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THE LEGENDARY POWER BEHIND SWEEPING
• Non-CDL version available
• Mechanical sweeping to handle heavy applications like millings
• Independent broom control for in-the-cut precision
• Single engine for fuel economy and less maintenance
• Simple start-up procedure with easy-to-operate controls
STANDARD SWEEPING INC.
Setting the Industry Standard
Scott and Julienne Audette started Valley View Sanitation Services, Inc. in upstate New York nearly 30 years ago. They grew the business for 23 years and then sold it. Next, Scott and the couple’s son, Alec, launched a new company, a commercial power sweeping service in Ballston Spa, New York, about 30 miles north of Albany. The new business, Standard Sweeping LLC, is thriving, and the owners’ growth plans are well on track. The family’s entrepreneurial life
has been quite an adventure. We are fortunate to have the younger Audette share with NAS readers some of that remarkable experience and insight he has gained from it all:
THE AUDETTES LAUNCH THEIR STARTUP
In 1996, my parents started Valley View, the refuse hauling company. I’m 27 now. I was born two years after they started it. I grew up in the business. I started from scraping stickers, washing carts, etc. I learned
In 1996, my parents started Valley View, the refuse hauling company. I’m 27 now. I was born two years after they started it. I grew up in the business.
the ins and outs of the office, helping with accounting, etc. I picked up the front-load cans and a few roll-offs. I spent most of my free time as a child riding with my dad in the cab of a garbage truck. (When I was a baby, my mother used to say that was the only way they used to be able to get me to sleep.)
My parents were often approached to sell the company. Around 2019, I was only 21, not ready to take over the business. They decided it was the
appropriate time to sell it. My father had been eyeing the sweeping industry while he owned Valley View. But once we transitioned over to working for the larger company, it seemed like the appropriate time had come to chase new opportunities.
During that period, one day I walked into my father’s office, and he said, “There are only a few sweeping companies in our area.” He said, “This is an open opportunity for us.” I was driving front-load for County
SPOTLIGHT
As far as my parents go, they built the business from the ground up, raised three children at the same time, and drove a
truck.
his parents for his preparedness.] A lot of it is the environment around you. I’ve just had a lot of good people around who helped shape me.
Waste (a Waste Connections Company) at that time. He said, “If you want to start a company, we’ll see how well we can do to grow it.” Two years after we started it, my father came over to the new sweeping business. Within a year of that, my brother joined us, and he is now proud to be an owner as well.
AUDETTE FAMILY GENERATIONS OF NY SERVICE SUCCESS
I was going to go to St Rose to play soccer, but they kept increasing the tuition. So, my parents suggested that I consider going to a 2-year community college, and I was fortunate enough for them to offer to pay for it. I earned an Associate’s Degree, holding a 4.0 GPA. [Alec credits “a couple of really good professors” for contributing to his academic success.] I was coming home on weekends to learn the business and see my girlfriend at the time.
My parents wanted me to get a four-year degree ultimately. That was one of their requirements for me to take over management of the business. [Yet, he worked his way up through the company based on his performance on the job instead. Alec credits
I definitely learned from the best — my mother and father. As far as my parents go, they built the business from the ground up, raised three children at the same time, and drove a truck. My parents were tough in a good way.
When I was growing up, they had the garbage trucks, and I would go out and help my dad. My grandparents had farm equipment. In summer, I grew up in the hayfields. My grandfather was a turbine engineer at GE, very mechanically talented. I took some engineering courses in school. Once I got into the power sweeping business, I found that I like to read manuals. I enjoy reading the schematics and service manuals of truck brands we don’t even use. I learned to work on trucks at an early age. My parents had to keep the equipment running, and I was mechanically inclined, so it was a good fit.
ALEC AUDETTE ASSUMES COMPANY LEADERSHIP
My father is the CEO and majority stakeholder. But, because of my knowledge, he gives me mostly free rein. If he needs to step in with guidance, he does, but otherwise, I’m typically running it day to day, and we all are sharing management to some extent.
