Since starting Hurricane Hydrovac in 2015, Shawn O’Keefe says the company that he and Max De Angelis co-own in Essex, Ontario, Canada, has roughly tripled in size. Getting into the hydroexcavation market before competitors played a big role in that growth.

“We also had a solid business plan,” says O’Keefe. “We both ran other businesses before we started this one, so we had experience.”

O’Keefe also notes that he and De Angelis prioritized reinvesting profits back into the company in the form of new equipment. Providing great customer service was also critical.

“We will do anything for customers and we have the experience to do it, too,” he says. “And we’re always available. We answer the phone 24 hours a day — no answering service. And as managers, we’re available 24 hours a day for our customers and our employees.”

Yet another key was the ability to provide a diverse array of services.

“When one market slows down, another seems to pick up,” O’Keefe explains.

When construction-related hydroexcavation works starts winding down when winter comes, scheduled maintenance kicks into gear at industrial plants that shut down for cleaning during the holidays.

It also helps that the hydroexcavation trucks are capable of doing more than just excavating; when it rains a lot and they can’t work on projects, for example, the trucks can be used to clean catch basins or flush sewer lines.

“A lot of guys in this business just dig holes,” O’Keefe says. “But we do everything, from handling emergency spills and sewer flushing to industrial cleaning and railroad work.”

Read more about Hurricane Hydrovac in the November 2022 issue of Cleaner magazine.