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It is with great pleasure that we report WorldSweeper's free monthly e-newsletter is the recipient of an international APEX Award for Publication Excellence. This marks the 8th year in a row that our newsletter has won an APEX and the 14th year in a row of the 15-year existence of the WorldSweeper.com website that some aspect of the overall project has won an APEX. Sign up here to receive our newsletter in your in-box each month.

The September edition of our free award-winning e-newsletter is now available online. Among other stories, this issue includes a press release on Trombia's unveiling of the world's first ever autonomous electric sweeper; reported payment issues with KBS/National Maintenance Systems; buying or selling your business when WalMart is a significant client; a report of WalMart testing a move to half-time day portering; and, how a contractor improved his business by quitting WalMart sweeping. Oh, and a YouTube video of a NASCAR driver running into the back of the track sweeper!

Check out our latest exclusive advance preview of the next issue of SweeperMarket/PaverMarket, posted on September 2nd. Remember: Our monthly online preview provides our readers with at least a full week's headstart on those who won't see the ads until the magazine arrives by mail!

Our editor interviewed Rod Moore, general manager for 40+ year C&J Parking Lot Sweeping, what accounted for the company's continuing success. What Rod has to say about the concept of providing outstanding customer service in this 17-minute video is food for thought for most any type of service business.

Cameron Crews has won this year's WSA Carl J. Austin Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. Cameron, whose father, Chris Crews, works for Victory Sweepers, will be attending Auburn University this fall.

We also provide our survey results on COVID-19's impact on contractors; a 'Noteworthy in Sweeping' article about a Scottish contractor using his savings to help children during the pandemic lockdown; a final reminder about applying for WSA's Memorial Scholarships, and more. If you want to be on the mailing list for the newsletter, sign up here.

The World Sweeping Association has provided an article documenting the questionable business practices of third party vendor, Command7, as WSA tried to assist a member to get paid by the company for sweeps done as requested and with no complaints at a Lowe's location.

If you're a sweeping contractor, please let us know how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your company. We have developed a brief COVID-19 Impact on Sweeping Survey that will take you less than five minutes to complete.

See our Earth Day Special Report outlining the impact of the coronavirus on those who sweep in Nigeria, the Philippines and India.

Federal Signal Corporation has announced the launch of a website dedicated to showing how its equipment line can be utilized for cleaning and sanitizing efforts in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In celebration of March being Women's History Month, we bring you an article about Florence Parpart, who in 1904 won a patent for her sweeper design.

Elgin Sweeper Company has introduced the single-engine Whirlwind1, the first vacuum sweeper in North America with VSD – Variable Speed Device – technology, which allows the engine to simultaneously power both the truck and the sweeper.

Check out our in-depth interview with Will Conklin, one of the principals with the XBroom mechanical broom sweeper. Includes a 40-minute audio podcast.

Ever wonder how to get onto Walmart's bid list for parking lot sweeping? An article in our March newsletter tells you how.

The City of Philadelphia powers that be are trying to 'get it right' when it comes to sweeping the streets. First they tried leaf blowers to move material from under parked cars, with poor success. Now they have proposed a vehicle removal program for sweeping.

Elgin Sweeper Company was this year's winner of the WorldSweeper/World Sweeping Association Award of Excellence in Power Sweeping for 2020, the power sweeping industry's highest honor. The Award was spurred by the extraordinary consultation with contractors Elgin did before introducing its new RegenX sweeper.

The pavement-based pollutant removal ability of a wide variety of BMPs has shown street sweeping to be the most cost-effective of all by a wide margin. Check out the new comprehensive study that involved 14 Florida municipalities.

Global Environmental Products has introduced the Global R4AIR, what the company is calling "The Ultimate Street Sweeping Machine." We have also added an article about Global sweepers cleaning up NYC's Times Square last New Years Eve.

Have you listened to 'The Sweepers and Tankers Podcast,' hosted by Johnston Sweepers' Product Marketing Manager, Matt Starnes? The podcast deals with anything and everything in the street sweeping and sewer tanker world.

