Welcome to MB Mr Valentine!

[Mikey P]

To be honest, it's nice to see you here Ed.

I'm going to figure to heard of the great things happening here and had to come and take a look, or at least log in if you've been lurking, so you could join the fun.Welcome!

For those of you who do not know Ed Valentine, Ed owns and operates Cross-American. Ed and I have had our differences over a Recoil portable I bought back in 2001. I had issues with it's construction and value. I bought the unit for an account that had many homes in a beach resort that could not be reached by a truckmount. I quickly dumped the account and the portable and lucky me have only had one job since then where I had to rent a portable from Ray at CMS to complete. I hate portables, I "grew up" on portables at Millers doing the bait and switch. never again.

Obviously Ed is still in business which means he has many happy customers, worldwide is my understanding, so I'll assume he has stepped up the quality of his machines and his customer service. So I would like Ed to take this opportunity to tell or show us with photos or video what improvements have been made.

And answer some questions as well..

• How did you get into this business and what is your carpet cleaning background?
• Who does the RnD for you?
• Please describe the typical C-A customer..
• How did you get into the european market and how is it going over there?
• Do you call your stationary units "Portables with long reach capabilities" or "Electric Truckmounts"?
• What have you learned from folks like Terje Brevik, Bob Savage and John Labarbra?
• What percentage of your sales come from- word of mouth, print advertising, web searches that lead to your site/forum and other forums? ( and anything else you may be doing to get the word out that I am not aware of)
• I like to think of your units as The Judson's of Portables. Meaning that most of the parts are not proprietary and are available at your average hardware store. is that a fair assessment?
• What innovations have you brought to the world of Portable carpet cleaning machines?
• Do you hold any patents?
• What do you do when not building and selling machines, for fun that is?

My apologies for being a bit over the top with my displeasure over my purchase in the past but seeing how like me, you're kind of an asshole, I figured you could take it.


Again, welcome to MB Ed. I hope you continue to hang around, with Mytee hiding under Rob Allen's skirt, Willy could use some help in feilding Portable questions.


and a Good Fortune To All!

 

[Ed Valentine]

Thanks, Mikey for that welcome.

As we all build our businesses from the ground up, we all learn and make improvements along the way. Because that is the only way we can stay in business; new customer's and especially, old customers with loyalty.

Therefore, we all ground and learn from our experiences, either good or bad, or indifferent. Mikey and I have had our differences but that was then, and this is now. I do think he is a good person trying to make an honest living proving a roof over his families head. We are all working class people. What more can one ask.

Thanks for being such a class act and welcoming me.

BTW, Mikey, and I will try to answer those questions above a little later. Pretty busy at the moment.

best to all;
Ed Valentine

 

[Jimmy L]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Ed Valentine]

o How did you get into this business and what is your carpet cleaning background?--1971 started a carpet cleaning business. Started building my own equipment; 11 trucks; 3 locations. Started Cross-American in 1977.

o Who does the RnD for you?---we do in house. Also field testing by the Professional.

o Please describe the typical C-A customer..---Approx: 1/2 have or still own TM's. 1/3 portable guys. Balance New.

o How did you get into the european market and how is it going over there?--exceptionally well ! Very difficult to crack because of ridged standards.

o Do you call your stationary units "Portables with long reach capabilities" or "Electric Truckmounts"?---Both.

o What have you learn from folks like Terje Brevik, Bob Savage and John Labarbra?--These individuals came well after I entered this Industryy.

o What percentage of your sales come from- word of mouth,--large majority! print Advertising , web searches that lead to your site/forum and other forums?--same as word of mouth. ( and anything else you may be doing to get the word out that I am not aware of)

o I like to think of your units as The Judson's of Portables. Meaning that most of the parts are not proprietary and are available at your average hardware store. is that a fair assessment?---Not necessarily, although that would certainly be of advantage to the Operator; however, A few basic ones may be able to be purchased at a Hardware store; similar , but not the same perhaps; most I wouldn't think so because they require either or all CS/Ul/CE approvals & requirements. We have to purchase from specified Suppliers and do not purchase from the hardware stores. We must purchase quantity.

Hope this offers some insight to Cross-American Corporation.

Thanks again;
Ed Valentine

o What innovations have you brought to the world of Portable carpet cleaning machines?--a lot. POWER BOOSTER system (pat'81); ............CFM/Airflow designs; etc..., etc....

o What do you do when not building and selling machines, for fun that is?....lift weights/exercise/research; working hard like most here, and catching up with chores at home

 

[hogjowl]

I agree with Mike.

And I definately agree with jImMy.

 

[Mikey P]

$$$$$$$$?

No charge for Ed for this interview.

 

[hogjowl]

You're definatly not sucking up to him because you love or respect him, Buckethead.

 

[hogjowl]

By the way, I am glad to see you here too Ed. And I have nothing to gain from it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

A portable is just that a portable, saying it is a truck mount is just deceptive advertising on the part of the cleaner. Whether it's strapped or bolted down isn't the intent of the term Truck Mounted. I'm disappointed to see any manufacturer join in on that charade. Even Wikipedia knows what a TM is and what it is not. Its not a portable strapped or bolted down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truck_mount_carpet_cleaner

Lame ass posers say they have a TM when in fact they have a HP Portable. They simply are not the same thing.

