May 15th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, we love attending events. Each event presents a unique and much-valued opportunity to connect with our community including existing customers, business partners and prospective buyers. And, as always, we’re excited to share the benefits of refinishing, fiscally responsible furniture asset management, and cost-effective sustainable practices.

This week The Refinishing Touch team is attending the GSA Training and Expo 2012, which is being held through Thursday at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The event is central to federal, state and local government employees, military members and other key government agency stakeholders that are involved in procurement decisions – it’s also a key event in The Refinishing Touch’s calendar!

The GSA is the federal government’s preferred source for quality commercial products and services, and its annual event gives so much to attendees and vendors—as it’s the GSA’s signature training, networking and showcase event. From valuable networking opportunities to thorough three-day training programs, hands-on demonstrations, showcasing of new techniques, the event offers something for everyone involved in government procurement.

We’re proud to be consistent and regular contributors to the event. Each year we are given the opportunity to showcase and discuss the environmental and budget savings reaped through refinishing, upholstery, remanufacturing and furniture asset management.

As part of the GSA’s commitment to a zero carbon footprint, the GSA Training and Expo has been executed as a sustainable event, so as well as sharing some photos from this week’s event, we’ll be highlighting some of the sustainable practices that are being practiced on-site, and also posting a few thoughts on our host city, beautiful San Antonio. Watch this space for more updates!

We’ll also be tweeting from the event, so don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @refinishtouch.

If you’re attending the event, come by and see us at Booth 3753. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

cost-effective, Federal Government, furniture asset management, Government, GSA Training and Expo 2012, military, refinishing, remanufacturing, San Antonio, sustainable practices, Texas, upholstery

May 11th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Growing numbers of businesses and individuals are now taking significant steps to become leaner and greener by reducing their carbon footprints. But few institutions are working as hard as our higher education colleges to maximize efficiencies and invest in sustainability, despite tighter budgets dictated by the continuing economic turmoil.

A recent article in the Huffington Post highlighted five ways in which colleges are shrinking their carbon footprints and implementing sustainable practices. These actions for change were identified as: adopting solar powered trash cans that automatically compress trash, maximizing the efforts of maintenance crews; adopting alternate energy sources such as biofuels made of oat hulls or biogas from manure; going ‘trayless’ at dining centers to reduce food waste; composting any organic food that is still wasted; and rolling out tough rules and green governing policies across campuses to maintain recycling programs and ethical procurement.

At The Refinishing Touch we have been supporting universities and colleges in their sustainability efforts for over 35 years, helping them lower their carbon footprints and slash their budgets by up to 80 percent through environmentally-friendly on campus furniture refinishing and reupholstery services.

To date we have run successful refinishing and carbon reduction projects at more than 50 universities and colleges across 24 states, and we look forward to further educational projects throughout 2012 and beyond. By saving perfectly good furniture and décor from landfill, we directly help education institutes and their students to promote reuse over rebuy, maximize all their carbon reduction efforts, and demonstrate the impact of good sustainable practices.

carbon footprint, colleges, education, furniture refinishing, Huffington Post, refinishing, universities and refinishing

May 8th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Last month the U.S. Army announced the opening of its new laboratory in Warren, Michigan, dedicated to energy saving and fuel-efficient research. The facility, named the Ground Systems Power and Energy Laboratory, will simulate the world’s harshest weather conditions—from desert heat to extreme cold—to develop more energy efficient Army vehicles. The facility will conduct research on everything from electrical systems to fuel cells and air filters. Spanning an area of 32,000-square-feet, it houses eight laboratory sites.

While the U.S. Army and other military divisions have dedicated large amounts of time and money to decreasing environmental impact and energy use, this laboratory is the first of its kind.

Ground Systems Power and Energy Laboratory interim director, Jennifer Hitchcock, pointed to the increased armor on army vehicles as a major contributor to increased fuel use saying, “We need to find a balance between mobility and survivability.” This is especially true as fuel convoys have become increase targets for attack on the battlefield.

