The sleek 2007 Mitsubishi Fuso service trucks used by Acme Powerwash Inc. make a statement as powerful as the pressure-washing equipment mounted on the flatbeds: If the trucks look this good, imagine the quality of the service.
“I figure that if people see a dirty truck, they’re bound to wonder how you’re ever going to keep their property clean,” says Ken Marciano, owner of the 12-year-old business in Phoenix.
The one-ton flatbeds stay clean as a whistle with weekly washings, and they also make a visual splash. The company name, logo, phone number and services are shown on all sides. A custom strip of stainless steel around the edges of the 12-foot flatbed screams for attention, and the spotless pressure-washing equipment provides a high-tech appearance.
“I had a guy come up to me and ask me if it makes ribs,” Marciano says with a chuckle. “People are blown away when they see the trucks. They’ve never seen anything like it – trucks so clean and decked out like this.
“People have called while they’re sitting in traffic next to one of our trucks and asked how much we charge to clean a garage floor or the front of a commercial building,” he says. “I’ve even received calls from guys at other area pressure-washing companies who say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen a rig like that.’”
Marciano is convinced the trucks generate business he otherwise would miss. “They build confidence in our services,” he says. “Most other companies have one truck with a little trailer that carries one machine. I started with one trailer and a machine, too, so it’s not like small outfits can’t do the job.
“But multiple units can do the job faster. Instead of one guy with one machine taking four days to do a job, we have four guys with four machines who can do the job in one day,” he says. “We’ve easily doubled our business volume with these trucks.”
The trucks also help Acme get work with large corporations and high-end residential developments. “Places like that don’t want a normal rig showing up,” he notes. “They want to see professional-looking, high-end equipment. They consider us the most presentable company that provides the best service.”
Marciano’s brother convinced him to invest in the two trucks, which cost about $80,000 fully equipped. Each carries two skid-mounted 3506 stainless-steel pressure washers (maximum 3,500 psi/6 gpm) from Mi-T-M Corp.; a 325-gallon plastic water tank; two 150-foot high-pressure, nonscuffing hose lines; one 250-foot water-supply hose; and two surface cleaners – a 30-inch ASE-0004 (4,000 psi/8 gpm) from Steel Eagle Inc., and a 20-inch Whirl-A-Way (4,000 psi/8 gpm) from BE Pressure Supply Inc.
“My brother told me my business will only be as big as my equipment is, meaning that one guy with one machine can only do so much,” says Marciano, who established the business when he was 21 years old.
Marciano also opted for the Fuso because its short turning radius makes it easy to maneuver in close quarters on construction sites. “Because everything is mounted on a flatbed, you don’t have to drag along a trailer, which takes up a lot of valuable space on a jobsite,” he says. “These trucks can turn on a dime.”
Trucks that are practical, profitable and sharp looking to boot – now that’s a powerful statement.