Did you know: In 2019 San Francisco spent more than $70 million to clean up poop. The dawn-to-dusk work represents a $32 million increase in street-cleaning spending since fiscal 2013-2014, an increase of over $6 million a year. The city expects to spend at least $72 million in fiscal year 2020.

Elgin Sweeper Company has announced it has initiated customer evaluations of a plug-in, hybrid electric version of its popular Broom Bear mechanical sweeper. The hybrid Broom Bear uses a high-capacity battery to power the sweeper. The battery can be recharged while driving or when plugged into an electrical outlet.

Ireland-based Glanaco Clean Site Solutions is looking to expand its line of four attachment sweepers, designed to go onto wheel loaders, to the U.S. marketplace.

GPS is one of the best ways to monitor performance; here is an article telling how to get more 'operator buy-in' via turning GPS data into a positive experience via game-playing.

As part of our ongoing interaction with Walmart Corporate on its recent – as well as long-standing – sweeping-related decisions, as Director of the World Sweeping Association I conducted an exclusive interview with Dale Brantley, Walmart's Senior Manager for Exterior Services.

If you sweep parking lots you'll want to see the new Sweep Inspect app, designed by Jim Blackerby, owner of Louisville Pavement Sweep and a second-generation contractor. Work product oversight has never been made so easy and efficient.

Nordsense, a Denmark-based artificial intelligence-based waste management technology company, has partnered with the City of San Francisco to optimize waste collection across the city. The results were an 80 percent drop in the number of overflowing bins, as well as a 64 percent decrease in illegal dumping and a 66 percent decrease in street cleaning requirements.

After a cost assessment of implementing Chesapeake Bay requirements tallied up to more than $1 billion, the county sought a less expensive solution. A study on the costs of storm water management practices prepared for the Maryland Department of the Environment Science Services Administration found that air street sweepers provided the lowest average annual cost over 20 years per impervious acre treated.

Learn all about Keystone Plastics, one of the leading suppliers of sweeper brooms and brushes, in our feature story on the company.

In my alternate position as Executive Director of the World Sweeping Association, I was interviewed on Jeff Tippett's Victory by Association podcast.

WorldSweeper surveyed eight U.S. cities about their sweeping practices. The results may surprise you.

The World Sweeping Association has announced the winners of its 2019/2020 Memorial Scholarships.

We're looking for anyone who has used reclaimed water for dust suppression and had their sweeper hoppers affected by a 'phage' that is characterized by these effects. If you have info please contact WorldSweeper.

Did you know that over 40% of the tickets nationwide are for not moving vehicles prior to sweeping?

If you currently use one or more backpack blowers and noise is ever an issue you'll want to read "Battery-Powered Blowers: Ready to Meet the Sweeping Industry's Needs?"

Sweeprite has returned to the North American marketplace. The line is being built by Merit Manufacturing, Inc., which is described as "a world class laser cutting, metal forming and fabricating company based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

A study from India reports sweeping pavement by hand is tough on the body. For the details, check out "Indian Study Confirms Musculoskeletal Issues for Street Sweeping Personnel."

We added a detailed report on airport FOD removal in our February e-newsletter edition. Here's the link.

Johnston Sweepers has announced the hiring of several new management personnel. Check out the information.

Our feature newsletter story in January is a must-read article compiled with an interview with Scott Cerosky, a 27-year insurance professional catering to the pavement industry. It's entitled "Learning From and Eliminating Sweeper Operator 'Incidents'."

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with partner agencies, initiated a study called "Potential Reductions of Street Solids and Phosphorus in Urban Watersheds from Street Cleaning."

In our historical collection of vintage sweeper brochures we have added what may be the very first such advertising for the then brand new Elgin Pelican.

WSA is partnering with the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) to find and catalog sweeping contractors with the equipment and expertise to clean permeable (interlocking concrete) pavement. If that's something you know how to do be sure to confirm your expertise by taking the WSA/ICPI survey.

We asked 18 sweeping industry professionals to predict the future of the power sweeping industry and captured the video of their responses. October marked the end of our six-part series, where starting in May and extending to October we released a YouTube video that had three industry pros predicting the future of power sweeping. You will certainly want to check them all out.

