MARCH 30, 2012—International association executives announce the development of the International Textile Services Alliance (ITSA), a global community of executives from national and regional business-to-business textile service associations, to pursue the following objectives:
- To create a cooperative international business-to-business textile services community to share and compile studies, research, best practices and market figures
- To identify common issues, challenges and research projects to minimize redundancies and maximize resources
ITSA is founded by the European Textile Services Association (ETSA) and the Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA), together with intex, Germany and the Federatie van de Belgische Textielverzorging / Féderation Belge du Textile (FBT), Belgium. It will be launched in May 2012 at Texcare in Frankfurt, Germany.
Membership of ITSA is open to business-to-business textile service associations and limited to one representative from each country. The organization will be managed by a Steering Committee composed of representatives from several of the founding organizations including:
- Robert Long, Secretary-General, European Textiles Services Association (ETSA)
- Joseph Ricci, CEO, Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA)
- Maarten Van Severen, Committee President, Federatie van de Belgische Textielverzorging / Féderation Belge du Textile (FBT), Belgium
- Klaus Jahn, Geschäftsführer, intex Verband, Germany
Inaugural ITSA members include:
- Australia – Textile Rental and Laundry Association Australia Limited (TRLAA)
- Belgium: FBT – Federatie van de Belgische Textielverzorging / Fédération Belge de l’Entretien du Textile asbl.
- Denmark: BVT – Brancheforeningen for Vask og Tekstiludlejning
- Finland: Tekstiilihuoltoliitto Ry
- France: GEIST – Groupement des Entreprises Industrielles de Services Textiles
- Germany: intex – Industrieverband Textil Service e.V.
- Italy: ASSOSISTEMA – Associazione Sistema Industriale Integrato Servizi Tessili e Medici Affini
- Norway: NRV – Norwegian Dry Cleaning & Laundry Association
- Sweden: ST – Sveriges Tvätteriförbund
- Switzerland: VTS – Verband Textilpflege Schweiz
- UK: TSA – Textile Services Association
ITSA will meet annually to address important issues and trends impacting the international textile services community. These meetings will be hosted by the “local” association coinciding with leading international conferences including Texcare International, Expo Detergo International and the Clean Show.
