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Saving soles:
New technology rescues gum-laden sidewalks The Business Journal of by Ty
Young The Business Journal A year ago, Valley Real Estate professional, Derek Mills found
himself in a sticky situation. After stepping in gum three times in
one week a light bulb went off. How
could he turn this all too popular problem into a booming business? After talking to a few business owners and commercial property
managers, he had his answer.
Mills, along with his wife, Melanie, created GumBlasters Arizona, a company that uses a special Italian
technology to remove dried gum with 350-degree, high-pressure steam.
The innovative approach improves upon the typical style of gum removal,
called power washing, Mills said. "Using steam is environmentally safe and basically works faster,"
he said. "There is no wasted water, which will just end up spraying
all over the windows and buildings when power washing." The GumBlasters machine directs steam
onto the gum, lifting it off the most textured surfaces, Mills said.
Instead of power washing, which forces dozens of gallons of water on
the gum, or leaving cuts on the surface by scraping the gum off, the
steam leaves no evidence it’s been used. "You're just left with a clean surface," Mills said.
The steam-cleaning machine uses a special, environmentally safe
additive to help lift gum off any texture in 10 seconds. Mills would
not say what that ingredient is, but said it works. Others in the Valley agree. Since starting the company in August,
he has held presentations for dozens of companies, landing his first
job at the "I was very intrigued by it. It was a different technology
than what we've used in the past," said Katrina Mueller, manager
of the For years, the center used traditional means to remove gum, both
power washing and scraping. After witnessing the GumBlasters
method, Mueller said the comparison was "night and day."
With this particular technology it basically evaporates the gum,"
she said. "There was no residue left and no marks left from scraping."
Mills also currently is negotiating deals with Arizona State University, Wells Fargo & Co. and Life Time Fitness in Tempe, but would not say
how close he is to signing a contract with them. "I think it's a very good product," said Tom Sassatelli,
associate buyer in the ASU purchasing department. "We think it's
very viable." Tom Stumper, operations manager at Life Time Fitness in "The product is awesome," he said. "I was impressed
by how fast and clean the process was." Mills, who lives in Gilbert, expects the business to take off,
considering all of the gum-chewers in the Valley. Since starting the
business, he has immersed himself in the chemicals and ingredients in
gum. "It's the gum base that is left on the ground after all the
flavors wash out," he said. "That's the black mark on the
ground, the stuff that sticks to your feet, that follows you home."
Along with his employee, Bryce Meyers, 27, Mills conducts
daily demonstrations for companies across the Valley. Charging around
30 cents per square foot, he hopes to capitalize on the thousands of
miles of walkways and storefronts in need of a quick facelift. "We are really the only environmentally sound and cost-effective
solution to this problem," he said. "You wouldn't go to a
restaurant if it had dirty windows or food stuck on the menu. It really
is pollution in many ways." Get connected
GumBlasters: www.gumblasters-az.com |
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