We now have on the WorldSweeper website an in-depth analysis of the City of San Jose, California's street sweeping program. The report – which is 72 pages in length – is entitled "Street Sweeping: Significant Investment and Re-tooling are Needed to Achieve Cleaner Streets." We highly recommend anyone involved with street sweeping read the report. We will also have a podcast with San Jose officials in charge of sweeping in our November e-newsletter. This gives you time to tell us any questions you'd like asked at that time. Complete info is at this link.

Patients of a state-run medical facility in a town in eastern Uzbekistan try to avoid Friday visits. That's the day doctors and nurses in Quvasoy have different duties to tend to – sweeping the streets and cleaning up garbage.

As reported in our June e-newsletter, China has debuted the world's first driverless street sweeper.

Global Environmental Products has announced it will be utilizing the fuel cell technology of U.S. Hybrid Corp. to produce hydrogen fuel cell-powered street sweepers, the first of which will go to Caltrans.

Before you take your sweeping program for granted, check out this story: "Philly Residents Turn to Crowdfunding to Get Streets Swept." And, new to our archives cataloging sweeping around the world is this article: "A Night in the Life of a Street Sweeper Driver in India."

In 2018 had the experience of receiving the Alan Curtis Industry Service Award at the recent National Pavement Expo. This award included installation into the U.S. Pavement Hall of Fame. I am proud and humbled to receive such a singular honor.

Let's say you love your job as someone who sweeps streets every day, probably in the cab of a chassis-mounted sweeper... Now check out the article about Shang Wuji, who hasn't missed a day of sweeping the streets of China with a broom and wheelbarrow in 12 years – even though he only has one leg and was born deaf and dumb! Mr. Wuji is the latest person installed in our Noteworthy in Sweeping section.

Risk transfer clauses are becoming a regular part of mall and third party contracts. Every sweeping contractor needs to read this article that discusses how to recognize and defend against risk transfer clauses.

Are you aware of the latest generation of oils, which offer lower viscosity, higher fuel economy and longer drain cycles? Check it out with this link to FleetOwner.

Craig Crissman, owner of Shenandoah Supervac has over two decades of experience as a diesel mechanic. That's what led him to doing a test with his Schwarze Gale Force to see if he could maximize the longevity of the DPF system. What you read may surprise you.

When it comes to NASCAR there's only one vehicle that is featured at every race: That's the Elgin Track Sweeper. A recent segment of 'NASCAR Jobs' featured the Track Sweeper.

Next time one of your sweeper operators complains about their job, we suggest to show them the dangers of being a sweeper in Jamaica, where most of the sweeping is done manually amidst drivers that a U.S. contractor calls "maniacs." Is one of your operator's problems that they might have to "jump into the nearby crocodile-infested swamp"?!

Has your organization implemented the guidelines needed to be compliant with OSHA's Silica Dust Rule, which started last September 23rd for construction work by companies with 10 or more employees?

The City of Los Angeles is developing a pilot program to notify residents when the sweeper has passed their address. The intent is to reduce the number of parking citations issued for street sweeping.

Two recent articles tout the advantages of power sweeping for reducing stormwater pollution runoff. One, by four members of Schwarze Industries' management team, called 'Runoff Pollution Prevention,' appears in Storm Water Solutions. The other, written by WorldSweeper's editor, is entitled 'Power Sweeping Contractors: Leading in the Defense of Clean Water,' appeared in PAVEMENT Magazine.

Our Australia/India blog about power sweeping in Australia and India has won a prestigious APEX Award for Publication excellence! Click on the logo to learn more.

Our sister organization, the World Sweeping Association, also received an APEX for the third year in a row for the value of the information provided in its twice-monthly WSA Member Update. If you are a contractor and are not yet a member of WSA you're definitely missing out on a cost-effective way to improve your business.

Contractors: If you are presented with contracts with wording regarding 'omissions' then you need to read this article.

Sweeper aficionado, McKinley "Kenny" Page, was the subject of an 18-minute video about his life-long fascination with street sweepers; most specifically, Elgin's classic Street King.

