Quick Run Products. Vertical Tufting,Flare Tufting, Round Rotary Patterns and Cylinder Brushes all on the Same Machine.Simple and easy to fixture up most any brush and to adapt to your own tooling. Holeranges from .060 to over 3/8" diameter, filament picking from 1.25 to 14" long bundles.Center drill-only cycle or drill and auto shift to a tufting head. Some pattern generation

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CarlsonCarlsonBBM.April.x 4/17/09 10:59 AM

Broom, Brush & MopA RANKIN PUBLISHING PUBLICATION April 2009 Volume 99, Number 4

CALENDAR

ASSOCIATIONSAMERICAN BRUSH MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

2111 W. Plum St., Aurora, IL 60506 • (630) 631-5217

AMERICAN HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION801 North Plaza Drive, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4977 • (847) 605-1025

FEIBP EUROPEAN BRUSH FEDERATIONP.O. Box 90154, 5000 LG Tilburg, The Netherlands • 00 31 13 5944 678

INTERNATIONAL SANITARY SUPPLY ASSOCIATION7373 N. Lincoln Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL 60646-1799 • (847) 982-0800

INTERNATIONAL HOUSEWARES ASSOCIATION6400 Shafer Court, Suite 650, Rosemont, IL 60018 • (847) 292-4200

Rankin Publishing, Inc.204 E. Main St., P.O. Box 130 • Arcola, Illinois 61910-0130, USAPhone: (217) 268-4959 • Fax: (217) 268-4815 • Website: www.rankinpublishing.com

BROOM, BRUSH & MOP (ISSN 0890-2933) is published monthly at 204 E. Main St.,P.O. Box 130, Arcola, Illinois 61910. Telephone: (217) 268-4959. Subscriptions are $25 in theUnited States; $35 in Canada and Mexico; all others $110. The $110 foreign subscriptionsinclude first class air mail postage. Arrangements can be made for first class postage for theUnited States, Canada and Mexico. Single copies of issues are $2 for subscribers; $5 for non-subscribers, postage extra. The Suppliers Directory issue is $10 per copy.

BROOM, BRUSH & MOP is a monthly trade magazine devoted to news of broom, brushand mop manufacturers and allied industries. It was established in 1912 as the Broom &Broom Corn News. It was entered as second class mail matter Feb. 27, 1912, at the U.S. PostOffice in Arcola, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879.

Periodical postage paid at Arcola, IL, and additional mailing offices.Postmaster: send address changes to P.O. Box 130, Arcola, IL 61910.

OLD ADDRESS:Affix OLD mailing label or print old address here:

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Clip & return to Broom, Brush & MopP.O. Box 130, Arcola, IL 61910MOVING? MOVING?

Import/Export Overview ________________________28December Imports & Exports____________________30Broom Corn Dealer Survey _____________________40

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

CO-PUBLISHERS

Don Rankin Linda Rankin

EDITOR

Harrell Kerkhoff

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Rick MullenGRAPHIC/PRODUCTION

Jennie GraceDavid Opdyke

STAFF

RECEPTION

Sandy Pierce

Mop Suppliers Meeting Challenges Of Today’s Marketplace _______________6

Cleaning Industry Displays Product Innovation At Housewares Show _________16

Housewares Show Photo Gallery ________________42

PAGE 4 BROOM, BRUSH & MOP April 2009

MAY 5-7, 2009National Hardware Show, Las Vegas, NVInformation: 203-840-5622

JUNE 27-28, 2009Canadian Brush Manufacturers Association Annual ConferenceNiagara-on-the-Lake, OntarioInformation: 416-971-7800

OCTOBER 6-9, 2009ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, Chicago, ILInformation: 800-225-4772

NOVEMBER 19-20, 2009National Broom & Mop Meeting, St. Louis, MOInformation: 800-626-7282 or 800-637-7739

MARCH 14-16, 2010International Home & Housewares Show, Chicago, ILInformation: 847-292-4200

MARCH 17-20, 2010ABMA Annual Convention, Orlando, FLInformation: 630-631-5217

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MANUFACTURERSRESOURCE, INC.

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 10:59 AM

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MANUFACTURERSRESOURCE, INC.

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 10:59 AM

By Rick MullenBroom, Brush & Mop

Associate Editor

Offering innovative quality products, adding value and per-sonalized customer service are some of the ways in whichthe six mop company executives who spoke recently with

Broom, Brush & Mop are steering their respective companiesthrough rough economic seas.

These mop company executives are keeping a keen eye on theeconomic issues of the day; to not only ensure their own success,but also to help their customers chart a profitable course.

In its eighth decade of business, Zephyr Manufacturing,Inc., of Sedalia, MO, continues to supply professional clean-ing tools for the sanitary supply industry, offering more than

1,300 products.“Zephyr’s registered motto is,

“Your One Stop Source forQuality Cleaning Products®,”said President JohnLindstrom. “Our motto prettymuch tells the story of what thiscompany is about.”

Founded in 1927 by Harry E.Lindstrom in Kansas City, MO,the company was first known asAcme Broom Company, whichonly offered brooms at first.

Having outgrown its originalfacility in Kansas City, the company moved to Sedalia, located inwest central Missouri. In 1937 and 1938 the Zephyr Streamlinebroom was developed, patented, and placed on the market. Itenjoyed immediate success and was the company’s flagship prod-uct for many years.

By the early 1940s, the company’s growth made it necessary torelocate to a larger, two-story facility in Sedalia, which was hometo the company’s office and main manufacturing operation for 50years. It was about this time that Acme entered the mop businessas it acquired the Kansas City Broom Company that made mopproducts. At that time, the name of the company was changed to

Acme Manufacturing Co. The company then incorporated in 1946and changed its name again to Zephyr Manufacturing. The name,“Zephyr,” was chosen because of the name recognition associatedwith the company’s well known Zephyr Streamline broom.

Following Harry E. Lindstrom’s death in 1957, his son, RobertJ. “Bob” Lindstrom, became the company’s president. RobertLindstrom retired in 1982 after 35 years of service, and passed thepresidential mantle to his son, John Lindstrom.

Today, Zephyr makes a variety of industrial, institutional andsanitary cleaning tools, including wet and dust mops, brooms,brushes, handles, mopsticks, sponges, frames, squeegees andmore. The company’s customer base is almost exclusively distrib-utors and redistributors that service the sanitary supply and food-service industries.

Zephyr’s product offerings include a full line of microfiberproducts. The company is also committed to manufacturing greenproducts and offers a comprehensive green program. The Zephyr

Green+Pro™ Program offersproducts made from recycledplastic bottles and the company’slaminated bamboo handles areconstructed from bamboo thatrenews itself faster than wood.

“We have continued to expandour Green+Pro product line,”Lindstrom said. “Green hardfloor cleaning products are start-ing to show some traction.”

Lindstrom reported that busi-ness was “strong” in 2008.

Although the current economic downturn has affected businesssomewhat, Zephyr’s years of experience, quality products and rep-utation of providing the best in personalized customer service hasit well positioned to continue to grow.

“Having been in this business for more than 30 years myself, Iam not seeing things that I have not seen in other downturns,”Lindstrom said. “There are challenges brought to bear byincreased competitiveness and increased offshore pressure. Thesechallenges just come with the territory given the state of the econ-omy. Our thrust during this time is to work smart. Things are tightand they are going to be tight for awhile.

“There are challenges brought to bear byincreased competitiveness and increased

offshore pressure. These challenges justcome with the territory given the state

of the economy. Our thrust during this time is to work smart.”

JJoohhnn LLiinnddssttrroomm,, ZZeepphhyyrr MMaannuuffaaccttuurriinngg

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 10:59 AM

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

“Despite the current economy, the future is bright. Our family-owned company is embarking on its fourth generation of manage-ment,(R.J. Lindstrom, son of John and Pam Lindstrom recentlyjoined the company) and we are going to be around for a longtime.”

Contact: Zephyr Manufacturing Company, Inc., 200 Mitchell Road, Sedalia, MO 65301-2114. Phone: 660-827-0352; Fax: 660-827-0713.

Web site: www.zephyrmfg.com.E-mail: [email protected].

Carolina Mop Company, of Anderson, SC, was foundedin 1945 by Mr. and Mrs. Teasley A. Moorhead and hasmaintained its commitment to producing the

highest quality floor care tools possible at competitiveprices with fast, efficient service.

For more than six decades, Carolina Mop has been aleader in the use of technological and manufacturingadvances as well as a leader in innovative buying. Thecompany remains dedicated to quality, fair pricing andexcellent service.

“We are a mop and broom manufacturer. CarolinaMop services institutional, foodservice and jan/san dis-tributors,” said Vice President Jay Ritter. “Overall, sales were upin 2008 and we are not predicting any decrease in our annual salesrevenue for 2009.

“In today’s economy, there are some challenges. People arebeing cautious about how they are spending their money. It pres-

ents some challenges when people are carrying less inventory,thereby potentially not ordering as much.

“Nonetheless, business has been good. We have been able tooffset a little weakening of demand with new products. We arecontinuing to target new avenues of growth, including new cus-tomers.”

Carolina Mop is poised to release its new catalog in about twomonths, in which it will unveil a new full line of microfiber clean-ing tools and products.

“We are also introducing a full line of certified green products,”Ritter said. “There is definitely an emphasis on green cleaning inthe jan/san industry. Many distributors are stressing green andthey want to make sure their manufacturers are on board with that

concept as well.” Establishing and maintaining close, personal relationships with

its customers is a high priority at Carolina Mop. Customer serviceat the company means person-to-person contact. The company’smotto is: “We ensure you get exactly what you want.”

“A lot of business is done through relationships and we believemaintaining our relationships with customers is as important asletting them know about new products and services that are avail-able,” Ritter said. “We take care of our customers. We are notinterested in just short-term relationships — it is all about long-term relationships.”

In dealing with the state of the current worldwide economy,many customers are cutting down on inventory and are making aneffort to make their products last longer as part of a cost savingsmeasure.

In offering optimum service in this economy, Carolina Mop’scommitment to rapid turnaround times is especially important toits customers, especially those that are hesitant to maintain inven-tory.

“Turnaround times are an important part of customer service,”Ritter said. “One of our strengths is being cost-efficient for ourdistributors, as well as offering 70 years of expertise in manufac-turing. We also offer cleaning programs to our distributors at verycompetitive prices.”

Another way Carolina Mop makes sure its customers get exact-ly what they want is by using top-notch machinery in its manufac-turing operation.

“We are competing in a global economy. We are competing withevery country in the world,” Ritter said. “To differentiate our-selves from the competition, we are technologically on top ofthings. There is a higher up-front cost to purchase the appropriatemachinery, but in the long-term, automation is going to cut costsand ensure efficiency.”

When asked about the future of the mop industry as whole,Ritter said he expects the mop segment to continue to evolve with


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BROOM, BRUSH & MOP April 2009

new and innovative ways to clean floors. As for Carolina Mop’s future, Ritter said: “We are well posi-

tioned to continue to grow in this industry. We do things very effi-ciently here. The reputation and dependability we have establishedwith our current and prospective customers goes a long way. Weare well positioned for growth.”

Contact: Carolina Mop Company, P.O. Box 5072, Anderson, SC 29623.

Phone: 864-225-8351; Fax: 864-225-1917. Web site: www.carolinamop.com.E-mail: [email protected].

Business at Lafitte Mop Company, Inc., of Villa Rica,GA, began the year on the slow side, but has been pickingup steam since then, said Cathy Lafitte, who co-owns the

company with her husband, John.Lafitte Mop experienced “banner” years in 2006 and 2007, and,

while sales in 2008 weren’t as spectacular as in the previous twoyears, the year ended on the growth side.

While the flagging economy had some impact on sales, CathyLafitte attributed a large part of the slow down in sales at the endof 2008 to the presidential election cycle.

“We have been in business for so long that we are able to goback and track trends and, during an election year, sales are alwaysa little bit slower than normal during the fourth quarter,” Lafittesaid.

She attributed this phenomenon to the uncertainty many peoplemay feel about the outcome of a presidential election and how it

may affect their businesses.“There are all kinds of questions that come up during an elec-

tion. People are uncertain about what is coming. They are morecautious in their decision-making,” Lafitte said.

She added the company’s history shows that typically, especial-ly following a hotly contested election, sales during the first quar-ter of the ensuing year start slow and then pick up as the first quar-ter progresses.

“This is the way it has been. January started off very slow,February picked up and March just took off,” she said. “It is agood thing. It looks like everybody has sort of decided that we aregoing to be OK.”

Since 1974, Lafitte Mop Company has been a leader in the man-ufacturing and distribution of mops for industrial and commercialuse. The company features an array of styles of both wet and dustmops that have been developed for practicality, longevity and use-fulness.

Some of the company’s strengths, because of its smaller size,

“We have an edge in that we are able toturnaround special orders of products

that a customer cannot get from anyoneelse or to make a special product

that a customer needs quickly.”

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BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

April 2009 BROOM, BRUSH & MOP PAGE 11

are the ability to accomplish rapid turnarounds and to manufacturespecialty products.

“It is very difficult for a small company like ours to competewith imports from Asia and Mexico,” Lafitte said. “At LafitteMop, we have an edge in that we are able to turnaround specialorders of products that a customer cannot get from anyone else orto make a special product that a customer needs quickly.”

Lafitte Mop’s philosophy is that quality products and customerservice are its most important commodities.

“In the area of customer service, we give our customers the bestvalue for the dollar, which is especially important during a sloweconomy,” Lafitte said.

Lafitte explained that typically during a down economic cycle,customers tend to adjust in one of two ways.

“Some people tend to purchase a higher quality product whenthe economy is down because they want something that lasts a lit-tle longer,” she said “They might want to buy something that costsa little more, but it will last three of four times longer. It might bea little more of an expense up front, but, in the long run, customersreceive much more value; much more return on their dollars.”

On the other hand, some customers look only at pricing whileriding out a slow economy.

“The best thing to do is find a good fit for the customer, becauseall customers are different,” Lafitte said. “It depends on theirneeds. We make sure we are meeting the needs of every individ-ual customer.”

In these uncertain economic times, and with a new administra-tion in Washington, D.C., Lafitte said it is important for businesspeople to stay abreast on the latest political and economic devel-

opments.“We should communicate with our representatives at the feder-

al, state and local levels and remind them that small businesses arethe strength of this country,” she said.

Lafitte Mop is also a company that has embraced environmen-tally friendly products and practices.

“We started a new program last year in which we recycle ourpoly waste,” Lafitte said. “We try to do anything we can to helpthe environment. We do not just make green products, but weare also about becoming more environmentally conscience aswell.”

