The fresh start coming next week for students and faculty includes the parking lots they’ll be using.
The summer’s debris has been brushed and sucked away from area schools by a Mount Hope couple rolling faster than they hoped into the street cleaning industry.
Colleen and Wayne Cosby own CAN-Sweep Services Inc.
Based at Hamilton International Airport, they utilize a 27,000 pound FMC Vanguard Sweeper – purchased on Kijiji this spring – to remove exterior dirt, cigarette butts and junk from concrete surfaces. It’s opened a vast market of business of school grounds, gated communities, construction zones, retail centres and – naturally – the airport where they rent space.
But it’s more than just driving a truck with two rotating side brooms made of metal bristles.
“Our sweeper will rip out weeds, but a lot of times we’re doing it manually and going over it with the sweeper,” says Colleen. “It’s a combination of a lot of muscle and machinery. Old-fashioned work, really.”
The truck’s front end showers water over the road before the brushes sweep in.
“Keeping the dust down is key. You don’t want to have a big cloud of smoke or dust behind you,” Wayne says. “We remove the debris. We just don’t push it aside. We don’t spread it, we physically remove it. It’s amazing how much stuff it picks up.”
Married 14 years, the pair says their newest adventure wasn’t slated to start until next year.
“Our name and the exposure has been a year ahead of the game,” Colleen says.
When they purchased the equipment online from a Caledonia man, the thought was to explore a business plan, market themselves, and hit the pavement next spring.
But tenants at the airport immediately scooped up the idea and had them wash away the winter grit.
“Esthetically, they feel better stepping into work without walking through crap,” Colleen says, explaining how it boosts an employee’s outlook when they arrive to a clean environment.
“There is a big need.”
Virtually without any extra money for advertising, the duo took to conversing with other business owners through Hamilton’s Chamber of Commerce.
“Networking is huge,” says Wayne. “That’s what has gotten us all our jobs.”
Colleen, 39, also makes it a habit of stopping through new housing developments in the bright yellow truck to chat up contractors. CAN-Sweep offers free estimates.
While the job itself is seasonal, the Cosbys have all winter to drum up attention for a big spring cleaning.
“With any business, it’s all the same type of formula: you take care of customers, know what they want and try to provide the best service possible,” Colleen says.
CAN-Sweep stands for Canada sweeps. Their long-term goal is to franchise the operation into remote areas across the country.
Contact: 905-516-5813 or can-sweep@mountaincable.net
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
http://www.thespec.com/news/business/article/253637–clean-sweep