I do all the work on our equipment, plus run the office, including bookkeeping, routing, service schedules for customers, office work regarding maintenance record keeping, etc. I do those and other tasks, of course, with the assistance of my other family members. At the end of the year, we send everything over to a certified accountant for the annual tax work. I give credit to my mother. She was fantastic at organization at Valley View and is always here, willing to help whenever needed. I answer the phone, and we give all the customers my father’s cell phone number as well as mine so they can reach us personally at any time. My brother Roman is 21 years old. He has come on board too, and he is doing a great job. And, my sister, Isabella, is amazing. She’s in chiropractic school, but
when I need help, she is more than willing to lend a hand with any work of any kind that needs to be done.
COMPANY CULTURE BASED ON STRONG BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
Our motto is, “Setting Industry Standards.” We try to beat our competition in all aspects of the business. We’re not always the cheapest on price. But customers know they can maximize their investments by looking their best for their customers and employees. People care about their locations, so they choose us for superior quality and reliability. We will essentially do anything to help our customers succeed in their businesses. We’ve carried those leadership principles over to Standard Sweeping as the core of our business philosophy.
SPOTLIGHT
We need to build a culture of employees who care about the customers’ needs as the Number 1 priority. The culture we end up establishing here is to hold ourselves and our employees to the highest standard of quality. We will always be closely checking quality. In the future, we will have a QA person to check work quality every day. Sometimes, a driver may not be feeling well or may feel stressed. We will need someone to relay information back to us on performance. We never want to get that call from a customer saying that they’re changing service providers because of a quality issue.
Right now, during these startup years, all the drivers
are company owners. Still, we check up on each other. We check each other’s properties. We hold each other accountable. I always say to my brother and my dad, we need to discuss everything. Everyone needs to speak their mind. If nobody can do that, we can become stagnant. We’re just human, not perfect 100% of the time. So, we need feedback from drivers, whether they’re owners or employees. I was so fortunate to grow up in the business and learn from my parents. I’m always learning. I don’t want to ever stop learning. Sometimes, criticism can be a hard pill to swallow. You’ve got to set your ego aside and be willing to accept negative feedback. You’ve
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SPOTLIGHT
got to think of it from the perspective of the other person, including your employees. You need to try to understand what they’re going through daily, customers too. Keeping an open mind is important.
THE STANDARD SWEEPING FLEET
In the trash hauling industry, the front-load trucks cost almost half a million dollars. My parents would buy former municipal trucks because they normally had very low miles on them, and the cost savings were so well worth it. We had very little knowledge of the sweeping trucks back then. They are a lot harder to work on, with a lot more things you must get right to keep them operable and the sweeping equipment functioning ideally to do quality work.
We started out with a rebuilt 2008 Tymco 600. That sweeper truck worked very well for us at the time. We
bought a second truck within a year, a Tymco 435, and we took on shopping plazas. We then got a Nitehawk Raptor. We now have a Schwarze A4 Storm and 2 Nitehawk Raptors. We either buy rental units or new equipment.
Our newest truck is an ODRA MT4H. We sold off the couple of our original Tymcos. Having used trucks taught us all the ins and outs of working on the equipment. We spent a lot of time up underneath the trucks.
We plan on adding more units from ODRA to the fleet. We absolutely love them. Their attention to detail is outstanding. The electrical, hydraulic, and other components are easy to work on, and that reduces our time under the equipment. We also like how rugged the ODRAs are. They’re built exceptionally well.
We want what is most costeffective. This way, we can keep our customers’ rates consistent for as long as possible. All the brands have their pluses and minuses. We had originally rented an Elgin Broom Badger. So, we got that experience with ODRA.
Their price point for what they offer is just phenomenal, a great value. It’s a small unit, non-CDL,
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AIR SWEEPING !
Model 600® COMDEX ® Street Sweeper
Model 500x® High Side Dump
600
Model 435® COMDEX ® Mid-Sized Street Sweeper
Model 210® COMDEX ® Parking Lot Sweeper
SPOTLIGHT
and it’s extremely versatile. It can do what the larger trucks can do. So, it’s the most bang for your buck, and it’s very easy to operate. Their team over there is fantastic too. They’re very intuitive and responsive, and helpful in answering any questions we have. They go above and beyond for their clients.
MODERN TECHNOLOGY AT STANDARD SWEEPING, LLC
We had GPS tracking systems in all the trucks, but it didn’t work very well for us, so we’re not using it anymore. We will be adding Samsara cameras when we get employees. You can hook into all the cameras, including the broom camera and backup cameras.
