In 1977, Gary Poborsky, founder of GAP Services and GapVax, established his industrial vacuum services business in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. That same year, Karl Wiedemann, founder of Wiedemann GmbH, launched the world’s first water recycling jet/vac unit in Germany.

GapVax and Wiedemann Enviro Tec have announced that they are joining forces to introduce the GapVax-Wiedemann Recycle JetVac, a water recycling combination machine, to the North American market.

The greatest technical challenge to water recycling systems is the complete removal of abrasive sediments from the water. Many manufacturers in this industry have tried to solve this challenge but have fallen short. In contrast, Wiedemann Enviro Tec has spent 40 years refining its recycle systems to achieve total removal of abrasive sediments.

“You can’t just filter the water, you have to clean the water,” says Stefanie Wiedemann, second-generation owner of Wiedemann Enviro Tec.

Poborsky states that customers won’t be able to tell the difference until they see it for themselves. “If you don’t do recycling right, you’ll start to see worn-out nozzles, worn-out pipes, worn-out pumps and worn-out systems,” he says.

This proven wet-only system physically cleans the water by removing all abrasive particles through a combination of centrifugal separation and sedimentation. There are no filters and therefore no blockages on this recycling jet/vac. Further, the GapVax-Wiedemann unit is the only recycling system that can handle routine grease.

Although it uses a multistage process, the water recycling system is built around three main components: a self-cleaning backflush mesh, cyclones for centrifugal cleaning action, and progressive sedimentation chambers inside the water tank. The key to the water recycling system design is that it keeps the workload of all these components in balance. In fact, the recycling system cleans more water than the pump can discharge.

The GapVax-Wiedemann Recycle JetVac, because of its continuous operation, drastically reduces water consumption and substantially increases productivity. It eliminates time and effort wasted on refilling water tanks. By using existing wastewater for the initial fill, the operator can arrive on site empty and work in subzero temperatures. Push-button operation of jetting hoses, vacuum system and suction hoses speeds setup and reduces strain on operators. With 70 feet of vacuum hose on the cassette, there is no need to add vacuum tubes.

It was the 2016 WWETT Show in Indianapolis that brought GapVax and Wiedemann Enviro Tec together. Both companies are family-owned with a long record of technological development; Poborsky and Wiedemann quickly saw the great advantage of partnering to bring this advanced technology to the U.S.