Current challenges notwithstanding, Lafitte is confident thecompany will continue to prosper.

“I expect Lafitte Mop to continue to thrive. We are a strongcompany and we have been in business a long time,” she said.“We enjoy what we do. We have a lot of good partners who workwith us and we are positioned well. We will be here.”

Contact: Lafitte Mop Company, Inc. 445 Industrial Court W., Villa Rica GA 30180.

Phone: 770-459-5966; Fax: 770-459-1116.Web site: www.lafittemop.com.

Hamburg, PA, home of Hamburg Industries, Inc., is inPennsylvania Dutch country, a region known for thework ethic of its people. It is this traditional work ethic

that has been the bedrock of Hamburg Industries’ success for morethan a century.

“The company has been located in the same town for all of its115-year history,” said Hamburg Industries President Richard

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

Stiller. “We have been in the wet mop business for about 9 yearsand it continues to grow each year. It is the driving force behindthis company.”

In addition to wet mops, Hamburg manufactures uprightbrooms and staple-set brushes. The company’s wet mop lineupincludes antimicrobial, cut end, deck, fantail, looped end,microfiber, sponge and more.

Hamburg Industries was estab-lished in 1894. During the 1950sand 1960s, as a result of purchas-ing several companies, Hamburgbecame one of the largest broomcorn companies in the region.

In the 1990s, Hamburg pur-chased two brush manufacturingcompanies and a wet mop manu-facturer. Another wet mop com-pany and another broom company were bought in 2006. All ofHamburg Industries’ acquisitions are housed at its headquarters inPennsylvania.

While Hamburg imports some commodity products, the largemajority of its manufacturing is done in the United States. Thecompany also offers private label mops and brooms, made to thecustomer’s specifications.

Hamburg’s varied product offering suits Stiller just fine.“We don’t want to be stuck in a niche. We try to diversify as

much as we can,” Stiller said. “Our main business is in the janitorsupply and industrial distribution market. We also distribute to theretail market and there are some specialty markets in which we do

business. We want to be as diversified as possible, especially intoday’s economy. We are always looking for new products andopportunities to purchase other companies.”

Another of Hamburg Industries’ strengths in differentiatingitself from the competition is a commitment to personalized cus-tomer service. For example, telephones at the company are

answered with a live person, aservice Stiller said customersappreciate. Hamburg also usesthe most modern machineryavailable in manufacturingmops, brushes and brooms. It isthe company’s state-of-the-artautomated machinery that makesit able to increase productivitywhile cutting labor costs — agood combination in today’s

marketplace.In speaking of challenges related to the current economic cli-

mate worldwide, Stiller said the company has made adjustmentsto remain competitive in the marketplace. In the near term, Stilleris worried about the possible onset of higher inflation.

“I think as the economy straightens itself out, we are going tostart seeing some inflation,” Stiller said. “That is going to be a bat-tle. I believe this recession is going to last longer than a year andthe battle will be to maintain profitability with inflation and reces-sion in place. This will not be easy to accomplish.”

Stiller is confident, however, the mop industry will continue tobe a viable segment. To take the industry into a successful future,Stiller said developing innovative products is key.

“The mop industry needs innovative products on both the indus-trial and retail sides,” Stiller said. “On the retail side, there havebeen innovative products introduced that have really hurt the salesof traditional mops.

“We must be innovative in product development and distribu-tion patterns and do those things that will help the mop industry.The turnover of mops is much greater than brooms and brushes,because they don’t last as long. Also, in the long-term, environ-mentally friendly products are going to become stronger andstronger.”

Contact: Hamburg Industries, Inc., 218 Pine St., Hamburg, PA 19526.

Phone: 610-562-3031; Fax: 610-562-0209.Web site: www.hamburgindustries.com.E-mail: [email protected].

Innovation and quality are not just buzzwords at ETC ofHenderson, Inc., of Henderson, NC, they are truly the foun-dational driving force behind the company’s success.

ETC, known for its GORILLA® floor pads, also manufacturesa complete line of mops and related janitorial products. The com-pany was founded in 1978 and became a mop manufacturer in1985, according to Vice President Gus Demetriades.

“Our mops and pads are 100 percent made in the United States,”Demetriades said. “Many of our products are patented and we arean innovator in all aspects of the janitorial industry.”

Among ETC’s patented products is the Great White® Lint FreeFinish Mop. Because of its design and yarn structure, this mop isable to facilitate a more even and efficient application of floor fin-


“The mop industry needs innovative products on both the industrial and

retail sides ... We must be innovative inproduct development and distribution

patterns and do those things that will help the mop industry.”

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ish, for example. The high tech filament yarn is also free of lint. Theabsence of lint means a finish will be smoother and stand up to trafficlonger, since there are fewer contaminates and surface blemishes.

As for ETC’s sales during the past several months while the economywas doing a nose dive, Demetriades said, “We weren’t burning any salesnumbers down, but it wasn’t bad.

“We are focusing on broadening our product lines and looking at otheropportunities out there that currently aren’t being filled. This is what wetypically do, regardless of the economic situation. We are always lookingfor ways to please our customers so they will want to work only with us.”

Offering quality products and services is another of ETC’s founda-tional principles. The company caters to professional janitors and clean-ing staffs by offering quality products that make it possible to do the jobquickly and efficiently.

“We are always focused on ways to take the load off the janitorialstaff, because they typically have a lot of work to do, especially duringa tough economy,” Demetriades said.

He added that during an economic slow period, many companiesemploy cost savings measures, which oftentimes means cleaning staffsare called upon to do more with less.

“One of the ways to do this is to spend a few more pennies on a high-er quality product in the first place, so you don’t have to constantly goback and order more,” Demetriades said. “We have seen in our studiesthat our high quality products save money because they are moredurable and efficient.

“If someone is looking at only short-term dollars, our price per casemay be slightly higher, but, in the long term, the consumer will savemoney by using a better product.”

Automation has been an important factor in ETC’s ability to manufac-ture high quality products. Not only does automation make it easier onworkers, but it also ensures a consistent product, Demetriades explained.

“You can make a quality mop by hand just the same as you can withan automated sewing machine,” he said. “But, with an automatedmachine, the operator is able to do the job quicker while maintaining ahigh level of quality and consistency.”

As the economy situation shakes out, Demetriades is optimistic aboutETC’s future, but is worried that imports are eroding the demand fordomestic products. Demetriades is also keeping an eye on the currentadministration’s economic policies in hopes that small businesses willnot experience tax increases that will facilitate price hikes down the road.

“Peopleareholdingtheirbreathwaitingtoseewhatisgoingtohappenwiththeeconomy,”Demetriadessaid.“I thinkpeoplewilldowhat theyhave todoon a daily basis. Companies that can hold inventory in stock and ship quick-ly — which we do — are going to get a majority of the business, becausemany manufacturers and distributors are afraid of holding inventory.

“A likely scenario is a customer will need a product and he or she willnot be able to get it from a particular source, or it will be a couple ofweeks before that product can be delivered. In such a case, there couldbe a cost for not holding inventory as the customer may go somewhere

“We are always focused on ways to take theload off the janitorial staff, because they

typically have a lot of work to do, especiallyduring a tough economy.”

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BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

else. On the other hand, there are costs associated with holdinginventory; therefore, the challenge is to strike the right balance.”

Contact: ETC of Henderson, Inc., 601 Wakefield Ave., Henderson, NC 27536.

Phone: 800-334-6651; Fax: 800-382-7237 (800-ETC-PADS). Web site: www.etcpads.com.

E-mail: [email protected].

Hagco Industries, of RiverFalls,WI, considers itself a smallcompany, but it has a large offering of about 30 types ofmicrofiber mops, as well as mop accessories and hardware.

According to the company’s CEO Tracy Hagberg, Hagco wasestablished in 1967 and entered the microfiber mop segment about15 years ago. The company’s business phi-losophy is “to understand and exceed ourclients’ expectations, build long-term rela-tionships and continuously review andimprove our products and service offerings.”

Since entering the microfiber mop mar-ketplace, Hagco has concentrated on becom-ing a world-class supplier of microfiberproducts with its expertise, innovative prod-ucts and excellent customer service.

“We only offer microfiber products. Weimport from Korea, China and Italy,” Hagbergsaid. “We have hardware and accessories thatgo along with our mops. We have many typesof mops from wire frame mops to velcro-backed mops. With our wide range of prod-ucts, we consider ourselves a one-stop shop.We have an economy line and a premium line.

“We also have a fantastic customer serv-ice staff, employing people to answer anyquestions a customer may have. We don’tcare if a customer calls 10 times a day.”

Microfiber products are designed to cleanefficiently with less effort and with the useof fewer chemicals. Microfiber productscan also be laundered hundreds of times.Therefore, hospitals, schools, commercialcleaners and other entities and individualsconcerned about the spread of bacteria andother environmental issues often favorthem. As a result, microfiber products areseen by many as important green cleaningtools. Indeed, Hagco’s motto is: “Go greenclean with Hagco Industries.”

“Business has been excellent,” Hagbergsaid. “Despite the bad economy, customerssuch as hospitals and schools still have tohave cleaning products. Microfiber is such abig part of green cleaning. It is the wave ofthe future as far as mopping is concerned.

“We pride ourselves on our lower pricing,same day shipping, and we have a large, in-house inventory. We are constantly seekingnewand improvedproducts toadd toour line.”

As the current economic crisis continuesto play out on the world stage, Hagberg is

confident that Hagco will continue to prosper.“With our pricing and our customer service, we are going to just

keep growing,” she said.Contact: Hagco Industries, Inc., 1052 N. Main St., River Falls,

WI 54022. Phone: 715-425-7994; Fax: 715-425-7992.Web site: www.hagcoultramicrofiber.com.

E-mail: [email protected].


“Despite the bad economy, customers suchas hospitals and schools still have to

have cleaning products.”

TTrraaccyy HHaaggbbeerrgg,, HHaaggccoo IInndduussttrriieess

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

By Harrell KerkhoffBroom, Brush & Mop Editor

Even with today’s downturn in the U.S. and worldeconomies, there were no shortages of products to show-case during the 2009 International Home & Housewares

Show, which is held annually at Chicago’s McCormick Place. While walking around the vast Housewares Show every year,

it’s always amazing to see the wide array of innovative productsfor the home — and this year was no exception. Among theseitems were various types of brushes, brooms, mops, squeegeesand related cleaning wares. Many of these products featuredmicrofiber and proclaimed to be environmentally friendly, thusmeeting today’s demands by retail partners and end-user con-sumers.

Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine talked with representatives ofsix well known companies that annually take part in theHousewares Show, held this year on March 22-24. These repre-sentatives not only highlighted new products that were beingintroduced, but discussed why attending such an event is soimportant for their respective companies.

A photo gallery featuring several Housewares Show exhibitorsfrom this year’s event begins on page 42.

Main objectives for Harper Brush Works representa-tives while exhibiting at the Housewares Show thisyear included that of meeting with current customers to

discuss various programs, trying to land new business and show-casing the company’s wide variety of products.

Harper Brush is a 108-year-old family-owned company head-quartered in Fairfield, IA. In addition to two plants in Fairfield,Harper also has manufacturing/distribution facilities in Stockton,CA, and Greenville, NC. These strategically located facilities putHarper within a 600 mile radius of all contiguous U.S. customers,allowing the company to provide quick and convenient service,according to Harper Brush Works President Barry Harper, agrandson of the company’s founder Alphonso K. "A.K." Harper.

Among the cleaning products manufactured and marketed byHarper Brush are pushbrooms, upright/angle brooms, cornbrooms, lobby brooms, deck brushes, scrub brushes, wash brush-

es, floor squeegees, handles, buckets, wringers, wet mops, dustmops, dustpans, feather dusters, lambswool dusters and variousmicrofiber products.

“Harper truly does offer a full line of cleaning tools to make thecleaning job easier — and a customer’s corner of the world awhole lot cleaner,” Barry Harper said.

Product lines that Harper Brush representatives highlighted atthe Housewares Show this year included a duster category that

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

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features ostrich and lambswool dusters, as well as new plasticinjection buckets.

“We feel there are some gaps in the market that we are trying toto fill and these products help us in this process,” Barry Harpersaid.

While at the Chicago show, Harper Brush also highlighted its

eco-friendly line of cleaning tools as more of today’s housewareconsumers seek “green” cleaning solutions. Harper Brush officialsare very interested in improving the company’s carbon footprintand providing customers with sustainable products.

“I think we can all agree that sustainability has established itselfas more than just a fad. People are not only looking for green prod-ucts, but companies themselves that are green in their operations,”Barry Harper said.

He added that Harper Brush has developed a Corporate Social

Responsibility initiative that not only pushes the company to pro-vide more green products to customers, but to also be more envi-ronmentally friendly in its manufacturing processes and tobecome more socially responsible within the community.

“We realize that ‘green’ does not happen overnight. It’s an ongo-ing process of becoming environmentally friendly and sociallyresponsible,” Barry Harper said.

Actions that Harper Brush have taken recently on the eco-friendly front include:

n In 2007, the company’s Fairfield production facility wasretro-fitted with fluorescent lighting, saving nearly 91,000 kilo-watt hours and reducing its energy bill by approximately $8,000per year. The environmental impact of this kilowatt savings is areduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 179,449 lbs/year; or theequivalent of 24 acres of trees, 224,311 vehicle miles saved, or 18cars off the road. In 2008, Harper Brush undertook a similar retro-fitting in its Greenville, NC, facility;

n Harper Brush is in the process of eliminating all solvent-based paints in its production processes and converting them towater-based paints;

n Company officials have encourage all employees to printdouble-sided, eliminating the amount of paper being used;

n Paper is recycled, along with magazines and cardboard; n Wood scraps are converted into mulch; n Recycled plastic fibers are being used in some of the compa-

ny’s broom and brush products; n Harper Brush is manufacturing a line of environmentally

friendly wet mops made with highly absorbent fiber created fromgreen plastic soda bottles;

n Bamboo is being used to make handles. Bamboo is actually agrass, but is as sturdy as many hardwood products used today.Bamboo can be harvested every three to five years, and is capableof complete regeneration without having to replant; and,

n Harper Brush supplies microfiber products that include dustmops, wet mops, cleaning cloths and dusters that require no chem-icals to clean thoroughly and efficiently.

In addition, Harper Brush supports its community by donatingto the development of local bike trails, eco ponds, playgrounds,community clean-ups and natural disaster relief efforts. The com-pany has also contributed toward a recycling program within theFairfield school district.

