One of the Biggest Obstacles for Micell

Apparently the cost of the new Micell technology wasn’t the only obstacle for the Hangar’s Cleaners company to incorporate their innovation into the market for dry cleaning. There had been innovation in the older technology of PERC cleaning that made the purchase and installation of the newer “green” Micell equipment even less attractive.

An article in the New York Times dating back to the year 2000 explains some of the shortcomings of the big green innovation that the Hangars company sought to sell to the dry cleaning market as a franchise. It expected to open 500 outlets by the year 2000 and bring in 50 million dollars but as the article states, only a few locations have been opened.

While the political atmosphere seemed right for a greener innovation—with stricter regulations on PERC due to the Clean Air Act, extensive paperwork, and extra prevention costs—it turns out that other innovations in the older technology deterred any investment in Micell. The newer systems lowered the amount of PERC used in the industry in 1998 to just 75 million pounds—a 70% decrease since a decade earlier.

The new Micell technology is around $150,000 for a unit, and significantly larger than a PERC unit (which averages in cost around $60,000). So it seems that even with all of the extra regulations, costs, and limitations, there is still not enough incentive to go “green”.


Barnaby J. Feder. "Cleaning Up the Dry Cleaners; High Cost of Going Green Limits Promising Technology". New York Times. Feb 15, 2000