With the Samsara, when you make passes sweeping, it will also highlight areas you’ve made a pass through. We currently have routing and billing software offered through Nektyd to help us stay organized, track jobs, manage billing, etc. That software is very responsive. It helps keep track of job times, and it sets up invoices based on that time, and on the pricing, square footage, etc. (We also use QuickBooks in the office, the older version, to ensure privacy, not the online version.)
MARKETING & BRANDING FOR STANDARD SWEEPING
I used Wix to do the website myself. My father handles the Facebook page. I handle our LinkedIn and
Instagram accounts. He kept suggesting LinkedIn, and it has been bringing in work for us. We have had just one or two leads from the website. I will probably hire a professional to upgrade the site, do SEO, etc. I really like to manage the social pages ourselves.
We don’t really spend any money on traditional advertising. We do cold calls in person and by phone, send out emails, etc., to get our name out there, say hello, and see if there’s a need. The vast majority, about 75% of our business, has always been and still is from word of mouth, and the rest from cold calling. Those calls are mostly to property management companies and industrial facilities. And we’re growing in the commercial accounts.
The largest sweeping company in the area has been around for 20 years. We’ve only been here about four years. But we believe word of mouth is the best way to get new business. It’s a great metric to measure to indicate that you’re doing things right. It’s been working very well for us. So, our marketing focus is on enhancing our service.
All of our new pickup trucks for field services and our sweeper trucks have our brand logos on them. One truck from ODRA is pink and has the slogan, “We’ll sweep you off your feet.” Another is wrapped as Megamaid, with the slogan, “Your gigantic maid is here.” One of the Raptors has the insidious Star Wars theme. The other sweeper truck has Gremlins-themed wrap. People pull up, taking photos of the trucks all the time. It brings joy to them, and whether they are a customer or not, that’s a win in our book.
We wear uniforms from Under Armour. It’s extremely high quality. The shirts have our company name. They’re red Polo shirts with black and chrome, and
All of our new pickup trucks for field services and our sweeper trucks have our brand logos on them. One truck from ODRA is pink and has the slogan, “We’ll sweep you off your feet.”
Another is wrapped as Megamaid, with the slogan, “Your gigantic maid is here.”
they each have our individualized patch, along with one of the American flag, the Standard Sweeping logo on the left chest, and a pattern on the back. They look great, very professional, and very attention-getting.
STANDARD SWEEPING LLC BUSINESS MODEL AND PLANS
As I said, we currently generally provide power sweeping service primarily to industrial and commercial customers. Overnight management would be nice, and we really want to get bigger in construction and milling cleanup. We’re also looking into catch basin cleaning. A lot of people strive to be that one-stop shop. We don’t want to be that.
Diversifying can be a big revenue builder, but a lot of times, you end up sacrificing quality because you’re not really 100% knowledgeable in those areas of extra services you take on. Whereas others are, and they can provide better service for those types of needs.
SPOTLIGHT
This year has been our biggest growth year so far. We’ve nearly doubled in size this year. We’re hoping to start adding employees this or next year. Our service area is about an 80-mile radius.
A very minimal percentage of our annual revenue right now is from portering. It comes from commercial locations. The portering can involve changing out trash liners, picking up litter from green spaces, and wherever the trucks cannot reach. Eventually, we’ll break that off to have a separate portering guy. Right now, the sweeper driver does both.
We’ll have a portering route, and all the portering will go to the daytime schedule. At night, the customers will get their sweeping, and the sweeper drivers and porters can team up to check on each other and help with feedback on the properties they service.
We currently complete about 6 regular stops per day, 7 days per week. We have a minimum of about 45 accounts. In total, we make close to 60 stops per week, including the one-time stuff, annual construction cleanup projects, etc.
BEYOND THE EXTRA MILE – HIGH VALUEADDED SERVICE
We are the eyes and ears for the property managers we serve. They don’t have the time to go to every
single property every day. When we see abandoned vehicles, trash service being missed, graffiti, tons of shopping carts, clothing donation boxes placed without permission, debris on landscaping, etc., we let them know.