“Harper Brush is truly committed to making our environ-ment a priority. Our plan is to make sound business decisions


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that positively impact our world, our environment, our com-munity and our work place,” Barry Harper said. “An improvedcarbon footprint, and better sustainability through alternativematerials and processes will continue to be part of Harper’sfuture.”

He added that Harper Brush is currently preparing a “next gen-eration” of environmentally friendly products that focus on renew-able resources in order to minimize the depletion of world finitenatural resources.

“We are seeing more requests come through for environmen-tally friendly products. More retail outlets are responding torequests from their customers and devoting more shelf spaceto these environmentally friendly items,” Barry Harper said.“One of the issues in the past has been that the cost to pro-duce an environmentally friendly product was higher, andmany consumers were not willing to pay the additional price.It’s Harper’s desire to develop environmentally friendly prod-ucts that will not carry an increased cost to the consumer,while also providing the consumer with equal or improvedperformance.”

Harper Brush officials realize that the company is still in thebeginning of its sustainable initiative, and are working with suppli-ers to develop products that will convert post-consumer and post-industrial waste into products that provide improved value to theconsumer. The company plans to launch these products in 2009.

According to Barry Harper, providing durable, quality prod-ucts that last longer and have a perceived “value proposition”are main strengths for the company. Creating a work environ-

ment that treats the customer with “world class service” is alsovital.

“Our products are purpose-built to tackle everything from lightdust and gravel, to liquids and sludge. Every cleaning tool is ‘pro-perfected’ — built for specific debris and cleaning surfaces,”Barry Harper said. “We work closely with professionals in a vari-ety of industries — from large industrial facilities and machineshops, to retail stores and small businesses — to develop productsthat make the cleaning job quicker and easier. We use this knowl-edge and expertise to strengthen our entire product line, in everymarket and application.”

He explained that Harper Brush primarily targets the industri-al/commercial/professional customer. These products then roll-over into the homeowner who wants to emulate the pro.

As for the near future is concerned, Barry Harper acknowledgethat current economic conditions make for a tough working envi-ronment.

“It’s a different business climate than what we have had in thepast. Retailers are making adjustments and, therefore, as a suppli-er, we also must make adjustments,” Barry Harper said.“However, I’m an optimist and feel that by the fourth quarter ofthis year we will see (the economy) a little stronger as more con-sumers desire to spend money. Consumer confidence is a littlesoft right now as there are a lot of uncertainties.”

Contact: Harper Brush Works, Inc., 400 N. Second St., Fairfield, IA 52556.

Phone: 641-472-5186; Fax: 641-472-3187. Web Site: www.harperbrush.com.

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM


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The Housewares Show is often a perfect setting to helplaunch new product lines, which is exactly what officialsrepresenting Unger Industrial did this year. One such

launch was with the company’s new Neat Home by Unger line ofitems.

According to Unger Industrial Vice President of RetailMarketing Jeremy Jones, this line is particularly targetedtoward high-end grocery retailers, with each item finished in awineberry color that fits in with many of today’s home furnish-ings. The Neat Home by Unger range currently consists of 17products that include those used for window care, floor care anddusting.

“This line incorporates a ‘Connect & Clean system,’ whichincludes telepole attachments. There is a choice of four telepolelengths to fit various cleaning heads,” Jones said.

Another new product highlighted by Unger Industrial inChicago was the company’s microfiber Cover & Clean. This isessentially a microfiber sock that fits over an existing spongemop head, instantly converting the sponge mop into a microfibermop.

“With this product, end-users have all the benefits ofreusability, washability and improved performance. It can beused on all kinds of hard floors by simply pulling the drawstring to tighten (the sock) around the mop head, making for aperfect microfiber tool,” Jones said. “When the job is finished,the end-user can take the sock off the mop head to be washedand used again.”

Those visiting the Unger Industrial booth at this year’s

Housewares Show also were able to see the company’s newmicrofiber ceiling fan duster. The microfiber cover on this prod-uct can be removed and washed for multiple uses. The dusterfeatures a c-shape design to cover both sides of a ceiling fan atonce.

“Instead of brushing dust off the fan and into the room, thisproduct grabs the dust. It’s much more hygienic and also lasts a lot

longer,” Jones said. “Our ceiling fan duster is also designed for thewider fan blades that are becoming popular.”

Other products featured at the Housewares Show from UngerIndustrial that help people “reach” included a new bulb changerthat can properly wrap around compact fluorescent light (CFL)bulbs, and the Nifty Nabber Plus.

“The Nifty Nabber Plus includes the performance qualities of

“People still need to clean. Arguably,people clean more during these times

because they are not spending asmuch on more expensive products.

They become more conservative and cautious about the assets

that they already own.”

Jeremy Jones, Unger Industrial

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM

our Nifty Nabber that is well estab-lished in hardware distribution, but isdirected toward the housewares mar-ket,” Jones said. “It features a softerdesign, rotating head and a magnetbuilt into the tip so a person can pickup such things as car keys on theground. And yet, the Nifty Nabber Plusstill features the same grabbing performance of the Nifty Nabber.”

Part of Unger Industrial’s focus at this year’s HousewaresShow was to extend distribution with certain retailers that thecompany identified as being appropriate for certain brands thatUnger supplies. For example, by launching the Neat Home byUnger brand, the company is targeting a different segment of themarketplace, that of fashion-forward, trend-forward females,Jones explained.

“Unger’s heritage stems from professional cleaning tools.Therefore, many of our products naturally gravitate toward hard-ware distribution and home centers. With Neat Home by Unger,however, the company now offers a complementary brand,” Jonessaid.

Looking ahead for the remainder of 2009 and beyond, Jonessaid the major categories in which Unger Industrial competes arenot as effected by the current economic recession as other types ofbusinesses.

“Obviously, we are not talking about luxury items. Also, peoplestill need to clean. Arguably, people clean more during these timesbecause they are not spending as much on more expensive prod-ucts. They become more conservative and cautious about theassets they already own,” Jones said. “The categories that Ungerworks in are quite resilient, although they are impacted somewhatby the recession.”

He added that all companies must work harder these days toprovide justification for people to spend their hard earned money.This is were innovation comes into play.

“A lot of the products that we (at Unger Industrial) are focus-ing on now are microfiber-based. This means they are consideredgreen, are high performers and feature durability. Therefore, thereis an economic benefit involved,” Jones said. “For example, withour new Cover & Clean, instead of constantly replacing sponges,a person can now use this new product that will last muchlonger.”

Contact: Unger Industrial, LLC, 425 Asylum St., Bridgeport, CT 06610.

Phone: 203-336-3344; Fax: 203-336-2644. Web site: www.ungerglobal.com.

Reporting that business has been up as of late despitetoday’s current economic conditions was QuickieManufacturing Corporation Vice President - New

Product Development Jason Gold. As a yearly exhibitor atthe Housewares Show, Quickie annually displays varioustypes of brushes, mops, brooms and other cleaning aids at itsbooth.

“Our business has increased as (Quickie) strives to create prod-uct excitement,” Gold said. “We work to bring something freshand new to the Housewares Show. There has to be a reason for usto be here, to excite buyers and to create something good for con-sumers.

“It’s important to be able to answer such questions as: ‘Why doI need a new mop? Why do I need a new broom? What is so spe-cial about this brush that I must add it to my household cleaningtools?’”

Among the items the company showcased in Chicago was anew Lysol®-branded cleaning tool line. This collectionincludes various types of brushes, sponges and other multi-pur-pose tools. Gold added that there is a natural understanding bymost consumers for the Lysol® brand, and that even thoughthis brand has been around for quite awhile, Quickie hashelped make it fresh and new in the household cleaning toolcategory.

According to Gold, product innovation is very important toQuickie. In fact, the company was founded nearly 60 years agowith the creation of the Automatic® Sponge Mop.

“Since then, there has been one innovation after the next forour company. Innovation is the centerpiece of our growth byalways striving for something fresh and new,” Gold said. “Thisis embodied in the new Lysol® line. Every piece of this line,from the moment you touch it, feels special. It functions in aunique way. It may be a small thing, but there is always that


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“It’s important to be able to answer such questionsas: ‘Why do I need a new mop? Why do I need a new

broom? What is so special about this brush that Imust add it to my household cleaning tools?’”

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BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM


difference.”Another popular product category for Quickie that Gold spoke

about was cleaning items that include anti-microbial features. Hesaid that even in a down market, Quickie is experiencing “spectac-ular growth” within this category.

“There is that assurance that a mom knows, when she goes touse a cleaning tool again, that it’s not going to be covered in moldor have bacteria growing. There is a comfort level that is drivingthis business,” Gold explained.

Providing proper customer service is also important atQuickie. This includes a 1-800 numberfor better service options and a detailedWeb site that is a central focus for bothconsumers and retailers alike. While onthe Web site, visitors can view the fullbreadth of the company’s product lineup,see how to properly use products andreceive helpful tips and suggestions.

“We are very customer service oriented.From a supplier standpoint, our fill rate is around 99.5 percent ona continuous basis. We are a supplier that retailers can count on —day in and day out,” Gold said. “The future is always bright forhousehold cleaning. It’s something that people need, and it makesthem feel good about their homes.”

Contact: Quickie Manufacturing Corporation, 1150 Taylors Lane, P.O. Box 156, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077.

Phone: 856-829-7900; Fax: 856-829-1369. Web site: www.quickie.com.

The ability to showcase its entire cleaning product lineup isa major draw of the Housewares Show for Butler HomeProducts, an annual exhibitor at the event.

“We use this show to feature our products and put our best footforward with existing as well as prospective customers,” ButlerHome Products Vice President of Marketing MichaelSilverman said.

The Housewares Show also provides Butler Home Products andother suppliers the luxury that can’t always be found during thenormal business day — time and space.

“When meeting with a retailer attheir office, we are often very limit-ed to what products we can bringand how we can show them,”Silverman explained. “At this show,however, we are able to better pro-vide the vision as to what we thinka particular category can do andhow we feel it can best be present-ed.”

Butler Home Products offers avariety of cleaning-related prod-ucts to the housewares industry.This includes different types ofbrushes, brooms, mops, scrubbrushes and scrubber sponges. Thecompany has greatly benefitedfrom its relationship with Proctor& Gamble and its license to sellMr. Clean® and Dawn® branded

products.Among Butler Home Products’ new introductions at the

Housewares Show this year was the Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser®

Extra Power Mop, which is the fourth in Butler’s Magic Eraser®

series. “This product uses a patented extra power material which is a

compressed sponge. It’s 50 percent stronger in its cleaning prop-erties and it will last 50 percent longer than an existing spongeduring the same type of use. Therefore, it’s a stronger cleaning

product that also will last longer,” Silverman said. “The MagicEraser® Extra Power Mop is a nice addition to the Magic Eraser®

family.”Silverman added that Butler has launched the Mr. Clean®

Cham-it Twist Mop as well, made of synthetic chamois material.This product will hold 12 times its weight in water as it enjoyshigh absorbency features.

“It will move from one spill to another very easily and has anew self-ratcheting mechanism, making it easier to use than a tra-ditional twist mop,” Silverman said.

Butler Home Products is also introducing a 15-inch x 15-inchsquare cloth to help clean spills. The cloth is reusable as it can bewashed.

Another cleaning item that was introduced at the show by ButlerHome Products was the Mr. Clean® Magic Reach®, a product thatwas originally launched by Proctor & Gamble.

“It’s a bathroom cleaning product that features two different dis-posable pads, one for mopping and one for scrubbing. It has a soft,football-shaped head that allows the user to get around the bath-room better,” Silverman said. “(Proctor & Gamble) currently

“It’s important that we cover all of the bases andare a one-stop shop. It’s all about providing a ‘value’ relationship in a tough economy.”

Michael Silverman, Butler Home Products

Leading designers, trendspotters and marketers discussed new products and ideas at the International Home and Housewares Show’s Design Theater at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM


offers this product for retail in the cleaning chemicals aisle.However, (Butler Home Products) is bringing it into the mop andbroom sect, where the real estate (in a retail store) has a differentmeasurement for success.

“This is another product that we (Butler) are acquiring from theP & G library of products. The first was the Dawn® Power DishBrush, which Butler has been very successful in repositioning intothe mop and broom sect.”

Butler Home Products also featured another product launch atthe Housewares Show, which was an extension of its microfiberprogram.

“We are launching two new microfiber flat mops that can beused wet or dry. They feature two different materials. One is a che-nille material that offers a little more surface area, and the other isa traditional European-style flat mop,” Silverman said. “We havealso upgraded the microfiber head on our existing hard-surfacefloor cleaner. The acceptance of microfiber by consumers has def-initely expanded over time.”

He added that Butler Home Products is also offering a pivotinghand duster that features chenille microfiber material.

By introducing so many new products and solutions to thecleaning field, Silverman said the focus of Butler HomeProducts is to expand the company’s reach within its existingcategory.

“We have also created a number of new display opportunitiesfor people who don’t carry our products everyday,” Silvermanexplained.

Butler Home Products is continuing its partnership with theNational Breast Cancer Foundation as well. For this program,Butler offers pink cleaning products that are co-branded betweenthe company and the Foundation. Butler then donates a percentageof these product sales to help fund research.

“This has been a nice seasonal promotion for our customers anda good way to give back to a cause that has touched so manylives,” Silverman said.

Looking ahead, officials at Butler Home Products know thatdespite a down economy in many areas of the country, people stillneed to clean their homes and use quality products in the process.Silverman noted that during a tough economy, there is a tendencyby many people to spend more time at home, and thus the need fora cleaner home is often greater.

“It’s therefore important that we offer a broad range of prod-ucts that help in the cleaning task. (Butler Home Products)features many products for the value consumer,” Silvermansaid.

He added the company strives to offer different products for theexisting supermarket, drugstore and mass merchant class of trade.

“There is a ‘good, better, best’ offering that we provide. (Butler)can hit every price point and solve any cleaning chore that needsto be done. It’s important that we cover all of the bases and are aone-stop shop,” he said. “It’s all about providing a ‘value’ relation-ship in a tough economy and what we are able to offer within ourpartnership with Proctor & Gamble — both through quality prod-ucts and through joint promotions featuring Mr. Clean® andDawn® brands.”

Contact: Butler Home Products, LLC, 237 Cedar Hill Rd., Marlborough, MA 01752.

Phone: 508-597-8000; Fax: 508-597-8010. Web site: www.TheButler.com.

