Newsletter - May 2009

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In this Issue

• Letter from the President
• Save the dates! CAED is just around the corner in July
• The ALL NEW Vactor 2100 Plus
• The new Elgin Megawind
• Elgin and Vactor offer rebuild programs to keep your equipment in good operating order
• New Maintenance Parts Kits available through Elgin
• Grease control with Bacteria products from Helix Laboratories
• Now available through Owen Equipment: the full line of products from Sewer Equipment Company of America
• Check out our on site training and demo trailers - including ENVIROSIGHT

May's Letter From the President (back to top)

Let me start off with a big “Thank You” to all of our customers. At the Vactor/Elgin dealer meeting in January, Owen Equipment received the Number 3 Dealer award based on sales volume for the years 2007 and 2008. We also won a Top Dealer award for the Western US for 2007. We would have never achieved this without the support of our customers. The entire Owen team appreciates your business very much!

Spring is here and there have been a lot of great changes at Owen Equipment since our last newsletter.

By now, you most likely have seen our mailers promoting Envirosight pipeline inspection equipment. For the last year, we have been looking for a camera line that would allow us to provide the best pipeline inspection solutions for our customers. We looked at several lines and took enough time to make sure we picked the right product; in the end it was clear that the best decision was to choose Envirosight. They are by far one of the most advanced lines in the market with features and benefits far above almost every other line. They are not the cheapest; however, in keeping with our commitment to provide the best products in the industry, Envirosight represents the best solutions. Owen will be backing this line with the dedication and service you’ve come to expect from us as we become your resource for all your camera needs. In addition to Enviorsight’s top-notch service center, Owen Equipment also has a full service center to back every camera we sell! This is a long-term commitment--If you choose to give us the opportunity to earn your business you can rest assured we’ll be here for your total support many years after the sale.

Owen Equipment is pleased to announce that on April 24th we will become the exclusive authorized distributor for Sewer Equipment Company of America for Oregon, Washington and northern Idaho. Many of you are familiar with this company as a high quality manufacturer of a wide range of sewer cleaning equipment and accessories. All of us at Owen were very pleased when the line became available. This full line of equipment will help make Owen your one stop Equipment Company for all your environmental cleaning needs. Part of Sewer Equipment Company of America’s appeal is their full line of high quality sewer cleaning nozzles for every application. Our nozzle experts have already defined our beginning inventory so you can count on Owen Equipment to have the right nozzle in stock for your next job—specifically set up for your truck.

For grease and odor issues, we’ve added the Helix line of bacteria products as an environmentally friendly and effective means of controlling grease. The Helix team is already proving to be a great resource for consult and training, and we are looking forward to developing this product line with our customers.

Our Goal is to become The Company you look to for SOLUTIONS. With the addition of these high quality manufacturers, we truly have a FULL line for all your sewer, storm and street maintenance needs. Having filled out our product offerings, we are now investing to make sure we have the best support available. In January, we put into service a fully stocked demo and training trailer that contains a wide range of nozzles, camera systems and testing equipment.

Along with the new trailer, we have two new team members ready to bring our products and services to your location: Si Norris (in Portland) and Dwayne Warner (in Kent). Give these guys a call and they’ll come to your location at no charge to conduct flow testing, demonstrations and training for you and the whole crew. They’ll make sure your truck is operating to spec and show you all the various tools available to properly use the power of your sewer cleaner with the right tool on the end of the hose. I can tell you with confidence that if you invest a couple of hours of training time, your crews will be more productive and will use your trucks more efficiently and effectively.

As we move forward with these exciting new products, the Owen team is committed to partnering with each and every one of you to do whatever we can to make your job easier. We hope that our additions and investments in Owen Equipment do just that! We’re not a company that will make a sale and then disappear—you can count on Owen for all your service, support and training needs after the sale.

Be sure to mark your calendar for July 21st and July 23rd for our “Customer Appreciation and Education Days” this year. There will be full displays of all the latest products with factory experts, live demonstrations and training classes. Watch the web site (www.owenequipment.com) and your mailbox for more information as we line-out the details. We hope you can set aside a few hours to be there – we’re planning a great event to make it time well spent for you and your crews.

You have helped Owen Equipment become one of the largest and most successful dealers in the United States! Our team recognizes that the only way we can keep growing is to “exceed your expectations every time.” If we ever fail to do so, or if you have input for us to help improve the service we provide, please feel free to contact me directly anytime at (503) 704-2151

Save the Dates - CAED is coming in July! (back to top)

Kent, Washington - 8721 S 218th Street • (800) 422-2059
Tuesday, July 21st

Portland, Oregon - 12831 NE Whitaker Way • (800) 992-3656
Thursday, July 23rd

Our full line of products on display. Meet with factory representatives and the entire Owen Equipment Company Team.

• The ALL NEW Vactor 2100 Plus PD and Fan Units
• The NEW Elgin MegaWind and full line of Elgin Sweepers
• Sewer Equipment Company of America Equipment & Accessories
• All the latest technologies from Envirosight
• Green Machine
• Epoke
• Triple-L Drop Deck Trailers
• Helix
• FREE LUNCH • DOOR PRIZES • TIPS & TRICKS FROM THE EXPERTS!