For one customer, we do a little more. We adjust lights, assist with small construction projects, or even meet with a tenant if needed. They pay us for that by the hour. We love customer feedback. That’s a very good metric to show where you need improvement. Even if it’s just a bottle left on a parking lot, I need to know about that.
EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH OF STANDARD SWEEPING, NY
This year has been our biggest growth year so far. We’ve nearly doubled in size this year. We’re hoping to start adding employees this or next year. Our service area is about an 80-mile radius. We would like to expand across New York state. It seems like there’s a huge need for reliable power sweeping services. The power sweeping industry has been stagnant here in our area for so long. It’s just not meeting people’s needs in this part of the state. We’ve done so well because we keep working to improve service, and that gets attention and brings us positive word of mouth advertising.
ADVICE FOR INDUSTRY NEWCOMERS FROM ALEC AUDETTE, OWNER, STANDARD SWEEPING, NEW YORK
There are a few things I would recommend: First, never stop educating yourself about all the equipment that is available to you. There are a lot of manufacturers out there. Know which applications they are best suited for. Try to understand the science and engineering behind them. Most importantly, learn how to work on
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SPOTLIGHT
your equipment and take good care of it. Especially in climates like the northeast.
I always like to give the analogy: If I offered you your dream car, think about the way you would take care of it. Of course, there’s a big difference between your dream car and a sweeper truck. They both cost you upfront, but one continues costing you money while the other makes you money to support yourself and your family. So, it’s just practical to take good care of the one that provides so much for you.
Also, learn about your customers’ operations and the daily problems they face. Their problems are your problems. And, finally, always set your requirements for your performance higher than your customers’ expectations of your service.
ON STANDARD SWEEPING LLC AND LEADERSHIP
We discovered that Alec Audette credits others a lot for his successes of every kind, in school, employment, organization, brand-building, and team leadership. That admirable gratitude is a characteristic we tend to find in the most successful business owners in the industry. Another impressive feature of the young leader’s mindset is his commitment to building on the stellar accomplishments of his parents in the northeastern New York region.
Alec noted that he had been very wisely informed of the historical reality that often the second generation ruins businesses. Whatever their chosen industry, many intrepid Millennial and Gen Z entrepreneurs launching their own startups today will encounter this risk in time when they confront their succession planning needs some decades from now.
The current state of the security of Standard Sweeping LLC, as the family’s legacy, appears to be in exemplary health, protected in the capable hands of Alec Audette. Scott Audette and his son have developed a brilliant family business ownership strategy that appears especially durable. It combines a) an unstoppably high-performing family group (parents, brothers, and sister) all bringing excellent talents to bear on needs and goals, and b) a streamlined service model — power sweeping and portering. And, they’ve built in the flexibility to add value in other ways of helping their customers succeed.
The unique top-quality team, under the direction of Scott and Alec Audette, certainly makes Standard Sweeping LLC one to watch. We look forward very much to following the progress of this enterprise through the coming years.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT
STANDARD SWEEPING, LLC, BALLSTON SPA, NY, CALL (518) 365-6981, OR VISIT STANDARDSWEEPING.COM.
SOURCES
Standard Sweeping, LLC, Ballston Spa NY, Alec Audette, Tel: 518-867-7400
Email: inquire@standardsweeping.com
THE POWER SWEEPING INDUSTRY HAD BEEN STEADILY EXPANDING SINCE THE MID-1900S AND HAS BEEN IN A BOOMING GROWTH MODE FOR THE PAST DECADE. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THIS PHASE, A GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE TRADE HAS BEEN UNDERWAY, DRIVEN LARGELY BY INCREASING URBANIZATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS. MORE RECENTLY, THE SOCIETAL SHIFT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND THE RESPONSIVENESS TO SPECIALIZED SWEEPING NEEDS HAVE FURTHER FUELED MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE MARKET SEGMENTATION. IN 2025, GROWTH IS DRIVEN BY DEMAND FOR MORE EFFICIENT, ECO-FRIENDLY, AND DIGITALLY INTEGRATED COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SWEEPING SOLUTIONS.
Power Sweeping Industry Overview Mid-2025
Globally, the street sweeper production market is anticipated to reach over $11 billion in the next 7 years (by 2032), up from just over $6 billion last year (2024).
