Charity's Help Gets Business Running Again After Blaze

Newcastle Herald

Friday September 30, 2005

GR

A LOCAL charity reopened recently one of Newcastle's largest privately owned suppliers of wiping cloths to the motor trade.

It was in July 2004 that a devastating fire forced the closure of Wipe N Rag.

Now Wipe N Rag is back delivering quality cloth and additional value-added products and equipment to a wide range of clients.

Today, however, the net proceeds help fund valuable assistance programs in the Newcastle community.

Wipe N Rag is being run by The Community Helping Hand Association Inc (CHHA), a Newcastle-based non-sectarian not-for-profit charity.

The Community Helping Hand Association Inc vice-chairman and Wipe N Rag general manager Andrew Corbett said the charity took on the business in light of a long-standing association with the previous owners.

"While the fire unfortunately forced the closure of the business, there remained the issue of assisting both the workers who, through no fault of theirs, were suddenly out of work, and the many loyal customers who were very dependant on the cloth as an essential material used in their businesses," Mr Corbett said.

"The CHHA committed itself to substantial start-up expenditure via the purchase of a delivery van, forklift and cloth-cutting machinery.

"We also took the opportunity to move from our Wickham wool store offices to larger premises from which we can now operate both the CHHA and the Wipe N Rag business more effectively.

"We've completed our first year of trading and both our old and many new customers have supported us extremely well."

Mr Corbett said that, in acknowledging that The Community Helping Hand Association Inc was a charity, management fully understood that unless the business continued to provide clients with value-added products and service, they would purchase elsewhere.

"We are proudly recognised as the largest independent wiping cloth supplier throughout Newcastle and northern NSW, supplying clients from the Central Coast to the Queensland border.

"And we are committed to working hard for our clients and earn their continued confidence and custom."

Wipe N Rag supplies an extensive range of quality wiping cloths.

The business recently added a range of technically advanced water-based colloidal cleaners and degreasers, car and truck wash, hand cleaners, paper products including toilet paper and hand towel, colour-coded brushes, buckets, mops and brooms, vacuums, carpet extractors and pressure washing equipment.

© 2005 Newcastle Herald

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