Check out the NEW Vactor 2100 PLUS

See it live and in person at CAED in July; and get more info now at Vactor's web site

New from Elgin - The MEGAWIND (back to top)

Elgin Sweeper Introduces Megawind Vacuum Truck and Catch Basin Cleaner

New multipurpose vacuum truck and sweeper features exclusive articulated power boom

ELGIN, Ill. (March 4, 2009) – Elgin Sweeper, the leader in environmentally efficient street sweepers, has introduced the Megawind® combination leaf and debris vacuum and catch basin cleaner with an optional street sweeper system. The large, 12-inch leaf and debris hose system features an industry-exclusive articulated power boom with 180-degree rotation that is supported by a high-performance vacuum system and large-capacity debris body.

The versatile machine offers impressive pick-up performance and flexibility to easily handle everything from compacted dirt, gravel, sand and bulky debris, to leaves and other smaller particles found in the street and in catch basins. The Megawind is available on a conventional chassis or a premium Nissan Diesel UD3300 chassis, with right-hand steering or optional dualized steering.
“Now more than ever, our municipal and contractor customers are being challenged to do more with less, without compromising on results,” said Brian Giles, sweeper products manager at Elgin Sweeper. “From picking up leaves and sweeping to keep streets clean and prevent basin loading, to cleaning basins and inserts to remove debris before it moves down the system, the new Megawind multipurpose vacuum truck and catch basin cleaner, with an optional sweep system, delivers all the versatility, power and performance needed to meet a community’s storm water needs.”

Articulated boom: At the heart of the combination vacuum truck and catch basin cleaner is a patent-pending articulated boom design that controls the vacuum hose. This revolutionary boom system allows a full, 180 degrees of boom travel and more than 200 degrees of hose reach while allowing fingertip hose positioning anywhere in a 10-foot radius. The unique design allows the vacuum hose to fold inward on itself, within the rear profile of the sweeper, during transportation, dumping or while not in use. Operators will appreciate the increased freedom of movement not found on competitive models. “Other machines limit the productive work area to the outer perimeter set by the radius of the vacuum hose,” Giles said. “The hydraulically articulated vacuum hose boom on the Megawind can be moved in/out, up/down and left/right, for virtually infinite adjustments.”
The vacuum hose on the Megawind has a maximum lift height of nearly 14 feet when the boom is completely unfolded. Featuring a 12-inch diameter, the standard heavy-duty flex hose is equipped with a manual rear-gate valve that allows the operator to cut off airflow to the hose and retain debris in the hopper during transport – all without the use of a clamp-on blanking plate. Pendant controls include throttle up/down, shoulder in/out, elbow in/out, lift up/down and engine throttle control. For added operator convenience, a wireless remote control is also available.

The Megawind’s high-performance vacuum system features a powerful fan with a rating of 30,000 CFM of airflow that easily removes the toughest debris from catch basins.

Optional street sweeper system: The optional street sweeper system features ergonomic controls and Elgin Sweeper’s exclusive Memory Sweep®, which allows the operator to resume all previous sweeper settings with one-touch control. “Memory Sweep incorporates a multi-screen display that details engine and broom hours, water level, system diagnostics and broom tilt angle,” Giles said.

The machine is available with debris hopper capacities from 10 to 15 cubic yards. The hopper is constructed of 10-gauge steel walls and a ¼-inch (6.35 mm) thick floor with drop-down screens for quick clean-up. To maximize the life, durability and functionality of the hopper, an optional LifeLiner® hopper liner and finish system is available. A 50-degree tilt angle ensures efficient dumping.

“The new Megawind vacuum truck and catch basin cleaner is yet another example of Elgin Sweeper’s commitment to providing municipalities and sweeper contractors with environmental solutions that reduce storm water and air pollution,” Giles said.

Call Owen Equipment for a full brochure or visit Elgin's Web Site; or, better yet, come to CAED in July to see the new Megawind first hand!

Factory Authorized Rebuilt Program (back to top)

Extend the service life for all your Elgin and Vactor Products

Have your existing equipment thoroughly inspected and refurbished with OEM parts at a fraction of the cost of purchasing new vehicles

• Free of charge all point inspection
• Genuine OEM replacement parts
• Repairs made by factory trained technicians
• 1 year warranty on dealer installed parts
• 10% parts discount for qualifying orders

Elgin Maintenance Parts Kits (back to top)

15% less than individually priced items. Elgin has recently put together parts maintenance kits for select Broom Bear, Eagle, Pelican and Road Wizard sweepers. The kits are geared toward specific ranges of serial numbers and hours of usage on the equipment. Elgin maintenance kits provide genuine OEM parts that are designed to keep your sweeper operating trouble free and maintain your Elgin warranty.