Globally, the street sweeper production market is anticipated to reach over $11 billion in the next 7 years (by 2032), up from just over $6 billion last year (2024). As you probably assume, the United States accounts for a major percentage of that. Construction site, milling cleanup, industrial, municipal, commercial, and HOA property sweeping service markets are all thriving. Let’s look at the dynamics at work in the above numbers:
TRENDS AND KEY FACTORS
These drivers of major change in power sweeping processes and business management have built momentum over the years in an industry transformation that is underway.
Urban Development
The burgeoning expansion of suburban and the densification of urban areas has naturally led to extensive additions and redesigned traffic accommodations of every kind. From industrial worksites to consumer districts to residential neighborhoods, all these forms of development require increasingly efficient power sweeping.
Digital Emergence
Now that we are beyond the stunning advent of AI and ML, the thusly augmented IoT is the nerve center of modern business and residential life, with users functioning across multitudinous platforms. To stay competitive, sweeping companies and their vendors and customers now rely on remote transactions, real-time activity monitoring, predictive analytics, auto-managed equipment maintenance routines, digital document management, automated customer relationship management, and even smart sensors for remote-control sweeping.
Sustainability Demands
The industry has been slowly, if not reluctantly, moving toward the inevitable switch to hybrid and fully-electric sweeper trucks. Now, as ultimately happens with any initially costly transition to important new technology, the demand is increasing and the changeover is imminent. Environmentally-friendly equipment manufacturing materials and processes, and even sweeping service administration practices, are now urged to meet B2B consumers’ green expectations.
Sweeper Brand Selectivity
The demand for heavy debris cleanup with mechanical
street sweepers is anticipated to generate a substantial percentage of business for reliable, quality-focused service providers over the next years. Likewise, the need for maneuverable compact vacuum sweepers to perform finer cleaning on urban streets, parking areas, and walkways is projected to grow revenues significantly, to around $40 million over the next decade.
Advanced Customer Solutions
In response to the increasing volume of the disparate service channels in local sweeper markets, equipment manufacturers are offering more modular equipment and more fully customized designs to optimize precision in satisfying customers’ service specifications. From heavy-duty industrial applications to the lightest-duty surface cleaning, providers can more readily obtain equipment to meet unique needs.
2025–2026 CHALLENGES
Going into late 2025 and through next year, strategic planners can expect to confront a combination of economic, environmental, and business cultural challenges. Some of the most significant difficulties throughout the US are likely to include:
4 Tightening Regulatory Impositions
Compounding ever-stricter federal, state, and local regulations is presenting increasingly high hurdles for operators in many regions. Sweeping business owners are advised to stay updated on changes in relevant statutes to avoid the risk of noncompliance.
4 Rising Inflation
Relentless price increases have been pervading the US economy over recent years. Adding to that have
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been the high upfront and tech maintenance costs of advanced digital. Combined, these expense factors can present difficult financial conditions for new market entrants and current sweeping business owners aiming for growth.
4 Persistent Labor Shortage
The effective scarcity of skilled laborers has plagued the power sweeping industry for the past 5 years. Matching the particular compensation demands and other exacting job search criteria of modern workers is too tall an order for many growing companies. Keeping talented employees long-term has also remained among the top reported struggles of sweeping business owners
surveyed by NAS over that period.
4 Residual Impact of COVID-19
During the economic shutdown and the pandemic that prompted it, disruptions in supply chains shrunk or virtually halted the demand for power sweeping in some regions. On the other hand, the COVID threat was a fearsome alarm to the necessity of environmental cleanliness. The new attention drawn to that imperative has proven to strengthen the industry over these following few years.
CONCLUSION
Power sweeping fills an ongoing commercial and industrial service need in the US, making it an exceptional generator of opportunity for
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entrepreneurs looking to enter a growth industry. This transformational period of urban development, sustainable practices, tech innovations, and niche service expansions represents exciting potential for sweeping service brands.
Employment market, regulatory, inflationary impediments, and other offsets notwithstanding, the industry is continuing in vigorous growth. Exciting technological transformations, service mode adaptations, and urban development are flourishing in many areas. Altogether, for 2025-2026, the US appears to offer a very attractive market environment for launching or expanding sweeping businesses.
