The Refinishing Touch Blog

September has proven to be a very busy and productive month for The Refinishing Touch due to recent trade shows and conferences. Just last week we returned from the HD Boutique exposition and this week, we're just getting back from Los Angeles where we were exhibiting at the InterContinental Hotels Group's (IHG) 2008 Americas Investors & Leadership Conference.

Despite being announced at the show last year, the IHG event was filled with the buzz of the Holiday Inn Family's mass renovation and relaunch that is slated to be complete by 2010. Leading the rebranding efforts, franchisers and owners are left with one simple question: buy new or go eco friendly and refurbish?

We found our booth to be a very popular stop during the tradeshow, industry moguls and investors were eager to look at new ways to save money on the bottom line while also knowing they would be receiving quality work for any given hotel chain under the IHG brand. As news of the rebranding continues to permeate the industry, The Refinishing Touch continues to be pushed further into the limelight. As a preferred IHG vendor, it is great to see this organization look to revamp its brand through asset management and renovation of existing pieces.

We had quite a presence at one of the industry's largest Tradeshows and are proud to say that we were a significant part of such a fabulous event.

Labels: Green, Hospitality, IHG

Currently, it's been near impossible to escape the news of our country's financial crisis. Phrases like "financial meltdown" or "the largest bailout since the Great Depression" are constantly the focus of the news. Earlier in the week, the Bush Administration asked Congress to pass a bill allowing Washington to purchase $700 billion in bad mortgage-related assets from U.S. financial institutions throughout the next two years, which, if passed, would push the National debt limit to $11.3 trillion. With Wall Street regressing so quickly, it's easy for people to enter panic mode and try to make decisions hastily. This government "bailout" is being promoted as a rescue effort, with concerns for middle class families trying stay in their homes.

So with all of this financial crisis, where do we stand at The Refinishing Touch? As a self-financed company, we know first-hand that managing existing assets is more important now than it's ever been. For our customers, the same rings true. If you've been borrowing against assets that have been dwindling, you need to be able to make the best of what you have and manage them wisely.

If you're finding yourself struggling because of Wall Street chances are you're not running out to replace all of your old furniture in your home. The industries we serve are feeling the effects as well. With less Americans traveling for leisure, the hospitality industry has to rely on more foreign travelers. Universities are searching for more funding to be able to help middle-class families afford to provide higher education to their children.

We're glad that we're able to provide some help in these troubled times to people and organizations who are looking for improved facilities but who can't push for everything to be brand new. Refinishing desks and chairs in a university dorm or conference tables in a small business instead of buying new pieces allows these organizations to continue to manage assets in the ways that are most important to them. As we continue in a country with financial uncertainty, it's reassuring to know that our efforts go beyond tables and desks to the lives of the people that sit at them.

Labels: economy, finance, self finance, Wall Street

Last week The Refinishing Touch team attended the Hospitality Design Boutique exposition and conference in Miami.

With over 4,000 people from across our industry this was an ideal opportunity to talk to peers, buyers, and prospects about the hospitality industry and some of the issues we collectively face.

We met a cross section of industry personnel, including designers, architects, owners, operators and buyers. From hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, condominiums, senior living facilities, nightclubs and golf and country clubs they each had concerns over the potential squeeze from the current financial downturn. Cash flow is a priority for the board across the board.

So how does "green," an issue that was represented very strongly at the event, fit into all this?

I spent time catching up and speaking with other industry players and there was a consensus: everyone wants to accommodate the environment as much as possible. "Green" resonates throughout the industry and with consumers. Yet the key concern is the bottom line. It's no good a business being environmentally-conscious and going bust. Our current economy needs strong businesses.

That's why it's worth remembering that "green" can have a marked financial advantage. Energy and water saving devices cut costs in the long run. Our industry hemorrhages electricity at a phenomenal rate so "green" measures which reduce bills are a no-brainer. And here at The Refinishing Touch, we're proud to have pioneered a way to save money which also happens to be "green."

Our commitment to refurbishing old furniture saves large corporations, global hotel chains and government organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our solution allows hotels to recycle outdated armoires that no longer fit modern televisions, to save the planet and the bottom line.

Green doesn't have to mean a choice of the planet or the balance sheet: it can mean both. Simply put: Green grows green.

Labels: Green, HD Boutique, Hospitality

All government measures have their casualties. In the case of the legislation of February 17th 2009 the victim is the armoire. Once a flagship of French regional furniture and a staple to many hotel rooms, it is soon to be obsolete.

In five months' time federal law dictates all television stations must turn off their analog broadcast. Before then, many hotels, motels and apartments will be forced to upgrade to newer technology. This means soon hoteliers will find themselves stuck with hundreds of pieces of furniture, which simply don't fit modern equipment.