Being able to meet customers one-on-one while also show-casing its entire breadth of cleaning products are twomain reasons Freudenberg Household Products (FHP

O-Cedar®) attends the Housewares Show every year. The com-pany also focuses on its strong association with the O-Cedar®

retail brand during the three-day Chicago event. “The Housewares Show presents a chance for customers to see

our entire line of products and for us to share promotional items,”FHP O-Cedar® U.S. Marketing Director Art Wilde said. “It’simportant to really drive home key points that we have been mak-ing to customers throughout the year — showing how O-Cedar®

has come together and brings value that they are looking for tobetter help their own customers.”

While exhibiting at the Housewares Show, FHP O-Cedar®

highlighted the company’s new Scrub Fresh® toilet bowelbrush and caddie system. This product allows the end-user tospray the toilet bowl brush with cleaner while still enclosed inthe system.

“What is unique about this product is that it’s all hygienic—everything from the bristles on the brush to the spray,”Wilde said. “The brush features hygienic silver ion bristleswhich are anti-microbial. There are also two types of bristlesinvolved — short firm bristles and longer soft bristles. Thisbrush includes a rim cleaner, which allows the product to bet-ter clean the whole toilet.”

The O-Cedar® Scrub Fresh® product includes child protec-tion twist and lock features to help protect children from thecleaning spray. Scrub Fresh® is also uniquely packaged and ispart of a 2-foot hygienic sect that includes not only refills butsmall ware items. All are hygienic for a variety of reasons,Wilde said.

He added that microfiber is the fastest growing segment when itcomes to mopping equipment. Therefore, FHP O-Cedar® hastaken some of its existing items and upgraded them withmicrofiber. This includes the O-Cedar® Every-Which-Way dustmop.

“This product has been available for a long time. It swivels andincludes a flexible head to clean next to base boards. Now it’s alsomade with microfiber, which helps trap and grab dirt better,”Wilde explained. “The O-Cedar® Hardwood Floor ‘N More® Mophas also been around a long time but we have added a plushermicrofiber material that includes cleaning zones to reach tougherdirt.”

Wilde also mentioned the O-Cedar® Microfiber Flip Mop®,which, as its name suggests, is a two-sided microfiber mop. Aperson can use one side, flip it over, and then use the other sidewhile cleaning. This product is designed to work in both dry

“We are doing things that suggest toconsumers that (FHP O-Cedar®) is intouch with who they are, what they

are looking for and making their liveseasier as it relates to cleaning.”

Art Wilde, FHP O-Cedar®

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and wet cleaning settings and includes a velcro removable fea-ture to allow for the head material to be washed and reusedmany times.

According to Wilde, microfiber continues to expand as a popu-lar feature in cleaning, noting that there are different grades ofmicrofiber to consider. The use of microfiber also helps companiessuch as FHP O-Cedar® provide more eco-friendly items for retailpartners and ultimate end-users.

“There are a lot of companies introducing environmentallyfriendly products. What we have learned is that consumerslove these eco-friendly benefits, but are not willing to give upperformance or pay a higher price. Therefore, we are putting(eco-friendly features) into our base products. This gives cus-tomers another reason to purchase these products on top of thequality performances they are already getting and expect,”Wilde said.

These “green” features include fibers on FHP O-Cedar® prod-ucts that are made from recycled plastic bottles, blocks made fromrecycled plastic, the use of natural broom corn for brooms, and theuse of cotton strands for mops that come from almost 100 percentpost-industrial material.

According to Wilde, the company will continue to expand itseco-friendly focus in the future. It’s important that company offi-cials look at different ways to use Earth-friendly materials whennot only making products, but when choosing packaging optionsas well.

Two specific promotions arealso very important to the com-pany. It’s partnering with theBreast Cancer Network ofStrength, donating part of itsproceeds from sales on a num-ber of specific cleaning items tothis organization. Wilde saidconsumers responded very wellto this partnership in 2008 andexpects the same to hold truefor 2009.

“Just like O-Cedar® helps to make people’s lives easier, theBreast Cancer Network of Strength helps people who have breastcancer today and who can’t wait for a cure tomorrow. It’s been agreat partnership,” he said.

In an effort to further stress the positive side of cleaning, thecompany is also partnering with the online music store eMusic tooffer consumers 50 free downloadable songs with a purchase of abroom or mop.

“We are doing things that suggest to consumers that (FHPO-Cedar®) is in touch with who they are, what they are look-ing for and making their lives easier as it relates to cleaning,”Wilde said. “The goal is to help take away the drudgery ofcleaning.”

Keeping current with new product innovations also remains avital part of business for the company. Wilde said innovation ulti-mately helps make consumers’ lives better.

“That is what consumers are looking for, whether it’s bring-ing out something completely new like Scrub Fresh® whichtakes a simple item and adds value-added features in an intu-itive way; or continuing to make current products relevant,”

Wilde said. “It’s important that we are always upgrading,which is why consumers stick with us. This all helps us buildbrand loyalty.

“The O-Cedar® Big Easy® Butterfly Sponge Mop is a goodexample of our innovation. We took the basic butterfly mop andrestaged it to a product that is more contemporary, while adding ascrubber brush. It’s also very easy to wring.”

During today’s economic struggles, Wilde added that consumerstend to stick with tried-and-true brand names.

Contact: Freudenberg Household Products, 505 N. Railroad Ave., Northlake, IL 60164. Phone: 708-452-4100; Fax: 708-452-9968.

Web site: www.ocedar.com.

Promoting brand awareness was a major objective of KleenMaid representatives during the 2009 Housewares Show.The company is a cleaning products importer and manufac-

turing agent, supplying various types of brushes and related itemsto different levels of retail including: mass, grocery, hardware, cat-alog, drug and department stores.

Additionally, the company provides unique merchandising andpromotional solutions that help drive key seasonal and impulsesales at the retail level.

Kleen Maid is also involved in the licensing of well knownbrands Goodyear®, Goodyear® Racing and Spic and Span®.

These brands are for the auto-motive care and cleaning cate-gories, respectively.

“We have just developednew product lines and arenew to the market underthese brand names. We hopeto gain greater awareness forthese brands,” Kleen Maidrepresentative Sean Soloukisaid during the HousewaresShow. “Kleen Maid supplies

products that we feel offer great value and pricing for suchplaces as supermarkets, drugstores, mass merchants and dollarstores.”

Among the products the company highlighted at thisyear’s Housewares Show was its new Spic and Span®

multi-purpose dusters, which Solouki said are everyday-useitems that are priced well and offer great quality. They canbe used for such tasks as cleaning computer keyboards andfurniture.

Along with providing well known products and brands,Solouki said Kleen Main officials also focus on providing top-of-the-line customer service. He added that business for thecompany has been good as of late despite the current U.S.recession.

“We have actually been increasing business due to our brandsand our pricing. People still need to clean, and many are attractedto our lower-end price points,” Solouki said.

Contact; Kleen Maid, 6015 Randolph St., Commerce, CA 90040.

Phone: 323-581-3000; Fax: 323-581-3991. Web site: www.kleenmaidinc.com.

“We have just developed new productlines and are new to the marketunder (different) brand names.

We hope to gain greater awareness for these brands.”

Sean Solouki, Kleen Maid

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Malish Introduces New Recyclable, Three-In-One Versa-Scrub Green®

The Malish Corporation, a globaldesigner and manufacturer of floormachine and surface cleaning brushes andaccessories, is going “green” with theintroduction of its newest product — the100 percent recyclable, three-in-one Versa-Scrub Green.

This product includes two components:a green plastic block and an attachablescrub brush (sold separately). Both compo-nents are 100 percent recyclable. Thebrush has fusion-welded, chemical-resist-ant polypropylene bristles and neither thebrush nor the block contain metal parts.

The three-in-one feature of the Versa-ScrubGreenacceptsastandard threadedhan-dle that allows for scrubbing, scouring andother types of cleaning through the use of dif-ferent cleaning tools. The brush attachmentfeatures an easy snap-in, snap-out function.

The Versa-Scrub Green block featuresmolded-in "hooks" which allow the blockto "grab" a standard scrub pad and/ormicrofiber pad attachments. The block ofthis cleaning tool includes a swivel actionfor easier accessibility to difficult cleaningareas such as curvatures in shower stalls,behind toilets, equipment and machines.

The improved swivel design resists break-age to ensure optimal use and durability ofthe Versa-Scrub Green.

For more information on this product,contact Stacey Pfeifer, customerservice/marketing manager, at 440-510-7142, or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Handi-Brush™Designed For

Upholstery GroomingUpholstery fabrics have undergone dra-

matic changes in fiber, texture and weave inthe past few years. Microfiber has becomeone of the main fabrics of choice.Meanwhile, it’s difficult to find Haitian cot-ton anymore. Velvets are rare, too.

The Handi-Brush™ from GroomIndustries is designed as an upholsterygrooming and agitation brush for almostevery application. It safely agitates presprayinto natural and synthetic fabrics, and it’s agood pile setting or finishing tool formicrofiber and other modern fabrics. Theflip side of the brush makes for a good spot-ting agitation tool. Best of all, it is a solidpet hair removing tool for upholstery.

The Handi-Brush is available from manyindustry distributors. For more information,visit www.groomindustries.com or call 800-397-3759.

Groom Industries was founded in 1973by Bernie Erickson, who recognized thatprofessional carpet cleaners lacked theproper tools for preparing carpet beforecleaning and then grooming after cleaning.

In 1972 he designed the Grandi-Groom®.This tool helped set the standard for carpetgrooming within the professional carpetcleaning industry.

On-Time Delivery Reaches 99-Plus Percent Rate At Malish

The Malish Corporation, a designer andmanufacturer of floor machine and surfacecleaning brushes, has adopted a newmotto,"99 percent on time in 2009," for itsprompt shipping and delivery policy.

Malish achieved on-time delivery 98.89percent of the time in 2008, and has sur-passed this figure (99.36 percent) thus farin 2009. The Malish Corporation nowguarantees shipping on all catalog orderswithin 24 hours and in many cases, thesame day. Orders are reaching their desti-nation "on-time" 99 percent of the time.

"This is a team effort," Malish Vice

President of Sales and Marketing FredLombardi said. "We could not haveattained this kind of delivery record with-out the complete dedication of everyone inmanufacturing, shipping and customerservice."

The Malish Corporation brings over 60years of experience and expertise in thebrush industry. The "Malish Means More"initiative, which began in 2008, focuses onbringing more customer service and moreon-time deliveries to customers.

Visit www.malish.com for more informa-tion.

Wooster Re-engineers PaintbrushWith New Alpha Line

New Alpha™ professional paintbrushesfrom The Wooster Brush Company create afine finish due to the Wooster-exclusive fil-ament blend featuring Micro Tip™ tech-nology.

The new brush delivers better paintingresults with less effort — making it a leaderin production efficiency. Designed to carrymore paint in the end of the brush, Alphaallows coatings to flow evenly to the work-ing surface and avoids the inconvenienceof dripping. Alpha releases paint easilywithout needing to push as hard on thebrush.

While Wooster is known for preciselytapered brush design, Alpha has a fuller endthat still makes the sharpest lines for supe-

rior cut-in con-trol. Alpha alsocleans quicklyand easily whenpainting is done.

Wooster Alphabrushes are madefor use with all paints and are available inangle sash, thin angle sash, flat sash, var-nish, semioval and wall styles. Each brushhas a stainless steel ferrule and a sealedmaple wood handle. Look for the maroonand gold packaging with the “A” seal.

Alpha professional brushes are availableat traditional paint and decorating centers,hardware stores, and paint sundry distribu-tors or retailers.

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Toothbrush, Paintbrush Imports Down, Exports Up During First 11 Months Of 2008


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Foreign Merchandise1404902000 Broomcorn (Sorghum Vulgare Var. Technicum)Used Primarily In Brooms Or In Brushes, Whether or Not

In Hanks or BundlesDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/Ton Value Net Q/Ton ValueCanada 44 108,131U King 1 2,575Switzld 1 3,409TOTAL 46 114,115

9603100000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or OtherVegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 317 9,470 7,590 291,930Mexico 360 11,867U King 352 11,609France 50 6,276Italy 1,365 44,994India 256 61,301China 2,184 72,000Hg Kong 601 19,823Taiwan 32 22,261 76 52,852TOTAL 349 31,731 12,834 572,652

9603210000 Toothbrushes, Incl. Dental-Plate BrushesDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 1,447,231 1,197,261 13,857,271 12,475,542Mexico 134,496 24,100 539,700 190,685Salvadr 3,456 2,848Jamaica 582 7,559 8,010 44,316Dom Rep 8,472 17,345Barbado 5,184 4,272Colomb 1,368 4,993Paragua 240 3,358U King 786 3,849Nethlds 296,316 64,189France 8,545 13,870Fr Germ 69,108 36,037Spain 518,724 44,103Portugl 521 2,553Italy 1,329 6,511Israel 23,988 28,786Singapr 77,016 30,615 582,263 194,210China 151,937 23,670Kor Rep 113,040 41,428Hg Kong 20,380 18,856Taiwan 13,248 5,463 92,808 32,443Japan 5,800 2,784Austral 210,414 90,865TOTAL 1,672,573 1,264,998 16,519,660 13,347,513

9603290000 Shaving Brushes, Hairbrushes, Nail Brushes,Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use On The Person

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 294,744 190,245 2,410,193 2,733,984Mexico 12,303 14,711 1,338,993 846,803Colomb 358 3,273Ecuador 128 5,379Brazil 30,768 88,356U King 6,476 49,858Ireland 5,232 4,844 5,232 4,844

Nethlds 1,400 21,700France 3,738 34,191 42,250 433,850Fr Germ 5,403 62,930 27,388 352,652Poland 51 9,487 1,443 22,215Spain 2,820 2,577 2,820 2,577Malta 2,748 3,514Arab Em 3,954 5,676 31,457 35,997Singapr 389 3,553Indnsia 347 3,171Kor Rep 1,800 3,627Japan 413 4,027 32,405 297,608Austral 2,966 4,044TOTAL 328,658 328,688 3,939,561 4,917,005

9603300000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes and Similar Brushesfor the Application of Cosmetics