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IN THE NEWS
ELGIN SWEEPER INTRODUCES ADVANCED DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL FOR PELICAN SERIES STREET SWEEPERS
ELGIN, Illinois Elgin Sweeper Company , a leading manufacturer of street sweepers and environmental equipment, has announced the introduction of a state-of-the-art digital control panel for its iconic Pelican series mechanical sweepers. The new touchscreen interface delivers intuitive operation, real-time diagnostics and smarter system integration to municipalities seeking greater efficiency and ease of use in their street sweeping programs.
...the new digital control panel on the Pelican reaffirms our commitment to the future of smart, connected municipal equipment...
“ Elgin Sweeper has always been a pioneer in street sweeping innovation, and the new digital control panel on the Pelican reaffirms our commitment to the future of smart, connected municipal equipment,” said Chad Schiele, Product Manager, Elgin Sweeper “Cities today need tools that are both powerful and intuitive, and this upgrade delivers exactly that — while maintaining the Pelican’s legendary durability and performance.”
The advanced digital control panel replaces the traditional analog gauge displays with a durable, high-visibility touchscreen that centralizes key vehicle functions.
The system offers intuitive graphics, simplified controls and multilanguage support — making it easier than ever for operators to get the job done.
KEY BENEFITS FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND OPERATORS:
4 Intelligent diagnostics. Real-time fault detection and system monitoring help maintenance teams quickly identify issues, reducing vehicle downtime and repair costs.
4 Simplified training & operation. The user-friendly interface shortens training time for new operators and improves usability across varying experience levels.
4 Operational efficiency. On-screen prompts and guided functions improve sweeping precision and reduce operator fatigue during long shifts.
4 Data logging. The system captures operational data that can be reviewed for performance trends, route planning and fleet optimization.
4 Built to last: Engineered for rugged use, the panel is water-resistant, glove-friendly and highly visible in sunlight or at night.
The three-wheel Pelican sweeper , based on a mechanical sweeper design trusted for over a century, continues to evolve with the changing needs of cities.
With this technology integration, Elgin Sweeper is helping communities modernize their street maintenance efforts with tools that are smarter, safer and more efficient.
“ The Pelican is already known for its maneuverability and 360-degree visibility,” said Schiele. “The new digital control panel provides that next step in efficiency for operators, which helps sweeping programs increase productivity even more.”
About Elgin Sweeper Company
Sold and serviced through a network of more than 100 dealer locations worldwide, Elgin Sweeper products are the sweepers of choice for a variety of general street maintenance, special industrial and airport applications. With more than 100 years of experience, Elgin Sweeper offers municipalities, contractors and industries the most sweeper options in the world, using the latest sweeping technologies — mechanical, pure vacuum, regenerative air, alternative fuel and waterless dust control. Elgin Sweeper is a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation’s Environmental Solutions Group.
For more information, visit www.ElginSweeper.com..
About Federal Signal
Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE: FSS) builds and delivers equipment of unmatched quality that moves material, cleans infrastructure and protects the communities where we work and live. Founded in 1901, Federal Signal is a leading global designer, manufacturer and supplier of products and total solutions that serve municipal, governmental, industrial and commercial customers. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, with manufacturing facilities worldwide, the Company operates two groups: Environmental Solutions and Safety and Security Systems.
For more information on Federal Signal, visit www.FederalSignal.com.
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Shifts in the Power Sweeping Industry Due to Climate Concerns
TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY ARE STEMMING FROM INTERPRETATIONS OF TEMPERATURE RECORDS AND THE EFFECTS OF CORRELATED WEATHER TRENDS.
CONCERNS ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH, THE FUNCTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY OF URBAN SYSTEMS, AND THE FUTURE OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS HAVE POLICYMAKERS REEVALUATING PRIORITIES FOR CITIES. THAT, OF COURSE, IMPACTS THE CONDITIONS FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING BY SWEEPING SERVICE PROVIDERS.
...growing public concern about climate change has been pushing the power sweeping industry toward prioritizing environmental sustainability in its equipment and processes.
efficiency of sweeping service providers, it also promises to help protect their broader interests as the cost of major change across the competitive market is absorbed by the operators.