As a furniture refinishing and refurbishing company that has worked with the Federal Government since 1998, we understand the importance of decreasing environmental impact and we support its goals to obtain that. Sustainable initiatives, such as the new research laboratory, are steps in the right direction and we hope a greener U.S. military and Federal Government is created.

energy efficiency, Federal Government, green, Ground Systems Power and Energy, military, Sustainability, testing laboratory, US Army

May 4th, 2012 by TRT Blog

My trip down to the British Virgin Islands was interesting and lengthy, to say the least. My exciting trip began on a Delta jet and was followed by an interesting transfer onto a twin Cessna. After I finished the trip’s flights, I was escorted onto a small private speedboat, which took me along twenty miles of beautiful ocean. We passed dozens of small islands before reaching Necker itself.

When I got to the island, I was picked up in a golf cart and brought to Temple House. This is where I was greeted by Sir Richard. He offered me a class of champagne and a big, genuine, warm “Hello”.

After a welcoming and celebratory cocktail, Sir Richard invited me to come with him to the tennis courts to watch his afternoon match. As we drove down to the courts, he asked me about my background, what I did and what sports I was most interested in.

After the match, we arrived back at the main house where I met a few more ‘Igniting Change’ guests and enjoyed some wine. A little later we drove to the lodge for dinner where the event’s entire group was finally assembled. We had the chance to introduce ourselves and network—Sir Richard began the dinner with a welcoming, easy-going address.

We had a great dinner, chatting and discussing our lives with each other. The people at the table represented all walks of life from all over the world. It was a spectacular sight, especially considering these get-togethers only happen four times a year on the island.

After an engaging, entertaining night, I retired to my lodgings: a small, beautiful house made from native teak, perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean; beside it, a pond that was home to hundreds of wild flamingos, as over 200 live on this island.

It’s impossible to describe the beauty that exists on Necker Island. As I’m sure you can imagine, it is one of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever had the privilege to experience. With a group of great people and a gracious host, ‘Igniting Change’ is sure to be an event of a lifetime.

Interested in learning more about the ‘Igniting Change’ event? Keep your eye on this space as I will be posting an event roundup upon my return. You can also visit Virgin Unite for more information.

British Virgin Islands, Igniting Change, Mario Insenga, Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group, Virgin Unite

May 1st, 2012 by TRT Blog

This week brings a very exciting event for The Refinishing Touch team. As we plan our 35-year celebrations of providing a valuable and necessary service to the hospitality, government, and higher education industries to ensure our environment is preserved through sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices, we are thrilled to announce that our founder and president, Mario Insenga is heading to Necker Island to attend Sir Richard Branson’s ‘Igniting Change’ Leadership Gathering from today until May 5th.

Recognized for our leadership in providing on-site furniture refinishing and environmentally-friendly asset management, The Refinishing Touch is a world leader in refinishing, remanufacturing, upholstery and armoire modification. Mario is recognized by Igniting Change for his experience as an entrepreneur, an innovator, a philanthropist and business leader, with a long-time passion for environmental sustainability.

Mario is attending ‘Igniting Change’ not only to represent The Refinishing Touch, but also to represent the Karma Foundation, an exclusive global membership organization, that Mario is a proud partner of. The Karma Foundation provides a platform for executives, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to work together to benefit charity organizations while allowing for out-of-the-box networking and life experiences.

‘Igniting Change’ is organized by Virgin Unite, a not for profit foundation and branch of the Virgin Group. Its goal is to bring people together for meaningful discussions and idea generation to help build a better world. Through hard work and collaboration, Virgin Unite hopes to influence: “governments, businesses and the social sector work together – driving business as a force for good.” The foundation’s main focuses are supporting global leadership initiatives and developing businesses as a force for good.

It is sure to be an event to remember. Mario is looking forward to meeting all of the other discussion participants, and to represent The Refinishing Touch and the Karma Foundation. We’re all very excited – to hear about the Leadership Gathering, hear who Mario will meet, the ideas discussed and to find out what Sir Richard Branson’s home and favorite hideaway is really like! We’ll be sharing an updates here – of you have any questions or any world-changing ideas we should raise for discussion please let us know or tweet @RefinshTouch.

Igniting Change, Igniting Change Leadership Gathering, Karma Foundation, Mario Insenga, Necker Island, not for profit foundation, Richard Branson, Virgin Group, Virgin Unite

April 27th, 2012 by TRT Blog

When some people hear the phrase ‘asset management’, they mistakenly immediately think of financial assets , whether it’s a university endowment, hotel annual revenue, or government treasury bonds, and not in its true broader sense of any non-disposable commodity.