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 294,803 960,931 3,939,686 12,621,183Mexico 37,540 89,591 928,017 3,089,136Guatmal 701 2,586Venez 2,162 7,976Ecuador 1,032 3,492Chile 4,884 18,019Brazil 98,823 191,961Argent 757 2,794 56,347 94,150Sweden 18,990 62,687 140,451 546,844Norway 15,129 66,892Denmark 7,425 34,068U King 20,647 76,488 409,095 1,549,950Ireland 360 2,810Nethlds 1,590 3,151 38,279 303,380Belgium 16,395 60,493 322,160 1,194,966France 251,886 961,794Fr Germ 58,976 133,612Czech 8,776 14,576Switzld 11,650 42,987 93,605 345,362Poland 714 2,634Russia 30,145 66,721 585,954 1,569,948Ukraine 7,272 18,658 100,711 358,289Kazakhs 84,207 157,377Moldova 30,121 37,758Spain 10,869 10,759Italy 2,700 7,656 37,510 174,470Greece 2,040 4,465 2,040 4,465Turkey 2,790 14,567 25,475 127,217Israel 1,296 2,880Arab Em 10,858 40,063India 2,301 8,490Thailnd 5,600 7,655 16,654 67,134Malaysa 10,286 20,793Singapr 4,310 15,905 35,027 129,235Indnsia 2,106 7,769Phil R 1,696 6,257China 5,244 19,350 42,432 193,202Kor Rep 3,580 13,207 75,654 292,310Hg Kong 3,096 15,278 40,257 157,579Taiwan 23,460 81,608Japan 19,639 72,187 342,599 1,150,400Austral 440 3,341 193,442 527,612Rep Saf 14,859 65,916TOTAL 489,228 1,558,112 8,068,322 26,376,922

9603402000 Paint RollersDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 4,165 9,608 184,834 409,831Mexico 16,254 32,092 262,899 669,115U King 1,023 33,863Belgium 1,542 27,074Fr Germ 336 5,890China 4,048 71,054Hg Kong 827 17,220

EXPORTSDecember Exports By Country

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Taiwan 256 4,494 528 9,273Austral 34,769 66,540N Zeal 384 3,136TOTAL 20,675 46,194 491,190 1,312,996

9603404020 Paint PadsDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 25,291 47,646 197,442 387,848Fr Germ 2,100 5,991China 13,636 96,797Hg Kong 13,836 40,906Japan 27 3,785TOTAL 25,291 47,646 227,041 535,327

9603404050 Paint, Distemper, Varnish or Similar Brushes(Except Brushes of 9603.30)

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 1,288 26,731 49,187 769,905Mexico 928 19,249 10,389 199,097Guatmal 590 12,248Hondura 4,642 96,290Chile 164 3,401Uruguay 276 3,450U King 1,003 44,177Nethlds 288 5,979France 1,399 36,664 2,088 50,964Fr Germ 1,020 21,134Italy 483 10,015Singapr 20 3,398 645 20,347China 221 8,821Hg Kong 546 9,258Taiwan 290 6,000Japan 295 6,117TOTAL 3,635 86,042 72,127 1,267,203

9603900000 Hand-Operated Mechanical Floor Sweepers,Not Motorized, Mops & Feather Dusters; Prepared Knots & Tufts

For Broom or Brush Making, NESOIDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 33,004 374,381 635,374 7,038,674Mexico 12,299 171,153 97,450 1,094,426Salvadr 218 3,539C Rica 1,002 16,250Jamaica 667 12,212Dom Rep 1,263 20,487Colomb 592 9,603Chile 3,009 42,417Brazil 1,310 24,262Iceland 68 2,815Sweden 1,764 14,867Norway 1,146 10,276Finland 1,064 9,305Denmark 142 7,623 1,302 18,949U King 1,256 25,439 11,207 145,469Ireland 402 3,767Nethlds 2,618 38,590Belgium 715 11,366 1,058 19,505France 377 17,046 17,122 169,585Fr Germ 1,258 68,071 26,522 339,235Austria 281 4,565Czech 637 5,953 637 5,953Hungary 709 9,161Russia 541 5,816Spain 544 4,196Italy 120 2,929Greece 254 4,115Turkey 403 8,751Israel 100 4,500S Arab 500 8,088Qatar 50 2,502 100 5,004

Arab Em 1,142 7,101Thailnd 400 2,636Singapr 602 5,180Phil R 508 2,540China 3,950 64,094Japan 290 4,705 2,296 18,442Austral 15,503 206,006N Zeal 3,096 19,141Rep Saf 702 11,389TOTAL 50,028 688,239 837,546 9,433,840

Domestic Merchandise1404902000 Broomcorn (Sorghum Vulgare Var. Technicum)Used Primarily In Brooms Or In Brushes, Whether or Not

In Hanks or BundlesDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/Ton Value Net Q/Ton ValueCanada 2 4,872Mexico 2 8,000Hondura 16 32,418Fr Germ 8 31,500Japan 1 6,022TOTAL 29 82,812

9603100000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or OtherVegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/Dozen Value Net Q/Dozen ValueCanada 1,308 49,046 27,123 1,187,266Mexico 205 12,173 4,485 188,049Guatmal 370 11,139Salvadr 106 2,829C Rica 670 12,297Panama 455 8,927Bermuda 103 7,698Bahamas 1,170 38,576 5,462 280,314Jamaica 239 5,516Cayman 122 12,168Dom Rep 848 49,848Barbado 102 3,366Trinid 26 2,625N Antil 150 3,510 150 3,510Colomb 150 4,958 511 17,747Venez 1,275 54,471Ecuador 682 22,500Peru 200 12,300Chile 130 8,692Brazil 1,917 30,879Argent 1,228 40,486Sweden 23 6,611Finland 400 32,229 599 55,582Denmark 2 4,823 598 24,491U King 9,415 514,820Ireland 3,219 141,210Nethlds 436 14,372 1,728 221,643Belgium 5 3,092Fr Germ 199 24,684Poland 252 10,435 418 17,355Russia 2,942 97,003Spain 182 14,629Portugl 15 5,548Italy 712 23,457 6,895 227,311Israel 796 26,268S Arab 3,896 215,267Arab Em 221 16,658India 104 5,376 104 5,376Singapr 440 15,193Phil R 497 17,050China 333 3,160Kor Rep 906 69,333Hg Kong 1,667 32,200 9,946 214,595Japan 2,907 68,068

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Austral 516 17,008 779 37,036Rep Saf 2 2,624TOTAL 7,072 248,163 93,269 4,007,234

9603210000 ToothbrushesDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 2,886,055 2,500,725 41,530,460 23,797,318Mexico 1,500,264 555,532 38,887,668 11,653,599Guatmal 28,367 37,464Belize 726,680 312,922Salvadr 467,373 333,689Hondura 15,592 20,175C Rica 25,964 36,043Panama 640 6,628 923,284 390,026Bermuda 20,309 12,459Bahamas 27,522 38,845Jamaica 160,549 60,748Cayman 7,980 11,462Haiti 53,039 33,355Dom Rep 307,279 140,014B Virgn 2,631 12,890 2,631 12,890Antigua 6,480 6,162 65,848 58,945S Lucia 33,948 30,298Grenada 4,320 3,516Barbado 17,802 61,765 99,878 374,746Trinid 567 6,252 595,275 292,468N Antil 11,976 7,145 42,934 28,658Aruba 6,072 2,554 21,851 39,940Colomb 49,440 25,249 351,349 376,163Venez 41,587 32,238 435,895 191,388Guyana 25,020 22,329Surinam 30,167 19,558Ecuador 12,528 4,960 142,056 58,630Peru 37,584 14,434 241,357 103,947Chile 9,352 6,078 325,431 188,959Brazil 164,520 71,875 3,297,450 1,316,703Paragua 5,048 24,733Uruguay 97,956 40,361Argent 79,656 66,356 1,852,342 702,327Finland 859 4,211Denmark 21,481 64,000U King 10,800 2,705 312,988 123,488Ireland 314,976 573,118 6,235,592 5,886,110Nethlds 1,091,916 211,372 5,883,395 1,150,237Belgium 20,060 41,513France 302,152 99,852 17,542,344 1,907,679Fr Germ 343,600 132,603 18,693,569 2,238,305Switzld 41,586 28,925Lithuan 21,296 2,824Poland 2,758 10,893Spain 560,396 42,871 6,851,259 497,886Italy 945,448 351,268Greece 1,884 9,230Romania 10,000 3,127Israel 6,539 32,037Kuwait 1,440 5,472S Arab 27,500 93,932Arab Em 21,899 87,141India 1,252,848 2,095,108Thailnd 52,560 15,561 449,013 182,581Vietnam 2,102,500 166,532Malaysa 357 5,008 14,849 21,017Singapr 153,288 57,512 2,182,558 830,014Phil R 67,542 55,464China 471,454 149,160Kor Rep 1,003,656 366,843 13,170,999 5,341,155Hg Kong 84,864 36,156 1,169,800 455,206Taiwan 125,760 51,429 659,677 342,927Japan 223,486 43,058 2,594,675 991,252Austral 487,192 251,365 2,818,279 1,423,977N Zeal 10,224 3,684

Rep Saf 104,889 72,432TOTAL 9,582,157 5,270,296 174,564,026 65,433,465

9603290000 Shaving Brushes, Hairbrushes, Nail Brushes,Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use on the Person

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q./No. ValueCanada 127,152 279,802 1,860,541 3,262,536Mexico 359,648 321,928 3,103,350 4,163,805Guatmal 578 14,404Salvadr 1,065 31,559C Rica 2,160 4,657 9,585 34,587Panama 22,747 59,508Bermuda 192 3,587 360 6,609Bahamas 644 5,270Cayman 82 7,160Dom Rep 2,155 15,031S Lucia 2,244 4,037Barbado 30,722 32,742Trinid 28,794 189,930N Antil 2,997 27,408 2,997 27,408Martinq 320 2,922Colomb 95,569 111,940Venez 6,864 7,165 53,532 127,829Ecuador 548 7,539Peru 2,878 25,414Chile 12,451 90,816Brazil 1,568 18,557 14,879 72,884Paragua 837 23,246Sweden 1,497 13,691Finland 5,040 14,363Denmark 20,852 25,724U King 1,958 10,562 53,400 366,341Ireland 5,232 4,844 14,164 58,322Nethlds 1,400 5,385 8,179 87,613Belgium 39,469 333,347France 14,241 73,079 112,746 663,905Fr Germ 1,072 9,800 33,486 318,233Austria 929 8,500 929 8,500Czech 633 10,630Hungary 872 4,980Switzld 3,487 31,883Latvia 1,784 34,149Poland 154,000 430,624Russia 5,110 44,115Azerbjn 130 2,898Spain 44 2,577 7,814 25,746Italy 20,560 100,093Turkey 16,745 153,123Lebanon 542 4,960Israel 14,454 109,300Jordan 2,000 4,098 9,745 14,388S Arab 1,464 3,356 8,198 65,273Arab Em 1,712 15,660 24,766 501,377India 993 10,300Thailnd 29,731 292,670Vietnam 5,084 46,500Malaysa 14,939 22,865Singapr 31,707 95,858Indnsia 50 4,100 100 9,100Phil R 502 4,587 9,631 117,005China 13,823 126,414 113,242 1,093,250Kor Rep 403 3,686 6,366 53,472Hg Kong 5,535 43,441 31,998 329,009Taiwan 28,128 59,111Japan 658,518 522,814Austral 7,335 32,670 28,668 166,871N Zeal 70 7,538Nigeria 1,880 6,828Rep Saf 60 11,400TOTAL 558,281 1,015,863 6,766,595 14,585,345

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9603300000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes and Similar Brushesfor the Application of Cosmetics

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 347,456 1,007,685 4,877,169 14,994,178Mexico 18,728 76,504 350,777 1,196,159Guatmal 1,281 9,748Salvadr 985 3,633 9,447 34,854Hondura 13,653 34,428C Rica 49,746 147,176Panama 6,003 22,149 17,863 44,475Jamaica 16,632 22,220 16,632 22,220Dom Rep 80,084 346,933Trinid 478 4,259 20,824 79,241N Antil 240 4,800Aruba 4,407 13,827Guadlpe 1,581 5,264Martinq 1,592 5,875Colomb 3,586 13,231 31,874 119,914Venez 51,725 109,899Ecuador 1,121 5,340 3,770 17,777Peru 2,273 8,385 3,666 34,282Bolivia 12,182 44,950Chile 11,224 31,575Brazil 3,154 11,636 24,149 109,757Paragua 36,410 134,342Iceland 725 2,676Sweden 46,679 195,176Norway 11,682 32,056Finland 778 2,872 2,812 9,748U King 14,021 63,768 663,176 3,336,915Ireland 873 6,304 115,036 410,147Nethlds 5,532 17,305 61,592 436,362Belgium 6,894 25,438 195,337 794,347France 53,397 156,766 687,409 2,623,846Fr Germ 10,571 47,525 66,297 265,883Austria 6,137 22,645Czech 8,131 30,000 13,552 50,000Switzld 25,347 102,059Estonia 1,432 3,180Lithuan 9,449 34,862 9,449 34,862Poland 34,951 135,339Russia 19,521 115,450Ukraine 26,014 21,178Kazakhs 10,800 13,109Spain 7,108 33,295 14,977 55,600Malta 7,871 29,042Italy 2,784 3,513 73,061 241,336Slvenia 455 3,163Greece 805 2,970Romania 54 2,587Turkey 14,814 54,657Israel 101,310 373,800 111,241 406,169Kuwait 9,327 34,413Qatar 720 2,840Arab Em 3,450 12,728 29,562 133,117India 8,195 30,237 24,970 89,841Thailnd 867 10,096 5,229 44,506Malaysa 134 7,554Singapr 21,179 101,713Indnsia 2,324 29,378Phil R 551 8,400China 34,652 92,170 203,705 524,106Kor Rep 273 3,047 63,954 251,909Hg Kong 188,552 362,615Taiwan 28,308 122,748Japan 38,722 181,898 99,292 399,714Austral 4,636 17,104 117,172 475,099N Zeal 997 3,680 19,001 104,043Moroc 4,695 15,547Ghana 700 3,752Gambia 2,000 9,000Liberia 907 3,348

