U.S. Products Solus 500

    So much for my second post on this site. I might as well ask my first "dumb" question. Say, you have a truck mount that you use for your primary business, restaurants for example. You want to expand, and be able to go places that are impossible for your truck mount to reach. An example would be a Pizza Hut that's several floors up in the IDS Tower in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

They're interested in a contract, but your truck mount would require over 1,000 feet of hose and a door would have to be propped open, which the building's management does not permit for security reasons, at any time, no matter the hour, no exceptions. They won't give a quarter. Meanwhile, another company is doing all the carpets with their portable Nobles Explorer 1500H machines in the Norwest Bank building on the ajacent block. They even have you locked out of all the business in the lower floors, easily within reach of your hoses.

Sporting a 19 gallon solution tank and a 15 gallon recovery tank, The Nobles shoots out 250psi, and can heat the water to 180 degrees, and has a 134" water lift. It has no CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) certification. However, that's what the contractor uses for their specialty jobs, with outstanding results and great success with huge profits, even after covering their overhead.    

The U.S. Products Solus 500 has a CRI Gold Rating. Its solution tank is 12 gallons, with a 9 gallon recovery tank. A solution circulator is optional. It shoots up to 500psi of 200 degree solution at the wand, with dual 3-stage vacuums to suck it all back out. No CFI or waterlift are mentioned in the specs.

Your task would be to win the client over with superior equipment, but have no choice but to go with a portable since you can't "get your wand in the door" without one, at least not yet.

Say you want the account very badly, and want the best results you can get so the restaurant will tell other potential clients about you. Price is no object, but quality, durability, portability, and effictiveness are paramount. The contract is so highly desirable because it will very likely lead to other businesses in the same building being added to your Rolodex. Enough, in fact, to where the "offspring" could potentially yield yet another truck mount to add to your existing fleet in the very near future.

Please note that I have roughly 10 years of experience as a floor tech, many years ago. However, I have long since "retired" from the profession. The question I ask is hypothetical, yet I do believe it relates to the real world as such a scenario may actually happen some place, at some point of time. Yes, I may go into business for myself one day, so there is indeed a reason for my visits to this site.

Meanwhile, back to the topic at hand. So then.... What would you do? Give it your best shot!

MC
    
    
    

Edited by MrCoffee - 12/December/2007 at 11:19pm

I agree with cmaster.

Also, what Nobles machine is that? I've never seen it. How many vacuums does it have. The psi is too low.

That US Products machine is way too expensive for what it does.

That is very interesting, Ed. Sorry I didn't mention about your equipment. Let's add the Recoil-3 to the comparison with an immersion heater. The Recoil has 300 CFM of airflow and a 500psi pump. Airflow is not mentioned in the specs from the other manufactuers, U.S. Products and Nobles.

The Recoil has a 15 gallon recovery tank, and 16 gallon solution tank with a recirculation feature that mixes the solutions. The added PSI at the pump, and the view-through tanks are an advantage over the Nobels unit, in addition to the 50' of standard hose. I would also add that the Cross-American units are lighter than the two previously mentioned in the original post.

Keep in mind that the scenario I gave in my original post is a hypothetical example. Since I don't have the funds or the resources to get started in this business, I cannot make an investment in any equipment, not even a cheap Rug Doctor from China. I don't expect to ever find another job or to go into business for myself, that's the reality I have to live with.

However, I will explain that I have had experiences in the past with portables way back when I was employed, that was more than 15 years ago. Those units that I did use, along with swing buffers and carpet bonnets did the job very well. I thought they were as good, or better than the truck mounts that I've seen in service many times. With the changes in technology since then, I am curious about what's out there these days, and how it works. I guess it's just some of my old habits from the good old days when I worked full-time.

Anyway. I wish everybody the best of luck in their business. Feel free to comment, and I appologize if I took up too much of everybody's time. I was just hoping it would be an interesting case study for everybody to ponder.

MrCoffee

Satisfy yourself on this one, and take the gamble. (I have seen this senerio so often Gentlemen, please do not hold me liable in any way!)

And of course, that's coming from someone who has 30 years of experience, and I respect that. And it's true, neither of those two manufacturers mention the CFM, FriendlyHammer. I can't get into Mikey's board, but I would certainly like to see what people have to say about them there.

I had a chance to tour Ed's shop. All parts are tested and inspected before going into the unit. He takes his time when he puts these machines together, the quality of the build is far more important than the quantity he puts out.   All the wiring is color-coded for ease of repair on the field, should it be necessary. I couldn't understand everything he was saying about the hoses and internal components, much of it was over my head. But, I got the "big picture". In other words: "You can fix it with some duct tape and a little bailer twine" if it quits on the job, IF, there is no "when". And then he always has the parts available, should the need arise. The machines are very simple, durable, and made to work. Obviously, his reputation is stellar.

I don't anticipate getting into the carpet business any time soon, for lack of money. But, it is nice to know that a local company with a good reputation manufactures products in the U.S. and ships overseas. I was very surprised about their location. How can I fault someone who's doing the right thing?

MrCoffee