The solution and problem is the HD flat screen television. These bear little relation to their chunky old fashioned counterpart and have very different dimensions. We all know about the environmental implications of discarding old televisions and are constantly reminded of the necessity for the safe disposal of out of date apparatus. Yet nobody remembers the functional piece of furniture, the armoire, which has been housing televisions in guest rooms, hotel suites and ordinary households for decades.

The sad fact is over the coming months, in the run up to the switchover; literally thousands of perfectly good armoires will be dumped. Solid, wooden and bulky the majority of these solid pieces of furniture will just be tossed and something quick, new and flimsy, will be purchased and put in its place. Perhaps in a world without financial or environmental repercussions this solution would be perfectly acceptable. But we at The Refinishing Touch believe in an environmentally responsible world and modifying these existing pieces … and if that's the most cost effective solution all the better.

Because even if the new television doesn't fit the old armoire - many parts of the furniture are critical and can still be functional. This piece of furniture typically houses important elements like the mini-bar, glassware, and drawers for guest's personal items. In any other circumstances many of these would be good for years to come. This is a phenomenal waste of resources. So, to counter the problem we've developed an environmentally-friendly program for refurbishing old armoires. We've got (number of years) years of experience in doing this, and now we can help to meet government measures.

Last week the state of Texas took responsibility for the actions of Hurricane Ike. Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, announced a special measure to suspend the collection of state, local hotel and motel taxes for victims of the hurricane. This move is the result of the enforced evacuation of nearly 1 million people along the Texas coast. The suspension will be backdated to as far as September 8.

We all saw the devastation of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina rampaged through the streets. The desolation was inconceivable. Now states are finally taking some liability for the lodgings industry which supplies their cities. Last week extreme precautions occurred in New Orleans and in Houston, mayor, Bill White ordered an evacuation of 250,000 of the city's four million people.

But this annual environmental hazard could have more long-term positive benefits than just facilitating state intervention. Natural gas is a cheaper, more environmentally sound home-grown alternative to gasoline. It also has one other huge advantage: it is less vulnerable to the hurricanes that batter the Gulf Coast.

According to consultant and gas market tracker Bentek Energy LLC, the boom in shale gas is creating substantial new flows of natural gas - from ground to consumer. These neatly avoid the storm-prone coast and Gulf of Mexico.

We at The Refinishing Touch are focused on seeing the best possible balance between people and their environment. Ike is a reminder that we all live in a delicately balanced co-existence with our natural world.

Labels: Green, Hospitality, Hurricane Ike

In the current climate, there is a lot of talk about the impact of the credit crunch upon the lodging industry. Travelers are cutting back, big hotel chains are tightening their belts, and conglomerates are reviewing global spend.

However, there remains very little discussion concerning the impact of economic conditions upon smaller businesses in which individuals are using their own credit to ensure heads remain above water. Many are franchisees who need funds to maintain established standards but who are increasingly finding sources of funding withdrawn as lenders become nervous.

This week, Hotel & Motel Management ran an article that raised precisely this issue. It explored alternate sources of capital as possible solutions, including the U.S. Small Business Administration's 504 Loan Program, part of the SBA's commitment to help businesses with debt financing (loans) and equity financing that offers suitable businesses low interest rates and down payments with fixed rates. The article also examined the viability of approaching private lending services, concluding that franchisees and franchisors should work more closely together, perhaps even to jointly "evaluate temporary solutions."

As a regular reader of Hotel & Motel Management, and a supporter of every business model within our industry, I applaud any incentive capable of bringing franchisors and franchisees together for the good of both the lodging industry and consumers alike. However, I was disappointed that there was no mention of the critical issue of refurbishment alongside the article's discussion topics of loans, temporary fixes, and "selecting general contractors who offer reasonable rates."

The lodging industry is a classic example of a good business experiencing tough times. In such a situation it is always preferable to find an innovative approach to overcoming business hurdles rather than simply cutting back plans or potentially jeopardizing service quality.

Further details of the SBA and its outline for supporting loan applications can be found at: http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/loanapplication/index.html

Discover how Ballantyne Resort, a Starwood Luxury Collection hotel used refurbishment techniques to create a new look and make significant savings, at: http://www.ballantyneresort.com/Accommodations_GuestRooms.cfm

It isn't often we hear about changes at the C-level within major hotel brands. However when announcements at this level of change and restructuring are made, we are often left wondering what the new structure of the organization will look like and what impacts, if any, the changes will have on the brand itself. Change can breathe new life into an organization. We saw this last week when Starwood Hotels and Resorts took its solid existing reputation for innovation internally and made itself an example of positive change.

