Panel of Inventors and Innovators at Nexus

[Jim Pemberton]

In 1976 I sat at a trade show and listened to a panel of truck mount inventors talk about their vision of carpet cleaning to a room full of shampooers and a few portable extractor users. I didn't realize at the time what a privilege that experience was.

Reg Rogers, Mike Pailliotet, Keith Studebaker, Tom Conway, Eric Hiltz, and Scott Warrington represent through their own work or association and support of others not present, equally revolutionary and important innovations that continue to change our industry.

Its easy to lose sight of that when we interact with them as friends and colleagues on a regular basis, but the fact is that we owe a big debt to these men, and I for one felt honored to interview them.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

debt?

 

[Mikey P]

a feeling of gratitude for a service or favor.
"we owe them a debt of thanks"
synonyms: indebtedness, obligation; More

 

[Larry Cobb]

Let's hear what the new

"revolutionary and important innovations that continue to change our industry"

were, from this group discussion.

I think lots of new ideas do promote change in the industry.

 

[Nomad74]

Let's hear what the new

"revolutionary and important innovations that continue to change our industry"

were, from this group discussion.

I think lots of new ideas do promote change in the industry.

Well, Tong Dang wasn't mentioned.

 

[Mikey P]

Or Mytee toasters.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Well, I do want to hear what innovations were discussed.

Did the hard-surface wand make an appearance ?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Well, I do want to hear what innovations were discussed.

Did the hard-surface wand make an appearance ?

If you'd have been there....

 

[Cleanworks]

Well, Tong Dang wasn't mentioned.

Dang it!

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The 1976 panel Jim attended would be golden now, if only there were video.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

The 1976 panel Jim attended would be golden now, if only there were video.

42 years blurs memories, and I was too inexperienced to understand everything they were saying. My impressions that remain are that they weren't very civil with one another, and most weren't very comfortable on stage. Ballweber was the least pleasant. I thought Bates (who made the Big Red) was insane.

I don't even remember everyone who was there.

We rarely know that we are watching history when it's unfolding

 

[hogjowl]

So nothing much has changed ...

 

[Desk Jockey]

"76"
Hydramaster Mike Palmer ? Steamway Ralph or Doyle Bloss ? Steam Genie??? Prochem Mike or Jim Roden?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

So nothing much has changed ...

I would agree Marty.

Because we couldn't be "Keyboard Brave" in those days, discourtesy was done more face to face.

Two incidents that stick with me still:

One truck mount representative made a concotion of motor oil and other substances that only his "miracle truck mount" could remove. (His real secret was boosting his emulsifier with a very high pH degreaser). He would spill it on his sample carpet at his outside demonstration area, and challenge all comers to remove it.

He made the mistake of walking to another truck mount rep's display, and pouring it on HIS carpet. He got punched in the jaw and he fell flat on his back.

Another guy was among the first to carry fresh water, so he vandalized the outside water hook up at the hotel the show was held at so only his truck mount could be run.

It was a different time, and I have to admit, it was a lot of fun.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Hydramaster Mike Palmer ? Steamway Ralph or Doyle Bloss ? Steam Genie??? Prochem Mike or Jim Roden?

Mike Palmer yes. I don't remember if Ralph was there or not. Clark Seabloom owned the company at the time. Jerry Holman was there from Steam Genie, and Jim Roden never took the stage, so I think it was his sales rep Bud Hoffman.

Mike Palmer and Jerry Holman were, by the way, the nicest gentlemen on the panel, and personally. Both treated me with a lot of kindness, and I remember it still.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Back in the 70's we owned both Hydramaster and Steam Genie units. Mike Palmer was always very nice to talk to at trade shows.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I know I have taken this thread sideways (nothing new, I know Marty)

If anyone has other questions about those times, I'll share. Otherwise, the focus should remain that we can be grateful to have men such as those who are continuing to innovate or at least improve technology that benefits us all.

I'm trying desperately not to be the "old man telling old stories", and find I lose that struggle too often.

 

[Mark Saiger]

I know I have taken this thread sideways (nothing new, I know Marty)

If anyone has other questions about those times, I'll share. Otherwise, the focus should remain that we can be grateful to have men such as those who are continuing to innovate or at least improve technology that benefits us all.

I'm trying desperately not to be the "old man telling old stories", and find I lose that struggle too often.

View attachment 77367

Nothing going sideways here Jim....this is all great history that will be lost if not shared....

I am enjoying hearing and reliving this....

I hope you will share more....awesome stuff!

 

[Desk Jockey]

lol
I enjoyed the stumble down memory lane.

 

[bob vawter]

I thought Bates (who made the Big Red) was insane.

very insane....he took my wife and i out to dinner and we wound up in a gunfight with some innocent black guy on the freeway..
Gene was wrapped one turn too tight!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

very insane....he took my wife and i out to dinner and we wound up in a gunfight with some innocent black guy on the freeway..
Gene was wrapped one turn too tight!

I was hoping you would chime in about Gene Bates.

Its funny, his Big Red with the Perkins Diesel engine would fit in today with a few tweaks. At the time, the idea of a large, liquid cooled engine with a heat exchanger seemed crazy (like him), when the rest were either propane or fuel oil heated, and used air cooled engines.

 

[bob vawter]

he pulled the biggest damn chrome plated revolver from under his seat and started pointing and ranting about how black people shouldn't be allowed to drive on the roads...pretty damn scary

i was jus getting sick from the crappy cheap ass sushi place he took us.......
couldn't get away quick enough pulling that big behemoth all the way back to michigan

 

[Jim Pemberton]

he pulled the biggest damn chrome plated revolver from under his seat and started pointing and ranting about how black people shouldn't be allowed to drive on the roads...pretty damn scary

i was jus getting sick from the crappy cheap ass sushi place he took us.......
couldn't get away quick enough pulling that big Bournemouth all the way back to michigan

Marty, wouldn't you agree that Mark Saiger's cheerfulness beats this type of insanity?

 

[Nomad74]

So to answer Larry’s question. It seems that electric truckmounts are the wave of the future.

Personally, I don’t see it happening until we can get combustible proformance out of a 110v/15amp breaker.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Jim;

You're a distributor . . .

What new innovations discussed grabbed your attention in the discussion ?

 

[Desk Jockey]

We had one in the early 80's. Hybrid, it ran several lamb vacuums and sutorbuilt, hypro pump and propane heat. It cleaned well but screwing around with those heavy power cords was a real pain.

 

[hogjowl]

Marty, wouldn't you agree that Mark Saiger's cheerfulness beats this type of insanity?

If he’d share the drugs ...

 

[Cleanworks]

I was hoping you would chime in about Gene Bates.

Its funny, his Big Red with the Perkins Diesel engine would fit in today with a few tweaks. At the time, the idea of a large, liquid cooled engine with a heat exchanger seemed crazy (like him), when the rest were either propane or fuel oil heated, and used air cooled engines.

I used a big red for a year. great, powerful machine, lots of heat. the weak point always seemed to be the transfer pump for the small waste tank. A few tweaks and that would be an awesome machine. When you talk about the pioneers of pto units, I have to mention Joe Rourke who made Aquatech machines and I believe was involved with Cleanco, though my history is a little murky and Jim Miller who made J>E>M machines, starting in the mid 70's.

 

[hogjowl]

Isn’t the new Hydramaster Xdrive an electric TM?

 

[Cleanworks]

Isn’t the new Hydramaster Xdrive an electric TM?

Yes but powered and heated by the trucks engine. Not a true electric unit.