BIG CLIMATE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE SWEEPING INDUSTRY
To say the least, this appears to be a practical time for sweeping companies to take a leading role, wherever possible, in advising on infrastructure investment towards road and public space development. Such an initiative is not only conducive to the greatest
While interpretations of climate data differ, what is inarguable is the fact that growing public concern about climate change has been pushing the power sweeping industry toward prioritizing environmental sustainability in its equipment and processes.
Fuel-efficient sweeper trucks, eco-safe truck cleaning materials, responsible brush and other equipment parts procurement and disposal, and other waste
and pollution control measures are becoming the rule rather than the exception.
From daytime cleaning options to cut energy use all the way to IoT applications for optimizing equipment efficiency, environmental regulations and public demands are driving the industry toward increased creativity and collaboration on eco-solutions.
The demand for sharper alignment with state, national, and global strategies for success in broad environmental initiatives is motivating efforts across all business subsectors to achieve net-zero impact, or, at least, significantly reduced impact.
The Transition to Hybrid and All-Electric
Sweeper Trucks
Moves are underway to switch to hybrid sweepers to reduce emissions, reengineer equipment to minimize water use in dust management, and even require green certifications to ensure eco awareness and training, etc. These approaches to reducing emissions and fuel consumption are understood to yield benefits in reducing environmental contaminants.
The industry’s major manufacturers have been producing all-electric models from the smallest compact urban sweeper to the biggest mechanical broom units, and they’re expanding plans for such production across the board.
Reducing Water Use for Dust Mitigation
Sweeping service operators in some regions under threat of impending water shortages are implementing water-saving technologies and processes. Some have adapted existing equipment to reduce water use for dust control on construction sites, in certain industrial
The pursuit of greener power
sweeping extends to a rising demand for commercial equipment cleaning products and processes that are environmentally safe. Many companies are now utilizing less toxic chemical-based cleaning agents and leaving behind the more familiar cleaning supplies.
environments, and in municipal applications in such dry-climate regions. There is continuing research into portable water recycling methods. Those range from filtration to disinfection, to oxidation, to ultraviolet treatment, and more.
Environmentally Responsible General Business Practices
The pursuit of greener power sweeping extends to a rising demand for commercial equipment cleaning products and processes that are environmentally safe. Many companies are now utilizing less toxic chemicalbased cleaning agents and leaving behind the more familiar cleaning supplies.
Further, fuel conservation in the use of field support pickup trucks and personal vehicles, energy-saving office lighting, low-water-use administrative facilities,
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office supply recycling, and various waste reduction options in-house are all viewed as worthwhile contributions to the collective national effort.
Green Business Certifications
Green Seal and other certifications are of increasing interest to B2B customers and sweeping service providers alike, at a minimum, for the strong message of commitment to sustainability they convey. They promote focus on carbon footprint reduction, including minimizing pollutants and waste through increased efficiency of equipment and practices, recycling, and reorganizing work schedules to cut energy use, etc. They also emphasize smart technologies in applications such as general truck
functions, component performance sensors, lighting, monitoring of integrated IoT functions, and more.
Stricter
Emissions Regulations
Local, state, and federal government requirements continue to raise the benchmarks for businesses to control harmful emissions. So, sweeper manufacturers have been building more efficient equipment as well as electric truck models and hybrid alternatives. The emissions laws, along with process efficiency objectives, are redefining purchasing priorities for the sweeping service owners.
The federal Clean Air Act, regulating air pollutants from mobile sources, EPA Emission Standards regulating emissions of particulates, nitrogen oxides,
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and other harmful emissions, EPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Phase 3, effective starting in 2027), Low NOx Emission Standards (also effective from 2027), as well as state and local regulations are all bearing on modern sweeping businesses.
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CONCERNS ON THE SWEEPING INDUSTRY
As the power sweeping industry continues on its strong growth trajectory, the push to go green is proving to be a call that will not be ignored. At least, not by operators that aim to compete with the leaders in their markets. Additionally, customers are aware of the tightening environmental regulations and have their own goals and outside pressures to promote sustainability, including via their vendors.
Next-gen customers and sweeping service competitors are aware of new management and service technologies and methods that make their lives easier and more productive, and, ultimately, save them money. .
