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Posted November 7, 2014

Industry Outlook: Pressure Washers

Pressure's On! 

A quality washer with the right accessories help customers make quick work of dirty jobs.

Cleaning more, cleaning better and cleaning faster seem to be the keys to pressure washer selection. While you may have homeowners who need an occasional product, manufacturers know that renting to contractors will require products that can help boost productivity, are easier to use and, for your ROI, durable in the field.

We contacted a few manufacturers and asked them to tell us about trends that are driving any new developments or technologies in pressure washers, particularly anything related to productivity and durability on job sites. We also asked how pro contractor rental centers could work with suppliers to better meet customer needs or to introduce new products to customers.

Shark Pressure Washers
Eric Loucks
National sales manager 
What I love the most about the rental industry is the passion that rental stores have for their customers, providing good reliable products that will last. For a while the market was pushing product sales rather than being focused on renting products. We are now seeing a switch to rental partners focusing more on renting and how they can achieve higher rental rates while continuing to be competitive. Don’t get me wrong, selling products remains important, but rental yards are more in tune with the needs of their customers. We at Shark have been focusing more on the needs of our customers and the needs of the end-users. 

sharkOne of the current trends driving development has been the need for trailer mounted pressure washers. These are hot water belt-driven skids that are certified by ETL safety standards and built in Shark’s ISO 9001 certified production plants. Customers have always used and liked cold water machines, but we are seeing certain needs create an uptick in development, such as customers wanting to run detergents through both cold and hot water. We are also seeing the need for more hot water machines than we have seen in the past. Especially trailer mounted pressure washers. We think this is because of increased confidence in running these units, plus Shark’s engineers have implemented more easy-to-use features after listening to their customers.

An example of this is Shark’s cool bypass, which allows for longer run times without pulling the trigger. We’ve also added fuel plates to clearly mark what fuel belongs in what tank, and we have labeled the machine and valves, making it easier to run the water directly through the pump and bypass the water tank.

We designed these units so that you can run a two-gun operation; two operators and two trigger guns washing at the same time, which cuts down on labor and time. All of these features have been implemented due to looking at rental industry trends and gathering input from our customers.

We have created a customer standard trailer package for the rental industry that has truly impacted the customers and our rental partners. We see huge value in continued progress in these products. We have improved on our 12 volt portable hot water units by adding a throttle cover to the engine RPM that was officially approved with our engine suppliers. This will keep customers from adjusting the engine speed and result in less maintenance and more reliability.

New technologies? Interesting question, because our product managers are spend time and energy surveying different markets to see and to understand their needs. Shark is looking into not only the equipment, but also the different types of add-on rentals that could complement these products, such as new surface cleaners that can be hooked up to a cold or hot water machine. This will allow for quick and consistent cleaning as if you are replacing the need of a turbo nozzle. Shark’s A+ surface cleaner line comes in 21-in. and 24-in. models and is priced to compete, but with an added benefit of using them on a hot water unit. We introduced both sizes at The Rental Show this year and have seen success already.

Shark’s product managers and engineers have teamed up with customers’ support and sales teams to look at every part of Shark’s product offering, determining if we are offering products with the best ergonomics possible and how we can work to develop things that no one has been trying to attempt.

Rental centers play a role in product development. When your customer comes in and ask questions, we
need you to talk with us about their concerns or questions. The more communication we receive the
better we are at responding to end-user needs.

Jenny
Daniel Leiss
Vice president

jennyThe need for durable, reliable equipment in rental centers influences pressure washer design most. A product must have a long service life and withstand heavy abuse in order to achieve a good return on investment and provide a positive customer experience. In the end, those outcomes are what matter most to rental centers.

This need or demand is nothing new to rental centers, and Jenny has always served the rental market with heavy-duty pressure washers. There have not been any significant new trends in pressure washers that have caused us to change our focus, so most changes to our product line are minor. As a result, our customers enjoy the time-proven equipment and strong reputation that Jenny offers.

