Newsletter - June 2011

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In this Issue

• Letter from the President
• Go Green, Save Green - Vactor Design Features Help You Meet NPDES Requirements
• New ROVVER X™ Crawler Inspects Farther into Pipe, Incorporates WinCan-compatible Touchscreen Control Pendant.
• Take Control of Your Water Loss - Are you getting your money’s worth having a contractor investigate leaks in your system?
• Buy, Rent or Lease? Include full or partial maintenance or maintain it yourself?
• TECH TIP Subject: Dead Battery Procedures for Elgin Sweepers with Memory Sweep

A Letter from the President

Hard to believe we are already half way through 2011! This month marks our 5th anniversary as Owen Equipment. A lot has changed in the last five years; we’ve gone from an economy that was on fire, with less than 5% unemployment, to the worst rescession most of us have ever lived through. While the last couple years have been difficult, Owen has made some great strides to continue to grow so we can improve our support to you, our customer. A few of our key accomplishments have been:

• The opening of our Sacramento location in January of 2010. That move gave us three full service locations in the West.
• We have built our late model Vactor and Elgin rental fleet from $0 in 2006 to over $6 million today.
• Our staff has grown from 16 to 30 team members.
• Our parts and supply inventory has grown from under $200 thousand to over $1 million.
• We have expanded our Portland location with a larger more efficient facility, and we have just finished a major remodel of our Kent facilities.

While we would have liked to accomplish much more we are proud of what have been able to get done in a down market. We are both thankful and humbled for the business that you have chosen to give us. We understand every time our phone rings you have a choice and we sincerely appreciate every opportunity you allow our team to be of service.

As we continue to build our business we are making a few small changes. We have just appointed Si Norris as our “Specialty Products Sales Manager.” As such, Si will be helping us develop many of our support product lines. We are looking forward to developing this area of our business and being in a position to serve our customers at many different levels. We understand that service and support after the sale are critical to our ability to grow and serve our customers. Si will be traveling with our sales staff in all three markets. If you haven’t already met and worked with Si, I am confident you will be meeting him soon!

Our focus on our parts and service departments will continue so you can rest assured that once you choose to invest with Owen, we will be doing everything possible to make sure your buying experience exceeds all your expectations.

We also continue to look for additional product lines that complement our area of expertise. While we always have vendors asking for us to be a dealer, we have maintained our business plan of only adding products that blend with our current lines. We will also not veer from our goal of only offering the highest quality products available. By doing this when we do add products you can be confident that we have done our homework so you will be investing in the highest quality products you can at a competitive price.

In February we attended the Federal Signal dealer meeting that is held every two years. We are proud, and again thankful, to be one of the top three dealers in the US for both 2009 and 2010. I believe we have proven that when you have the industry’s highest quality, leading manufacturer matched with a dealer that understands that the customer is the most important factor to our success then we can truly develop a win/win/win relationship between the manufacturer, distributor and you. Thank you to each of you again for your ongoing support!

For those of you that have followed our newsletters for the last five years you know my first son, Owen, was born three months prior to my partner and I buying Ben-Ko-Matic. That is where the name “Owen Equipment” came from. I am not sure what happened to the time as Owen starts kindergarten next year and his brother, Adam, is already three years old! Time flies by and I am amazed at how fast the last five years have gone! While times have been tough I sincerely hope that you all get the time to enjoy your families and life. Business and budgets will improve and things will get back to normal; what we can never get back is time.
I hope that our customers located in Oregon and Washington can break free to join us for our Customer Appreciation and Education Days in June. I always enjoy visiting with everyone that I have had the privilege to meet, as well as spend time and get to know those of you that I have not had a chance to meet yet. Our team will be here with ALL the latest equipment and products to help you become more efficient and productive. Of course, we will have our factory trained experts on hand to help with any questions you may have. It is a great day to come out and learn about new products, get your questions answered and see live demonstrations. Plus, it gives me and the Owen staff a chance to say “Thank You” to each of you while we provide you and your staff with a free lunch!

Our Goal remains the same and that is to “exceed your expectations every time.” If we ever fall short or you have any ideas or suggestions on how Owen Equipment can improve our service and support, my phone is always on and I am eager to talk, listen and learn! Please feel free to call me anytime at
(503) 704-2151. Sincerely, Earl A. Rose

Go Green, Save Green (back to top)

Vactor Design Features Help You Meet NPDES Requirements

by Dave Armstrong

With rising fuel costs and tight budgets, everyone is looking at ways to become more efficient and productive while getting the most from their resources. Vactor has engineered options that allow more efficient system operations that increase productivity and reduce fuel consumption. Fuel savings for a single truck have been calculated at well over 3,500 gallons per year, or more depending how many hours you put on your truck. Additionally, less fuel burned means less NOx emissions for organizations struggling to meet 2011 fleet NOx reduction requirements. This is good news as less fuel burned means less money spent on fuel and less NOx emitted into the atmosphere.