Rep Saf 10,000 10,981TOTAL 713,056 2,321,450 8,673,804 29,676,800


Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 201,438 495,350 2,127,533 5,293,631Mexico 255,754 362,595 2,005,363 3,917,426Salvadr 3,138 6,863Hondura 6,437 42,546C Rica 34,008 93,585Panama 3,030 7,808Bermuda 6,176 7,362 19,917 43,636Bahamas 760 3,363 9,185 29,570Jamaica 2,016 3,600Cayman 1,774 7,556Dom Rep 27,000 29,970 54,502 161,776Anglla 326 4,939Antigua 864 15,161Barbado 267 4,683Trinid 2,260 11,306N Antil 4,744 6,237Colomb 701 15,980Guyana 329 6,048Ecuador 2,102 36,890Peru 766 13,440Argent 10,000 8,700Sweden 200 12,596Finland 18,435 74,723Denmark 546 9,578U King 4,507 12,287Ireland 6,685 39,994Nethlds 514 6,850France 167 2,926Fr Germ 17,389 98,930Hungary 13 2,519Poland 160 6,652Russia 558 14,031Spain 10,043 176,256Portugl 20 6,010Italy 524 10,799Croatia 9,014 152,015Slvenia 1,857 103,932Lebanon 2,621 50,366Israel 3,988 69,988 14,480 98,827S Arab 1,367 19,310Qatar 190 3,241Arab Em 877 9,093India 60,867 109,966Singapr 176 3,087Indnsia 1,440 9,108 1,440 9,108China 2,757 7,033 39,134 77,368Hg Kong 54,020 42,488 198,279 274,094Japan 10,676 52,717Austral 2,486 103,495 130,291 902,590N Zeal 69,228 47,049 157,513 246,878Fiji 8,367 21,255Egypt 3,600 7,347Rep Saf 58,798 39,395 176,394 118,185TOTAL 683,845 1,217,196 5,166,166 12,464,911

9603404020 Paint PadsDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 42,011 117,901Salvadr 420 4,956C Rica 2,460 6,214Bahamas 428 19,650Dom Rep 860 6,163B Virgn 72 7,117Dominca 240 2,964S Lucia 130 8,597Colomb 21,267 136,478

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Venez 1,879 13,341Peru 3,437 12,230Bolivia 2,295 16,284Brazil 43,709 333,735Uruguay 13,332 10,841Argent 6,999 48,282U King 2,205 8,500 5,068 28,819Fr Germ 7,390 26,137Austria 336 3,024Switzld 2,385 31,542Spain 202 5,791Greece 353 2,509 817 21,651Turkey 10,854 77,043Israel 4,396 80,405Arab Em 5,328 23,087Thailnd 1,747 12,403Vietnam 373 2,646Malaysa 2,995 25,737China 595 4,221 1,510 70,946Kor Rep 836 5,934Hg Kong 34,038 241,606Taiwan 34,896 45,365 132,961 167,761Japan 2,780 9,853N Zeal 1,215 8,625Ethiop 3,116 22,116 3,116 22,116Rep Saf 16,409 116,480TOTAL 41,165 82,711 374,295 1,726,359

9603404050 Paint, Distemper, Varnish or Similar Brushes(Except Brushes of 9603.30)

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 27,220 337,171 637,282 6,829,699Mexico 2,871 42,519 22,957 405,859Guatmal 4,449 71,455Salvadr 253 8,688Hondura 802 16,635 17,491 181,645Nicarag 445 9,755C Rica 494 10,247Panama 6,367 120,149Bermuda 165 3,419 4,226 64,922Bahamas 26,525 333,167Cuba 180 4,502Jamaica 2,359 52,588Turk Is 2,126 33,739Cayman 1,885 7,171 16,214 108,693Haiti 233 6,008Dom Rep 638 13,229 6,366 69,384Anglla 1,119 28,458B Virgn 631 13,091 3,395 70,399St K N 669 17,746Antigua 32 3,606 487 10,639S Lucia 541 25,201S Vn Gr 810 24,401Grenada 2,422 38,830Barbado 814 16,146Trinid 5,140 86,503 8,951 146,508N Antil 1,650 40,900Aruba 2,066 30,177Colomb 1,400 8,454 4,448 74,364Venez 227 4,706 13,234 153,073Surinam 97 2,521Ecuador 453 9,397 4,395 91,189Peru 55 9,514 2,277 50,945Chile 16,671 113,628Brazil 47,206 425,991Argent 220 10,570 1,908 48,907Sweden 8,998 150,826Norway 5,280 107,866Finland 772 16,013 9,214 186,564Denmark 998 6,307 11,272 87,752U King 9,475 237,117 478,107 3,052,570Ireland 6,999 44,131

Nethlds 14,451 304,573 230,539 4,767,861Belgium 26,494 553,464France 2,194 40,074Fr Germ 776 9,626 10,378 191,766Austria 1,961 18,353Switzld 711 14,764Estonia 1,171 5,569Poland 232 3,938 23,339 281,042Russia 169 6,709Ukraine 1,584 37,620Kazakhs 200 3,728Spain 4,585 80,328Malta 248 7,628Italy 4,205 121,005Greece 278 9,435Bulgar 36 7,126Turkey 665 13,792Lebanon 1,847 24,931Iraq 173 3,583Israel 872 24,412 18,692 401,596Jordan 334 6,396S Arab 1,640 34,015Arab Em 2,158 48,428Bahrain 18 2,562Afghan 625 5,873India 158 3,287Pakistn 31 100,000Thailnd 4,102 73,697Vietnam 379 7,866Malaysa 159 3,296 7,089 162,317Singapr 11,213 193,244Phil R 285 11,586China 1,879 22,671 22,898 471,411Kor Rep 2,316 48,036 11,475 223,975Hg Kong 5,110 105,983 35,888 688,470Taiwan 1,368 28,362Japan 25,101 425,441Austral 6,607 42,815N Zeal 5,290 76,081Fr Poly 1,881 42,506Marshal 606 6,959Egypt 7,472 154,977Guinea 217 4,500Ghana 2,404 72,128Kenya 661 13,711Rep Saf 770 19,166Namibia 336 14,864TOTAL 78,779 1,347,957 1,861,472 22,875,243

9603900000 Hand-Operated Mechanical Floor Sweepers,Not Motorized, Mops & Feather Dusters; Prepared Knots & Tufts

for Broom or Brush Making, NESOIDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 174,702 1,731,144 2,979,586 28,911,415Mexico 54,064 663,493 819,243 10,635,194Guatmal 2,957 35,731Salvadr 359 7,525Hondura 16,342 400,688C Rica 210 3,401 8,928 105,137Panama 191 3,096 23,091 370,898Bermuda 608 16,512Jamaica 1,084 10,802Turk Is 398 6,453Cayman 1,807 29,298Dom Rep 330 4,115 2,246 29,123Barbado 1,764 8,497Trinid 724 12,287 4,579 57,286N Antil 103 7,968 1,524 14,819Aruba 214 5,247Colomb 1,000 7,890 8,382 90,981Venez 2,264 36,736 7,319 121,760Guyana 8,580 139,160

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Ecuador 313 6,492 4,057 34,099Peru 3,139 50,812Chile 35,063 291,869Brazil 2,141 11,814 13,095 161,273Uruguay 450 4,500 450 4,500Argent 270 9,537Iceland 84 4,438Sweden 266 4,316 1,882 39,677Norway 960 17,429Finland 1,118 21,355Denmark 8,064 417,960U King 7,521 100,753 108,111 1,596,839Ireland 600 4,574 5,954 91,424Nethlds 1,116 18,092 34,529 375,862Belgium 3,352 53,918 7,563 177,671Luxmbrg 20 2,574France 252 5,418 13,371 269,637Fr Germ 2,320 10,835 28,255 559,204Czech 1,464 7,118Hungary 185 2,999 285 6,926Switzld 5,163 79,665Lithuan 573 10,435Poland 3,930 63,729Russia 504 4,102 7,317 114,615Belar 20 2,740Spain 2,342 37,983Italy 11,777 150,660Slvenia 23 4,264Turkey 4,241 72,855Lebanon 250 4,050Iraq 7,301 118,414Israel 897 14,552 8,129 107,446Kuwait 167 2,705 1,000 16,215S Arab 16,362 122,266Qatar 1,748 10,567Arab Em 164 2,668 15,508 134,787Oman 3,156 51,190Bahrain 270 2,694 936 11,855Afghan 740 12,000India 2,006 35,239Thailnd 358 2,799 2,780 76,946Vietnam 1,278 13,600Malaysa 1,476 43,008Singapr 1,419 17,245 5,156 88,197Indnsia 2,744 25,481Phil R 2,280 25,948Maldive 3,645 59,118China 493 7,991 12,416 167,841Kor Rep 30 3,150 21,262 209,082Hg Kong 2,121 28,212 23,151 365,508Taiwan 9,417 154,879Japan 11,821 79,029 74,411 678,120Austral 863 14,000 71,031 1,065,178N Zeal 740 6,307 8,076 91,983Tunisia 500 3,180Egypt 2,155 34,957 3,609 58,547Nigeria 5,762 27,259Angola 1,048 16,822Liberia 250 2,910Rep Saf 4,697 59,313TOTAL 274,106 2,914,252 4,504,256 49,530,625

0502100000 Pigs’, Hogs’ or Boars’ Bristlesand Hair and Waste Thereof

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG Value

U King 2,300 69,591China 11,834 373,346 388,224 5,932,548TOTAL 11,834 373,346 390,524 6,002,139

0502900000 Badger Hair and OtherBrushmaking Hair and Waste Thereof

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG ValueMexico 1,165 16,167U King 2,035 191,270Fr Germ 11,187 99,067 37,226 836,243Thailnd 162 9,838 724 30,595China 243 27,575 137,301 1,158,786Japan 7 14,817TOTAL 11,592 136,480 178,458 2,247,878

0511993300 Horsehair and Horsehair Waste, Whether or NotPut Up As A Layer With or Without Supporting Material

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG ValueParagua 1,507 19,905 28,310 268,808Argent 51 5,895Fr Germ 10,957 84,361China 5,239 87,414 121,823 1,955,022Austral 72 3,478TOTAL 6,746 107,319 161,213 2,317,564

1404903000 Istle Used Primarily In Brooms or In Brushes,Whether or Not In Hanks or Bundles

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG ValueMexico 44,297 219,631 471,776 2,257,612TOTAL 44,297 219,631 471,776 2,257,612

4417002000 Broom and Mop Handles, 1.9 CM or More InDiameter and 97 CM or More In Length, Of Wood

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 29,631 42,562 145,397 71,490Mexico 7,200 5,737 254,510 54,147Hondura 567,942 261,757 7,082,989 2,860,901Dom Rep 19,440 19,469Colomb 5,364 4,421 162,540 131,276Brazil 748,258 600,690 13,837,723 11,327,673Argent 44,600 24,807 86,900 49,397Fr Germ 104,350 80,854Lithuan 1,476 2,526Sri Lka 19,200 20,846 253,153 229,555Thailnd 47,680 28,006 47,680 28,006Vietnam 28,266 23,636 192,128 150,181Malaysa 23,300 16,775 171,639 116,835Singapr 61,280 41,682Indnsia 219,122 231,747 5,011,915 3,822,881China 407,388 81,229 2,713,865 1,787,748Taiwan 1,944 3,766 34,889 32,463Egypt 144,600 46,033TOTAL 2,149,895 1,345,979 30,326,474 20,853,117

4417004000 Paint Brush and Paint Roller Handles, Of WoodDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable ValueCanada 2,406Fr Germ 57,981Czech 20,811 213,669Poland 244,729Italy 383,348 7,478,154Thailnd 36,955Indnsia 272,547 2,098,124China 426,125 2,265,145Hg Kong 3,112Taiwan 49,863 119,988Japan 2,995TOTAL 1,152,694 12,523,258

IMPORTSBroom and Brush

December Imports By Country

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4417006000 Brush Backs, Of WoodDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 210,920 49,867 1,350,684 580,107Colomb 5,760 2,854Brazil 513,200 565,355Italy 35,809 26,264Sri Lka 7,000 11,087 303,037 220,476Vietnam 174,016 86,189Indnsia 36,700 29,825China 15,075 5,728 58,190 43,672Taiwan 1,200 3,076TOTAL 232,995 66,682 2,478,596 1,557,818

4417008010 Tool Handles of WoodDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable ValueCanada 2,348 194,697Mexico 4,753 102,134C Rica 7,934 53,212Colomb 20,398 28,131Brazil 361,822 3,687,204Paragua 61,848Sweden 4,955Nethlds 2,310France 2,679Poland 6,707Spain 10,064Italy 3,805India 2,319Indnsia 18,009China 87,587 1,001,322Taiwan 142,839 248,164Japan 3,114TOTAL 627,681 5,430,674

4417008090 Tools, Tool Bodies, Broom or Brush Bodies,Shoe Lasts and Trees, of Wood

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable ValueCanada 33,482 1,798,501Mexico 2,223 142,259Hondura 33,981C Rica 3,148Colomb 17,879Chile 176,351 5,355,860Brazil 4,880U King 7,170 159,406France 4,082 50,984Fr Germ 87,468Russia 8,014Spain 11,653 82,023Portugl 2,322Italy 14,892 190,354Slvenia 109,947Israel 21,725India 77,790 575,657Sri Lka 140,692 1,148,053Vietnam 157,463Indnsia 526,167Bhutan 2,435China 169,613 4,846,115Hg Kong 13,206 13,206Taiwan 25,332 270,752Japan 158,452 3,468,942Austral 4,700Zmbabwe 2,363TOTAL 834,938 19,084,604

9603100500 Wiskbrooms, of Broom Corn, LT=.96 EA. Prior to Entryor Withdrawal for Consumption of 61,655 Dozen In Calendar Year

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 4,212 2,768 20,988 17,191Hondura 3,456 3,110China 47,232 28,177TOTAL 4,212 2,768 71,676 48,478

9603104000 Other Brooms, of Broomcorn, LT=.96 EA, Prior to Entry or Withdrawal For

Consumption of GT=121,478 Dozen in Calendar YearDecember Year To Date

Mexico 19,104 14,302China 15,666 14,596TOTAL 34,770 28,898

9603105000 Other Brooms, of Broomcorn, LT=.96 EA, at Entry or Withdrawal For

Consumption of GT=121,478 Dozen in Calendar YearDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 12,456 7,215 176,640 122,076China 71,718 55,794TOTAL 12,456 7,215 248,358 177,870

9603106000 Other Brooms, Of Broomcorn, Valued Over .96 EachDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 9 2,188 9 2,188Mexico 485,134 1,126,210 7,714,054 17,768,807Hondura 43,104 75,797 737,466 1,586,090China 17,202 28,036 144,216 280,005TOTAL 545,449 1,232,231 8,595,745 19,637,090

9603109000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigsor Other Vegetable Materials Bound Together,

With or Without Handles, NESOIDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 10,960 20,109Mexico 15,474 40,794 134,806 230,517Dom Rep 5,613 8,134Colomb 71,940 112,149Brazil 20,640 17,217 50,180 62,388U King 8,000 9,518Fr Germ 3,064 14,486Russia 3,961 3,170Belar 7,620 5,861Spain 20,256 24,287Slvenia 4,200 6,603Israel 1,296 2,305India 90,400 20,057Sri Lka 122,470 212,325 1,181,059 1,989,848Thailnd 21,062 49,673 171,838 320,815Vietnam 14,400 15,663 184,250 132,390Phil R 5,000 6,413 17,000 24,189China 18,516 46,197 208,440 349,109Kor Rep 1 3,743Taiwan 3,673 8,387TOTAL 217,562 388,282 2,178,557 3,348,065