Here at The Refinishing Touch, our goal is to change the way that individuals, organizations, and institutions think about furniture, because furniture is an asset; high-quality, solid-wood furniture is costly, and when treated correctly and provided regular upkeep, is a life-long investment and asset.

We consider our work as ‘furniture asset management’, whether it involves refinishing, remanufacturing, or reupholstery. Our goal is to ensure our customers get a lifetime of use out of their furniture investments, while being environmentally-friendly and increasing overall sustainability.

In our newest blog segment, ‘Asset Management: tips for success’, we will bring you a series of useful tips and industry insight, so your organization can enact its own furniture asset management plan.

Tip #1: Evaluating your assets

1. Understanding your furniture: If you’re a large organization, such as a sizeable hotel, run an inventory of all of the furniture you have, everything – from chairs to desks to dressers. Next, determine how long you’ve had it and the money you invested when it was first purchased.

2. Determining your goals: Is a big renovation in your plans? If not, don’t replace furniture unless it’s broken or no longer functional. If so, determine your goals for the renovation’s outcome and the budget allocated to achieve it. Understanding the assets you already own and your future goals for the property can help determine if furniture can be re-used-refinished to like new condition or updated with fabrics, furniture hardware, color change or armoire modification in order to achieve new design goals at a fraction of the cost.

3. Considering refinishing: Discuss your aesthetic and budget goals with a refinishing professional. Review refinishing options and ask for pictures from past projects. Compare these to furniture you had planned to buy new, chances are you won’t be able to tell the difference, and in most cases the existing furniture is of better quality than what is on the market today and will outlast a new furniture investment.

After you’ve evaluated your assets and determined how they fit into your organizations long term renovation and update plans, consider the cost savings and decreased environmental impact you will enjoy from choosing to refinish. By following the steps above and looking at your furniture as an asset, you will realize that refinishing provides the like-new appeal your organization desires for a fraction of the cost and environmental impact.

For more information about furniture asset management or to get a free project quote, visit our website at www.therefinishingtouch.com.

armoire modification, asset management, fabrics, furniture asset management, furniture assets, furniture hardware, refinishing, remanufacturing, reupholstery, Sustainability, Touch Textiles

April 25th, 2012 by TRT Blog

In last month’s Operational Update blog, we shared one of our recently completed projects, which took place at the DoubleTree Hilton in Anaheim, California.

During our time at the DoubleTree we refinished the hotel’s desks, dressers, nightstands and headboards, updating the furniture pieces with fresh color, hardware and upholstery.

As the DoubleTree Anaheim is a ‘full-hotel’ projects with us refinishing each of the DoubleTree’s 95 rooms, we thought we would bring you a few ‘before and after’ pictures so you can get a true sense for how refinishing and reupholstery can transform old furniture into modern, stylish, full functional pieces. By refinishing furniture instead of implementing the tradition ‘rip-and-replace’ processes, the DoubleTree Anaheim prevented countless pieces of furniture from unnecessarily entering into landfills and saved over 90 percent in carbon emissions as compared to buying new.

Are you curious as to how refinishing can help save the environment and improve your organization’s bottom line, as it did at the DoubleTree Anaheim? Visit our homepage at therefinishingtouch.comto learn more or to request a free quote.

Before & after visuals:

Before                                        After

Before                                                  After

Before                                                  After

Before                                                  After

Anaheim, California, DoubleTree Hilton, Orange County, refinish, rip and replace, Sustainability

April 20th, 2012 by TRT Blog

As Earth Day approaches, the entire team here at The Refinishing Touch is excited to follow the planning and ideas for so many great events planned across the country and the world this Sunday, April 22. From ‘A Billion Acts of Green’ to the rally on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the 42^nd Earth Day is set to make history.

One of the best outlets we’ve found for following these major Earth Day events is the Earth Day Network website. Not only does it feature stunning Earth Day images, but it provides informational overviews of numerous Earth Day events and how you can get involved. Here are some of our favorites:

Mobilize the Earth: The overall theme for Earth Day 2012. A bold statement, as described by the Earth Day Network as, “we are mobilizing the planet to simply say one thing: the Earth won’t wait.” The goal is to mobilize billions of people around the world and demand global governmental action to enact renewable energy initiatives, invest in energy efficient technologies, and reduce dependence on strained natural resources.