Vactor’s unique Vac-On-The-Go enhancement allows our dual engine machine to perform many daily activities while running only the smaller, more fuel efficient, auxiliary engine. Now potholing, catch basin cleaning, trenching and hydro-excavating can be accomplished with less fuel burned, less NOx emission, less noise and less wear and tear on your equipment. Most operators surveyed claim that Vac-On-The-Go improves their productivity. This enhancement is accomplished with an additional PTO that allows the auxiliary engine to produce up to 20 GPM of hydro-excavation or catch basin cleaning power, even if you choose to shut down the chassis engine.

Vactor’s proprietary 5x5 boom option saves operators precious time and the strain of continually adding or removing additional catch basin tubes. It works as a telescopic hose independently controlled from the main boom; this allows an additional 5’ of cleaning depth without maneuvering the main boom. Operators using the 5x5 boom option report up to 30% more catch basins being cleaned per day all while making the job easier on the operator.

With new NPDES regulations, everyone is required to do more. Vactor options are designed to help your staff be safer and more productive. That means lower operating costs and greener operations for you!

The right equipment, the right enhancements – all backed by the right company. Everybody Wins!

New ROVVER X™ (back to top)

Crawler Inspects Farther into Pipe, Incorporates WinCan-compatible Touchscreen Control Pendant.

Randolph, New Jersey—March 18, 2011 Steerable 6-wheel drive, adaptable architecture, portability—these innovations have made ROVVER the most trusted brand in pipe inspection, and today the all-new ROVVER X enhances them with an extended crawl range (1000’ with options up to 1650’), ultra-portable 3-piece layout, and a powerful, WinCan-compatible touchscreen control pendant with digital recording. What’s more, a bolt-on carriage broadens ROVVER X’s stance and raises its height, letting you inspect 6-48” pipes with the camera centered using just a single crawler.

The new pendant captures days’ worth of MPEG video and JPEG images, and logs observations for direct upload to WinCan. Twin multifunction joysticks keep operation simple and natural, while handy macros automate everyday inspection routines. The pendant accepts USB media, and connects via ROVVER-Link for remote diagnostics and firmware updates.

ROVVER X also delivers several other firsts for a mid-size ROVVER crawler: a detachable remote-operated camera lift, three illuminated onboard cameras (forward pan/tilt/zoom, cable view and elevated rear-view), integrated sensor package (sonde, dual lasers, inclination, roll), and concurrent control for all system functions. A high-power, high-torque drive train, proportional steering and zero-radius pivot further enhance ROVVER X’s agility.

Both pendant and crawler plug directly into the reel—no control unit is required, which makes the system exceptionally portable and simple to set up. To maximize range, the reel uses light yet strong cable (0.03 lb/ft with 1000 lb break strength), and continuously monitors cable tension to minimize drag on the crawler.

“ROVVER X continues a 20-year legacy of innovation,” says Richard Lindner, President of Envirosight. “We’ve delivered incredible functionality in the base package, and we’ve also given users the ability to grow into advanced capabilities like lateral launch, side-scanning and laser profiling with simple add-on components. The value is just tremendous.”

As with other Envirosight crawlers, a compact, steerable 6-wheel drive helps ROVVER X navigate past debris and obstructions, climb offsets, and pass through inverts and curved access points. The crawler’s modular design allows quick reconfiguration for any combination of pipe size, material and condition.

Take Control of Your Water Loss (back to top)

Are you getting your money’s worth having a contractor investigate leaks in your system?

Customer Quote:
“ We paid $10,000.00 a week for a contractor to analyze a section of town and all he was worried about was his cigarette breaks.”

Let Owen Equipment consult you on the technology that will meet your needs and budget.

Leverage your team’s time through the latest in logger technology. Plant the loggers in a section of town and let them listen for leaks while you get other work done.

Once your logger has identified a leak noise, narrow your search by using our Correlators.

After narrowing your search with the Correlator, you can then pinpoint the leak with our HL-5000 series listening devices with 1 million times magnification.

If all you’re looking to do is some quick surveys on hydrants or meters, the HL-5 or HL-10 could be the tool for you.

Call Owen today for a no obligation demonstration of our Vivax/Metrotech leak detection equipment

Buy, Rent or Lease? (back to top)

Include full or partial maintenance or maintain it yourself?

In today’s uncertain times and shrinking budgets, many questions are being asked that weren’t even thought about just a few years ago. Today, when it comes time to replace equipment some people are delaying the decision for a year or two… or more. While it is saving capital, the operating and maintenance costs can be double or more than that of a new efficient piece of equipment. So the question becomes: “How can you get new equipment without the capital requirements?”

Owen Equipment has what we believe to be the most flexible and solid solution to this question. Once we figure how we can work within your requirements, we can come to you with solutions that fit your needs. All you need to is to decide that it is time for replacement and what works best for your budget. Owen can assist you with the rest.

