For nearly 25 years, Express Blower, Inc. has lead the pneumatic blower truck market through technological innovation, state-of-the-art systems, and practical experience, resulting in a greater number of large-size pneumatic blower machines working in the field today than any other manufacturer. The mantra, “We are selling a business, not just a piece of equipment,” is ingrained in Express Blower’s culture and is reflected in the equipment and services provided to its customers.
THE INVENTOR
The precursor to the modern-day Express Blower truck began nearly 70 years ago in Eugene, Oregon, with Rexius Forest By-Products and its mobile invention to blow sawdust into hospitals, homes, and other buildings for heating fuel. In the 1960s, this morphed into trucks blowing bark and mulch for landscape applications, but the machines were still built and used solely by Rexius. It wasn’t until the early 1990s when Rexius developed a more automated machine that they finally yielded to multiple requests to share the time saving, labor saving, and profit-generating machines with other mulch installation businesses. In 1994, Express Blower was born as a division of the Rexius Company and started manufacturing and selling blower trucks worldwide. Walking floors, hose reels, and heavy steel boxes all became things of the Rexius past with the technologically advanced Express Blower (EB).
In 2002, Express Blower, Inc. was acquired by DHG, Inc., which also owns FINN Corporation, another leader in the erosion control and landscape equipment market with its HydroSeeders®, Straw Blowers, and small- to mid-size Bark & Mulch Blowers. The two companies became a formidable force in supplying machines that reduce labor, increase productivity, and give options to businesses to expand their services.
THE STANDARD
The industry standard became the Express Blower model EB-60. PTO powered, it hauls and productively applies large quantities of bark, mulch, or wood chips. But it can do more. Much more.
Looking for avenues to extend the blower truck’s spring mulching season and increase EB customers’ profitability and capabilities, Rexius experimented by blowing its own compost and soil blends for erosion control blankets, sediment control berms, topdressing lawns, and installing garden beds. Fortunately, the EB-60 was more than a match for these heavier materials and specialized applications, creating new opportunities for EB truck owners.
SEEDING IS BELIEVING
Innovation is the cornerstone of Express Blower. Patented in 2000, the design that quickly gave customers the most profit potential was the Supplemental Injection System used in the application of Terraseeding®. Descriptively called “seeding with soil,” Terraseeding is a calibrated system to inject grass or wildflower seeds into the blow stream of compost, soil blends, or mulches. The calibration provides an even distribution of seed, and blowing in with the organic material increases and quickens germination. The Terraseeding process also eliminates many burdensome steps such as wheelbarrowing soil, leveling and raking, seeding by hand, fertilizing, and topdressing over the seed. As a bonus, the blown on application is quick with little or no damage to existing landscapes and results in a smooth, professional appearance.
THE GREEN REVOLUTION
In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Rule tightened the stormwater runoff regulations of construction activities down to sites of one acre or more. What might have been considered a cumbersome government regulation became another opportunity for Express Blower and its customers. Combined with Terraseeding, an Express Blower machine could swiftly, and with little labor, install a seeded compost erosion control blanket or a sediment control berm, each delivering 100 percent ground contact for greater success at controlling runoff and stabilizing slopes. Express Blower is able to provide an effective means of controlling erosion while meeting government requirements, giving its equipment owners another revenue stream while extending the blowing season into the fall and winter months.
Green roofs have been a staple in Europe for decades, but they were relatively unknown in North America until the early- to mid-2000s. Again, Express Blower saw an opening to create more demand for its equipment and increase business opportunity for its existing customer base by developing machines with the ability to blow materials “sky high.” While all EB machine models can “go vertical” for green roof installations, certain models, properly equipped, have blown rooftop soil mixes more than 30 stories high, eliminating the need for cranes, wheelbarrows, and manlifts, while decreasing the amount of labor needed for installation.
EQUIPMENT EXPANSION
What began as a true bark or mulch blower truck has given way to a variety of Express Blower machines, some of which are powerful enough to productively blow aggregates as large as 1.5-inch round rock at distances in excess of 1,850 feet and compost and soil blends more than 2,000 feet (although performance may vary depending on type and quality of material used, operator proficiency, jobsite setup, requirements, and specifications). When including the available power packages, EB offers eight models, plus two more through its Express Mulcher product line.
Express Blower recognizes that one size does not fit all: integrated PTO-powered units, truck/trailer mount, and a variety of body sizes from semi-trailer size to a compact skid. Plus, EB now also offers the retro Express Mulcher with walking floor and hose reel for companies interested in a more economical machine strictly for mulches and wood chips applications.
THE COMPANY AND ITS PEOPLE
Express Blower claims the industry’s most experienced and knowledgeable people in both sales and aftermarket product support and takes great pride in its superior customer service. Personalized onsite training with purchase, exclusive bi-annual EB owner’s educational and networking conference, expert technical support and extensive parts inventory to maximize uptime and productivity, service referrals, plus exceptional warranty coverage are just a few other reasons that EB continues to grow and expand its customer base.
Whether it is for erosion control, green roofs, landscaping, construction, playgrounds, aggregates, or Terraseeding, EB equipment reduces labor requirements, saves job time, expands capabilities, and provides great profit potential. When you work with Express Blower, you are working with the people who know blower trucks and their markets best.
For More Information:
Express Blower, Terraseeding, and the Express Blower design logo are trademarks of Express Blower, Inc. HydroSeeder is a trademark of FINN Corporation. For more information, visit www.expressblower.com.
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Modern Contractor Solutions, June 2018
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