For more on Mobilize the Earth, watch the video below:

A Billion Acts of Green: Already the world’s largest environmental service campaign, over 900 million actions have already been registered. A Billion Acts of Green is a great outlet that encourages individuals and communities to commit to sustainable, environmentally-friendly actions. Visit earthday.org/billion-acts-of-green to pledge your act and help the reach one billion commitments before the United Nations Earth Summit, Rio+20, this June.

Rally on the National Mall: D.C. will become the nation’s Earth Day center this weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people will join together to rally for environmental change. The rally is free and open to the public. It will feature musical performances, speeches, live news coverage, renewable energy demonstrations and more. Visit the webpage here, or RSVP to attend on Facebook.

While we should recognize the importance of preserving our environment every day, Earth Day is one day when everyone can come together with one voice and fight for our planet. To learn more about how you can get involved with the Earth Day events listed above, or to find an event in your city go here.

A Billion Acts of Green, Earth Day, Earth Day events, Earth Day Rally, Mobilize the Earth, The Refinishing Touch

April 17th, 2012 by TRT Blog

As we mentioned at the beginning of the month, this year marks the 42nd annual Earth Day celebration, and while millions around the world will celebrate in different ways—from committing to recycling to agreeing to compost for a year—millions have already participated in Earth Hour as a prelude. One hour where everyone agreed to stop using electricity and “switch off”.

Observed on March 31, hundreds of millions of people and organizations turned off their lights, recognizing the thought and care that should go into using our precious resources. As a sustainable refinishing company that works with universities, hotels and government agencies across the country, we were interested in learning which organizations participated in Earth Hour.

One of the most notable was Wyndham Worldwide—parent company to hotels such as Planet Hollywood and Ramada—which announced its participation in Earth Hour by saying it would participate and “demonstrate their commitment to environmentally sustainable action.”

As a hotel organization known for its leadership in sustainable practices and with our first-hand experience with Wyndham Worldwide’s commitment to sustainability, it comes as little surprise that its energy goals are so substantial. The hospitality company is on track to reduce overall emissions by 12 percent be 2016 and 20 percent by 2020.

We are very happy to see such a large hotel organization be so open and forthcoming about its goal for sustainability. This type of transparency will only encourage other hotel organizations, large and small, to commit to sustainable practices, so we can all work together to help preserve our environment.

For more information on Wyndham Worldwide’s sustainable practices and initiatives, visit Wyndham Green.

For a touching overview of this year’s Earth Hour, watch the video below:

Earth Day, Earth Hour, Earth Hour video, hospitality, Wyndham Green, Wyndham Worldwide

April 13th, 2012 by TRT Blog

2012 marks a very important year for The Refinishing Touch, our employees, our customers, and everyone who has been involved with fulfilling our mission and goal of working towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly world. This year marks our 35th anniversary in the refinishing business community.

The Refinishing Touch was founded in 1977 and with the help of dedicated leadership and teamwork, we are now the leader in environmentally safe, on-site furniture refinishing, reupholstery and remanufacturing. We have worked with over 20,000 customers nationwide, across numerous industries including governmental agencies, universities and colleges, and hotels. And while the green, environmental movement has only recently come into fruition, we have been helping organizations and institutions transform their unused furniture into like new, stylish, functional pieces for 35 years—equating to over half a million hardware trees saved from destruction and tons of usable furniture prevented from ending up in our nations landfills.

Along our 35 year journey, we have had the pleasure to work with wonderful clients, be recognized for our work, including receiving the US GSA Evergreen Award for innovative, environmentally friendly practices, and create jobs across countless US states and cities. While not every company has had the longevity that we have, particularly in this difficult economic climate, we credit our 35 years of success to hard work, perseverance, and great service.

To all of the people and organizations who helped us reach our 35 year anniversary, we couldn’t have done it without you—and we toast to another 35 years of refinishing success!

1977, 35, anniversary, established, Mario Insenga, refinishing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, reupholstry, The Refinishing Touch