Helix Bacterial Grease Control Products (back to top)

What Makes Grease a Problem in Collection Systems?
Grease is a major challenge to wastewater professionals across the country. Grease can significantly reduce the capacity of sewer lines and is a major cause of SSO’s. The severity of the problem is due primarily to the characteristics of grease:

• It remains liquified at 56° F.
• It solidifies at 55° F.
• It is adhesive in nature which enables it to easily attach to sewer lines.
• Grease is lighter than water (thus it floats on water).

Bacteria Versus Chemicals

Both chemical and bacteria products are widely used for controlling grease in collection systems. Chemical products, which include lift station degreasers, liquid degreasers and high pH powders (Lye) are typically used to emulsify the grease and move it downstream to destinations unknown. These products can be effective, but can be hazardous to the environment and the people using them. Bacteria is typically used as maintenance product that can be manually added or metered into a system to build up a biofilm and digest grease. In contrast to chemical products, bacteria do not emulsify the grease and send it downstream where it can become a problem again. Instead, grease is consumed and the biproduct of grease digestion is carbon dioxide and water.

The Helix Advantage

• Reduced Grease Buildup
• Odor Control
• Effective in Mains and Pump Stations
• Prevents Overflows
• Safe and Compatible with WWTPs
• Cost Effective and Labor Saving

Owen Equipment is pleased to be your Northwest distributor for Helix, pioneers in biological degreasing products. We stock Helix products in both Kent and Portland. Our product support team is available for consultations and demos. Give us a call!

Performance Biologicals© For Everyday Wastewater Challenges (Product Lines)

MINIMIZER LIQ© Microbial Liquid for FOG

• Grease-Eating Microbes for Mains, Lift Stations, Wet Wells and WWTPs
• San Diego Grease Test Winner!

GREASE BLOCKS™

• Solid Blocks for Lift Stations and Sewer Line Maintenance

JET BUGS™

• Microbial Degreaser for Jetters

PORC ‘n Bags™

• High Potency Bacteria in Water Soluble Bags for Easy Use

HP-GTF GREASE BUGS©

• Dry Grease Eating Formula Enriched with Enabling Nutrients

Please visit the Helix Section of our web site for more details . Also, Si Norris is Owen's resident expert on these products -- please feel free to call Si at (503) 805-7032.

Sewer Equipment Company of America (back to top)

As of April 24, 2009 Owen Equipment Company is your resourse for all Sewer Equipment Company of America Products. With such an expansive product line, it will take us a little time to get everything posted on our web site. Until we do, please visit their web sites at:

Sewer Equipment Company of America | Mongoose Trailer Jetters
Ram-Vac

Take advantage of our traveling demo trailer (back to top)

See it all and learn all about it: with YOUR sewer cleaner at YOUR facility!

This is NOT A SALES CALL—we’ll listen and learn about the problems you run into every day because if we don’t know what’s wrong, we can’t help! And, truly, we do this at no charge to you with no obligation; all we ask is that you give us the opportunity to quote and compete for your business when the need arises.
Owen Equipment Company has two demo and training trailers--both ready to come to you:

• Our main demo trailer is the one you see with the picture of a Vactor on the outside--well stocked with all the tools needed to provide you with an analysis of your sewer cleaning operations: A wide array of nozzles and cutting tools, Helix bacterial grease control products, our QuickView zoom camera, VeriSight push camera and the Vivax line locator with sondes.
• Our SuperVision trailer includes the internal viewing station (keeping you out of the wind and rain) where you can review video and analyze DigiSewer side wall scanning video on site.

Based on past experience, here is what we typically cover:

Is your truck performing to factory spec? We’ll hook up the flow meter and test; that, along with a clear tube nozzle test clearly reveals hits and misses in relation between RPM, GPM and PSI with the tools you are currently using. Correcting problems here can be as simple as replacing nozzle inserts!

Are you operating your equipment safely? You might be over-pressurizing your truck—we’ll help your team get to know your working parameters. Are you following proper procedures for engaging your truck? As a group, your team will see how to ramp it up right without causing damage to the truck or to themselves.

Are you using the best tools for the tough jobs? If you’re not sure, we’ll do comparative demonstrations between your tools and the many tools in the trailer. Getting a visual perspective on pressure vs. flow could save you time, energy and money on a day-to-day basis.

What about grease control: would your grease problems be best controlled mechanically or biologically?

Are your operators working based on true best-practices? If team-members aren’t running the truck every day or even every week, a good brush-up for standards might be in order. Word-of-mouth procedures without a check-up can be hazardous to your machinery, your productivity and to your safety!

Line Locating: it can be tricky business! It’s not always just a “point and shoot” operation. Pipe material density (for example: PVC vs. cast iron), depth and ground material all effect line locating no matter the locating tool. We’ll discuss how multiple frequency location tools can help you get precise information to complete the task at hand safely.

Owen’s outside support team is trained in the latest and greatest in sewer maintenance products. If any of the above questions or topics have crossed your mind, give Si or Dwayne a call to set a time to come and work with you. Whether it’s for only an hour or if it’s an all-day session, we’re sure you’ll agree that it’s time well spent.

Si Norris (503) 805-7032
Dwayne Warner (253) 249-6369