Fortunately, current eco-conscious sweeper truck technologies and green options in virtually every other corner of operations empower motivated strategic planners to bring operations on board with the national and global initiative to establish an environmentally healthier way of doing business in the country.
As governments continue to invest in infrastructure, stormwater management, road maintenance, and development of commercial districts and public recreation spaces, the sweeping industry grows accordingly. Service providers who proactively position their companies for conformance with public, B2B market, and regulatory demands for environmental protection can expect to compete more successfully with the perceptive leaders in their markets who are predictably doing the same thing.
PWX provides a first-class multi-modal learning experience designed for professionals at all levels and across the entire spectrum of public works. Come prepared to see, hear, touch, and discuss in a variety of traditional and interactive sessions, seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities. Attendees can also spend time on North America’s largest exhibit floor for public works equipment and services— we’ve carved out generous portions of non-compete time, so you don’t miss any sessions. Kick tires, talk about technology, or get the scoop on new products.
AUGUST 17–20, 2025
MCCORMICK PLACE
LAKESIDE CENTER
2301 S. LAKE SHORE DR. CHICAGO, IL 60616
1-800-SWEEPER
1-800-SWEEPER is a nationwide service network of independently owned power sweeping companies. Our organization brings sweeping companies from coast to coast under a unified marketing and service structure. Participating 1-800-SWEEPER partner companies provide parking lot sweeping, street cleaners and street sweeping, along with a variety of construction-related power sweeping services. Our reliable, value oriented power sweeping services a diverse customer base including nationwide and regional facility management customers as well as municipalities and local area building contractors. Booth #5119
ELGIN SWEEPER CO
Elgin Sweeper Company, is the leading manufacturer of sweepers for municipal, contractor, airport, and industrial sweeping needs. Elgin offers the world’’s broadest selection of street sweeping solutions including mechanical, vacuum, and recirculating air models. Vactor Manufacturing, is the number one supplier of truckmounted combination sewer and catch basin cleaners and jetters. Booth #4069
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS, INC.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS is one of the world’s leading producers of specialized Street Cleaning Equipment. We build Purpose Built, Heavy Duty, and simply Tough Street Sweepers. Headquartered in San Bernardino, CA, we believe in Reliable, Affordable and Innovative products. We are proud to say that our sweepers are Made in the USA. Booth #5029
NITEHAWK SWEEPERS
NiteHawk engineers, builds, and sells the highest quality sweepers on the market. We have a passion for helping our customers succeed and grow successful businesses. We are committed to making your priorities our priorities, and we’ll continue to provide you with the best products, warranty, and service. Booth #7085
OLD DOMINION BRUSH COMPANY
The ODB Company has been reliably serving municipalities since 1910 with high performing, long lasting street sweeper brooms and brushes. From street sweeper brushes and brooms, to debris and leaf collection equipment that are recognized as the highest performing and most efficient systems available. Booth #7085
ODRA ROAD SWEEPERS
At ODRA, we manufacture chassis mounted mechanical road sweepers. These road sweepers are robust and reliable machines that feature high fuel efficiency and low operational cost. Our sweepers have been improved and perfected for over 15 years and have shown extensive success with both municipalities and private contractors as being reliable, simple build, easy to operate and very versatile. Booth #2075
SCHWARZE INDUSTRIES
Schwarze Industries has been committed to providing an exceptional level of customer support, offering one of the most comprehensive sweeper lines in the sweeping business, including models for parking area cleaning, industrial sweeping, mall and shopping center sweeping and stormwater runoff management. Booth # 7085
TYMCO
TYMCO Manufactures of Regenerative Air Sweepers. Environmentally friendly sweeping on paved or concrete surfaces. This true Regenerative Air System is equally efficient in wet or dry conditions. TYMCO’s are designed for low maintenance. This allows them to maintain your sweeping schedules. Booth #7045
UNITED ROTARY BRUSH
North Americas leading manufacturer of replacement road sweeper brooms for all makes and models of street sweepers and attachments, as well as spreader chains, bucket blades, spreaders, dump inserts and snowplow blades for both light and heavy-duty equipment. We are your one stop source for street and airport runway pavement clearing equipment. Booth #1084