9603210000 Toothbrushes, Incl. Dental-Plate BrushesDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 12,151 6,160 161,862 124,343Mexico 235,699 255,789 5,077,467 2,468,643Brazil 1,163,016 331,747 16,954,722 5,045,215Sweden 89,368 102,381U King 633,217 299,712Ireland 630,312 309,672 14,144,682 4,333,484Nethlds 112,124 13,993 487,928 60,321

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Belgium 238,608 116,360France 72,504 94,871Fr Germ 3,874,394 1,963,472 77,668,487 38,084,530Switzld 11,072,040 3,646,867 70,998,292 34,758,559Spain 4,824 5,023Italy 3,713 12,381Arab Em 1,532,736 354,940India 5,497,941 533,264 35,781,249 4,796,286Thailnd 1,226,664 112,694 10,206,616 1,296,739Vietnam 774,900 161,994 10,870,016 2,157,760Malaysa 390,864 63,148 12,429,972 1,386,346Indnsia 10,400 7,131 1,019,870 77,675Macao 36,240 56,166China 44,376,305 7,513,686 536,398,999 96,874,641Kor Rep 298,120 121,790 1,741,664 400,994Hg Kong 63,088 34,655 773,630 286,520Taiwan 1,144,760 188,022 6,768,927 2,276,141Japan 1,792 5,143 3,345,696 310,431Austral 351,000 22,087Moroc 8,000 7,733Rep Saf 368,064 101,218TOTAL 70,884,570 15,269,227 808,168,353 195,911,500

9603294010 Hairbrushes, Valued Not Over .40 EachDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueIndia 5,040 2,281Thailnd 90,800 13,529Vietnam 99,648 28,550China 3,885,137 1,086,780 57,820,180 15,024,208Kor Rep 79,498 18,836Hg Kong 846,912 76,177 2,254,464 254,263Taiwan 728,553 285,976TOTAL 4,732,049 1,162,957 61,078,183 15,627,643

9603294090 Shaving Brushes, Nail Brushes,Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use On The Person,

Valued Not Over .40 EachDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 2,926,541 248,995 56,140,489 5,342,829Brazil 192,000 13,933Nethlds 2,890,399 193,655France 2,302,950 495,815Fr Germ 1,254,900 216,491 39,360,490 6,370,202Italy 846,002 128,846 4,379,696 858,224Turkey 50,000 8,150Arab Em 19,680 4,796India 8,196,484 267,127Bngldsh 183,600 8,829Sri Lka 16,200 6,155Indnsia 135 2,388China 2,544,156 506,184 42,185,577 8,103,494Kor Rep 6,542,700 297,546Hg Kong 384,000 30,394 4,793,496 385,889Taiwan 1,388,539 327,423Japan 80,882 25,257TOTAL 7,955,599 1,130,910 168,723,317 22,711,712

9603302000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes ForApplication Of Cosmetics, Valued Not Over .05 Each

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 385,000 12,149Mexico 399,600 19,429 4,430,280 74,419France 300,000 8,735 9,160,000 320,143Fr Germ 1,018,260 30,557 7,568,970 210,533Italy 4,977,600 56,429 35,871,400 464,839India 900,000 8,490 8,165,000 77,437China 7,070,012 221,081 103,375,028 3,049,895

Kor Rep 415,000 13,336 21,579,200 614,729Hg Kong 1,948,400 43,743Taiwan 1,574,000 47,175TOTAL 15,080,472 358,057 194,057,278 4,915,0629603304000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes ForApplication of Cosmetics, Valued Over .05 But not Over .10 Each

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 3,918,325 306,595 71,390,184 5,604,485Brazil 96,000 6,783 576,000 41,035U King 503,730 44,469Fr Germ 756,150 52,635Malta 296,650 27,746Italy 99,830 10,212India 644,460 53,521China 10,166,814 765,564 93,338,175 7,056,192Kor Rep 150,000 9,850 5,920,480 379,248Hg Kong 1,921,130 144,833Taiwan 159,904 11,981 1,828,828 162,933TOTAL 14,491,043 1,100,773 177,275,617 13,577,309

9603306000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes ForApplication Of Cosmetics, Valued Over .10 Each

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 18,906 11,130 28,041 265,093Mexico 8,776,834 1,375,153 150,977,191 24,890,006Dom Rep 148,956 227,421 1,696,686 1,756,562Colomb 4,542 2,299Brazil 120 6,079Denmark 1,464 4,999U King 170,541 164,623 1,640,816 2,808,924Belgium 5,316 2,228Monaco 2,347 11,576France 56,456 217,019 929,412 3,175,110Fr Germ 163,321 191,062 2,269,946 2,467,672Czech 288 5,942Switzld 3,948 83,212Spain 14,876 57,399 108,682 479,875Italy 30,815 17,790 1,498,220 420,407Greece 27,635 210,829Turkey 35,532 10,955Israel 1,475 4,649 33,628 75,741Arab Em 17,934 12,662India 189,561 121,870 5,503,436 2,464,066Sri Lka 269,760 148,181 3,173,007 1,858,556Thailnd 299,793 261,652 4,075,422 3,351,817Vietnam 30,000 65,701Malaysa 4,000 4,438 15,477 36,309Singapr 197,664 28,661Indnsia 27,168 5,636China 17,749,860 12,697,834 232,967,887 160,359,037Kor Rep 272,079 161,651 5,035,732 5,763,379Hg Kong 217,057 179,933 5,186,825 3,301,703Taiwan 196,638 35,022 2,900,220 758,300Japan 224,758 624,566 4,140,142 10,483,284Austral 10,842 68,153Maurit 2,192 8,558 31,394 105,698TOTAL 28,807,878 16,509,951 422,576,964 225,340,471


Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 10,000 3,744 674,779 638,382Mexico 668,302 390,285 11,505,270 6,713,681Brazil 30,000 3,601 60,094 13,595Sweden 292 13,533Norway 5,000 9,667U King 15,000 15,312

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Nethlds 7,678 17,389Fr Germ 205,200 50,805 3,169,619 925,704Italy 20,860 24,693Greece 3,846 54,857Indnsia 138,084 71,080China 2,272,560 1,017,775 43,424,347 15,636,641Hg Kong 1,190 5,830Taiwan 112,796 46,160Japan 81,025 59,247Camroon 374,559 60,119TOTAL 3,186,062 1,466,210 59,594,439 24,305,890

9603404020 Paint Pads (Other Than Of Subheading 9603.30)December Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 295 10,624Mexico 801,844 119,804U King 67,240 23,820Fr Germ 41,967 62,876Israel 1,200 2,520Pakistn 56,000 5,543China 868,416 451,755 9,525,205 4,372,840Taiwan 14,376 125,642 592,516 928,844Japan 21 2,125TOTAL 882,792 577,397 11,086,288 5,528,996

9603404040 Natural Bristle Brushes, Other Than Brushes OfSubheading 9603.30

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 1,720 14,528 7,270 26,171Sweden 100 4,542U King 4,440 5,131 76,138 99,675Nethlds 324 2,958Belgium 560 8,160France 5,660 17,990Fr Germ 29,620 87,264Italy 30,634 133,911Turkey 4,176 14,267 46,756 151,612India 35,112 36,898Indnsia 4,257,134 762,974 54,674,803 8,855,288China 32,400 6,581 2,315,665 753,961Hg Kong 462 2,577Taiwan 144,240 30,155 3,057,504 656,736Japan 1,680 13,410TOTAL 4,444,110 833,636 60,282,288 10,851,153

9603404060 Paint, Distemper, Varnish/Similr Brushes Exc Brushesof Subheading 9603.30 NESOI

December Year To DateCountry Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 852 3,036 924,249 602,699Guatmal 83,536 70,359Dom Rep 13,099 19,457Brazil 16,848 5,840 49,296 15,348Sweden 184,404 102,407U King 168,305 47,525 345,604 214,304Nethlds 9,537 10,010Belgium 192 3,989Fr Germ 28,116 32,468 93,056 201,986Czech 4,800 2,957 28,800 18,170Spain 8,822 17,284Italy 23,915 111,841India 593,576 71,420Thailnd 922,368 821,873Vietnam 1,100 2,512 101,153 79,137Indnsia 5,059,122 877,505 45,836,043 7,936,205China 11,544,931 4,387,945 148,514,902 51,399,855Kor Rep 300,000 15,080 1,580,000 89,994Hg Kong 18,416 41,785

Taiwan 292,569 87,647 3,934,517 1,085,024Japan 12,700 19,598 26,824 44,398Cocos I 572 2,665TOTAL 17,429,343 5,482,113 203,292,881 62,960,210

9603908010 WiskbroomsDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 17,476 50,370Brazil 5,318 100,017Italy 6,759 41,446Israel 7,460 8,391China 11,496 21,833 323,544 461,620Taiwan 10,191 10,308TOTAL 11,496 21,833 370,748 672,152

9603908020 Upright BroomsDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 864 19,870Mexico 52,082 56,276 594,225 684,352Guatmal 30,960 38,516 91,626 141,878Salvadr 104,628 87,149Colomb 6,060 4,676 75,056 59,743Brazil 306,988 701,740Nethlds 4,296 14,114Spain 47,770 50,971Italy 92,860 115,221 664,872 1,188,633Vietnam 1,100 3,233Phil R 3,250 3,106China 360,042 392,638 4,989,000 6,668,267Kor Rep 10 2,521Hg Kong 58,984 107,536Taiwan 1,284 12,660 19,480 112,385Egypt 71,844 65,592TOTAL 543,288 619,987 7,033,993 9,911,090

9603908030 Push Brooms, 41 CM or Less in WidthDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueMexico 2,280 2,429Argent 12,828 14,641Sri Lka 1,440 5,059 5,886 25,140Thailnd 6,853 27,379China 2,166 4,882 112,420 194,523Taiwan 96,216 138,550TOTAL 3,606 9,941 236,483 402,662

9603908040 Other Brooms, NESOIDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 248,864 206,804 2,212,378 3,143,051Mexico 295,622 563,803 3,850,526 7,892,465Guatmal 23,800 38,940 105,400 111,999Salvadr 9,053 27,901 80,505 133,396Colomb 47,296 83,994 471,866 494,684Venez 2,275 19,395 32,268 263,270Brazil 17,126 27,073 356,795 998,778Argent 7,260 8,306Sweden 750 4,827U King 763 10,160Fr Germ 540 2,743Czech 36,000 30,850 473,624 429,490Russia 2,545 5,849Spain 154,248 147,555Italy 23,832 25,603 515,731 631,874Israel 960 2,226India 20,975 18,471

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Sri Lka 31,542 102,676 415,190 1,110,849Thailnd 29,000 46,926Vietnam 2,500 2,296 21,810 16,590Malaysa 1,903,964 1,109,347Indnsia 38,150 38,974 279,050 282,292China 575,362 704,827 10,391,271 12,091,992Hg Kong 6,754 21,250Taiwan 8,925 14,536 19,917 54,867Egypt 16,584 13,493TOTAL 1,360,347 1,887,672 21,370,674 29,046,750

9603908050 Brooms, Brushes, Sqeegees, Etc., NESOIDecember Year To Date

Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada 2,121,630 23,023,898Mexico 3,795,427 44,541,273Salvadr 20,438 160,487Hondura 1,942,437 17,678,909Panama 69,501Dom Rep 100,893 349,186B Virgn 14,638Colomb 131,006 1,387,277Venez 10,029Chile 6,793Brazil 20,668 494,902Argent 87,783Sweden 66,290 964,404Finland 7,083 74,249Denmark 182,041 1,643,245U King 51,024 1,413,120Ireland 35,234Nethlds 4,353 195,584Belgium 264,354 2,606,438France 16,890 341,149Fr Germ 195,524 2,898,335Austria 2,695 44,618Czech 114,402 479,236Hungary 7,230Lichten 41,806Switzld 37,720 331,615Estonia 2,396Poland 6,747 48,620Russia 9,133 9,133Spain 115,284 872,174Italy 773,867 10,026,314Serbia 123,587Romania 3,133 16,605Israel 61,049 1,227,529India 112,373 858,990Pakistn 961,559 7,117,790Sri Lka 275,398 3,520,952Thailnd 1,590,467 7,173,258Vietnam 58,599 425,824Malaysa 28,652 232,635Singapr 112,538Indnsia 58,302 672,849Phil R 112,699China 27,679,701 295,929,331Kor Rep 170,925 4,554,662Hg Kong 228,469 3,076,569Taiwan 1,158,072 15,257,522Japan 31,068 844,277Austral 284,860 2,121,093N Caldn 59,849Tunisia 62,136Egypt 27,880 108,254TOTAL 42,710,413 453,468,525

Advance Brush, an affili-ate of PFERD, INC., hasannounced it has en-hanced its power brushline with the addition ofM-BRAD™ brusheswith specially formulat-ed nylon filament bristlesthat are encapsulatedwith abrasive grain parti-cles and work even whenwet. This design featuregives the brushes a con-sistent, gradual cuttingaction that effects precise control over the degree of surface condi-tioning, ensuring that the size and shape of a work piece is notaltered.

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M-BRAD™ brushes from Advance Brush are available in disc,wheel, tube, center wheel, cup and end styles and in a selection ofbrush diameters, silicon carbide grain sizes and filament trim lengths,diameters and shapes. Each style brush is best suited for particularindustries including automotive, aerospace/aviation and woodwork-ing and will handle specific applications from deburring and edgeradiusing to light cleaning and polishing.

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PFERD INC. is a subsidiary of August Rüggeberg GmbH & Co.of Marienheide, Germany, a 210-year-old leader in the design andmanufacture of quality abrasive products, cutting tools, brushes andpower tools. Advance Brush is a subsidiary of PFERD INC.

M-BRAD™ Power BrushesAdded To Advance Brush Line

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:00 AM


U.S. Imports 14 Short TonsOf Broom Corn In January

By Harrell KerkhoffBroom, Brush & Mop Editor

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 14 short tonsof broom corn were imported into the United States duringJanuary 2009. Total value of this import was $47,077, with a costper ton of $3,363 ($1.68 per pound). All 14 tons came fromMexico.

January’s broom corn import total was the lowest in recentmemory and quite a bit smaller compared to the first month of theprevious year. During January 2008, 89 short tons of broom cornwere imported into the United States, with a total value of$227,793. The cost per ton of this import was $2,559 ($1.28 perpound).

