OAQDA Financing Helps Southwest Ohio Dry Cleaner Create Healthier Workplace and Invest in Its Future

Partnership with OAQDA provides critical financing for new equipment that eliminates harmful solvents and supports a long-standing small business

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) issued revenue bonds to finance new dry-cleaning equipment at a long-standing small business in Southwest Ohio. The financing supports a project at Apparel Care Cleaners in Cincinnati, helping the business comply with federal clean air requirements, modernize operations, and retain jobs in the community. Huntington Bank partnered with OAQDA to purchase the bonds, providing critical financing that helped make the project possible.

The project will replace outdated perchlorethylene (PERC)-based equipment with a new dry-cleaning machine that complies with the latest federal rule prohibiting PERC solvents, a known carcinogen, in dry-cleaning operations. The new equipment eliminates the use of the toxic solvent, improves the economic stability of the small business, and creates safer working conditions for employees.

As Ohio's Small Business Ombudsman, OAQDA is taking a proactive approach to helping small businesses address air quality requirements and make necessary investments in their operations. OAQDA targets financial assistance through its Small Business Clean Air Program for Ohio's neighborhood businesses like Apparel Care Cleaners, which is accessing the financing needed to make these critical investments possible.

Apparel Care Cleaners, a veteran-owned business located at 8610 Winton Road in Cincinnati, has served customers in Ohio and Kentucky for nearly four decades. The investment will help retain six jobs while improving workplace safety and operational reliability. The project is supported by $79,108 in financing and $15,821 in additional financial assistance.

"This project represents the kind of long-term investment OAQDA is proud to support, helping small businesses modernize their operations, create healthier workplaces, and sustain jobs that create economic benefits and serve their community for years to come," said Christina O'Keeffe, executive director of OAQDA.

"Small businesses like Apparel Care Cleaners are important employers and trusted community partners in Hamilton County," said State Representative Rachel Baker (D-Cincinnati). "This investment supports safer working conditions, cleaner air, and helps ensure this long-standing business can continue serving local families for years to come."

"Programs like OAQDA's help Ohio businesses remain competitive while making meaningful improvements that benefit workers and the broader community," said State Senator Louis W. Blessing, III (R-Colerain Township). "Supporting projects that reduce harmful emissions while preserving jobs is a win for both public health and economic growth."

"Access to programs like OAQDA's makes it significantly easier for small businesses like mine to invest in safer, modern technology," said Jim Wright, owner of Apparel Care Cleaners. "I've been in this industry serving the community for 40 years. This project allows me to focus on providing quality garment care without compromising the health and safety of myself or my employees."

The project is expected to contribute nearly $550,000 in local economic activity through the retention of 6 full-time jobs. In addition, the project is estimated to help avoid nearly $491,000 in healthcare and environmental costs by reducing toxic emissions and exposure risks for workers, customers, and the broader community.

Investing in this new equipment will allow the business to comply with federal clean air requirements. These requirements stem from a final rule issued by the U.S. EPA that phases out the use of PERC over time. Through its partnership with Apparel Care Cleaners and Huntington Bank, OAQDA is helping make this necessary investment possible, giving a long-standing Ohio small business the opportunity to modernize, remain competitive, and continue serving its community.