Why invest in new equipment?

1. Fuel savings alone could be as much as 30% to 40% when you are talking about a Vactor or sweeper. If you’re burning 100 gallons of fuel a day--that can add up to $30K or more a year in fuel savings alone!
2. Reducing emissions is of huge concern to all of us. Today’s new equipment is like comparing a 1969 Ford Galaxy to a 2011 Ford Fusion! The environmental footprint has been greatly reduced in the last four years alone with the new Tier 3 engines matched with computer enhanced functions.
3. Get more done with less water. The new operating systems help the operator do a more efficient job of cleaning with less water usage.
4. Noise levels have been reduced by 30% or more with higher efficiency systems doing more with lower RPMs.
5. Sweepers have dust suppression systems that can control dust down to 2.5 PM. Updating your sweeping equipment could mean no more moving material from the street to the air.
6. Improved safety features with ongoing technical improvements: Safety and ease of operation continues to improve every year. The smarter the systems are, the easier and safer they are to operate.

These areas highlight just a few of the many improvements over the last few years. The savings in operating costs on fuel, water and labor alone can in many cases pay for a new piece of equipment. So if you are just hoping you can get one, or maybe two, more years out of your current fleet, take a few minutes to give us a call. We may be able to take your older equipment on trade, provide you new piece of equipment on a rental purchase option for a year or more and get you the new equipment you need today. We will do our best to work around your requests as we understand everyone has different needs and requirements.

Owen can also design a program where we buy your current fleet and tailor a rental program allowing much needed capitol for other needs. At Owen Equipment, we are here to work with you and do whatever is possible to help get all our partners through these difficult times.

Give one of our three full service locations a call today and let us perform a free demonstration of the latest equipment available. You’ll see for yourself the upgrades you could be enjoying while saving capital for other equally important priorities. Remember, in life there are no stupid questions. Give us a call and tell us what’s on your wish list; we may just have an option you hadn’t heard or thought about yet!

We are striving to exceed your expectations in every area of our business!

Tech Tip (back to top)

Subject: Dead Battery Procedures for Elgin Sweepers with Memory Sweep

Our dealership has recently responded to customers reporting that a system function is not working. We’re finding that the common denominator is that the machine had been jumped or charged from a battery charger. Sensitive to voltage spikes, the VMM (Vansco Multiplexed Module) can lose memory causing problems with certain systems. We here at Owen Equipment are taking a pro-active role in advising our customers that have these types of systems to follow the procedures outlined in this Tech Tip.

As always, please feel free to contact any one of our factory trained service technicians on any service related question. We’ll do our very best to resolve the problem or work collectively with the factory to address the issue. Communication is the number one priority as immediate response gets your machines back to full function more quickly.

ALWAYS REFER TO THE OPERATOR MANUAL FOR SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE STARTING WORK.

INTENT:
Improperly boosting or applying more than 14V when jump-starting Memory-Sweep units may cause the electronic modules to become inoperative. Do not jump-start the sweeper using a vehicle or forklift with more than 12V system capability. Do not start the sweeper using a battery charger set to “Boost Start”. If the Memory-Sweep system becomes inoperative after attempting a “boost-start”, call Elgin Sweeper Service for assistance.

UNITS TO SERVICE:
NP/NS/NR0101D and higher, J3000 and higher, MV3000 and higher, MX, and any sweeper equipped with VMM system.

PROCEDURE:
Over-voltage or alternating current spikes created by a battery charger/booster may cause the VMM’s in the Memory Sweep system to be placed in a neutral state and unable to function. A discharged sweeper battery must not be charged with an A/C powered battery charger without first isolating the battery from the sweeper.

Charging/Replacing a Dead Sweeper Battery

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal from the sweeper battery.
2. Disconnect the positive battery terminal from the battery.
3. Either replace the battery with a fully charged replacement battery or charge the isolated battery to full charge.
4. Install the fully charged battery in the sweeper.
5. Re-connect the positive cable first and then the negative cable.

Jump-Starting the Sweeper

The prefered method for servicing a dead sweeper battery is to remove or disconnect the battery before re-charging. If the sweeper must be jumpstarted, use the following procedure:

NOTE: Jump-start the sweeper using only a vehicle with like voltage. Do not jump-start the sweeper using a vehicle or forklift with more than 12V system capability. Do not start the sweeper using a battery charger set to “Boost Start”.

1. Identify the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on both batteries.
2. Connect the first jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery, then connect the other end of that cable to the positive (+) terminal of the booster (good) battery.
3. Connect one end of the other jumper cable to the negative (-) terminal on the booster battery and the final cable clamp to a solid, metallic point on the sweeper. Pick a ground on the engine that is positioned away from the battery in order to minimize the possibility of the 2 clamps touching during the procedure. DO NOT connect this clamp to the negative (-) terminal of the bad battery.