Richard Caddy of R.E. Caddy & Co., Inc., in Greensboro,NC, said it’s sad to see Mexican broom corn imports at such lowlevels, even during a traditionally slow time of the calendar year.He added that January’s cost per pound average of $1.68 doesseem quite high, although with only 14 short tons being importedit’s hard to say what type of broom corn was brought into thecountry.

“If it was all hurl, then it could be right on target, especially ifit had to be fumigated (at the border),” Caddy said.

There is good news, however, for those who sell and use broomcorn in the United States. The recent fumigation requirement fromthe United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) appears tohave subsided as of mid-March, although strict inspections havebeen reported. Caddy said his company brought in a load ofbroom corn in February that did receive a fairly intense inspection

at the Mexican/U.S. border. “It’s an aggravation as some of the merchandise was shuffled

around while they were looking for any live pests. We had onebale of broom corn that was broken but not damaged. The personwho did the inspection was careful enough to keep everythingtogether,” Caddy said.

The fumigation issue began in October when the USDArequired that all incoming broom corn from Mexico be fumigatedat the border in an effort to protect against corn bores, althoughcorn bores have been in the United States for decades. The fumi-gation requirement caused concerns from U.S. broom corn deal-ers and users over what influence the requirement would have onsupply and costs.

“The interpretation (of the fumigation issue) that we (R.E.Caddy) have been getting (as of March) is that it’s currently aninspect and release type of situation, which is what it should be inthe first place. In my case, the broom corn was inspected andreleased, although (inspectors) did not release it until somebodywent through and pulled a bale and popped it open to see if therewere insects,” Caddy said.

He noted that much of the broom corn brought into the UnitedStates from Mexico, including imports from R.E. Caddy, isalready fumigated in Cadereyta, Mexico.

“At the point in time that it’s fumigated, there will not be anylive bugs. In all the years that I have been importing broom corn,I don’t recall very many times, if ever, that we had bugs,” Caddysaid. “It’s also not very likely that in a closed container duringtransport that bugs are going to get into the load unless they wereoriginally in the container.”

Looking ahead toward Mexican broom corn production for2009, Caddy feelsthere may be a fairlydecent size plantingtaking place in theTorreon region ofMexico this spring.

“It will still bemonths until we seeanything substantialbeing harvested inTorreon. I supposedthere will be broomcorn coming out ofthe Sinaloa region ofMexico as well,although this area isvery dangerous rightnow with the current

Broom Corn Imports2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total CostTons Tons Tons Tons Tons Tons Value Per Ton

January 174 125 61 116 89 14 $47,077 $3,363 ($1.68)

February 113 44 215 90 91

March 168 77 65 83 41

April 122 120 56 48 150

May 167 36 135 172 98

June 147 65 81 63 65

July 162 124 160 80 66

August 183 177 216 80 76

September 215 124 152 131 133

October 202 133 184 92 123

November 194 200 96 160 29

December 127 164 76 101 17

1,974 1,389 1,497 1,216 978 14 $47,077 $3,363 ($1.68)

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crime taking place (concerning drug cartels). The Torreon area isnot very safe either,” Caddy said. “It does seem like there is inter-est, however, in planting broom corn in Torreon this year.

“There is not a great deal of broom corn in Cadereyta right now,but apparently enough to satisfy everybody’s needs. This is sad,because imports are very low. Only 31 tons were imported into theUnited States for the months of December and January.”

As of March 18, Caddy said he has been able to receive enoughquantity of Mexican broom corn to meet current demands, andthat the quality of these imports remains good. He added thatdespite low demand, pricing has remained fairly high.

“The nice thing is we (broom corn dealers) have been able tosave some money by not having to fumigate anymore at the bor-der. Any savings we can pass on to customers is very good, evenif it’s just a few cents a pound,” he said. “If we are lucky, therewill be a fairly decent planting in Torreon and then hopefully, byJuly and August, there will be a good supply of broom corn avail-able. Maybe by then, (the broom corn business) will pick up.”

As far as overall business is concerned, Caddy reported thatunpredictability is the norm right now.

“It’s been hard to figure business out. Some days and weeks Ifeel it’s really clicking along nicely, and then there are other timeswhen it’s very hard to get orders,” he noted. “The big box compa-nies are probably keeping a tight rein on the level of their inven-tories. As a consequence, my customers are more reluctant to loadup on inventory themselves because they don’t know if they cansell a lot of products any time soon.

“I’m kind of afraid that when business does pick up in general,that everybody will want the same products at the same time,whether it’s broom corn, handles, wire, poly bags, etc. This wouldsubject us to bottlenecks.”

Regarding yucca fiber, Caddy reported that this imported item

from Mexico is a bit cheaper in price as demand continues to below.

“People who would normally purchase yucca fiber, if for noth-ing else than to take advantage of a good pricing situation, are notinterested right now,” Caddy said. “Yucca fiber is available, how-ever, and the quality has been maintained at a good level.”

Tim Monahan of The Thomas Monahan Co., in Arcola, IL,said January’s high price for Mexican broom corn was a contribut-ing factor to the extremely low import figure during the month.General slow business conditions were also causing the low ton-nage to occur.

“And I don’t think conditions in February and March wereany better. I look for imports to stay pretty small when report-ed for those months as well,” Monahan said. “This is all a sym-bol of the industry and the slippage of production in the UnitedStates.”

When interviewed in late March, Monahan said farmers werecurrently in the process of planting broom corn in the Torreonregion of Mexico. Information was still sketchy, however, regard-ing the actual size of this planting.

He added that future Mexican broom corn prices will depend, inpart, to the true size of this summer’s first crop out of Torreon.

There is also not much new information to report as of lateMarch regarding the yucca fiber market. According to Monahan,prices have come down some as production is currently at a high-er level than actual sales. This production, therefore, is expectedto be curtailed.

Bart Pelton of PelRay International, LLC, in San Antonio,TX, was unavailable for comment regarding this month’s broomcorn dealer survey.

ISSA, a worldwide cleaning industryassociation, and its alliance partnerBuilding Service Contractors AssociationInternational (BSCAI) announced in earlyMarch that the two organizations haveentered into an agreement in which theBSCAI convention will co-locate withISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America,starting in 2010.

The announcement was made duringBSCAI’s 2009 tradeshow, held inChicago, IL, and attended by some 900building service and security contract pro-fessionals. The co-location agreement isanother step in the ongoing alliancebetween the two associations, which wasinitiated in 2008.

“This day has been a long time coming forboth our associations, and we welcome thisopportunity to work with BSCAI as we striveto bring together all channel partners of theglobal cleaning community,” said ISSAPresident Bob Stahurski. “The co-location of

both our events will facilitate better supply-chain relationships for all who attend.”

Also addressed in the announcement wasBSCAI’s intention of hosting its 2009Executive Workshop in conjunction withthis year’s ISSA/INTERCLEAN NorthAmerica, which will be held October 6-9,at McCormick Place in Chicago.

In 2010, ISSA/INTERCLEAN NorthAmerica will be held Tuesday-Friday,November 9-12, at the Orange CountyConvention Center in Orlando, FL, whileBSCAI will co-locate its annual conven-tion, Thursday-Sunday, November 11-14.BSCAI members will be eligible to attendthe ISSA/INTERCLEAN event at memberrates. BSCAI will no longer host an inde-pendent exhibition; however, it will contin-ue to offer sponsorship and other vendor-partner programs.

“BSCAI and ISSA formed this alliancein order to capitalize on the strengths of ourrespective organizations,” said BSCAI

President Stan Doobin. “Our leadershipand staff have met in recent weeks andmonths to formalize an agreement anddevelop a working model that will enhancethe networking, educational, and profes-sional services provided to our respectivemembership and business partners.”

Leaders of both organizations have madeit clear that the co-location agreementimpacts only the events in question andthat ISSA and BSCAI will remain inde-pendent associations, serving the needs oftheir respective members in ways that areunique to each. BSCAI will continue tohost its CEO seminar, executive seminar,and webinars; provide educational materi-als; and offer certifications for membersand nonmembers.

“BSCAI is well aware of its strengths,and we will continue to service the indus-try with quality educational products andservices,” said BSCAI Executive VicePresident Moe Desmarais.

BSCAI Convention To Be Part Of ISSA/INTERCLEAN In 2010

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:01 AM

Harper Brush Works, Inc., of Fairfield, IA, manufactures a varietyof cleaning products. The company’s items include brooms, mops,scrub brushes and squeegees. Shown are, left to right, JulieGreeson, assistant national sales manager; Patricia Adam, mar-keting director; and Noreen O’Reilly, director of sales.

Harper Brush Works

Cleaning items available from the EMSCO Group, of Girard, PA,include various styles of brooms, mops and brushes. Shown isKimberly Cook, national sales manager — cleaning division.

EMSCO Group


MMany leading companies involved in the world’shome and housewares marketplace once againmet at Chicago’s McCormick Place for the

International Home & Housewares Show. The 2009 edi-tion was held March 22-24.

For the past 70 years, the International HousewaresAssociation has been sponsoring this event.

This year’s show included many exhibitors of broom,brush, mop, squeegee and related products, includingthose companies featured on the following pages.

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:01 AM

The Libman Company, of Arcola, IL, manufactures such items asdust mops, indoor and outdoor brooms, scrub brushes, spongemops, toilet bowl brushes and wet mops. Shown, left to right, arecompany representatives David McKnight and Andrew Libman.

The Libman Company

Various cleaning products and supplies are among the items man-ufactured by L C Industries, of Durham, NC. Shown are, left toright, Justin Stalek, commercial sales national account manager;and Jeffrey Hawting, executive vice president of sales

L C Industries

Offering a variety of products for the cleaning industry isHayco Manufacturing Ltd., of Hong Kong. The company’sitems include brooms, brushes, mops, squeegees, carpet andfloor sweepers. Shown, left to right, are company representa-tives Christopher Hay, Suanne Wong, Marichi Harvey, GregSpooner and Charston Yip.

Hayco Manufacturing


Unger Industrial, LLC, of Bridgeport, CT, supplies the cleaningindustry with such items as car washing brushes, dusters, scrub-bers, squeegees and extension handles. Shown at the Ungerbooth is Jennifer Carter, channel marketing manager.

Unger Industrial

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:01 AM

Among the various cleaning aids from Butler Home Products,LLC, are brooms; kitchen, vegetable and scrub brushes; buckets;and mops. The company is located in Marlborough, MA.

Butler Home Products

Offering a variety of cleaning products including squeegees,scrubbers, dusters and car washing brushes is Ettore ProductsCompany, located in Alameda, CA. Shown, left to right, are com-pany representatives Dina Becerra, Wayne Schultz and NicoleSmahlik.

Ettore Products

Quickie Manufacturing Corporation, of Cinnaminson, NJ, suppliesthe cleaning industry with various products such as brooms,brushes (kitchen/vegetable), car washing items, mops, scrubbersand squeegees. Shown is Jason Gold, vice president of new prod-uct development.

Quickie Manufacturing


Brushtech, of Plattsburgh, NY, provides a wide variety of itemsincluding barbecue brushes, bath brushes, car washing brushes,wire brushes, kitchen tools and various types of accessories.Shown is Nora Gunjian, vice president of marketing.

Brushtech

BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:01 AM

Freudenberg Household Products, of Northlake, IL, features wellknown brands such as O-Cedar®. Houseware items includebrooms, mops and scrubber sponges. Shown is Art Wilde, U.S.marketing director.

Freudenberg Household Products

Offering a variety of brushes and other cleaning housewares isKleen Maid, of Commerce, CA. Shown next to the company’s Spicand Span® branded items is Kleen Maid representative SeanSolouki.

Kleen Maid

Eagle Home Products Inc./Eagle Hygienic Rubber Co., ofHuntington, NY, supplies such items as toothbrushes; bath andscrub brushes; scrubbers; brooms; mops; and sponges. Shown,left to right, are company representatives Robert Chemtob andAndre Chemtob.

Eagle Home Products

Howard Berger Co., Inc., of Monroe Township, NJ, features suchhouseware items as brooms, mops, gloves and painting acces-sories. Shown, left to right, are company representatives RobertLebovitz, David Berger and Robert Winterstein.

Howard Berger Co.


BBM.April.x 4/17/09 11:01 AM

April 2009

For Sale: Small brush wire manufacturing facility, materialsstainless, brass, bronze, nickel, silver, low and high carbonsteel, straight and crimped. Dimensions .0025 to .010. Call203-313-8379 or 203-364-1908.

Classified Advertising

Lola Products, of Hackensack, NJ, provides such cleaning itemsas brooms, dust mops, scouring pads, scrub brushes, scrubbersponges, sponge mops, toilet bowl brushes and wet mops. Shown,left to right, are company representatives Charles Spitaletta, DawnFlint and Dennis Neubauer.

Lola Products

AquaStar, Inc., of Paramount, CA, provides many cleaning itemsto the housewares industry including its Starfiber® brand ofmicrofiber products. Shown are company representatives LindaKarlsson and Adam Byrne.

AquaStar

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

ABMA ......................................................................47

Amerwood ................................................................15

Boucherie USA...........................................................9

Brush Expert .............................................................47

Caddy & Co., Inc., R.E.............................................20

Carlson Tool..........................................................2, 23

Chung Thai Brushes Co............................................10

Creative Poly, Inc. ......................................................3

Crystal Lake..............................................................21

Deco Products Co. ....................................................17

Distribuidora Perfect, S.A.........................................11

Gordon Brush Mfg. Co. Inc......................................19

H. Arnold Wood Turning ..........................................20

Jewel Wire Co.............................................................8

Jones Companies ........................................................1

Lanoco Specialty Wire Products, Inc. ......................12

Line Manufacturing, Inc. ..........................................18

Manufacturers Resource .............................................5

Monahan Co., The Thomas .......................................7

PelRay.......................................................................13

PMM.........................................................................14

Royal Paint Roller ....................................................22

St. Nick Brush Co.....................................................18

Zahoransky ...............................................................48

Boehm Named CEO Of Felton Brush

Daniel J. Boehm, president of Felton Brush Inc., hasacquired a minority ownership position in the company andhas added the title of CEO, according to the board of directors.

Boehm joined Felton as COO in early 2006 and was namedpresident in January of 2007. Prior to his move to Felton,Boehm held executive management positions for eight yearswith Specialty Filaments, including two years as president andCEO.

“Dan brings an inspiring leadership style,” says MarkGodfrey, who will remain as Felton’s chairman of the board.“He’s earned the trust of both the management team and theemployees.”

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broom, brush & mop april 2009

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