Greg Turcotte and I met in Las Vegas 6 years ago at the Connections Trade Show. A supplier/salesman introduced us to each other.
Greg was at that time, and had been for years, building hanging systems for rugs, while also representing the Greek company Katsas in America selling their rug washing equipment. (Katsas is a manufacturer of rug washing equipment that included centrifuges and flatbed washers)
Greg had just delivered a Katsas centrifuge in a Midwest State to a client and then drove all the way southwest to Las Vegas Trade Show to show one on his trailer that he was going to deliver to Joe Appleby in northern California. This ‘show and tell’ occurred in the parking lot of the conference center. I still remember clearly how one individual climbed all over it, studying its design, taking measurements, discussing how to knock it off and copy it.
Not much later after this, Greg called me when he returned to his home in Calgary Canada. He knew that I had built an automated duster (Soil Separator), Moore style 90 poles rug hanging system, and a prototype of a clam style squeeze rug wringer. He requested some suggestions on a centrifuge project he had intended to build and furnish for a trusted client that trusted that he had already built a rug hanging system for and installed. He learned from me that I had plans of a different sort of centrifuge in the making that never made it to fruition. Greg was intending to work with someone else, but suffice to say, things went sour, and asked me to consider working with him. In the next few weeks that followed, we talked about how we may work together. We decided to collaborate on the project and continued to improve upon what we originally intended to do. The rest is history.
Centrum Force® was formed at the end of the year. Linda Plunkett, our 1st client, received the world’s first ‘Dual Port’ horizontal rug wringing centrifuge.
We announced this design and sale to Linda Plunkett of AWPOV during Aaron Groseclose and Ellen Amirkhan’s Master Rug Cleaners course in March 2007. Two days later, 15 trademarked names were registered as internet Domain names by an alias, and redirected to various websites intended to do harm to our business. (See:
Centrum Force, LLC v. Diogenis Mavridis
http://domains.adrforum.com/domains/decisions/1250002.htm) The alias was traced back to the registrant using an email address revealing the true identity of the culprit.
The
Centri-Maxx® proved to be so innovative; we applied for a US Patent on this new element of design. On December 13, 2011, United States Patent 8,074,
370 was awarded with all 8 claims
At the end of April in 2007, we introduced the alternative to a portable rug duster prior to the Connections Trade Show in Florida. Up till then, the only current rug duster being widely sold was fashioned after the Hild, and later the Tri-State. All these former portable dusters had commonality: Wheels to travel on and a restrictive adjustable handle, and rotating beater straps. Our design had no wheels but moved across rugs on two rollers that could secure the fringes while rotating straps beat the rug. Our machine significantly had a full rotating 180 degree handle for ergonomic benefit. This machine and its designers became the reason for a long post that lasted for 3 months on Mikeys Board: See “A Poor KNOCK-OFF”
Every year since our inception, we made efforts to bring to market at least two new things for the rug industry use. This year we broke our own record and introduced and brought four new items to Connections. We even designed and built an aftermarket accessory to the other wheeled portable dusters out there. This accessory package consists of two brackets, bolts and roller that can be attached when the wheels are removed. Actually, if you add the announcement of buying the
MOR Time Saving Rug Equipment Company, then the number of machines in our
Centrum Force® line took a big leap numerically. I should also mention, Greg and I own our own manufacturing company, contained in our own building we also own. This all before we bought Mr. Moore’s company.