 

[Art Kelley]

I hate portables, I "grew up" on portables at Millers doing the bait and switch. never again.

It is interesting to talk about portables on this board. Mikey, Marty and Richard have violent negative reactions against them, yet haven't used them in decades and blast anyone who uses them. Modern portables like what Ed and John L make are far superior to the primitive machines from the 70s and 80s that those boys grew to loath. I've been using my Mytee portable in conjunction with the 360i on hundreds of jobs this past year and a half and love it's efficiency and economy. Thanks Ed for continuing to improve your machines, and I'm certain you will see exponential business growth as fuel powered truck mounts become less and less cost effective to operate compared to electric machines

 

[Mikey P]

Haven't used one??

Did you miss the part if me being a Millers Hack for a year and a half?

 

[Mikey P]

Ed.. would you like to buy a banner?

 

[Ken Snow]

Haven't used one??

Did you miss the part if me being a Millers Hack for a year and a half?[/

That was Art's point Mike~ that was a long time ago.

 

[hogjowl]

Missed? Overlooked is more like it. He also continues to over-look the fact that today is no different than yesterday in the fact that portable owners almost to a man use them until they can afford to get a TM. The Willy P. group not withstanding.

 

[Desk Jockey]

It is interesting to talk about portables on this board. Mikey, Marty and Richard have violent negative reactions against them, yet haven't used them in decades and blast anyone who uses them.

Use them all the time, why do you think I hate them so much.

Art superior? What changed the mold? We're still using vac motors that diminish in ability after every use. You can change the box all you want and I'll agree the newer units look way better than the old dogs but they are still portables, you can't change that fact.

The only guys that love portables are those that cannot afford a TM. (a real one not a plastic box strapped down )

 

[Mikey P]

The New Age of portables would have to includes features that would unload them from the van, carry them upstairs, dump and refill with out extra hose going all over, run on a single 110 circuit and not leave 70% of the water behind..

Let me know when that happens.

 

[Desk Jockey]

blast anyone who uses them.

I don't blast the cleaner in fact I pity him or her. I blast those that overstate what a portable is or is capable of.

Fellas be honest with yourselves they are just glorified Rug Doctors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Willy thought he was in pain before! LOL


Now none of yall don't get too pissed off, I'm just poking at cha!


Fookin lame assed portable users ain't got a damn sense of humor in them........the bucket brigade must of wore it out of them.

TM......... REALLY?

 

[Desk Jockey]

That was fun, can Ed and Art come play tomorrow too?

 

[Ken Snow]

You're on a roll Richard LOL.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Ok Sorry no harm intended, just different opinions.

 

[Art Kelley]

As I was saying.....

 

[Willy P]

 

[Mikey P]

Ed..

When Mytee John and I were on talking terms we could not have a conversation with our him bringing your name up. .
What's the beef between you two?

Have you ever cleaned with a big 59+ truckmount?

Are you still in the chemical business?

How does a Mytee Trex or Rx20 work with your units?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Willy let start by saying I'm sorry.........................................that you use a portable!

You too Art!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Welcome Ed!

Its been years since we've seen each other, but in the time we both exhibited at the same regional trade show in my area, I enjoyed my conversations with him, and found him to be helpful, unselfish, professional, and the type of person I chose to call a "fellow businessman" instead of a competitor.

 

[Ken Snow]

I second what Jim just said, Ed is very professional and seems a real good person. Welcome to the fun house Ed. I'm honored to be in the same place getting my chops busted by Mikey every chance he gets, like you are.

Ken

 

[Desk Jockey]

Welcome Ed, I suppose if you are that great a guy I can overlook the fact that you build and sell portables to the Semi Pro cleaners of the world. Willy included!

Easy Willy, don't bust a stitch!

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

 

[pablomoreno]

Welcome, Ed,

You can't have enought thick skin and a sense of humor to post here.

Having had a larger gas TM with a 59 blower, a Fox, and smaller ones ranging from a 45-56 frame blowers, I'm suprisingly happy with the performance of my early Savage 1 ETM.

I had the opportunity last week while cleaning my wife's classroom at her school to measure the airflow on the district's Prochem Legend with 100' hose. The janitors had about 200' of hose out and were soaking one classroom when I went over after OP ing my wife's classroom. I brought the Exteck anenometer with me. Running wide open, and with a clean waste tank, that Legend pulled 178-182 cfm using the standard 4" reducing cone. My Savage pulls between 195-198 cfm at the same distance. The Legend is a popular machine and widely sold. I thought it would have better performance but the exteck and standard measuring protocol doesn't lie.

A lot of cleaners have built successful businesses with a Prochem Legend.

I'm finding that the move to a energy conserving hybrid cleaning system, electric power/propane heater has had a positive marketing response from the Prius crowd in Sonoma County. The green Biodiesel sticker on my Sprinter quietly assents to this ethos.

This model may not work for someone trying to build a large company with a lot of trucks, employees and, hopefully, revenue, but it has worked well for me.

There's a lot of places where alternate ( to a gas TM) cleaning machines are the best choice of tools. Ed has contributed greatly to this market.

 

[Jimmy L]

Richard when I find myself getting all HATE filled like you it's because my system is all backed up and I'm constipated.

Tell your wife to grab you a sack of carrots at Sam's before she comes home.

And spend the rest of the weekend on the POT.


Oh yeah...................I agree with you.