Spring Valley, N.Y.-based linen rental company Cloth Connection launched an enhanced Web site in January permitting potential customers to review products and enabling existing customers to reserve products online 24 hours a day. Customers can log in and reserve items, find out pricing, estimate shipping costsand look at different scenarios based on shipping methodsand review previous orders, company vice president Michael Davis explained. Full color swatches are provided with all orders, enabling the customer to print out a page for their records. Contact 845/426-3500; Web site: www.clothconnection.com.
Caterpillar Rental Power, Peoria, Ill., announced in January the formation of its new Entertainment Services group to provide power and temperature control equipment to the entertainment segment. Entertainment Services is the single point of contact for energy equipment, services and support for customers in broadcasting, touring, special events, motion picture, television commercial and other specialized segments of the entertainment business, said Greg Landa, the group's sales and marketing manager. Contact 562/947-2180; Web site: www.cat.com.
McCormick Place and Navy Pier in Chicago now offer a recommended service contractor to interested clients; the contractors are nonexclusive, and the facilities receive no commission. This program in no way interferes with existing relationships our customers have with other service contractors who use our facilities, said Scott R. Fawell, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which manages both facilities. Contact 312/791-6150; Web sites: www.mccormickplace.com and www.navypier.com.
Hi-Tech Rentals, specializing in projection, audio and video, and Full Circle Lighting, providing lighting and production services for special events, merged effective Oct. 31. Both companies are based in Atlanta. Contact Full Circle at 404/355-1655, Hi-Tech at 770/968-1652; Web sites: www.fullcirclelighting.com and www.hitechrent.com.
Marriott International and the Professional Convention Management Association have launched a training program educating Marriott sales associates on how to become meeting consultants for the association community, Marriott announced in January. The goal of the program is to transform our already highly skilled sales associates into meeting consultants so we may better anticipate and serve the future meeting needs of association executives and meeting planners, said Richard Green, vice president of association sales, Marriott International, Washington. In conjunction with the PCMA, Marriott has agreed to make the training program available to other lodging companies next year; Marriott has exclusive rights to the program this year. Contact 301/380-7770; Web site: www.marriott.com.
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Send your news to Lisa Hurley via fax at 310/317-0264 or to [email protected]. Then check out our Web site for weekly updates on news, mergers and acquisitions, and events. Go to www.specialevents.com and click on the News & Notes button for your weekly dose of event news.