Pace, Inc., Vortexx Pressure Washers
Todd Riley
Vice president of marketing 

Pressure washer use is growing in general — at Vortexx we call it “Cleanitis”— and essentially it sets in when people use a pressure washer with real power for the first time and realize how practical it can be. 

Unfortunately, some manufacturers have tried to appeal to big box stores, trading quality for cost savings. Too often this results in a failure of some type (most typically the pump). Customers become discouraged when the local independent dealer or engine shop estimates that it will cost $200 to fix the unit they originally paid $300 to buy.
At the same time, a $600-plus price tag for a decent pressure washer may prevent some people from buying, so they look to rent. Rental centers let end users try out a pressure washer, and many rental centers also profit from pressure washer sales.

vortexxThe four key points rental centers focus on for their fleet are simplicity, functionality, durability and portability.
At Vortexx, we track these trends and others to capitalize on the increased demand for quality pressure washers. At the retail and rental levels, we are building equipment that is engineered to last longer and be more forgiving of novice or careless users. We are also focused on making units that are simple and compact. This is crucial to the rental business, because as customers’ Cleanitis kicks in they want big performance, but may still want that in a small, portable package.

We like to think our Vortexx Professional 3000 unit is perfect for rental. It has an all-aluminum cart with no bolts to rattle loose, integrated gun and hose holders that can’t get broken off, and a patented Tow and Stow handle. It has enough power for most commercial applications and more than most homeowners need, yet it is light enough for one person to pick up, and fits in the trunk of a Ford Fiesta without dropping the seats.

We also know that rental shops have to prepare for the “not so savvy power equipment user,” so we design everything simple and tough. We put extra pump protection in the form of a long by-pass hose to keep them from overheating, and extra filters to keep dirt out of the internal workings.

We build EZ Start into our pumps to reduce the kick-back effect that occurs on start up. This is not only easier on the arms, it’s easier on the recoil cord, resulting in less downtime for maintenance or repairs.

A few interesting trends are developing with commercial users. First, we see that pressure is taking a back seat to flow with many commercial applications. Many times we get requests for products to be tweaked to reduce pressure and increase flow to maximize cleaning efforts.

We also see that hot water units are gaining ground. Here again, with the addition of heat, less pressure is needed, and more water flow helps quickly remove the debris that the pressurized stream breaks lose.

Don’t forget the accessories! Adding the right tools can make a pressure washer more effective. For example, using a normal 25-degree tip, it may take two hours to thoroughly clean a thousand square feet of pavement. But if the rental also includes a 12-in. surface cleaner or a broom, they will finish in less than 30 minutes. Better productivity means lower cost and faster results, something your contractor customers appreciate.

Mi-T-M
Kevin Anstoetter
Rental Division Manager 
Mi-T-M customers are increasingly interested in pressure washers that are portable, lightweight and small in size. Mi-T-M addressed these trends by specifically designing a full line of cold water pressure washers with aluminum frames to meet their needs. 

mitmOne of our most popular cold water pressure washers in the rental marketplace is Mi-T-M’s CA Aluminum Series – providing contractors and homeowners a unit with an aluminum frame that is lightweight, yet rugged, featuring our patented vibration isolation plate.

Pressure washer accessories are becoming more popular to our customers in the rental market. We have introduced several new accessories, such as rotary surface cleaners, detergent injectors, extension wands, and rotating nozzles. The wide variety of accessories ensures our customers their cleaning tasks will be completed with the best results possible when using the right accessory.

Looking ahead, Mi-T-M expects to find an additional focus on the end-user customers’ application needs, pressure
washer design and functionality by using existing technology with rental center feedback to develop and test new products for the rental industry.

Rental centers are receiving requests from customers for units with a higher PSI and hot water pressure washers. Because of advanced technology Mi-T-M is able to offer customers increased PSI on pumps allowing them to clean more efficiently and effectively. By using our single- and dual-axle water trailers, paired with hot water pressure
washers, customers can clean their equipment at remote job sites.

Mi-T-M continues to develop and test new products, keeping the equipment and rental industry in mind as it strives to provide customers with performance, product and customer service expected from a leading manufacturer in industrial equipment.

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