Starwood announced a restructuring of its senior leadership with the appointment of Matthew E. Avril as the new president of Starwood's Hotel Group last week. And as stated by the company 'to better position for long term growth,' the new appointment came along with naming Avril's former co- president, Sergio Rivera as sole head of Starwood's Vacation Ownership unit bearing a new title as the CEO of SVO. Each will continue to work under Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

In statements made last week by Starwood, the changes are a response to 'current economic conditions.' From our perspective it is also a gesture towards an organizational change in a positive, proactive direction. In an industry where economic instability has begun to make its presence known, Starwood's efforts are being put forth to "continue to grow its global footprint" working toward efficiency initiatives across all of its brands. Paasschen was quoted saying that they are "working to streamline the organization, reduce costs, improve efficiency and ensure properly structuring for long term growth."

The restructuring isn't the only recent news about Starwood. As green initiatives continue to make their presence known, Starwood remains a leader in the industry's movement toward efficiency change and improvements. They have recently become America's first LEED-certified hotel brand with the development of their newest brand, Element by Starwood.

We here at The Refinishing Touch are proud to hear of the positive change that is rapidly spreading throughout our industry and are anxious to see what the efforts of Starwood's newest leaders will bring. We wish them every success in their new positions and their new strategy.

Labels: Green, Hospitality, Starwood

Every day we plan career moves, holidays, birthdays, retirement - our lives. However as a country we have fallen short on how to plan use of domestic natural energy sources to decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Recently T. Boone Pickens, billionaire, oilman, hedge-fund manager, founder and chairman of Dallas-based BP Capital LLC, announced the "Pickens Plan", a national energy plan that outlines how natural gas and wind power in the US can help cut economic issues related to dependence on off-shore oil and best practices to use environmental resources, such as wind, to help both environmental energy concerns and the US economy. These two main focus areas translate to green - green for the environment and the green at the bottom line.

We couldn't agree more with Pickens when it comes to planning and creating a legacy for others to follow this plan to help the environment and economic concerns. To be sustainable, it's important to look at the resources on hand and determine how to best use and revitalize them to fit current business needs. For example, often times it is easy to overlook a business solution that is in clear view and Pickens points this out in an interview he did with CNN in May when he mentions how surprising it is that the US has not done more with wind regarding an energy solution.

Making major strides to lead his cause, Picken's company, Mesa Power, announced a $2 billion investment as part of a multi-billion dollar plan to build the world's largest wind farm in Pampa, Texas. He talks about harnessing power from thousands of wind turbines in this wind corridor to distribute power across the country via electric power transmission lines and fuel power plants in large population hubs. By fueling these plants with wind, the natural gas that would have been used can be used in place of foreign oil as fuel for motor vehicles. With this replacement, Pickens notes it would be possible for the US to save more than $230 billion a year.

Doing something different creates change and makes opportunities - again in both saving the environment and the bottom line. Where at The Refinishing Touch we know it's important to create change and opportunities for our customers by helping them review their current assets to improve what they have on hand so they can save on their bottom line and save the environment. We applaud Mr .T Boone Pickens and all others that speak on behalf of the environment and with the aim of changing fundamental attitudes and ways of thinking. The status quo must be changed.

Labels: Green, T. Boone Pickens, Wind Power

Labor Day weekend has become known as one of the biggest "move-in" weekends of the year and this year was no exception. Only, something was different at this year's move-in.

The Class of 2012 may or may not notice that colleges have taken strides to improve the livability and aesthetic feel of campus housing. University Business, held a 'Dorms of Distinction' competition to rank the nation's newest collegiate housing concepts. UB received 76 nominations for its contest that revealed improvement and reconstruction trends in three main areas: Student Input, Home-Like Atmosphere, and Community-Oriented Spaces

From natural toned walls in hues alien to "eggshell," community areas with fireplaces and flat screen TVs, to technologically-sound programs connecting students with the status of washers and dryers in the laundry room, parents and college graduate siblings have all been left- mouths agape- wondering "why couldn't this have been done when I was in college?"

The efforts we're seeing don't stop there. Along with the design factor, improvements are eco-friendly. One university reportedly invested $30 million and two years' time to unveil its new housing facilities this year, showing the investment and commitment to the future of our environment.

The Refinishing Touch's initiative shares common ground with the vision of these universities. As we work to improve the properties we work with, our mission is two-fold: to breathe new life into pieces that might been have been considered disposable and to do so in an eco-friendly, sustainable way. We're working here to save green- to put vitality back into reconstruction programs and to keep as much green in your pockets and green in our environment as possible.

We are beginning to see a cross-generational approach to the reach of environmental awareness now- and again, The Refinishing Touch is thrilled to see our vision shared. Here's to the Class of 2012 and all that they will learn.

Labels: College, Dorms, Green, Move In