The World Sweeping Association is offering to the industry a WSA Featured Podcast that was conducted between 'The Sweepin' Preacher, American Sweeping's Gale Holsman, and an anonymous sweeping contractor who needed help in getting profitable. The approximately 1-hour podcast, which includes an article edited from the podcast, is a must for any sweeping contractor that wants to get a better handle on expense and revenue info in their company.

Remind yourself of the basics with our 'Broom Sweeping 101' article.

Porous pavement is the gaining popularity very rapidly. WorldSweeper offers BMP information about keeping it clean and functioning well.

Have you seen the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's BMP fact sheet for street sweeping? If not, perhaps you should take a look.

We now have on the site a well-researched document by Washington State's Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) on how the sweeping of paved surfaces can reduce stormwater pollution runoff.

Ever have a problem with drag shoes scraping newly sealed asphalt? If so, you'll want to read our article entitled "Ways to Eliminate Drag Shoe Scraping."

Have you wondered how to tell a prospect or client how they can tell a quality sweeping contractor? Check out the article I wrote for Retail Facility Business on this topic.

Are you a Facebook Fan of WorldSweeper.com yet? Our Fans often receive advance notice of our newsletter, as well as a variety of industry tidbits not meriting an actual article.

Finally, if you are a vendor to the sweeping industry and don't yet advertise here, please consider doing so with either a banner ad or a Sweeping Products listing.

As you can see from the logos above the headline, we have an RSS feed on the website, as well as links to our Twitter and Facebook accounts. These are easy ways to keep up with news at WorldSweeper.com. We also offer a web page that contains the latest articles we've added to the site.

Good Sweeping,

-- Ranger Kidwell-Ross, editor
First time here? Please read my introductory welcome message.

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Take a look at our featured items below, or check out the complete contents of the site by choosing from the list to the left.

GUESTBOOK If you haven't filled out our Guestbook, we can't send you late-breaking industry information. If you're involved with sweeping, please take time to provide us with your contact information. DISCUSSION FORUM Discuss industry topics with others in sweeping. Our discussion forums offer a variety of topics, or make up your own. Plus, we have buy/sell classifieds for sweeping and sweeping-related equipment. (opens in new window) CONTRACTOR LOCATOR Do you offer sweeping or related services, or would you like to hire a sweeping contractor? If so, you'll want to check out our contractor locator section. (opens in new window) SWEEPING AROUND THE WORLD Sweeping is a worldwide industry, but the techniques vary enormously depending upon where it's being done. We have a number of stories about how sweeping is done in various locations of the world, many from the award-winning online travelogues penned by our editor while traveling in Asia, Australia and Europe. You'll want to take a look.

WHAT'S NEW Here is where you'll find the latest stories we've posted online. You'll want to check often to find out the latest in industry news. STREET SWEEPING You'll find everything to do with street sweeping here. If that is the segment of the sweeping industry you are involved with, you'll want to check it out. SWEEPER SLIDESHOWS Want to see what sweepers used to be like? If so, you'll definitely want to check out our collection of old sweeper pictures. Some of the photos are even for sale, and what would look better on your office wall?! SWEEPING PRODUCTS Need to fix your sweeper, buy a new one or find the best deals and suppliers for sweeping-related products? As a way to show them you appreciate their support for this site, please do your shopping from manufacturers who support WorldSweeper.com. If you sell to the sweeping industry, be sure to sign up for your free or enhanced product listing! (opens in new window)

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FEATURED SWEEPING ORGANIZATION We're proud to offer this feature story on our home page. Making a Clean Sweep Every Time Our current featured contractor is Louisiana-based Clean Sweep, Inc., owned by Bridget and Warren Burge, who have been sweeping contractors since 1990. The couple are the 2019 winners of the WorldSweeper/World Sweeping Association's Award of Excellence in Power Sweeping. The firm has since grown to where today the company owns and operates a fleet of 30 vehicles, 25 of which are sweepers. They are a major force in Louisiana sweeping and pavement maintenance, where they sweep warehouses, construction sites, city streets and, yes, still continue to sweep parking lots. In addition, they have become a 'one call does it' company for virtually any type of pavement and exterior maintenance, including infrared asphalt repair. Check it out. If you'd like you or your organization to be considered for this honor, please let us know.